Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but my original characters and the situations all characters get put into. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Some Interesting Findings

Ted had seen Andromeda flush a little in the past, mostly when he had really, really pissed her off, but he had never seen her face go red before. She just had the sort of will power that the Hulk probably prayed for daily. Andromeda just didn't show her emotions on her face like this.

But he, Ted Tonks, had snogged her so well that she'd gone red as a tomato and told him his kissing was wonderful.

Now their faces were both the color of a tomato and neither knew what the hell to do about it.

Standing there like idiots Andromeda grabbed his textbook and all but buried her face in it, not even reading the words as she hid her face from him. She'd never been so mortified in her seventeen years of life. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole so that she'd never have to look another person in the eye again. And how could she, knowing that she'd said such a thing to a MUGGLEBORN!

Like any small animal that was used to being prey Ted was instinctively weary of unnatural silences, especially when he was sharing that silence with a Slytherin. And while he might have been in too much of a daze to accurately recall her threats against his person Ted had been threatened by enough Slytherins to have some idea what those threats might have been.

She had her answer now, after all, Ted thought in dismay. And Andromeda Black was not he type to leave any loose ends behind. She wouldn't want anyone to know she'd let a Muggleborn snog her after all. He was one big nuisance to her after.

Forcing herself to lower the book a little, in case he was gloating, Andromeda wasn't quite sure what to make of his expression. He looked rather scared of her, she puzzled, wondering why he'd gone from grinning like a dumb idiot to all but backing away from her.

"What's wrong with you?" She blurted out, lowering the book all the way so that she could see all of him. Body language was important after all.

"Nothing! Nothing at all." Coughing unconvincingly Ted looked everywhere but at her. "We should…ah…really start my lessons, shouldn't we?" Not that his brain was capable of absorbing anything at the moment.

Andromeda's black eyes narrowed, embarrassment temporarily forgotten. "What's going on in that empty little head of yours?"

Ted's nothing came out as a froggy croak.

Not buying that for a moment Andromeda walked over and with a single finger drew Ted's chin up so that he had to meet her gaze, his cheeks pink and going darker. With her other hand Andromeda reached out and sliding it over his forehead used it to push back and hold his bangs, allowing her an unobstructed view of his eyes. Cobalt blue eyes that were darkening before her own eyes as Ted stared at her in what looked to be acute shock.

"Now let's try that again without the lying." Her voice smooth and silky Andromeda leaned in so that their noses were almost touching. "What. Where. You. Thinking. Just. Now?"

"That you're either going to kill me or erase my memories so I'll forget you ever let me snog you."

A memory charm. Now why hadn't she thought of that?

"Please don't erase my memories." Ted asked with a pitiful, puppy dog look in his eyes. "I really, really won't ever tell anyone, I swear." Just to prove it he crossed his heart, only to realize belatedly that she probably had no idea of the gesture's significance.

"If you don't intend to tell anyone then why would you need to remember it?" She shot back, trying not to be effected by the potency of the look he was giving her. Talk about your hidden weapons, she thought furiously. She should have left his stupid bangs alone.

Frantically trying to think of a reason that wouldn't get him killed Ted decided his best option was to play to her vanity. "Because that was the best kiss ever and I don't ever want to forget it."

Preening a little at the praise Andromeda dropped her hands from his face. "So I am a good snogger."

"Well technically-never mind."

"Technically what?" Crossing her arms in front of her Andromeda's piercing gaze indicated plainly that she'd only ask the once. If he made her ask him again she'd do it with her wand.

"Just that technically…I snogged you. You didn't snog me. But I'm sure that if you had snogged me it would have been the most wonderful experience of my life." And that was the honest truth. Just thinking about what it would be like to be snogged Andromeda had his eyes practically turning into hearts.

Andromeda's face betrayed her confusion as she tried to sort his words out. What did the Muggleborn mean? They'd most definitely snogged, but he was making out like they hadn't. But they had and he'd just said they had and... So…she was so confused.

Sensing her confusion Ted was equally confused. Absently rubbing the back of his neck Ted tried to figure out what had her in a tizzy. Hesitantly, keeping a close eye on her, Ted tried to verbalize what he was thinking without incurring her wrath. "Andromeda…what's confusing you about what I said?"

Normally Andromeda would have brushed it off but she was too confused and curious to do so. She'd thought she'd gotten the answers she needed and now he was making her think up whole new ones! "I don't understand how you can say I didn't snog you when we just did." She finally admitted in annoyance.

