Where has the fire gone? (Theodora)

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

(This thread follows on after 'Hold the Fire')

The light began to shine in through the curtains of the room and straight into the face of Daniel Hubbles. Slowly he began to stir from his sleep not wanting to open his eyes and be fully blinded by the light. Muffling a yawn Dan rubbed his stubble suddenly realising the terrible taste in his mouth, he must have spent all night with his mouth wide open and now it was bone dry. Knowing that the only way to solve this problem was to move, Dan slowly opened his eyes while trying to sit up. The light blinded him until his eyes began to adjust and his arm seemed to be stuck. Looking down toward his right arm he saw Theodora lying over it.

Not wanting to wake her up Dan lay back down and stared at he ceiling for room four in the Three Broomsticks. Certain parts of the night before kept running through his mind and he could not help but feel ashamed about where he was now. Rubbing his eyes to get out the remaining traces of sleep Dan noticed that he still had his watch on and the time was ten minutes to nine. With a load groan Dan knew he needed to get out, he had a lesson first thing.

Instead of waking Theodora up Dan carefully leaned over her and with his free arm lifted her head up gently so that he could quickly pull his right arm out from underneath her. Once this was achieved and he had placed her head back onto her pillow Dan quickly jumped out of bed and began to get dressed.

[Theodora Holmes]

Theodora groaned and stretched her legs under the quilt, something having stirred her from a misty dream a moment before. She was stuck between sleep and awake, and it felt warm and weightless... until someone kicked over an umbrella stand, resulting in a chaotic clattering as it hit the wardrobe and knocked off several coat hangers.

Groaning and rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands, Theodora rolled over onto Daniel's side of the bed, frowning as she felt he was no longer there. 'Danny?' She said wearily as she pushed herself into a sitting position, looking swiftly around the room with squinted eyes, the sun catching her off guard. She found him standing on one foot by the wardrobe, balancing to try and get one shoe on when he had obviously made all that noise.

Theodora smiled warmly at him, a secretive gleam in her eye as she remembered last night. 'Sleep well, professor?' she teased.

Of course, she then looked at him half dressed, her smile faltering. Slowly she pulled the blankets up around herself, embarrassed... was she that bad that he was just going to leave without telling her? Theodora stared away angrily, staring off out the window, too ashamed to look at him or say anything.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

As the loud noise rang out the room Dan winced and bite his lip, that was his quite exit ruined and if anything it would have woken up Theodora. As he tried to get his show on he heard her voice float over towards him. After the shoe finally went onto his foot he turned around to face Theodora will sliding on his shirt.

“Yes I did have a good sleep thank you. Sorry to wake you I lost my balance. You look so peaceful asleep I did not wish to wake you.”

With a small smile at Theodora he glanced back down at his watch and noticed that he had hardly anytime left. Swearing loudly he began to button up his shirt at such a fast rate that he did not notice that he was buttoning it up wrong. It was only when he went hunting around for his tie that he noticed that Theodora seemed to be slightly despondent and almost angry. Dan had learnt from experience never to get on the wrong side of a women and he did not want to ruin his friendship with Theodora over something so petit.

With another quick glance at his watch Dan ignored the hunt for his tie and wondered over to Theodora and sat down on the bed next to her. Reaching out with his hand he stroked the side of her face and then felt her silky blond hair. He could not help but smile as he did this, she was so beautiful, even if her moods changed rather quickly. The leaning closer Dan kissed her gently on the cheek and whispered gently in her ear.

“Come on where is that beautiful smile of yours. Can I see it one more time before I have to go?”

[Theodora Holmes]

As Daniel sat next to her, his skin touching hers suddenly, Theodora's heart kicked back into it's fluttering rhythm. Goosebumps appeared along her arms as he stroke her hair and she leaned into his hand affectionately, sighing as she realised it felt just as good as the first time he had done it. Her face was still creased with contained anger, but as he cooed gently in her ear she couldn't stop a small, bashful smile forming. He chuckled softly at her and she leaned against his shoulder, kissing the nap of his neck tenderly. He smelt good.

She placed one hand on his thigh, the other around his waist, and pulled him closer. 'You're not leaving, you know.' she informed him in mock apology, smirking. 'I've waited, what, five years for this? You're students can wait. I had to.' She raised one eyebrow playfully.

As they stared into one another's eyes, Theodora discreetly slipped her wand from under her pillow, twisting it mischievously in her fingers for a moment before quickly grabbing hold of Daniel's hand and laughing, 'Scrongify!'

