An: Thankyou to everyone who's let me know that they're still getting emails. It's good to hear. I'm still not, so if you've alerted or favourite and I haven't said thankyou, it's because I didn't know. So thankyou, I'm really happy that you're enjoying the fic. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and I hope you don't read this chapter like Tash did. Oh, and I keep forgetting to say, that this drawing by Mankani : .com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=andromeda+and+ted#/do2dho is basically what inspired this story. Hope the link works. Enjoy.

Chapter 23 – Should be Home

"Why the hell didn't you help him?"

Pushed against the corridor wall, the suddenness of the attack surprised her. Her wide eyes met the furious gaze of Ruth Spencer, whose hands were still grasped around Andromeda's shirt lapels.

"Why didn't you help?" the girl growled.

Carefully, Andromeda prised Ruth's fingers from her top and pushed the other girl so that she could move away from the wall. "Who?"

"Ted." The beater was still angry, spitting her friend's name.

"Oh. Him." The disdain in Andromeda's voice made Ruth fly at her again, but this time she was ready and dodged, drawing her wand. "Stop attacking me. I know just as much as the people who hurt your friend." With Ruth glowering at her and first years hurriedly passing by, she continued, "Whatever gave you the impression that I would help? You and Langton. You both thought I cared. It's sweet, quaint even, but your friend bewitched me, whether with a spell or a potion I don't know." Then the corridor was empty, and Andromeda changed her tune. "I'm sorry. It was him or me, and at least he's still got his friends and family. If I'd stopped Titus, I'd have no-one."

Ruth's glower rearranged into a pitying sneer. "You'd have Ted. I think he's worth more than your friends." She spat the last word, making Andromeda flinch.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Andromeda asked, a thought striking her. "You caused it all. Did you not think that Ted would be hurt from your little outburst?"

Ruth shrugged, beginning to walk away. "All the lies were hurting him anyway. I got him away from your poison."

][][][][][][][

Andromeda-

This had better not be true. I sincerely hope, for your own sake, that these are malicious lies. Father is furious, and Aunt Walburga is constantly here, arguing with Mother about what to do with you. I do not believe it is true, because I can scarcely imagine why you would let filth get close to you. The very thought of it makes me shudder, and …

It had better be lies.

Bellatrix

][][][][][][][

Tom looked shattered. His dark hair was lank and unbrushed and his eyes looked like two large bruises. Between arguing with Ruth, revising for his NEWTs and checking on Ted, he was getting little sleep. Ted was being kicked out of the hospital wing that day, because the nurse reckoned he was fine, good as new. Tom knew better. In the two weeks Ted had spent in the ward, he hadn't smiled. Not once. And Ted was the one person who could be relied on to smile no matter what the weather. Tom wanted to believe that this friend would be alright, but he was afraid Andromeda had hurt him too much. When Tom went to visit, it was like Ted had left the building. No owls in the owlery. Brooms weren't in the broomshed.

Tom rested his head in his hands. Sleep deprivation was getting to him, especially if he was beginning to use magical metaphors. He slowly closed his eyes.

"Hi."

At the sound of her voice, Tom jumped. "I wasn't asleep," he said quickly, turning to see Andromeda Black offering him a half smile.

"I never said you were."

She looked as bad as he did, he was pleased to note. Since she'd let the smile be blasted out of Ted, Tom had watched her carefully, wanting to see if it had actually had an effect on her. It looked like it had. He was glad if she was suffering. She deserved it. She'd broken Ted. "What d'you want?" he asked, too tired to try and inject anger into his voice.

"I want to know how Ted is." Her voice was so quiet, he almost missed it, but he didn't understand why she was bothering. They were in a dusty corner of the library, where even the Ravenclaws didn't go. He'd picked it for the emptiness: it meant he could sleep without being interrupted.

"Stay away from him," Tom told her flatly. "Don't you dare go near him. Don't try and pretend that you care for him. You made it obvious that you don't."

Her features crumpled, and Tom was happy that he'd hurt her. She'd destroyed his best friend. Made a zombie out of the happiest person in the school. "I didn't have any choice."

"Yeah, you did." The tiredness was leeching all emotion from his voice. "You chose your friends and family and perfect life. And that's fine. But don't try and have everything. It doesn't work like that."

"Tom…" Her voice was imploring, and she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face, and he saw the pain in her eyes. "I just want to know if he's okay."

"No." Tom rested his head on his arms, his eyes closing again. "You broke him."

][][][][][][][

Andromeda

Mr Greengrass has written to assure me that it is all lies. I hope he is correct. Any more gossip and I will pull you out of school, NEWTs or no. You are beginning to tarnish our family name.

Your Father.

][][][][][][][

He walked through the corridors, textbooks hugged to his chest, head down, avoiding eye contact. He was still limping slightly, but that was what happened when Greengrass aimed his wand at you. Andromeda watched him slowly push the door open and enter transfiguration. Her heart felt like it would break every time she saw him like this. At meals he was subdued; in the corridors, he skirted the crowds. This was their first lesson together since the incident, because he'd been confined to the hospital wing. She needed to talk to him. She took a deep breath and followed him into the classroom.

"Miss Black. How nice of you to join us."

Facing the professor's sarcasm was nothing compared to having to sit next to Ted. He didn't look at her. Not even once. He concentrated on the board, made neat notes, and even answered a couple of questions.

Are you okay? He ignored her note. He ignored all of the notes she tried to pass him. I'm sorry. Ted, please. I need to talk to you.All of her heartfelt scribbles, he ignored.

She waited until he left the classroom, and then caught up to him in the corridor, thankful that it was lunch, so there was no-one in the corridors.

"Ted. I need to-" He looked at her without recognition, and she saw what Tom meant. There was no spark of life in Ted's eyes, no hint of laughter dancing on his lips, no fidgeting like there was energy fighting to get out. She'd broken him. "I'm sorry, but I had to-"

"Because it was me or you." Even his voice was lifeless, as he stared over her head. "I get it."

"No, Ted, please." There was no-one around, so why was she having difficulty getting her words out. "I want us to be together."

That made him laugh, but it was a joyless sound. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I want us to be together," she repeated, hoping, praying that he would understand her.

"No." That one word froze her heart. "You let me be all but killed. You watched while your friend laughed." he shook his head slowly. "Even mudbloods" – the word made her hang her head- "have their pride."

And he walked off, leaving Andromeda to go back to the perfect pureblood world. Back to well-bred boys and costumed balls. Back to fake relationships and power struggles. She watched him walk away, and with a sinking heart, she realised she'd broken her only friend. She'd broken the one person she trusted. She'd broken the one person she wanted to be with. She'd broken Ted.