Apparating back home, Andromeda knew what she had to do. She didn’t want to waste anymore time. With Ted’s permission, she could finally go to Kingsley. She could give him what they both wanted. In that moment, she loved her husband more than she ever realized possible.
Popping into her living room, she startled Harry. He jumped, Teddy nearly falling to the floor. A quick glance at Teddy’s smiling face told her no harm had been done.
“Sorry,” she told Harry. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Is everything going okay?”
“Sure,” he replied, allowing Teddy to crawl off his lap onto the sofa. “We were just playing. Are you okay? You seem out of breath or something.”
“I’ve never been better,” she told him, smiling. Suddenly, she realized that she couldn’t remember the last time she really smiled. Smiled and felt good about it, instead of guilty. “I was just wondering if you could stay with Teddy for awhile longer.”
“Of course,” Harry replied smiling back. “You’ve got somewhere to be?”
“I hope so,” she said, praying Kingsley would be home. Praying this wasn’t the day he finally decided to give up on her. “I might be awhile. If it gets late, feel free to have Ginny join you or take him to the Weasleys.”
“Are you sure?” Harry’s confusion didn’t surprise her. She wasn’t much for leaving Teddy. This would only be the second time she’d allowed her grandson to go out without her.
“Of course,” she said. “You’re great with Teddy. The Weasleys love him. He’ll be fine there. If you’re not here when I get home, I’ll pick him up tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” Harry replied.
“Thank you,” she said. “You’re about the only babysitter I would trust with him.”
“I’m honored,” he told her, scooping Teddy back into his arms.
“Have fun,” she said to Harry, as she kissed Teddy goodbye.
And then she was gone. With a loud pop, she was standing outside Kingsley’s loft. For the first time, her happiness calmed enough for her to feel truly nervous. She’d been horrible to Kingsley. He said he’d wait, but could he really still love her after the way she’d been acting.
“Only one way to find out,” she whispered to herself. “You’re not turning back now.”
Raising her hand, she knocked. She hadn’t been to this apartment since her daughter’s death. On occasion, she’d come by searching for Dora, especially when the danger of the war become very clear.
Her mind was spinning. She had no idea what to say, but didn’t have long to think about it. The door was opened almost immediately. Kingsley stared out at her, dressed in business robes and looking tired. He must’ve just gotten home from the Ministry.
“Andromeda.” He smiled, the fatigue nearly disappearing from his appearance. “Please, come in.”
She followed him into the tiny loft, settling on a chair in his living room. Nothing had changed since her last visit. The rooms were scarcely decorated and the furniture old. Kingsley was clearly a bachelor with no real concern for design. She didn’t blame him. At least, he was neat, which was more than she could say for anyone in her family.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked, sitting across from her. He appeared calm, but his eyes gave him away. They darted around, as if he were hoping to see something that would explain her unexpected arrival. He was nervous.
“No, thank you,” she replied. After that she froze. She had no idea how to proceed. How could she tell Kingsley that it was okay for them to be together because her dead husband gave her a sign? How understanding could she expect him to be?
“Andy, I hope you’re not here asking me to leave you alone,” he went on. “If that’s really what you want, I’ll have no choice, but I don’t want to do it. I love you. I don’t want to give up.”
“I don’t want you to either,” she said quickly, finding the perfect opening. “I’m not here to ask you to leave. I want you to stay. I want to be with you, if you’ll still have me after everything I’ve put you through.”
He stared at her, for a few moments, saying nothing. His eyes revealed surprise. Finally, a smile burst across his face. “You’re serious? What changed your mind?”
“Ted,” she admitted, not meeting his eyes. “We had a little chat, you could say. This is what I want, and he understands that. He wants me to be happy, and that means being with you.”
Kingsley showed absolutely no upset at her remarks. He didn’t seem at all concerned that she was talking to her dead husband. He simply threw his arms around her, holding her tightly.
“This is all I want in the world,” he said, still clinging to her. “You’re sure this is what you want, too.”
“I’m sure,” she whispered. “I won’t push you away again.”
He pulled her close, kissing her, embracing her. It felt good. She was where she was supposed to be. In the morning, she knew she’d feel only relief. The guilt was gone. She was free to move on.
“Wait.” He pulled away, causing her to nearly fall from his lap. He sat up straight staring at her. Her stomach lurched. He’d changed his mind. After everything she’d done, he couldn’t trust her. It was too late.
“What about Teddy?” he asked.
“Huh?” she replied. She sounded utterly unintelligent, but couldn’t connect the question to their present situation. She loved Teddy, but he really wasn’t on her mind at that moment.
Kingsley laughed. “Where is he? Don’t you need to get back to him? I wouldn’t want to start something we couldn’t finish.”
She breathed deeply, a great sigh of relief. He hadn’t changed his mind. He was just worried about little Teddy. He really was perfect.
“Harry’s keeping him for the night,” she replied. “We can start anything we want.”
“Perfect,” he said, pulling her back into his arms.