A/N: Oh, guys. This chapter…
Soundtrack: Message to Bears' "Departures" and The National's "Anyone's Ghost"
.
.
.
It rained every day in the month of October. However, this did nothing to stop Ted from scheduling Quidditch practices. He had found a new Chaser and Beater and made everyone on the team drill maneuvers and plays until they flew in one cohesive movement, looking more like a flock of birds than a Quidditch team. He was proud of the hard work they all put in and felt optimistic about the upcoming game even if it was against Slytherin.
He was still very nervous and excited that scouts were going to be there, but what he was most nervous about was the fact that Malfoy would be flying on his new Comet 260 and would outstrip the rest of them easily. Malfoy had been boasting that the scouts were coming to watch him play and Ted frowned; once again he was in direct competition with Malfoy.
It was strange that they were so different yet seemed to want the same things, Andromeda being the main one. Ted had thought that being Head Boy would have given him more chances to spend time with Andromeda but it seemed that his extra responsibilities also came with extra eyes on him. It was hard to sneak away even for a few minutes to be with her.
But this morning she was glancing up at him more than usual over the tables full of students eating breakfast. Ted chewed happily on a piece of bacon, grinning at her as she blushed. Although she had not come back to his room, he still felt like he was floating in the clouds. He replayed their moments together over and over in his head until he could think of nothing else and when he caught her eye, he could tell she was thinking the same things as he was.
At times he liked the feeling of sneaking around with her and getting away with being together right underneath everyone's noses. But he hated watching her live her life from afar. It wouldn't have been so bad if her life didn't place her in the center of a world that he would never be able to be a part in. Sometimes he felt like a ghost, wandering after her, never being able to actually touch her.
He really didn't like the fact that Lucius was taking more liberties with her these days. Ted watched the blonde Slytherin take a seat next to Andromeda at the Slytherin table. He reached for a piece of toast and placed his hand on her shoulder as he did so. Andromeda jumped and her fork clattered on her plate as she dropped it.
Andromeda sneered at him as Lucius smiled smugly back at her. Ted's grin fell from his face. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear that their conversation was heating up into an argument. Andromeda's face turned into a snarl as she snapped at him and Lucius' eyes darkened. Ted saw his hand tighten on his knife.
This is what he hated; having to watch so much of her life from afar without being able to be a part of it. Not that Andromeda needed his protection. In fact she must have said something harsh because Lucius' face paled in shock. Andromeda turned back to her food. She quickly glanced up at Ted, her amber eyes locking onto his for a moment; she seemed to sigh before looking back down to her plate.
Lucius leaned in and whispered something in her ear making Andromeda's head shoot up as she glared back at him. Lucius sneered down at her. Ted wished that he knew what they were saying. He wanted to walk over there and tell Lucius to back off, that she was his. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that if anyone found out about them, Andromeda would be ripped from him and from school so he settled on clenching his jaw until the muscle popped.
Andromeda slammed down her fork on the table and snapped at Malfoy. Ted could hear her voice but could not make out what she said. This outburst caused a few Slytherins to look over at them.
Lucius half rose in his seat, fuming as he towered over her. "YOU WILL!" He roared.
Now the rest of the Hall seemed to be staring at them. The loud murmur of students died down. Andromeda's face turned red as she looked around at everyone staring in their direction. She looked back up at Lucius who seemed to also realize the scene that he had caused.
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Slughorn called out from the staff table, "Please, take your seat!"
Malfoy stared up at his Head of House for a moment before he sat back down next to Andromeda. Ted saw him lean over and open his mouth to say something else to her, but Andromeda pushed herself up from the table and stormed out, leaving him staring after her.
Ted waited until she walked out of the large doors and into the corridor before following after her. As soon as he was out of sight of the Great Hall, Ted broke into a run to catch up with her.
"Dromeda!" He called out as she headed up the large marble staircase.
She turned and her hard amber eyes softened as she saw him.
"Ted," She said, glancing around and walking back down a few steps to meet him. "What are you doing?"
"Are you okay?" Ted asked, not really having thought what he was going to say once he caught up with her.
Andromeda breathed out. "Yes, I'm fine." She said exasperated.
"What was that about?" Ted asked, climbing another step towards her.
