different | a harry potter fan fiction

Andromeda should have been more excited, and she knew it. Hogwarts had not held any sort of dance for years—not before she started school. The Great Hall was a hurricane of colourful dresses and robes, laughter and music. Even her Charms teacher was allowing herself an extra glass of Firewhisky. Andromeda glanced over to where her younger sister was dancing with another Slytherin student and sighed. Her own partner, Slytherin Quidditch Captain Stuart Craggy, had abandoned her the moment they entered the Hall, muttering something about needing a drink. 

So she sat alone, hidden in the rows of chairs and tables where the others couldn’t sweep her into their midst, and tried to keep back the red-hot tears that were burning behind her eyes. 

If only Narcissa could keep secrets to herself, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But as it stood, the letter she had received earlier in the evening still plagued her. 

Dearest Andromeda, her mother had written. We have received the most troubling news from your younger sister. She tells us about a certain student in the Hufflepuff house—Andromeda could almost see the way the letters grew with those words and could picture her mother’s eyes widening—whom you have taken a fancy to.

I have not, Andromeda thought furiously. I simply told Narcissa that he helped me with my Herbology homework and that I thought he was kind. Yet the letter continued.

As you can imagine, this was the most serious case for alarm. I hope I need not remind you about your previous engagement to Alistair Abel, who, as I hope you’ll recall, is a charming man with an appealing legacy and good standards. Anything else you would dare consider is, and this should be blatantly obvious, beneath you, and I can assure you that there will be serious consequences to any lack in judgement. 

The letter continued, but Andromeda hardly cared to remember it all. She looked around at the Hall filled with her classmates and sighed, rubbing her temple. Running a finger along the waistline of her silk dress, she got to her feet and headed inconspicuously to the outdoor gardens. She closed her eyes in relief as she slipped off the shoes she was wearing and huddled on the step, pulling her knees to her chest.

The night breeze was just strong enough to lift the delicately arranged tendrils of hair that floated near her face. Tucking her chin to her shoulder, Andromeda finally allowed her porcelain expression to crack, tasting blood as she bit down on her lip. She had tried to deny it, she had fought against the truth for so long. But now she didn’t have the energy left to resist. It all seemed blatantly clear, too clear. 

She lived with a family of bigots, prejudiced against all Mudbloods—she cringed at the term—or anyone they considered unworthy or substandard. Consider Ted Tonks—the Hufflepuff who had helped with her homework. He had been kind and respectful, yet her family would see him only as dishevelled and dirty. Enough of all the ‘oldest and purest wizarding family’ nonsense. She had had enough of pure-bloods and their prejudices, but yet…they were her family. How could she turn against them? She loved them. 

She loved her mother, despite her forbidding personality, because she was the one who taught Andromeda to be strong. She loved her father, even though he allowed himself to be influence, because he always told her that he loved her. She loved Bellatrix, never mind the fact that her recent devotion to the Dark Arts was disturbing, because they’ve grown up together and Bella was always the one to stand up for her. And she loved Narcissa, how she loved Narcissa, because she was the one soul she could laugh with. 

Andromeda clutched more tightly to her knees, trying to hold herself together. 

It did not do to think on these things. How on earth could she imagine a world any different than the one she knows?

But then she heard her name being whispered from behind her and for a fleeting moment she allowed herself to be carried away into a different reality. One where she had the freedom to befriend whom she chose.

“Andromeda?”

She turned.

“It’s Andromeda, right?”

She nodded, recognizing the bright blue eyes and warm smile of Ted Tonks.

“I saw you leave,” he said, motioning behind him in the direction of the Hall. “You looked lonely, I thought I’d see if you were alright.”

Did Narcissa notice her leaving? she thought bitterly. Did Bella? No, it didn’t matter. 

Yet he had.

She offered a watery smile, taking a deep breath and turning away to wipe her eye.

“I am,” she said. “Alright, I mean. If that’s what you were wondering.”

She stood up suddenly, her smile disappearing.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, pushing past him. “I have to go.”

He let her pass, but his words make her turn back.

“You’re different, I noticed.”

She swivelled. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Her chin raised as he offered an explanation, trying to maintain the haughty look of the Blacks. To be the daughter that wouldn’t talk to such folk. But it was useless, she was curious.

“You’re not like most Slytherins.” Ted smiled honestly and ducked his head. “I hate to admit it, but I never believed anyone from that House could be kind, or thoughtful.”

He stepped towards her, and she didn’t back away.

“You made me think differently.”

She didn’t speak, she couldn’t, but her lips stopped trying to fold themselves together and gently turned upwards. He smiled again, and she couldn’t help but realize that she loved his smile. It was transparent and wholehearted, she could see right through him. She liked that he has nothing to hide. 

She nodded silently, wishing she could do more. But her body had a mind of its own and she couldn’t control it. So she walked away. 

But tucked between the sheets in the Slytherin Common Room that night, she allowed herself to think about what he said.

“You’re different.”

Was she? Did she want to be? Was it wrong to want that?

Despite the missing pieces of the puzzles that she can’t seem to solve, her mind was clear on one thing: Ted Tonks had a lovely smile. And she wanted to see it more often.


//gif is mine, please don’t steal or use without permission
hope you liked it! thanks for reading all my ramblings ^~^