Chapter Text
Wednesday, Sept 30th - Hermione
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“Alright?”
Hermione looked up from her book to see Theodore Nott leaning over her table.
He was tall, lean, and muscular with a strong jawline.
His curly brown hair was long, his Slytherin tie in his starched white collar was held in place by a little snake tie pin that glinted as he smiled.
Hermione nodded in surprise. “I’m well...thank you.”
Theo grinned, flashing his teeth at her. He gestured to the chair next to her. “Mind if I join you?”
Hermione blinked at him, “Uhm—no—”
Theo unbuttoned his blazer and pulled out the chair, moving it closer to her and sitting down fluidly, all before she could finish speaking. He rolled his shoulders and lay his hands on the tabletop, sprawling.
"—that's alright." She finished, surprised.
He was wearing a silver snake ring on one hand and a gold signet ring on the other.
He adjusted a ring and she looked up to find him watching her.
Hermione was trying to figure out what was going on. She and Nott had never even spoken before. “What—what do you want?”
Theo slowly smiled, looking her up and down leisurely from beneath his long dark eyelashes. He leaned in, laying his chin on his hand. “What’re you working on?”
He smelled spicy, scents of wood and citrus, something smoky and musky.
Hermione leaned back.
His green eyes sparkled, the little flecks of emerald in his irises seemed to glow. He raised his dark eyebrows and smiled, flashing his teeth again.
He certainly was handsome…and confident. Hermione could now understand why so many of the girls would whisper about him.
“I’m doing the reading for Transfiguration.” She said uncertainly. “H-how can I help you?”
“Oh.” He smirked, spinning his serpent ring on his finger. “I’ve heard that you’re offering tutoring.” His tone was playful.
After the Final Battle with Voldemort, when they had finally defeated Riddle, she had come back to finish her last year at Hogwarts. She was one of the few on the side of the resistance who had done so. Harry and Ron had opted to go straight into the workforce. Harry was ‘training’ as an auror. He was already accepted, it was just a formality. Ron was playing for the Chudley Cannons—they had been overjoyed to take on the Chosen One’s bestfriend—it had bolstered both the team’s popularity and their funding.
On the other side, all of the Death Eaters who had survived the war—those who hadn’t finished school before being recruited—were sent back to Hogwarts as part of their sentence. That was Malfoy, Nott, Zabini, Flint, Rosier, Crabbe, and Goyle.
Malfoy’s, Nott’s and Zabini’s families had all turned against Voldemort before the end of the war. Whether this was because they saw how the tide was turning, to save their own skins, or because they had seen the light—no one really knew.
What Hermione did know was that Narcissa Malfoy had saved Harry’s life, that Draco had refused to identify them when they had been caught by snatchers and that Draco had given Harry his own wand at the Final Battle. Lucius Malfoy had, at the very last moment, stunned an entire flank of Voldemort’s army while searching for Draco.
She had heard that Blaise and his mother had been releasing captives for months before the final battle, and Blaise himself had been escorting them to safety. She didn’t know much about Theodore other than the fact that his father had been high up in Voldemort’s ranks. From what the Daily Prophet had printed, Nott Sr. had turned informant for the Order during the very last two weeks of the war, after the very public execution of his wife, turning the tide definitively in the resistance’s favor.
McGonagall was headmistress now after the mysterious murder of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore had been killed the day after Harry had returned with the fake Horcrux. Students had found his body outside the castle, pushed from the astronomy tower. His killer had never been caught.
McGonagall had grudgingly accepted the ex-Death Eaters back under the condition they maintain good grades and under the understanding that they were there on a zero tolerance policy. If they broke any school rules McGonagall could have them expelled without explanation. Being expelled meant Azkaban per violation of their sentence’s terms.
The other students tended to avoid Flint, Rosier, Crabbe, and Goyle. Some students slowly began to tolerate Malfoy, Nott, and Zabini since they seemed to keep to themselves—but girls seemed to flock around Nott. The trio moved around as a cohesive unit, probably due to the bullying they would experience whenever they were alone. Malfoy and Zabini were inseparable. She’d never seen one without the other since their return to Hogwarts. Nott was either with them or whispering something into some girl’s ear as she swatted at him or smiled coquettishly.
Hermione exhaled, relieved. “Right. Yes. I am—what subject?”
Theo seemed surprised by the question. He ran a finger over his lips, as if he were considering his response before he replied. “Potions to start.”
“To start?”
“Yeah, I’m meaning to get my marks up in everything but, maybe…let’s start with potions.” He shrugged.
Hermione nodded, pushing her hair back behind her ear. It sprang back immediately. She leaned down to get a fresh roll of parchment from her bookbag before looking up at him again.
She scrawled down his name and then noted the subject before looking up at him. She started as she found him leaning closer to see what she had written.
He stayed leaned in for far too long before he finally leaned back, still too close for Hermione’s comfort.
“Wh-what are your marks now?” She asked hesitantly.
He frowned in surprise as his eyebrows rose, “Eights?”
“Eights?” She blinked at him. “That’s…it doesn’t sound like you need tutoring.”
He smiled again. “I’d like to be better.” His tone was offhand.
She nodded, disturbed by the prolonged eye contact. “Al—alright then.” She scrawled his marks down on the parchment.