Suddenly there was a small squelching sound and Theodora and Daniel's hands were now glued together, locked in embrace. 'You're not getting away that easily.' She grinned.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan could not help but smile and laugh as Theodora seemed to respond yet again to his charm. He was good and it seemed that Theodora also seemed to agree, five years was a very long time for a high school crush and her little comment did make him laugh about the students having to wait. Dan playfully kissed her back just to make sure everything was ok before he left. However just as he was about to stand up and leave he felt something happen to his hand. Looking around he noticed that Theodora was holding her wand and try as he might he could not take his hand away from hers.

All playfulness seemed to have drained out of Dan’s body, he could not believe it she had actually stuck herself to him, there was no way he could even leave the room now. Her little brain was working very fast all be it for the wrong reasons. With a very nervous laugh Dan looked around the room searching for his wand but to no avail.

“Theodora…darling I think you should let me go. I really, really do not want you to see me when I am angry and this is the correct type of immature behaviour that really grates on my nerves.”

Dan’s tone changed suddenly from caring and almost jokily to a loud harsh growl. This is not what he wanted, he thought that the girl had changed form when she was obsessed with him as a student but he seemed to have been mistaken.

[Theodora Holmes]

Theodora threw her head back and laughed (rather evilly) at Daniel's sudden outbreak of panic and anger. He was clenching and unclenching his hand as he tried to fight the magic on their skin, and she pulled their locked fingers to her lips, kissing his hand in much the same way he had done to hers last night. 'I'm not your student anymore, Daniel - that tone simply won't work with me I'm afraid.' she spoke to him as if he were a child throwing a tantrum because they were not getting what they wanted. She giggled and threw herself down onto the bed, holding her stomach with her free arm as she continued to laugh at his mortified expression.

'Oh dear,' she mused airily, pointing to the clock. 'Looks like your lessons already started - whatever will you do, professor?' He glared at her even more fiercely, once again preparing to shout. Theodora rolled her eyes. 'Calm down, love.' She patted his imprisoned hand, grinning. 'You can't expect everything to go your way - I was meant to be on patrol last night but you didn't see me abandoning you right in the middle of it all!' She shifted into a kneeling position in front of him, biting her lip with a smile. 'Which is more important, a bunch of silly children, or me?'

With her free hand she undid the top button of his shirt, running a finger along his collar bone. 'Don't you think this is fun...?'

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Anger was welling up inside of Dan now. His nostrils flared and he gritted his teeth as he watch Theodora flirt around on the bed laughing at his suffering and saying stupid comments when really the answer was clear. Dan took his job seriously no matter what he sometimes did and with the exams getting ever so closer the 3rd years needed him and he was abandoning them. It was only when Theodora began to undo his shirt again that he lost it. Pushing her away with his free hand Dan shot up off the bed and tried to stand, he could feel the dead wait of Theodora behind him move slightly but he began to lose his balance and he fell backwards. On to the floor, his arm up in the arm due to the connection of the hands.

“You stupid child. I thought you had changed but I must have been blinded by your looks. You are still the same boring, immature, obsessed freak that I once knew and if it means I have to drag you out of this room and all the way to the castle I shall. If that is the case I think you should take the blanket to cover yourself up.”

With a deep breath in hope to clam himself down Dan gave a groan as he tried to push himself up again to make sure that he could see what the fool was going to do next. He continued to watch her with a stern eye hoping she would realise that she was not his world and if anything at this present moment in time he could live happily without her, in fact his life would be a lot better. Even this simple thoughts made his blood boil and he continued to look around the room for where his wand had fallen.

[Theodora Holmes]

Theodora winced as Daniel nearly pulled her arm off trying to stand up with her attached. For a moment she was about to burst out laughing as he fell over onto his back, but his sudden and unexpected outburst caught her off guard, half making her flinch and back away. Her mouth fell open as he savagely unveiled his true opinion of her, his face growing ever redder, his teeth bared like a lion.

A boring, immature freak of a child? Theodora's eyes became glassy with imminent tears, and she clenched her jaw tightly to stop her bottom lip from trembling. She could feel Daniel's hand trembling in hers, hot from rage.

When he threatened to drag her to the castle in the altogether she scoffed indignantly, quickly whipping up the bed sheet and wrapping it around her front, deciding he didn't exactly deserve to see anything anymore. 'You were blinded by my looks? Is that all that was then - a quick bit of fun because you liked the look of me? I thought you actually LIKED me!' She shouted in disbelief, standing up to face him with equal fire in her eyes.

