A/n:
I have to apologise in advance as I have to delay the upcoming few chapters. Work has been quite busy lately and the temptation of joining Quill Quests is simply too strong. But I do believe that joining the writing fest helps me improve and I hope it in turn can help me enhance this story.
This chapter is currently half-beta. I finished the first draft a month ago but I decided to add a few more paragraphs to the final version. I don't want to further delay the update so here it is!
Thanks to Sanichka again for always helping me and cheering me up
Hagrid was not seen during dinner at the Great Hall.
The trio were worried about him and finally decided to visit Hagrid at his Hut before curfew. They found him drunk, not sacked thankfully. They stayed for a bit until Hagrid cleared his head from the alcohol and sent them off angrily.
As for Draco, he didn't attend any lessons the next day.
Despite the deep cut, everyone knew he was using his injury as an excuse to skip lessons. Madam Pomfrey had grown an entire bone in one night, there was nothing a cut like that could do against her healing powers.
Draco returned the day after, with his arm still bandaged and hung loosely on his neck. Very loosely.
It was clear as day that his arm was healed, but he was still putting on a show just to take shortcuts and annoy the others, mainly Harry and Ron. Hermione had learned to keep her mouth shut regarding Slytherins during Potions class. She watched as Harry and Ron were infuriated by Draco's obvious healed injury and got themselves into extra potion work. She rolled her eyes as Ron turned into different shades of red while cutting Draco's daisy roots. Even in the third year, her friends still hadn't learnt the fact that Professor Snape favoured Slytherins, and of all students, Draco was his favourite.
The new school year got off to a rocky start for Hermione, at least that's what she thought.
The third-year Gryffindors had their first Defense Against Dark Arts lesson on Thursday and they were extremely excited. Everyone had been talking nonstop about how well Professor Lupin handled the Dementors on the train and students who already had lessons with the Professor had nothing but high praise for the wizard. The experiences of poor teaching in the past two years had left everyone tormented. It was a clear sign of how terrible the previous professors were when the students found the three-week substitutions from Professor Snape enjoyable. There was no doubt they had high hopes for their new Professor.
"Riddikulus… Riddikulus…"
Theo couldn't help but wonder exactly how intriguing the spell was when he found Hermione practising the wand motion in the library. She had chosen a rather isolated desk, which he very much appreciated.
"Hi, is the seat taken?"
Hermione looked up to the person standing in front of her and found Theo graciously smirking. It was crazy how one could be so mesmerising just by smiling. Looking back, she was glad she had chosen a more private desk. She wouldn't want to start a riot in the library.
"Still practising Riddikulus?" Theo asked. He settled opposite her and pulled out his Herbology notes.
"Well, I didn't get to face one in class, so I guess it's better to practise it in case there's another chance next lesson." She replied, as casually as she could, not wanting to sound too eager or sour.
"Why didn't you practise in class?"
"The lesson was cut short when Harry's Boggart turned out to be a Dementor." Hermione recalled when Professor Lupin put himself in front of Harry, the Boggart immediately turned into a full moon, but she didn't think it was something worth mentioning. "I just didn't expect his deepest fear to be a Dementor. I mean, the first time he saw one was last week. It just doesn't make any sense."
"I think his deepest fear is not the Dementor." Theo chuckled when he noticed her raised brow. "It's the memory he saw when the Dementor drained his happiness."
"You speak as though you know what it feels like."
"I was on the train as well." He smirked again, but this time there was a hint of grief lingering in his eyes. "Just like you, I didn't get to face the Boggart either. The only difference was that Professor Lupin forbade me from doing so."
Hermione looked over with her brow going higher, her head slightly tilted to one side. Theo laughed. He wondered how much Draco would pay to see that look on her face.
"That's a story for another time. Besides, I don't think it's appropriate to talk about deepest fears with someone you've just known for two days."
Hermione dodged his eyes and blood immediately rushed into her cheeks. She could hear Theo laughing a bit more.
"You are stuck with me till December. I'm sure we still have plenty of time for stories."
Draco knew Theo was meeting Hermione every now and then, specifically on days when he was not free. Every time when he returned to his dormitory exhausted from Quidditch practice, he would find Theo with his annoying smirk. He didn't need to ask to know Theo had a great evening with the witch that had been stuck in his mind. He thought the jealousy would leave when he got to see Hermione in class, but realised it only worsened when he found her avoiding him on purpose.
Hermione was busier than Draco expected. One second she was in the classroom, and the next she just vanished. He would see her again either in the next lesson or in the Great Hall, hastily stuffing herself with food before running off to another class.