Andromeda rubbed her forehead before answering. "Just Lucius being his normal annoying self,"
Ted wanted to know more, but if that was all she was willing to share, he would accept it for now.
Andromeda looked at him with a tired sadness in her eyes.
Ted grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs, "Follow me,"
He led her quickly through the castle before more students started leaving the Great Hall for their morning classes. He tapped the painting to open the portrait hole to his dormitory and pulled her inside. As soon as it swung closed behind them, Ted turned and picked Andromeda up, cradling her against his chest.
Andromeda gasped as Ted swung her into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly. He carried her up the stairs and into his room, laying her down on the bed gently before sliding in next to her.
"Ted, we have class," Andromeda chided.
"You need a day off," Ted pushed her back down on the bed. He started working on the buttons of her shirt quickly.
"Ted…" Andromeda said in a tired voice.
"Don't worry," Ted said gently, opening her shirt up. "I'm going to take care of you."
Andromeda slowly smiled as Ted pulled the shirt from her. "Turn over," Ted said and Andromeda eyed him before doing as he said.
She felt him lean over her and begin to rub his hands up and down her back, massaging the tired, tense muscles there.
Ted grinned as Andromeda moaned under his hands. He gently pressed on her back, rubbing his fingers into her skin with a gentle pressure. Andromeda relaxed under him and he leaned down, kissing the back of her neck.
"Do you like that?" He whispered into her ear.
"Mmm, yes," Andromeda murmured.
Ted ran his hands to her lower back and then finally over her skirt to grab her ass, squeezing it in his large hands.
Andromeda squealed, giggled, and jumped, curling herself up next to Ted who stretched out on the bed next to her.
"Why, Head Boy," Andromeda smirked, "How dare you skip class?"
Ted wrapped his arms around her and tilted her face up to his. "I guess you're a bad influence on me," He murmured as he brought his lips to meet hers.
.
.
.
They stayed locked up in Ted's dorm for the better part of the day as rain pelted down on the windows outside. Once afternoon classes started Ted snuck down to the kitchens and grabbed a few beef pasties and a flagon of pumpkin juice and dashed back upstairs, jumping onto the bed making Andromeda fall into a fit of laughter.
Ted's eyes were wide and bright. Just getting to be able to spend time with Andromeda again was enough to make this one of the best days he could remember. The fact that she had not dressed back in her uniform and instead slipped into one of his large black and yellow striped Quidditch t-shirts made him smile every time he looked at her.
She sat on the bed, legs crossed, and almost swallowed by the large shirt but she was smiling brightly with no sign of scorn or bitterness on her face. Her Slytherin mask had been discarded alongside her uniform and his bright, beautiful Andromeda was looking back at him now. Ted was lying on his side, propped up on his elbow, picking at the last beef pasty and trying to chew although he just kept smiling at her.
Andromeda was telling him a story about when she was young, Bellatrix had dared her to steal her Mother's wand and how they had taken it and tried some rudimentary spells in their garden. She was almost in tears from laughing as she recounted the experience for him.
"So, we didn't know any real spells, so we just tried saying funny words and," She gulped down a breath, "And I must have said something close to one because all of a sudden Bella's hair was standing all on end! I mean completely standing up! It didn't go down for two hours!" She threw her head back laughing.
Ted laughed along with her. It was hard to believe the young girl Andromeda was telling him about now had grown up to be a Death Eater. But he liked that Andromeda shared parts of her life with him and he could see on her face and hear in her voice how much she cared about her sisters. Ted wondered how they had all ended up so different once they got older.
"I always wanted a brother or a sister," Ted said. "I played with kids in my neighborhood or at school but… it's not the same, you know?"
Andromeda nodded and layed down, scooting up the bed and a little closer to him. "That must have been lonely for you,"
"It was hard to make friends sometimes. I always felt a little different than the other kids…" Ted shrugged. "Once I got my letter, all that just sort of made sense."
"Was that strange for you?" Andromeda asked earnestly. "Learning there was a whole other world that you were suddenly a part of?"
"Terrifying!" Ted laughed. "But wonderful at the same time," He added.
"Well, I'm glad you got your letter," Andromeda said as she laid flat on her back, looking up at the ceiling.