"Oh." The light dawning suddenly Ted did his best not to show his thoughts on his face, failing horribly. His shock was plain as he answered her. "Well you see…what I mean is…technically you were snogged by me. You didn't do what I did back to me. If you had…then you would have snogged me."

This was an utterly foreign concept to Andromeda. Was THAT why Nicolai had called her frigid and an ice princess? "No one ever told me I was supposed to do what the guy does!" Andromeda felt like she'd been hit in the head with a caldron. "I always thought that you were supposed to approach snogging the same way you dealt with what happens in the marriage bed! That I was just supposed to stay still and let the man do whatever he wanted without complaint. That's what Mother said!"

"Ummm." Ted didn't know what else to say. That was the sort of advice women gave their daughters in Victorian times and it was the seventies now. Apparently Mrs. Black had missed the feminist movement completely.

"That's not right?" Andromeda demanded to know, as always horrified at the idea that he could know more about something than she.

Ted's cheeks flushed and he had to fight the urge to squirm under her gaze and interest. "Well I'm probably not the sort of person to be answering that."

"But you're a man." Andromeda countered sternly. "Not much of one, but you're still a member of the gender and you fancy women. So which would you prefer? A woman who allowed you your way or one who…participated in what you were doing."

"The...uhm…latter." He finally admitted in a low voice.

"Hmmm." Thinking this through Andromeda crossed her arms, tapping her fingertips against her arms as she considered it. What he said went against what her mother had told her, but at the same time she couldn't say that her mother or eldest sister had ever seemed happy in their marriages. The men either. She'd been getting the definite feeling lately that Bella hated to even be in Rudolphus's presence. Both couples were never publically affectionate and Andromeda couldn't remember seeing either couple snog the other with any warmth or without obligation. The Muggleborn had insinuated that snogging her was good, but he'd also insinuated that being snogged by her would have made it even better.

"So women…are supposed to do what the man does?"

"Well only if they want to." Ted assured her, horrible images forming in his head. After all, who knew what Slytherin men liked to do in the bedroom? They were generally a pretty brutal and cruel lot. At least the ones that tended to pick on him. "If you aren't comfortable with it you should say no and blast the bastard with your wand if he doesn't listen."

This too was a foreign concept to her. "So…according to you…I'm allowed to curse him if some man tries to jam his tongue down my throat? I hate that."

"You'd think French kissing would be something a Slytherin would be good at." Ted chuckled without thinking, his cheeks going red again when she gave him a questioning look. "I just meant…well snakes…they use their tongues a lot and…bad joke. I apologize."

Getting the bad joke Andromeda disguised her unwilling chuckle as a cough, forcing a stern look on her face as she wagged a finger in his direction. "You didn't answer my question. And why did you call it French kissing? Did the French invent it?" If they had she hoped the Dark Lord took over the damn country and made the inhabitants pay big time.

"I don't know, about who invented it I mean. You'd think people would have been doing it before France even became a country. Maybe the French are just the best at it? I'll ask Marie, she's in Hufflepuff with me and her mother's French. And if you don't want to be snogged that way then of course you have the right to say no. There are people who are really horrible at it…which you apparently know first hand." And the thought of anyone else snogging her had his hands automatically fisting at his side. Which was stupid, but he never claimed to be a Ravenclaw.

"Are you good at it?"

Ted blinked at her several times, his brainwaves crashing at the implications of her question.

Knowing that look well Andromeda rolled her eyes, accepting the fact that it would be at least a couple minutes more until he was capable of holding up his end of the conversation. And really, who cared if he was good at French kissing? It wasn't like she wanted him to do that to her. She'd gotten the answer to her original snogging question and that was enough experimenting with the Hufflepuff. If she wanted to learn any more she'd do it with her own kind as was right and proper.

Resolute now Andromeda turned her attention back to the man in question. "Since you're obviously not capable of holding a thought longer than a goldfish we'll call this night a wash and meet back here again tomorrow. Alright?"

Registering somewhat what she said Ted accepted his book bag from her and absently slugged it over one shoulder. Mumbling his thanks and good nights Ted turned to head towards the door, thinking it best to get out of there before he did something stupid like volunteer to be her test subject for anything she might want to know about snogging. He knew a dismissal when he heard it.

"Ted."

Blinking in surprise Ted slowly turned around to see Andromeda holding out his Potions textbook to him. She'd called him by his name, was all Ted could think as he mechanically took the book from her. Not Mudblood, not Muggleborn or Tonks. But Ted.

Not realizing what she'd done Andromeda simply raised an eyebrow at the look on his face. It was the strangest combination of elation and shock she'd ever seen.

