Title: High Marks
Author: Julian-Juliana
Rating: T+ (Highly suggestive content and light swearing)
Warning: OOC, Crazy! Hermione
Pairing: Hermione Granger/Theodore Nott
Summary: One Shot-Theodore has a plan. A good one, too. He's going to graduate number one in the class, and he refuses to let that doe-eyed nymph stop him!
A/N: I thought I'd put this together for a little Hermione/Theo time I'm itching for. In my other fic, Lineage, his crush on her is not going well for him, so I took pity...sort of. Enjoy, please. Read and review and tell me your thoughts. :)
"No," Hermione moaned while shaking her head. She pressed against the boy's shoulders and glared up at him. "I know why you're doing this, and may I say that I think you are vile!"
"That's absurd. You agreed to accompany me to this…" the boy paused and scanned his surroundings like he had forgotten where had taken them, "empty classroom."
"Because I thought you needed to speak with me. Your request sounded important."
"And you don't think this is important? I'm offended. Am I truly that wretched of a kisser?"
The girl opened her mouth and then closed it, twisting her mouth into an inquisitive pinch as if debating the latter question. "Well, it certainly isn't the worst kiss I've ever been on the receiving end. I admire your enthusiasm, but I suggest you keep it simple for the first fifteen seconds before initiating tongue. Not that you are misusing the organ, Mister Nott. It's just Frenching right away is disconcerting for most girls." She sighed and slipped off the desk Theodore had perched her bum on moments before. She then stepped to the side to put some distance between them. "Nevertheless, I'm not going to give you a lecture on how to properly kiss girls. Although I highly recommend you seek counseling. Perhaps from your fellow peers, even. Malfoy isn't bad," she stated and wiped the corners of her mouth with her thumb and middle finger.
"You've kissed Draco?" the boy balked, his cheeks pinking and eyes dilating in jealous fury.
The witch scoffed and cast him a wicked smile. "I did a lot more than that, Mister Nott. How else were we going to entertain ourselves in detention? But I do admit, we started being purposefully disruptive in Professor Snape's class just to spend time together. Last year was certainly…elevating." She sighed again, this time with a hint of regret. "Yet, our meetings had to come to an end. His jealousy of Harry was truly outrageous."
Theodore frowned and asked, "Weren't you and Potter dating last year?"
"Stop with the questions, Mister Nott. I know you're trying to distract me from reprimanding you."
"I can't say that I was intentionally doing so, but now that you mention it…"
"Look," Hermione placed her hands on her canted hips, "let's cut to the chase, shall we? I know why you dragged me in here, and it wasn't to talk…per se but seduce a negotiation out of me. I will say here and now, Theodore Nott, that will never happen. I will not under any circumstances let you become valedictorian."
Blast, Theodore inwardly exclaimed. How did she know I was trying to do that?
"Well, it's only obvious," she said as if reading his thoughts. A few desks away from where he plopped her bum, she sat on one primly and gently rested her hands in her lap, gifting the boy a look a mother would give a newborn baby. "A week ago in the Headmaster's office when professor Dumbledore summoned us there to congratulate us both on our high marks. He told us that it was still undecided who the valedictorian would be, and you nearly had a hissy fit."
"I did not nearly have a hissy fit, Granger. I didn't say a bleedin' thing."
"Which was totally rude of you, may I add? When the headmaster congratulates you on a job well done, it's polite to say thank you. I can't believe I'm telling you about good manners, Mister Nott. I could've sworn I read some rubbish about how financially privileged purebloods attended some silly finishing school for a few weeks each summer between school years from the ages of three to seventeen. Hmmm, pity. Daddy's money gone to waste on another bigoted brat. I swear all of you Slytherin boys are the same. You talk like you have good breeding, but most of you are nothing but well-groomed dogs with pedigree." She wiped her mouth again and added, "Some of you even slobber."
Theodore openly gaped at her and fingered the bridge of his glasses, pushing them upwards because they slipped down a bit during his snog with her. He then scratched behind his ear and refused to believe his mate, Draco, had intimacy with this girl. She was awful! How had he never noticed before? From far away, she was pretty, delicate looking like a soft yellow rose blooming in the spring time. She gave the impression of being…un-plucked. The boy couldn't have agreed more with the statement that looks could be deceiving.
"You should be so lucky that a wizard of my upbringing would ever-"
"Lower yourself to even contemplate touching a Mudblood," she finished and sarcastically smashed the back of her hand to her forehead like she was feeling faint from being offended. "Oh, Theo, your words hurt me so. Yet, I feel so…" she dropped her hand and pinned him a smoldering stare, "aroused."
The Slytherin took a step back and slowly. Lions were prone to attack without warning. Word in the pit was that their mauling resulted in psychological trauma. Just take Montague for instance, poor sod.