The only bright side was that he now understood why her hair was always progressively messier as the day went on, and why she would come into the classroom panting.
But as the night went by and Hermione returned to her Gryffindor common room, she would meet Harry Potter and her friends he didn't know about. They could see each other in ways that Draco could never imagine. He just wished the professors were cruel enough to stuff her schedule with enough assignments that she wouldn't have time for engagements with anyone.
Hermione had never expected herself to take so many subjects all at once.
The first thing she had to deal with when she woke from petrification was the third-year elective subject selection. Even though she had anticipated the attack and taken the corresponding precautions, being unconscious for three months was indeed a terrifying experience. Along with the frustration and disappointment she felt before the incident, she was still very overwhelmed at that point. So when she got her form, it only took her five seconds to tick all elective subjects on her slip.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall returned to Hermione with her slip in hand, "I do not mean to offend in any way but are you sure you would like to take Muggle Studies?"
"Um, yes, Professor. I just think it might be interesting to learn about the muggle world from another point of view," Hermione looked up to the Professor while hiding her twisting fingers underneath the bed sheet.
"I also see that you have chosen every elective subject. It will certainly not be possible as some subjects are taught in the same period," the Professor looked at her with a raised brow.
"Well, I read that there are exceptions, a long time ago," she watched the older witch with careful eyes. "And I was wondering if I can be given the exception to take more classes."
There was a moment of silence between the two witches, to the point where Hermione was almost convinced that she would not receive any exception until a small curve appeared on the Professor's face. "Very well. I'll have the book list prepared for you in advance so you can start reading during the holidays. As for the practical procedure, I will explain it to you at the start of the new school year."
Hermione believed she made the right choice. The excitement when she learnt about the Time-Turner and hung it on her neck was out of this world. The idea of Magic still fascinated her, but time travel like Back To The Future? That was a whole new level of surprise. When Professor McGonagall emphasised the importance of keeping the arrangement a secret, it felt like achieving a milestone she never knew existed. She didn't mind keeping the special treatment a secret, the acknowledgement from the Professor was already better than everything else, and she did her best to make sure not to fail McGonagall's expectations.
But Hermione never expected taking so many subjects all at once to be so problematic.
The truth was she didn't give much thought about taking extra subjects, or about the subjects themselves. Extra workload forced her to think and work overtime, leaving her wandering mind less room to be occupied by other things, Draco Malfoy to be exact. She thought it would be just like the time after Christmas, with some extra assignments and essays to be done, and boy she was so wrong.
When it came to academic studies, Hermione was a perfectionist. Every essay and assignment had to be perfect. Every sentence had to be sophisticatedly written and no detail should be left behind. Even if she helped her friends proofread their work and gave them suggestions, she would always save some details just for herself. She had to make sure her work stood out from the rest and she would stay on top of her class.
She needed to be perfect. She wanted to be seen by other wizards and witches. That's the only time when she didn't feel out of place and knew she belonged in the magical world.
But having one or even two extra subjects every day had been taking a toll on her physically. She expected the double lesson time, but not the double studying time. Eventually, she had to ask Professor McGonagall for permission to use an empty classroom every day after dinner. That way she could safely use the Time Turner for extra studying time without risking being seen.
The worst of all were Muggles Studies and Divination. She immediately knew she had made a wrong decision after having the first two lessons on those subjects. Just as Professor McGonagall and others said, there was no point at all for a muggle-born to take Muggle Studies. It was like going through a nursery all over again. They spent one whole lesson talking about kitchen gadgets and how muggles cooked, and one about different types of transportation and why people preferred mass transport over taxis. Their first essay was "Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity" and Hermione only took one night to finish it. She had written an exceptional essay, that's for sure, but it was also very dull and unchallenging.
As for Divination, she now had a pretty clear idea as to why it had the same lesson time as Arithmancy. They were the complete opposite, one required logical thinking and deduction, while the other required patience with tea leaves. It was the first time she ever found a subject difficult. As Professor Trelawney commented, Hermione lacked the natural talent to see things beyond the books, which she found completely idiotic and irrational.
All these problems could have been avoided if she had taken the time to research the subjects in the library before filing the form. Despite how eager she wanted to learn, she wouldn't have chosen Muggle Studies and Divination if she had known. She blamed the Basilisk for taking away her precious time for reading. Perhaps a bit too much than the other reason she was ashamed to confess.
The first few months passed in a blur, but not without its troubles.
