Unexpectedly Expecting

39: Aftermath

Andromeda

Breakfast at the Tonks table was awkward to say the least, especially since her husband was sitting at the kitchen table staring at the silver framed school picture of Heather. His eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed, and his normally mousy brown hair was now a dark blue. He idly drank his coffee and stared at the picture as if it had all the answers of the universe contained in it.

"Ted?" Andra managed to ask. Lucius had joined her in the kitchen, and busied himself with making breakfast.

Ted started at her voice, and his hazel brown eyes met her darker ones. "This photograph is older than Dora."

Andromeda sat down, and sighed heavily. "Yes. She is my daughter...a daughter I had to give up for adoption because of Narcissa. Her adopted parents named her Heather."

"Does she know of you two?"

Lucius cleared his throat. "I only knew Andra had a child, not if he or she was alive and healthy. I was getting married according to the betrothal agreement on Narcissa and I. My father paid a lot of hush money to Cygnus Black to cover up the so called scandal of a possible Black and Malfoy heiress. So, I am just as surprised that I have a daughter living somewhere in America."

Ted's hair changed to a low purple. "Dare I ask why you two decided that a bit of rainy adultery was a good idea to spend the rainy hours?"

Lucius finished up cooking omelettes, pancakes, and toast magically before flicking his wand to send the plates their way on to the kitchen table.  "Should I tell him, or you?"

Lucius made the espresso, and served them all before sitting down beside Andra. "The Dark Lord has the Elder Wand due to him stealing it from Albus Dumbledore's grave. He believes that having the most powerful wand in existence will be the key to destroying Harry Potter, the wizard destined to kill him. Unfortunately, just before Dumbledore was killed by my cousin Severus Snape, he allowed my son to disarm him, making the Elder Wand change its allegiance to him. But not too long afterward, Harry Potter dueled Draco, and so the Elder Wand was won from him, and now it belongs to him. Since Andromeda looks so much like Bellatrix, she has agreed to attempt to steal it from the Dark Lord's custody."

Andromeda took up the narrative, "I wouldn't have asked you, dear, because you were busy with our daughter at St Mungos. How is she by the way?"

Ted sighed, "Dora is fine, and so is Teddy. I just think it's a shame that Lupin couldn't have been present for the birth for whatever reason. She is still recovering, or so the healers claimed. In fact, I have to go back in to see her. But I suppose you will be too busy to see her."

Lucius looked at Andra, and she shrugged her shoulders. "If we knew you would have gone along with Lucius's plan, we would have asked you, Ted. You did tell me once that shifting into the opposite gender is a bit more difficult than changing your hair or eye color."

Ted nodded. "Yes, but it still doesn't change the fact that you slept together."

"Would you excuse us, Lucius? I need to speak to my husband alone."

"Oh no, don't exclude him," Ted retorted. "I mean, if you're willing to be intimate with the both of us, I think he needs to know all about our marriage."

She narrowed her eyes, and tried to fight the waves of anger washing over her. "Fine. Let's talk about the fact that after I had Nymphadora, you refused to touch me. I was patient, I bought toys from muggle websites to ease the urge to be with you, and accepted that you were merely being a hard worker with your magical creature cases where you have to be around the world at times. I tolerated that even when I tried to be intimate with you, you somehow were incapable. I even tolerated your pitiful excuses that you believe that sex is only for procreation, and that you were raised to think that. I get it. I haven't been with anyone else, even though everyone knows where to go to get their needs met. And then one night, my late sister's husband, of whom I have always wanted, steps through my door, and so we were intimate."

Lucius held her hand underneath the table and his thumb made meaningless patterns on the back of her hand soothingly. She returned the gesture and he smiled encouragingly in response. Ted looked like he was deflating in front of her, but his tears nearly broke her, "Andra, I...Are you sure about this? He was your brother in law."

Andromeda looked at Lucius, and then looked at her husband. "We haven't decided on commitment yet, Ted. But I do know that I won't stay in a sexless marriage any more. Dora is a grown witch, and has a family of her own now, and I have no reason to stay married to you."

Ted stood up, his face thunderous. "How DARE you say this?? I am your damn husband, and you will obey me!"

Andromeda slipped off her bridal set, and slammed it on the kitchen table. "Am I? Well, I think the Ministry disagrees.  You know how the marriage enchantment works, so I guess we have nothing further to discuss. Now, if you two will excuse me, I think I am going to go out for breakfast, I can't stay here any more."

She went to her room and began packing her stuff into a suitcase, and using the Undetectable Extension Charm to do it. Lucius came in after a while, and had the divorce papers in his hand.

"The Ministry just delivered these. Tonks was...disturbed by how fast it came," He explained, handing it to her.

She nodded. "Just...lay it on the bed for now. Can you help me pack?"

He shifted from one foot to the other, uncertain. "You don't have to leave him, Andra. I never meant to come between you two in your marriage."

She paused in her packing, and sighed heavily, "You didn't. No, really, you did not. We have been having these issues for a long time. But I wouldn't mind there being an us...eventually."

Lucius crossed to where she was, and cupped her face with his hands. "I would like that too, Cherie. I mean that. May I kiss you?"

She nodded, and he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was featherlight, and so soft it took her breath away. He drew back, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and lifted up on her toes and kissed him back, teasing his lips with her tongue. Lucius smiled against her lips before pulling her flush to him and intertwining his tongue with hers as the kiss got deeper and more intense. They were both breathing heavily as they broke the kiss for air, staring into each other's eyes.

"I...We shouldn't have done that."

Lucius smiled. "No, but I have a feeling we will again many times. Are you ready to go?"

She looked at her bedroom, and said a silent goodbye to the house. "Yes, yes, I think that I am."

She carried her suitcase, and they found Ted still in the kitchen. The Ministry owl arrived, and he wordlessly handed a quill to her. She signed her name, and he signed his. The document revealed the change in marital status, and the owl took it after it folded itself, and flew off with the divorce document.

"I guess this is it," Ted remarked. "I wish things could have been different."

She took his hand in hers. "I do too."

He teared up. "Then don't go. Please, Andra. I love you."

She pressed a kiss to his hand, and stepped to Lucius's side. "I know. But I love Lucius more."

"Good luck, then."
"You too."

They both shared a nod, and left the house. "Can we visit Dora first?"

"Of course."

They disapparated to St Mungos, and were processed as visitors before moving to the maternity ward. Before they found Dora's room, she paused before the door and Lucius asked, "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "No. But she deserves to know."

"Alright."

Andra inhaled and exhaled as she mentally prepared herself. When she was ready, she turned the door knob, and she went inside. Lucius followed, and inside she met her grandson, and had to tell her daughter that her marriage to her father was over, and had been a sham for many years to come...