Excessive situations

- A companion fic to Drastic measures (A Dramione fic) and the to-be-published Dire circumstances and Unserious troubles. – Each fic follows one of the four wizards, Draco Malfoy, Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini and Harry Potter. This one is focused on Theo and can be read as a stand-alone fic if you don't want to read the first in the short series.

Warnings: M-rating for a reason, language (lots of swearing), small hints at substance abuse and m/m slash smut.

Disclaimer: I own sod all but the plot… unfortunately. But if she'd give up Neville and Theo I'd gladly take them off her hands :-D All hail to the legend that is JKR! Cover image definitely isn't mine, but I would have loved to have been there when it was taken!

This will be a five-part story and it's fully written. I will update it every Thursday for the coming weeks. Also, the smut won't appear in the first or the second chapter, just so you know.
And I truly hope that you'll enjoy this as it's my first real foray into a M/M slash relationship.

HBSJ

Part 1

Theodore Nott was usually a patient man. A patient, level-headed and fun-loving man. Well, that went completely out the window when around those two.

His best friends in the world, Draco and Hermione made him want to gag at least once a day, and that just did not suit him. They were sickeningly in love. It was disgusting and nauseating and bleeding boring.

And he was endlessly jealous of them.

Jealous of what they had together.

He didn't have love in his life. Sure, he had his best mates and Hermione and all but it was nothing like that. Nothing like that all-consuming understanding and happiness that passed between them. He would have never pegged himself for someone who was jealous of a connection like that.

But he was.

He, a confirmed bachelor who had been sampling and very much enjoyed the sweet nectar of life. And the many, many men that had passed through his bed. He had often ended in some crazy over the top situation and he had always made the most it of every single time.

He had enjoyed it all so much. It was perfect and it was more than enough for him. He didn't need anyone to tie him down, he just wanted to enjoy life really. Which inevitably meant a lot of shagging, a lot of drinking and a hell of lot of laughing.

His life had been just perfect until that time last year when he'd decided to help his two friends get together. A surprise for Draco's birthday in the form of Hermione wrapped neatly in a fucking bow and stripper heels and of course they'd finally seen the light.

Draco had been pining for Hermione for fucking years before that, it was so endlessly boring to listen to his whining and annoyingly chivalrous self-depreciation. When Hermione had opened her eyes to him finally and had started flirting with him intentionally, he had been completely oblivious. It would have been laughable if it wasn't so fucking tragic at the same time.

So, in cohorts with Hermione, they had come up with a rather drastic plan which worked like a charm if he said so himself - and he did.

But now that left him at a crossroads of sorts. Seeing his two best friends so blissfully in love was harder that he would have thought. They weren't overt or anything but it was their subtle touches, the small smiles, the looks that passed between them, like they had a secret, which they probably fucking had. Insert eye-roll here.

He wanted that for himself now and it was all their fault. It obviously didn't matter that he'd helped them actively on the way to their blissful relationship. Obviously it was still their bloody fault.

He was walking through the corridors of his extensive home with his three dark grey Great Danes. Nott Manor was way too big for just him but it was his own home now that his father wasn't there to taint the place with angry dark magic. It had gotten its former grandeur back which reminded him of his beloved mother, who had passed away when he was just ten years old.

He had started extensive renovations on his home, bringing it up to date and shed the gloomy darkness. Mostly he did it himself, because of course his taste was exquisite but it was utopia to think that the women in his life wouldn't help him with the large project.

Whether he wanted their help or not.

Narcissa Malfoy was visiting almost daily now, bringing cloth samples and paint samples and often staying for both tea and dinner. He knew she was lonely in her own massive mansion and his refurbishment was a perfect project for her to tackle now that her son was happy with Hermione as she impatiently waited for grandchildren. Which she hinted at as much as she possibly could when around the two.

After the war and especially after his father had passed, she had just seamlessly interjected herself into his life and now he couldn't imagine life without her. She was the closest thing to a mother he had and she loved showering him with attention as well as Draco.

When he came out after the war, she had scoffed haughtily at his family's reaction to him being gay and had basically glossed the whole thing over with press. She even went as far as saying publicly that judging from the amounts of indecent proposals she had received from both male and female members of the press, should have them all rinsing their mouths out with stink-sap if they tried to further slander her darling Theodore. The very pointed and perfected Malfoy-glare she'd then levelled at them had them cowering before her.

