Blackbird

Chapter Six

"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 puffskein 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 puffskiens, 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 hisses, 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 Slytherins, but not any of the ones good enough to make it on the team. Still, he recognized 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 here 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 scoundrels, 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?" Amycus 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 amok."

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.