It was a lazy Sunday, one that Clementine had fully intended on spending all by herself. That was how she found herself at the Black Lake mid-afternoon, reading a book in her favorite spot under a large tree.
The water lapped at the bank near her feet and the breeze made her hair fall into golden ringlets around her face. The sound of laughter carried from where a few students sat on the sand and enjoyed the warm sun.
As hard as she tried, the book failed to capture her attention.
Wuthering Heights, a novel by one of the Brontë witches, and the main character Catherine's paralyzing choice between two lovers felt too similar to Clementine's own struggles for her to find joy in reading it.
"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same..."
Clementine looked up to see Neville Longbottom reading her book over her shoulder. He smiled jovially as if he hadn't just spent the last day evading her and hiding out with Pansy Parkinson.
Clementine scowled at his looming presence, "You scared me. Shouldn't you be spending the day with Luna or something? What are you doing lurking out here by the lake?"
"Luna spends Sundays working on the Quibbler. It's still a family run business." Neville explained, "As for myself, I'm on the way to the quidditch pitch, and I saw you from the path."
"The pitch? What would you want to go to a place like that for?" Clementine shoved her nose further into her book and sighed. There was no use even pretending like she was reading, but she was going to try it anyway.
"It's game day." Neville said as if it were obvious. He squinted in the light as he looked off into the distance, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone flying around the field. "You should come."
Clementine looked at him skeptically, "I really don't care about students playing quidditch, you know. I barely cared when we were students here ourselves."
"The student match was yesterday, actually. Gryffindor won, as to be expected." He clarified, "Today's match is the adult scrimmage, which you might have a slightly more invested interest in."
"Oh." Clementine understood, snapping her book shut. She got to her feet and brushed the dirt off of her skirt. "Yeah, I won't be going to that."
"Come on!" Neville nearly begged. He followed closely as she started to walk towards the trails. He leaned on the sign that pointed in each direction, one towards Hogwarts, another towards the Quidditch Pitch, and the third to Hogsmeade. "Theo will be there."
"What makes you think he wants to see me?" Clementine bemoaned, crossing her arms across her chest. "He's absolutely furious with me right now for good reason. I wouldn't want to see me either if I were him."
"Alright, fine." Neville's eyes darted back and forth as he thought up more reasons Clementine's presence would be of utmost importance. "Malfoy will be there, too."
"And what make you think that I want to see him?" Clementine was appalled by the suggestion. "That's even worse honestly."
"Well it's getting a bit hard to keep up, Clem!" Neville quipped, but it didn't land. His face reddened as he struggled to recover from his poorly delivered joke, "Sorry. I— Ginny's going to be there. She's not playing because of some injury something? I'm not quite sure, but I know she's excited to see you if that's any consolation."
Clementine paused, deliberating between going to the game, or going home. Draco and Theo were both going to be there, which in her experience was never a good thing. She often wondered how they were even best friends, because they spent most of their lives fighting.
"Do you not like us?" Neville asked, catching Clementine off guard, pulling her away from her thoughts completely.
"I'm sorry?" Clementine blinked as she tried to process what he was even asking. How could she not like them?
"Your friends. Do you not like any of us?" He repeated. "You left us all without so much as even a goodbye. No letters, nothing. Then you come back here and we welcome you with open arms, yet you still keep avoiding us."
Neville looked distraught as the words came flooding out of him. Once he got started talking he couldn't stop.
Clementine felt the guilt course through her veins. It weighed heavily on her conscience, "It's not that at all, Neville. I'll come. I'm coming to the game!"
Neville grinned, "I'm just messing with you, but let's not dawdle."
Clementine's mouth hung open in disbelief, "I can't believe you would guilt-trip me like that!"
"It got results, didn't it?" Neville said completely chuffed as he redirected Clementine towards the pitch. Up ahead they could see Ginny Weasley waiting with a smile.
"Oi!" She greeted them. "Nice of you to finally turn up, Longbottom. I was about to come looking for you. The games already started and you're making me miss it."
"I had to pick this one up along the way." Neville nudged Clementine playfully, "She was a bit resistant."
"Clem!" Ginny enveloped the girl into a hug and let out a hearty laugh, "You're still more into the players than the sport itself I presume?"
"Not intentionally, but it does seem to work out that way." Clementine blushed as the two broke apart. "But the Harpies! How is it being a big Quidditch star? If I ate more chocolate frogs I would try to get your card."
