Disclaimer: Nope. Still not mine.
A/N: Well, I'm back :p I do apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I had a movie marathon last night and I couldn't stop myself from watching. I'm sorry. I'm really a sucker for movies, especially for good movies :D
Anyway, here is the next installment of OaP. Enjoy!
Chapter Seventeen: Falling For You
I don't know but
I think I maybe
Falling For You
Dropping so quickly
Falling For You by Colbie Caillat
It was surprising for Hermione, seeing that nobody knew that she was actually Hermione Granger in disguise the next few days after her confrontation with Draco.
Everybody still treated her as if she was the friendly Slytherin named Hermes Austen. Everybody still gave her their usual greeting as she strode inside the Great Hall for breakfast.
Malfoy hadn't told anybody, she concluded. It was a great relief for her, but still, knowing that Draco Malfoy knew never made her feel at ease anymore. He had the power to suddenly break everything and tell everybody that she was deceiving them. He had the power to tell everything to his great lord to mislead him more into thinking that he was not a spy for the Order of the Phoenix.
But, he never did.
It had been three days now and Hermione found herself in the Great Hall, surrounded by the other Slytherins. Both Blaise and Teddy were seated across from her, talking animatedly about the upcoming match between their chosen International Quidditch teams. Malfoy, unsurprisingly, was nowhere to be found. Ever since his confrontation with her in the Room of Requirement, he had avoided her more.
She involuntarily released a soft sigh and rested her chin on top of her hand, eyes staring off into space. The sudden sound she made had stopped Blaise and Teddy's conversation. They looked at each other in the eye before averting their eyes to their troubled roommate.
"Is something wrong… again?" Blaise asked, adding the last word in amusement. Hermione Granger had seriously looked troubled for the past few weeks already and it was troubling him, too.
"Can you look anything but anxious for now?" Teddy added with a hopeful look on his face. "Just looking at you seriously depresses me, you know, Hermes."
Despite the heavy feeling in her heart, she released a soft chuckle. "Am I really that worrisome already?" she asked with a sigh. She then waved her hand dismissively, eyes trained on her two Slytherin best friends. "I'm sorry; just… don't look at me if I'm bothersome. Don't mind me; I can handle it myself."
'Liar!'
Both Slytherins simultaneously looked disappointed. Seeing those looks on their faces made her heart race in fear. If they discovered that she was actually deceiving them to make them think that she was Hermes Austen and she was not Hermione Granger, would they look at her with the same faces? It was terrifying for Hermione and she instantly looked away.
Teddy broke the silence by releasing a resigned sigh. "If you say so," he said, returning back to his meal.
"I'm sorry," she repeated.
Blaise broke the tension with his good-natured laugh. "You don't need to apologize," he said. Hermione looked at him gratefully. "I mean, it's your business and not ours. If you don't want to tell us, then we won't force it out from you." His face then gradually morphed into an expression of mixed seriousness and worry. "But, we're here, yeah? I promised you that I'd look after you and Teddy here will surely do the same. So, if you think you can't handle it anymore, don't hesitate in approaching us, okay?"
Hermione flashed both of them with a wide grin. What would she do if Blaise Zabini and Teddy Nott were not her friends? "Okay," she answered back.
"And so, that's settled!" Teddy chirped, reverting back to his cheerful self. He then leaned slightly forward on the table, his chin rested on his entwined fingers. "It's Hogsmeade Day tomorrow! Aren't you all excited? Merlin, those practice tests were so tiresome we seventh years seriously needed a break."
Blaise surprisingly sighed and shook his head. "I can't come," he told both of them. "I had to do some extra credits for Transfiguration. My low score for the practice test of the subject surprised Professor McGonagall and offered me to make up for it. So, I agreed; hence, I can't come."
Teddy scowled and playfully punched the Italian's shoulder. "Ditch it!" was his typical exclamation, which was answered by a roll of eyes from Blaise.
"Not everybody acts like you, Theo," he retorted back. "Even I care for my grades." He sighed and looked back at the silent Hermione. "And I think that if you were to ask Draco, he'd plainly say 'no'. He had not been eating in the Great Hall for weeks now, yeah? I somehow feel that he's… avoiding us."
'Or avoiding me,' Hermione forlornly thought inside her mind, looking away from Blaise's piercing eyes.
