𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝐹𝑜𝓊𝓇

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There were still two months until final exams, and yet everyone around Iris seemed to have already thrown themselves into studying. Which granted may have just been her choice in company… Valeria and Theodore were just top-of-the-class freaks, Jane had parents with expectations, and Tracey was throwing herself into studying as she tried to move on.

And with the Quidditch finale just a week away, even Harry Potter was focused on his own thing, throwing himself into practice with his firebolt.

Sally-Ann was definitely Iris's only sane friend. But even she was busy with a fling with some Ravenclaw boy.

So escaping from the mountains of school books, not just in the dorm but also in the common room, Iris took a walk. Strolling through the castle in a fruitless attempt to find anything to do. For such a big castle… it really lacked things to do. Especially when on your own.

And Iris, bored and on her own, left her far too susceptible to taking up any chance at conversation life could throw at her.

So when she walked by the library and met the eyes of a certain Hermione Granger, carrying far too many books, she couldn't stop herself from turning right back around.

Iris joined the girl in her walk, making her jump at the sudden appearance of another person. Hermione struggled to keep her hold on her books, flinching as she looked over to see Iris. "You've been on a roll recently, from what I have heard. Slapping Malfoy, skipping classes, dropping divination," Iris eyes the book at the top of Hermione's stack, "Taking all those extra classes must be getting to you."

Picking up the book from the top of the stack, Iris raised an eyebrow, "Also, your individual research," she began flipping through pages, "Good find, probably the most recent to have been donated to the school."

The pair started up the stairs, each of Hermione's steps unstable as she balanced the books, "Why did you even tell me? You hated me digging before."

Iris hummed, eyes skimming over a page, "The peace signings of 1873 solidified our relationship with the Ministry of Magic… this was the worst history lesson I ever sat through…." Slamming the book shut, Iris placed it back on the stack in Hermione's arms.

Swinging her arms Iris looked forward, eyes wandering over the seemingly miles of stairs left to climb, "Lapse of judgment mostly, too tired to fight… and Theodore said yes to a date with Tracey to quell her curiosity. To answer her questions on what could be."

Whatever analogy Iris was making seemed lost on Hermione, her face scrunching with a question. Still, Iris interrupted it before she could even fully think it, "I grew up with cameras thrown in my face anytime I made a public appearance. Luckily being seven, no one really had any questions to ask me, but my father was always hounded by reporters."

Hermione shifted the books in her arms, looking down to her feet as she uneasily continued up while listening to Iris, "About everything, and even when you spend your whole life with the vultures circling, it can be exhausting. So one day, my father came up with a plan. A deal with the reporters. He told them anything they wanted about the politics and the private events if they would stop following us while going out for a movie. Or if they would stop asking about what school I would be going to, about his divorce from my mother…."

Iris nodded to herself, absently watching a picture with some horses running around, "An exchange of information for an ounce of privacy. Their big questions were answered, and personal stuff was left alone. It killed their curiosity, or maybe rather just helped them move on from bothering us."

Iris looked forward again, eyes setting as her face grew stern, "We aren't friends. You are nothing more than some vulture who sees my life as something to figure out. Some pest who will never stop buzzing in my ear unless I give you something. I can respect you for wanting to learn while still demanding a level of privacy."

Stopping, Iris startled Hermione, forcing her to make an abrupt stop herself, turning to meet Iris's stare as two of her books tumbled down. Banging, pages folding, as they rolled down the stairs.

"So I am willing to answer anything about my people's history. That alone already tells you everything you could ever want to know. And it ends there," Iris leaned closer, "You do not ask me about my status, my family, my father, me."

Straightening up, Iris held Hermione's gaze, "Information for an ounce of privacy."

