Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Also, this fic explicitly discusses injuries gotten from a romantic partner as well as concerning behaviors that could be labeled as self-harming and even suicidal. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Yeah, um, I really don't like Orange Crush. Mostly because in canon, Ginny kind of sucked as a person and the movies really didn't add much.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 14); MC4A (Year 4)
Individual Challenges: Best Stories (Y); La Vie Boheme; Fix-It Felix (Y); Gryffindor MC; Slytherin MC; Magical MC; Magical MC (Y); Neurodivergent; Rian-Russo Inversion; Rian-Russo Inversion; Ethnic & Present; Ethnic & Present; Setting Sail; Shipwreck; Gwen's HP Bribery (Y); Hold the Mayo; Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); Feathers & Such; In a Flash; Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon; Greatest Gift
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 14 – Assignment 10
Subject (Task No.): A Study of Magical Objects (Task#1: Write about someone showing chivalry.)
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Fantastic Beasts [32](Healing another person); 365 Prompts [92](Harry/Ginny); Scavenger Hunt [70](White/Homenum Revelio/Water)
Other MC4A Challenges: SpB [3D](Pipes/Horn); TrB [3C](Loophole Abuse); Ship (Heroic Shadow)[Sp Med 2](First Aid)/[Bingo](1E - Terrible Ex); Hunt [Sp Con](Beef)/[Sp Con](Medicine)/[Sp Items](Pen); Chim [Isopra](Royal Purple)
Representation(s): Meta Use of a Loophole; Desi & Autistic Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini; Breaking up Ginny Weasley/Harry Potter
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Middle Name; Nightingale; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice; Tomorrow's Shade; Second Verse (Found Family; Nontraditional; Sneeze Weasel); Chorus (Wabi Sabi; Bee Haven; Machismo; Peddling Pots); Demo 1 (Most Human Bean; These Boots); Demo 2 (Creature Feature; Forked Path; Mermaid)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Toad); SN (Rail; Intercept); CM (Brier)
Word Count: 931 words

(^^)
An Unexpected Knight
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Blaise was careful not to frown as he gently dabbed bruise paste around Harry's left eye and down his jawline. Even with his eyes closed, Harry would have sensed the expression. That would mean that he would pull back again. He would start hiding his wounds behind glamours and outright lies. As distasteful as it was, healing Harry's injuries from his girlfriend was better than wondering how bad things currently were.

Bruises thoroughly treated, Blaise picked up the white rag he kept with his kit to clean up with. It had a serializing charm woven into the fabric. Useful, that was. Harry had a tendency to be injured more often than not. The foolish man threw himself between people and danger as if he was trying to kill himself, as if his own life was worthless compared to other people's lives. The default first aid kit that Blaise had kept at his desk since he had first joined expanded quickly after Harry had been assigned to him.

Not for the first time, Blaise was grateful that every new hire in the Ministry, including students at the Auror Academy, was tested by the Department of Mysteries. If the testing turned up anything, the new hire was directed to the Department despite their own plans. Normally, that testing just turned up special talents that required training. A month or two was typically all that was needed, and the recruits were allowed to go on their way.

Like Blaise had learned that he had been most of his life, Harry was an exception. The testing registered Harry as a magical artifact in his own right. The proctor had not been surprised. It apparently happened at least once every generation or so, and given how Harry was already noted as having unique magical experience (as if being the only person to ever survive the Killing Curse could be anything beyond unique), it was almost expected that he would register weirdly to the testing.

Harry hadn't complained about being assigned to the Department of Mysteries rather than allowed to continue training to become an Auror. He did not seem all that upset about it either. Not even being assigned as Blaise's partner had caused more than an expression of discomfort. (Blaise would later figure out that Harry had been dreading telling his friend and girlfriend that he was working closely with a Slytherin.)

Blaise pulled out his flask of water. It was silver with a set of pan pipes molded into it and filled with royal purple enamel. Almost absently, he handed it to Harry. The other man wouldn't know the significance of either the flask or the gesture. He didn't need to for the way he took and trustingly drank from it to soothe Blaise's riled magic.

Healing taken care of, they drifted to their personal ends of their shared desk. Harry began scratching away with the muggle pen he used instead of a quill. Blaise watched him for a few moments before subtly casting homenum revelio, just to check that they were truly alone. After all, what he was about to suggest would probably upset a few people, especially if word got back to a certain redhead.

"You know, my mother's personal library has several books in Parseltongue," Blaise said. Harry didn't look up at him, even though he had stopped writing. He was clenching his shoulders tight enough against his neck that Blaise could practically feel the ache from the tension.

"I, I don't speak it anymore."

"You don't speak it any less either." Blaise met Harry's startled gaze without guilt. "You mutter in it when you're lost in thought."

"Sorry," Harry said immediately. He swallowed hard. "I'll stop. Or I'll try. I didn't realize that I was doing it, so I might, you know, not be able to stop—but I'll try, I swear."

"Jerky?" Blaise asked instead of acknowledging the stammered apology. He pulled out a pouch of the dried beef and offered it to Harry. After a brief moment of fidgeting with his sleeves, Harry finally reached out and took a piece of the bag.

That, too, was another habit he had formed specifically because he had been paired with Harry. The man didn't eat nearly enough. So Blaise had started keeping snacks around their workspace. He had to make sure to offer them, because Harry wouldn't touch them unless he did. He was still trying to figure out what Harry liked. The jerky was a bit of an experiment, because Blaise had a theory about how much Harry knew about Potter family traditions.

"So, as I was saying," Blaise continued as Harry nibbled away. "My mother has several books in Parseltongue. She is willing to allow someone to translate them, but she is reluctant to allow the originals to leave the estate. Would you like to spend a week or so in Sweden in the next month or so?"

"I don't know," Harry answered. There was more fussing with his sleeves, enough so that Blaise almost felt sorry for the fabric. "Ginny doesn't like it when I'm not at home when she wants to come visit. She really wouldn't like me going to another country with you in particular."

"But what do you think about going?" Blaise asked, careful to only emphasis that he was wanting Harry's opinion without giving any weight to either going or staying. Harry's throat clicked as he swallowed a few times before answering.

"I would like to go," Harry said with a small voice. Blaise nodded.

"Then we shall," he confirmed.

And they did.