Curses, Cures, and Spellbound Spines

As he said his goodbyes and offered an awkward half-wave to Theo, Draco stopped over to the grocer just across from the bookshop and grabbed one of every flavor of the Red Bull, which ended up being a feat he definitely shouldn’t have done as he found himself carrying two large grocery bags without being able to cast a featherlight charm. When Draco got to the flat, he found Pimsy waiting by the door, nervously twisting her fingers.
“Master Draco, Pimsy is so glad to see you! She was worried when you weren’t back after an hour! Did everything go okay?” Pimsy snapped her fingers, taking the heavy bags from his hands and depositing them somewhere, most likely the kitchen.

“Thank you Pimsy. I ran into some old… friends from school, and am going to be spending Sunday afternoon at the Woodridge’s, the couple that owns the bookshop down the street. I didn’t get a chance to stop for food though, so how about we order a pizza, okay?”

After getting Pimsy’s approval Draco pulled out two of the novels he had purchased from Spellbound Spines, intent on spending the night curled up with a book in the living room, on the pristine antique sofa that remained in the loft from his childhood, with no intention of speaking to anyone else until the following day when he would be going to speak to the goblins about accepting his new found heirship.

Unfortunately, Blaise Zabini has never been one to predict Draco Malfoy’s intentions, thus leading to Draco jumping nearly out of his skin as the floo in the parlor lit up, allowing Blaise to enter the loft, dusting off his traveling cloak and smirking at Draco’s surprised expression.

“My wife wanted me to remind you we have an outstanding dinner that you are late for.” Blaise said, holding out what Draco assumes is a note from Pansy.

“Last we spoke, she wasn’t your wife yet. And my apologies for being late, I seemed to find myself being arrested as soon as i left my home. And let me tell you, Zabini, trying to explain to a bunch of Aurors why I had a handful of Witch Weekly’s on my person was fucking embarrassing. No one would believe I was bringing them for my best friend to sign! They all just thought I was some kind of pervert!”

“Ah so they weren’t too far off were they, aye Drake?” Blaise said with another smirk, pulling Draco off the sofa and in for a hug. Draco responded in full, not remembering the last time he felt so at ease.

“I ran into Nott at a shop earlier. I’m having dinner Sunday with him, Granger, Potter, and who knows who else will bloody be there.” Draco said with a sigh. Both Blaise and Theo were there for Draco in those hard years when he fell in over his head with the Dar- Voldemort. Blaise found himself back in the same life he had before the war; rich, powerful, and in love with Pansy Parkinson.

Theo, on the other hand, was as far from the person he was before the war as he could possibly be. His courtship with Daphne Greengrass was over the moment Tiberius Nott was thrown in his grave, and the next day The Nott Manor was found burning in a Fiendfyre strong enough to require two teams of Aurors and a representative from the Misuse of Magic office to eventually extinguish it. It was never confirmed to be arson, as there were enough cursed objects in the Manor to lead some to believe that an item may have released the curse when its owner passed, but those who know Theodore Nott, knew that this was nothing less than expected. In the following months, Theo cut ties with most Slytherin’s, joined an apprenticeship at the Ministry for curse-breaking, and became the honorary fourth member of the Golden Trio, leaving the Silver Trio with only one member remaining. Until now, of course.

“So it's too late for dinner, but how would you feel about popping over for drinks? Pansy won't take no for an answer, so asking is honestly just a formality. You have… fifteen minutes. I’ll see you soon.”

And with that Blaise disappeared the way he came, and Draco was left to decide if he would follow suit or risk incurring the wrath of the Princess of Slytherin house. Sighing, Draco walked over to the door that led to the wine cellar and grabbed a bottle of 1979 Bordeaux, hoping the sentimentality won't be missed by Pansy, and a bottle of Ogden's finest. Glancing at his watch, Draco realized he was minutes away from an angry witch bursting through his floo, and so with a final sigh, Draco grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, dropped it at his feet, and said Zabini Estate, Chelsea.

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When Draco felt his feet land in the fireplace of the Zabini household, he felt like he was almost going back in time. Back to when he was a child, flooing over to visit Blaise when he was home for the summer, or on the far too often times when Blaise would be left to his own devices while his mother was off on her honeymoon with husband four. Or six. But as Draco walked into the entryway he could see the influence of Pansy almost immediately. The previously emerald carpet was pulled up, and marble floors were in its place. The windows that had never opened in all the years Draco visited, were allowing a light breeze to wash over the room. But the biggest change was the absence of anything serpentine. No subtle snakes carved into the door handles. No more portrait of the snake tempting Eve in the Garden. In fact, the only painting Draco could see was a Van Gogh, the one that Draco had gotten for Pansy as an engagement gift a week before his arrest. If Draco was correct, the home contained no magical paintings at all. Odd for one of the wealthiest Italian heirs, but if Pansy Parkinson decided family portraits were out, they were out.

