Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's just the way things are. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Merry Christmas to All

Promises and Puppy Eyes

Returning to her dorm room before dinner to drop off her book bag and its contents, Andromeda was just giving her hair and clothing a once over in the mirror when there was a knock at her door. Turning her head at the sound Andromeda walked over and opened the door, surprised to find her sister on the other side.

"Are you alone?"

Andromeda moved to the side, motioning for her sister to come in as her reply. Shutting the door firmly behind them Andromeda stood in front of it so that no one could come in without them having prior warning. "What do you need, Cissy?" Andromeda asked as she studied her sister, trying to read past the girl's obvious nerves.

"That Mudblood talked to me about you. The one you're tutoring. And he's been getting into fights all day because of you."

She'd been aware of the second and had suspected the first. The real question was why her younger sister thought she needed to be told. "Get to the point, sister. We'll be late for dinner if you don't and Lucius will notice. He doesn't know you're talking to me, does he?"

That would be a big no, Narcissa thought with a wince, working hard not to wring her hands. Lucius hated that habit of hers. "People are starting to think that you and the Mudblood are a couple. The rumors will reach Father in no time. You have to stop seeing him, Dromeda. He's…he's no good for you. He's not just a regular Mudblood, he's stupider than most. He's so in love with you that he honestly doesn't care that Bella will kill him because of you."

Blinking in surprise Andromeda stared at her sister, trying to decide what to think of Narcissa's thought provoking comments. The one that interested her the most was her sister's belief that the Hufflepuff loved her. Ted did act strange around her, but could the man really be stupid enough to have fallen in love with her? Not that she wasn't worth falling for, she was as close to perfection as a human being could get after all. But it really would be suicide for him to fall for her, Andromeda thought with a frown. Not to mention incredibly ill fated even IF Bella didn't kill him. Her and someone like Ted? It would never work.

Reaching out Narcissa slipped a hand into her sister's tugging on it insistently. "Will you stay away from him, Dromeda. Please? For me."

Looking down at their joined hands Andromeda squeezed the smaller hand. "Even if I stayed away from him I'm still going to diverge from the life Father wishes me to live, Cissy. I'm going to be disowned, I'm sorry."

Tears welled up in Narcissa's eyes. "But why? You don't have to marry Dolohov now, Dromeda. And you didn't have any problems with Father's plans before you started tutoring that Mudblood." She added fiercely, her blooming hatred for the Hufflepuff apparent in her voice.

"I'm not like you, Cissy. I'm not meant to be just a wife and mother. I know that what you want most in this world is to be Mrs. Lucius Malfoy, and while I might not think him worthy of you, I wish that for you because it's what YOU want. If Father turned around tomorrow and wanted you to marry someone else, you'd fight him on that. You'd fight that because Lucius is what you truly want more than anything. And as much as you want Lucius, I want to live a life of my own choosing. If I do as Father wants I will live a life of regret, Cissy. You wouldn't want that for me, would you?"

Narcissa looked away as she tugged her hand out of Andromeda's grasp, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. She wanted her sister to be happy. She loved Andromeda more than any other member of their family. She didn't want Andromeda to have a marriage like Bella's, one that made her so obviously unhappy and dissatisfied. But she didn't want a life without Andromeda in it either. She wanted Andromeda to always be with her. The idea of being forced by everyone else to pretend the other woman didn't exist was too painful to imagine.

Moving in Andromeda wrapped her arms around her little sister, who stiffened at the embrace before latching onto her like a drowning victim onto a life preserver.

"You'll always be my sister." Andromeda told Narcissa softly, leaning her head against her sister's. "They can take my name and inheritance, but they can't change the blood that runs through both our veins. No one can break that bond."

"And you'll always be mine." Narcissa promised as tears slid down her pale cheeks. "And you'll remind me if I forget, okay?"

"It's a deal."

)

Ted did not have to return to the Medical Wing that day, though a couple others weren't so lucky after their curses rebounded on them. In a happy mood Ted let himself into the assigned room, not surprised to see that Andromeda was already there as she'd left the Great hall unusually early. There was a blanket spread out with a high chair in its middle, another folded up and sitting on one of the tabletops. Andromeda was sitting on another normal chair, reading a book as she waited for him to show up.

"Hey ya." Ted grinned, waving at her happily.

Andromeda didn't look up as she continued to read the book in her hand. "You got into another fight before dinner."

Not surprised that she already knew Ted just shrugged the attack off as he set his schoolbag down. "It was nothing, I didn't feel a thing." And he hadn't, thanks to her fixing his clothes for him.