"Did you see the picture they used?" Ginny gasped, leading them towards the stands, "It's so bloody embarrassing I asked for a retraction, but it just made the cards even more popular. Harry's got dozens at home. He likes to hide them around the house when I'm away. Even when I throw them all out he's got more!"
"I send him some from time to time." Neville admitted with a sly smirk that earned him a hard smack on the arm. "Ow!"
"Watch yourself, Neville." Ginny grinned, "I know where you live."
The trio made their way to the seats, and Ginny immediately focused on the game.
"So Gin, you're on leave from the Harpies because of an injury?" Neville asked as he settled in on the bench.
"Shhhhh!" Ginny hissed. She was already far too focused on the game.
Neville gave Clementine a sheepish smile before turning his attention to the game as well. Clementine sighed, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked to the sky. She could recognize lots of familiar faces, and spotted a bright blond head of hair almost instantly.
Draco was looking at her with a frustrated expression on his face. Not quite annoyance, but somewhat close. He only quit looking at Clementine when one of the other teams beaters flew too close to him and he had to refocus on flying.
After a few goals had been made, a red-headed young woman sat down next to Clementine and smiled politely before turning her attention to the game.
"What did I miss?" She asked, pulling her sweater closer to her chest as she settled in, making herself comfortable.
"The big ball went in the hoop thing once or twice and they're also flying around in the air looking for a tiny gold ball." Clementine drawled. "Very riveting stuff."
"It's 40-70 with Cho's team is in the lead. They did an amazing Speelman Steal earlier." Ginny leaned across Clementine to explain the game in detail, "Probably the best amateur move I've seen in years, honestly. Cho could have gone pro if she wanted to."
Clementine focused on all of the brooms zooming past her face while the two women continued to chat across her about quidditch. She could see Theo searching for the snitch, while Draco did the same.
"Let's go, Theo!" The woman cheered next to her, clapping her hands together loudly. She seemed excited to be there, watching the game just as intensely as Ginny had been.
Clementine turned to observe the woman more carefully, intrigued by her innate interest in Theo. It all clicked into place when she realized she was sitting next to Susan Bones, the Hufflepuff girl.
It just didn't explain why Susan would be there to watch Theo play amateur quidditch.
"Theo!" Susan Bones cheered again. "You've got this!"
Theo heard his name being called from the stands and stopped his search for the snitch as his eyes scanned the few people watching from the sidelines. His eyes widened with realization when he saw Clementine and Susan sitting next to each other. Clementine waved at him along with Susan and Theo had to stabilize himself on his broom to keep from falling off. He lifted up his hand from his broom to wave back at them when Cho began to shout at him.
"Nott what the hell are you doing? Malfoy's spotted the snitch!"
"Fuck! I'm on it!" Theo shouted, flying away in hot pursuit of Malfoy and the snitch. He looked relieved to fly away from the trip of witches watching him.
"I guess I should know better than to distract him." Susan said, giggling.
Clementine said nothing, watching as Theo rammed into Draco's side, trying to knock him off his broom while the two were still in pursuit of the snitch.
"What an idiot." Ginny huffed indignantly, "Oi! This is why I should be on the team, Chang! That's a foul!"
"We've talked about this, Gin!" Cho shouted from the air as she dodged a bludger, "Not until you've been cleared to fly again!"
"That'll be ages from now." Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and continued to pout as she pointed out every mistake that the two teams were making, grumbling quietly to herself.
Clementine continued to watch Ginny, observing her closely. Her mannerisms were much more interesting than that of the quidditch match. The way she picked at her nails compulsively to alleviate stress, the way her eyes followed the quaffle's every pass, the way her hand drifted subconsciously to rest on her stomach protectively.
"Ginny..." Clementine whispered, and she was immediately met with her brown hues. "Are you..."
She didn't even get to finish the thought before Ginny's hands were over her mouth to keep her from speaking.
"Wha ar oo oing?" Clementine's voice was muffled as she tried to speak. She stuck out her tongue to lick the palm of Ginny's hand, eliciting a disgusted squeal from the girl as she let go and wiped her hand on the front of her jeans. "What the hell was that about, Ginny?"
"Come with me." Ginny muttered, grabbing Clementine's wrist and yanking her out of the stands.
