The first couple of weeks back had chaos, but somehow, they managed to survive the first month. The only problem was that October brought a distinct chill, making it harder and harder for Ted and Andromeda to find solitude outdoors. Ted wouldn't have minded so much if their life at Hogwarts had become such a nightmare.
He'd been elated when Andromeda had chosen to come sit beside him, proving her devotion to him in front of everyone. But after she'd made her feelings so clear, there had been no going back. Andromeda may have been a Black, but she'd spent so long hiding in her sisters' shadows. She had no idea what to do with the spotlight that had been thrust on her.
Ted himself had never exactly been unpopular, but he'd never been the center of attention either. And now he was. Every waking moment. Most of the attention was positive, if creepy and overwhelming. Ted thought his answers to everyone's questions were ridiculous, but they made Andromeda laugh so he kept them up. Some of the students lapped them up. Bertha Jorkins especially would repeat them to anyone and everyone she saw. Not only did she change most of the details, but she didn't care who she blabbed too, which brought a horde of Slytherins down on Ted. At least in those cases they came after him instead of Andromeda. He could live with that.
When he was alone, he usually told people to bugger off. He had no idea what Andromeda told people, but he assumed her word choice was different than his.
And yet, that wasn't what consumed his thoughts. With all the fanfare around them, it had been harder to find moments alone, and yet a moment alone was what they needed. They still hadn't talked about what happened in the woods, though Ted could tell it still tormented her. Every time they kissed her entire body would seize up, so much that Ted worried kissing was now too much for her. Of course, he would pull back, and then she would throw herself into a tizzy and insist it was fine, when her trembling made it clear it wasn't.
He tried to tell her it didn't matter. He wouldn't even touch her if that's what she wanted, he just wanted to be near her, but she wouldn't listen. She was also smiling less and less, the stress and anxiety and pain over what she'd been through building up inside her. It was eating her up, and he had no idea how to fix it.
And then one day, out the blue, she came up to him in the hall, and pressed her lips firmly against his, not caring that everyone around them stopped to watch.
"Can you meet me tonight? The fifth floor? By the statue of Boris the Bewildered?" There were people watching them, so Ted just nodded.
She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him again, sweet enough to send butterflies through his stomach, before disappearing down the hall.
Sneaking out after hours was no new experience for Ted, though the reasons were different this time. Before it was because he and Andromeda wanted to remain secret, but that ship had sailed. Now it was because he expected a Slytherin to jump out from behind the coat of arms and perform the Cruciatus Curse on him. Remembering the last time that had happened still sent painful ghost tremors through his body, but he did his best to ignore them. He didn't want to be jittery when he met Andromeda.
He reached the statue she mentioned without incident, but she wasn't there. He checked his watch, frowning. If anything, he was late. He'd only beaten her to a secret rendezvous once before, and that had been because Peeves had delayed her. What if that had happened again, or something worse?
"Gotcha!" Someone said behind him. He cursed, loudly, before he realized who it was. Then he blushed, not only because of the highly offensive word he used, but how loud he'd been. Andromeda was always fearful when they got too loud. But she was neither offended nor squeamish this time. Instead, she laughed.
Ted stared at her, dumbfounded. "Who are you?"
"Please," Andromeda said through peals of laughter. "You deserved that. After every time you've tried to do it to me."
"Tried being the keyword."
Her eyes danced. "It's not my fault I'm better."
Ted shook his head. "I've created a monster," but he took her hands in his anyway.
She smiled, before turning toward the statue. "Remembrall," she said. The statue's hands moved, and for once Boris the Bewildered didn't look so bewildered as he gestured for them to enter the hidden door that appeared behind him. Ted's mouth dropped open, but Andromeda wasn't fazed as she took his hand and led him inside.
He closed his mouth, only for it to drop open again at the sight that lay before him. It was a bathroom, but like, for Gods. Everything was made of gold or gleaming white porcelain. In the center was a throne-like hot tub, which was already full of steaming water.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"The Prefect's bathroom."
"Huh." He stared around the room. "Almost wish I'd become a prefect. Of course, that would have meant becoming a teacher-worshipping, rule-following ninny, and even I have standards."
She made a face at him, before she began to slip out of the robe. He stiffened. He'd technically seen her topless before, but considering how that had ended, he didn't expect her to be that open now. But as her nightrobe slipped off, it wasn't her naked body he saw but a swimming robe.
