Ch.29

Lately, Stephanie couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Blaise. Sure, he was saying the same things that he always said and doing the things that he always does, but his actions had seemed strained. So when he got up to go outside and didn't come back after a while Stephanie went to investigate.

Stephanie found herself going to the quidditch pitch to find Blaise after she was sure she had searched the grounds of Hogwarts everywhere else.

Upon entering the Slytherin locker room she made out the sound of the showers running and sobbing. She ran into the showers and found Blaise, nude and on his knees, his arms wrapped around himself and he was hunched over. He looked up, shocked when Stephanie entered.

"Please, just leave me alone.", he whispered as he looked away ashamedly.

She walked over to where he was and went to wrap her arms around him but he shied away from her touch.

"Blaise, what's wrong?"

In the same sad, broken tone he whispered in reply, "I can't tell you, please just leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, but you know I can't do that.", she said ignoring his protest and wrapping her arms around him. He sobbed brokenly into her now soaked robe and uniform. "Please, just tell me what's wrong."

Her fingers were entwined with a few locks of his wet hair and her face nestled beside his. His tan skin and her pale skin tone contrasting.

"You'll hate me.", he whispered against her collarbone.

"Of course I won't, don't be ridiculous."

"I love Draco."

"Pardon?", Stephanie said in surprise, not entirely sure she had heard right.

"I love him, but I love you too."

If it had been anyone else who had told her that she would have been jealous and probably just brushed off the comment about her. But Blaise. Her best friend. She almost felt as if she could cry herself.

"Oh Blaise, I'm so so sorry."

His sobbing dimmed for a moment. "You're not mad?"

"How can I be? It's such a horrible situation to be in. I just-I'm so sorry Blaise."

His momentary resolve broke again and he managed to sob out, "I feel like such a freak. I'm such a freak."

They heard a door shut to the lockers and their heads snapped up and Draco swept into the doorway. He took in Blaise' state.

"What the bloody hell is going on?", he said as he traipsed over to the two, turned off the shower, and wrapped his cloak around Blaise.

"I-", Blaise started to let out before he shook his head and the tears started again.

"Shh, it's alright mate. But we should be getting back to the commons. It's almost dark out."

Stephanie nodded and Blaise's sobs quieted down and they slowly rose to their feet. Blaise went into a stall to dress his self and came out wiping his eyes on his robe sleeves.

When the silver trio arrived at the commons Stephanie walked up to Blaise and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. When she pulled away she put a hand on each side of his face and looked him in the eyes.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah. Eventually.", he said with a watery smile.

Blaise had just crawled into bed after changing into boxers when his bed curtains were yanked open. Blaise nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise.

"Draco! What the hell are you doing?", he said as he watched Draco make himself at home at the foot of his bed. Draco crossed his legs and arms, facing straight at Blaise.

"I have no idea what is going on with you, so spill."

"Guh!", Blaise was suddenly very terrified.

"Look mate, I've known you since I was in diapers. You can tell me anything."

"Anything?"

"Well, if you tell me you and Stephanie were doing more that comfort hugging in the showers earlier I might react badly. But short of that, anything."

"Oh, that's too bad then."

"Smart arse."

"I try."

"Also, don't try and change the subject."

Blaise' stomach tied up in knots again. He took a deep breath. 'Hell, I might as well.'

"IloveyouandSteph."

"…I didn't know you could speak that fast. Could you please repeat that? A bit slower this time, perhaps."

"I-guh-I love you and Steph."

"We love you too. No Homo."

"No. Nope. Not-I mean…"

"Oh. Oh.", Draco said as realization set in."…so you mean?"

"All homo."

"Hm.", Draco said as he sat at the foot of Blaise' bed completely speechless doing a spot on imitation of a statue.

"..well, g'night.", Draco said as he got up and walked over to his bed.

Blaise settled down under the covers. 'Well, that could have been better...could have been a lot worse too.'

"You're still my best mate, and I know I'm hard to resist, but please do try your best not to have your wicked way with me while I sleep."

Blaise laughed full heartedly for the first time in a while. He closed his eyes to go to sleep knowing that maybe things really would be okay.

Sanya sat down with a cup of tea when Stephanie came sauntering into her room.

"Yes?"

Stephanie just blurted the first thing that came to mind, "Blaise is bi.", She said in a somewhat stunned shock.

"…and?", Sanya said showing no change of emotion whilst sipping her tea, as if Stephanie had just said a remark about the weather.

"That's it? That's your reaction? Let me guess, you already knew."

"Well, it's not that I knew per say. I suspected it; however, I figured he was, at the very least bi-curious."

"…how do you figure these things out?"

Sanya just smiled while taking a sip of her tea, her brown eyes twinkling.