As Draco mulled over the muggle-ness of it all, he heard a light tap of heels getting closer and had to fight the urge to run back to the floo. He knew the sound of Pansy’s footsteps almost as well as he knew the sound of his own heartbeat, and these steps were filled with rage. Draco braced for whatever she was going to throw at him.

“DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY. How DARE YOU ignore my letters!! For ONE WHOLE YEAR!! You got arrested and just ABANDONED ME?? I had to get MARRIED without my BEST FRIEND! You are such-” She shot off a stinging hex to his left knee, making him wince but not knocking him to the ground as she intended. This may have made her even more mad, as she then shot two more stinging hexes at his right knee, finally knocking him over. “- an arse! I rode that fucking BOAT to AZKABAN and you STILL WOULDN’T SEE ME!”

At this point Draco was starting to worry if Pansy was going to move from stinging hexes to Unforgivables, and seeing as Blaise was clearly not looking to intervene, Draco closed his eyes, pulled out his wand, and waved it.

“Expecto Patronum.”

A silver niffler crawls up his leg and into his hand and Draco gently whispers, “Go to Theo Nott and tell him that Draco needs help at Blaise’s. Please hurry.”

With a little hop, the niffler scurries away and Pansy raises her eyebrow.

“I don't know who you sent for but I promise you that not even bloody Harry Potter will be able to help you. I am beyond mad, Draco Malfoy. I LOVE you. And you made every happy moment from the time you left us feel tainted.”

“I don't know if you are aware, Pansy, but I didn't exactly choose to leave you. I was arrested. On my way to your house. Did you ever stop to think that it was hard watching my friends be happy while I was stuck in prison? That maybe I was just doing what I had to do. That-,” but Draco was cut off by the sound of the floo behind him going off and they both whip their heads around to see Harry Potter step out of the floo with his wand raised, hair ruffled and shirt haphazardly buttoned. Following behind was Theo, in the same state of undress, although his wand was nowhere to be seen.

“Harry I told you, Draco is a dramatic bastard, there is no way he's under attack. Put the wand- WHAT THE FUCK PANSY!” As had been happening to Draco, Theo was hit on his knees with two stinging curses and Harry threw up a quick shield charm around Draco, Theo, and himself.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME?? The floo should NOT have let you in! BLAISE ALESSIO ZABINI GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!!” Pansy screams, slapping her palms against Harry’s shield, still not acknowledging his existence. Within seconds Blaise appeared next to Pansy, holding his wand lightly between his fingers. Due to the unsurprised look on his face, Draco was certain Blaise had been listening the whole time.

“My darling, Theo should not have been able to get in. But seeing as he was with the Savior of the Wizarding world turned Auror, I’m thinking he hitched a ride in. But it’s no matter because I think this fight has probably run its course, don’t you, amore mio?” Gently, as though trying not to spook a horse, Blaise reached over and took Pansy’s wand from her hand, and pulled her in for a hug. Draco watched as her shoulders sagged and she let out a sob into Blaise’s chest.

“I may have overreacted. It’s the hormones. I just can’t believe he’s back.” Pansy mumbled into Blaise’s chest, causing Blaise to chuckle.

“Yeah, well get used to it, Princess. You’ve got at least seven more months left of this. Oh yeah,” Blaise turns to Draco and, incidentally, Theo turns to look at Blaise as well. “Astoria can't have a baby so Pansy took it upon herself to have one for her. So she’s pregnant. So as far as drinks go, Pansy will be having Gillywater.”

Draco smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of Bordeaux.

“Seven months left? Well, I’ll leave this here for when you can have a drink, and we will toast to Astoria and… Astoria and who?” Last Draco recalled the Greengrass girls were both unattached.

“Oh! Astoria and David. They eloped a few months ago, it was insane Draco! David is a-" Pansy reached forward to grab Draco’s arm, intent on walking him into the smoking parlor, but her hand was still stopped by the shield Harry had put in place. Pansy rolled her eyes and with a hand on her cocked hip said, “Potter can you please put this bloody shield away, there is no need for it. And button your damn shirt correctly, you look like you just snuck out of a broom closet.”

Harry blushed and immediately dropped the shield, then looked at Theo and found the boy was a mirror of the blush that was surely traveling up his neck by now. The two boys began quietly mumbling to each other, with Theo looking forlorn towards where Blaise was awkwardly waiting by the door, intent on following Pansy and Draco, but not wanting to leave Theo. Harry seemed to understand and walked up to Blaise, leaving Theo by the fireplace.

“Theo would like to stay if you’ll have him. He has had a lot of regrets over the last year, the biggest being losing you. I know that was all- I don't think I actually know what that was about- but when Malfoy’s patronus flew into my flat, Theo looked so scared. He was scared for Draco, obviously, but also for you and Pansy. I had to stop him from calling the DMLE by assuring him that I would call them if I felt they were needed. And it really seemed like that was all just Pansy feeling the loss of someone really important to her, and I know Theo used to be that for you. So, I don't know, can he stay? And try to make it up to you guys?” Harry was glancing nervously over at Theo, seeing his furrowed eyebrows over his hazel eyes. Blaise sighs and walks over to Theo.

