Chapter 8
Lavina held off listening to the record player for a whole day. Her first thought was that she was getting bribed to work for the Dark Lord. She leaped to the conclusion that Draco had given her the record player since she had a premonition, just like he would bring her a book for every time he would use Leglimency on her or when she would do a tea reading. However, her time in Malfoy Manor had weakened Lavina's resolve. After the first day she couldn't help herself, eagerly setting a record into the turntable and turning it on. For the first morning in a long, long time Lavina truly enjoyed herself. She couldn't remember the last time she was able to peacefully enjoy music alone. She could ignore the possibility of it being a bribe, at least for a while. She sat at her table by the window, stirring her tea with one hand and holding a book up to read it with the other. Music filled the room at a pleasant volume allowing her to hear Draco enter her room. The energy shifted in the room as he stepped through the threshold, glancing around her room.
"Good Morning Draco," She eyed him curiously.
Draco scowled as he set his eyes upon her. "Morning," He grumbled. Lavina just watched him, wondering what this visit was about. "Well," Draco cleared his throat. "about the other night,"
"I-its alright," she sat back in her chair, "I've been trying to decipher the prophecy,"
"Oh? Oh. Right. The Prophecy." Draco mumbled.
"One bears the flame, two others linger in day and night," she recited the first half of the prophecy. "I think the two that are lingering in day and night are Voldemort and Harry," she explained her theory, "Voldemort walks the line between life and death, or day and night. And Harry came back from the dead just like Voldemort did. But that leaves the third, The one that bears the flame," silence lingered on the edge of her sentence, Draco almost seeming uninterested in her theory, giving Lavina the faint idea that he didn't come to talk about the prophecy. Unspoken words hung in the thick air between them, the intensity of their eyes almost daring the other to speak first about the other night. Lavina held out. She did not speak again and she wouldn't until Draco responded.
Draco cleared his throat, crossing his hands in front of his body. "Well then, I guess we'd better figure that out, then. I need something good to give to the Dark Lord."
"Right," Lavina eyed him suspiciously. There was something amiss, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Oh, and Draco," she added gently, "Thank you." her expression softened.
"What for?" His face twisted in confusion.
"The record player," she tilted her head, studying his confused visage. "It really does mean a lot," her heart seemed to swell up to her throat. He really couldn't know just how much this meant to her.
"Oh. Yeah. That old thing. It was taking up space, I thought I'd store it in here." he added casually. "Just keep the volume down, yeah?" He stepped closer.
Lavina nodded, too dumbfounded at his explanation. Too much space? Using her room as storage? Could he not just do something nice and own up to it? What exactly was he playing at? Of course he wouldn't say anything about spending the night in her room, that was just like him pretending nothing happened. Another thing to add to her hate list.
"Lavina, Would you humor me for a moment?" He spoke softly, reaching up to play with a strand of her hair. "Do you ever think about it?" His voice was just above a hum, as if he didn't want anyone to overhear.
"Think about what?" She murmured in response.
"You know." he smirked, swiping his thumb over her bottom lip and giving it a quick little tug. "I think about it often." his voice was soft, too soft. She didn't even notice his other hand come up to old her face. "You don't remember? I'll help you remember," he hesitantly pressed his lips to hers softly. "I'll ask you again, Lavina. Do you ever think about it?"
"Yes," she responded breathlessly, her knees became weak. Her breathing became heavy before she leaned in to kiss him again. She kissed him feverishly as if he was air and she had been suffocating.
"Mmmm," He hummed pulling away from her, "Come, I want to show you something." he pulled her by her hand down the hallway. She stumbled behind him, still too drunk on the kiss to notice they were headed towards the drawing room. She stopped, pulling her hand from his grasp when she noticed Theo, Blaise and Daphne sitting in the room, all equally surprised at the sight of her.
Draco grunted, reaching over to grab her arm and drag her into the room. "Behave or this will be much worse for you." he growled. Lavina exclaimed in pain as she fell to her knees at the center of the room. He pulled her up to kiss her again in front of everyone. She struggled, pushing him away as he brutally assaulted her lips with his own.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!" she fought back until he cast the incarcerous spell to bind her to a chair. She glanced at the others around the room for help, finding nothing but mind discomfort on their faces. "Draco, please, what are you doing?" She sobbed, her lips swollen and puffy from the attack they'd just suffered.
"What the hell is going on?!" Boomed a voice from the doorway. Lavina looked up to see... Draco? She looked back and forth between the figure in the doorway and the man who'd kept a tight, painful grip on her hair.
