The Jilted Suitor

Disclaimer: The characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling

Phineus, the betrothed of the virgin, with a party of his adherents, burst in, demanding the maiden as his own. Bulfinch's Mythologies, Book XV.

Andromeda gasped to see her father and erstwhile fiancé come into the room. That drew their attention, and they moved toward her. She stepped backwards, further into Ted's arms, as Kingsley cast a Shield Charm between them. The two had to stop moving, and then she saw that they were not alone. Voldemort was right behind her father.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Dumbledore was saying.

"I don't know what you were doing, you meddlesome old fool," started Cygnus Black, "but that girl has been contracted to Rabastan Lestrange. Andromeda, we're here to save you from a terrible fate. Be a good girl and come here. This marriage doesn't need to mean anything. Your Uncle Orion and I will straighten it all out, and everything will be fine."

Her father's demeanor was more... fatherly... than he had been in years. Tears smarted in her eyes as she wished it was real. She felt a breath of something reaching for her. Voldemort was staring at her intently. She moved still closer to Ted and he steadied her. She shook her head at her father's orders.

"The girl did not give her consent to that marriage," said Dumbledore coolly. He looked as though he were at a debate society meeting rather than in a small room with three wands pointed at him. "She did give her consent to this one, and the thing is done."

"She's mine!" screamed the jilted wizard as he raised his wand. "I'll see her dead before I'll see her married to some Mudblood!"

His new attempt at "Imperio!" was again foiled by Ted's "Petrificus Totallus!" and he fell to the floor. His brother moved into the room at that point, followed by Bellatrix.

"Well, well, little sister, I should have found out exactly what you were doing with the Mudblood on Diagon Alley. I admit I was convinced by your little show. Just how much of an actress are you? Was white really the best color for you to wear tonight?"

Something very much like a growl came from Ted's throat. The fight broke out, then, with Cygnus battling his brother; Kingsley, Ted and Andromeda fighting against the Lestranges; and Voldemort casting spells at Dumbledore that were easily parried. As he fought, Voldemort worked his way closer and closer to Andromeda. He sensed that if he could carry off the young witch, he would win the day and the complete alliance of the Black family, which was a prize he craved. However, even a highly talented person will occasionally make a mistake. His was to assume that Ted Tonks was insignificant.

When Voldemort laid his hand on Andromeda's arm in an effort to capture her, Ted went a little mad. He, and others, had gone to great lengths to keep the witch from this man's followers. After having just exchanged vows with her, he would protect her at any cost to himself. First he cast a disarming spell upon the other wizard. The Stunning Spell he cast next dropped the other wizard on his back, unconscious, just as Shacklebolt hit the Lestranges with an Incarcerous. That left Cygnus and Alphard as the only remaining combatants in a family conflict that had neither started nor was likely to end that day.

"Tonks, take her and go where I told you," said Alphard, judging that once Andromeda was gone the fight would end.

"Yes, Sir," answered Ted. He pulled his bride close and whispered "Trust me," just as he summoned great determination and turned.

Andromeda didn't open her eyes when they Apparated. She trembled in the arms of the man who was now her life partner and buried her face in his shoulder. He made soothing noises and patted her back. She noticed, offhand, that she liked the way he smelled. Lavender, mint, and something else, she decided. Finally she took a deep breath and looked around herself.

"This is Uncle Alphard's cottage!" she said.

"He explained how to get here to me," answered her new husband. "He said he put it under Fidelius Charm years ago."

"And he's the Secret Keeper?"

"Along with your cousin, Sirius," he answered.

"Oh, my goodness!" she said. "They must have done that two summers ago. Aunt Walburga blamed his being sorted to Gryffindor on his visit to Uncle Alphard that year. She couldn't figure out how to find our Uncle in order to complain. Do you like it?" she asked.

"I haven't seen much, but it seems nice."

