Anger.

There were probably a million ways to treat a source of anger, to cure it and stop it from spreading to every crevice of one's being. Hermione Granger could — and would if asked — list all of them at the top of her head like a flick of her wand. Top answers would have to be, pour yourself a cup of tea and read a book by yourself. Scream into a pillow until your lungs deflate and the anger is long gone. ( Not a favourable one for those who have problems breathing truly. ) Go on a jog, move your muscles and take out all your anger on making sure you run until your body screams in agony. Muggle paint, an action that's supposed to be calming as you try to paint a sunset, Winnie thinks she'll stab someone with her paintbrush the first time someone tells her she does something wrong. Or maybe even talk to someone about why you're angry, get out, leave it in the air and away from yourself so it could no longer vester into a raging fire.

Hermione Granger's number one recommendation would be to absolutely not put yourself through a two hour, soul crushing, lecture with a teacher who looks like a pink toad.

Which was really unfortunate considering Winnie Buldstrode was a crackling fire of anger and was sitting in Umbridge's classroom for her Defence lesson.

The bLONDE sat with her arms wrapped around her torso, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she stared darts at the overly pink women. Her head was prodding right behind her eyes, causing her to shift uncomfortably in her seat and to pinch the bridge of her nose every two seconds. She was irritated, and even that was an understatement. That was the thing about Winnie Buldstrode, when her anger became too much, it turned into a sour taste at the tip of her tongue. Turned into magic flickering at her fingertips, in a sense, she was a ticking bomb waiting to be set off.

Once again, she felt that familiar heat that bubbled behind her skin, frizzing and sizzling like the afternoon after the Hogs Head meeting. Her own emotions mixing with the hollow, bitter betrayal feeling that was snapping in front of Cordelia Flint's heart.

Her skin crawled, itching and ticking with the sense that she knew she was there. Across from her, directly four feet away but out of touch in every sense of the name. Winnie had overgrown the self pity, she had made a mistake, she knew this, but she did what she thought was best, no matter how dangerous it was. The fact her cousin was so against hearing her out, to going as far as pretending she didn't even exist, was enough to make the blonde wish to reach over and strangle Cordelia Flint.

She felt that anger twist and shoot her heart, twist together with pieces of hurt and betrayal. As children, they spent everyday together just about climbing trees and giggling about stories or how the boys looked so weird with their high socks and shorts. It was the sort of bond that vestered inside of them both, they knew each other like they were each other's other halves. They had promised to never leave each once, way before Winnie's parents treated her like dirt, way before Max had died, way before the world became full of the fears they never knew existed.

It was as if even then, they knew the world wouldn't be kind to them.

"Come on Lia, it's not even that high, you can see the world here," Winnie's voice trailed down the bark of the tree, her legs straddling the branch of one of the trees in the Buldstrode yard. Her hands reaching up and grabbing hold of a red apple, holding it in her hands as she looked down at Cordelia. Who's nose twitched, head tilting as if she was considering the risk of falling. Finally, she lifted her foot, hiking up the hem of her dress so she could climb.

Winnie grinned triumphantly, leaning her back against the bark. She took a small bite out of the apple, wrinkling her nose at the sour taste that burst in her mouth, but swallowed and continued to eat it all the same. Finally, Cordelia reached the same branch Winnie sat at, throwing her leg over the tree and holding on tightly as she sat facing her.

"You won't fall," Winnie told her simply, taking a bite out of the apple again as Cordelia threw her a glare. Even as an eleven year old, she had perfected her glare. Which only received a grin from Winnie in reply, simply unfazed.

"I know that," Cordelia defended, jutting out her bottom lip as the leaves moved slightly in the wind. Casting shadows over her lightly freckled face, Winnie rolled her eyes then, which was a less perfected one and more of a dramatic one compared to the brunettes. "It's pretty here," Cordelia commented, her head turned to look out at the horizon which was just a line of bushes before trailing off into a grassy field. Winnie had breached beyond her allowed play area to investigate that once, it ended with her having a red hand and her parents being incredibly not happy with her.

"Are you excited to start Hogwarts? It's all Millie can talk about," Winnie sighed, toying with the edge of her blue dress, before taking a bite out of the apple, wishing it was Chocolate instead.

"Yeah, wouldn't it be fun to room together? We're both in Slytherin so it'll be like we have sleepovers every night," Cordelia beamed, her smile wide across her face as Winnie's own smile lifted up into a smile, nodding her head and feeling her pigtails hit against her shoulders. But then the memory of her Grandfather's words tilted around her, to be whoever she wanted and not what her family expected. Her eyes trailed to the half eaten apple in her hand, brown eyes fitted to a line before she looked up at her cousin, watching as she looked to the side towards the field.

