She admired the typical, dull London morning. Snow blanketing the streets of Diagon alley, littered with the small footprints of the enthusiastic children, all of whom couldn't wait for Christmas to finally arrive.
The streets buzzed with light and positive energy, laughter rung through the air and excitement had younger witches, wizards, and of course Fred and George, bouncing off the walls. The squeals and giggles of the older twins brought a quick and easy smile to everyone's faces, despite the fact they were seventeen they had always neglected to acting like it, and took great joy towards behaving like children.
Rory's attitude was bubbly, more so than she had been in a long while, laughter was coming easier to her. Her friends and family saw this as a silent miracle and assumed that her jovial attitude had come along when she stepped foot off the train and back to her unrelated family; but truth be told, Auroras goofy grin was a result of the night before she departed Hogwarts and shockingly in the presence of a Slytherin.
Skipping across the white streets with Hermione and Ginny, hand in hand. The three had overtaken the rest of their friends and family Fred and George right on their tail. Soon the girls came to a sudden stop, skidding a whole meter due to the unplanned break, eyes wide at the sight of the large group of teenagers right in front of them.
The girls had nearly barged straight into a sea of black and green matched with designer coats, shoes and jewels. The Slytherins. All signs of glee quickly erased from both parties faces, glares slowly claiming the faces of the students who were then absent of smiles.
No glare harsher than Ginny's, the red head scowled. "What are you lot doing here?"
"Oh you mean we can't prepare for Christmas ourselves?" Malfoy scoffed. "Rather unfair if you ask me."
Several nods and sounds of agreements were heard. Daphne didn't join in on her friends mocking actions and instead redirected her heated gaze off from the Weasley girl and turned to face Aurora her face softening, no one noticed how the brunette boy from behind Daphne repeated the actions.
"Rory dear, how've you been love?" She grinned childishly towards her friend, Auroras visible discomfort shrugged off into a small smile of her own at the sight of Daphne.
Before Rory could offer a response, Malfoy intervened. "You aren't still talking to this blood traitor are you Daph?" A series of groans became of his mates, clearly all tired of his ruthless candor. "What?" He asked bewildered. "She's a filthy blood traitor."
"You take that back you arrogant prick." A voice behind the girls spoke.
Rory rolled her eyes dramatically at the sight of Harry, Ron and the twins. She knew then there was little chance to escape without a fight by then. The two groups often didn't get along well, with the exception of Aurora and Daphne, weirdly enough it seemed as though Theodore too was growing tired of the constant war.
Whilst the two groups weren't exactly friendly amongst each other the true war raged between Draco, the Weasleys and of course Harry, other than that everyone grew bored rather quickly, the last real fight hadn't occurred since Rory's fourth year.
Harry came to stand face to face with Malfoy, the two standing in a significantly vile stand off. Harry was almost a forehead shorter, but still managed to pull it off without looking stupid, the sight still brought a chuckle from Pansy, she earned a hard glare from Ginny in retaliation.
"And what're you going to to about it, Potter." Malfoy pressed a finger into Harry's shoulder lightly shoving him backwards. Aurora withheld a groan when Fred and George came to stand either side of her friends shoulders, she unfortunately released the sound of distaste when she noticed Theodore and Blaise come to stand at either side of Draco.
All squaring up one another, stares sharp as knifes, the tension was growing, they were all stubborn, Rory knew it was unlikely they would backdown.
Rory cleared her throat more loudly than necessary, before walking in between the boys, clearing a path for herself by lightly shoving them by their chests. George, Blaise, Draco and Harry easily let her push through for they knew it would be likely if a fight were to break loose, whilst in public, the chances of being arrested were high. Rory certainly didn't appreciate it when Theodore and Fred refused to back off. This confused her.
Then she remembered...
Her blood ran cold.
Theodore and Fred had been in the exact same predicament a year before hand, in that situation no one was fast enough to defuse the tension before the two broke into a vicious fight. It was the nastiest Rory had ever encountered.
