The Hunted: A Theo Nott Short Story

Day One

Rose

    Taking inventory of our things was becoming more and more difficult as the talking grew louder. Astoria and Oliver were off taking samples for the day so we could run the analysis overnight. Hopefully getting our results in the morning. We still had no idea what we were working with here. We also had no idea if we were even safe. The Ministry didn't care about the finer details. They wanted their questions answered and it didn't matter how they got them.

We've already put up a protection shield around our campsite but it wasn't strong enough if someone attempted to knock it down. Then again, we weren't concerned about people here, it was the animals. Rumours of savage magical creatures have been spreading like wildfire but there hasn't been any actual proof. It was all he said, she said mambo.

"You would be done by now if you stopped staring off into space." The smug comment made the back of my neck itch.

"I'd be done by now if I had help from my partner but no. My partner wants to sit on his well tailored ass all day." I bit back.

"I'll send your gratitude to my tailor." I knew he was smirking. If I turned my head around right now I would be met with a glimpse of white teeth where his mouth parted at the corner. The dimple that appeared when he would smirk or smile. It wasn't often he smiled at people but he did when he was around Blaise.

And Blaise was around me all the time.

I attempted to lock my potion tubes in my preservation box but the latch was tricky. You had to wave your wand at an odd angle to seal the lock and I was failing. I was failing because he was watching. I did this everyday at work and without the added pressure, I could do it. Letting out a frustrated huff, a wand came into my peripheral vision. "I can do it." I exclaimed, trying to swat his wand away.

"Stop being stubborn." He tapped his wand firmly on the top of my head. "Ouch! That hurt!" I shouted. "No it didn't." The man actually chuckled at me. The nerve. I felt my ears go hot at the sound of the deep almost laugh. I may dislike Theo but I wasn't an idiot. I could see the appeal to some people. Well, everyone really. Even my mother liked him. She said his voice reminded her of the finest silk and I hated to admit she was right.

"Turn your wrist to the left." I glared at him but as he stared at me, I felt my body doing what he said. "Now rotate your hand counterclockwise. Not like that." I messed up a bit but finally understood what he was saying. "Perfect. Three times and then flick right." I did as I was told and the lock sealed shut. "Good girl." He rasped close to my ear. I don't know why my face flushed but it did. The praise was enough to make my blush travel down my neck.
I probably matched the color of my hair.

I stared up at the man beside me and he was too close. His scent was intoxicating to my senses. I felt myself clam up and I suddenly had trouble forming words. What the hell was going on. My gaze drifted from his burning eyes to his lips. They were the color of a pastel tulip. Seeming soft and not chapped in any way. When my eyes finally met his again, I couldn't read him. They seemed to burn into me like he could see right to my soul.

A cough drew us apart like school kids caught beneath the Quidditch stands. I looked over at Blaise as Theo walked briskly past him. He didn't even bother to apologize as he knocked his shoulder. The look on Blaise's face made me want to crawl into a hole and hide. My face was enough for him to close his mouth but his smirk remained.

"There's something you should see." Blaise muttered, edging his head towards the meeting tent.

I followed behind him, trying to see what all the commotion was about. I could hear them talking but it was because they were whispering that I couldn't understand them. They were all talking over one another. When we reached the tent, everyone surrounded a round table. Astoria had just dumped a pile of dirt and plants in the middle and her face held too much worry.