Even though he knew nothing was his fault, Ted felt like the worst boyfriend in the world. Or maybe he just felt that way because his insides squished around like acid.

He groaned, and tried to curl up in a ball, while Andromeda hovered awkwardly over him. He knew she wanted to do something, but Madame Maxine had ordered her not to touch Ted or get too close. She was convinced Lorie, and now Ted, had come down the highly contagious Black Cat flu, and she didn't want it spreading throughout the school.

"I'm sorry," Ted croaked. "I wanted to make our Hogsmeade trip special."

"You did make it special," Andromeda insisted, her eyes conveying a warmth her touch couldn't. For a minute, he forgot all about his aching body, until a commotion in his body forced him to lean over the bed, away from Andromeda as he expelled the acidic contents of his stomach.

"It's my fault," Lorie wailed from her own bed. "I gave it to him."

Jake, who was in the same position as Andromeda as he gazed at Lorie, nodded. "It's definitely your fault."

Lorie shot him a glare, but Ted could see she was fighting a smile. Then she huffed. "When I said we should double, this isn't what I meant."

"I don't know," Jake said, glancing around the Hospital Wing, complete with a Gryffindor boy recovering from a quidditch practice gone wrong, and a Ravenclaw who seemed to have turned his tongue into a fork, and refused to explain how and why it happened. "Seems a pretty romantic spot to me."

Lorie laughed, and Jake grinned. Andromeda watched them fondly, though Ted could see a sort of distant sadness on her face. Once she'd sobered up, she'd been mortified. He, however, was grateful her memory was intact. He feared she'd forget the moment where he'd finally gotten through to her. It took some convincing on his part that she'd hadn't embarrassed herself beyond redemption, but once he did things between them seemed, perfect. He couldn't remember when their relationship had ever felt that way.

He'd been so excited to give Hogsmeade another go, until he'd woken up this morning with his insides in knots. But just because he couldn't enjoy himself didn't mean Andromeda couldn't. "You should go," He said, smiling in spite of his discomfort. "I'll be all right."

"I don't want to leave you," she said.

"And I don't want you too," he said. "But I can't stand the thought of you wasting away here. Besides, you deserve a break."

After everything she'd been through this year, she needed to a break from Hogwarts, even if it was just for a couple days. She seemed to agree, but uncertainty danced in her eyes.

"Please," Ted said. "I'll only survive in here as long as I know you're out there having fun."

If he hadn't meant every word of that, she wouldn't have believed him. But luckily, he did.

"Fine," she said. "Just promise me you'll rest while I'm gone."

"Of course, My Lady," Ted said, like a knight responding to a queen. Andromeda rolled her eyes but slowly turned away from him. She kept glancing back him as she left, so he felt the need to say, "And stop by Zonkers for me? I need more fireworks."

She made a face, but nodded, Then he said, "And stick by Sirius and Liv, would you?"

Her eyes darkened a little, guessing the reason for this request, but once again she nodded. She gave him one last glance, and her gave her once last reassuring smile, before she left.

Once she'd disappeared Ted collapsed on the bed, suddenly exhausted.

"What's with this Sirius and Liv business?" Jake asked. "You don't think Andromeda can take care of herself?"

Ted shrugged, trying to play off what he was about to say next. "Of course she can. It's just, we ran into her sister, her elder sister, and the Lestranges."

Jake's eyes widened, and even Lorie perked up despite her condition.

"What happened?" Lorie gasped.

"Nothing," Ted said. "They tried to start something, but then Sirius' friends showed up and they backed off."

Lorie's eyes widened, then she gasped. "Why do I always miss the exciting stuff?"

Jake, however, sighed in relief. Ted guessed he was grateful she hadn't been there, considering he'd almost lost her the last time she crossed paths with Bellatrix and the Lestranges.

"You all right?" Jake asked, tearing his attention away from Lorie for a moment.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ted asked, before coughing profoundly.

"It's just," Jake said, once Ted's coughs had subsided. "It can't have been easy to seem them. Especially for Andromeda."

Ted shrugged again. He might have said more, but his coughing was making that difficult.

"You don't think," Jake said, "they purposefully went to Hogsmeade on Hogwarts weekend, do you?"

The thought hadn't occurred to Ted. He didn't think Bellatrix had, as she seemed truly sickened by the sight of her sister, but she was twisted enough. As was Rodolphus. And as for Rabastan, well, Ted preferred not to talk about Rabastan.

"Don't know. Don't care," Ted said, too quickly, as Jake raised an eyebrow.

"You sure about that?" Jake said. "Because, it could be one of them is having a hard time letting go."

Ted was spared from answering when another bout of puking overtook him. Jake seemed to decide now wasn't the best time for discussion, as he felt silent. Ted, however, couldn't help but remember the way Rabsatan had looked at Andromeda. It was the same way Ted used to look at Andromeda. Like she was what he wanted more than anything, and knew he could never have.

And though he trusted Andromeda with all his heart, she'd fallen victim to the Lestranges before, and he had no idea what he would do if she got mixed up with them again.