"Hey Lia," she spoke softly, catching the brunette's attention. "Promise to never leave? No matter what happens we'll always be together." She spoke hopefully, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she watched Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows.

"Of course, you're like my best friend but even better because you're family, we'll always be together," Cordelia replied as if it was obvious, and Winnie's face turned to a smile because it was. They were family, and family would always be together, even at eleven Winnie Buldstrode understood that, and that was enough for her.

The blonde blinked, looking up from the wood on her desk to find everyone's eyes on her. Her eyebrows drew down in confusion as she looked around the room, before her eyes landed on Cordelia who was sitting next to Theo. For a moment, Winnie thought she saw concern written across her face, but the hope of that was correctly dismissed as Cordelia's eyes hardened and she looked away. Winnie sniffed, anger bubbling in her chest, so much for forever and always.

"Miss.Buldstrode," Umbridge's voice sounded like nails against chalkboard, irritating her further as she suddenly remembered why people were watching her.

"Pardon?" Winnie inquired, after clearing her throat and turning her attention towards the pudgy woman. Who stood at the front of the classroom, her hands wrapped around a pointer stick that she was so adamant about carrying. Winnie briefly wondered if she would end up hitting someone with it, one flick to the scar across her hand left her believing that she would.

"I was just telling the class about Werewolf Laws, can you rephrase what I said?" Her tone was honeily. as she smiled, creating a surge of a chill running down Winnie's spine as she shifted again. Her eyes flickering to Hermione who was sitting with her hands clenched, Winnie had a feeling none of the laws were particularly good.

"I," she paused, shifting again in her seat as she blinked, eyeing the chalk board that was still covered in O.W.L's. "I'm sorry, but I can't." She mumbled, pressing her lips together, because in truth, she had no idea, and even if she did, she had a feeling she would have a choice of words that wasn't classroom fitting.

"I'm sorry but did you just say that you can't?" The woman questioned, raising a bushy eyebrow as Winnie blinked, opening her mouth to reply just as she shook her head. "Because I would assume, as a fifth year student, that you would be able to tell me something as simple as Werewolf Laws. But apparently, it's too much to on such an incompetent mind such as your own, pity." She drawled, clicking her pink, cat-like nails against the stick she was holding. The disappointment washed off of the pudgy woman reached Winnie in waves, making her lips drawl into a thin line as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself.

The classroom was quiet all besides for a few chuckles that came from the Slytherin side of the room, while her face heated red she snapped her head to the side. Shifting in her seat once more and narrowing her eyes at Draco Malfoy and his goonies, snickering and taking the piss out of her. She felt her anger stir in the pit of stomach, twisting and burning her throat until finally she moved.

"Actually, I do have something to say," she spoke loudly, twisting her lips into a grin as Umbridge turned and looked back at her. Her mind snapping and letting the explosion of feelings mix together, she felt heat pool on the tips of her fingers, burning her side slightly.

"Winnie," Hermione muttered warnly, just as Winnie nudged her with her elbow, causing the blonde to shut up.

"Oh? And what is that?" Umbridge questioned thinly as Winnie continued to smile, waving one hand as she sighed dramatically.

"Well, admittedly I wasn't paying attention, your voice bores me," she shrugged, watching as Umbridge faltered, her hands tightening around the pointer she was holding as Winnie continued. "But, I can only assume, due to the lack of complete inconsiderate from the Ministry to most people who are ... different, that the Laws are completely barbaric—"

"Miss Buldstrode, I'd advise you to—"

"Furthermore, it'd be completely irrelevant to learn, because if you are asking us to treat a person, who has an unfortunate illness like an animal, all because they are different. Then, aren't you teaching us that we should believe in Pureblood supremacy as well? Because again, that's completely barbaric and also a load of shit—" she was cut off by the quick slap of wood against wood, her hands quickly removing themselves from the table as the sharp force of wind whipped down upon them. "You almost hit me!" She screeched, blinking in surprise as Umbridge peered down in her eyes drawn into tight lines with her lips pursed.

