Treacherous - Theodore Nott

Chapter Twenty Four

Ice cold. I'm drenched in something ice cold and wet.

I open my eyes and shoot out of bed.

"WHAT TH-,"

Mattheo and Draco are standing there grinning mischievously, a bucket between them. Astoria is standing behind them, looking regretful.

Exasperated, I look between them and my now soaking wet bed.

"Game's in two hours Violet, we had to get you up somehow," Draco shrugs.

"And you didn't think to try a gentler alternative first?" The words came out of my mouth in a hiss.

"I tried. You were out cold," Astoria pipes up.

"Cold," Mattheo snickers.

I point an accusing finger at him, eyes turned to slits.

"Out, both of you. I'll see you on the pitch."

The two boys leave, laughing as they go.

I now turn to Astoria, who is handing me a towel. She has an awkward expression on her face.

I grab the towel from her outstretched hand and let out a loud sigh as I begin to dry myself off.

"What time is it again?"

"Just past one, it's a good thing it's a Saturday."

I shake my head, "I really needed that sleep, I guess."

"You guess?" Astoria snorted, "You nearly bit my head off when I asked if you'd finished ancient runes homework."

I cringe at her response. "Sorry," I say, offering an apologetic smile.

She shrugs back. "I can't imagine how little sleep you've been getting with those nightmares, I don't really blame you. You started putting silencing charms down, didn't you?"

I look up at her with an apologetic expression as I tighten the laces of my quidditch boots. "I thought you might figure that out," I nod. "Theodore gave me dreamless sleep last night."

Astoria widens her eyes a bit. "Be careful with that stuff, it's pretty addictive."

"I know mom. I'll be careful. I've got to run though, I need to warm up before the game. You'll be watching, yeah?"

"Wouldn't miss it," she smiles back. "Good luck, or break a leg, or whatever they say for sports."

I blow her a goodbye kiss before turning and hopping down the stairs, two at a time.

Just the person who I was most dreading to see was waiting for me at the bottom, as luck would have it.

"Theodore," I said sweetly, throwing on the fakest smile I could muster.

"Can we talk? I'll walk over to the pitch with you," he offers grimly.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

He seems to contemplate this to himself for a moment before shrugging it off and jogging to walk in stride with me.

"You were having nightmares, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Were they about... Voldemort?" He whispers.

I stop in my tracks. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just answer."

I hug my arms to my stomach, a knot already rising in my throat. "I think."

"You think?"