"So, that leaves you with Hermes," the Italian continued. "I think he needs to have a break the most." When Blaise looked back at Teddy, he was surprised to see that the carefree Slytherin grew pale. "Theodore?"
"Err…" Teddy stuttered, eyes wide as he stared at the disguised Slytherin. 'A day with Hermes Austen? Oh Merlin, kill me now.' "Umm… I think he'd decline, too. I-it's okay for me to go alone. I'll just tag along with some random Slytherins. I-I'll be fine."
Hermes slowly nodded in agreement. "He's right," she voiced out. "I just need some time… alone."
"Nonsense," Blaise interjected with a wave of his hand. He pointedly ignored the glare that Teddy gave to his direction. "You're both free and all. Enjoy Hogsmeade Days because we'd be really busy for the next few months."
"But – ."
"Don't interject, Nott," Blaise said in annoyance, giving him a glare of his own. "I'm starting to have a feeling that you don't want to hang-out with Hermes here." Inside, Blaise was grinning. Teasing Theodore Nott about his obviously newfound feelings for the disguised brunette was as fun as teasing Hermes Austen of facts about Hermione Granger. Though, he had to admit, alarm bells were ringing loudly inside his head. If Teddy discovered that Hermes Austen was actually a girl… what would happen to him?
He shook his head as Teddy looked indignant. "O-of course not!" he stuttered in exclamation. His eyes landed on Hermes. "It's just that, I-I… Oh, what the heck." He closed his mouth in defeat and expectantly stared at Hermes.
"It's fine," she stubbornly said. "I'll stay here if you don't want me to come with you in Hogsmeade."
A guilty look adorned the handsome Slytherin's face. His roommate was so dejected and now, he was making Hermes all the more depressed. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered out, his cheeks inflaming in embarrassment. "It's all right. You can come with me. I'll make our Hogsmeade trip tomorrow fun, Hermes. I solemnly swear."
Hermione sighed and gave him a small smile. This only darkened the color on his cheeks. "Okay," she said, absentmindedly ruffling her short hair. "I guess you're right, Blaise. I'm the one who needed to have a break the most."
Blaise only nodded while Teddy looked away, thinking if he really made the right decision.
"You ready, Teddy?" Hermes asked as soon as he emerged from the bathroom. When Teddy looked at him, he found himself blushing. Hermes was wearing a simple green sweater over some random shirt he rummaged out from his trunk. He was also wearing denim pants with white sneakers covering his feet. To top it all, a black bonnet covered his small head.
Cute. Definitely.
'Oh, for the love of – GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!' Teddy reprimanded himself whilst shaking his head vigorously. 'Just because you're going to be all alone with him for a day…' He released a groan and clutched his head, trying to get his mind off the brunette in front of him. But of course, it would be undoubtedly hard, seeing that he would spend the whole day with Hermes Austen and him alone.
"Teddy?" he asked, snapping Teddy off his reverie. The carefree Slytherin took a step back, surprised that he advanced himself and was now standing a few meters away from him. For him, Hermes was too close for his comfort. "Are you okay? You just… zoned out."
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured, taking a few more steps away from him. Teddy then turned around, his back now facing Hermes, to hide the furious blush that crept on his neck up to his cheeks. "Let's just go, okay?" 'Let's get this thing over with.'
He heard him release a soft sigh. "Okay," Hermes answered. Teddy nodded and briskly walked out of their room, Hermes in tow.
Hermione sighed for the umpteenth time as she mindlessly walked side-by-side with Teddy.
They were in Hogsmeade already with some of their schoolmates hustling and bustling here and there. The carriage ride pulled by thestrals (which Hermione could already see) was a quiet one. Hermione even reckoned that it was an awkward one. Teddy was awfully silent the whole ride, his eyes firmly set outside the windows.
But Hermione didn't mind his unusual silence. In truth, she wanted to be anywhere and everywhere but here in Hogsmeade.
Anxiety took over as soon as she stepped out of Hogwarts. She was honestly apprehensive of the people she passed by. What if they were the person who knew about her true identity? What if Malfoy had told them? What if somebody suddenly pointed an accusing finger to her and exclaimed that she was a 'deceitful bitch'?
'Oh Merlin, kill me now!' she proclaimed inside her head whilst groaning inwardly.
What the bloody hell had happened to her life, she asked herself. She was supposed to be happily making jokes with Harry, Ron, and Ginny while they drank butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks.
