~Part 2~

Someone to Save You

All right
Sit down and spill your heart
Lets start from the very start

Theodore Nott had been in love with Hermione Granger since their fourth year at Hogwarts.

Honestly, it really wasn't that absurd of a concept. She had always been such a dynamic person, far beyond the typical girls her age. She had never been interested in make-up and boys, well maybe a little bit, but not to the extent of her peers. She was far to busy satisfying her insatiable curiosity with books and information to worry too much about what others thought of her, and it had captivated Theo. No, it was beyond captivation, it was borderline obsessive. He was drawn to her in a way that was impossible to ignore. Her mind mesmerized him; the way she thought, the way she acted, the way every fiber of her being screamed out that there was more to her than just a bookworm and a sidekick. He just wanted to be around her and soak in her presence. It had driven him crazy back at Hogwarts. He hated his fate; he hated the side he had ended up on, just from association. Stupid Slytherins! If things had been different before, if he were a Gryffindor, hell, if he had just had the Gryffindor courage, he could have reached out to her. He could have tried to befriend her. Just to see how she worked, just to figure her out. It was the not knowing, the not knowing how someone could defy so many stereotypes and preconceived notions without barely a thought, that left him dying to know more. He loved her for who she was, sure she was beautiful, but he had always known that. Behind her frizzy hair and horribly style, he had always known she would grow up to be gorgeous.

As he held her, his longing for her to know that he loved her was barely controllable. Now wasn't the time, he couldn't take advantage of her vulnerable state. He had to make her love him first, he had to show her that he wasn't a monster; he had to earn her trust. He needed to show her that he wasn't a beast. As her sniffling slowed, he squeezed her gently, reminding her of his presence. She looked up at him and gave a watery smile.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her voice cracking from stress of the tears. He could see her trying to pull herself together and re-gather her strength; her eyes had always been so expressive.

"What for?" Theo replied. "You've done nothing wrong."

Again, she smiled shyly at him. She seemed so vulnerable, so fragile right now, but he knew how strong she really was. She was a fortress when necessary, but she was still human, she still had feelings. He had seen the taunting, watched helplessly as Malfoy and the other Slytherins bullied her relentlessly- and she had done her best to never let them see her crack. Theo had seen it though, and how he wished he could have comforted her. He should have been there for her, but he was here now. That would have to do.

"I've soaked your shirt! I'm a sobbing mess and it's only breakfast!" Hermione exclaimed.

Theo couldn't help but laugh, he laughed until Hermione's expression darkened, but there was no malice in her glare. He could tell she was trying to keep a straight face until she gave in and cracked a smile.

"You're weird. Not at all what I expected, but seriously, what's so funny? I've practically ruined breakfast!"

Theo calmed himself down, and grinned at her as he replied,

"You just found out that someone is plotting against you, after being pretty much abducted, and you apologize for soiling my shirt? Besides, breakfast is still breakfast, you can hardly ruin good food with a few well-earned tears."

To prove his point he shoved a plate piled high with delicious foods in front of her, then took one for himself and ate a large bite as she watched.

"See? Nothing to it, still as good as ever."

She rolled her eyes at him, but he could see the redness and sadness fading. He just wanted to see her happy. She took a bite and another and another until her plate was empty, and then she stared at it in shock.

"I didn't realize I was that hungry, I guess crying can do that to a person." She said with a sigh.

Theo had finished his food and decided they needed to do something to get Hermione's mind off of her trouble and he had the perfect idea.

"Come on, I want to show you something." He said, before grabbing her hand and racing off down the hallways with her behind him like a pair of school children. They reached the beautifully carved doors of the library and Theo stopped and looked at Hermione with a serious expression.

"You're going to love this."

Then he slowly pushed the doors open to reveal his extensive library. Rows upon rows of books- new and old covered the shelves that ran two stories high. The vaulted ceiling was made of glass so sunlight flooded the room. Those wonderful old-fashioned ladders that rolled along tracks were soon put to good use as Hermione explored with awe the vastness of the library. How he had come by so many books she didn't want to know. Theo soon lost her in the maze of books, allowing her to run off among the musty pages of adventures and facts. Sitting down in one of the chairs that were scattered throughout, he picked up a book and began to read. He couldn't focus for long however, and soon he was up and searching for Hermione.

He found her standing in between some of the shelves, standing with her back to him, completely absorbed in a book. She looked so beautiful and so peaceful. He walked up gently behind her, so as not to startle her, and placed his hand gently on her arm. It took her a moment to acknowledge his presence, but when she did, he slowly spun her around so she was facing him. Bringing her forward gently, he cupped her chin with his hand and brought her lips softly to his. Pulling away, but still holding her close, he looked into her eyes. For once he couldn't read them. She brushed him away gently and ran to her room. How she found her way back, he never knew because he couldn't move from that spot for a very long time.

There's just no question what this man should do
Take all the time lost, all the days that I cost

Had he just ruined things, had he jumped the gun? He wouldn't go back and change it though, he had wasted to much time already.

Author's Note: I'm so terribly sorry about the time it's taken to update and then this new chapter is still rather slow in development. I've just had a terrible headache for two weeks now and we can't figure out what's wrong. Please forgive me, and I hope you enjoy! I also hope you like the next song choice.