"Oh my god!" Susan cried out when she opened her Christmas gift from her father. She looked up at him, smiling widely and almost in tears. "You did not!"
"I sure did," he nodded. Susan could see how pleased he was with himself.
"What is it?" Theodore asked her.
Susan waved three tickets in his face. "Tickets to the Magical Menagerie in Germany!" she squealed excitedly.
"The one in the Black Forest?" Theo asked.
"Yes!" Susan's father said. "We're going during Spring break!"
Susan got up and hugged her father. "This is so exciting!"
The Magical Menagerie was a reserve for Magical Creatures and one of the few you could actually visit. Charms kept Muggles away to keep the creatures safe and there were a lot of safety measures for the wizards and witches who came to visit. But Susan knew that they had a few Erumpents which were very rare in Europe. She really hoped that they would spot one.
"Ernie is going to be so jealous when he hears this," she grinned. Of all her Hufflepuff friends Ernie was the one who was the most interested in Magical Creatures and the only one who took Care of Magical Creatures as a N.E.W.T.-level class.
"Okay," her mother smiled. "Now you can give someone their gift, Susan."
"I pick Theo!" she yelled without hesitation as she stumbled over to the Christmas tree and picked up a present she had wrapped in red paper with white dots. She handed it to Theodore and sat down beside him. Excited but also nervous to see his reaction. What if he didn't like it?
Theodore carefully unwrapped the present, making Susan almost scream out of impatience. The boy stared at the book in his lap in amazement. He looked up at her.
"Suzy, when did you make this?"
On the cover it said in beautiful silver foiling: Susan and Theodore's Guide to Real Dating.
"I've been making it during the last two months," she said shyly. The idea had popped up in her head not long after they had first started dating for real. Then, she just had to collect some pictures.
Theodore opened the book to the first page. On it was a picture of them in Potions Class, Malfoy throwing them a murderous glance in the background. The second page had a picture of them studying together in the library, Susan making a funny face at the camera while Theodore stared at his book in utter concentration. Then followed a picture of them in the courtyard listening to Nirvana and a picture of the Slytherin-Gryffindor game with Susan in her all Slytherin attire hugging an awkward-looking Theodore. The last three pictures were from the past week: Susan and Theodore at the Christmas market drinking mulled wine, the two of them in front of the National Gallery and finally a picture of them in Susan's room in which she gave Theodore a kiss on the cheek. The other pages were empty.
"We're meant to keep filling the pages," she said excitedly. She was really looking forward to making more memories with Theodore. "I hope you like it." She twisted a strand of her hair around her finger.
"Suzy," he grinned at her. "How can I not love this?" He hugged the book to his chest while also wrapping his other arm around her. "Thank you," he said and he kissed her.
"Now it's my turn to give your gift," he grinned. Carefully he placed the book on the table in front of them and walked to the tree. He picked up a small black box and handed it to her when he sat down again.
Susan took the box and wondered what it could be. When she opened it, she gasped. In it lay a beautiful silver necklace. She placed the pendant on her hand to study it better. It was a badger hugging a snake. Hufflepuff and Slytherin, the two of them.
"Where did you get this? It's beautiful."
Theodore just smirked. "I have connections," he said proudly. Then he took the necklace from her. "Let me help you put it on." Susan turned her back to him and threw her hair out of the way and over her shoulder. Theodore laid the necklace around her neck, delicately, and closed it.
Susan spun around. "How does it look?" she smiled at him.
"Amazing."
___________________________________
After the gift giving they had retreated back to Susan's room. Theodore sat on her bed and Suzy stood in front of a small mirror that stood in a corner of her room. She was admiring the necklace he had given her, which filled him with joy.
"It's so beautiful," she said to the image of Theodore in the mirror. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Then she turned around.
"I have another gift for you," she said and she went to her bedside table and took something out of one of the drawers.
Another gift? Theodore sat up a bit straighter. He really hoped she wasn't joking and getting the Contraceptive Potion out of the drawer, because then he would be bolting out of the room and lock himself up in the bathroom.
Fortunately, she didn't. When she turned around she held a folded piece of paper in her hand. She sat down next to him and handed it to him.
"I didn't want to give it to you with my parents there, because it's too personal," she blushed.
Even more personal than the book she had given him? What could it be?
He unfolded the paper and saw that it was the poem he had given her when she had broken off their fake relationship to be with Seamus. He looked up at her, a bit confused, and wanted to give it back to her.
"Suzy, this is yours," he said. He didn't want the poem back. He wanted her to keep it and he was slightly nervous to find out her reasoning for giving it back.
"Read the back, Theo," she just said.
He turned the page and saw Suzy's handwriting that he would recognize anywhere.
