A/N: So I was really excited to write this chapter because I wrote from different perspectives! Writing for Ted always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I debated on a few choices for the characters in this chapter; I decided to go with them because I think it will allow for more development later on. Sorry if that is vague. Fun fact, I wrote a section and thought I had lost it but when I was reading back through this chapter I found it stuck in there! Ha!

Just a warning because of the way things are in the world right now, there is mention of having a serious illness in this chapter.

Ted pushed his trolley along the platform towards the gleaming scarlet train that was the Hogwarts Express. His summer had been a good one, as it always was but he was happy to go back to Hogwarts and immerse himself in the magical world once more. Plus, there was the added bonus of seeing a certain brunette again…

He had been thrilled to receive his Prefect's badge in his start of term letter over the summer and couldn't wait to see Andromeda's face when she saw the golden pin on his robes for the first time. He was curious to know if she had received one too.

Ted had written to Andromeda the second day of summer vacation and waited three weeks before her response arrived. It had barely sounded like the Andromeda he knew, more like she had been the first few meetings of the History of Magic Club, distant and aloof.

Hello Fellow Member of the History of Magic Club,

I am pleased that our club has gained so much traction that we continue to converse over the summer to prepare ourselves for our rigorous discussions of the history of our magical world when school starts once more.

Unfortunately, I will be unavailable for most of this break due to previous family and social functions that I must attend to. I encourage you to delve into your reading, as I will be during our break so that we arrive at school on September 1st prepared and ready to start another successful term.

I look forward to seeing you all again soon and know that I will be planning out our meetings and discussions carefully over this break.

Sincerely,

Founder of the History of Magic Club

Andromeda Black

Ted had written a quick note back to her letting her know he understood and appreciated her message. He knew it would be a stretch for her to write to him this summer, but he could not help himself when he asked her. Thinking of passing the weeks without speaking to her was a thought he refused to entertain. More importantly though was the fact that she agreed to try.

He loaded his truck onto the train and found a compartment that was empty. He pulled out his Prefect letter and read through it again. He would have to meet his Head of House and the other Prefects in a compartment near the head of the train shortly after they took off so he didn't bother too much tracking down Howard.

Ted regretted his decision of sitting alone once the train started moving and students started exploring to find their friends and classmates they hadn't seen since last school year. Lucius Malfoy and his friend who Ted only knew as Lestrange sauntered down the hall. Lucius peered into the compartments, clearly looking for someone. When his eyes fell on Ted and all alone at that a sick gleam lit up in them.

Ted wished that term had already started so that he could flash his Prefect badge in hopes that Malfoy would continue on, but he did not have that kind of luck. Ted pulled his wand out of his pocket and laid it on the seat next to him under his hand as Malfoy slid back the compartment door and leaned on the frame.

"I see the standards haven't gotten any better this year," His voice drawled, "If they are still letting scum like you in, Tonks."

"Funny, you'd think your Father could buy some influence, right?" Ted shot back.

Malfoy's face flushed a pale pink and Ted glanced from Malfoy to Lestrange and back, eyeing the situation carefully.

"Now, now boys." A familiar ringing voice called from the hall, "Play nice." Andromeda came into view and Ted could not help but stare at her.

Andromeda had grown taller over the summer, hair longer, and frame filled out. Her skin was still creamy but had touches of summer sun on her cheeks making her lips look a darker pink than usual. She tossed her hair back casually in the way that drove Ted wild. Every time she did that a fantastical floral scent enveloped him and he lost his concentration.

Andromeda slid her curvy frame past Malfoy and laid herself out on the seat across from Ted. He noticed that he wasn't breathing as he watched her move when he felt more lightheaded than usual when she was around.

He noticed that he was not the only one she had this affect on though, Malfoy had not taken his eyes off of her either.

"Andromeda…" Lestrange let out a low whistle and she laughed from deep inside throwing her head back as she did.

Malfoy moved forward to sit next to her; he seemed to forget that Ted was even there. He reached his hand up to her neck where he fingered a black pearl on a ribbon around her neck.

"It get more beautiful every time you wear it" He said breathily, Andromeda's body tensed. Ted glared at Malfoy, wishing he could curse him with his eyes alone.

Andromeda gave a small smile, a polite one, then stood up, out of his reach. 'That's my girl," Ted thought to himself and then realized how much he wished that statement was true.

