A/N: This is for one of my friends, who pointed out how likely Zabini/Ginny was and asked me to write something about it. It's also for my sister, who calls this pairing 'Zabigenie', a name I enjoy saying.
Zabini slid into his seat, still glowering at Goyle. The idiot acted as though it was his fault that the stupid door had thrown him into his knees.
"So, Zabini, what did Slughorn want?" Malfoy asked from Pansy's lap.
"Just trying to make up to well-connected people. Not that he managed to find any."
That wasn't strictly true. Zabini had known about McLaggen's Ministry associations even before he'd showcased them in Slughorn's compartment, and Potter was, of course, the famous 'Boy Who Lived'. But he usually made it a point to pretend that all Gryffindors were pathetic, and he wasn't about to break that rule any time soon.
Malfoy scowled, which made Zabini secretly pleased. It was nice to be better than Draco Malfoy once in a while, what with him strutting around like he owned the whole wizarding community. "Who else had he invited?"
"McLaggen from Gryffindor" – Zabini made sure to put as much spite as possible into the house name – "someone else called Belby from Ravenclaw and Longbottom, Potter and that Weasley girl."
That Weasley girl. As soon as he said it, Zabini felt his stomach twist. Ginny Weasley was the sort of witch he'd normally hate on principal. She was a Gryffindor, a friend of Potter and a blood-traitor. And yet…there was something about her…
"He invited Longbottom?" Malfoy sat upright, his eyes wide with shock.
"Well, I assume so, as Longbottom was there," Zabini shrugged. He didn't really care about Longbottom. At the moment, he was trying to get Ginny Weasley out of his thoughts.
"What's Longbottom got to interest Slughorn?" Malfoy grumbled. He paused, his face brewing with anger. "Potter, precious Potter, obviously he wanted a look at the Chosen One. But that Weasley girl!"
There she was again.
"What's so special about her?"
Zabini forced his features into a neutral mask. Personally, he could list a dozen things that made her stand out from the other Hogwarts girls. She was quite attractive, for one thing, much prettier than Malfoy's precious Pansy. She was also quick and clever – not everyone could produce a perfect Bat Bogey Hex – and he'd seen her once in the hallways, mimicking Professor Snape in a way that made him want to laugh. All in all, he could think of plenty of reasons why Slughorn would've chosen her.
"A lot of boys like her," Pansy piped up, jerking Zabini from his forbidden thoughts, "Even you think she's good-looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please!"
Yes, I do think she's good-looking, Zabini wanted to snap, More good-looking than you'll ever be, but that's not really saying anything. He bit back his retort, though. There was so much wrong with it that he almost felt guilty. He should despise her as much as he despised every other Gryffindor. He should care as little about her as he did about Longbottom.
But for some infuriating reason, Ginny Weasley was different. He wanted her. It was a foreign, harsh feeling and he couldn't ignore it.
He could pretend, though.
"I wouldn't touch a filthy little blood traitor like her whatever she looked like."
His voice was so indifferent and frigid that he was a bit taken aback. Pansy seemed to find nothing wrong, however. She flashed him a small smile as the tension in the compartment evaporated.
Zabini didn't smile back.
Principals and rules were all very well, but he had a feeling he wouldn't forget that Weasley girl any time soon.