She reached the third floor room Ted had specified in his note and stepped inside. He wasn't there yet, but that wasn't that uncommon anymore. In the beginning he'd always come early. He told her he used to wait in the common room, counting down the seconds until he just couldn't stand it anymore. But not even she could inspire that kind of organization in him for very long. And the Ted that was five minutes late to everything was back.

She didn't mind really. Well, she did. It was five more minutes gone from their already limited time together, but sometimes it was nice to just be. And by that she meant to not be. Not be anything, not a student, a sister, a Black, not even a girlfriend. To just breath.

Someone grabbed her around the waist and she screamed.

"Shh… shh, Meda you can't scream." Ted said, he sounded a little winded, but he was chortling a bit too. "You're going to wake-up the whole castle."

He scream turned toward a laugh, which she tried stifle. "Don't sneak-up on me then." She turned around to face him, but stayed close enough that his arms wouldn't leave her. She let her own hands snake up to his shoulders.

"I was being romantic."

"You scared me."

"Of course I did." He grinned. "I'm terrifying."

"Yeah," she whispered, tilting her head closer. They'd done that thing again where'd then drawn closer without realizing it. He was barely a hairsbreadth away now. "That's the word to describe you." And then he was kissing her. She let her hands slide to his neck, feeling his warmth under her fingertips.

She forgot her pangs at her confusing relationship with Narcissa, her terrifying almost-moment with Rabastan, her actual terrifying moment with Potter. She even forgot her despairing notions from afterward. All that mattered was that he was here, with her. She wanted every moment to be like this. Ted might've agreed, except he was Ted.

"Seriously though," he said between kisses. "You've probably alerted Filch to our whereabouts. I bet we only have seconds left…"

"Ted," Meda said, "be quiet."

He started to chuckle, but Meda pressed her lips tightly against his, which stopped him.

Finally, after a long while that was still impossibly short, they pulled away.

"Well, I missed you too," he said. She smiled, letting her head dropped as she examined their intertwined hands, gently running her finger over his wrist.

"But seriously," he said again. "We should get out of here."

Andromeda's head flicked up. "Where would we go?"

"That," he said, flicking hands and grabbing both her wrists, "is a surprise." Then he turned and, one hand still on hers, and wheeled her toward the door. She let him take her, rolling her eyes as she did. When she caught up to him she placed a hand on his arm, gently stroking the soft skin between muscle and bone.

"So," he said once they were out in the hallway, "how are you?"

Andromeda thought about her breakdown earlier.

"All right," she said. "I had an interesting conversation with Potter earlier, however."

Ted coughed, Andromeda shot him a glance.

"Oh yes, thank you for that." She bumped his shoulder.

He chuckled. "Come on, I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"It was," —she decided to choose her words carefully—"better than expected." She was silent for a moment as she decided how to phrase this next question.

"Ted, why did you…" She took a deep breath. "Why did you tell him to talk to me?"

Ted's hand slipped out of hers and into the pockets of his robes.

"I don't know, you're a girl, Lily's a girl." He gave her a crooked smile. "I figured you would know how to handle this better."

"Ted." She stopped walking. "What was it really?"

He stopped as well, and after a moment's hesitation looked at her over his shoulder.

"You got me to listen to you, even when I didn't want to. I figured you could do the same for him. I mean." He attempted to laugh. "If anyone could get him to, it would be you."

She smiled at little, shaking her head and resuming walking. She hadn't thought of that, and it was a nice sentiment, but it still seemed… incomplete.

"Is that…" she swallowed, "the only reason?"

Ted sighed, but remained silent. For a moment she thought that was her only answer, then he said, "You made me see who you really were, and I figured you could teach Potter to do the same."

"Is that what I did?" Her voice was quiet and hollow.

He took her hand again. "It sure was. You can be pretty fierce when you want to. It's actually kind of frightening."

Andromeda adjusted her hand so her palm was pressed against his, enjoying the warmth that was spreading out through her body. She was so caught up in it, she didn't notice where they were going until they reached the doors.