The Third Years had their first visit to Hogsmeade during Halloween, all except Harry since his uncle didn't sign his permission form. His friends were upset upon hearing the news, but soon got carried away by the welcoming magical valley.
Villagers and vendors were all dressed in festive costumes, pretending to be infamous wizards or hideous monsters while giving out unboxed chocolate frogs to students. They all screamed in chaotic happiness.
But their happiness didn't last long and was soon replaced by absolute terror when they found the portrait of Fat Lady was slashed and severely damaged. As for Fat Lady, she was found hiding between portraits behind trees on the fourth floor, too afraid to speak. It was Peeves who brought the terrifying news.
Sirius Black was here at Hogwarts, and he tried to enter the Gryffindor dormitory.
All students spent their night in sleeping bags in the Great Hall, with Head Prefects standing guard over all entrances.
Hermione had a hard time falling asleep.
About half an hour after the lights were out in the hall, she overheard Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape discussing Sirius Black. Apparently, all staff had turned the school upside down but there was still no sighting of the wanted criminal. Dementors were supposed to help, but Professor Dumbledore insisted that no Dementors should enter the castle. The hall was too dark for Hermione to clearly see her surroundings, but she could still tell the resentment on Professor Snape's expression. When the professors left, she found Harry and Ron were awake as well, and had the same confused look as she had. They exchanged a few concerned glances, before closing their eyes to fall asleep.
However, Hermione still couldn't bring herself to sleep, not with the secrets she hid from Harry. She blamed her uncontrollable curiosity, for searching for information related to Sirius Black, and what she found was more than shocking. The wanted criminal was a close friend to James Potter, Harry's father, and the night he murdered twelve muggles, was the same night Voldemort murdered Harry's parents. She wanted to tell him her discovery, but she never found the right time to break the news to him, nor did she know how to tell him properly.
Their days only got worse when they found Professor Snape substituting for Professor Lupin, who claimed to be too ill to teach. And to no one's surprise, Professor Snape had skipped ahead to teach them about werewolves and asked each student to hand in a long essay by the end of the week.
Just when they thought things were getting better as the Quidditch season began, Harry had his worst incident, this year. No one anticipated the Dementors to be lurking above the Quidditch field, and when Harry flew too high to catch the Snitch, he instead caught himself in a group of Dementors. No one could see their encounter through the rainy mist, but they all witnessed his near-death fall from the sky.
Of course, Harry was alive. All professors had their wands out the moment his body fell through the misty clouds into the clear view. He was however unconscious, just like the encounter on the Hogwarts Express. Hemione was worried sick. She often reminded Harry to lay low for the time being, but she knew there wasn't much she could say when she recognised the determination in his eyes. Somehow Harry was deeply interested in the whole incident with Sirius Black, and all she could do now was to stay close to Harry and protect him at all cost.
On a Saturday a few weeks before Christmas, Hermione and Theo had their regular inspection of their plants in one of the greenhouses. They were more than thrilled to find their plants thriving healthily, much thanks to Theo's unexpected green thumb. As planned, they had prepared more ingredients than they needed for the final project. Since there was still a bit over an hour before curfew, they decided to move to the library and discussed the test run.
As Hermione and Theo went through the courtyard, a group of young students were playing with spells nearby and they heard a cast of Ventus. Before they could react, a jet of strong wind spiralled at them, blasting them directly and blowing their notes into the air. The young wizards laughed until they noticed the annoyance in Theo's icy stare and immediately turned around and ran away without apologising.
"That's rude," Hermione commented while fixing her messy robe.
Theo took out his wand and muttered Accio Notes. Their flying parchments returned to his hands one by one. "Someone should teach those kids some manners."
"Ugh, my hair," Hermione groaned. She had spent fifteen minutes in the morning with a grooming charm just to calm her crazy, frizzy curls, and that little prank just wasted all her efforts, making her hair go wild again.
Theo couldn't contain his giggles and Hermione threw him a glare while still trying to fix the gigantic mess above her. "I'm sorry but it's really amusing to see you struggle with nothing else but your hair. Let's find a seat and get you sorted."
They gathered their notes and left at once, with Hermione desperately trying to hide her craziness from everyone on the way to the library and finally settled in their usual spot. It wasn't as secret and out of view as the one where she previously shared secret meetings with Draco, but it provided just enough privacy for the two to study and discuss their project.
Theo got started by laying out their notes and reference books while Hermione fought with her hair. She had been frantically searching from her bag, but it only resulted in a sigh. "I think I need to go to the bathroom. I need a mirror but I can't seem to find one. I'll be back very soon."