"Detention, Miss.Buldstrode," once again, a pink slip was shot out towards her. Leaving Winnie to snag it out of the witch's hands as she twisted her lips into a line, narrowing her own eyes as she shot up out of her chair, crumpling the paper in her hand. "And I will ask you to leave my classroom," and before she could finish, Winnie did just that. Making sure to nudge her roughly with her shoulder as she stalked out of the classroom, not leaving a spare glance at anyone as she whirled out in red robes and blonde hair flaring behind her.

A class in Defence was definitely not a cure for anger, especially not for a brunette with a raging heart of betrayal and pain, waiting to explode.

༺♥༻

    By the time four o'clock rolled out, Winnie had officially snapped at people twice. She almost knocked out Colin Creevy for simply getting in her way while she strolled ( stamped ) her way to potions. She had successfully scared Zacharias Smith when he boldly approached her, asking her if she saw Cordelia. Which was an unfortunate topic of conversation that he had chosen, she took one look at him and he went running behind Ernie Macmillan.

Seamus and Dean had started calling her 'Girl of Terror' by the end of the day, resulting in them both having their laces tied together, their faces smudged against the floor as she tucked her wand back in her pocket. She was also going to tell Snape to go shove his opinion where the sun doesn't shine, but thought better of it and instead kept her mouth shut. She was angry but not mental.

Though one could argue that fact simply by looking in on detention that evening, that maybe just perhaps, she was in fact mental.

"This again? Aren't you getting bored with your medieval ways?" Winnie questioned, rolling her eyes overly dramatically as she stared at the ting round table where two quills stood. By the way Harry kicked her foot, she had a feeling he was starting to think she was asking to be killed, and maybe she was.

"Excuse me?" Umbridge spoke too sweetly, stirring her pink tea in the tiny white mug she was holding. Winnie wrinkled her nose as a cat meows loudly from beside her ear, turning her head to glare at the tiny picture of the white cat who was licking their paws.

"She said nothing," Harry quickly cut in, as they both sat in their chairs, their bags dropping to the floor beside each other as Harry shot her a warning look. One she responded with by shrugging. and sighing.

Yeah, definitely asking for death.

"It doesn't seem like anything, care to share what I assume is your very marvellous thoughts?" Umbridge questioned, sipping her tea as Winnie sniffed, wrinkling her nose and sitting straight in her chair. Facing scowling as the two entered what she would call years later the Great Staring Contest of Bitchface and Go Fuck Yourself. The blonde cocked an eyebrow, feeling her mind prod itself as Umbridge sat, fingers tightening against her cup.

There was a thing that people told you not to do when arguing with Winnie Buldstrode, don't agitate her, and most certainly, do not believe that you'll win. She'll sniff that out of you as soon as you enter the room, and she'll abuse it to every inch of her power. Leave you feeling like you won, her head nodding and a smile on her face as if she understood exactly what you mean. And then, just when you start to relax, she'll pull the rug out from underneath you. Uprooting you and leaving you defenceless with her holding the power.

"Nothing," she replied, shrugging her shoulders, pretending to not notice the look of surprise that flashed her face. The blonde picked up the quill, twirling it in between her fingers as she glanced at Harry, who was staring at her like she was a puzzle she couldn't solve. She shrugged, looking back at Umbridge with a false smile across her features. "What are we scaring ourselves with today, your highness?"

"Same as always, and I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your comments to yourself," Umbridge bristled, keeping her hands on her tea cup as Winnie rolled her eyes.

"Pity," she muttered, placing the quill to the end of the parchment, writing the same words she had written several times before. Blood Traitors keep their mouths shut. She almost snorted at the words now, they had a completely different meaning to her now. Before, it was just words, just words twisted upon her that she brushed off. Now, it was her life, twisted upon her because her parents believed in a deranged psychopath rather than the truth.

She gritted her teeth together as the words emitted themselves on the front of her hand, drawing blood down her skin as she shifted in her seat. Eyes flickering up to Umbridge who was watching them both, a small smirk twisted upon her features behind the rim of the cup. Her eyes glanced up at Harry then, whose hand was curled into a first, words scraping across the skin as his jaw locked.

The thirst of power, it followed her in every step. Every decision she made the past few weeks has been because of power. There was a fine line between wanting power and actually wanting power. Winnie realized at a young age people wanted power for several reasons, all of them always came back to two options.

Wanting to make a change, or wanting to feel good about one's self.

Everyone wants power, in one way or another, for themselves or maybe for someone else. It was a tyrant drowning in power that made her change her life so drastically. It was her parents wanting power, no matter how twisted it was, that caused her to be burned from the family tree.