Ted stared at her for a moment as she stretched out on his bed, her hair pooling around her.
"I'm also glad you joined HoM club," Andromeda stared straight up for a moment before turning her face towards him with a cheeky smile.
"Why did you cancel it?" Ted asked before he could stop himself.
Andromeda's smile slid from her face and she turned to stare at the ceiling again. "It was too risky," She said softly.
"That never stopped you before. Plus, you loved that club."
Andromeda paused. Was she ready to tell Ted what had happened? She knew what he would do once he found out. She turned onto her side, facing him.
Could she bear it if he went after Lucius and got hurt again in the process? She still remembered how his face looked after Lucius and his friends had attacked him last spring. Not to mention how Lucius had sent those Bludgers after him at the Quidditch match and what they had done to each other when they fought in the courtyard.
No, she couldn't risk injury to him again. She loved Ted more than she hated Lucius.
"Without it I have more time to do things like this," Andromeda scooted closer to Ted and ran her hand over his stomach to his trousers.
Ted inhaled sharply. He knew she was avoiding the subject. There was clearly something she wasn't telling him. But he didn't want to push her and make her feel uncomfortable telling him things she wasn't ready to. And he didn't want her to stop doing that.
Andromeda rubbed her hand over the front of his trousers before beginning to play with the button on them. Ted watched her hand move as she slowly undid them and breathed in sharply as her hand disappeared inside.
He groaned as she stroked him tortuously slow and Ted leaned his head back against the pillows, closing his eyes briefly as she pulled his trousers down, releasing his cock and stroked it faster.
Ted wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him, kissing her deeply. Her soft legs moved over his as she slid her thigh on top of his. He moaned against her lips and Andromeda giggled a little, smiling playfully.
Their heads turned quickly as they heard the portrait hole door open and close downstairs. Andromeda's hand stopped moving and her eyes went wide.
"Candace must be back," Ted said in a low voice.
"What time is it?" Andromeda asked quickly, pulling the large Hufflepuff shirt as far down on her legs as it would go.
Ted picked up the clock on his bedside table. "Five thirty," He said, disappointed.
"Merlin's beard," Andromeda muttered and ducked her head over the side of the bed, looking for her clothes.
"Ted, are you up there?" Candace called out and Ted could hear her walking up the steps.
"Shit!" Andromeda hissed and tried to gather her clothes while pulling off his t-shirt.
Ted felt frustration scorch across his chest as he stood up and tried to fasten his trousers back.
There was a knock on his door. "Ted?" Candace called again.
"Uh," Ted scrambled. "One sec!"
He glanced back at Andromeda who had her skirt on and was looking frantically for her shirt. "Get behind the door!" He mouthed and Andromeda ran across the room and flattened herself against the wall beside the door.
Ted opened the door.
Candace looked surprised to see him standing there, shirtless, but blinked a few times and composed herself.
"What's up?" Ted asked, his voice uncommonly high.
"Oh, uhm," Candace stuttered. "I was just wondering if you could patrol for me tonight. There is supposed to be a meteor shower and Astronomy club is having an extra meeting tonight for it,"
"What? Yeah, sure," Ted said breathlessly. He ran his hand through his hair, hoping it didn't look like he just crawled out of bed.
"What are you doing?" Candace asked, brows furrowed as she glanced inside his room at the messy bed.
"I… didn't feel good today so I just came back here." Ted said, hoping that she would believe him.
"Oh," Candace looked at him confused. She paused before adding, "Why do you have that?"
Ted's heart sunk as he looked where she was pointing. A green and silver Slytherin tie was lying on the back of his desk chair.
"I… found it." Ted said quickly, thankful that the balled up white shirt on the floor was indistinguishable as a female's shirt instead of a male's. "Someone had left it in the baths and I thought I would give it back to Professor Slughorn during Potions," Ted was actually surprised with himself. Maybe after spending so much time with Andromeda her easy lying was starting to rub off on him.
"You know the house elves would have found it and put it in with the rest of the laundry," Candace said slowly.
"Right," Ted laughed a little. "Well, I'm just trying to help them out," He added as he started to close the door.
