HOLD ME, CONSOLE ME. – THEODORE NOTT
NOTES: This is inspired on my fic! 'Every breath you take'. y'all can go read it💟 also my first language is NOT english so sorry if i have any errors. HAPPY NEW YEAR !! (this is also my first time writing something short like this sorry if its bad😭)
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Rory sat curled up in the far corner of the Slytherin common room, her knees drawn to her chest. The green glow from the lake outside cast ghostly patterns across her face, and she stared blankly at the floor, replaying the argument with Cedric over and over in her mind. She could still hear his voice, laced with disappointment, and feel the sting of his words. She hated that she cared so much.
Theo entered the room quietly, his hands shoved in his pockets. He wasn’t one to go looking for trouble—or for Rory, for that matter—but he’d noticed her absence during dinner and figured something was off. Their dynamic was always complicated, teetering somewhere between grudging tolerance and outright rivalry. Still, something about her silence tonight nagged at him.
“Rory,” he said, leaning against the armrest of the couch near her. His voice was casual, almost indifferent, but his eyes held a flicker of concern. “What’s with the storm cloud over your head? Did Cedric finally trip over his own perfection and blame you for it?”
Rory didn’t laugh. She didn’t even snap back at him, which immediately set off alarm bells. Instead, she gave a hollow shrug. “Not in the mood, Theo.”
“Not in the mood?” he echoed, dropping into the chair beside her. “That’s new. Usually, you’d bite my head off by now.”
She glared at him weakly, but the fire in her eyes was dim. “Why are you here?”
“Because you look like you’re about to punch the wall or cry—possibly both—and I’d rather not have to explain why the common room’s a mess."
Her lips twitched, almost smiling, but it faded just as quickly. She sighed. “Cedric it’s over, Theo. We both saw him cheating on me. Also sent me a text saying im "Too slytherin'.” The word came out bitter, heavy with frustration and hurt.
Theo scoffed. “Too Slytherin? What does that even mean? Ambitious? Clever? Better at chess than him?”
“He thinks I manipulate people,” she muttered. “That I don’t care about anyone but myself.”
Theo frowned, his usually sharp features softening slightly. “That’s crap, Rory. Anyone who actually knows you would never say that. Cedric’s just—what’s the word? Ah, right. An idiot.”
Before Rory could respond, the door to the common room swung open, and Daphne Greengrass strutted in, her icy demeanor filling the room. Her gaze immediately locked on the two of them, and her lips curled into a smug smile.
“Well, well,” Daphne drawled, sauntering closer. “Isn’t this a cozy little scene? Rory, drowning your sorrows with Theo? How romantic. Or are you plotting your next scheme?”
Rory’s jaw tightened, and she stood, anger flashing across her face. “Not now, Daphne.”
“Oh, but now’s perfect,” Daphne retorted, stepping closer. “I just think it’s funny, really. Cedric finally saw through your act, and here you are, looking for your next target. How very predictable.”
Rory’s hands clenched into fists, but Theo stood before she could get a word out, placing himself between the two girls. “Back off, Daphne,” he said, his tone low and dangerous. “You’re not helping.”
Daphne arched an eyebrow, her smirk widening. “Oh, how noble of you, Theo. Defending Rory, of all people. Since when do you care what happens to her?”
Theo glanced back at Rory, whose face was a mix of anger and hurt, before turning back to Daphne. “I don’t. But I care about not listening to your nonsense. Go pick a fight with someone who actually deserves it.”
Daphne’s smile faltered, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t take orders from you.”
“No,” Theo said sharply, stepping closer, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “But if you want to stay here, you’ll keep your mouth shut. Or do I need to remind you that I can outthink you in every way that matters?”
For a moment, Daphne looked ready to lash out, but the steely determination in Theo’s gaze seemed to cow her. With a huff, she turned and swept out of the room, her robes billowing dramatically behind her.
As the door slammed shut, Rory sank back onto the couch, rubbing her temples. “Great. Now she’ll probably tell the whole house I’m crying over Cedric.”
Theo sat beside her again, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. “Let her. Half the house hates her anyway. Besides, it’s not like we’re friends or anything. I just couldn’t stand listening to her whine.”
Rory let out a bitter laugh. “Enemies or not, that was surprisingly decent of you.”
Theo shrugged, leaning back against the couch. “Don’t get used to it.”
But there was something in his tone—something softer, hidden beneath the sarcasm—that made Rory glance at him a little longer than usual. For the first time all day, she felt like the weight of Cedric’s words didn’t matter quite as much.