An: Apologies for the bad proofing of the last chapter. Hopefully it'll be better in this chapter. Thankyou to everyone who has alerted and favourited, and a special thanks to everyone who's reviewed. It means a lot to me. Enjoy.

Chapter Sixteen – In Spotlights

The Easter holidays were two weeks long, but it was a busy time. There were all the family visits, the parties, the late nights. There was an emphasis on late nights, so when she was shaken awake by her youngest sister at seven in the morning, Andromeda was less than happy.

"Father wants to see you," Narcissa gasped, before Andromeda had a chance to growl at her. "In his study. Now."

"What?" Suddenly awake, Andromeda felt panic grip her. "Why? What have I done?"

Narcissa shrugged, but a smile danced across her face. "I don't think it is anything you have done. I think its something Dolohov asked."

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"Wait, wait, wait." Tom was pacing round Ted's room, as Ted sat on the bed watching his best friend. "You kissed Andromeda. You kissed Andromeda Black."

"Well, technically she kissed me first," Ted tried to interject, but Tom flapped his hands at him.

"You kissed Andromeda Black." Apparently, Tom wanted to repeat the sentence but changing the emphasis each time. "Ted, this is not okay. She's a Black. Do you know what her family will do to her if they find out?"

"No," he admitted reluctantly. "But it doesn't matter anyway because she said it was a mistake. It's not going to happen again."

Tom groaned as he noticed his friend's expression. He knew that look. It meant that the great idiot was hoping it would happen again. It was his job, as Ted's best friend, to disabuse him of that notion.

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"Andromeda. Please sit down."

Her father's study was not somewhere she ever wanted to be. It was all dark wood and leather with the family tree on the wall. It differed slightly from the one at her aunt's house, in that blood traitors were simply not there. At her aunt's house there were burn holes, blast marks. Here they were simply removed, leaving no trace. As she sat down, she wondered if every pureblood father had a study like this.

"I shan't beat around the bush," her father said, "Antonin Dolohov has asked permission to ask you to marry him."

Andromeda's gaze was steady, as her father continued, "I have granted him that permission. However, I did warn him that it was your decision." He smiled at his daughter, the hard features of his face softening slightly. "I will not force you to marry him. He's a good match, though your mother does not think so. He is rich, connected and has the potential to be influential." He paused, his gaze drifting over the family tree. "What do you think of him?"

"He is," she searched quickly for a word, "charming. He is very charming." Having only had a few hours sleep, she struggled to find the right words. "He is attentive and he buys me flowers."

Her father nodded slowly. "Your marriage would bring honour to us, and his father likes you well enough. He thought you were a very sweet girl."

"If I reject him, what happens then?" she asked quietly.

"You work towards another match," he said simply. "Of course, you would have to find one quickly otherwise myself and your mother would be forced to choose for you. And we cannot guarantee someone of Antonin's calibre."

Andromeda smiled slowly at her father. "Thank you for allowing me a choice."

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The ball was masked, though Andromeda thought it was pointless. When one spent as much time with the same people, as the pure blood society did, one could recognise everyone from the way they walked or the particular shade of their hair. For instance, she knew that the man over there in the black velvet mask was Titus and the girl he was talking to was Holly.
"May I have this dance?" She turned to see a dark-haired boy bowing slightly. She raised an eyebrow as she recognised his voice.

"Sirius. I didn't think you were allowed at the balls yet."

Taking her hand and walking with her onto the dance floor, he smiled wryly. "Mother has insisted. She wants me to begin making a good impression on eligible ladies."

Andromeda laughed. "So you start with your cousin?"

Sirius shrugged, leading her in a waltz. "You know if you can't find a husband, I'm your backup." He pulled a face. "A union of the House of Black," he parroted in a good impression of his mother, "creating the next generation of Blacks with untainted blood."

Andromeda screwed up her face. "I'm not…doing that with you."

Sirius smiled, as they twirled round the floor. "We could have an open marriage," he suggested. "So I could sleep with whoever and you could have Ted." When she didn't reply, he gaped at her. "You do like Ted."

"I don't," she protested, but it was too late. Her eldest cousin was already grinning, the amusement clear in his eyes behind his mask.

"Andromeda Tonks," he teased. "Mrs T Tonks. Andy and Ted Tonks."

"Dolohov's going to propose," she cut across him.

"What?" Sirius seemed shocked, and she banged into him as he abruptly stopped moving.

"That's what happens," she told him calmly. "Those eligible ladies you're meant to be impressing? One day you'll propose to one of them and they'll say yes, because you're the heir to the noble House of Black. Not because you're funny or handsome or intelligent, but because of the family."

Sirius seemed almost angry as he said, "I would never propose if they didn't love me."

"You will," she said, leaving the dance floor with him trailing her. "It's how it works."

"No," he snapped. "I won't. "Behind his mask, his eyes flashed angrily. "I won't marry someone who doesn't love me." His voice changed, and became pleading. "Please Andy. Don't marry Dolohov. Please. Marry me and have Ted."

Andromeda smiled sadly at her young cousin, who seemed so sure he understood the world. "No."

"May I cut in?" Andromeda would recognise that Russian accent anywhere, and she turned to face him.

"I'd love to see the rose garden."

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There were floating lanterns in the rose garden, so it didn't matter that the moon was waning. He'd given her his jacket because her dress offered little protection against the cool of the night.

"Andromeda." He sounded nervous and it made her smile. This was the beginning of the rest of her life and when she told this story later, it was details like this that would make it different to anyone else's. "I have to ask you something."

She smiled, wrapping his suit jacket tighter around her. "Yes Antonin?"

His lips quirked into an anxious smile. "I have thought long about how to do this," he told her, "and now I find my plan has floated away."

She laughed slightly. "I'm sure whatever you do will be perfect."

The words were barely out of her mouth before he kissed her. It wasn't one of the barely there, almost chaste kisses that they had shared before, but one that had real feelings behind it. He was pulling her closer, kissing her as though he was in love with her, and all she could think was he's not Ted. And with that traitorous thought she knew what her answer to his question would have to be.

She could have been so happy with Dolohov; so happy. A manor in England, a second home in St Petersburg and a flat in Moscow and London. Bilingual children with dark hair and an almost balletic grace. She could have learnt Russian. Oh, she could have had a perfect life. But he wasn't Ted. And she couldn't marry Dolohov and dream of Ted. She didn't know how this had happened: she though she'd guarded her heart so well, in case she'd had to marry someone hateful. But somehow the blonde clumsy Hufflepuff had managed to get past her carefully erected defences.

"I can't marry you." She blurted the words, pulling away from him.

"What?" Shock was plain on his face, and he took a step away from her.

"I'm sorry," she stammered, hating herself for making him look like that. "I just- I can't." Sirius' words from earlier floated into her mind. I won't marry someone who doesn't love me.

Dolohov was disguising his hurt, his facial expression changing. "Of course. We had a business arrangement." His voice was gruff, as he continued, "Perhaps it is best we end it now."

She nodded, handing him his jacket. "I'm sorry Antonin. I'm sure you'll make some other girl very happy."

"Thank you Miss Black." He bowed, before turning to leave.

She watched him go, wondering what she was going to do now. She couldn't date Ted. He was Muggleborn. Her parents would disown her. It would destroy her family. And she hated herself for knowing all these things, but still wondering if he still liked her back.

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Ted,

I was an idiot, and you were right. I know I was horrible, and I'm so sorry. But the truth of the matter is I really like you.

She crumpled up the piece of parchment, muttering Incendio. She didn't know how to properly express her feelings in writing. It would have to wait until she saw him again.