"Just in time," Said the Draco near her, leaning down to kiss her once more, this time pushing his tongue into her mouth. She struggled, shutting her eyes as the shirt she was wearing was ripped from her body, exposing far too much skin than she ever would to that many people.
"That's enough, Astoria." Said the Draco by the door. Lavina opened her eyes to see Astoria standing next to her in Draco's robes. She knew the witch in front of her was Astoria but she couldn't recognize the spiteful woman who'd just embarrassed her in front of her old friends.
"No, I'm not done yet!" She screamed angrily. "I want you all to see what a lying bitch she is." Astoria pointed her wand to Lavina's temple. "Revelio!" She hissed, turning her straight blonde hair back to its original black color and wavy texture. "See? She's so fake! Fake Hair, fake friend, fake everything!" She screamed, cocking back and landing a slap onto Lavina's face.
Lavina cried out in pain, "Tori, please," she begged, so badly wishing she could find a remnant of her former friend.
"Let her go now, Tori." Theo's deep voice carried gently across the room, cutting the hellish tension of the room as he crossed it, gently taking Astoria's hand from Lavina's hair. "She's had enough,"
Lavina's eyes didn't leave Draco's, the real Draco's. His pained expression did little to calm the rage in her heart. He did not help her. He just stared at her, full of pity. Lavina sobbed, her tears full of anger and embarrassment. She felt her body lift from the chair as Theo picked her up. She couldn't pay attention to the words he whispered in her ear as she was carried past Draco in the doorway. she just held onto his neck as he carried her, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder. The familiar scent of her room filled her nostrils as Theo set foot into the bedroom.
"Bath, she murmured, not caring if her lips tickled his skin, "I need a bath," Without saying a word, Theo filled the bathtub with a flick of his wand. Lavina desperately tore the rest of her clothes off and practically dove into the water.
"I-its not hot enough," She gasped, moving to turn on the faucet.
"Lavina, its plenty warm enough." Theo murmured gently, stopping her hand from reaching the metal hardware.
"No!" She screamed, tears blinded her eyes. "You're not listening, its not *hot* enough." She sobbed, "It needs to burn, I want it to burn."
"I'm not leaving you in here, you're going to hurt yourself," he spoke softly, picking her quivering body up from the tub, not caring if his clothes got wet. Theo sat on the floor with her in his lap, letting her sob as he dried her off. His hand rubbed small circles into her back until her tears subsided. "Lets get you into bed, shall we?" She did not resist. She allowed him to bring her back into her bedroom. Lavina curled up on her bed, waiting for him to bring her something to wear.
"Uh..." Theo sighed from the armoire. "Your clothes have been torn up," he grimaced, taking his sweater off and pulling it over her head. "Probably Astoria's doing." He mumbled, lighting the fireplace and the candles with a wave of his hand. Climbing under the covers with her to hold her as she dissociated from the events that had just transpired.
~~
"I hate you, Theodore Nott." Lavina spoke through angry sobs as he roughly wiped her tears away with his fingertips.
"I promise I wouldn't have let you fall," Theo's rough movements softened as they heard a voice at the bottom of the stairs.
"Vinny!" Astoria's voice travels up the staircase causing Theo to spring off of Lavina as if she was made of flame. "Lavina..." She called again, reaching the top of the stairs. "My dear friend, I've been searching all over for you. You're not still upset about the Yule Ball are you? I said I was sorry." Astoria's voice reached Lavina who continued to glare at Theo through her tears. Meanwhile, Theo's gaze softened at the sight of Astoria. "Come, Vinny. I know you're upset. Let's run you a bath and I'll brush your hair." Astoria spoke gently, beckoning for her friend to follow. Lavina managed to pull her eyes from Theo, taking a few steps towards her friend before she paused. Turning back for one last look at him, she discovered he'd yet to take his eyes off Astoria. When she reached her friend on the stairs, she was tempted for another last look but she decided against it, letting her friend lead her down the stairs. As they reached the Slytherin Dorms, Astoria wasted no time in running a bath for Lavina. She drizzled bubble bath and sprinkled flower petals in the spacious tub before pouring in a few drops of lavender oil, Lavina's favorite scent.
Her tears had dried by the time she was in the bath, listening to Astoria explain why she ditched her at the Yule Ball. She wasn't paying attention, she couldn't. At least not until Astoria leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Vinny, are you paying attention? If you forgive me, I'll take you to Hogsmeade tomorrow and I'll buy you a book and we can stop at the Three Broomsticks. Would you like that?"
