The Andromeda Galaxy

Chapter Six | A Few Metres Apart

"Should I get Sugar Quills, or Chocolate Frogs?" Dawn Wellington was in one of the many candy filled aisles of Honeydukes, trying to decide which sweet to purchase. She was holding the two packages in her hands, weighing them in her hand as if to help her decide what to get.

"Always go for the Chocolate Frogs." Andromeda replied, with a laugh. "What a stupid questioned."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Well, not all of us are chocolate fanatics like you, Andromeda." Nonetheless, Dawn put the Sugar Quills back on the shelf, taking the Chocolate Frogs.

"Good call." Andromeda replied with a smirk, seeing that her friend had gone with the chocolate.

"Don't think too highly of yourself." She said, with a laugh. Before Andromeda had the chance to respond, Dawn added in a near childlike manner, "Ooh, look, they have a new selection of candy!"

"Really?" Andromeda turned around, her interest peaked. She could see that Dawn was holding some sort of colourful package in her hand, but she couldn't make out quite what it was.

"Apparently this one tastes like your favourite food." Dawn shrugged, tossing the package in her friend's direction. "Sounds interesting."

Andromeda caught it, and read the label over. "Weird. I definitely need to try that now." She held out her hands. "Here, give me another one. I'll buy us a package each." She offered.

"Don't be silly, you don't need to do that Andy." Dawn said, with a sheepish smile. She didn't want Andromeda to have to waste her money on a silly package of candy for her.

"Don't worry about it." She replied, with a laugh. "They're not too expensive, anyway. It's on me. Count it as an extra early Christmas present." Andromeda joked.

"Well, thank you then." Dawn couldn't help but smile. She picked up another box of candies, reading the label with interest.

"Not a problem." Andromeda replied casually. She didn't feel like she had to be rewarded for being nice to a friend who had been more than kind to her in the past with everything that she had put her through. Andromeda rifled through the selection of new sweets, reading over their respective labels. One was a chocolate bar that made you sing, and another was a box of assorted candies in which each one made you do a certain dance move. She suddenly was broken from her thoughts when someone called her name.

"Dromeda, is that you?" It was the far-too-familiar voice of Ted Tonks.

Andromeda turned around, spotting Ted with his usual Hufflepuff entourage of Marley and Tristen. "No, it's Bellatrix actually." She replied sarcastically, though the hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

"No need to scare me like that." Ted grinned.

"Sorry." She said sarcastically, though her tone was a little more friendly than usual. She put the box of candies back on the shelf.

"How are you?" Ted asked.

"Me?"

"No, the other person who I was talking to."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, I suppose."

"That's good." Ted tossed a package in the air, catching it with his other hand. He grinned.

"It feels like we keep on running into each other." Andromeda said. "Quite literally, too." She recalled their encounter in the corridor.

"Maybe it's a sign from the fates." Ted joked.

"I highly doubt it." Andromeda responded. She glanced over her shoulder. "I should get back to my friend." She said, after an awkward pause. It seemed that Dawn had discovered some free samples, and was trying as many as she could.