Candace opened her mouth and looked like she was about to say something else when Ted said "Have fun tonight!" with a grin and shut the door on her.
He breathed a sigh of relief once it was closed.
Andromeda looked half furious and half terrified when he looked over to her. Ted reached out for her, but she shrugged him off and brushed by him as she grabbed her shirt off of the floor by the desk. Her hand hovered over the tie briefly before she snatched it as well, turning back towards him.
"Andromeda," Ted started and took a stop towards her.
"Too close," She said harshly, her eyes like amber gemstones.
"She's not going to figure it out," Ted tried to reason with her.
"I shouldn't have come here," Andromeda muttered, slipping her shirt on her shoulders and trying to button it back. Her hands were shaking and she wasn't making much progress.
"Don't say that," Ted said softly and grabbed her upper arms.
Andromeda looked up at him; his chocolate eyes were deep with concern.
"I need to go," She tried to brush past him but Ted caught her and pulled her back to him.
"Don't just run away," Ted's voice was hoarse. "I know that was close but-"
"Close?!" Andromeda hissed. "She saw my tie… She… I'm a fool," She muttered. "We both are."
Ted felt as Andromeda slipped from his grasp and stared at the messy bed as he heard the bedroom door open and close quickly. His chest tightened painfully. Finally he turned toward the door she had disappeared through. A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Andromeda had left her tie hanging on the doorknob, swinging slightly back and forth.
.
.
.
Ted took out his frustration on the Quidditch Pitch. It had stopped raining long enough for fog to roll in over the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest and the air was heavy with humidity. At least the team was happy enough to not be flying in the rain this evening.
They were practicing three times a week and Ted was even staying out after the practices, bewitching Quaffles to fly at him and trying to block them as they soared towards him. As he swatted them he imagined different faces on them- Malfoy mostly, sometimes Cygnus Black, and even Bellatrix every now and then.
Andromeda had shrunken back into her Slytherin shell the past week. She had stopped looking at him in classes, stopped standing near him in the corridors, and of course stopped visiting his room. He knew she was scared but he didn't stop the frustration from clawing at him, tearing open old wounds.
The close call had done more than driven her away from him; it had driven her back to her comfort zone. Andromeda had adopted her cold Slytherin exterior so easily it was almost hard for Ted to believe that she was the same girl who had laid in his arms, throwing her head back in laughter before pulling him in to kiss her.
But it was and now she was ignoring him and pretending that he didn't exist. Again. Ted caught a Quaffle and threw it back into the open air. Andromeda had reverted back to the distant, unfeeling, cold-hearted Pureblood that he had always argued she wasn't. He dove and pushed another Quaffle off of its course. She was always around Narcissa now, and acting as if nothing had ever happened between them. Ted flung a third Quaffle down towards the ground. She had even laughed at one of Lucius' jokes today in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The next Quaffle soared through the hoop, as Ted was too slow to make it there in time to block it. He was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face as he stared into the hoop the ball had just soared through. His dark blonde hair was sticking to his forehead. The sun had set beyond the mountains and trees around Hogwarts; another day gone, another day without her.
He brought his broom to the ground and landed easily, wiping the sweat off of his face with the back of his hand as he pulled his gloves off. He headed off the pitch and towards the changing rooms.
"One out of twenty isn't bad," Ted spun around quickly at the sound of her voice. "Or was it fifty tonight? I've lost count." Andromeda was leaning against the side of the stands, arms crossed and examining her nails.
He stopped breathing.
"Well, I've had some extra time to practice," It came out harsher than he had expected it to.
She lifted herself from the stands and started towards him. "I suppose I should warn Lucius," She said slyly as she approached him.
Ted narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, run off back to him. Don't let the big bad Mudblood get you,"
Andromeda smirked. "Oh but you have," She said throatily and Ted felt his muscles tighten. She lifted her hand and brushed a few damp pieces of hair from his face. "You've already gotten me," Her floral scent surrounded him and Ted felt a shudder pass through him. "So why don't you take what's yours?" Andromeda breathed out.
Ted grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. Andromeda squealed happily and wiggled against him. He growled and smacked her ass playfully as he carried her into the changing rooms.
