Ivy Wood had been roaming the empty corridors alone after classes had finished up for the day. The hallways were empty given she stayed behind to help Sprout with moving some of the mandrakes the first years had been experimenting with. She'd seen the poor woman huffing back and forth from the greenhouse to the gardens and offered her a hand. Sprout looked surprised at first when she'd seen the green tie until she'd realised it was Ivy and welcomed her help with open arms.

Now Ivy wandered back with her robes slung over her arm. She'd taken it off to help Sprout and never put the thing back on again. Her bag had been slung over one shoulder while she hummed to herself.

"Whore" she'd lift her head at the mutter of someone in their passing of her. She'd been practically ready to beat their bloody skull in until she seen who it was.

"Theo—" she'd tried to step toward him but he'd pull back.

"Don't fucking touch me" his tone was as vicious as his words had been. Ivy looked back at him blankly for a moment. He had been one of her best friends their entire life at Hogwarts and now he could hardly look at her. It was her own fault.

"Look, I know I don't deserve it but please, just let me try to explain?" Ivy would ask. The word please near never came from her mouth so this wasn't exactly easy for her. Theo stood there silently as if waiting for the girl to continue and she would do just that, "I never intended to hurt you, you know I never would" Theodore would scoff at that, "we never slept together, not that it makes it any better or more bearable—"

"You may as well have" Theodore's voice echoed through the empty halls, "that's all you're good for I hear, a quick fuck—" Ivy put her head down from his words.

She hadn't yet noticed his reason for cutting off. Theodore however would see Draco Malfoy in the distance shaking his head only twice, slowly. It was the only action he needed for Theodore to understand, but Draco would then nod his head to the side essentially telling Theodore to bugger off without uttering a word. When Theo walked away and Ivy lifted her head she'd try to follow him.

Draco would push himself off the wall he had been leaning on and make his way toward Ivy, his long strides meant it wouldn't take him long to reach her and walk around to stand in front of her. Stopping her from going to her friend.

"This is all your fault—" she would seethe trying to walk around him naively knowing he wouldn't allow it.

"I don't think so" Draco's voice was low and calm, "I don't think I was the one fucking my best friends ex" he smirked looking down at the girl who was very clearly furious.

"I didn't fuck him" she huffs immediately.

"Good" Draco's response had been quick and steady, Ivy's brows would crease, good, what the hell did he mean by that, "I must say I'm disappointed Ivy" he spoke again stepping closer, "I didn't think you were the kind of girl to let someone talk to her in such a way" he was referring to Theodore, of course.

"I deserve it" she admitted while swallowing harshly, she believed she'd deserved his cruelty.

Draco would shake his head, "I know you don't believe that" this had to be the strangest encounter she'd had with Draco, "perhaps he deserves to be upset" he shrugs as if he couldn't care less either way, "but you are allowing him to walk all over you—"

"He's my friend" she tries to defend Theodore.

"And he won't be much longer if you don't stand your ground" Draco was right and she hated it. If she continued to plead with Theo he would never go back to how he was before, "you're a tough girl Ivy Wood" she couldn't quite work out if that was a compliment, "act like it"

Ivy would push a hand into Draco's chest surprised at just how solid it had been and how he tensed under her touch. He hadn't budged. Not even slightly and Ivy looked up at him. He'd looked as cocky as ever.

"Careful little bird" he'd hum, "I don't take kindly to violence" Draco would step closer again, too close and Ivy knew she should've stepped back but her pride wouldn't let her, "unless I'm the one to dish it out" Draco was most certainly different this year. He was darker. Colder. More intimidating.

"If you think that was me being violent—" Ivy would try to fight back, "then you are sorely mistaken"

"Oh I'm sure I am" Draco was quick again as if he anticipated exactly what she was going to say, "your friends are waiting for you" he tilts his head looking down at the girl, "a trip to the three broomsticks I hear," he muses tauntingly now planning on attending himself, "don't be late now, Poison" he'd then step aside to let Ivy pass.

