Fic: In a Dream (June 1.0 Saturday Special)
Title: In a Dream
Summary: Andromeda Black has dreamed about what her life may be, but she knows that dreams do not always come true.
Characters/Pairings: Andromeda Tonks (née Black), Ted Tonks
Genre: Angst/Romance
Beta: None
Rating/Warnings: PG/Descriptions of childbirth
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 2000
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure
Andromeda Black had dreams as far as she could see. Dreams of love, of a beautiful young man who would sweep her off her feet and carry her off. She imagined her wedding, envisioned herself walking toward her future husband in a beautiful gown, escorted by her father. She saw herself taking the man’s hand, preparing to start a life with him, create a family all their own.
She knew all of the things she wanted the man of her dreams to be: intelligent, faithful, kind, funny. He would be someone who treated her with respect, someone who thought she was beautiful and perfect. He would be the kind of man she could enjoy being with even when they said nothing. She had everything about him all planned out, except for who he would be.
There were many eligible young men of good breeding, as her parents always reminded her. They and their friends - all purebloods, of course - talked at great length of the matches they would make. The Malfoys’ son could be a nice match for Narcissa, who had only just started her first year at Hogwarts, and Bellatrix had already been matched with Rodolphus Lestrange. That left Andromeda, the middle sister, uncertain who her parents would choose for her.
Suggestions had been made, of course. Her parents had introduced her to the Crabbe and Rosier boys, hopeful that she might see in one of them her future husband. Andromeda had been polite to them, as she had been strictly taught, but inside she had found herself repulsed by them both. They regarded her more as a prize or an object than a person. The way they smirked when she spoke her opinions, as though her point of view held no weight (which, with them, it very likely did not) infuriated her. She knew that neither of them were the man she dreamed of, the one who would carry her off into the sunset like the heroes in the books she read.
But it did not matter what she thought. The match would be made with or without her consent. She would be sold off to the highest bidder and would be expected to be a proper wife to whomever was chosen for her. This was no surprise to her; she had always known her life’s path was not her own to decide, not when she was a daughter in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Her fate had been sealed the moment she had been born to Cygnus and Druella Black, and now she was forced to see it through or risk losing her family.
And yet, she still clung close to her dreams, hoping against all odds that they might one day come true.
***
Andromeda knew she must have lost her mind. How else could she justify her actions? She was a daughter of the Black Family, one of the oldest and most celebrated pureblood families in the wizarding world. She was set to be matched with a man whose blood status matched or exceeded her own, a man with whom she would continue a pure bloodline, ensuring that the Black family blood remain unsoiled.
So why was she now gallivanting about Hogwarts with a muggle-born Hufflepuff?
“Ted, wait,” she said, pulling him into a nearby recess, engulfing them in shadows, out of sight from prying eyes.
“Come on, Dromeda,” he murmured, running his thumb across the smooth skin of her hand. “Everyone’s at the Quidditch match. Slytherin against Gryffindor, the biggest match of the year! No one will see us.”
“I just…I have to be careful, Ted” she whispered. The last thing she needed was for Narcissa to see her with Ted Tonks and write home about how Andromeda had been snogging a lowly “mudblood.” No doubt her parents would arrive as soon as they received it and force her home so that they could correct this behavior before it was too late.
“Well, I suppose it’s nice enough in here,” Ted said as he began kissing along her jaw line. “Dark and small, hidden from everyone else. This isn’t exactly a spectator sport, after all.”
Andromeda leaned in to him, closing her eyes and shivers of pleasure rose through her spine. She appreciated his ability to find the humor in the situation. He never pushed her to be open about their relationship, never took offense to her constantly keeping their time together hidden in the shadows. He understood her, understood her situation and he never judged her for it.
Ted Tonks was the man she had always dreamed about, and she could not have been more shocked when she realized that. Ever since their first year at Hogwarts he had flirted with her, ignoring the jeers and slurs from her housemates. Even when she had held true to her snide upbringing, had turned her nose up at him, he remained patient, as though he saw the girl inside of her, the girl who was clawing at her cold, stony exterior, begging to be set free. Bit by bit he had chipped away at her stoic demeanor, letting the brightness inside of her finally shine through. And for the first time, Andromeda felt something she had never felt before: happiness.
She loved being with him, loved the way he made her smile, the way he made her feel inside. He talked to her about the muggle world, took pleasure in introducing her to the strange gadgets they used in place of magic. He told her how beautiful she was, and for the first time she felt that it was true, that he was not simply saying it in hopes of winning favor with her family. She enjoyed being with him even when they did not speak, enjoyed the silent joys of simply being together.