He leaned in to see what she had written again.
“Err—” She leaned to the side, away from him, almost sliding off her chair. “When would you like to meet?”
“How about Friday night?” Theo sat back. “Eight o’clock?”
“Oh.” She said quickly. “I don’t usually meet later than five or six—and the library closes at eight—” She pushed her hair back behind her ear and it sprang forward again.
“That’s alright. We can meet in my common room.” He smiled, his tone nonchalant.
“I—I’d rather meet in the library if that’s alright. We can ask Professor Snape to use the classroom if we need to practice brewing something.”
He looked disappointed before he shrugged. “Yeah, alright.”
“Does…” She grabbed her diary and checked her schedule. “afternoon work for you? Three or four?”
“I’ve got class.” He smiled.
She chewed her lip. “I’ve got class before that. What about another day? Wednesday, Thursday?”
“Hmm.” He sighed. “Nah—my schedules full up the rest of the days—quidditch.” He said vaguely and shrugged. “What about Saturday?”
She flipped a page in her diary. “Yes, alright—Saturday could work, morning?”
“Later in the day?” He asked, leaning forward to look at her schedule.
Hermione promptly closed her diary.
He leaned back. “I’ve got to be up early all week—I like to sleep in on the weekend.” He grinned as he explained.
She looked at him suspiciously. “What time were you thinking?”
“Eight o’clock?” He asked again, the corner of his mouth quirking.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Anytime in the afternoon works.” He amended.
“Alright.” She said slowly. “Two o’clock then. We can meet here, please bring your book and notes as well as any classwork you have.”
He nodded. His lips quirked. “What’s your rate?”
“20 sickles an hour.”
“Right. Let’s do two hours then.” He smiled, leaning back in his chair.
“Two hours—I hardly think you need tutoring at all, usually people only start with one—” Hermione said in surprise.
“—like I said, I’d like to be better.” He grinned widely, leaning forward.
She looked him up and down before nodding shortly. She dipped her quill and wrote down the time on the parchment before scrawling him into her diary. She looked up and found him still watching her. “Something else?”
He shook his head as the corners of his mouth turned down, his eyes dancing.
“I’ll see you Saturday then.” She said hesitantly.
“Alright.” He didn’t get up.
Hermione waited for a moment before she screwed her ink pot closed and slid her things into her bookbag, standing.
He looked up at her, a smile playing at his lips. “Walk you someplace?”
“No.” She said hastily. “Bye.”
“Bye Hermione.” He drawled.
She quickly walked towards the exit, glancing back only to see him looking her way, a smirk on his face.
She turned back around, hurrying out, and saw Draco Malfoy staring daggers at someone behind her. His pale face was flushed pink, his white blonde hair smoothed back, a scowl on his face. He had a splash of black ink on his pale cheek. His eyes slid over to her.
Hermione ducked her head down and kept walking. Once she got out into the hallway she looked over her shoulder to find herself alone.
She exhaled in relief.
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(The Previous Day) - Tuesday, Sept 29th - Draco
“—are you even listening to me Draco?” Blaise’s annoyed voice broke through Draco’s haze.
“What?” He snapped, turning to look at Blaise.
“Fuckssake.” Blaise muttered.
“He’s staring at her again.” Nott said, amused.
“Of course he is—that’s the reason we’re always in the bloody library.” Blaise grumbled.
“Just go back to the dorm then—read your little magazines.” Draco flipped a page in his textbook, looking up at Blaise.
“You’re so cuntstruck—it’s pathetic Malfoy.” Nott jeered, a grin on his face.
“Fuck off.” Draco muttered before looking back down at his essay.
“Just go and ask her out, you craven. I’m sure even an Ice Queen like Granger needs a good time now and then.” Nott laughed.
Draco glared at his essay. “She’d never speak to me.”
“And that somehow…appeals to you?” Blaise asked, his eyes dancing.
Draco shot him a cold look.
Nott was stroking his chin. “I bet I could break through that ice wall.”
Draco looked up sharply to glare at him. “You would not. There’s no way she would even speak with you, you prat.” He spat the words. “You’ve slept with almost all the girls in our year and in the year before us—she’d never even look at you twice.”
Nott leaned forward across the table, grinning at them widely. He exchanged a look with Blaise. “Bet I could.” His eyes slid to look at Draco.
Draco held his gaze, his jaw tense.
“Let’s say…and this is being generous—a week—from when I first approach her. I bet I can get those clamped legs to spread for me.” Nott flashed his teeth at Draco’s obvious annoyance.
“Fuck. Off.” Draco scowled at him.
Blaise seemed amused. “Do you Nott?”
“I do Zabini.” Nott looked smug.
“This isn’t fucking funny Zabini.” Draco muttered tightly.
“Never taken me more than a week before.” Nott’s tone was teasing.
Draco turned back to Theo. “Stay the fuck away from her.”
“Well?” Nott asked Blaise. “Do you accept the bet? I can offer a month on my father’s yacht—you can slip it to Daph all over Europe that way—birds love that. Against your new Flamespright. Oh wait,” Nott pouted. “You can’t leave the country can you? Whoops, I forgot."
Blaise’s lips twisted in annoyance. “Piss off.”
