This is being cross-posted from Ao3. It was originally posted on 12 February 2021.

Friends By Your Side
Rated: Teen & Up
Pairing: Theodore Nott/Blaise Zabini
Summary: Theo, Blaise, and Pansy contemplate what their seventh year might look like and how they can make the best of it.

Prompt: #31DaysOfShipping21 Practice Prompt 3/4- A Slash Ship
#RAREHPBINGO Sqaure G4: Blaise Zabini/Theodore Nott
Incorrect Quotes: Theo: *Trying to cheer the group up* "Things could be worse, you know?" Blaise: "How?" Theo: "How what?" Blaise: "How could they be worse?" Theo: "They couldn't. I lied." Blaise: *speechless*

When it was time to go back to Hogwarts for their seventh and final year, the Slytherins were a rather glum bunch despite the Dark Lord on the rise. A lot of them had spent the summer avoiding the Dark Lord and listening to their parents and families rave about how he would reign again. As most of the quieter Slytherin crew were neutral when it came to the war, this made all of their summers rather disappointing.

"I heard Draco isn't coming back this year," Pansy told the crew as she entered their train car and took a seat. "He hasn't replied to any of my letters all summer, so I have no way of knowing."

"He hasn't replied to any of us, I don't think," Theo muttered and carded a hand through his long hair. "I gave up trying after a few weeks of nothing in return."

"Me too," Blaise muttered, unwrapping a Chocolate Frog. After the spell wore off, he broke it into a few pieces and shared it with his housemates. "It's going to be a very different year, I think. If it wasn't bad enough that Dumbledore was killed last year, and Snape is taking over as Headmaster, I heard the Carrows are going to be filling in some teaching spots."

"We certainly have our work cut out for us," Pansy said at this news, sighing heavily and letting her head rest against the back of the seat. "They're rotten… Worse than Snape ever was to the Gryffindors."

"That should be pleasant," Theo said dryly, rolling his eyes at the thought. He nibbled on the chocolate his boyfriend had given him. Without their letters this summer and the few from Pansy, too, he would have gone insane. "Any bets on whether or not the Golden Trio will show their faces?"

"Last I heard, they were still on the run," Pansy replied, picking uncomfortably at her nails. "Who knows if any of the Gryffindors will even survive with the new leadership at the school. If I was them, I'd have stayed home or gone into hiding."

Blaise gave an exasperated sigh. "Hiding isn't going to solve anything, Pansy." Shrugging, he added, "My guess is that we'll be forced to treat them all like dragon dung which you know isn't my style at all."

"You're far too nice for a Slytherin," Theo teased, playfully poking Blaise in the side. "Maybe we should have the Sorting Hat place you into Hufflepuff, hmm?"

"Sod off," Blaise said, shoving Theo but then pulling him back in for a kiss. "You know better than anyway exactly how cunning I can be."

As Blaise and Theo began making eyes at one another, pansy rolled hers and said, "Hye now, none of that in front of me unless you plan on letting me join in too."

Without missing a beat, Blaise quipped, "You know you're always welcome to join or watch… Whatever you please."

"We can't do that here," Theo said, but there was a flush to his cheeks and a desire in his eyes that showed his true wishes.

Shrugging, Blaise went back to eating the last of his chocolate and said, "We have the entire year ahead of us; I guess we should behave so we don't end up on the receiving end of the Carrows punishments."

"Yeah," Pansy practically whispered, a faint hint of fear in her voice. "We definitely don't want that to happen…"

They lapsed into silence, each caught up in thoughts of what terror and trials the year would bring. Pansy typically had Draco to lean upon, but without him, she was on her own. Blaise and Theo had each other, having finally taken their friendship to something further just before the summer holiday had started.

Wanting to cheer the group up, Theo said, "Things could be worse, you know?" He attempted to smile as he took Blaise's hand in his and squeezed.

Blaise looked at their clasped hands and then gave his boyfriend a curious stare. "How?"

"How what?" Theo asked, trying to play off as if he didn't know what Blaise was talking about.

"How could they be worse?" Blaise asked, raising a single eyebrow in challenge.

Theo sighed heavily and slumped in his seat. "They couldn't. I lied."

Blaise and Pansy sat there in stunned silence for a moment before the former burst into laughter. He leaned over and kissed Theo on the cheek and then offered Pansy his hand. They sat there, all intertwined for a moment before he finally spoke up again.

"Things look pretty grim right now, that is for sure," he began and then took a deep breath. Letting it out slow, he said, "One thing we do know is that we have each other. This war isn't our war, and in the end, whatever happens, we'll still have each other when it's over."

Pansy smirked and shook her head. "That's right," she said, holding tight to her friend's hand. "By summer, everything will be over, and we can live our lives. What do you say?" The last part was addressed toward Theo, who was still looking rather put out at being unable to initially cheer up his friends.

Swallowing back his insecurities, Theo nodded and smiled. "You two are right," he said quietly, shaking his head at himself. "We have each other, and that's all that matters. Come on, let's track down the snack trolley before we have to change into our school robes. My treat."

Blaise pulled Theo in and kissed him properly before pulling them both to their feed. "Now that is a proper way to cheer anyone up," he told his boyfriend before heading for the door.

The three knew in their hearts that magical treats wouldn't fix the way they were feeling, but their friendship would carry them through this mess. Whatever happened in the end, they had their company, and Blaise and Theo had their love for one another too. All would be well.