In a boarding school it was expected for fights to occur, especially amongst all the testosterone teenage boys were to give off. Aurora, herself, had witnessed multiple punch ups, in fact she had attempt to stopping a few before mid fight, but something about watching those two a year ago prevented her from coming in between the boys.
A common rule is; 'Never come in between a dog fight for you may get bit' the rule played on repeat in her head when she saw the two on top of one another, wrestling as if their lives depended on it.
The two weren't necessarily brawny, in fact Fred was rather slim, that didn't stop them from putting up a wrecking fight though. Aurora never knew how it came to be, what triggered it and why, Fred refused to share. She can remember yelling and then a shove, next thing she knew the Nott boy was throwing the harshest punch she had ever seen and soon enough a matching one was thrown straight from the Weasley twin.
By the near end of the fight multiple people around the room began to tear up, herself included, water swelled in her eyes because for a moment she believed they were to kill each other. Luckily the Gryffindor and Slytherin quidditch teams intervened, surprisingly pulling away their own team members. It was almost unlike an unspoken agreement lived between the quidditch players, and that was no matter the colour of their robes two boys were killing each other and they had to stop it.
Aurora ran off with George quickly that night in search for Fred, she recalled crying at the sight of his cuts and bruises that evening.
She completely forgot for no one had spoken about it afterwards, there was little gossip spread about it, no one said a word in fear one of the two boys may hear of it. It was forgotten quickly. But then she was reminded, and it scared her.
Placing her hand on each of their chests she tried to shove them back yet again, a little more forcibly the second try. They refused to budge. She grew nervous, instead of pushing back the each of them she figured it would be best to focus on the one. Turning round, she placed both of her hands on the center of Theodore's chest.
She took great notice as to how his chest was raised as was his chin. His glare, she recognised well. For a moment she searched for a heartbeat whilst her palm was over his beating organ. She expected it to be pumping profusely, she predicted blood would be rushing through his body at rates that could kill.
Instead of his heartbeat she felt her own rise in pace, for she couldn't feel his at all. It was as though his heart had stopped beating, frozen in a state of hypnosis, she predicted the same from Fred but she didn't dare turn to touch his chest also, for she was still attempting to push Theodore back.
Daphne, raised her own arm to shove the red headed boy back. Aurora had noticed the paling of the blondes face, the absence of her usually blushed cheeks notified Aurora that Daphne too, remembered the incident and feared for the worse also.
The two reluctantly let the girls move them away from each other, they were both fuming, everyone had gone silent and slightly fearful themselves.
"Okay back it up machos." Pansy tried to defuse the situation, her voice frail, no longer confidant and sassy. Clearing her throat she tried to replicate her usual tone before speaking again. "Come on."
"Let go of my brother." Ginny hissed taking Fred in her own arms, leering down at the Greengrass sister. The blonde wore a look to match Ginny's. Harsh and unforgiving.
Pansy briskly gripped Daphne by her forearm pulling her back before an argument could erupt. Boy it was getting difficult to avoid fights amongst these two groups, Aurora thought. Thankfully Daphne wasn't that eager to cause chaos and let Pansy pull her away.
Releasing a loud breath Aurora turned to Theodore. He was looking back down at her. She was somewhat startled by the massive change in his gaze, how it shifted from rough hatred to a simple neutral stare, as though he didn't know what to think of her.
She didn't know what to think of him back. It seemed as though they were on the path to making friends, especially after their last interaction. In a confused, stressed state of mind she gave him a coordinating neutral expression.
Before they knew it, the two were locked in a stare, not one laced with hatred, no. It was as though they were in competition, who would break first. Theodore vowed it wouldn't be him, he already allowed her to push him away. But Theodore was unprepared for he didn't expect Aurora to be such a determined, stubborn competitor.
All of their friends kept their eyes glued to them. They weren't worried for a fight to break out again but they were interested to see who would snap.
