Blaise blamed Pansy. She was the one that had gotten a cat. Well technically she'd gotten one for her wife, and it was their third cat now. This one just had to be the one Theo fell in love with.
He wasn't opposed to the idea of a cat its more he had a point to make. That was Draco's fault. Blaise refused to be called a pushover for his boyfriend. He just tended to have similar ideas that Theo said aloud first thats all.
"Oh come on wouldn't a cat just make this boring old house a home?" Theo said while shoving a new photo of Bow into Blaise's face. Just because the black and white kitten was adorable didn't mean he'd break. A photo of Thackery followed, a very cute one of him curled around Bow. A third picture practically stabbed him in the eye. One of Salem lounging in Hermione's book nook in a sunny spot.
"The cats are cute but I think this boring old house as you put it is already a home, we've grown together here. Pansy and Hermione got engaged here, we became friends with Luna and Ginny here. Draco asked out Harry here, its sort of a hotspot of love. Not to mention we've spent so much on renovations. We've got shelfs full of memories, this place is a home," he told Theo pulling him closer to his chest, kissing his forehead. Theo smiled and accioed over their scrapbook.
"You've always wanted a pet darling," he said resting his head against his boyfriends shoulder while skimming the pages. He pointed to a picture of them at Draco's 19th party, both holding snakes, sharing a quick kiss and a bright blush over their cheeks. Written underneath was, '"I'd do anything for a pet" ~ Blaise 5th June '99 Malfoy Manor'.
"Yeah but I meant like a snake or fish or something like that not a furry little monster," Blaise told him with a slight chuckle. Theo let out an exaggerated gasp.
"Are you calling Pansy's baby Bow-Tie a monster? How dare you!" Blaise rolled his eyes and places another kiss to his forehead. They were all very fond of the kitten and her peculiar name.
"We're not getting a cat, we'd end up never seeing it anyway. We live in a bloody Manor, the blasted thing would get lost or something knowing your memory. You'd leave doors open we need closed so it wouldn't get lost," Blaise said, stopping Theo's flicking to look at Pansy's proposal.
"I still can't get over the fact she gave Hermione Thakery as an engagement present along with that ridiculously expensive ring," Theo muttered, smiling at one of the few muggle pictures he had. Pansy was down on one knee, Hermione had her hand close to her face to marvel at the engagement ring and Pansy was holding up a blurry black ball of fluff.
"Ah yes the best engagement gift, more responsibilities," he laughed, nuzzling closer to his boyfriend.
"You know Hermione, she adores Binx," he said as he flipped the page.
"And hates when you use the other version of her cats name, adorable names, random gibberish thats all fine but if you really want to call that fluffball Binx you call him Thakery Binx," Blaise muttered into Theo's ear.
"Boring if we get a black cat with green eyes we are naming it Binx just to annoy her," he responded finally flicking the page.
~☆~
Did Pansy really have to side with Theo on this? Seriously? A cat probably wouldn't be safe in the manor. At least that was his current main excuse.
"You used to wish you had a cat! When Hermione's bloody ginger thing would find his way into the common room you'd spend ages fawning over it!" Pansy ranted while making tea. He was currently sat at her kitchen table catching up.
"I know but it's impractical," Blaise told her, reaching for a cupcake.
"You could have charms set up to close doors after you both, I'm sure my bookworm knows some spell like that. You'd be on top of the cats food and I'm sure you'd manage to get a magical catflap that keeps the cold out," she continued on, pouring the water onto the teabags.
"I'd still rather fish or a snake, less chance of them escaping or getting lost," he said before taking a small bite of the homemade cupcakes.
"Hermione made these then," he said before Pansy could continue. She turned to face him with one eyebrow raised.
"Dont think you're getting out of this conversation so easily mister, your lover boy finally wants a pet and all you do is deny him. I know you love animals so it's stupid," Pansy told him, resting one palm on the white table and leaning forward to better stare him down.
"I still think it would be impractical, besides i prefer the idea of fish," he said avoiding her gaze. She didn't respond instead turned around to finish the tea, accioing the milk from the fridge. Blaise smirked at that knowing Hermione would tell her it was a waste of magic. He continued eating his cupcake and watching his best friend.
"So who's place are we having Sunday dinnner at?" Pansy asked knowing it was a lost cause for now.
"Ron's really picked up his mother's cooking and Ginny is going to help. Still waiting for confirmation but it will most likely be at his and Neville's new place. He managed to get a pass to go home for the weekend but he has to leave by seven so it won't be like our usual ones," he explained as she placed the mug in front of him.
"One day Mrs. Weasley is going to demand we all go over for lunch, and that is when it will truly be a party," she added as she joined him at the table, mug in hand. Blaise rolled his eyes at that trying not to picture the idea too much. Too many people for his liking. Too concentrated where the pair on their conversation to notice the tell-tale pop of apparation.