Hermione then burst into a fit of hysterics and swung her legs in mirth. "Oh, Godric, you should've seen your face! It was priceless. Even better than Draco's when I told him the same thing after the first time we shagged. He actually broke into a sprint, though." She exhaled in nostalgia and shook her head. "Didn't get far. They never do."
And this was what Theodore Nott was going against for the slot of valedictorian.
He suddenly felt ill.
What was unbelievable, though, was that he still fancied the bint, dammit. It was a shame her mouth didn't hide the fact she was an undeniably lovely creature wrapped in an innocent school girl fantasy he often dreamt. Like every day, she wore her carefully pressed uniform, but unlike the other girls in the school, trousers adorned her legs. It was after class hours, so she needn't chiding from the professors. He'd found her in the library giving assistance to Madam Pince. Theodore dared thought it was a brilliant idea on Hermione's part to wear such a masculine piece of clothing, but if she was climbing ladders to put away books, any pervy sod could stand at the bottom and lecherously peer upwards to see her knickers.
Unlike most blokes, he didn't mind girls in trousers. He especially liked Granger in them. The modest uniform skirts did her no justice despite the nice view of her stocking-covered calves. With the trousers, however, he got to see the pleasant shape and length of her legs as well as the delectable arse. He often pondered on how she was able to keep it such a cute, tight shape with the amount of ice cream she ate for dessert each night.
Her curly hair was held together at the base of her skull with pins and earlier, when he tested the texture with his fingers, the tresses felt buttery silk. Everything about her was attractive and the depiction of virtue, yet she was decidedly…not. The brilliant idea of seducing her out of the spot of valedictorian and her virginity was a joke. She wasn't going to melt into a puddle of Gryffindor kitty and allow him to take what he thought was his. For one, she wanted to be number one of the class of '98 as much as he did. For the second reason, she had no virginity from the sounds of it. She could have very well given her precious gift to that underserving albino quack.
Or worse, Potter!
Hot jealousy ran through his veins, and Theodore could appreciate the reasoning of why Draco let Hermione go. If she was philandering about with that wanker…Salazar, the Slytherin boy could hardly think, his mind wrapped up in the image of that bespectacled fool putting his grubby hands on someone so, so, so…
He was about to think perfect, but that would be a lie.
"You're very quiet," Hermione pointed out as she hopped to her feet. "I didn't mean to frighten you so badly for you to stop speaking. Usually when I make boys uncomfortable, they run away. You're a rare find, Theodore Nott, but I refuse to let myself slacken for your favor. After graduation, I plan on attending uni, and I want as many scholarship opportunities I can get my hands on. There aren't many designated for girls because many of them marry, get jobs for a bit then marry, or have some career plan and get accepted into a program. I simply want to further my education and know all there is to know before deciding the rest of my life. Now that's my reasoning for wanting to be valedictorian. What's yours? Why do you think you deserve it more than I do?"
Furrowing his brow, he replied, "Because I worked harder for it than you have."
"Oh," she said as if enlightened. With one arm around her middle, she rested her opposite elbow atop of it and cupped her chin pensively. "Have you?"
"Yes."
"For what purpose?"
What an odd question, Theodore inwardly alleged. "Why does anyone want to be valedictorian?"
"Anyone doesn't, Mr. Nott. You ask each person at this school if they want to be and most will say no if they're not stupid. They don't want to make the sacrifices and do the hard work. They're happy with Acceptables and Exceeds Expectations. They're happy getting by. I, for one, am not. So I ask again, why do you want to be valedictorian?"
"…"
"Wow, for that many reasons? Slow down, Mister Nott, I'm getting dizzy," she griped sarcastically and started towards him, her hips swaying with each step.
Theodore shrugged, not having much to say. Now that she asked, and he had time to think about it, he wasn't sure why he wanted the honors. Perhaps it had something to do with him being so close, he might as well shoot for the gold.
"Maybe I don't have a reason like yours, Granger, but I got this far without one. Who says there needs to be a reason for greatness?"
Hermione hummed in consideration and shrugged. "You may have a point, but mine is better just like my grades are and will be for the rest of the semester. Graduation is in five months where I will receive honors for my work. I'll probably give a speech, too, being Head Girl and all. Well, at least you have that going for you. Beating out Malfoy, Zabini, Coroner, and McMillan couldn't have been easy.
Theodore hoped he looked insulted because he was. Couldn't have been easy? It was all so easy. All he had to do was write a twelve-inch report on why he would be better suited for Head Boy above the other applicants. Draco was a troublemaker, for one. As for Blaise, three girls had to leave the school quietly for abdominal discomfort. Coroner was power-hungry, and McMillan was as threatening as a soft, newborn puppy.
