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o.o.O.o.o
Theo loved the autumn, a riot of colour and vibrancy in what was normally such a dull world. One last gasp of life before everything fell into its long winter slumber. He was in his favourite spot, under a gnarled old oak near the Forbidden Forest. Only a handful of people knew about this place, and even then it was only so that he could be found in the case of an emergency.
He was studying for his Newts, like so many others. He’d been part of the handful of students that had chosen to return for an optional 8th year, after the horrors of the war. The final battle had taken place only a bare five months ago now, but there was little remaining to hint that so many had died here. There was talk of a great monument to be built on the grounds to commemorate the sacrifices of those that had defended the school and its students, but for the moment all efforts had been to focus on rebuilding the main structures.
A red leaf fluttered down and landed on the open page of his Charms book, bringing a small smile to his normally serious face. He picked it up, twirling the stem between his thumb and forefinger. There was something about the way the grounds were blanketed in red and gold, and it seemed to lull everyone into forgetting for a short time. There were so many things he wanted to forget, friends that he would never see again, and others so changed by the horrors they had seen that they would never be the same.
He heard footsteps on the path, and he nodded politely to Granger. She was the only one of the so-called Golden Trio to return. A flick of his wand made the fallen leaves swirl around her, a playful dance of colour. He stopped only when he saw a small smile creep across her lips. She didn’t smile much these days, and he’d made it his personal mission to try and inspire one when he could. “Join me?”
“I needed to get out of the castle, Draco suggested I head out this way,” Hermione said and sat down, settling against the trunk of the oak, beside the Slytherin boy.
“It’s my favourite spot on the grounds, has been since second year when I stumbled across it,” he confided in her. “I love it especially at this time of year.”
“I can see why,” Hermione let her eyes sweep over the view, the riot of colour all around them. “It’s beautiful.”
“So are you,” Theo said softly, giving voice to something he’d concealed for a very long time.
She blinked in surprise at him. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true,” he replied, wordlessly transfiguring the leaf in his hand into a beautiful red rose. “I’ve just never had enough courage to tell you.”
Hermione took the rose and brought it to her nose, breathing in the intoxicating fragrance. It was an impressive display of magic, to not just transfigure it, but to imbue it with all the qualities of a real rose. “I never knew that you even noticed I existed,” she said.
“Come with me to Hogsmead this weekend?” Theo asked. “I’d like to get to know you better, if you’ll let me.”
Hermione hesitated a moment, looking into his earnest hazel eyes. There was a brief twinge when she considered Ron, but she hadn’t heard from him in weeks and Harry had been hinting that Ron might be seeing someone else. What could it hurt? “I’d like that, and you can call me Hermione,” she gave him permission.
Theo reached over and took her hand, lifting it up and brushing his lips over it gently. “Then I insist you call me Theo,” he said in return. Autumn was the season of change, and he could think of no better time to begin something that could change the course of his future. He reminded himself to thank Draco for steering her out here later. He really was a good friend.
~Fin~