"You didn't feel a thing because the curses bounced off of you and back onto them." Andromeda resorted, mentally noting her place before closing the book with a loud thud. "Doesn't it even bother you that you're under attack?"

"As Rhett would say, 'Frankly, My Dear, I don't give a damn'." Ted responded in his best imitation of Rhett Butler's accent. And then realizing what he'd just down Ted's face went red with embarrassment. "I beg your pardon. I shouldn't have sworn in front of you." Not that damn was that bad, but someone like Andromeda would probably think it was.

Though she didn't approve of cursing Andromeda figured that in the grand scheme of things damn wasn't so bad. Besides, he had apologized right away. "And just who is Rhett and why didn't he care about whatever?"

"Rhett Butler is a fictional character from the novel and film, 'Gone With The Wind'. And he didn't care about the fact that the woman he loved was begging him not to leave her since he'd spent their decades long relationship trying to win her heart and losing out to another guy who was so not worthy of even being called a man."

"I see. And why wasn't the other man worthy of being called a man?"

"Well for one thing his name was Ashley. What kind of man has a name like that and doesn't at least shorten it to something like Ash? And Ashley was a weak willed, couldn't make a decision if he tried pansy. He and Scarlett deserved each other. She was this really strong willed and selfish Southern belle who thought the world should revolve around her. I original let my mom talk me into seeing it with her because she said that the main character sounded a lot like you but she so wasn't. You'd have never fallen for someone so pathetic, or married your sister's beau, or cared more about a house than your family. She was all Tara this and Tara that. Terrible movie. Rhett deserved better."

Andromeda considered that last part with interest. "You went to see a film, whatever that is, because you were told a character in it was like me?"

"A film is like a play and a picture combined. It's hard to explain unless you see it for yourself. Well that and I don't really know the science behind it. And I didn't go see the movie just because of you." Which was a bold faced lie, Ted thought as bent down to give her his back, fiddling with his bag. "So which of my subjects are we looking at tonight?" He asked, hoping it would be something easy. He'd had a long, trying day already.

"We'll do some review first while I cut your hair." She announced as she motioned towards the hair cutting station she'd set up. "You can't see your books to study now at the moment anyway."

Taking the hint Ted too a seat on the chair, letting her put the blanket around his shoulders so that his hair wouldn't get all over his clothes. Getting as comfortable as he could Ted barely moved a single muscle as Andromeda moved a comb through his hair, carefully working out the tangles as she quizzed him.

Once it was all combed out Andromeda retrieved the hair cutting scissors from the table where she'd set them. She used them to trim her and Cissy's hair, and this was the first time she'd ever cut a boy's hair. But there couldn't be that much difference and she could always grow his hair back if she made a mistake. Not that she made mistakes of course, she thought smugly.

Working away Andromeda concentrated on removing the split ends first, her fingers moving through the strands as she evaluated its condition. "What do you use in your hair? It's obviously not doing its job."

"You mean because I don't use conditioner right? I hate that stuff. You have to use a whole handful of it just to get your whole head covered." Though if she asked him to, he'd probably start using the crap again, just for her, Ted thought ruefully.

Andromeda didn't know what conditioner was, but assumed it was some sort of inferior Muggle hair product. "I'll make you something to put in your hair when you shower. You'll use it every day or else. I won't go to the trouble if you don't."

"I will use it religiously, I promise." Ted swore, putting a hand over his heart for emphasis. If she made it, just for him, he would definitely use it.

"Good." Continuing with the trimming Andromeda layered the hair since it was so thick, putting aside the scissors so that she could work her hands through the hair to dislodge any stray hairs. Or at least that was her excuse and she was standing by it. He really did have nice, thick hair, she thought as she played with it. It felt good to run her fingers through it.

"I'm in heaven." Ted muttered, too lost in the feel of her hands in his hair to think about what he was saying. Andromeda Black was running her beautiful, talented fingers through his hair, essentially petting him. He wished he knew what he'd done to deserve this so that he could do it every day.

Hearing him Andromeda moved to stand in front of him, reaching out to brush his now styled bangs completely out of his face. "You're in heaven when I touch you?"

His face going as red as a Weasley's hair Ted blinked at her like a deer in headlights, mind going completely blank as he tried to come up with an excuse for what he'd just said. Nothing was coming.

