Chapter 7

Summer's End

The summer was one of the worst Andromeda could ever remember being through. Now that Bellatrix was clearly no longer on her side, and Narcissa was too afraid to do anything, Andromeda felt more alone than ever. She felt alone during family conversations about how the 'mudbloods' needed to be controlled, and during the nights when her father came into her room.

The whole muggleborn conspiracy theory was starting to drive her as insane as her father himself. She had wanted to invite her friends over all summer, but Ted wouldn't survive five minutes in her house, and Andromeda knew that to be literal. Lately, Bellatrix had been threatening violence toward people, and had been throughout the last school year and all summer. After the first day of the holiday, Andromeda knew she wasn't kidding. If Ted Tonks dared come near the house, he was in danger from Bellatrix, and any of her friends that happened to be around. There was a group that seemed to be forming, that was threatening muggleborns everywhere. It was run by someone who called himself Lord Voldemort, but Andromeda couldn't bring herself to laugh at much these days.

She was grateful when two weeks before the holiday ended she received a letter from Molly asking her over. It came at an especially good time because the night before her father had come in again.

She woke up to a strange feeling down by her legs. Her father was above her, feeling her at her breasts and crotch. She tried to move away, but his hands were too strong. One was over her face, blocking her mouth in case she tried to scream. This time he did something new, which frightened her more than she thought possible, particularly with what happened to Bellatrix. He put his finger inside of her, and fear spread through her body. She couldn't move anymore, her fear and anxiety paralyzed her. She wanted so badly to scream for help, but his hand was over her mouth, and she didn't want to think about what he would do if she tried. When he left, she realized she would have had no one to yell for. Her mother wouldn't believe her, Narcissa was too scared, and Bellatrix was angry with her.

All in all, Andromeda was grateful for being able to spend a night or two somewhere else. Plus, Arthur and Ted would be there and she could really use a laugh at this point.

The four of them spent the day at the Prewitts house outside. They ended up playing two aside Quidditch for a few hours before deciding they wanted to do something else. They walked down by the pond that was on the Prewitts property. The girls lay outside in the sun while the boys skipped rocks for a bit. They ate the sandwiches that Molly had made them.

"So, 'Dromeda, how has your summer been?" Ted asked as they ate. "I've barely heard from you at all."

"Oh, it's been pretty boring. Mostly did my homework and listened to my parents and Bellatrix talk trash about the world. Bellatrix has been in fine form this summer."

"Yeah, I've been listening to my brothers talk about some group that's forming. They say the group is trying to make pureblood wizards the supreme rulers of the world or something. Fabian and Gideon want to help stop it before it gets out of hand."

"You're lucky, my sister wants to be in the group more than anything she's ever wanted before. I think she's doing it to make my parents proud of her or something, she was never this insane before."

"'Dromeda , no offence, but I've always thought that your sister was insane." Ted said after a bite of his corn beef sandwich. Arthur laughed.

"She goes around calling everyone filthy Mudbloods if she doesn't recognize their last names." He chortled. "She likes to say her family's bloodline is the most important."

"She's called me one a fair few times," Ted said, slightly embarrassed.

Andromeda suddenly felt embarrassed on her own and on her sister's behalf.

"I apologize for my sister's behavior, she's been very off for a few years."

"I'll say." Arthur said.

"Look guys," Andromeda didn't know why she was about to defend her sister, "I know that she's horrible sometimes, but you really don't know about it. I'm sorry for anything she might do, but I feel like I need to give her a break once in awhile."

"Ok, sorry, Andromeda, you don't need to get upset." Molly said.

"Oh, I didn't mean to sound upset, it's just, our family's weird right now."

The four friends hung out for a bit by the pond. Then Molly excused herself for a moment. After the moment had passed, Arthur said he was going to find out where she had gone. Ted laughed.

"And then there were two." He said with a chuckle.

"You do know what's up right?" she giggled.

"I'd say they're playing the game, 'meet me in the previously designated area far away from my clueless family and supposedly clueless friends.'"

Andromeda laughed, for the first time in almost two months. She'd forgotten how good it felt.

"Wow," Ted commented.

"What?"

"I've barely seen you smile in forever. It's a nice change."

Andromeda stared at him.

"It's just, you seemed sad a lot during the past year. I know I haven't seen you all summer, but I kept wondering if you were alright, since I never heard from you."

"Oh, really, I've been fine. Just a lot on my mind, what with my sisters and all."

"Are you sure that's all it is?"

"Yes." She said it a little more sharply than she meant too.

"Sorry Ted, just under pressure really, O.W.L.s this year and everything."

"You're worried, why? Your really good, you get higher scores than half the Ravenclaws."