'You can't just mess around with someone's feelings like that, Daniel! You bloody well tricked me!' She looked him up and down in disgust, and stupidly forgetting that they were stuck together by her doing, she tried to storm away from him - only resulting in her bouncing back and knocking them both over, her wand flying from her hand.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

When she started to shout back at him the anger kept burning inside of Dan but also a strange passion and want for her set in. Dan loved a women who could stand up to him, fight against him and sometimes even better him and this is what Theodora was doing now. He had to resist the urge to kiss her more passionately then he had done all night and let her walk away. However she went away a little faster then he thought she would, and did not remove the spell so as the forces of the world worked she came flying backwards towards him. As they landed on the floor with a bump Dan gave a small groan as he landed on something hard and it was digging into his back. After a few moment of groaning Dan smiled at Theodora who was facing him.

“I thought you did not want to see me again and now you throw yourself on top of me. Contrasting messages Theo dear.”

Dan raised his head and kissed her nose before laying back putting his hand behind his back trying to find what was digging into his. As his hand clasped around it he pulled it out to find it was a wand. Rising his eyebrows in surprise Dan could not help but laugh as he had finally found a way out of this problem. Trying to get the joint hand to where he could see it he pointed the wand in its direction and with a small pop his hand became his own again.

“Now that is much better don’t you think. It was far to clammy being stuck together like that.”

With a small smile Dan kissed Theodora once more and threw the wand over under the bed so she could not do the same trick again.

[Theodora Holmes]

Theodora was only half relieved that Daniel had finally managed to magic himself free, but her disgruntled expression quickly faded as he surprised her with a quick kiss on the nose. For a moment she thought he had simply fallen short of head butting her properly, but the coy half-smile on his face said otherwise. She glared down at him cynically, wondering if he was just playing games with her again. Theodora was beginning to realise that neither of them were ever mutually happy with each other at any one point... except last night, of course.

'Well you did pull me back. I'd say you're the one with the conflicting messages!' She teased, playfully punching his shoulder before resting her elbows on his chest with a sigh. Their wands were now both out of their reach, and knowing she still wanted him to stay - despite how he had clearly overreacted to her game - Theodora knew it would now be quite difficult to actually stop him. 'Do you really want to leave me, Danny? Truly?' She gave him puppy dog eyes now, pouring on her own charm. Titling her head to one side she brushed her hair from her face, studying him seductively. 'Honestly, I'm not as bad as you think... I just get a little passionate sometimes is all.'

Theodora stood up now, towering over him. Placing one foot on his chest, she smirked. 'Suppose I'm queen of the castle now.'

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan continued to smile as Theodora began to tease him again. He really did not know what to say. He did not want to leave really, he would love to spend all day with her. Sit around talking and have a laugh, but he had his duty to the students and to teach them properly. He was woken form his dream when Theodora stood up and put her foot lightly on his chest and proclaimed she was the Queen.

“Does that make me a dirty rascal? I would say I have more of a loveable rouge. What do you think Theo? Should I be the rouge or your King?”

Dan raised his hands and gently removed her foot of his chest and placed it back on to the floor. He was trying to avoid her question about staying as he really did not want to get into another fight with her. With a sigh Dan pushed himself up to his feet and wrapped his arms around Theodora. With a gentle kiss he looked straight into her eyes enjoying the quite moment between them. With a soft chuckle Dan kissed her one last time before breaking away form her.

“I guess then I will see you around. What are you doing on Saturday night? I could see you on Saturday. We could spent the whole day together.”

Dan continued to hunt around for his tie and wand knowing that they could not have been thrown too far the night before.

[Theodora Holmes]

'Oh, I think you're more of a rascal than anything. Play your cards right I just might promote you.' She winked.

Theodora gladly sank into his arms as he tenderly embraced her, admiring his warms eyes as they looked into one another's, sharing a soft, intimate kiss. She suddenly felt guilty that she had teased him so much. Just before he pulled away she kissed his neck lingeringly, nodding with understanding as he gestured that he needed to get ready. Watching him fondly as he bustled about the room, tugging on the rest of his robes and trying to find his wand, Theodora played with her hair, looking back on the night.

