A/N I can't believe I have made it to Chapter 10! Thank you so much for reading. I hope that every one is enjoying the story. I know Theo is not in every chapter, but you do learn something about him, in every chapter. He is in this chapter, by the way. ;)
To My guest reviewer. Thank you so much for your support. I love that I make your day, when I post an update.
Chapter 10: Goyle Good News
Theo handed Blaise a glass of whiskey, while they waited for Draco to show up. "So you're telling me Goyle got out eighteen months ago for good behavior, and in that amount of time, he has opened not one, but three night clubs?"
"Yep," Blaise took a drink of his whiskey, "He and Millie got married two days after he got out, no big wedding, no party, just them at the ministry. Then he took everything left in the Goyle vault and opened a night club."
"I take it, it did well?" Theo leaned on his desk.
"Yeah, in the first month he already made back a tenth of what he spent. It took less then a year to replace everything he started with." Blaise stood to get a refill.
"But before that time though, you invested in club number two?" Theo pretended to sipped his whiskey, just letting the amber liquid touch his lips.
Blaise sat back down. "Yep, already made back all my money, plus some. Was a great investment. That's why Draco invested in club number three."
"That's the one we're going to tonight, right?" Theo set his glass on the tray.
"Yep, need to check on my investment." Draco just stepped in to the study, in his three piece silk suit. "Plus, I want to celebrate."
Theo stood up grabbing his leather jacket off the desk, putting it on. "Celebrate? Celebrate what?"
Draco looked very pleased with himself. "I got the highest grade in my healer class on our finial exam.'
"Which means...," Blaise started saying.
"Which means, I got the internship!" Draco cut him off.
Theo clapped his friend of the back, "Healer Malfoy, who would have thought? Congratulations."
Blaise walked over to shake Draco's hand. "Yes, mate, congrats. I knew you had it in you."
Theo rubbed his hands together. "Well, this is already turning into a good night. Shall we go then?"
"Is that what you're wearing?" Draco asked, looking appalled at Theo's clothes.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Theo looked at his reflection in the window. Unlike Draco's, grey double breasted suit with a bright emerald green tie, Theo had on his standard jeans and boots. Tonight, he had worn a black button down shirt with a red tie. This was his version of dressing up for a nightclub.
"You need a jacket Theo." Draco told him, shrugging his shoulders as if to say, 'like mine'.
"I have one, mine is just leather, not silk." Theo picked up his Muggle phone, shoving it in his pocket along with his wand.
Blaise laughed at the two of them. "The three of us couldn't look more different." Blaise had on black pants, a white shirt, which he only had buttoned up halfway, and a black jacket which matched his pants. Blaise never wore a tie unless he had to. He also had no intention of ever buttoning up his jacket, or his shirt for that matter.
"We may, but everyone knows I will be the best looking man in the club." Draco smoothed out his jacket.
Theo scoffed, "Really Draco, you think so, with that hair?"
"Oh I suppose you think that jacket makes you look good?" Draco started walking out of the study, the other two followed.
Theo took large steps to get in front of Draco, then turned to walk backwards, "The ladies love the leather."
By the time the three of them arrived at the club, they had not yet decided which of the three of them was the better looking. Blaise had insisted it was him, simply because he was dark and Italian, so that made him mysterious. As they approached the entrance to the club they had decided, maybe they would have to ask a female at some point during the night. The man at the door asked for ID.
Theo looked nervously at the other two, "Does he mean Muggle ID?" In the wizarding world you showed your wand for ID. "I keep my Muggle ID in my helmet, so I have it when I ride."
Blaise pushed passed Theo and Draco, "Not to worry mates." Blaise pulled his muggle ID out, showing it to the security guard, "I think you will also see my two mates here and myself are on Mr. Goyle's personal invite list, Draco Malfoy, Theo Nott and Blaise Zabini."
The security guard looked at the list on his clip board. "Yep you are right here. Mr. Goyle has you in VIP booth number three." The guard opened the door, letting the three of them pass.
"This place is amazing." Theo spun around, with his arms out looking at club. "Who knew Greg would have a knack for clubs?"
"I did."
