He sat up so quickly, he almost gave himself whiplash. That horrible clenching in his chest had just started when he noticed a figure by the window— trying, and failing—to lace up what looked suspiciously like his mother's boots.

He just stared at her for a moment, like he was waiting for her to notice him. It was only when he heard a distinct curse word under his breath that would have made his mother blush he said:

"You know it has a zipper in the back, right? You didn't actually have to undo the laces."

She let out a tiny yelp and jumped. It reminded him of the time they'd helped Professor Kettleburn all those months ago. The memory brought a smile to his face, even if it was fleeting.

The look of panic on her face that he'd woken up was almost enough to make laugh too. Almost.

"Were you at least going to say goodbye?"

She didn't speak, but the look of guilt that flashed across her face was answer enough.

He'd been so patient yesterday. He'd blamed it on the shock of seeing her again, or the fact that she'd looked so freaked out. He'd taken her with open, albeit very awkward, arms. And she was just going to use him and ditch him, again.

This time, the anger was just too much. "Go to hell, Andromeda."

He expected her to look shocked, or even hurt, but she didn't. If anything, she looked angrier than him.

"What did you expect me to do, Ted?" she yelled that part, and they both flinched. She then continued in a screech-whisper. "Wait for them to find me here?"

He paused. He hadn't expected that to be her first response. It made sense though, fear of her family had always been her primary motivator.

"You really think they'd come looking for you here?" He gestured around his tiny room, with peeling paint and sun-faded wooden floors. "Here?" The idea of any other member of the Black family in his home was unconceivable. He almost laughed.

But Andromeda was far from amused. "Yes, and you know better than anyone what they will do if they found me." He winced, her words bringing back unpleasant memories. She didn't hesitate though, she pressed her advantage. "Found you." Her voice grew dangerously quiet. "Found your mother."

He didn't want to think about that, but her couldn't stop the image of his mother squirming on the floor while someone like Bellatrix stood over her from racing through his mind. He shook his head, though it was pointless, nothing could erase an image like that.

"You don't really think they'd come?" his voice was pleading, but Andromeda's steely gaze crushed his hope even before her words did.

"Yes, I do. You don't know them like I do."

She looked away again, once again leaving him to wonder what had happened to her before she'd come knocking on his window. Now didn't seam like the time to press her though.

"So where will you go?"

She took a deep breath, and returned her gaze to him. "Once things settle down I'll contact my Uncle Alphard. He'll help figure out what to do next."

She sounded hopeful, but Ted could see the doubt and fear in her eyes. Doubt that her uncle would help her? Doubt that he'd be able to? Doubt that she'd even make it to him?

But that wasn't his real question. "And until then?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the way his mind and heart were racing.

"I'll figure it out." She looked away again, confirming his suspicion, she had no idea what to do until then.

He didn't comment on her lack of plans though. Instead, her reached for the top shelf in his closet and pulled out a large sack. Without acknowledging or even looking at Andromeda, he turned to his dresser and began loading it with various clothing articles.

"What are you doing?" she hissed from behind him.

"We're going to need more than our wands if we want to survive muggle England, trust me." He didn't stop from his packing, grabbing a few necessary items, like the tiny amount of muggle cash he had stashed away and the plethora of snacks he kept stashed in his room.

He still wasn't looking at Andromeda, but he could imagine her facial expression. Probably somewhere between incredulity, shock, and outrage. "Ted, you can't be serious."

He turned toward her and held up his already surprisingly heavy bag. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

He was right about her face, but as the shock and incredulity began to fade it was replaced with something almost like awe.

She shook her head. "I can't ask you to do this."

He shrugged. "You didn't."

"You're just going to leave your mum?" She whisper-screeched again.

He continued packing as he replied, so Andromeda wouldn't see his face. "She'll be safer with me gone."

When he saw Andromeda give him another scathing look he continued, "It's true. The only way they'd be able to track us is through magic, so if I get my magic self as far away from here as possible, they'll have no way to come after her."

He hoped so, anyway. If anything happened to his mum because of this he would never forgive himself. But he knew, in this instance, what he had to do.

Andromeda was softening, he could tell, but her stubbornness or over-abundance of guilt was keeping her from accepting still. "Ted, I—I can't— I don't…"

"Also, If you can't even figure out muggle shoes there's no way you'd last a day in the muggle world." It was kind of low blow, but still undeniably true. "Face it, you need me." In spite of everything, he grinned. It felt good to say that to her.

"Isn't your mum going to worry if you're gone?"

He shrugged again. "I'll leave her a note, she'll be okay."

Andromeda was still fighting the inevitable with all her might. He sighed. He'd forgotten how stubborn she could be.

"Look, you said yourself we don't have a lot of time, so why don't you make yourself useful and help me find a pair of clean socks? Believe me, it's in your best interests to make sure I pack clean ones."

She was still staring at him, disbelief and doubt etched on her features. The wheels were turning though. Soon she would come to the same conclusion he had.

Finally, slowly, she turned toward the stack of clothes nearest her and began searching. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw the smallest smile on her face as she did so.

"Stop laughing, it isn't funny."

Ted, who was practically bent over in laughter, couldn't even bring himself to stop long enough to correct her.

She muttered a curse under her breath and stormed inside their newly purchased hotel room.

To be honest, it was just the latest of Andromeda's blunders in the world of muggles. She'd been struggling all day.

