DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever own Harry Potter. I am merely an admirer of the magical world that J.K.R has created. The world that she has kindly let people, like myself, play around in.
"He's looking at you again."
"What?"
Andromeda Black turned around. Her light brown eyes scanned the greenhouse, skating over the Puffapods the class was working on and coming to rest on a boy at a back table. He suddenly became very interested in his protective gloves, dropping his face as if he hadn't been staring.
"Oh God." Andromeda groaned, dropping her seed pod which promptly exploded in to pink flowers.
"What's the matter?" her friend Lana asked. "Ted Tonks is fine."
With his wavy, dirty blonde hair, perfect white teeth, tanned skin and Quidditch chaser's build, Ted Tonks was, as Lana put it, fine. He was more than fine. Ted Tonks was gorgeous. Whenever he made a joke in class, Andromeda found her mouth going dry. Whenever he laughed, her heart felt like it was going to implode. If he ever caught her eye and smiled, she would blink furiously and go extremely red. This was a problem.
"He's Muggleborn." Andromeda whispered.
"So?" said Lana, who, being a half-blood from Hufflepuff, had never understood why blood status was so important.
"So I'm not supposed to like him!" Andromeda hissed.
"So you do like him?" Lana smirked.
Andromeda felt her face flushing.
"No. I never said that."
"Yes, you did."
Andromeda turned back to her Puffapod, wishing she hadn't entered into the conversation. Lana, it had been said, could sniff out romance like a bloodhound, so there would be no point trying to hide it from her. Pretending to be brushing a strand of brown hair from her face, she looked back at Ted. She did like him. He was funny and kind and handsome and amazing at Quidditch and he did this cute flick thing with his hair...
Listen to me! Andromeda thought desperately. Anyone would think that I stalk him.
After the class Andromeda prepared to make a speedy getaway, gathering up all her books before the bell had even gone. She headed the greenhouse door but found it blocked by the person she wanted to see the least.
"Ted." she whispered, almost begging. "Please."
Beside her Lana was whistling suggestively. Behind her Professor Sprout was awkwardly trying to leave the greenhouse. Just when it looked like things couldn't get any worse, a group of Slytherin sixth years walked around the corner, a group that included Andromeda's older sister, Bellatrix. When she saw who her sister was talking to, Bellatrix scowled and stopped to watch the proceedings.
"Andromeda-" Ted began.
"Ted, please!" Andromeda said, looking from him to her sister. "I can't talk to you. You're, you're -"
She paused and said the last word as if it hurt her to say it.
"-a mudblood."
She hung her head but Ted put his hand under her chin and lifted it so that there eyes met.
"I know you don't mean that." Ted said, seriously. "I know you're not like that."
Andromeda went to turn away from him but, before she do anything, he pulled her forwards and kissed her. Half freaking out, Andromeda found herself closing her eyes and pulling him closer. Bellatrix was hissing, a noise that would rival the angriest cat. She grabbed her sister's wrist and dragged her away. Andromeda took two steps and jerked out of her grasp. Leaving Bellatrix stunned in the hallway, she ran back to Ted.
"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" she asked.
Ted nodded, smiled and kissed her again.