Date: July 25th, 2000
Time: Early Evening
Location: Padma's Flat
Character(s) Involved: Padma Patil & Theodore Nott
Rating: With these two? Shouldn't be more than PG
Incomplete
(
Never assume that the guy understands that you and he have a relationship. - Dave Barry )
His lip curled slightly as he skirted a rather sticky muggle child who grinned sickeningly at him in the hallways.
Perhaps something could come of this. Theo was a mature, moderately attractive wizard of some integrity, despite his upbringing. He wasn't lacking in money or magical power. He would make a good... a good...
Theo swallowed hard as Padma's door loomed ahead of him.
A good... *gulp* boyfriend for someone like Padma.
Right? Oh Merlin.
He took a second to compose himself. It wouldn't do to have him arrive on Padma's door looking like he was facing his doom. Once Theo had cleared his throat, straightened his clothes, and released a deep breath, he was ready.
He knocked.
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"Anthony, this really isn't a--- OH!" Padma exclaimed as she noticed it was Theo standing at the door. Coloring softly and biting her lower lip, Padma reached up and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "I was expecting you to floo..."
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Perhaps this wasn't the best idea.
"Er, sorry," he said, eyes drawn to her lips as she nibbled on them. "I was nearby earlier..."
Bugger. Why had he taken the muggle way?
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Padma stepped back into the flat, casting a glance over her shoulder as she headed over to the coffee table to pick up the book she'd left out in order to replace it on the shelves, "Can I get you anything to drink?"
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Bloody hell. Theo had to chide himself for being so Circe-damned paranoid and posessive. Padma may not have shown any interest in this Anthony. Perhaps it was just Theo's aversion to the name; his father's name, after all. Surely people named Anthony could actually be honest and decent.
Surely.
He followed Padma back into her flat, once again admiring the relaxing decor and plentiful books. "I suppose I'll have whatever you were getting yourself," he said. "If you were getting yourself anything at all."
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"Tea's all right, then?" She asked, peering over the counter that divided the two rooms. "Make yourself at home, Theo."
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And now where to go from here? Theo simply couldn't blurt out would you like to see me formally in the middle of a conversation. He couldn't say I'd like to see if you could like me, and where a relationship might go without intense worry about what she'd say in return. No, it was best to sneak something like that into a conversation. Theo didn't feel comfortable asking Padma until he was fairly certain about what her answer would be.
"Um, how have you been?"
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"Been catching up with people the last few weeks," She said, a wry grin dancing on her face. "I saw my sister the other day," She said, wondering exactly how he'd react to that statement. It was probably so mean to tease him, but she was curious if his flatmate had actually informed him of the conversation she'd had with Parvati.
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"And how is your sister?" he asked dryly. Theo wasn't one to give up information: he knew that Padma knew that he knew that she'd heard what Pansy had said from Pavarti (Merlin, it was like being in school all over again!) but he didn't want to give up the advantage of being in the position to deny everything. Once he admitted that he knew what she'd heard, there wasn't any retracting that statement, even though he knew that Padma knew already.
Theo stopped and thought over the last line in his head. he knew that she knew that... Right. It made sense.
Although if he were to explain it to anyone else, he'd probably need a flow chart and chalkboard.
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As she sat down next to him on the sofa, she offered him a playful grin, "Apparently being out of work as made her delightfully gullible as well," she said, settling his teacup down in front of him before setting hers down and draw her wand, summoning the sugar packets from the kitchen counter. "Not that I can really talk," She said, catching them. "I'm so absentminded sometimes."
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Ah, well. Theo stirred his tea and tapped the spoon on the rim of the cup gently, creating a lovely ringing tone that lingered only briefly in the room. Tapping his spoon was a habit he'd never been able to break, even though the rest of his table etiquette was spotless. The particular tutor assigned to pureblood etiquette had remarked how the tab of a spoon when held properly could tell you the class and make (and thus, the expense) of a teacup. Curious as ever, Theo had gotten into the habit.
"Thankless and incessant does seem to discribe the majority of political work," Theo replied. "There are only a few jobs that come with the glamour."
"What are you absentminded about?" he asked Padma curiously. She had acknowledged her awareness of his awareness of... oh bugger. They had an understanding.
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"A lot of things, really. Like how I forgot to bring the sugar in the first time," Padma said, lifting her teacup and sipping from it. "Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my work I forget to eat and sleep," She said, leaning back against the couch as she took another longer drink.
"So...." Padma said with a devilish smirk on her face. "When did you and Pansy start sleeping together?"
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"Thank you," he said dryly. "I should have expected that."
So much for an understanding.
"I believe that's between Pansy and I," he said in a sanctimoniously stiff voice. Theo straightened his shoulders and back and looked down his long nose at Padma. "And shame upon you for suggesting that I discuss it!"
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Boyfriend??
A wave of shock washed over Theo. Where he'd been wondering if and how to spring the thought of a relationship, complete with thought-out logical points and arguments, Padma had apparently made the leap straight to boyfriend.
Realizing that the slackness of his face really couldn't be missed, especially by a girl as bright as Padma, Theo hastily cleared his throat.
"Am--" his voice squeaked. He cleared his throat again. "Am I your boyfriend now? I am, correct?"
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"Aren't you?" Padma asked softly.
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