Aurora kept her chin high, her facial expressions remaining poker, unreadable. Her hands remained on his chest, still curious if Theodore had a bearing heart at all, she hadn't actually noticed that they still remained. Once her mind processed that her palms still remained spread on his chest she swiftly lowered them, unconsciously brushing her fingers down his coat.
He grinned childishly before rolling his eyes, wordlessly deeming himself too superior to be involved in such childish acts. Of course he found a way to stop their game without actually admitting defeat.
Leaning down, Theodore brought his mouth beside her ear before he lowly murmured. "Meet me in the alley between Quality Quidditch supplies and Magical Menagerie in five minutes."
If Aurora had eyes at the back of her head, she would've seen the visible confusion that instinctively crawled up her friends faces, from before her she saw matching stares upon the features of the Slytherins, none heard what Theodore said, but all were curious.
If Aurora could see behind her, her attention would quickly zero on Ginny, George, Harry and Ron's serious glares. Most of all Fred's, for his expression was the darkest, Aurora was lucky not to have the chance to experience it.
Theodore on the other hand could see were Rory couldn't and took great pleasure at the faces they made. Whilst he whispered in her ear, he made the whole thing a statement, his eyes travelling from Weasley to Weasley, Harry back to Hermione and so forth, it was a game. His smirk flourished. He loved how they didn't know what he was mumbling to their sweet Aurora for all they knew he held the power.
According to his deal with her, Theo wouldn't do anything drastic, not to her, in fact he only actually whispered those words as an excuse to actually whisper to her, he didn't really know what he would do when he would meet her.
Aurora was a key player in his war with Fred Weasley, the two weren't sole enemies they just despised each other since the fight they shared and took any opportunity to aggravate one another. Theodore knew that if you wanted to get to the group of Gryffindors you would have to target Rory. Her 'purity' made her seem week, Theodore knew all too well she wasn't, but apparently her friends didn't know that. He would gladly use it to his advantage.
"And what if I don't want to?" She sassed back. Theodore rolled his eyes yet again at her words, sure the words she chose were rather arrant, yet whilst in public she still spoke them with a sweetened tone. Only Aurora could make such bold words appear so innocent.
"You will." He responded gruffly. Everyone could hear them now, he hoped she would keep her words vague as to withhold the mysterious approach. Shoving his hands into his pocket he recreated his unreadable expression.
"Why?" She murmured, the expressions she held made her look so vulnerable, no wonder everyone thought she was.
Aurora Flores was a rose, beautiful. Blossomed were the crimson, blushed petals, forming admirable patterns and shapes. All eyes were drawn to it's perfection. She had everyone fooled sometimes even herself. No one saw the thorns for she kept them concealed and hidden beneath the delicate layers of pretty red. No one saw the thorns, no one but him.
He was thankful that she agreed to leave them on display whilst alone with him. In return she would receive a petal of his own. He wore his sharp buds with pride and kept his flower concealed. If Aurora would prick him then he would allow her to witness the blossomed kindness he shared with few.
"Because I said so." He shrugged back, giving her nonchalant response of his own. Grinning boyishly one last time he ushered his friends away from the group of Gryffindors. After all the daring lions never paired well with the crafty serpents.
• • •
The Weasleys, Hermione and Harry pretended not to notice as Aurora strayed from them minutes within their departure from chaos. They frowned as they watched her go off on her own. They kept their eyes on her as she ventured towards Quality Quidditch Supplies. Perhaps she planned to get the boys and Ginny a gift. They all relaxed, shoulders visibly dropping in realisation that Aurora had no inferior motives.
Their wave of relief lasted as fast as it came. For they took great notice to the tall darkly dressed figure with a unforgettable mop of styled brown locks atop his highly held head. The entire group acted as though they were inconspicuously watching, each knew the other was but they didn't know how to respond.
They acknowledged as his eyes made contact with Auroras across the street. They acknowledged how he tilted his jaw upwards and nodded his head in the direction of the alleyway. They acknowledged the burning rage they each felt, Hermione remaining the exception.
They hated how she willingly followed him into the alley and out of their sites. They could no longer see anything from behind the panelled glass of the coffee shop they resided in.