I love you as I love the rustling of the wind on an Autumn day
I love you as I love the taste of Chocolate Cauldrons and the first fall of snow
Who am I kidding?
I love you more
I love you more because of the way you hold my hand when I'm afraid
I love you more because of how your golden-specked brown eyes look at mine
I love you more because you care
As much about me as I do for you
Theodore looked up with tears in his eyes, which normally didn't happen to him.
"Suzy, you wrote this?" His voice cracked as he spoke, barely able to form the words. She nodded while twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.
"Shit," he gulped. "I-" Why were words so difficult? There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he was overwhelmed by his feelings. "I didn't know you wrote poetry," he finally uttered. Which wasn't what he wanted to say at all.
"I don't," she replied. "But apparently for you, I do."
"Fuck," he whispered. He felt a lump in his throat and there was only one thing he could do to stop himself from crying. He took her face in his hands and kissed her as passionately as he could.
___________________________________
Susan Bones' eyes widened as Theodore crashed over her. She didn't know how else to describe the way he was kissing her. With so much feeling, with so much care. This was something new and she didn't mind it at all. She groaned in protest as he stopped for a second to look into her eyes.
"I love you so so much," he whispered.
The familiar heaviness between her thighs flooded over her at his words. She grazed the stubble on his chin with her fingers and with her other hand she took the poem from his hand that he was still holding and placed it carefully on her bedside table.
She looked back at Theodore who was still staring at her with this indescribable look on his face. It made him even more handsome than usual. She didn't hesitate any longer and pushed him down onto the bed.
Theodore's eyes widened in surprise as she placed herself on top of him. Susan smirked. She had been wanting to do this the entire week and damn, the view was worth it.
As she bent down she took his hands in hers and placed them above his head. The wide sweater she was wearing fell forward and she hoped that Theo had looked at her cleavage, because it was all for him.
She kissed him urgently and without realizing it, she started rolling her hips back and forth over him. Theodore let out a small wheeze in response. Susan continued, her breathing getting heavier. She should probably ask if this was okay, but she couldn't stop herself anymore now that she had begun. She felt Theo growing hard underneath her and she gasped at how good it felt to press herself against him.
"Theo," she groaned against his neck as she kept on moving, their hands still intertwined above his head. "You feel -" Her eyes rolled back with pleasure and she felt that she was getting soaked. "So good."
A part of her just wanted to finish herself riding on top of him, but that probably wasn't such a good idea. So she rolled off him and lay down next to him. Theodore turned to her and put his hand on her waist, gently stroking it. She was trying to calm herself down but that simple touch drove her nuts again. She looked up at him and he was smiling at her, which only made her want him more.
She kissed him again, sliding her tongue over his teeth. She wanted him to touch her breasts but she didn't dare to ask it again since he had turned her down last time. Instead, she turned her attention on him.
Her fingers skimmed across his chest while they kept making out. She went all the way down to his belt and started tugging it. She stopped kissing him and looked at him.
"Theo, can I-?" She tugged at his belt again and searched his eyes for a reaction.
"Yes," was all he said and he moved down his hand and opened his own belt for her.
Susan pulled down his trousers a bit so she could reach him better. She stroked his boxers first, feeling him through the fabric. She bit her lip in anticipation for what she was going to do. She wanted to feel him so badly.
She put her hand in his boxers and wrapped her fingers around him. Theodore made a weird sound, which made her pause.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes," he replied.
She turned her attention back to what she was starting. He was warm and hard and damn, she was already thinking of all the things he could do to her. Slowly, she started moving her hand up and down around him.
Theodore's breathing got heavier. He put his hand in her hair and pulled her head to his chest.
Susan kept on going, a little bit faster now. Theodore's hips were rocking, following her movements and she thought he was enjoying himself. Until she heard sniffling. She stopped moving and tried to look up, which was hard because Theodore was holding her head against his chest with force now.
"Theo?" she asked cautiously, her hand still resting on his erection. Theodore only whimpered as a reply and Susan was certain now that he was crying. She jolted and removed her hand from his boxers as quickly as she could.
She tried to get out of Theodore's forceful embrace. "Theo, please let go," she said and he immediately released her. His hands moved down to pull his trousers back up.
She sat up. He wasn't looking at her. He was just staring at the wall, his lips trembling and tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Shit, Theo," she said. She was really concerned now. "I'm so sorry. Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?"
No reply.
"Theo? Please talk to me," she tried but as she put her hand on his arm he slapped her away. Susan jumped back from him in shock. She had no idea what to do now.
Then, Theodore got up, zipping up his trousers and fixing his belt. Without looking at her or uttering a word, he picked up his shoes and left the room.