It was power that caused Umbridge to be so blind towards them, to smirk so effortlessly as they scarred their skin, as their blood dropped in small droplets against the white of her table. Winnie realized that she wasn't just doing this for the simple fact that she just could, she did it because she enjoyed it. She thrived in the idea of treating children like dogs, creating pain in a way only she could, knowing nobody could stop her because the Ministry had their hands clasped on her back.

It was a sickening thought, enough to make Winnie suddenly snort in the quietness of the room. Quills itched on parchment as all eyes moved to the blonde, who continued writing as if she didn't make any noise at all. Winnie waited, until the feeling of their eyes drifted off of her, at least, Umbridge's eyes that is. Harry had returned to writing, but out of the corner of her eye, she could feel him watching her curiously, trying to figure out her next move before she did it. It was then, when she sighed loudly.

"Is there something wrong, Miss.Buldstrode?" Umbridge quieres, her voice incredibly thin as she gripped her mug. Winnie briefly wondered if she could get her to break it.

"Can I use the loo?" Winnie questioned, fighting back the urge to smile, watching pleasantly as Umbridge blinked.

"The loo?" Umbridge questioned, startled as Winnie nodded her head, snapping her fingers.

"Yes the loo, where people go to pee and shite. Do keep up," she sighed, resting her bleeding hand on the table as Umbridge bristled, staring wide at her before gripping the mug tighter. Ah yes, break it.

"Your detention is over in fifteen minutes, surely you can wait," Umbridge seethed, gritting her teeth together as Winnie wrinkled her nose.

"But I really need to go, I'm afraid I'll pee on this chair, wouldn't that be a pity? And awfully embarrassing, me and Harry are only just starting to be friends. I'm afraid we won't survive the horror of me peeing my clothes," she frowned, jutting out her bottom lip as she reached forward to pat Harry on the shoulder. She really didn't need to use the loo, at all in fact, she had used it before she arrived.

"Winnie," Harry muttered, catching her attention as she looked at him. His green eyes flashing as he shook his head, silently telling her to stop, while she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Why must you insist on being such an annoyance? Clearly my methods aren't working on you, perhaps I need to... dial it up," Umbridge clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she laid her mug down on her desk.

"Oh really! Do tell me whatever insane torture methods you have Professor, that just riles me up," she falsely giggled, clapping her hands before finally staring at her with a smile fastened across her lips. "What's the worst you can do? I have no parents who care, come on, give it your best shot, Professor," she drawled, leaning over the table the same time Harry had snapped Winnie. While the blonde was completely giving her whole attention to Umbridge, feeling the anger she repressed for days surging through her. Her magic burned through her fingers as she clenched the rim of the table, eyeing nothing else but Umbridge, who was staring at her with her own hand wrapped around the pointer stick. Eyes narrowed and face flushed red, as she clenched her jaw so furiously it shook.

Just as she was about to open her mouth, Winnie's lips turned into a wide grin, but it never came. The door to her office swung open, causing all three occupants to turn and look at Marcus Flint who stood in the doorway. Dark hair tousled and eyes looking at Winnie, she noticed the twitching of his left arm as he coaxed it behind his back. Her anger dismissed as quickly as it came, leaving her with nothing but a pale face. Her lips falling slack as her fingers fell from the table, falling limply to her lap, swallowing thickly she watched as he looked away and towards Umbridge.

"Apologizes Professor," the older male offered her an overly charming smile as he addressed her, Winnie noticed with a sickening turn of her stomach that Umbridge almost bristled, her cheeks flushing once more. "But I'm here to take Winnie, I need to speak to her regarding classes, I'm her tutor you see and it's incredibly important."

It was anything but her tutor, which was important to note, but she couldn't speak at that moment. Her mouth felt as if every wet space was sucked clean out of it, leaving it dry and empty as she continued to sit and stare. Feeling dread fell over her again as she twisted her silver ring, feeling the movement of her bracelet move against her wrist.

"Oh. Well, she's in detention and it doesn't seem—"

"It's incredibly important, I'm afraid it can't wait. I'm sure you can make up for it a different time," Marcus argued, cutting her off with a flash of his smile once more. Slytherin robes fastened tightly as Umbridge pursed her lips, before finally sighing.

"Fine, go ahead. But I'll see you tomorrow evening for detention Miss.Buldstrode, do not be late," Umbridge ordered, pointing a finger at her as Winnie correctly gathered her belongings, not even bothering to protect her bleeding hand as she walked towards her cousin. Her eyes flickered to Harry, who was watching the exchange with drawn down eyebrows, his hand cradling through his hair.