He kicked the door shut behind him. Andromeda giggled as he tossed her onto the cot in the back of the room. He leaned over her as she sighed happily.
"I thought you might have given me up," Ted said softly.
Andromeda wrapped her arms around his neck. "I've tried. So many times. And each time I come back and fall even deeper than before." She murmured.
Ted ran his nose along hers. "Maybe one day you'll stop running away," He brushed his lips against hers.
"Maybe," Andromeda breathed out and pulled him down onto her.
Ted pushed up her skirt around her waist and tugged down her panties. Andromeda moaned and pushed her hips up towards him. Her hands dove to his waist, pushing his pants down and pulling at his shirt. Ted lifted himself from her long enough to pull his shirt off over his head. He watched as Andromeda furiously tried to unbutton her shirt. She had it halfway undone when Ted pressed himself back down onto her, pulling her lips against his again.
"I want you," Andromeda breathed out as Ted kissed down her neck. "I can't stay away from you," She pushed his trousers down the rest of the way over his hips and Ted groaned at her words; his goddess needed him and he would willingly obey.
She gasped and he moaned as he pushed inside of her. He cupped her face in his hand, looking into her sweet honey eyes as he moved inside her. She had come back to him. She would always come back to him. She loved him as much as he loved her. The way she was looking at him right now was proof; it had to be. He could convince her to be with him, there was still time; there was no way she could look at him like that and then leave him for someone else.
Andromeda's eyes fluttered closed and she cried out in pleasure. He pulled himself out of her. Andromeda lifted her head, her mouth open, gasping. His earthly scent was overpowering but she wanted it more than air.
"Tell Malfoy," Ted growled in a low voice.
"What?" Andromeda gasped.
"Tell him that I am going to beat him this time," Ted pushed his length back inside her and Andromeda dug her nails into his shoulder. "Tell him that he doesn't stand a chance," Andromeda brows pulled together as he slid almost all the way out of her. "Tell him you're mine," Ted grunted as he thrust into her deeper than before.
"Teddy!" She gasped. Andromeda shook underneath him, her body curling up in pleasure as she cried out.
"Because you are," Ted panted and sped up, pumping his hips against her. "You're my goddess," He breathed and with a final thrust he buried himself inside her.
.
.
.
He rested his head gently on her chest, their legs intertwined on the small cot. The sweat on his skin mingled with hers as she ran her fingers lightly through his hair. Ted felt all the frustration, all the resentment, flow out of him as he laid next to her. Andromeda brought him a peace he had never known before.
"When is the match?" She asked, pulling at a piece of his hair and letting it drop back down.
"The week after Hogsmeade," Ted said, surprised at the effort it took for him to voice these words. Exhaustion and relaxation were mixing in his blood and causing Ted to become drowsy.
They laid there listening as the rain fell heavily outside again, pounding on the roof.
"There are really going to be scouts coming to see you play?" Andromeda asked.
"Mm-hmm," Ted closed his eyes as her nails drifted lightly over the back of his neck.
"You're going to wear yourself out by then if you keep training like this,"
Ted lifted his face towards hers. "You might wear me out," He chuckled. "But I have to train. Malfoy's got his new broom and-"
"Oh my God," Andromeda gasped, her eyes going wide and sitting up some. "I never thought… I mean, I didn't think about him flying against you!" Ted sat up and leaned back on his arm. "Ted, you have to believe me! I would never have-"
"Dromeda, it's okay," Ted smiled gently. "I know you didn't,"
"I… I've been so stupid," Andromeda shook her head.
"It's just a broomstick," Ted chided.
She looked so concerned as he gazed down at her. Andromeda didn't care this much about Quidditch… Why was she this upset? Ted watched as she bit her lip, causing an indentation in the pink flesh.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his brow furrowed, "Dromeda, talk to me,"
She paused, conflict on her face as she searched for the right words. "You were just saying that, right? You know I can't… Tell him, I mean,"
"I know," Ted felt a small pang of disappointment that he knew was coming.
"Lucius, he… he's gotten worse," Andromeda let slip out.
"Worse, how?" Ted asked carefully. When she didn't say anything he pushed forward, "Did he do something?"
Andromeda looked at him with careful, guarded eyes.
"What did he do?" Ted growled.
