What Do A Lion And A Wolf Share?

To Be Or Nott To Be

Theo Nott had enclosed Hermione within one of the tightest hugs she'd ever received 47 seconds ago. His face buried in her curls and his arms squeezing her in random intervals, he showed no signs of letting her go. Hermione finally moved to hug him back, unsure and light at first, then deeper and more fierce as the hug reached a full minute. It was not nearly as good as a Ron bear hug, but it was the closest she'd had in over six months. It was the only hug she'd had in over six months, now that she thought about it.

"You aren't upset?" Hermione quizzed, breaking from their hug and searching his face.

"No, not at all. Are you upset?" Theo smiled back at her, his warm brown eyes dancing with excitement.

Hermione took stock for a moment, feeling an uncharacteristic lack of anything. "I'm bewildered more than anything," she realized as she shared it.

"It's a shock for me too. Shall we discuss over tea?" Theo glanced at the Ministry official, who was unabashedly watching their interaction with keen interest.

"Yes," Hermione answered quickly. "But someplace Muggle, so we can speak in private." The intrusive woman's face fell upon hearing their plan to leave.

"The challenges of celebrity. Mine, of course. Can't be seen out with a nobody like you," Theo gave her a cheeky smile, so different from the silent boy she remembered. He opened the door for her and thanked the official, assuring her they'd return eventually to sort out the forms the woman was holding up.

"I'm glad someone of your fame can make time for me," she teased back as they walked out the gray corridors of the Ministry, surprised that the joking came so easily. As a kid she'd struggled when interacting with her peers and trained herself to be cautious and reserved around strangers. But Hermione felt like watching Theo's range of emotions this morning was like holding up a mirror to her own. Recognizing he too woke up this morning an only child, she allowed her social walls to crumble a bit for the man to her right.

Taking her first step outside the Ministry and into muggle London, Hermione breathed in the familiar London air. While she enjoyed the warm weather in Sydney, she missed the bustling gray city she grew up in. The June sun warmed the pair as they stepped in time, Theo stripping off his black robes as they got warmer to reveal a button down shirt and slacks. Hermione felt rather underdressed as she removed her robes too, sporting muggle jeans and a blue blouse. If Theo noticed the discrepancy, he made no mention of it.

"So Miss Granger," Hermione shook her head at the title and opened her mouth to correct him. Theo held up his hands. "Sorry, Hermione. Blame the etiquette classes. What do you do at the Ministry?"

"Well, Theo," Hermione emphasized before continuing, "I work in the Office of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I spend most of my team doing research and writing proposals focused on better treatment for magical beings."

"A Nott as a do-gooder? Maybe we need to get the test redone," Theo started to turn around before Hermione pulled him back, the two chuckling as she did. "From what I remember about you in school, that makes sense. I'm just surprised you aren't running the department."

"I think under normal circumstances climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as possible is what I would've worked for. But I've been away, living in Australia for the past few years - just got in this morning actually."

"Australia? What were you doing down under?" Theo questioned in a poor Australian accent that tipped the corners of her mouth.

"Staying with family." As much as she liked Theo so far, she didn't want to talk about her parents yet. She didn't even want to think about them right now. She was too focused on finding answers in the man next to her. "But I'd like to get to the bottom of all this. And get to know you better. So I'm planning to stay."