Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine. J.K. Rowling isn't a 16 year old girl with little no writing experience.

This story is dedicated to SkyeElf for getting me off my duff and actually doing some writing. So This is for her.

And yeah, Enjoy!

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" No matter how many times he said it, Blaise Zabini couldn't stop the confounded organ located within his chest from contracting painfully. "Why? It wasn't supposed to feel like this..." He stopped as his heart lurched against his ribs for the nth time. After it happened, it took awhile to sink in. At the time Blaise had just shrugged it off, like the person his world had been centered around for the past few years hadn't mattered to him. But when did sink in, the reality of it all hit Blaise. Hard.

He was at Hogwarts, hiding. Slytherins don't hide. Zabinis don't hide. Still, there he was with all his miserable pride, hiding out in the Room of Requirements. He didn't really think hard on what he wanted as he paced back and forth in front of the Room.

"I need a place to think." Blaise thought over and over in his head. When he had walked into the Room of Requirements, he wasn't surprised to see a comfy sofa like in the common room or a fire that was making the Room toasty warm. What Blaise was surprised to see was a box of tissues. Yes, tissues, sitting on a low table between the fireplace and the sofa.

"What?" He said to himself. "I don't need tissues. I'm not sick..." Blaise trailed off as he realized what else tissues are used for and what else he had asked for from the Room of Requirements.

"I'm not going to cry!" He yelled at himself, shocked. "I won't cry." Blaise whispered as he collapsed into the green two seater sofa, head in his hands.
As the Slytherin stared into the fire trying to forget his misery, he couldn't help but remember her smile, the way her hands felt, or the way her lips tasted on his. Like chocolate and something else, Blaise had decided.
He felt something warm and wet drip onto his hand. Then another. Blaise reached up and touched his face. Damn her, damn her for making him hurt, for making him feel worthless. His shoulders shook as unbidden, his memories of her washed over him. Blaise relived the first time he ever laid eyes on her. The girl he had been in love with since he was a 3rd year. Amiee Renya Demiynr.

He remembered the first time he spoke to her, Blaise had been so entranced with the way the light reflected off her deep brown eyes he hadn't hear a word she said. She hadn't minded. Amiee had just laughed and said something else before waving her hand in front of his face and saying his name. Blaise.Even the way she said his name made him love her. It was decidedly American, not a hint of British anywhere. Her dark hair and skin spoke of her African heritage even if her name didn't. As memories and feelings continued to rush through him, Blaise didn't notice the time or if he was hungry or tired. Just the warm dampness on his face and the pain in his heart.

Luna Lovegood was tired. Her silly roommates had stayed up all night and caused her to have next to no sleep. "Oh, dear, what should I do?" She spoke to herself. Since she had a free period she had no class to attend. "What should I do? I don't want to go back to the common room..." She let out an airy sigh. As Luna slowly walked down a hall she spotted a nargle, the silly little creature had been trying to draw a mustache on one of the portraits. "Hello, what do you think I should do?" She asked it. The nargle just shrugged and flew off to, Luna assumed, harass another painting. "Oh dear, I seem to be without something to do..." She gave another light sigh. As Luna continued to wander the halls of Hogwarts, she came to stand outside of the Room of Requirements.

"I guess I have nothing else to do." The Lovegood said to herself, standing still outside the Room. She paced three times in front of the wall... A comfortable place, a comfortable place, a comfortable place, she chanted. The wall turned into a door and Luna slipped in.

The first thing she noticed was the roaring fire and the warmth of the Room. Next, the love seat, with its back facing the door and her. Then the decidedly Slytherin color scheme of the place.

Slytherin green instead of Ravenclaw blue? How odd. However, being Luna, she didn't think on it after the initial realization.

As Luna strayed farther into the Room, she began to hear soft sounds, almost like... sobbing?

She called out, "Hello?"

Blaise didn't know how long he sat hunched over with his head in his hands. What he did know though, was that somewhere along the way his crying had turned into a painful kind of hiccuping shakes. The kind that catches in one's throat, then forces its way out and tries to take the lungs with it. Yeah, those kind. He was startled out of his misery, however by a quiet voice behind him. "Hello?"

Blaise quickly stifled his sobs with a tissue and hunched down further into the sofa. Evidently the other person wasn't leaving soon, though. He heard very soft footsteps start to approach the couch. Damn it! Blaise cursed internally. As the person moved closer, the dark skinned boy hunched as low into his seat as possible. Hoping that it would swallow him up so he wouldn't have to face the humiliation of being caught crying.

"Blaise?"

He heard the person speak softly and a little... absentmindedly? Blaise sat up and whipped his head around so fast, his neck cracked a little. "Oh, it's just you Loony." Blaise let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned back to the fire. Thank God it isn't anyone else. If Loony tells anyone it'll be easy to say she just imagined it.

"Hello, Blaise. Mind if I sit down?" He heard Luna say from behind him.

"Um, I guess not..." Blaise trailed off. This was just strange. Here he was, Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin, best friend to the Slytherin Prince a.k.a. Draco Malfoy, and he was having a conversation with Loony Luna Lovegood. Alone in the Room of Requirements. A conversation that so far hasn't included any insults. Well, Loony, but almost everyone calls her that even that Goody-two Shoes Granger.

Blaise sat in thought until he realized that Luna hadn't sat down yet. He looked back over his shoulder to see her just standing there silently behind the love seat, staring off into space.