He breathed out, even though the sight of her in the bathing robe was just as enticing. It was modest, a simple black piece with a high collar and sleeves, and little trunks that covered the top of her thighs. Still, it clung to every curve of her body in ways school robes never could.
He was struck again, suddenly, with the notion that she was far too beautiful for him. He was lucky he had such a winning personality. She stepped into the water. It had sunk up to her legs when she turned back to face him.
"Aren't you going to join me?" she asked, her eyes dancing.
"I didn't bring swimming robes," Ted said, blushing. Technically, this was a bathtub, which meant clothes weren't required, but with everything going on between him and Andromeda, he doubted she was ready for that.
She made another face at him. "Are you a Wizard or not, Ted Tonks?"
It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize what she was getting at. He pulled out his wand, and his night robes transformed into a pair of swim trunks. Andromeda's eyes followed his body the way he'd followed hers as he stepped into the pool. For whatever reason, she found him just as attractive as he found her. He wasn't going to question that phenomenon, just be grateful miracles happened once in a while.
He let out a long breath as the warm water settled over his tight muscles. He hadn't realized how tense he was, until the warm water pulled the tension away. Andromeda sidled over to him, taking his hand in hers, as she led him deep into the water.
He couldn't help but think of the myth of siren, a beautiful woman who led enchanted men to their watery deaths. Even if Andromeda were a siren, he would have followed her to his death anyway, just for the excuse to be near her.
She stopped when the water was high enough to reach their shoulders and then wrapped her arms around him, letting her body slide against his. His body instantly wanted to give in to the moment, but his mind refused too. If he lost himself in her touch, he might end up going too far like he did last time, and there was no way he was doing that to her again. As hard as it was, he was going to have to stay focused.
Which reminded him of something. "How do you know no one will find us?"
She smiled. "The Marauders have agreed to be our sentries, and no one knows this castle better than they do."
She was right, though the idea of the Marauders standing guard while he and Andromeda… did whatever they did together tonight, was a little awkward, but he wasn't going to question it. Especially when she wrapped her legs around him and pressed her lips against his.
Images of ripping that bathing suit off her body immediately flooded his mind, but he pushed them away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her enough to hold her steady, and let her kisses rush through him.
He could have stayed that way forever, but Andromeda had other ideas. She pulled away from him and began tugging her arms out from her sleeves.
"Andromeda, wait—" he protested, but she ignored him as she pressed her body against his again. For a moment he forgot his resolve. His hands moved along her thighs while his lips moved hungrily to her neck, and then further down.
She gasped, though with pleasure of fear, he wasn't sure, but it brought him back to his senses. He pulled away from her, and then quickly forced his eyes up.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, inserting as much genuine concern into his voice as possible, so she knew he wasn't just asking as a formality.
Her eyes were bright with excitement. "Of course," she said, before planting her lips on his neck. He wanted to believe her, and she sounded, and acted, like it was true. But he couldn't shake his doubts, and he had to be sure.
"Let's just… slow down a little," he said breathlessly, but she still wasn't listening. Her hands moved to her bathing suit, and tugged it down even further. Uh-oh. If she kept going… then he might not be able to stop himself.
"Stop," he said, but she still wasn't listening. Without thinking, he backed toward the edge of the tub. If they could get out of this heavenly water, maybe he could get her slow down, before things got out of control.
His legs hit an underwater ledge, and he stumbled back. Andromeda came tumbling with him, and her body collided with his. This time his body reacted. She felt it, as she gasped again, and her body jerked away from him.
He let out a long breath, he knew it.
"Andromeda," he said again, but she shook her head.
"I'm fine," she insisted, before pressing her lips fiercely against his. But he could feel it. She wasn't fine. She was shaking, and her hands were trembling as she tried to pull off her bathing suit.
He grabbed her hands. He hated manhandling her, but he didn't know what else to do.
She shook her head, trying to pull her hands free. "I'm fine," she said again, though her voice shook. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine…" And then the tears came, and she stopped fighting him. Before long her tears had turned to sobs.
Ted let out a long breath, but bit back any negative response he might have had. This moment wasn't about him, it was about her. He gently moved her off and slid her next to him. He tried to pull his hand away, but she latched onto him, so he sat there. Unsure of what to say, again.