“Ugh. The pair of you are so fucking boring.” Nott muttered, leaning his chair back and scowling. “If we have to be in this bollocking hellhole might as well have a good time.”
The legs of Nott’s chair hit the ground with a smack! as he leaned forward again.
“I’ll do it anyways.” Nott pulled at the shoulders of his jacket as he grinned.
Draco’s mouth twisted as he glared at Nott. “Stay. The fuck. Away.” She’d see right through the tosser.
Surely.
Nott smiled before he glanced over his shoulder to look at her. He looked back at Draco with a smirk. "A week. Tops."
Draco’s hands clenched into fists, shaking. He could not deck Nott in this library. He could not do it. He’d be expelled.
Nott stood. “Excuse me lads, I’ve got some research to do."
Blaise’s eyes flitted over to Draco as Nott stalked off. Blaise laughed softly, covering his mouth with his hand. “Are you going to do something about it?”
“She’ll never fall for him.” Draco snapped. "He's a fucking imbecile."
Blaise shrugged and returned to his parchment, dipping his quill.
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Wednesday, Sept 30th - Draco
Draco watched in disbelief as Nott stood from their table. Nott grinned widely at them as Blaise sat back, his expression amused.
Draco’s jaw tensed as he watched Nott walk over to Hermione’s table. Draco brought his hand up to his mouth and chewed on his cuticles.
Nott placed his hands on her table and leaned forward. He turned back and made eye contact with Draco before grinning.
Nott turned back to look at Hermione.
She had a little red bow in her hair.
Draco watched her look up at Nott. Draco’s eyes narrowed.
Nott pulled up a chair and sat far too close.
Draco’s hand tensed on his quill.
He watched as Nott flirted with her, smirking and winking, his expressions lascivious and lewd. Nott leaned forward and Hermione leaned back.
Draco’s quill snapped. He could hear Blaise laughing to himself.
Draco looked down and found he had splattered ink all over himself and his parchment.
He glared back up at Nott and saw him leaning far too close to Hermione.
Draco’s jaw tensed.
He saw her packing her things and standing.
She never left the library this early.
That fucking bastard.
Draco saw her hurrying away. His eyes narrowed as she looked back at Theo, biting her lip.
A sour expression crossed Draco’s face as he glared at Nott.
She walked past Draco and Blaise, the scent of her perfume wafting towards him, jasmine and…something smoky. Draco’s eyes flitted to her. Had she fallen for Nott’s nauseating display? Had she really believed that dickhead? Perhaps she fancied him. Enough girls seemed to.
He thought his teeth might shatter from the tension in his jaw.
As soon as she left the library Nott stood and wandered back over to them, grinning like a cheshire cat.
Draco could feel Blaise’s eyes on him.
“I’ve got a date.” Nott smirked as he sat back down.
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Saturday, Oct 3rd - Hermione
Hermione was sitting at her table, engrossed in proofreading her essay. She jumped as the chair next to her scraped back.
She looked up and saw Theo looking down at her.
Today he was out of uniform. He was in dark slacks and a white collared shirt with a coffee colored sweater vest which hugged at his muscles. The color emphasized the green in his eyes. His collar was undone, rumpled. He shook his curly fringe off his forehead with a graceful sweep.
“Whoops.” He said, a catlike grin on his face. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
His cologne washed over her. Wood and citrus.
“That’s alright.” She said hastily. She slid her essay away and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment. “Did you bring your past assignments?”
“Straight to business.” He flashed his teeth at her as he grinned. He reached into his book bag and slid two galleons and six sickles onto the table before pulling out a stack of parchment and his textbook.
Hermione slid the coins into her hand and tucked them into her bookbag before reaching for the first parchment.
She looked it over critically. She could feel him staring at her. She glanced at him over the side of the parchment and he smiled.
Her cheeks went red.
She slid the stack of parchment over to herself and quickly rifled through, looking at his responses and Snape’s spiky handwritten comments.
She looked back up at him. “It really doesn’t seem like you need any tutoring.”
“I’ve already paid.” His smile grew.
“Oh, I can—” she reached for her bookbag.
“Aw, come on Hermione, I told you, I’d like to be better.” He pouted.
She looked at him suspiciously before pulling out one of his quizzes from the stack. She tucked her hair back behind her ear and it bounced right back.
“Alright. Well then. It seems as if you understand the chemical formulations—you seem to do alright on the arithmetic…all your theory looks solid.” She pulled out another parchment with comments on his Potion’s laboratory sessions. “I guess you have trouble with the actual brewing?” She looked up at him.
He shrugged. “I guess so.” He said innocently.
She chewed on her lip. “Well then maybe we should work on that.” She slid his papers back over to him and grabbed her textbook and diary. “We’re meant to cover Draught of Peace next. It’s fairly similar to brewing Calming Draught.” She looked up at him. “We can ask Snape if it’s alright to use the Potion’s classroom. He’s let me before, I don’t think it should be a problem.”
“Shall we go down now?” His eyes flicked towards the exit.
“Yes, alright—I think he should be in his office.” Hermione glanced at her diary. “Yes—he’s got office hours.”
Theo picked up the stack of assignments and stacked them against the table, evening them out before tucking them away. He grabbed his textbook and slid it away before standing.
