The crowds were outrageous. Tracey had overheard a Muggle say that London featured the biggest and best bonfires and fireworks display in all of England. She could easily believe it. She and Theo were walking hand and hand behind a very excited Chi. Battersea Park was bustling with people. Children were running wild and as much as she enjoyed the company she was with she wasn't used to all the Muggles surrounding her. It felt a bit claustrophobic. Once when Chi walked a bit to far Tracey had to restrain herself from grabbing her wand and charming the girl on an invisible leash. She was terrified they'd lose her.

Theo was content just to walk behind Chi and watch the girl soak in the excitement. He only admitted to himself her enthusiasm was contagious. Not fond of crowds, he felt uneasy and nervous, keeping a close eye on Chi and keeping Tracey by his side. Tracey seemed to have either put aside what he had done and seemed to have forgotten the tension that should have been between them in order to bask in the adventure of the evening. Tracey's eyes were trained on Chi, and Theo thought the over protection in her eyes was very admirable and, in fact, it was yet another thing about her that he found attractive. It was clear she had a good heart, a big heart.

"Theo! Can I get some bonfire toffee? Please? Or a toffee apple?" Chi turned to ask before darting off to the street vendor on the curb.

Tracey tried to catch the girl. "Chi, wait!" she called after her, but she lost her footing and swayed dangerously toward the pavement. Before she could fall, Theo pulled grabbed her waist and pulled her close. He may have stopped her from falling forward on her face, but she'd still managed to bugger up her leg on the almost fall. Tracey had her hair pulled back under her knitted hat, or it would have been a mess and in her face, but at least it would have hidden the tears that threatened to fall. Honestly, it's just a sprained ankle, she thought to herself, though she was now suddenly very aware that in a public place full of Muggles it wasn't as though Theo could pull out his wand and perform a healing charm to help her walk.

Putting her right again, Theo looked at Tracey's pained face. Her green eyes were filled with tears that she couldn't hide even though she was desperately trying to. "Chi!" he yelled, beckoning the little girl. She turned around from where she stood near a street vendor. "Come here!"

Frowning slightly, Chi walked over, annoyed. "What's wrong?" She took one look at Tracey and changed her tone completely. "Tracey, are you all right?"

"Chi, follow us," Theo said in a low voice, lifting Tracey into his arms. Her heart fluttered when she caught a whiff of his spicy scent. Smells always did it for her. He lifted her like she was nothing at all. He made her feel safe. Yet another reason to forgive him.

The little girl following him, he carried Tracey into the nearest alley and walked into the shadows. No one was paying them any attention, but Theo still made sure they were alone in the darkness before he set Tracey down softly on the ground. She looked embarrassed, blushing slightly as she grimaced with pain. She hadn't wanted to be that damsel in distress that everyone made her out to be. Theo pulled out his wand and knelt down in front of her, gently lifting her ankle in his hand. "It's just a sprain," he stated the obvious. He took a quick moment, wand raised, to grin at Chi and say, "Watch this." He cast the quickest and most effective healing charm he knew and then set down her ankle. He glanced at Tracey's face. "You'll be okay now, Tracey?"

She nodded. She felt so silly to have him have to take care of her like that. She'd just been arguing with Greg about not needing to be taken care of all the time and here she was doing it again. How would he ever see how strong she was if she was always falling into this pattern? "Thank you, Theo. Sorry about that, Chi. Just being silly. Should we get you some bonfire toffee then? I'd like to try some myself, or one of those apples." She stood and took a few wobbly steps. Theo reached his hand out to steady her and she smiled firmly at him, keeping his hand at a distance.

Placing her arms around Chi's shoulder, she ducked her head slightly and tried to give him a good natured smile without looking submissive. "I'm good, thank you, Theo. Let's face the crowds again, shall we?" she asked, as they walked out of the alley leaving a bewildered Theo behind.

He watched the two girls leave, feeling confused. The change in Tracey's demeanor was unsettling. It was like she didn't want to be helped, like it was almost an insult for him to do that. It had been an automatic reflex. He hadn't mean to insinuate that she couldn't' take care of herself; he just couldn't stand to see her in pain when he could help her with a easy flick of his wand. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he followed the pair who just happened to be the two most important woman in his life at the moment. Tracey was busy laughing and buying Chi some bonfire toffee when he approached them. "Do I get some?" Theo asked when Chi turned around.

