The Deal I Made With Theodore Nott - NL x TN

4

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Dean and Seamus were my best mates, along with Luna and Dove of course. I was close with Ron, Hermione, and Harry too, but not in the same way.

Dean and Seamus were the closest thing I had to brothers.
That being said, they were my biggest allies along with my biggest haters.

"I can't believe you wore that Neville, we are going to a party." Dean noted, as we walked the dimly lit hallways towards the Slytherin commons.

"I'm not one for fashion mate, but I gotta agree." Seamus added.

I looked down at my baggy t shirt and jeans I used when potting my plants in the greenhouses. I shrugged off their comments, thinking nothing of it.
"It's a Slytherin party. It's not like anyone important will be there."

"I heard Ritchie Coote saying he might go."

My eyes snap to Dean as he smiles knowingly, thankfully Seamus wasn't paying enough attention to catch this.

I'd never tell anyone about my deep crush on Richard Coote, not even Dove. Dean found out on his own, he called it his 'gay intuition.' That being said, I never even told anyone I was gay. I wasn't ashamed of it or anything, I just didn't see it being important info strangers needed to know.

Let alone bullies getting extra ammo to hurt me with.

Dean had been an out and proud bisexual since second year, he got hate for it here and there but ever since he dated Ginny, no one dared say anything slightly poor mannered to him in fears of the red head's wrath.

"Oh." I said plainly, trying my best to seem uninterested at the statement. Dean just let out a soft chuckle and went back to his conversation with Seamus.

As we entered the common room, the sound of booming music rattled my ears. People were chatting, raising their voices so that they might be heard over all the noise. The smell was slightly similar to Gryffindor parties, just less musty smelling and more like cigarette smoke and alcohol.
Where as Hufflepuff smelt of muggle herb and Ravenclaw had a strong scent of incense.

"Nev!" Dove called out, spotting me through the crowd. She pulled me into a tight hug, lifting me off the floor as she did so. I could smell the firewhiskey on her. I wondered how many drinks she could have accomplished in such a short time, though she wasn't a light weight.

"Luna is here apparently.... somewhere.." She said as she looked around the room for her cousin.
"I think she was giving some Slytherin girls a tarot reading or something."

"Sounds like her." I chuckled.

A drink was handed to me by someone I didn't immediately recognize, I took it cautiously, but took it from him all the same. A bright smile spreading on his face as I accepted it.

Dove noticed my expression and began introductions immediately
"This is my Slytherin mate Blaise Zabini, Blaise this is-"

"Neville Longbottom, I've heard a lot about you." Blaise said, offering his hand out to me.

I shook his hand, nodding my head towards Dove.
"I hope all good things."

Blaise chuckled at this gesture, I wasn't quite sure why he found it so funny.
"Yeah, all great things actually. Though I didn't hear them from her."

I was confused by the statement and wanted to ask what he meant but was interrupted by Dove, it seemed she was indeed a few more drinks in than I had previously assumed.
"Blaise is dating Luna, isn't that crazy?! The sneaky witch kept it from us."

"We weren't trying to hide it, I guess you could say we often go unnoticed, and sometimes we like it that way." Blaise explained casually, more so towards me than Dove, as he could also sense she wasn't retaining much at the moment.

I reply to Blaise with a soft laugh as we both lifted our cups to our lips.

A good amount of time goes by, I end up talking to Blaise for a little while longer when Dove disappears into the party again.

He is much different from any other Slytherin I had met before. He had that calm politeness about him that all purebloods carried, but there was something comforting and warm about him too. Not to mention he was a bit of a weirdo, perfect for Luna.
After a short time with him it was very clear why Luna and him got on so easily.

When Luna came back around to find Blaise, they too vanished into the ocean of people surrounding me. I was left alone, and normally that was fine, but being in such an unfamiliar setting was odd.

I wasn't sure why but I wondered where Theo was, I was technically here for him and Dove yet I hadn't even seen him yet and Dove was off doing Merlin knows what.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned around to see Ritchie Coote looking back at me.

"Hi Neville, fancy seeing you here." He greeted cheerfully.

I almost dropped my drink in that moment. It was embarrassing really, he had only tapped my shoulder to say hi and here I was shaking excitedly at the prospect.

"Hey Coote- I mean Richard- Ritchie." I groaned out loud, hiding my face behind my cup in embarrassment.
"Sorry."

"That's alright." He laughed, reaching out and rubbing my arm to comfort me.

His touch sent electricity through my body. I couldn't even think straight, even if I wanted to... literally.

"Did you come here alone?" He asked, leaning against the wall I was standing beside. My eyes tracked him like the sight of him was keeping me alive. Ironically I felt as if I couldn't breathe.

"Yeah- I mean kinda, I came with Dove, Seamus, and Dean."

Ritchie took a look around the room, I did as well.

"Yeah, I guess they found other things to do" I added, slightly embarrassed.

"Their loss." Ritchie said through a coy smile, his eyes seeming heavy as he looked me up and down.

I was immediately self conscious on my choice of attire.
I should have listened to Dean...
My arms self consciously wrapped around myself while I failed to make eye contact.

"Nasty Bitch." A Slytherin girl cried as she walked along side another witch, whom one could only assume was a friend consulting her, as they made their way towards the dorms.

I couldn't help my attention going to them, as they were quite loud and obvious, my eyes wandered to where they were coming from. I mostly curious to know whom this 'nasty bitch' may be.

My curiosity grew when I noticed Theodore Nott himself comforting a sniffling Pansy Parkinson on the common room couches.