Marcus placed hand on her shoulder, nodding his head towards Umbridge before they left the office. Following each other down the winding stairs and through the Defence classroom, until finally they entered the hallway, where Winnie finally gathered enough of her voice to speak.

"Are you okay?" She questioned quietly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. Her magic curled out around the edges, feeling around his heart for feelings that was nothing but a sharp wash of cold air, the same feeling Theo radiated everytime she was around. She didn't know him enough to know whether or not there was a problem, but she continually noticed the way his hand would shift to rub at the clothes on his forearm, twist it and scratch as if the behind it was irritated. Her heart sank just as drastically as it had back during that day in the Manor.

"You're so stupid, you know that," he sighed tiredly, running his hand down his face before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an alcove. Her feet shuffled against the floor before she started to chew on the inside of your cheek. "Cordelia's mad at you."

Winnie scuffed then, running a hand through her hair as she shifted her feet. "I know, don't need you to tell me." she snapped, glaring at him tiredly as he rolled his eyes. "I didn't tell her," she added after a moment, her tone quieter, but feeling bitter as it left her mouth. "Not that she gave me the chance, but I wasn't going to tell her ... about you that is," she trailed off, biting her lower lip as she stared down at her shoes.

They stayed quiet after a moment, Winnie feeling every drop of worry manifest through her skin and grow bitter and worse as the silence prolonged. Everything she did that day seems so stupid now, it changed nothing, besides making Cordelia hate her now. She could care less about being burned off the family tree, it seemed so small in a life where Cordelia Flint wasn't speaking to her.

"What ... What happened after I left?" She asked quietly, not even believing she truly wished to hear the answer. But she needed to hear it, and by the painful look Marcus flashed her, she knew it wasn't good.

"You don't want to know," he replied thickly, clearing his throat, his arm twitching as he avoided her eyes.

"You're right, I don't," she laughed half heartedly, catching herself with a frown on her lips. "But I need to know," she added after a moment, twisting her silver ring, staring back as Marcus watched her. His eyes flickering as his jaw clenched, before he ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"He was angry, which props to you by the way, for being bloody fucking brave, stupid sure, but brave," she snorted bitterly, as she swallowed thickly. "He took it out on your parents and Millie. It wasn't bad, as you can see Millie is fine. He uh ... did what he was going to do before you interrupted," he shrugged, as if what he just said was an everyday thing. While she was standing with her heart clenching in her throat, feeling her hands grow clammy, suddenly it was incredibly hard to swallow.

She didn't need to know what punishing her family meant. She may hate them, she may not even be apart of them anymore in their eyes, but the idea of them suffering by torture because of her was enough to send her stumbling to the wall. Hand clenching against her chest, right over her heart as she felt it bang against her hand. Blood pounding and twisting in her ears, as she breathed in deeply.

"Hey I uh... wanted to thank you. It didn't work but the thought of it counts," he paused as she blinked, coming back into orbit and staring at him with shaky hands. "I'm not going to pretend I don't know why Cordelia is mad, but it was a nice thing you were trying to do for her. I hope she hears you out one day," his voice trailed around her like glue. Sticking to every part of her being as she tasted bitter words inside her mouth, blinking as she shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, didn't work anyway," she shrugged, voice barely audible from the way she mumbled them, stringing them together in heartache. She glanced up at the male in front of her, watching as he furrowed his eyebrows but nodded, not saying anything further, a fact she was thankful for as they both slipped out from the alcove, at the exact moment Harry left the Defence classroom. His eyes instantly spotted them as Winnie sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Marcus left without another word, simply nodding at her as he threw his eyes over to Harry briefly, before turning and disappearing down the hall. Winnie stood, her eyes trailing to her hand where dry blood started to show up against the pale of her skin. She stretched out her hand, winching at the pain that stung its way through her veins and fingers.

"What happened back there?" Harry questioned suddenly, his tone stern as he approached her. Winnie paused her actions, looking up at him before furrowed her eyebrows. Her mind was everywhere else but his question as he sighed, "there's burn marks from your fingers on the table Winnie."

"What?" She paused, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion as she frowned, watching Harry's face flicker with his own confusion. Until finally, she remembered the rage that burned in her veins when she sat in Umbridge's office, the way her fingers gripped the table as her magic bristled and sparked. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Harry commented, rolling his eyes as the girl frowned, before turning on her heel and starting to walk away. Overwhelmed and wanting to be alone at that moment more than deal with Harry's questions that she didn't even know how to answer. "Hey! Where are you going? I was still talking."