Theo stopped dead in his tracks to the words spoken by the gorgeous woman, who had just spoken to them. Her dark hair was pulled back in a high pony tail. Her makeup was light, but enough to bring out her dark eyes. The red cocktail dress she wore was strapless, hugging her curvy body. The curvy body of Millicent Goyle. In school until their third year, Mille had been a big girl with a round face. Throughout the rest of their school days, she had grown to her five foot eight inch height, which had thinned her out, making her face more oval than round. But it wasn't until the war with the stresses that went along with it, and after with the man she loved being in Azkaban when she had lost even more of the weight from worry. Now she had thick curves, in all the right places. Not has thin as Daphne or as toned as Tracey. Mille wasn't naturally beautiful like Astoria; she needed to work a little more on the hair and makeup. Still, it was obvious now, Millicent was the girl everyone over looked and misjudged back at Hogwarts. Everyone, but Gregory Goyle.
"Millicent?" Theo couldn't help but gawk.
She held out her hand so he could take it properly and place a kiss on the back. "You should close your mouth, Theo dear. That's not a good look for you."
Once each of them had greeted her, she led them to their booth. "Greg will be by in a little bit. He is dealing with some Muggle Earl, Henry, something or other. He said to tell you your drinks are on the house." Mille waved a waitress over, then excused herself to tend to other guests.
The waitress blushed at the three good looking men. "What can I get you?"
Blaise ordered a bourbon, while Draco wanted red wine. Theo suddenly jumped up, taking off his jacket. He tossed it on the booth, "I am going to dance, just bring me a club soda for now, won't you beautiful." He winked at the waitress and disappeared into the large number of dancers on the dance floor.
Draco raised his eyebrows at Blaise. "That was odd."
"No, that was Theo. He uses things like that motorcycle and dancing to unwind and let loose. He's not much of drinker Draco. Mostly American beer. If he does have whiskey, he will nurse it all night. He thinks I haven't noticed." Blaise shrugged, getting cozy in the booth to people watch.
Draco unbuttoned his jacket and sat down, "Still worried about becoming his father, eh?"
"Aren't we all? Worried about becoming our fathers, that is." Blaise was paying more attention to a group of women who were across the room. A look on his face like he knew them.
Draco crossed his legs, acting like he could care less about the people in the room. "I suppose that's true. I know I don't wish to be my father."
After a few moments the waitress brought the drinks, as she was leaving, she turned, almost running into a six foot three inch man wearing a dark charcoal suit with an electric blue tie. Greg nodded to the apologizing waitress, patting her on shoulder as she walked by. Greg took a puff of his cigar, before addressing his friends sitting in the booth. "Where's Nott?"
Draco stood to shake Goyle's hand. "He had to run off and dance. I am sure he will be back soon. Seemed impressed with the place."
"I hope so, this one is doing better than the other two already." Greg flicked ash off the end of his cigar. "Your investment is already doubled mate." Greg nodded at Draco, handing him a bank draft which indicated a transfer of everything, Draco had invested plus a profit into his personal vault. "Nothing but pure profit from here on out." Greg looked pleased.
"Excellent." Draco put the paper in his Jacket. "Hopefully, the amount in my personal vault in a year or so will be enough to convince Astoria's father, I can support her without the Malfoy Apothecary, or my inheritance."
"Draco, do you really think it's your father's money Lord Greengrass has a problem with?" Blaise sat up.
"No, but I can't pretend the mark on my left arm isn't there Blaise. I have to find other ways to prove to the man, that I am fit to marry his daughter." Draco picked up his wine, ending the line of questioning.
"Mille and I eloped. I wasn't about to have her father try and tell me, the stupid mistakes made when I was barely seventeen, or the mark on my arm made me no good for her." Greg puffed his cigar again.
"You're like a brother to me Greg, so please don't be offended by this, but Astoria is not Mille. Her father's approval means everything to her." Draco stood as he saw Theo coming back to the booth.
Theo slid into the booth past Draco grabbing his drink, downing it. "This place is amazing Greg." Theo reached over to shake his former classmates hand. "These two knuckle heads thought they were being clever, by not telling me why we had to come here of all places. I would be happy to invest in your fourth club. Come by next week and we can talk about it."
Greg beamed, "Excellent, I will be by, say on Tuesday, and no offense taken Draco."
Blaise looked interested in the conversation for once. "Why is that Draco? Why is daddy so important to Astoria?" He looked over at Theo, "And to Daphne for that matter? What has their father got over them?"
Draco looked paler than normal, he didn't answer, instead sipped his wine.
Theo ordered another club soda, "It's your story to tell Draco, not mine, since it mostly has to do with Tori, not Daph."
"I am not talking about it, Theo. Let's just leave it at I WAS a death eater, and he still thinks you were." Draco spit out between gritted teeth.
