A/N Caution, this chapter contains sexual scenes.
Chapter 9: Frustration
Astoria set the table, listening to her favorite music while waiting for her sister to arrive for dinner. Daphne had had her big lunch date today with Theo, so Astoria was eagerly awaiting to hear all the juicy details. Draco, however, was rushing around the flat from one room to another trying to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything.
"Astoria! Have you seen my favorite quill? I want to use it on the exam tonight, but I can't find it." Draco sounded desperate, as he walked into the dining room to find Astoria standing by the table, a quill in her hand.
"Do you mean this one, my love?" She held the quill out toward him.
Draco rushed over taking the quill from her, "Merlin you're the best. Thank you."
Draco took his bag off his shoulder placing it heavily on the table, unzipping the pocket where he kept his quills and ink. "I can't believe how nervous I am about this stupid exam. I normally do well on exams, but this one has my insides doing flips."
"That's because you want this internship so badly." Astoria, walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You'll do fine."
Draco turned around, leaned down placing a loving kiss on Astoria's cheek, "I feel like I am forgetting something." He turned back to his bag to double check his supplies.
"Well, let's see," Astoria starting listing off the contents of his bag, while looking through it with him, "you have ink, parchment, quills, your textbooks and notes. Do you have your hospital badge, for the practical lab portion of the test?"
"No!" Draco turned and ran back into the bedroom.
As he disappeared into their room, Daphne appeared in their living room.
"You're finally here!" Astoria squealed at her sister, grabbing her wrist, leading her to the couch to sit down.
"Well, I had a few things to do. I didn't actually get home until after 2:30." Daphne smiled, thinking about her afternoon.
Astoria looked at her sister, then had a devilish grin spread across her face. "You had a good time, I take it."
Daphne looked at her sister curiously, "Yes. What? Why do you have that look on your face?"
"No reason." Astoria waved her off as Draco came out of the bedroom.
"Draco," Daphne got up to give him a warm hug. "I thought you had an exam this evening?"
Draco, hugged Daphne back, then cocked his head to the side looking at her, the same smile appearing on his face, Astoria had had a few seconds before. "Daphne, I see you had a good time with Theo."
"I did, but how can you tell from looking at me?" Daphne crossed her arms, giving the couple a stern look.
"You just look happy sis, that's all." Astoria started pushing Draco toward the dining room to get his bag. Once she had him alone, she handed him his bag, "Not a word, Draco."
"Who, me?" Draco, pointed at himself acting innocent. He put his arms around Astoria giving her a passionate kiss. "Wish me luck?"
"You don't need luck, but yes, good luck. I love you." They walked hand in hand back into the living room where Daphne was waiting.
"So, you guys going to talk all about your date while I am off acing my exam?" Draco said to Daphne.
"I guess, isn't that what we do." Daphne giggled, to herself.
Draco stepped away from Astoria, ready to apparate to St. Mungos. "I wonder Daphne, will you discuss the fact Nott that branded you?"
"What?" Daphne ran over to a small mirror Astoria had hung on the wall beside the front door, while Astoria started hitting Draco in the arm.
"Draco, I told you not to say anything." Astoria stopped her assault, putting her hands on her hips.
All Draco could do was laugh. "She was going to find out sooner or later."
Meantime, Daphne was staring mortified, at the three small hickeys she had. "That man! I am going to kill him." Daphne walked back to the couch, pacing back and forth in front of it. "I have to see clients in the morning, what the bloody hell am I going to do?"
"Oh, calm down Daphne. Astoria can show you the glamour charm she uses to cover them up. No one will be the wiser. Or, you could always have Theo come over later and give you a matching set on the other side." Draco started laughing even harder.
Daphne picked up a pillow off the couch, threw it across the room hitting Draco in the head. "You pig!"
"Hey, careful. You're just mad because Theo got your heart racing faster in one afternoon than Flint has in a year!" Draco picked the pillow up throwing it back at Daphne.
"Ok, Ok. That's enough. Daphne sit, take a deep breath. We will talk about how to get back at Theo in a moment." Astoria turned to Draco, putting a hand on his chest, "You need to go before you're late." She got on her tip toes giving him a kiss.
Draco looked down at Astoria, "I'm going. Tell your sister not to be too mad at Theo. If memory serves, he was the one who had to pull her off him in the common room on more than one occasion." Draco stepped away from Astoria, winked at her then left to go take his test.
