"Andromeda, for once in your life can you please behave like a rational person and not be excited about returning school?"

"What can I say," Andromeda shrugged. "Some of us are just more brilliant than others."

Beside her, Rabastan burst into laughter, while Bellatrix raised her eyebrow. Andromeda had never insulted her before, and certainly never so smoothly. If Andromeda wasn't mistaken there was an appreciative smile hiding under Bella's incredulity. Even Rodolphus looked impressed.

"She's certainly too smart for you, Rabastan," Evan Rosier said, a smirk on his lips as he readjusted his grip on Bella's shoulders.

Andromeda almost blushed a little. Evan Rosier had never complimented her before. He'd never even given any indication that he liked her; only tolerating her for Bella's sake.

Rabastan smiled. "Good thing I'm pretty."

Rosier scoffed, but he didn't have a response. Hiding where none of them could see, Rabastan's hand slipped inside hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

For the first time, Rabastan's touch didn't make her feel uncomfortable. She hadn't felt uncomfortable around him since their moment in the library. So, in the spirit of firsts, she squeezed his hand back.

She'd never been this relaxed around any of them. Not since…

Not since before she'd started spending time with Ted.

And just like that, Rabastan's warm hand made her feel cold and clammy. It had been almost three weeks since she'd seen Ted, if she didn't count her brief glimpse of his back fleeing the entrance hall the day before break. She could feel it, his absence, like a knawing hunger that was eating her up from the inside. She'd tried to force him out her mind; she'd had other things to think about, but he'd always crept back in.

She'd thought about trying to send him a letter, but eventually decided against it, and not just because she was afraid of getting caught. Ted had been so angry with her, and for good reason. He would need time to calm down.

She just hoped three weeks had been long enough, because she was dying to see him. It was the real reason she was so excited to return to Hogwarts.

From across their compartment, Rodolphus was watching her. Bile rose in Andromeda's throat, and she had to force herself not to look away too quickly.

As far as she could tell Rodolphus had done as Bellatrix—requested. He'd said something to Narcissa before he'd left, and she'd spent the rest of her night crying herself to sleep. Andromeda could only assume these were spurred by the sudden end to their relationship, as Narcissa still wasn't speaking to her. Her suspicion was confirmed by the disgruntled looks Rodolphus gave Bellatrix every time she wasn't looking. As soon he as she threatened to glance in his direction he hastily looked away. It seemed Rodolphus really did fear her elder sister, as every rational creature should.

Not that it really mattered to her. He'd taken her bright, bubbly little sister and ripped out her light. That wasn't something she'd ever forget.

She just wished she'd been the one to stop him.

"Rolf, we need to find you a girl," Rabastan said as his foot reached across the compartment to kick his brother's knee.

It's not like Rabastan knew what she had been thinking about, but she shuddered at the coincidence of it anyway. She also couldn't stop herself from glancing over at Rodolphus. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bellatrix do the same.

If Rodolphus was aware of their gazes, he didn't show it. He only had eyes for Rabastan.

"Find me one you haven't already dated."

Rabastan groaned. "Really, Rolf. Andromeda was just starting to like me." He was grinning though. Andromeda couldn't remember Rabastan and Rodolphus ever being mad at each other.

All of them glanced up as the sound of their compartment door opening. Standing in the doorway, with their usually sloppy grins, was none other than Dolohov and Yaxley.

Andromeda stiffened. The last time she'd seen Rodolphus, Rosier, Dolohov and Yaxley altogether, they'd been planning their horrendous attack on Teresa Podmore.

"Thought we'd find you here," Yaxley leered as he glanced around. Yaxley had the same straw-colored hair Ted had, Andromeda noticed, except it looked almost sickly green next to his pale skin.

"Care for a game of Mudblood-taunting?" Yaxley asked. "Lucius is the prefect on duty, and he promised to let us rough them up a bit."

Rosier's eyes lit up, but just as he sat up Bella forced him back down. He gave her a half-scathing, half-amused look, before glancing at the boys with a sheepish grin. Dolohov snorted, though he quickly tried to pretend it was a cough at the look Bellatrix gave him. Andromeda could barely hide her smirk.

Their gaze flicked to Rodolphus, but he only yawned as he leaned back against the seat.

"Why bother, they never do anything interesting anymore."

Andromeda swallowed, trying to hide her discomfort and the callous way Rodolphus said that. Yaxley and Dolohov didn't seem to notice as they turned to Rabastan.

"What do you say, mate? You in?"

Rabastan smiled, like the idea excited him. Andromeda could see his jaw clench though, and his hand became tense in hers.

Andromeda stood up suddenly, and, before she lost her nerve, said, "My apologies, gentleman, but Rabastan already has plans with me."

"I do?" Rabastan asked, but he was grinning as he stood up.

She could feel Rodolphus gaze on them as they left, though she did her best to ignore it.

Dolohov and Yaxley scoffed at them as they left, and Andromeda could hear them muttering something about men and being "broken in,"

Rabastan didn't seem to notice though as his hand slipped in hers and squeezed again. She didn't need to look at him to know he was saying thank you.

Andromeda hadn't actually thought about where they were going, but Rabastan seemed content to just walk down the hallway with her. It was nice, she supposed, to get away from the prying eyes of Rodolphus, even for a little while.

