Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It was a beautiful day, sunny, mild and approaching the end of the year. Students were milling around the extensive grounds, lolling by the lake and chatting amiably. An atmosphere of cheer and relaxation pervaded in spite of the looming threat of oncoming exams, the day seemed complete.
"Sometimes you're so silly Draco."
Seated as far away as was humanely possible whilst still sitting under the same tree as his fellow Slytherins, Theodore Nott stifled a groan of annoyance at the sound of Pansy Parkinson's high pitched giggle. Dark eyes veiled by unusually thick lashes for a boy shot a cold glance in his fellow housemates direction. Pansy was laughing that ridiculous laugh of hers that made her sound like a hyperventilating donkey and Blaise was unsuccessfully hiding a smirk at the expression on Draco's face as he watched Pansy laugh, her face contorting in the most interesting of ways was a most engaging sight he had to admit. It was like watching a carefully planned experiment on gene splicing come to fruition.
The pug faced Slytherin emitted a loud snort and almost immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, an expression of abstract horror taking over her features. Blaise's smirk evolved into what could almost be called a wry smile and even Draco, pale and drawn as he had been of late, managed a twitch of his lips.
A carefully planned experiment gone awry in a most intriguing fashion.
"Pansy, I hardly think spending time alone to study for the exams we're to be put through next year as silly." he drawled, his head was, as per usual, resting in her lap whilst she combed through his silky blond locks with an absent minded skill born of practice. Forgotten for the moment, Theodore watched their exchange with a distant interest. Her head bowed slightly, conspiritually.
"Are you certain you're not working on...well you know, his plans?" she whispered.
From over three feet away Theodore still heard every word, Pansy was never one for stealth.
"Indoor voice Pansy, indoor voice." Blaise's comment, delievered in a bitingly cool, amused tone, echoed his thoughts exactly. The girl didn't take it as well as she might have, drawing herself up imperiously, her rather full bosom quivering with indignation. She reminded him, Theodore realised with a start, of the Weasley mother; once at the train station he has witnessed her with two of her older sons, the twins, and she had been livid, her face reddening and an expression of utmost fury etched on her plump features. It had been rather terrifying to see, and he remembered how he had watched, entranced, as her prankster sons had joked and laughed and flattered her until her temper had been cooled. He didn't know if all women looked like that when they were angry, but Pansy certainly reminded him of the Weasley mother right now. Blaise, who had chosen that very moment to glance in his direction, noted his expression with an arched eyebrow.
"I was using my indoor voice, Draco tell him I-" The blonde sounded affronted and the sight of additional quivering bosom was almost to much for Theo.
"He's right Pansy." Draco interrupted tiredly, he always looked tired these days, it had been a small miracle just to get him outside, "indoor voice."
Theodore took the opportunity revealed by her momentary distraction to lean over and whisper his observations to Blaise, scooting back to his former postion quickly as the dark haired boy glanced at Pansy and promptly began roaring with laughter. A smile curved his lips, so much for subtlety. Pansy seemed far from amused, and even Draco was looking undeniably curious.
"What's so funny?" she asked suspiciously, "What are you laughing at Blaise? Theodore, Draco do you know what it is?"
Blaise ignored her question, tears of mirth running down his face, really his laughter seemed to be going on a bit long, much longer than was proper, "It's nothing you'd want to hear Pansy darling, just boy talk." he choked out finally, still chuckling, "Be a dear and run along now, let us have a decent conversation."
Directing a venemous glare at Blaise the busty blonde stood up and swept away, leaving the three boys to a rare moment of peace and quiet.
"Theo thinks Pansy looks like the Weasley mother when she's mad." Blaise informed Draco promplty, in a loud carrying voice that Theodore suspected was intended to reach the Pansy. He was surprised to hear a genuine chuckle come from the boy.
"You're not wrong there mate."
The three of them promptly started laughing again, gathering more than a few bemused stares from other students. Slytherins rarely laughed, and genuine laughs were few and far between with them. To see none other than Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini laughing in public was a shock to more than a few students. A few metres away the seventh year Gryffindor's were staring at them suspiciously and whispering among themselves.