"Where are you two going?" Neville called out as he watched the pair hurry off without him, "Theo is about to catch the snitch!"
Ginny snapped her head to look at the field, her copper hair whipped around in the breeze. She examined the entire pitch and shook her head, "There's still about ten minutes left in the game. We'll be right back. I promise!"
She continued to lead Clementine down the steps away from the group.
"Why do we need to go so far away?" Clementine complained as she was ushered down the flights of stairs towards the pitch field. "No one is going to hear our conversation from out here."
"I can't take any chances." Ginny ducked underneath the wooden rafters that held up the seats, taking a shortcut to the grass. Once they were standing off to the side of the game taking place overhead, she looked at Clementine and frowned, "How did you know that I'm pregnant?"
"You're not allowed to fly." Clementine stated the obvious.
"That could be for a lot of reasons." Ginny looked up to watch Cho block a goal. "Technically I'm on leave with the Harpies due to a back injury. At least that's what the press believes, and they'll keep believing for as long as possible."
"You keep touching your stomach." Clementine pointed to where Ginny was still caressing her belly. "I don't even think you know that you're doing it."
"Bullocks!" Ginny's face turned as red as her hair. She balled her hands into fists and kept them placed firmly at her sides. She still looked worried. "Harry and I still keeping it a secret for the time-being. Please don't tell anyone about this. Being so young, and the fact that it's unplanned... and were not married yet... Harry is just so famous that it..."
Ginny couldn't even finish her thoughts she was so worried about a horrific future where her baby was in every edition of the Daily Prophet. She couldn't protect her children from a life in the tabloids, no matter how hard she tried.
"Who am I going to tell? Theo?" Clementine snorted. "Not bloody likely. Your secret is safe with me, don't worry."
"Thanks, Clem." Ginny looked instantly relieved and the color returned to her face. "Cho is the only other person who knows right now besides family, but that's only because I refused to drink with her last night."
"That's definitely a dead giveaway. The Ginny Weasley I remember could drink anyone under the table." Clementine giggled. "Maybe have Cho make you some non-alcoholic drinks so no one else catches on.
"Good call." Ginny laughed, still watching the game overhead. "We should get back."
"Hey Ginny..." Clementine stopped her, "Is there something going on between Susan and Theo?"
Ginny's warm smile faded to one of sympathy as she looked back at her, "I don't think it's serious if that helps."
Clementine felt her stomach twist and turn, "It doesn't, but thanks."
The sound of arguing came from high above their heads, causing the two witches to look back up. Theo and Draco were midst an argument and it looked like it was getting heated.
"Not this again." Ginny groaned, stepping out further onto the grass.
"Does this happen often?" Clementine asked, following closely.
"Not so much anymore, but things have been tense between them lately from what I've been told." Ginny put her hand on her forehead to block the sun as she watched them. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT, MAKE SURE TO DO IT ON THE GROUND!"
"YOU'RE A FILTHY CHEAT, MALFOY!" Theo shouted. Even from the ground Clementine could see the rage in his eyes. "THAT SNITCH WAS MINE!"
"Cheating?" Draco grinned, "I'm sure you know all about that, Theo. You're practically an expert!"
Theo rammed into Draco's side with his broom, nearly knocking him off.
"Somebody stop them!" Clementine shouted as she ran out into the field below them. "They're going to fall!"
"Clem, get out of the way it's not safe down there!" Cho called out with concern.
Clementine took a step back as Cho began flying in circles around them trying to intervene. It was already too late. The two were twisting in the air fighting, and trying to push each other off their brooms.
"Stop it!" Clementine cried out, "Draco stop it!"
Draco paused to look down at her, his grey eyes flashing angrily. Theo took the opportunity to knock his broom into him, causing Draco to lose his balance. He twisted off his broom and fell to the ground with a loud thud near Clementine's feet.
Clementine fell to her knees to check on Draco, who was groaning on the ground in pain. She looked up to see Theo flying off towards the locker rooms. She looked back at Draco to see him wincing in pain.
"I'm sorry for distracting you." Clementine whispered as she brushed his hair out of his face. "I should have stayed out of it, and maybe you wouldn't have fallen."
"Normally you're a good distraction." Draco muttered before closing his eyes to let out another sharp groan. "Today must have been an off day for you."
"I'm here!" Susan shouted as she ran over and joined Clementine on her knees. "Don't worry, I'm a healer so I can help."
