They All Love You

part thirty one

Hermione sat on the wooden chair next to Theo, gripping his sweaty hand as she nervously watched Hannah Abbot's chest rise and fall ever so slowly.

Despite Madame Pomfrey's wavering assurance that she would eventually return back to normal health, Theo's whole aroma had been tampered with. His cheeks were more proficient and bony from his lack of food intake in the past forty eight hours, his hair was the messiest and greasiest Hermione had ever seen, and he wore his same tux from the Ball. 

It had been nearly a day and a half past the disastrous ball, which Headmistress McGonogall decided to send the first through six years home for a couple days early winter holiday, and the seventh and eighth years were allowed to stay and visit Hannah until the official school holiday. 

Hermione worried Theo would stay his whole break locked up in the Hospital Wing, waiting for Hannah's eyes to flutter open.

"It's breakfast, Theo, not the end of the world. Butter on toast or no butter?" Hermione lightly urged, playfully hitting his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up from his concentrated somberness.

"Butter," he muttered back.

Hermione nodded curtly and with her spare hand, grasped her wand firmly and recited the Accio spell for hers and Theos breakfast, only Hermione had eaten and worried about telling Theo it was already near noon. "Thanks," was all Theo replied with when Hermione set the plate of food on the side table next to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione softly asked, hoping to meet his eyes in proper conversation.

Theo shook his head as he limply took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "What will you be doing for winter holiday?"

He took another sip, "Mum's in hiding again. I'll stay here."

"Theo, it's winter holiday! I can't have you stay here by yourself!" Hermione playfully teased, trying to get the normal fun-loving Theo energy back.

To no avail.

"I won't be alone, I'll be with Hannah. And Draco."

Hermione choked on her tea, coughing loudly, which somewhat startled Theo that he actually turned his face to hers, concerned and equally confused.

"Great, that's great- erm, yeah," Hermione choked out in between coughs. "But erm...you should come to the Burrow with me and everyone! Yeah, you'll love it. Molly's an excellent chef, and I'm sure she'd be happy to-"

"Hermione I'm fine," Theo sternly inturrupted, taking Hermione aback, "Merlin" she heard him annoyingly mutter under his breath.

Hermione, a little offended by his stern remark at her attempt to make him feel happy, finished her tea and released her tight grip from his hand and got up, alarming Theo again.

"I'm going to go pack. We're leaving on the Hogwarts Express at two, so be there or not. Whatever."

Hermione swiftly turned around, running her hands along her neck and hair in exhaustion, and kindly nodded at Madame Pomfrey on her way out of the entrance doors.

It didn't take her long to pack her things, but it did take a while to avoid Draco in the common room. She waited until he was mid conversation with Blaise and Harry to sneak passed them and quickly run up the stairs into her own shared dormitory where Pansy lay back to the floor.

"We're bloody wizards and we can't figure a way to pack everything for us," Pansy groaned loudly on the floor, making Hermione cock her head slightly as she closed the door slightly.

Hermione chuckled, "Maybe you'll come up with a charm for it one day."

"Oh yeah," Pansy huffed as she sat up and blew her bangs from her face, "with my failing grade in Charms I'm sure to figure it out!"