Chapter 10: Beautiful Mess

Going out of my mind these days

Like I'm walking 'round in a haze

I can't think straight

I can't concentrate

…..

What a beautiful mess, what a beautiful mess I'm in

Spending all my time with you

There's nothing else I'd rather do

What a sweet addiction that I'm caught up in

'Cause I can't get enough

Can't stop the hunger for your love

What a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I'm in

…

Is it your eyes?

Is it your smile?

All I know is that you're driving me wild

"Blaise! Are you even listening?!" Pansy exclaimed angrily. He looked up and saw her staring at him with narrowed eyes. Malfoy was sprawled on the couch across from him, his head resting in Pansy's lap while Crabbe and Goyle sat tensely in chairs on either side of him.

"What?" he snapped.

"God, Blaise. You've been awfully distracted lately," Malfoy drawled, inspecting his closest friend. Blaise sneered at him and looked away.

"You noticed? I thought you'd be much too involved in your stupid task," he snapped. Malfoy scoffed, although it lacked his usual arrogance.

"I have everything taken care of." Before he could respond, Daria walked into the Common Room, wearing a wide smile.

"Have you heard?" she asked, perching on the edge of Blaise's couch.

"What?" Malfoy asked quickly, a slight glint in his cold grey eyes.

"That Weasley boy was poisoned. He would've died if it wasn't for Potter. Barely saved his life while Slughorn stood there like an oaf," she told them, chuckling to herself. Malfoy sat up, his face visibly paler.

"Did they say what poisoned him?" he asked anxiously.

"A bottle of mead. Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"No reason," he muttered, leaning back down into Pansy. Blaise glanced at Daria and she flashed him a flirtatious grin.

"I heard the Weasley skank was distraught," she said with a laugh. Blaise fought to keep control of his emotions, hoping his distress didn't show on his face.

"Serves her right," Pansy snapped. "Did you hear she's sneaking around?" Daria laughed and nodded.

"Apparently her Mudblood boyfriend isn't enough for her. Word is she's been seeing somebody else on the side," Daria said with a coy smile.

"Who's saying that?" Blaise asked, attempting to sound normal.

"Just a few people here and there. You know, people in the know," Pansy replied.

"Oh," he said quietly.

-LINEBREAKYTHINGY-

"Ginny? Are you alright?" Blaise asked, glancing at his girlfriend with concern. She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and tear-filled.

"You heard?" she muttered. He nodded and sat down beside her.

"Daria told me." She laughed bitterly and glared at him.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Daria told you! Freakin' Daria! She probably knows who did it too!"

"I don't know, probably. She knows everything that goes on in this school."

"Does she know that Harry thinks it was Malfoy?"

"What?! Gin, that's absurd!"

"Is it, Blaise? Because according to Harry, it was also Malfoy who cursed Katie. That he's been given some stupid task that he's been trying to complete all year long and he's getting desperate," she snapped. He paled slightly, but refused to let her see.

"A task? And who does he think gave him this 'task'?" he asked scornfully. She turned the full force of her glare to him.

"You know who, Blaise. You know what he thinks and you know it's true."

"And what makes you think that?"

"I know you, Blaise! You're an incredible liar but not around me. Because when you're trying to hide something from me you get all haughty and jerkish. Like right now." He swore and looked away from her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

"Tell you?! Tell you that my best friend has been given an impossible task by the Dark Lord himself and that if he doesn't complete it then he'll die?! How could I tell you that, Ginny? How can I look you in the eye and tell you that my best friend was responsible for your brother's near-death?! Would you be able to tell me that Harry almost killed Draco?!"

"Damn it, Blaise. I don't know," her voice caught and she shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know, Blaise." She broke into sobs and leaned against him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, attempting to comfort her.

-LINEBREAKYTHINGY-

He looked down at her sleeping face and instinctively pulled her closer. He was losing her. Soon she would realize that he wasn't completely a good guy, no matter how hard he tried. Soon she would find somebody else. He swore under his breath and sighed.

It sucked. How much he loved her and knew they would never get a real chance to be together. It was his fault. He had walked straight into this mess, knowing exactly how it would turn out. He knew they would be over, practically the day they started. But he let it happen. And now, here he was.

The problem was, even knowing all of this, he couldn't distance himself. He was, well for lack of a better word, addicted to her and to spending time with her. He would spend his entire life by her side if he could. He would live for every morning if he could wake up with her curled against him as she was now. He just loved her so much.

-LINEBREAKYTHINGY-

"Where do you disappear to every night?" Draco asked Blaise later that morning. He shrugged and glanced away.

"Where do you disappear all day?" he responded. Draco glared at him.

"You know where. I'm trying to finish this task so I don't get murdered," he snapped. The stress of his mission was evident in the boy's stature. His shoulders were slumped over, instead of tall and proud as usual. Wide, dark rims rested underneath his haunted grey eyes. His thin, though well-muscled body was beginning to appear slightly emaciated from skipping so many meals.

"I'm worried about you, Draco. Can't you at least let me help?" Blaise asked anxiously. Draco shook his head swiftly and pinned him down with his gaze.

"No. My life is already in danger. I will not risk yours as well. You don't deserve that." Blaise stepped forward and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Did you poison Weasley?" he asked quietly. Draco turned away, blushing slightly, and nodded.

"I hadn't meant to. It wasn't for him," he whispered, his voice cracking.

"And you cursed Katie." He didn't state it as a question, knowing the answer already. But again, Malfoy nodded.

"I was desperate. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I'm just scared, Blaise," he muttered, closing his eyes. A small tear fell and Blaise felt a tight pressure on his chest. To see his best friend going through such pain, all because of a mistake his father made.

"Please let me help," Blaise requested. Malfoy pulled away and shook his head.

"I can't. I can't risk anybody but myself," he mumbled. Gone was the proud, arrogant warrior from the train, bragging about the mission the Dark Lord had set for him. In his place was a terrified, desperate boy, hoping only to survive the mission.

"Beautiful Mess" Diamond Rio

A/N This chapter was really hard for me to write. I know pretty much everybody hates Malfoy and all that jazz. He's such a jerk blah blah blah. And there are times when I hate Malfoy. But there's also times when I just feel sad for him. He had it really hard. I mean, near the end, I don't think he was trying to be a jerk. I think he was just trying to survive. And I wanted to show a little more of their friendship since it's practically never mentioned in the entire series. But like Crabbe and Goyle could be his best friends. They were more like minions. His thugs. Anyhoos, I think this story might be a tad bit shorter than my last one, chapter wise, because I'm nearing the end. I think I have maybe…four or five chapters left in my brain. We'll see. And I'm also skipping around. I mean, Chapter 9 was in December. This chapter was set in March. So yeah, it's coming to the end of the school year, when Ginny gets with Harry. Sorry if I'm giving anything away. I kinda feel like I am so I'm just gonna shut up. Reviews are welcome! :D

~Rebecca~