Feeling a huge smile blooming on his face Ted nodded good bye once more and turned around, completely forgetting that there would be a door there that needed to be opened before he could exit.

Walking into the solid oak door with a loud crack Ted staggered backwards, tripping over his own feet and nearly taking Andromeda down with him as he fell on his butt. Hands coming up automatically to press against the bump already beginning to form on his forehead Ted cursed under his breath as he moaned his pain.

Staring down at him with the oddest mixture of bemusement and tenderness Andromeda shook her head and moved over and around him to crouch down in front of the boy to take a look at what he'd done to himself now.

What am I going to do with you?" Andromeda murmured as she brushed his hands away so that she could take a look. "You need a keeper."

Staring up at her Ted wished she was interested in apply for the job.

Well that and for some Asprin, ASAP.

)

The next morning at breakfast Andromeda made a concentrated effort not to look in the direction of the Hufflepuff table. That she was at all concerned about how the Muggleborn was doing vexed her and made her that much more determined not to look. She'd see him after dinner anyway. Provided of course that his brains weren't too scrambled from the night before, Andromeda silently added with a faint smirk. He really should be more careful though, considering he didn't have the brains left to spare and risk. Unless his current was a direct result of all the accidents he'd had before they'd met. That was entirely possible.

The arrival of the post was a welcome distraction, the Slytherin thinking that she spent far too much of her time thinking about the Hufflepuff.

Andromeda was surprised though when her family owl landed gracefully in front of her. Her parents weren't the type to write her without a reason, and so she braced herself as she retrieved the letter sealed with the Black family crest. Dismissing the bird Andromeda slid the letter into her robe pocket, ignoring her sister's questioning look. She didn't want an audience when she opened it, just in case. She was being far too emotional recently.

Barely touching her breakfast due to her nerves Andromeda got up as soon as possible and headed out of the room, not surprised when Cissy got up and followed her.

The two sisters walking silently side by side they headed for a nearby hallway which was rarely used and off the beaten path. There was a bench there and the two girls made use of it, sitting side by side with Narcissa giving her sister's shoulder a quick squeeze of solidarity.

"Do you think it's about Nicolai?" Narcissa asked anxiously, looking at the letter her sister now held in her hand. She didn't want Andromeda to have to marry Nicolai because she didn't want her sister to unhappy the way Bella was. And she didn't like the Dolohovs either. She'd heard what Anton had said about her sister, and if not for the edict from her father Narcissa would have liked to have had a go at the smug bastard. By permanently chaining him to Annie Miller for a start, she thought vindictively.

That was what she was thinking. Nodding her head Andromeda forced herself to break the seal and pull out the heavy piece of ornate parchment. Definitely from her father; this was a sure indication that the contents were of great importance. He wrote them even less then their mother.

Their heads tilted together so that they could read it at the same time as Andromeda unfolded it. Together their looks of worry were replaced by smiles, the two turning their heads to share a look of pure happiness. While their father and Nicolai's had mended the fences Nicolai was adamant that he had no interested in her now and their own father felt the same way. Andromeda was, it seemed, to be sent east after her graduation and would be expected to stay with an aunt there. She was to look for a new betrothal while there and to spread the word about the Dark Lord to the appropriate people.

And while Andromeda had no interest or intention of doing the last part, Andromeda liked the idea of being exiled to Russia for a summer a lot more than she did the thought of marrying Nicolai.

"Yes." Throwing her hands up in the air Narcissa grinned like a maniac as she got to her feet and pulled her sister to hers, jumping up and down and making Andromeda do the same, her older sister laughing and joining in willing enough.

Of course Blacks didn't bounce, so they stopped after it occurred to them what idiots they must look like.

Hastily fixing their hair and smoothing out their clothes the girls couldn't quite hide their grins just yet.

"This calls for a celebration. We should go to Hogsmeade." Narcissa suggested as she adjusted the chain of her necklace. Normally they didn't go on the trips to the town because they disliked being in such tight quarters with so many students from the other houses, but this was a special occasion. They could go to the Three Broomsticks for some butter beer.

Andromeda considered this, something occurring to her. "Yes, yes let's go this time."

"It's a date then. The first butter beer is on me."

"I was thinking something better than that, Cissy."

Narcissa raised questioning eyebrows as she looked up at her sister in puzzlement. "What could be better than Butter Beer? I'm not allowed to have anything stronger."

"This is better AND anyone can have it." Andromeda informed her as she linked their arms with a smile. "Cissy, I am going to buy you an ice cold Coca Cola."