Astoria joined Daphne on the couch, "You're not really mad at Theo, are you? You must have enjoyed what he was doing or he wouldn't have been able to leave three of them."
Daphne pulled her legs up to sit cross legged on the couch, "No I'm not mad at him. I am mad at myself for not being stronger with him."
"Why? Did you not want him to kiss you?" Astoria looked at her sister, confused.
"No. Yes. I don't know Tori. He looked so good when I got there, when he leaned down to kiss me, I couldn't think. It was just so nice to be back in his arms, you know. I had forgotten how much I missed him." Daphne picked up the pillow, holding it in her arms.
Astoria laughed at her sister, "You didn't forget how much you missed him Daph, you had forgotten how much you love him."
"Do I?" Daphne started brushing her hair with her fingers. "I would be lying if I said I didn't feel something for him. Let's be honest though Tori, it's been five years. I am just not ready to call what I am feeling love. I think he is though."
"What? Did he say that? That he loves you?" Tori grabbed the pillow, tossing it on the ground.
Daphne smiled at her sister, "Not in those words. He said, his feelings have never changed."
Astoria squealed, "Oh Merlin, that's the same thing. I can't believe he still loves you. This is so exciting."
"Tori calm down, it's only a little exciting." After a moment of trying to act all grown up, Daphne started squealing right along with her sister.
"You must tell me everything, everything. Leave nothing out." Astoria grabbed her sister's hands, turning to face her on the couch, sitting cross-legged.
Daphne told Astoria about the kisses, the wine and what Daddy had told Theo in his letters. "The look on his face Tori, told me everything I needed to know. You know how bad I was hurting, up until Mum told me Daddy had made Theo stop writing. Before her confession, I couldn't figure out what I had done. Seeing the look on his face while he told me, he had tried pleading with Daddy and even wrote to you, I knew he had been hurting just as badly."
"To hold onto letters all this time, though. Draco said those last two years at Hogwarts were hard. I wonder if that's how he got through?" Astoria stood to go into the kitchen so she could finish dinner. "Is he going to give you the letters?"
Daphne followed, "I don't know. He said he was holding on to them until the right time to give them to me. So I can only assume he still has them. Whether he still plans on giving them to me, he didn't say."
Astoria got the bread out of the oven, "So go on, what happened after that?"
Daphne told Astoria all about the motorcycle ride. How it made her feel in the pit of her stomach. The way Theo seemed to be free from all his demons while riding it.
"Who would have thought the two Greengrass princesses would end up with the two men we did." Astoria put the bread on the table, along with butter.
Daphne started on the salad they were having, "What do you mean, Draco and Marcus?"
"No, Draco and Theo. Both of them have such demons in their past they are trying to get over. The biggest demon you and I have to worry about is an overbearing father, who honestly just wants the best for us." Astoria said checking on the salmon to see if it was done.
"Yes, that's true, but I am not with Theo. I am still with Marcus." Daphne sat at the table, putting the salad down beside the bread.
Astoria turned to look at her sister, "Not according to your neck."
Daphne playfully hit her sister's arm. "You need to show me that charm by the way, and a few shared passionate kisses with Theo Nott, does not make me his. However, I do think he would agree with you."
"Are you going to see him again?" Astoria pulled the salmon out of the oven.
Daphne reached over to cut the bread. "Well, that brings me to what I really need to talk to you about. Theo asked me to give him a chance to prove we still belong together."
"Please, tell me you said yes." Astoria put the salmon on their plates.
"Yes, I did. I am just not sure I should have. I never got the chance to talk to Marcus the other night, and now he is gone for the next fifteen days on a road trip with the team." Daphne put butter on their bread, giving both of them a slice.
"You didn't get the chance, or didn't want to?" Astoria put her hands on her hips.
"Maybe both."
"Daph, I told you to tell him. Now you're just feeling guilty. If you had told Marcus, you wouldn't even be questioning your choice to see Theo again." Astoria put the plates on the table and sat down.
Daphne put a large helping of salad next to her salmon, then started pushing it around with her fork. "Tori, do you think its possible Marcus has changed?"
"How do mean?"
"Well, you remember how he was back in school, right?" Daphne put some dressing on her salad.
