Hi, guys! I haven't updated this story in years; I cringe just typing this. I know many thought it was abandoned but truthfully, I've thought of this sitting here at and knowing at some point I'd have to add to it. I have a few chapters written; I hope you take a chance and give it a go. I appreciate all of you who have supported me all these years.

LCailan

7 - Theo

And most recently I had the deepest honor and extraordinary pleasure to interview one of London's youngest entrepreneurial wizards. The Prophet is excited to dig deep into the life and times of Theodore Nott, to ask how his business is growing and how his family is reacting to his very sudden success…-

Theodore Nott dropped the old article on top of the piles of paper on his desk and stood up, turning to his office windows. They faced the alleyway near one of the busiest streets of London and beyond the windows he could hear the faint sounds of traffic.

His office was a small, cluttered room in the back of a flat he had purchased nearly a year ago and the front three rooms were for his ever growing list of clientele. He hardly left his space; he had hired enough people to take care of everything so that he could remain invisible – in a sense. His clients knew that Theo existed but they never actually saw him.

That was how Theo liked it. The old interviews that Rita Skeeter had done for the Prophet were all that people would ever need to know about him and his business. He had taken to reading through them again, trying to distract himself from the one thing – the one person, in fact – that he had found himself thinking of most of the week.

Hermione Granger.

He stood before the window, dark eyes trained down below. Anyone who chanced to see him would have found him a formidable presence – a tall and brooding man with pale skin and the hauntingly beautiful dark eyes he had inherited from his mother. They were quite stark against the thin and pale face that was decidedly a mirror image of his father.

But Theo knew he was not formidable at all – simply quiet and less gregarious than those he chose to spend his time with, if he chose to spend time with anyone at all.

So why has Hermione Granger – of all people - caught my eye?

As he stood there he heard a quick knock on his office door and turned around in time to grace his secretary, a blond-haired witch, with a smile. She was carrying a thin stack of papers which she quickly motioned towards his desk with a wave of her wand.

"The applications you requested, Sir."

"The girls from Ireland?"

"Yes, from your trip three months ago. They'd all be interested in meeting with you at some point. Just let me know which ones to contact."

Theo glanced down at the papers with a thoughtful nod.

"I will. Thank you."

She was gone a few moments later and the dark-haired wizard turned back towards the window, his thoughts drifting back to Hermione.

A Touch of Magic wasn't exactly the most prestigious of pubs in Wizarding London. It was convenient, that was certain but most pureblooded folk had stopped going there. His family – most of his associates in fact – had stopped patronizing the location many months before, turning their noses down at it. But Theo loved their breakfast and had continued to stop by on his way to or from work.

But when had he noticed Granger and how long had she worked there?

Theo was certain he hadn't noticed her three months before although each time he went there now he couldn't help but take in her dimpled smile, the caramel-honeyed eyes and that wild hair. She was tiny but it was hard not to notice her shapely bum and well-proportioned breasts even if they were hidden beneath a server's uniform.

Bloody hell!

And her greatest charm was that she had no idea how truly splendid she was!

He turned back to his messy desk and sat down in the large chair against the wall, gazing down at the pile of paperwork before him – a plethora of women who were dying to work for him. Try as he might, Theo could not concentrate on work, his mind thoroughly distracted by thoughts of Hermione Granger.

What happened to her after Hogwarts?

Truthfully, Theo couldn't recall what had happened to most of his classmates; he had kept in touch with only those in his House, as was apropos. Not that he had cared much for any of his classmates. Theo had been raised in a house of loneliness and had never truly learned how to care for anyone – including his friends. He could be funny, witty, charming, boyish, flirtatious…all manner of emotions and not truly feel anything genuine at all. Personal relationships had been difficult if not impossible. Perhaps that was why his father had groomed him to be the next Nott in Voldemort's inner circle.

Which never happened, did it, dear old Dad?

Theo had never considered what happened to any of his classmates – and especially not Granger. After all, she had been a mousy, buck-toothed, bushy-haired, know-it-all Mudblood. Hardly the kind of girl any respectable pureblooded boy would keep in touch with.

But that was then and the world was different now…

I'm not sure if Ron and I have broken up. I know that sounds mental; it really does. He's called a few times and I'm too much of a coward to answer. I never fancied myself a coward but I just can't with him. I just can't with the rest of my life. What does he understand? And Luna! How could she really sympathize when she's knee-deep in her studies at the University? Ron keeps blathering on about Ginny too. As if Ginny has time to think of me while she's training for Harpies tryouts in three months? Everyone knows she's going to get on the team and after that she's history. No, my friends don't understand. After my outburst with Ron I don't think I'm going to try to make them understand. I'll just wallow in my dead-end job waiting tables and making nice with the likes of Theo Nott and Basil. They might both be pureblood but at least they don't make me feel like crap...they understand me!

