Written for the Journey Through Hogwarts Challenge (Year 1 Classes - Herbology - someone who has grown as a person, vines, care, dirt)
Written for the Matchmaker Competition (TheodoreHermione)
How Things Have Changed
The last year had been a long and tiresome year for many people. There was constant change in power, new laws, and people involved who were probably better off dead. Whether they wanted to be or not, it was assumed and expected that every Slytherin would be on the side of the Dark Lord.
Theodore Nott saw the tired eyes and greyness that had become Draco Malfoy. He no longer slept at night, rather turning restlessly in his bed until the early hours of the morning. By the time four AM hit, he would be up and into the common room where he would sit in an armchair by the fireplace with blank eyes.
Theo wasn't sure why he knew this, or why he paid so much attention, but he did. The poor guy was suffering, and that seemed to put everything into perspective. At least his family wasn't housing the darkest, most powerful, wizard in the world. Compared to Draco, Theo's family scarcely had anything to do with the looming war, or the fight for power.
Nonetheless, he found himself retreating to the library in the evenings to escape the talk in his own house. Even after curfew he would sneak in, amazed that Madam Pince – who treasured books above her own life – kept the library locked only to an extent where it could be opened by a simple Alohomora.
Many things had changed this year, and Theo was one of them. He wasn't the bratty teenage boy who sniggered when he made a girl cry anymore, or a Mudblood got beat up. He had grown into a man, and that meant a lot to him these days.
With great care, the soft click of the library door indicated that he could enter. He pushed the door open and retreated to the Herbology section. It wasn't that he liked the subject, but there was something about reading up on odd plants such as vines that could strangle you, or choking on flecks of dirt that popped up when he opened the books, that distracted him.
The moment he reached the section, though, he realised he wasn't alone tonight. Hunched over a desk was a head full of bushy, brown hair. All that could be heard was the scratching of a quill.
"Oh, hello." She looked up – it was Hermione Granger, he realised. The bossy know-it-all Gryffindor. Friends with Harry Potter.
"What are you doing here?" He couldn't control the habit of using a cruel tone with her.
She merely glared at him. "Studying. Why are you here?"
Theo shrugged, taking up a seat opposite her. If his fellow Slytherins could see him now, they'd be horrified to see him willingly sitting with a Mudblood, especially Granger.
She watched him, clearly curious as to why he was there. He refused to answer.
They sat in silence, and after a while she returned to her scribbling. It wasn't until she got up without speaking did he reach out. She walked past, but he had long arms, and she was close enough for him to grab her by the wrist.
"What are you doing?" She tried to shake his hold, but he was stronger.
He looked at her, searching for words; but nothing came. Rather, their eyes met and he noticed for the first time that they were big and round and… frightened.
He dropped his hold and she continued on, running to get away from him. He stared after her, wishing she would come back. It wasn't as if he fancied the girl – why would he? – he just wished to see those round eyes again.
Why had he never noticed how beautiful she was?
I hope you enjoyed it. I've never written this pairing before, but of the cards I had, Hermione was the best option to go with Theo :P Please leave a review if you read it, would be much appreciated. Also, please shoot me a PM if you have a pairing/character/type of other relationship request. I am accepting and writing for them!