Enter for the International Wizarding School Competition – Round 6 - Beauxbatons

Theme: Spare: Write about a character who is feared.

Year 3

Mandatory prompt: 14. [Song] Your favourite song (Last dance - Dua Lipa)

Optional prompts used: 15. [Word] Wave

Special rule: Your story must include only two characters.

Word count: 1,920

Warning: AU Canon Divergence


Like it's our last dance

Wave after wave of water rushed over Hermione, and she struggled to breathe. She never imagined how she was going to die, but drowning in the waters of the Black Lake wasn't an option.

The bottom of the lake didn't seem to be in reach, no matter how much she tried to find it. The air had been pulled from her body when she came into contact with the ice-cold water of the lake. It filled her lungs, and blood beat behind her eyelids as she struggled to reach the surface. She tried to scream for help, but knew it was futile. She was all alone.

'Why did I think it was a good idea to walk around the lake alone? This is going to be your death sentence, Hermione.' Her pulse raced and black spots dotted her vision.

Another wave rolled over her head. Hermione focused on the sun shining high in the sky. 'This will be the last thing I ever see.' Relaxing her body, she accepted her fate. Hermione closed her eyes, missing the hand that appeared near her and pulled her towards the surface of the lake.

The next thing she knew, Hermione could feel pebbles and rocks pressing into her back and the sun shining in her eyes, and a shadow appeared in front of her.

"Granger? Can you hear me?" a voice called to her, and Hermione opened her eyes to look at the cold blue gaze of Theodore Nott. "How much water did you swallow?"

Hermione couldn't answer; she couldn't even think. She'd never talked with Theodore Nott before today, and having him save her from drowning was certainly unexpected, to say the least. She didn't trust the Slytherin, not with the way he always seemed to watch her.

"Can you understand me?" Nott asked. He went to grab his wand, and Hermione flinched. Theo rolled his eyes at her, "I won't hurt you. I just saved your life."

Hermione looked him over and saw how his dripping clothes hugged his firm body. "Thank you, but I would appreciate it if you didn't grab your wand."

"Afraid of what I would do with you?" Nott asked with a smirk, and Hermione fought the urge to flinch again. He cocked his head and his eyes softened a little bit. "I wouldn't hurt someone who owed me a life debt."

Hermione blanched. She'd read of life debts, but she never thought she'd owe one herself.

Especially to someone like Theodore Nott.

She didn't know much about him, just what she'd heard over the years, how he was volatile when things didn't go his way, how he had a tendency to grab his wand to resolve his business instead of talking. He might not be the best person to have around, with how much he liked to dabble with the Dark Arts, but she couldn't deny he had saved her life.

"Life debt? What do you mean?" Hermione stalled, trying to wrap her mind around what he was saying, but she still felt foggy after the almost drowning. Wave after wave of fear was rolling over her, making it difficult to think straight.

"I saved your life, meaning I can ask for it in return." Nott smirked, and Hermione felt her stomach drop. His smile was positively feral. "And I know exactly what I want."

Hermione didn't have time to think about what he was saying before he dragged her towards the clearing near the Forbidden Forest, and Hermione's heart jumped into overdrive.

"What do you think you're doing? I'm not going anywhere with you!" She tried to pull her hand from Nott's grip, but it was proving to be fruitless. "Nott! Get off me!"

Nott turned so fast Hermione almost collided with him. "I told you, you've a life debt with me, and I'm going to use it now. Stop complaining. It isn't going to take long."

Hermione's breath was speeding up, unable to fill her chest and her heart was racing as Nott continued walking. Trembling, she tried not to think about what was to come, but her mind tortured her with scenarios of what Nott would want to do with her.

Nothing prepared her for what was to come.


"Are you ready? After this, we're bonded for life. You aren't going to be a Granger anymore, not after we complete the ritual."

Hermione stared at him, wondering how he could look so calm and collected when her heart was almost beating out of her chest.

A bonding ceremony. That's what Theo—he practically demanded she address him like that—wanted to do. He insisted it was the only way for her to pay the life debt she now owed.

If they didn't bond, Hermione's life would be forfeit. She needed a moment to think, to research, to do something, but Theo was adamant they do it soon. Hermione knew there was a high possibility of everything being for nothing, that the bonding ritual wouldn't save her life, afterall. Any relationship they formed might crash and burn, and nothing would prepare her for it.

Hermione's hands felt clammy and a bead of sweat ran down her temple. The whole bonding thing was scary, but since Theo hadn't given any reason to worry that he was going to hurt her, she took deep breaths to centre herself.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Theo reassured with a smile, stepping closer and grabbing her hands. "Just take a breath and try not to overthink things."