It snowed for three days after Hermione's first meeting with Theo Nott and her row with Ron.

She wasn't sure if they had broken up properly or not but with her workload increasing and hardly any time off, she had no time to dwell on it. After all, there were tables to wait on and thirsty patrons to serve. Hermione did it all without thinking, going through the motions mechanically, ignoring her friends. She wasn't quite able to admit that she didn't really want to see her friends – and especially not Ron.

Ron flooed every day. Luna had done so at the start of her week on the day her class load was the lightest. Then she popped in on the first day of her holiday break a day before she would leave to visit her father for Christmas.

Hermione had made herself scarce.

But the biggest surprise was Ginny. She had come to stay at the Burrow for her holiday and tried to contact Hermione.

Hermione had not responded.

The harder people tried the more work she found. She picked up extra shifts. She worked late and went in early. And the closer it came to Christmas the more excuses she found not to think about her dismal personal life. There were decorations to hang and snow to be swept away. There were new drinks to be made and extra customers to tend to. When her boss offered her a few days off, Hermione refused. She even refused to take her allotted breaks knowing that if she did, her thoughts would catch up to her. It was best to work - and to keep working. So Hermione did, without stopping.

Until a week later, when Theo Nott returned to the pub.

In the hubbub of the busiest time of day, Hermione found herself stopping mid-stride, admitting only in the darkest part of her heart that the man who had suddenly appeared by the bar was the main reason she was ignoring Ron.

"Back again?"

"And Happy Christmas to you, too."

Hermione was flustered, offering him a smile as she passed, waving her wand at the elevated tray before her so that its contents floated down to the table where two of her patrons waited for their fish and chips. Finished, she turned back to Theo who stood framed in the doorway, snowflakes glittering on the length of his black cloak so that he seemed to sparkle.

"I'm sorry; I'm rather busy-"

Her words faded off but she lingered a few seconds longer and Theo smiled.

"I won't keep you. I thought about your offer last week; I'd like to take you up on that. Fancy a couple of drinks at the Three Broomsticks?"

Hermione stopped, a warmth racing through her body and up to her cheeks. For the first time in days she thought about her situation and how much she hated it. She hated the work, the people – Gods - she hated it all.

"B-brilliant. I'd love to."

The words were breathless, wrought with anticipation and it brought a smile to Theo's dark features.

"That's that then!" he decided. "Shall I meet you in two days' time-?"

"Now," she interrupted, eyes wide. "I've got some time off coming to me and this place is oppressive. If you haven't got anything better to do now I reckon I'm good to go."

There wasn't a moment's hesitation as she spoke those words, so desperate was Hermione to break out of the monotony and depression she felt. Theo seemed to catch her enthusiasm and then offered his arm.

"Give me one second!" She called over her shoulder, pulling the green and blue striped apron over her head as she dashed towards the kitchens. It only took a few moments of sweet talking her boss before she was allowed to take the first break she had taken in days.

Within moments Hermione and Theo were Apparating to Hogsmeade.

Hermione found that in the case of Theo Nott, the more she knew the more she liked. Though she had rushed to spend time with another man - any man, really - this one in particular with his mysterious charm and quick tongue was not the one she would have chosen had she been given more time to think about it. It was one of the rashest decisions she had ever made but at the same time Hermione was learning that it could possibly be one of the best too.

She found that they had enough in common to forge a rather comfortable acquaintanceship and within days she felt like they were old friends. The fact that they had not been friends in their past or that she was Muggle-born and he from a family that spanned generations of purebloods seemed irrelevant.

Each early afternoon Theo would visit Hermione and she started to take her breaks with him, walking the snowy streets of Muggle London and chatting about this, that and any manner of light topics. She found with Theo, her life - that other life she was so desperately trying to avoid - did not matter. He did not take to asking too many questions or judging her because she felt a certain way. And Hermione found herself sharing with him all those frustrations she couldn't share with her other friends. It seemed that they had found in each other a sort of comfort, a way to escape their problems for a bit each day. Hermione began to look forward to seeing his crooked smile each day; it became the highlight of her dismal existence.