After that, the press about him was usually in his favour but that could also be too much. He was sick of being painted as a tragic hero from a dark family turned light and then gay. It was fucking bullshite all of it but the public, it seemed, ate it all raw.

He heard a distant bell that signalled that a floo visitor had arrived in the lounge. He turned around, whistled and the three dogs happily bounded after him towards their guest. He knew it was a friend and not a foe, the wards on his manor was extensive and both he, Draco and Harry had added to them. Blaise had also insisted on adding his own version of wards which basically made him a part of the Nott family when it came to his wards. Theo couldn't really be bothered to change it, Blaise would never exploit it… Much.

He didn't get many random visitors at the manor, it was usually just his closest friends and Narcissa. None of the men he'd brought to his manor stayed long and he usually had no interest in inviting them back.

"Why, hello you beauties!" He could hear a familiar female voice cooing at his dogs who had bounded ahead of him. When he rounded the corner, he saw Hermione Granger laughing, sitting on the hearthrug with all three Great Danes strewn around her, licking her and clamouring for her attention. He chuckled at the sight, though the dogs were huge, they really wanted to be lapdogs if they could get away with it. He had two fully grown Great Danes, Max and Gus and a puppy he hadn't been able to resist at the shelter the last time he was there, Sophie.

It really was Hermione's fault that he had the dogs at all, she had introduced him to not only muggle technology, evident by the phone in his pocket and the television in the next room but also to other muggle concepts and he had been fascinated. When they'd visited the animal shelter for the first time, he had promptly taken in Max and Gus. He was so drawn to their imposing looks, their regal stance, the way they carried themselves a bit haughtily, which clashed perfectly with their more playful side and they looked positively ludicrous when they ran full pelt towards him out in the garden, huge paws, flappy ears and drool flying. He loved them dearly.

He crossed his arms but he couldn't keep the smile off his face as he spoke. "Hermione, you look absolutely ridiculous down there."

She just grinned at him. "Then come join us, silly! Who's a good boy, huh Max? And you're a good boy too Gus, yes you are, yes you are." She cooed at them while petting them happily.

He just shook his head in exasperation but sat down opposite her and crossed his legs none the less. Sophie crawled into his lap and he absentmindedly started petting her. "What can I do for you today my lady?"

"Actually,-" She huffed as she fought off Max's repeated attempts at licking her face. "-I came to invite you to my birthday. It's at the manor and of course Narcissa has turned it into this crazy huge society event because it is now my birthday masquerade ball." She drawled the last bit, very Malfoy-like, and he couldn't help but laugh when she rolled her eyes. "And it's Saturday next so I don't care what you're supposed to be doing. You're coming."

He grinned at her order. "Yes ma'am."

"Oh shush Theo."

A chime sounded from the kitchens and the dogs surged towards the door, little Sophie following as fast as her shorter legs would carry her. Hermione looked questioningly at him. "It's the food-chime. Missy has their food bowls ready in the kitchens."

"Ah, that makes sense." She made no move to get up from the floor but he stood up and sat on the large moss green sofa she was leaning against.

"So, what's the birthday-girl wearing to the ball?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Narcissa has it all planed out, I'm sure I'm going to look like a Christmas tree with tinsel. I've gotten a shimmering dark green dress with gold metal accents which leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, Draco loves it of course, a gold and silver mask with black feathers and black and silver shoes. It's very over-the-top."

"Oh hush Hermione, you know you love it. Narcissa has fabulous taste." She smiled ruefully at him. "Those two shower you with adoration, as well they should."

She waved his compliment away. "Enough about me, what about you? What will the most eligible gay wizard in Britain wear to my ball?"

He rolled his eyes. "Will you please stop using that term?"

She shrugged and gave him a mischievous smirk. Very Malfoy-like. He would swear that she had some Slytherin-traits in her, or at least some long lost Slytherin relative. "It was in Witch Weekly again this year, everyone knows you are the catch of a decade for some lucky guy."

He stayed silent, but actually he wanted to growl, he had hated the bad press but now he wasn't certain if he didn't hate the good press more. Of course, he liked the male attention that it garnered for him but he didn't care much to be some spectacle in the gossip rags.

He sniffed haughtily and she just grinned at him. Really, what was the point of have friends if they weren't at least a little bit scared of you? But with Hermione? Fucking nothing.

Goddammit.

