Author's Notes- This is coming along rather nicely. I've written quite a bit more, so please do give feedback if you like it. I always review back and it really makes my day to know people pay attention to something I've worked hard on. I hope you're enjoying it.

Disclaimers- Forgot to mention this (bad little me, hmm?) but I own nothing but the plot.

Blaise Zabini.

Even his name sounded enticing, like a rare flower Madam Sprout might mention in passing, or a particularly difficult and deadly potion of Snape's. It didn't take me long to come to a conclusion. I had never even spoken to the boy and I was already hopelessly infatuated with him. With someone who might have an unbearable personality. Someone who was a notorious whore. Someone who might hate me as soon as I open my mouth. A typical teenage crush, then. I smiled faintly. Ron looked at me strangely. I held up the copy of one of his comics I was pretending to read.


"It's funny!" I said. Even to myself I sounded mildly retarded.

"That's a catalogue for brooms," He told me gently.

"Yeah, but it's funny.. I mean, who would pay ten galleons for a whore...whore-verly priced cleaning kit?" I gabbled. He raised his eyebrow and turned back to baiting Hermione. I frowned. It was hard to come up with a decent excuse when my mind was full of Blaise. Blaise, Blaise.. I smiled again and noticed more funny looks.

"You look like someone in love!" Lavender teased.

"Of course I'm not!" I protested. "Who could I possibly be in love with?"

"Er, your girlfriend?" Ron looked faintly murderous and I saw Ginny raise her head from a pile of homework. Soft eyes, not accusing but curious. God, the girl I planned to go to the Christmas Dance with and I had just announced I wasn't in love. I laughed as easily as I could.

"I was joking, Ron. You all know who I love,"

Ginny smiled and my heart contracted again. I loved her so much too. But did I love her in the insanely adoring way she deserved, or was it just a brotherly kind of love? I dropped the comic, or catalogue, or whatever it was. "I'm off to bed," I told my friend abruptly and left.

Sleep didn't come easy. I lay in the privacy of my thick red curtains at the centre of the reassuring warmth surrounded by the light sounds of others breathing and dreaming. The softest red light filtered through, composed of watery weak moonlight strained through velvet curtains, too faint to disturb me. Thoughts of making love in the shadows and red light came to me and I shifted uncomfortably. Blaise's dark, watching stare. Blaise's lithe, thin form- too small for a boy of his age. Blaise's faint, knowing smile as Ron's cauldron tipped fire to the floor below. Well, I certainly wouldn't sleep now. I slipped from my bed and pulled the invisibility cloak from my trunk. I loved this cloak. I could roam the castle freely at night whenever I chose and see anyone I wanted with their guard down, in the way you never really saw them. You could get to know someone like that, without ever speaking a word. It was all written on their face when they thought no-one could see.

I wandered out into the cool, draughty corridors. The portraits all slept now and I felt as insubstantial as a handful of moonlight. Lavender drifted past, her arms around the waist of some handsome Ravenclaw I didn't know. Her eyes were dreamy and unfocused, lost in her happy world with the one she loved. I envied her.

When I finally saw him, I thought I was hallucinating. What were the chances of the one who occupied my thoughts wandering the castle at this time? But it was him, slipping from the door of a classroom in absolute silence. He looked dishevelled and it suited him.. black hair ruffled into waves, robes askew on his narrow shoulders. I stalked him along the corridor, holding my breath as I walked alongside him. I saw his eyes unguarded for once. I watched as his face was alternately illuminated and cast into shadow by the pools of moonlight. He was all planes and angles and I wanted to see him soften and melt into my arms.

I barely heard the other person slip out of the room, but I glanced back as we neared the end of the corridor. Flint. I frowned. Wasn't he supposed to have left this year? Maybe he had to repeat it, he was stupid enough. Even in the shadowy half-light I could still see the stupid, satisfied grin upon his face. Jealousy rose, bitter and caustic. I hated him for fucking Blaise, but I envied him too. I wanted to see what he looked like when he came, when he joined with someone else. But I wasn't quite perverted enough to follow him and find out. I would find out for myself one day, I hoped.

I watched him gliding along silently all the way back to his common room. His expression was neutral, maybe slightly thoughtful. Not the look of someone who has just enjoyed mind-blowing sex with someone they loved, but he didn't look depressed either. Just.. numb. And blank. Empty of any real emotion. He looked as thought he'd done nothing more than get a glass of water. I wanted to see him happy, though. I wondered what he would look like with a real smile for once. I stood and watched as he entered his common room silently and slipped back into the shadows. I wanted nothing more than to pull him back out with me, into the silvery moonlight.

And I still hadn't spoken a word to him.