Chapter 19: An Understanding Nod

A/N- prompt used: [Quote] "They never believe in us until it's too late."
Word Count- 1049
Warnings- discussions about death, mentions of murder, implied abuse

Theo opened the door to his cottage for Draco Malfoy. "Morning," he greeted.

"Good morning," replied Draco in kind.

It had been a surprise to both Theo and Luna when they received a letter from Draco Malfoy the night before asking if he could come to their place for a visit while Astoria and Scorpius visited with her dad for the day. Luna had been delighted. Theo had been confused.

"Luna's in Diagon Alley picking up groceries for lunch, but she'll be back in a bit," explained Theo. Draco nodded his head in understanding. Theo shifted slightly from foot to foot in the frame of his front door. "I have to go feed the beasts. Do you… want to come with?"

Draco nodded his head again and the two headed out into the fields surrounding the Nott/Lovegood property.

Theo went to work.

He spread seeds for the fire-breathing chickens and fwoopers (tomorrow he'd have to reinforce their silencing charm; the month was almost up). He poured an ant farm into a trough for the occamy. He stuck his head in the wrackspurt clearing, thinking positive thoughts.

Draco had looked at him strangely then, but he was mostly quiet while Theo went about his morning routine.

That is, until they came upon the clearing with the two thestrals.

"When in the world did you get those?"

Theo grinned as he tossed a cow leg over the barrier. "Luna and I are fostering Hades, here, while he recovers. Apparently he got struck by a pretty nasty curse during a wizards duel in Belgium. They hadn't seen him and Hades' wing was damaged pretty badly." Theo tossed the other leg over the barrier for the female. "And Kore refused to leave Hades' side. She was a stubborn thing, so we had to take them both. I'm actually studying them."

"Oh?"

Theo used an aguamenti spell to help clear the cow's blood from his hands. "Yeah. I'm writing a book on them."

Draco's expression took on one of curious pride. "Really?"

Theo shrugged, his smile going shy. "Very little is known about Thestrals. Most people don't even believe they exist until it's too late. There's so much knowledge about these creatures yet to be discovered, you know?"

"Yeah, wow. That's… pretty amazing, Theo. They still creep me out a bit, though," admitted Draco.

"Yeah, they used to scare the shite out of me, too," Theo agreed, chuckling. "But now… I'm not sure if I'd be with Luna without them. The way we both grew up being able to see them when no one else could… it brought us together in a weird way. And now that most of the population in England can see them, there should probably be more books about them, right?"

Theo took a seat on a bench outside the barn. "Yeah," Draco said, joining him. They sat it silence for a moment. "Do you think Scorpius will see them?"

Theo stared at his beasts as they ate their breakfast. He loved them. "Nah. He's still to young to comprehend death like that."

"But didn't your mum die in childbirth?"

Theo's gaze flashed to Draco's, and the blond immediately began apologizing.

"No, sorry. I didn't— you don't have to—" Draco winced.

Draco Malfoy, Theo mused. He'd really grown up to be a good man. Theo wondered who he had to thank for this transformation from pompous bully to considerate father. But maybe… maybe it was just Draco.

"She did, yeah."

Draco blinked at him. "Oh. Then—"

"My mum's death isn't the reason I can see thestrals," Theo explained, his gaze returning to the aforementioned beasts. They had curled around each other, their wings spread to catch the rising sun.

Theo could feel Draco's restlessness beside him on the bench. The two of them sat in silence for another long moment. It was a little awkward. Theo and Draco had never really been… close.

"The reason I can see thestrals…" Draco's voice faded out, but Theo waited, curious to see where this was going. He heard Draco swallow audibly. "The Dark Lord's snake swallowed a professor on my dining table."

Theo nodded his head. His father had written to him about that day. He'd waxed poetic about it, in fact. He'd been goading Theo, who'd taken refuge at the Greengrasses during the war, into sending a reply. It hadn't worked. His father had been enraged with Theo for refusing to attend the death eater meetings and begging for the dark mark.

Theo had never told Draco how grateful he was that Draco had taken the dark mark so Theo wouldn't have to. He'd never thanked him. He probably never would.

"I watched my father beat our house elf to death," said Theo.

The brunet waited a beat and then glanced at his blond companion out of the corner of his eye. Draco was nodding, as if he understood. And maybe he did. Maybe Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott understood each other better than anyone else in the whole world possibly could.

"So… do you think Scorpius will be okay?" Draco sounded absolutely wrecked.

Poor man.

Astoria was like a sister to Theo. He still remembered the day she begged him to come stay with their family permanently, how she'd basically forced him to see how loved he was and how terrified she, Daphne, and Grayson were going to be for him if he tried to return home. If Theo turned out okay after being raised by his father, then Scorpius would be just fine.

"Are you planning on killing a house elf?"

Draco looked up at him, aghast. "No!"

Theo shrugged and returned his attention to the thestrals. "Then, Scorpius will be fine. He has you for a father."

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Theo figured Luna was back by now. He rose to his feet and watched Draco do the same.

"Luna's probably making some kind of crazy sandwich for lunch with who knows what in it. Just… be warned."

Draco seemed lost in thought, but he did reply with a simple, "Thanks."

Theo nodded his head. He understood that he was being thanked for far more than the stupid warning.

Perhaps he'd return the favor one day.

But today, he simply replied, "You're welcome."