𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕡

39- Sunshine

A/N: In the first segment of the chapter, Andromeda talks about her mental health and family struggles. It's brief, but please skip if this would bother you. Also, at the end homophobia is mentioned, along with child abuse being implied.

...

"If I could
Maybe I'd give you my world"

The usual carefree air in Hogwarts was obstructed by end of year exams. It was most notable in the library, where most students spent large amounts of time this time of year.

Andromeda thought that students who went to the library year round—such as her—should get special privileges when everyone else started to hog the space. Of course, Pince would never agree to that—no matter how much she liked Andy because the library was for everyone.

She doubted Pince had never banned anyone, so that was a lie.

With this thought in mind, Andromeda did the exact opposite of what she came to the library to do and she talked to Henri. To be fair, she had spent at least an hour revising before Henri had joined her, so she wasn't completely unproductive.

Yet again, Ben came up, which led them down a rabbit hole of talking about their respective love interests. Andromeda sometimes reflected on how much they had talked about boys recently, and concluded that maybe it had been the topic of conversation frequently, but that was okay because talking through that stuff soothed both of their worries.

"So, what're you doing about Ted?" Henri asked, flipping idly through her textbook like exams weren't glaring at them from a few days in the future.

Andy shrugged in response, staring out a window over Henri's shoulder.

"I dunno."

Henri hummed as she waited for a real response from her. She knew that Andy just needed time to catch the words escaping her, which she had learned through so many talks in the same library they occupied now.

"I just—I don't want to ruin our friendship or anything," Andy said, her cheeks turning red with a flush meant for someone sick to their stomach.

Her friend sighed and shook her head.

"You and I both know that's not why you're holding yourself back," Henri replied not unkindly. "You know Ted likes you, and from what I've seen and heard, I think you've made it pretty clear too."

Henri was right. The only person that Andy hadn't heard from that Ted liked her, was Ted himself, and through his actions, she had realized that he had basically confirmed it too. After the stunt in the hospital wing, everyone was holding their breath in anticipation—even Andromeda, even when she shouldn't.

Feelings were complicated things, and she would never intentionally hurt anyone's. However, she had tried to pull back in the days after sleeping beside Ted in the hospital wing because she knew now she just wasn't ready for that. The main reason being that she didn't really believe Ted was either.

Did he actually understand all the things that Andy came with? Would he leave when he found out?

"Henri, I come with a lot of extra bullshit," Andy started, nearly stuttering when she swore as she didn't do that very often. "A sister who's hot and cold, another that's turning into a psychopath, a mother who I haven't seen awake and sober since my father died."