To Google McGoogle: Thanks for your review!

"And did you see what that Hufflepuff girl was wearing? Atrocious!" Marina Warrington said.

"It certainly would've been a lot more enjoyable if the younger students hadn't been invited," Claire Zabini said, examining her hails. "But Andromeda had a good time, didn't you, Andromeda?"

Andromeda didn't respond, choosing instead to focus her attention on her sculpture. Professor Flitwick had the brilliant idea to have them practice their last few weeks of lessons by creating sculptures using magic. It was a good plan, in theory, except most people couldn't draw a dog, much like sculpt one with magic. Andromeda was determined not to be one of those people. And she didn't want to think about the dance, or what kind of time she'd had, or the Hufflepuff who was sitting a few seats in front of her.

Finally, mercifully, class ended. Ted got up quickly, and after a quick farewell to his friends, scurried toward the door. Andromeda watched him for a minute. They hadn't spoken since that Saturday night, they hadn't even looked at each other, but she could still taste his kiss on her lips. A part of her wanted to pretend it never happened, but she couldn't do that. She'd kissed another man, while she was engaged. That wasn't something you could just ignore.

And there was the part of her that couldn't forget Ted's kiss even if she wanted too.

Sighing, she pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and quickly scribbled on it. She folded it up so no one could see its contents and then hurried out the door.

To say Ted was surprised when she came scurrying up behind him was an understatement. He near jumped out of his skin, his face flushing. Andromeda scarcely allowed herself to look at him though and she handed him the slip of paper. He looked up at her, and she couldn't help but meet his gaze. His lips opened like he was going to say something, but she quickly backed away before he could.

Hogwarts was creepy at night. Despite everything else he could or should be thinking about, he couldn't help but notice the way the suits of armor looked like deformed spiders in the shadows. Though honestly, they were far less frightening than what might await him at his destination, if he had any idea what lay at his destination. Her note has only said Trophy room and midnight.

He was still fuming at her. Fuming at her for so many reasons he could scarcely keep track. The way she'd acted at the dance, like what had happened was his fault. He wasn't then one going around kissing pureblood prats and then getting all defensive about it. He wasn't the one lying through his teeth to everyone and anyone. He was even still angry that she'd stopped him from punching Rabastan last week. Granted, that would've brought the snakes on him for sure, but getting turned into a wombat was better than the empty, hollowness that was knawing away at his insides right now. He couldn't forget the way she'd curled into Rabastan that day he kissed her by the lake. How could he? It was like have a corkscrew through hammered through his gut. You didn't just forget pain like that.

Ted had never liked Rabastan, but not for the reasons he disliked the Bellatrix Blacks and Evan Rosiers of the world. Rabastan didn't hex people for the heck of it, but he was a self-absorbed little prick, yet because of his stunning good looks many of the girls, even the Gryffindor girls, got all faint-hearted around him. He hadn't thought Andromeda was one of those girls, but clearly he didn't know her as well as he thought he did. It was bad enough his friend Lorie had a crush on him, did he have to take Andromeda too? And why did she have to let him? Didn't she know who he was? He didn't love her, he couldn't, not the way Ted did.

He stopped. He hadn't been willing to admit it, even when watching her with Rabastan ripped him up inside. Even when he'd run all the way to his room and collapsed on his bed. It was only when he finally managed to calm down, to breathe, that he was forced to face it.

He was in love with Andromeda Black.

He loved Andromeda Black.

And he was screwed because of it.

It was one thing to have a secret friendship, but this? This was suicide. He knew it, and he didn't care. But she would.

How do you get yourself into these situations? He wanted to scream. You couldn't leave her alone and now look? He was in over his head, practically drowning. He shouldn't have kissed her. He hadn't even meant to do it. He'd meant to just talk to her. But somehow his body had confused words with lips. And as much as he might want to he couldn't take it back.

He loved her, and there was a good chance it wouldn't mean a damn thing.

Except he was forgetting something, she wanted to meet him. She hadn't sought out Rabastan, she'd sought him. That had to count for something.

Yeah, a barrel full of dragon dung, that's what it counted for.

He'd reached the trophy room, and it was empty.

