Summary: Daphne's mourning the loss of her sister when her friends try to help her and Theo has an unexpected secret. (Daphne/Theo)
A/N: Written ignoring the story that happened with Theo in Cursed Child.
Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (challenges & assignments)
Health & Fitness - Task 5 - Tree Pose: Write a fic set entirely outdoors
However You Need Me
Daphne lay on the green blanket, staring up at the sky; the cornflower blue colour was slowly being eaten up by a pale orange – almost peach – as the sun started to set. She'd been lay like this for most of the afternoon, her cardigan now a pillow, listening to her friends talking constantly about their lives and jobs. They kept trying to involve her, but she insisted they talk amongst themselves; she was fine.
She knew why her friends had done this – bringing her to a summer festival being held in a London park – and she had warned them if they made her come, she wouldn't force herself to be happy for their benefit. She wasn't ready. Daphne wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready to smile again.
But like good friends, they let her be.
So Daphne lay there. The noises of people singing with a live band on the stage and children running around floated over her, none of them truly sinking into her thoughts. Not even the words her friends spoke. She watched the sky, the odd cotton-ball cloud floating into her view, and was grateful for the gentle breeze that kept the heat of the sun at bay.
When the deep reds filled up Daphne's view, Theo forced her to sit up. He was silent in his actions as he placed a small sandwich in her hand with a gentle squeeze of her elbow after she took a bite of it. Theo had always been kind to her. Little things like bringing her coffee on a Sunday morning and holding her hand at Astoria's funeral… Always checking in on her.
'Happy birthday, Daph,' he whispered, his voice barely reaching her over their surroundings.
She heard it though. He kept looking at her like he was trying to read all her thoughts.
Feeling overwhelmed by the warmth in his piercing blues eyes, Daphne dropped her head down, choosing to keep her gaze on the sandwich. She pulled a piece of the bread off the edge and popped it into her mouth, struggling to chew with the lump forming in her throat.
'We're going for a bit of a dance, Daphne. Are you up for it?' Pansy asked happily.
Daphne gave her old schoolfriend a shake of the head and a smile of apology. Pansy returned the smile, gently pushing Daphne's long, dark hair back over her shoulder, tucking some of it behind her ear. Gone was the sharp, miserable girl of their Hogwarts days to be replaced by a soft and caring friend. The war had done that to a lot of them.
'You know where to find us if you change your mind,' Blaise added, hauling Pansy up off the blanket. She shrieked happily when he challenged her to a race. 'Do you want a head start or should I beat you fair and square?'
Pansy was running away before Blaise had finished the question.
Theo waited until they were lost in the crowd of dancers near the stage. 'How've you been – and be honest?'
Daphne sighed, dropping her sandwich onto a nearby plate. 'I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest.'
Theo nodded like he understood. Maybe he did; he'd lost his mother when he was young. But there was no love lost with his father. Daphne, however, came from a loving home – a happy home – and her sister was her best friend. Had been her best friend.
'It's going to take time. All you can do is live each day,' Theo eventually said.
'I keep telling Draco and Scorpius that… I'm not sure I believe it, though.' She sank back, lying down once more. 'I woke up this morning expecting her birthday card.'
She watched Theo move things around before lying down beside her, putting an arm under his head, sending a waft of his lemon-smelling aftershave over her. The sky was losing its red colours, the dark blues and blacks taking hold as the stars started to twinkle their existence at them, the moon slowly coming into view. The park was filled with laughter, music, chatter – all the things that should be infectious with happiness.
It made Daphne feel alone.
'Please stop looking at me like that,' Daphne pleaded when she felt Theo's eyes on her for the third time in as many minutes. 'I'm not about to break.'
'I know…' he trailed off.
She turned her head to look at him, the strings of lights hanging nearby threw funny shadows over his face. 'But…'
Theo sat up, turning a little to pull Daphne back up to a sitting position. She frowned as he shifted to kneel in front of her, looking a little bit like he was about to go to war.
'There's something I need to tell you,' Theo finally said, swallowing hard once he'd managed to say the words. 'It's probably not the right time… I've been wanting to tell you for a while, but with Astoria… It never felt right.'
Daphne grabbed his hand, the one Theo kept using to pull at his black hair, pushing his fringe off his forehead with sharp movements. 'Spit it out, will you?'
Theo nodded, staring at their joined hands for a moment before taking her one hand in both of his, holding it firmly. 'Look, I'm not expecting anything, I just want you to know…'
'For merlin's sake, Theo. I feel like I'm being told Astoria is dying all over again,' she snapped.
Theo's mouth went into an O-shape, his eyes wide. Even in the dim lighting she could see his cheeks going pink.
'Sorry, Theo,' Daphne said quietly. 'That was mean.'
'I love you, Daphne,' he blurted out.
Daphne was now mirroring Theo's previous expression.
'That was a bit blunt and not how I wanted to tell you,' Theo said with a wry grin, 'but it's the truth.'
'Oh,' she said quietly.
'Look at you – how could I not be in love with you?'