She froze. "Are you taking us outside?"

"That's where the surprise is." Ted reached for the door, but Andromeda still wouldn't move.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea."

His eyebrows pinched together and he cocked his head. "Why not?"

"Well… it's just so open, what if somebody sees us…"

"And there you go again." Ted placed his hand on the door, leaning against it. "You always worry too much." He straightened, taking both her hands again. "Sometimes you need to just live."

"But—"

"It'll be fine, all right?" His hands moved down to her wrists. "Trust me."

She remembered the first time she'd looked at him, how he'd reminded her of the sun. It still held true.

"All right."

"Wait." He blinked. "That worked?"

Andromeda was caught off guard. "Should it not have?"

"It's just, I've only ever heard that line used in movies." He gave her a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck like he was nervous. "It's what the hero says to the heroine right before they jump off the train that's derailed and heading for a cliff, or something."

"Are you leading me towards a cliff?" she teased, though she couldn't help but shudder at the way his thoughts mirrored her own earlier, when she'd compared their relationship heading toward a cliff with no bridge, only dark, empty space.

He shook his head, hiding a smile. "No." He opened the door and took her again, and this time she let him lead her outside.

Cold autumn air rushed over her, and she forgot about her worries. It was worth it to be out here, where there were no restrictions. It felt free.

Ted seemed to notice, his hand moved to her waist as he guided her forward.

"What's a movie, exactly?" she asked.

"You don't know?"

"I've heard the word before," she said, feeling defensive. "But I don't really understand it."

"Tell you what," he said, turning to face her. "I'll show you one sometime, it'll be easier than explaining it."

"Is it… safe?"

He laughed. "I'll answer that question after… our date."

Date? She whipped her head forward. She'd almost guessed they'd been heading for their spot, but she hadn't noticed the blanket. Or roses. Or wine glasses. Or candles.

"Ted," she said, "what's this?"

"The other day you said you wished we could be a normal couple." He moved so he was standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders. "Now, maybe we can't, snog in the hallways or sit by each other in Quidditch games, but I don't see any reason we can't still go on dates. As long as we take certain precautions, of course."

"Ted," Andromeda breathed. "This is… Oh my… this is amazing. How did you…"

"Let's just say I actually had a reason to be late this time." He moved again, this time so he was in front of her. "And it pays to be friends with the house-elves."

Andromeda was speechless, she couldn't help it. And did she smell cinnamon? Were those candles cinnamon-scented? He remembered she liked cinnamon?

He held out his hand, bowing slightly. "Shall we?"

She took his hand, giggling as he led her to the blanket and helped her settle down. Then he served the both of them.

"It's just Butterbeer with Sherri's floating ice cream," he explained. "I didn't think a full-blown meal at midnight was appropriate." Then he raised his glass. "Too us?"

"Too us," she mirrored.

It didn't take them long to finish, but neither felt like letting the evening end. Which was how his head ended up in her lap while she absent-mindedly stroked his hair. His eyes were closed, but she had no idea if he was awake or asleep.

She didn't want to disturb him if he was. She knew they should be heading inside, but things were so peaceful. Besides, she really didn't mind not getting a lot of sleep.

"You know I've been trying to get up the nerve to talk to you, for about, two years?"

Meda glanced down. Ted's eyes were open now, and he was staring at her with an almost wistful look on his face.

"Really?"

"Yep," he said, stretching his arms but remaining perfectly relaxed in her lap as he stared out across the lake. "I kept imagining all the creative ways I could strike up a conversation with you, and then when you hit me in the hall it was like, whamo, destiny."

"Destiny." She pressed her lips together. She didn't like the way that word felt in her mouth.

He looked up at her. "You don't think it was destiny?"

I think…" She was silent for a moment. "I think I don't understand why."

"Why what?"

She took a deep breath, "Why me?"

He sat up. "You want to know why I liked you?"

She shrugged.

He shifted his weight so he was sitting next to her, staring out at the lake like it held old memories.

