Miracles don't exist || Theodore Nott

Chapter 23: The Greatest Gift

Tapping on the window wakes you up. You groan and stretch out. A grumble next to makes you turn your head. Theo lays on his stomach, his cheek squished against the pillow and his arm slinked over your middle. He pulls you close to himself as you try to move out of the bed to see what's tapping on the window.

"No, come back", he wines, his arm searching around for you while you slide open the curtains.

A jet-black owl sits perched on the windowsill, a letter with a familiar seal in its beak. You thank the owl by scratching its head before it flies off, leaving you with the letter.

You go sit on the bed as you open the seal, unfolding the letter. An arm wraps around you and Theo practically folds his entire body over yours. He mumbles and grumbles something you don't catch. With a slight smile, you pat his hands and start to read the letter.

It's not much of a letter. More like a two-sentence note.

You're expected at 11 o'clock. Be there
— Aunt Cissy

A frown forms on your face. Great. Absolutely fantastic.

"We have to be at the Mannor today."

Theo hums and tightens his hold around you as he reads over the note. "Then we have enough time to go back to bed." He drops back down, pulling you on top of him.

You giggle as he places his chin on top of your head. You stay like that for a while, listening to his heartbeat as Theo's chest rises and falls slowly.

"Can we... can we do this more?"

You raise your head and look at the dark-haired boy with arched eyebrows. "What? Cuddle?"

A blush spreads on his face. "Yeah. And... sleep together. In the same bed."

You can practically feel the heat radiating from his face. A big smile grows on your face. You nod and snuggle closer to him, pressing your face against his chest.

After having spent doing absolutely nothing but enjoying each other's company, you decide to finally get up and get dressed. Theo rolls around the bed longer but when you say that he can choose your outfit, he's quick out of the bed and throws open your closet. You laugh and go to the bathroom to wash up and fix your hair.

When you return fifteen minutes later is Theo still in front of the closet, a serious look on his face. He cutely scrunches up his nose. Wrapping your arms around his middle, you return his gesture from before and press your cheek against one of his shoulder blades. "Just a black dress is okay."

He hums and holds up two dresses. "I'm stuck between these two."

"That one is blue." You unwrap your hands and overlay the two fabrics, "see?"

"That one is not blue. They're obviously both black."

You chuckle. "Nope. That one is navy blue. I'll put on the since I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb."

Theo grumbles but leaves the room to go to his own bedroom to put on a black suit — at your request.

The two of you walk hand in hand towards the Floo network. You reluctantly let go of Theo's hand as soon as your feet hit the chilly tiles of the Manor's entrance. You know that Voldemort will see it as weak. Instead, Theo lays a hand on the small of your back and the tenseness in your muscles relaxes slightly.

You walk towards the main room of the house where your own branding happened. You see all the most loyal — and not presently in Azkaban — Death Eaters spread around the room, your aunt and cousin anxiously standing close to each other. The sad and scared eyes of Narcissa find yours, but you give no indication of any emotion.