Chapter 7
Having Draco naked and waiting in his bed was never going to get old to Theo, not even when they were a hundred and seventeen. The pretty blond was laid back on Theo's pillows like a pretty offering, everything about him pale and perfect.
Quickly locking the door, Theo took several strides and ripped his clothes off, tossing them to the floor, before crawling over the bed until he was on top of Draco. Theo held himself above Draco, balancing on his elbows placed on either side of Draco's head.
"Hey." Draco smiled up at Theo. "Glad you were able to join me."
"Hope I didn't keep you waiting terribly long," Theo smiled and then leaned down to kiss Draco, drinking him in like Amortentia.
Kisses and caresses turned into more, Draco's back arching as he begged so prettily, pleading to be filled.
Who was Theo to deny his mate?
...
The following morning was Thursday and Theo was already beginning to have real reservations about his course schedule. He had to leave Draco curled up in his bed, all warm, a soft flush making his pale skin look good enough to eat. Instead Theo went down to breakfast, alone.
Blaise was already there and greeted him with a small nod, an indication that he had not yet had enough coffee.
"Need a hangover potion?" Theo asked, sliding in next to him and pouring himself a cup and sweetening it liberally today. "How late did you stay up drinking?"
"Too late," Blaise groused. "I was considering my prospects and the glasses got away from me. This morning I received an owl and Mother expects me to have a negotiation in process by winter holidays or she'll put her hand in. I'm lucky she's giving me any time at all to find my own bride, but the thought of her choosing a young woman with similar proclivities is leaving me a bit cold, to be perfectly honest."
Theo nodded, Blaise's mother had a higher body count than many of the Death Eaters who had gone to Azkaban for life. And they'd nearly all been her husbands, it was only natural that Blaise, her only child, would find the threat of her loving intervention a bit terrifying.
"What's the answer then?" Theo asked, as he plated himself some breakfast.
"I have to find someone here at Hogwarts who will suit and I need to do it quickly."
...
Theo and Blaise walked down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest where the Abraxan stables, thestral pens and the outdoor classroom for Care of Magical Creatures was located. Theo still wasn't entirely sure why he was still taking the class.
An easy NEWT? Maybe the fact that he was a magical creature now and he wondered what his peers would be learning about him, if the topic of Veelas even came up.
He and Blaise were the only Slytherins in the class as everyone else had dropped it. At this point, Theo thought that they may have the right idea. He imagined Draco, well fucked and sleeping in his bed. The smell of Theo's cum was all over his skin and the Irresistible musk of Draco's natural scent would be melting into the linens and pillows.
Theo could be there right now, arms wrapped around Draco, his face in his hair, surrounded by the natural scent of petrichor that was his mate.
What possessed him to keep this class? Maybe he could still drop it?
And then the scent of old books, vanilla and ink enveloped his senses and there was Hermione Granger standing with Luna Lovegood. Her curls were full today and the sunlight through the trees was dappled on her freckled cheeks.
Ah yes, that was why.
Theo fought against his Veela's natural urge to go to her, he wanted to make sure that she was well cared for and that she had eaten. Did she need anything? Did she need him?
Sweet Circe he wanted to worship her skin.
She was golden everywhere her uniform revealed, but Theo wondered if her little quim was golden or was it a pretty pink like her full lips.
"Salazar's sake, Theo stop staring," Blaise hissed. "And close your mouth, you are drooling."
Snapping his jaw shut, Theo groused "I am not drooling."
Blaise laughed. "If you say so mate."
This was going to be a very long school year, but if Theo got to be near Hermione then it would be worth pulling himself out of bed on Thursday mornings. Theo pretended that he didn't notice when Blaise abandoned him to go speak to Luna, bowing over her hand and kissing her knuckles.
The ethereal blonde gave the Italian an intrigued expression, but didn't flash one of her smiles. She said something and Blaise's genuine laughter rang through the cool morning.
Theo had been half kidding when he had suggested Luna for Blaise, but seeing the chemistry between the two of them, perhaps he'd subconsciously noticed something. Maybe opposites do attract and the two of them really would suit. She was eccentric, but beautiful and kind with a core of iron. She'd been held at Malfoy Manor longer than anyone else and hadn't broken. It was impressive and just the sort of thing that would get Signora Zabini's approval. That woman was a dragon, even Theo was a little afraid of her.
Blaise and Luna's conversation must have become too much for Hermione as she rolled her eyes and walked away, sitting on a tree stump with her text book. Theo couldn't help but stare at the way her long fingers ran over the page.
He wanted those long fingers on his skin. How long am I going to have to wait?
...
Hermione was second guessing coming back to Hogwarts at all, between whatever weirdness had possessed Theodore Nott, Ginny being the worst sort of Head Girl and trying to push it in her face as much as possible, that Ron was a cheating arsehole, and the fact that her parents were dead had her feeling physically ill.
