A/N: Are girls really that complex?
Chapter IV: Determined, Confused, Uneasy and Completely Sure!
Regulus confused her even more than before. Usually he was prompt to insult, prank or embarrass her somehow. Why was he taking his time?
It certainly did not help her case that he was among the most sought after by the female population of the school. She was sick of hearing so many of the girls in the Gryffindor dormitories talk about him and his friends. After all, they were nothing special! Even if they were handsome, smart, funny, attractive and very, very -
No! They were a band of low-life hooligans unworthy of attention. Yes, that was it.
She had managed completely fine up until now in avoiding Regulus, Otto and Albus. They never interested her, Regulus least of all. Granted, he was really, really handsome, but everything else about him was nothing more than hot air. She wanted depth of character to even think about being attracted to a boy. After all, that requirement was meant to compliment her own personality, which she thought was indeed complex and multifaceted.
Aside from that, however, there was a certain magnetic quality to Regulus that she could not put her finger on and still, it drew her towards him. Logically, he rarely did anything more than incense her about inconsequential matters, and she should therefore be able to prevent him from crawling under her skin.
Illogically, she could not. Her extremely well organized and rational mind did not have an answer for this little frustration.
"What are you thinking about?" Holly sat down beside her. "You know, those potatoes are growing cold."
"Hmm?" Andromeda swivelled her head towards Holly as she snapped out of her reverie. "When did you get here?"
"Just now," Holly smiled. "You look way too out of it."
"Only thinking," Andromeda smiled.
"You always do," Holly said. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing much," Andromeda replied. "Just that prat, Regulus."
Holly smiled knowingly. "How much you love him, you mean?"
"No," her friend rejoined automatically. "Not at all. He can burn in Hell for all I care."
"Strong words," Holly shook her head.
"What strong words?" came a third voice that belonged to Jane.
"Oh, hey," Holly said. "Sit down. Just talking about Regulus."
"Why him?" Jane inquired. "Let's talk about Otto."
"Otto? Wait till you see Albus," Holly became sidetracked on her own turn.
"Will you two stop it?" Andromeda cut across them with annoyance. "Neither of us are dating neither of them. End of story!"
"Well, nobody said you had to..." Jane pointed out after a moment's pause.
"No, and you don't have to either," Andromeda pursued the course. "There are better pickings out there."
"In our year?" Holly raised an eyebrow. "That's as fine as it gets, girlie."
"Yeah, realistically, how many jerks are there in this school? I have honestly lost count," Jane backed up their friend.
"Or maybe your standards are a tad too high," Holly took the word again. "You know, sitting high on your pedestal. It's lonely up there."
"Well, that's why I have you two," Andromeda flashed a smile.
"I love you to death, but don't expect me to snog with you," Jane quickly said. "Holly, she's the weakest-willed of us, so she might give in."
"That's not funny!" Holly protested.
"Actually, it is," Andromeda continued with the joke. "Maybe then I can have Albus and Regulus will lay off my back."
"You have it bad for that boy, you know," Jane pointed out. "I've said it a million times."
"That's what I told her," Holly echoed. "I don't understand why she will not just take the dive."
"Holly," Jane started explaining half-jokingly, "out friend Andromeda is a very sensitive and touchy girl. She's afraid, and needs all the nurture and support that we can provide her with, because, imagine yourself in her situation of continuous denial and - ow!"
Andromeda had punched her in the shoulder. "That's enough! I don't like him!"
The majority of the Gryffindor heads turned to look at Andromeda, and then she realized that expression had come out too loud...
"Don't like him, eh?" Jane smirked.
If looks could indeed kill, the scarlet Andromeda would be striking Jane repeatedly...
But it wasn't over. The doors of the Great Hall opened and Regulus walked in, flanked by Otto and Albus. A general snicker went through the entire table. Regulus picked up on that he was missing out on something, and turned around.
"Do I have something on my face?" His friends shook their heads in the negative.
"Hey, dork," Andromeda attracted his attention as he walked by her. "Join us so I can poke fun at you!"
Regulus was abruptly reminded of the vow he had made himself, but his expression darkened nonetheless. "Another day, Potter. I can't stand your ugly face at the moment."
No other male in the entire school would dare hold such tongue to Andromeda. She was intimidating...
"Is that why you were flirting with me yesterday in History of Magic? I've never seen a sadder attempt."
She bi t right back.
