I Just Wanna be Close

Ivy and Theodore Nott were sitting in the largest drawing room of the Nott estate. Their children had just been sent off to Kings Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express. Theo was gazing down at his slumbering wife with a wistful half smile lighting up his otherwise grim set features. One of Ivy's eyes popped open as her smile twisted into a cheeky grin.

"What are you thinking of, my love?" Theo whispered in her ear revelling in the shudder that ran through her. Hus interest piqued when she reached for her wand and conjured a tattered diary.

"Just read the specific pages that are marked." She said softly, as a shy smile graced her normal placid features.

Oooo I wanna be girl let me be
I wanna be everything your man's not
And I'm gonna give you
every little thing I've got
Cause you are more than a man needs
That's why I say you're truly my destiny
I'm gonna get cha
If it takes me until forever
No you don't feel me
if forever turns into never
I'll let you know my love
is just that strong
And for you never just ain't that long

Dear Diary,

He took me up there again. Only this time it was completely different, it was even more majestic than before. Well, it was really that he found me on the roof looking out into the afternoon sun.

I could sense his presence behind her; he seemed to carry an aura of confidence and authority. Oh, to be his witch. Don't think on it, stop even having hope. Sighing in resignation, I accepted my hopelessly normal life. His voice is like honey laced with a whiff of brandy, his hands so soft and comforting and his attention is a drug I fear to let go of. A tap on the shoulder drew me out of my reverie and back to the reality of the situation.

"'Ivy?", he said with undeniable ease.

"H-hi… how are you?" I stumbled uneasily, cursing my tongue for not working properly. What was it about him that rendered me speechless and made my mind feel the need to turn to mush? "What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Adequate." He said. Ignoring her last question, he motioned to the place next to her. "This seat taken yet?"

"No, but I was hoping that I might be able to find solitude here." I replied slightly happier at his suggestion. His arm snaked around my shoulders as we walked towards our destination.

In a moment of weakness, he turned to me and uttered a question that stunned me. He was never known to show much emotion. "I love you, you know that right?" he asked uncertainty in his voice. He sat on a bench and pulled me down next to him, almost desperate but ever so composed.

I sat there stock still, after what seemed like several hours I looked up into his soft hesitant gaze. "What?" I questioned lamely as I turned my face away.

"Ivy, I don't know how I should tell you this. But I thought you'd be happy to hear me say this." He said as he tilted my head upwards so he can look into my eyes. "I've loved you for a very long time, I have also had an idea you felt the same way about me. I want, no I need, more than this friendship we have. I want to be your boyfriend, will you be my girlfriend?"

Silence.

"Say yes. Merlin help me, please say yes." he pressed on eagerly feeling the atmosphere around us drop on his shoulders. "I swear that I will never hurt you, I'll be faithful and never leave."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Theo." She said voicing her opinion. "You will break my heart and leave me which in turn will hurt me, and soon your love will die. I'll run slowly if you're willing to catch me, but give me something to land on"

"Please, give me the chance to love you." He begged helplessly. "When I make a promise I will honour it 'till I die this I promise you."

Ivy.

Theo looked up, his eyes hazy from the memory of the first time they sat on the roof of the Astronomy Tower as a couple. He felt attracted to her then, even before then. He summoned an elf to get him some Butterbeer.

Pressing the book to the coffee table, Theo conjured another scruffy looking leather book. Green writing imposed upon the sleek black cover. It announced that the book belonged to Theodore Nott. Handing the book to his wife, the pages flicked before it carefully landed on an ink-blotched page. His messy writing adorned the page, she began to read.

I wanna be the smile
you put on your face
I wanna be your hands
when you say your grace
I wanna be whatever
is your favourite place, oh
I just wanna be close
I wanna be the hat you put on your head
I wanna be the sheets
you put on your bed
I wanna be the skirt
wrapped around your legs
Oh, I just wanna be close

And even if the day turns into night
I will love you by candlelight
And even if the water starts to run over
I'll be there to put you on my shoulder
And if it's hard for you to get to sleep
I will sing you a melody,
I wanna feel this way
Till the end of time, cause I pray one day
That you will be mine

DD,

She showed me the memory. The memory of the boy who truly broke her.

-Memory-

She was pushing me out the door with tears in her eyes "I told you, you would break your promise" she choked out tears streaming down her face. "I knew you were lying!"

"Baby, I love you. Believe me, that was a mistake." Jason pleaded as she turned to shut the door on him. "Don't do this to me baby, you're my world and you know that!"

Before she was able to slam the door clear in his face he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the house and towards him forcefully.

"Let go of me you, you-" she bit out angrily. "You lying, cheating bastard"

"Ivy, baby, please hear me out," the bastard begged wrapping his wiry arms around her waist and stroking her hair. "She forced me into kissing her. I didn't kiss her of my own will, I swear on this"

"And you're so good at telling the truth, right Jason" she spat, vehemence lacing her every word. "Don't ever come near me again!"

