laconic • t.nott ✓

17 ➺ christmas presents

「 CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 」

CHRISTMAS MORNING ARRIVED AND THEO shifted in his bed with a groan.

Having the dormitory all to himself would be fun, he had assumed. But with the absence of the usual sound of snores and bedsheets moving and feet pattering against the cold stone floors, the dormitory seemed oddly creepy and menacing. Especially with the water of the Black Lake outside the windows casting long and moving shadows on the floor, Theo constantly felt that he wasn't alone and looked over his shoulders every now and then to make sure that he wasn't about to die a horrible death.

On Christmas morning, however, he felt irritation building up inside him. He had presumed that the Carrows would keep the castle as they had done these four months, but two weeks before the holidays he saw Hagrid dragging in a gigantic Christmas tree and numerous other decorations into the Great Hall. He had never celebrated Christmas in his family - it just wasn't deemed worth the hassle - and it was only when he had come to Hogwarts that he realised it wasn't quite so bad as his father had made it out to be. Nevertheless, he didn't care much for Christmas and he wished he could spend another quiet day in the castle with Daphne.

His wish wouldn't be fulfilled, however. He knew McGonagall and the other sensible teachers would want to make the holidays as festive as every other year to raise the morale of those souls unfortunate enough to have to stay in school.

He only hoped Daphne would let him be and not make him sing Christmas carols with her.

An unwilling smile formed on his face at the thought and he hid his face with the blankets, hoping to sleep a little while longer. No sooner had he closed his eyes than the door banged open and someone walked in noisily. "That's enough sleep, Theodore! Get your arse off and come to breakfast."

He groaned and wrapped the sheets tightly around himself and wished the bed would swallow him whole, but Daphne was adamant and he wasn't sure he could win against her. She tapped her wand loudly on something - perhaps the table - and knocked him on the head, though the sheets cushioned him against the blow. "It's Christmas, Theo! You honestly cannot be planning to sleep all day!" she exclaimed incredulously.

He had forgotten. Daphne loved Christmas.

But when he still refused to move, she flopped down on the side of his bed and started to push his arms. "I know you're awake, Theo. Don't make pull off the sheets, I don't want to see you naked - hey, look! You've got a present."

Theo ignored her, knowing she was pulling a fib, but seconds later he heard parchment crinkling and a soft thud as something dropped on the table by his bed. He pushed away his blanket just as Daphne said, softly, "It's from Blaise." She was holding an envelope in her hands.

He stared at the envelope, then at the box sitting on his table. He accepted the envelope as she held it out for him and she said, "They were at the end of your bed. A house-elf must have brought it after the Carrows' inspection."

He just nodded. His mouth was suddenly dry.

"I'll wait in the common room." She turned and disappeared through the door.

Theo continued to stare at the envelope, the back of which bore Blaise's signature, large and consisting of loopy curves. He wasn't expecting any present. With the Carrows having completely isolated them inside the stone walls, he had forgotten that communication with the outside was still possible. They did inspect all the letters and parcels that arrived; Theo noticed that the flap of the envelope came open easily - they hadn't even bothered to reseal it properly.

He wondered why Blaise had written to him. A certain strain had formed in their friendship - no, he corrected himself. It was in his head. He was the one who had grown feelings for his best friend and he was the one who felt all sorts of emotions - ranging from anger to resentment to pleasure - at the presence of Blaise. To Blaise, everything was perfectly normal.