"Am I boring you?" Teddy suddenly asked. Hermione was forced to get her mind back to their trip as she looked at the carefree Slytherin beside her. It was the first time he had uttered a sentence to her.
"Err…" she said, frowning at the sight of Teddy. He honestly looked a bit… troubled. "Not really." She released a sigh, followed by a soft chuckle. "Actually, I don't really mind. Your company's enough." To her utmost surprise, a faint blush appeared on both of his cheeks. A satisfied grin also grew on Teddy's face.
"I'm sorry," he said. Teddy nervously ruffled his hair.
Hermione merely shrugged, tucking both of her hands inside her front pockets. "What do we do now?" she asked.
Teddy sighed and frowned. "I'm not really sure…" he slowly said. "Usually, it's Draco who makes the decision every time we go to Hogsmeade."
Upon hearing his name, the brunette blanched. Teddy had noticed the paleness of her cheek, which caused his frown to deepen more. "Did something happen between you and Draco?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in the tone of his voice. "Did Draco do something to you again?"
Hermione humorlessly chuckled. 'Of if you only know, Teddy,' she said inside her mind. "No, no, Malfoy never did anything to me," she interjected, shaking her head in the process. She released a soft sigh and absentmindedly scratched the back of her neck, avoiding Teddy's searching eyes. "Actually… I think I'm the one who caused his sudden avoidance."
"You're bothered by that?" he asked. Upon seeing the nodding of her head, he sighed. "Look, understand that Draco's like that, even before. I mean, he tends to keep silent and avoid anybody who has offended him."
"Um… not exactly a comforting thing to say," Hermione truthfully said, though a wide smile was seen on her face.
Teddy chuckled in return, starting to feel at ease. "Well, that's Draco Malfoy for you," he said. "Unfortunately for you, he's in his worst conditions right now. I guess that you'd find him more… agreeable if you were able to meet him way back before."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Worst conditions?" she inquired. "What do you mean?"
The carefree Slytherin sheepishly smiled, ruffling his onyx hair. "I'm not really sure if I'm supposed to say those things," he answered. "It's extremely personal for Draco and he's my best friend. I want to keep his secrets. If you want to know, ask him yourself."
The brunette absentmindedly nodded but deep inside, she knew Malfoy would have AK-ed her before she could even ask his 'current conditions'.
"Hey," Teddy continued, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hermione looked at him in question, and then shot a look at his hand, before looking back at him.
Teddy, on the other hand, seemed to realize his sudden bold move before retrieving his hand back, cheeks darkly inflamed. "We-well," he started with a stutter. He then nervously cleared his throat. "I was just wondering if you want to go grab some butterbeer. That's what Draco, Blaise, and I usually do on Hogsmeade day."
Hermione grinned. "Butterbeer sounds lovely."
"Are you barking ma – NO! THEODORE NOTT, STOP THIS INSTANT!"
Teddy swiveled around, sporting a huge grin on his face. "Scared, Austen?" he asked slyly, his grin turning into an eerily Malfoy-like smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes at Teddy's sudden audacity. Just a while ago, he was this 'awkward' Teddy and after drinking a couple of butterbeer (ten glasses, to be exact), he started to revert back to his old self but this time, he was starting to get a bit… loopy.
The brunette couldn't believe the surprising effects of butterbeer on Teddy. Of course, she knew that the beverage still had a low percentage of alcohol. But then again, he drank ten, so maybe that was why he was acting a bit drunk.
After drinking his tenth glass, Teddy stood up from his seat and boldly proclaimed for them to have fun in Knockturn Alley.
In Knockturn Alley. The same blasted alley where Hermione found herself weeks before forced by some deranged hags in disguise as gorgeous maidens to come with them so that she would be their sex slaves. For goodness' sake, the same blasted alley where annoying Draco Malfoy unpredictably saved her, thus, she now owed her life to him.
'Darn it,' she snorted inside her head, stomping towards Teddy, who was now successfully inside Knockturn Alley. She had spotted him just a few feet from Borgin and Burkes as she released an exhausted sigh. "Teddy!" she exclaimed, closing the wide gap between them. "Teddy, this is serious!" She finally arrived beside him. Hermione clutched both of his shoulders and forced him to look at her. "This is serious, Theodore Nott. I am serious. Listen carefully to what I'll say, okay? It's dangerous here."
