𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐘 𝐀 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐒 . . . 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭

𝟓. 𝐢 𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧

𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞

A great night is exactly how Elaine Knoxfort would describe the Slytherin party she was at right now. Mainly because she had been attached to Theodore Nott the entire night.

As soon as she sat down, after getting over the initial shock that she had, in fact, been able to speak to him without making a complete and total fool of herself, the conversation had actually flown quite nicely. They talked about their future aspirations – Theo wanted to become an Auror, Elaine doesn't really have a career in mind; their time at Hogwarts so far – both of them elected to skip the details of their many, many hookups; and their opinions on Easton – he's a right foul git.

Something about the way that Elaine watched his eyes glitter when he talked about Quidditch, or the way that he nervously fiddled with the cigarette in his hand when the conversation died down, or just listening to his captivating voice whenever he spoke made her feel differently than any guy she had ever met at this school.

Sure, she was dying to sleep with him. She would jump in bed with him right now if he asked, but she also just wanted to keep talking to him, keep getting to know about him. It had been quite a long while since she felt that desire toward any male that crossed her path – thanks, Cormac McLaggen.

"Your necklace is pretty." Theo said to break another silence in the conversation, pointing to the gold chain with a heart charm on Elaine's neck. It was simple, but it was a necessity for her. Her mother had gotten it for her when she was only five years old, and she hasn't ever taken it off.

Elaine smiled softly, reaching up to grab the charm with her fingers.

"Thanks." she replied. "My mum got it for me when I was five."

"Your mum has great taste." Theo told her, inching closer toward her.

The two of them were definitely much closer than when they had started their conversation about an hour and a half ago. Interesting, considering that the couch had only opened up with space in that time frame. Elaine didn't know how that happened, or when it happened.

She also didn't know where Cara and Easton went, but she could go forever without knowing that.

"I agree." Elaine replied, and Theo smiled at her, looking into her blue eyes as if she was the only thing that mattered in this entire room.

To be fair, that was exactly how he felt. Theo hadn't been the least bit concerned with anyone else's whereabouts since Elaine had sat down next to him. He knew that he was in for it tomorrow, given the fact that he had promised Pansy a game of beer pong and Mattheo a round of shots. He had also promised Easton a joint, but he knew that he had probably forgotten about that arrangement the second that Cara Carroll sat down beside him.

"You look really pretty tonight." Theo offered Elaine another compliment, and she felt blood rush to her cheeks. No doubt they were tinted red right now.

Elaine Knoxfort did not blush often, especially because of a man's words.

"East thinks I need to cover up more in the presence of his friends." she joked as she took another sip of the drink that Theo had gotten for her about fifteen minutes ago, remembering the comment her dipshit brother had left on her Instagram post.

"Nah." Theo replied with a smirk as he leaned closer to her, his lips inches away from her ear. "I told you, you're fine in just that. You'd be prettier in less."