Young Writers Society

"Are you joking me!" Ted's friend, Lorie shouted as James Potter ducked under yet another bludger to score yet another point for Gryfindor. "How could you have missed him?"

"Are you cheering for Slytherin?" Ted asked, eyebrows raised.

Lorie blushed. "No." But as both Ted and his other friend, Jake, glared at her, she threw her hands up in the air, her silver-blond hair whipping up. "Fine, but just because I'm tired of Gryffindor winning all the time."

Ted was pretty sure that wasn't the reason. He was pretty sure it had to do with the Slytherin chaser and team captain being Lorie's obsession. He looked over to his other friend, Liv, to confirm this. She just rolled her eyes. Despite their convenient nicknames, Liv and Lorie, Olivia looked nothing like Lorie with her brown skin, curly black hair, and hazel eyes.

"Though those Gryffindor boys do have amazing hair." Lorie sighed. Ted glanced at them again. How could she even tell? Everyone's hair looked the same from this distance.

"Mmm… Especially Sirius Black." Olivia said, but Ted could say she was mostly saying it to anger him. That was one of the perks of being someone's ex. You always knew what got under their skin, and you weren't afraid to bring it up. Just like he knew he could bring up the word flesh, and she'd start shuddering.

Except he didn't feel like messing around with Liv, so instead he leaned back in his chair, watching the players zoom around the Quidditch pitch without really processing what any of them we're doing. He hated watching Quidditch— it made him want to play too much— and he wasn't really invested in the outcome of this match. Sure, he hated the Gryffindors much less than the Slytherins since they weren't a bunch of pompous scumbags who went around tormenting muggleborns, but both teams had a habit of squashing his own and then getting a really big head about it.

His gaze drifted over the match to the student sections, particular the Slytherin section. It was nigh impossible trying to pick Andromeda among the sea of green, and he shouldn't be trying to anyway. Nor should he be thinking about her. He still wasn't sure exactly what was happening with them. Sure, they met up for meals by the lake. And sure, she didn't treat him like he was mud on her boots, but she still refused to acknowledge him when anyone else was around. And a few days ago she'd freaked out when he'd touched her skin. Granted, that had been a really stupid move on his part. He still wasn't sure why he'd done it.

He stopped, squinting his eyes and he peered at the Slytherin stands. A student was getting up and leaving, a student that had long, glistening brown like Andromeda's. Was it Andromeda? Where was she going?

She disappeared behind the stands, but Ted couldn't stop staring where she'd been. He might not get another opportunity like this, but if he didn't hurry…

He stood up.

"Where are you going?" Liv asked.

He began to edge his way past the other students, most of whom gave his disgruntled looks as he pushed past them.

"The Loo," he shouted to Liv over his shoulder, but he didn't stay to make sure she'd heard before he broke free of the last person and made it to the steps that led out of the stands. He barely noticed where his feet were going as he raced toward the castle. He stopped as soon as he passed the Womping Willow. He glanced over at the lake, but there was no one there. The path leading up to the castle was empty. Had she already made it inside? He was just about to start forward when something moved out of the corner of his eye.

Andromeda was heading toward the forbidden forest. He raised his eyebrows? She was skipping out on a quidditch match to go somewhere banned? Maybe it wasn't Andromeda after all, but he'd come this far, he might as well check.

The closer he got, the more it looked like her, until he was almost certain. Forcing away his incredulity, he reached for her shoulder.

"Hey, Andr—"

The moment his fingers touched her robe she whipped around, eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" she hissed through her teeth, even though no one was around to hear them.

"Actually," he reached his hand behind his head to hide his disappointment that she'd gotten into a tizzy because he scarcely touched her again, "I came to ask you the same question."

"What if someone sees? she hissed again, backing away from them.

"Everyone's at the match," he said. He wasn't even sure why he was arguing with her, it just seemed that after he'd done through all this effort, he might as well make it worth his while. Yeah, that was it.

She let out a long breath. "It's still not a good idea."

He perked up. That wasn't a no, per say, and she wasn't demanding that leave, so as she turned to go, he fell in step behind her.

"So," he said, "what entices the great and noble and Andromeda Black to go traipsing through the forbidden forest. Emphasis on the word, forbidden, as in, against school rules."

Andromeda flushed, but stayed silent. Apparently letting him tag along did not mean she was going to speak to him.

"I'm not going in very far," she said finally, surprising him. "Just to the pavilion."

Okay, so it wasn't the brave adventure he'd imagined where he and Andromeda stood back to back, fighting off giant spiders, but they'd still be together, alone, in the forbidden forest.

He shook his head. His wild imagination was getting the best of him again.

"Are you going to the dance?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She glanced at him, her gaze almost hostile. "What?"

"The dance," he said, shrugging, like he hadn't abruptly changed the topic at all, "are you going to it?"

But her gaze was no less hostile as she said, "Why?"

He glanced at the ground to hide his blush. "Just asking."