"I have one," Theo stopped her before she even got up. She was a bit surprised to know he had a mirror with him but was glad to know she didn't need to make a trip to the bathroom.
"You do know how to charm a lady-" she mocked but her smile slowly faded away when Theo placed the mirror in front of her.
It was a mirror in a two-fold gold case shaped like a pocket watch, with a purple ribbon tied at the top. She carefully picked up the mirror and opened it with her shaking hands. Her eyes widened in unbelief.
"Where did you get this?" Her voice trembled.
"I found it a few days ago-"
"Don't lie to me, Theo!" She snapped her eyes to his. She placed the opened mirror in front of him. There was a golden signature around the edge of the mirror.
To my dearest Mione.
"This is my mirror. My parents gave it to me for my twelve-year-old birthday. The very mirror I used to dodge the Basilisk's direct stare last year. The mirror I thought I lost after I was cured. So don't sit there and lie to me. Don't even think about telling me you never bothered to open it and look at the damn words and that you don't know who it belongs to."
A million different explanations sparked through her mind. Hermione had enjoyed the time with Theo a lot, and to think he might be hiding something from her or possibly plotting something against her, was devastating. She tried to think of something positive, but her brain seemed to tell her otherwise and she started to panic.
"And this, this thing you are doing. What is it all about? Why are you showing it to me? Did you plan this? This grouping project thing. What do you want-" She was hyperventilating, her hands shaking involuntarily.
"Hermione, calm down!" Theo leaned across the table and grabbed her shoulders firmly. "Breathe, Hermione. Breathe."
The sudden pressure brought her eyes to the person in front of her. She could see the weariness reflecting in his soft grey eyes, and they were not from someone who meant harm. She took a few moments to slow down her breathing until her anxiety faded away. Still, Hermione looked at the boy with fearful eyes, not sure whether she should let her guard down.
"I can explain. I'll give you the truth as long as you promise to stay calm, alright?" Theo asked. It took her some time but she nodded. Theo released her shoulders and did a quick scan around. Making sure no one had been watching, he cast Muffliato around them.
"First of all, I couldn't have planned this," Theo gestured between the two of them. "You're the one who chose the seat next to mine. Besides, I wouldn't have known about a cross-subject project."
What he said made perfect sense and Hermione couldn't argue with that, but the way he emphasized her being the one who led to this project grouping made her frown. She sat back with her arm crossed, squinting at him, making sure to let him know she was not pleased with him putting the blame on her.
"On the day you were petrified, me and Blaise found Draco on the edge of breaking down in our dormitory. When we asked what happened, all he said was 'I saw her freeze and fall. I held her but there was no life, like she died in my arms' while holding this mirror in his hand."
"No, you are lying," she retorted.
Theo grabbed the mirror and held it closer to her. "I'm not lying, Hermione. Draco was the one who found your body and brought you to the Hospital Wing. He has kept this in his bedside table since last year."
"That's impossible. I don't know what lies he fed you but Draco Malfoy would never save me," she sneered at the absurdity of what Theo claimed. The memories she had pushed back started slipping back into her mind.
"What do you mean he wouldn't save you?"
The words became clearer and she could almost hear his icy voice and cold attitude in her head. She could feel a lump in her throat but did her best to swallow it. "I heard him, Theo. I heard him calling me Mudblood Granger and wishing me dead to the monster while talking to Crabbe and Goyle. How am I supposed to believe him, of all the people, to save me?"
"Oh, for Merlin fucks sake…" Theo let out a flustered sigh and ran his hand through his hair. He tried to gather the right words to explain the situation to a muggle-born, but those names just irritated him and made him growl, "That's because he was talking to Crabbe and Goyle!"
"I… I don't understand," she was a bit caught off guard by his agitated demeanour.
"Hermione, Blaise and I are not your regular pure-blood wizards. Call it privilege or tragedy, but we don't have to follow the traditions. Spending time with you is amazing, but you ought to know how much people are talking behind our backs. It doesn't matter to me because I don't have to play by the rules and I simply don't care."
Blaise had joined their meetings a few times and she quite enjoyed his presence. They would always greet her with the biggest smiles, and it never crossed her mind that they would be criticised for being with her. She had received a few words of worry from her friends, about her being around pure-blood Slytherins, but they were all good intentions. Suddenly she felt like she was living in a bubble, shielding her away from most of the bad bits of wizarding society. She got her fair share of it from Draco, which she was still haunted by, but she couldn't help but wonder if she had been taking the relationship with Theo too much for granted.
