I've written this much and I'm still paranoid. If you guys are still out there… please let me know that you still love me! (: I'm going to try harder, I promise…
I'm bringing a new (Harry Potter) character in with this chapter. Now, at the end, I will explain to you why I described such character the way I plan on describing him/her. So, please don't shoot me. It's kind of a blank canvas, as I've been told.
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Apparently, Cilwenu's grades were slipping below average of what her father, Professor Snape, expected of her. To gain a Troll in Potions was not only earning her numerous Study Hall sessions during the times she would normally spend with Draco, or her friends, but it was causing her to be hounded by Severus whenever he got the chance.
During class, she was the guinea pig for everything. Each potion, each after lesson duel, and anything else he could see that would humiliate her. Or, at least, that's what Cilwenu felt like he was doing. It'd been a couple weeks since the last time she and her father talked about her mother (or barely talked at all, for that matter.), and after that little incident, nothing had been the same to start with. The terrible grades were becoming the icing on the cake, which tasted like salt… Figuratively.
When it seemed to climax, Cilwenu found herself in predicaments that kept her almost from seeing Draco at all, and especially the little cluster of friends from different houses that she was so used to hanging out with. The last Hogsmeade trip was taken away from her, forcing Cilwenu to spend the whole weekend studying, and cleaning out cauldrons with the other punished classmates. Pansy Parkinson, to misfortune Cilwenu more, was included in all of these activities.
More so than usual, she was also trying desperately hard to keep physical contact with Draco… or rather, Drakie. Which she was persistent in calling him.
Draco made it clear to Severus just how frustrating it was that he was trying to sabotage their relationship, but Severus neither looked at him, or acknowledged the statements made by the platinum blonde. He was full force with the studying, the cleaning, and the heavy stares at his daughter. It was starting to feel like he was her own personal stalker (slave driver)… until one day Cilwenu finally had enough of it.
In the middle of the Halls, Cilwenu screamed at the top of her lungs that she was tired of being treated like a five year old. She caught the attention of each and every person in the Halls that morning, including a couple of teachers that were just passing by for lunch. They stared, Severus swallowed numerous times, a dry lump, and eventually pushed his daughter into the classroom in order to keep her a little quieter… Seeing as even that hadn't worked, Severus gave up, and told Cilwenu that he would assign her a tutor… one that would keep her in track, and still give her time to see her bloody friends, and her bloody boyfriend.
Cilwenu still hadn't been happy, but she was at least content with what she got as a result. At least she could walk through the day without feeling her own father's eyes following her, making sure her nose was buried deep within a Potions book… like his had been when he was her age (according to him).
A tutor would be interesting…
"Your tutoring will start the beginning of next week… and I expect you… to comply." Severus told Cilwenu, handing her a slip of paper with a name scribbled across it.
"He's given me word that he will do his best to improve your studying skills and aid you in passing tests you will need to retake once the tutoring is over. I advise you… to pay attention, and not disobey me."
Cilwenu rolled her eyes and looked across the room at a cabinet, filled with numerous vials of all shapes and sizes. If only she could use one of the good luck potions right then and there… she could get out of such mess, and go on with her life.
"Do I make myself… clear?"
Cilwenu let out a hard breath, "Give me the name…"
"Theodore… Nott. He will meet you in the library at six o'clock sharp. Eat fast, and be there on time."
Cilwenu was both nervous, and paranoid meeting Theodore Nott in the library without giving Draco the knowledge of her much needed… remediation. She couldn't chance the platinum blonde boy's jealousy raging… it was already (still) hard enough for him to get along with her friends… much less this new tutor. The thought of it made her shudder.
She stood there, looking around for a certain person… of whom she had never met before in her life at Hogwarts. All she really knew, was that he was tall, dark-haired and handsome… according to Dumbledore. (who had met with her after Severus to schedule just how much she would be meeting with Nott in the afternoons… confirmation, all that stuff.) A rather odd description coming from a man well in his hundreds.
When she looked at the large clock standing in the library, she noticed that Theodore was rather late. Tutoring was supposed to have started at six… it was then six-fifteen. Cilwenu sighed heavily, and almost walked out of the library when she felt a hand slide across her shoulder.
"Excuse me, Cilwenu Snape?" a strong, very male voice asked.
Cilwenu turned around, "Yes?"
The boy was, indeed, tall, handsome, and had dark hair that was cut short, and styled perfectly for his face structure. He was cute, so cute in fact, that Cilwenu had to suck in a small breath… and then kick herself inwardly at the thought. Draco would totally be jealous… and now he would have a legit reason to.