"Let's look around, then. I wouldn't mind searching the kitchen for a bit of a tea or something. I couldn't eat at the Lestrange's tonight, and we've been rather busy ever since. Uncle has a house-elf somewhere... Birdie, or Binnie, or Bennie..."

"Here I am, Mistress."

"Oh! It's Bennie, then?"

"Yes, Mistress. What can Bennie do for you?"

"If you wouldn't mind, a bit of a tea would be good. Could you bring it to the sitting room? This is Master Theodore. We're going to look around a little bit and then we need a bit of comfort."

"Yes, Mistress. Master Alphard tells me to fix the front bedroom for Mistress. You can go see it if you like."

Andromeda brightened. "Oh, thank you! We'll go there, first."

The elf disappeared and Ted laughed. "You are very kind to house-elves."

She put her hand on her hip. "Some of us are, Mudblood...oh." She put her hands over her face in shame.

"Andromeda," he said.

She shook her head, so he grasped her wrists and gently moved her hands. "Andromeda."

She looked up at him, guilt in her face.

"I can't pretend I don't find the word hurtful, but I know that you say it out of habit, that you don't mean to offend me."

"I'm so sorry, Ted. I was thinking about the other day at the ice cream parlor. All those times I said that to you. I hit you, too..."

"And it was a brilliant way to ease your sister's suspicions. It was forgiven the instant it happened. Now I can be proud that such a quick-thinking witch is married to me."

"Oh, Ted." It was getting easier to step into his arms, and even to slide her hands around his waist to his back.

He enjoyed the moment. "So you have a room here?"

"It's the nicest room in the house. Would you like to see it?" He nodded, and they went up the stairs together. She brought him to the room, which was decorated in soft blues and greens, but not in such a way that was overly feminine. Instead it reflected rest for those who stayed within it. There was a queen-sized bed and a love seat that looked toward French doors.

"The afternoon sunshine gets filtered through a walnut tree outside. It's wonderful," she sighed.

"It is beautiful."

"Ted, Uncle Alphard offered for us to stay here. He said he wouldn't be here for a week or so, and that we can stay here now, and even afterwards, if you like. It's safe, since the family can't find it..."

"It is wonderful. He told me all about it when you were changing, and I already accepted on behalf of both of us, if you don't mind."

She smiled brightly. "I think we will like it here."

They went back downstairs to have the tea that was laid out and found that Bennie had made them all sorts of pastries and sandwiches to go along with the biscuits Andromeda had figured upon. The elf waited by the door. "Master Alphard is here with Old Master Mugwump. They goes down stairs for wine."

"You needn't have done that," called Andromeda.

"Nonsense!" said the older wizard, who overheard her as he came up the last of the stairs from the cellar. "Albus and I are here for just a few minutes. We wanted to reassure you that everyone is fine, even your father and your sister, girl. As soon as you and Ted left, they lost interest in the fight and left, themselves. We brought your suitcase, which contains all of the worldly goods you now own, I'm afraid. We'll just have a toast to celebrate, and then we're off to stretch our legs while you two become better acquainted."

"It's your house, Uncle."

"It's your home too, for now, and it's good to have family in it, Niece." He poured glasses of sparkling wine and passed them around, and then proposed a toast. "May we all be glad to have participated in tonight's events."

"Here, here!" said the Headmaster as everyone sipped from their glass.

The room was quiet for a few minutes as they all ate. Andromeda got more and more thoughtful. Ted watched a pucker form between her eyebrows. He thought to himself that if they were alone he would try to kiss it away. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What exactly did Father say?" asked Andromeda.

"He's going to give you some time to come to your senses, but he feels you have left him no recourse other than to remove your name from the tapestry."

She fell back into the couch, with a lost look in her eyes. After a minute or two, she nodded. "I guess I should have expected as much. It seems a bit odd to hear it, though, as done and settled. Is Miss Figg all right?"