"But Draco's different. He's a Malfoy, one of Sacred Twenty-Eight, one of the oldest pure-blood families there is. He was taught to hate muggle-borns since the day he knew magic. His father, a control freak, has Crabbe and Goyle to report everything Draco has said and done to him. So when Draco's with those two dickheads, he can only shit talk his way out." The resentment in his voice was intense. Hermione always thought their little Slytherin group all got along pretty well. It got her curious, but now was not the time for it.
"I'm telling you. The Draco you see when you're alone with him is the real him. He can be quite an arse sometimes, but somehow you've changed him and he misses- he wouldn't want to hurt you."
He misses you.
It wasn't hard to not notice the change of wording from Theo. Was he trying to say what she thought it was? Hermione sorted through her mind-dictionary trying to combine words that made sense, but she failed to complete the sentence with something else. Perhaps that was what she wanted, but it all sounded too good to be true. She asked, biting her lower lip, with a bit of denial in her still refusing to believe what Theo said, "Did he ask you to say all of this?"
"No. I don't think he even knows I took the mirror. It sucks seeing him sulk all the time and it's not fun being around him when he's in a bad mood," Theo explained. "Perhaps I shouldn't have shown you the mirror. I thought it would be a good idea to help you two get along. I didn't expect this to have such an impact on you and I'm truly sorry. But please, don't let me make it worse. Just try and see who he really is and trust him."
Again, all Hermione could see was sincerity. She appreciated how honest and forthcoming Theodore Nott was, but she also hated it at this very moment. She wasn't prepared to believe what he said about Draco.
"There's too much… to take in all at once. Do you mind if we continue the project tomorrow? I think I need some time alone," Hermione asked dryly.
Theo opened his mouth to speak, but the words died and he simply nodded. He placed down the tiny mirror in front of her, and watched her hold it close to her heart.
Hermione left without another word. The mess on her head seemed to have grown in size, but she didn't care as she went straight back to the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione and Theo met again the next day in the Potions classroom for their trial potion. The classroom was more crowded than she had expected. She recognised the students from the sixth and seventh years, and judging by their unique textbooks, they were Professor Snape's N.E.W.T.-level students. Even though Professor Snape was not her favourite teacher, she could envision herself taking on the N.E.W.T.-level and brewing potions.
Their trial went great, with a bright acid-green solution bubbling in their caldron. As if he could read their excited minds, Professor Snape came over and observed their potion. He didn't comment on their performance, but simply asked them to leave the solution in the cauldron and he would take care of the rest. He eyed the two young students with a raised brow before turning to his other students.
Hermione could tell it was a perfect brew. Professor Snape never praised her, but when she did great he would give her the same look.
After going over their notes one more time, she quickly packed her things and marched towards the classroom door. There stood Harry, and he was on time. Hermione turned to face Theo, mouthed goodbye and left before Theo could say another word.
She was not ready to talk about what happened in the library. The crowded Potions classroom and Professor Snape did wonders, preventing them from having any ideas of chit-chatting. As for Harry, he volunteered to be her ticket out.
As much as she wanted to stay undetected when she went back to the common room, Harry immediately noticed how dejected she was after meeting with Theo. He was worried, to say the least, but Hermione reassured him that she was not harmed or hurt by Theo. Still, being the good friend he was, Harry decided to pick her up after her potions practice.
But soon the feeling of déjà vu hit her.
She was avoiding Theo, just like what she did to Draco, only this time Theo had nothing but good intentions. He had always been respectful to her and even cared for her well-being. Sadness and regret overtook her when she realised how unfair she was to him.
Hermione took some time to mentally prepare herself for any further conversation about Draco before visiting the library again in their usual spot. Unfortunately, as Christmas was getting closer, Hermione was overwhelmed by the insane workload and eventually had to sneak back into the empty classroom to use her Time Turner.
However, not being able to talk to Theo or explain to him that she didn't mean to avoid him bothered her. She could still remember how apologetic he was when he saw her panicking. She didn't want him to think that she was angry with him but time wasn't really her best friend.
She finally got relieved from this invisible stress when she glanced over to the Slytherin table one night and finally met those familiar grey eyes again. She gave him a big smile, which he returned with the same gesture. But still, they didn't talk to each other until the day the project took place.
There was no doubt that Hermione's and Theo's potion went perfectly. It shined with the same bright acid green. Professor Snape only took a second at their work before moving on to the other groups. The potion from last Saturday was evident enough.
