22 October 1968

Andromeda glanced swiftly around the Slytherin common room, ensuring that neither of her sisters was in sight. Then, she hurried across the threshold and towards the dungeon doors. Swallowing, she shoved the doors open and began tiptoeing up the staircase.

"Don't think I don't know where you're off to."

Andromeda froze in her tracks. Heart hammering, she slowly turned around to meet her elder sister's gaze. Bellatrix's dark, narrowed eyes swept over Andromeda in distaste.

Andromeda feigned confusion. "What are you talking about, Bella?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic," she snapped, drawing her wand and pointing it directly at Andromeda's face. "I know what you're doing, Meda."

"I'm not doing anything," Andromeda retorted. "I'm just going up to the Astronomy Tower—"

"For a date?" Bellatrix sneered, her wand twitching in her hand. "With that Mudblood scum?"

"No," Andromeda replied calmly, looking her sister in the eye. "We're just going to do some homework, Bella—"

Bellatrix snorted derisively. "Liar."

Andromeda's patience broke. Glaring, she stepped towards her sister, squaring her shoulders. "What is your problem?" she demanded. "We're going to do homework, Bel—!" Andromeda broke off, letting out a sharp cry, as a white-hot stab of pain suddenly ripped across her cheek.

Eyes watering, cheek muscles smarting, Andromeda reached up with trembling fingers to touch her burning face, staring at her sister in shock. "Bella!"

"Shut up," Bellatrix snapped, lowering her wand. "And don't you dare go up to that Astronomy Tower, Meda. I'll write Mother tomorrow—you know I will."

With another menacing glower in her younger sister's direction, Bellatrix turned and swept down the stone staircase, her knife-like footsteps echoing in the silence.

For several long moments, Andromeda remained rooted to the spot, a hand pressed to her still-throbbing cheek. Then, she staggered backwards onto the dungeon wall and rested her jaw against the cool surface, closing her eyes.

"Andromeda?" Ted asked, as she stalked up to the Astronomy Tower, half-an-hour late, a green-and-silver scarf wrapped tightly around her neck and face. "What kept you?"

"Hi, Ted," she muttered, advancing towards the balcony railing and pulling a telescope forward. She ignored his question. "Have you brought your chart?"

"Yeah," he said briefly, frowning at her scarf. "Er—are you all—?"

"I'm fine, Ted," she interrupted firmly, avoiding his gaze. As much as she might have grown to enjoy Ted Tonks's company over the past several weeks, Andromeda would never, ever dream of confiding in him about Bellatrix—or her threats.

Ted nodded slowly and turned back to his star chart, still frowning. For several minutes, they worked in silence, wordlessly exchanging notes and scribbling down observations.

Then, suddenly— "Why do you keep doing that?"

Andromeda jumped. She quickly lowered her hand, glancing at Ted. "What?"

"You keep…you keep touching your cheek," Ted said in his mellow voice, gazing steadily at Andromeda; she felt suddenly uncomfortable. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine," Andromeda said briskly, turning and staring down at her star chart again.

Suddenly, there was a clatter as Ted dropped his telescope. Andromeda looked up, diverted. But before she could say a word, Ted crossed the tower in four long strides, coming to stand a foot away from her—and Andromeda's mind stuttered to a stop.

Very slowly and very gently, Ted's fingers found the scarf around her neck. Carefully, he began unraveling it. Andromeda wanted to pull away, snap at him…but her body seemed to numb under his touch and her voice died in her throat.

Ted's eyes widened as they landed on the angry, swollen burn under her eye. He gaped at her, and Andromeda saw a flash of anger cross his face. Her heart skipped several beats.

"Who did this?" Ted demanded.

At long last, Andromeda managed to take a step backwards, gripping her scarf tightly. "I tripped," she said in a low voice, focusing on a point somewhere above Ted's shoulder.

"Onto a Stinging Hex?" Ted sounded beside himself with anger.

To her utter humiliation, Andromeda found herself suddenly blinking back tears. Immediately, Ted's expression softened; he looked ashamed of himself. "Hey," he said gently, catching her wrist. "I'm sorry, I—I didn't mean to pry."

"Forget it," Andromeda shook her head, jerking her hand out of his grip. "It doesn't matter—"

"No," Ted said quietly, reaching for her hand once again. This time, Andromeda didn't stop him. "You're beautiful, Andromeda."

"I—" Andromeda opened her mouth to respond—but then, she closed it again, blinking rapidly. "Thank you."

They stared at each other for another moment. Then, Andromeda slowly withdrew her hand from his, clearing her throat. "We should get back to work," she said quietly.

Ted nodded. "Yeah…we should."

As Andromeda returned to her star chart, she glanced sideways at Ted one last time. He was bent over his own star chart again—and a tiny smile was tugging at the corners of his lips. And suddenly, inexplicably, incredibly, a rush of warmth filled Andromeda's chest, spreading through her body, from her the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes. Because Ted Tonks—and his sun-colored hair, and his mellow voice, and his easy smile—were warm, and Andromeda had been frozen by the world.

Author's Note:

This is for "The Best Feeling in the World" Challenge by I promise you that on HPFC. My feeling was "being called beautiful." :)

Andromeda and Ted are fourth years here, and Bellatrix is a seventh year.

Ari