Ted's head whipped around at this change of subject. It was the first discovery of the means his wife used to handle things that could cause her to lose control of her emotions. While he longed to pull her into his arms and soothe the hurt she must feel, he had to admire the way she smiled and stiffened her back with resolve.

Dumbledore nodded in response to Andromeda's question. "Yes, they aren't interested in Arabella in the least. She moves around quite a bit, anyway. I often find her little jobs to do for my small group of helpers. She's not nearly as defenseless as one would think, either. Now," he said, exchanging a glance with Alphard, "it's time for us to leave you two alone. I'll be filing this tomorrow, Andromeda, which sets certain things in motion. I suspect you had better be on your guard as well, Theodore. A woman scorned and all."

With that, the two older wizards left, and the newly wedded couple were left sitting on the couch together. Ted put his arm up around her shoulders, and she settled into his side. How, in the space of a few hours, had this become such a natural and comfortable thing to do?

"Do we need to help clear up?" he asked quietly.

"No, Bennie would slap my hands if I tried, although I'm going to have to learn how to do more than I currently know. You've married a woman who's not much of a housekeeper." She thought for a minute. "I'm now a woman without a family or anything else, either. Uncle is right. Everything I have in the world is in that suitcase. It has a good many things in it. I packed it well when I realized why they wanted me to stay at the Lestrange's estate over the weekend, but that's all there is. I hope you don't mind that I'm poor and not much good at anything. I'll learn what I can, Ted, I promise."

"Andromeda, you're going to be cut off by your family because of me. If you're poor, it's my fault. I should promise to make up for it to you."

She lifted her chin. "It's not as though belonging to such a family was any great treasure. It was the only one I had, though."

They sat on the couch a little longer. It was comfortable and comforting. She reflected that so far she had come off well in the trade between a family and a husband.

Eventually he stirred. "Perhaps I should head up to bed. Can you tell me which room is to be mine?"

"It's the front one, that I showed you."

"That's your room."

"Yes," she answered without looking at him.

He sat up at that and turned her to face him. "Are you sure, Andromeda? There's nothing I want more right this minute, but are you absolutely sure?"

She looked back into his eyes and smiled. "As soon as the license is filed, they will try to get proof of nullity so they can dissolve it. If we wait, then all of this will have been for nothing. Besides, Ted, I want to.

"With me? A Mudblood?"

She nodded as she put her hand over his mouth. "With you, and without any other notation than you're a man and I'm a woman. I really want to, Ted."

He pulled away from her hand. "You're absolutely sure?"

"Would you kiss me again?"

He didn't have to be asked twice. His lips found hers, and it was everything they had found together before. Soon it wasn't enough, and Ted stood, bringing her with him and holding her tight. The feel of their bodies molded together was surprising to Andromeda, and she gasped. As her mouth opened, so did his. Their tongues, shy at first, became bolder as they explored. Finally Ted ended the kiss and came up for air. "Shall we make use of the best bedroom in the house, then?" he asked. She nodded.

They went up the stairs holding hands, and stepped into the bedroom. As the door shut behind them, Andromeda jumped a little. Then she blushed and giggled at herself. "I guess I'm nervous," she admitted.

"So am I," he said. He watched as she went around the room, blowing out the candles. He admired the line of her back as she bent and the way her cheeks puckered as she blew. At the last candle, she was facing him, and the neckline of her dress fell a little bit away from her body. His mouth went dry. She looked up and caught his eye and then smiled and looked back down at the candle. The room went dark.

"I wonder if you would help me with my dress?" she asked him.

"Of course," he answered.

There were twenty-four little buttons on the back of that gown. He knew because he counted each of them as he unfastened it. He thought he would die each time his knuckles brushed the skin of her back. The shivering response under his hands told him that she felt something as well. When he finished, she held the dress up and moved toward the bed. He took the opportunity to unfasten his own robes and move toward the other side of the bed.