It was weird how Theo knew what was passing through her mind, when she couldn't even read him a little. He seemed to know a lot about her, like the fact she often overthought things. "Why are we doing this in this clearing?" Hermione asked. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm just curious. I didn't even know this place existed."

"I found it by chance while taking a stroll after a rough class," Theo said, shrugging. "I thought it would be beautiful enough to settle your nerves."

Hermione cocked her head to the side. "Thank you, Theo. This was very thoughtful of you."

Theo blushed, and Hermione felt something warm inside.

"Is there anything I need to do, or do you have everything under control?" Hermione twisted her hands together, trying to make them stop shaking.

"Just stay where you are. This is an old spell, and I'm not sure how it would go if you cast it, since it's an old pure-blood spell." Theo drew some runes on the ground, and Hermione held herself back. "It's going to take some time to finish everything, but it'll be worth it."

"I can imagine," Hermione drawled, trying to relax and not focus on the chances of everything going wrong. Theo waved his wand over the runes, and it drew her attention. "Why do you move your wand like that?"

Theo looked up at her. "Because some runes need a more direct infusion of magic, and the wave of the wand helps it." He shrugged before continuing. "Besides, we need all the help we can get if we want to make it work. That's how it's always been done in rituals, so I'm not going to mess with it."

Hermione nodded and tried to stay away while he finished. She didn't want to accidentally erase a rune, not when her life was at risk.

Theo stood and stepped into Hermione's personal space and looked at her eyes. "Everything is done. Ready?" She stared at him, before nodding and grabbing the hand he offered.


Hermione's heart went into an overdrive, with her hands sweating a little bit after the ceremony had finished. Wave after wave of feelings washed over her: hope, fear, fondness, smugness. She could feel everything Theo was feeling, and it was making her head swirl.

"I never expected to have to use this ritual, but everything went the way it was supposed to go." Theo was looking at her like he was waiting for a response. "How are you feeling?"

"A little overwhelmed, I think. Could be because we're doing this hours before we need to leave the castle for summer break, or maybe being suddenly bonded." Hermione was a little out of breath, looking at him.

Theo continued to glance at her, and Hermione felt like she was a prey seeing a predator. Theo shook his head and moved closer, making her hold her breath.

"Can't wait 'til we're alone," Theo whispered in her ear, and Hermione had to fight the shiver that ran down her body. The smell of spearmint in his breath made her mind think of some impure thoughts. "Go pack your things. I'll meet you at the platform so we can go to the Manor."

Hermione went back to the Gryffindor Tower, unsure how she managed to go back without getting lost on the way because her mind was swilling with thoughts of a certain Slytherin.


It had been an interesting three weeks. Hermione never imagined married life could be easy, but being around Theo and sharing a life with him was different. She didn't flinch around him anymore, something that made him happier.

It was the little things that made everything seem different, how he catered to every need she had—even if she told him he didn't need to do it—or how they shared moments together throughout the day.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Theo asked, coming near her while she sat in the library. "I haven't seen you looking so pensive since the day of our bonding."

"When I'm close to you, I feel, I don't know, like I'm at home," Hermione replied softly, mirroring the smile Theo was giving her. "Does that make sense to you?"

Theo stepped closer, almost as if he was afraid of her reaction, which was silly—they had been living together, and it wasn't like she was going to do anything to him. If someone was afraid of the other, it was her before she got to know him.

"I'm glad you feel this way. I'll continue to do everything in my power to make sure you continue to feel happy and safe." Theo took her chin in his hand and gave her a light kiss, one that held many promises. "You don't need to worry about anything."

Staring into his eyes, Hermione believed him. Theo didn't have reason to lie to her.


Glancing at Hermione snoring in their bed, Theo had to resist the urge to kiss her and wake her up. He knew he would need to tread very carefully, not letting her realise anything.

It wasn't difficult for Theo to plan an attack on Hermione's life, and it was even easier to be her saviour on a white horse. He had to stop himself from snorting at that; it was such a Slytherin way to get his wishes.

Hermione was a creature of habit and, knowing how she was always by the lake, Theo just needed to wait for an auspicious moment to send a tripping hex in her direction, making her almost drown.

"And you'll never realise you should have been aware of the snake sleeping next to you," Theo whispered into her ear, bringing her body closer to his. "We might just end up crashing, but I'm ready if it happens with you. I'll make you my Dark Lady, and I'll enjoy it, every step of the way."

Kissing Hermione's temple, Theo imagined how their future might be, and he couldn't wait for it.