"I used to watch you in class, I mean at first it was because you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, but you would do this thing when you would just disappear inside yourself. I could tell wherever you were, it was far away from all of this. Beautiful, magical. I suppose the way we all imagined Hogwarts before we come and discovered reality." He paused, his eyes searching her while she avoided his gaze.

"I knew you were different, from the moment I saw you." He chuckled a little, almost like he was embarrassed. "I used to picture that you were, that you were some secret exotic warrior just waiting to break free and fight against the evil Purebloods." He paused, glancing over at her, "I guess I wasn't so wrong, huh?"

She met his gaze. His blue eyes were brighter than she'd ever seen them, practically glowing. His lips were parted slightly, like he was going to say something, but he was silent as he lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

She couldn't take it.

"I have to go," she stammered as she hastily stood up, tripping over her robes, but she didn't care.

"Meda." Ted stood up as well, completely thrown off but her sudden freak out. He grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving.

"What the hell—"

"I can't. I'm sorry," She hadn't realized she was crying until she tasted the salt on her lips. "I can't do this, I can't."

"Meda, don't do this." He said as she tried to bolt again.

"Do what?" she choked, trying to pry off his fingers.

"Shut me out, turn off, turn away from everything." He whirled her around, grabbing her other arm, forcing her to look at him. Really, look at him. "Just tell me, tell me what's going on."

The tears fell harder as she shook her head. "You're wrong. You're wrong about me. You've got me worked up to be some grand… heroine, and I'm not, all right? I'm weak and stupid, and a hypocrite, and—" But she couldn't talk anymore, because he was kissing her.

After a moment she kissed him back. She couldn't help it. Her insides were breaking but she still wanted him, she would always want him. And his lips were so soft, pulling her in. She could taste the salt on her lips, but the taste of him made her forget that, made her forget everything.

At some point he pulled away. "What I said about you? That's what I used to think." He slowly leaned back, so she could see him.

"But I don't think that anymore." Her breath caught, but he wasn't done.

"No, now I know."

Her hands slid, and she falling into him, her cheek pressed against his chest. He held her, murmuring and kissing her head. She let herself cry a little longer. The pain, the doubt wasn't gone, she just forgot it mattered.

When they had dried, she took a deep breath, then said, "I thought you weren't good at this romantic stuff."

He grinned. "I just needed practice."

She smiled softly. Then straightened, glancing at her watch.

"We really need to go."

"Dammit, Meda." He groaned. "I am going to break that bloody watch."

She hit him. "A gentleman doesn't use that kind of language in front of a lady."

"My apologies." He offered his elbow, grinning from ear to ear. She felt more of the weight disappear from her chest. "May I escort you up to the castle?"

She took his offer. As they walked she mulled over what he had said. Earlier today she had felt the exact opposite. She had accepted that he was right about her being a coward, and just now she had told him he was wrong when he called her a hero. But I don't think that anymore, now I know. How could he have that kind of confidence in her? He'd said it with such certainty, it was like nothing he'd said to her before.

They're not always wrong about us.

She had meant about their faults. But if someone knew your weaknesses, then they could also know your strengths. Well, he was her boyfriend, he was supposed to see the good in her. And maybe that was all he was willing to see, which was what she was afraid of. But Ted didn't lie, not to her. He always said exactly what he felt.

An exotic warrior. She never would've used those words to describe herself, but she liked them. She really liked them.

They had reached the door, but before they could go inside they heard voices.

In one second they shot each other startled glances, and then Meda grabbed Ted's arm and wheeled him behind one of the large bushes that decorated the door.

They stayed there, hardly daring to breathe, as two people came around the corner.

It was a boy and girl, after midnight, which clearly said they were here for the same thing Ted and Meda were, except she doubted the stakes were the same if they got caught. The two of them stopped on the other side of the door. The boy pressed the girl roughly against the wall, and her giggles died.

Andromeda leaned forward, trying to get a better look. The boy looked familiar, and that's because he was. It was Rabastan Lestrange.