"Yes," Theodore murmured, "at least I have that. I'm sure being Head Boy will impress my future employees."
"Take comfort that you already have a life waiting for you after graduation, Mister Nott. Also, I don't think any of your employees will be impressed with you regardless of your achievements here at Hogwarts. You are going to be barely eighteen in a society full of wrinkly, old men. No one is going to take you seriously. You still have pink in your cheeks, for Merlin's sake."
"Indeed," he admitted, feeling the need to hang his head in shame but refrained. "But when I get married and have a child, that will all change."
"And that's what I find funny about this world compare to the Muggle one. You all believe that having a wife and family qualifies you for adulthood when really it doesn't." She chuckled and stole another step towards him, staring up at him curiously. She placed a hand on his chest and rubbed experimentally as her head tilted back, her toes rising to their tips.
"What are you doing?" the boy asked, frowning at her slightly puckered lips and hooded eyes.
Her left brow arched. "I thought it was rather obvious."
"You said I need practice."
"And so I was going to tutor you. Your good friend Draco isn't around to give you any pointers, so I will have to suffice."
"Who says I want to kiss you again?"
She flinched like she'd been slapped, her seductive face morphing into a snarl. "You blithering idiot, everyone wants to kiss me!
And then she slapped him, the sound echoing off the vacant wall of the empty classroom. His head whipped to the side with his palm gingerly cupping the stinging imprint on his face.
"Bloody hell, witch, what was that for?" he growled. He'd never been hit by a girl before. A witch was never supposed to hit a fellow wizard. Well…technically…a wizard was never supposed to hit a witch, either but according to old law, they needed discipline sometimes.
"For being a dolt! For over a year you've been crushing on me, and now that I'm willing to give you a chance despite your ill attempt of seducing my honors away from me, you act like a scared little boy."
"I'm not acting like a scared little boy!"
"You look like one, too!"
"Rubbish," he accused and backed away from her but not far because she grabbed the material of his shirt to keep him close. "And I haven't liked you-"
"Liar," she said and rolled her eyes while slipping her arms around his middle. She was still up on her toes to decrease the amount of distance between their faces. He was quite a bit taller than her. "So tell me, Mister Nott. How hard has it been for you these past five months sharing the Head Dormitory with me?"
Unbearable, he replied inside his head.
"I hope I haven't made it so difficult for you," she said softly, but he could hear the force behind her tone. "Does it make you uncomfortable when I wear nightwear in the common room?"
"I haven't seen you in your nightwear. If I did, would it make me uncomfortable?"
"We can find out. Dinner is almost ready in the Great Hall and afterwards we can retire to our respected humble abode...together."
Theodore debated the offer, weighing the pros and cons and coming to the conclusion that both sides were relatively equal. Sighing pathetically, he shook his head. "I can't. Draco wants to have a game of chess."
"He can come, too."
"…uh…no?"
She scoffed and stepped away from him. "Are you really blowing me off for a bloody game of chess? A game you can play with your playmate any time you want? Do you think I'm going make this kind of offer again?" After a beat, she added, "To you, I mean?"
"Well-"
"I'm offering you to have a good gander with me in my underthings. A fantasy you've been wanking off to forever now, and you'd rather play chess with Malfoy? Maybe you are…what's the polite term people are calling it these days…confused?"
"I'm not confused!" he shouted.
"Not that I blame you. Malfoy is a fine specimen, and if you were going to disappoint your archaic traditional values, I suppose he would be worth it to do so. No judgment on my part at all."
"I'm not refusing you because of that. I'm refusing you because I initiated this entire mess, so you would back down and let me be valedictorian and have your virginity."
Much to the surprise of Theodore, she burst into a fit of guffaws.
"Oh, my Gods! Really? You actually thought…HA HA HA!"
It took her some time to sober. A good minute at least before she exhaled noisily and wiped her mirthful tears from her eyes and prettily pinked cheeks. Her eyes were all dewy and chocolate looking and not at all offended on what he confessed. She cocked her head to the side and said, "Oh, Theodore. My sweet, precious Theodore. I like you more every day, every hour, every minute."
He would have been elated if she hadn't sounded like she was talking to a basket full of baby kittens, but she then grabbed the clasp of his belt and nimbly undid it in a few short seconds with one hand. Alarmed, he embarrassingly squealed and jumped back. "What are you doing?"
Undeterred, she stepped forward and popped open his trousers and zipper with a vastly skilled hand. His hands went to redo her undoing but paused when she rose up on her tip toes and kissed his chin before slithering down to her knees.
"Granger," he yelped and she sniggered.
"Your shoe is untied, you silly boy. I'm only tying it for you," she explained and he relaxed at feeling the laces tighten over his foot. "But now that I'm down here…"
"GAH!"
