WARNING: Some Sexual violence, rape, incest, so you're warned, don't flame. It's not gratuitous, and I tried to keep it from being too explicit, but it has a place in this story.

Chapter 8:

Pulling his scarf tighter around his neck, Blaise tried desperately to look interested in the Quidditch game that was going on above his head. He shivered violently under his thick cloak, and groaned as the Slytherins around him cheered on Draco who made a sudden dive, only to pull up short as Ginny blocked him. The noise made his head hurt.

Ginny had told him to stay in bed, but he had wanted to see the first Slytherin versus Gryffindor game of the year. It was also Ginny's third game as seeker this season, and he loved watching her in those tight leather pants. Draco wasn't too hard on the eyes either, he mused to himself.

He could see his two lovers screaming at each other over the pitch, and he chuckled, before it turned into a cough. Ginny and Draco were both so passionate, and he loved watching them argue, always prepared to step in if they seemed like they were about to hex each other.

Feeling as though he was hacking up a lung by coughing, Blaise rested his forehead against Pansy's shoulder. He opened his mind briefly to Draco, feeling weightless as he moved through the sky. Blaise grinned again as Draco pushed him out with a stern, 'I need to focus, and you are not helping.'

Taking her eyes off of the two seekers who were using some wildly inappropriate language that could be heard even in the stands, Pansy looked at Blaise with concern, "Are you sure you're feeling up to being outside for the game?"

"Wouldn't miss it." He smiled weakly at her, ignoring the faint dizziness. Blaise had been sick for a few days, but he had tried to convince himself that he was feeling better. "Bloody November, why does it have to be this damn cold?"

Watching Dean bat a bludger toward Slytherins end, Blaise wrapped both arms around Pansy's slender form, trying to soak up some of her warmth. Pansy tensed as she felt Blaise shaking.

Spotting the golden snitch near Crabbe's ear, Ginny narrowed her eyes, and leaned in close to her broom, feeling the cool wind rush through her hair.

Suddenly, a green blur shot in front of her, forcing her to pull up. "Fuck!"

"Nice to see you too, Red." Draco grinned at her obscenity.

"You bloody cheat!" She kicked his leg, and started looking around for the elusive snitch again. Hearing Draco chuckle, she ignored him.

Ginny could hear Dean screaming at the new chasers, and grinned. He was an… interesting captain. He definitely had more confidence in himself than Harry, and he was so hands-on that it was almost irritating. Ginny and Dean had gotten into a few arguments when he had critiqued her seeking style, but because he amused her, she didn't hold it against him. Much.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Draco's face adopt a look of intense concentration, and she whipped around just in time to see the snitch appear over by the Gryffindor rings.

Both leaning in close to their brooms, Draco and Ginny flew head to head, both staring at the snitch. Ginny glanced at him quickly, before leaning down even lower. He had the better broom, but she was smaller and lighter. They were actually pretty evenly matched.

Draco watched the redhead beside him as he fell back slightly because of her acceleration. The angle gave him an excellent view of her leather-clad hips and thighs flexing around the broomstick.

Pausing, he stared, feeling heat rip through him at the thought of what it felt like to have those long legs wrapped around his waist… watching her writhe… watching-

"And Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor has the snitch!" The commentator, a third year Ravenclaw whose name he couldn't remember announced. "Gryffindor wins!"

Draco cursed vividly as Ginny flew past him with a triumphant smirk, before she settled on the ground, and was surrounded by her ecstatic housemates. He watched intently as Dean gathered her up in a big hug, making sure he kept his hands in the right places.

Ginny leaned over to hug Lavender and Parvati tightly, laughing at their fully Gryffindor coloured faces in delight. She felt the rush of the win still flushing through her, and she posed mockingly for Colin who held up his camera.

Blaise followed Pansy onto the pitch to see Draco, and congratulate Ginny. Grinning as he saw Draco scowl, he hugged him, "She got lucky."

"Lucky my arse." Draco muttered to him, "I got distracted seeing her in that bloody uniform."

"Who wouldn't?" Blaise coughed, and turned to see Ginny running toward them. He caught her up in a big hug, "Good one Kitten! Even though you beat us, I'll forgive you this time."

