Written for Queenie. My first attempt at GinnyBlaise, so I hope you like it.
He catches her by the arm, pulling her away from the crowd.
Ginny raises her brows, a frown twisting her lips. "Thought you couldn't risk your precious reputation being seen with a traitor," she says sharply.
Blaise smirks at the words, releasing her arm. "You can't fight. They won't let you," he says flatly. "You aren't old enough."
Eyes rolling, Ginny shakes her head. "You really think they can stop me? My family is out there, Blaise. I'll be damned if I'm going to rub with my head down like you."
She hates the way Blaise acts so cool and untouched by her words. He keeps his head high, an almost bored expression on his face. He's always been like that. So unreadable, so impossible.
"I'm not running. I'm saving my own skin," he says, folding his arms over his chest. "I'd suggest that you do the same."
"You're telling me not to fight?"
"I'll telling you that not everyone is coming out from this war alive. I don't want you to be one of them. We may not be able to be a normal couple-"
"We aren't a couple at all," she interrupts. "I broke up with you because or your stupid blood purity pride, remember?"
Blaise ignores her, not even reacting. If it wasn't for the barely there annoyance in the curl of his lip, Ginny would almost think that he hadn't heard her at all. "But I still don't want you out there, getting hurt or worse," he finishes. "Go with me, Ginny. No one will judge you for not fighting."
She shakes her head, incredulous. "My family is out there. My friends. People I love are fighting, and you can't honestly expect me to leave them behind."
He rests his palms on either side of her face, his forehead pressing against hers. "Is that really worth the risk of dying? Just because other people are stupid enough to risk their lives?"
"Yes."
He pulls away, and for the first time ever, she sees him give into his emotions. The pain the flashes across his face is so sharp, she can nearly feel it too. Maybe he really does care for her.
"Gin," Blaise sighs.
"I won't ask you to fight, but you can't ask me not to," she says quietly, looking him in the eyes. "I love them. I have to fight for them."
"You used to love me," he reminds her.
She stands on her tiptoes, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I never stopped, Blaise."
"I can't change your mind," he sighs.
"I'm sorry."
An almost smile tugs at his lips. "No, you're not. You enjoy being stubborn," he teases before shaking his head. "Come back. That's all I ask."
"You know you don't make promises during a war," she says.
He shrugs, then, without a word, he disappears into the sea of students being lead away from the castle.
"Ginny, watch out!" Neville cries, and Ginny reacts just in time to deflect a hex that's hurled at her, countering it with a Stunning Spell.
"What's wrong?" Neville asks. "It's not like you to be so unfocused."
"I guess I have a lot on my mind," she says.
Before Neville can ask anything else, Ginny sprints down the corridor, desperately searching. Blaise clouds her mind. She wonders if he's made it to safety. She wonders how safe the Hog's Head really is tonight, if Aberforth can protect them.
She needs to focus, needs to do something to keep her thoughts at bay.
"Expelliarmus!" she cries, pointing her wand at a wizard who is too close to Luna. His wand soars through the air and lands at her feet. Ginny quickly snaps it.
If she can defeat enough people, they won't be able to go to the pub. Blaise might have a chance.
"Oh. Thank you," Luna says. "The Wrackspurts have me tonight, I think. My brain feels rather fuzzy."
Ginny doesn't tell her it's probably adrenaline, and not some imaginary creature. She simply smiles.
"Mine is, too."
"The Wrackspurts seem to be with everyone tonight. Did you see the Slytherin that came to fight? Maybe they got him, too."
"The- What?"
"Oh. Yes. The tall one. He looked quite confused when he turned around, and I heard him say 'Why am I doing this?'. I do hope he's all right. Wrackspurts make it hard, and I would hate for him to be hurt."
The tall one. Ginny tries to ignore the flood of hope in her chest. There are plenty of tall Slytherins. It doesn't mean it's him.
But how many would have a reason to turn back? How many love something in this castle enough to stay and fight?
"Ginny?"
"Thanks, Luna. Watch out for the Wrackspurts, okay?" Ginny says hurriedly before turning around.
She has to find him.
...
She searches for his face. Maybe it makes her a little bit reckless because she can't quite focus. Her spells aren't as neat as they should be.
But her heart is racing so painfully in her chest that she fears it might find away to burst out through the bone.
Blaise is here. It can't be anyone else. He has come back to fight.
Ginny can't help but to laugh, a smile on her lips and a renewed determination in her heart. She could kiss him now, for all to see, because he is a traitor, too.
If only she could find him.
...
"I can't believe it," Neville says, finding her during the temporary calm of the ceasefire.
"Believe what?"
"You haven't heard? Zabini came back, and he was on our side."
"I kn- What do you mean was?" she asks, and feels her heart sink.
"He and Seamus were taking on Amycus Carrow. You should have seen it! He was no match for them! But then Alecto found them, and-" He trails off, shaking his head. "When this war started, I never thought there'd be a Slytherin by our side, nor did I think a Slytherin would die with such honor. He pushed Seamus out of the way of the Killing Curse."
Ginny feels the world stop around her. "I have to see him," she says.
There's a small crowd around Blaise's body. None of them had been his friends. None had ever cared for him. But they call him brave, they say he's honorable.
Ginny kneels beside him, taking his lifeless hand in hers. "You idiot," she says, and there's a hint of laughter in her voice, in spite of the tears that fall. "You brave, beautiful idiot."