ivy | theo nott

"There you are!" Theo's voice broke through Grace's train of thought, and she blinked twice before turning to face him, leaning farther against the edge of the staircase. The same staircase she and Theo had found themselves in months ago, though a few stories higher this time. "You missed dinner."

"Oh... that's alright." She shrugged, dropping her gaze from his and watching as he settled onto a step below her, craning his neck to meet her eyes again.

"You're not hungry?"

"Not really." Grace answered, pulling her legs up to her chest and watching his eyebrows knot together in thought.

"Are you okay?"

She shrugged, kicking the small roll of parchment across the stone steps until he could reach out to grab it, unraveling it, his mouth sinking into a scowl at once.

"Oh, dammit..." He groaned under his breath, his eyes skimming the paper until he reached the bottom and scoffed. "Your mum's a bitch."

"Theo," She sighed.

"No, I mean it!" He sat up straighter, reading back over the letter. "Our disappointment in you this term seems never ending? Does she even hear herself?"

"I told you there was no point."

"No, there was a point, Grace! There is a point to you fighting for yourself! And for what you want in life!"

"They're not going to undo it." She shrugged, "They would never. I knew that. If it's going to end, it'll be from the Malfoy's end."

"Already planning the engagement party with Narcissa- God, they make me sick. That's not a party, it's a funeral."

Grace let out a short laugh, and Theo let his eyes flicker to hers. Though she wasn't crying, she didn't look too far off, the skin around her eyes was slightly puffy, and he could see the faint redness around her nail beds even from across the stairwell.

"You didn't show me your letter. Before you sent it." He muttered.

"I didn't know I needed a proof reader."

"I think I would have worded it a bit more strongly than you."

"And I'd be in even more trouble." She laughed.

"Did you at least throw a few cuss words in there? Really get the point across?"

She glared and he threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, sorry."

Theo watched as her gaze trailed along the stone steps beneath their feet, the pair falling into silence for a few moments, her fingers picking away at the now jagged nail on her pinky.

"You'll..." She started at last, "Probably be there, right? This party?" She nodded towards the letter and his eyes met hers again. He could practically feel the anxiety rolling from her in waves, her eyes wide as she waited for his answer.

"If I'm invited. Course I'll be there." He nodded, pressing himself off from the steps and sliding closer to her. "Give your parents a piece of my mind."

"Theo."

"Joking. Obviously." He nudged her knee with his, though she didn't look up. "You have nothing to be nervous for... Everyone loves you. They picked you out of everyone at that bloody ball."

"They picked me because I was easy. I was already with Draco."

"Oh, trust me. You're anything but easy, cara mia."

"That's a new one." She said, leaning back against the wall, her eyes meeting his at last.

"What is?"

"Cara mia."

"Oh," He bit back a smile and shrugged.

"What's it mean?"

"Means 'buy a dictionary." He grinned, climbing to his feet and reaching for her hand to pull her up with him. "Come on, you've got to eat something before you waste away."

➺

Grace glanced at her watch one last time as she stepped from the final staircase and turned towards the library. The Slytherins were cramming in some hardcore study sessions these days, and though she was doing her best to split her time evenly between them and Leah and Terry, especially with Terry's rarity the past few weeks, she had to admit that at least Draco and Blaise had a much better track record to keep her studying than Leah's constant intermissions for gossip.

"Finally!" Enzo's eyes were wide as he called out through the nearly silent library, much to everyone's annoyance, Madam Pince shooting him a sharp glare which he easily ignored. "Been bloody dreadful without you here." He whined, and Grace caught his gaze as it shot between Daphne and Montague who had the blonde nearly perched on his lap as she scribbled away at her notes.

"Enzo, if you've been noticing my absence that terribly, something tells me you haven't been studying hard enough." She teased, her eyes trailing over the table and noticing at last that all of the chairs were taken, which must explain Daphne's makeshift seat on Graham's lap.

"Oh, you know these exams are less about what you know and more about how charming you are." He waved a hand effortlessly through the air before her and fell back into his spot as he noticed her eyes trailing around the room, searching for a vacant chair she could steal. "Here, Grace. We can share." He wiggled his eyebrows, obnoxiously, patting his thigh and earning a groan from Blaise and Daphne simultaneously.

"Will you ever grow up?" Blaise asked, finally removing his nose from the large textbook on the desk.

"What!" Enzo bit back through a grin, "She needs somewhere to sit-"

"Come on, darling." Draco spoke for the first time since she'd entered the library, his blue-gray eyes flickering to hers. His fingers slid through her free hand, yanking her easily towards him until she collapsed onto his lap, biting back the surprised gasp that had threatened to spill out at his touch. "It's fine. You can help me study."

"Oh, I'll help you?" She scoffed, reaching for her bag which had fallen to their feet and rummaging for her books as an excuse to let the blush fade from her face before Draco could see.

