The Deal I Made With Theodore Nott - NL x TN

7

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The day feels chilly, a thick layer of fog has fallen over the castle and it's grounds. The air has a wet and sticky feeling to it. I much prefer the sun.
Dove loves days like this.

As I approach the quidditch field I see a lone silhouette standing there, and I know that it's Theo. Then it hits me-

Dove.

Why did the whole original Deal slip my mind? Was I a mad man?

I got so caught up in all the favors Theo and I were doing for each-other I forgot about the original one I was supposed to be following through with.
Setting Theo up with Dove.

Theo had been so excited when I first told him I'd get him and Dove together, and yet- it felt like there was more to the story.

Regardless.
I was in no mood for quidditch.

"Are you alright?" Theo questioned as I brushed passed him, ignoring him flat out, and mounting my broom without a word.

We both rose up into the air and Theo asks why I'm so quiet 2 more times before he doesn't speak about it again.

After 3 straight hours of practicing with Theo calling out different tips and orders here and there, he gives the motion to land. I wait for him to say what's next or if he wants practice to be over.
He just silently takes my broom from me, tossing it to the side with his own.

"Want to talk about it?" He flat out asks.

I contemplated this question for a moment, and while looking at my shoes I give him a quick shake of my head.

"Okay- do you want to do something to get it off your mind?"

I look up from the ground, meeting his gaze fully for the first time all morning. His eyes look concerned, but it's not in the way people normally look at me.
It's not the generic look of sympathy I usually receive, but instead it looked more like- a deep desire to relieve my pain.

"Yes."

Theo takes no time to run back and grab our brooms again, handing me my own as I look back at him with confusion.

"I don't fancy playing anymore quidditch right now-"

"I know, it's not- I mean- just trust me okay?" He replies, mounting his broom.

I silently nod and do the same, following him into the air as he flies directly upwards.

It feels like we are flying forever, at some point I wonder how long the fog and cloud cover even goes for. Then after one last windy push forwards, we reach above the clouds.

The sun is hidden behind the castle. Giving a warm glow to the view in front of us, a lovely sight I never thought of searching for. I look beside me to see that Theo is laying forward on his broom, his head resting in his hands as he takes in the sight with admiration written on his expression.

"I don't like the cold-" he states, still not meeting my gaze.
"Reminds me of- something not so nice." He mumbled the last few words, something left unsaid lingering in the air around him.

I look away from him and back towards Hogwarts. I didn't want to talk before and yet- the deep tucked away pain of the wizard in front of me, motivates me to speak.
"Dean and I fought for the first time." I stated flatly.

Theo turned towards me curiously.

"We've never fought before and it was just- it didn't feel right. He's like my brother, but sometimes he acts like my dad."

My words are interrupted by Theo giving a quick curt laugh, I turn towards him in surprise.
"I'm sorry- it's just- I'd say he acts more like a mum than a dad." He explains.

Then for some reason, nothing else mattered.

I laughed.

I laughed and laughed, I laughed so hard tears pricked my eyes. Theo laughed along with me and everything felt alright for a moment.
"I guess you are right, he's more like my mum and I guess that makes Harry my dad." I note through lingering chuckles.

"He sure doesn't act like my dad." Theo says outloud but mostly to himself. He looks off towards the castle again, that feeling of unsaid emotions wrapped around him once more. Then his head snaps towards me, a cheerful expression on his face.
"I know what will help!"

"What? I question.

Theo floats closer to me, then takes out his wand- waving it around in a quick motion.
"Muffliatto maxima incantum" he says before tucking it away again.

He looks at me with a smug grin.
"Scream." He stated plainly.

"Huh?" I question, any sane person would.

"Scream, out loud- right now. No one will hear you and it feels really good. Watch." Then he yells.

It's a loud scream, but not the angry kind. Just a lengthy guttural yell that surprises me slightly, though a small smile is tugging at my lips when he looks back at me cheerfully again.

"See, it feels good. Now you."

I shift my weight back and forth, still feeling nervous and even slightly embarrassed.
"I've never screamed before, not since first year when the troll showed up."

I could tell a fond memory washed over Theo by the way his eyes fluttered shut and a wide grin grew on his face.
"I remember that, ah I wish I could bottle Malfoy's little terror stricken screaming. I'd use it against him every quidditch practice, I've heard house elves with a deeper scream than that." He chuckled.

This earned a chuckle out of me too.

"Together?" He asks.

"Okay." I reply timidly.

"Three, two, one-" he counts down.

Then I'm screaming at the top of my lungs.
Theo was right, it felt good.

We both let out a lengthy yell but my voice could only take so much before I had to stop. Theo finished yelling around the same time but then he starts screaming again.

This time it does sound angry.
It's animalistic and desperate, like he is screaming at someone or something directly. Then he just stops, his chest heaving up and down quickly as if he had worked himself up.

"Want to talk about it?" I ask, repeating his earlier words to me.

He looks at me and just smiles.
And honestly it felt as if there was nothing better, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.

There's nothing better than Theodore Nott looking at me with that smile.