The most surprising outcome was none other than Neville's. He was known for being disastrous in Potions. It seemed that partnering with Draco had its own benefits since Potions was Draco's strongest subject. Combined with Neville's talent in Herbology, their potion was in a shining acid green with no mishaps happening.
Of course, the potion was not the end of their misery. Each student was required to hand in a full report after the Christmas Holiday, detailing every step, all the mistakes and suggestions for improvement. The whole class whined in unison.
Lesson time flew by after the Professor gave them a few more lectures. Everyone jumped to their feet and gathered their belongings as the last Potions lesson before Christmas came to an end. Even the Professor's narrow stares couldn't stop the students' joy.
It was a huge relief for Hermione, a burden off her shoulders. As much as she enjoyed Potions class, it was more than nice to take a break from the harsh, intensive lectures from Professor Snape. All that was left to worry about was the report, which she had probably completed in her notes unintentionally.
"Hey, Hermione. Can we talk?" Theo looked over to his partner right before she finished packing her bag.
"Sure. Just give me a second," she nodded. She went over to Harry and Ron and whispered a few words. They threw Theo some wary glares, and Hermione returned an eye roll. She made sure to give them a reassuring glance before leaving with Theo. They went to an alcove near a small courtyard, away from all the crowds.
For a moment, they just sat in silence, listening to birds chirping and watching unknown creatures soaring in the sky.
"I'm sorry," Theo finally broke the silence. "I overstepped. I thought giving you the mirror was the right thing to do. Draco is one of my best mates and I just wanted to help him out. But it doesn't justify my actions. I am sorry."
"I forgive you. I've forgiven you a long time ago. I just didn't have the time to tell you," she smiled with a hint of smirk.
Her smile made his brow go up. He knew quite well how hard it was to please Hermione. "What's the catch?"
"Remember the Boggart? Will you tell me your story?" Her eyes glistened in curiosity.
"You are sly," Theo chuckled, and pondered. "It's not a pleasant story."
Her request caught him off guard. He knew she wouldn't un-forgive even if he refused her, but Hermione had become a friend he never dreamt of having. Someone so unbiased and truthful, someone he never thought he deserved to call his friend.
His past was as disgusting as his surname. Would she run away if she knew? Or would she hold him closer? He turned to find her hazel eyes, and his guard melted.
"My mother died when I was five. She was murdered in front of me because she cheated with a muggle-born. The very same night, I escaped Nott Manor and went to Draco's. That was the last time I saw my father."
"Your father. Is he the one-"
"Yes, he murdered my mother. The only person I ever loved died in front of me under an Unforgivable Curse from my own father."
"That's-"
"Fucked up."
"Language, Theo," she rolled her eyes. He chuckled when her bossy tone appeared. Her expression slowly hardened and she looked down, biting her lip. "I am sorry to hear that. I couldn't imagine what it feels like."
"Aren't you afraid?" He looked at her with uncertainty. The urge to hug her and the need to give her the option of escaping fought within him. "He killed muggles and muggle-borns, Hermione! He's a fucking Death Eater! And I'm- I shared his-"
A comforting warmth surged in his body when her hand found his whitened knuckle. He didn't realise he was clutching onto the stone bench so tightly he could almost bleed.
"You're here, with me, and I think that says a lot. You are one of the most intelligent and caring people I have ever met. Your name doesn't mean anything." A small smile finally reappeared on his face. "Besides, considering how ego-boostingly handsome you are, I am keeping you."
"And here I thought you're not like the other girls."
"I'm not," she said proudly. "You like being with me."
"That's also very true, know-it-all," he laughed a bit harder when she stuck her tongue out.
Their laughter slowly faded into a nice silence.
Their matching curls danced under the cool breeze of winter while they breathed out misty clouds that faded into the snowy white background.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Theo was lost in his thoughts for seconds. He realised no one ever asked him if he was fine. He inhaled deeply, and searched for his emotions to come up with a genuine answer.
"Time heals, and I think I'm okay now. Only a few know about what truly happened, but for someone so smart as Lupin, I suppose it's not hard to guess. He told me that I could face the Boggart in private after class for practice. I haven't found the time to do so."
He looked over to find a spark in her eyes. The same spark she had unknowingly when she strived for knowledge. It was an irresistible spark.
"You can join if you want to, since you missed out yours, and if you don't mind witnessing my fear. I think I am talented enough to banish the Boggart before it turns into a gruesome murder."
"I'll be honoured to do that with you."