Before she could pull any books to the table, Theo let out a mix of a sigh and a scoff, shoving the tattered looking library book towards the center of the table and climbing to his feet. He slung his bag easily over his shoulder, his eyes glued to the floor as he kicked his chair to face Draco.

"Here, she can have my spot, I'm finished." He grumbled, starting towards the exit without another word as Grace's heart sank. She had been looking forward to studying... with all of them... though she couldn't deny that lately, being around Theo had been more comforting than even Leah or Daphne.

She kicked her bag towards the now vacant seat and slid from Draco's lap at once, not wasting another second in the awkward silence.

"Moody lately, isn't he?" Daphne shrugged and Enzo grinned, finally meeting the blonde's eyes at his side again.

"Yeah, not Grace's fault he's not getting any action these days." He teased, Blaise shaking his head though not lifting his gaze from his book again.

"Alright." Draco rolled his eyes, pointing his wand back to the practically un-opened book in front of Enzo. "Can you try to read at least one chapter today? Or... ever?"

"Yes, dad, whatever you want." He groaned out dramatically.

The group worked in near silence, though it was very difficult to keep Enzo on track for longer than ten minutes at a time, until finally sleep was tugging at Grace's eyelids and her head drooped easily onto her fist on the table.

"Alright, if you lot are insistent on depriving yourselves from any fun these days, that's one thing, but I'm at least going to enjoy the rest of my evening before bed." Enzo announced, climbing from his seat and looking around, his eyes sticking to Daphne and Montague for a second too long before continuing on to Grace. "Anyone else?"

"I'll walk with you." Grace nodded, sliding her book back into her bag and starting towards the brunette. "Night guys, don't work too hard."

"Too late." Draco grumbled, offering her half a smile before she and Enzo stepped towards the hallway and out of the cozy library.

"Not that you're one to talk, but come on... She has to sit on his lap? The entire night? Like, how was that even comfortable?"

Grace blinked at his words before processing what they were talking about.

"Daphne?"

"Yes, Daphne." Enzo grumbled, starting towards the staircase at the end of the corridor.

"I... Wasn't really paying attention." She answered, though her mind was racing now. Enzo had been paying attention. And not just tonight. She thought back to the party in Ravenclaw tower, Enzo's sour mood, Draco's comment. This won't end well.

"Course not." He shrugged, though the corners of his mouth were twitching into a smirk. "You've got your own loverboy to focus on, right?"

"Lorenzo." Grace shook her head and let out a sigh which did nothing to cut through his laughter.

"What! I'm just saying... my lap would have been much comfier. I'm less boney, and I can assure you, I have loads more experience-"

"Lorenzo, you're making me regret walking with you!" She bit back a laugh as they stalled near the stairs to go their separate ways. "Draco is just being nice... it's... This whole arrangement is... awkward."

"I mean... sure, he's being nice." Enzo rolled his eyes, as if the words were impossible to him, "But he does care about you. You know that, right?"

Grace offered him a small nod and reached subconsciously for the nail on her ring finger, picking along the jagged edges and waiting for him to go on.

"It'll all work out... One way or another." He shrugged, nudging her comfortingly before starting down the stairs. "And if it works out with you as the future Mrs. Malfoy, well... At least you're rich, right?"

"Goodnight, Berkshire." She called, ignoring his laughter as she started up her own staircase towards Ravenclaw tower. It was quiet in the castle tonight, though as she glanced again at her watch, she realized it was getting quite late. Everyone was probably already in their common rooms, if not their dorms.

At last, she reached the final steps, glancing over to the oversized doorway into Ravenclaw's common room before a small thought pulled at her mind, her gaze pulling towards the dimly lit staircase at the other end of the hallway.

It was late... He had left so fast, there was no way he'd bother with all of these stairs just for a smoke...

She shook her head once more, and turned from the doorway, climbing up the final staircase and glancing nervously towards the opened doorway at the top of the rickety ladder and reached for the first wooden rung.

She had reached the tower in under a minute, stepping onto the platform and spotting him at once. Dark hair ruffled slightly by each breeze that blew over the railing, doing nothing to deter him from smoking his way through the cigarette perched between his fingers.

"Really? All these stairs this late at night?" She called, stepping closer to him though he hardly moved at her voice, as if he had known she'd been there all along.

Neither of them spoke as she drew closer, leaning over the railing at his side and glancing over at his face as he switched his cigarette into his other hand, letting his arm fall onto the banister, the smoke carrying easily away with each gust of wind.

"Are you alright?" She asked and he huffed out a short laugh.

"Fine." He answered, speaking at last, though his gaze was still locked to the castle's grounds. "What are you doing up here?"

