Blackbird

Chapter Six

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 is 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.