Miracles don't exist || Theodore Nott

Chapter 17: Exploding hippogriffs

Meet me in the Viaduct courtyard.

— Harry

You look up from the letter and meet the boy's eyes from across the Great Hall. Did he seriously owl you to talk to you? That's bold. You nod and stand up from your seat at the table. "I'm going for a walk. The pudding isn't sitting right with me."

"Do you want me to join you?" Theodore is already halfway standing, so you lay a hand on his shoulder and push him down.

You give Harry one last glance before walking as casually out of the Great Hall as possible. Making your way to one of the secluded areas of the courtyard, you wait for Harry to show up.

And once he does, he immediately rushes towards you. A bold smile grows on his face before he kisses you. It's not a peck or on the cheek. No. It's a full-blown kiss.

Surprised, your hands are suspended in the air in surprise and eyes blown wide. Finally breaking from your shock, you push Harry away. Before he can question your action, you blurt out the truth. "I'm engaged!"

His shoulder sag and you feel guilty. "I-I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have said it like—"

"To who?"

You flinch at his harsh tone. "Theodore Nott", you say in a small voice, almost a whisper.

Harry's face hardens. "The git ignored you all last term and suddenly you're engaged to him? You're unbelievable, Black."

"Don't blame me! If I had the choice to get out of the stupid tradition, I would! Besides, you knew! I told you!"

Shaking his head, Harry turns around. His fists are balled and his nostrils flared. "It's always you lot that blames your own wrongdoings on 'traditions'."

You're seriously taken aback by his sudden demeanour. "My lot? Who, Harry? Slytherins? Purebloods?" You cock your head to the side, getting pissed off.

"Death Eaters!"

You can feel something snap between the both of you. Both your eyes are wide. You're shocked. Baffled by what he just said. And Harry's are wide with shame.

"So that's how you think about me." You take a step away from The Boy Who Lived, betrail tasting sour on your tongue. "Guess Weasely was right. There are no nice Slytherins."

Shaking wildly his head, Harry tries to grab your hand. "N-no! You're not one of them! You're good! I don't know why I said that..."

"You wouldn't say it if you didn't mean it. I know who my family is, and what they have done. Not everybody is like their family. Not everybody is amazing Harry Potter, whose parents are considered heroes."

You raise your head high and turn to walk away. Yes, you have so much more to say to him, but that would only lead to pain and heartbreak. And you do not have the energy to do that right now.

Even later that night, when you're laying like a sea star on your bed and Theodore's sitting on the foot of it, actually studying for once. You're still hurt by Harry's words. You should have said those words to hurt Harry just as much as he has you.

But you want to be better. You don't want to be the person they expect you to be.

"Theo", you say suddenly, wanting to talk about anything else. The dark-haired boy hums as a sign that he is listening. "Why did you join the Inquisitorial Squad?"

Theo's quill hovers a couple of inches above the parchment as his neck turns a blotchy red. "Do you promise to not laugh?"

That pulls your attention and you flip onto your belly, you head next to Theo's. You nod and keep your face as neutral as possible.