CHAPER FOUR! YAY! Wow, I'm so impressed, all my other stories tend to die after the first chapter… heheh! Anyways, hope you people all enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 4: Crazy 8's

The present

Blaise was walking back from the potions classroom when he noticed Draco Malfoy walking towards him. He grimaced slightly and turned his gaze somewhere else. Every time he saw him his insides squirmed with an uneasy dislike. It wasn't just hate, it was a mix of distrust and a weird insecurity he felt around him too; like he wasn't safe when he was near, one could never trust a turncoat. Yes, that's what Blaise thought of him; a turncoat.

He had betrayed him; their previous friendship had been destroyed when Draco had joined the Dark side. Blaise believed firmly against Lord Voldemort and his supporters, he and Draco had often discussed it and he knew, or he thought he knew, that Draco agreed with him. But as their 5th year finished, Blaise started to notice some changes in his friend. He became more distant than before and even more reserved. When the big news came of his assignment to kill Dumbledore, they had a long painful row, neither of them walking away with the feeling that they had won.

The next year they ignored each other completely. It had been working pretty well, except Blaise had become incredibly lonely. The Slytherin girls only offered so much pleasure; they were all flakes and provided little intelligent conversation.

So, Blaise found it hard masking his curiosity as Draco walked up to him, determination in his eyes.

"Zabini" he said.

"Malfoy" Blaise replied in the same blunt tone.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean? I'm walking, that's not against the law now is it?" Blaise replied icily. Draco glared and chose to ignore that.

"I saw you with that Weasley"

"Oh, Merlin, I can't believe this. Why should you care?"

"Because, Zabini, she's a Weasley" Draco said as if stating the obvious.

"So?"

"You were my best friend. You know things about me. The weaslette works for the Order"

"So what, you think I'm going let slip some of your dark secrets?" Blaise said sarcastically. Draco didn't answer. A long silence passed before Blaise spoke up again. "Why did you do it?" he asked, changing his demeanor entirely.

Draco's expression turned to one of sorrow, then guilt then anger "do you think I had a choice?" he whispered hoarsely, glancing around to make sure no one was close by.

"You always have a choice"

"Blaise, it was a do or die situation!" Draco yelled, eyes wide as if begging for Blaise to understand him.

"I would never have done joined them, and I thought that you agreed with me, obviously I was wrong. We were friends and you lied to me." Blaise said, hurt and anger visible in his light blue eyes.

"You were never my friend Zabini, a true friend would've supported me"

"How can I support you when this is the decision you've made!" Blaise asked angrily. Draco's face became strained. He gave Blaise a last look before walking away swiftly. Over his shoulder he yelled back to Blaise.

"If that weaslette finds out anything she gone, you hear me? Finito!" Blaise gulped down a strange feeling of worry and glared daggers into the back of his ex-friend. Angered by his Draco and disturbed by some of the words he said "Do you think I had a choice?" Of course he did, Blaise told himself, everybody has a choice. Distressed and in need of comfort Blaise went to the one person he could think of, Ginny. Damn. Why her? He asked himself bitterly. Because you're a loner, he answered himself.

Several minutes later he found Ginny sitting alone in the library, pouring over her homework. Odd, he thought, that was usually Granger's job… but now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen the beaver lately. Hmmmm…. Granger miss school? Interesting… definitely fishy.

He plopped down beside the Gryffindor, sighing deeply and notifying her of his presence. When she didn't make any sign that she had noticed him, he sighed again, more loudly this time. No reaction. Finally he stood up and pushed her books away from her, letting out one last dramatic sigh.

"Zabini" Ginny acknowledged as she tried to take back her homework.

"Weasley. Aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?" Blaise said, pushing her homework out of her reach.

"No" Ginny said, leaning back into her chair in defeat and looking at him. If looks could kill, Blaise would've been long dead.

"Fine." Blaise rolled his eyes and sat back down, Ginny grabbed her homework back. "Why the sudden enthusiasm for homework?"

"It takes my mind off things" Ginny said. When she didn't continue, Blaise decided not to pursue it. Instead, he took out a deck of cards.

"Wanna play?" he asked, shuffling them expertly. Ginny looked up then slowly closed her books and nodded.

"Fine" she said, as if he was an annoying kid and she was only doing this so that he would leave her alone afterwards. Blaise smiled and dealt out 8 cards each.

"Crazy 8's, I trust you know how to play?" Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand.

"Of course I do" she said. They started off slow but the game soon turned more competitive. They were both set on winning and both had a glint of roaring determination in their eyes, as if all pent up frustrations were being poured into this match.

"STOP!" Ginny yelled, standing up and putting her hand on the cards.

"Why?" Blaise asked incredulously.

"You can't put your ace of spades down, I clamed it the suit as clubs with my 8!"

"Yes I can, aces are wild too! DUH!" Blaise said, attempting to take her hand of the deck.

"NO! If it was, the game would be called crazy 8's and aces!" Ginny said defiantly, keeping her hand firmly on the deck.

"No I'm telling you, aces are wild!" Blaise was now standing too, facing Ginny.

"No, they're not! You're cheating!"

"I'm not cheating! How dare you call me a cheater! I never cheat! You're the cheater! You and the whole world are cheating on me!" he yelled, his face barely an inch from hers. Ginny opened her mouth to retort but Blaise had planted his lips firmly against hers. He placed his hands behind her head. Ginny got over her shock quickly and began to kiss back with a furious passion. They were locked in a battle for dominance, forcing their pent up anger, frustration and pains into each other, as if they had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Blaise moved one of his hands down to the small of her back and pulled her closer. She pushed herself forward, into his chest, clinging onto his robes and sending them both off balance to the ground, but their lips never parted.

When oxygen became urgent they finally parted, gasping for air with swollen lips. Ginny rolled off him and to the floor, panting but feeling greatly relieved. They lay there for a few more minutes to take in what they had just done, smiling as if the world's weight had just been lifted off their shoulders.

Slowly Ginny stood up, she offered Blaise a hand which he took and stood up beside her, smiling sheepishly down at her.

"Ahem!" Ginny and Blaise whipped around to see Ms. Pince glaring at them, their hair tussled and uniform in complete disarray (Ginny's blouse had come undone quite a bit and Blaise's tie was backwards, twisting his shirt in an odd fashion so that part of his well-toned stomach was showing. Ginny grinned cheekily up at the librarian. "OUT!" she yelled. Ginny grabbed her books and fled from the library with Blaise, laughing the whole way.

There was no way to explain the happiness they both felt. Once their life seemed as if it couldn't get any worse someone came in and blew the clouds away, letting the sun shine through once more.

Awww… aren't they so cute together? They're my favorite couple, after Lucius and Hermione, of course:) I know you guys are more into the Lucius/Hermione action, and I promise the next chapter will be totally devoted to just that, but I love this couple and I had to have them in here. I hope you enjoyed it! R&R! Tootles!

King twig (lord of all kings of all frogs)