Theodore quietly shut the lap top down, and then glanced at you, still asleep. He carefully tried to set the computer on the table without stirring so much that he would wake you. Sighing slightly, he thought of the entry that he had just made. Since Saturday, he had gained so much to think about.

Ana shifts in the bed slightly, her eyes opening to slits, and then wider as she sees you awake and sitting there. The idea of you at her bedside has become natural now, though she still wonders how she's so easily comforted by it. "Hello."

"Good morning, or afternoon actually," Theodore says, smiling. "Sleep well?"

Ana nods against the pillows and sits up slightly, happy that she's finally able to again. "What were you doing?"

For a split-second Theodore looks slightly uncomfortable, but the moment passes and he says rather easily, "Just checking the journals..."

Ana raises an eyebrow slightly and then returns looks just genuinely worried. "You don't think it will... effect my grade? That I can't write in them for now?"

"No," he says. "I can't imagine that they'd drop your grade because you were knocked unconscious by an attack on the Leaky Cauldron." <i>A Death Eater attack at that</i>, he thinks, but doesn't voice.

"Right...." And she relaxes into the bedding again and simply looks at you, her eyes still soft and sleepy. "Has anyone come?" <i>Have my parents?</i>

Almost immediately he knows what you're really asking, and he shifts his eyes downward, "Not that I know of," he says softly. "But... I did fall asleep for a bit, so I can't be totally sure."

Ana frowns, but doesn't say anything more about that. "You.. you should sleep more... Are you feeling better?"

Theodore shrugs. "I'm alright," he says, indifferently. The pain he was in is pretty much gone, but he has so much on his mind he can't fully answer your question. "How about you?"

"I feel better... I want to go home, though." And she's still frowning, but moves over to the edge of the bed, just in case you'd like to join her - though she would never ask you outright to do that.

Theodore sees you shift over, and can't hold back a smile. Rising from his chair, he slides into the bed next to you, and then wraps his arm around you and pulls you into himself. The last day or so have made him more comfortable around you than he ever thought he would, or even could be.

 Sighing, if possible both out of contentment and frustration, he says, "Yeah, I'm free to go whenever. I think they're giving you another night here though." He glances around the room and says, "I'm tired of these walls."

Ana tenses, as she always does, but is quicker now to relax into your side - leaning her head against your chest, over your heart, and listening to the even beat. She sighs softly and closes her eyes. "I am too...." <i>What if he can leave tomorrow and I can't!</i> "Home will be much better... I'm sure Tissy can take care of me...."

Theodore frowns. <i>How in the world do I bring this up?</i> he wonders. "I don't like the idea..." he starts, but then changes his mind, "I uh, asked my dad something," he says. "I just don't like the idea of you going home, alone... Not after everything that's... well, happened." He's nervous about what he's saying, and sure you easily picked up on that.

Ana tenses again, not sure where this is going. "I've... I'm used to being home by myself." She leans off your chest slightly to meet your eyes. "I don't want to stay here longer than I have to."

"No, definetly not here," he says, "but uh... er... I talked to my dad, and he said you were welcome to come stay in one of the guest rooms." Having said that, he now immediately feels like an idiot. <i>Why does this matter so much to me?</i> Keeping his gaze straight at yours, he says quietly, "Ana, I just really don't like the idea of you being by yourself, not right after getting out of the hospital, at least."

"Stay... stay with you?" Her voice immediately softer and completely unsure. She has an urge to wrap her arms around herself, but since it's resting across your waist it just tightens around you before she can stop herself. "You... you want me to stay with you?" <i>He cares that I'm alone?!</i>

"It's just that... well, it's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself... cause I know you can... but you were hurt pretty bad, and I'd worry, and I'd feel a lot better if you weren't alone. I mean, I'm sure you have other places you could go, but I wanted to let you know that there's a room open for you, if you want it." <i>Why am I so nervous? I'm never like this.</i> He doesn't say anything more, barely moves, waiting for your response.

Ana bites her lip and leans her head back down against your chest, considering this for a few very long moments. "I... I don't have anywhere else. I mean.... nowhere that I would want to go....But, I would bother you..." Not sure at all why you even want to invite her. She's comfortable with you, but the thought of spending that much time alone... that small voice in her head kicks in for the first time in days, screaming that she's letting you far too close now.

