A/N If you don't remember Anna, you may want to take a look back at the very first chapter.
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Chapter 28: Anna Forms a Plan
The flames were finally out. Half the building was gone. Several wounded, but thankfully no casualties.
Theo had gone directly from his meeting with Harry to the Nott Medical Supply Factory in London.
After hearing from Harry, the manager of the factory had given a large payment to the head of the delivery department, Theo had wanted his own private meeting with Jasper Brown. He wanted to ask him face to face what the payment had been for, and why? He planned to use the man's job as motivation to get him to answer honestly. Up until now Brown had always performed his duties impeccably. Theo might be willing to overlook one indiscretion, depending on the man's reason for it. Draco had insisted on going with him, to make sure talking was all Theo did. Once the two of them arrived, they found the building was an inferno.
Not thinking of the possibilities Theo had discarded his suit jacket and ran straight into the blaze to start helping get people to safety. Fire crews were busy working to try and put the flames out. For the first time in his adult life, Theo questioned the intelligence of his father's decision to put a Wizard factory in the middle of Muggle London. Magic could only be used in an extremally limited fashion, so as to not expose their world to the Muggles. His father had insisted Muggle workers were easier to come by and therefore, cheaper to pay.
Once he was old enough to understand how business worked, Theo had looked into the use of Muggle workers verses only Wizards. His father had been right, Muggles outnumbered them more than ten thousand to one. Many of the Wizards who had large farms, ranches, orchards and other factories, used Muggle workers. He had excepted it was a necessary part of life. His father had more than doubled the family vaults and the business revenue when he started having the factories produce Muggle items as well as Wizard, so to that end, Muggles held many positions at his factories. The jobs they held were ones which didn't expose them to anything magical, however. A receptionist, janitors, line workers in the departments were the items made were also used in the Muggle world, such as needles and bandages. As it were, putting the fire out took time, putting every one of his employees at risk.
Theo now stood covered in soot, with burns on his arms and hands, looking at the rubble that had been his father's legacy. His father had always said, Muggles were beneath him, but also said they served a purpose, that purpose being to work for him, and make sure he stayed rich. This factory had been the largest of the six medical factories the Nott family owned. His biggest money maker, the factory that always sustained the others if they weren't running as much in the black as they had hoped. None of the factories ever ran in the red, but once in a while, one's profits would waiver, and the income from this one, would even things out.
Now the other five would have to cover while this one was rebuilt. He would have mountains of paperwork ahead of him while figuring out insurance claims and taking care of the injured workers. A board meeting would have to be called to discuss moving money around to cover the costs of rebuilding. Theo's head began to pound at the thought of all the work that now lay ahead him. Simply pulling the money out of his family vault would be the easiest solution, but he could hear his father's voice in his head telling him, 'That is not how business is done'. Family money and business profits had to remain separate. Something Theo had a hard time understanding as a young boy. During his lessons with his father about the business he would often ask, 'Doesn't the family money come from business profits?'. It wasn't until he was older that he understood, once business profits were put into the family vault, as Nott Sr's income, it became family money and was no longer business profits.
Once his understood the dynamics of finance, really the rest was easy. Each of the twelve factories, had managers who essentially ran the place, each just reported to Theo. Now, this factory would have no manager, as Theo had fired Jasper Brown, the moment he saw the man, not even asking him about the money paid to Earl.
Draco walked up to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder giving it a squeeze. "Theo, I have to head to the hospital. They have called me in."
Theo just kept looking straight ahead watching the smoke start clearing from the sky.
"Theo? Did you hear me?" Draco gave his shoulder another squeeze.
Turning his head slightly toward Draco, Theo sighed deeply before he answered. "What does England have against me Draco?"
Draco took a deep breath. His shoulders slumping under the weight of his friend's despair. "England doesn't have anything against you Theo. This was Prince, and him alone. I am sure Potter will find a way to piece it all together."
Theo laughed, "Prince, it's not just Prince." He swallowed and turned to face the blond standing beside him, "Nothing has gone right since I returned. Nothing."
"Finding Daphne was nothing? Rekindling your friendships was nothing?" The lines on Draco's face hardened as he asked his questions.
Theo scoffed, "Yes, Daphne. Tell me Draco do you see her anywhere?" He held his arms up indicating the area around them. "Is she here? Is she even still mine?"
"Yes, she is. You have to believe that Theo. Don't lose hope yet."
