They were lying together on the big sofa in the library. Tracey loved how their legs intertwined and looked up from her book when Theo began rubbing her foot as he read. She was smiling at him when he caught her eye over the top of his book. "What?" he asked her, giving her a curious smile.

"Nothing. I was just watching you read. Do you like the book? Really?" she asked him. It was the one she'd given him for his birthday. Not light reading, by any means, but she'd been thinking of all the times she'd caught him reading Muggle Literature in the library at school when she'd bought it.

"Paradise Lost? I love it."

Tracey ducked her head and smiled at that. She was content, probably for the first time since Halloween. This was one of those pure moments where things felt good and right.

"I've never read it before, though I flipped through parts as I was searching in the small Muggle book store. It looked similar to the book you constantly have on your nightstand."

"The Divine Comedy?" He grinned, filling in the title of the book. He seemed to always have the book, at least one of the three parts particularly Inferno by his bedside in case he had the urge to read it, which happened often. "I love the classic literature like this. It's inventive... makes you think?" He paused, shrugging. "I guess I am the bookish type."

Tracey smiled at him. "You were the smartest boy in our year. If it hadn't been for Granger you would have taken all the top marks."

He laughed. "Not really, I just had my head in enough books to make it seem that way."

A comfortable silence fell over the pair. They both went back to their books and Theo's eyes drifted over the page. Hell. Grew darker at their frown. he read. It was such a beautiful, yet odd choice of words. Closing his book he set it on the couch. He pulled Tracey close and asked, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Tracey's eyes darkened for a moment before answering him. "I've lunch with Blaise's new girlfriend and I think Gregory requires a visit before that. I'd like to see if the howler I sent him set the house afire. But now that Halloween is through, I'm free for the rest of the day. Why do you ask?"

"Chi requested you come with she and I to the Guy Fawkes bonfires. Su is out of town," he added, not sure why. "She actually mentioned you, but if you don't want to come..." he trailed off. Suddenly, he was very unsure of himself around her. He tried to gauge her reactions, but this time it was readable. It was one of the only times he could truly not read her expression. "I want you to go, too," he added, "If it's not too much of imposition."

Tracey smiled, thinking of the little girl. She hadn't seen her but the once, but she'd thought about her often. "Of course I'd love to come. I've never been to a Bonfire night but I've wanted to for a long time. Going with Chi gives me a perfect excuse to be an observer without looking like an utter moron. I was actually just reading about Guy Fawkes. He was an incredibly fascinating Muggle. Did you know that he was actually used by the establishment as a scapegoat, taking the people's mind off the real social problems by giving them someone to loathe? That for centuries the Muggles have been making effigies of him as a traitor, but when in custody he refused to name any of his co-conspirators? Even after torture he didn't name any other than the ones caught with him. He truly believed he was doing the right thing despite having the world call it wicked. No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks." Theo was starring at her with his mouth wide. She blushed and shrugged a bit. "It's in my book. What can I say?" She gingerly flashed him the cover of her very well read copy of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Men' by Mary Wollstonecraft. "I suppose I'm a bit bookish too. I've just always hidden it better than you do."

This was a completely different side of her that Theo hadn't seen before. He shut his open mouth and smiled. It was a surprise but a pleasant one. He always knew she wasn't stupid or ditzy, but didn't know she actually read books or anything like that. I wish she hadn't hidden this side of self her during school, he thought to himself somewhat sadly. He had always been attracted to the intellectual type. Shallow woman, which he never thought Tracey was, didn't do anything for him; it was like talking to a doll with no mind of their own, just agreements and nods. Being able to have another actual conversation with his significant other was actually normally one of his standards.

Tracey was a little uncomfortable with the silence, though she could tell that he was just surprised that she'd never actually mentioned her penchant for History or Politics. When had she had the time? It wasn't like they'd not had 'other' things to do during their time together. "So, about tomorrow. We'll go pick up Chi at home then?" It was a silly question but one to take the heat from her face as Theo kept starring. He'd need to get used to this side of her if he was going to really love her, right?

He smiled at her. "I'm glad. Chi will be glad. And I suppose we can pick her up at her house. It would be more convenient for her parents anyway." In truth, he hadn't asked he had just assumed he would be stopping by the Li house.

She nodded with a smile and reopened her book. He hadn't let go of her leg and every where he touched her sent tingles to her heart. Things were going slower, but they were still going to be okay.


(Summary: Theo and Tracey discuss books, and Gunpowder plots.)