Grinning, she held hers out to him. "Have some of mine!"

Tracey smiled at the pair. "I did get Theo some of his own, and an apple too...." She took a bite of hers and rolled her eyes to heaven. It was divine. "Though, maybe I'll keep it for myself and let you two share the black treacle. This is brilliant!"

Tracey took another bite and couldn't stop but take a sharp intake of breath when Theo leaned in and bit the other side of her apple at the same time. She smiled as she pulled back from the apple and her heart flipped at his proximity. Her hand lifted to his shoulder and she tried to maintain her balance while not moving away from him. He hadn't been that close, despite their sleeping arrangements, since the day she'd asked him to stay with her. He hadn't tried to kiss her, or touch her in any way that wasn't respectful of her plead for time. Half the time she was upset with herself over wanting to take it slow, the other half of the time she was waiting for the the other shoe to drop. Afraid that he'd leave. Letting his shoulder go, she ducked her head shyly and tried to contain her blush.

Theo smiled at her. "They are good," he agreed after he had swallowed. Chi grinned at the pair, obvious aware of something he wasn't. "Where do you want to go now?" he asked the little girl who just smiled up at him, an annoyingly knowing look in her eyes.

She popped another toffee in her mouth. "I can't wait for the fireworks! Do wizards celebrate Guy Fawkes?" she suddenly asked, tilting her head in question.

Laughing to himself, he nodded. "Of course we do. Well, those of us that are British at least do." He paused. "And I supposed everyone from other nations still celebrate the customs there. We really aren't that different after all."

Nodding, the little girl said, "I know that. If you didn't have a wand hidden on you and just healed Tracey with a wave of that wand, you could completely pass as a Muggle." She started to wander away, apparently bored with the conversation she had started. Theo and Tracey followed her, walking slowly next to each other.

Tracey had listened to them and couldn't help the incredulous look from crossing her face. He really thought that? That they were the same as Muggles? Tracey looked around at the mass of people surrounding her and she couldn't see it. These people wandering around were nothing like the witches and wizards that she knew. These people were oblivious to the power that surrounded them. Instead of stuffing her feelings down so as not to offend him, when he reached out his hand to hold hers she leaned forward and just voice her opinion. "I knew you liked Muggles, but I had no idea that you liked them that much. How is it possible that you were sorted into Slytherin at all? Though... I suppose that may have just been the most hypocritical thing I've ever said considering I wasn't supposed to be a Slytherin either." Wow! Where had that come from? She'd managed to go 23 years without telling anyone, and here within two weeks she was telling her secret again, and to Theodore Nott of all people. Clearly she was trying to be truthful... more truthful than she needed to be.

He smiled. "I didn't use to. I hated Muggles. Probably more than you do. But well, after my father, and then meeting Chi, it's hard not to like them. Hell, sometimes I envy them." He paused. "If the sorting had happened after my father's dilemma, I wouldn't have been made a Slytherin." He turned and looked her in the eye. "I think you are very Slytherin by the way. I was more like a Ravenclaw in school." He frowned as he watched the crowd. He did envy them, more often than not. They had no clue of what was going on around them, and they were safer that way.

She looked at him with wide eyes. No one had ever said that to her. She'd always felt like she hadn't belonged in her House. That her friends had just humored her presence despite her not being wicked enough to truly fit in. She'd had to threaten to hex the damn hat to get her there, she wasn't sure what wicked was, but for an eleven year old to do that seemed pretty Slytherin to her, but she'd let her friends treat her like glass for so long that she'd forgotten. The fact that he thought that she belonged made her feel warm and her face flushed. He clearly didn't think she needed to be babied. Yet another reason to love him.

He noticed her blush and grinned at her. "What?" he asked, nudging her slightly.

Chi took the moment to turn around and ask, "When are the fireworks starting? The sun is going down!"