"Ted,"
"What," Ted felt heat rising from his chest up his neck and into his head. "Did. He. Do, Andromeda?" He asked, emphasizing each word.
"N-nothing," She stuttered.
"Did he touch you?" Ted's chest felt tight. His anger was making it hard to breathe. "Did he hurt you?"
"Ted, please," Andromeda said softly.
Ted realized that his hands were shaking with rage. He took a few calming breaths and finally exhaled deeply. He brushed his thumb over her cheek.
"I'll kill him if he ever tries to touch you again,"
Andromeda sighed and began to sit up. "You can't say things like that," She muttered as she pushed him off of her.
"Why not?" Ted argued.
"You know why," Andromeda shot back as she started to fasten the buttons on her shirt.
"Because you're going to leave me one day?" Ted snapped. "For some bloody purist, like Malfoy?"
Andromeda glared back at him, but it turned sad as she locked eyes with him. She was. She was still planning on leaving him.
"You think I don't think about that? Everyday?" Ted argued as she stood up and he pulled his trousers back on. "You think I don't know what's going to happen at the end of the year? That I'm going to lose you?"
"Ted," Andromeda said, turning towards him again, exasperated.
"You're going to marry someone who is probably going to be part of a group that wants people like me dead or enslaved. You're going to move on and live your life and I…" Ted stood up, and grabbed his shirt off the floor. "I'll just be left behind," He muttered.
Andromeda turned towards him, her shirt half buttoned as her hands fell to her sides. She felt her heart lurch at the sight of Ted like this, but she couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. Ted was right; at the end of this year she was going to marry someone else and this thing between them, whatever it was, would be over.
"You're so worried about me ruining you, you never considered that you were ruining me," Ted said miserably. The rain poured harder outside, filling the room with its muffled echoes.
Andromeda was stunned. "I… I ruined you?"
"I'm never going to get over you," Ted's shoulders slumped.
"Sorry," Andromeda said harshly. "I didn't realize that fucking you was going to ruin you,"
Ted sighed. "That's not what I meant,"
"I came here to say sorry for leaving like I did the other day, but maybe I was right to," Andromeda snapped.
"Don't do this," Ted said snidely as she pulled her jumper back on and tossed her hair back.
"Don't worry," Andromeda slipped on her shoes. "I won't be doing anything anymore,"
"Dromeda," Ted tilted his head to the side in irritation. She sneered at him and headed for the door. Ted jumped and slammed the door shut as she began to open it.
"Don't leave like this," Ted said seriously. Panic was starting to stir deep in him and mixed with the frustration he felt it was making him desperate.
"Don't tell me what to do," Andromeda snarled.
Ted didn't know what else to do so he just grabbed her, pulled her against him, and crashed his lips down onto hers.
Andromeda groaned and pushed him away from her. "Don't touch me!" Ted stumbled back in shock. Andromeda was looking at him a way that he had only ever seen her look at Malfoy with. "I wouldn't want to ruin you," She spat as she yanked the door open and disappeared into the rainy night.
.
.
.
Andromeda sank under the water in the Prefect's bath. Under the water she let her face screw up in pain and let the tears flow freely from her into the warm water. She let out a loud sob that felt like it was bursting in her chest but it merely bubbled to the surface. Once her lungs were screaming for air, she surfaced, gasping and rested her head back against the cool stones. This was the third time she had submerged herself to let out her emotions.
It had been days since her fight with Ted but she couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't stop replaying what he said over and over in her head. She had spent so much time thinking about her future she had never really stopped to think about what Ted would do once she married. Guilt rippled through her at her carelessness with his emotions.
She wished that she could just hide in here, sink under the warm water and wait until… until what? Until the school year was over? Until she didn't love Ted anymore? Andromeda ran her hands over her face. She couldn't picture a day that she didn't love him. Even if she could picture a day she wasn't with him anymore. But now that picture was becoming hazy and her thoughts clouded over again. The cottage popped into her head again and Andromeda shut her eyes tightly against it.
She was still upset at what he had said to her, that she ruined him. Ted made her feel more like herself than she ever did and she made him feel… terrible? How could he still love her when she made him feel like that? What did it mean that this is how she treated the man she loved? Was she just as bad as the rest of them? Andromeda let herself slip under the water once more.
