"After everything I must confess, I need you"

Andromeda had pondered the meaning of life since her very beginnings, and just recently had she stumbled across the answer. She supposed it could be different for everyone, but for Andy, she reckoned that the reason she was here was to love. She wished to spread love high and low, left and right, as far as she could go.

She loved loving her people especially. Henri, Jack, and Ted. They had secured a special place in her heart a while ago, and yet, she couldn't help but feel like it had been solidified just this year.

However much she loved loving was outshined by her lack of sleep that morning. The very night before she had kissed Ted for the first time ever—yay!—and her heart had palpitated all night from excitement that she just couldn't fall asleep. It was coming back to bite her though when she had to wake up the next morning to supervise her cousin's detention.

With a yawn, that was quickly followed by a grin because she stupidly just couldn't get it off her face, she let her cousin and his friends into McGonagall's classroom. They took seats in the front row as Andy grabbed the parchment for them to write their lines on.

"Why're you smiling like that, Meda?" Sirius asked curiously.

She really couldn't blame him for asking because she realized she probably never smiled at the family events they usually saw each other at. Even still, she didn't really want to tell her younger cousin about kissing one of her best friends, so she was glad when James Potter took the liberty of answering for her.

"She's happy, Sirius!" James said with a grin of his own.

He looked like an extremely happy kid, one of the most joyful people Andy had ever come across really. He was full of energy too with his legs bouncing when he wasn't shifting around in his seat. Quite seriously, Andromeda decided right there, that Saturday morning, that James Potter was worth protecting.

For the next few hours, they make light conversation while the boys write their lines and Andy tried to do her homework. It doesn't get completed because of how amused she is by the four boys in front of her—they've only been in Hogwarts for a few months but they've bonded unexplainably well already.

"My mum says that as long as you learn something along the way, a little prank never hurt anyone," James stated proudly.

Andromeda laughed under her breath, watching as Sirius appeared astounded by James's mother.

"Yeah, well, look where that landed us," Remus pointed out, still writing his lines whereas James and Sirius had given up a half hour ago.

"In detention with my super cool cousin," Sirius replied, tipping his chair back onto its heels.

Peter nodded vigorously in agreement. Andromeda wanted to feel flattered, but she couldn't tell if they were saying things just to get on her good side, or if they had actually meant that.

"Yeah this isn't so bad-"

James cut himself off with a gasp as Henri walked in, clad in her quidditch gear from practice. The Gryffindor team had actually been scrimmaging the Hufflepuff team, so hopefully, Jack and Ted weren't too far behind.

"Hi, Henri! How was quidditch?" James asked excitedly.

The three other boys immediately start to giggle at James's behavior. It was clear that James is a fan of Henri's, and it didn't make it any better when Sirius whispered that he has a crush on the girl.

"Amazing, of course," Henri replied, winking before turning to Andy to whisper. "Potter is the most quidditch-obsessed person I've ever met. Gryffindor is sure to win the Cup every year he's Captain."

After around fifteen minutes of quidditch talk and strategy, Andromeda dismisses the boys quickly, making them promise they will try not to get in trouble as soon as they walk down the corridor. Andy briefly wonders if it would have been better to escort them to their common room, but the thought is quickly gone from her mind when Jack comes barging in the room.

Unintelligibly, Jack started to screech as soon as he entered and made eye contact with Andy. Of course, she knew what this all was about, however, Henri was the most confused she had ever been when Jack started to spin Andy around in a circle. The two of them ignored Henri's questions and laughed like maniacs.

"Hello? I'm here too!" Henri said, her arms crossed. "What's happening?"

Jack, a huge grin on his face, turned from Andy to address Henri. Henri looked at Andy to try to find answers but she just let Jack handle it because it was much more amusing that way.

"Has she not told you the news yet?" Jack asked incredulously.

Andy laughed because she clearly had not.

"What news?" Henri looked to Andy as she raised her eyebrows.

"They kissed! They kissed!" Jack replied, fake swooning.

"Who?" Henri asked, sounding desperate. "Jack, who kissed?"

"Ted and Andy!" Jack shouted back, laughing as Henri took her turn to screech.

Very soon, those two were spinning each other in a circle, screeching and laughing at the top of their lungs. Andy watched from where she was sitting on a tabletop nearby, her two best friends were like a muggle television show.

At the point where Henri and Jack started to yell about being an aunt and uncle, Ted enters, looking flushed. His hair is messed up, half of his quidditch gear is gone, and he looked extremely confused at the scene happening in front of him. Though, when he got Jack's attention he immediately sounded fed up with the boy.

"Jack, I had to answer to about three professors as to why you were running through the corridors-"

"Ted-"

"Do you know how difficult it is to explain to a professor that your best friend is freaking out because you kissed your other best friend?"

