A/N: Hi guys. This is my first foray into Harry Potter fan fiction, despite the many years I've shamelessly devoured other writers' work. Please be gentle, and keep in mind that I don't have a beta or brit picker right now. All mistakes are my own.
A big thank you to Axiomea for helping me iron out the French parts of the story. You're a star!
This will not be a super long story, and the chapters are rather short too. Hope you enjoy.
Please note that JK Rowling owns Harry Potter in its entirety, and I'm only playing with her toys.
Trying to escape her past, Hermione runs into a stoic, closed-off Theo Nott on a vineyard in the French countryside. At first glance, there's nothing left of the gangly, nerdy boy from their Hogwarts years, but an unwelcome attraction is there from the start. Despite their attempts to avoid each other, their need for affection and company pushes them closer. She has a mountain of baggage, but it's clear he does, too. Can they find the courage to open up about their pasts and find a second chance at love?
Chapter 1:
Hermione barely noticed the cab pull away from where she was standing in the middle of the dirt road, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.
She was too enamoured with the view.
This place was breathtaking: rolling green valleys of grapes in long rows as far as the eye could see, rusty earth peeking from between each row, the sky a cornflower blue.
Foregoing checking in at reception (wherever that was) Hermione headed towards the vineyard with its succulent green grapes just feet away, adjusting her sunglasses and tipping her sun hat down over her eyes to block out the megawatt sunlight that was true to the French countryside.
She dragged a deep breath into her lungs, humming with contentment. The air smelled different here: clean and earthy with just a hint of sweetness from the grapes.
Dirt crunched under her sandals as she entered the vineyard. She could hear the faraway chatter of workers a couple of yards away as they carried on with their task, picking and filling large baskets with grapes. None of them seemed to notice her presence, or if they did, they didn't find it unusual to see a stranger stroll around uninvited.
Hermione ran her hands over the fat grapes hanging from the vines and tugged at a particularly plump one, breaking it from the vine. She popped it into her mouth and closed her eyes to savour the burst of sweetness. Another hum escaped unbidden.
"Qu'est-ce que tu fais là?" A deep, resonant voice asked behind Hermione, startling her.
She yelped and spun around, pressing a hand to her chest as her heart slammed against her breast in surprise.
The man in question stared at her with narrowed eyes, arms crossed over a broad, bare chest, skin tanned golden brown, looking impatient, "Es-tu sourde? Je t'ai posé une question."
Drawing her eyes back up from where they got stuck on his well-defined abdomen, her eyes widened in recognition. "Theo?" She asked, mouth popping open in surprise. She almost didn't recognize him.
Gone was the tall, reedy boy she'd seen flanking Malfoy and his lumbering cronies in the Hogwarts corridors between classes, and in his stead was a very tall, well-built man with scruff lining his face and a tan that had been absent in the dreary Scotland climate. But there was also a lack of softness around his striking green eyes that, back in the day, had always made her think he seemed innately kind, despite the company he'd kept in school. Theodore Nott had always been quiet, gentle in his mannerisms, and soft-spoken on the rare occasion when he did speak up in class. He'd certainly never spoken outright to her.
"Granger?" He tilted his head, observing her with stony suspicion, his green eyes cutting her to the quick with their lack of warmth. "What are you doing here? Besides eating my profit?"
"I-" She hesitated, eyes doing a quick circuit of the grapes flanking them. "This is your-"
"The Nott family wine estate, yes," he gave a brisk nod, lifted his hat from his head and dragged his hand through his raven hair. The strands stuck together, damp from sweat, and instead of finding it off-putting, she swallowed thickly, her stomach fluttering with unwelcome attraction.
"Your hair is shorter," she said before she could stop herself, and immediately flushed at her awkwardness. She suppressed a groan and locked her hands behind her back when the urge to clap her palms over her face overwhelmed her.
Taken aback by her random comment for a moment, Theo replaced his hat and gave her another curt nod and a terse "yes".
Still not very verbose, then...
Before she could spout more nonsense, he saved her by speaking. "What are you doing here?" He looked around. "Did Potter and Weasley accompany you?"
"Ah, no," she shook her head, pushed a wayward curl behind her ear and wiped the beading sweat from her brow. It was quite warm here with the midday sun beating down on them. "I'm renting a cottage on your farm, I guess?" Why did she pose it as a question?
"Hmm," he lifted a brow, "So you're Sabine Beauchamp then, I suppose?"
She flushed at being caught out and hated that he made her so self-aware. If only the earth could swallow her up right this minute.
"I, uh," she looked down and shuffled her feet, sandals dusty. "I didn't want to risk anyone recognizing my name. I wanted a bit of peace and quiet," she looked up and hitched a shoulder to her ear, watching for his reaction.