"Doubt that many people would fit in the Burrow. Besides a few of those Weasleys don't like some of us," he said staring into his mug.
"Stop your moping, Molly adores all of you she'd never let her kids say shit against you!" Hermione said from the doorway, having just apparated home.
"Hello love," Pansy said as her wife approached, leaning down for a kiss.
"Have a good day?" Hermione asked when Pansy pulled away, she nodded in response and pointed to the kitchen side where a third mug of tea sat with a heating charm over it.
"Still won't get a cat then?" She asked as she sat down, Blaise just rolled his eyes leaning back in his chair.
"Theo must be a saint to put up with you," she joked leaning into Pansy.
"More like how do I put up with him thank you very much, he's the reason we missed your wedding!" He said with a huff.
"Are you sure that wasn't both of you two busy caught up in bed?" Pansy asked, one arm going around her wife's waist.
"He was the one that pulled me back," he said pouting slightly.
"We don't need to know about that sort of thing," Pansy said shaking her head.
"Come on you had Hermione made cake, a Ginny made mini buffet and Luna made decorations! That's not something I wanted to miss, and that isn't even mentioning you got married by the bloody Mayor of Amsterdam the day gay marriage was made legal," he said kicking his feet onto the table only to have Hermione bat them way.
"Yeah and you decided to miss it all by spending an extra what five minutes with the mister!" Hermione said a small smile on her face.
"Twenty minutes and then like an hour of cuddling after," Blaise said looking slightly offended. Pansy started chuckling and Hermione soon followed suit in her laughter.
"Best wedding ever and I missed it for my stubborn boyfriend and some cuddles," Blaise muttered causing the girls to laugh harder.
-☆-
"I could have sworn he's always wanted a pet," Theo went on sat on Ron's new dinning table.
"He's just trying to prove a point," Luna said beside him in their usual dreamy tone. She had this habit of knowing things she had no reason knowing. It was one of those peculiar things about the ravenclaw.
"He's just an idiot," Ginny said from beside Ron, helping him prepare the vegetables. She had taken a shine to Theo after he'd helped her prank Harry and Draco several years back and now always sided with him.
"Even if he did want a pet and he's just trying to prove some point, doesn't change the fact he actually has a bit of a point. You can be really forgetful Theo. You barely ever close doors behind you even though you really should for warmth reasons of the main rooms and you forget to eat if Blaise doesn't tell you too half the time," Neville said from behind them all, leaning against the table, glass in hand and small smile on his face.
"Or he just doesn't want a cat," Ron said glancing over to his friends and boyfriend "Can you pass me my drink babe?" He asked right after. Neville grabbed the previously abandoned bottle of butter beer and gave it to Ron, only leaving his side after a quick kiss.
"He loves cats, much less work than a dog anyway," Theo said, resisting the urge to lay down on the brand new table.
"He also loves dogs, snakes, nifflers, fish and so many other animals. Perhaps he just doesn't want to pick one," Luna said, laying down on the table without a second thought. Theo smiled at the blond, beside Pansy and Draco she had become his best friend.
"Or he's being stubborn, sounds a lot like him," Ron said from his new place at the sink. He was very big on the clean as you go method. His sister on the other hand had a growing pile of washing up magically held beside her on the counter.
"He can be stubborn sometimes that's why I love him but he's never been like this before," Theo said looking down, thinking about it all.
-☆-
"I don't see why you don't just get him a bloody kitten," Harry said from his spot in Draco's lap.
"They don't need a cat," Draco said.
"Poor thing would probably get lost," Blaise said, ignoring Draco's comment instead of pointing out him and Harry really didn't need peacocks and ferrets.
"Or you could just give him a kitten and have a tracking device in it collar," Harry said also refusing to point out a pet wasn't a need and more a comfort and staring him down. Considering he was slowly wrapping himself around Draco it didn't seem very threatening.
"Maybe I just don't want a cat," Blaise responded, staring into his bottle of butterbeer. He preferred not to get drunk during Sunday lunch. Especially if the sandwiches of leftovers they usually had at like eight wasn't going to be happening.
No one would be able to crash here if they got to drunk anyway, while the newest couple of them all technically had a spare room it was yet to be furnished, and they really didn't want to wake up to a sad Ron not having his boyfriend near. They had gotten a flat in diagon alley, Hogsmead didn't have any selling and they wanted a magic hotspot so they didn't scare the muggles.
"Honestly Blaise it feels like you're just trying to make a point, all you ever talked about to Draco and Pans was wanting a pet. But now Theo is practically begging for one you're refusing him. Which is a high achievement anyway, that man has eyes that a very difficult to refuse," Hermione said having enough of the stupid conversation.
"Almost seems like you're trying to sabotage you're relationship," Pansy added knowing it would make the point.