But as with any dream, you must eventually wake back up to the harsh realities of life. Andromeda knew this love affair could not possibly last. Her parents expected a proper marriage for their daughter; they would not accept a muggle-born as a son-in-law, would not let him sully their family line with what they considered to be inferior blood. Eventually she and Ted would be torn apart by her family and forced into different matches.
Until then, however, Andromeda would allow herself to enjoy the dream.
***
Andromeda had known it would happen, and yet she found herself shocked all the same when it did. There had been a sliver of hope in her heart that they would see things her way, that their love for their own daughter and sister would overcome their narrow-minded views of blood purity. Clinging to that impossible hope had made it even more hurtful when they had turned their backs on her, had forcibly removed her and her new husband from their home, slinging hateful insults at them both. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, her tears unnoticed by any of them. As far as her parents and sisters were concerned she was no longer fit to bear the name of Black.
She should have been happy; it was her wedding day after all. She was now Andromeda Tonks, married to the man of her dreams, the man who truly completed her in ways she had never believed possible. She had not been so foolish as to invite her family to the small ceremony, knowing that they would have done anything to sabotage the event in hopes of saving her from what they considered to be a fatal mistkae. Only Sirius stood by to represent the presence of the Black family, and, while she wished her parents and sisters would have been there as she had always dreamed, having her faithful cousin there was enough for her.
She sobbed into Ted’s arm as he led her from her home. She carried a single suitcase which held everything she had packed the day before. She had not dared ask for time to pack the rest of her belongings. These were her only possessions now.
“It’s okay, Dromeda,” Ted whispered comfortingly, pulling her close against him. “We’ll be okay.”
They would stay with Ted’s parents for a while, until they could afford a home of their own. They both already had jobs lined up. They would be able to make it on their own.
That night they indulged in a private room at the Leaky Cauldron, the closest thing to a honeymoon they would have. As Andromeda lay beside a snoring Ted, his arm draped across her torso, keeping her snugly against his chest, she thought back to when she was a girl, the dreams she had had about this day. Her dreams had come true…and yet now it almost felt like a nightmare.
***
Andromeda was certain that this must be what the Cruciatus Curse felt like. Every nerve in her body was strained and her torso burned with pain. She was dripping with sweat, panting heavily and gritting her teeth to keep from screaming out.
“Push!” the midwife commanded.
Ted held her hand in both of his, stroking her fingers gently. “Come on, Dromeda,” he whispered. “You’re almost there.”
“You keep saying that,” she said hissed as she gave another push. She was certain she had been at this for several hours now, that’s how it felt at least. It was a wonder to her that her mother had managed to do this three times. She was not sure she would be able to do this more than once.
“It’s crowning,” the midwife said. “One more should do it. Once the shoulders have passed it’s practically over.”
“Okay,” Andromeda gasped, forcing her body to give one more push. Sure enough, it felt as though it had passed, and now she was left lying in the bed, shivering and covered with sweat.
“It’s a girl,” she heard Ted say from somewhere nearby, his voice filled with wonder and awe. “A girl.”
“Healthy?” Andromeda asked, lacking the strength to sit up and look at her newly born daughter.
“Very healthy,” the midwife said as she wrapped the baby girl in a blanket. “Beautiful black hair.”
There were footsteps beside the bed and then a small bundle appeared beside Andromeda. Swaddled in the blanket, with only her head sticking out, was a lovely baby girl who appeared to be sleeping. Indeed, as the midwife said, she had a thick head of black hair…or was it a deep red?
“Her hair,” Andromeda said. “It’s…”
“Red!” the midwife exclaimed. “She must be a Metamorphmagus. Very special, this one is.”
“She’s special either way,” Ted said, taking his daughter and holding her close to Andromeda. The midwife went around to the other side of the bed and helped her into a sitting position, stacking pillows behind her back to hold her up.
“Let me see her,” she asked breathlessly, holding out her arms to her daughter. Ted gently placed the bundle in the crook of her arm, allowing his hand to rest atop the baby girl’s chest, feeling it rise and fall demurely as she slept.
“What shall we name her?” he asked.
Andromeda did not know. She was sure a name would come to her, but for now she was content to sit with her sleeping baby girl whose hair was now lightening to a strawberry blonde.
It had been more than a year since she had been disowned from her family, since her face and name had been removed from the Black Family tapestry. All of the pain she had felt on that night dissipated as she looked down into the face of her daughter, their daughter. Her family’s approval no longer mattered, because now she had the family she had always wanted, one that would love her as unconditionally as she loved them. It had not come to her exactly as she had imagined, but the end result had been the same.
All of Andromeda’s dreams had come true, and she could not be happier.