'Saturday? But it's only Thursday, Daniel...' She knew the rules stated that it was always best to wait a few days, and that the man should send the owl, but she was just too just excited to be around him again. She remembered how much she had loved him all those years ago, and the feeling definitely hadn't died. She needed to be near him! Smiling encouragingly, she walked to him hugged him from behind, watching as he did his tie in the mirror. 'How about tonight? I could come up to the castle and you could show me all the old sites... introduce me to your new friends?'

You're smothering him, Holmes.

Shut up!

Spotting Dan's wand lying on top of her robes, Theodora picked it up and handed it to him, her fingers stroking his. 'I haven't felt this alive in years, Daniel. I want to get to know you properly.'

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan could not help but smile as she wrapped her arms around him as he searched for his wand. He felt the guilt pilling upside of him as she asked to see him sooner then he had suggested. He truly had no time to met up, his school time was so busy that he hardily had enough time to even see his sister. He was about to try and explain this too Theodora when she moved away from him and seemed to have found his wand. With a sigh of relief he took the wand out of her hands and nodded his head in thank you.

“And I want to get to know you as well. Last night was great, something new and different. But I just do not have the time until Saturday. I have a mountain of work to do and Friday I spend all evening with madam. So it will have to be Saturday. I am sorry.”

Dan embraced her in a hug on more time and kissed her gently on the cheek. He stroked her arm and ran his hand through her hair, soaking in every last moment he could spend with her. Then with a small smile and mouthing goodbye to Theodora he headed for the door. As he opened it up Dan spun around and blew her an air kiss accompanied with a small wink. Then with a soft chuckle and one last look over his shoulder Dan walked out of the door closing it gently behind him before running out of the pub to the castle.

[Gregory Greenwich]

Never, ever was Greg one to moan or grumble; he even took unecessary punishment without complaining, yet he had patrolled solidly for 24 hours. He had been rostered to perform duty throughout the daylight hours, but Miss Holmes had never appeared to take over. So he had been forced to remain resolutely patrolling throughout the dark, damp night, in fact the weather had been awful, with torrential rain rarely abating. All he had wanted was a nice long shower to sooth his aching muscles, but no Theodora had never arrived. It wasn't like her to be late at all, so Greg had also been incredibly worried for her safety, in fact he had werreted all night long, blatently and completely unawares that she had revelled in a night of passion, whilst he endured a night of pure hell.

Suffice to say he arrived at 'The Three Broomsticks' rather disgruntled and worse for ware. His robe was thickly layered with mud and grime, he was soaked to the very core, and to top it all off he was beginning to suffer from a bout of the sneezes, which inevitably heralded a ferocious cold, given his abominable luck he'd likely been laid low for weeks and suffer outrageously at the hands of Miss Locksley for it.

Bags under his eyes Greg trapsed into the pub sopping wet, receiving a barked order to take off his filthy shoes before ruining the innkeeper's spotless floor. Glaring piteously Greg struggled out of his filth encrusted boots, falling flat upon his already red raw nose several times over. With a low moan he ascended the stairs heading directly for his chambers.

Rapping once upon the heavy oaken door he entered without waiting for a reply as he would usually always have done. The door swung open upon its hinges and Greg's mouth followed suit his mouth wide, agog, and his eyes startled...

[Theodora Holmes]

Theodora had rushed to the window eagerly to watch Daniel leave for the castle. He had left the room several minutes ago and should have appeared below in the street by now, but he hadn't. Theodora knew for a fact that he wasn't still downstairs as he had been in a terrible hurry to get to his lesson... and she had arrived at the window rather quickly so he couldn't he swooped out before she'd got there. So where was he?

Absent mindedly she leaned against the window frame, curtain pulled across herself to stop passersby getting a free show, staring at the sky with a small smile on her face, recalling...

Knock knock.

'I knew you wouldn't go!' She called out in a singsong voice, grinning happily as she began to walk toward the door to accept Daniel in a passionate embrace.

Of course, as it happened, Theodora was out of luck.

'Gregory...?' She half-muttered, half-gasped as the man appeared in the room, sopping wet and thoroughly roughed up. Almost at the same time their expressions fell, their mouths falling open and their eyebrows raising. Theodora stood before Gregory with absolutely nothing on, her arms spread wide in greeting. 'GREGORY?!' She screamed, tripping over backwards as she threw the discarded bedsheets over herself, mortified. 'What's wrong with you? Stop staring at me!' Theodora shouted indignantly, her face now a violent shade of red.

How could you have missed him going into the pub?! A fine auror you'll turn out to be!