A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Word Count:1956

Andromeda knew it couldn't work between them. She'd always known she was different, a witch, and he...he wasn't a wizard. A small smile played across her lips as she watched the ocean crashing against the sand, washing away anything in its path. Part of her wondered if it could wash her away, wash away these emotions that she couldn't understand, that she couldn't make go away.

She'd met him one night when she's sneaked out. It had been the first time she'd done anything like that, sneaking into the muggle world. She'd heard about the muggle dance clubs and wanted to see them for herself. Dressed as one of them in leopard print leggings, bright pink leg warmers and a baggy t-shirt she'd swiped from somewhere, she'd climbed out her window.

At night, the whole world was different. It was magical in a way she couldn't describe. She found the club easily enough, even managed to figure out the muggle money to get inside. One of her friends at Hogwarts was waiting for her. Andi would never admit to her family that she had friends who were muggle-born, they'd never accept it.

"You made it."

"Was there ever a doubt?" Andi laughed, stepping into the club and letting the music throb through her. She'd never seen anything like this. All the parties her family threw were subdued, proper and, frankly, boring. Andi found herself on the dance floor mirroring the moves of everyone around her. Slowly, she started adding her own little twists, her own spin to the moves.

"Nice," a boy whistled, dancing over to her. Andi smiled at him, looking him over. His sandy brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, his hazel eyes taking in her every move.

"I'm Ted."

"Andi."

"You from around here? I don't think I've ever seen you before?"

"Nope, not really from around here. My friend invited me out," Andi answered. Ted nodded.

"Want to dance...with me, that is?"

"Sure," Andi exclaimed, bouncing as they started dancing. She knew she'd never seen Ted at school before, surely she would have noticed someone as handsome as him.

"What about you? You from around here?"

"Yes, I actually live a few blocks over," Ted answered, twirling Andi around himself before deftly catching her. Andi couldn't believe she was dancing with a muggle, sure she'd known this was a muggle club, but she'd always thought that muggles were...different than this? Ted seemed like everyone else she'd ever met, although nicer.

"Cool," Andi commented as the song slowed to a finish. She wondered what she was supposed to do now. Part of her wanted to stay right here, in Ted's arms. She'd heard the expression dance the night away, but never had really thought about it. Tonight, she finally understood.

"Another?" Ted offered. Andi only answered by smiling and sliding her hand into Ted's.

Three songs later, Andi started to notice the time.

"I need to go," she whispered, giving Ted a sad smile. "But I had fun."

"Me too, maybe I could call you sometime?" he asked. Andi shook her head.

"No, that's not going to be possible. I could try to meet you here again?" she offered, already thinking about how she could sneak out again.

"Maybe," Ted answered. "I'm usually here most nights," he added.

"I'll see you then," Andi promised as her friend grabbed her arm pulling her from the club.

Andi sighed as they stepped outside.

"So, who's the bloke?"

"Ted."

"And he's a muggle?"

"Yeah, he's a muggle."

"Ohhh, whatever are your parents going to say, you dancing with a muggle?"

"Quit it, come on, I need to get home before Bellatrix does, if she knows I sneaked out... she'll tell on me in a heartbeat," Andi stated. The girls giggled as Andi got home. From the outside of the manor house, one wouldn't be able to tell what kind of family lived here, muggle or magical. Andi climbed back in her window. Bella's bed was still empty. Narcissa stirred slightly as Andi flopped down in her own bed.

"Go back to sleep, Cissy, it's just me," she whispered, pulling the blankets over her head. She'd barely closed her eyes when she heard the window slide open. Bellatrix climbed inside, looked over at her sisters' beds and then stalked over to her own.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next night, Andi was outside the moment she knew Bellatrix was gone. She hadn't bothered making plans to meet with any of her school friends. She was only planning on seeing Ted. The club was exactly the same as night before. She paid and stepped inside. Ted was already on the dance floor, showing off some moves Andi hadn't seen the night before. She walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mind if I cut in?" she asked.

"Andi! You made it!"

"I said I would, didn't I?" she laughed. Ted nodded, grabbing her hand.

"I wasn't sure you meant it, you know. We didn't really get to know each other much."

"No, we didn't," Andi agreed, wondering how she could tell Ted about herself without revealing she was a witch. "I like mystery," she added, hoping Ted wouldn't push further. He didn't, instead, he simply pulled her into another dance, another set of moves she picked easily enough.

"Want something to drink?" he asked, after they'd dance three songs in a row.

"Sure," Andi answered, following Ted to the counter. He ordered them both sodas and they sat at a small table drinking them. Andi had never had anything like it before. She giggled drinking it.

"You really are different, aren't you?" Ted asked.

"A bit. I'm from a family that believes in some things, I don't obviously, but they're very, well sheltering," she said after a moment.