"My name is Theodore Nott… Professor Snape sent me here?"
"You're late… Charming way to start out as my tutor." Cilwenu told him. Her dark eyes were struggling between wide-eyed and annoyed. She couldn't bring herself to be completely put out by Theodore, but she also couldn't let him think that she would start some new friendship with him.
They both walked until they reached an empty table, closest to one of the quietest areas in the extensive library. Cilwenu seated herself as far away as possible from the boy, but Theodore was not about to let her further than arms distance away from him. He chuckled, and moved to take a closer seat to her. She looked unamused, but really, she was feeling her stomach doing back flips.
This would indeed be a little bothersome.
"A little too close for comfort…" Cilwenu scowled.
He, however, smiled, "If you're that far away, how are you going to be able to focus?"
Focus… focus… Cilwenu thought to herself. She let out an exasperated groan, watching as Theodore opened a Potions book down the middle. They needed to study any and everything. All fields were required… but that was mainly because Severus was not going to let her have it so easy.
"You're the Potion Master's daughter." Theodore began, also pulling out a quill, some ink, and a book full of blank, lined paper.
Cilwenu rolled her eyes, "You must be Captain Obvious."
"You're kind of touchy, yes?" he laughed, causing Madam Pince to shush him from where she lurked around the aisles. "Don't worry, Miss Snape… I'm just here to help you. I won't try any funny business."
"I didn't think you would."
"Then I suppose I just might." he winked, jokingly.
Cilwenu didn't take it as so, and blushed. She pushed her chair away from the table, proceeding to exit the library, until she was stopped by Theodore, who sighed.
The dark-haired girl glared, "I have a boyfriend. I am with Draco Malfoy… and if you so much as try to make a move on me, I will hex you so far back into your life, that you can't see straight. Do I make myself clear?"
Theodore busted out in laughter, holding his stomach and leaving Cilwenu to stare at him in bewilderment.
Cilwenu was exhausted from two hours of hard tutoring, and writing down potions at least twice in the same notebook. She entered the Common Room with heavy eyes, and landed on her back in one of the couches, closest to the fireplace. There was hardly a soul around the dungeon, and it was bloody cold. But Cilwenu didn't really mind. It was just a surprise to her that Draco wasn't there either.
Theodore left for another round of tutoring with some other misfortunate student, also late for that. Cilwenu wasn't sure if he really did annoy her, but she knew that if Draco were to find out that he was tutoring her, that it would only be an avalanche of problems. Maybe he annoyed her a little, only for the fact that the whole time they studied together, she had to maintain the activity of her stomach.
She thought he was cute, and that was something Cilwenu knew wasn't going to slide well with even herself.
"Bloody idiot."
"Why yes, you are." a voice, snapping Cilwenu back into reality.
The girl sat up from the couch, turned her head, and saw Pansy Parkinson leaning against a bookshelf several feet away from where Cilwenu was. She smirked, and had her arms folded about her breasts.
Cilwenu glared at the girl, "What do you want Pansy? Following me again? Wasn't that old the first time you and those stupid cronies were practically stalking me?"
"Just what are you doing coming in at this hour? It's almost time for curfew, and Draco is not happy with you at all."
"So you're spying on me?"
"Draco is with Blaise on the Quidditch Pitch. God knows why." Pansy informed her, smile becoming more devious. She stepped away from the shelf, and approached the couch.
"I find it interesting that your father assigned you a tutor. Theodore Nott at that. Isn't he quite handsome?" Pansy laughed.
Cilwenu cut her eyes, "You have no life, Pansy… why don't you stop following me and get on with something a little more important than trying to sabotage mine and Draco's relationship."
Pansy looked at her nails, "It's boring here. Draco doesn't seem to want to talk about anything other than you. These past couple of weeks have been so peaceful without you in the Common Room. I've had Drakie all to myself, and he doesn't care that I sit next to him, or even hold his hand."
"Stop with the lies, you little bitch."
"I can always tell Draco that you have this new tutor." Pansy started, using her fingers as air quotations. "He will be delighted to know that Nott is going to be spending quality time with his girlfriend when he hasn't gotten so much as an hour of your time lately. Won't that be fun?"
In her sleeve, Cilwenu readied her wand. She was fed up with Pansy… and blackmail was just enough to make Cilwenu fall off the wall with anger. The girl was not about to scare Cilwenu… she knew exactly the cards Pansy was trying to play.