"You wouldn't bother me," he says, his voice sincere. "At all." He lowers his voice a bit and says, "My dad's having... a friend of his put up wards around the house. I don't know what he's so worried about... It's just that, like I said, I'm really uncomfortable with the idea of you being alone. And there's plenty of room at my house. It's just an idea..." He pauses, and then without really thinking says, "Your parents really should come home from their vacation. They should have stopped in here by now." As he says that, he tenses up, and you can feel how upset he is at that.

Ana feels how you tense, and she can't help but smile. That angry reaction to her parents speaking directly to her - showing that you're genuine. But she just shrugs slightly, relaxing further against your side. "I'm used to it."

"Maybe," he says, understanding slightly how you feel, his own mother having been gone all summer as well, "but I don't like it."

"You're sure it's...alright....If I stay with you?"

"Yeah," he replies. "I talked to my dad about it to make sure. He understood." A small, hesitant smile begins to form, "So does that mean you will?"

Ana bites her lip again and nods against your chest, but doesn't say anything, instead she closes her eyes again and focuses on listening to your heartbeat - because her own has sped up considerably as she realises she's touched by you're caring. And the thought of so much time alone with you is making her stomach flutter, which worries her and makes her smile slightly too.

Theodore pulls you a little bit closer, and smiles. You seem so small, so fragile, he wants to make sure nothing happens to you, that no one hurts you. Right then, at that moment, he feels like he can do that. "Good," he says softly. "I was hoping you would."

Ana has the rediculous notion to press a kiss to your heartbeat, and she's horrified to find that she's actually done it before she can stop herself. Her head turning just slightly to brush her lips against your shirt.

You catch Theo off guard, but his eyes meet yours. <i>Do I?</i> And he looks at you, and he sees the trust in your eyes, and he won't. Not yet, anyway.

Ana blinks. She hadn't meant to catch his eyes. And then lays her head back against his chest, eyes closing, cheeks feeling hot. "Do you.. do you mind?" And she means do you mind if she's laying against you. But it could mean so much more.

"No," he says simply. And feeling the need to say something, he says, "I want you to trust me, Ana. And I don't want to do anything that will lose that trust." But with that he looks down and kisses the top of your head, before hugging you tighter.

"I...I do trust you." And that still frightens her, but there's really nothing she can do about it now. "You could hurt me so easily." And she's not even aware she's speaking the thought aloud until she finishes.

"I won't," he says softly. "But... can I ask you a question?"

She nods against your chest again, not saying anything.

Theodore pauses, wondering if he should actually ask. And how he should phrase the question. "What... what scares you, about trusting me?" he asks, finally.

"It's just... dangerous." And she sighs softly, burrowing closer to you. "You're a serpent too. You know how it is."

Theodore nods. "Yeah, I do... but you don't think this could just be another serpent's game, do you?"

Ana blinks at that, and sits up slightly, looking down to meet your eyes. "I don't... I don't want it to be."

"Ana, it's not... I promise you. Gods, I could never do that to you." He looks at you, searching out your eyes, trying to get a feel for what you're thinking right then.

Ana looks into your eyes for a long moment, considering you and those words. And then, without warning, leans forward quickly and presses her lips to yours - just a whisper of touch and then it's gone, and she sinks against your side again, actually blushing, and closes her eyes.

Totally taken by surprise, Theodore doesn't do anything for a minute, and then whispers, "Ana?"

Ana looks up slowly, her cheeks still red and warm, and brushes her hair away from her face before she meets your eyes. "I'm sorry..." Biting her lower lip slightly.

"Don't be," he says. Raising his hand to your cheek he draws closer to you, and returns the kiss, letting his lips linger on yours for a moment. Slowly he pulls away, his eyes locked on yours.

Ana's breath hitches softly, and when you pull back she stares into your eyes for another long moment before smiling, very very softly, and laying back down against you.

Theodore takes a deep breath and marvels at how wonderful it can feel to have you in his arms. "I would die..." he says, "before I'd hurt you."

Ana closes her eyes and presses another soft brush of her lips to your heartbeat, thru your shirt, before settling against you. Not saying anything, but with a soft smile on her lips.