Teddy blinked at her, surprise clearly etched on his face. Soon, he was laughing. Hermione's too-serious look was comical for him (endearing even) and so, he voiced out his amusement. "Hermes," he said in a sing-song voice. "This will be fun, I swear. I promised you that I'll make this trip fun, right? So, trust me."
The carefree Slytherin then pulled away from Hermione's grasp before turning around and stomping to Merlin-knows-where.
"Teddy, you're bloody drunk!" she exclaimed, running to catch-up with him. She mentally cursed his long and muscular legs. "You might do something rash… FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"
Her sudden outburst had attracted the strange passersby of Knockturn Alley. Hermione's eyes widened upon seeing a deranged man who hissed at her in irritation. With a soft whimper, she strode quickly towards Teddy who was now whipping his head frantically.
"What are you looking for?" she hissed with narrowed eyes. Her left hand unconsciously shot up and tightly gripped Teddy's right arm.
"Looking for some gorgeous women," he slightly slurred, a sly smile visible on his face. "And have some fun with them."
Hermione looked scandalized. His comment seemed a bit too… un-Teddy-like for her. "We're going back this instant, Nott."
Her order was firm, but he seemed unfazed. He continued his search and Hermione had no choice but to tag along, defeated.
They had passed odd-looking shops and Hermione swore that most of them sold illegal merchandises. Once or twice, two wizards begged them for some money. Soon, Hermione was growing restless. She was starting to recognize the place they were currently in and she did not like it one bit.
Her grip around Teddy's arm tightened and she had no idea how much that simple action of hers affected him.
Hermione then looked to her left and soon regretted it. Because there, standing lecherously, were the same gorgeous hags that became the reason why she feared going to Knockturn Alley. She knew she was not mistaken; she recognized the leader of the troop, the one who forcefully grabbed her wrist and ended up bruising it.
"Teddy, let's go," she said, slight desperation in the tone of her voice.
Her eyes never left the dangerous posse and curious, Teddy was driven to look. To Hermione's great horror, a humongous smirk appeared on the carefree Slytherin's face. "Bingo," he murmured before gently pulling away from Hermione's grip and strode slowly towards the gang.
Hermione stood stock-still for a moment. Her surprise was beyond words. She could not believe that there was Teddy, willingly approaching his impending doom. She snapped out of her stupor as soon as the leader of the hags noticed Theodore's approach. She watched as the disguised hag flashed him a seductive smile, the others following her lead.
Soon, a glazed look settled in Teddy's eyes. She vaguely remembered Blaise telling her that often men fell into their trap – those who only didn't were most probably powerful or only disguised as one. Teddy was most definitely not a disguised man like her. She also doubted that he was powerful enough to fight the hypnotism of the gorgeous hags.
The leader slowly strutted towards Teddy, who was now standing rooted on the spot, his eyes never leaving the group. "Come with us," she heard the leader saying. "And we'll make you very, very happy."
'Oh no,' she gushed breathlessly inside, mindlessly striding towards the group. 'They're using that bloody line to Teddy now!'
"Yes, I'll come with you," was Teddy's robotic answer. Hermione flinched, noticing that the tone of his voice was not his at all. "And make me very, very happy."
The brunette forced herself to run faster as soon as Teddy willingly gave his hand to the leader, who took it gently and held on to it tightly. Before her eyes, the gorgeous ladies turned into the grotesque hags and she bet that Teddy was too hypnotized to notice.
"Stop!" she cried, panting. "Release him, you bloody hags! I'm warning you."
Her wand was brandished out and was constantly pointed from one hag to the other. The leader, surprised with the sudden intrusion, looked up and her eyes widened upon seeing Hermione.
"You," she released in a raspy whisper, Teddy's wrist still clutched tightly in her hand. Fear slowly trickled on her face as she looked at the other hags. They, too, were sporting fearful looks on their faces. "You…" She gently let go of Teddy's wrist and walked a few steps away from her. "It's him," she continued, panic rising at the tone of her voice. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she sobbed. She desperately tried to block her 'friends' with her arms. "We're leaving. I'm sorry."
Hermione watched in an awed silence as the hags suddenly turned around and ran away from them as fast as they could.