She didn't even want to eat. The idea made her head swim and she wanted to cry.
Running on autopilot instead of sitting with the firsties, a new habit, Hermione sat down at the seventh year end of the Gryffindor table after she'd walked in with Luna, who was talking Hermione's ear off about Blaise Zabini.
What was possessing everyone?
Zabini was a Slytherin who hadn't really fought in the war, but he was friends with Malfoy. Hermione looked up and caught those steel grey eyes on her. She looked away from that uncanny gaze.
Neville sat next to her and gave her a smile, "Nice to see you on this end of the table for a change. How was Care of Magical Creatures?"
"Alright I guess," Hermione replied with a smile, "Why weren't you there?"
"I'm Sprout's teacher's assistant for the first and second years. I'm apprenticing and the plan is when she retires in a year or two that I'll take over for her." Neville's smile was much more confident than Hermione had ever seen it.
"Neville, that's fantastic! I'm so glad that you have figured out what you want to do. I wish I had, it's really a challenge." Hermione stared at the food on the table, not finding any of it in the least bit appetising.
"If anyone can do anything it's you Hermione," Neville pointed out as he poured her pumpkin juice and then his own.
"Why did you do that?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Do what?" Neville asked, pausing mid pour.
"Pour my juice?" Hermione gestured at her cup.
"It's proper etiquette. If I was courting you, I'd plate your food too, but I'm not and if I did, Hannah would probably get jealous. And not in a good way." Neville scowled at the thought.
"You and Hannah, hmm, the one in Hufflepuff?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"Yeah," Neville blushed, "it's still really new and I'm not sure how I feel about her yet, but she's really convinced that I'm her forever person." He sighed. "I'm under a lot of pressure from my gran right now to secure a marriage contract before we leave Hogwarts. It's a nightmare really. I'd like to be able to take more time to decide who I want to be with. Wizarding marriages are forever after all."
"We are only eighteen! That's so antiquated!" Hermione cried out, disturbed.
"Not really. I get why Gran is concerned. Purebloods aren't generally very fertile, if I want a chance at having an heir it needs to happen sooner rather than later. I don't have any siblings nor cousins. I'm it. The last of my house. I'd like to have at least two children if my wife can manage it. I just don't know that I want Hannah to be that wife."
Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, "Honestly Pureblood culture is so Victorian, it's like you all are insects trapped in amber."
"Pureblood culture isn't all bad, Hermione." Neville pointed out before biting into a meat pie. "I mean you want kids eventually too, right?"
Hermione shrugged, but then her peace was shattered by Ginny Weasley and her entourage as they sat down.
"The Head Boy ought to have been Harry, then I wouldn't be stuck with having to listen to that Hufflepuff drone on and on about responsibilities and requirements. It's quite annoying." Ginny flipped her hair over her shoulder. "He even dared to tell me that I shouldn't delegate so much work to the prefects. Why have the power over them if I am not going to use it?"
Seamus made some noise that Ginny took as agreement, so she continued, "If I do everything myself I won't have time for being the Quidditch captain and that has to be a priority too, if we want Gryffindor to get the House Cup this year. Head Girl is meant to delegate to others. It's practically an unwritten law."
Hermione snorted. "Godric forbid you should have any responsibilities as Head Girl, Gin." She immediately knew that she had made a mistake because Ginny's face turned bright red. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut?
"You're just jealous, 'Mione!" Ginny sneered.
"Jealous? Of what exactly, Ginevra," Hermione rolled her eyes at her former friend. "You have nothing that I want."
"Everyone thinks so! Mom, Ron, all of Gryffindor knows that you are jealous that I EARNED Head Girl. I'm so sorry, Golden Girl, that you didn't win it by default. Just because you kept Harry company last year on the horcrux hunt doesn't mean you deserve Head Girl! Harry did all the heavy lifting while you sat back and what? Hoped he would notice you? Ron told me all about the two of you and YOUR pining looks at MY BOYFRIEND!"
"Ex-Boyfriend Ginny," Hermione sighed, "Harry is your ex-boyfriend. And I certainly never pined after him. He's like a brother. It would be incestuous and I'm no Pureblood Princess to want to marry her brother." Hermione didn't know where the venom of that last had come from, but she was so angry she could feel the magic beneath her skin.
"You filthy little bitch," Ginny hissed, "How dare you! I'm so glad that you aren't with my brother anymore. You weren't nearly good enough for a Pureblood wizard like him."
Hermione's hair started to spark and she opened her mouth to say something else, but then Neville pulled her away. "Come on Hermione, we have Herbology next. Let's go."
Hermione let herself be dragged away, but Ginny mouthed the word, "cunt" at her and Hermione nearly threw off Neville's arm and punched the Head Girl in the face, but she caught Theodore Nott staring across the Great Hall like he was ready to jump the table and get involved.