Slowly, Lavina nodded her head, earning her a kiss on the cheek from Astoria. "Good, it's settled then. Let me brush your hair and we can head to bed." Astoria's nimble fingers gathered and manipulated Lavinas long blonde locks while she finished up her bath. It was a common thing between the girls to pamper each other when one of them was upset, something Lavina did far more often for Astoria. But it was something she was always able to overlook, especially when Astoria pecked little kisses on her cheeks and held her hands, or when she would take time to do Lavina's make up and especially when she would sit and brush out her long hair. She could look past the teasing and the not-so-subtle manipulation and even the social neglect that would come when Astoria would get a new boyfriend as long as she knew she would come back eventually and brush her hair again. Looking back, Lavina would probably think it's quite pathetic that she endured so much for the sake of platonic affection. But at the moment, she really was just happy to be in Astoria's arms.
~~
"Lavina," Theos rich voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Let me brush your hair, little lamb. Would you like that?" He rubbed the pad of his thumb to her cheekbone to get her attention. She nodded, sitting up without saying a word. "I gotta say," he spoke softly, "I think this hair looks far better on you than the blonde." his large hands gathered Lavina's damp mass of hair and began combing through it in long, slow strokes. "But I'm biased, I have a thing for dark haired women." he added as if they were having a full on conversation, completely ignoring the fact that it was one-sided. Lavina visibly relaxed as her hair was brushed. If she closed her eyes she could convince herself it was Astoria.
No, she couldn't. As gentle as Theo was trying to be, he couldn't do it like Astoria.
"Theo," Lavina managed to find her voice albeit a little hoarse. She reached back and took the brush from him.
"Yes?" He leaned over her shoulder to meet her gaze.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what, Dolcezza?" He ran the back of his knuckle on her cheek.
"This," she murmured. "Taking care of me."
Theo sighed, taking the brush back and continuing to brush her hair. "Don't think too much of it, just let me." Lavina chose not to argue and allow him to care for her. It was hard to stay suspicious of him when he was so gentle to her. She missed this, she really did. After what she's been through perhaps she could allow herself this moment of respite. She could overlook the fact that it was Theo that held her in his arms and caressed her because it had been Theo that pulled Astoria off and it was Theo that carried her out of that room. Not Draco. He stood there and watched. The image of his pained expression burned in the back of Lavina's mind, she couldn't stand it. The hate in her heart began to spread its roots once more. Again, the tears came. This time they were borne strictly of anger and spite. Spite.
Cold fingers wiped away the warm tears that fell from her eyes. Though his hands were cold, they were still the only hands that ever wiped her tears besides Astoria's and she really didn't want to think about Astoria right now. She needed to do something reckless, something to get her mind off of everything. A hot bath was clearly out of the question with Theo around. Theo. One of his hands wiped her tears as the other cradled the back of her head. Lavina opened her eyes to look at him. He was handsome. He'd always been handsome, and he knew it. That used to annoy Lavina, it still did, but he was there, in front of her and being gentle. Wrong person, right time, that's how the saying goes, isn't it? She couldn't think straight, desperately looking for a distraction from her painful thoughts. In a moment of weakness, desperation and a feeling Lavina had locked away deep inside her during her time back at Hogwarts, she leaned into his touch. Closing her eyes, she pulled him closer to bury her face in his chest.
"That's it, little lamb." He continued to pet her head, leaning back to pull her into his lap. Ignoring the fact that she wasn't wearing any bottoms, she allowed her thighs to spread, setting one on either side of his lap. Theo's cold hands slipped under the sweater he'd put on her, running his hands down her back. With each pass of his palms he'd move just a little lower, as if to test her, to see if she'd protest the wandering of his hands. Her face settled into the crook of his neck, and her hands wandered up to tangle themselves in his curls. Eventually Theo's hands gathered the courage to explore her lower body, his right hand pausing to give her ass a soft little squeeze. A soft little noise escaped her throat, pulling at an invisible thread from deep in his stomach. His breathing grew more labored by the second, as did Lavina's. He twisted his head to pepper gentle little kisses on her neck, whispering sweet nothings in between every few kisses. She didn't pay attention to the words he pressed into her skin, focusing on the mound of his flesh she pinched between her teeth. Theodore grunted, pressing down on her hips and grinding them against his midsection. Finally, he grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled her head away from his neck. They stared at each-other for a moment to catch their breath before he spoke.
"You're making it really hard to be a good person, right now." His chest rose up and down in an effort to steady his breathing.
"Since when do you care about being a good person?" Lavina breathlessly quipped back, reaching for him again. Theo stopped her hands from reaching him, setting them back down at his side.
"I'm not trying to take advantage of your vulnerability right now," his voice was gentle, earning him a scoff from Lavina.