She was right. The sun was setting, making the sky a pretty pink and purple mix as the sun soak belong the horizon. It wasn't something he normally admitted, but he loved sunsets -- it was like a new beginning. Anything that happened during the day could be forgotten as the world was cast into a comfortable darkness. "I'm sure they will when it gets darker," he told her, unsure. He had never been to the bonfires on Guy Fawkes. He never had anyone to go with, and being a loner like he was, he didn't feel like bothering anyone by asking. He turned to Tracey, "So, why are you blushing?" he whispered softly so only she could hear.

"No reason," she answered softly with a shy smile. You're just surprising, that's all, she thought. "It's just been a really good day. I'm excited for the fires." She really was. As fascinating as it was to read about things like this, actually observing Muggle festivities was a completely different thing. Theo hadn't been completely truthful when he'd told Chi that they celebrated 'Guy Fawkes' in the wizarding world. They had their share of festivals and bonfires and while celebrating November 5th had become more and more common as more Muggleborns joined the wizarding world, the actual celebration of the attempted political uprising was fairly new. Perhaps we should celebrate things like this more often, she thought grimly. Maybe then we would have more political uprisings of our own and get rid of bastards like Scrimgour.

As her eyes clouded, Theo couldn't help but notice her change in mood. Her hand gripped his and she seemed less willing to let him walk too far from her. The fires were being lit and the effigies were being brought out. Chi was nearly bouncing with excitement. Tracey pasted on a smile but still held Theo hand tightly. She wouldn't voice her anger at what had been done to him, but burning someone was exactly what she wanted to do.

Theo pulled her tightly to his side, wrapping his one arm around her. Stopping abruptly, he called, "Chi!" he beckoned. The little girl turned around and came back. "It's getting dark. Stay close to us, please," he requested politely.

She nodded. "Okay." She looked at the pair and seemed pensive. Then suddenly, a wide grin spread across her face. "That's better," she muttered happily, turning away again but not going wherever, just starting to walk toward the closest fire.

Theo shook his head as he followed the little girl. He was dying to kiss Tracey, to touch her without having to respect her space. It had killed him these last few days to not be close to her. She seemed distant, but she was trying. It was nice to actually get to know her, he decided. She was someone worth getting to know.

Children ran in front of them, twirling their sparklers and cheering the procession of the 'Guy'. The atmosphere was electric and as it got darker and darker people began to be impatient for the fireworks display. The fires were huge. The flames licked the little stuffed men placed in the hot centres and the people were cheering and hollering. Tracey had hosted enough parties that she was used to being among a lot of people, but even she was having a difficult time with the crush of people. They found themselves near a large bonfire and decided to find a bench to sit on to wait for the display.

Chi found another little girl near her age and the two of them were giggling like mad and peeking back at the couple every so often. Tracey grinned at that. It seemed like something she would have done as a little girl... well, as long as her mother hadn't been around. She leaned in to Theo and relished in his closeness. His arm was firmly behind her and it was easy to just lean back and put her head on his shoulder.

He closed his eyes, soaking in the excitement in the air around him as well as the feel of Tracey's warmth as she leaned against him. He pulled her tighter, keeping an eye on Chi and the other little girl. He was happy she found someone else her age to be around, but still didn't feel safe just letting her wander. She was his responsibility after all. Suddenly, as if the on cue, the crowd erupted in cheers as the sky lit up with red and white lights. Chi let out a high pitch squeal and ran over to where Tracey and Theo were sitting on a bench. She was grinning.

Pointing the sky excitedly, she screamed, "Finally! The fireworks!"

Theo decided the girl was perfectly safe, and gently nudged his shoulder against Tracey's taking her attention away from the sky. She looked at him quizzically, and he leaned forward, stopping short of her mouth. He wanted to let her pull away if she wanted, but she closed the distance, kissing him. Moving his arm, he gently cupped her face in his hands, deepening the kiss instinctively. She tasted like the apple she had eaten, sweet and delicious. He pulled away abruptly before he could get out of hand. She needed space, and he was damn well going to give it to her if it killed him. Her face was lit only by the ever-changing colours in the sky and the bright orange radiating off the hot fire nearby. She looked utterly beautiful as she smiled shyly at him. Stroking her cheek softly, he whispered, "Thank you."


(Summary: Theo and Tracey attend bonfire night with Chi.)