Tangled Web: DaphneBlaise
Word Count: 730
The greenhouse is one of the few places Daphne feels truly safe. No one in her House ever comes out here if they aren't in class; for some reason, Herbology is seen as a useless subject. It is peaceful, and she knows no one will bother her here.
"Is this why you wanted to meet here?"
She turns when she hears that familiar voice. A smile plays at her lips as Blaise moves closer.
"Just planning to dilly-dally among the plants?" he asks with a smirk.
Daphne rolls her eyes and tucks her dark curls behind her ear. "Did you really just say 'dilly-dally'?" she asks with a soft chuckle. "Really?"
Blaise shrugs. "It's a good word." He pauses next to a vine that's covered in yellow and blue blossoms. "Seriously, though. Why did you want to meet me here?"
Daphne bites her lip as she ponders how best to go about this. Blaise is well aware that she's a bit different. Their House is full of people who believe blood purity makes them superior; so many have mindlessly followed the Dark Lord, or, at the very least, kept quiet and acted like this is all okay. Not Daphne. The Greengrass family has never been found of adhering to negative stereotypes.
Blaise isn't the same. In the end, he is a true Slytherin, and he chooses whatever path will keep him alive. He says he's adaptable; Daphne thinks he's just scared.
"Daph? Hello?"
She blinks rapidly, shaking her head before offering him an apologetic smile. "Sorry." She takes a deep breath. Maybe there is no way to soften what she has to say. "You really shouldn't follow the Carrows. They're monsters."
She should probably be afraid to speak so bluntly. After all, Blaise may be neutral, but he still helps the Carrows. If she isn't careful, then everything they have, everything they've spent years building could fall apart.
Somehow, she can't bring herself to care. She has to get through to him. He doesn't actually believe in what they're doing. It shouldn't take much to turn him against them.
He scoffs and looks away, busying himself with the floral vine. For several seconds, he doesn't speak. Finally, he sighs heavily, still refusing to meet her eye. "There were rumors, you know," he says quietly. "They're saying you're dangerous."
Dangerous. Daphne can't help but laugh. There isn't anything dangerous about her. "I'm glad you see me as a threat."
"I'm not like them," he snaps.
She rests her hands on her lips. "You sure about that?"
He looks at her now, brown eyes swimming with emotion. Blaise shakes his head. "For Merlin's sake, Daph! You've known me since we were kids. I love you! Do you really think–"
"If you're really different, it shouldn't be hard to turn your back on them."
Blaise looks away again, his body trembling. He groans. "I'm not like you either," he says. "I'm not brave."
She moves closer and reaches out, taking him by the hand. Blaise reluctantly allows her to guide him along. "You don't have to be brave," she tells him. "I'm not. I'm terrified sometimes, but you know what? I'm bloody angry, and I'm going to do something about it."
He doesn't quite look convinced, but Daphne can hardly blame him. He's been raised to blend in, to go with the flow because it will keep him safe. The idea of deliberately rocking the boat must unfathomable.
"I don't know how to do something."
Her heart flutters. Is it really possible that he'll join her, that he's willing to turn against the Carrows? She hardly dares to hope. "There's a way."
He laughs. "Don't you dare say Dumbledore's Army."
She shrugs. "They have the right idea."
Silence, but this is a different type of silence. She can practically hear the argument waging in his mind, and she's more than a little sure that she's going to win.
"Okay." He shakes his head and chuckles, lips tugging into an awkward smile. "I'll try."
Daphne stands on her tiptoes, kissing him gently as she wraps her arms around him. "Thank you."
It isn't a promise or anything solid, but it is a start. Maybe Blaise isn't angry like she is, and maybe he isn't following her because he believes in the cause, but it doesn't matter. At least she has someone by her side.