Meeting their match, Chapter 30

"I suppose she was taken with my candor then. Perhaps it is refreshing in a world where wizards always lie, to protect not only their lives but also their reputation. I didn't feel like I had anything of the kind to lose. Nor did I think for a second that such a stern looking witch would be taken with any fables. Not that I could come up with any on the spur of the moment to save my life.
So I was taken off guard by Mrs. Zabini demanding a private audience with me, and no way out of it but through the truth. I saw, and you just confirmed, that my simple truth had quite unexpected if rewarding consequences. Incidentally, I feel that is how some of my best spells were contrived as well.

On the spur of the moment, driven by necessity, with my acute understanding of my limitations and an instant spark of awareness which connected my knowledge of spells to what needed to be done in the given moment. Either I have some skill at responding spontaneously, or just had pure luck. I prefer to think of it, however, as my irresistible personality " Gellert chuckled with amusement, trying out a light hearted expression for the first time after many years of captivity and realizing in delight that happiness was still something he could enjoy quite well.

"I meant to ask what she wanted with you earlier, then she rushed us into clothes shopping and I forgot," Blaise said, annoyed with himself for allowing such an intrigue to slip his mind.

"She asked about us, or rather demanded to know why I was exercising my whiles on you in short," Gellert said, slender shoulders moving in a slight shrug as he gave Blaise an amused smile.

"I hope you can imagine how taken a back I was, and I suppose your discerning mother could detect as much on my face. I did not know what would happen. What she might do. So I simply told her the truth."

Blaise shook his head in bafflement. "What truth, pray tell," he drawled, ready to verbally throttle his mother for embarrassing him as though he were still a child in need of looking after.

"Simply that I was not the one to initiate the physical aspect of our relationship. I also indicated that I did not think it was a thing either of us would be pleased to give up. Is that alright, I assume, it's alright." Gellert's tone shifted from confident to uncertain. "I did not know what would happen, what your mother might do. Who she might turn to to voice her complaint. A thought was circulating in my mind that perhaps I am done for. This could be one of those things the half giant was warning me about. Me making a misstep that he cautioned me would cost me dear. But I did not see how I could hide this thing between us from your mother, how I could convince her that she was wrong. And honestly it felt wrong somehow, to state anything but the truth. Not sure why, but it did. What a bit of luck that it did not actually cost us dear," Grindelwald mused, his smile clearly strained now.

Blaise felt his heart leaping with...happiness, such an odd thing, he mused. Happiness to an extremely high and nearly alarming level when Gellert asked if what he had said, and how he had defended their relationship was alright. At last he allowed himself to reach out and touch the blonde's hair as he had very much wanted to do all through lunch. "Yes! What you said was wonderful...perfect!"

The fear in Gellert's eyes as he continued to speak, the uncertainty from such a proud strong leader and brilliant wizard as was Gellert Grindelwald tugged at Blaise's heart in a way that made him want to protect and shelter someone for the first time in his life. He drew Gellert almost gently into his arms, one hand running softly through those beautiful golden locks. "I get how ridiculous this must sound, but I swear I'll always protect you from anyone no matter what. Anyone who wants to come after you or us for anything will wish they hadn't, I swear it. I've always got your back, Gellert, no matter what." He kissed him then not caring if anyone happened to walk into the great hall. In truth it was as if the world had shrunk down to only the two of them and no one else was relevant.

(Cue musical soundtrack, In the dark by Billy Squier and I got you, by Bebe Rexha)