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Draco stepped through the Floo into the parlor and dusted the soot from his cloak with a silent Tergeo. He could make out voices coming from the sitting room as he meandered in that direction. Ah, sounds like Theo is here, he thought to himself with an amused smile.
Just as he was about to greet his wife and his best friend, he was interrupted by Theo’s boisterous interjection.
“Merlin, I want to wear that man’s arse as a hat!”
Hermione shoved him playfully from beside him on the settee, giggling and nodding.
“Unbelievably fit,” she agreed, then pressed a button on the remote to replay something on the television.
“What are you two wa—?” Draco’s words died on his lips as the scene panned to the roundest arse he’d ever seen. He hardly even noticed the second set of buttocks on the screen as he tried to comprehend the sight before him.
His reverie was broken by Theo’s snort of laughter and Hermione’s alarmed squeak as she paused the show, freezing on the suggestive leer of the very attractive owner of said arse.
“What in Salazar’s left bollock are you watching?!?” he was finally able to spit out. Theo shrugged and patted the space between them.
“Come on, mate. Have a seat and we’ll catch you up.” Draco scoffed but rounded the settee and joined them nonetheless. Hermione grabbed his bicep and pulled him down for a kiss.
“Hello, you,” she whispered as her lips retreated. “I missed you.”
Draco’s answering expression was skeptical. “Hardly seems to be the case,” he muttered.
“Don’t be such a tosser. Hermione and I have been dying for this show to finally air over here and I don’t have a telly,” Theo replied, then resumed the episode. The camera zoomed in on the other actor’s panicked, freckled face.
“Fine, but I’m changing out of these robes and we’re starting over from the beginning,” Draco announced as he stood. “And no spoilers!”
***
3 hours later
Draco dashed the tears from his cheeks and gave a quiet sniff. Beside him, Hermione openly wept while Theo’s mumbled curses of “bloody coward” and “self-involved prick” joined from his left.
“You’re not being fair!” Hermione wailed from across Draco’s lap, her finger leveled at Theo, but uncomfortably close to Draco’s face. He leaned back, glad to not be the subject of her ire, though he secretly agreed with Theo.
Theo threw his hands up in the air, nearly smacking Draco in the process. “He can’t even show up to his birthday gathering? Kip deserves more than to be someone’s shameful secret!”
Hermione scrubbed the sleeve of her jumper across her face and glared at Theo. “Can’t you see that he hates himself for it? He’s scared but that doesn’t make him a coward!”
Draco was silent as he shoved down the ache in his heart that wished Lucius could have been more like Kip’s father.
***
Nearly 2 hours later
“Oh shit! What’s he—Merlin, is he going to?” Draco stammered as he squeezed Hermione’s thigh with increasing intensity as the music swelled on screen. On his left, Theo had gripped his arm with both hands.
“Oh my gods, he’s coming down to the ice!” Theo yelped. Hermione’s eyes were enormous and shining once again with tears.
When Scott’s lips locked onto Kip’s disbelieving mouth, Draco released his wife’s leg and pumped both fists high in the air. “Fucking yes!”
Hermione shushed him and yanked his arms down. All three gaped at the television in tense silence, leaning forward in their seats.
“I’m coming to the cottage.”
The episode ended and Hermione, Theo, and Draco erupted in unison: “HE’S COMING TO THE COTTAGE!”
***
1 hour later
The settee was empty. Huddled together on the floor in front of it, however, was a mass of inconsolable sobbing and hugging as Draco clung desperately to Hermione and Theo, whose reddened faces and hiccups rivaled his own.
Their blotchy faces were puffy when they finally pried themselves apart. Draco wasn’t sure when he’d last had such a cathartic cry–he was completely wrung out.
He rose slowly, then assisted Hermione to her feet. His extended hand was batted away by Theo with a dramatic huff. As they reclaimed their spots on the well-worn cushions, no one spoke for several minutes.
At last, Draco turned to Hermione, speaking the words they each tried to fight:
“Want to watch it again?”