This is quite a short chapter. Bit of Sirius, I do like their relationship. J.K. Rowling owns

*.*.*.*.*.*

Andromeda was sat on her bed, reading, when the door opened. She quickly hid the book under her pillow, and looked up to see Sirius, looking rather put out.

"Can I hide in here for a while?" he asked.

"Sure. Why?"

"Reg is bugging me. He wants me to play wizard chess with him, but he always wins! Why should I subject myself to that?"

Andromeda laughed. "It's character-forming. Try being the one who always beats Bella. Once she got so angry the chess board started floating and hit me on the head," she remembered. Sirius giggled.

"Ouch. Ah, I can't wait to go to Hogwarts. I can't wait to get out of here."

Andromeda smiled. Hogwarts would be good for him. He so clearly didn't fit in with his family, and it was driving him mad.

"We have to do work too, you know. It's not all feasts and relaxing in the common room."

"It is for first years," he retorted.

"I suppose. You still have end of year exams though." That got him. He changed tack.

"What was with all that stuff you came out with at breakfast yesterday?"

"What stuff?" Andromeda asked warily.

"You know! When your mum was talking about that girl who got with a muggle bloke and you were getting all defensive about it!"

"Was I?"

"You know you were! What're you hiding?"

Andromeda looked at him. Should she tell him? On an impulse she decided yes. "I'm going out with this boy. But he's muggle-born. And I don't know what to do. I mean, I really like him. But I know mum and dad won't approve."

"I knew it! Did he get you the necklace?"

He'd noticed it? "Yeah."

"Lucky you. Forget what your parents think," Sirius grinned. Andromeda looked at him. Although only nine, he really was quite sensible.

Sometimes.

"Thanks," she grinned.

"No problem," Sirius said. They were quiet for a moment, until they heard Sirius' mother hollering up the stairs at him.

"Oh, I'd better go," Sirius sighed. "Reg has probably told mum I'm being mean to him."

"Go play nice with your brother." Andromeda said, smiling at the less-than-trilled expression on Sirius' face.

She took her book out from under her pillow, and continued reading. She was so immersed that it took a while for her to notice the tapping at the widow. She looked up. A handsome tawny owl was perched on the windowsill. She got up and opened the window.

The owl flew in and perched on top of the wardrobe, dropping an envelope on the floor. Andromeda picked it up, and recognising Ted's untidy scrawl, ripped it open eagerly. She had borrowed her family owl to send Ted a letter yesterday, thanking him for her Christmas gift. It had returned later that night, without a letter. Andromeda didn't recognise this bird, it must belong to Ted.

She read the letter, her smile growing. He was so sweet. He thanked her for his present, insisting that it was perfect. He talked about his Christmas, so far. She grabbed a piece of parchment from her open trunk and immediately wrote a reply, which she sent back straight away.

The two continued to write to each other over the two-week break. They always seemed to have something to say. Andromeda was happy; she felt that the weeks apart had made their relationship stronger. She was getting to know him even better. She couldn't wait to see him again on the Hogwarts Express.

Andromeda waited until the train had left before she went to find Ted. Eventually she located him, and her other friends in their carriage. Two of the boys helped her put her trunk in the luggage rack, and she sat down next to Ted, giving him a quick kiss hello.

"I've missed you," he whispered in her ear.

She listened as her friends talked about their holidays. One of the boys went into detail about his new racing broom; Anwen talked told her about getting to meet her newborn cousin. Ted described the two weeks he had spent at his Grandparent's house. All his cousins had been there, and he told them about the many pranks they had played on them. "They're cheeky little sods." He laughed. Andromeda could tell by his tone that he didn't really mind, had actually enjoyed it.

His story made Andromeda feel strange, made her long for the kind of easy family banter that Ted seemed to be a part of. The closest she had ever come to anything like that was with Sirius. She wished she could be a part of something like that. The thought made her want to cry.

"Are you alright?" Ted asked.

"Yeah sure, just… tired," Andromeda replied. She didn't want to go into her family issues in front of all these people.

Again the journey seemed to pass in a flash. One minute they were speeding through fields, sprinkled with thawing snow, and the next it was dark and mountains loomed over the train. Soon, they were pulling into Hogsmeade Station, and there was a flurry of noise and activity, as students left the train. Andromeda went with her friends to their carriage, and together they travelled up to the castle.

The welcome feast was delicious. Andromeda helped herself to roast beef and potatoes, listening to Sapphire lecture their section of the table about Paris at Christmas. She could tell by the exasperated looks from her friends that it was not a new theme. Andromeda rolled her eyes, glad she had missed out on that. It wasn't a particularly inspiring speech.

After dinner, Dumbledore welcomed them all to a new term, and they all left for their dormitories. Andromeda chatted to Isabelle as they walked, but she couldn't help but feel that the awkward silences were growing, where they had nothing really to say to each other. It was a shame, she thought, but they were still friends, and while she wanted to work hard to get good O.W.L. results, Isabelle and the rest didn't seem that bothered. That would probably change, Andromeda thought. Apparently this term was going to be really difficult. Did they not realise that these exams defined their future? Andromeda almost laughed, she was beginning to sound like a Ravenclaw! Not that that bothered her particularly. There were, after all, worse people.

*.*.*.*.*.*

Bit more relationship building. I hope it seems natural. I also quite like showing that being in a relationship is good for her, especially her studies and outlook on studying. (Some characters get worse marks when their in a relationship, which always makes me think that maybe there's something wrong... The more time she spends with Ted, the more she spends in the library, hence the marks improve)

Long A/N I know. I'd just like to thank everyone who's favourited my story, or put it on their Story alerts, or reviewed, especially Chibi-Lill. Your thoughts and opinions mean a lot to me, as they do to every aspiring writer. Let me know what you thought!