"Hope? You talk like things will get better if I wish for it. This isn't like asking Santa for a new broom Draco." Theo planted his feet and set his jaw. "Daphne is only one of the things that have gone wrong. Only one of the things that I have found a way to mess up. I have twenty-three hundred employees in this factory alone, more than two thirds of them Muggle, they are counting on me to provide for their families." He took a rugged breath, "I am letting them down. Have you any idea what that feels like?" Theo looked back at the building still smoldering, "This will set me back three or four years at least. If magic could be used to rebuild, possibly less time, but since it can't be used that much, it will take a year to rebuild, another two playing catch up." Theo closed his eyes and willed himself not to lose control of his temper. When he opened them back up, he looked at Draco and shook his head back and forth, "Perhaps my father was right about me all along, and I can't do this, that I am nothing more than a disappointment." Theo turned and started to walk away so his friend wouldn't see the tear that escaped from his left eye and ran down his face leaving a clean streak in its wake.
Draco called after Theo, but Theo kept walking. Knowing he had to get to the hospital, Draco pulled the phone Blaise had insisted he get the night before out of his pocket and called Astoria.
xXXx
Theo walked into his study with a determination in his stride. Whiskey, he wanted whiskey. He no longer cared what the consequences were. Blaise wasn't around to stop him. With out Daphne he no longer wanted to be in England. As soon as Anna arrived the next afternoon, he would be packing his things and going back to Texas with her. He knew he would never love anyone, but Daphne, but things had been good with Anna. She understood him. Kept him grounded. She didn't care if he had nightmares or talked about Daphne in his sleep.
He pulled the burn potion out of the cabinet in his study bathroom and started applying it to the burns on his forearms and hands. His thoughts lingering on the bottle in the liquor cabinet, he could hear it calling to him. He closed his eyes trying not to give in. Theo tried to think about going back to Texas with Anna, knowing thinking about Daphne would only serve to make him want the bottle even more. For some reason though he couldn't get his mind to focus on either woman. His mind decided torture was better, and it drifted to his 'Ohio girl'. At least that was what he called her, because he couldn't remember her name. Theo had only been with five women before he finally had been with Daphne. His 'Ohio girl' was number three, and the only one, he wished he could take back.
Clair and Tim had invited him to stay with them for that first Christmas after the war. Knowing he wouldn't be great company he had declined. He had found himself in Toledo Ohio on New Years Eve. Theo hadn't touched anything but beer after Diana had asked him to leave, at least up until that night. After slipping into a bar for the festivities, he had allowed himself to unwind. What harm could a little drink do, really? A few hours into the night a well-endowed redhead had started hitting on him. She giggled every time he talked, entranced by his British accent. Theo couldn't remember what was in those shots her friends kept buying, but the more of them she drank, the more she rubbed herself up on him. By midnight she had her hands down the front of his pants. Constantly afraid she would find his wand, he suggested they leave.
They hadn't made it a couple of blocks away down an alley, before he had her pushed up against the wall of some building, her skirt pulled up and panties torn off. Theo hated the memory of ripping them off of her like some brut who didn't care about her dignity. But then again, that night, he hadn't. He had thrust himself into her forcefully making her cry out. In pain or pleasure, he didn't know. In his drunken state though her cries, only made him thrust harder. She had seemed to settle into his rhythm and enjoy it, as least that was what the liquor made him believe. Once he was spent and pulled away from her, she had sunk to the ground pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them while crying. Theo tried asking if she was alright once or twice, but when she didn't answer he panicked, put himself together, zipped up his pants and walked away. Leaving her there. Never knowing for sure, whether her tears were because he had hurt her, or because of shame, for what she had done.
He knew that very night once he got to his hotel, he didn't like the man who looked back at him in the mirror. He remembered laying on the bed that night unable to sleep, rerunning the evenings events through his mind. Her pawing at him and tearing at the button on his pants, he had been so certain she wanted it. He felt for the first time since Lord Greengrass had moved his family to France, that he had truly let Daphne down. Daphne would understand Fay, forgive Diana, but this? It was several weeks later before he could look at another woman and not see the redhead in the back of his mind. Theo had finally realized he was more lost at that moment while trying to 'find himself' then he had ever been and took Clair up on her offer. He was in Tennessee by spring, just a year after the night Potter killed Voldemort. His 'Ohio girl' was the only one-night stand Theo ever had.
