Wolves Without Teeth ── theodore nott ¹ ( UNDER EDITING )

chapter twelve

          𝕿he chair beneath her gave away another deafening squeak beneath her as she shifted her legs. The blonde frowned, her shoes brushing against the deep wooden floorboards as she wrapped her hands around her mug. She had ordered regular tea with a dash of honey when she sat down. Her black trench coat was thrown over the back of her chair, leaving her arms slightly exposed from the elbow-length black cardigan she had pulled over her tiny white tank top, buttoned up and thrown over her chest. Her plaid Hogwarts skirt flared around her hips, pulling together as she sat, black tights stretching across her legs. She wore tiny leather shoes against her feet and white socks folded upwards against her ankles.

         Winnie's blonde hair was half pulled back with a tiny claw clip, and the curl of her side bangs brushed across her cheeks as she blew air into the steaming mug of tea. Her finger twisted around the string that held the tea bag bouncing in her cup, and the chatter of her fellow students curled around her ears. Her nose scrunched from the annoyance of people's emotions exploding in her chest, and yet, it was still a slight relief to find them all as happy or content. Tinting her mouth with rays of sweetness, raspberries and popsicles on a summer's day.

        The quiet hum of a beautiful dullness washed over her, making her hazel eyes flicker toward Theodore Nott, who was strolling towards her. Dressed in a dark emerald green trench coat, a white knitted sweater underneath with beige trousers. In his hands held two plates, and his forgotten mug of black coffee lay on his side of the table.

       She had been approaching the Great Hall when he ran into her, hand wrapped in the crook of her elbow and green eyes as distant as ever. A slight itching in her mind begged her to know why Theo was different from everyone else. While the whole world was open for her to see everything, she couldn't feel a single emotion from him. Yet, Winnie took comfort in it instead of letting her curiosity get the best of her.

       Theo invited her to the Three Broomsticks later that day after breakfast, and while she had made plans to hide away in the library again, he reminded her that the problem she was so desperate to avoid wasn't easy to brush under the rug.

       "Is that Strawberry Shortcake?" She questioned, peering at the small slice of cake he laid before her. Swirls of white cream intertwined with tiny strawberries, her eyes flickered to Theo as the male nodded. "It's my favourite; how did you know?" She questioned, narrowing her eyebrows slightly as she laid her mug down gently on the table.

       "I didn't, lucky guess," he grinned, shrugging his shoulders as he shrugged off his trench coat, slinging it across the back of his chair, curls bouncing against his head. Her eyes were glued on the spot behind him, watching people laugh or walk around the tiny pub. Wiinnie frowned, nodding before picking up her fork and sliding it into a cake as they sat silently. The bell rang, causing her eyes to flicker toward the front as she chewed.

        Draco Malfoy strolled in, his lip curled in disgust as his eyes roamed over the crowded, noisy Three Broomsticks. The female swallowed, reaching for her mug as she watched Blaise Zabini enter behind him, flanked by Draco's two goons. Due to the table, Theo picked ( directly beside the window because somehow Theo knew she liked to be beside windows, their seats gave them a direct view of the open door. ) it wasn't long before Draco spotted them. His grey eyes trailed over her, scowl deepening as her own eyes narrowed. However, his gaze moved on quickly, landing instead on Theo. Winnie almost instantly felt the hard edge of grief and betrayal twist from her heart and over her bones.