Good to his word, Harry handed over the precious vial of Liquid Luck to Theo later the following afternoon.
"He's not going to use this during the Quidditch match against Gryffindor, is he?"
Theo just snickered. "Come on Potter...do you really know so little about Draco after watching him all these years? Do you think for a second that he'd cheat just to beat you? If that was the case— he'd have found a way to hex your broom by now."
"So you're telling me he wants to win fair and square?"
"Knowing Draco as I do, he wouldn't want it any other way. If only for the reason that it would make his victory all the sweeter and he'd get more satisfaction taunting you about the loss afterwards."
Harry had to smile at that.
Malfoy was a first class git after all.
"Good to know."
The two wizards parted at the stairs with a wave and Theo headed back towards the Slytherin dungeons with Draco's prize firmly placed within his trouser pocket, while Harry went back to the Gryffindor common room.
The walk to Slytherin from the lower staircases was a rather short one, so when Theo got closer to the hidden common room door, he wasn't surprised to see several of his classmates out and about.
One in particular caught his eye.
"Shardlow." Theo bowed his head in greeting.
"Nott." The older witch scoffed. "Where have you been keeping yourself these days?"
Theo did his shrug thing. "Here and there, you know how it is?"
The witch just rolled her eyes. "Yes, your newfound cousin. How can we all forget about the esteemed Prewett Heiress."
Leaning up against the castle wall, Theo just stared down the other witch. "Your jealousy is showing Olivia. You can't still be hung up on Pucey?"
"You and I both know that the only reason Pucey ended our little understanding was he found a bigger fish."
"You don't know that. Things hadn't been going well with you two for a while."
"That's only because his mother didn't like me. It's not my fault that Anastasia Pucey doesn't think any witch is good enough for her precious prince. Well, except for Prewett."
Theo widely chose not to comment on that. It was widely known within Pureblood circles that both Anastasia and Armand had tried for years to get pregnant with Adrian. They had suffered several miscarriages before the successful birth of their only child and Heir. Adrian had been a bit of a player in his later years at Hogwarts. His good looks and affable personality attracted witches to him like a moth to a flame. Unfortunately for Olivia, she had fallen arse over tit for the handsome wizard after a single trip to a broom closet early last year.
But Adrian, for all his love of flirting, had never been one to lead a witch on purposefully. A snog here or there sure...but he was judicious with the witches he took into broom closets around the castle. Rarely indulging the same witch twice.
Blaise at one time suffered the same affliction but in his case—he'd taken to randomly snogging witches from other Houses whenever the mood struck and then plying them with flowers afterwards telling said witch that he'd had a wonderful time, thought the world of her and then explained how his mother was a black widow and would kill any witch he brought home.
It was a natural deterrent for any witch wishing for more than a casual one-off.
At least until he'd started courting Daphne last year.
"Maybe it's time to move on? I heard Higgs was interested."
Olivia just tutted like the idea was simply too implausible to be taken seriously.
"Please. We both know that little Miss Goody-Goody turns seventeen in a few weeks. If her magic doesn't choose Adrian, I still have a shot."
Theo's eyebrows raised in surprise and then his expression darkened as he moved into the witch's personal space.
"Be very careful Shardlow. If I find out you've done anything to interfere with Hermione I will take action personally. She is my family and you do know what the Nott's do to those who harm family."
The witch swallowed and paled, her left eye twitching as she tried very hard not to cower.
That was alright, Theo thought smugly. He'd made his point clear enough.
He gave the witch a final nod in parting and headed into the common room, where Draco was holding court by the fireplace with Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Daphne and Pansy.
"Hey mate, I got that thing you wanted me to get. Should I just place it into your trunk?"
Draco smirked and stood, waving Theo into their room and when they got there...Theo handed Draco the tiny vial of Liquid Luck.
"What did Potter say when he handed this over?"
"He wanted to know if you were going to use it during your game with Gryffindor."
Draco chuckled deeply, amused by the thought.
"That's an interesting idea and one that I hadn't considered at all." He lifted the vial into the light and gave it a critical look before checking it for curses, hexes and tampering.
"You really think Potter would tamper with it?"
"Who knows. I think the git thinks he's smarter than he is and isn't beyond giving himself an advantage if he honestly thought he'd get away with it."
Draco went over to his trunk and placed the vial into a warded area that he kept secure for a few special keepsakes.
