Andromeda walked around in a daze for a week after hugging Ted Tonks. One thought burned in her head: What’s wrong with me? How could I betray my family like that? At the same time, though, Andromeda suppressed her outrage that it should matter whether or not she was friends with a Muggle-born. She enjoyed being around Ted. Nobody would change her mind about that. She’d even returned the Charms favor by helping him out during Transfiguration the previous day. She kept trying to snap herself out of the coma, but even her sister Narcissa, a third year, took notice.

“You don’t look like yourself, Dromeda,” Cissy observed one day during lunch in the Great Hall. “Your face is all flushed. And you’ve barely touched your food.”

Andromeda put a hand on her shoulder. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine, really. Just a little stressed because N.E.W.T.S. will be here in a month. Trust me, be thankful for the amount of homework you have now. When you’re a N.E.W.T. student, you’ll ask yourself, ‘Why can’t I be back in third year, when school was so much easier?’”

Narcissa looked at her sister like she was insane. “Are you kidding? I have three essays and one dream journal due in two days. You call that a small load?”

The elder Black chuckled. “I’m only trying to make you feel better, Cissy.”

“You still didn’t reply to what I said about you,” Cissy teased. “I think it has to do with a boy…”

A rebellious smile escaped from Andromeda’s lips when she realized that she didn’t care if Narcissa was talking about Rupert or Ted. She stuck her tongue out at her sister. Cissy returned the gesture and went to go sit with other friends.

Later that day, Andromeda sat with Rupert in the Slytherin common room, which was packed with students who were studying together.

Out of the blue, he asked, “So, how’s Tonks doing?”

“Oh, Ted’s doing just fine," she said calmly. "He was such a big help, working with me when he barely knew me.”

He eyed her suspiciously. “Since when did you start using his first name?”

“Since we became friends.”

“Why would you want to be friends with a Mudblood?” he snapped.

Andromeda stood up and shot him an angry glare. “Don’t you dare call him that! He’s shown himself to be very good with magic, and he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

An awkward pause filled their conversation. Did I just defend a Muggle-born? Finding that she wasn’t sorry about it, Andromeda felt a defiant rush of pride.

“Don’t think that I’m the jealous type,” Rupert said with an impatient wave of his hand, “but he’s obviously smitten with you.”

“Really?” It didn’t seem so bad to know that Ted was looking out for her, yet Rupert had every right to be envious.

He stood up to meet her height. “You heard me. And I’m starting to think that maybe you’re in love with him, too!”

Andromeda’s mouth opened in protest. “What? Now that’s just ridiculous, Rupert.”

“Is it? Then tell me I’m wrong.” His girlfriend didn’t respond to that interrogation. “Aha. I knew something was up with you two.”

She poked him threateningly. “Listen here, mister! You can’t go making unfounded accusations. Read my lips: Ted is my friend. That’s it.”

“What if I don’t want you to be friends with him?”

“You don’t control my life!” Andromeda shouted.

“You’re right,” Rupert agreed hotly. “I don’t control your life. But I do control this relationship. Since you won’t stop associating with Mudbloods, I’ll just have to end it.”

She glowered at him, feeling tears begin to roll down her cheeks.

“What a childish thing for you to do, Rupert Thompson! I don’t see any difference between you and Ted. I’m still that girl you met on the first day at Hogwarts.”

“No you’re not! That girl cared about her bloodline and hated everyone who wasn’t half-blood or pure-blood. I can’t have a girlfriend who goes all soft on me!” He strolled away to the boy’s dormitory, leaving Andromeda by herself. She ran upstairs to the girl’s dorm and fell onto her bed with her arms crossed, pouting.

This was all Ted’s fault. Stupid, Muggle-born Ted Tonks, with his kindness, humor, and that wonderful smile… Oh no. Andromeda slapped herself on the forehead. Against her best wishes, Rupert had been right. Something had to be done about this.

“Now when I caught myself,
I had to stop myself
From saying something that
I should’ve never thought.”
-Paramore