Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. I just happened to come up with the plot for this ship. All credit to J.K for her amazing universe that she allows us to play in.
Warning: Rated M. Cursing, sexual innuendos, lemons and fluff ahead.
My beta is Grammarly so all mistakes are mine. My apologies.
Music is my muse:
Song for this chapter: Make it Rain, Ed Sheeran
Lyrics: When the sins of my father weigh down in my soul, and the pain of my mother will not let me go.
Aftermath
Chapter Four
Make it Rain
When Theo walked back in the kitchen he was surprised to see Hermione there wearing jeans and a soft pink jumper with her feet bare. She smiled at him tentatively and he raised an eyebrow at her. "You transfigure your suit?"
She laughed and shook her head. "No, I have extra clothes in my purse."
Theo knew he looked a bit shocked. "Didn't think it was that big of a purse, love."
She smiled twirling her wand. "Undetectable enlargement charm."
He smirked because it was so typical Granger, of course, she had an enlargement charm on her purse and an extra outfit inside of it.
She blushed and ducked her head. "Um, if you would like to get dressed, I can start on breakfast."
Theo looked down and realized he was shirtless and then shrugged. "Sure, thanks."
He jogged up and tossed on some jeans, not bothering with boxers. As he buttoned his fly he saw his shirt, the one Hermione had been wearing, folded on the dresser. He walked over and picked it up, it was still warm. Bringing it to his nose he realized it still smelled like her. Smiling he pulled it on and went to brush his teeth.
When he came down he found her at the stove, singing to herself in French as she flipped French Toast of all things. "I didn't realize you knew French." He said coming up behind her.
She jumped and whirled around. "Merlin you are stealthy."
He grinned pulling down a pan to fry some sausage. "Like a snake! And you cook like a Muggle."
She sighed and turned back around. "Well, I was raised by them."
Theo snorted and moved away after enchanting the sausage to cook. "Is that where you learned French? Your family?"
She shrugged and said softly. "No, I learned it in primary school. That's Muggle school, I was in a private one until I was eleven."
Theo nodded. "And you took French?"
She nodded. "Among other things, yes. We visited France when I was younger too. Before, well, before the world started falling apart. After the war-" She shivered a little and he saw her wrap an arm around herself as if comforting herself. "Well, after the war, after I finally graduated, I needed a break. I went to France and interned at their Ministry."
Theo watched her as she served breakfast, her face sad again, she was silent. Too silent. "So that's where you went then after Hogwarts? France? I thought you were dating that Weasley fellow?"
She looked up in surprise and nodded. "Yes, we dated for that year, but we broke up the Christmas after graduation. He-" she paused and then said sadly. "He wanted more than I was able to give."
Theo gave a slow nod of understanding and said. "Sex or Marriage?"
Her cheeks flushed and she mumbled. "Both, actually."
Theo dropped it; he knew that the Weasel was married now to some girl from their year. He watched Hermione for a bit, surprised somehow that she was a delicate eater, refined, and still far too quiet.
Finally, he said softly. "You know, I am good at keeping secrets, Hermione." She looked up at him and her eyes broke his heart. "Just tell me, little lioness. Snakes don't talk."
She smiled at him and then said. "Well, they used to talk to Harry."
Theo frowned at her. "Used to?"
She nodded. "He can't speak Parseltongue anymore. It died with Voldemort. It was his talent really, not Harry's."
Theo stayed silent and waited, realizing that she was going to have to decide on her own if she wanted to share her secrets. After a moment she started talking and he sat back in amazement as she told him about erasing her parent's memories, going on the run with her two best friends, breaking into the ministry to steal the Horcrux, how the stupid Weasley boy splinched himself, how they struggled to find food, and stay hidden. He tried to keep his face as neutral as possible. But inside he raged at the injustice, all the pressure she had been put under. She had barely been over age, just eighteen and she had been the brains behind destroying one of the darkest wizards that had ever been seen. He flinched as she talked about what it felt like to wear the Horcrux, and when she got to the point where she had been captured and tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles going white.
She was crying now as she told him how terrified she had been breaking into the Lestrange vault, and he was almost shaking with fear for her, just listening to what she was telling course, he had heard parts of this, but not such an emotional perspective. When she got to the battle he moved and lifted her up setting her down in his lap as she choked it all out through her sobs.
"And then it was over, and I thought things would be normal, but I don't even know what normal is anymore!"
Theo hissed out a breath and held her to him, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
"And why did I just tell you all this?" She said on a wail burying her head in his chest.
Theo sighed as he petted her. That was a damn good question. "Because you're brave." He said softly into her hair. "You have more bravery in your little finger than most wizards have in their whole body."
She snorted at this and said sadly. "I never feel brave."
They were quiet for a moment and then Theo said carefully. "How about I even the playing field? Want to hear my secrets, kitty?"
He felt her shudder and then say. "I can be a good listener."
He smiled and then started talking.
OoOOoOOOooOOo
Hermione listened as Theo Nott told her about his childhood. About his mother dying, having to live with his father, who had never been very emotionally stable and who after his wife died had developed a habit of terrorizing his only child.
"If it hadn't been for Tuily I am sure I would have died before I made it to school," Theo said in his deep voice. "She watched out for me, protected me…" He broke off and Hermione looked up going very still at the look on his face, it was deeper than hate, it was pure loathing.
"And that was how he broke me."
She paused and then said softly. "Tuily?"
Theo nodded. "If I stepped a toe out of line, he would torture her and then send her to me broken with his message. I tried hiding her in the kitchen at school, the other elves tried to help me, but she wouldn't take clothes so when my father called she would go back and he would torture her again."
Hermione gasped but kept quiet.
"That's how he got me to 'volunteer' for the mark," he sneered the word his face a picture of disgust.
"He threatened Tuily?" Hermione asked whisper softly.
Theo gave one short nod. "After I came of age, I made Tuily take clothes and I hid her at school, I knew that my days were numbered, I couldn't let her be killed."
Hermione nodded her hand over her mouth in horror.
"She had raised me, I wouldn't have known tenderness, or caring, or love if it hadn't been for her. So when the battle started I evacuated her hiding her here, I had bought this house once I turned seventeen with the money from my own vault." He shuddered and said. "And then I went back, and the battle was raging and I saw my father…" Theo grew quiet and then he said. "He wasn't going after Order members, he was going after students."
Hermione gasped now and whimpered.
"I watched him hex a third-year girl, Gryffindor, and I rushed over and before he could stop me I left with her. I was so stupid; I took her to St. Mungos. I was a death eater; they started hexing me thinking I was there to attack. And I was screaming at them that they needed to help that girl. Finally one of the healers saw her; she was covered in blood and listened to what I was screaming at them. I was hurt too, but I wouldn't leave her. She was going to live but she was disfigured, her little arms covered in scars from the curses my father had used. That's where the Auror's found me. I was sitting next to that girl sobbing."
Hermione reached up and touched his face. "It wasn't your fault, Theo," she said softly.
He looked down at her and his eyes were haunted. "He was my father! I should have stopped him, killed him."
Hermione shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Theo, you tried to help. You saved Tuily, you got that girl to healers."
He shook his head his face dark with regret and Hermione buried her face in his chest holding him close waiting for his breathing to calm down.
When he did she felt him sigh and say. "So, I was scared too, Hermione. You aren't alone."
A few minutes later he stood up putting her back on the stool and they went back to finishing breakfast. Neither saying any more about their own demons for now. A lot had been said today and she knew that she needed time to process all she had learned.
Theodore Nott was not who she had expected him to be.
Author Notes:
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