Colleen/Ravenclaw/67
Summary: Andromeda Black has dreamed about what her life may be, but she knows that dreams do not always come true.
Characters/Pairings: Andromeda Tonks (née Black), Ted Tonks
Genre: Angst/Romance
Beta: None
Rating/Warnings: PG/Descriptions of childbirth
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 2000
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure
Andromeda Black had dreams as far as she could see. Dreams of love, of a beautiful young man who would sweep her off her feet and carry her off. She imagined her wedding, envisioned herself walking toward her future husband in a beautiful gown, escorted by her father. She saw herself taking the man’s hand, preparing to start a life with him, create a family all their own.
She knew all of the things she wanted the man of her dreams to be: intelligent, faithful, kind, funny. He would be someone who treated her with respect, someone who thought she was beautiful and perfect. He would be the kind of man she could enjoy being with even when they said nothing. She had everything about him all planned out, except for who he would be.
There were many eligible young men of good breeding, as her parents always reminded her. They and their friends - all purebloods, of course - talked at great length of the matches they would make. The Malfoys’ son could be a nice match for Narcissa, who had only just started her first year at Hogwarts, and Bellatrix had already been matched with Rodolphus Lestrange. That left Andromeda, the middle sister, uncertain who her parents would choose for her.
Suggestions had been made, of course. Her parents had introduced her to the Crabbe and Rosier boys, hopeful that she might see in one of them her future husband. Andromeda had been polite to them, as she had been strictly taught, but inside she had found herself repulsed by them both. They regarded her more as a prize or an object than a person. The way they smirked when she spoke her opinions, as though her point of view held no weight (which, with them, it very likely did not) infuriated her. She knew that neither of them were the man she dreamed of, the one who would carry her off into the sunset like the heroes in the books she read.
But it did not matter what she thought. The match would be made with or without her consent. She would be sold off to the highest bidder and would be expected to be a proper wife to whomever was chosen for her. This was no surprise to her; she had always known her life’s path was not her own to decide, not when she was a daughter in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Her fate had been sealed the moment she had been born to Cygnus and Druella Black, and now she was forced to see it through or risk losing her family.
And yet, she still clung close to her dreams, hoping against all odds that they might one day come true.
***
Andromeda knew she must have lost her mind. How else could she justify her actions? She was a daughter of the Black Family, one of the oldest and most celebrated pureblood families in the wizarding world. She was set to be matched with a man whose blood status matched or exceeded her own, a man with whom she would continue a pure bloodline, ensuring that the Black family blood remain unsoiled.
So why was she now gallivanting about Hogwarts with a muggle-born Hufflepuff?
“Ted, wait,” she said, pulling him into a nearby recess, engulfing them in shadows, out of sight from prying eyes.
“Come on, Dromeda,” he murmured, running his thumb across the smooth skin of her hand. “Everyone’s at the Quidditch match. Slytherin against Gryffindor, the biggest match of the year! No one will see us.”
“I just…I have to be careful, Ted” she whispered. The last thing she needed was for Narcissa to see her with Ted Tonks and write home about how Andromeda had been snogging a lowly “mudblood.” No doubt her parents would arrive as soon as they received it and force her home so that they could correct this behavior before it was too late.
“Well, I suppose it’s nice enough in here,” Ted said as he began kissing along her jaw line. “Dark and small, hidden from everyone else. This isn’t exactly a spectator sport, after all.”
Andromeda leaned in to him, closing her eyes and shivers of pleasure rose through her spine. She appreciated his ability to find the humor in the situation. He never pushed her to be open about their relationship, never took offense to her constantly keeping their time together hidden in the shadows. He understood her, understood her situation and he never judged her for it.
Ted Tonks was the man she had always dreamed about, and she could not have been more shocked when she realized that. Ever since their first year at Hogwarts he had flirted with her, ignoring the jeers and slurs from her housemates. Even when she had held true to her snide upbringing, had turned her nose up at him, he remained patient, as though he saw the girl inside of her, the girl who was clawing at her cold, stony exterior, begging to be set free. Bit by bit he had chipped away at her stoic demeanor, letting the brightness inside of her finally shine through. And for the first time, Andromeda felt something she had never felt before: happiness.
She loved being with him, loved the way he made her smile, the way he made her feel inside. He talked to her about the muggle world, took pleasure in introducing her to the strange gadgets they used in place of magic. He told her how beautiful she was, and for the first time she felt that it was true, that he was not simply saying it in hopes of winning favor with her family. She enjoyed being with him even when they did not speak, enjoyed the silent joys of simply being together.
