A/N: This story was written for Slytherin house in the Houses Competition round 8 as a themed story using the prompt interhouse relationship. Enjoy!

Word count (not including A/N): 1,194

Meet me behind the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy at 11:00 tonight.

Andromeda hastily stowed the note that had been slipped into her bag inside her pocket. She kept her head bent over her plate as she ate her rice; Bella was staring suspiciously at her from down the table. Andromeda glanced at the clock. Lunch was almost over, so it wouldn't be too odd for her to leave now. She stood and left the Great Hall without a glance at the Hufflepuff table.

He really has to be more careful about these things, Andromeda thought to herself as she suppressed a smile. Though the note hadn't come with a signature, or even initials, she knew who it was from: her secret boyfriend (or, as her family would call it, her beau), Ted Tonks.

Andromeda kept her relationship with Ted secret for his own safety. He was muggleborn, and her family, obsessed with Voldemort and his prejudiced views, would reel if they discovered she was seeing a "filthy Mudblood", especially since the Black family was Sacred Twenty-Eight. Her mother would never approve, as obsessed with blood purity as she was. And Bellatrix certainly wouldn't.

Andromeda shuddered at the thought of her sister. She loved Bella, but Bella wholeheartedly believed everyone and anyone who wasn't a pureblood were far beneath her; though Andromeda had been raised on those same beliefs, she now knew those were only prejudices centuries old. If only her sisters didn't believe those lies. It was always a struggle to meet with Ted, for she was always watching over her sister for either Bellatrix or Narcissa, both who would report her in a heartbeat.

Honestly, if she weren't a Slytherin, trained to lie and scheme since birth, she didn't know how she would have done it. But she was, and so she managed to keep her boyfriend secret from the world.

Andromeda let out a breath, realizing once again the risk involved with such a secret. In her heart, she knew she loved him, but knowing the risks and the dangers he was facing for her sake was beginning to weigh down on her conscience. But she couldn't help herself. She had to see him again.

That night, Andromeda stole up the staircase that led from the girls' dormitory to the common room. After casting a Disillusionment and a muffling charm on herself, she ran through the halls and up the many staircases, all the way up to the seventh floor, where Ted was waiting.

When she finally reached the right landing, she was breathing heavily. To her left, there was a blank stretch of wall, but to the right was a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls ballet.

Andromeda carefully crept toward the tapestry and slipped behind it and through a door that had been hidden by the thick woven design. As she turned around to close the door, a pair of arms slithered around her waist. She closed the door with an audible click and smiled.

Soon Ted had her pressed against a wall, trailing kisses up her neck, teasing her until he got to her mouth. As he sucked on that spot, Andromeda let out a quiet sigh, and she could feel Ted smile against her collarbone.

All of a sudden, Andromeda stood stock-still. Ted paused uncertainly, and in the silence, he heard it– an almost inaudible click. Someone was opening the door.

It was too late to try to hide. There was no time to perform a Disillusionment charm. Ted sprang away from her as the door swung open to reveal a young, pale, blond third year– Narcissa Black.

"'Dromeda!?" she screeched. "What–? How–? Who–?"

"Keep your voice down, you're going to wake up the whole castle," Andromeda whispered urgently. "Listen, I know it looks bad, but–"

"Looks bad?" Narcissa took in their disheveled hair, their wrinkled clothes, and their breathlessness, and then she put the pieces together. Her pale face turned red. "You– you're with– with him!" Narcissa pointed at Ted.

"I can explain–"

"Explain that you're consorting with a Mudblood!"

"Don't call him that!" Andromeda shouted. She stepped forward and grabbed her sister's wrist. "You can't tell anyone! Especially not Bella or our parents! Do you understand?"

Narcissa brandished her wand in her other hand. "You're going to be disowned! What were you thinking? What will everyone say?"

"No one will say anything if you keep quiet about this!"

Narcissa didn't ignored her sister, instead shouting, "Get off me!" She jerked her hand out of Andromeda's grasp and stormed out.

"Narcissa! Narcis–" Andromeda called after her retreating figure. When her younger sister didn't slow, she sent an apologetic look at Ted before running after her sister.

As she raced after her sister, one thought ran through her head. Everything was over. Her secret was out. Her world was crashing around her. Her family would doubtless disown her. Her name would be blasted off the family tapestry, burned to a scorch mark.

When she realized she couldn't catch up with Narcissa, Andromeda slowed. Her heart clenched, and she let out a sob.

.oOo.

Andromeda hadn't slept at all that night. She couldn't get the image of Narcissa's fleeing form from her head. When it had come time for breakfast, she had walked into the Great Hall as if she were going to her death, knowing she would face the accusations and stares of her entire House. Their judgement would certainly be as bad as their inquisitive stares. Unable to even glance at her housemates, she sat down at her customary place, where she discovered another note.

What is Ted playing at? she thought incredulously. We've already been found out. We can't risk meeting again! As she stuffed the note back in her bag, she resisted the urge to find Ted's eyes at the Hufflepuff table. Instead, she peeked sideways through a curtain of her own hair at Bellatrix. Strangely enough, her sister wasn't acting any different than usual– she was as haughty, condescending, and confident as ever. She gave no sign of anything being out of the ordinary. No glares were sent Andromeda's way, no sniffs of disapproval. Everyone at the Slytherin table, indeed in the Great Hall, acted perfectly normal. Except for one person. Narcissa. Her eyes were looking straight through her with blazing intensity. Had her younger sister kept quiet?

As if in answer to Andromeda's unspoken question, Narcissa lifted her head and stared straight at her older sister. She nodded once, then returned to staring at her plate.

Andromeda looked down at the crumpled note in her bag. She took it out, smoothing out the creases against her leg. On it were two check-boxes, one with the word "yes" and the other with "no". Smiling to herself, Andromeda checked the "yes" box. Then, with another tap of her wand, the note vanished.

She looked up to see Narcissa looking at her again, but this time, instead of being consumed by guilt, Andromeda felt relief. One of her sisters knew her secret. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Thank you," she murmured over her housemates' chatter.