She had not known Theo to be someone who was well-spoken or particularly popular. She knew in school that in spite of being in the vicinity of some of the most popular boys – he did not run in their circles, having kept strictly to himself. What he did have - and what many did not notice - was determination and perseverance – and a good mind for giving people what they wanted. Hermione was discovering quickly how hard Theo could work if he wanted something. He had told her snippets about his life in the world of business though leaving out those things she wondered about - especially the parts that were secret.

She knew she didn't need to know his secrets; the fact that Theo had made his own wealth at such a young age was more than ample proof to Hermione that he was brilliant in his own right - and more so than she had given him credit for. Most within the pureblooded line lived off of family fortune; Theo had not.

Hermione admired his tenacity. She found that his out-of-the-box approach to life was a sharp contrast to her own but at the same time she found it contagious. But what she appreciated the most about him was his ability to make her feel like an equal; this was feat that many in her life had failed to do and due to his progressive thinking had come easy to Theo. Of course, in the back of her mind, Hermione was terrified that this would not last but she was determined to enjoy it while it did. In Theo Nott she had found a bit of light, like a flicker of fire in the darkness. She would always ponder why he had come into her life.

One afternoon just before Christmas, on one of their many strolls through the snowy streets of London, Theo posed a question more personal than any other they had discussed before.

"Why did you ask me to dinner that first afternoon we met? I know I mentioned it then but aren't you dating Ron Weasley?"

She stopped, surprised as much now as she had then that he would have known something like that. She certainly hadn't discussed it with him.

"I was," she said tentatively, feeling uncomfortable. "But things have been going downhill for a bit now and I just...well, I hadn't wanted to see it. And frankly I don't know what to do about it."

She watched as big, fat snowflakes danced along the sky, fluttering down to settle on Theo's dark hair. He watched her curiously and Hermione felt like he was dissecting her mind. The situation was quite akward, after all. She had spent the last several days spending time with a man who was not her boyfriend, after all.

"You've been with him a long time?" Theo asked.

"Two years," she admitted, biting her lower lip. "Sometimes it just takes someone else to make one realize-"

Her cinnamon-colored eyes widened as Theo suddenly pressed one gloved finger across her lips. His dark eyes flickered with something Hermione did not recognize – a mixture of surprise and…sympathy.

"Hush, you're not looking for a new bloke to date, Hermione. You're looking for a new life; the two are completely different things."

Hermione blinked, her eyes flashing with annoyance as she spoke, her voice muffled from behind his black, leather glove. But he would not let her go.

"You're looking for a new life because you feel oppressed. I think we all do in some ways."

Hermione finally managed to shove Theo away, anger replacing her growing embarrassment.

"You? Oppressed? What do you know of oppression, Pureblood?" she mocked.

Theo shook his head firmly, ignoring her obvious baiting.

"Hermione, I cannot be the one to make you realize that you no longer want to be with Weasley. Please, don't make me be the one."

She stared at him, her mouth dropping open and her cheeks flaming. She had been certain that the conversation would be about their differences in blood status and how complicated dating would be. Hermione's reminder that she was already dating a Pureblood had bubbled to her lips but he had beat her to speaking.

But the reality was that he did not want to discuss dating because Theo Nott did not see her the way she saw him.

Do I see him a certain way? Oh, Merlin's beard, I do, don't I? I'm such an idiot!

The realization hit her full force and with it a flood of crushing humiliation. Even in the frigid winter temperatures, Hermione felt hot.

"So...I was...wrong to think that there could be something...?"

Her voice was flat; she was unable to meet his eyes.

Theo hesitated; Hermione could feel that much. Her heart hammered wildly inside of her chest and she was glad that he could not sense her misery.

"Hermione, there are rules we all follow. You follow them and so do we. So does Weasley."

Hermione's head shot up. She was shocked to find that Theo appeared torn despite his obvious refusal of her affections.

"What rules?" she snapped.

"Things we can do; things we cannot do. I must...we all must marry within our stature. You know that. Old wizarding families-"

Her eyes widened.

"I wasn't talking about sodding marriage!" she lashed out. "I was hoping that you might see me as a woman and not just as a Muggle-born! I was hoping for a start to a relationship where my blood status doesn't matter as much! Ron...it used to be that way with him; I used to matter. But something's changed. The Ministry holds this whole blood status thing so highly that I-"

Hermione stopped, fearing that she might burst into tears and there was no way she would cry in front of him.

Theo sighed and shook his head, a heavy sadness falling upon him.

"They're just stupid proprietary things, that's all. And I don't ever plan on marrying; this isn't about that. I'm sorry that I even said it."