He left the bathroom after the burns were taken care of. His feet lead him to the liquor cabinet, his hands opening it without thought. He picked up the bottle of Jack Daniels Tim had sent to him. It had been a congratulatory gift for getting back together with Daphne. He had never told Tim about his affair with whiskey. Something he honestly wished to keep to himself. Only Draco, Blaise and Daphne really knew the truth, although Greg had a good idea. He didn't want to let Tim down, so he had thanked him for the gift and locked it up in the cabinet. Now seemed like the perfect time to drink it. He got it when Daphne came back to him, seemed right he would drink it, now that she had left him.
Daphne always seemed to have impeccable timing though. Just as he was about to open the bottle, he heard her voice behind him. "Theo." He froze, it must have been his mind playing tricks on him. But when he turned around, there she was, standing in his study, with Astoria behind her.
He said 'Daphne', but no sound came out, he more mouthed her name, rather then said it.
"I heard about the fire and needed to make sure you were okay." Daphne looked down at the carpet and rung her hands together.
Theo's hand started shaking, causing him to have to set the bottle down so he didn't drop it. "Physically, I am fine."
She nodded, "Good, that's good."
She looked nervous, scared even. Like she knew she shouldn't be there, afraid she might get caught.
Theo started toward her, but she raised her hands up quickly, "Don't."
He took another step before stopping. "Then why are you here?"
"I told you, to make sure you were okay." Daphne looked up at him, finally allowing herself to see the soot in his hair, and smudges on his face.
She could see the burns, still in the healing process on his arms. She took a deep breath and shuddered, wanting so badly to hold him.
Theo took another step toward her, only inches away from her now. "You know I am not okay. With out you, I will never be okay. I need you."
"Theo please, don't. I really just needed to make sure you hadn't been hurt in the fire. I should go." She turned to leave, but Theo reached out and caught her wrist in his hand and pulled her to him.
She gasped, but the feel of his arm around her waist, his chest against hers, and the proximity of his lips so close to her, had her head blurry. She put her hands of his chest, trying to pull herself out of the trance, and push away. Suddenly his breath was mixed with hers. He repeatedly brushed his lips across hers, hovering there, almost waiting for her to close the distance and kiss him, so he didn't have to be intrusive, and kiss her first.
She whispered but didn't pull away. "We can't do this."
Theo tangled his free hand in her hair, "And why not? You still love me or wouldn't have come."
She was getting dizzy, "You know why not. Whether or not I love you, is not the issue."
Theo pressed his forehead to hers, "You promised." He closed his eyes, "You promised I wouldn't lose you."
Daphne ran her hands around his neck and started playing with the hair on the back of his head, "Don't do this to yourself Theo, please. I know your stronger than this."
"I am not giving up Daphne, now that I know for sure, you still love me, I can't." He pressed his lips to hers and held her to him tightly, knowing he would have to let go, but not yet not yet.
Daphne allowed herself to sink into the kiss for a moment. To breathe him in, she needed it, just as badly as he did. When she pulled away, Theo didn't stop her, allowing his hand to fall from her hair, but he didn't let go of her waist.
He closed his eyes and brushed his cheek against hers, "Your still mine."
Daphne put her hand on his cheek and smiled up at him, "I shouldn't have come, but I have never been able to deny you, when you need me." There was a crack in her voice that made her whisper the next few words. "Now let me go." She stepped back tears in her eyes.
Theo let go of her waist, "I know Marcus hurt you. Potter told me. Baby, why didn't you?"
"Oh, Theo." She took a tiny step toward him. "I didn't want to worry you needlessly. At the time, I thought I was done with him."
Theo clinched his fists, "If he hurts you, lays a hand a on you..."
Daphne cut him off with her fingers on his mouth, "Shhhh…...I know, you want to protect me. But this time, you can't."
"He will pay Daph, make no mistake, he will pay." Theo took her hand and held it tightly.
Daphne smiled at him, through the tears. She pulled her hand away and turned to leave but stopped by the door frame and turned back to him. She looked at her sister first, "Stay with him, please." Astoria nodded. Daphne looked back to Theo, "No whiskey handsome, you don't need it."
Theo made a decision in that moment; Draco had been right. He needed to snap out of it, Daphne still loved him. She just proved that. He just didn't know how but would find a way. He took another step toward her setting his resolve to win this fight no matter what it took. "I will fight Baby; I will fight for us. Until we are back together, or you tell me that you don't want me."