Hermione set her bookbag on the table and put away her diary and books.
She made to slide her bookbag onto her shoulder but Theo plucked it from her and slid it onto his shoulder as she blinked at him, her hands outstretched. The smell of his cologne wafted over to her again, spicy and musky.
“Oh, I—” she began to protest.
“I insist.” He said, smiling. He gestured towards the exit.
Hermione looked at him uncertainly before she turned and walked towards the doors, her face flushing.
Again as she walked out she saw Draco Malfoy frowning at something behind them. As they got closer he sniffed haughtily, before he scowled at the book in front of him.
He was in black trousers, a black woolen sweater vest—which starkly emphasized his white blonde hair—and shiny black wingtip shoes. His starched white collar was undone, revealing his pale throat. His hair was smoothed back and parted.
Hermione glanced up at Theo and saw him grinning widely. He looked over at Hermione. “So, how’s your Saturday been?”
She looked up at Theo in surprise, her eyebrows furrowing. “Yeah, it’s been…alright.” She replied, confused.
He smiled and stayed quiet as they walked down into the dungeons. They stopped in front of Snape’s open door and Hermione looked in.
Snape was standing at the back of his office at a long dark tall wooden table, weighing out cinnamon bark on a scale. There was a potion bubbling on the counter next to him in an iron cauldron. A sweet-smelling orange haze was rising from it. The office was dark and covered in bookshelves. There was a dark sleek wooden desk in the middle of the room with neat stacks of parchment weighed down with different matching serpent paperweights.
Snape turned as they arrived, his long black robes billowing. He looked at them with a blank expression. “Yes?” He asked slowly.
Hermione walked into the office, feeling odd without her bookbag. “Good afternoon sir, I was wondering if you’d let us use the Potion’s room? Nott—that is,” she glanced back at Theo. “Theodore‘s—
Theo grinned.
“—asked me to tutor him and we just need someplace to go over the brewing aspect.” Hermione finished.
“Has he?” Snape stared at her, his face expressionless. “How odd.”
Hermione began to feel uncomfortable as the silence lengthened and then Snape turned to look at Theo.
Snape blinked at him. “Mr. Nott’s never expressed any interest in his studies before.”
Hermione looked over at Theo nervously but he seemed relaxed.
Theo smiled and shrugged. “The old man’s told me I need to buckle down and start studying if I want to do anything with myself.”
Snape’s eyebrow rose. His eyes bored into Theo’s.
Finally Snape turned back to her. “I suppose that’s alright.” He said slowly. “Please remember to clean up any of the equipment you use…If you’re going to brew anything that needs several days to mature,” his eyes flicked between them. “just let me know, you can keep it in the back room of the store cupboard. What will you be working on?”
Hermione exhaled anxiously. “Perhaps Calming Draught to start.”
Snape nodded. He walked over to his desk and took out a set of keys from his long dark robes, opening up a drawer and taking out another set of keys. He removed two of them. “Classroom, store cupboard.” He gestured to each key before handing them over. “Return them to me directly. If you finish any of the ingredients please let me know as well.”
Hermione nodded. “Thank you sir.”
Snape turned back around, returning to the scale, dismissing them.
Hermione walked over to the door. Theo stayed in the door frame, unmoving. He looked down at her, smirking as she squeezed past.
Hermione’s heart was fluttering. Something about the prospect of being alone with Theo in the classroom was making her very nervous. She strode down the hall, over to the classroom door and unlocked it. She pressed the door open and looked around for the door stop. She finally found it behind the door and she exhaled in relief. She propped the door open and walked over to one of the counters.
She heard the door close and she jumped, turning to see Theo laying a hand on the counter next to her. He leaned on his hand and looked at her.
“Where should we start?” He asked, a smug look on his face.
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Draco
Draco grimaced and watched as Nott walked over to Hermione’s table again.
A date? On a Saturday? At 2pm? Draco snorted. Nott had clearly misunderstood.
Draco saw her jump, pressing a hand to her chest as she looked up from her work. Then Nott slid something across the table to her. Draco sat up, trying to see, but it appeared to just be a stack of parchment. She reached into her bookbag before picking up the papers.
Draco saw her flush. What were they? Love letters? What kind of tripe had Nott come up with?
“Careful with that quill.” Blaise murmured, his tone amused.
Draco looked at him sharply before setting his quill down. It was already oddly bent from the pressure he had just applied to it.
Draco looked up and to his utter disbelief he saw Nott sliding Hermione’s bookbag onto his shoulder. He watched indignantly as Nott gestured for her to walk first, his eyes lingering on her backside.
Draco gnashed his teeth.
As they walked by Draco heard Nott asking her about her day.
Her perfume wafted over to him.
He glared at the book in front of him before turning around in his seat and watching them go down the corridor towards the stairs.
Draco looked down at the essay he had been working on.
He hesitated and turned around again.
He saw Blaise laughing out of the corner of his eye.
He tried to return to his essay, rereading the last thing he had written several times with absolutely no ability to process it.
Where could he have possibly taken her? He was such a fucking arse. He knew. He knew how Draco felt about her.
He needed to warn her. Clearly Nott was even more devious than Draco had expected him to be. He needed to tell her that Nott was the biggest wanker to walk the earth.