"I'll take that as a yes." Curiosity had her reaching out, stroking her fingers along the lines and curves of his face, watching his reaction as his blue eyes darkened to an even more beautiful cobalt, the man's lashes lowering to half mast as he leaned into her fingers like a cat would. He really liked being touched by her, Andromeda thought as a hint of color tinged her own cheeks, surprised that she liked touching him too. It made her feel good that he liked her touch so much. Like she was special to him. And she was, Andromeda realized, thinking about Narcissa's comments about the Hufflepuff's feelings for her. She had never really taken the time to study how deep his feelings were for her, having previously dismissed his behavior around her as demonstrations of his weirdness.

Hmmm. Interesting.

It was killing him not to squirm in his seat but Ted was afraid she'd stop touching him if he reminded her of what she was doing. Besides, this definitely made the top ten ways he'd like to die, the Hufflepuff thought with a small smile.

And when she started to remove her hands Ted couldn't stop himself from reaching up, holding her hands against his skin for a moment longer before reluctantly letting them go with a rueful look. "Sorry."

"It's rather dangerous to manhandle a Black when her wand and a pair of scissors are within her arm's reach." Andromeda pointed out dryly, though his touch didn't annoy her. In fact, she was rather pleased that he liked her touch enough to risk her wrath by trying to prologue the touching.

"Well…if you have to curse me, can I at least have a kiss all better afterwards?" Ted asked with a grin, hoping to get a laugh out of her as he wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "You're that desperate to be kissed by someone?"

"You're not just someone."

Watching him blush over his own words Andromeda moved closer, not realizing what she was going to do until she was leaning in to carefully press her lips against his in the briefest of kisses. Surprised at her own actions Andromeda jerked her head back, staring into his eyes in confusion. Why on earth had she just done that?

"Would you stab me with the scissors if I kissed you back?" Ted asked softly, slowly putting his hands on her waist in a light hold she could easily break free of if she wanted to.

Andromeda actually had to think about that for a moment, because her highly tuned Black instincts were saying that what she decided was somehow critical for the new existence she was planning for herself. But as she looked into his beautiful eyes Andromeda found herself answering from the heart instead of her head.

"I won't stab or hex you."

"Thanks."

Leaning forward Ted brushed his lips carefully against her perfect pink lips, pressing them more firmly against Andromeda's when she leaned into him and his kiss on a sigh of pleasure. Wrapping his arms more tightly around her waist so that she was pressed up against him Ted kept his kisses light but firm, his heart starting to pound like mad in his chest when she tentatively began to kiss him back.

Lost in the kiss Ted didn't think when he lifted his right hand from her waist and moved it up so that he could cup the back of her head, his fingers sinking into the thick curls she'd caught up in a bun at her nape. And when she didn't protest that, well then Ted lost his head just a little more.

Pulling back Andromeda stared at him in shock, both from the situation she'd found herself in and from the unexpected swipe of his tongue over her bottom lip. "I did not give you permission to lick me." And hearing what she was saying, Andromeda's color got even higher so that her cheeks were almost as red as his.

"Uhm." Ted knew he was supposed to be apologizing, but he just couldn't quite bring himself to be remotely sorry. She tasted even better than an ice cold coke on a scorching day. And boy was she ever scorching, Ted thought dreamily.

Annoyed, Andromeda sensed that the brief snogging had somehow given the boy the misconception that she wouldn't kill him if he stepped out of line. "Do that again and I'll do worse than run you through with a pair of scissors, got it?"

"So…it would be okay if I asked your permission first?" He asked hopefully, his eyes going big and pleading.

Andromeda was suddenly reminded of a mongrel dog she'd seen once when she was a child. The thing had been scourging around for scraps and her mother had caught her trying to feed the pitiful creature. She could remember looking back at the mutt as her mother dragged her off, the dog looking back at her with a look that was just like the look in the Hufflepuff's eyes now. It was more than a little disconcerting.

"Quit looking at me like that." She ordered, crossing her arms in front of her as she tried to work up a stern face, finding it very difficult to maintain against his pathetic cuteness.

Ted eyes widened a little as he realized his puppy dog face was actually getting to her. He hadn't thought something so basic could undermine her icy control so easily. If he'd known that he would have used it earlier, Ted thought in indignation, even as he mentally crowed over the fact that he finally had something to combat her lady of the manor routine with.

"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?" Mad at him for daring to think he could manipulate her, Andromeda was even more angry at herself for giving him any more ground in their bizarre relationship. He was not staying where she'd put him, Andromeda thought fiercely, the idea flabbergasting her.

"I promise not to kiss you like that again without your permission." Ted volunteered, seeing that she was stressing herself out.

"Feel free to hold your breath waiting for my permission then."