Looking at his friends, the only friends he'd ever really known, he felt both old and young at once. They were all adults now; in their second last year at school, old enough to apparate, old enough to use magic outside of school, old enough to leave school if they wanted to. They were growing up, even Pansy, for all her tantrums, had gained a certain maturity.
But in their school uniforms, collars undone, ties amd shirts hanging loose, they looked young. Blaise had a slight shadow along his jawline, Draco's face was especially chiselled and angular after all the sleep and meals he'd missed this year, but they looked young. It was hard to believe that Draco was on some desperate mission from Voldemort, atoning for his father's sins however you looked at it; that Blaise was trying to figure out how to protect his black widow of a mother in the imminent war, personally Theodore thought his mother was perfectly capable to looking after both of them, but he worried for her and it showed. He was constantly wondering if he really wanted to choose the side of his parents. He liked purebloods, but had never had the fervour of his family when it came to promoting purity of blood. He'd never really overly disliked any of the blood traitors or muggleborns at Hogwarts, and when he had it hadn't been because of their blood. He didn't like many of his fellow Slytherins so it wouldn't bother him if they were on opposing sides, and of those he did like there seemed to be a certain amount of rebellion. Blaise he could honestly see running off to some European country with his mother in tow, Draco would defect in a heartbeat if he could ensure that his parents wouldn't be harmed and even Pansy would be open to it, if given the right incentive; she was very much a sheep, but she wasn't a murderer.
They were too young. At sixteen and seventeen war should be the last thing on their minds, but it dominated their every waking thought. And it made Theodore feel very old.
"You're looking very thoughtful Theo, what's going on in that snakey little head of yours?" Blaise asked lazily, he looked like a very large cat, head tilted back to enjoy the afternoon sun as he surveyed the world through half lidded eyes. Blaise was probably one of the best looking boys in their year, and because of those model good looks people often mistook him as vapid and shallow; which he was, but he was also very observant.
"I'm just thinking, everything's changing." he sighed, "I feel old."
"Really? I feel young," his eyes opened wider to look at him, "Very, very young."
"So? We're all too young, we're being forced to grow up much to fast, and there's nothing we can do about it, and that's just life." Draco said suddenly, sitting up and rubbing at his arm. It was an outburst that he never would have let slip until this year, but the strain of their lives had changed all of them in some ways, "We're all going to have to deal with it...now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do."
Theo felt a stab of pity as the blond boy sprang up and strode towards the castle, school robes billowing behind him, he turned to look at Blaise whose expression was blank as ever, but to anyone that knew him the slight tightening of the mouth and the flicker of the eyelids spoke volumes.
"I'm worried about him."
Blaise stood up and smoothed down his shirt, cool dark eyes glancing around to see if anyone was listening, "I'm worried about all of us Theodore." he said finally, "But there's nothing we can do except be here and try to save our own skins when the time comes. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a Ravenclaw seventh year from my Arithmacy class that i'd very much like to meet randomly in a corridor today, i'll see you at dinner."
"Yeah, see you then." He muttered and flopped back onto the grass, staring up sullenly at the crisscrossed branches of the tree above him and the patches of blue that shone through the leaves. The laughter of other students continued around him, the day was still warm and sunny, and if he tilted his head just so he could watch several groups of students, carefree and happy in ways that it seemed he never would, but desperately, desperately, wanted to be. His father, his mother even, would laugh at such a childish display, such emotions, were simply not befitting of people of their rank. He must strive always to be in control, to inspire respect in all who saw him.
He wasn't intimidating or noticeable like Blaise or Draco, and he'd never cared much about inspiring fear and respect in anyone. If he'd cared at all he'd have known that he had a quiet sense of self resepct and intelligence that became him, but in reality his main concern was getting from one day to the next and hoping that no one in his house noticed that beneath the projected front of casual indifference he was really a very shy character.
Sometimes, he wondered why he hadn't been sorted a Hufflepuff.
A.N. Just another drabble I wrote ages ago when I was bored, thought i'd post it and see how it went, considering making it longer but I haven't decided for definite yet.