Hermione stared down at the wet, salted sidewalk but couldn't find the words to express the torture she felt. She tried to tune his words out but wasn't able to.

"Don't you see that I do care about you? Everyone around you cares about you; you just don't see it. What good would it do you if we were to forge a relationship? Not that it would ever happen- but would you really want to be the bookmark until my family decides I'm to marry? How would you feel then? If, Merlin forbid, we actually felt something for one another?"

Hermione blinked furiously, huddling down into the warmth of her heavy winter cloak.

"I just want to escape from all of this," she said in a tiny, worn voice. "I just wanted someone to want-"

Theo reached down to her and she felt the icy-coolness of his glove against her burning cheek. She caught a hint of spice and smoke.

"You're a beautiful woman, Hermione. A man would have to be blind not to see that. And that's not the only thing about you that's bewitching. You are..."

He shook his head though a glint of something flashed in his eyes for the briefest of moments.

"No matter. Weasley loves you, the good and the bad. You've talked enough about him; you've built something lasting with him. I'm just a man who's walked into your life a month ago. I've got a business to run and I never stay put in one place. Why would you scrap your relationship to take a chance with someone new? The reality is that your boyfriend and I are quite alike. I know you want me to be that person who will save you from the life you're leading but I can't do that."

As he spoke Hermione felt the overwhelming need to weep once again and she battled with her will. She felt like a little girl again, wanting something she couldn't have and finding the whole world unfair.

"Why? Because of your blood status?" she asked flatly.

Theo said nothing but Hermione had learned to read his facial expressions. There it was; there was the flicker of acknowledgment.

"And because being with a woman is not my plan," he replied. "Even if I wanted a family, my father expects things that don't allow me to make free choices. Weasley has balls that most sons of old wizarding families do not have. He chose you even though this world says he should not."

Hermione bristled, her dry eyes burning. She lifted her chin high.

"He chose me? You make it sound like I'm a disgusting abomination to be hidden away!"

Her voice held a quaver but she continued to fight bravely against her emotions.

"As if I am any less of a woman than half the witches who happen to have been born into pureblood families?"

Theo stepped forward, snow crunching under his boots.

"Hermione-"

She stopped him vehemently.

"Ron is a good man; I know that. He might have his faults and in the end we might not work out. But he is a good man. Thank you for helping me realize you are a horrid one!"

With that, Hermione turned and stalked down the snowy street, head held high. She refused to cry and she vowed she would never speak to Theodore Nott again. He was just as bad as the others; he hadn't understood her.

I just wanted him to, that's all. But I was wrong. I won't make that same mistake again.

Unfortunately for Hermione, the streets were busy with last-minute shoppers and traffic. She had trouble getting away and behind her she could hear his tell-tale footsteps. He was hurrying to keep up with her.

"Hermione!"

"Leave me alone!"

She broke into a sprint but he kept up with her as they splashed through a particularly crowded intersection. Once they reached the other sidewalk she felt his gloved hand clamp down on hers.

"Come off it, Hermione. You're a friend; in these times who is going to turn away a friend?"

She whirled, eyes bright and hair tousled from the cold winds.

"I was a fool who wanted a new life; I wanted a distraction from Ron and my other friends but you're right! You're just like he is. You're not going to look at me differently."

She was having trouble speaking as she tried to catch her breath.

"For once I just wanted to be someone and not just-"

Theo took several breaths and then gave her a hard look.

"Has anyone ever told you that you feel too much, Hermione?"

She stopped short of saying anything, brows furrowing, but remained silent, hesitant.

"You care too much. Haven't you ever just taken life for what it is?"

"I want the opportunities afforded to you - to everyone who isn't Muggle-born. I want equality. How can I take life for what it is when my life is utter crap?"

Theo looked grim.

"Stop feeling so much. Don't think about it; do what you have to."

Her brown eyes had narrowed and there was a flush to her cheeks though it might have been partially from her rage. For a moment it appeared that she might grab him but in the end she shook her head and then turned away, dashing back towards the alley behind the pub where she worked.

She never turned around to see if Theo had followed; she could no longer hear the sound of his boots against the icy pavements. Hermione found herself alone but Theo's last words rang in her mind.

Stop feeling so much. Don't think about it; do what you have to.

She didn't know how much impact those words would have.

Three days later, Ron opened the door of his downtown flat to find Hermione standing there uncertainly. He welcomed her back and she accepted him, albeit half-heartedly.

Stop feeling so much; do what you have to.