"Can't you just take me to Pomfrey?" Draco looked as if he would rather die than have Susan inspect him.
"I think he's fine. Malfoy is well known for his dramatics." Ginny observed as the rest of the teams began to land on the ground nearby.
"Watch your mouth, Red." Draco threatened through gritted teeth as he sat up. "I'm also well known for my ability to perform hexes."
"I've fallen from further distances loads of times. He's just got the wind knocked out of him is all." Ginny smiled softly.
"I think his wrist is sprained." Susan held Draco's arm and inspected it carefully. She squeezed it and Draco cried out in pain, "Yes, definitely sprained. Madam Pomfrey might have a quick-fix potion for it, otherwise you'll just have to rest it for a few days."
"I'll take him there." Neville frowned. "He won't go on his own."
"Look, I'm fine." Draco snarled as he got to his feet. "Red is right, I just got the wind knocked out of me is all."
"I'll go with you both, so someone can fill Madam Pomfrey in on what happened." Susan nodded, "Someone tell Theo I'll talk to him later?"
Draco gave Clementine one last glance before conceding to follow Neville and Susan off the field. Clementine pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, knowing full-well that their fight was not about quidditch.
"Someone better go check on Theo." Cho said looking in the direction of the locker rooms. "He flew off in a hurry."
"I'll do it." Clementine volunteered. "I need to talk to him anyway."
It was a humiliating feeling, walking to the locker room knowing that she had some responsibility for this. It wasn't her fault at all. They chose to fight, over quidditch and over her, but she let them fight, again and again.
The door to the locker room creaked open, and Clementine made sure to cast a few charms to keep anyone from eavesdropping on their conversation. She had a lot on her mind, and she was going to let Theo have it.
She wandered through the locker room, navigating through the discarded quidditch robes and brooms left by the student teams until she saw Theo standing by a mirror, frowning at his reflection.
Clementine tensed, staring at Theo, still shirtless post-shower, and only in his trousers. His hair was damp and dripping as he ran a towel over his head. His sun-kissed skin sparkled with droplets of water that reflected in the light.
"What are you doing in here?" Theo asked, finally noticing her standing there. He turned to look at her directly and frowned.
She was distracted by his toned stomach, and just how defined his biceps were. The air was thick and humid from the shower, and he was practically glistening. She swallowed hard, trying to think of the words that escaped her.
"Did you come to yell at me about Malfoy? Because what happened out there was an accident. He's my best friend and I would never intentionally—"
"Are you joking, Theo?" Clementine realized she had been staring and narrowed her eyes to sneer at him viciously, "Really? Susan Bones? I could care less about your silly feud with Draco... He's going to be fine... but you're seeing Susan?"
"Are you honestly that surprised?" Theo tossed the towel onto a bench leaving himself fully exposed from the stomach up, "You didn't expect me to be waiting around for you after all these years, did you?"
"I can't believe you!" Clementine pushed Theo in the chest with conviction. He stumbled back a step before catching himself. "You make me feel guilty for kissing Draco when you have an entire girlfriend?"
"Susan isn't my girlfriend." Theo clarified with a shrug. "We just hook up occasionally. It's casual. She knows what I'm about."
"And what is it that you're about? Because she certainly looks like your girlfriend coming to watch your quidditch games!" Clementine's voice echoed off the walls of the empty locker room.
"Kind of like you're doing?" Theo pushed his damp curls out of his face. He seemed unbothered by the accusation.
"That's different." Clementine scowled, "All of our friends are here. It's not like I came to only watch you play."
"So are Susan's friends." Theo tried to point out. "She's friends with just as many people here as you are. Maybe even more if I'm honest. People are a bit put off by your general unfriendliness if you haven't noticed."
"I need a cheerleader at my quidditch games." Clementine threw Theo's words back at him, "You're such a massive prick, you know that? All this time you've been so mad at me, when you've been out here shagging other women. You're a fucking hypocrite."
"Are you jealous?" Theo spoke lowly. His blue eyes had darkened, sparkling like two sapphires. "You want to be one of those women I've been shagging."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Clementine lied. She could feel the heat searing her cheeks as she tried to avoid his penetrating gaze. Her hands felt like they were shaking, less in anger and more in anticipation, "I'm still mad at you."
