Why Andromeda Black was watching the Hufflepuff Quidditch tryouts, she had no idea. Why the Keeper currently auditioning was so captivating, she had been trying to figure out for all of fifteen minutes. Maybe it was the way he flitted about on a broomstick Bella would have laughed at, or the way he maneuvered with ease. He made Andromeda wish her father allowed her to play Quidditch (It wasn't ladylike, he said).
"Why are we here again?" she murmured to Cecilia Robinson.
Her fellow Slytherin friend smirked. "Because I want to try out for Slytherin this year and I've got to utilize all the houses' skills. But you're here, as it seems, to stare at Ted Tonks."
Andromeda's porcelain cheeks reddened slightly. "Cecy, I swear if you say that again..."
"Oh, don't be silly, Andromeda," said Cecilia with an elegant laugh that sounded almost practiced. "I'm only joking. We all know it could never happen. Honestly..."
She chuckled. "Tonks getting with a Black. As if."
"Tonks," said Andromeda under her breath, a smile dancing on her lips. "I quite like that."
The mysterious Tonks deflected the Quaffle once more - Andromeda clapped briefly. The small sound echoed in the relatively empty stadium, making Cecy giggle and turning more heads than Andromeda would have liked.
"You can't even properly see what he looks like. He could be completely hideous! And besides, he's a...you know. Mudblood."
Irritation momentarily stirred in Andromeda's stomach. What right did anyone have to call a wizard...that word, as if his blood measured his worth? "Cecilia, shut it, will you?"
Cecilia looked startled. "I...sorry."
Cecy was one of the few pureblood Slytherins who didn't sympathize with the views of the Dark Lord, and Andromeda hoped with all of her heart that wouldn't be changing anytime soon. Or, better yet, not at all.
Andromeda crossed and uncrossed her legs, smoothing her already impeccable robes. "Think he'll get it?" The tentative silence was broken.
Cecilia tilted her head to the side slightly. "What, Keeper? I don't really know, Andromeda. I think he's missed one too many."
"He's better than that Macmillan bloke," said Andromeda defensively, not quite sure why she felt the need to defend Ted Tonks.
She barely knew him. His robes were always an utter mess, he had a tendency to drop his belongings in the hallway and trip over his own feet, and he had interacted with her perhaps once. The encounter was one that often brought a blush to Andromeda's cheeks - she had been observing with great interest the lilt of his shoulders, the pleasant curve of his crooked smile, when he made eye contact with her and winked, before a flustered Andromeda hurried away.
"Oh, did I say that I've been contemplating moving to Austria? Also, I'm marrying Declan Boot. Just thought you should know."
Cecilia's voice jolted Andromeda out of her reverie. She vaguely registered that she had missed a significant piece of the conversation.
"I'm not really marrying Boot, obviously," said Cecilia, repressing a chuckle as she looked at Andromeda. "Only joking."
"Yes," said Andromeda absently.
A shrill whistle marked the end of Ted Tonks' trial run, and Andromeda's stomach squirmed with the gutsiness of what she was about to do. She stood up with a jolt.
"What are you doing?" Cecy looked up at her with perfect bottle-green eyes.
"I...er...I'll be right back, all right?"
Andromeda broke out in a sprint, running between the row of seats until she reached a staircase. Hurrying down, her eyes followed Tonks, who headed towards the door that lead to the dressing rooms and disappeared.
Oh, this was smart. Going to go into the Hufflepuff mens' changing room, are you, Black?
As she reached the field, she slowed to a quick walk, hoping not to get noticed by anyone there. No such luck. The captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team gave her an odd glance as he looked up from his clipboard, but before he had the chance to do anything, Andromeda ducked into the hallway leading to the changing room.
"Tonks!" she cringed at how ridiculously desperate she sounded - mother would have killed her.
The blond haired, disheveled-looking boy turned with surprise written on his face. "Er...hi."
"Hi." Andromeda stepped forward, awkwardly sticking an arm out. "I'm Andromeda, Andromeda Black." Finally, she had an opportunity to look at him without being worried about someone seeing. He had sandy hair. Nice cheekbones. Hazel eyes.
He shook her hand, surprise turning to a friendly smile. "I know your name. Ted Tonks, by the way."
"I know." Andromeda clasped her hands behind her back. "I know your name as well. Er, I just wanted to say you flew very well today."
"Thanks, but I didn't make the team." Ted stuck his hands in his pockets. "I missed three shots, that's more than you can miss to pass."
"Your flying was exempt, though." Andromeda protested. "Maybe Keeper just isn't the position for you. Next time you should try Chaser."
"Do you play Quidditch?" Ted asked curiously.
"Not really. I mean, I do when I can. My parents don't approve, you know." Andromeda shifted from foot to foot.
"Ah." Ted's eyes twinkled. "You always do what they tell you?"
Andromeda smiled, in spite of herself. "Not always, no." She gathered herself quickly, wiping the grin from her face. "I really should go, my friend's waiting for me."
"Okay. Well...nice talking to you, Andromeda." He winked. "We should do this more often."
Andromeda flushed. "Bye, Ted." She turned to leave.
"Hang on!"
She turned back, biting back a smile. "What is it?"
Ted ruffled his hair. "The weekend's coming up."
"That it is."
"D'you have any plans for Hogsmeade?"
Andromeda's stomach churned. Was he... "Not really, no."
"So maybe you'd want to come with me?" Ted smiled brightly.
"I can't, Ted, I'm sorry." Andromeda averted her eyes.
"Aw, why not?" Ted pulled a faux sad face, jutting his lower lip out.
"You know full well why." Andromeda inwardly cringed at how cold she sounded.
Ted sighed, but it was in more of a long-suffering way than a sad way. "Right. Well, keep me in mind, eh, Black?"
Andromeda spun on her heel. She couldn't let him see that she genuinely hadn't wanted to refuse.
She only managed a few steps before she stopped in her tracks and blurted, "I do want to."
Tonks grinned. "So you do want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Yes, that's what I said." Andromeda smiled back. If she was going to do this, why not go all out?
"So you will."
"Yes."
Merlin's pants, I'm actually doing this.
A/N: That's it for this one shot. Thanks for reading and please review, feedback is much appreciated! Let me know what you like in my writing and what I should work on, and if you'd like to see me write another fanfic, leave me ideas in your review.