Instantly he was railing again. Maybe she'd lied. Maybe she just wanted to get him in trouble. Maybe she'd set up her little pureblood friends somewhere to catch him when he'd let his guard down…

"Ted?"

He turned around. There she was, dressed in a white and blue nightgown with a black cloak pulled over it, angelic. Why did she always have to look so damn beautiful? He'd been a goner from the start. And he was really starting to hate her for it.

"What, you don't recognize me? Forgotten who I am already?"

She stopped, looking shocked, and she even had the nerve to look a little hurt. "Ted—"

"Or maybe you were expecting someone else. Can't exactly be looking forward to seeing ugly old me when you've got pretty boy Rabastan hanging about."

Her shock deepened, like she couldn't believe he'd actually say that to her. Guess she gotten used to his nice guy routine, but that was gone.

"Have you slept with him yet? Hell, why I am asking. You probably went to his room right after the dance right? You know right after you threw me out? Guess I was right about being rubbish, wasn't I? And how was it, by the way? How was it having sex with—"

"Ted!" she screamed, cutting him off. "Will you shut up and listen for once?"

And he did, mostly because he was fuming too much to think clearly anyway.

She took a step forward, her mouth set into a firm line and her little hands clenched at her sides,

"Why did you kiss me?"

Ted couldn't help it, he laughed.

"That's your question?"

That only made her madder. "What the hell made you think you had the right to kiss me? Do you have any idea what damage you could've done?"

Ted stared at her, the dry laughter vanishing instantly. He'd never felt so furious in his life. A part of him wanted to reach forward and throttle her, and he ran his hands through his hair to keep from doing it.

"Why? 'Cause your boyfriend will find out and think you're two-timing him?" He stopped, pretending to look horrified. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No! Of course I didn't," she said, near shouting herself. "But do you understand what will happen if people find out what you did?"

"What?" He threw his hands in the air. "They'll kill you?"

Her eyes darkened. "No, they'll kill you." She closed her eyes, her voice constricting, "And then they'll kill me."

He snorted. "Your concern is touching."

And she was back, glaring. "Do you think this is a joke?"

"No, but apparently you do." He started pacing to keep himself from rushing forward and grabbing her. "How many people do you kiss in a week Andromeda? Do you and your sisters have a competition to see who gets the most?"

The color drained. She took a step forward, her fury stretching her pale skin tightly across her cheekbones.

"You. Kissed. Me." She spit out the words.

He stopped pacing. "You. Kissed. Me. Back."

She near exploding point. "You ever make a move like that on me again," she said, her eyes blazing, " I swear to god I'll—"

"You'll what?" Ted said, he couldn't help but notice the irony, as a few days ago they'd been having this same conversation, said these exact same words. But there was nothing amusing about it this time, and there was nothing forgiving in Andromeda now.

"Stay away from me Ted." Then she turned and stormed off.

He stared after her, and suddenly he hated everything about her. Which is why he lifted up his arms and shouted:

"I thought you were different, Andromeda, but you're just like the rest of them. At least they're honest about it."

She stopped, turning. Something told Ted he'd crossed a line, or more of a line that just kissing her and then being an ass about it. This time he was convinced she was going to kill him, or at least hex him from here to India. Her nostrils flared as she hissed:

"You don't know a damn thing about me, Ted."

He snarled at her. "Really, I—"

"No, you may know my favorite color, and my favorite animal, but you don't know a thing about me." She'd come back, so she was standing only a few inches from him, her voice trembling with fury. " You have no idea what it's like living with them, so stopped pretending like you know."

"You ever though that's because you won't talk to me?" He shouted that last part, leaning down into her face. She flinched away but he grabbed her wrist. " You just hide Andromeda, and you think if you just bury your head in the sand everything will turn out alright."

His words had struck home, "I hate you, Ted," She said, pulling away from him. He could see the tears pooling in her eyes, then her anger took over and she screamed, " I hate you! I swear to God I'll—"

"You'll what?" he said again.

She still didn't answer, but she didn't turn away. Instead she marched up to him. He thought she was going to slap him, but she didn't. Instead she placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him. Hard.