It's not like it really mattered on way or another. They'd have a hard time even finding each other wearing masks in the crowded entrance hall, not to mention the crowds, which would prevent them from being able to interact with each other in case someone recognized them, but the idea of her being there made him dread it just a little less. Curse Lorie and Liv playing the friendship card and dragging him along.

True to her word, she stopped just outside the pavilion, right next to a cluster of bushes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pouch, and dipped her fingers into it. They came out covered with some soft, yellow powder.

"What is that?" he asked.

"Pollen," she said as she knelt down next to the bush. She extended her fingers out and froze, the only movement the steady rise and fall of her chest. He waited, but nothing happened.

"What are you—"

"Shh," she interrupted, still not moving.

He was about to ask again when the bushes rustled, and then slowly, something crawled out from under. It was a small creature, about the size of Quaffle, covered in silky, brown fur; with large-blue eyes that peered at them curiously. It shuffled forward, its legs seemingly hidden underneath it's fluff. It sniffed her hand, hesitantly at first, and then more eagerly. The next moment its long pink tongue began to lick the pollen off her fingers.

"A Puffskein," Ted said. The only place he'd seen those was in a shop in Daigon Alley. "How did you know they were here?"

"Professor Kettleburn told me." She looked at Ted and smiled, holding up the bag. "Would you like to try?"

He took the bag and dipped his fingers in the soft powder before crouching down next to Andromeda. He half-expected her to cringe at his sudden proximity, but she didn't move. Ignoring the lightness in his chest, he held his fingers out. A moment later another Puffskein emerged from under the bush.

It tickled as it licked his fingers, but Ted was used to animals. As soon as it finished eating the powder he slid his hand under its chin, gently scratching the soft fur. The Puffskein lazily closed its eyes, emitting a soft humming sound.

"I think he likes you," Andromeda said.

"All animals like me." He shrugged. Upon seeing Andromeda curious expression he added, "I grew up on a farm."

"You're a farmer?" she asked.

"Technically I'm a magician," he said, bracingly, but she didn't seem to be listening.

She gently stroked her puffskien as she sighed. "My sister's allergic to most animals, so we never kept any, but I always wanted too." She looked over at him. "What's it like on a farm?"

"Smelly." He grinned, and she chuckled. "No it's nice, a lot of work though, but there's something immensely satisfying about knowing you created something, you know?"

"I can imagine," she whispered. She was still looking at him. It seemed they'd drawn closer without either of them noticing. Andromeda smelled nice, like warm cinnamon rolls. Somehow he'd never noticed that before.

She was still looking at him, their faces somehow even closer than before. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips. Her red, full lips. He leaned in, his eyes closing…

And then a loud, crude voice cut through the silence.

Both he and Andromeda sat up so suddenly, they scared their Puffskeins, who returned, trembling, to their undergrowth home.

Another voice said something, and others laughed. There were several people, and they were coming this way.

"Go." Andromeda hissed, motioning with her hands. He did what she said, without really registering that he was doing so. A large oak tree seemed like the most obvious hiding place. He'd barely dived behind it when the boys came into the clearing.

It was a good thing he'd moved, as he recognized those boys. They were all Slytherin, but not any of the ones good enough to make it on the team. Still, he recognize Amycus Carrow right away, as well as two boys whose last names he was pretty sure were Yaxley and Macnair. There was another boy with them too, one Ted didn't know as well. Was Snape his name?

"Hey there, doll!" Amycus proclaimed loudly, while his mates sniggered. Andromeda turned around, and their smug looks disappeared.

Amycus cleared his throat and straightened his spine, like that would somehow erase his earlier word. "Andromeda, what are you doing out her by yourself?"

Andromeda dodged the question, smiling politely. "Did we win the match?"

The broad smile slipped off Amycus's features. "It's impossible to play a fair game against those cheating, Gryffindor scroundels, but we'll prevail next time, I'm sure."

Ted snorted, and then clapped his hand over his mouth, but no one seem to notice.

"Would you like us to escort you back up to the castle?" Amycis offered his arm to her, his horrible grin back in place. "Who knows what could befall a lady such as yourself in a wood where werewolves and mudbloods run amock."

Andromeda smiled, somehow able to keep her thoughts on Amycus's statement to herself. He was going to have ask her how she did that sometime, assuming she really was offended that Amycus had put werewolves and mudbloods in the same context.

"Besides," Yaxley added, "I think Rabastan was looking for you."

A bitter taste rose in Ted's mouth as he strained to get a better look at Andromeda. Why was that spoiled, pretty-boy looking for her? Andromeda blushed slightly, which only made Ted feel worse as she took Amycus's arm and headed up the path.

He didn't know why he was still watching, but he was. It's not like he could come out until they were gone. Just before they reached the edge of the trees Andromeda looked back. She didn't know exactly where he'd hidden, but her eyes brushed over his heading place anyway. His pulse quickened, and continued to beat heavily as she turned back around.