A minute later…
Hermione stood up and wiped her mouth for the third time that evening and curiously staring down at Theodore. He was lying flat on his back with his brown eyes pinned to the ceiling, his chest caving in and puffing out dramatically.
"I've never had a boy fall over before," she said and smiled sympathetically. "Are you all right?"
He said nothing but simply laid there.
"I apologize. I thought you would enjoy it."
His focus snapped towards her. "You didn't even ask permission, Granger."
Owlishly, Hermione blinked, her eyebrows knitting together with her hairline. "Well…I'm sorry. I hope you don't feel wronged, assaulted, or raped in the slightest. I mean…you didn't push me away. You didn't say stop. You just grunted, fell over, and grunted some more. Was I supposed to interpret that as a stop? Did you not like it?"
"Not like it?" His voice rose sharply and rose into a sitting position. "I haven't even-"
"You haven't had one before? What? I don't believe that for a fluffing second, Theodore Nott. I've heard what Daphne Greengrass says in the loo between classes, and you are anything but an undeveloped neonate."
"Daphne? What does she say?"
"All kinds of things," Hermione vaguely explained with an intrigued smirk, her eyes roaming his body unabashedly. "Fascinating things. From what I've seen, she was not exaggerating."
"Which is odd because she's never…you know…seen me in such a state. We've never…" He blushed and climbed to his feet, shifting uncomfortably. He shrugged but, hey, he never got around to it, all right. Yeah, he figured he and Daphne would eventually get there, but then she started getting all tease-like and saying rubbish about waiting for marriage. So he saw an opportunity with Granger. She was a virgin, too, and he could kill a bird with three stones instead of just the two.
Damn, this was humiliating having to admit to his crush about his lack of experience. He supposed it could be worse. She could very well sprint out of here, belting at the top of her lungs that his virtue was completely intact. Merlin, he'd be the laughing stock in the pit for sure. Some of the fourth years more experienced than him.
"Hey," she crooned and lowered back down to her knees to sit beside him, their shoulders touching, "it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's actually quite refreshing seeing a nice looking fellow from the dungeons who hasn't tossed his innocence to the wind. I swear some people go through with it just to prove a point, and I don't believe that's how it should be."
Theodore turned his head and studied her face, wondering how or why she decided to lose her purity when she was considered such an untouchable treasure. He remembered hearing a joke amongst some boys about how they thought she would make a perfect, matriarchal vessel for some hero or savior. Oh, how appearances were misleading.
"Why did you go through with it?" he asked, only half-expecting an answer. It was a personal question, after all.
A blush reddened her cheeks, and she grinned coyly, looking away from him and at her lap. "I liked him well enough and acted upon it in that particular manner."
He nodded and hummed in understanding and watched as her hand cupped his knee. She then moved her hand up to his thigh and rubbed gently. She said softly but giddily, "You could have stopped me."
"I was curious," he confessed and whipped his head away to avoid eye contact. "And I liked it."
The girl throatily chuckled, and he felt her head rest on his shoulder as her arm snaked around his. Her fingers found the skin located underneath the cuff of his sleeve and soothingly caressed the area. He suppressed a shiver at the simple act of intimacy. The soft, tickling sensations were so very…pleasant. Theodore couldn't recall a time of ever experiencing the feeling. Maybe when he was young and when his mum was still alive but-
"Now, Mister Nott," Hermione said sassily, interrupting his thoughts, "everything is out in the open. In our five months of cohabitation, I feel like we haven't ever been this honest with each other, and I deem it necessary to celebrate. I invite you to my dorm room post-dinner where I will give you a gift I'm positive you will enjoy."
"Will I?" he asked hoarsely, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Sweet Mother of Salazar, how was he supposed to deny the offer with her cinnamon scented breath tickling his neck?!
"Of course," she murmured and leaned over to place a sweet kiss on his pulse point, "I want a gift, too."
Her lips then enclosed around his earlobe, and he violently shuddered at feeling the tip of her tongue wiggle the piece of flesh before grazing her teeth against it. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. And speaking of his head, warning bells were ringing but went ignored because Granger lips were now teaching him how to properly kiss. Her mouth engulfed his bottom lip and nipped playfully before treating the same to his upper lip, followed by cupping the back of his head and planting a full smooch on his lips that had him seeing fireworks behind his eyelids. This snog session felt so much better than their one before.
"Anything," he mumbled into her lips, his tone thick and utterly besotted.
Hermione's mouth split into a grin and pulled away from his mouth but only just. "I'm holding you to that, Mister Nott." Her teeth latched onto his earlobe once more and then she whispered, "I do think you'll look quite fetching with that salutatorian pin at graduation."