Disclaimer:The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. The song featured in this fic, is by Bruno Mars.

A/n:Part of the "Song of the week mini-competition" by Silences Doubts.

Song of the Week:It will Rain by Bruno Mars. Not all the lyrics will be featured in this fic, just a couple.

Implacable

He reached across the table, and took her hand in his. Without looking up, the auburn beauty sitting across from him, pulled her hand out of his grasp.

Blaise swallowed his pride, and the bitter taste her rejection of his touch left behind. He sat back, and studied her fine features. The way her very straight layered hair fell gracefully on each side of her face; the arch of her fine brows over her green eyes, which were currently so set on the book before her. The raspberry, plump line of her lips set in a straight line of concentration.

She was easily the most beautiful girl that he had ever met. She was probably the most beautiful girl in the whole school, a fact that was over looked because she was a Slytherin. No one but a Slytherin, would dare date a Slytherin girl. And the only reason she was so overlooked by the Slytherins was because she was a half-blood, and so at the bottom of the hierarchy.

If you ever leave me baby
Leave some morphine at my door
Cause it will take a whole lot of medication
To realize what we used to have
We don't have it anymore

For a moment, he wondered when things had become so difficult. However, after a moment he realized he was being deluded. Things with Tracey Davis were always difficult. From the moment in second year that it became widely known she was a half-blood, it was like her personal war started.

For Tracey, it had been easy to fend off all attempts of bullying by her Housemates. She was the singular most talented Slytherin in their year. When all attempts at bullying were rebuffed, all that was left was to ostracize her. A tactic which was just as futile. Tracey had always been wildly independent and unafraid to stick to her beliefs; loss of the few acquaintances she had made, was no loss at all to her. And as Theodore Nott was equally independent, and actually enjoyed Tracey's company, becoming her one friend and ally, saved her from complete ostracism.

However, that had never been Blaise. He enjoyed his status. While being second to Draco rubbed him the wrong way, he accepted it, because even though Draco was an incompetent prat, he was after all a Malfoy.

When exactly he had fallen for Tracey, Blaise was unsure. She had always been fascinating to him, since first year. However, after second year, he had to accept being only an admirer from afar and in secret. That had all changed in fourth year, when she'd been invited to the Yule Ball by a Beauxbaton pretty-boy. The jealousy he felt that night was enough to make him forget or care about what the other's would think and say of him.

After that, they'd enjoyed nearly a year of almost peaceful and very happy courtship. But things became progressively strained. The strange events of fourth year, the uncertainty and now definite return of the Dark Lord had tainted everything in their world. Umbridge and her Inquisitorial squad were only one more irritation.

I'll never be your mother's favorite
You're daddy can't even look me in the eye

And now here they were... on the brink. Blaise knew it. He could see the cracks, as if they were standing on a plain of glass, and each fissure underfoot brought them closer and closer to the inevitable break.

She became progressively cool and to him her implacable morals almost seemed malevolent, and she heartless. How could she care more about being honest about her stance in this war, than protecting the love that they shared?

"We'll be going home tomorrow, I don't know what you're studying so hard for. School is over for the year," Blaise spoke tonelessly, as he eyed her knowingly. She was trying to avoid his company, that was why she read so diligently now. Blaise knew this, and he couldn't bare it anymore, as they were now facing summer vacations. And he knew that neither one of them really wanted a repeat of last summer. He'd come to visit her, more than a couple times.

Her parents hated him. They made no secret of that. And in a way, Blaise could understand that. He simply wasn't good enough for Tracey. Blaise had always felt it very acutely.

Tracey snapped the book shut, and looked up at him, her green eyes meeting his brown ones. "All right, I suppose it is about time we get this chat over with," she stated firmly. "I've been thinking that we should split up."

Blaise ignored the feeling in his chest, like all the air had been punched out of his lungs. Tracey was always pretty direct, and unflinching of the truth. They'd had plenty of conversations, where the question of whether they should stay together, lingered unsaid. He'd been waiting for this a long time, and had wondered at why Tracey hadn't brought it up before.

"Let's face it, Blaise. Your method of survival is to go along with Draco and his lot, even if you don't necessarily view the world the same way. Your relationship with me jeopardizes your cover, because I'm decidedly not of that view and our whole House knows it. I've already had to break away from my friendship with Theodore, and he has more pull because his father and grandfather are both staunch supporters of … HIM. You don't stand a chance Blaise. You know we need to break-up, because you need it to stay safe."

"But I don't want it. We could make this work-"

"I'm not going to have a secret relationship with you." she stated coolly, because she knew it was what he was about to suggest. It was the only possible way to make it work, and she couldn't abide it. "I don't like to hide and sneak around-"

"I'm just not worth it," Blaise finally snapped irritatedly as he looked at Tracey. Tracey stared at him for a moment stunned, before sitting back and heaving a sigh.

"That's not true, Blaise," Tracey responded in a small voice. She turned away and looked one of the library windows nearby. The sun was shining brightly today, and it looked beautiful and entrancing. In a way, it soothed her heavy heart. "We both know, you merely telling them we've broken up will not be enough. You would be watched closely, so that sneaking away to see me would be near impossible. Worse yet, you'd eventually have to begin treating me with at least as much disdain as they treat me. And though you may believe that I am made of stone, it would injure me. Eventually I will begin to question whether or not, you have been converted to their way of thinking, or if you truly love me. And do you think Daphne would even wait, even a moment, before trying to snag you?"

