For Better, For Worse

Chapter Eighteen

songs for this chapter:
white flag - clairo
funeral - phoebe bridgers

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October 25th, 1995

"Theodore Everett Nott! You get down here, right now!" I shout from the base of the boys' staircase, fuming as I stretch up onto my toes.

The stairs have got these wonderful charms on them— keeping opposite sexes from roaming up them unless invited. It's rather helpful to keep the boys out of our quarters, but terribly inconvenient when Theo is avoiding me.

"Violet Adela Burke, would you kindly shut the fuck up?" Malfoy pokes his head out from their door a few flights up. "Some of us like to sleep-in during free period!"

This was how the majority of our interactions had been over the past two weeks. Little, bickering arguments here and there just to let the still very present resentment out of our sytems.

"Oh— so sorry to have interrupted your beauty sleep, Malfoy!" I huff, placing one hand on my hip, "You're clearly desperately in need of it." I tort, raising my eyebrows at his disheveled hair and tired eyes.

"Burke, I swear to Salazar—"

I narrow my eyes at him, "Nott— Nott get down here!"

"He's not even in here—!" Malfoy protests again.

"Fuck off! I saw him go up after breakfast."

"Hey, Violet, you need something?" Blaise smiles as he steps out into the hall, furrowing his brow at Malfoy.

"She needs to stop all that bloody shouting." Malfoy rolls his eyes as he retreats back into their room.

I scowl and turn back to Blaise, tapping my foot impatiently. "Could you invite me up? I've got to speak to Theo."

"Yeah—!" He says quickly, then looks into the room with a wince and then stops himself. "Oh— I mean, no. No, um, Theo isn't up here."

"Blaise."

He whispers something under his breath and then turns his eyes back to me. "Theo's out."

"I will spend lunch period with you in the old Defence room if you stop lying to me and get Theo to come down here," I quirk a brow, smirking mercilessly at him as I cross my arms.

He smiles and raises his eyebrows. "Bloody witches." He mutters while letting out a sharp breath, turning his head. "Give it up, Nott. It's time to face the music." He smiles at me again before ducking back inside, patting Theo on the back as he emerges into the hall.

Theo stands up the flight of stairs, staring at his shoes and wringing his fingers together— his hair a mess and his uniform in its usual state of disarray.

"Whatever you're going to say—"

"Would you care to explain to me why both Marietta Edgecombe and Poppy Caxton are under the impression that you're escorting them to the Hallow's Eve Ball?"

He falls silent, staring over my head at the wall behind me and biting his lip. He scratches at the back of his neck, and sighs.

"I— um. Panicked?" His voice raises at the end with a small, unsure shrug.

"You... panicked?" I say slowly, staring at him as my jaw drops.

"Mhm." He nods.

"That's your excuse? You panicked? That's what you want to go with?" I laugh under my breath, raising an eyebrow at him.