As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione released a relieved sigh. She turned slowly to Teddy, who was still staring off into space, the glazed look still present on his face. "Teddy," she said, grabbing his shoulders whilst shaking him. "Teddy, come on! Snap out of it!"
When he still continued to gaze emptily into space, Hermione finally resorted to a desperate plan that she came up with. "This will hurt a bit," she said, before raising a fisted hand. She pulled it back before hurtling it so fast until her fist came in contact with Teddy's jaw.
She realized a bit too late that the impact was too strong. She heard this sickening crunch after punching Teddy and a surprised groan that escaped from the hypnotized Slytherin.
"Shit!" Teddy exclaimed, cradling his smarting jaw. "What the bloody hell did you do that for?"
Hermione was so relieved to see that he was back to normal, unscathed (except for the bruise that started to form on his jaw), that she was at loss for words. "Are… ARE YOU INSANE?" she thundered, giving another weak punch on his chest. "THAT WAS DANGEROUS, THEODORE NOTT! DANGEROUS, I TELL YOU!"
To her utmost surprise, Teddy started to laugh.
"What's funny?" she cried, her face still showing great concern for the carefree Slytherin.
"O-oh, Merlin," he wheezed, now doubled over as he clutched his aching stomach. "That was… wicked! I just blanked out right there and then. Goodness, I actually don't remember what had happened for that span of time! Oh, Blaise and Draco aren't lying at all."
"This isn't a laughing matter, Nott," she sternly said. "You almost became a bloody… sex slave."
Teddy grew quiet, his laughter seizing. "You're worried for me?" he softly squeaked, looking like a five-year-old child.
"Damn right that was!" she exclaimed, poking the bruise on his jaw. He flinched and hissed. "And thank Merlin because I was sensible enough to save you!"
A small smile grew on his face, his cheeks gradually growing hot. "You're worried for me?" he asked once again. He suddenly swung an arm over Hermione's shoulder and pulled her closer to himself. "You're worried for me!" he exclaimed, now laughing loudly.
Hermione looked at him strangely, pointedly noticing that his cheeks were a vivid shade of red. "Maybe punching you wasn't a good idea at all," she grumbled.
Teddy seemed not to hear it as he steered Hermione. "Come on," he said. "I'll treat you some ice cream because you're worried for me."
Theodore Nott merely stared.
It was surprising, even for him, because he was known as a bloke who never stayed still for at least five minutes. But there he was, merely staring silently, an unbeknownst smile gradually growing on his face.
He couldn't help but stare. Hermes Austen was the epitome of calmness… of peace, and he silently vowed that he'd shut up for a while so as not to break the peaceful bubble surrounding his roommate.
They were in a bookstore after Hermes incessantly begged him to go to one and he, cursing his bloody heart, agreed afterwards. Teddy was never a fan of books; in fact, he tried his best not to visit the Hogwarts library as much as possible. He could even count with his own ten fingers how much he had visited it for his whole seven years in school.
Now, seeing Hermes browsing all over the bookstore with a gleeful look on his face, he started to think that maybe there was something about books and the library he could love after all. He made a mental note that the next time his roommate claimed that he would go to the library, he'd tag along…
'Whoa. Whoa. Whoa,' Teddy told himself, his eyes momentarily growing wide. 'Just what do you think you're doing? This is Hermes Austen we're talking about, Theodore Nott! A guy, a bloody guy! Did you forget that you're supposed to avoid him as much as possible, huh? Or are you starting to think that maybe what you're feeling for Hermes Austen is okay… albeit, weird…'
"What the fuck," he furiously whispered under his breath, willing his inflamed cheeks to return back to their normal color. Maybe he was still a bit tipsy after drinking ten glasses of butterbeer, making him think about things that he was not supposed to think about.
"Are you okay, Teddy?" Hermes suddenly asked. Teddy subtly shook his head to clear his mind. When he looked back at him, his face was contorted into slight worry. His heart skipped a beat, his stomach did a little somersault, knowing that that worry Hermes was showing was directed to him.
"Teddy?" he asked again, now returning a book to its proper place.
"I'm perfectly fine," he lightly said. "Just… don't mind me. Continue looking for the book you want."
Hermes frowned, his eyes landing on one of the bookshelves. Teddy thought his attention was once again diverted, but then, he looked back at him. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked once again. "You've been… awfully quiet ever since we came in the bookstore. You're still not angry about the punch I gave you a while ago, yeah?"
