Filthy American [Theodore Nott]

Chapter 36 - The end of Summer

"Hey Diana, come over here!" Harry called to her from across the room. Diana who was talking to Tonks gave her an apologetic look before walking over to Harry and Mad-eye Moody.

"What's up?"

"Oh yes Miss Black this is the photo of the original order of the phoenix, there's your old man next to Sirius." Diana leaned in and squinted to find her dad looking exactly the same as he does now just a bit younger. Next to him was...

"Mom?" Diana asked, confused.

"Yes, Madeline was a valuable member to the order, she did lots of top secret stuff." Mad-eye said with what Diana thought was a wink. Diana had always been under the impression her parents gotten married after the war.

"Yeah," Harry said, looking uncomfortable, "Er... listen, I've just remembered Diana and I haven't packed our..."

Sirius interrupted before Harry could continue, "What have you got there, Mad-Eye?" and Moody turned towards him. Seeming desperate to make an escape, Harry grabbed Diana's arm and dragged her to the other side of the room before slipping out of the kitchen.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Diana asked, concerned.

"Nothing just, seeing my parents, with Wormtail like their friend... it was just strange."

===

"Diana!" whisper-yelled Fred. She didn't stir. It was around 2:30 am and Diana was fast asleep in her bed. He gave her a shake and she groaned.

"What?" she mumbled groggily.

"I'm bored."

"And I'm sleeping." Diana sat up wiping the sleep from her eyes, her hair was a ratsnest.

"Well I'm not, come with me." Diana reluctantly let Fred help her up from the bed. "Grab a sweatshirt, we're going to the roof."

Diana gave him a look, but obliged and grabbed the sweatshirt on the end of the bed and put it on in the dark. They tiptoed out of the room not to wake Ginny and Hermione and without warning Fred Apparated them to the roof of Grimmauld place.

"Oh my god I'm going to yack." Diana heaved.

"Oh yeah sorry about that." Fred chuckled, "I forgot you're not used to that."

After a couple minutes Diana regained her composure.

"Soooo...?" Diana looked at Fred suspiciously.

"What?" Fred asked innocently. He was lying down now with his arms resting behind his head.

"Come on Fred, why'd you really bring me up here? And no, don't say because you were bored."

"I thought you were a harpies fan. Why are you wearing a Puddlemere United sweatshirt?" Fred asked, changing the topic. Diana looked down and Fred was right, she was wearing Theo's sweatshirt he gave her on the Astronomy tower.

"Oh it's... Theo's." Diana sighed.

Fred sat up and scooted closer to Diana, who was looking at the London skyline to avoid Fred's eyes. "So how's that going?" Fred asked tentatively.

Without moving her eyes from the skyline Diana decided to finally let someone know what was going on. "I haven't talked to him. I haven't seen him and truthfully," Diana paused and thought about what was truthful, "I've been using quidditch and well, you," they high hived "as a distraction and I haven't actually tried to process how I feel. I keep ignoring it and now I'm worried when I see him," Diana gulped, "tomorrow, I'll lose it." Diana put her head in her hands and let out a sigh.

"Well why don't you just try to process it now?" Fred asked.

Diana let out a sad laugh and shook her head. "It'll take more than one night I'm afraid."

"That's a shame." Fred said, "Let me help you."

Diana was glad she grabbed her sweatshirt; the summer breeze was a little chilly. "Why do you want to help me?"

"Diana, look at me," Fred tilted her chin so she was facing him. "I..." he faltered. Diana raised her eyebrows for him to continue. "Sorry," he cleared her throat, "I just want to make sure you're okay." He patted her cheek.

"So you're okay with me just dumping my emotions on you?" Diana asked, confused.

Fred shrugged, "I mean yeah. Mom always said we need to talk to someone about our problems. She always wants it to be her, but like, c'mon." Fred rolled his eyes and smiled.

Diana gave Fred another look, "Fine." He grinned and Diana told him everything. The predetermined breakup. How it came way sooner than either of them intended. Theo insisted she wouldn't follow through. Diana stuck to the plan. "And now I just feel kind of... empty. After Malfoy said Theo "dumped me" I wonder what any of this even meant to him if he's lying to everyone about what happened." Fred stayed quiet during all this and just listened. "And then when I saw him for a second on the train, everything came back. Every good thing, every bad thing. Halloween, Christmas, my birthday, his birthday, everything." Diana smiled for a second before continuing sadly, "and then I remembered it was gone. Done. A memory. And I walked away from him. I loved him Fred, I'm afraid I still do, but I know I can't."

Fred put his arm around Diana's shoulder, "Look, obviously I care about you, you're one of my best friends, you're smart, and love pranks, perfect woman if you ask me-" Diana elbowed him "-okay okay," he laughed before continuing, "but you're 15. Nott isn't the love of your life, he's just your first love so it feels like because it took so long to find, it feels like you might not find it again."

Diana looked up at Fred and gave him a soft smile. "I don't know what I'll do when I see him."

"I know you don't, but if you fuck it up beyond belief, I'll be there for you." Fred kissed her forehead, "I also think the best way I can be there for you is as a friend, and as a friend only."

Diana laughed and nodded, "When did you get so wise?"

"I've always been wise, I'm just too good-looking for most people to notice." Fred winked and the pair laughed before going to bed.

===

Theo woke up ready to start a new year at Hogwarts. One without Diana. He was pretty sure he was over her, he almost never thought about her anymore. Just when he saw something that reminded him of her. Like strawberries or green dresses. Unfortunately Daphne liked wearing green dresses.

"Master Nott, you instructed Rinky to get you at 9:45." Rinky was at the foot of his bed. "Your father said you'll be leaving at 10:45 and Apparating to Kings Cross."

Theo nodded and waited for Rinky to leave to get changed. After he was done getting ready he packed until it was time to leave, making sure he grabbed his broom from the back of the house. Theo was silent leaving the house, side-along Apparating with his father, and shaking his father's hand goodbye. He didn't say anything until he was in the carriage and Draco made a comment to him.

"There are the bloody lot of them, I can't stand them. The mudblood, the American, the peasants, and the orphan." Draco snorted with disgust.

As subtle as possible, Theo turned around to face who Draco was talking about and there she was petting a big black dog on the platform.