She turned her back on Malfoy to face Ted. He noticed that Malfoy took this chance to examine her uninhibited and Ted clenched his jaw.

"Did you have a good summer?" Andromeda asked him brightly.

"Could have been better, I had a lot of free time." Ted shrugged.

Andromeda gave him a sympathetic smile, "I know. But we won't this year. Between O.W.L.s and History of Magic Club meeting weekly," she stressed the last word and Ted brightened up, "You'll long for the dog days of summer, Tonks." Andromeda turned with a small wink and walked out of the compartment and out of sight.

"I might have to join History of Magic Club!" Lestrange joked and Malfoy gave a mirthless chuckle.

"No, I don't think you will." He said, standing and moving towards the door himself, "That one is mine." His voice was dangerous and possessive.

Ted scoffed and Malfoy's head shot back around. "Do you think you have a chance?" Malfoy spat, "Mudblood?"

Ted gripped his wand. He wanted to curse Malfoy more than anything right now, but how would that look that Hufflepuff's new Prefect attacked another student before he even put on the pin?

"She might find you…. Entertaining," Malfoy sneered and Ted bristled, "But girls like that do not end up with guys like you." With one last smirk Malfoy exited the cabin and Ted was left alone again.

Ted made his way to the cabin at the front of the train. He had new robes this year having outgrown his old ones quite a bit and of course the shiny Prefect's badge pinned to his chest, which might have just been sticking out a bit farther than usual.

He had plans for this year at school; along with being a Prefect, Ted wanted to try out for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. He didn't have his own broom, but thought he might be able to convince his parents to get him one for his birthday in October if he made the team. He also wanted to devote himself to studying more since at the end of fifth year students took their O.W.L.s which was their first steps towards their careers in the wizarding world.

But more than both of those, Ted wanted to get to know Andromeda better. He had harbored a crush on her since third year. They had been in Care of Magical Creatures and Andromeda had been so gentle and careful with her Murtlap that Ted had almost ignored his own watching her. He had never given her all that much thought before, just a stuck up Slytherin girl, but after that he noticed how she was not like them.

Andromeda was confident but did not have the mean streak that her older sister, Bellatrix, had. She took the time to think things through and he liked to watch her puzzle things out. He spent a good part of his third year classes watching her instead of his professors. When he saw her putting up flyers for a History of Magic Club last year there was no way he wasn't going to join.

They had gotten close last year but he wasn't sure if things had changed between them over the summer or not. Now it was clear that Ted had competition in the form of Lucius Malfoy. But she hadn't seemed excited to see him like she had Ted. In fact, she had seemed a little bothered by him.

But she came from an old family with old views. There were certain things expected of girls like Andromeda. When she had called him a Mudblood last year, and so casually, Ted realized that not only were they raised in different worlds but with very different views. Andromeda was taught hate like it had been second nature. Yet somehow she did not have that hate in her heart. She didn't hate him for being Muggleborn, she just didn't understand what that meant really.

Ted had been so deep in thought he hadn't even realized when he reached the Prefect Cabin. He looked around at the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors sitting in there already and saw Poppy Abbot a fellow Hufflepuff with a Prefect badge pinned to the front of her robes. Ted took a seat beside her and wondered where the Slytherin Prefects were.

Soon it became apparent that they were missing and everyone began to get a bit annoyed that they were waiting on them.

"Maybe they realized that all Slytherins are corrupt and decided not to let them have Prefects this year!" The Gryffindor boy laughed. Ted weakly smiled.

It wasn't too much longer before the door to the compartment slid open and Andromeda walked briskly in with a matching badge on her chest. She gave Ted a cheeky grin and took a seat opposite him. Ted thought he should have known she would be a Prefect too, there was no reason for her not to be picked.

But the next person in the cabin made his joy dissolve as quickly as it came. Lucius Malfoy sniffed loudly as he adjusted his robes so that the light caught his Prefect badge to make it gleam.

"Yes yes, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said briskly, "Please close the door and take your seat." Malfoy did just that and sat next to Andromeda. He glared at Ted and raised one eyebrow with a sneer.

Ted noticed that Andromeda scooted further down on the seat to put a few extra inches in between Malfoy and herself.