"You're not taking advantage, I'm quite literally serving it to you on a platter. I want-" She stopped herself, she sounded ridiculous. She was being rejected by someone that she didn't even like. How embarrassing. "Nevermind." she sat back on her legs, avoiding his lustful gaze.
"Don't pout little lamb." He reached over to push a lock of hair behind her ear. "You really are beautiful, you know?"
"Oh, save it, Nott." she rolled her eyes.
"No, I'm serious." he brought her knuckles up to his lips to press a kiss to them. "I find you absolutely intoxicating," The look Lavina cast his way gave him the idea she didn't believe him. He let out a sigh, sitting up, adjusting himself under her. "Do you remember that night up on the astronomy tower?"
"How could I forget the time I almost fell to my death."
"You do remember the conversation we had beforehand, right?"
"I-I don't know, sort of? It was so long ago,"
"Yeah, we admitted to each-other our deepest darkest secrets, almost kissed," He smirked.
"That's not exactly how I remember it," she squinted. How could she forget that night? Sure, she almost fell off the astronomy tower but there was the other part about the secrets and her views on love. But there was something else she remembered, something she hadn't thought about since that night.
"Theo," she furrowed her brows, "Tell me the truth, are you still in love with her?"
"What? Who? What are you talking about?" he was nervous. Oh, yes he was nervous.
"You are." Lavina's mouth dropped open on mild shock and realization. "You love her, don't you? Astoria."
"Lavina, stop-"
"You've loved her for years,"
"I'm serious, Lavina, stop." Theo's voice grew desperate.
"That's why you're here. That's why you're kissing me and brushing my hair, it's not because you actually care."
"Please, don't-"
"She knows it, doesn't she? She knows you'd do anything for her, that's why she asked you to do this." Lavina leaned forward, her confidence growing with every word that came out of her mouth.
"Stop it!" Theodore gripped her arms, keeping her at a distance.
"She knows you've loved her all this time and she still asked you to do this so that nothing would stand in her way. She wants you to keep me away from Draco, doesn't she? She's choosing another man instead of you. She's choosing a loveless marriage over you."
"I don't want to hear you speak anymore, I mean it!" His voice grew in volume, clearly agitated by the truth that had never been spoken out loud before. "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you,"
"It hurts, doesn't it? It hurts to see her chase him for years the same way you've chased her. She's got you wrapped around her finger and she knows it." she held back a smile realizing she was getting somewhere, she was chipping away at the aloof attitude he'd always presented.
"You-" he said through strangled breath, finally pushing her legs open to fit in self between them. "You truly are the most irritating creature." His snarl sent a jolt of electricity up her spine, "That certainly hasn't changed." he growled, encasing her throat with his large hand and squeezing. Lavina smiled, this is what she wanted after all. Theo shoved his tongue past her teeth, gripping fistfuls of her hair to bring her up to meet his mouth. Lavina moaned, kissing him back before he pulled away to drag her to the edge of the bed and hastily pull down his trousers.
"Theo-" she gasped.
"Call me Teddy," he said between pants before he took her by the hair to shove his length between her lips. Lavina held on tight to his thighs as he thrust angrily into her mouth. She choked and gagged, blinking back tears as she tried to keep her eyes on his. "Oh, look at you, so eager to please, I didn't even have to tell you to look at me." he pulled her mouth off of himself before picking her up to position himself behind her. He pushed himself in without giving her time to get used to his size. Lavina whined in pain, earning her a hard slap on the ass. His pace was rough and unrelenting, taking out all of his aggression and frustration between her legs. She gripped the sheets for stability, her toes barely touching the floor, he was basically holding her backside up to match his height.
"Oh, Teddy I-Im going to-" she couldn't even get the words out before a burst of warmth spread across her abdomen. She squeezed around him, causing Theo to slow his pace to savor the newfound friction. This didn't last long as desperation clawed its way up his stomach, chasing after that sweet release. Her euphoria didn't last long either, she was pulled back down to reality by the noise of the bed squeaking and slamming against the wall.
"Teddy," she panted, "Teddy, they might hear-"
"Let them." He growled, "Who gives a fuck?" a few more thrusts and he was there, pushing into her as far as he could, tipping his head back in utter bliss.
Lavina's eyes widened and she looked over her shoulder at him, "Oh my god, did you...?"
He let out a breathy chuckle before pulling out of her, giving her bottom a gentle spank. "I guess I did. Got a little carried away, there." He cleaned her off before taking care of himself and climbing over to plant a kiss on her face. "Next time," he swiped his thumb over her bottom lip, "for the love of Godric, stop talking when I tell you to."