ivy | theo nott

7

Grace pushed the last few bites of dinner around her plate, her mind only partially listening to Leah's overview of what she had described as the most boring defense lesson to date, as if Grace and Terry hadn't been right beside her the entire time.

She couldn't figure out why Theo's words were still affecting her. It had been nearly a week, and she could still practically feel them bouncing around inside her head. It wasn't as if she hadn't heard that sort of thing before... the kind of boys who muttered those thoughts out loud rarely took care to whisper, but it had never been directed at her, and it had never come from someone she had considered a friend.

She looked up to Leah when her friend's words trailed off, leaving the three of them in a stark silence before Grace followed Leah's line of sight to the dark haired Slytherin behind her.

"Gracie..." He muttered, ducking his head to catch her eye though she was doing everything not to meet his. "I've been looking for you."

"I'm aware." She replied, turning back to her dinner, despite her stomach already feeling queasy.

"Can I talk to you alone? Please?" He added, before she could turn him down.

"No." Terry answered, Grace's eyes flashing to her friend's, noting the unusual scowl gracing his face.

"I just want to apologize." Theo continued, clearly unfazed by anyone's rejection as he took the empty seat beside Grace, leaning against the table to try to meet her gaze. "What I said the other night, Grace, I-"

"No..." She pushed her plate towards the middle of the table where it vanished at once before she stood from the bench, sparing Theodore a short glance and nodding towards the hallway. "Not here."

"Grace..." Leah shot her friend a nervous look, as if to ask if she was sure, but eventually allowed the blonde to lead the way from the Great Hall, a few Ravenclaws watching curiously as they left.

She stepped into the hallway and turned, slowing near the wall beside the staircase. It was much cooler out here, away from the crowds eating dinner, and she wrapped her arms over her chest, partially to keep warm and partially to show Nott he should hurry this up.

"Gracie-"

"Don't call me that." She cut him off, her eyes flickering to the ground beneath their feet. "Say what you need to say."

"I'm sorry. What I said... I was being stupid, I regretted it as soon as I said it. It wasn't funny-"

"Well, it wasn't really a joke, was it?" She answered, leaning back against the wall slightly.

"I don't..." He shook his head as she finally met his eyes.

"I don't need an apology from you, Theodore." She spoke again, realizing he wasn't going to. "Now that I know that we weren't ever really friends. I'll save you the trouble-"

"Trouble?" He repeated, wide eyes latched to her face.

"Yes, the trouble of pretending to be my friend, if all you wanted was-"

"No." He was already shaking his head again, moving a step closer to her but pausing when she backed away. "Gracie, no, that's what I'm trying to say, I never-"

"Okay. Whatever you say." Her eyes fell back to the Great Hall, already planning out how she was going to leave.

"I don't want you to think that about me. That's why I wanted to apologize."

"Well, it's unnecessary." She answered, shrugging as if she truly didn't care about anything he had to say. "Have a good night, Theodore." She turned away from him, not able to watch his face fall any farther and started up the stairs, letting out a sigh of relief when she didn't hear footsteps behind her.