They each portrayed as though neither acknowledged anything at all, yet each of them still allowed for their eyes to pull towards the direction Aurora fled to. No one said a word. No one said a word, even when they thought of too many.
• • •
"Nott." Aurora greeted swiftly, unsure whether or not to be nice.
"Flores" He chuckled back.
She knew then she could be rude. "Okay. What was that?" She whisper yelled, throwing her arm directing where they were beforehand in emphasis.
Theodore admired how her face twisted in aggravation and frustration. Focusing on the scrunch of her blushed nose, but that was from the cold not the fury.
"What was what?" He played cheekily.
"My friends most certainly didn't appreciate you whispering in my ear, especially after you, I don't know, got all psycho with Fred!" She yelled, throwing her arms around before quieting at the sound of her echo bouncing off the brick walls of the narrow yet long alley.
"Weasley and I have some bad blood, so what?" He smiled an insolent grin.
"I thought you agreed to be nice if I wasn't." She crossed her arms, voice lowered by then.
"I agreed to be nice to you. Not them. I don't give a shit about them." He shrugged carelessly.
She effortlessly spun on her heel before swiftly walking away and back onto the street.
She didn't take notice to her friends who still sat in the coffee shop, she didn't see how they all relaxed when she left unseeingly unharmed. They all tensed again when they watched Theodore follow her in tail. They all froze when they watched her trail into the Quidditch shop, the Nott boy still waltzing behind her and failing to get lost.
"Where are you off to?" He inquired still chasing after her. Appreciating the warmth of the indoors.
"I still need to acquire gifts for my friends what are you still doing here?" She shot around to look at him.
He teasingly reached for the closest item, "My friends like Quidditch, I too am also in search for gifts."
She frowned before grinning slyly at the item he had unintentionally selected. He looked down to the packaged item he chose, quickly placing it back in realisation that he grasped a sports brassiere for lady players. Grinning sheepishly back at her he continued to follow Rory through the cramped shop. Apparently many thought Quidditch items would make suitable gifts. He was thankful when Aurora approached an empty isle.
"What's your deal with Fred?" She peered up at him, watching as his back stiffened and his shoulders tensed. "What was that fight?"
He payed half his mind to the urge that begged him to turn around, shove her against the wall and threaten her for asking the question. But he knew it was stupid so he answered briskly.
"He insulted my mum."
She frowned. "You and your bunch always insult their mother."
He flinched. "I can't speak for my friends but I don't insult mothers, I believe they are the angels themselves."
She smiled softly at his choice of words. "I agree."
"Huh?" He turned back to peer down at her, then he remembered. Aurora understood. She understood like no body else could. He smiled back. "My mums dead, I'll always protect her image."
Her smile dimmed. "So is mine."
"I know."
"No one really gets it, you know?" She metaphorically scrambled and searched for an excuse to discuss their deceased mothers. She desperately needed someone, anyone, who could formulate her pain. A pain that lived with her everyday.
"They can only imagine." He sighed. "They share their condolences but they soon forget and treat you as if you've forgotten yourself."
"But I can't forget." Her lips pulled downwards.
"I can't either." His lips too dragged downwards. "Look, losing a mum, people like you and I, we actively live through the grief. It's an everyday struggle, but no one will actively support us or congratulate us or bloody pat us on the back every day but all the time we continue to struggle and we don't get credit for that. It's a loose loose deal."
His words were cutting at her, the truth of them, the understanding. His thought process was a more cynical version of hers, yes, but despite his pessimistic tone she agreed wholeheartedly. She could physically feel the words as they played from his lips. Although they made it seem as though she and him were alone the idea of listening to them from somebody else warmed her.
She didn't know why she did it, but she did.
Instinctively she took a gracious step forward and threw her arms around him. Trapping him in her iron grip. He didn't move, his arms remained planted at his side's awkwardly.
She nestled her head into the crook of his warm neck thankful for the heat as it nurtured her abnormally cold nose. He heard her sniff once.
