The next morning, Andromeda got up bright and early to pick out the best outfit for her date at The Three Broomsticks with Remus. She must have gone through her entire closet at least twice before settling on a light purple knee-length skirt with a black tank-top. It showed off her curvy figure and her (still developing) breasts. Andromeda really hoped that she'd get bigger in the chest soon, as she was still only a B. As for shoes, Andromeda chose simple black flats. She did her hair in a half-twist at the nape of her neck. Altogether, Andromeda felt that she looked sexy, but not like slutty Bella.
Andromeda waited for the groups to be called so that they could head down to Hogsmeade. The students were grouped and walked down as such, just so that no one got lost on the way. Andromeda's group didn't have anyone in it she knew, but all the other kids seemed to know EXACTLY who she was. As a descendent of the famous House of Black, Andromeda had gotten used to all the rumors and other various 'gossipy' things going on about her and her sisters behind her back.
The road to Hogsmeade was one of Andromeda's favorite paths to walk. It was long, and many kids complained about its length. But the path went through a small grove of assorted trees, and emerged on the other side directly facing the hills that turned purple, pink (her favorite color), and orange when the 10AM sun hit them. Andromeda wished Remus was in her little traveling group. Andromeda closed her eyes as she walked the path, imagining a time ten or so years from now…Remus walking alongside her, his hand in hers with their fingers intertwined, Andromeda's free hand placed gently over her pregnant belly, breathing in the soft, cool autumn air, the glistening of her golden wedding ring when the sun rays bounced off it…
Suddenly, Andromeda tumbled over a branch she'd missed in the middle of the path as she was in her trance. She fell flat on her face in the rocky road with a yelp. Groaning as she heard laughter, Andromeda felt a small, warm trickle run down her left cheek. Her finger flew to her eyebrow. There was a small, bleeding cut right above her left eyebrow. Andromeda winced…it hurt pretty badly. Not to mention the laughing witnesses didn't make her face any less red. Her other hand flew to her mouth…at least none of her teeth were knocked out in the process.
Andromeda felt a soft, warm hand grab her elbow and help her to her feet. "Remus…?" she muttered, turning around. But the face, vaguely familiar, wasn't that of Remus Lupin.
"Andromeda, are you alright?" asked the face.
"Ted Tonks," Andromeda identified. "Thank you…"
"No problem," said Ted. Andromeda looked around for signs of that snippy Viola. None were found. Ted seemed to be able to read her body language. "She decided to skip today and sleep in."
"Ah," said Andromeda. She began walking alongside Ted towards the village, now visible a few more kilometers down the road. "Any specific business in Hogsmeade?"
"I was planning to stop in the bookstore, and then Honeydukes, most likely. I've had a taste for Drooble's lately, yet my parents, of course, wouldn't know what Drooble's is, so they more than likely wouldn't sent it to me, let alone by overnight owl."
Andromeda smiled. A Muggle-born. Bella would already be redder than a steamed beet.
"And you?" asked Ted. Andromeda blushed and looked down at the path.
"I'm meeting a man at the Three Broomsticks. I'm going to confess my feelings for him today," she said.
"That's brave," said Ted, nodding with a smile. "Why aren't you in Gryffindor?"
"I wish I knew," Andromeda muttered to herself.
"But I'm sure Remus would be more than happy when he hears—"
"—WHAT?!" Andromeda suddenly shrieked, stopping in her tracks and grabbing Ted's shoulders. "How did you…who told…SIRIUS….I will eat his spleen as a midnight snack!!!" Andromeda growled angry.
Ted laughed. "No one told me anything. But I'm right, aren't I?"
"Guilty as charged," Andromeda confessed, letting go of Ted. "How did you find out?"
"I guessed totally on my own," said Ted. "After what happened the first night of prefect duty, I figured that if Remus was your night-in-shining-armor that night, I figured it could be no one else."
"Damn, you're a smart one," Andromeda muttered. Ted blushed at the compliment. The pair began walking down the path again. "Have you seen him? I didn't see him when McGonagall was grouping us this morning…?"
"No, I haven't," admitted Ted. "But while you wait for him, would you like to accompany me to the bookstore and help me look for a book the library didn't have?"
Andromeda smiled pleasantly. "I would be more than happy to!"