Teddy chuckled, absentmindedly rubbing the small bruise on his jaw. He had to admit, Hermes punched like a real guy, but he did not voice it out to comfort him. "No, no," he said, shaking his head to make a clearer point. "It's just that… there are a lot of books around here. Books can make me feel stupid."
His roommate snorted whilst rolling his eyes in disbelief before returning back to the bookshelf he was currently inspecting. Teddy smiled as he watched him, eyes slightly narrowed in scrutiny.
'Weird bloke,' Hermione thought inside her head, giving Teddy a suspicious look, before swiveling around and continuing her hunt for a potential good book.
Teddy had been awfully quiet as soon as they entered the bookstore. His mood changes were so astounding for Hermione; first he would be quiet, then audacious, and then revert back to being quiet. The brunette just hoped he'd be back to his normal self as soon as they returned back to Hogwarts.
'Maybe he's still a bit woozy after being hypnotized by those bloody hags,' she thought, chancing a glance at Teddy. Her eyes landed on the bruise on his jaw. 'Or maybe I really messed up his mind after punching him.'
A small, unwanted, proud smirk grew on her face. She reckoned that she was getting better in punching Slytherins… The smirk completely wiped off from her face. She did not want to continue that thought because she knew she'd once again start thinking about Malfoy…
'And now, I'm thinking about him once again,' she sneered, rolling her eyes while returning a romance novel, which is, judging by the summary at the back, was oozing with sickening cheesiness.
Hermione sighed and abruptly turned around. But then, she was not able to see the innocent metal ladder leaning against the opposite bookshelf. She had bumped against it not-so-gently and it teetered dangerously until finally toppling over. Hermione closed her eyes, waiting for the blow… It never came.
She opened her eyes and was flabbergasted to see Teddy hovering a few meters above her, his face contorted into pain.
"Are you okay?" Teddy gushed out, breathless. He swore he stopped breathing there for a moment as he watched the metal ladder falling. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"I-I'm fine," he heard him say. But then Hermes' eyes enlarged as he glanced at Teddy's right arm, which was preventing the metal ladder from hitting him squarely on his head. "You're bleeding, Teddy."
"Just a scratch," he assured him, straightening the metal ladder. When he looked at his arm, he instantly paled. Blood constantly gushed out from the huge cut on his arm and Teddy, helpless, merely looked at Hermes with a horrified look on his face.
"Just a scratch, huh?" Hermes asked, his eyebrow raised.
"Quit squirming, you baby."
"I'm not a baby!" Teddy interjected with a whine, watching as Hermes gingerly washed off the blood from his arm. After the incident in the bookstore, Hermes instantly rushed a horrified Teddy to an abandoned loo somewhere in the heart of Hogsmeade. "It's painful! Am I hemorrhaging? Am I going to die?"
He scowled once Hermes burst into merry laughter, shaking his head at Teddy's incredulity. "Die?" he asked. "You have a bigger possibility of dying while hovering fifty feet off the ground than having a wound like this, Teddy."
Teddy merely whimpered, looking away from his wound. He never really liked seeing blood. It made him feel a bit… dizzy.
"This is your fault, you know," Hermes said. "You shouldn't have acted like a hero and shielded me from that blasted metal ladder."
The carefree Slytherin's jaw dropped. "You're not thankful?" he asked in disbelief. "I just saved your from having… this!" He shoved his wounded arm towards Hermes, who laughed in return.
"All right, all right, thank you very much Theodore Nott," he said, a cheeky grin on his face. "You saved my life. I am eternally grateful."
"Eternally grateful my arse," he spat, watching as Hermes conjured a bandage and retrieved a soothing salve from his pocket.
Upon seeing Teddy's stare on his hand, Hermes smiled. "I learned it from Blaise," he claimed, waving the soothing salve. "Said that it's handy for me to bring one every time I'm with you or… Malfoy." A frown adorned his face for a moment but he shook his head and a smile soon replaced it.
Hermes then opened the cap of the salve, swiped his middle and index finger, before carefully rubbing it all over his wound. Teddy would flinch sometimes, but he wouldn't comment. He just silently watched as Hermes then wrapped the bandage around his arm.
"There," he said proudly, clipping the bandage in place. Hermes then smiled up at him. "All done. And no, Teddy, you won't die."
