Blackbird

Chapter 11

He was in love with Andromeda Black. And he was screwed because of it.

It was one thing to have a secret friendship, but this? This was suicide. He knew it, and he didn't care.

But she would.

How do you get yourself into these situations? He wanted to scream. You couldn't leave her alone and now look? He was in over his head, practically drowning. He shouldn't have kissed her. He hadn't even meant to do it. He'd meant to just talk to her. But somehow his body had confused words with lips. And as much as he might want to he couldn't take it back.

He loved her, and there was a good chance it wouldn't mean a damn thing.

Except he was forgetting something, she wanted to meet him. She hadn't sought out Rabastan, she'd sought him. That had to count for something.

Yeah, a barrel full of dragon dung, that's what it counted for.

He'd reached the trophy room, and it was empty.

Instantly he was railing again. Maybe she'd lied. Maybe she just wanted to get him in trouble. Maybe she'd set up her little pureblood friends somewhere to catch him when he'd let his guard down...

"Ted?"

He turned around. There she was, dressed in a white and blue nightgown with a black cloak pulled over it, angelic. Why did she always have to look so damn beautiful? He'd been a goner from the start. And he was really starting to hate her for it.

"What, you don't recognize me? Forgotten who I am already?"

She stopped, looking shocked, and she even had the nerve to look a little hurt. "Ted—"

"Or maybe you were expecting someone else. Can't exactly be looking forward to seeing ugly old me when you've got pretty boy Rabastan hanging about."

Her shock deepened, like she couldn't believe he'd actually say that to her. Guess she gotten used to his nice guy routine, but that was gone.

"Have you shagged him yet? Hell, why I am asking. You probably went to his room right after the dance, right? You know, right after you threw me out? Guess I was right about being rubbish, wasn't I? And how was it, by the way? How was it having sex with—"

"Ted!" she screamed, cutting him off. "Will you shut up and listen for once?"

And he did, mostly because he was fuming too much to think clearly anyway.

She took a step forward, her mouth set into a firm line and her little hands clenched at her sides, and asked, "Why did you kiss me?"

Ted couldn't help it, he laughed. "That's your question?"

That only made her madder. "What the hell made you think you had the right to kiss me? Do you have any idea what damage you could've done?"

Ted stared at her, the dry laughter vanishing instantly. He'd never felt so furious in his life. A part of him wanted to reach forward and throttle her, and he ran his hands through his hair to keep from doing it.

"Why? 'Cause your boyfriend will find out and think you're two-timing him?" He stopped, pretending to look horrified. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No! Of course I didn't," she said, near shouting herself. "But do you understand what will happen if people find out what you did?"

"What?" He threw his hands in the air. "They'll kill you?"

Her eyes darkened. "No, they'll kill you." She closed her eyes, her voice constricting, "And then they'll kill me."

He snorted. "Your concern is touching."

And she was back, glaring. "Do you think this is a joke?"

"No, but apparently you do." He started pacing to keep himself from rushing forward and grabbing her. "How many people do you kiss in a week Andromeda? Do you and your sisters have a competition to see who gets the most?"

The color drained. She took a step forward, her fury stretching her pale skin tightly across her cheekbones.

"You. Kissed. Me." She spit out the words.

He stopped pacing. "You. Kissed. Me. Back."

She seemed near an exploding point. "You ever make a move like that on me again," she said, her eyes blazing, " I swear to god I'll—"

"You'll what?" Ted said, he couldn't help but notice the irony, as a few days ago they'd been having this same conversation, said these exact same words. But there was nothing amusing about it this time, and there was nothing forgiving in Andromeda now.

"Stay away from me, Ted." Then she turned and stormed off.

He stared after her, and suddenly he hated everything about her. Which is why he lifted up his arms and shouted:

"I thought you were different, Andromeda, but you're just like the rest of them. At least they're honest about it."

She stopped, turning. Something told Ted he'd crossed a line, or more of a line that just kissing her and then being an ass about it. This time he was convinced she was going to kill him, or at least hex him from here to India. Her nostrils flared as she hissed:

"You don't know a damn thing about me, Ted."

He snarled at her. "Really, I—"

"No, you may know my favorite color, and my favorite animal, but you don't know a thing about me." She'd come back, so she was standing only a few inches from him, her voice trembling with fury. "You have no idea what it's like living with them, so stopped pretending like you know."

"You ever though that's because you won't talk to me?" He shouted that last part, leaning down into her face. She flinched away but he grabbed her wrist. "You just hide Andromeda, and you think if you just bury your head in the sand everything will turn out all right."

His words had struck home, "I hate you, Ted," She said, pulling away from him. He could see the tears pooling in her eyes, then her anger took over and she screamed, " I hate you! I swear to God I'll—"

"You'll what?" he said again.

She still didn't answer, but she didn't turn away. Instead she marched up to him. He thought she was going to slap him, but she didn't. Instead she placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him. Hard.