And then she turned, gliding back down the stairs, passing by the two fallen books that had ceased their own descent down.

~~~~~~

Quidditch days were the worst. The one thing Iris and Theodore could easily agree on. They were loud and chaotic. And the rivalries between houses grew to an all-time high. Fights break out in the corridors, and arguments disturb lessons and study halls.

So completely uninterested in attending the Final, Iris only made a courtesy appearance at breakfast on the 16th simply to wish Harry luck and grab a bagel. Then she made a beeline for the exit, smiling to herself when Theodore Nott appeared at her side wordlessly. Book bag slung over his shoulder as he followed after Iris.

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Stepping outside, her smile grew wide, and her head tilted up to take in the sun. It was a beautiful day.

And so, finding a bounce in her step, Iris hurried down the grounds, heading towards the lake. Her companion rolled his eyes as he quickened his pace, not quite keeping up but not far behind.

Theodore would stop at the treeline, settling down in the shade of the trees. He leaned against the truck as he started taking out his books, ready to begin yet another study round. Iris would drop her own bag just beside him and would keep walking, always within eyesight but off on her own little adventure. Determined to do who knows what as she walked around. Eventually, she would discard her shoes, nearly hitting Theodore as she threw them his way, and venture knee-deep into the water. Wadding along as she just minded her own.

The rustling of the trees. The heat of the sun. The songs of the birds. The movement of water. It was a perfect day and the perfect spot. The game in the distance was only a faint whisper in the wind, far away, away from this one calm and undisturbed moment.

Splash!

Theodore jumped up, his quill streaking across his parchment as he shot his attention to Iris. Finding her sat in the water, smile wide as she whipped hair out of her face, collecting herself from her fall. Looking to Theodore, who raised an eyebrow in question, she laughed, "A fish jumped at me."

Deadpanning the girl, Theodore shook his head, going back to his work as he muttered, "Lunatic."

Standing up, Iris left the water, still smiling as she shook her head, then grabbed all her hair to help squeeze out water. Walking past Theodore to stand in the sun, Iris checked her back pocket, pulling out her wand before throwing it down beside the boy.

Rolling his eyes again, something he did way too often around this girl… Theodore took out his own wand, flicking it towards Iris. Her clothes instantly dried in result. Iris sent him a quick smile as she picked up a rock, walking in a circle as she threw it up in the air and caught it.

"I've always wanted to travel. See the world, see new creatures. Tame dragons."

Theodore nodded absently, attention firmly on his book. Only half-listening as Iris began rambling.

"There is apparently a flock of diricawls in Norway and dugbogs in the marshes of South America, and... Oh, I have always wanted to try and find the Thunderbird that was last spotted in Arizona a few years back…." Iris smiled as she walked around aimlessly, "There is just so much out there, and I dream of seeing it all."

"Just off in the world. Living in weird hotels and crossing oceans by ship, camping up in the mountains away from it all, exploring caves with a backpack and flashlight… a never-ending adventure." She paused, her mind wandering, "Free…."

Tossing up her rock again, Iris looked up to the sky, spotting a cloud shaped like a dragon. Watching as it moved, grew… eventually splitting apart, forming new shapes.

Coming back down to earth, Iris tossed her rock again, directing a question towards Theodore, "What is your dream?"

Still focused on his book, Theodore took a moment to even register the question. And when he did, he blandly answered, "Never considered it."

Iris hummed, tossing her rock up one last time, allowing it to fall to the ground as she turned towards Theodore. Making her way over as she smiled, "Well, I can just plan for both of us."

Plopping down next to Theodore, Iris checked over his shoulder, reading the page he was currently on. Gaining a grumble from the boy as he found her still drying hair pressed against his face, "Hinkypuffs…." Iris shook her head, moving away to lie down on her back, "Wouldn't worry about DA so much. His exams will be entirely practical."

Drying his face of some water left behind by Iris, Theodore shrugged, "I want to guarantee that I know everything."

Iris closed her eyes, taking in a breath as she relaxed, "Still, you would be better off practicing spells instead of just reading all the time. Theory can only get you so far, Theo."

The boy paused, looking over to the girl as he noticed the nickname, "Theo?"

Iris's eyes flew open, sending a glare his way, "Oh, you don't get to call me out for a nickname, Mr 'you made me forget what it is like to be alone.'" A smirk graced her lips, "How absolutely pathetic was that shit."

Lacking much of a defense, Theodore could just return to his reading, mumbling under his breath. Something only Iris heard as she found another smile overtaking her face.

She turned to look at him once more, but not to respond, just to… watch. She was trying to see what Tracey saw. Trying to find the boy that existed solely through her eyes. Iris could admit he had changed. His brown hair longer. His face thinning more as it lost some baby fat. But beyond that not much had changed. He still had that thin, upturned nose. And those sharp but plain brown eyes.

He was still just the same boy she had met in London that day months ago.

But at the same time he wasn't… he was warmer with her. Still seemed both constantly annoyed and apathetic at the same time, but he allowed her to be around, hell he sought her out.

They were… perhaps, and much to past Theodore's dismay, friends. And not just friends… but each other's person.

Iris rolled over, reaching for her book bag, shifting through it quickly before finding what she wanted. She dropped it casually onto Theodore's lap before going back to her spot. Watching the leaves sway in the wind.

Theodore didn't find himself as at peace, sneering at the book she just dropped on his lap, War and Peace, "Trying to crush me with this? Thought you got all your anger out with that duel."

"You'll love it, maybe enough to put down the textbooks for a while. The studying is going to rot your brain."

Stupid shit. Iris Blackwell was so good at saying stupid shit that just forced Theodore Nott to respond. Iris just closed her eyes, smiling pleasantly to herself as he went on to tell her just how stupid what she said just was.

~~~~~~

Gryffindor won the game that day, but the excitement would be short-lived as the next two months began to fly by. Everyone would throw themselves into studying, and all fun was sucked out of the air as people actually had to treat the castle for what it ultimately was… a school.

Life would go by. The girls' dorm stressed about nothing other than the upcoming exams. Even Sally-Ann gave in around the beginning of May, kicking aside her fling and opening a book. Harry Potter had ended his dementor lessons, now giving some attention to other spells. Theodore Nott was more zoned out than usual, the only books ever in hand that of the textbooks.

Iris found herself without any sane friends the closer and closer they approached exams. But she did manage to drag Theodore outside to study, at least able to enjoy the idea of company while wandering about the grounds. And every now and again, she would convince him to actually use the spells, Iris having a rather good laugh at a horribly failed attempt at transfiguring a pin into a pen. It was much more of a knife that Theodore had to all but snatch away from her.

He would then blame her for the fumble on his part, something about Iris bringing only violent thoughts to mind… something Iris was quick to call out as a horrible lie.

And that was life for two months. The end of the year approaching far too quickly. So fast, Iris didn't even get a chance to acknowledge that funny feeling that one gets when something is about to happen.

But whatever it was… it couldn't be all that bad.