It would take Ivy a minute to move. As if she didn't trust this. He was just letting her walk away? She almost felt like it was too good to be true but nonetheless she'd walk away feeling Draco's eyes bore into her as she moved. He would stay where he was and watch her hips sway under that little skirt as she approached the common room. She didn't look back but he knew she'd be well aware of his staring. She always was.

Now, he had to prepare himself for a night out.

Ivy had been sat around a booth between Blaise and Pansy in the Three Broomsticks. Even if they'd continuously offering to buy her drinks she'd refuse, of course she felt like drinking herself into oblivion but she would refrain. Especially given Draco Malfoy sat directly across from her staring at her the entire night. It was eery and most definitely awkward after their earlier conversation.

Blaise and Pansy had been bickering over some Hufflepuff girl who'd been flirty with both of them. They seemed to think she only wanted one of them and had been arguing over who that would be. That had been when Theodore had walked in. Silence would engulf the table.

Theo would stop at the very end, "Ivy," he'd say staring her dead in the eyes, "could we talk?" He'd follow up showing little to no emotion, "privately"

Was this a trick? Did he plan on cursing her or Salazar knows what? Then she'd shake her head, no. He was Theo, her Theo whether they were arguing or not he'd never hurt her. She'd know that had been why he refused to let her touch me because he couldn't physically push her off if he let her in. Theo was being cruel and she knew that, everyone did given it was so unlike him but Ivy knew better.

Theodore didn't have anyone at home, not really. His only real friend was Ivy and she'd betrayed him and my god did she feel truly awful for it. A lapse of judgement she'd had twice due to personal issues. Not that they would clear her name by any means.

"Yes," Ivy would nod looking up at Theo, "of course," she'd say as Pansy slipped out to let her exit and follow behind Theodore to the far corner.

Draco Malfoy's eyes would follow the pair like they were glued to the girl.

When they'd reach the quiet corner, only the low thumping of the music could be heard, Theo would cross his arms, stare up at the ceiling and taking in what looked like a painful breath before he'd dare speak. His head would fall back down though his eyes would stare at the portrait of a previous owner on the wall behind Ivy, unable to look at her.

"I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did," he'd say coolly, like he was reading from a script, "same goes for how I spoke to you at that party," he'd continue, swallowing hard as though he didn't even believe his own words.

"No," Ivy would shake her head firmly and Theodore's eyes would finally snap to hers, his brows furrowed, "you had every right to speak to me how you did, Theodore,"

It felt strange for both of them. Her calling him Theodore. Not Theo. He was always Theo.

"I was an awful friend," Ivy would continue, "I am an awful friend," she'd shrug looking up at her friend, "so do not apologise for feeling betrayed, in fact you reacted much less than I would've if I had been in your position—" Ivy was known for being open, sweet to others but her temper wasn't something she could easily control.

"I called you a whore, Ivy," he'd clarify, watching her face screw up at the painful reminder, "that you were only useful for a good fuc—"

"Yes—" Ivy would cut him off, "I remember,"

Theo would mental smack himself, of course she remembered, why on earth was he reminding her. He wasn't here to insult her again.

"I wasn't doing that because I felt betrayed," he'd admit, a half truth, "I spoke to you that way to hurt you," he'd tense his jaw glancing over to the table where their friends sat before his nose would twitch and he'd look back to Ivy, "it was cruel and unnecessary," he'd say, "I simply came to apologise for that—nothing more,"

Ivy felt her heart twist. She couldn't have expected forgiveness by any means but hearing he wanted nothing more than to apologise for his harsh words stung more than she'd care to admit. She would visibly stiffen and collect herself.

"I understand," she'd nod, "but Theo—" she'd speak to stop him from immediately walking away.

"Yes?" Her glance back quickly.

"I'm sorry too," she'd say, "so fucking sorry," he'd nod, "and I know you can't forgive me right now but I hope one day you can stomach being in the same room as me again?"

He'd grunt, "we'll see,"

And with that he was gone and replaced by a figure she didn't want to see.