That was the last thing that she needed. It would feed the gossip mill for weeks. So instead of allowing her violent impulse free reign, she let Neville lead her away.
...
Weaslette and his Hermione were still clearly at odds. Theo wished more than anything that he could hear what insults they'd been throwing at each other, because the two witches looked murderous.
Theo watched Hermione leave the Great Hall with Longbottom pulling her along. The tension in Pansy was so tight that Draco could have used her as a harp string. Theo scowled in Longbottom's direction and especially on the hand on Theo's mate.
Once Theo arrived at the Herbology greenhouse Hermione was already there with Longbottom as her partner, joking and smiling. Theo wanted all of those smiles, he wanted them to be his. He felt the Veela inside him, begging him to do something. This man was trying to steal his mate. It couldn't be borne.
Theo tried to push down his Veela instincts, but seeing Hermione putting her hand on Longbottom's forearm had his whole body taut. Longbottom poked her in the shoulder and she laughed so loudly that the sound was like torture to his ears. She should be laughing like that for him. His fangs started to descend and his back began to itch at his shoulder blades.
A soothing hand on his arm brought Theo back to reality.
"Theo," Draco whispered, "please - don't." Theo looked up into those perfect silver eyes and nodded. His other mate was right here, he needed Theo. Theo wanted to stroke his cheek, touch him. He took a deep breath instead and repotted the belladonna seedlings in front of him.
...
As class was ending, Draco met Theo's eyes and tried to let the invitation that he was offering be apparent. Nostrils flaring, Theo followed after him when Draco ducked into one of the greenhouses that wasn't in use. Draco hurried down the aisles between overgrown plants until he came to an empty table. He shook it to be sure that it was sturdy enough, and as he turned about Theo was on him, kissing, grasping and pushing.
Draco's back arched as Theo's fingers wrapped around his throat. He had to try to be quiet, he hadn't cast a silencing charm and Theo was in no state to do so.
Fumbling with his belt, Draco let his trousers fall to the floor revealing his hard cock.
"Dirty boy," Theo hissed into his ear, "Did you not wear trunks today?"
"Got dressed in a hurry," Draco moaned, as Theo's hand stroked his hard cock, spitting on the length. A whispered lubrification and cleansing spell and Draco's cock and arse tingled. It felt like he was drowning in bliss. This was what Theo had needed, Draco could tell. And oh, it felt so good.
...
Theo carefully put Draco up on the table's edge, removing Draco's trousers the rest of the way and tossing them onto the branch of a nearby tree. He stroked Draco's cock more until the tip was red and leaking.
Pushing back Draco's knees, Theo commanded," stay" in a whisper, as he dropped kisses over the scars Potter had left on his beloved's chest.
Theo lowered his own trousers only enough to free the thick length of him. Something about the power of shagging his mate while nearly fully clothed and Draco was half nude made the Veela pleased.
"Mine," Theo hissed as he ran the tip of his cock against Draco's tight hole, "you are going to fucking take it."
"Yes -" Draco moaned, doing just that as Theo slowly slid himself inside Draco's body.
Theo felt his fangs in his mouth and his wings split his shirt into rags, but he didn't stop, not until Draco's throat was bloody and Theo's cum was dripping from him. Draco came all over himself as Theo pulled back to watch.
"You are so bloody beautiful," Theo whispered to his mate, capturing his lips with his as his heart beat with a single word: mine.
...
Hermione did not appreciate how her mind was now constantly aware of Theodore Nott. As class ended, she tried not to focus on Nott and Malfoy as they snuck off together.
She thought that it must be nice to have a friend that was always there for you. She couldn't help but notice how upset Nott had looked during Herbology. He'd calmed as soon as Malfoy had spoken to him.
She did not want to be so attuned to what those two were doing every minute of the day. It was obnoxious.
Who cared if they were two of the prettiest men in this godforsaken school?
She sighed at herself. They may be pretty, but Malfoy had been a Death Eater and Nott…well he was a Pureblood.
Hermione had had enough of Purebloods and their bullshit. Whatever fixation he had with her would wear off eventually when she just kept avoiding him.
The major perk of Malfoy and Nott being off doing whatever they were doing, meant that no one would make a scene about her skipping dinner. She went straight up to her dorm room and after casting wards and silencing charms, she rooted through her things to find the bottle of muggle whiskey she'd brought with her. She'd planned to share it with friends, but she didn't really have those did she? She sank down onto the floor with her glass in hand.
Her mind kept wandering back to Malfoy and Nott and couldn't help but feel jealous that they had each other. They took care of each other.
Who was there to take care of her?
No one.
...
When Theo came up to the eighth year dorm, he knocked on Granger's door even though he could feel the thrumming of her wards, and knowing that it was pointless, he left food outside her door, before heading to his room where Draco would join him soon.
He wished that she would let him take care of her, that's all he wanted to do.