They moved under the covers on their own sides and then looked at each other. Andromeda started to giggle, and then Ted started to laugh, too. Their eyes had adjusted to the moonlight by now, and Ted could see her dark hair against her creamy skin. He felt as though he couldn't move. "Andromeda," he said in a pained whisper. He picked up a lock of her hair and smelled it. The pain only increased. He moved closer to her. Then, as he had wanted to do for a long time, he buried his hands and his face in her hair. He breathed it in until she turned her face and they were kissing again.

After a while, he didn't think he could take any more. "Andromeda," he whispered.

"Oh, yes," she responded. "Yes."

There was a bit of a gasp at first. He stopped moving so that she would have a chance to catch her breath. She surprised him by putting her arms around him and moving. Then he was lost. She surrounded him with everything he had imagined in this moment and more. There was nothing to do but lose himself to it, to her...

Moments later, as he caught his breath, he became aware of her looking up at him expectantly. He smiled and kissed her face. "I'm sorry, I couldn't seem to help it. I should have waited, somehow..."

"Can we do it again?" Andromeda had been so eager for this. His looks had made her feel all swimmy inside. She felt as though his kisses had lit a fire within her. Then it had been uncomfortable, but the fire had quickly returned. Just as she was starting to feel as though she was getting the hang of it, his face had taken on an indescribable look and it was over. Maybe she just needed more practice.

"I'm not sure," he said. He kissed her and discovered that they could. This time there was no discomfort. She moved with him and felt something calling to her, but it never got very close and it was over fairly quickly again. She looked up at him thoughtfully as he looked down in remorse. Maybe practice wouldn't help.

"Maybe I'm just one of those women who doesn't," she said with a shrug.

"I don't believe that," he said. "I promise you tonight was my first time and I know it was yours, too. I think we just don't know what we're doing, yet."

"Some women just don't," she responded. "My sister..."

"Are you comparing me to Rodolphus Lestrange?"

"No, of course not, but Bellatrix is my sister, and if she can't..."

"I refuse to believe, on the strength of so little evidence, that you will never enjoy it. This is too new to us. It took years to get used to magic."

She became thoughtful. Maybe she would have to learn how to control and enjoy this the way her husband had needed to become accustomed to the magical world. "What do you propose, then?"

He whipped the covers off and laughed when she tried to cover herself. "I propose to learn and study and experiment until I know exactly what you enjoy."

"Does that go both ways?"

His predatory look was a surprise that intrigued her. "I certainly hope so."

He proceeded to explore her body, mapping it and tasting it for future reference. She squealed at the feelings he gave her. "Ted, oh, Teddy..."

He was able to act with more restraint this time. He took his time and watched for her reactions to his caresses. As she succumbed to their passion, he watched her eyes change from concentration to delight. It gave him a feeling of pleasure and accomplishment, and he quickly became lost himself. When they were finished, she looked at him with wide-eyed wonder. "That was..."

"Yes, it certainly was."

"Oh, yes. Yes, indeed." They were quiet for so long after that she wondered if he had gone to sleep.

When he spoke again, it was almost conversational. "I think I've found the way in which we can measure our marriage."

"You have?"

"I can count your shrieks of delight as I make love to you."

She burst out laughing. "You wouldn't."

"It's just between us," he said consolingly. He leaned up next to her on the bed and tilted her face toward his. "I knew it would only take hours, Andromeda. I have fallen utterly in love with you."

"Oh, Ted..."

"You don't have to feel the same way. I know you don't."

"I don't, but I do feel... Ted, you're amazing. You're some ordinary guy, but you saved me from a fate that very well might have been worse than death. I think I might love you a little bit. I'm certainly willing..."

He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. "I can't ask for any more than that, Andromeda. Not after the way all of this happened. I know it's too soon and that I'm not what you ever had in mind."

"Maybe not, but now you're the only one I can imagine."

A/N: Thanks to Trickie Woo for Beta Reading.