"Oh don't be cranky Draco. If it's so hard for you talk about with your best mates, how the bloody hell are you going to handle it, if the news you get in few days is bad?" Theo leaned back in the booth putting his hands behind his head.
"Oh, see now you have my curiosity peaked." Greg, puffed his cigar again, "You must tell, Draco. You know all our dirty secrets. Hell, you created most of them."
Draco looked around at the men in the booth with him. Greg was right, he had more dirt on the three men he sat with than any one person should. These were his best mates. No, they were more than that. These were the men, he grew up with. These were the men, who saw him through the most difficult times in his life. Greg had always had his back and never questioned. Blaise had seen him fall apart and helped build him back up. Theo shared a secret about their fathers no one else did. Theo was also going to be his brother one day, if things went their way. No, these men where not his mates, they were his family. More so than his mother and father ever had been.
Draco took another sip of his wine. "Astoria is sick. She has a blood condition caused by a curse on the Greengrass bloodline. It only surfaces once in a while." Draco took a sip of his wine to try and swallow the lump in his throat.
"So that's why daddy doesn't like you?" Blaise waved his hands around the table, indicating all of them. "Thinks you, hell we, are no good for his daughters. Because of a curse? That makes no sense."
Theo looked at Draco, he could tell he was struggling with this topic. "Her father thinks Draco only cares about bloodlines, because that's all his father cared about. The Greengrass's are one of the oldest, most powerful pure-blood lines there is."
Draco nodded to his mate for answering for him. "Her condition is progressive. Right now, she has it, with only the occasional bad spell, like getting a cold that hits her harder than anyone else. As it progresses, things get worse. Her father thinks I just want to align our families for the sake of an heir. Greengrass and Malfoy, pretty strong pure-blood pairing before the war. Now, does anyone really care?"
Greg leaned forward, pointed at Theo with his cigar, "That's why he doesn't like you also, I take it. Greengrass and Nott would have been a strong pure-blood paring also. Then the war, the death eaters, and so on. He thinks neither of you have let that crap go."
The other three were looking at Greg as if they couldn't believe how quickly Greg had caught on. "What?" Greg looked annoyed. The other three in the booth broke out in laughter, that made the tension melt away.
Blaise picked up his drink, taking a sip. "Oh, did I tell you?" He indicated to Theo, "I have a date for Daphne's fashion show."
"Really, who?" Theo took his club soda from the waitress.
"Tracey Davis. I ran into her and Sally at Malkins the other day. I got roped into a bet with the two of them." Blaise sipped his drink.
Draco put his wine down, "Bet, what kind of bet?"
"The two of them bet me I couldn't date only Tracey for six months. So I guess for now, I'm a taken man." Blaise tried to give them a look that showed his contentment at this thought.
Both Theo and Greg started laughing. Greg pointed at Blaise, "Not a chance. You, with only one women is like getting Theo here, to comb his hair."
Theo leaned back with his hands palms up in the air. "What's wrong with my hair? Damn, if its not my clothes, or my motorcycle, you gits are making fun of my hair." He ran his hand through his hair, "Daphne likes my hair."
"How are things going with winning Daphne away from Flint?" Blaise leaned back in the booth.
"Oh, I will win. Make no mistake. We have seen each other every day for the last week. I may just leave early and go by her place. Maybe, she will let me stay the night." Theo said before he drank his soda.
Draco stifled a giggle, "It's going to take a grander gesture than just a ride on that death contraption of yours and hickeys on her neck Theo." Draco looked at his mate, then sipped his wine.
Theo pointed at Draco, "What makes you the expert on women?"
"I'm not, but I have been dating Astoria long enough now, to see the kind of woman Daphne has become. They aren't that different. Besides, hopefully one day she will be my sister, so I actually care." Draco sneered at Theo.
"Fine, if you know the Greengrass girls so well, what do I need to do?" Theo tossed his jacket on the table so he could lean against the back of the booth facing his friends.
"You need to find a way to prove to her, you can be counted on. That you will walk a step behind, but carry her when she needs it. That she is the single most important thing in your world, but you can live without her, if you had to." Draco told him while sipping his wine.
"Good god, I'm glad Mille isn't that difficult. She just needs to hear I love you everyday. Since I do, it's not that hard." Greg leaned back with the cigar in his mouth.
Theo rubbed his chin, "She can count on me, Draco. I wont ever let her down. You know that."
The waitress came over getting new drink orders, giving Theo a chance to think about what Draco had said. "Daph is the most important thing in my world, Draco. I will find a way to prove it. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't want to live without her any longer. I already did for five years." Theo looked away embarrassed.
