Out of Time

Chapter 20

For that matter, she wonders what he's going to tell her about Saturday night when he's off with Dumbledore. The whole house will be celebrating after the Quidditch final. Maybe she can keep Ginny busy. She needs to pin Harry down first, though, and find out exactly what he might have already told Ginny.

The sharp stab of a fresh headache behind her eyes makes her wince. It's so hard to keep straight who knows what (and how much of it). Theo notices and prods her elbow with his.

"You alright?"

She offers a wan smile. "Yeah, just got a headache starting up."

"Well, let's go get you a pain potion, then!" he announces, standing and reaching for her bag. He makes a ghastly face at the unexpected weight of it, goggling at her.

"I know, I know," Hermione sighs, rising. "I managed the extension charm but what I really need is the weightlessness spell."

Heaving the satchel onto his back, Theo takes an exaggerated stagger. "We'll work on that later."

Fine by her, and Theo meant the pain potion advice. He walks her towards the infirmary, whistling faintly under his breath.

"You're cheery," Hermione idly comments, not intending to pry, but he stops in the centre of the hall and glances over his shoulder.

"Malfoy showed us the -" he mouths 'cabinet,' "and - well, it sounds stupid because we shouldn't need it, but it's a huge weight off both of us to know it's there."

This had not occurred to Hermione. At all. She blinks twice as she processes the statement. Theo plainly doesn't want to speak in greater detail about that and waits for her to catch up instead.

"I'm really happy for you," is all she manages. "Both of you. I'm really grateful for everything you've done for - for me. For Draco, too, but I'd never have expected... well, everything. I want to thank you."

This is awkward and stilted and Theo doesn't seem to mind. He's a little pink, scraping his hand backward through his curly hair and making it stand on end.

"I think we're the lot who's grateful," he confesses. "You're giving Malfoy a chance to be... better. You believe in him. We all know what his life was shaping up to be like, and for you, he wants to do things differently. I'm glad he'll have you here next year. Zabini, too."

Theo clears his throat gruffly and starts walking again, adjusting her bag on his shoulder. Hermione follows, not knowing quite how to respond. This is quite like what Snape had told her and while she still chafes at her presumed responsibility for Draco's overall morality, it's still touching to hear Theo say it.

"I can take that, you know. I know it's egregiously heavy."

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you do that?" he snarks. "If it gets too heavy, I'll just drag it. How about that?"

"Can't argue that," she admits, before growing solemn again. "Do you really think there's going to be a 'next year'?"

His eyes slide over hers. "I have no reason to think there won't be," he says with caution and Hermione thinks this is the perfect answer. Neither does she; it's only a feeling.

"But not for the two of you."

"No. Not for us."

Hermione finds the prospect of a school year without Theo and Pansy to be sad. In the off chance they do end up back here for a seventh year, it'll feel strange without them - especially without Theo.

"I think I'll miss you," she finally says, quirking a smile at his sideways glance.

"I think we'll miss you, too. And now I might get smited by Salazar Slytherin's ghost. Smited? Smote? Smitten?"