She quickly freed herself from his hold and raced away tears streaming down her face. The American boy sat down and covered his face as the force of his actions sunk in. He had lost the only thing that meant more than the world to him, how could he have been so stupid as to return that unwanted kiss. The urge to run after her was high but he pushed it away, what good would it do him anyway. She hated him now, nothing would ever change that.

-Memory-

I wanted to Avada the bastard. I just wanted to hold her as she cried, tell her that I'll protect her from other bastards. That maybe I could be her wizard. But she doesn't like me in that sense.

Theo.

Ivy wiped a stray tear from her cheek and beamed up at Theo who had begun to lean over for the second instalment of Ivy's diary entries. Settling themselves on the couch; Theo leaning against what should have been the armrest with Ivy's head leaning on his now thundering heart. The couple began to read again, but soon were interrupted when the book fell to the floor. It then emitted a sort of wispy silver grey light.

I wanna be the smile
you put on your face
I wanna be your hands
when you say your grace
I wanna be whatever
is your favourite place, oh
I just wanna be close
I wanna be the hat you put on your head
I wanna be the sheets
you put on your bed
I wanna be the skirt
wrapped around your legs
Oh, I just wanna be close

See my life's filled with up and downs
I'm ok when you're around
And when I'm in a storm
and my nights are cold
Reach out your hands for me to hold
See you're my queen on a throne
and you're the reason
For a song and I can't wait
to fill you up with love
Fill you with love.

The memory swirled between them, Ivy gasped in horror. Now she remembered that she had placed that memory.

"Cling!" a noise came from somewhere in the living room, it was her phone. She ran to get the message as quickly as she could, but as soon as she saw the sender she wished she'd took a lot longer than she had.

Ivy resolutely forced herself to feel no pity for her situation; no tears would be shed for him again. She would hold the fear, anger and sadness in, that was until she read the message "I still love you, happy anniversary."

Tears forming behind her eyes and layer upon layer of anger forming inside her being she sat down with a thud on the sofa, only to lift her feet up and lie down in the foetal position. Concerned for their mutual friend the other two girls carefully closed the door and shuffled toward the living area. The first thing they saw was the phone, it was hard to miss; it's bright luminescence against the dark dreary surroundings. Hesitantly they both reached for the object that seemed to have cut loose Ivy's last sane thoughts. Something akin to worry and pity was shining in her two friends' eyes as she chanced and glance, at that her stiff resolve not to shed one tear was eternally broken. Grabbing one of her abnormally large stuffed teddy bears, she gave every ounce of her energy she had left and hugged the poor bear within an inch of its life.

"Now if I know you well enough, you've already gone on a late night shopping spree and a midnight workout." Pansy said with humour in her voice.

"And if I'm not mistaken that's probably going to be She's the man or Dear John, or some other depressing movie along with a tub of cookies and cream ice cream." Hermione said, walking to the freezer and grabbing another two tubs of said ice cream.

Specks of light appeared through the balcony door, lighting up the dark room. The rush of sunshine caught Ivy off guard, for she had promptly covered her face with the stuffed toy that she was hugging only seconds before. Moments later her shoulders began shaking, tears freely trickling down her face as the ghost of her past came to haunt her.

"I hate the world" she declared to no one in particular.

The girls shared yet another worried glance before Hermione came to her friends' rescue, "I think what the world is trying to say, is get up and smile." Continuing she handed the other box of ice cream she was holding to Pansy. The two girls flanked their friend; Hermione sat at one end cradling Ivy's head and Pansy at the other starting on a foot and leg massage. "You managed to ignore him for the past three and a half years, why start feeling sorry for yourself now?"

"Why did he have to message me?" Ivy sniffled loudly "I was gaining back my sanity until, THAT!" pointing at the offending object that lay conveniently on her heaving chest, containing the seething rage was increasingly difficult for her. Slamming her tightly held fist on the couch she let out a pained shriek before relaxing, if only for awhile until her phone let out a soft 'click'. The fireplace burned a bright green as Theo stepped through the flames only to scoop up his long time love into his arms.

"I'm here, nothing can hurt you." He whispered comfortingly as she sobbed into his chest. "I'll protect you." I love you.

I wanna be the sun,
your stars, your moon
I wanna be a hot summer day in June
I wanna be the smell
of your sweet perfume
I just wanna be close
I wanna be the seed
That bare your life brand new
I wanna be the one
that's so faithful and true
I wanna be the man down that aisle
in that suit, yes
I just wanna be close

Being careful not to mistreat the books, the couple left them safely on the couch only to get up and dance to their song. They danced through the night and not once let go of each other.

Many years later, the grandchildren asked them how it is that they stayed together for such a long time. The elderly couple simply replied, "We just wanted to be close." At the ripe old age of 150 both Theodore and Ivy Nott were found lying in their matrimonial bed holding each other as they drifted off happily together into death.