"Hopefully, you won't have to Theo. I am just saying, she wants to be successful, and independent, but has no idea how to do either. You do. Help her be both, but make her think, it was all her." Draco pushed Theo's soda over to him.
"That's what Mille does for me." Greg looked at the end of his cigar, then noticed they were all looking at him. "Come on now guys, I know I couldn't have done any of this without her. However, she takes none of the credit, even when I try to give it her. She is happy to let me shine, so I am happy to give her all the shiny things I can.
Blaise clapped his hands together. "Holy shit! Out of all us, Greg is the only one who has his woman figured out."
The four men laughed. Theo held up his glass, "To Greg, for this amazing club and to Draco, for breaking the Malfoy mold and becoming a Healer!"
"Here, here." Blaise shouted. The four of them clinked their glasses.
Theo jumped up, "I must go dance again. Who's coming with me?" He got blank stares. "Are you serious, we came to a nightclub."
Blaise pushed Greg out of the booth, "I will. This may be my last night of freedom, before I am Tracey's and only Tracey's." Blaise took Greg's cigar putting it in the ash tray, "It's your club, you can't say, you don't like to dance."
Theo looked at Draco, "That just leaves you, Malfoy. Come on."
"Oh, no. I only dance to slow music with Astoria." Draco went to sit back down.
The other three men grabbed him and pushed Draco out on the dance floor. After several minutes of protest from Draco, Mille and a few of her friends joined them on the floor and the four were dancing like they were back in their fifth year in the common room on a late Saturday night. Back when everything was easy, and except for once in a while, they were able to pretend there was no dark lord, no death eaters, no chosen one. Back when the most important thing the four of them had to think about, were O.W.L.'s at the end of the year. Back when the most difficult they had to worry about, was Pansy, Daphne, Tracey, and Mille, and where they might find some privacy for thirty minutes before bed time.
Once they all left the club that night they had agreed, they were all the best looking man in the room. It just depended on the women you asked.
xXXx
Daphne sat curled up on her couch, looking at dress sketches she was using in her fashion show. There was a knock on her door, which she found odd. Astoria was visiting mum and dad tonight, and Theo had gone to check out a nightclub owned by Greg Goyle. Not to mention her boyfriend Marcus, was out of town with his Qudditch team. Who could be at her door? Other than those three, no one ever came over. When she looked through the peephole, she was pleasantly surprised to see Theo standing there.
Daphne opened the door, but didn't take off the charmed chain. "What are you doing here so late?"
Theo held up a small brown paper bag. "I brought ice-cream. Butter Pecan. That was your favorite back in school. I took a chance it still was."
"It is." Daphne smiled at him, "You really shouldn't be here this late Theo."
Theo lowered the bag shoving his other hand in his pocket. "Yes, I should. It's important to me for you to know, after I go out to a nightclub with my mates, I will always come home to you. You're the only woman I want. Have ever wanted. Will ever want." Theo almost stopped breathing waiting for her reply.
Daphne closed the door. She closed her eyes, but only for a second, then took off the chain and let Theo in. After Daphne closed the door, she turned around and leaned against it, biting her bottom lip. Theo closed the distance between them, put his arm around her pulling her as close to him as he could, deeply kissing her. Daphne put her arms around Theo's neck running her hands through his hair. They stayed that way for several minutes, only ending their kiss to take a breath.
Theo rubbed Daphne's nose, with his. "We will need spoons." He told her before he kissed the tip of her nose.
Theo hung his jacket on the coat rack and removed his boots before going into the livingroom, while Daphne went to get spoons. When she returned, she found Theo had pushed her coffee table forward and was sitting on the floor in front of the couch waiting for her. She settled down beside him, watching Theo open the ice-cream.
"So what did you boys do tonight?" Daphne pulled her hair up into a pony tail so it stayed out of the ice-cream.
Theo shrugged, "We drank, danced, I told Greg I would invest in one of his clubs."
"You did. Will it be a good investment?" Daphne closed her eyes to savor the ice-cream.
"I think so." Theo pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You're beautiful."
Daphne opened her eyes blushing. "I'm not even wearing makeup Theo."
"I know, you're still beautiful." His hand lingered on her cheek. "I missed you tonight."
Daphne snuggled closer to him. "You shouldn't have come by this late. But I am glad you did."
