Chapter 36
Daphne Greengrass sat in the Slytherin common room, watching the flickering flames in the fireplace. She absently twirled a strand of her blonde hair around her finger, her thoughts drifting to Theo Nott. Her heart warmed at the thought of him. Theo had brought a light into her life that she hadn’t known she was missing, but their relationship had come at a cost.
Astoria, her younger sister, had idolized Hermione Granger from the moment she had entered Slytherin. Hermione’s brilliance and strength had captivated Astoria, creating a rift between the sisters when Daphne had blamed Hermione for the incident with Draco and Theo in their fourth year.
Daphne’s mind wandered back to that night at the Yule Ball. Theo had been kind enough to ask Hermione to dance, a gesture of pure gallantry. But Draco had taken a twisted from of revenge after that ended with Theo in the hospital wing and their friendship in ruins. Daphne had been furious, not just with Draco but with Hermione for being the catalyst of the entire disaster.
Astoria had never forgiven her for that. She had accused Daphne of defaming Hermione out of jealousy and spite, unable to see the truth that Daphne saw so clearly: Hermione was a disruptor, and her presence had set off a chain of events that hurt everyone around her.
Daphne sighed, her gaze falling to her hands. She loved Theo with all her heart, but the strain with her sister was a constant ache. Astoria’s blind adoration of Hermione had deepened over the years, and any criticism of Hermione was met with fierce loyalty from Astoria.
The common room was quiet, and Daphne’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She looked up to see Theo approaching, his familiar, comforting presence bringing a smile to her face.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Theo asked, settling beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Daphne leaned into him, grateful for his warmth. “Just thinking about Astoria,” she admitted.
Theo sighed, understanding the weight of her words. “Still not speaking to you?”
“She thinks I’m unfair to Hermione,” Daphne said, her voice tinged with frustration. “She can’t see how much Hermione’s influence has cost us all.”
Theo was silent for a moment, his thumb gently stroking her arm. “Astoria’s young, Daphne. She’ll come around eventually.”
“I hope so,” Daphne replied, resting her head against Theo’s shoulder. “I just wish she could see things from my perspective.”
Theo pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “In time, she might. For now, all we can do is be there for her and hope she realizes the truth on her own.”
Daphne closed her eyes, taking comfort in Theo’s presence. Despite the tension with her sister, she knew she had made the right choice in being with him. Their relationship was her anchor, and with Theo by her side, she felt strong enough to weather any storm.
“I love you, Theo,” she murmured.
“I love you too, Daphne,” Theo replied, his voice filled with warmth. “We’ll get through this together.”