ROMEO [2] ⚡ harry potter

25

COMTE DE CHAMBORD
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They'd increased her working hours. Since confronting Theodore, Charlotte was granted no rest and even less food and she was well and truly exhausted. Her muscles ached twenty-four-seven and she could only sneak in a few hours of sleep each night when the halls were empty and the members of the household were asleep. But even then her sleep was disturbed due to fear of being caught, and she would wake with dread every few minutes.

When it happened she had fallen asleep in a hallways,
a sponge in her hand, a mop leaning against the same wall she did, a reminder of the work she should have done. This was the time Charlotte had been dreading, the time she would be caught sleeping by somebody other than herself.

"Charlie," a voice whispered, and she woke abruptly, clutching the mop and pointing it at the man in front of her. Blinking, her eyes focused on the face of Theodore Nott, who had his hands up in surrender.

"I don't have the energy," she said, with a sigh. "Leave me be, Theodore. You've made your choice."

"You're right," he nodded. "I've chosen to come get you out of here."

Her heart skipped a beat but she wouldn't allow herself to be thrilled. This was a test. An excuse to punish her. "You're a liar."

"Not now."

"Always!" Charlotte snapped, anger rising in her. She knew she would suffer for her resistance but she no longer cared. She had suffered for so long it no longer scared her. "You're a liar and a coward!"

"Harry would disagree-"

"Don't talk about him!" she yelled, not caring who she woke. "You don't deserve to even say his name!"

"He gave me something, to give to you," Theodore said, quickly, shrugging off his backpack and rummaging through it and she scoffed. "I have it for you, it's in my bag-"

"Whatever it is, it's fake!"

Theodore handed her a brown paper package and a letter, which she was hesitant to take until one sense over came her. An unmistakable aroma was all it took for her heart to soar with hope. She closed her eyes and breathed it in deep as she lowered the mop.

"Comte de chambord," she muttered quietly, feeling the corners of her lips turn upwards.

"What?"

"It's a rose," she elaborated, opening her eyes and a single tear spilled out involuntarily. Charlotte was ashamed to cry in front of him. "It's my favourite rose. I brought him some, our first summer together. I gave him one, when he left to go back to Hogwarts. How did you know?"

"I didn't," Theodore said, stepping forward, tentatively and she didn't raise the wood again. It was true, he couldn't have known. And so this really was from Harry. Her heart began beating faster than it ever had in her life and she wanted nothing more than to rip open the package immediately but she resisted.  "Charlie. Listen. You have to believe me. We're short on time. Zara's waiting."

"Fine," she said, eventually, after an eternity of quiet. "What do I have to lose?"

"Thank you," Theodore let out a relieved sigh. "I have a potion for you-"

"No fucking way am I going to drink any of the shit you give me," Charlotte scoffed, genuinely amused that this boy thought a flower would cause her to drop her guard. "Don't push it."

"Fair enough," he shrugged, before reaching into his pocket and opening up a flapjack packet, splitting it in half and offering her a piece. "Food. Not much, but magic free, I promise."