Ginny laughed, and moved to give Draco a big hug, planting a kiss on his pouted lips, "Don't pout baby… I'll make it up to you later."

He stared at her with silvery eyes growing dark with lust until they were interrupted by Blaise coughing again. Ginny turned to glare at him, "I told you to stay in bed!"

"It's no fun without you Kitten." He smiled at her, huddling in his cloak for warmth again, wanting nothing more than to burrow into her warmth in his bed again.

Grabbing Draco with one hand, and Blaise with the other, Ginny stalked determinedly toward the school, a scowl across her reddened face.

Exchanging an amused glance, they allowed themselves to be pulled along.

Stepping into Blaise's room, Ginny felt the warmth flowing into her, and she sighed at the feeling.

"You! Get into bed." She pointed at Blaise, who shivered, and pulled his cloak off before complying. He did feel like shit.

He watched as Ginny and Draco started pulling off their Quidditch uniforms, and it was merely an indication of how horrible he felt that he just closed his eyes, and concentrated on breathing deeply, trying to get rid of the headache he could feel coming.

Pulling on one of Blaise's t-shirts, Ginny hopped into bed with him, cuddling in close as she felt him shivering. Draco watched, still just wearing his tight leather pants, looking concerned.

"Gin, he's been sick for awhile." Draco said quietly, seeing Blaise burying his head into Ginny's neck, "I think he may need to go to the hospital wing."

Stroking her hand down Blaise's smooth back, Ginny nodded at Draco, and jumped back out of bed to pull on a pair of jeans, then the robe that she kept in his room over the t-shirt.

Draco edged around the bed, pulling an almost unconscious Blaise to his feet, draping his robe over him before grabbing up his own shirt and robes. "Let's go."

They made their way slowly to Madame Pomfrey's door, Blaise protesting mildly, where she took one look at him, and rushed him to a bed to begin fussing over him.

Ginny watched Blaise's still form, and worried her bottom lip between her teeth. It was strange to see him asleep. Draco rubbed her shoulder absent-mindedly, feeling her worry even though he was staring at Blaise.

Madame Pomfrey had told them that Blaise had contracted a bad viral infection, as well as a severe case of the flu, and that he was running a bad temperature. She had been somewhat confused, saying that it shouldn't be as bad as it was, that it was almost like his body was shutting down on him. It was then that she had told them that there wasn't an extreme amount magic could do for him, as his body needed to recuperate naturally, and anything else might be too great a shock to his system.

Ginny remembered listening to Pomfrey, and a silent tear ran down her cheek, before she rubbed the back of her hand against it. Madame Pomfrey had wanted to contact Blaise's mother, but Draco had flatly refused, and then had mentioned that Blaise was seventeen, and therefore an adult.

Draco had been so insistent on no contact with Mrs. Zabini, that Madame Pomfrey had been taken aback, and had left in a twitter to talk to the Headmistress. Ginny glanced at him, wondering what exactly had happened.

Watching Blaise now, Ginny saw just how pale he was… His eyes were underlined with black circles, and despite his musculature, he looked… almost shrunken. She wondered just how long he had been so unhealthy, and hiding it. She knew that he cast glamour charms each morning, but she had attributed it more to vanity than hiding.

Padma had actually mentioned the sheer amount of glamours he had on once or twice, looking at Ginny searchingly, but she had pushed her concerns aside. Blaise would have told her himself… But apparently not.

Shaking her head at her thoughts, Ginny sighed, knowing that it was not the right time to get angry at what had obviously been kept from her. She glanced at Draco, wondering just how much he knew.

Draco could feel Ginny watching him, but he kept his eyes on Blaise's pale face. He had known… and he hadn't done anything. It was killing him. He knew just how often Blaise slept… he knew. He knew about Blaise's demons.

He opened his mind, probing, but it hurt to not feel anything, it was like a physical pain. Stopping, he looked at Ginny for a moment, seeing just how upset she was.

Sighing, Draco dropped his eyes to the floor, running his hands through his hair in a restless gesture. Hearing Ginny sniffle, his eyes shot up to see her wiping tears from her cheeks as she stared at Blaise.

With a curse under his breath, he reached over to pull her small body into his lap, holding her tightly under his chin. "He'll be ok, Red. He's tough."

