starstruck || hannah abbott

15 || a simple question

Theodore Nott did not have anxiety. He just hated how his family issues kept surfacing at school which was where he went to escape them.

It was hard on him for having to live with the fact he had witnessed his mother's passing away. He was also irked at Harry Potter for continuing to bring up Voldemort and his followers. Most of Slytherin House knew that his father was a Death Eater and some students stereotyped him to follow in his father's footsteps.

Being the son of a known Death Eater took a toll on him. Theo related to Draco Malfoy, but he never could find the snarky dominance that Malfoy asserted when he pranced throughout Hogwarts. Malfoy and Theo considered each other friends, but not to the point that he could confide in the other teenage boy the way he could talk to Anastasia.

After quite some time cooped up in his dormitory, Theo walked out to the Common Room. Ana was transfixed by the fireplace, in some kind of a trance all alone. He paused and just looked at her. Ana looked so small here and now: her shoulders were hunched, her brown hair covering her face in the shadows, and her hands clasped nimbly in her lap. This year had been a very stressful year for everyone in Hogwarts. Ana and Theo were no exception to any of the stress.

"Ana?" His voice was raspy from lack of use and sleep.

The brunette jumped and looked up at him with startled brown eyes.

"Theo? Are you all right?" Ana stood up from the couch and walked over to the boy.

"Now, yes. Before, no. Let me explain."

Theodore Nott and Anastasia Dorhn stood in the wake of the dying flames and talked for who knew how long until both of them were on the same page about everything. It felt good to confide in each other. After all, Theo did not have anxiety, but Ana quite clearly did.

The very next morning, Ana had breakfast with Theo before the two departed for Charms. Ana had something she wanted to ask Hannah this morning and hoped she wouldn't mess up her words. Lots of mental preparation and a few hours of lost sleep had gone into her thoughts so the fifteen year old prayed she would stay competent enough to.

Sitting down in the wooden desk chair, Ana positioned her notes and quill in a neat manner and waited for Hannah. The brunette observed the rest of the class filing in to their respective seats and caught a glimpse of the unmistakable bright red that was the telltale sign of Susan Bones. Accompanying Susan was the one person in all of Hogwarts, or perhaps the whole world, that struck Ana so profoundly.

The stars that spun in Hannah's crystal blue eyes mesmerized Anastasia just as much has Hannah's captivating personality. The golden girl had rebelled against Professor Umbridge this year and lived. She was strong and loyal, the picture-perfect Hufflepuff student in Ana's mind.

The two Hufflepuffs finished their conversation and parted ways. Hannah sat down next to Ana and offered the Slytherin a shy smile. Ana was thrilled and kind enough to reciprocate. Now was her chance to ask Hannah her burning question.

"Hey, Hannah," Anastasia greeted her quietly.

"Hello, Ana."

Those two words simply rolled off of Hannah's tongue and the way that this girl said Anastasia's nickname made the brunette's heart flutter.

"I was wondering something," Ana started and mentally punched herself for her opening line. "Would you be interested in studying for our Charms O. W. L. together in the library tonight?"

Ana was thoroughly convinced she had just ruined any chance at all of being able to spend time with Hannah after the query escaped her lips. What if Hannah already had plans? What if she agreed and brought Susan? Should Theo come as back up? What if Hannah turned her down?

"That sounds wonderful. What time would you like to meet?"

Anastasia almost didn't hear the girl sitting next to her correctly. Her mind was blank with things to say. Was she dreaming or had Hannah Abbott just agreed to study with her tonight?

"How about after dinner?" Ana suggested hopefully.

"Works perfectly for me. Good thinking on your part, Ana, studying for these exams together should most definitely help us," Hannah said enthusiastically.

Anastasia spent the rest of the day in a complete daze. She told Theodore during Transfiguration and he was quite enthused for his best friend.

When dinner time did finally roll around, Ana and Theo sat near the end of the Slytherin table and discussed possible outcomes for this evening.

"What if she stands me up?" Ana asked worriedly.

"She won't. Though if she does, you need to find someone else to pine pathetically over besides her," Theo joked.

"Not helping, Theo," she grumbled.

"What are the odds she would not come? You both get on very well in class, why not outside of class as well? She will be there tonight, Ana," he said reassuringly.

Ana smiled over her dinner plate and stole a glance over at the Hufflepuff table. Hannah was immersed in a conversation with that very tall boy with mousy brown hair and Susan Bones. The fifteen year old Slytherin smiled to herself at how much this girl's demeanor reflected the stars above.

When dinner ended, Anastasia returned to her Common Room in order to gather up all of her Charms notes. The exam terrified her, but being able to prepare for it with someone she admired, albeit from afar, Ana gained a bit of confidence.

"Wish me luck," Anastasia said as she passed by Theodore on her way up to the library.

"She will come, Ana, I have no doubt about it," Theo said with a grin as he watched his best friend depart from the dungeons.

Ana walked briskly and with a purpose. She was nervous, but very excited for tonight.