mind over matter - theodore nott

24. studying the human anatomy

STUDYING THE HUMAN ANATOMY

Theodore and Florence sat in silence in potions. They weren't working together though. They'd picked out their potion partners at the start of the school year when they had never even spoken to one another. Theo was with Draco and Florence was with Lenora. But the distance didn't stop them from making eye contact every bloody chance they got.

As Professor Slughorn walked round the dimly lit classroom, Lenora was fully occupied with the potion they were assigned to brew. Florence, on the other hand, was reading out the instructions for the potion, occasionally glancing up to look at the boy she loved, who looked at her too, as if he could sense her longing stares.

"Eyeing up Nott are we?" Lenora spoke, causing Florence to immediately look down at the book laid out open in front of her, pretending to read it. "Don't think I didn't see you."

Florence couldn't help but smile as she looked down at the book which she was actually paying no attention too. She wasn't too quick with hiding her smile as both Theo and Lenora caught a glimpse of it.

Over on the opposite side of the classroom, Theo and Draco were brewing their own version of the potion. Barely a word was said as Draco stirred the cauldron and Theo added the ingredients needed.

"What are you smirking at?" Draco teased as he saw a smirking smile appear on Theo's face.

"What? Nothing." Theo played it off cool as he stood upright instead of leaning over the desk they used, shaking his head in disagreement and offering to stir the cauldron Draco was already stirring.

"I'm not blind, Nott." Draco smiled. He handed the long, wooden spoon over to the boy who kindly offered to take it off him, swapping places with Theo. Draco looked around the room and followed where Theo's eyes had been directed, catching glimpse of a brunette slytherin smiling, Florence. As soon as Draco realised that Florence was the one Theo was smiling about, he decided to ask Theo, "So, you got a thing for Mortimer?"

"What? No." Theo laughed, but when it came to things like this, Theo wasn't a great liar at all. In fact, he happened to be one of the worst.

"Stop saying 'what?'." Draco demanded, resting his arms on the desk in front of him. "Theo, you know what this is gonna cause. You can't risk it." The blond's words haunted Theo.

Theo knew fully well what he was getting himself into, and he knew what was going to happen soon enough. But he could hide his feelings for the girl. She already meant so much to him. He couldn't risk losing her. Yet he never wanted to let her go.

"If the Dark Lord finds out about her and you don't end up following through with what he's already going to do. You know what could happen to her... To you." Draco warned the curly haired boy who's eyes had wandered back over to the girl who meant everything to him. Draco didn't know how far Theo had already travelled down the line. He didn't know that there was definitely no way of getting back up.

"Draco, I know, okay?" Theo snapped, his stirring becoming more aggressive by the second as he became more aware of his actions.

"I'm just warning you." Draco reasoned, moving back towards Theo, who he had noticed to be gaining anger in his hold, gently taking it off of him and taking over with the stirring. Theo walked to the side of Draco, not looking back at him.