"Sorry I'm late," Ted said between breaths. "You won't believe my news!" He threw down his bag on the table that Andromeda was sitting on top of, twirling a quill in her fingers?

"What news?" Her head shot up at him. The black pearl swung against her neck and Ted tried to ignore it.

"I made the team!" He grabbed her hands and pulled her off of the table, swinging her around the empty classroom. "I am the new Hufflepuff Keeper!" Ted beamed at her and twirled her under his arm.

Andromeda squealed with excitement and grasped his hands tighter. He felt as if his chest would explode with happiness. Everything was going just the way he wanted it to and they were only a month back into school. He was planning on writing to his parents this weekend to ask them for a broom for this birthday and the way things were going he was sure they were going to say yes.

Andromeda and Ted spun around, her long ash brown hair swinging off her shoulders and the floral scent enveloping Ted. If he could only smell one thing for the rest of his life he was sure it would be that. Ted pulled her in closer and dipped her back. Andromeda gave that deep laugh again letting her head fall back and her hair cascade down. Her throat was turned up at him and he could not help but watch the black ribbon tighten as she stretched and the pearl bounce against her skin.

But even that was not going to put a damper on Ted's mood tonight. Andromeda was in his arms, not Lucius'. Andromeda was letting herself be pulled around in his arms, dancing with no beat. Slowly they came to rest with his hands on her hips and hers on his chest.

"Andromeda…" Ted breathed out and placed his forehead against hers.

He felt her breath quicken and hitch in her throat. They had never called each other by their first names before, but she wasn't just Black to him anymore, she was Andromeda. He felt her breath out and the warmth played across his lips, stirring something deep inside him.

Her hands rested on his chest, she could push him away in a second but she wasn't. She was allowing him to be this close to her, allowing him to hold her. Ted had to control himself from pulling her body against his. All he wanted right now was to kiss her full, pink lips and feel her pressed against him. He felt that if he moved he would spook her like a wild animal and she would bolt from him.

Andromeda's lips parted just a fraction and Ted swallowed hard. "Can I kiss you?" He whispered knowing she would feel those words on her lips.

Her honey colored eyes poured into his and Ted felt his body tighten. Ever so gently… Andromeda pushed against his chest, pushing him away from her.

"I'm sorry," Andromeda dropped her gaze.

"Don't be," Ted reassured her, "You're free to say no." He did his best to hide the disappointment from his voice.

Andromeda looked at him confused for a moment then straightened her skirt and pulled herself back up onto the table to sit where she had been when he came in.

"So," Andromeda cleared her throat and Ted took a seat at the table. "Since you were late we will have to skip reviewing over last years topics and dive right in," She glanced at him. Ted was sitting with his chin propped up in his hand, gazing up at her. Dive right in he would…

Ted awoke on his birthday to a large package sitting at the foot of his bed. He wasted no time in ripping open the packaging and pulling out his new broomstick. Red cherry finishing gave it a gleaming streak and Ted prodded Howard awake with the handle. Once Howard realized that Ted received a new broomstick, most everyone in the dormitory woke up as well.

He spent the morning soaring over the Quidditch pitch and flying over the lake. Of course he let Howard take turns on it, but Ted really couldn't wait to show Andromeda. As he watched Howard zoom up and down the pitch he planned out how he would do it.

She would be walking around on the grounds and he would pull up on his broom and invite her to take a ride with him. They would fly over the forest and touch the tops of the trees with their fingertips. She would hold on tightly to him. He would dive down so that they caused a mist to rise from the top of the lake. Eventually he would land in the Quidditch stands, deserted when there was no game…

He would tell her that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and that he loved the laugh she laughed. Her hair would be wild from the ride and he would run his fingers through it. He imaged her hands on his chest again, but this time she did not push him away but pulled him towards her. He could practically smell her…

"Hope you don't think this new broom will make you any better of a Keeper, Tonks." Lucius Malfoy interrupted his daydream and Ted rounded on him as Howard landed a few feet behind him.

"What do you want?" Ted asked exasperated.

"Slytherin practice. We booked the pitch for the whole weekend." Malfoy sneered.

Howard handed the broom back to Ted who tucked it under his arm. "Fine." Ted sighed and turned to leave. Some birthday after all…

But then Ted turned back around to face Malfoy, "That's alright." He shrugged, "I have someone waiting on me anyways and she's free all weekend." Ted said with a smirk.