"Sounds like the opposite of mine. Although, they're not exactly the biggest fans of my chose path. I'm going to be a concert violinist. I'm even attending the Royal College of Music."

"Wow," Andi whispered, wondering what it would be like to attend a muggle school.

"What about you? Where do you go to school?"

"A super exclusive and tiny boarding school in Scotland, only the best for my family," she answered, rolling her grey eyes. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Your parents picked it?"

"Yes," Andi laughed. She could hear the clock chiming outside, although how she heard it with all the music was beyond her. She looked at Ted.

"I need to get going, I'm sorry. Tomorrow?" she asked.

"Tomorrow," Ted agreed. Andi fled the club, running as fast she could. Once again, she managed to get into her own bed minutes before Bellatrix came home.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Slowly this became the routine, Andi would slip out and meet Ted at the club. She'd sneak back inside before Bellatrix got home. Andi didn't want to admit it, but she knew she was falling in love with Ted. She wasn't sure what she'd do once they were forced back to school It wasn't like she could send him an owl, could she?

The sixth night went differently though. Ted was waiting for her outside.

"Andi! Hey, I thought we could do something different tonight."

"What were you thinking?" Andi asked.

"There's a carnival, not far from here, and I'd like to take you," Ted explained. Andi nodded, wondering what exactly a carnival was, but it didn't matter, whenever she was with Ted she was happy.

"Sure!"

Ted and Andi walked hand in hand to the carnival. Andi's eyes widened at seeing everything, the lights, the sounds, the smells of the food, and the center piece of it all – a giant ferris wheel.

"What do you want to do first?" Ted asked.

"I have no idea. I've never been before," Andi admitted.

"That's alright, let's ride a few rides, play a game or two, grab a bite to eat and then the wheel?" Ted suggested. Andi nodded, allowing him to pull her along. They rode a spinning ride that nearly made Andi sick, although she had to admit it was fun. Then they found a photobooth and took photographs together. Andi slid the sheet of photographs into her pocket as they tried cotton candy. Next Ted managed to win her a small bear at one of the games. Andi stared at the small plush toy. She'd never had anything like it before, there was something about it that she loved. They then made their way to the ferris wheel.

"I know you're going to love this," Ted promised. He helped Andi step inside and up they went. The wheel paused when they were at the top.

"You can see the whole world from up here," Andi whispered, looking out. "It's beautiful," she added, realizing from here you couldn't tell the difference between anything muggle and anything wizarding. It was all the same.

"You're beautiful," Ted whispered, tucking a strand of Andi's brown hair behind her ear and pressing his lips to hers. Andi's face flushed as she returned the kiss, wondering if there was a way this could work, if she could somehow stay as part of Ted's world. She was still pondering that idea when the wheel brought them back to the ground.

"I know," Ted said, before Andi had a chance to open her mouth. "You need to go," he added, noting the clock before them. Andi nodded, tears stinging her eyes.

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she promised, running from Ted.

Andi slid the window open only to have her wrist grabbed the moment she put it inside.

"So you have been sneaking out at night," her father bellowed, holding Andi in the air by her wrist. "And where have you been going?" he asked, not really giving Andi a chance to answer as he searched her pockets. He looked at the bear and the sheet of photographs.

"What's this? Muggle items? And who is this boy? A muggle? The worst sort!" he yelled, ripping the pictures to shreds and dropping them on the floor. Andi tried to scream, but instead she remained silent, tears pouring from her face.

"You're not leaving this house again, not until school," he stated, finally releasing Andi. She grabbed at the scraps of paper littering the floor. Her father left the room, slamming the door behind him. Andi could hear Bellatrix laughing.

"You," she hissed.

"Careful, Andi, you're already on thin ice," Bella teased. Andi slunk into her bed, her fingers curled around the sole remaining photograph of Ted's face.

The next night, the window was magicked shut. Andi tried sneaking out other ways, but was unable to leave the house. Finally, after a week of her trying, the whole family went to their summer house on the beach.

"This will keep you away from that muggle," her father had stated. Andi hadn't even bothered responding. Instead, she sneaked out at night there, standing on the beach watching the waves crash.

"I'm sorry, Ted," she whispered, looking at the photograph. "I'm so sorry." Slowly, she let the photograph go, watching the waves carry it away like everything else in their path. She wondered if Ted would miss her, if he'd look for her. Maybe he'd realize she hadn't meant to break his heart?

Maybe someday, when she wasn't under her family's thumb, she could find him again? She could tell him what had happened? She wondered if he'd even want to see her again. She sighed and walked back to the house, maybe it was for the best? They were different and she would never be able to explain her world to him, and she knew she could never give up her magic either, the one thing she felt made her special, even for him.