Song for this chapter: All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version)

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One Year Later

December 24th, 2000

It's weird being back in London. I haven't come back since I left just over two years ago. Not for Christmas, not for any birthdays, not even when Draco got engaged to Astoria, Daphne's younger sister.

I've been perfectly fine on my own.

Of course, I haven't actually been alone for the past two years. I have new friends, and a job with coworkers that I love, my mum and Matt come to visit all the time, and sometimes Sawyers comes along too, I write to Daphne and Pansy weekly, and I've dated around a bit. Though, it never seems to work out long enough to turn into something real.

I wasn't planning on coming back, but my mum convinced me and Daphne practically begged me to come "home" for the holidays.

This is how I end up on the front porch of Daphne and Blaise's house for a Christmas Eve party.

I'm not quite sure that I'm ready to see everyone, some people more than others, but I knock on the front door anyway. A few seconds later the door opens and Daphne is standing there with a smile on her face.

"Alex, you're here!" She says. Daphne hugs me tightly, which proves to be quite difficult considering that she's currently seven months pregnant with her and Blaise's first child. "I missed you so much."

I hug Daphne back just as tightly. "I missed you too, sorry I didn't come to visit sooner," I say.

"Oh, it's alright," Daphne says. "I'm just glad that you could make it. Come in," She says.

I take a deep breath and step inside. Daphne walks down the corridor and I follow her, the sound of talking and chatter getting louder.

We walk into the living room and there are people scattered throughout the room, talking and drinking. Immediately, my eyes go to Theo.

He's in the middle of a conversation with Draco but he glances over at me when I walk in. Then he does a double take before turning back to Draco and muttering something before getting up to go get another drink.

Draco spots me and gets up to come to talk to me. "Rosier, I'm surprised to see that you're back in town," He says.

"Me too, it took a lot of convincing," I say. "How've you been?"

"Pretty good, Astoria and I set a wedding date," He says. "June 16th."

I smile, "Congratulations, you seem really happy."

"I am," Draco agrees, looking truly happy for once in his life. "How've you been?"

"Good, I've been good. I got promoted a few weeks ago," I explain.

Draco smiles, "That's good, congrats."

Someone comes barreling into me, hugging me extremely tight. It takes me a second to process that it's Pansy, but when I do I hug her back.

"Oh my god," She says, her voice muffled against my shoulder, "I've missed you so much, Alex."

"I've missed you too, Pans," I say. We break apart and I actually get a good look at Pansy. She grew her hair out so now it reaches the middle of her back. It really suits her. "You look amazing."

"So do you," Pansy says. "How's Paris? You have to tell me everything that you didn't cover in the letters."

I laugh, "I'm going to need a drink first then."

I do get a drink and spend the evening catching up with my old friends. I spot Theo here and there but neither of us makes a move to go talk to the other. I haven't heard from him since I left, so I don't expect much.

At some point during the night, I find myself on the front porch again smoking a cigarette. I stopped smoking during seventh year but picked it back up again once I moved to Paris.

I have my coat pulled tightly around me because of how cold it is. It's unseasonably cold, just below freezing temperature.

I'm halfway through my cigarette when the front door opens and someone joins me on the porch. He stands beside me, hands in the pockets of his coat.

"Hi," Theo says.

I exhale smoke. "Hi," I say.

He gestures to my cigarette. "Can I?" He asks.

I shrug and pass it over to him. I watch as Theo inhales and then exhales a cloud of smoke. "When did you start smoking again?" He asks.

"After I left," I answer. "When did you?"

"About two years ago," Theo says.

He hands me back the cigarette and I take another hit. "How've you been?" I ask.

"Good," Theo answers. "I've got a job at the Ministry in the Department of Mysteries."

"Do you like it?" I ask.

Theo nods, "I do. How's your job?"

"I love it," I answer.

We fall into silence and I take another drag off my cigarette while I try to think of something to say.

"It's been a while," I say.

Theo laughs, "Yeah, I'd say two years in a decent amount of time."

I pass my cigarette back to Theo and he takes a drag. He blows out the smoke and then turns to look at me.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Theo asks.

I shake my head. "No. What about you?"

"No, I'm not seeing anyone."

"Good, that's good-," I start. "That's not what I meant. I just meant-"

Theo laughs, "I know what you meant, Alex. And for the record, I'm glad you're not seeing anyone either."

"Yeah?" I ask, trying not to smile.

"Yeah," Theo confirms.

I look away from Theo so that he doesn't see my smile. I feel something cold against my cheek and realize that it's snowing. It's falling down slowly, dusting the yard and the porch, melting as soon as it touches my skin.

"It's snowing," I say.

Theo looks over at me with a dusting of snow in his hair. "It's going to melt by tomorrow," He says.

"Doesn't matter," I say. "It never snows in London, and if it does it's never in December."

Theo grins at me and I reach over to brush the snow out of his hair. I realize what I'm doing and pull my hand back, letting it drop to my side again. "Sorry, you just had some snow," I tell Theo.

"So do you," He says. Theo reaches over to brush the hair out of my face and I feel my heart skip a beat at his touch.

It's really no use trying to get rid of the snow because it's still falling down onto both of us.

Theo pulls his hand back and brushes his thumb over my cheek. We're staring at each other and I'm silently begging him to speak first so that I don't embarrass myself. It's been two years and my feelings for him never went away. We've been apart for two years, which we both needed, but now?

"Want to hear something?" Theo asks.

I nod, not breaking eye contact with him.

"The funny thing is I would've married you if you'd have stuck around," Theo admits. "I had a ring and everything."

"What?" I ask, having to physically restrain myself from letting my eyes bludge out of my head.

"Yeah," Theo says. "I was going to propose to you." I go to say something but Theo cuts me off. "But I'm glad I didn't because you were right. Staying together would've killed us."

I stare up at Theo and bask in the familiarity of him. "And now?" I ask.

"I never stopped loving you, Alex," Theo says. "If that's what you're asking."

"I never stopped loving you either," I admit.

Theo looks taken back by this momentarily but then he's grinning. "Really?"

"Really."

Theo takes a step closer to me so that we're less than a foot apart. "What if we gave it another shot?" He asks. "I think our odds are pretty good this time."

"I still have hope for us, I always have," I say. "Just like you said, two years in a decent amount of time."

"What'd you say we give it another try, Rosier?" Theo says with a smirk. "You and me?

I laugh and shake my head. "Let's give it another try," I agree. "You and me."

And then Theo is kissing me.

It's been two years but he's kissing me again.

It's Christmas and there's snow falling around us, and I'm kissing Theodore Nott.

It's been two years of living completely different lives but Theo and I found our way back to each other.