"I know, I don't care though," she called over her shoulder, wringing her hands together as she continued to walk briskly down the hall. She had reached the stairs by the time Harry had caught up to her, his lips pulled into a line as she eyed him. "What?"

"Are you serious?" He questioned in disbelief, walking down the stairs beside her as she rolled her eyes.

"Look, it was a flare up of magic, big deal," she drawled, shrugging as Harry scuffed.

"Winnie you're angry, you can't hold that in it'll—" Winnie barked out a loud laugh, stopping him mid sentence as she turned her head to the side to look at him as they continued walking.

"Real rich coming from you, all you do is hold in your anger Harry! So don't come to me and lecture me about anger," she snapped, glaring at him as he narrowed his eyes back at her. Completely unfazed by her tone, the two reaching the hallway leading to the kitchens.

"You can be really fucking mean do you know that?" He questioned slowly, causing Winnie to snort in amusement, rolling her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest as she stopped walking all together.

"You can be angry about what happened, I get it. But you can't take it out on everyone around you, you aren't the only one going through shite. You had a family—"

"A family?" She cut him off, angrily as she stepped closer, pointing a finger at his chest. "Oh yeah I had a family alright. I had a sister who spent a better half of her life calling me a disappointment, saying she's happy that our parents don't care about me because now they give all their attention to her. A father who would rather pretend I don't exist, which honestly is better than the alternative. Because when I do exist it's only so he can call be a dog and push me against the table. Let's not forget about my mother, who turned her back so quickly on me it's hard to believe she ever loved me. I was burned off the family fucking tree Harry, do you know what that means in our culture? Hmm? It means I am nothing," she spat, her face flushed and heat crawling up her skin as she stared daggers at the raven haired boy who stared with his lips separated. "The only family I ever had isn't speaking to me now either, so excuse me if I'm a little angry right now."

She stepped back then, locking her jaw as she breathed in deeply. Swallowing thickly and crossing her arms across her chest, staring at him as he stared wordlessly back at her, not uttering a word as her shoulders suddenly slumped. Shaking her head she deflated, anger bubbling out her once more, wringing a hand through her hair. She opened her mouth to speak just as another body joined them in the hallway, both turned watching as Theo Nott froze to a stop, his eyes first going to Winnie who stared back at him with a frown on her lips. Then towards Harry, who blinked on surprise, eyeing both the brunet and the blonde.

"Potter," Theo spoke first, stepping closer, towards Winnie who hugged her arms to herself. Keeping her feet planted on the spot below her. "Winnie," his voice changed as quickly as her mood did, it was softer and held a hint of concern that made her feel like she was drowning.

"Nott," Harry greeted back, his eyes watching their interaction the same time Winnie looked up at Theo. "I'll just uh ... Winnie," he spoke clearly, catching the blonde's attention as she looked over at him. "I'm sorry," and with that, he turned and walked away from the hallway, leaving them alone.

"What are you doing here?" Winnie questioned quietly, shifting her weight as Theo raised an eyebrow, taking a slow step forward just as Winnie took a step back.

"I thought you'd be here, after detention," he shrugged, she watched as his hand shifted to the hand that was scarred due to Umbridge's quill. She quickly covered her hand with the sleeve of her Hogwarts robes. "Thought you didn't want to be alone," he added after a moment, her eyes trailing up to his own. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, watching him as he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets, rocking on the back of his heels. She didn't reply, instead she turned on her own feet and made her way towards the kitchens. Apparently it was good enough for him, with or without the answer, for he followed behind her anyway.

She laid her bag on the table, leaving it behind as she moved to greet an elf who popped with wide ears. She smiled, despite the fact it felt like needles were poking her heart, asking for pumpkin soup. The elf zapped away, only after Theo asked for two pieces of chocolate cake. Leaving her to raise an eyebrow at him which he only replied with a shrug.

They sat in silence, neither one breaking it as she shifted uncomfortably. Eyeing him as he pulled a book out of his bag, flicking open to a page and beginning to read. She watched, watching as his eyes trailed against each word, only pausing to thank the elf who left their food on the table. A teacup sat down in front of him, where he began to twirl his spoon in his tea. She watched, eating silently as she twitched her nose. Waiting for him to speak, waiting for him to end the silence that twirled around them.

