𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻'𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳, theodore nott

˗ˋ 06

CHAPTER SIX
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH A PICNIC 
BLANKET IS SPREAD

. . .

THEY HAD TIED THEIR HORSES to a sturdy-looking tree, loose enough to allow them to graze in the lucious, widely untouched grass below it and reached the stream that trickled into the lake at the bottom of the valley. It had been the focus of their ride, and now that they had arrived, a more relaxing part of their day could take place. And as much as the four of them enjoyed to assume the appearance of people who entirely lacked the need to do anything except their duties as children of prominent pure-blood families, they would use the time to relax. 

"I cannot bring myself to believe how utterly useless you all are." Theo leaved his horse with a pat to her neck and a grin to his face, wandering over to the mare Cerise had had the pleasure of handle all morning, holding his hand up to the girl as she swung a leg over the saddle.

"Move, dickhead." Draco had shoved him out of the way, taking his place and helping her down, settling her on the grass with ease. "My girlfriend, Nott, or have you forgotten?"

"Can't say I have, Malfoy, considering what a tight hold you have on her." Theo replied, falling into step alongside Blaise instead, watching as pale arm along Cerise's waist transferred to holding her hands. "And it seems I meant that both literally and metaphorically." He added.

"Just because you've never heard of the word 'monogamy', Teddy." Cerise shook her head. "Blaise, do you have the picnic?" She turned to her brother, who fixed quite the stare on her. "It's not that I don't trust you to take care of it, I was just wondering before we got settled."

"Yes, after that rather incredible win on my behalf-" Theo's words were punctuated by a punch on his shoulder from Blaise, "- It would be such a shame for you guys to have to go back and get it."

"So that's your prize, huh?" Draco's eyebrows were raised as he led Cerise alongside him, knuckles tight across hers for almost entirely no reason. But she didn't mind so much; the last few days had been tense for them both and she was willing to help him as much as possible. Someone had to, and without Lucius at home Narcissa was unable to defend her son as much as she could manage. Family pride ran tight in their circles, yet she never seemed too keen on the ever strong-willed Lucrezia Zabini defending the young couple in a sole strike. Which left them almost defenseless from Bellatrix's rages and constant wishes to extend her family's position in the group.

"Please, not going back for a picnic is the least fascinating prize I've ever heard of." Theo scoffed. "No, I'll think of something more interesting, something more worthwhile."

"Well you'd better think quick. I'm not having you carry out any... lecherous acts under our roof." Cerise hummed, watching as a waved wand laid out the silver threaded blanket they had taken from one of the living rooms in the Malfoy Manor and sat down on it.

Draco faltered before coming to sit next to her. "Theo is staying with you?" He asked.

"Yeah." Cerise just shrugged as she began to unpack the picnic that Blaise had passed to her. The second Zabini twin made a face as he sat back, deciding to not get involved in whatever upsets would about to be hurriedly whispered between them so as to maintain the perfection of their relationship even in the presence of those closest to them. 

Draco swallowed back initial anger, however that didn't hold him back entirely, eyes darting over to Theo who was very pointedly removing the cover off of a plate of neatly prepared sandwiches they had gotten from the house-elves. He leant closer to his girlfriend. "Cerise... you didn't think about telling me this."

Her eyes were wide as they met his. "...Draco." She whispered. "Your seriously worried about that? You... your... he needs a place to stay."

"So why can't he stay with me."

"During the meetings?" Cerise asked. She may act as though she was constantly on the higher end of the annoyance scale with Theo and his flirtatious nature but not so deep beneath the surface it was evident just how much she cared for one of her friends. And Theo had been that to her for several years even before Hogwarts. "Draco, my mother offered him one of our guest rooms. You're just as welcome to take one."

"You know Mother and Bellatrix would never allow me." Draco replied in a low mutter and Cerise sat back. "Sorry - I'm sorry, I just would've liked to know, all things considered."

"Yeah, I know." Cerise shrugged, her gaze averting back to the picnic and not saying anything more, busying herself with the unpacking of food, taking the bottle of cloudy, handmade lemonade and tipping it into the carefully packaged glasses that had been picked out for their picnic.

"Couples' spat over?" Blaise asked, breaking the small silence that had fallen. "See, Theo's not the only one who can make jokes over your relationship."

"I'd prefer if nobody joked about our relationship." Cerise commented, in her hand appearing a silver flask that had been tucked away in her bag. She offered it wordlessly, tipping a small amount of alcohol into each of their glasses. "Either way, anyone is welcome at our house should our mother allow it - and should she not have a several decades long feud with them."

"You could turn that to centuries, could you not?" Draco, newly calm and a lot less harsh in his approach to his girlfriend's words, said. "There has to be someone who your mother has know for as many years as she has been alive."

"Our mother might be immortal, but I think her worst enemy is time." Blaise hummed. "She complains about it that often, about the necessity of... her circumstances that keep her alive."

"Blaise, it isn't as though we are strangers." Theo shook his head, although his carefree nature dulled when he saw that the turn in conversation had led to Cerise and Draco becoming as close as they were before the minor disagreement, his head pressed into her neck and a smile blooming there silvery white hair merging with the darkness of her own curls. He would smell the cherry-lemon of her perfume that he so often captured in passing, the smell that had lingered in Draco's bedroom during the night of his arrival. 

His jealousy was evident, but he shrugged it off and focused his attention on lighting one of the cigarettes he had pulled from his pocket, flickering the lighter and balancing the rolled paper between his lips as he continued to speak. "We can very openly admit that your mother's continuous stream of suitors is her ultimate source of both pleasure and life."

"I'd rather not talk of my mother's 'pleasure'." Cerise scoffed, a smile not breaking from her face despite the content of her words. Her hand raised from her lap, fingers curling around Draco's face and landing gently on his left forearm, pressing a kiss to his temple as he hissed in pain. "Can we not just forget about our parents and out duties and just have a calm afternoon?"

"Finally, someone speaking my language." Theo grinned, reaching an arm over and offering the couple the cigarette. "You two keep that, don't really want it back."

And as Draco scoffed and took a drag, his friend only smiled and grinned, his own jealousy hidden in plain sight until it was dug back into a hole in his mind. At the very least, removing feelings and envy, Theo was glad that his best friends had each other through such a troubled time in his life.

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