"I..." She trailed off. She didn't truly know what she was doing up here. She hadn't actually thought he would be here, and yet... "I just had a feeling you might be up here. I don't know..."

He didn't speak again, though she hadn't asked a question.

"You ran out so fast earlier."

"Well, there weren't enough seats." He said, his voice icy.

"I could have pulled over a-"

"Draco's always all over you." He cut her off, her eyes going wide at his words. "Honestly, sickening."

"Theo, he was just joking around... Just being nice." She answered, wishing he would look at her, just once. "Can I tell you something? I have this theory..." She started slowly, hoping to change the subject, and at last, the hazel eyes met hers, her heart skipping in her chest.

"What's that?" He asked, lazily, though the moonlight was illuminating the sparking green of his eyes.

"What do you think about... Enzo... And Daphne?" Theo's face didn't waver. "I mean, I know, they've been friends forever, you all have, but honestly the way he's been acting around her lately, and with Montague, I feel like-"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Theo asked, stopping her mid sentence, her blood running cold at his tone. Maybe she had been all wrong. Maybe Enzo just didn't like Graham, didn't like adding new people to their group... They did all say Daphne was like a sister to them...

"I could be wrong... You're right, I was just reading into things-"

"No, I mean..." Theo brought his cigarette back to his lips, breathing in deeply as the ember glowed a deep red before flicking the stick over the edge of the tower and turning to face her again. "You're talking about Enzo right now? Enzo and Daphne?"

"I didn't mean to bring up something... It's probably nothing-"

"Per l'amor di Dio..." Theo muttered beneath his breath, running his hands through his hair, clearly agitated.

"Theo-"

"Why are you doing this?" His voice was softer still, though it came out nearly a growl.

"Doing what?" Grace asked, confused, craning her neck to meet his eyes once again.

"I was right? Wasn't I? Last week... you do want to marry him. You don't want to end the engagement, you want to be with him. Admit it."

Grace felt as though her heart had still inside her, her mind hurrying to keep up with Theo's words.

"What? No!" She shook her head quickly, as if a faster response would convince him.

"Then why?" He shouted now, though she was sure no one would be able to hear him this high up. This late at night. "Why let everyone think you're together? Why all the little valentines dates and flirting with him at parties and sitting on his lap? Why are you marrying him?"

"Theo, we're... I'm not-"

"You think you're going to be happy? He's going to make you happy?"

"I don't want to talk about this." She shook her head again, feeling the tears creep into the corners of her eyes.

"No. I have to know why."

"I don't have a choice, Theo! My parents have made that very clear!"

"Fuck them! Say no!" His voice was just as loud, though he sounded on the verge of laughter now. "You're practically an adult. It's 1997, they can't honestly expect you to-"

"They do!" She snapped, "You read that bloody letter. They do."

"They can't control you." He shook his head, knowing just how much parents could control their children's lives. He had just hoped it wouldn't be the same for you... That your parents were different. Your parents weren't like his, or Draco's, or Enzo's...

"They'll disown me..." She spoke softer now, "What am I going to do then, Theo? I'll have nothing..."

He paused for a moment, silence settling between them, before he spoke again, his voice quiet and gentle now. "You'll have me."

"I won't have my family."

"They treat you like shit, and you know it."

"I'd also like to one day have a job? I doubt that will be possible after I leave Lucius Malfoy's son. in a big scandal."

Theo had turned towards her again, and she could smell the familiar cologne which was nearly enough to cover the lingering tobacco scent from his discarded cigarette.

"I'll take care of you." He mumbled, not needing to speak any louder when they were so close, even in the windy tower.

Her heart jolted once again, though she pushed the thought from her mind, her eyes falling to their feet, hugging her arms over her chest to keep out the chill.

"That's... very sweet, Theo-"

"Don't patronize me. I mean it." His mouth was set into a thin line as his eyes latched to hers, waiting for her to look back up.

"Okay, sure." She nodded,  "Until you get tired of me... and have your eye on your next girl-"

Theo didn't speak, didn't make a sound, not even the typical scoff she'd been expecting. She finally looked up, meeting his eyes which were now dark, the familiar glint of green no where to be found.

"Damn." He finally spoke, "Tell me what you really think, Gracie."

"It's... Theo, it's just-" She tripped over her words, watching as he grabbed his discarded bag from the floor and started back towards the ladder. "I wasn't trying to be mean! Theo, please..."

She rushed after him, watching as he tossed his bag over his shoulder, not sparing her a second glance.

"I just don't think you understand... You're not taking this seriously, I can't just-"

"I understand." He answered at last, cutting through her rambling. "For the record? I can't see myself getting tired of you. For the rest of my life." He held her gaze for another few seconds as her mind whirled his words around in circles before he stepped down the ladder and disappeared from the tower, leaving her with only her thoughts and the whistling wind.