"I ran into Shardlow before I came into the common room." Theo offered and Draco just snorted in disgust.
"She's still not over Pucey I take it. You did see her with Edgecombe at my Mother's garden party this summer, right? Marietta still has those atrocious bangs covering the nice little scar that our resident Gryffindor Princess gave her late last year."
"Shardlow mentioned something about Hermione turning seventeen and how she still had a shot with Pucey if Hermione's magic didn't choose him."
Draco stiffened slightly, but Theo caught it.
"She doesn't know that, no one does," Draco lied easily, "Prewett's magic may very well choose Adrian as her ancillary."
"You don't honestly believe that any more than I do." Theo admitted with a smirk, as he sat down on his bed and eyed his fellow Slytherin skeptically.
"I don't know what to think Theo. This whole thing is unprecedented and there isn't anyone in recent memory who can speak to it. Maybe if we had more information to go on that would be something, but we don't. Everyone is speculating and second-guessing. I can't imagine it's any easier for Prewett to deal with the unknown either. I'm just choosing to stay out of it."
"Really?"
"Come on mate, seriously? Me and Hermione Prewett? She barely tolerates me and with good reason. You think her magic is going to choose me?"
Theo couldn't help the snicker that fell from his lips. The thought was fairly laughable.
But probably not as laughable as Draco was trying to make it out to be.
"While I can understand that your past assignations make it unlikely that you'd be well-suited—we both know that magic doesn't always work that way. I've seen some of Hermione's powers and while I might've initially thought that the magic would only choose someone she'd definitely have feelings for—I tend to think that her magic is going to choose it closest match as far as stability and control is concerned."
Draco sat down, his expression clearly intrigued. "Is her magic unstable?"
"Not exactly, I think it's searching and seeking and that's all I wish to say on the subject."
Nodding in understanding, Draco could understand on some level how difficult this was for Theo. It was clear he cared about Hermione and she for him. There was even some genuine affection with Potter.
It was odd.
"Well, whatever happens I'm fairly confident it will have little to do with me." Draco lied easily.
"Probably true mate. I just wonder if her magic does end up choosing Pucey, how that's going to work."
Draco grimaced but then he thought about it and snorted. "Have you told her that when her magic bonds it's essentially higher than a marriage bond or even a soul bond? An elemental ancillary bond is the highest order of mate bonds. She will, for all intents and purposes, be married by magic when that moment comes."
Theo paled and he realized a bit belatedly he hadn't had that particular conversation with Hermione and watched as Draco fell off his bed howling in mirth.
"Oh please Theo, give me a pensieve memory of that conversation after you have it, will you?"
"Shut up Draco."
The blonde just continued to chortle and chuckle as he stood up and gave his mate a pat on his shoulder.
"It's been nice knowing you Nott."
"Fuck off, you prick."
Draco continued to laugh as he left their dorm room leaving Theo all by himself—brooding.
How in Salazar's name was he going to explain that little nugget to his cousin?
Draco was correct...Hermione was going to kill him.
So here Theo was at the library on a Saturday afternoon. It had taken him a few days to work up the courage to have his little tête-à-tête with Hermione. She'd been busy with Professor Snape and Theo figured she'd had a talk with McGonagall too. When he'd finally caught up with her— Hermione was busy studying in her favorite spot in the back corner of the library.
"Hey." He whispered as he caught her attention. She smiled and waved him towards a seat across from her which he took nervously. "I've been trying to talk to you all week."
"Sorry," She grimaced, "I've been meeting with Professor Snape every night for the past week after curfew for an hour.
"How's it going?"
"Surprisingly well," she admitted with a grin, "he's a task master, but I was somewhat prepared. Professor Snape tried to give a Harry Occlumency lessons last year—which had gone atrociously for Harry. He was pants at Occlumency, but that probably had to do with the fact that he had a piece of Voldemort's soul attached to him."
"Huh?" Theo sat back stunned and Hermione sighed and nodded.
"Yeah. Long story and I'll share it some other time, okay?"
"Sure." Theo tapped his finger on the table absently as he tried to figure out how best to broach this very sensitive subject with his cousin.
"You alright?" Hermione queried, giving him an opening.
"Not exactly." He admitted with his usual shrug. "I have something I need to discuss with you and I'm not sure how you're going to take it. I probably should've mentioned it earlier, but honestly it just slipped my mind."