Though she spoke barely above a whisper, in the lull and haze of the late spring afternoon, he could hear her clearly. Hear every nuance attached to every word. He could almost envision, what a hell it would be to try to weather the storm that was coming.

Slowly, she turned to him, however, her eyes could not quite meet his. They were glazed over as she continued to speak, staring through glazed eyes at the table between them. "Feelings would be hurt, resentments might spring up, the pain would be unbearable, and in the end... we would only be worse off than if we make a clean break now... and hope that maybe there could be an US in the future."

Blaise stared at Tracey, understanding her logic, but not wanting to accept it. "You're just being pessimistic, Trace. We could make this work. You just have to have more faith-"

"I'm being realistic, Blaise," she snapped, looking up at him heatedly. However, it didn't sting as much as he saw the tears that had gathered in her eyes. Tracey wasn't one of those girls who cried easily, and he knew that a world of pain had to be occurring inside her, for this to happen.

Taking a deep breath, Tracey got to her feet and gathered her book in her arms, hugging it close to her chest. "Look Blaise, there is a war starting. We don't even know if we'll survive it, much less if our love would. We're both Slytherins... we both are going to do whatever it takes to survive. But there are too many ifs in the way of a happy ending between us, so we should cut our losses now, and simply hope for the best in the future."

Blaise sat numb, watching as Tracey turned away from him and started walking away. "SO I guess this is goodbye then?" he asked, his voice hoarse as he stared through unbidden tears across the table, where she had just been sitting.

"It is never goodbye, Blaise."

I'll pick up these broke pieces 'till I'm bleeding
If that'll make you mine

That had been well over a year ago. Nearly two years in fact.

He'd used the whole summer after to wallow in the pain, because it would be his only time away from prying eyes. Once back to school for sixth year, he'd had no choice but to pretend that he and Tracey had never happened. That seeing her, day after day, wasn't torture. However, somehow he'd survived it, even though most of the time he felt like he was dying inside form having to pretend that he didn't just ache in his entire being just to hold her in his arms again.

But somehow she had survived 'Magic is Might', and the Carrows, and the Battle. That alone made the last two years of misery worth it. Though he knew that his life would be worthless if she didn't want him anymore, he could at least feel relief that she was still part of their world. When he see's her sitting on a bench, her head nearly between her knees, he's able to breathe again.

He stands there and he hopes. He feels that's the only thing that has kept him going. Now, as he stands at the entrance of the Great Hall, with his school uniform almost covered in dust, he hopes that his staying through the battle is enough. That his not leaving like the rest of the Slytherins, and remaining behind like she did, and fighting on Potter's side of this war, that he could prove his worth to her. Prove that he isn't like the majority of the Slytherins. Prove that he is worthy of her.

His heart jumped in his throat. He could hear it beating so loudly, that it was like all sound had gone from the world. His feet somehow found their way to her. The weariness he had felt was gone, replaced with adrenaline rushing through his veins as he stopped before her.

It seemed to take her a moment to realize he was there. He waited in silence, as her eyes slowly found their way to his. As his brown eyes met her green, he felt his heart stop.

Like him, she was covered in dirt. There were red scratch marks across one of her cheeks. Her clothes were ripped in places, and dirty. Her hair was a bit messy. He had never seen her so unkempt, but then she had never looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment.

"I saw you fighting a Death Eater," she mumbled to him hoarsely, her eyes never straying for his. Her face was impassive, and it pained him. It gave no indication... did she still love him? He felt himself unable to answer her, he knew his voice would betray the fact that inside he was trembling with fear, so he merely nodded his head at her. "Why did you stay?"

"To prove to you... that I can be a better man," he spoke, his voice breaking. A tear suddenly slipped from one of her beautiful green eyes, and dashed down her cheek.

Before Blaise could reach for it, Tracey got to her feet and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, I could never stop loving you," she whispered as she leaned her forehead against his as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

Blaise wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pressing her stark against him, never wanting to let go. Leaning in, he captured her lips and kissed her vehemently, pouring every ounce of longing, pain, love he'd been forced to suppress for nearly two years. He kissed her like it was the first time, like it would be the last time, holding to her so tightly they found it hard to breathe.

When they pulled away, it was as if an eternity had passed, and yet it didn't seem like it was enough. Belatedly, he realized his own cheeks were wet, and with only the dampness of his lashes to testify to the wetness was due to his own tears.

"I could never stop loving you either," he stated, his eyes closing momentarily as they leaned their foreheads against one another, both panting to catch their breath.

Suddenly, a laugh burst from Tracey, causing his eyes to snap open and look at her questioningly. "Blaise, we won this war! We could have a future we never imagined!" she stated excitedly as she brushed the tears from her face and flashed him that pearly smile he had longed to see. The smile, that made him fall in love, that he rarely saw anymore, that made his stomach do odd things and caused his heart to flutter. It was a smile so brilliant, it seemed to outshine the sun, and had a warmth to it he could never tire of.

Tightening his grip around her once more, Blaise buried his face in her neck. "Without you, it wouldn't have meant anything."

Tracey felt her heart swell at this. "What did I ever do deserve such devotion from Blaise Zabini?" Tracey mused with an ironic smile.

Blaise merely smiled as he pulled away, "I would gladly spend the rest of our lives explaining it to you."

Tracey smiled as she put on a fake-pensive look. "Well that could wait, right now all I want to do is take a long bath and sleep, preferably with the love of my life."

"Sounds like a plan to me!"

-FIN-

A/n: Well I'm not too sure how this story turned out, but I hope you enjoyed reading it. Tell me what you think! And sorry for any mistakes. Review!