He had to tell her before Nott—Draco pushed the thought away, swallowing down the nausea. He wouldn’t let that happen.
Draco hastily sealed his ink pot and shoved his things into his bookbag before standing, muttering angrily to himself.
Draco grabbed his bookbag, swinging it onto his shoulder and rushing down the stairs as Blaise called out for him to wait. Draco looked down and saw them far below, striding down the stairs, side by side. They exited into the main hall.
Draco looked down at them. Perhaps they were going into the Great Hall.
Someone slammed into him as he made his way down the stairs. Draco ignored them and kept walking, rubbing at his shoulder.
He watched Nott and Hermione turn down the corner instead, heading away from the Great Hall. The only thing at the end of that corridor was the stairwell.
Someone slammed into his opposite shoulder, winding him, turning him nearly all the way around from the force.
Draco sped up, jumping down the stairs.
Blaise caught up to him, an annoyed expression on his face as he rubbed at his own arm.
They turned the corner and Draco stopped, gaping, as he watched them go down the stairs into the dungeons. Draco’s eyes widened in disbelief. Where the fuck was he taking her?
If Nott thought he could take her to the dormitory he would have to think again.
Draco strode down the corridor and suddenly paused again, hesitating.
Blaise sighed, exasperated. “Are we going down or not?”
Draco was lost in thought. What if she fancied Nott?
No, that wasn’t possible—they’d never even spoken.
What if she did though? And Draco barreled in?
What if she told him to leave? Draco cringed.
He stood there, vacillating.
No. Surely it was worth it. Even if she was annoyed—he’d be blocking Nott from any further debauchery.
Draco nodded firmly to himself and stepped down the stairs, emulating a confidence he did not feel.
They slowly made their way down the stairs.
Draco held his nose in the air.
He stepped into the corridor and saw a flash of curly brown hair disappear into the Potion’s classroom.
His eyes narrowed.
Nott was standing at the door, his back to Draco. He kicked something on the ground and turned. As he turned his eyes flicked down the corridor and he made eye contact with Draco.
Nott smirked as the door slammed shut.
What the fuck? What were they doing in the Potion’s classroom?
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Theo
He watched as she swallowed nervously.
Draco was such a melt. This was an easy game. He watched as she glanced at his hands again and he adjusted his ring, watching her eyes.
Her eyes snapped up to his and he smiled.
“Let’s just—see how you manage.” She said hastily.
Oh, I’m managing just fine. Theo smirked to himself and raised an eyebrow at her. “With what?” He asked, his tone playful.
“Calming Draught.” She reached for her bookbag.
He watched as she pushed her hair back behind her ear only for it to spring back into place.
Theo slid her bookbag onto the countertop, grabbing his Potion’s book before laying his bag on the ground.
He flipped open to the instructions for Calming Draught and from the corner of his gaze he saw the tension in her shoulders drop as he turned away from her.
He fixed his collar as he pretended to read the instructions.
She pulled out her own textbook and slid her bag away.
He leaned down and lay his elbow on the countertop, turning to look at her again. “Should I just—begin?” He asked, trying to stifle a laugh.
“Uhm—yes when you’re ready.” She avoided eye contact.
He bit the inside of his cheek. He wouldn’t make a move yet. She seemed too skittish.
Hands. She seemed to like his hands. And she clearly wanted a snog with how often she looked at his lips.
Theo took out his wand and levitated a copper cauldron down from the ceiling rack before lighting a small flame. He lessened the flame until it was barely visible before he turned back to the book.
_________________________________
Draco
He stood there, agonizing as he imagined Nott pressing her up against the wall or leaning her over the countertop.
“Fuck!” He muttered to himself. How had they even gotten in?
Draco growled and glanced up the corridor.
Snape’s door was open.
Draco smiled to himself and strode over.
Blaise continued walking, heading to the safety of the common room.
“Sir.” Draco whined as he walked into Snape’s office.
Snape had his back turned as he stirred a cauldron on his back table. He finished his stirring, ignoring Draco as Draco danced impatiently, shifting from foot to foot.
Snape finally turned around and looked at him with an imperceptible expression. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy?”
“I’ve just seen Nott go into the Potion’s classroom and I know it’s off limits after hours.” Draco sniffed, annoyed.
Snape’s expression turned exasperated.
Brilliant, this is exactly what he'd wanted, he’d get Nott kicked out immediately.
“And what business is it of yours Draco?” Snape asked, impatiently.
“I—” Draco stammered. “thought you oughta know.”
“I already knew.” Snape snapped. “Ms. Granger asked for permission.”
“What?” Draco asked, incredulous.
Snape looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Snape blinked and then turned back around, dismissing him.
“Why are they in there?” Draco insisted.
“I don’t see how that relates to you.” Snape said slowly.
Draco exhaled, frustrated, and strode out of the office. He walked over to the door of the Potion’s classroom and stopped, his hand on the door handle. He braced himself, taking several deep breaths.
He pushed open the door and walked in, nose in the air.
Hermione immediately turned around and stared at him.
Draco froze.
Nott slowly turned around and looked at him with a polite smile while his eyes flashed with annoyance.
“Can we help you Malfoy?” Nott asked.