"We have been dating since fifth year, before that I had a massive crush on him since second year. We moved in together during the war and my mother hasn't made one comment about him still being alive what ten years in to the relationship. I'm madly in love with him, I just don't want a cat right now," he told her, a mild glare being sent her way by not just him but Draco as well.
Blaise and Theo's relationship was the longest lasting relationship in the entire friend group. Luna and Ginny had had an on and off relationship in school starting their third year but they didn't count that, they had started dating in their sixth year during the war. Hermione and Pansy had also gotten together during the war but never actually told their friends when, sharing a very public kiss during the Hogwarts battle in the great hall. Harry and Draco got together in 2000 thanks to their friends. Ron and Neville had been dancing around each other since fourth year but after school sort of lost contact, but got together early last year.
"Blaise if you'd just stop trying to prove Draco wrong you'd actually be happy. You want a pet, your boyfriend finally wants a pet too so go adopt a cat," Luna said from the doorway, dreamy voice floating into the living room. Blaise was momentarily stunned by Luna's insight but this wasn't the first time they knew more than they should so just shrugged it off.
"Besides no one can say no to Theo's puppy dog eyes for long," Ginny said appearing beside her partner.
"Why do you think they missed our wedding?" Pansy joked, both her and Hermione cracking up.
-☆-
"Pansy said something earlier thats had me thinking," Blaise said, facing Theo in bed, watching him read against the headboard while he relaxed on his side.
"Hm thats nice darling," Theo responded too focused on his book.
"Theo," he said, drawing out the o in an attempt to get his boyfriend's attention. He propped his head up on his hand, staring at his boyfriend even harder.
"Whatever you want love," he answered the imaginary question, getting impossibly closer to his book. His nose was practically touching the pages as the book rested on his knees. One hand resting under his chin, the other holding the book in place. He moved impossibly closer to the book before jolting back. "Utter bullshit, absolutely not, you can't end his part on that!" He shouted out, slamming the book shut with one of his fingers intentionally still between the pages.
"Bad chapter ending?" Blaise asked as his boyfriend leant back against the headboard again.
"Worse, brilliant chapter ending but it's a cliff-hanger and the final chapter of this book following Mira's point of view. Oak only published this one three days ago," Theo explained, finger slipping out of place as he waved the book around. "El is missing now, xe just vanished and Mira, that poor poor princess, has gotten trapped in the deadly vines El was fighting off. I'm just glad they got Ryan out of there when they did and back to his guardians," he went on. Merlin Oak was his favourite author and their book series following seven queer characters of different species had become his favourite. Blaise was accustomed to listening to detailed rants about the on-goings of their books and had even become slightly attached to several of the characters.
"That is truly awful darling, but at least Ryan has Moon and Flower to protect him now. But what the hell happened with Luka and Erik?" He asked, not hiding his huge smile from Theo. He found his boyfriend utterly adorable.
"Like hell am I going to tell you, how would I get you to actually read the books if I just tell you how Oak finishes xyr stories?" Theo responded, turning slightly to better explain to his boyfriend. "You've got that face again," he told him.
"Mhm, thatd be the face I have when my nerdy boyfriend is being adorable," Blaise said, earning him a light whack on the arm with the book, trying not to laugh.
"You where trying to talk earlier, what where you saying?" He asked putting the book on his bedside table.
"Pasny said something earlier and it got me thinking, that's all," he explained. Theo smiled gently down at him, placing one of hands over Blaise's free hand.
"Pansy says a lot of stupid things, what's wrong love?" he asked. Waiting as he took a deep breath and ran his hand holding his head up over his stubble.
"She said that it looked like I was trying to sabotage our relationship, you don't think I am do you?" He asked ducking his head.
"What? That is utterly ridiculous, you're just being a stubborn arse. Besides you do make a decent point, I moved in what feels like a lifetime ago and I still got lost around here," Theo told him, placing a reassuring kiss to his forehead. "I'm well aware you love me, you adore me. You spent years wooing me before you actually asked me out, you're the sweetest bastard," he went on.
"I love you, lets get a cat."
-☆-
It was that simple apparently, another confession of love, a heartfelt mini speech and they were on the hunt for their very own fur-ball. Ginny and Luna directed them to a lovely no kill shelter. Every animal was up to date on their vaccinations, and the shelter would help with any vet bills in the first 18 months. It was however a muggle shelter, and they would need to do an inspection.
Hermione, Harry and Neville sent help. Neville sent some necessary things for the new addition to their family and Harry and Hermione helped set it all up. They had an internal set up of lockable cat-flaps that would only let the cat into roughly a fifth of the manor. Five scratch posts had been set up and there were plenty of cat beds of different sorts around, though they highly doubted the beds would be used often. All magical objects had been hidden away for the inspection.
