The Jock and the Swot

Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to AlbinoPeacock for posting the plunny for this story. Thanks to Fae Orabel for betaing this story! All other mistakes are mine. If you liked this (or hated it) let me know about it in a review! Find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff. See the gorgeous manip that Klawdee890 made for this story on Tumblr!

And major thank you to all my readers for reading, whether you reviewed or not!

Enjoy!

~0o0~

Thorfinn watched from the platform in Hogsmeade as Granger and her friends laughed and lugged their trunks onto the train. It was a perfect summer day, with a light breeze sliding between the train and the station building. The sound of her laughter did things to his stomach he wasn't ready to examine at that particular moment. All he wanted was to be sure she got on the train. There would be six long hours to corner her once the train left for London.

Waiting until the last possible second, Thorfinn timed it perfectly to be the last person on the train, just before it left the station. Granger hadn't gotten off. Realistically, he didn't think she would, she had no idea he was planning to trap her, but Thorfinn wasn't taking any chances.

She'd been damn near impossible to find the day before. He had looked all over the castle, except for the Gryffindor common room, and she had been nowhere. She hadn't even appeared for meals. So while she had no idea he was looking for her, it certainly felt like she knew.

Maybe it was another of her spells? The thought hit Thorfinn like a brick. Anger coursed through him. How dare she control him like this? He clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths. Her bodyguards wouldn't release her if he stormed into their compartment looking as angry as he felt. He took a few more deep breaths, working to get his temper under control. At least he could secure an empty compartment before he went looking for her. That should give him enough time to calm down.

He had to walk through three carriages before he found an empty one. He put a locking charm on the door and then began looking for Granger in earnest. This early into the trip there weren't many people outside of their compartments, which made looking through them quick work. Finally, he found her in the last carriage, second to the last compartment. She was sharing a compartment with Potter and two Weasleys, scribbling on a piece of parchment, seeming not to be paying any attention to her friends.

He slid the door open and leaned against it. She didn't bother to look up.

"Rowle," Potter said with a nod. Granger looked startled as she tore her gaze from the parchment before her.

"Hello," she said quietly.

"Can I talk to you?" Rowle said, failing to keep the frown off of his face.

Granger gave him a matching frown, but nodded.

"You sure, 'Mione?" the male Weasley asked. Granger gave him a quick smile and nod as she tucked her parchment into her bag. She followed Thorfinn out of the compartment and into the carriage corridor.

Thorfinn led her back four carriages until he came upon the one with the empty compartment. With a flick of his wand, it unlocked. He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter first. The moment he was in, he pulled the shades, locked the door, and set a simple warding charm.

"I'm not fucking you on the train," she said flatly before Thorfinn even had a chance to turn around.

"That's not what this is about," he replied. He ignored the way his heart fluttered at her scent; there was an energy lying just beneath his skin that made him clench his fists so that he wouldn't touch her. She was so close and he hadn't been this close to her in almost a week. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sitting on one of the benches before his knees went out from beneath him.