We? Draco tried to swallow down his rage.
They were both at a counter, a potion brewing under a low flame. They each had their Potion’s texts in front of them.
Draco cleared his throat. “No.” He sneered. “I’m just here to study.” He kicked the doorstop back under the door, holding it firmly open.
Theo scoffed to himself. “Did Snape give you permission to study in here?”
“Obviously.” Draco muttered.
“Maybe I’ll just go confirm…?” Nott asked in a bored tone.
“Go right ahead Nott.” Draco bluffed. He sat down at one of the counters and slid his bookbag onto the worktop, taking out his books and essay. “What the hell are you even doing?” He asked, his tone nonchalant.
“Brewing Calming Draught.” Theo replied, his eyes dancing.
Calming Draught? What, was he planning on drugging her? Draco’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“To practice.” Hermione finally spoke, her voice faint.
Draco blinked. Of course. Tutoring. She had started tutoring for who knows what inane reason. That was Nott’s in. Not a date. Tutoring.
Draco smirked to himself.
He turned back to his essay and pretended to read. He saw her turn around and look back down at her textbook. She had a gold bow in her hair today.
Theo stared at him for a moment longer before turning back around.
Maybe he should ask her for tutoring as well. No, that was ridiculous. Draco was tied for first with her in all the classes they shared. He growled to himself in frustration. He could say he was doing poorly in Defense, she wasn’t taking that, but it was an obvious lie—anyone could go and see their marks up on the wall.
No, that wouldn’t work.
He licked his lips.
He’d already considered and rejected this plan in the past. He would have simply begun to fail a class to be able to ask for tutoring but what with the terms of his sentence he had to keep his marks up.
Draco took a deep breath in annoyance and he noticed her glance over at him. He kept his gaze fixed on the parchment in front of him. He needed to tell her that Nott was an absolute bellend—trying to play her. He’d just speak to her after Ancient Runes, Nott wasn’t taking that this term.
Draco stiffened as he heard Snape’s bored voice.
“What is going on here?” Snape asked quietly.
Draco closed his eyes. Fuck.
He slowly turned and saw Snape looking at him before his black gaze bored into Hermione. “I thought you were meant to be tutoring Nott. Why is Malfoy here?”
“Sir,” Theo said in a smooth voice of dulcet protest, “Malfoy said he had your permission to study here. We told him we’re working—he insisted.”
Draco grit his teeth and started packing up his things.
“Ms. Granger—I gave you those keys with confidence that you would only use the classroom for your tutoring—and that you would keep it secure.”
Draco glanced over and found her glaring at him, her face flushed. Fuuuuuck.
She looked back at Snape, her expression penitent. “I’m sorry sir. It won’t happen again. We—we thought he had permission to be in here.”
We. Again with the fucking ‘we’.
“Sorry.” Draco muttered, grabbing his things and striding out of the classroom.
_________________________________
Theo
Theo smirked as he saw Malfoy leaving. He turned back to Snape, his tone submissive, pleading, “Sir, Hermione did tell him to leave, she said we were using the classroom. Malfoy insisted he had permission. It’s not her fault.”
Snape stared at him, unconvinced. The fucking wanker. His black gaze turned on Hermione.
Snape ignored his statement and strode into the storeroom. He came out a few moments later with a jar of something, billowing out of the room.
Theo turned and saw Hermione looking at him suspiciously.
“Why did Malfoy come in here?” She asked quietly as her eyes narrowed. Her cheeks were pink.
“How would I know the barmy inner workings of Malfoy’s mind?” Theo leaned on the counter and looked at her slyly before returning to the cauldron.
He glanced at her again and noted her eyes flitting to his lips. He barely contained his laugh.
“Time for lavender, right?” He knew it was.
She nodded. “Yes, but are you sure it needs to be in that form?”
Theo froze, the stems of lavender in his outstretched hand. He turned to look at his text. “Ah. Right.” He set the stems down and summoned a mortar and pestle.
She looked pleased.
_________________________________
Draco
Draco marched into the common room and up the stairs to his dormitory, fuming. He threw his bookbag onto his desk.
Blaise was on his bed, levitating various objects above himself. He looked over at Draco. “And?”
“He’s a fucking imbecile. He isn’t on a date, it’s tutoring. That’s his in.” Draco was pacing back and forth.
“So he found a way to spend regularly scheduled alone time with her?” Blaise sounded amused. “Haven’t you been trying to do just that for…ages?”
Draco’s stomach shriveled. “Fuck.” He muttered sharply.
“Look Draco—you’d better get a move on. Nott does like to exaggerate about things but…he does pull a fair bit.” Blaise was grinning at the canopy. “Best stop faffing about.”
“How?” Draco snarled. “You should have seen her—livid. Now I’ve gotten her in trouble with Snape.”
“So then go apologize.” Blaise added a lamp to the items he was levitating. “Ask her to study together for Transfiguration.”
Draco looked over at him sharply.
“Makes sense to study together, you’ve got the best marks.” Blaise said to Draco’s disbelieving expression.
Draco sucked on his teeth. “I suppose so.”
He wasn’t going to let Nott get away with this.
Nott was a fucking conman.
Blaise laughed to himself.