“Could use a drink after all that, wouldn’t you say?”
Theo let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

“Yeah, I could use a drink.”

Blaise gestured with his head for Theo to follow him and began walking to the parlor. Harry started to walk toward the floo, intending on flooing back to his home.

“Not so fast, Chosen One. You’re coming with us.” Harry stopped just as his fingers dipped into the floo powder, and turned to look at Blaise, but he was already through the door. Theo glanced back with a smirk and reached out a hand. Harry half jogged over to Theo, taking his hand and following him into the serpent's den.

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Inside the parlor was possibly the only room that hadn’t been changed by Pansy’s hand, and you could tell by the way she huffed at the uncomfortable table chairs and the antique poker table, but mostly all of the snakes.

“Blaise if you’d just let me get rid of the snakes. I hate snakes. If I never see a snake again, I’d die a happy woman.” Pansy ran her fingers over her wand, ready to transfigure the snake-adorned table legs into something more formidable.

“Ah, amore mio, but I love snakes. And I've given you free rein of the whole house, except this parlor and my garden. So, unfortunately, I will have to say no. Yet again.”

With a wink and a light kiss on her cheek, Blaise walked over to the cabinet that has been dubbed ‘The Pansy Pantry’ as it is full of ingredients for Pansy’s alcohol-free drinks, as well as her potions for her pregnancy. Blaise pulled out a bottle of gillywater, a handful of fresh mint, some raspberries, and a mortar and pestle. He then begins crushing the mint and berries together and tosses them into the glass of gillywater with a straw and hands it over to Pansy.

“For you, Princepessa.”

Pansy’s scowl seemed to melt off her face as she took a big sip of her drink. Blaise had been making her what muggles called mock-tails for the last few weeks and this seemed to dull the sting of not being able to join Blaise in getting drunk at his poker nights. Harry glanced at Pansy’s drink and looked at Blaise sheepishly.

“Any chance you’d make another of those, Zabini? I work in the morning and that looks way better than a glass of Ogden's.” Blaise rolled his eyes but felt a little proud that someone else wanted to try something he made. Theo and Draco walked over to the glasses and Draco pulled out his bottle of Firewhiskey, pouring three glasses. When Blaise handed Harry his glass, Theo had a glass of whiskey ready for Blaise. Draco didn't miss the look that passed between Theo and Blaise, a look that reminded Draco of how it used to be. And neither did Pansy, as she proceeded to reach over and grab Theo’s hand, squeezing it as she leaned her head on his arm.

“I’m so glad to have all my boys back.” She smiled over at Harry, who was still standing over by the whiskey glasses. “And I look forward to getting to start over fresh, Chosen One.”

Harry rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Can we just call me ‘Harry’? Please. This last name, nickname, anything- but- my- first- name shit is getting old.”
Pansy’s eyes sparkled with mischief and she let a wide grin form over her lips.

“Okay Harry, want to tell me what you were doing with Theodore in the state you arrived in?” Pansy sent a wink at Theo who started coughing on his drink and Harry, bless his heart, was so red he could’ve blended into the curtains on a Gryffindor 4 poster bed.

“Well… You see… Um…” Harry glanced over at Theo, then Draco, hoping someone would help him out. Luckily, Theo reached out his hand again, and grabbed Harry’s hand.

“We’re dating. Or, it's new but I’d like to be dating him. It’s kind of hard to do, what with Granger and Weasl- Hermione and Ron taking up each of our time, but now that Ron has got himself a girlfriend, it’ll be a bit easier. Obviously we don't want to make a big deal out of it, but Harry’s reputation precedes him so we are just hoping to keep it out of the prophet for a little longer.” Theo looked at Pansy, eyes hard as though preparing for another stinging hex. Instead, Pansy’s eyes start watering, which is almost worse. Theo’s eyes widen and he looks to Blaise for reassurance, but Blaise is just smiling at Theo.

“You finally got him, didn't you? It only took you pining after him for damn near five years?? You were almost as bad as Draco, staring at that bushy head of hair every day, talking about how much he hated her, and calling her names like a little boy. ‘Oh, she punched me, Pans! How muggle of her!’ But wouldn't let Pomfrey fix his nose, cause he wanted to keep the scar! Oh Theo you were almost as bad, constantly sitting as close as you could to Harry before- Draco why are you looking at me like I just killed your owl?” Pansy stopped, wiping her eyes when she noticed the glare on Draco's face.

“Because PANSY we don't just say things like that in front of HARRY FUCKING POTTER.”

Harry just smiled sheepishly and said, “You should’ve heard the stuff we said about you guys. Hermione is going to die when she finds out your patronus is a niffler.” And with a wink at Theo and a chuckle towards Draco, Harry sat down with his drink, thinking maybe being sorted into Slytherin wouldn't have been that different after all.