Delayed confrontation...

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda walked wearily up the stairs from her DADA class, they were getting more and more exhausting though they were only all about theory this year and no practical. At least except for their boggart class, that had been an endurance in itself. She flung her bag over her shoulder and yawned, her bed was looking really good about now. She stopped for a minute on the fourth floor and looked down over the bannister. The year had been such a mixed bag for her and she didn't know if she liked it or not. As she was about to move off she remembered the last time she had stopped at this particular spot and sighed. Njord Aesir was alive thank goodness but the memory of that prank was also alive and well in the hearts and minds of many they had fooled. She still felt pretty sore about it and frowned. She had actually been stupid enough to place a yellow rose here, in honour of their friendship. What a fool she had been. Then again she seemed to be pretty much the fool lately anyhow where guys were concerned.

 

[Njord Aesir]

Njord rounded the corner on the fourth floor and nearly ran into a girl at the bannister. He stopped short and almost tried to sneak away. It was Andy. He hadn't seen her since before he 'died' and he was not looking forward to seeing her. Andy was amazing as well as extremely passionate about her friends. He wasn't sure Kailey would forgive him but he was even more unsure if Andy would.

"Um...hi...Andy, um...so what's new." he stuttered, secretly praying she would turn the silent treatment on him.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Hearing him say hello Andy turned to look at him. She wanted to say something but the words wouldn't come out. What was she going to do yell her head off? Whip out her wand and retaliate the way she had with Bruin? She had seriously thought he had died, gotten up and made a speech for goodness sake about how much she would miss him. And the whole time it had been a prank. She turned away again and looked back over the bannister.
"I don't think I'm quite ready to talk to you yet" she muttered, had he any idea how much people cared about him, how utterly destroyed alot of them had been.
She wanted to stay quiet and hope that he would walk away but when had she ever really stayed quiet regarding her friends. Andy was alot of things and loyal beyond belief for them was one of them. She spun around and looked at him.
"Why Njord, why? just give me one good reason other than teaching the pranksters a lesson".

 

[Njord Aesir]

Njord understood Andy when she said she didn't want to talk to him. He was almost relieved. When she turned around and asked him why he began to panic. "Um...I don't know." That was a lame answer and he knew it. "Okay, I'm sorry, that's not true and I do owe you an explanation." Njord ran his fingers through his hair and focused his eyes on his shoes.

"Look," he continued. "When Bruin came to me and explained what he was planning I was all for it but he insisted on it being completely secret. I couldn't even tell Kailey. I had to beg him to let me tell my mom. I'm really really sorry but I didn't have a choice...well not much of one really." Njord continued looking at his feet and leaned up against the wall. He waited for Andy to let him have it. He deserved it and he knew it.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda wanted nothing more than to levitate him over the bannister and leave him dangling there. That's how she had felt, almost in limbo after her friend had supposedly died. There was no other way to describe it, the world was continuing but her own had slowed down to almost a complete stop. He mentioned Kailey and she shook her head, she had suffered more. Looking at him now Andy wondered why she didn't let rip at him? But the answer to that he had given himself, it had been Bruin's idea. Even Njord had to beg to allow his mother in on the secret, imagine if she hadn't. The thought was almost too much. Andromeda knew she had been way too easy on her prefect.
"You are so lucky I don't blast you with my wand" she told him, her voice had an almost defeated quality to it. How could she really and truly be mad when the other side of the coin was that he was alive! Not dead, not taken from them prematurely forever. He was here and that was really all that mattered.
"I think I was a little too easy on Bruin by a long shot but you're also lucky that you left some time pass. People have been so hurt and so angry Njord" she shook her head again before giving him a slight nudge, "should really toss you over the bannister but... I guess I'm just grateful you aren't really... well, you know".

 

[Njord Aesir]

Njord let out a little silent sigh of relief. "I am so sorry again, I should be thrown over the bannister, by you and many others." He nudged her back and then gave her a quick, friendly hug. "I promise not to die again, I hope you'll forgive me and stay my friend. You were the first and I would loose my mind if I lost your friendship." He smiled his boyish playful smile at her. "Besides, I could use the back up against everyone else who wants to kill me."

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy hugged him back and nudged him in return afterwards.
"Well so long as you promise" she smiled, "And if anyone even attempts to get back at you, they'll have me to deal with. I can be pretty scary when I want to be".

Andromeda smiled once more, relieve washed over her. It really was great to have him save and whole. It must have been so difficult for him, especially having to even beg for his mother to be let in on the secret.
"So how are classes then?" she wanted him to know the subject could be dropped now between them, there was nothing to forgive. Gratitude did that to a person.