She'd screamed when the "fat, metal, house-elf," had swallowed her ticket on the train. She'd gotten all offended when the cab they purchased refused to take her sickles as money. She even called her cabbie a "half-witted cave troll." Since said man was on the larger side , he'd been quite offended when she'd called him a "troll" and even more offended when Ted had started laughing about it. They'd practically had to run down the street to avoid getting their fee doubled. When they finally stopped for food she was most distraught to discover not only did they not serve butterbeer, but she would be unable to purchase any alcoholic beverage unless she could prove she was over the age of eighteen.

And, just barely, she'd assumed their hotel receptionist was a prostitute because she wore a half shirt, torn jeans, and had multiple body piercings. Trying to be courteous and blend in, she asked the receptionist what life as prostitute was like. The receptionist had been most offended and had given Andromeda a whole lecture on female liberation from the bindings of men and the over-sexualization of women and oppression and fight the-powers-that-be and all that jazz. It had been about a twenty minute lecture. They'd only just gotten away.

"What was I supposed to think?" Andromeda retorted as Ted continued to chortle. Her voice was high-pitched and shrill, a clear sigh that she was beyond frustrated. "I've never seen anyone in our world dressed like that except for—"

"Women of the night?" Ted finally managed to stop laughing long enough to speak.

Andromeda shot him another glare and then turned toward the bathroom. By the time she finally emerged he'd managed to get control of himself.

"So," she asked, "what do we do now?"

Considering they were alone together in a hotel room, and considering his wild imagination, that was not the best question to ask him. Ignoring the very steamy images that raced through his head, he just shrugged.

"We rest. We'll figure out what to do next tomorrow."

Andromeda looked doubtful at waiting until tomorrow too figure out their next step, but she was too tired to argue. With a sigh, she collapsed onto the bed. The bed sagged under her weight, which made him nervous since he had to have a good 30 pounds on her. Once again, there was only one bed. Andromeda had seen his stress over their limited funds and had insisted they get the cheapest room, even if it meant sharing a bed. Again.

Sighing, he took a seat in the chair by the corner, and resigned himself to watching Andromeda out of the corner of his eye.

They'd spent most of the day running around. Ted's theory was the more they moved, the harder it would be for Bellatrix or whoever else to find them. At first, things had been awkward. They'd hardly spoke. But gradually, Andromeda's curiosity over the muggle world got the best of her and she'd begun asking him questions. They'd been simple questions at first. How did parking meters work? What were the police? Why were their blue boxes all over the street?

Gradually though, her questions became more complicated. What did muggles do for fun? What were their marriages like? Their funerals? Their schools? What did they think about magic? She was most intrigued to find some children still believed in magic when they were younger, but that as they grew older, their belief faded.

"But how do they explain their history? Their ancestors knew about witches and wizards? They tried to kill them!"

Ted shrugged. "They believe it was superstition. Flawed beliefs to explain what science explains to us now. They like to think they know everything."

Andromeda turned thoughtful. "A bit like wizards in that regard."

Not all of their conversations had been so serious. He'd had a hell of time explaining arcades to her and trying to convince her his favorite games weren't lame.

"You mean to tell me," She said, "That you spent all of your time and money as a child trying to get a ball into a hole?"

Resisting the urge to point out the very dirty context of what she said, he exclaimed, "I had to defend my high score. The Pinball high scorer is a position of honor where I am from."

She rolled her eyes, but her smile was evident. They passed most of the rest of the day like that. Andromeda asking him questions about muggle life and then making snide remarks about his answers. He loved the way her eyes glowed with each new discovery about the world of muggles. He supposed inquiries about muggles were not a welcome topic of conversation in a muggle household, a difficult situation for someone with an insatiable curiosity like Andromeda.

It was almost enough to keep her from looking over her shoulder every five seconds and freezing every time she saw a dark-haired man or woman walked by. Almost enough.

But now her questions had all run out, leaving them trapped in this awkward game of silence and avoiding eye contact. At least, she was avoiding his gaze. She seemed almost unaware of his presence. Her gaze was fixed on the mirror across from her with a glazed over expression. Her knees were pulled tight against her chest and she was almost shivering. There was no way she could be cold though; it was like a sauna in their room.

He watched her for some time, becoming lost in his own thoughts. So lost that he almost didn't register her voice when she spoke,

"Thank you, for coming with me." She tried to smile, but it looked forced. Still, he appreciated the effort.

He should have said you're welcome, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, he found himself asking the question he'd been thinking about the whole time.

"Why did you come to me, Andromeda?"

She swallowed. "I told you, I had nowhere else to go."

"Is that the only reason?" His voice was soft, but his eyes were piercing as he watched for her reaction.

She looked at him, almost instinctively. Her mouth was parted like she was going to answer his question, but nothing came out. She wanted to, he could tell, but something was holding her back. Something was always holding her back.

He grabbed his clothes off the chair and stormed toward the bathroom.

"I'm going to change," he grumbled, but really, he just needed a reason to be away from Andromeda.

"Wait," she said as he passed. He stopped, even though he didn't want too, and turned toward her.

"Wait for what?" he spat. He hadn't meant to sound so venomous, and he felt a pang of guilt when she flinched. It was the question he was ultimately asking though.

She just stared at him again, but he wasn't going to play that game anymore. He had just turned toward the bathroom when she said:

"I came because I'm still in love with you."