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, any and all mistakes are mine. Apologies.

Music is my Muse
This chapters song:
Superman, Five For Fighting
Lyric of choice:
It's not easy to be me. Wish that I could cry. Fall upon my knees.


Aftermath

Chapter Five
Breaking Point

Hermione was tired; she hadn't managed eight hours of sleep in the last week. Walking into her flat and dropping her weekend bag, with its undetectable enlargement charm on the loveseat she sank down and shivered as she looked around her dark and cold flat. She was depressed and exhausted, and she wanted to chat with Theo. She missed him, and that was crazy she knew, but she did. And she had slept with him, the best nights sleep she had ever had as an adult. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her and surround her in that peace and safety she had felt that night.

She sat up as she remembered what he had said. "If you ever need me, just come here…"

Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was the glass of wine she had sipped before leaving Paris on the portkey, maybe it was the strangeness of thinking about him all week. She didn't really know, but without giving it any more internal debating she grabbed floo powered and said very clearly.

"Theodore Nott's parlor, Number six, Canterberry Lane, London."

In a flash, she was gone and stepping out into Theo's cozy parlor.

"Hello?" She said tentatively. "Theo!"

There was a small crash above her and then someone rushing down the stairs, just as she pushed through the kitchen door he made it down.

"Hermione!" He said his eyes wide.

She flushed. "I… I can't sleep."

They stood there for a moment in silence and then he nodded and held out his hand. She took it and followed him upstairs.

OooOoooOooO

Theo's heart was pounding so hard he thought it might break out of his chest. Was she here? Merlin, she was actually here! And she looked exhausted; she had dark circles under her eyes and a slump to her shoulders that he didn't like. He walked her into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He had been getting ready for bed himself and was just in his bottoms. He reached over and handed her the shirt she had worn the last night she was here.

She took it and then said softly. "Can you, turn around so I can change?"

He nodded and did as she asked. He heard her removing her clothing; she had been in a pretty dress with heels. He wondered where she had come from? When he heard her get into the bed he turned around and smiled as he saw that she had carefully laid her dress out on the armchair by the fire, her shoes sitting neatly next to the chair. But no purse and no wand.

"Hermione, where is your wand, love?"

She looked up and frowned. "Oh, in my purse in my flat."

He shook his head. "You shouldn't leave your wand." He said sternly.

She sighed. "Go and get it for me then if it's that big of a deal. My purse is on the table by the loveseat."

He nodded at her and moved over to the floo. "Number twenty-two, Spruce Street, London."

Theo grabbed her purse and looked around quickly. The room was incredibly bare, depressing really. He shook his head and stepped back in the still burning floo flames dropping another handful of powder and heading back to his room. She was lying in the bed on her side facing the empty side of the bed he would sleep on and breathing in small slow breaths, almost asleep he would guess. He opened her purse and pulled out her wand, shaking his head at the many other things he could see in the bag. Books, clothes, an extra pair of heels, robes, and a few small bags that he knew women usually kept makeup and such in.

He set her purse down on the floor by his fire and put her wand beside his on the bedside table. Then he turned off the lights and climbed into bed. Immediately she sleepily moved towards him so he pulled her into his arms. Allowing her to lay on his chest again, his hand tangling in her hair.

"Paris exhaust you, love?" He whispered into her temple.

She sighed nodded and said. "And I missed you."

He smiled and then shook his head. "Always so direct, my little lioness."

He felt her smile into his chest before she said sleepily. "I was supposed to be an eagle."

Theo waited until he was sure she was asleep and then he said softly. "So was I, love, so was I."

Theo woke up with her twice that night as she had her night terrors. The second time she wasn't able to stop shaking for a long time and he held her to him, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Why don't you take a sleeping potion?" He asked after a bit.

She sighed and shifted rubbing her nose in his chest and making him shiver. "I have control issues." She said her tone wry.

Theo chuckled, yeah, he knew that. "You just need to know someone is watching out for you I bet," he said softly. "You showed up here with no wand, Hermione. That has to mean you trust me."

She let out a small soft snort. "Or that I am a total idiot. Mad Eye would be appalled that I did that."

Theo shook his head and then said. "Or that you are too tired to make wise decisions. You need sleep, Hermione."

She sighed and he felt her stiffen for a moment before she said. "Fine, tomorrow night I will come back and you can force a sleeping drought down my throat."

He grunted shifting her and closing his eyes. "I value my life too much to force you to do anything, Hermione," he said with a smirk.

A few moments later he felt her drift off and he followed her into sleep, very thankful that he functioned on not very much sleep and had a good supply of pucker up potion.

OoOOoooOoooOOooOOo

Hermione looked up as an owl tapped on the window of her little office at the French Embassy house in Diagon Alley. She didn't recognize the owl but it looked rather friendly. She opened the window and handed it a treat from the bowl that she kept on her desk. It hooted at her softly and waited for her to read the note, which meant that she needed to reply.

She unrolled the parchment curiously and then smiled as she read it.

Hermione,

Dinner is at six.

Tuily wishes to meet you and I am told that I should ask you to dress up because she thinks all witches like an excuse to get pretty for dinner. I will give you all the gold in my vault if you promise to show. I haven't seen her this excited since I got my letter for school.

Theo

Hermione smiled softly as she quickly wrote her reply.

Theo,

You can keep your gold. I would adore meeting Tuily and she is right, girls like to get pretty. I will wear my best dress just for her.
See you tonight,

Hermione

She had a silly smile on her face the rest of the day and when she had finished her project for the day she rushed home to change and do her hair, grabbing a change of clothes for tomorrow. She hesitated as she fingered her plaid flannel pajamas before she left them behind. She liked wearing Theo's shirt. But she did grab all of her toiletry items and her soaps and such.

At five to six she stepped into the floo and let it whisk her away, a soft smile on her face.


Author Notes:
Thank you for the follows and favorites and reviews!
I hope you all realize how much of a dire situation Hermione's in if she just leaves her wand at home.
This is not good. She's not thinking clearly and Theo is just as worried as you are, I promise.
I made up Pucker Up Potion. I can do that, I looked it up and since this is non-cannon I can make up anything I want. ;)

Next chapter is dinner with Tuily!