laconic • t.nott ✓

bonus chapter ➺ cute hufflepuff boys

「 CUTE HUFFLEPUFF BOYS 」

"I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD be back so soon."

Blaise laughed softly and squeezed his hand. "It's been quite a few years, Theo," he remarked gently. "I don't think soon is the correct word."

"No," Theo argued. "I thought I'd need at least ten years to forget."

Blaise turned to him, serious this time. "Theo, we can go back home -"

"No, no." Theo held up a hand. "It's alright. I'm just being dramatic."

Blaise regarded him with concern for a minute to which Theo responded with a wide grin. In the end, he dropped his eyes and sipped his butterbeer, looking out of the window toward the village of Hogsmeade.

"We never came here for a date, did we?" Theo asked. Sure, he had visited Hogsmeade multiple times with Blaise over the years they were at Hogwarts, but it was never on a date. During his last year, he was here - at the Three Broomsticks - with Seamus, but the situation between Blaise and him was quite stressful during that time.

"This could be a date." Blaise smiled at him over his mug. "When we get back from Hogwarts we can walk around here for a while."

"Sounds like a plan."

Theo downed his drink and stood, before offering a hand for Blaise to take. Then, with nervous excitement, they left Three Broomsticks and made their way to the Hogwarts castle.

Hogsmeade hasn't changed much since the last time Theo was here, which was about five years ago. The shops were the same and so were the people. The decorations may have changed slightly - he noticed fresh potted plants around Hog's Head, which was notorious for its griminess. But all in all, Hogsmeade held up a calm and lively aura over itself.

As they left Hogsmeade and stepped into the path leading up to the castle, Theo asked, "Did you miss Hogwarts?"

Blaise didn't hesitate. "Not really." When Theo didn't respond, he smiled softly at him. "You missed it, didn't you?"

"It was the only home I had for a while."

Blaise's arm wrapped around his shoulders. "Well. You have a new home now."

The Hogwarts caretaker, Argus Filch, waited for them at the Entrance hall. His usual scowl deepened as Theo and Blaise reached him, Theo smiling broadly. "Filch! I missed you, old man."

Completely ignoring his heartfelt words, Filch pinned a card on the front of each of their shirts, saying, "You have one hour." The card read Visitor in a very careless scrawl.

Blaise shot him an amused look. "This was our home for seven years. I think we'll stay however long we like."

Before Filch could stab him with the end of his broom, Theo grabbed his boyfriend's arm and pulled him inside. Once they were safely out of Filch's reach, he burst into laughter. "He hasn't changed at all."

"Actually, I think he's grown more bitter."

"If I were made to clean up after five hundred rowdy children, I'd be bitter too."

The Great Hall was empty, as expected. But it was a few hours before lunch so it wasn't long before the place would fill up with aforementioned rowdy children. Theo would have liked to leave this place as soon as possible but Blaise seemed to have other ideas. He took Theo's hand and led him to the Slytherin table. Surprised, Theo sat down next to him, their knees touching.

"We never got the chance to have a date in school," Blaise said, brushing a thumb over his cheek. "So let's make this a date."

Theo almost forgot how to speak. "I - I don't want to scare the children." His voice came out husky and weak.