Daphne's very broken heart that was mourning her sister was thudding rapidly against her chest. A fluttering of… something crept up through her nerves. Theo brought one of his hands to her neck, his thumb gently rubbed a line along her jawline and, to her own surprise, Daphne leant into it, closing her eyes for a moment.
All sounds disappeared. The wind that had become a little cool as the night drew in was no longer the cause of a shiver down Daphne's spine. They were alone on the blanket, in the middle of a London park, and all she could feel was the warmth of his hand on her skin.
Her eyes snapped open when she felt Theo move. He was leaning forward, moving his mouth to her ear, one hand still resting on the side of her neck, the other holding her hand to his chest. 'You make me want to be better.'
Theo left the ghost of a kiss on Daphne's cheek before sitting back.
'You helped me realise my father's path was not my path. You are the reason I have a good life as an adult. You saw me, Daphne, when others only saw my heritage – my name.' Theo kissed her fingertips before continuing with his declaration. 'I know this isn't the right time, but I'm telling you because I want you to know you are not alone.'
Daphne almost jolted at his words, feeling her eyebrows rise. He gave her a sad smile, his thumb finding her jawline again; the feel of it was already reassuring to her.
'You will never be alone, not as long as I'm alive, and even if it's not me in the end, but… if it might be… if you would consider it… I'll still be here when you're ready.'
It took a few minutes for Daphne to find her voice and finally ask, 'How long?'
'Long enough,' he answered cryptically. She held his gaze. 'A couple of years— OW!'
Daphne had slapped his bicep with her free hand. Hard. 'Theodore Nott! You should've told me sooner!'
A nearby passing couple sniggered at the action as Theo tried to dodge another slap.
'Daphne!' He ducked as she tried to slap him again.
'Two years?! All this time wasted! You should—'
'Hang on!' Theo managed to grab her hands, clutching them tightly. 'What do you meant by time wasted?'
Daphne relaxed in her struggle, giving him a sheepish smile. 'I've been in love with you since school.'
'School?!' he repeated indignantly.
'I thought you knew,' she replied earnestly. 'I thought you were just being kind by not making a thing of it!'
'Kind?!'
'Okay, stop repeating my words now,' Daphne said with a sigh. 'Clearly we've been idiots over the years.'
A wide grin started to appear on Theo's face. He quickly pulled her to her feet, and hugged her tightly, the breath leaving her body at the unexpected pressure. Daphne rested her chin on his shoulder, his height forcing her head to lift up and her eyes landed on the moon in the dark blue sky. She watched it for a moment, holding Theo as tightly as he was holding her, and suddenly it became a blurry mass as tears filled her eyes.
'I'll be in the moon, watching over you, I promise, Daph,' Astoria promised her. 'You just have to look at it and remember me.'
Astoria's last words to her.
'I love you, Theo,' she whispered, 'I have for so long, but this isn't the right time.'
Theo nodded, his chin digging into her own shoulder with the movement. 'I know. I meant what I said, though.'
After a few minutes, Daphne reluctantly pulled away, wiping her eyes quickly as she sat back down. Theo followed, offering her a paper napkin from the picnic basket, swiftly followed by a bar of chocolate.
'I remember my mother wanting chocolate when she cried,' Theo explained as Daphne took it with a small smile. He wiped a stray tear away. 'I'm here. Always. However you need me.'
Other prompts used:
Spring Seasonal
- Days of the Year & Religious Events - March 30th - Write about a picnic date in the park
- Crayon Day - 14. Cornflower
- Spring Colours - 3. Peach
- Spring Flowers - 2. 'Do you want a head start or should I beat you fair and square?'
- Locations - Festival
- Hufflepuff Challenge - 8. (scenario) hugging in the moonlight
June Writing Club
- Bromance to Romance - 19. (colour) Green
- Record Collection - 8. 'You make me want to be better.'
- Book Club - Harry Potter - (plot point) birthday, (emotion) Uncertain, (colour) Green
- Showtime - 7. (food) Bread
- Elizabeth's Empire - 24. 'Look at you – how could I not be in love with you?'
- Liza's Loves – 24. 'I'll still be here when you're ready.'
- Angel's Archives - 5. (action) Grinning widely
- Scamander's Case - 11. (word) Silent
- Tv Spree - 7. (action) Running
- The Forecast Says... 21st Chocolate
- Hobby Hole - 19. (genre) Hurt/Comfort
Yearly
- 365 - 334. (setting) Park
- Fantastic Beasts - 110. Kitsune - (dialogue) 'Please stop looking at me like that.'
- Scavenger Hunt - 54. Pick one of the following prompts and write a fluffy fic with it: Dementors/'I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest.'/Losing a loved one.
Go Beyond!
- Step 3 - 4. (trait) Supportive
Crystal Maze
- Daphne Greengrass - Platform 9 3/4 - 4. Confessing something
Fortnightlies
- Liza's Favourite Things - 9. (genre) Hurt/Comfort
Word Count: 1,674