"Awfully presumptuous of you, Granger," he flashed her a sardonic smile. "Thinking you're such a household name that the French would recognize you all the way out here in the countryside."
Hermione bristled at his snide comment. "Look, Nott. I just want a quiet vacation where nobody knows me. To this day, Rita Skeeter still has it out for me and likes to publish rubbish about my life." A half-truth. "I just want some fucking peace."
Theo lifted his hands in supplication, eyebrows drawing up in surprise at her outburst, "Well, don't get your knickers in a twist, love. It was merely a joke."
His expression contradicted his words. There was no smile on his mouth now, and his eyes lacked warmth. He seemed closed off. Indifferent. And it grated on her even more than his barbed comments did.
"Right," she huffed and tugged on the hem of her short sundress, feeling exposed under his scrutiny. He was probably judging her choice of clothing too. Not up to pureblood standards. "Do you mind showing me to my cottage? Perhaps give me a hand with my luggage?" She asked, ready to get out from under his intense gaze.
Theo cupped his big hands over her shoulders and angled her to the right of his large house, hands warm and calloused against her skin. "The cottage is over there," he lifted one hand and pointed a finger in the direction of a small log cabin tucked against the edge of a pond. A giant, drooping willow tree swept its branches against the sparkling surface of dark water, ducks lazily dozing at the edges of the bank, enjoying the afternoon sun. "As for the bags," he nodded his head in the direction of her two suitcases perched upright in the middle of the dirt road where the cabbie had dropped her off, "You'll have to manage by yourself. I'm late for a Skype call with my sales agent."
Without preamble, Theo halfheartedly tipped his chin in goodbye and strode away toward his house.
"Did you say Skype?" She called at his retreating form, eyes catching on the denim-clad backside of Theodore Nott. She was definitely not checking out his arse, or the perfect manner in which he filled out the Levi's.
She wasn't.
He lifted a finger into the air in cocky affirmation, instead of giving her a proper answer.
"What is going on?" She sighed to herself and perched her bum on a suitcase, shaking her head while she tried to reconcile Theo Nott with things like Skype and muggle Levi's. What was she missing?
A sudden swooping sensation gripped her stomach when her suitcase buckled and slid out from under her and she landed square on her arse in the dirt, a squeak forced from her lips.
From fifty feet away, just ascending his porch steps, her ungraceful landing made Theo turn, and for the first time today, she saw him smile - genuine and unguarded, with mirth in his eyes. He shook his head at her before turning back and disappearing into his house.
XXX
Her cottage was quaint and cozy, with rich woods and thick rugs. Polished brass pots and pans hung on a wrought iron rack from the vaulted ceiling, shining under the bright kitchen light. Black and white still photos in thick, rustic wooden frames dotted the walls, while white linen curtains fluttered on the afternoon breeze that wafted in through the open windows.
The cottage smelled of something distinctly lemon, like the disinfectant products her mother had used in the house when she was younger. Hermione suppressed a wave of nostalgia and continued the perusal of her new home.
There was no dust to be found on any surface and the fridge was stocked with fresh milk and cheese. A loaf of freshly baked bread sat on the kitchen counter and there was fresh fruit in a large, handmade fruit bowl. It was obvious someone had come in to prepare the cottage for her arrival. Strolling toward the fireplace to inspect more of the gorgeous black and white photos on the mantle, she was surprised to find a stack of firewood piled to the side in a crate. Whoever had made sure the place was prepared seemed very considerate.
After unpacking and making herself a sandwich slathered generously with some strawberry jam she'd found in one of the cabinets, she tucked herself into the overstuffed couch that overlooked the paddock and opened her book where she'd dog-eared the page.
When Hermione woke later after indulging in a well-deserved nap, her eye caught movement from outside her window. With the setting sun as a backdrop behind him, a still-shirtless Theo was riding a black stallion with all the grace and confidence she expected from a pureblood. But there was something different about him. A deep sadness or anger that lay hidden just below the surface. She'd seen a glimpse of it earlier when he'd caught her sampling a grape. It tugged at the corners of his eyes and mouth. It echoed in the stiff set of his thick shoulders, and most of all, it swirled in those ungodly green eyes. It was obvious to her now: Theo Nott was broken. Something or someone had hurt him badly, and it made her heart squeeze painfully, because how could someone hurt a man as gentle as the Theodore Nott of their school days?
She recognized his pain so easily because it reflected her own. She knew heartbreak and distrust when she saw it because it stared back at her in the mirror every morning.
Unable to keep her eyes off of the mystery that was Theo Nott, Hermione got up, placed her book face down on the coffee table and headed to the porch to watch as the man in question gently coaxed the stallion into a canter along the fence of the large paddock, spurring the animal on to increase speed. When he guided the stallion through the gate and out into the rolling fields, the horse broke out into a full-on gallop. And with a stony expression, Theo glanced her way briefly before he disappeared from view.