Ginny nodded, still staring at Blaise's face, watching his chest moving up and down rhythmically. At least he was sleeping. That was one thing to be grateful for.

"Can you please tell me?" Ginny looked up at Draco with worry clouding her eyes. Draco sighed, and rested his head against her neck, tired, and irritated with the world.

"Yes." He mumbled against her pale skin, before sitting up, "You need to know. Just… Not here. I can't talk about this here. Wait, please."

Ginny nodded mutely, and rested her head against his chest. "I want him to be better."

Over the course of the day, most of the Slytherins made their way into the hospital wing to visit Blaise, talking in hushed voices with Draco who Ginny had noticed long before seemed to be an unofficial leader for them.

She watched him, intently. It was hard even for her to tell exactly what he was thinking. He never smiled, or frowned, he was absolutely expressionless, his silver eyes stormy. The only time there was even a crack was whenever he looked to Blaise, or when she took hold of his hand. He had smiled a sad little smile that she had never seen before from him at her.

The Patils visited along with Ginny's Gryffindor friends, and Padma stayed long after everyone else had left, holding Ginny's hand, not saying anything, but lending her silent support to her and Draco.

Exchanging a glance with Padma, Draco was amazed to see the level of compassion in her dark eyes, and the sentiment that she cared about what happened to Blaise, and even her concern for himself.

Reaching out with a hesitant hand, unused to really touching anyone other than Ginny and Blaise, he grabbed hold of the wrist of the hand that was providing Ginny with such comfort. Squeezing gently, he nodded at her once, before letting go.

A few hours after Padma had quietly taken her leave, and Ginny and Draco were alone again, Draco felt Ginny fall asleep in his arms, still facing Blaise who she had been staring at.

Madame Pomfrey checked on Blaise many times, clucking her teeth at Draco who she had not yet forgiven for not allowing her to contact his mother. Headmistress McGonagall had backed him up on the order, and Poppy just couldn't believe that the boy's poor mother shouldn't be told about what rough shape her son was in.

She sighed as she heard Blaise coughing in his sleep, deep, chest shaking coughs that spoke of the sheer depth of his infection. His fever hadn't gone down either. Poppy looked over to Draco who was following her actions with disconcerting intensity, and at the small redhead asleep in his lap, her face unnaturally pale.

"You know that it's curfew in about fifteen minutes." She spoke quietly, trying not to wake up Blaise or Ginny, "You both need to be back in your dorms."

Draco nodded, although he didn't want to leave Blaise, he knew that Ginny needed him with her, "Can you please let me know if there's any change overnight? I want to be here…"

"Of course." Poppy's eyes softened as she caught the worry in his otherwise cultured voice, concern lining the dulcet tones.

Carefully, Draco stood up, cradling Ginny against him, and turned to leave with a last glance at Blaise's still form. This was the first time in… well, years, that Draco had seen him sleep for so long without any nightmares. It was good… and yet worrisome all at once.

Making his way slowly to the dungeons, trying not to jostle Ginny, he thought about what he was going to say to her about Blaise. He knew that she had a right to know now… that it had been wrong of Blaise to keep it from her, especially now. Ginny had been a major part of their lives since the beginning of September.

He reflected on the fact that Blaise and he had never been with one girl for as long as that. Or… ever been with one girl together. It was a little perplexing to him. Draco was used to feeling very strongly about Blaise… they had been together for years, but to be that close to anyone else, well… He had no experience with that. Draco had never worried about messing up a relationship with anyone other than Blaise before.

Carrying Ginny through the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons, he realized just how fragile the little firecracker was. She was one of the few people that actually stood up to him on a consistent basis, and he sometimes forgot just how vulnerable she could be.

Settling her on Blaise's bed, he pulled off her clothing until she was left in Blaise's shirt which she had never taken off, and her panties, before he tucked her under the thick covers.

Quickly, he divested himself of his own clothing, and climbed in, seeing her arms searching for him in her sleep. Well, he assumed she was reaching for him, it could have been Blaise just as easily. Draco wrapped himself around Ginny, and stroked her hair as he fell into a light slumber.

Ginny woke with a start halfway through the night, wondering where Blaise was. As it came back to her, she turned to Draco, kissing his neck frantically. She needed him.