For once, he had relented and taken Sophie to Diagon Alley with him. She had been whiny and clingy all morning and he really needed to run a few errands. He knew he had a huge soft spot for his dogs. When they whined and gave him those eyes, he was reduced to a cuddling teddy bear who would do absolutely anything for them. Which meant that he was now walking down Diagon Alley with her on a leash.

The street wasn't crowded at all, despite it being a Saturday. A few of the kids petted Sophie happily but some of the older witches and wizards fled from the panting excited puppy straining at her leash to lick and eat anything and everything around her.

He tried desperately to keep Sofie under control but it wasn't going too well. She was too excited and happy to be out and get petted by so many people. Why the hell he'd thought it was a good idea to bring her was baffling to him just then.

Up ahead, there was a figure of a rather handsome man and Theo instantly zoomed in on him. He was tall, a bit taller than himself, with short well-groomed dark brown hair and a groomed short beard gracing his strong jaw. His movements were controlled, his body looked strong and lean and Theo was very intrigued. He didn't recognize the man at all but he took in his features happily. He was wearing muggle jeans, a white button up and an opened grey tailored woollen coat. It suited him. He looked effortlessly elegant. His hair was artfully tousled and his beautiful deep brown eyes startled Theo as they focused on him suddenly.

He was drowning in those eyes, even from this far away. There was something in them that seemed to call to him.

A spark of something. Something important.

In his complete distraction he'd forgotten to keep a good enough hold on Sophie's leash and she bounded away from him, running directly towards the man who had captured Theo's interest. His heart stopped as Sophie started jumping up and down at him, trying to get into the man's coat pocket which was clearly holding something akin to treasure for her.

He stood rooted to the spot and almost choked when he saw the man crouching down on one knee and pulling out some sort of dried meat, which he happily shared with Sophie as he patted her and she begged for more. Only when the man looked up and gave him a penetrating heated look did it jolt him into action.

He walked briskly forward and apologized profusely. Well, as profusely as his rigid pureblood upbringing would allow him. "My apologies, I lost her leash for a moment. I hope she hasn't soiled your clothing." He knew he sounded like a pompous arse, but there was nothing for it. He didn't really know how to apologize without sounding like that.

He took that opportunity to let his eyes wander over the impressive form of the wizard. He was perfect and very much unknown to Theo, he needed to know this stranger's name so he could see him again. He didn't know if he was straight or not but something deep within him just knew that he wasn't.

The stranger smiled widely, showing a set of fucking perfect pearly white teeth. "It's no problem at all, she's a dear, isn't she."

Theo smiled at the compliment and took the leash to make sure that Sophia didn't run from him again. "She is, I'm very fond of her." He paused, unsure how to continue and he didn't do unsure. It wasn't the Nott-way. A thought occurred to him, he ought to introduce himself. "If you find there is a problem with your clothing, please forward the cleaning bill to me at my house, I am Theodore Nott."

The man stood, he wasn't that much taller than him, just a couple of inches or so and he smelled heavenly. Theo inhaled surreptitiously and the scent of fresh greenery along with something elusive, maybe lemony and intrinsically this man, assaulted his nostrils. It almost made him sway but he schooled his features into a mask of indifference, it was a defence mechanism and he knew that, but it felt safe. His emotions were running way too high for being emotional in public in broad daylight so he needed that mask.

"Well, then I guess we aren't really strangers after all." The oh-so-beautiful man smiled genially and he found himself wanting to sample that full bottom lip. "I'm Neville Longbottom, we were in the same year at Hogwarts."

He stared. His mask slipped and his eyes widened comically. What the actual fuck? Neville fucking Longbottom? The chubby unattractive Gryffindor had grown into this outstanding specimen of male perfection?

Neville just grinned at him and it made his heart pound in his ears and his knees fucking weaken. "I've seen you in those articles and I've wondered if we'd ever meet again. You've changed a lot too you know,-" He paused for effect and then lowered his voice as he leaned closer to him, giving Theo a quick onceover. "-and I like what I see." And then he winked at him. Winked! Theo was gobsmacked and completely caught in those dark brown orbs. Was Neville actually flirting with him? And did his eyes actually sparkle with gold? He blinked, trying to clear his befuddled mind but it just didn't seem to work.

Neville then crouched down and rubbed Sophie under her chin, stood up and smiled that beautiful smile of his. "I hope to see you around Theo." And the just walked away, leaving Theo standing in the middle of Diagon Alley, completely and utterly mind-fucked.

Please let me know what you think!
(And yes, I am working on the next chapter for The yoga instructor! :-D)

HBSJ