𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐁𝐁𝐋𝐄, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭 ¹ | ✓

𝐒𝐈𝐗 | 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱

𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐁𝐁𝐋𝐄
chapter six | a blooming secret friendship

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"𝙔ou've been looking at Theodore ever since last week El, don't tell me you suddenly fancy him." Brianna argued with her best friend one night when she caught her staring at Theodore, who was laughing at something Vega or Blaise said to him. Elena blushed once she realized that Brianna was right and that she caught her staring at Theodore. "You know that they're just stupid Tarot Cards right? You and Theodore aren't suddenly really going to become lovers."

"I wasn't looking at Theodore." Elena tried arguing but her evident blush gave it all away. She was not looking, but staring at Theodore and Brianna caught her in the act.

"Sure and I fucked Draco Malfoy last night." Brianna shook her head. "Listen, I get why he would look at you but I don't get why you would look at him. He's as ugly as Brady and that should tell you a lot already."

"He's not Brady." Elena whispered. Brady was Brianna's older brother, who was not that ugly but don't tell Brianna that, she'll tell you that Brady is as ugly as a monster that hasn't seen the light. "He's just.... I'm just wondering why we drew the same cards."

"For the whole week?" Brianna raised a brow and Elena blushed.

"Yeah. For the whole week."

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𝙋rofessor Snape opened his mouth, trailing his dark eyes over the notepad he had in his hands. "Eve, Elena and Nott, Theodore." Brianna went slack beside Elena, ready to throw a punch at the Professor if needed. (And he needs one right now if you ask Brianna.)

"If you die, Jake and I will really miss you." Brianna whispered and a smile tugged on Elena's lips as she stood up to go to Theodore's table, because it was clear as day that he wasn't coming to hers.

"Thanks Bri." Elena whispered, grabbing the last of her things and she hastily made her way to Theodore, who gave her a brief smile and Elena blushed. She returned the smile, hoping Brianna didn't see their exchange because that would be the end of her. Professor Snape had given them instructions and when Elena bent down to pick the cauldron, Theodore had done the same and their hands briefly touched. But it was enough to make Elena blush and she cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Sorry, I didn't see that you were...." Elena trailed off, hiding behind her dark hair and she saw Theodore raise a brow at her. "I'm really sorry."

"It's no matter, I should've told you." Theodore said, voice barely above a whisper and Elena felt her heart give a jolt. She smiled down at the table.

"Do you want to start over? No weird Trelawney, no Malfoy, no Brianna harassing you out of your compartment, just us?" Elena shyly asked, glancing at him just in time to see him nod and she smiled again. Maybe Theodore Nott wasn't as bad as she thought he was. "Hello, I'm Elena Eve and I'm a third year Hufflepuff at Hogwarts." She extended her hand towards Theodore.

Theodore clasped his hand in hers, feeling some type of electrical surge run though his body but he ignored it. "Hello, I'm Theodore Nott and I'm a Slytherin." He smiled at Elena, who blushed and quickly retreated her hand.

"Does this mean we can be friends now?" Elena asked, looking down at her textbook and pretended to do something when Snape walked by them. He didn't even look at them and Elena figured it was because of Theodore.

"I suppose. But-"

"We can keep it a secret. My friends don't really like you...." Elena said, glancing at Brianna and her partner, who was Lavender Brown.

"That works for me. Malfoy hates you." Theodore shrugged and Elena nodded, as she already knew that. Malfoy made it very apparent and for the past two years of her life, he didn't go a day without reminding her about it.

"Tell me something I don't know." Elena muttered, more so to herself than to Theodore, who heard her anyway.

"I've been doing research about our cards." Elena froze. This is what she feared. Theodore actually looking into it. She too wanted to do some research but with friends like Brianna Kelps and Jake Hornby, that's a task easier said than done.

"Oh-and have you figured something out?" Elena asked, hoping he did and hoping he didn't find out something.

"It's really odd but I couldn't find a thing." He hummed and Elena nearly sighed in relief. He found nothing out and that means they aren't tied together in some weird way. Well, they are, considering the fact that they both drew The Lovers.

"That's really odd." Elena agreed, hoping Theodore won't see the smile she was secretly sporting. "We should get started on our-um-Potion. Don't want Professor Snape to yell at us."

Theodore only hummed in response and Elena blushed a little when she started thinking how weird this entire thing is. Two years ago, Theodore Nott didn't know she existed until Draco Malfoy decided to tease her. And now here they sat, somewhat friends and not one ounce of teasing. It was weird but something shifted in Elena, and she decided that she doesn't mind having Theodore Nott as her friend. He wasn't so bad after all.

Theodore secretly looked at his newfound friend, studying her. She was smiling down at her textbook, occasionally shaking her head but her smile stayed. He had never seen it before but she was oddly beautiful. And very kind. Perhaps Malfoy had clouded his thoughts for far too long now. After all, Elena Eve is a pureblood and her aunt is one of the most feared people. Theodore furrowed his brow in confusion when he saw her shaking her head. It looked like she was having a conversation in her head, much like he was doing at the moment. But he couldn't help it. Elena Eve was an interesting person.

She might be a literal walking definition of a Hufflepuff-extremely kind, polite, shy and sweet-but Theodore had concluded that maybe she wasn't so bad. He just made his first, real, genuine friend and he wouldn't trade that for the world. He would never trade it for the world.

Elena looked up and smiled at Theodore before she said, "Can I call you Theo?"

Theodore was taken aback. All his friends call him Nott rather than his first name but he reminded himself that Elena Eve was not like the rest. "I'd like that." He whispered, a smile on his face and Elena visibly brightened. She made a new friend and she couldn't believe it. Maybe this year won't be so bad after all.

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