"Who wants to flirt with a bitchy windbag anyway? You know it's Holly I like." Regulus continued with his verbal onslaught. He was beginning to enjoy this...
The girl in question had turned a deep red. "But..."
"Windbag?" Andromeda piped up. "Last I checked, you're the failure in our year."
"Failure?" Regulus smiled confidently. "Learn to pass a note properly, and I might possibly consider the idea of respecting you."
"You're an insufferable prat, you know that?"
Regulus' smile did not drop. "...said the prissy know-it-all."
She only stared at him murderously. "I'll see you around, Potter." With those words, he walked away laughing with Otto and Albus.
"Ugh!" Andromeda steamed. "He frustrates me so much!"
"Why do you let him?" Jane asked her.
"Because I can't not let him," Andromeda admitted snappishly.
"Exactly," a smile lit up Jane's face.
"What are you saying?" her friend suddenly became defensive.
"Absolutely nothing," Jane replied with the same expression.
Andromeda only grumbled at her friend. She needed to sort this out. Wait, why had she started talking to him in the first place?
It was easy up until now, just arguing inconsequentially for the mere purposes of amusement and the occasional desire to kill the boy; but something had changed. She was suddenly much more aware of him, increasingly sensitive to what he said and did. Not just towards her, but she was now interested in watching his behaviour in other situations.
"You know, you look really confused," Holly pointed out, snapping Andromeda out of her reverie for the consecutive time.
"Confused? No, I'm just angry," Andromeda said quickly.
"Didn't we establish Regulus was a bastard not worth your time?"
"Yes! Will you drop it already?" Andromeda snapped.
"They all get like this when they're in love," Jane said dismissively to Holly in the spirit of laughs.
"Jane, I do not love him. I never have, I do not, and I never will. Please inscribe that on your forehead, and stop pestering me about it," the object of their jabs said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, denial, denial, the mighty Nile," Jane sang falsely. Holly burst into giggles. "Face it, my friend, you want him really bad."
Unable to take their attitude anymore, Andromeda stood up and walked out of the Great Hall.
A pair of eyes did follow her frustrated march out of the Great Hall. Regulus had been surreptitiously paying more attention to her than his group of friends and so far succeeded in avoiding being detected.
"What do you think, mate?" Albus suddenly turned to him.
"Not a bad idea," Regulus replied automatically, swivelling his head. Must have been a prank they had in the works. "Can we go over it in a bit? I have to go to the boys' room."
"Yeah, sure," Albus looked at him a little bit oddly, before turning to the others. "Do you really think stealing potion supplies is the brightest of ideas for a prank?"
Without looking back, Regulus made for the door briskly.
"Andromeda, wait!"
The girl in question was walking quickly away in the direction of Gryffindor tower, but she heard him and stopped.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" she snapped at him impatiently.
"To talk." His intent sounded sincere.
"To talk?" she repeated almost incredulously. "What could I possibly say to you?"
"For beginners, why you stormed out of there," he pointed to the doors of the Great Hall, and in the process, regained the confident composure he had promised himself to keep around Andromeda.
She laughed derisively. "You amaze me. How can you even think I would tell you that?"
Regulus was a bit taken aback. Here he was, trying to be serious about something, and yet...
"As a friend," he said.
Andromeda eyed him suspiciously. "As a friend? You must have lost your mind. Since when are we friends?"
"Look, I know we aren't," his patience was beginning to wane. "Why not at least try to be civil to one another?"
"I can't trust you," she bristled.
"Oh, of course," he fixed her.
Secretly, she melted inside every time he looked at her with his silver eyes that way...
"Fine," she did not let her guard down. "We'll be civil towards each other. No more pranks and intentionally embarrassing me."
"Deal," Regulus replied after a moment and put his right hand forward. "Give me your word."
Andromeda hesitated for a few seconds, but then with renewed determination she took the offered hand. "I'll be watching you."
"I expect nothing less," he smiled mysteriously. "See you around, Potter."
With that, Andromeda proceeded on her way to her dormitories and strangely, her anger had disappeared entirely. What had happened just now, or what had caused Regulus to approach her as he did, she had no idea...but she certainly had a good feeling about it.
Right before turning to go up the stairs, she glanced back at the Great Hall's doors, but Regulus had already gone in.
A/N: I need a nickname for Andromeda...any ideas? As for chapter length, it will be up and down... until I manage to get a hold of a central plot idea that is not pointless drama.
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