Ted Tonks wasn't exactly a brainiac, but Andromeda noted that he did have a lot of interest in books and authors. The bookstore was almost deserted when the pair walked in. Andromeda decided to 'be into' dragons, because that was the section closest to the window that overlooked Zonko's, where she knew she'd see Remus when he arrived. Until then, she decided to just be patient. No sense in rushing him down. Actually, it gave Andromeda more prep time to get her thoughts together. She already had planned out the exact way she was going to tell him…
"Remus, you are a kind, gentle man. Ever since I met you, I've felt this thing between us, and damn it if you don't feel the same. But the thing is, Remus, I think I lov—"
"Ugh!" spat Ted, taking a book off the self written by a man named Gilderoy Lockhart. "This man's a faker. A pretty face with a blank head."
"How do you know?" asked Andromeda. "Have you ever met him?"
"Oh come ON, Andromeda, he talks for pages about how he was mastering full-animal Patronuses and doing wandless magic by age TEN!"
"I can barely produce an animal in DADA!" Andromeda sighed. "I must be REALLY far behind!"
"No way. Like I said, he's a phony. What's your animal?" asked Ted.
"I think it's a cow…but I could only see it for a few seconds before it disappeared." said Andromeda. Ted nodded.
"Celestia's pleased with me, I've produces a full animal for three whole minutes. I've got a salmon for my Patronus," said Ted. Andromeda smirked.
"Well, maybe if Cissy's got a chicken Patronus, we could open up a butcher shop!"
Ted laughed heartily at this. "So, where's Remus?"
Andromeda's eyes shot to the clock. It was already mid-afternoon.
"Oh crap!" Andromeda said. "I bet he's been waiting for me in the Three Broomsticks for hours!" Andromeda shot out the door, Ted following her. When she literally stumbled into the pub, Andromeda looked around…no one was there.
"Damn it, he left!" she whined. Ted shook his head.
"No, he hasn't been by yet," said Ted. "Look, the place is abandoned!"
"Madam Rosemerta!" called Andromeda. The woman behind the counter looked up and smiled.
"What can I get you?" she asked. Andromeda.
"Has there been anyone in here by the name of—"
"—there's been no one here all day!" said Rosemerta. "Damn that Honeydukes, kids don't want butterbeer anymore, they want sugar! Rotten teeth over a rotten brain!"
"Thanks," said Andromeda.
"Wait!" said Madam Rosemerta. "You don't want a drink?"
"Two butterbeers," ordered Ted, laying 6 galleons on the table. Rosemerta smiled and quickly got the bottles. Andromeda looked at Ted and shook her head.
"I'm not thirsty…"
"I insist," said Ted. "And don't even think about hunting me down just to pay me back three galleons," he continued. Andromeda decided to go along (free butterbeer). Ted indicated a table for two by a window, and the pair sat down to rest and drink. "I hope he shows up," Ted wished.
"Thank you," Andromeda said. "He's not the kind to stand me up," she insisted.
"He does seem like a nice boy…" said Ted. Andromeda wanted to talk more to pass time until Remus arrived, so she thought of another ice breaker…
"So, you're a Muggle-born, how did you parents find out and react?" asked Andromeda.
Ted smiled, glad the subject was turned on him. "Well, you see, ever since I was a baby, strange things happened around me. My mum said that once, I cried very hard, and the entire street's power went off for a week! I still remember the morning I got my letter," Ted said fondly. "I was whining because I didn't want to go to Smeltings, and I went up to my room to have afit, when a little snow owl tapped at my window. I let it in, and it dropped a letter in my lap. Imagine when I read it! I thought it was a cruel joke!"
"What did your mum and dad think?"
"They thought it was a sad attempt as convincing them that I belonged elsewhere and ignored it. Then, one night, Hagrid showed up at my door! My parents were frightened mad! But, there were conviced and sent mew off to Hogwarts with their blessing."
"That's nice…"
"…and it got me out of Smeltings!" Ted said proudly.
"Do you have any sisters or brothers?"
"I have a Muggle half-brother named Samuel, but he doesn't know about me. Dumbledore told my parents to keep the wizarding world hush-hush in front of him."
Andromeda nodded. "What's the Muggle world like?" she asked. Ted gave her an odd look. "I'm a pure-blood. My mother's fanatic about not letting my edication be tainted with extended stay in the Muggle world."
Ted nodded, uncomfortable.
"But I'M not like her!" Andromeda insisted. "I swear!"
Ted sighed. "The Muggle world is so much more pessimistic. I feel like whenever I step off of Platform 9-3/4 , I'm going from a Technicolor world to a black-and-white silent film."
"Technicolor?" asked Andromeda.
"I'll explain later," said Ted. "Anyway, the Muggles always start wars for no reason, you know, oil, world peace, conquering nations. People don't like each other. They'll say hello to you, and then you turn your back and they're whispering bad things about you! It's horrible!"
"It does sound awful," said Andromeda. She leaned in a little bit to listen to more of Ted's tales of the Muggle World…