She had never encountered where Theo was anything but silent, always speaking, always making his thoughts known, besides for now. Where apparently he'd much rather read a book than talk to her, she eyed him as he took a sip from his tea. lips pursing open, flicking a page forward with his finger.

"Are you going to speak?" She questioned quickly, dropping her spoon down her soup as his eyes finally moved to her. An eyebrow raised as she watched him close his book, laying it down on his bag.

"Did you want me to?" He questioned, resting his chin against his knuckles as he stared at her. Leaving her with her mouth falling open, eyes blinking before a huff left her lips.

"What are you doing here Theo?" She questioned, pinching the bridge of her nose and staring down at the orange soup in front of her.

"I'm reading," he answered simply, without a tone of amusement or even boredom. It was just simple words leaving his mouth and leaving her all the more confused.

"That's not what I meant," she sighed, narrowing her eyes at him as the corner of his lip titled up.

"What happened between you and Cordelia?" He questioned suddenly, his voice stern, lifting his mug ro his lips again as her shoulders squared. Lips pursuing into a line, keeping her eyes locked on his own.

"I'm sure she's told you, you're her best friend after all," she spoke, her tone coming off as matter of factly, her teeth clenching together as she looked away.

"Yes, but I want to hear your side of the story," he deflected, crossing off her argument with a flick of his wrist as she shifted in her chair. Drumming her hands against the table, before looking back at him.

"No," she spoke simply, shaking her head and pushing herself up off the stool. Grabbing her bag and getting ready to leave the room just as he stood.

"You aren't leaving," she almost laughed then, her hands freezing as she looked up at him with wide eyes. Seeing his jaw locked and his arms resting across his chest.

"You don't have a say in whether or not I leave this room," she sniffed, raising her chin as she draped her bag over shoulder. Moving to move around him just as his hands moved out to grasp her shoulders, the movement was a quick flash of black out of the corner of her eye, causing her to flinch violently from the memory of a man with red eyes moving towards her. "Don't touch me," she snapped, raising her hand with her palm forcing outwards as she watched Theo freeze. Her heart pounding in her ears, shaking her head and swallowing thickly she tried to move again. Only this time he moved in front of her, not reaching to touch but still restricting her from leaving all the same. "Theo! Let me go right now."

"No, you're being stupid and stubborn, I'm not going to let yourself get into trouble just because you refuse to talk about shite," he argued, standing his ground as she tried to move again, only for him to stand in front of her.

"Fuck you," she muttered, turning to quickly move past him only for his arms to wrap around her waist and hold her tightly still. Her body tensed up, hands curling into fist as she tried to snake her way out of his hold. "Let me go, I don't want to fucking talk about it," she snapped, her body twisting just as Theo swung her up, her eyes widening as she landed with her head facing his back. Her body bent over his shoulder as he held onto her waist. "What the fuck?" She yelled, hitting him on the back as he continued to walk her towards a chair.

"You're going to talk about it whether you like it or not," his voice trailed around her calmly, all the while she was continuing to hit his back or kick his legs, before she finally gave up.

"I'm going to kill you," she huffed loudly, feeling him drop her down on a chair. Her body quickly surging forward to leave just as he sighed, pushing her back down into the chair. "What is your problem? Let me fucking go." Her eyes were narrowed as she looked up into his own, watching as he narrowed his own eyes.

"My problem? My problem is the fact that both you and Cordelia were perfectly fine and now you guys are acting like you couldn't care if the other died or not," he snapped, running a hand through his hair and tugging on the bottom strands furiously. As he did so, she made a move to try and run for it again, only for him to dart out and place her back in the chair. "Would you stop?"

"No," she answered stubbornly, but didn't try to move again, instead she stayed seated, crossing her arms across her chest with a frown forming on her face. She stared blankly at the wall, their food and drinks forgotten about on the table.

"Circ, you're fucking stubborn," he muttered, rolling her eyes as she stuck up her middle finger towards him.

"It's none of your business quite frankly, so fuck off," she snapped, sniffing as she turned her eyes back to the white wall she was staring an imaginary hole in. Hearing him snort in reply as she clenched her jaw again, suddenly remembering why she bloody hated him.

"It is my business actually, she's my best friend and you're my—" he paused, catching her attention as she eyed him out of the corner of her eye, pressing her lips into a line as she straightened her back. "I care alright, and whatever this is, you're letting it bubble up inside of you, and you're doing nothing about it."

"There's nothing wrong," she shrugged, keeping her arms across her chest as he sighed, shoving a chair over to sit in front of her.