Daphne turned around in the hallway biting her bottom lip. She wanted more than anything to run back into his arms and tell him she was his, but the ring catching the sunlight on her hand reminded her she wasn't. She knew it was most likely a losing battle, and in the end both of them would be in ruins. He would end up alone, and she would be the wife of man who would never love her. But Theo had already lost so much in the last twenty-four hours, so she smiled at him, then she apparated away.
xXXx
"Do you know where I first met Theo?" Anna asked Blaise as they walked into the dining room Wednesday night at Nott manor.
Theo gave Anna a hardened look. "He doesn't want to hear about this Anna. Boring story anyway." Then he plopped down in a chair putting his feet on the table.
"You may think it's boring." She smiled and looked back at Blaise and winked. "I found him sitting in the street. Just sitting there like he was waiting to see how long the cars would continue to go around him before one decided he wasn't worth the headache of swerving."
Blaise laughed deep in his chest. "What the bloody hell were you doing Theo?"
Theo took his feet off the table and gave Blaise a cocky look, "Testing a theory."
"A theory? What theory could you have been possibly testing by sitting in the middle of the street?" Blaise asked before taking a drink of his beer.
"Clair's theory, that the universe was in fact 'not out to get me'." Theo said as he stood up to pull out Anna's chair.
Anna laughed tossing her white velvet cowboy hat on a chair before taking her seat. "He had this idea in his head, that the universe was out to get him, because he couldn't be with Daphne, but he couldn't get over her either."
Theo spun around pointing at her, "We have yet to prove that idea wrong you know. So far the universe has only seen fit to give me small reprieves once a while."
"Oh, that's what I was, a small reprieve?" Anna gave Theo a pout.
"There is nothing about you Anna that is small. From your attitude to your bre…."
Anna picked up her hat and threw it at Theo, "You had better not finish that sentence Mr. Nott, or I won't help you."
Theo let a genuine smile take to his lips, "I have missed you, Anna. Thank you for coming."
"Anytime. Now get over here and eat." Anna picked up her fork studying the food on her plate. "What is this anyway?"
Blaise laughed almost choking on the bite he had taken. "Roast Beef. I would think a Texas girl knows beef when she sees it."
Anna sweetly smiled at Blaise, "Oh honey, I knew we were having beef for dinner the moment I walked into this house, I meant that." She pointed to the bread on her plate.
"That is Yorkshire Pudding." Blaise raised his eyebrows at her. "Theo's cook makes a great one."
"Pudding? Sorry fellas, that don't look like any pudding I have ever seen." Anna pushed it away from her roast.
Blaise laughed, "Theo, I think I love this woman. Too bad I have finally decided to settle down."
Anna gave Blaise a coy smile, "I don't think you could handle this ride anyway cowboy."
"Oh, see. Now that's not fair. You can't issue a challenge like that, because I can't take you up on it." Blaise groaned, "I knew I should have brought Tracey with me tonight."
Tony set another plate at the table, catching the group off guard. "Mr. Nott, your other guest arrived a little early." He indicated to the man standing in the door frame.
Theo, Blaise and Anna looked over to see the man leaning against the door frame still wearing his sunglasses. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and the way his shirt fit him, Anna could tell there was a six pack just hiding under there. He was wearing a dark blue Polo showing off the chiseled muscles in his arms. His black pants fit his hips well, drawing Anna's attention from his arms down to his feet and back up. His face was rugged and looked like it was carved from stone, and he wore about five days growth of a beard that made 'sexy' ooze off of him. His almost jet-black hair was shoulder length and wavy. He ran his left hand through his hair pulling it back out of his face as he took off his sunglasses, reveling startling blue eyes.
Anna swallowed slowly looking at him, and whispered to herself, "Holy James Bond."
Theo leaned back in his chair and stifled a laughed while watching Anna, then waved the man in. "Come in Pucey, join us."
Adrian locked eyes with Anna and walked over to her taking her hand in his, gently rubbing the back of her knuckles with his thumb. "Sorry, I wear the number four on my jersey, not a seven." He gave the back of her hand a soft brush of his lips. "Adrian Pucey, at your service." He raised his chin indicating Blaise, "Zabini may not be able to take that challenge, but I am not attached, perhaps I can."
Anna felt herself blush, not something many men were able to do, she pulled her hand away quickly and gave him the best uninterested look she could conjure, "Well Mr. Pucey, I will let you know. I am Anna, Anna Blackwell."