Theodore didn't cry over his mother anymore, he still felt the urge to at the worst of times but it was easier for him, his mother had passed years ago were Auroras had only left her merely months ago. He felt a pull of the string tug at his unmoving heart, a slight squeeze. If only he had someone who understood when his mothers demise was still fresh.
So he did what he wished someone had done for him and he raised his own long arms and wrapped them around her quivering figure. He didn't know if it was because she was cold or if she was softly crying. He hoped for the former...
He didn't know how to comfort cryers.
They didn't know how long they held each other in the reassuring embrace, neither grew bored. They only pulled from each other at the sound of an item knocking, turning around they didn't spot the intruder. Brushing it aside they turned back, facing one another again.
Theodore noticed a single tear track down the side of her freckled cheek. He could tell she only allowed for a single bead of water to escape from her soft, doe eyes.
Smiling one more time, Theodore took a step back before exiting the shop, Aurora quickly noticed, he didn't even get anything. She didn't notice were Theodore then journeyed. She didn't know what awaited from him when he returned to his house. House. Not home. She didn't think of it, he was too struggling in more ways than one. She didn't notice how that hug was the peak of his day. His week. His Christmas.
Call her a shitty observation-er, but Theodore who had a knack for acknowledgment too didn't notice that just maybe, that hug was the peak of her day, her week, her Christmas too.
• • •
Meanwhile, back in the coffee shop the group remained silent. None knew what to say. What was Aurora up to? They each understood that she was with Theodore Nott for reasons they were oblivious to. They could only hope the snake hadn't wrapped his scaly tail around her throat, readying for the moment he could tug harshly. They all worried for her safety. They knew of his father, his reputation. But no one knew of what to do.
Standing up Hermione, collected her bags. "Wait where are you going?" Ron was quick to question, the others listened eagerly.
"I'm off to check on Rora." She huffed.
"You can't Hermione." Ginny sneered.
"She's with the snake." Ron following a suit.
"For all we know she could be in trouble, I'm going to check on her to make sure she's okay." Hermione was quick to scold.
All of their expressions dropped, they were all undoubtedly fearful for her safety but knew that if Theodore were to learn of their thirst to protect her, he could use that to his advantage.
Hermione couldn't hear what they were thinking but she could take a good guess. "Don't worry, they won't see me." And with that, she left.
Making her way through the small crowd in the shop she searched for her dear friend. It was difficult navigating her way through such a small yet busy environment but she managed to succeed.
She found an isle of which seemed empty, thankful to have escaped the busyness. Turning around she didn't expect the sight she was met with.
She didn't actually think about what she would expect, she just assumed Aurora would be nervous and wary as Theodore would remain arrogant and glib. Her bewilderment had just increased tenfold when she saw the two eloped in an embrace.
Auroras arms where wrapped around his neck her nose nestled in the spot between his head and neck pressing into the bare skin, as Theodore had his hands lazily thrown over her tugging tightly at the waist and pulling her close.
Hermione didn't want to interrupt such an intimate moment, so she began to progress backwards, ultimately shocked when she felt her shoulder make contact with a broom of which immediately fell to the floor releasing a loud thud. Emerging swiftly behind the isle she prayed they didn't notice her.
Peaking from behind the stall she watched as Theodore made his way out Aurora watching in tow. She watched as the olive skinned beauty walked backwards herself and towards the direction the Granger girl stood. Aurora turned around quickly but came to a sudden stop at the sight of Hermione right in front of her. Arms crossed wearing her signature scolding expression, eyes wide and mouth frowned.
Rory knew she saw. Rory knew she had questions. Aurora knew she was caught. Uh oh.
__________________________________
AN
Hope you liked this chapter I really did, this also happens to be the longest one I've written so far past 4000 words
If you've read this far you already know there will be mistakes and typos I really hope they don't bother you that much, my apologise.
Hope you loved it xx - Sofia
This is me again, an hour after publishing and I just realised that I left the planning details at the top of this chapter, so sorry for the people who saw that