Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction and the first of a series of drabbles about less common pairings in the Harry Potter universe. Please review so I can improve my writing with your advice!
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe, everything and everyone it are the creations and property of the brilliant J.K. Rowling, not me.
Theodore Nott and Hermione Granger
Theodore Nott was a wallflower. Not in the botanical sense, but in the timid-introvert-with-socialising-issues sense. Most people would enter a room he was in and completely fail to notice he was there; useful, sometimes, but mostly just annoying. Half of his own yearmates, housemates, even, were unaware of his existence. He'd gotten used to it eventually.
Which made Hermione Granger's stubborn acknowledgement of his presence all the more confusing.
Every time she saw him, she would incline her head, greet him, smile, even wave if she was further away. Unsure of the polite response, he would briefly nod his own head, answer with the proper reply to the greeting, smile bemusedly or wave uncertainly back. He could tell that Potter and Weasley didn't understand what was going on either. They wavered between hostility and bewilderment whenever they witnessed the odd Granger-Nott interactions, but didn't confront Hermione after two rather vicious flocks of canaries warned them not to ask. Although he didn't know it, the canaries also helped to 'persuade' the boys to leave Theo alone.
For all their consistence, Hermione's attentions remained shallow even as days, weeks, months and years passed. She never started a conversation with him, never sat beside him during their shared Ancient Runes and Arithmancy classes or while they were both studying in the library, never explained why she was treating him as a pleasant acquaintance despite their rival houses and lack of any real relationship. They remained on vaguely friendly terms from the moment the incomprehensible behaviour started in late third year until the day Theo had had enough in early sixth year.
He walked into the library on a cool Saturday morning, heavy book bag clutched in one hand and Transfiguration textbook open in the other as he recited the theory of non-verbal mammal Transfiguring under his breath. It was something they'd learn much later in the year, but he knew the value of preparation and changing something completely into something else was complicated enough without the added hindrance that the non-verbal casting would provide. Intent on committing the text to memory, he glanced upwards only briefly and his hazel eyes met her dark brown.
"Good morning, Theodore," Hermione greeted, with a large leather-bound tome weighing down her slim arms and her bushy brown curls contained in a messy bun. "How are you?"
His instinct to reply as usual- '"I'm fine, thank you, and yourself?"'- vanished as his gaze searched hers and a peculiar feeling, something almost like insecurity or fear and which he'd inexplicably been experiencing quite often near the witch before him, abruptly smothered confusion and courtesy in one go.
"To be honest, I'd be a lot better if I knew why you treat me like this."
Before he could fully comprehend what he was about to say, the words had escaped his mouth and Theo wanted to hide behind his textbook from the shocked girl who stared back at him. He pushed back that impulse like he should have those words, hoping desperately that she wouldn't be offended even as her expression blanked.
"Why I treat you like what, exactly, Theodore Nott?"
What was he supposed to say to that? Feeling like a cornered animal, Theo desperately ploughed on, gaze still locked with hers, hoping that he wouldn't offend her in some unforgivable way. "You're always so polite, but never overly friendly. You know, like you want to be nice but not get too close at the same time. You're one of the only people who actually realises that I exist, but you should hate me. My house...it doesn't have a good reputation, especially for its interactions with Muggle-borns. And Potter and Weasley don't like you treating me so- so familiarly, yet another reason for you to just leave me alone, but you don't. Why?" Merlin, he should've just brushed it off. Why was he telling her all these things?
The slight pause as she seemed to consider his words only fuelled his fear and embarrassment as he readjusted his book bag, struggling not to drop it or the thick textbook now tucked under his other arm. He almost did drop them both when Hermione stepped forward and tilted her chin up, her stare intensifying suddenly.
"Because you're different, Theo," she told him firmly. "You're nothing like those bigots Slytherin is full of. As far as I know, you've never insulted anyone in your life. You work hard, study like it's the only thing that matters, take notes in class even if you don't have to. You're one of the first people in the Great Hall for breakfast and usually the first waiting outside classrooms.
"You're always neat and pulled together and composed. You respect the professors, even if they don't deserve it. You respect all the other students unless they consistently behave in a way they gives you valid reason to dislike them, and even if you do dislike them, you don't act childishly around them."
She paused, and somehow Theo knew that she was thinking of her two best friends, who threw petty insults and hexes every time they were in range of most of his other housemates. He couldn't seem to move his eyes away from hers as she listed all these things, some of which even he hadn't realised about himself.
"In fact, it's only possible to tell if you dislike someone because of the way you look at them when they do something unpleasant and that tiny edge in your voice if they talk to you. You're normally quite calm and patient, so that edge is audible, but only just, and most people barely listen to you anyway so they wouldn't know what your voice sounds like normally. You've only ever dated one girl, a neutral Slytherin who you're still on good terms with. You're surprisingly careful and gentle. You're quiet and whenever you do say something, it's not a pointless observation or a stupid time-filling comment. You're really different, Theo, but in the best way."
Silence fell again as Theo gaped.
Hermione laughed suddenly. "Different but still dense, huh? I'm honestly surprised that you didn't figure it out, Mr Cunning and Ambitious. Do I have to spell it out for you?" There was a slight teasing lilt in her voice now as she seemed to relax, calming down after her passionate speech. He was confused once again as he shifted through his chaotic thoughts and emotions. It had all happened so fast- he'd walked into the library less than ten minutes ago, five, even, and now deeper emotions than any that had passed between him and her before seemed to swirl around them as an unidentifiable warm feeling curled around his insides. She really did seem to care, although why that made him so relieved escaped him.
"I think so, yes," he told the expectant witch, whose bright eyes remained fixed on his.
The wide smile which curved her lips was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen as she shook her head in mock disappointment. "So it's up to me, after all," she sighed, still smiling, just a hint of apprehension, perhaps, evident in her voice. "Master Nott, I don't suppose you'd consent to visit Hogsmeade with me this Saturday?"
His eyes widened briefly before something clicked in his brain and a potent mix of contentment and understanding slowly formed a huge, genuine grin on his lips to match her own. The expression softened the angular planes of his face, lifting his cheekbones and emphasising the gentle warmth in his eyes as the only right answer he could give effortlessly left his mouth.
"I'd love to, Hermione."