Feeling him harden against her hip, she reached down to pull his boxers from his hips frantically, before she huddled under the covers to pull his length into her mouth. Draco woke up, feeling Ginny's warm mouth on him with a moan.

Hearing Draco, Ginny pushed him onto his back, and slid back up to kiss him passionately, taking control for the first time with him, forcing her tongue into his mouth, pinning his hands beside his shoulders.

Feeling the after affects of sleep, Draco lay there dazed as Ginny ravished him, pushing her small body against his, before she leaned away to pull off her remaining clothing. Draco hissed as she took his flat nipple into her mouth, tugging on it with her teeth as her hands wandered down to fondle his hard cock.

Gasping for breath, Draco grabbed the sheets at his sides, letting Ginny have complete control. Her mouth moved up to his pale neck, licking and biting his skin there with abandon, finding the spots he loved with unwavering confidence.

Draco threw his head back, and buried his hand in her hair tightly, almost painfully, as she stroked her hands along his body, feeling every muscle jumping to meet her touch, making him crazy.

Ginny rested her right hand against her stomach, doing the contraceptive spell that Draco had taught her, feeling the familiar warmth.

Straddling Draco quickly, Ginny wrapped her fingers around his length, and guided him into her with surety, sitting down hard. Draco gripped her hips tightly as he heard her cry out in pleasure and pain. She hadn't been fully ready for him, but that hadn't stopped her.

She sat there for a moment, panting, her eyes watering slightly, before she tilted her hips forward. Draco's hands spread so that his thumbs could find her centre, rubbing her urgently as she moaned at the feeling of her wetness fully coating him, making them both slick.

Leaning forward, Ginny slowly kissed Draco, their tongues stroking languidly, as she rocked her hips on his pelvis. Changing from frantic, almost desperate sex, to making love within a minute, she slowly started to move on him, feeling him slide into her, feeling his heart beating against her chest.

Draco hugged her to him gently, exploring her lips fully. Sighing as her engorged clit rubbed against his pelvic bone, Ginny changed the angle slightly so that he pressed against that spot deep inside of her, still keeping up the slow pace, enjoying the feeling of him filling her.

Feeling his climax rising, Draco placed his hand between their bodies again, and rubbed her clit roughly, ensuring that she came with him. As he felt her walls clench him, he gasped out loud, listening to Ginny's soft cry before she collapsed across his chest.

Draco smoothed her hair back from her face, and held her tightly, his cock still deep within her. Resting there, Ginny felt the tears well up in her eyes again, and quickly buried her face against his neck so he wouldn't see.

"I miss him too." Draco spoke quietly, feeling her nod against him. He stroked her hair, and closed his eyes. Ginny hugged him tightly, feeling an almost unbearable level of emotion for the lithe blond, followed by a rush of worry for the black-haired Slytherin in the hospital wing.

She lay there, loving the feeling of him beneath her. She kissed a line across his chest. They lay there for a long time, just holding each other.

Feeling Draco drift back to sleep, Ginny slipped off him quietly, and dragged Blaise's t-shirt back over her head as she wandered to one of the deep chairs beside the roaring fire at the side of the room.

She stared at the flames, worrying, her lip almost bleeding from the pressure that her teeth were putting on it. Unable to sit still, she pulled on her jeans, and grabbed her wand. Taking a deep breath, she placed the tip of it against her tattoo under the edge of her pants, thinking the words clearly in her mind, closing her eyes as she felt her mid-section tug in a familiar action.

Falling out of a whirlwind, she felt familiar strong arms encircle her wordlessly.

--

Padma hugged Pansy tightly, Vince and Greg watching the Ravenclaw wearily as they sat in the Slytherin common room.

They had become quite close through hanging around Ginny, Draco and Blaise, and Pansy was falling apart worrying about Blaise. She didn't want to bother Draco who was looking after Ginny, but it had surprised her when Padma had stepped up to her as she was leaving the hospital wing earlier.

Since then, Padma had sat with them in the common room, her presence calming. Theo had stormed out, muttering something about how only Slytherin's should be in the dungeons, but Vince and Greg had stayed, making sure Pansy was alright.

"He'll be fine, Pansy." Padma smiled lightly, "He has years ahead to bother me."

