Hello everyone, this is my submission for round ten of Season 9 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Thank you to my teammates: Wellwick and Aya Diefair for betaing this. I do not own any rights to Harry Potter; they belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chaser 1: One half of your OTP is caught up on leftover baggage from a past relationship.

Optional Prompts used:

3. (word) irreversible

5. (object) key

10. (action) reading

Word Count: 1433

Rain lashed at the windows of the house, peppering the glass panes with spots that appeared to be tears from the way they streaked down the glass like a small stream.

As the rain was joined by a loud grumble of thunder, Andromeda couldn't help but smile. She was curled up on the sofa with a blanket over her and a book in her lap. Reading inside while it rained was one of her favourite things to do. There was something rather calming about the way the rain pattered against the windows as she read.

She'd been reading for a good half-hour but now–as hard as she tried–she couldn't seem to get to the next page. Yet, she knew full well what the reason was that she couldn't move forward: Rodolphus, or, more specifically, the letter that she had received this morning from him.

The contents had certainly thrown her. She had never expected to hear from him again after how things had ended between them at Hogwarts, so getting the letter had been rather out of the blue.

Dear Andi,

First off, I want you to know that I'll understand if after reading this letter you discard it due to how things ended between us. I wouldn't blame you, though I'd like to hope you might give me a chance. I had to write to you to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you, it was never my intention. I had no idea about the contract until the last minute. I never wanted to marry Bellatrix, I wanted to marry you, Andi… I still do.

I love you, Andi, I've never stopped. I'm writing this to tell you that the engagement was called off, there will be no wedding between me and her. My father saw how miserable and angry I was and knew it wasn't fair, that my mother wouldn't have wanted this for me. I heard that when you finished school you ran away with Ted. While I know he's a good man, that he's always cared for and protected you, I would like to see you, Andi. I need to.

I'll be at our place today. If you don't come, I'll understand and I hope you have a wonderful life with Ted. You deserve to be happy.

Love always,

Rodolphus

She had memorised the letter word for word, she couldn't help it, before she had placed it in a drawer upstairs thinking that out of sight, out of mind would work. She'd started reading to distract herself and yet her mind had continued to wander back to the letter, back to Rod.

The fact that he wanted to meet her on the beach near his family home made her heart soar. The feelings she had for him were still there, they'd never left, simply been hidden away, in the hopes that she might get over him, but she knew that that wasn't the case. He was her first love.

Her heart had broken the day she'd found out that he was meant to marry her sister. He'd tried talking to her, to tell her he had nothing to do with this, but she hadn't listened. She couldn't, the damage had already been done the moment Bellatrix had announced it. She remembered slapping Rodolphus before running away.

That should have been it, irreversible, and yet try as she might, he was still in her thoughts.

She'd entered this relationship with Ted thinking that the baggage that remained with Rodolphus wouldn't affect things, but it had and she knew it wasn't fair on Ted. She couldn't stay in this relationship acting as if everything was fine, when it wasn't, when she didn't love her best friend the way she loved her ex.

Ted was her best friend; he'd always been there for her and she for him. Their love had been like a church–a safe haven. But she couldn't do this to him, he deserved the truth, their relationship couldn't continue.

"Andi, what's wrong?" Ted's voice pulled her from her tumultuous thoughts. She hadn't heard him come into the living room.

It was those kind blue eyes of his that broke her. She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands as she wept. The sobs wracked her body until they eventually subsided the moment that she was being held in his strong but gentle embrace.

"Oh, Andi, love, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked as he rubbed her back in slow circles. His touch calming her, it always had. He was her calm in the storm.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes as she took his hands in hers. She had to do this.

"Ted… we need to talk."

"It's because of the letter, isn't it? It was from Rodolphus, wasn't it?"

His words caught her off guard, how could he have known that? But then it was Ted, he knew her better than she knew herself sometimes, even with this it seemed.

She nodded.

"I had a feeling it was given how subdued you seemed when you were reading it this morning. I left you to it, it wasn't my business and I wasn't going to pry. I knew that when you were ready to talk, you would."

"Oh, Ted," she said, tracing his cheek gently, as tears slipped down her own slowly. It was time. "I came into this relationship with you, thinking it was the best thing for me after what had happened. Yet, I should have left my baggage with Rodolphus at the door for that to happen and I didn't. We left things unfinished, he and I. I still love him and for that I'm so sorry, Ted. Truly I am, but this… us… it's not fair on you. You deserve someone who will love you, not someone who is stuck in the past."

As she met his gaze, she saw his blue eyes dim with sadness and pain that she had caused him, yet there was understanding there too.

He cupped her hands in his, kissing them as he looked at her.

"I always knew that I'd never be able to fill the hole he left in your heart. I was okay with that, even though I was angry at him hurting you. So, instead, I tried to be the one to mend it the best I could. We were, first and foremost, best friends and I'll always love you that way, Andi," Ted said, pulling her into a hug.

They stayed that way for a while, Andromeda needed this. She needed her best friend. It was hard breaking up with him, but for them not to be friends any more, that… that would have destroyed her. When she pulled away, she put her hand in her jeans pocket, her fingers clasping the key to the house that he'd given her.

Taking it out, she handed it to him, but he wouldn't take it. He just smiled and shook his head. She watched as he put his hand over hers and folded her fingers over the small, silver key.

"I want you to keep it, Andi. So, you know that you will always have a place to stay should you need it. Our friendship doesn't have to be over even if our relationship is."

She teared up at his words and squeezed his hand before pocketing the key.

"I should pack."

They went upstairs together, Ted pulling her suitcase and a duffel bag down from atop the wardrobe setting them on the bed. She couldn't help but smile watching him.

They made small talk as she packed her things. Once she was ready, and had pocketed her bags in the back pocket of her jeans, they made their way downstairs where she pulled on her jacket before looking at him as they stood in the hallway.

"Will you do me one last thing?"

Andromeda nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, of course."

"Send me a Patronus when you meet him, just to let me know you're alright."

"I will, I promise," she replied, hugging him. Kissing his cheek, she said, "I love you."

Ted smiled as he replied, "I love you too, Andi."

Andromeda left her best friend's warm embrace and opened the front door to find it had stopped raining, a rainbow in the sky. She smiled, at ease, and made her way down the path and through the entrance, shutting the iron gate behind her. She waved at Ted.

With one final look at her best friend and with the beach in mind, she Disapparated.

If you enjoyed this, let me know what you thought by leaving a review.

I'll see you all soon,

S L Blake x