When she finally emerged she steeled herself and turned to get out of the bath.
Andromeda yelped as she saw Lucius stretched out on a long bench behind her, his legs open wide and his grey eyes locked on her.
She sunk back under the water up to her chin, wishing that she had filled the bath with bubbles instead of just the clear water. Andromeda wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to hide herself from his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Andromeda asked harshly. "You're not supposed to be in here!"
Lucius scoffed. "Like I couldn't convince Yaxley to give me the password," He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and lifted his chin to try and get a better view of her. Andromeda shifted and backed up in the bath.
"You've been mysteriously absent recently. I was just checking in to make sure," He craned his neck forward and Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "That you weren't with anyone you weren't supposed to be with. Imagine my surprise when I find you here, of all places. Alone," He smiled down at her and Andromeda felt a cold sickness burn inside her.
Lucius stood up and walked to the edge of the bath. "I'm a lucky bastard, that's for sure," He smirked and let his eyes linger on her blurry form under the water.
"Part of that statement is true," Andromeda snapped.
Lucius chuckled. "I have to say, I'm glad to see you're being such a good girl. I thought you'd have put up more of a fight," He bent down and trailed his fingers over the top of the water. "Maybe there are other things you're considering not fighting anymore?" Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"Get out," Andromeda snarled. She felt extremely aware that there was only the water separating him from her right now.
"But you haven't, exactly, held up your end of our… agreement, have you?" Lucius' eyes flashed with coldness.
"What are you talking about? I cancelled HoM club, I-"
"You said you loved me." Lucius cut her off. "But you're not really acting like it, Andromeda."
Andromeda watched him carefully and tried to cover more of herself with her arms.
"Don't worry," Lucius dipped his fingers back into the water, swirling them around. "All I want is a kiss,"
The last thing she wanted to do right now was kiss Lucius while she was naked in the bath.
"No." Andromeda felt water drip from her hair and run down her nose, a drop falling back into the bath.
"Just a good luck kiss, before the match." Lucius grey eyes gleamed mischievously.
"I'm not kissing you," Andromeda stated.
Lucius brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked the water off of them.
"I think you will." He said as he popped his fingers out of his mouth. "Or I'll strangle Tonks with the Slytherin tie in his room."
Andromeda's heart solidified into a lump and dropped to the bottom of the bath. He knew.
Lucius' eyes turned cold at her expression. "You're not even going to deny it," He spat.
Andromeda was sure that the truth was painted all over her face. She was so shocked that he knew about her tie that she couldn't even pull her mask of apathy onto her face.
"I wasn't sure it was yours, until now," Lucius muttered and looked down into the water, as if debating to get in. He sniffed. "Before the match," He reiterated and stood up.
Andromeda looked up into his storming grey eyes, still too stunned to speak.
Lucius stood up. "Be good, little Andromeda," He warned. "Or I'll know,"
He walked from the baths like one last lingering look back at her.
She rubbed her shoulders, trying to comfort herself. Andromeda felt vulnerable, helpless, and very alone right now. She took a breath and slipped under the water again.
.
.
.
Lucius made his way through the castle, strutting with his chest out and head held high. He tried to swallow the jealousy he felt that Andromeda had been in Tonks' room or at least that he had somehow gotten her tie. He felt revulsion thinking that the Mudblood might have had his hands on her again.
But Andromeda was a smart girl and knew what getting involved with someone like that would mean. She knew what happened to Blood Traitors. He reminded himself that she wouldn't do anything that would tarnish her reputation or jeopardize her future.
She simply liked the attention; that was all. She didn't really care for the boy, she couldn't.
He stopped outside the Great Hall where the Gobstone club meeting was currently wrapping up. Lucius lounged against a pillar until the person he had come up here to see walked out of the large double doors.
Thea walked out and glared at him as she passed him by. Lucius rolled his eyes, unfazed. Finally, he spotted her dark hair and bronze badge on her chest.
"Hello, Candace," Lucius said smoothly. "I have your gold."
.
.
.
A/N: REVIEW! Let me know what you think! There is going to be a lot going on in the next few chapters so I am going to try and release them in quick succession.