"Uhm...oh-Kay?" Closing her books and setting her assignment aside that she'd been working on for Charms, Hermione gave Theo her undivided attention. "Spill."
"Yeah..." Theo cleared his throat several times, wringing his hands together and Hermione started to realize that whatever it was...it was serious enough to make Theo react in such a way.
"Theo...it's going to be fine. Whatever it is we can figure it out together but you have to tell me."
"Just promise you won't incinerate me?"
Hermione's face blanched at the words...but the look on Theo's face let her know that he was truly worried about her reaction.
"I promise silly...now tell me."
So Theo did. He shared the conversation he'd had with Draco the previous night but left the more cognizant parts of the talk out.
Pretty much anything to do with Draco.
"So let me get this straight? When I turn seventeen my magical core will stabilize which you've mentioned before. You've also mentioned if my bonded isn't of age at that time, then my magic could become unstable. But you failed to mention that if my magic chooses someone...particularly Adrian in a few weeks—we'd be essentially married? Is Adrian aware of this?"
Theo swallowed and nodded and watched as Hermione stood up and paced agitatedly in their small nook, her hands flexing as she would stop...mutter something and pace again.
Then she whipped around to face him directly and demanded, "What if I refuse to allow the bonding to happen?"
"Hermione. It doesn't work that way. You will elementally bond to your ancillary. It's deeper than a soul bond. Your magical cores will align, your magic will essentially be the same. You won't want to reject that bond and if you try? You could get bond sickness and your mate will likely suffer too. You both could die!"
Hermione dropped down into her chair and groaned. How in the world was this even possible?
"And I'm just supposed to be alright with this?"
Theo shrugged again and then flinched at his cousin's caustic glare.
"I never said you had to be okay with it. Doesn't change the reality of your situation though." He muttered quietly and Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes.
"I wouldn't have to leave school? Would I?"
Theo gripped her hands and shook his head vehemently. "No! That I can promise you. Hermione, you're a Sorceress...probably the most powerful one ever born. You get to choose what you want."
"Except my bond-mate!"
"Your magic is you. It knows what you need and what is best for you to thrive...be happy, stable and content. Do you not trust in your own magic?"
Hermione felt the wind deflate from her sails as the complaint that she was about to spew died on her tongue.
"I never thought about it like that Theo. I wasn't raised a Pureblood." She removed her hands from his and slapped them down on the table in anger. "Why don't we learn this stuff in school?"
"Hermione, you know why."
The Gryffindor witch felt her anger simmering underneath her skin and Theo saw her eyes light up with flame before her powers started to manifest along her hands and arms.
"Hermione!" Theo whisper-yelled at her, desperate not to draw attention to them both. "Hermione!"
Theo watched helplessly as his cousin started to lose control of herself and he was at a loss. Her hair was on fire and her powers were starting to manifest to a point where he was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold off her magic much longer.
So he did the only think he could do.
"Auguamenti!"
A large burst of water shot from his wand and drenched Hermione, thankfully causing her to sputter in shock. Theo then watched with amusement as his cousin looked down in horror at her clothes, that were utterly drenched and she screeched, "Theodore Nott! Look what you did!"
At that precise moment Madam Pince came around the corner and took one look at the both of them and muttered 'ridiculous' under her breath—before she pointed to the library entrance..silently telling them both to leave.
Hermione stood up and waved her hand, drying herself instantly which caused the librarian's eyes to widen in disbelief. She grabbed her parchments, one of which was soaked and ruined...threw it at her cousin and stomped out of the library—cursing under her breath the entire way out.
Theo slammed his forehead on the table with a wince, not seeing Madam Pince's lips pinching in frustration.
"Do I wish to know what happened here this afternoon, Mr. Nott?"
"Probably not, Madam Pince. I do apologize if we've disrupted anyone's study time."
"Then might I suggest you not accost your cousin in the library with news that would upset her again. I rather like my books in one piece and knowing Miss Prewett as I do...she'd be devastated if she were responsible for unplanned damage to any of the texts we have here."
Theo just nodded at the reprimand and stood up, waving his wand and cleaning up the remaining mess.
"I will take your advice to heart, Madam."
"See that you do."
Theo watched the elderly librarian walk away and sighed heavily.
That hadn't gone as bad as he'd feared and at least he was still in one piece.
But he was pretty sure his cousin wouldn't be talking to him for the foreseeable future.
And that thought made Theo sad.