He’d warn her and then he’d just swallow his pride and ask her to study.
_________________________________
Theo
“And now?” She prompted, with an encouraging smile.
“Now we wait.” Theo leaned in and grinned at her, pushing at his curly hair.
She leaned back and then nodded approvingly.
His eyes flitted over at the clock. Fifteen minute left in their session.
“I’d say you did rather well,” She glanced back down at the parchment where she had been taking careful notes on his brewing.
Theo took a step forward, pretending to look over her shoulder at the parchment. He let his arm brush her shoulder and she shied away.
“—j-just maybe double check the instructions before you add your ingredients.” She said hurriedly, stepping away.
“Alright.” He agreed, leaning back on the counter and crossing his ankles. “So, do you have time next week? Help me prepare for Wednesday’s Transfiguration quiz?”
She looked at him in surprise. “Err—” she took out her diary. “I’ve got time Monday and Tuesday afternoon.”
“How about Tuesday, after Potions?”
“Alright.”
“Excellent. It’s a date.” He said, smiling.
Her cheeks went pink.
Theo held eye contact until she looked away. He smirked, pleased. Easy game.
She pushed at her hair, trying to slide it behind her ear but it just sprang back again. She looked over at him, about to speak.
He reached out and Hermione froze, her eyes wide. He pushed her hair over her shoulder before leaning back and looking smug. The smug look on his face immediately fell as her expression went cold. Fuck. He knew he should have waited till the next time. He had gotten too cocky.
She turned and took out his money, sliding it onto the countertop before grabbing her bookbag and slipping the strap onto her shoulder, her expression annoyed.
“Whoa—wait, wait, wait.” He said quickly as he stepped in front of her.
She looked up at him. “I don’t think you’re actually interested in tutoring.” Her gaze was freezing.
Fuck, maybe flattery? “No, no—I am, I feel like I’m learning so much, you’re a really good teacher Hermione.”
She stared at him before she bit out her next words. “What was that?”
“What was what?” He asked innocently.
“That.” she spat, gesturing to her hair.
“I was—” He stammered. Fuck, she really was an ice queen. “I’m sorry. Won’t happen again. I really do want to get my marks up.” He took a step back, hands behind his back, face contrite.
_________________________________
Hermione
Hermione glared at Theo as her heart hammered in her chest.
Something was telling her that his intentions were not what he was making them out to be. And him touching her hair confirmed that.
Why had Malfoy come into the room, sneering at them, his eyes flashing at Nott?
Were they having her on? Was this some elaborate prank?
“I mean it.” He insisted, his face pleading. “Look, if you’re seriously not going to take me on, at least take this—you’ve already helped me today.” He slid the money into his hand and reached for her bookbag, slipping the coins into one of the pockets. He closed his book shut and looked at her, his expression disappointed. “I’ll clean up here. Thanks for your help. I learned a lot.”
He really did look disappointed.
Hermione chewed the inside of her lip. Maybe he did that with everyone. Was she overreacting? He was a notorious flirt, she knew that.
_________________________________
Theo
Theo could feel her hesitation. He turned himself away, staring at the countertop.
“Why did Malfoy follow us in here?” She finally asked.
Theo closed his eyes. He had to be careful here.
“Well, you see,” If he told girls just enough of the truth, it was usually believable. “Draco and I have a bit of a rivalry going.” Obvious enough. He turned around. “He’s slightly better than me academically, and I’m beating him when it comes to Quidditch.” And literally everything else. “My father wants me to bring my marks up—” Laughable really. His father barely knew he existed. “—and I’d like to best Draco at everything this term.” Theo smiled pleasantly. “Draco’s not too happy about it. Not sure why he followed us in here though.”
She looked at him suspiciously, her jaw set.
Why was she so interested in Malfoy?
“Why?” He asked curiously.
Her cheeks went pink.
For a moment Theo thought she wasn’t going to reply.
“He always avoids me,” she finally said. “I just…I think it’s strange that you ask for tutoring and all of a sudden he shows up.”
Ah.
“Do you—” Theo’s eyes narrowed in disbelief as a slow grin spread over his face. “Do you fancy Draco?”
She looked up sharply at him as a rosy blush spread over her round cheeks. The bridge of her nose went red, masking the splattering of freckles on her face. She looked at him wide-eyed, blinking her long lashes once. Her heart shaped lips quirked, pursing. She looked down, staring at her feet as she swallowed and quickly pushed her voluminous golden brown curls forward over her shoulders, hiding her small frame.
“You do.” Theo laughed softly. Interesting.
“I—I don’t know what you mean.” She stammered.
Theo leaned back on the counter. “I might be able to help with that.”
She looked up sharply. “What do you mean?”
“Well I could talk to him for you, if you like.” Theo shrugged.
The blush on her face deepened. “H-he’d never—he doesn’t—he’d never be interested. Because I’m—I’m—” she stuck her nose in the air, her chin jutting out defiantly as if daring him to make a comment.
Gryffindors.
“I’m muggleborn.” She said proudly. She watched him, daring him to say something.
As if he hadn’t known that.
Theo shrugged, the corner of his mouth turning down. “I don’t think that would be a problem.”