The look on Malfoy's face was almost as good a birthday present as the new broomstick. Ted threw it over his shoulder and he and Howard made their way back up to the castle.

"No." Andromeda blatantly stated, "No way Hufflepuff is going to beat Slytherin!"

"We won our first match against Ravenclaw 190 to 20!" Ted argued back. Their HoM Club meetings had quickly devolved into talking about almost anything but History of Magic.

"Yeah, Ravenclaw," Andromeda tossed her hair back, "Slytherin is a whole different game."

"You've never seen me play." Ted boasted. He has looked for her in the stands during his first game and was disappointed not to see her there. It wasn't uncommon for the member of the houses who weren't playing to skip a game but he had hoped she would have turned up for him. Later on she had told him she was sick. Ted wanted to believe her.

"I will this weekend though," Andromeda moved in closer to him, "And I will see my team beat yours." She grinned broadly and Ted resisted the urge to gather her in his arms.

"Let's make a bet," Ted said suddenly, "If Slytherin wins… I'll take you out for a Butterbeer and if Hufflepuff wins… I'll take you out for a Butterbeer."

Andromeda giggled and let her head fall to the side. "You can't have it both ways."

"Why not? Why can't I have what I want?" Ted voice lowered and softened, he bit his bottom lip and watched as her eyes focused on it. They changed from intrigued to hungry to… distant again. Ted sighed, he knew what this meant.

"We don't always get to have what we want." Andromeda turned away from him and faced the window.

"What do you want, Andromeda?" Ted waited for an answer and realized that he very well may not get one. "Alright, let me put it this way," he backtracked, "If Slytherin wins, what do you want?"

Ted was learning how to get Andromeda out of herself, she turned with a smirk on her face. "Teach me how to play."

"Quidditch?"

"Yeah. I mean, I know the rules, but we were never allowed to play and I want to learn." Andromeda stuck out her chin.

"Done." Ted agreed easily.

"And if, I mean when, Hufflepuff wins…" He teased and ignored her eye roll.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to start calling me Ted."

It was surprisingly warm for November and Ted was wiping sweat off his brow. The game had already been going on for almost an hour and all the players were starting to feel the heat and the exhaustion set in.

Ted had let in three goals so far, but saved over a dozen so he was feeling pretty decent about his performance overall. He thought having Andromeda watch him from the stands might have made him nervous but he found it to have quite the opposite effect on him. He wanted to do well for her, to prove to her that he was good enough for her. He didn't want to wear her down; he wanted her to let him in.

But the same problem kept cropping up at every turn and here he was again: Lucius Malfoy was racing towards him with the Quaffle under his arm. He was just a streak of green as Ted hovered before the goals, watching for some indication which hoop Malfoy would go for. Sweat built up on his brow again and dripped into his eye. Reaching up to wipe it away, Malfoy dove right and threw the Quaffle through the ring.

Ted swore loudly as Malfoy roared in triumph. He looked into the green mass that was the Slytherin stands and saw Andromeda cheering, jumping up and down. It didn't bother him that she was cheering for her house against him, only that she was cheering for Malfoy. Ted shook his head, his sandy hair plastered to his forehead.

Malfoy's goal tied up the game. It was up to the Seekers now, Ted looked around for Imogen, the Hufflepuff Seeker, willing her to spot the Snitch now. Malfoy did a victory lap before the Quaffle entered play again. He watched as the Chasers battled over it. Malfoy was a decent Quidditch player. He dodged a Bludger easily and got back on the tail of the Huffllepuff Chaser in possession.

"Both Seekers have spied the Snitch!" The commentator called out and everyone seemed to freeze for a moment. Ted watched as a yellow and green blur raced after a ball so small he could not see it from where he was. But what he could see was Malfoy taking advantage for everyone being distracted.

He knocked the Quaffle out of the Hufflepuff Chaser's hands and held it tightly to his chest. Ted readied himself as Malfoy turned to race across the pitch at him. Ted slowed his breathing, focusing on Malfoy and blocking out everything else. The sun's heat on the back of his neck, the cheers and jeers from the crowd below, the Seekers as the raced past him, behind the goals. It was jut Malfoy in front of him.