Astoria took the dressing from her sister, adding some to her salad next. "You mean from the big prick he was, to the even bigger prick he is now, sure."
"Marcus is not a prick." Daphne put her fork down staring at her food.
"Yes Daph, he is. I thought Draco was self absorbed back in school, but the Marcus of today takes the cake." Astoria took a bite of salmon.
Daphne gave her sister a look that meant 'you bitch' but didn't say it. "Marcus is a celebrity, that does not make him self-absorbed."
"No, his celebrity just gives him a reason to act more like it. You just don't want to see it, because you like the spotlight when the two of your are out together." Astoria stood to get them some wine.
Daphne thought of a hundred things she could say to that, but the truth is her sister was right. Deep down she knew it. Daphne had spent years being in Pansy's shadow. She had even attached herself to a boy in school, who preferred to be in the shadows rather than the spotlight. No matter what Theo did, he would always earn his father's 'attention' at least once a week, but if Theo wasn't seen, accept at meals times and then not heard, his father normally left him alone the rest of the time. Theo had learned that so well, it leaked over into his behavior at school. Daphne wasn't complaining, she really hadn't minded. Back then, Theo's attention was the only attention she really wanted anyway. Then her father had taken her off to anther country. Daphne let herself sink into the background at her new school so people would stop asking why she was so sad. When they had returned to England and Marcus entered her life again, she was ready to no longer be in the shadows. One date with the cameras going off, all the glitz and glitter that came with being the girlfriend of a famous Quidditch player, she was hooked. What girl wouldn't be? It took many months of dating Marcus before she saw, although camera lights were going off, she was still in the shadows. This time however, the shadows were not ones she had chosen.
"I am not so sure I want that spotlight anymore Tori." Daphne finally picked up her fork and started eating.
"No?"
"No, I mean it was nice for awhile, but no one really cares about me, or what I am doing. They just asked about him. Where is Marcus? What did you think of Marcus's last performance. I mean, even when they are suppose to be interviewing me because of my work, all they ask about is Marcus. I am in the spotlight, but still in someone's shadow." Daphne took a drink of her wine. "You saw that issue of Witch Weekly, right? I was suppose to be on the cover instead, Marcus was. I was a footnote on the bottom of the front page. They claimed that was being on the cover."
Astoria put her hand on Daphne's, "Sounds like the glamour is starting to wear off. You know Theo would let you shine Daph. He would never step into your spotlight and take that away from you."
"What makes you think that?" Daphne pulled her hand back to start eating again.
"By paying attention to Theo. He is not an attention seeker. In fact, I think he hated doing that press conference. If he could have had someone else up there, he would have. Also, I know a little about being in the spotlight from dating one of the most hated Pure Blood males in the wizarding world. When we go out, people are either taking our picture or trying to hex us. I would prefer the shadows." Astoria chuckled.
"But you were always the more outspoken one, Tori. In the choir, plays, you practically signed up for every club there was. Me, I enjoyed being in Pansy's shadow with Theo." Daphne went back to her salmon.
Astoria looked at her sister for a moment, "Things have reversed themselves. I want the shadows now; spent my time in the spotlight. You crave the spotlight; are tired of the shadows."
Daphne thought for a moment about what her sister just said. "I wouldn't say I crave it, at least not anymore. Marcus kind of killed that. But I do want the recognition I deserve. I have worked hard for the last three years to get my work and my label noticed. Is it so wrong to want my picture on a magazine recognizing my work?"
"Not at all, you have earned that." Astoria smiled at her sister, then leaned over and gave her a hug. "I just think you need to be with the man who not only loves and respects you, but will also help you be successful at your career. Somehow, I don't think that is Marcus Flint."
Daphne smiled brightly at her. "Ok, I told Theo I would give him a chance and I will. I promise. But if he gives me anymore hickeys, I will flatten his tires."
xXXx
9 Years Ago
Timothy Hamilton apparated directly into his living room, to find his girlfriend already there. She was in the kitchen of his flat while she made dinner. Since Clair and he had gone to the ministry six weeks ago with their evidence and her testimony, their relationship had progressed rapidly. Tim had felt a magnetic pull to her, he couldn't explain. Tim only knew, once they had parted ways, he found himself with an uncontrollable desire to contact her again. The next time when he owled and asked her to dinner, it had nothing to do with Theodore.