Teddy was once again merely staring, seemingly at loss for words. There it was again – the weird feeling that resurfaced in his heart and stomach every time he stared at Hermes.
"Hey?" he asked, eyebrows knitted together. "Are you all right?" Hermes gingerly touched his forehead and then frowned. "You're kinda warm, Teddy. Are you all right?"
He did not know what possessed him to do it. Maybe because it was the sight of blood or the slight dizziness that started to form in his head; Teddy was not sure. Because to the utmost astonishment of the two, Teddy Nott suddenly enveloped Hermes Austen into a tight embrace.
A confused and terrified expression settled on Teddy's face. He was actually torn between hugging him forever and ever and pulling away from him, disgusted with himself. But hugging him felt nice, even comforting, and Teddy found himself gradually closing his eyes and burying his face against his hair. His arms seemed to tighten themselves around Hermes' waist as more minutes passed by.
"Umm… Teddy?" his roommate asked, arms raised awkwardly in the air.
"Lost of blood," Teddy excused, voice a little strangled. "Just… let me hold you for a while, Hermes."
His roommate looked at him in worry, but didn't say anything. In the end, Hermes lowered his hands on Teddy's back and gingerly patted it.
It was almost twilight, Teddy noticed, as he gazed outside of the thestral-drawn carriage. His face was red ever since the incident in the deserted boys' loo and now, he couldn't look at Hermes in the eye. It was embarrassing for Teddy to allow his emotions to overwhelm his whole brain and make him do bizarre things. But then, a part of him was actually thankful for his stupidity for he was able to feel Hermes body pressed against his…
His eyes widened in horror, cheeks darkening furiously. He sounded perverted, he reckoned, and he hid his face behind his hands to release a soft groan. 'What is happening to me?' he asked himself. 'This is… this isn't funny anymore! Am I thrust into a bloody sick joke, huh? I want to get out! Stop making me feel this way! I don't want this any –
His trail of thought halted as soon as he felt Hermes Austen's head on his shoulder. He looked at him in surprise, noticing that he was fast asleep. Conflicting thoughts rushed into his mind: Would he push him away? Or would he allow him to rest his head on his shoulder?
In the end, the latter of the two won, and Teddy released a defeated sigh. He scowled at his left arm, which suddenly slithered over Hermes' shoulder to pull him closer to himself. Hermes stirred and Teddy froze on his seat, afraid that if Hermes woke up, he'd accuse him of being a perverted gay.
Not that he had a grudge against gay people. He actually admired them; surprised with their bravery to let others see what they truly were. 'Am I one of them, too?' he asked himself, apprehension in his heart. He knew he had been denying ever since those blasted feelings for Hermes Austen started. But this time… he couldn't deny it anymore.
It was growing, his feeling,and he desperately tried to stop it. But it was too stubborn for him to handle, having a mind of its own. He was falling and falling and falling… alarmingly fast.
He actually blamed Hermes for making him feel this way. He blamed him for making him feel weird things he hadn't felt before. But he couldn't stay angry with him. He just couldn't.
Teddy shifted his head until his chin was resting gingerly on top of Hermes' head. With half-lidded eyes, he softly murmured for the wind to only hear, "Maybe, 'weird' is okay, Hermes."
And for the rest of the carriage ride, Theodore Nott held Hermes Austen. And that time, he was able to finally understand what he was truly feeling.
A/N: Gah, Teddy was so damn adorable in this chapter, don't you think? I just want to hug him so badly! Anyway, I'm sorry that there are no Blaise/Herms scenes as much as Teddy/Herms. There will a few in the next chapters but, I repeat, a few. After all, this is a Draco/Herms story. Speaking of the lovely couple, you'll be able to know what would happen with their, err… relationship in the next chapter.
Woot, I'm sorry for not responding to your reviews :p Things had been somewhat like hell here and I'm all frazzled and blah. First, teachers are bombarding us with school work. Second, my damn cell phone just broke and I feel like breaking every cell phone I see. And lastly, tomorrow's our promenade and I'm so damn nervous and excited at the same time to the point that I want to gag. GAAAAAH. Good god, I need a nice, loooooong break… Probably, put this story on hiatus… LOL, I was kidding :p If you must know, this story and your reviews are the only things that keep me sane in this cruel, cruel world.
Haha, anyway, that's all. Please do review, my lovelies. Ciao for now!
With love,
2booklover4