But as with any dream, you must eventually wake back up to the harsh realities of life. Andromeda knew this love affair could not possibly last. Her parents expected a proper marriage for their daughter; they would not accept a muggle-born as a son-in-law, would not let him sully their family line with what they considered to be inferior blood. Eventually she and Ted would be torn apart by her family and forced into different matches.
Until then, however, Andromeda would allow herself to enjoy the dream.
***
Andromeda had known it would happen, and yet she found herself shocked all the same when it did. There had been a sliver of hope in her heart that they would see things her way, that their love for their own daughter and sister would overcome their narrow-minded views of blood purity. Clinging to that impossible hope had made it even more hurtful when they had turned their backs on her, had forcibly removed her and her new husband from their home, slinging hateful insults at them both. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, her tears unnoticed by any of them. As far as her parents and sisters were concerned she was no longer fit to bear the name of Black.
She should have been happy; it was her wedding day after all. She was now Andromeda Tonks, married to the man of her dreams, the man who truly completed her in ways she had never believed possible. She had not been so foolish as to invite her family to the small ceremony, knowing that they would have done anything to sabotage the event in hopes of saving her from what they considered to be a fatal mistkae. Only Sirius stood by to represent the presence of the Black family, and, while she wished her parents and sisters would have been there as she had always dreamed, having her faithful cousin there was enough for her.
She sobbed into Ted’s arm as he led her from her home. She carried a single suitcase which held everything she had packed the day before. She had not dared ask for time to pack the rest of her belongings. These were her only possessions now.
“It’s okay, Dromeda,” Ted whispered comfortingly, pulling her close against him. “We’ll be okay.”
They would stay with Ted’s parents for a while, until they could afford a home of their own. They both already had jobs lined up. They would be able to make it on their own.
That night they indulged in a private room at the Leaky Cauldron, the closest thing to a honeymoon they would have. As Andromeda lay beside a snoring Ted, his arm draped across her torso, keeping her snugly against his chest, she thought back to when she was a girl, the dreams she had had about this day. Her dreams had come true…and yet now it almost felt like a nightmare.
***
Andromeda was certain that this must be what the Cruciatus Curse felt like. Every nerve in her body was strained and her torso burned with pain. She was dripping with sweat, panting heavily and gritting her teeth to keep from screaming out.
“Push!” the midwife commanded.
Ted held her hand in both of his, stroking her fingers gently. “Come on, Dromeda,” he whispered. “You’re almost there.”
“You keep saying that,” she said hissed as she gave another push. She was certain she had been at this for several hours now, that’s how it felt at least. It was a wonder to her that her mother had managed to do this three times. She was not sure she would be able to do this more than once.
“It’s crowning,” the midwife said. “One more should do it. Once the shoulders have passed it’s practically over.”
“Okay,” Andromeda gasped, forcing her body to give one more push. Sure enough, it felt as though it had passed, and now she was left lying in the bed, shivering and covered with sweat.
“It’s a girl,” she heard Ted say from somewhere nearby, his voice filled with wonder and awe. “A girl.”
“Healthy?” Andromeda asked, lacking the strength to sit up and look at her newly born daughter.
“Very healthy,” the midwife said as she wrapped the baby girl in a blanket. “Beautiful black hair.”
There were footsteps beside the bed and then a small bundle appeared beside Andromeda. Swaddled in the blanket, with only her head sticking out, was a lovely baby girl who appeared to be sleeping. Indeed, as the midwife said, she had a thick head of black hair…or was it a deep red?
“Her hair,” Andromeda said. “It’s…”
“Red!” the midwife exclaimed. “She must be a Metamorphmagus. Very special, this one is.”
“She’s special either way,” Ted said, taking his daughter and holding her close to Andromeda. The midwife went around to the other side of the bed and helped her into a sitting position, stacking pillows behind her back to hold her up.
“Let me see her,” she asked breathlessly, holding out her arms to her daughter. Ted gently placed the bundle in the crook of her arm, allowing his hand to rest atop the baby girl’s chest, feeling it rise and fall demurely as she slept.
“What shall we name her?” he asked.
Andromeda did not know. She was sure a name would come to her, but for now she was content to sit with her sleeping baby girl whose hair was now lightening to a strawberry blonde.
It had been more than a year since she had been disowned from her family, since her face and name had been removed from the Black Family tapestry. All of the pain she had felt on that night dissipated as she looked down into the face of her daughter, their daughter. Her family’s approval no longer mattered, because now she had the family she had always wanted, one that would love her as unconditionally as she loved them. It had not come to her exactly as she had imagined, but the end result had been the same.
All of Andromeda’s dreams had come true, and she could not be happier.
Colleen/Ravenclaw/67