Tim had been excited when he received her response, saying she would be happy to meet him. He found himself in uncharted waters, as soon as she arrived at the restaurant. He was the head of the pediatric department of the largest wizard hospital in England. A man who normally didn't get nervous. However, around Clair Thompson, he would get tongue tied and become clumsy. It had taken him three dates, to actually kiss Clair, but once he had, stand back.
Every day the ministry was open, Tim would go there during his lunch hour to inquire on the status of the investigation into Lords Nott and Malfoy. Every day he was told there was nothing to report. Every day he would go back to work more frustrated and angrier than the day before. He knew ministry involvement had been a long shot, but he had hope. Now that hope, was all but gone. Honestly, the only good thing, that had come out of his insistence they go to the ministry, had been the beautiful auburn who came over to make him dinner almost every night. Sometimes, she would even stay and share his bed.
Today he had planned to ask her to move in, before he got news from the ministry. They finally had movement on the case, which involved the Nott and Malfoy families. However, it was not the movement he had hoped for.
Tim went into the dining room, instead of placing his briefcase on the table like he normally would, he dropped it angrily.
Clair turned around, "Everything ok?"
"No, it's not!" Tim kicked the chair he stood beside.
Clair blanched, "Sorry, I thought you liked chicken." Clair had tried to make a joke. She knew what she had made for dinner was not the source of his mood.
"It's not that, Babe. I heard from the ministry today." Tim sat in the chair, he put his elbows on the table, his face in his hands.
Clair walked over to him and rubbed his shoulders, "Not what we were hoping for I take it?"
Tim laid his arms on the table, closed his eyes while he enjoyed the massage. "No, not what we were hoping for. They are dropping the investigation. Not enough to go on."
"How is there not enough to go on? You have years of medical records, plus my testimony." Clair was confused.
Tim reached up, took her hands in his, while he pulled her onto his lap. "They claim your testimony is not reliable, for two reasons. One, Nott let you go two years ago, so they claim you are just mad at him for not keeping you on, and two, because we are dating now." He looked down, "It's my fault. I should have waited before asking you out."
"That's ludicrous. Why would I want to get back at Nott? It's perfectly normal for families to let the governess go, once the kids start school." Clair kissed Tim's forehead, "As for us, I am glad you didn't wait."
He looked up at her, "But my impatience, compromised our case."
Clair didn't know what to say. That was true. If the ministry claimed, she was unreliable because the two of them were dating, it would have been better to wait. "I could have said no. I didn't want to wait either. This is not all on you."
"I let Theodore down, Clair. I was supposed to help him. Protect him, and I let my hormones, get in the way." Tim slammed his hand on the table, it made Clair jump a little, "Damnit, I am a thirty-seven-year-old professional, but instead I acted like a seventeen-year-old teenage boy." Tim noticed he had startled Clair and kissed her cheek, "I am sorry, I don't know what to do now."
Clair got up to serve dinner. They ate in silence. Normally Tim talked nonstop about his day. Tonight, he barely ate, and said nothing. After twenty minutes, Clair couldn't take it any longer. "Why don't you do something about it." Clair said, as she set her fork down loudly on the table.
Tim looked up at her, "Do what? I have already done everything in my power."
"I don't know, but sitting here brooding about it, is not going to fix anything. Do something." Clair stood and started to clear the table.
Tim pushed his plate away. "If there was something I could do Clair, I would do it. Neither boy comes into the hospital any longer. Short of kidnapping them from their parents, what precisely would you have me do?"
"Be creative Tim. Think of something." Clair walked over to him, stood in front of him, and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Until you do, you will let this eat you up. If that is how you're going to be, then I am going home." She turned to walk out of the kitchen.
Tim caught her hand, "Please, don't go. I had something completely different planned for tonight. Please stay."
"I will stay for a little while. I am going to clean this up. You go in the living room and think." She pulled away from him and went to the sink.
Tim sat there a minute thinking about what he was going to do, about Theodore and about Clair. He still felt a strong desire to help Theodore and Draco, but how? He looked up at Clair, at that moment, he knew he had fallen in love with the thirty-three year old woman. He couldn't let himself get swallowed up by quilt and loose her. He suddenly got an idea, "You said his father is accomplished at wandless magic, right?"
"Yep." Clair kept her back to him.
"Clair would you say, Theodore might have a knack for it as well?" Tim stood.