Adrian smiled, knowing he already had it in the bag, if he really wanted. He stood up straight and looked at Theo. "Were the bloody hell, is Malfoy. After that plea for forgiveness, I got from him, I expected him to be here."
Theo stood and walked over to him reaching out to shake his hand. "He got held up at the hospital but will be here soon. Greg's wife wasn't feeling well, so we will fill him in on everything later."
Adrian let out a little laughed, "I can't believe it, Slytherins' ugly duckling really became a swan huh?"
Blaise started nodding while eating his food, "That she did mate. Sit down man, eat. We have a lot to discuss."
Adrian took the seat across from Anna where Tony had placed it. He set his sunglasses on the table and leaned back. "So, Malfoy told me what happened with Greengrass. Sorry to hear about its Nott. How can I possibly help?"
"You can give us dirt on Flint."
Pucey looked up to see Astoria walking into the room, she waved Tony off, "I already ate Tony, thank you."
Astoria walked over to Theo giving him a hug. "Have you slept yet Teddy?"
"I slept on Saturday, and I will sleep again once Daphne is back in my arms where she belongs. Besides, between trying to get her back, and starting to clean up what happened with the factory, I have plenty to occupy my time. The board has called an emergency meeting for Friday to discuss what is going on." Theo walked over to the small bar in the room where the pitchers of water and a selection of ales and beers were set. He looked hard at the liquors in the cabinet, before finally choosing a beer and going back to his seat.
Adrian leaned forward slightly allowing his eyes to wonder over Anna before looking at Astoria. "Well, little Greengrass, what kind of dirt are you hoping I can provide?"
Astoria sat down beside Anna. "We need something Pucey, something bad enough that my father will not want my sister married to Flint. In short, something bad enough that it will dishonor the Greengrass name as well as the Flint name if it is made public."
Adrian ran his fingers through his hair and smirked, "Well that's the real trick, isn't it? Not to mention difficult to come up with or even prove."
"We can figure out how to prove it after we figure out what it is. We know that Marcus physically hurt Daphne at least once. What we don't know is if it was a onetime thing, or does he have a tendency for harming woman?" Astoria placed her hands neatly on the table and folded them the way she had seen her mother do so many times in the past when talking to her father.
Adrian gave Theo a stern look, "You let him get away with hurting her? That doesn't seem like the Nott I remember, the one who busted his knuckles on Flint's face for kissing Greengrass the night of the Yule Ball."
Theo crossed his arms, "I didn't know. She kept it from me. Believe me, had I known, he would have paid dearly for it." Theo looked at his beer, then set it down. "As it stands, I have no proof he hurt her, so if I confront him, I will be the aggressor, just as I was back then. Potter says I need proof, or there is nothing he can do."
"We will get you proof, Theo. Until then, stay away from him." Draco said as he entered the room and walked over to Astoria giving her a soft kiss hello. He held his hand out to Adrian. "Pucey, glad you could make it. Thank you."
Adrian looked at Draco's hand and laughed. "You have changed Malfoy. I would say, you even grew up. I am almost afraid to shake your hand, that shit might rub off."
"Oh, well only a grown man can take me up on that challenge Mr. Pucey, so if you're not one, then I guess the answer is no." Anna gave Adrian a smile, then licked her bottom lip while watching him.
Adrian considered her for a moment, "Well, trust me, I may be a 'bad' boy, but I am a very 'good' man." He stood and shook Draco's hand.
Theo scoffed at the two of them. "Oh please, Anna, can we work on a plan to solve my dilemma, before you go sampling my old schoolmates?"
"Oh, sorry handsome, you know I how get when a good looking, single man is in the room, all naughty. But I am afraid he is right double-oh-Pucey. We will get to know each other later." Anna bit her bottom lip for a second, then continued. "Can you confirm that Flint is physical toward woman, and not in a good way?"
Adrian finished shaking Draco's hand then sat back down, he growled slightly in his throat looking at the American brunette sitting across from him. "Oh, I doubt Flint's version of physical is ever good." Anna giggled, earning her a dirty look from Astoria. "But I do know for a fact that Marcus cheats on Daphne, every time the team is out of town. Can't prove that, but it is a different woman every night." He leaned forward to the table, elbows propped up, "I do know that from time to time, he will take a woman back to his room at whatever hotel we are at, but only when he is certain, no one with a camera will see."