Pansy laughed despite herself, "He's barely got in any of his better pranks, it's true."

Padma rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at this, lounging back against the couch with a sigh. "You didn't hear about him trying to make a first year Head Boy? Or what about when he announced to the whole school that I needed to stop trying to sleep with him, that he just wasn't interested?"

Pansy laughed more, and even Vince cracked a grin.

"Or what about how he asked in potions last week whether the recipe on the board could be used as lubricant as we had a Head meeting later that day?" Padma grinned, remembering the look on Professor Slughorn's face. Tears were running down Pansy's cheeks by this point. She actually hadn't heard that particular one.

"Or, how he charmed one of the suits of armour to jump out at me on patrol one night?"

Padma frowned, remembering that. She still wasn't sure if her stomach had found it's way out of her throat from that one.

"You should hear what he has in mind for you at Christmas," Greg remarked suddenly, his deep voice making Padma jump slightly, "He's already started planning."

"I don't even want to know." She held up a hand, watching in astonishment as the suspicious Slytherin smiled at her.

Just then, Draco stumbled out of Blaise's door, "Where the hell is Ginny?"

Padma's eyes widened as she took in the fact that the only thing he was wearing were low-slung pajama bottoms, showing off his pale, lightly muscled chest. She swallowed.

Pansy was quicker to recover, having seen him in various states of undress for most of her life, he did not have a lot of shame, "She hasn't come out since you brought her back from the hospital wing. How did you lose her?"

Running his hand roughly through his hair, Draco tried to concentrate. How the hell could she have left the room without Pansy seeing her? The fireplace in Blaise's room was not connected to the Floo Network, and Ginny didn't have an apparition licence. Plus, from what Granger had babbled a number of times, it was impossible within Hogwarts anyways. What the hell was-

"Patil?" His silver eyes spotted her beside Pansy, slightly shocked at the sight of her in Slytherin, "What the hell are you doing here? No, actually, I don't care. Where's Ginny?"

Frowning for a moment, Padma contemplated him. Ginny hadn't told him, and she'd left before he'd realized… She knew exactly where she was, but it didn't seem like Ginny had wanted him to know.

Watching Padma, Draco's eyes took on a predatory gleam. She knew. "Padma…" He said softly, almost dangerously, despite the pleasant tone, "Tell me. Now."

She shivered at the implied threat in his voice, and looked away from his strange eyes that were making her nervous.

"I can't." Padma replied softly. She couldn't break Ginny's confidence.

Draco stalked over to her, and quickly placed his arms on either side of her shoulders, effectively caging her in, "Look, Padma, I know you know. You have to tell me now."

"No." She looked up at him with clear brown eyes, her face a mask, despite how panicked she was at his threatening nearness, and tone.

"Get out." He stood up, and pointed at the door.

"What?" Padma glanced at Pansy, who looked away pointedly, "Fine."

Standing elegantly, Padma drifted out of the Slytherin common room, feeling sorry for Ginny whenever she saw Draco next. He was mildly terrifying when angry. And so damn intense.

--

Blaise was ten years old again, sitting at the long table eating as quickly as possible to get away from his mother. She made him… uncomfortable. Actually, she scared him more than anything he could have imagined.

His second stepfather had passed away a week before, and he had seen her eyes at the funeral. She had been pleased. No, not just pleased… Ecstatic. Even though he couldn't even recall the man's name, Blaise shivered remembering. It was always better when he had a stepfather. His mother tended to not be around as much.

He sipped his pumpkin juice slowly, remembering his years of etiquette classes, and frowned slightly at the bitter taste. That wasn't supposed to be there. He sighed.

Blaise was looking forward to Hogwarts, and had a calendar in his room where he checked off the days. He had received his letter a month ago, and now was just waiting for September to arrive.

He looked up to see his mother smiling at him, and his stomach turned. He really really wished that his stepfather was still around. It didn't even matter which one.

"May I be excused?" He asked her beseechingly, keeping his eyes lowered.

"You may." Her carefully modulated tones sent a shiver up his spine, but he got up slowly, and bowed faintly to her before leaving.