"Stay mad at me, love." Theo moved around the bench that was dividing them and took a large step forward. He stood tall and confident with a playful glint in his eyes. If Clementine didn't know any better she would think that he had planned for her to see Susan Bones today. He wanted her jealous. He wanted her to feel how he felt. "I think I like it when you're angry."
Clementine took a step backwards, stumbling over Theo's shoes that were tossed haphazardly on the floor. "I mean it Theo. What you did was callous and disrespectful to witches— to— to—"
Clementine stuttered, forgetting what point she was trying to make. Words lost all meaning as a gasp escaped her lips while Theo's hand gripped her hip and squeezed. The two stared at each other, a silent stand-off both wondering who was going to make the first move. Theo looked down at her lips, and back to her eyes.
"Is this what you want?" Theo purred, still holding onto her.
"What is it that you think I want?" Clementine's heart raced. She had already told him how she felt once before, and he had rejected her.
"The fighting. The drama." Theo drawled, a mischievous smirk grew on his lips, "Is that what you like so much about Malfoy?"
"I don't want to fight. I hate fighting." Clementine sucked in air trying to focus her thoughts, but the humidity of the locker room and Theo's bare torso were incredibly distracting. Her chest heaved as she tried to manage her angry breathing. "I just want— I want—"
"You want..." Theo repeated, his eyes glimmered with excitement. He was going to coax it out of her slowly, painfully if he had to.
"Just fucking do something already." Clementine growled before smashing their lips together.
She could feel the blood rush through her veins as they collided. The kiss was passionate, lustful even. Theo's teeth nipped at her lower lip, and she conceded, melting into him as she allowed Theo to ravish her mouth. His warm hands tingled her skin as he pulled off her shirt with ease, tossing it behind him without care.
"Are you still mad at me?" Theo sucked in air as he pulled away to kiss her jaw.
"Furious." Clementine gasped as his hand palmed her breast. "Completely, and absolutely furious."
Theo lifted her by the back of her thighs, pushing her into the lockers. Her bare back stinging on the cold metal. Clementine straddled his waist, feeling his hardness pressing against her. Theo pushed her skirt up, revealing her lace knickers, a vibrant Slytherin Green.
"For me?" Theo grinned. The thin fabric ripped as he tore it off her body, exposing her fully.
"It wasn't intentional." Clementine gasped as his fingers grazed her folds. He was teasing her, knowing full well how wet she already was for him. "Subconsciously, maybe."
"Hold on." Theo instructed her. He pressed Clementine even further into the lockers, the metal doors creaked against their weight. Clementine wrapped her arms around his neck, balancing herself as Theo worked to unbutton his trousers.
Her mouth watered watching the sight of his cock spring from its release. Clementine straightened her back, arching with anticipation as Theo lined himself up with her opening. She was ready to take him.
Clementine inhaled sharply as he slide his cock through her folds with ease. She felt herself stretch to accommodate his size, a heat bubbling in her belly as she strained to keep herself upright against the wall. Her abdomen felt like it was on fire.
Theo began to thrust into her, his hips snapping as he found his rhythm. Clementine leaned her head into his shoulder, digging her nails into his back as he sped up. She pressed her lips to his clavicle, kissing him with a desperate need to be closer than was already possible.
The furrowed his brows, concentrating on how tight she felt around him. "Fuck, Clem. You're perfect." He grunted as he slammed into her. The sound echoed across the empty locker room reverberating back to them in a musical cadence.
Clementine could only moan in response as she clamped tighter around him. Her head hit the locker with a loud rattle as Theo adjusted to hold on to her better, his own nails digging into the skin of her thighs. The pain felt pleasurable as he dug in deeper.
Theo released one hand, reaching down to swirl her swollen clit, and Clementine bit her lip to restrain herself from screaming out. She keened to the feeling of her walls fluttering around his cock. Her mouth fell open as she crested, his name escaping her lips in a euphoric sigh. With a final thrust, he came inside her, his release dripping from her as he pulled out.
Theo pressed his forehead to hers, gently helping her back to the ground with a final kiss on the lips as she stood up straight. She felt wobbly on her feet, her back and abdomen incredibly sore from the strain against the lockers. It was a good kind of pain, one she would want again and again.
Clementine looked up at Theo with heavy-lidded eyes. Her face was flushed, and she smiled softly, "You almost made me forget what I was so mad about."