"Pansy, I have had yet to thank you." Cilwenu simply said.
Pansy furrowed her brows.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what a true whore was." Cilwenu smiled, as the door to the Common Room opened.
Two voices lingered almost in a whisper, and Cilwenu's ears perked at the sound of one very familiar. Draco entered the room with Blaise, and Pansy's smile faded into a dark scowl.
"Cilwenu?" Draco asked.
Cilwenu smiled, and turned to her boyfriend. They embraced, and Cilwenu made sure that she gave Pansy plenty of time to eye them properly. A kiss was shared, Draco's fingers burying deep into her sides.
"She really threatened you?" Hermione asked, cradling her knees to her chest as she talked to Cilwenu in the library. It was an hour before she would meet Theodore again, and the day after her last confrontation with Pansy.
Draco didn't understand when Cilwenu told him that she needed to leave dinner early. She gave him the excuse that her father needed her to do something for him, which wasn't a complete lie. If she didn't tutor with Theodore, then she would not be able to have any sort of freedom at all. Thanks to Theodore, Cilwenu had been able to see her boyfriend more than once that day, versus not at all (except classes, which she had to change seats and sit as far away from Draco as possible, assigned by Severus as a way to eliminate distraction)
Pansy left Cilwenu alone a good portion of the next day. Which was a delight in itself. She didn't attach herself to Draco, at least not whenever Cilwenu was around.
Overall, as long as she could keep this tutor a secret, she would avoid all chances of getting into serious trouble and accusation.
"Not so much as threatened me, but threw up blackmail." Cilwenu told her bushy-haired friend.
Hermione didn't understand. Why hide a tutor from Draco?
"That's rubbish… I mean, would Draco really have that big of a deal with your tutor?"
"Theodore Nott is my tutor, and he isn't exactly ugly, Hermione."
That, she really had no choice but to agree on. Theodore was Slytherin, and it was hard to believe that he was. He was so generally kind, and Hermione knew just how handsome he was.
"This is true… but it's not like you're snogging him."
"Draco is insecure."
Hermione laughed harder this time, "That is such an understatement!"
Cilwenu narrowed her eyes, but then laughed herself. As mean as Hermione meant for it to be, it was nothing but the truth. She folded her hands in her lap, looking down at the wand that warmed her skin whenever she touched it.
Theodore and Cilwenu had not studied in the library that afternoon. Instead, she and the very handsome, very tall boy stole into the Potions classroom and practiced making Amortentia potion.
It was essential that Cilwenu perfect her own vial, and be able to tell what her own personal preference was via the scent. By the time they'd destroyed at least four cauldrons, Cilwenu finally had it, and Theodore congratulated her.
"What do you smell?" he asked her, pouring his own vial full of her perfected potion, in order for the Professor's approval.
Cilwenu brought her nose above it, the pink lingering smoke surrounding her head in what seemed like a hazy, tantalizing sensation filling her brain. She smelled leather, and a light scent of cologne… Draco's cologne. With her result, she was quite content with what the potion brought her to realize. Cilwenu wafted that air a little more around her face, sighing heavily.
Theodore chuckled childishly, watching her in amusement, "You would think it was a wizard drug to you."
"It is one of the most dangerous at times… I think." Cilwenu rubbed her chin, capped her vial, and shoved it into her pocket.
She wasn't sure there would really be any need for it, but it couldn't hurt to keep a vial, right?
"If you want someone raving mad in love with you, sure. " he winked. It was eight o'clock on the dot, time for the two to depart from one another.
Theodore shoved books into his shoulder bag, while Cilwenu replaced hers back on the shelf from which she borrowed them. She stretched her arms over her head, and waited for Theodore to give her dismissal.
"It was a good session. You're doing good for your first couple days." he told her.
Cilwenu smiled, "Not meaning to rush you, but I really have to go see-"
"Oh, yes… sorry," There was a sort of blush spreading over his cheeks… as if embarrassed. He moved out of Cilwenu's way, allowing her to brush past him and out of the classroom.
Cilwenu was relieved to see no one around, other than a cluster of Ravenclaws.
Theodore left the room shortly after, with a whistle.
"See you tomorrow, Miss Snape."
Cilwenu watched almost in awe as he walked away from her, "Y…you too."
Time to explain Theodore right?
Considering he is sort of a blank canvas, I decided to make him smart, handsome, and well… whatever else he is so far. (my image of Theodore is slightly altered compared to the one in the movie. He doesn't get much recognition at all in the first place. What better excuse to use him?)
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