For the Quidditch League FanFiction Competition (ROUND 13: Pairing: Theo/Hannah)

Running

AlwaysPadfoot

"I want my sister found. Do you understand? I know she's here in the Alley's somewhere. She isn't stupid enough to go to one of her friends houses."

I pressed my back harder against the stone wall behind me, holding my breath and staying as still as I possibly could. If I gave away my position now I was going to be in so much trouble; he would kill me.

"You realise she's of age, right?"

It was a gruff voice that spoke, one that I hadn't heard yet in the conversation I probably shouldn't have been listening in to. I knew it though; it belonged to Theodore Nott.

My brother scoffed. "You know that's not how it works, besides she's still at Hogwarts and seventh year is compulsory now too."

Seventh year was compulsory? I must admit I considered not going back to Hogwarts, but I liked to think that the war would come to an end sooner or later and I needed my NEWTs to get anywhere afterwards.

"There's no trace on her wand so that makes it even harder to find her," Nott retorted, his tone edged with sarcasm.

"What my cousin is trying to say is he'll find her," another person interrupted abruptly.

I couldn't believe my he had hired someone to look for me. I couldn't believe one of those people happened to be one of my classmates. I stayed frozen behind the wall as they went their separate ways and then exhaled slowly realise I'd been holding my breath in those last moment.

I still couldn't quite believe I'd managed to get away from him; after last year at home I actually didn't think I would live this long. Actually if I got caught now, three days before Hogwarts, I was sure I wouldn't make it to the Hogwarts Express. I felt like I knew what was going through his head right now.

She's mine.

He'd said it enough to make me almost believe it.

Finally when my feet decided they were going to work again I slipped out of the spot I'd been hiding in and meandered down the cobbled back alley.

I spent half the time looking over my shoulder but it seemed for now I was safe.

Thunder woke me up early the next morning. I'd found myself a sheltered place to sleep between the empty boxes behind Borgin and Burkes. It felt cold for an August morning; I felt cold at least. Maybe it was Knockturn Alley. It always seemed a few degrees colder.

Since I was awake now, I might as well get moving, I couldn't stay in the same place all day. It occurred to me I might be safer in Muggle London but every entrance was probably being watched and I didn't have a licence to apparate. So effectively I was trapped in Magical London with no money and nowhere to stay. This was a stupid, stupid plan.

I dug my hands deep into the pockets of my too big trousers and crept out of the yard behind Borgin and Burkes.

It was very early; I didn't know how early. There was so little activity it felt eerily quiet. I kept looking back over my shoulder; ever sound made me jump; the storm rumbling above didn't help either.

Then I heard voices; snatchers perhaps ahead and I stopped dead. Someone moved in my eyeline and linked with me forcing me to turn down a narrow crooked alley out of sight. I twisted to look at whoever it was but they pulled me back into an inlet, there hand going over my mouth, shushing me. My heart was pounding as I heard the group of snatchers pass

"Got given a new girl to look out for."

"Oh yeah Abbott right."

There voices melted away and when they went silent I struggled in the grip of the stranger and tried to pull away. They let go easily and I twisted in the small space there was was, coming face to face with Theo Nott.

"Oh…" The sound escaped from my mouth without any second thought. "Nott. Look. Let me walk away please?"

His dark eyes watched me. "If I was going to hand you in I wouldn't have pulled you down this alleyway Abbott."

I studied him carefully, nervous. I'd never really spent any extended time with Theo Nott; I didn't know much about him. All I really knew about him that he was clever and quiet; I'd barely exchanged more that ten words with him before.

"What do you want then?" I asked.

Everyone wanted something.

"What do I want?" His eyes narrowed. "Why would you I assume I want something? Is it because I'm a Slytherin? Because I'm a boy? What is it?"

"I've learnt everyone wants something." I said slowly, my back against the wall, ready to run at a moments notice.

He looked at me holding his hand out to me. "I want to get you out of the Alley; is that enough of a reason for you?"

For now: that was good enough for me.

It was this or going back to Daniel and I never wanted to go back to Daniel. It was a leap of faith; one I was willing to do to prevent ever going back to my childhood home.