"Him cheating on my sister, is not enough. I know my father will not be happy with that information. But it really only serves to dishonor Flint, not my father as well." Astoria looked disappointed.
"Don't look so upset, little Greengrass, I didn't say that was all I had." Adrian got up and went over to the drink bar grabbing the first bottle he came to. "There have been times when the ladies who left his room in the morning, looked happy to be leaving. Not a satisfied happy, like they just had their world rocked, but like they couldn't wait to get away from him." He popped the beer open and took a long drink, then turned back to the group. "I have seen bruises before, once or twice on the arms or wrists of the woman. But honestly, I always figured Flint just liked being a little rough. Since none of them ever told or came after him, most of us figured, he found girls who also like it rough." He looked at the bottle in his hand, shrugged and drank the rest of it.
Astoria's smile got a little brighter. "Well, Marcus's mistreating woman would certainly work, don't you think so Draco?"
Draco reached out and took his fiancé's hand, "Yes, if we could get some kind of proof that he has hurt Daphne or others, it would dishonor your father. But only if it came out that he knew Marcus had a tendency toward violence and entered his daughter into the marriage any way." Draco looked over at Theo. "Theo we would need to find a way to catch Marcus harming Daphne again, and this time get proof. Then we can take that proof to her father and to Potter."
Theo shook his head no, "Not a chance in hell will I stand by and allow that man to hurt her again Draco. Sorry not happening. Besides how do we provoke him in a way where we can get proof. Sounds like he does that kind of thing in private. He isn't about to just hit her right in front of us." Theo's muscles tightened as he spoke.
"No, he hits me." Anna's southern voice cut through the tension in the air like a knife.
Suddenly all five sets of eyes were on her, but Theo's darkened immediately. "Like hell, I don't like that idea any better than I like the idea of him hitting Daphne."
"Calm down darlin', bruises heal. Besides, Bond over there isn't going to let him do anything that can't be healed easily." Anna gave Theo a reassuring smile.
Adrian narrowed his eyes at Anna, "What makes you think, I will be anywhere near whatever you have planned?"
"Because otherwise you don't get a crack at that challenge, and you look like a man who wants to try." She winked, "Ever had a Texas girl give you a ride Bond?"
Draco shook his head, "Who the bloody hell is Bond?"
The others in the room tried to hide their laughter at Draco. Astoria leaned over to him and whispered, "I will explain later, it will take you watching a movie or two."
Draco frowned at the fact that he was left out of the joke for now but decided to shrug it off. "What are you planning Miss. Blackwell?"
"Oh, now now, no one calls me, Miss. Blackwell but my boss..." Anna smirked, "Well, when I have a boss. Anna, please call me Anna. Let's pretend we are already good friends, and I will call you Draco. My plan is..." Anna stood up and started walking around the room, "Theo has to go to the engagement party right, the whole he is an 'Earl' thing and all?" All the men in the room nodded their agreement. Anna smiled at Theo, "So I go with you as the good-looking sexy American no one knows, a mystery for the press. But at some point, during the night, Draco there, Daphne's soon to be brother-in-law, will ask her to dance. I assume that is permitted?" She looked at Draco.
Draco shrugged, "Certainly, it will actually be expected that I would share at least one dance with her. Astoria will be expected to dance with Marcus."
Anna slapped her thigh, "Am I correct in assuming then Theo, that you too, will be expected to dance with Daphne at the party?"
Theo's expression turned somber, "No, it's expected that I would dance with Astoria, since she is the one the party is for. Sharing a dance with Daphne, would normally be socially acceptable, but under the current circumstances, it may look uncouth. Plus, I don't plan on doing so."
Anna frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Would it cause some sort of uproar for you to dance with her, would she be shunned in some way?'
Theo crossed his arms, the tension showing in his muscles. "Not shunned, people would talk though, whisper. We would be making a social error. My asking her to dance, would cause rumors, especially with the press. Not to mention, how hard..." He took a deep breath, struggling to get the next words out. "...it would be on her and I."
Anna walked over to Theo and put her arms around his shoulders giving him a squeeze. "Now don't go getting all knotted up. You will dance with her, and it will be difficult, but it's a necessary part of the plan."
"How so?" Theo asked turning his head to look at her.
