Chapter 20
Gryffindor common room was packed to its limits, people from every House laughing and chatting over the background music, bottles of Butterbeer and Firewhisky being passed around through the haze of euphoric partying. There were cartons of pizza on every available surface, smuggled in together with the booze through an illegal line of Floo Network temporarily connected to the common room’s fireplace, thanks to a very smart Slytherin and a very sneaky ginger head, strongly backed by a very unruly Chosen One with a useful position at the Ministry.
A group of people playing Exploding Snaps With a Twist roared with laughter at a particularly shameful explosion, the echo shaking the room a little. Everyone whistled and booed and laughed along, the music cheerfully filtering through the cracks of it all.
“Are you sure no one is able to hear anything from outside? If Filch passes by, we are royally fucked,” Ginny said, but her wide grin proved her actual low level of concern.
Hermione nodded, crossing her heart. “I promise, Gin. I used this spell a bunch of times, in very loud situations, and it never failed me!”
“What kind of loud situations are we talking about?” the girl asked, a hint of tease in her playful tone.
Theo smirked and gave her a side look. “You really don’t want to know, Weasley.”
Ginny made a gagging sound and Hermione laughed hard, perched on Theo’s thigh. He pulled her towards him and she snuggled into his side, kissing his neck.
Ginny gulped down a shot of Firewhisky and rolled her eyes. “Gods, you’re sex addicts, you guys. You really fucked in every available corner around this castle, haven’t you?”
“Unfortunately, there are a few spots we couldn’t try, due to obvious restrictions, but I think we can say we have a good record, haven’t we Granger?” Theo mused, his eyes obscenely heated.
Hermione’s lips stretched into a sultry smile. “Library and classrooms can be ticked off. And a lot of broom closets as well.”
“And nooks behind the tapestries. And some bathrooms,” he added.
“And bathtubs,” she hinted, her eyes closing at the memories.
Ginny lifted her hands up in surrender. “Please stop and put me out of my misery here. I don’t really want to know the entire record, guys.”
“You asked, Weasley,” Theo reminded her, his hand splaying on Hermione’s hip, over her very thin cotton dress. Her skin tingled where his touch trailed.
“Yeah, Nott, my bad.”
“It actually is your bad,” Hermione quipped, picking up their old pun. Ginny chuckled and shook her head, her gaze turning to the fireplace with longing. Theo sipped his Butterbeer and arched a brow.
“Potter is late, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, I guess Auror shit got in the way. He and Ron were supposed to come out of that fireplace a while ago,” the red head said with a resigned smile.
Hermione drew her brows together. “They’re coming through the Floo? I thought the connection had been disabled after your very illegal sneaking of food and drinks.”
“Ginny thought it would be fun to make them do an entrance. You know, like true celebrities,” Theo said, a devilish smirk pulling at his lips.
Ginny giggled. “Harry is going to hate me, but I cannot wait to see his face when people’ll pick him up and pass him over the crowd. Ron’s definitely gonna have a field trip!”
“Wait a minute,” Hermione gasped. “You haven’t told anyone? Is it going to be a surprise entrance? For the people here and for them?”
“Bingo, smartypants,” Theo murmured, kissing her neck.
“Ginevra! Harry will kill you!” she cried, barely contained laughter trailing on her final vowels.
Ginny waved her off. “I’ll make it up to him, don’t worry. I know what buttons to push,” she wiggled her eyebrows.
Theo laughed. “Who’s the sex addict, uh?”
Before she could jab back, a roar of flames caught their attention and Harry and Ron stepped out of the fireplace, still wearing their Auror uniforms. The room went quiet for a split second, then screams and shouts erupted and a panicked Harry was hauled up by the crowd, along with a grinning, satisfied Ron. When people started to throw Harry in the air, his head dangerously close to the chandelier, Ginny grimaced and stood up.
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” she mumbled, striding towards the crazy crowd. Theo bursted out laughing.
“You’ll need to push buttons repeatedly, Weasley!” he shouted after her and she flipped him without turning around.
His chuckles trailed off and Hermione sighed, amusement written all over her face. Theo looked at her, his boyish grin stretching his perfect lips, a glint of happiness shining in his deep blue eyes.
“Let’s get out of here,” she whispered in his ears and he didn’t need to be told twice. He hoisted her up and stood, lacing their fingers together and striding to the exit, wading through the crammed room.
When they pushed The Fat Lady shut behind them, the silence of the corridor pressed against their ears. The cool air of the empty castle was a bliss on their heated skin, after being cocooned in the crowded common room. They walked in silence, hand in hand, their destination unspoken but clear in both minds.
The library was empty and quieter than ever, everyone busy having fun on their last night at Hogwarts, the space abandoned after exams were over. Theo and Hermione stepped lightly around the aisles, heading for their spot in the Transfiguration section. Theo waved his wand to the ground, placing a silent Cushioning charm on the floor, and sat, tugging Hermione on his lap. She burrowed into his chest, head resting in the crook of his neck. Theo hid his nose in her unruly curls and sighed, her intoxicating scent quieting his unruly heart. They stayed like that for a while, souls entwined in silence, letting each other sink in the comfort of their closeness.
“Theo,” she whispered on his skin.
He hummed, eyes closed.
“Did you keep a Portkey, from the war? You know, as a souvenir?”
He frowned. “I kept one, more for good measure, than souvenir. In case something goes wrong and we need a quick escape route.”
We.
Always we.
“Why?” he asked, softly.
Hermione thought out her words carefully. “Flights to Australia take so long. And the jet-leg is a killer, I’ve read. And besides, we’ll have to go talk to Healer Mendlings in person, as well, so it’s a lot of traveling. A portkey would speed things up a lot.”
Theo went still, his fingers drawing circles on her thigh stopping mid-shape. He didn’t say anything for what felt too long. Hermione pulled away and locked eyes with him. The storm was raging, thunder striking into his dilated pupils, a silent question pushing at he edges.
“We?” he breathed, unsure.
Hermione nodded. “I want to do it, Theo. If there is a chance, a safe one, to have them back, I want to try it. But I can’t do this alone.”
Theo held his breath, a blazing fire hitching in his chest. “And you want me by your side for this?”
Hermione furrowed her brows. “Who else could I want?”
Theo shrugged, trying to keep his heartbeat at bay. “Your closest friends? Harry, or Ginny?”
Hermione smiled and shook her head, a hand coming to rest on his chest, her warm palm setting over his racing heart. “I want you, Theodore Nott. I want you by my side for this. And for a lot more. I want you and only you, until you’ll want to stay.”
Theo let out a slow breath, his long fingers covering hers. “It might be forever, Granger.”
Hermione’s eyes glistened in the shadows of the library.
“Forever sounds perfect.”
The End