Course, they had barely gone a few feet when they knocked into a girl also trying to navigate the crowded corridor.

"Sorry," the girl said is a squeaky voice. Andromeda recognized her instantly. She was fellow sixth-year, Lorie Smith. Andromeda had also seen her around Ted a lot.

That wasn't the important part though. The important part was that she was a muggleborn, and she'd just bumped into Rabastan Lestrange. Lorie seem to come to the same conclusion, as her tiny jaw dropped, and bright-blue eyes bulged.

Except, she still didn't really look afraid. Just…overwhelmed. Andromeda, however, tensed, waiting for Rabastan's contemptuous reply. Except it never came. He just gave her tiny nod before turning away.

Andromeda stared after him, her face turning from anxious to confused in an instant. The last time she'd seen a muggleborn bump into him —Ted — he hadn't been nearly so forgiving. Except last time he'd had his crew of Slytherin heirs around him. This time he just had Andromeda.

Lorie glanced at her, her bulging eyes darting between Meda and Rabastan so quickly her blond ponytail was bouncing. There was something in way her eyes moved, like things were clicking together, that made Andromeda very uncomfortable. She hurried after Rabastan, though she pretty sure Lorie's eyes were still on her.

Rabastan seemed to have completely forgotten about his little encounter with Lorie. Andromeda knew other purebloods who would have gone on for hours about the horrors of having contact with a muggleborn— she was related to some of these purebloods.

But Rabastan, she was realizing, was much less like them, and much more like her, then she'd ever given him credit for. She smiled as she hurried up next to him, her shoulder brushing against his in the narrow hallway. It was nice not to have to pretend to listen to him complain about the stench of muggleborns the way others would have. It was nice not to have to pretend at all.

Passing by them was the sweet cart. Rabastan glanced at her with a sly grin.

"Care for a chocolate frog?"

"Careful," Andromeda said, a nervous smile on her lips. Hopefully she wasn't wrong about Rabastan. "Eating the food of common wizards might dilute our good breeding."

Rabastan chuckled, his eyes lighting up. "I won't tell if you won't."

Andromeda couldn't help but smile as Rabastan paid for their frogs. She may have been exaggerating a little bit, but she'd seen Bella and Narcissa turn up their noses when they realized anyone could buy the sweets off that cart.

Rabastan tossed her the frog before ripping open the box and biting into his own. Andromeda did the same. Unfortunately, Andromeda wasn't fast enough, and the frog slipped out of her hand and jump on top of her head.

"Watch it," Rabastan said, swiping at the frog. He missed and ended up knocking against Andromeda the wall instead. She felt a rush of heat course through her body at his sudden Proximity, but she was laughing too. It had been a long time since she'd had a chocolate frog. Narcissa practically fainted at the idea of eating a frog, chocolate or not. Her mother would say a sweet that could jump into her hair was undignified.

"Here, you can have the rest of mine." Rabastan licked the frog before shoving it toward her face.

Andromeda squirmed to get away, but she was giggling still. Rabastan placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to hold her steady.

She turned her head, and that's when she saw him.

Instantly all the laughter died from her lips.

Ted didn't say anything; he didn't have too. It was all on his face. The same face she'd seen when he stepped away from her in the hall after they'd shared their first kiss. Like someone had drained all the light from his face, leaving just a cold, empty shadow.

"Andromeda?" Rabastan said as he ran his hand down her arm. When she didn't react he followed her gaze, where he saw Ted. Andromeda wasn't sure if Rabastan recognized Ted from the fight they'd almost had months before, but based on the way his eyes narrowed, she would assume so.

The next thing she felt was his hand on her cheek as he stepped in closer. "Is this man bothering you?" he purred in her ear.

Andromeda forced herself to look at him, even though every fiber of her being was telling her to run to Ted.

When she didn't say anything, the concerned lines on his face deepened, until they looked almost suspicious.

What could she do? She had to say something, otherwise Rabastan would form his own conclusions.

She sighed. "No. It's just… sometimes their stares make me uncomfortable." She didn't need to elaborate on their, Rabastan knew she meant muggleborn.

And based on the way Ted stiffened in the corner of her vision, he did too.

It worked though. Rabastan's confusion disappeared as a warm smile slipped through. "Just ignore him then. He's no one to you anyway, right?"

"Right." Andromeda swallowed, and it felt like she was swallowing knives. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ted collapse inward, like he was caving in. She longed to look at him, to tell him she didn't mean it with her eyes, but she dared not. He would know the truth, though, right?

Rabastan pulled her closer, his body now lightly brushing up against hers. Out of the corner of her she saw Ted turn and head back down the hallway.

Ted, I'm sorry.

Rabastan moved so that his head was resting by the side of her neck, his breath brushing against her skin. At least he couldn't see her face, as she was sure her mask had disappeared by now.

She hadn't tried to talk to Ted since their fight. She figured he needed time, and space, to figure things out after what almost happened with Teresa. Much as it had pained her, she'd let him.

Needless to say, this wasn't what she wanted their reunion to be like. He would forgive her though, right?

He would have too, because she wasn't sure she could stand another day away from him.