XXX
Later that evening, the sound of heavy footsteps on the porch drew Hermione's attention from where she was sipping a delicious, crisp white wine while enjoying her book on the rocking chair outside, with only the chirp of the crickets for music.
It was peaceful - just what she needed.
It was safe.
Safe...
Even if her pulse still raced when she heard unfamiliar noises.
He wouldn't find her here...would he?
"Hi," she greeted Theo with a careful smile from where he was awkwardly standing at the edge of her porch, a Tupperware bowl in his hands.
"Granger," he acknowledged with a brisk tip of his chin, hitching a shoulder up to his ear. He tried on a lopsided grin for size, but it awkwardly dropped to his feet in the uncomfortable silence of their exchange. He thrust the plastic container toward her and grunted out "dinner".
Hermione chuckled at his discomfort, put down her wine and her book and got up to take the container from him. "What makes you think that I haven't eaten dinner yet?" She asked, carefully extricating the container from his tight grip, eyes locked on his. He seemed so much like a frightened animal at that moment that her hand twitched to reach out and soothe him. Instead, she fisted her hand at her side, pulling the container toward her chest with the other.
"Breakfast then," he shrugged, appearing unconcerned.
"Thank you, Nott," she gave him a tentative smile. "I haven't actually had dinner yet. But I had some of the bread for lunch. It was really good. Who baked it?"
"I did," he flushed and looked down at his feet.
"It was really nice of you. It hadn't really crossed my mind to stock up before I got here. I'll definitely have to go into town in the morning."
"I always stock a few things for all of the guests when I prepare the cottage. It wasn't specifically for you," he said, head snapping up and eyes narrowing. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively, and Hermione flinched at his cutting tone.
"Still," she sighed after a tense moment, trying to relax. Theo wasn't like him. She had nothing to be afraid of. "I'm grateful for the gesture."
"You're welcome," he nodded briskly, clearing his throat uncomfortably. His tone and posture contradicted his words.
For a moment, their eyes locked in a stare before he turned around and trotted briskly down the three steps and headed into the dark toward his house.
"What happened to you?" She sighed to herself, too softly for him to hear.
She headed inside, not hungry in the least. Her stomach was knotted from their tense exchange and she felt unwelcome and confused.
XXX
Hermione got up early the next morning, had a small breakfast that consisted of bread with a generous amount of jam and a large mug of tea, and got ready to head over to Theo's house to beg for a ride into town. She was in dire need of proper food to make herself meals that consisted of anything other than bread or cheese. And she was out of wine, too...
Slipping into a pink sundress and sandals after a hot shower, she grabbed her purse (she'd long ago done away with the beaded bag with its undetectable extension charm) locked the cottage behind her, and trotted down the porch steps.
With her sandals crunching on the dirt road on her way over to the big house, she breathed in as much of the balmy morning air as she could, relishing the smell that she'd come to love around here: the grass, the tartness of grapes and the slight earthiness as her sandals kicked up dust into the air.
The scowl she received from Theo after knocking on his front door made her take a wary step back. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her, eyebrows drawn together and lips pursed. He was freshly showered, hair still wet and the scent of his soap and deodorant wafted in the air between them. The smell made her stomach flip and she discreetly dragged in a lungful of it. There were very few things that smelled as good as Theo did right then.
God, she could snort him and die a happy woman.
"What do you want, Granger?" He asked, cutting straight to the point without bothering with niceties.
"Good morning, Granger. How did you sleep?" She quipped, doing her best to bring a little levity to their stilted, awkward exchange.
Theo gave her a pointed look, arms crossing over his chest. But when she didn't back down, merely raising a brow as a challenge, he gave a longsuffering sigh and plastered a facetiously polite smile onto his face. "Good morning, Granger. Sleep well?"
"Why, yes, thanks. I did," she smirked, loving that his mask was slipping to reveal his annoyance.
"Did you sleep well, Nott?" She asked sweetly, batting her lashes.
Theo huffed, "What do you want?"
Feeling suddenly as if she'd made a mistake in assuming he'd be willing to give her a ride to town, what with his sour mood and all, she watched him for a moment, contemplating simply turning around and walking away.
His scowl deepened with every second that she kept him waiting.
So, scraping together all of the Gryffindor courage she could manage, she squared her shoulders and went for broke. "Can you give me a ride into town this morning, please?"
"I'm busy," he snapped curtly, "And it's not my job to play chauffeur for guests."
Without further explanation, he turned and went back into the house, shutting the door in her face.