Making his way to his suite of rooms, Blaise felt a familiar dizziness settling over him. He was able to focus long enough to make his way to the couch in his sitting room, before falling over. Blinking, he tried to focus, before blackness fell.

"Wake up." Was the first thing he heard, followed by a sharp slap to his cheek. Wincing, Blaise struggled to open his eyes. Another sharp slap had him crying out, and he listened to the cruel laughter as he was able to focus at last.

Looking at his mother's smooth pale face, her black hair glinting in the faint light, he tried pulling his arms out of the rope wrapped around his wrists, knowing that it was useless.

He knew without looking down that he was completely naked, and he shuddered at the sight of his mother, who was only wearing black high heels. It shouldn't have been, but it was a somewhat familiar sight to him.

Blaise breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. Savvy Zabini laughed as she watched the small boy trembling on the bed. The ropes were charmed to inflict pain, and she could see it on his face, just as the blood welled up along the rough edges.

Knowing exactly what was going to happen, Blaise tried to shut his mind off. To not think, to not feel. He knew that she liked it when he was in pain. He tried not to give her that satisfaction.

Feeling her hands running along his body, he tensed. It was always the worst when she started off like this… He felt himself responding to her touch, and he whimpered at the feeling.

Watching her dark head bobbing up and down, he hated her. He hated that he responded to her, he hated that he felt so helpless. Jumping as he felt her slide a finger into him, she stretched him painfully, making him cry out.

Suddenly, she backed away, and took a thin strip of leather from the table behind her. Stroking it over his hard cock, she suddenly whipped it across his thigh, leaving a painful red welt behind.

Biting his lip against the pain, determined not to cry out, Blaise could taste his own blood. She continued with the leather up onto his stomach, concentrating on drawing blood, watching him jerk against the ropes binding his arms over his head.

Hearing her laugh, Blaise jerked his hands, trying to loosen the ropes, which was purely instinctual, as he knew what happened when he tried. Sure enough, the ropes slid even tighter, and his hands began to numb. Blaise forced himself to calm down.

He was actually a little glad that she didn't seem to be using her wand this time. Sometimes she used the cruciatus curse. That was a bad one… That made his bones ache for days after.

Feeling the tears running down his cheeks, he whimpered again, blood oozing from the various welts. Cruel, sharp laughter assailed his ears again, and he opened his eyes to see her straddling him, lowering herself slowly, sitting down so hard that it hurt his hips.

Squeezing his eyes closed again, Blaise started begging her to stop, trying to will his body not to respond to her careful caresses.

--

Blaise woke with a start, feeling hot, and yet shivering at the same time. He looked over to see Draco at his side shaking his shoulder gently.

"Where am I?" His mouth felt as though it was filled with cotton, and he coughed, trying to get rid of the unpleasant sensation.

"Hospital wing." Draco spoke softly, "You've been out for a few days. Nightmare?"

Blaise nodded, looking away from his friend, his eyes full of despair. He felt so weak… it was an odd feeling. At least he wasn't that tired.

"You know that you never need to go back to that." Again, Draco's voice was so soft that Blaise was almost unsure of what he had said.

"I know…" Sighing, he fingered his wrists nervously, "Where's Ginny?"

Draco's face hardened. "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Blaise looked over to him.

"I mean… she's gone." Draco's voice held a bitterness that made Blaise's eyes sharpen, "She left the night you were brought in here, completely left the school. I haven't seen her since. I've stopped looking."

A/N: Yeah, I know… MEAN ME! But… at least we know Blaise's issues. His reaction to his mother will be explored more in later chapters, as obviously something has to give. Ginny will probably be the focus of the next chapter.

Draco will also have his moment, as I have so much fun writing Blaise (well, happy Blaise), that sometimes Draco gets left out. I want to develop his character so much more. A couple of reviewers noticed that, and the fact that I tend to focus on Ginny's relationship with Blaise above the others. This will change. She simply clicks with him more easily than Draco, but that doesn't mean she likes him better or anything. I'm really trying to make all three of them their own individuals, with very different personalities despite their bond.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I love reading reviews! There's a few people who review each chapter, and I can't tell you how much this helps. It keeps me focused, and I also get ideas. Padma, originally, was supposed to be kind of a background character, but now I know exactly what I want to do with her, and it should be fun to write.