She blinked at him in surprise, pulling nervously at the hem of her long sleeve. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
“Nah, but what would bother him is—” he pretended to hesitate and then he stopped himself, waving a hand. “—agh, probably shouldn’t say.”
He turned back to the cauldron and waited for her inevitable response.
“You don’t think my being muggleborn would bother him?” She asked in disbelief.
Not the question he wanted.
Theo turned back to her. “No, I don’t think it would.” He smiled pleasantly.
“What? What would bother him if not my blood status?” She asked, confused.
There it was.
Theo turned to her and forced himself to look suitably uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and again hesitated. “Nah, I really shouldn’t.”
He stifled his smile, looking back at the cauldron.
“Please?”
He looked over at her and sighed. “Sorry doll. He likes his ladies a bit more—experienced.” Theo lied easily, his tone somber. He watched as her face went red. “And well, have you even had a boyfriend?”
She was frozen, mortified.
He needed her to think it was her own idea.
“I could help.” He let the seed plant before he quickly pretended that she’d misunderstood.
She looked at him, aghast, anger flashing in her eyes.
“I can talk to him I mean, put in a good word.” Theo smiled again before turning back to the cauldron and smirking. “Try to convince him to give you a chance.”
“No, no.” She said hastily. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” Theo said smoothly. “Anytime. Have a good rest of your weekend.”
When she didn’t leave Theo knew it had worked.
“I suppose I can give you another shot.” She said, setting her bag down. “But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch my hair.”
He looked at her. “Of course.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Thank you.”
_________________________________
Hermione
Hermione looked at Theo suspiciously but he kept his distance for the remaining ten minutes.
She went and opened the store cupboard, propping it open before she levitated the vials of Calming Draught into the store room.
She locked the door after she exited and turned to find him leaning against the counter, his bookbag on his shoulder.
“Thanks Hermione.” He sounded earnest. “I really appreciate you doing this—I think the old man's going to finally let off on me a bit.”
Hermione nodded once. “I’ll see you next week then.”
He inclined his head, staying where he was.
She sighed in relief when he didn’t ask to walk her up. “I—I need to lock up.”
“Ah, right.” He strode out of the room and paused in the corridor as she turned back, locking the door.
“Have a good rest of your weekend.” He said again brightly and headed down the corridor in the opposite direction of the stairwell.
Hermione watched him disappear before she went and returned the keys to Snape.
She was halfway up the stairs when she heard someone call her name.
“Granger!”
Hermione’s heart stopped. She turned to see Malfoy walking leisurely up the stairs.
He was taller than the last time she had seen him so close up…that must have been at the Final Battle. His shoulders were broad, his body lean and muscular—the thin and lithe build of a seeker. His movements were smooth, and he oozed control. He had a strong brow and jawline, his nose long and sharp, his cheekbones high. His skin was still pale, so pale she could see the blue veins marbling under the thin skin of his eyelids.
She fixed him with a cold gaze as her heart thumped uncomfortably fast.
He stopped two steps below her, letting her look at him at eye level.
“Listen—” he sounded uncomfortable. “I’m sorry about…with Snape—I didn’t mean to get you into trouble.” He made eye contact and then hastily looked away.
This surprised her. She didn’t know what she’d expected but certainly not an apology.
“Why did you say you had permission to be in there? Why were you in there at all?” She asked, trying to sound annoyed.
He ignored her question. He was examining the stones in the wall to the side of them. He spoke in a smooth voice, his tone indolent. “Look—Nott…he isn’t actually interested in you.”
She blinked at him as her cheeks went red. “What?”
He turned to look at her, his gray gaze icy. “He doesn’t fancy you.”
“Of course he doesn’t.” Hermione managed to say, outraged and incredulous. “I never thought he did.”
“Right.” Draco nodded. He pulled at his collar before meeting her gaze again. His stormy grey eyes had flecks of electric blue in them. “Do you...want to study for the Transfiguration quiz together?” His tone was offhand, as if he really didn’t care either way. He looked away, his expression haughty.
Hermione looked at him, shocked, before her eyes narrowed and her cheeks heated. “D-did Theodore say something?”
His brow furrowed and when he spoke his tone was undeniably annoyed, curt. “What?”
She quickly shook her head, pressing her lips together. “Why?”
He took a step forward, and then another so they were on the same step. He towered over her. He leaned in and put a hand on the wall behind her as she hastily stepped back.
He smirked down at her. “To study? We’ve got the best marks, makes sense to work together.”
He was too close. She could feel his breath on her face, spearmint.
He smelled clean—of pine, grass and something spicy…The intoxicating scent wafted over her.
She stared at him, her heart hammering as she tried to wrap her mind around this new turn of events.
Oh. He wanted to make sure he was beating Theo. Of course. “I—yes—alright.”
He nodded and smoothed his white blonde hair back despite it already looking perfect.
He pulled away from her. “After Potions on Tuesday?”
Hermione noticed he was wearing the same silver serpent ring that Theo wore.
“I can’t—I’m busy—I could do Monday after Ancient Runes or after five on Tuesday.” She pushed her hair back behind her shoulder, trying to keep her breathing even.
“Alright. Five on Tuesday then. Library?” He looked bored, examining his cuticles.
She nodded.
“See you then.” He turned and walked back down the stairs.
He didn’t look back.