"Seriously?" She shouted at the door, banging her fist hard against the wood in frustration. "That's it? How do you expect me to buy food if I can't get into town?"
The door swung open again to reveal an agitated Theo, eyes dark and jaw clenched. "How is that my problem?" He growled. "Why don't you just apparate?"
"No," she refused flatly, crossing her arms defiantly.
No apparating.
No floo'ing.
Absolutely no magic.
Nothing that could be used to trace her location.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to." Something about his grouchiness made her equally stubborn.
"It's easy and fast," he challenged, "I fail to see the issue."
"And I fail to see why you don't want to take me to town. I swear I won't take up much of your time. I'll be done before you know it." She was almost begging now. She wasn't someone for pointless shopping and perusing. She went into a store with a list - like the one in her purse - fully aware of what she needed and how much of it she needed. She was a very efficient shopper.
"I told you, I'm busy," he said with a tight jaw, already turning away again, dismissing her.
"Fine," she clenched her teeth and hitched the strap of her purse higher up on her shoulder, swinging around and marching down the steps toward the lawn. "Fucking unhelpful Slytherins," she muttered to herself as she began the trek down the long dirt road toward the gates to the estate, resigning herself to a long walk to town. If he wasn't prepared to help her, she would do it on her own.
She dug her sunglasses out of her purse and pushed them roughly onto her face, rifling around for her phone to get directions to the nearest store.
She was busy mentally scratching items off her shopping list, leaving just the necessities so she'd be able to carry them back home with her when she heard the rumble of an engine in the distance. The pop and crunch of gravel under tires got louder and louder as a vehicle drove up behind her at a snail's pace, almost reluctant in its slowness.
She could only guess who it was.
"Get in, Granger," Theo ordered when he'd reached her, driving alongside her as she huffed and picked up speed.
"No," she shot him a dirty look and almost growled when he rolled his eyes at her like she was being the ridiculous one here.
"Get in," he tried again, his tone more insistent this time.
"Sod off, Nott," she snapped at him over her shoulder and continued her walk toward the gates.
"It's fifteen miles to the nearest town," he said and stopped the truck, popping open the passenger door. "Get in. I can't let you walk all the way to town and back."
Hermione scoffed and stopped walking, turning to face him.
He had one arm draped over the door of the truck, the other casually gripping the steering wheel, looking so fucking sexy and ridiculously at ease for a pureblood wizard that she once again struggled to reconcile school Theo with the man before her now. She had so many questions, none of which he'd willingly answer, she wagered. "I thought you were too busy to take me to town?"
"I am," he gave her a blank stare.
She stared back, willing herself not to blink, lest she admit defeat.
He cocked a brow, the barest hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of one lip before he tucked it away behind a stony façade.
Her eye twitched, but she didn't blink.
A muscle in his jaw jumped. He still didn't blink, either.
Her eyes were starting to water now, and unable to stand it any longer, she blinked just once.
Game over.
Theo jerked his head toward the passenger seat, his expression brooking no argument. It was clear that he wasn't going to ask again.
So, she had a choice: walk, or admit defeat by getting in his truck.
Her sandals were already chafing between her toes. Soon, the skin would be raw and smarting, and she still had quite a distance to walk.
She sighed, shoulders sagging with dismay as she accepted that a ride into town would be her best option. At least she'd get to keep all the items on her shopping list.
The drive to town was quiet and awkward, neither of them speaking.
She had nothing to say, wracking her brain for a light enough topic that could strike up a tentative conversation, but she came up empty.
Theo was such a stoic guy, that she doubted he'd be willing to make small talk over the weather. And what else was there to talk about? They never ran in the same circles in school, so they couldn't talk about his friends. His parents were both dead, so that was also not a great topic for conversation. She doubted he'd want to hear about her friends, no matter how long ago she'd seen them. Or about her parents in Australia, blissfully unaware that they had a daughter.
He dropped her off at the store, not getting out. Instead, he claimed that he had errands to run and would pick her up in half an hour.
That was fine by her. At least she could take her time without having him breathing down her neck to hurry up. Or watch him watch her with that judgemental raised eyebrow, or god forbid, that perma-fucking-scowl.
He was waiting for her when she exited the store, pushing a trolley toward his truck.
She ground her teeth when he pursed his lips and gave her that fucking look. Like she'd taken hours to finish up, instead of minutes. The minutes they'd agreed upon.
She loaded her groceries into the bed of the truck sans help, pushed the trolley back and returned to the truck at a leisurely pace, acutely aware of his green eyes tracking her every movement.
Once in the truck, she turned to smile sweetly at him, batting her lashes with feigned innocence while he audibly ground his teeth. "Ready, Nott?"
He shook his head at her but refrained from answering. Instead, he backed out of the parking lot and headed back home.