"Um... Loony?" Blaise didn't know why all of a sudden he was hesitant about speaking to the somewhat air headed girl.

"Hm?" The blonde girl said, looking at him absentmindedly and somewhat surprised.

"Are you going to sit down?" Blaise asked again rather impatiently this time.

"Ah, yes. My head is somewhat fuzzy today, but don't worry. It isn't wrackspurts, just not enough sleep." She said lightly and her mouth stretched open in a large yawn.

"I see." And Blaise did see. There were dark circles under her eyes and she was even paler than usual. Luna's long blonde hair had been pulled up into a messy bun. Some curls had not made it or had escaped and were framing her face and trailing across her neck. Don't ask him why he was so damn perceptive today. Maybe my brain is just working over time because...

Blaise heard shuffling and then the cushion of the love seat dipped and Luna sat down.

"So, why were you crying?" Said boy looked up in shock. He had thought she hadn't noticed because she didn't say anything right away. When Blaise didn't respond Luna continued.

"You don't have to say anything. I find that when I'm sad it's easier to talk to someone. Blibbering Humdingers are good listeners, if you can catch them on a lazy day."

Blaise just looked at her, trying to keep fresh tears in. While he had been distracted the pain had just kind of sat in a corner and throbbed. Now it had jumped to the fore-front of his mind and the deep seated pulse turned into a burning sensation. The fire raced along every nerve of his heart and soul.

Luna knew she had said something she probably shouldn't have when she saw pain tighten the African boys expression.

"You don't have to say anything. I find that when I'm sad it's easier to talk to someone. Blibbering Humdingers are good listeners, if you can catch them on a lazy day." Blaise just continued to stare at her. There must be something on my face from breakfast, Luna thought but didn't do anything about it. I've gone this far why mess it up.

The pale teen was pulled out of her scattered thoughts by Blaise saying. "I broke up with my girlfriend." Luna looked into his deep brown eyes.

"Relationships are always hard, no matter who they are with." Blaise seemed startled that she had said anything at all. He seemed to not care about the tears that were still running down his face. "What?" he asked, a little confused and turned to face the fire.

"Relationships are always hard, no matter who they are with." Luna repeated. "People and relationships are like paper with glue on them. The longer you stay in contact with someone the harder it is to leave or for them to leave. When it does happen to people who have been together for a long time, the people tear and pieces of each other stay stuck and it hurts. A lot." Somewhere along the way, Luna started to think about her mother and her chest clenched a little. Not much, only a little. She didn't know the woman very well, but to see how distressed her father had been for years afterward made it hard.

"That makes... sense, I guess..." Blaise said halting and sniffed. Then realizing what he did, blushed. Luna guessed he knew he blushed because he got even darker. She laughed a little. Luna liked her laugh, it made her father smile.

Blaise was glad he had turned to face the fire because when Luna finished talking he sniffed and blushed. Then blushed harder. And if it was possible, a little more when he heard her laugh. A light tinkling sound, like wind chimes. A calming sound if Blaise had ever heard one. He liked it even better than Amiee's. Her's was deep and throaty and reminded Blaise of the war drums from their native country. It might be a little soon to be thinking this. But, hey he couldn't control what he did or didn't like! But I'm a SLYTHERIN! I shouldn't be talking to her at all! But he was and he... liked it?

"Here." Luna said, and Blaise looked up to see a multicolored, patched together looking handkerchief being held in front of him. His eyes trailed up the white hand extended from beneath the black school robes to her face. The girl had a gentle smile and seemed genuinely happy to be of some help. Blaise was at a loss, he just sat there dumbly. Why is she being so kind. Why isn't she making fun of me? I was crying for goodness sake!

"You use it like this." And Luna wiped her cheeks. "What?" Asked Blaise, still trying to figure out what this pale phenomenon was about.

"You use the handkerchief to wipe your face." She said, repeating the action. "Now you try." Once again presenting Blaise the piece of cloth.

"Oh." He said. Brilliant, now she thinks I don't know how to use a bloody handkerchief. Great, just great. He thought as he took said item from Luna and wiped his face. The cloth came back damp from tears. Blaise folded it up neatly and held it out to Luna. She started to reach for it when suddenly he jerked back and basically shouted, "I can wash it for you!"

"That would be nice." Luna said rather surprised. At least Blaise thought she looked surprised, but then again she normally looked a little surprised. But after all, why wouldn't Luna be surprised, Blaise himself was shocked beyond belief at his outburst. Why did I say that! Why would I offer to wash Loony Lovegood's handkerchief? Maybe, a little voice inside his head said, Its because you want to see her again.

Don't be daft, he told the voice. Why on earth would I WANT to see Loony again? But he already had a feeling of what the answer was going to be. In one sitting she had made him forget most of his pain. It was like a scratch now. Once the cut was forgotten it stopped most of its hurting. She was nice and while a little feather brained seemed to actually know what she was talking about most of the time. Blaise felt calm, happy, content and... good, when he was with Luna. With Amiee it had been a broomstick ride in a hurricane of emotions.

"I have to be going," Luna said checking her watch. "I have Potions next."

Blaise watched silently and she stood and walked a little crookedly to the door, smiling a little to himself. In the instant he watched her walk out of the door and out of his sight, he knew the answer. He couldn't wait until he saw Luna Lovegood again.