"Because handsome, while you're dancing with her, and looking damn good while doing it, I will be dancing with Marcus." She let go of Theo's shoulders and put her hands on her hips, and looked at Adrian, "Someone will have to show me how to dance with him though, I doubt we will be doin' the two step."
Adrian only shook his head back and forth. "How on earth did I get roped into this. I came for dinner because Malfoy begged and now, I am teaching this American how to dance." The group laughed in unison, grateful for the release of the stress that was building.
"Oh, and you will be rewarded for it." Anna winked at Adrian. "So, Astoria after you dance with Marcus, you have to bring him over to meet me, giving Theo time to go ask Daphne to dance. Then while I am showing off my new dancing skills that Adrian over there..." Anna pointed at Adrian, "showed me, I will be telling Marcus, how boring Theo is. What a terrible lover he is, interested only in a missionary level of thrill."
"So, you're going to lie to him?" Theo asked smugly.
Anna smiled at Theo, "Of course I can't tell him the truth. See I need for him to think that I have had a bad impression of British men. Appealing to his ego, therefore getting him to offer to show me what a good time a Brit can really be. Then as he is leading me out to a more private spot, your friend Greg will ask Daphne to dance, keeping her on the dance floor, and since Marcus will not be available for the expected dance Theo, will fill in for Marcus with Greg's wife."
"Why? Why not just escort Millie, to a table and let her relax. Why do I need for her to dance with me?" Theo gave Anna a look that told her his was concerned for his pregnant friend.
"Woman have been having babies for years Darlin', she will be fine." Anna and Astoria shared a look. "You need to be on the dance floor with her so there are three witnesses, that will know you were not the one who gave me the marks we are hoping I get. Daphne, Greg and Millie."
"You're missing the part where we need proof for the Auror's. Marks on you, are good, but how do we prove Marcus did them, and not Theo, just a little later?" Blaise asked before he finished his beer.
Anna grinned. "That, my handsome Italian friend, is where you come in. See you will be keeping watch, when you see Marcus and I leave the dance floor, you will follow, and take pictures. I promise you will at least get ones, of him cheatin' on Daphne. Although, I don't plan on givin' this guy what he is going to want. Hopefully that will piss him off. Do ya'all say that over here, piss him off? Anyway, hopefully he will get angry enough that he hits me, and you will get pictures of that. My secret agent over there will also be watchin'. See your job Adrian will be to make sure things don't go too far and get him away from me before they do."
Adrian shook his head and laughed, "Good thing I got invited to this party. Little Greengrass, you better change my RSVP from plus one, to single. Sounds like I am going to have my hands full all night with someone else. That would only make a date angry with me."
"Well, we can't have that." Astoria chuckled. "So, what would you like for me and Draco to be doing while, all this is going on?"
Anna bit her bottom lip while looking up at the ceiling for a moment. "Draco you will need to watch with Blaise, and then keep guard, we don't want anyone other than Adrian walking in and breaking up the party."
Draco nodded and gave Astoria a look meaning he thought it might work. "What about Astoria?"
"I should probably stay out near the dance floor with Tracey, incase my sister needs me. Dancing with Draco, then Theo and Greg rounding it off is going to be overwhelming."
Anna looked at Astoria and gave her a huge smile, "Now you're thinking like a Texas girl. I do have one task for you though Astoria, and it needs to happen after Daphne leaves her room for night, but before she goes back up there."
Astoria looked curious. "What's that?"
Anna walked over to Theo and held her hands out, "The box handsome." Theo stood, walked over to a side table in the dining room and picked up a small wooden box. The same one he had put all the letters he had written to Daphne over the years in. He handed it to Anna, who handed it to Astoria. "You need to put this in her room, right where she will find it. It is our back up plan. If we can't get what we need from Marcus, and she doesn't decide to run off with Theo by the end of the night, it is his final plea. All the letters he has ever written to her for the last five years are in there."
Astoria's eyes lit up. "This is the box. The one Daphne told me about. Oh Teddy, how many letters are in here?"
Theo looked down at his plate for a moment, then looked at Astoria, a sad look on his face, "Give or take twenty or so, about a thousand."
"Bloody hell mate. You really did write her every day." Blaise's eyes were wide while looking at the box.
Theo shrugged. "Not every day, but a lot."
Anna picked up her hat and put it on. "So, are we all in agreement?"
The group one by one, nodded yes.
A/N I know that when reading, it can seem ominous when you get to a part in a story where nothing seems to be going right. But that only makes it so much better once things do go right again!