Theo put the ice-cream down, and lifted her chin up so their lips met. Theo softly kissed her, he moved the soft kisses from her mouth to her jaw line. "I will always come back to you, Daph."
Theo picked the ice-cream up so they could begin eating again. Daphne started thinking about his comments from earlier allowing; curiosity got the better of her. "Theo, how many women have you had?"
Theo's eyes shot wide open. "Why does that matter?"
"I am just curious. You said I am the only woman you want, have ever wanted. I can't believe that you're still a..."
"No, I'm not." Theo cut her off. He put his elbows on his knees. "I don't think I want to talk about this Daphne."
"Sorry." She put her spoon down. "I was just wondering. I have only been with two men. A boy named Luc, and Marcus."
Theo looked at her, ashamed. "You didn't have to tell me that."
"I know. But I can't ask you and not be willing to share." Daphne ran her hand through his hair. "You don't have to tell me. It's ok."
Theo sat with his eyes closed, enjoying her touch. "Five."
"Five." Daphne didn't mean to sound surprised.
Theo pressed the heal of his hands to his eyes. After a moment, he finally looked at her again. "Ok, fine. My first, was during seventh year after detention once. Fay Dunbar."
"Fay? At school, really?" Daphne hadn't expected that.
Theo looked at the ground, "You have no idea what that year was like. The things the Carrows made us do. Detentions were to be carried out by the seventh years. They always tried pairing a pure-blood with a half-blood, thinking the pure-bloods wouldn't mind torturing fellow students. The only one who enjoyed it was Vincent. The rest of us, including Greg and Draco, just did what we had to, so as to keep ourselves and those we had to torture alive. I pulled detention duty with Fay one night. The Carrows were practically cruel to her, being she was a Gryffindor. Fay and I were just trying to comfort each other that night, and it happened." Theo looked up at Daphne, "I wanted you, but you weren't there." Theo chuckled a little, "She told me I could call her Daphne, and she would call me Justin." Theo put his hand on Daphne's cheek. "I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to betray you."
Daphne put her hand on Theo's and leaned into him. "You have nothing to say you're sorry for Theo. I don't feel betrayed, and I do understand. Luc was my Fay."
Theo touched his forehead to hers. "The others, were girls I tried dating after the war. I just couldn't let myself fall in love with them. No matter how hard I tried, I never got over you."
Daphne climbed onto Theo's lap and kissed him passionately. After a little while, Daphne stood and pulled Theo up with her. She took his hand leading him to her bedroom. Daphne took Theo over to her bed and stepped back. She took off her shirt, pulling it slowly over her head. Staying just out of reach so Theo couldn't touch her. She walked up to him and removed his tie even slower. Theo's breathing started picking up.
He reached up to put his arms around her, but Daphne grabbed his hands, "Not yet, Theo." She slowly unbuttoned each button and removed his shirt. Daphne leaned in and kissed his chest. She undid his belt, then back up. "Take them off." Theo took off his jeans while Daphne removed her skirt. He went to reach out for her, but she moved just out of reach walking around to the other side of the bed. Daphne pulled down the sheets and climbed in. "Come here handsome, and turn off the lights." Theo got in the bed, and waved his hand and the lights went off. It only took a minute until they could see each other fine in the moonlight.
Daphne was still on her knees, "I have never just been with someone Theo, without sex. Just kissed and touched. I have never spent the night with a man." Daphne put her hands on his chest, "Would you hold me, sleep with me?"
Theo pulled her closer to him wrapping his arms around her, "Beside you, is the only place I ever want to sleep."
Theo spent the evening exploring her, kissing every part of her skin that was showing. He would run his hands along her skin, leaving kisses everywhere his fingers had touched. Eventually she was comfortable enough to do the same to him. Daphne never made a move to take off his boxers, so he left her panties in place. Theo didn't let that stop him however, from kissing her deeply. He moved so he was settled between her legs pressing himself against her moaning at how good the pressure felt.
Theo whispered in her ear, how badly he wanted her. Daphne lifted his head and looked in his eyes, "I know Theo, I want you too. We will get there. Just wait a little longer." They enjoyed each other, kissing and talking about what came to mind, until they couldn't keep their eyes open any longer. Theo slept in Daphne's bed that night. With the woman he had been in love with, for more than half his life, in his arms.
A/N Yes, things are starting to move along for Daphne and Theo, but this is a Drama as well as a Romance and we have a long way to go. You will want to read Chapter 11. It is set in the past, but will answer many questions. Thank you for reading. Also thank you in advance for any review, follows or favs.