Nott Your Boyfriend | A Slytherin/Hufflepuff Romance

Chapter 20: Susan and Theodore's Guide to Real Dating

"Oh my god!" Susan cried out when she opened her Christmas gift from her father. She looked up at him, smiling widely and almost in tears. "You did not!"

"I sure did," he nodded. Susan could see how pleased he was with himself.

"What is it?" Theodore asked her.

Susan waved three tickets in his face. "Tickets to the Magical Menagerie in Germany!" she squealed excitedly.

"The one in the Black Forest?" Theo asked.

"Yes!" Susan's father said. "We're going during Spring break!"

Susan got up and hugged her father. "This is so exciting!"

The Magical Menagerie was a reserve for Magical Creatures and one of the few you could actually visit. Charms kept Muggles away to keep the creatures safe and there were a lot of safety measures for the wizards and witches who came to visit. But Susan knew that they had a few Erumpents which were very rare in Europe. She really hoped that they would spot one.

"Ernie is going to be so jealous when he hears this," she grinned. Of all her Hufflepuff friends Ernie was the one who was the most interested in Magical Creatures and the only one who took Care of Magical Creatures as a N.E.W.T.-level class.

"Okay," her mother smiled. "Now you can give someone their gift, Susan."

"I pick Theo!" she yelled without hesitation as she stumbled over to the Christmas tree and picked up a present she had wrapped in red paper with white dots. She handed it to Theodore and sat down beside him. Excited but also nervous to see his reaction. What if he didn't like it?

Theodore carefully unwrapped the present, making Susan almost scream out of impatience. The boy stared at the book in his lap in amazement. He looked up at her.

"Suzy, when did you make this?"

On the cover it said in beautiful silver foiling: Susan and Theodore's Guide to Real Dating.

"I've been making it during the last two months," she said shyly. The idea had popped up in her head not long after they had first started dating for real. Then, she just had to collect some pictures.

Theodore opened the book to the first page. On it was a picture of them in Potions Class, Malfoy throwing them a murderous glance in the background. The second page had a picture of them studying together in the library, Susan making a funny face at the camera while Theodore stared at his book in utter concentration. Then followed a picture of them in the courtyard listening to Nirvana and a picture of the Slytherin-Gryffindor game with Susan in her all Slytherin attire hugging an awkward-looking Theodore. The last three pictures were from the past week: Susan and Theodore at the Christmas market drinking mulled wine, the two of them in front of the National Gallery and finally a picture of them in Susan's room in which she gave Theodore a kiss on the cheek. The other pages were empty.

"We're meant to keep filling the pages," she said excitedly. She was really looking forward to making more memories with Theodore. "I hope you like it." She twisted a strand of her hair around her finger.

"Suzy," he grinned at her. "How can I not love this?" He hugged the book to his chest while also wrapping his other arm around her. "Thank you," he said and he kissed her.

"Now it's my turn to give your gift," he grinned. Carefully he placed the book on the table in front of them and walked to the tree. He picked up a small black box and handed it to her when he sat down again.

Susan took the box and wondered what it could be. When she opened it, she gasped. In it lay a beautiful silver necklace. She placed the pendant on her hand to study it better. It was a badger hugging a snake. Hufflepuff and Slytherin, the two of them.