"Yeah, totally nothing wrong at all," he muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. She stared at the spot behind his shoulder, choosing not to reply because even she knew that was a lie. Everything was wrong, and nothing could ever fix it. She twisted her ring, shifting in her seat before her eyes slowly trailed to him, already finding his eyes on her. Flinching, she snapped her eyes away again.

"What do you know?" She questioned quietly after a moment, running her tongue over her top lips as she started to tap her foot against the floor.

"Just that you weren't at the Buldstrode family party, and you guys got into a fight about it," Theo shrugged, her attention drifting to him then as she snorted. Vague. That was one word for it, Cordelia was never one to give details of things. Then again, she never was either, except she did hers in a completely different way.

"Figures," she snorted, lifting her hand to her face slightly as she looked at her nails. All chewed and chipped with nerves over the past few days, "you wanna know what happened?" She questioned looking at him as her hand fell to her lap, her jaw locking as she nodded. "Fine, but don't you dare judge me, or Cordelia," she snapped, pointing a finger at him the same time he narrowed his eyes.

"Fuck you. I wouldn't ever judge Cordelia, or you. You don't know the first thing about my life," he argued, pointing a finger at her in return as she clamped her mouth shut. Keeping her eyes narrowed despite the fact that she knew it was true, she didn't know his life like Cordelia did, so for the sake of not uttering the words that she was sorry, she continued.

"My parents have always had fucked up ideals, they're stupid and incredibly obtuse. But apparently they reached their level of stupidity this Christmas, in the spirit of Father Christmas and all that shite," she paused, rolling her eyes as she darted her eyes to him, watching as he leaned back in his chair, eyebrows furrowed as he listened. "Did you know Muggles have this religion where there's one God, who has all these angels and has his children. There was this one angel, who went against his morale, you know, everything that was good and orderly, guess he didn't like that very much. Well, anyway, the God sent him down, marking him as a fallen angel, his name is—"

"Lucifer," her eyes darted to him again, now seeing him leaning forward with his fingers on his lips, watching her intently as she nodded, swallowing heavily before continuing.

"Yeah, Lucifer," she agreed, licking her lips before sighing and running a hand through her hair. "So, imagine my surprise when the guy who looked pretty much what people described Lucifer himself to look like, is sitting in my dining room. You know, eating tea and scones, offering us a place in his bakery. Well, I didn't want to be apart of no fucking bakery, not that I had a choice, I never have choice really," she paused, scuffing before remembering who she was talking to. Chewing her bottom lip, she eyed him, watching him watch her with a look she couldn't pinpoint. Green eyes flashing and his elbows leaning against his knees, her eyes traced his face a moment longer before she looked away.

Clearing her throat, she continued. "Anyway, I uh... I wanted to do something good, I did have an option. I didn't have to join the fucking bakery because people offered me a way out, and well, I saw a different opportunity." She paused, looking down at her hands as she twisted her rings. "I wanted to do something good for Cordelia, she didn't need to lose a ... Well, not like it matters now. I did what I thought was the right thing to do, I should've been honest but I wasn't. Losing her is the price to pay," she shrugged, chewing on her bottom lip again before sighing loudly, running a hand through her hair once more and avoiding his eyesight.

"You haven't lost her," it was quiet for a few moments before he spoke, his tone soft and without judgement, or even confusion. She wondered for a moment if he knew exactly what she was talking about, her eyes tracing to him, catching green in brown. She realized then, she really did know nothing about his life, nothing about his family besides for the fact that he mother was dead. She frowned then, and before she knew it, his hand was reaching out and taking her scarred hand in his. She watched, as he traced his thumb against the raised skin, drawing her hand into a fist before he lifted her hand to his lips. Kissing her scar softly as she sucked in a breath, lips forming into a line, allowing him to thread his fingers with her own.

"I think I have," she whispered, blinking furiously as a lump formed in her throat, eyes stinging from the sudden pain shooting from them. She wouldn't cry, she was tired of crying, so instead, she allowed him to shake his head, allowed him to stand and pulled her up with him. Allowed him to wrap his arms around her and hug her tightly, and despite the fact she wanted to be alone, despite the fact anger still bubbled inside of her, she hugged him back just as tightly.

And when he moved back, tucking her hair behind her ears, and asked quietly if she wanted to share the pieces of chocolate cake with him, she laughed. Nodding her head, because he offered a comfort that she hadn't had in days. So she laughed, and ate chocolate cake with the boy she said she hated, all the while feeling that she couldn't exactly hate him any longer.