CHAPTER ONE

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From the master suite in Nott Hall, Hermione Nott watched through the window as her husband sneaked away from their home for the fourth time that week. He refused to tell her where he had been disappearing to for the last two weeks on a regular basis and she was growing concerned. She refused to believe that he was up to anything that might prove to get him into trouble with the Ministry, but she could find no other excuse for his bizarre and secretive behaviour.

They had only been married for three weeks and it saddened her to think that he was already keeping secrets from her. Of course she had asked him about it, but Theo's only response was to ask for her patience and to tell her that she would know everything soon. Shaking her head, she turned away from the window and crossed back to their bed, covering herself with the luxurious sheets. After ten minutes of trying and failing to relax, she gave up and sat up.

"Harvey!" She called, smiling at the elf when he appeared next to the bed.

"You is calling for Harvey, Mistress Hermione?" He said, bowing to her. She rolled her eyes, but knowing that asking him not to was entirely useless, she ignored it.

"Where is Theo disappearing to lately, Harvey?" She asked and the elf's eyes widened as he shook his head.

"Master has forbade Harvey to tell Mistress," he exclaimed, "I is sorry Mistress but I simply cannot be telling you."

"Fucking hell," she groaned, dropping her head into her hands before looking back up at the house elf, "do you know where he's sneaking off to?"

"Of course Harvey is knowing," he exclaimed in outrage, "I is knowing everything young Master is doing."

"But you can't tell me?"

"No Mistress," He replied, shaking his head, his eyes growing wide when Hermione sniffled, "Mistress is upset!"

"Of course I'm upset!" She muttered, "we've been married for less than a month and Theo is already keeping secrets."

She dropped her face into her hands and cried, wondering if perhaps her instincts about her husband had been wrong and he was going to bring harm to himself or her. Could he really be involved in anything untoward? She was surprised to feel a small, bony hand curl around one of her own and allowed Harvey to uncover her face, even more surprised to see him smiling.

"Harvey cannot be telling Mistress what Master is doing," he said gently, "but I is telling Mistress she must not be worrying about it. I is knowing Mistress will be pleased, in the end."

"You're sure?" She whimpered and the elf nodded.

"I is positive," he grinned, "now Harvey is going to bring Mistress breakfast, and Mistress is to be relaxing."

She nodded with a sigh and watched as the elf bowed to her before disappearing. Her relationship with Harvey had become different once she had agreed to marry Theo, his loyalty becoming to her and not just Theo. Harvey had taken his love for Theo's mother and now used if in his care of Hermione, meaning that they had become close, in a strange kind of way. Hermione had grown to truly love the little elf and his straightforward way of looking after her and her husband.

He popped back in shortly afterwards with a tray holding all of her favorite foods, something which the elf knew would cheer her up and she ate it silently once he had disappeared. She tried to push all unwelcome thoughts of her husband out of her mind and resolved to use all of her frustration and focus it into some excercise, deciding to go swimming once her breakfast had settled.

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Theo returned to the Hall with a grin on his face, happy that his task was complete and he would soon be able to reveal all to his wife. He knew that she was worried, but he desperately wanted this to be a surprise for her and knew it would be worth it to see her face when she found out what he had been doing.

He hung his coat on the hooks inside the door and called for Harvey, intent on finding out where his wife was, but was surprised when Harvey informed him of her upset earlier in the morning. Sighing, he thanked Harvey and headed off for the one place he knew Hermione to go when she had energy that needed to be burned or emotions to be ignored.

"Maya?" He cslled, stepping into the pool room and finding the water calm and still, his wife nowhere in sight.

Frowning, he crossed the expansive room and walked into the shower room, confused when he found it empty too. He paused for a moment to consider other possibilities and set off at a jog when another idea cross his mind. Turning right from the pool and jogging up the corridor, he pushed open the library doors and found his wife, laying in the middle of the floor under the glass dome in the roof.

"What are you doing, love?" He asked, frowning down at her once he had crossed to stand above her.

"Thinking." She muttered, not looking at him and he sighed before sitting down and crossing his legs next to her.

"What's wrong?" He sighed and she glared at him, snorting.

"Are you seriously asking me that, Theo?" She asked angrily, "three weeks I've been your wife and already you find it necessary to keep secrets! Are you ever going to tell me where you've been running off to?"

"Maya…" he sighed, but she shook her head, clearly frustrated and her voice grew louder as she pushed herself up and stood, pacing in front of him.

"I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what the hell you've been hiding from me," she snapped, almost shouting now and Theo sighed, knowing she needed to get this off of her chest and allowing her yo rant at him, "but the only thing that makes any sense is you've found some gorgeous woman that you-"

"That I what, Maya?" He snapped, standing up and stopping her from pacing by putting his hands on her shoulders, "are you really going to accuse me of fucking another woman, because I honestly thought you knew me better than that!"

"What am I supposed to think?!" She shrieked before her shoulders suddenly slumped, "Harvey says that I will be pleased, but I hate that you're keeping secrets from me, Theo."

Theo sighed and pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and holding her close to his chest. He heard her sniffle as her arms gently wrapped around his waist and winced, knowing that these secrets had driven her crazy and found himself pleased that he could reveal all tomorrow. Pulling away, he pushed a kiss to her forehead.