"Still, it's a bit nerve wrecking. Plus, my cousin Sirius starts this year and I'll have to keep an eye on him." Andromeda wasn't sure why she added that part as Sirius could take care of himself, but she just needed as many reasons as possible to keep him from discovering the real reason.

"Yeah, this year is going to be more stressful than usual."

"I don't know how I'm going to pass all nine exams."

"Well, you don't necessarily have to pass all nine. Just the ones for what you wanna go into."

Andromeda laughed, but this was a sarcastic, bitter laugh as opposed to the genuine one of five minutes previously.

"You've never met my family Ted, you don't know what they're like."

"I've heard you talk about them enough, I can guess," realizing how mean that sounded he said, "sorry, I mean…"

"Don't be, it's the truth. I'm supposed to pass all nine exams, even if I don't take all nine N.E.W.T.s, which no one ever does."

"That's a lot of pressure."

"Yeah."

They were silent for a few moments, then Ted broke the silence. He got up and said,

"I think we should probably go see where Molly and Arthur went." He stood up and offered her his hand. She accepted and he pulled her up from her lying down position. He pulled her up too hard though and she fell into his arms, which made them both laugh, until their eyes met. Ted leaned down and kissed Andromeda, which surprised her, but she was surprised to find that she liked it. It was different than what her father did, it was gentle, loving, sweet.

After a minute, they pulled apart and she stared at him. All of a sudden, Andromeda remembered her family and everything they said about people like Ted. Also, while she couldn't deny that she had liked kissing Ted, she wasn't sure she could handle it without flashing to her father every single time.

"Ted, I can't." She backed away from him, trying not to look at his hurt face.

"Andromeda…"

"I'm sorry Ted, I just, I can't." She walked away from him, not wanting him to see her cry.

Ted and Arthur went home an hour later, a very long and awkward hour later. Andromeda and Molly stayed up late in Molly's room that night talking, when the subject of the boys came up.

"Did something happen with you and Ted while Arthur and I were gone?"

Andromeda paused.

"No, why do you ask?" She lied.

"You were both very quiet when you met us and you were avoiding each other's eyes."

'Damn,' Andromeda thought.

"We weren't avoiding each other."

"Well, you were certainly a bit awkward."

"Nothing happened I swear." To throw her off Andromeda quickly added, "But speaking of stuff happening, what were you and Arthur doing when Ted and I left you alone?" She said grinning while her friend blushed.

"Nothing," Molly said too quickly.

"Same nothing I gave." Andromeda said it out loud without meaning too. Molly was the one grinning now.

"So, something did happen between you and Ted!" She exclaimed, very excited.

"And you and Arthur apparently."

"You go first, come on, I swear I won't tell."

Andromeda sighed.

"OK, we were talking, and he said we should go find you guys. He stood and helped me up since I was lying down. He pulled too hard and I fell into him, and then he kissed me."

Molly was delighted by this news.

"That's brilliant! What's the problem, I mean, I thought he might like you, but I wasn't sure. Do you not like him or something?"

"No, it's not that. It's, I guess I just don't want a boyfriend right now. Plus, my parents would freak."

"Why would they freak out?"

"Molly, you know why. It's a stupid and horrible reason but it's their reason and I don't want to make my family any more horrid toward me right now."

"Is it really that bad?" Molly asked, concerned.

"Yes, Bella will barely speak to me anymore, Cissy just keeps to herself, Mum's never home and when she is she doesn't pay attention unless she's snapping at you, and Dad…Dad's just an arsehole. Don't get me wrong, I do like Ted, I really like him, but I can't do it right now."

Molly just stared, so Andromeda decided to change the subject.

"So, what about you and Arthur?"

Thankfully, Molly took the hint and told Andromeda all about what had gone on between her and Arthur. Andromeda only half listened though as she thought about the handsome fair-haired boy and his lips on hers and how nice they had felt. She later fell asleep thinking about him.

She and Ted Tonks were lying in the sun wearing swimming costumes. Ted leaned over toward her kissed her feverishly. She responded with equal enthusiasm. She felt so good, better than she could ever remember feeling. After a moment, the sun went behind the clouds and everything went dark. Andromeda looked over to where Ted had been but he was no longer there. Her father was there instead. Andromeda tried to get away but it was too late and he had hold of her. He started to pull her towards him, and started kissing her and feeling her body. It didn't feel nice like Ted's had and she started trying to pull away. She wanted so badly for him to leave her alone. He was suddenly on top of her and his hand was going between her legs…

Andromeda woke up with a start and nearly fell out of bed. It took her a moment to remember that she was at Molly's house, where her father was not and she was safe from him for the night. She slowed her breathing and tried to fall back asleep. It took awhile for her to put the dream out of her mind, and it would reenter her mind when she woke up in the morning.

AN: sorry if some of you thought that the kissing scene was really cliché, I know it was.