Malfoy veered left and Ted mimicked his movement, the suddenly Malfoy threw the Quaffle towards the middle hoop. Ted yanked his broom back and the tail straws hit the Quaffle sending it soaring across the pitch. Ted thrust his fist into the air and let out a load "YEAH!"

Malfoy snarled and took off after the ball once more but Imogen had beaten him to it. Her small hand closed over the Golden Snitch high above the pitch and she let out a victorious yelp. Ted flipped his broom in celebration and the crowd went wild. He wiped the sweat from his face once more and looked into the mass for Andromeda again. She was in the front row, beaming directly at him.

"He has been in the Hospital Wing for three days now. His parents have it too." There was a nasty case of Dragon Pox running through the wizarding community. As much as Ted disliked Malfoy, he did not rejoice in hearing that his rival was laid up in the Hospital Wing.

Andromeda looked particularly concerned for him and Ted tried not to dwell on that too much. He couldn't help but notice that she still wore the black pearl around her neck every day. She had recently taken to the habit of twirling it in her fingers whenever she was thinking deeply about something.

"It's really dangerous right?" Ted asked. There was still so much about this world that he was learning.

Andromeda nodded sagely. "People can die from it." She whispered and turned towards him.

Since Malfoy was sick he offered to take over Malfoy's patrolling shift with Andromeda. He didn't mind that it meant twice as much patrolling as long as he got to spend time with her. Although he had been feeling stretched thin recently. Their homework load was only increasing and in between Prefect duties and Quidditch practices they had to move HoM meetings to every other week now. Ted hated having to give up a night of being with Andromeda, but there were only so many hours in a day.

"I don't do well with death." Andromeda admitted.

"Hey…" Ted rubbed her upper arms gently, "No one if going to die."

Andromeda looked like she was retreating back into her head, anxiety plain on her face.

Ted pulled her in close to him, when she didn't pull away, he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. She didn't hug him back, but it was something that she didn't pull away.

He breathed in the scent of her hair and tried to commit this feeling to memory. How she fit inside his arms, how she felt pressed against him, the feel of her waist, her head against his shoulder…

Ted loosened his hold on her as he felt his blood rushing. She smiled weakly up at him. He wanted to lean down and kiss her. He wanted to feel her in his arms again. He wanted to explore her mouth with his tongue and her body with his hands.

"What?" She said sharply pulling him from his thoughts.

"What?" He echoed back.

"Why are you looking at me like…" She trailed off and

"Like what?' Ted asked dumbly.

Andromeda paused for a moment, studying his face. What he wouldn't give to be a Legilimens right now, "Nevermind." She brushed it off and started down the corridor again.

Ted sighed a small sigh and followed after her. After a minute he offered, "So when is out first practice going to be?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted to learn how to play Quidditch, right?" Andromeda titled her head at him. Ted continued, "I'll teach you."

"But Slytherin lost?" Andromeda questioned him, "I lost the bet. You don't have to teach me."

"Do you still want to learn?" Ted slowed his steps.

"Well, yes-" She started.

"Well then I'll teach you." Ted stated simply.

Andromeda look confused, "That wasn't the bet. That wasn't the deal."

Ted shrugged. "I still want to, if you do?"

"Yes!" Andromeda jumped at it, finally realizing he was not playing a game with her. "Teach me, I want to learn to fly!" Andromeda spread out her arms and spun around, her wavy hair flying around her.

Ted reached out and caught her expertly. His coordination was remarkable after all the hours of Quidditch practice. Andromeda giggled as she detached herself from him yet again. Ted didn't try to hold into her or force her to stay, as much as he wanted her to. He liked that Andromeda felt free enough that she could be her true self around him. No one else saw this side of her, other than maybe her sisters.

"We will make a Quidditch player out of you yet, Black." Ted chuckled.

Andromeda bit her lip and tucked her waves behind her ear; Ted felt tightness in his lower stomach that was not at all unpleasant. Slowly, she reached a hand up to graze his cheek. His skin burned pleasurably where she touched it.

"Thank you," Andromeda whispered, "Ted."

A/N: So I have a bad habit of writing really long chapters. I write in sections so I can easily split them up into smaller chapters if I need to. Let me know which you prefer, long or short chapters! Also let me know what character you like the perspective from best! I want to try out a few different characters in the upcoming chapters; is there anyone you would like to see a section of?