Everything was fine of course, they'd requested the inspection happen before they had a look at all the cats so they could take the little fluff-ball home as quickly as possible.
"There are just so many adorable cats!" Theo said running ahead to get a better look at one that had caught his eye.
"We're only getting one!" Blaise called after him, smile spreading over his face. He stopped in front of a cage with a cat waiting to be picked up inside. A gorgeous grey kitten with green eyes. They where curled up in the back corner, a small lion in their paws. If he'd have read the sign he would have been in for a shock, adopted by an Oliver Flint-Weasley.
He caught up to his boyfriend, only to find Theo absolutely enamoured with a very fluffy black and white cat. It was very adorable, the pale slytherin blinking at the fluffball while the adorable cat stared back. It ever so slowly blinked at Theo.
"I say we get that one," Blaise spoke up, watching the pure joy spread over his boyfriend's face.
"They're adorable. Called Tux, very soft," Theo muttered in response. Fingers stretching out to reach the cats fur, they rubbed against his outstretched hand with a loud mrow. "Described as friendly, cuddly and shouty. Sounds like the perfect addition to our little family."
"Tux it is then darling," Blaise said crouching beside Theo with a smile.
-☆-
Pansy was sat on one of their sofas with Draco and Ron while Ginny, Luna, Harry and Hermione got to know Tuxedo. Blaise and Theo where, like usual, crammed together on a small armchair watching their cat and friends.
"Told you you were a pushover," Draco joked.
"I've wanted a cat since third year. I only put up a fight because of you," Blaise explained, resting his head in the crook of Theo's neck.
"I won't be talking to your boyfriend for at least a week Harry," Theo added, shifting to be more comfortable in Blaise's lap. Harry laughed but continued to focus on the cat.
"She is adorable, you picked the perfect cat for your home. If you'd have gone any sooner you wouldn't have the right one," Luna said in her usual dreamy tone as she dangled a string in front of the new fluffy addition of their massive family.
"You make no sense Luna," Pansy half whispered from the sofa.
"Percy recently got a cat too, won't tell me the name though," Ron shared from the sofa.
"Me neither, refuses to tell me why he suddenly got one after loads of rants talling me and Luna that three pets is more than enough and anymore than that would ridiculous. His two snakes barely count as pets if you ask me, take up barely any space and feeding is easy," Ginny said, rolling her eyes and getting up of the floor to sit on one of the other sofas.
"Swear he had a different owl from last time I was round there," Ron said.
"Maybe he has a secret lover," Draco joked.
"Or he just had some weird moment," Hermione said, stroking Tux when she came up to her.
"You Weasley's are always having your moments," Theo joked, earning him two very loud ois.
Tuxedo was slowly withdrawing from the group on the floor and moving towards the already cramped armchair. She ignored the cat bed placed by the chair and jumped onto the leather arm with a loud meow. Tux demanded the attention of her two owners. Theo carefully scooped the fluff ball up and readjusted himself in the chair and his boyfriend's lap to better seat the squirming animal. She let out another much quieter meow as he set her down in his lap.
"Is she always that vocal?" Hermione asked with a small smile as she joined Pansy on the sofa.
"Yeah, can be a bit annoying at times but it is adorable," Blaise answered at the same time that Tuxedo let out a mrow. Harry let out a small laugh at the cat answering the question herself as he too moved from the floor, he joined Ginny on the other sofa.
"Told you a cat would brighten up this place," Theo said in a sing song way, smiling up at his boyfriend, bending his neck back in order to do so. "Oh no no claws baby," he hissed a second later much to Blaise's enjoyment.
"Its about time she attacked you too," he joked, gently kissing the side of his head.
"You two are sickening," Ron said with a small smile. He had no right to complain, when Neville was around they where the most PDA, sickening sweet couple you would ever find.
Ron tended to always be beside or behind Neville with some form of contact between them. In summer it was very common to find a hunched over Neville tending to one of his plants with a Ron attached to him, arms around his waist and chin resting on the shorter's head. And when Neville was home from hogwarts they spent a lot of time going on dates to all sorts resturants, along with the occasional starlit picnic.
"You should try spending an afternoon with Draco and Harry," Pansy joked, Draco gently whacked her arm but couldn't hide his smile. He shot a flirty wink over to Harry causing the room to slowly erupt in laughter.
"Just don't visit them unannounced, or Luna and Ginny's unannounced, it isn't a fun time or something you'd easily forget. I swear you don't need that," Pansy went on trying not to remember the scences she had walked in on.
"Learn to send an owl then!" Ginny screamed at her.
Tuxedo jumped of off Theo's lap and moved over to the sofas. She let out a loud mrow, waiting to be called over to someone, Hermione patted Pansy's lap instead of her own to draw her over. Tux jumped up into the slytherin's lap and curled up, softly purring as both girls started petting her.