My Love // Theo Nott

fifty six

For the week we're allowed to go home in April I decided to not make a fuss with my father. I sent one letter saying that I would go home. If I'm able to leave eventually I'll take the opportunity, but I won't beg as I have been the previous couple times we've been off of school.

"Will you come later in the week?" Aurora asked me when we got off the train in London. I nodded my head.

"Promise?" she asked, looking skeptical.

"I'll try. I don't know what my father has planned, so..." I trailed off.

"Just be careful. It's fine if you don't have permission to." She gave me a knowing look.

I broke eye contact and right when I looked up and away from her I saw my father. Staring right at me, specifically Aurora and I. I took a step away from her and dropped her hands that I was previously holding in between us.

"I have to go. I'll try to write, but I probably won't be able to." I said quickly and walked away from her. I went towards my father and right when I tried to walk past him he grabbed me by my wrist and apparated us to the entrance of the manor.

Right when I began to steady myself from the sudden action my father grabbed me by my shoulder roughly and led me inside the house.

"I'll do it when I get back-" I tried saying before his anger could escalate, but got interrupted.

"I don't give a damn when you break up with her. Just do it." he said as he began to walk away towards his office. "Come." Once in there I was instructed to sit down. "First, Emeline and her parents are coming for dinner tonight so make sure to appear presentable. Second, Emeline will stay the night. It's your job to make sure she's comfortable."

"Where will she be sleeping?" I asked, afraid of the answer. There was a long pause. As if my father knew what I was asking. Was she going to sleep in my room?

"In the room next to yours." he said. "This break will be spent on you two getting to know each other. As you know, she will be attending Hogwarts starting next term, so you need to make sure she'll be comfortable the moment she gets on the train in September." I nodded my head in understanding. "Go get ready."

The moment I closed my bedroom doors behind me I let out a deep breath. I spent as much time as I could getting ready. I heard when the doorbell rang, but due to my purposeful time consuming hair routine it took me an extra fifteen minutes.

I knew dinner wasn't ready yet so I went towards the room all our guests are always led to. Right when I walked in I saw Emeline and her parents. My father nowhere in sight.

"Theodore!" Emeline's mother, Marie Moreau, exclaimed when she noticed me.

"Hello." I said pleasantly as she stood up and gave me a hug. "Hello, Mr. Moreau, Emeline." I greeted the other two in the room. "Has my father not made an appearance?" I asked.

"Oh, no we haven't seen him. Busy perhaps." Marie said.

"Yes, with work recently." I added. As I sat down across the three of them an awkward silence fell upon us momentarily.

"How has school been, Theo?" Marie asked.

"Alright. Nothing very exciting is currently happening." I said with a smile on my face. "How has the manor been coming along?" I asked. Due to the engagement the Moreau family has bought a manor in the countryside of England and are currently adding the final touches. Emeline is still attending Beauxbatons while her parents travel back and forth. Their permanent move to England will be complete this coming summer.

"Everything's coming together perfectly. Emeline cannot wait to spend all summer here." she spoke excitedly for her daughter. I kept a smile on my face all the while I was slowly dying at the thought of having to stay home all summer.

Thankfully my father walked in before I could respond.

As we ate dinner I continuously spaced off which resulted in my father giving me a kick under the table countless times. The adults were talking about pointless talk and I tried asking to be excused, but I was cut off with a kick under the table again.

"Why don't you show Emeline to her room, Theodore?" my father asked but really it was an order. I agreed and as we were heading upstairs Emeline spoke up.

"You've been rather quiet all evening, Theo."

"I can say the same about you."

"Yes, but I'm not the one trying to impress my parents."

"Haven't I already gotten on their good side." I asked playfully, though I actually wanted to know.

"I suppose."

"This will be your room." I opened the door and led her in.

"Where is your room?" she asked.

"Right next door."

"Can I see it?" she asked, not paying any attention to the very nice room I brought her to. I agreed and headed to my room. "It's very... bland." she said when we walked in.

"Well I'm always at school." I defended my lack of decoration.

"What about during the summer?"

"I try to spend it at friends' houses." I said.

She walked around the room, though there wasn't much to see at all. "Who captured this?" she asked. I walked over and saw it was a picture Aurora had taken of me. We had the dorm room to ourselves that day and we spent the time doing absolutely nothing.

"Aurora." I said after a long while.

"The girl you love." I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Are you still with her?"

"I'll end everything with her soon. I promise."

She tilted her head to the side and smiled sadly. "Take your time, Theo. Just don't let my parents find out."

Merlin, I was exhausted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Short chapter but there wasn't anything else I wanted to write for Theo.