She turned to look at him, "Perhaps, why?"
"Is he becoming a good wizard?" Tim bit his bottom lip deep in thought.
"His grades are great, from what he tells me in his letters, he is doing remarkably well. What are you thinking?"
Tim ran from the room, Clair followed interested in what her boyfriend was up to. Tim had gone over to the bookshelf and looked at all the books he had there. After a moment, he focused on the bottom shelf then, pulled one out, handed it to Clair. She looked at the cover, "'Healing Spells for Beginners'. What are you going to do with this, you hardly need it?"
Tim smiled at her, "I am going to send it to Theodore. If I can't stop what is going on, perhaps I can help him deal with it." He spun back to the bookshelf, found another small book, and pulled it out. Tim handed this book to Clair as well. "I can even help him learn to protect himself."
Clair took the second book, "'Wandless and Wordless Protective Charms, Volume 1'. What if he can't do wandless magic?"
"Any wizard or witch has the ability to use wandless and wordless magic, it is all a matter of desire and skill. If anyone will have the desire, it's Theodore. The skill will come with practice." Tim looked pleased with his decision.
Clair stood there and held the books in her hands. She had never had the notion to teach Theodore wordless or wandless magic. She finally looked up at Tim, "I think it's worth a shot. Like you said, there is really nothing more we can do. He is a very clever boy, he may just have what it takes."
Tim picked her up and twirled her around, when he brought her back down, he captured her lips with his, and pushed his tongue in her mouth, passionately. Clair dropped the books on coffee table then wrapped her arms around Tim's neck. Tim moved his hands down her back, until they were on her bottom, he grabbed her, lifted her up, so her legs were wrapped around him. Tim turned around and lowered Clair onto the couch. He kissed down her neck while he undid the buttons on her blouse.
"Is this what you had planned for tonight?" Clair asked him, as he cupped her breasts through her bra and kissed the mounds, which were exposed when he pushed up on them.
Tim pulled her blouse off her and reached behind to undo Clair's bra, "Only partly." He told her in between kisses. Once he had her bra off and discarded on the floor, he started to kiss lower. "Would you move in with me?" Tim asked, but before she could answer, he took her nipple in his mouth and sucked on it, until she moaned his name.
Once Clair was able to think again, she reached down and pulled his sweater off him. Tim sat up slightly and quickly removed his shirt. Clair pushed him back and straddled him on the couch. She rubbed the bulge in his pants with the warmth of her willing crotch and bit her lip, while she watched him throw his head back, as he grabbed her hips and pressed up towards her.
After a moment, Tim held her still, "I am waiting for an answer." Clair tried to move against him, but he held her still, "Answer me." It almost sounded like a demand.
Clair opened her eyes and looked lustfully at Tim, "I thought you would never ask."
Quickly, Tim laid Clair down on the couch, and removed the rest of their clothes. Tim positioned his hips between her legs and kissed her, hard and deep. "Is that a yes?"
"Yes." Clair told him as he entered her with a deep slow thrust. She cried out in pleasure. Tim slowly, pushed in and out the full length of himself, while he kissed her neck and breasts, he took time to make sure both nipples got the same amount of attention. Clair scratched his back and moaned with pleasure to stimulate him. Tim pushed himself up to look at her, "I love you, Clair." Tim moved his hips into a position that allowed his cock to put friction on just the right spot for her and sped up their rhythm as he plunged deep inside her until she shook with pleasure under him. Then he slowed back down.
Clair pushed up under him in a way that made him cry out, "Oh god." Then she kissed him, while she thrust up hard to meet his thrusts as they sped back up. Once she was sure he was close, she looked at him, "I love you too, Tim."
Later that night, once they were done with the dishes and had made love again, Tim kissed Clair on the forehead and covered her up with the sheets. He looked at her, unable to believe his luck. He leaned down and whispered to the woman who was fast asleep, 'I love you Babe'. Tim went back to the living room and wrapped the books up. He wrote a quick letter to Theodore and explained why he sent the books. He told him once he was done with these books to send them back and he would send him the next in both series. In the morning before work, he sent the package off to Hogwarts in hopes Theodore would be able to use them. Healer Hamilton kissed Clair goodbye that morning when they both left the flat for their perspective jobs with a renewed sense that he was in fact able to help.
