/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟐.𝟞.𝟣

~

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." ~ Charles Dickens.

~december 1972~ (christmas special)

Andromeda stood on tiptoe to reach the trim at the top of the wall, using her hand free of a paintbrush to steady herself on the ladder. She wobbled a bit, her pregnant stomach setting off her balance, and she felt a cold droplet of paint fall into her hair. Letting out a disgruntled sigh, she ran her fingers through the newly shortened strands, trying to pull the paint out before it dried. It didn't work.

"Having a bit of trouble?" an amused voice came from the doorway. Ted Tonks was leaning on the doorframe, still wearing his work robes and looking at his new wife with absolute adoration in his gaze. "See, I think the point was to paint the walls, not yourself, love."

Andromeda didn't look amused. "I swear this project never ends," she muttered, stepping down from her ladder and crossing over to kiss Ted.

"It looks fantastic, really. Little Sarah'll love it."

Andromeda pulled a face. "Sarah? No. If it's a girl, we're calling her Florence."

"No way!" Ted laughed, pulling Andromeda into his arms and kissing her on the top of the head. Andromeda couldn't help smiling. "But if it's a boy, we're calling him Andrew."

Andromeda shook her head and laughed. "You're just purposely naming names I hate," she said, slipping past Ted and heading to the kitchen of the tiny apartment the two of them shared in Diagon Alley.

Ted followed her, his eyes dancing. "I am not! Andrew's a good name! -Andy!"

"D'you want eggnog?" Andromeda asked, pulling two mugs down from the cabinet. Ted leaned against the counter next to her, looking out the snow covered window to the lit street below. The snow was coming down hard and the night sky was cloudy without a star in sight.

The Christmas lights the couple had hung around their apartment on the first night of December twinkled warmly, making Ted feel content and cozy as Andromeda poured them each a mug of warm eggnog and brought them to the couch by the fire. "How was work?" she asked, curling her legs underneath herself and tucking a short lock of dark hair behind her ear in the way that always made Ted think about how absolutely magnificent she was.

"It was fine. Hoxley gave me most of the day off because Christmas is so soon," he said, taking her free hand in his and running his fingers lightly over her soft skin.

"So you're off until after the holiday?" asked Andromeda.

Ted nodded. "Yep. You're stuck with me for an entire three weeks."

"Great," Andromeda said, a slow smile creeping onto her face. "You can take over the nursery project."

"Gladly." Ted leaned forward and kissed Andromeda lightly on the tip of the nose.