Andromeda laughed behind her hand at the envisioned scene.

"This is the most important day of my life, chill out," Jack replied, not looking put out at all by Ted's statement.

Ted stared at him in disbelief and shook his head. Andy winked at him, getting a laugh out of him.

"Merlin's beard."

..

The weekend continued on a high when the next day was a Hogsmeade trip. Of course, Ted and Andy went together, which was encouraged by both Henri and Jack.

Andy was overjoyed that the two finally got to go on an official date, but the only problem with that was that she had made plans to meet with Quinn. She had explained the whole predicament to Ted, who quickly offered to make himself busy when she needed to meet with Quinn, however, she shut this down when she realized she could just take him to meet Quinn.

So, there they were, holding hands to keep warm as they walked to The Three Broomsticks. They looked sickeningly sweet to outsiders as their banter carried them through Hogsmeade, completely unaware that Henri and Jack had made it a point to get muggle pictures of them—Jack would soon send these to Ted's mother without warning Ted.

Once they enter The Three Broomsticks for lunch, it doesn't take Andy long to spot Quinn. She waved excitedly as they made their way over to the table that Quinn has already claimed.

"Quinn!" Andy said, hugging her briefly before gesturing towards Ted. "This is Ted! I think I've told you about him before."

"Hello, Ted," Quinn smiled, her eyes bouncing between them.

"Hi, Quinn," Ted replied shyly. "So, you've heard about me?"

Andy rolled her eyes and elbowed him as Quinn smiled at the pair. It was true, Andy had told Quinn quite a bit about the boy in front of her, however, it really didn't have to be repeated.

After discussing their shared love for embarrassing Andy, they bond over quidditch and their relationships with their siblings. Andy will never get over how much they both smile when they speak about their families, it makes her heart hurt.

They ended up spending the rest of the day as a trio, yet no one would complain. They caused quite the ruckus as a group, something Andy probably could have told you.

"Oh, before I forget, would you mind bringing this package to Marlene?" Quinn asked as their conversation simmered to a close. "Mum always has to make sure she has her sweets."

"Sure thing," Andy replied easily, Marlene had to be one of her favorite first-years.

"She has a soft spot for Marlene," Ted revealed to Quinn, who nodded in fake seriousness.

Andy glared over at Ted.

"I can see that happening," she paused for a moment thinking. "Although, I cant say much since I've always had a soft spot for her too."

"It's hard not to."

"That it is."

They closed their meeting with hugs and promises to write frequently. It was special that they had been able to reconnect all these years later, and they both planned on cherishing that.

...

The trek back to the castle was as easy as the conversation that flowed between them. Their hands swung back and forth, a connection that couldn't be severed.

Deciding it would be best to pay a visit to the Gryffindor first-years as early as possible, the two find themselves outside the Gryffindor common room quickly.

"I think you would've made a good Gryffindor," Ted said randomly as Andy was about to say the password.

She turned to stare at him in shock for a moment.

"Really? You think so?" She crinkled her nose. "Nothing wrong with being a Gryffindor, but I've never considered it."

"Yeah, I mean, you've had to deal with your family and that's pretty brave."

He said it as an unwavering fact, almost like he was proud of how far she had come. She ducked her head in an attempt to hide her blush.

"I suppose."

Andy cut off further conversation by opening the portrait to reveal a rather chaotic scene. James ran past with a weird looking bird hat on his head, Peter on his tail, both of them cackling up the stairs to their dormitory. A few third and second years lingered around as Sirius and Marlene played exploding snap.

Ted sighed, adopting the role of Head Boy immediately before Andy tried to elbow him out of it.

"Meda! How nice to see you!" Sirius said, guiltily hiding the game behind his back. Marlene hid a laugh behind her hand.

"Where are your prefects?" Ted asked, meeting no answer.

Andy just laughed at them once again, thoroughly amused by their antics. Perhaps she should be more strict with them, but all she had ever wanted was to have fun, and so she was letting them have what she didn't.

"Never mind that," Andy said, shaking her head. "This is from your family, Marlene."

She handed over the package, suddenly feeling bad that Sirius didn't have anything. Before she could do anything about that though, Ted jumped in and threw him a bag of candy. Her heart softened as the grin grew on Sirius's face.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

In hindsight, that might've been the moment Andy knew Ted was it.

...

Song: The Other Side of the Door (Taylor's Version)
By: Taylor Swift

Sorry this took so long to get out to you, after school ended my brain flew out the window and I forgot what words were. I'm hoping the chapters after this will be easier for me to write.

I wrote some of this after we gave my friend bangs! Don't worry they look great and it was a wonderful, impulsive decision.

I hope your lives are going well. Love and hugs!!

Lmao anyways thanks for reading
-teddy xx