"I thought I was ready," she rasped when her sobs had subsided. "I really did. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," he said, but he might as well been talking to himself.
"I thought," she continued, "If I knew it was coming. If I was prepared, it would be different."
"Hey," he said again, firmly, grabbing her attention. "There's no rush. We just need to slow down, both of us, and when you're ready. We'll know."
She was silent, then she whispered, "What if I'm never ready?"
He sucked in a breath. The thought hadn't occurred to him. Right now he had no idea if she meant it or if this was some kind of test to see what he would say. Except, he had no idea what to say, and remembering the feeling of Andromeda's body on his was making it hard to think clearly.
He went with a humorous approach, that had never failed him before. "Then we won't have to worry about accidental pregnancy?"
He actually thought that was pretty good, but Andromeda was the face of steely resolved as she said, "You're not going to wait forever, Ted."
Ted almost choked. Where had that come from? "What makes you think that?" he sputtered, indignant.
"Because you're a man," Andromeda's tears had quite subsided, but her voice was steady. Sure. "You can't wait forever."
Ted shook his head. This conversation was spiraling and he had no idea how to fix it. "That's not…" he started, but Andromeda wasn't done.
"If I told you I'd never have sex," she rasped, "or that it wouldn't be for years, you wouldn't wait around."
"Of course I would!" He practically shouted, but it was like she'd gone deaf.
"No you wouldn't," she looked away from him, staring out into the water. "You say it now, but in a few months you'll feel differently."
Ted opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Was that really the impression he'd given her? He didn't know whether to be furious or sick or beg her for forgiveness.
"Where is this coming from?" he asked, unable to say anything else.
She sighed, and her body started shaking again. "It doesn't matter."
"Andromeda." His voice seemed to come from the pit of his soul, and she must have felt, as she glanced at him again.
"Rita Skeeter," she said finally, before once again looking away.
"You're taking dating advice from Rita?" Ted said. He would have laughed, but he feared that would push Meda over the edge.
"She knows more about this stuff than I do." Andromeda sounded defensive, but she blushed.
"She doesn't know anything about us." Ted took Meda's hand in his, and waited until she met his gaze before continuing. "Anything about you, anything about me. Anything about how much I love you, or what I would do for you." Or wouldn't do, as the case may be, but he kept that part to himself.
Andromeda was so close to believing him, but something still held her back. And he had no idea what he could do to firmly push the doubt from her mind.
"Let's talk about something else," she said. He sighed. He had no idea what to say, but before he could think of something Meda asked:
"Why did you break up with Olivia?"
Bollocks. He should have known Meda would have found that out before long, especially with someone like Rita Skeeter lurking about. He tried to catch her gaze again, to see if she was angry that he'd kept this from her. For how broken she'd looked before, her face was oddly expressionless now.
"We…umm…. we fought, all the time. About everything. Eventually, we decided the relationship wasn't working, so we went back to being friends. And I haven't thought about her as anything else in a long time." He bit his lip, hoping against hope she believed him. The last thing they needed right now was Meda thinking he was still hung up on his ex.
"But you two, you, you know…" she seemed unable to even say the word, but he knew what she meant. So that's what this was about. She thought he was comparing her to Liv. The answer wouldn't exactly convince her otherwise, but he couldn't lie to her. Not about this.
"Yeah," he said, before letting his head drop. He wanted to say something else. Convince her it didn't matter, it didn't have any impact on the two of them right now, but the words wouldn't come. So instead he changed the subject.
"Attacks on muggleborns are down, Ever since you literally jumped the Slytherin ship."
"They want to obliterate you all," Andromeda sighed. Ted breathed out a sigh of relief she'd let that conversation drop. "But Lily's more than doubled the ranks of the muggleborn defenders since I 'jumped ship.' They're hopelessly outnumbered."
"Guess she was right about our inspirational qualities," Ted said.
"What happens when that's not enough anymore?" Andromeda said, "They're not going to just wait around forever. Eventually, something's going to give."
Ted had the distinct impression they were no longer talking about the Slytherins and their desires to hex muggleborns. At least, that wasn't the only thing they were talking about. Somehow they'd circled right back to where they started. Once again, he had no idea what else to say. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her against him, like he could somehow push away all the doubt from her mind.