Chapter Six: Unexpected
About a Girl
Blaise gasped for air as she fluttered her eyes open. A heavy weight pressed on her chest. A pair of pale green eyes smiled down at her and giggled.
"Geroffme, Morag. It's too early for this," she mumbled turning over in her comforter. Millicent squawked five minutes later.
"Get up! It's our first Hogsmeade weekend! UP!" Morag sang as she bounced on Mill's bed. She suddenly let out a shrill yelp.
Pansy snuggled back in her covers while Morag picked up the pillow she had hurled at her. "Remind me again why Morag's in our room?" She sighed.
"Honorary Slytherin," Millicent said dismally. Morag, meanwhile, had drawn the shades letting the sunlight blast through the room, including the covers of her three friends.
"Who the hell thought of that?"
"My bad," Blaise groaned trying to keep the sun out of her eyes. "Not that she needs the protection anymore. Has it been a year already?"
"Apparently. Morag get off my head."
"HOGSMEADE, PEOPLE! Haven't any of you listened to me?!"
"Who gave her the password? I swear I haven't slept-in on a Saturday since."
"My bad again." Blaise sat up with a yawn. Stretching luxuriously, she oozed out of her bed and checked her calendar. She then whooped, "Hey, it's our first Hogsmeade weekend, girls!"
"No way! Is it really?" Pansy squeaked jumping out of her bed. She danced around in her jimjams. "Oh my god! I almost slept-in today too!"
"Honeydukes, Honeydukes, Honeydukes," Millicent sang as she chacha-ed to the showers. Morag thumbed her nose at them as she plopped on Blaise's bed.
"We kid because we love, Morag," Blaise grinned.
Soon the four girls stood in line as Filch checked off names from his clipboard. Several boys stared avidly at the group as Pansy tossed her hair off her shoulder and waved. Blaise tucked a long lock of hair behind her ear, smirking at something Millicent said. One of the boys walked right into the wall.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around and crossed her eyes at Cedric in greeting. He snickered and ruffled her hair.
"Dammit, Ced, I just combed this," she sighed hastily flattening it back on her head. He threw an arm over her shoulder and guided her past Filch who checked off their names in a loud scratch.
"So where're you planning to go? Honeydukes? Zonko's? Or straight to the butterbeer kegs?"
Blaise grinned. "We're having a drink first. We've been told the whole Hogsmeade experience is ten times better when you're shit-faced."
"Freaking lush." He snorted. "Well, just so you know, we'll be in Zonko's." He paused as a pretty, Asian girl passed in front of them. She smiled at Cedric and giggled with her friends. He blushed while Blaise narrowed her eyes menacingly.
She didn't fancy Cedric like most girls in Hogwarts, but it bothered Blaise just the same. No one seemed good enough. They were too ditzy, too vain, or too easy. Either that or Blaise had hexed them.
Cedric changed since the train ride back to school. Morag often caught him lingering around the corridor heading to the Ravenclaw house. Blaise missed the old Cedric. The one who belched around her, laughed at lewd jokes, played Hey, Jude on his armpit. But ever since he got his Prefect's badge, he's been playing it straight. Worse yet, he's playing straight and liking … girls.
"I suppose you're going to have a drink too with friends," she said grittily shooting daggers at the girl's head.
"Lighten up, Blaise. My friends aren't all bad."
"Like that's a good thing."
Cedric smirked. "And your point is …?"
"Don't start, Cedric. If you're just going to pester me today, I suggest you piss off while you still have your balls."
"Geez, Blaise. You're in prissy mode already? Have some breakfast first at least."
"It's not like anyone expects me to be anything else," she muttered blasting a pebble off her path.
"Well, you're not really trying to get along with anybody now, are you?" He retorted.
By her third year, Blaise Zabini had established a reputation. She had proved quite an adversary in the dueling club last year, successfully hexing anything that could bleed and scream. But her skills had been overshadowed when Potter decided to chat up a freaking snake.
Speaking of Scarhead, he went and did it again. It just HAD to be a sodding Basilisk, now didn't it?! Not a flobberworm or a rogue spitball, but a 2000-kilo reptile that's not supposed to exist. Her Manticore looked like a deformed kitten next to it. No one would believe her anyway, since her beast conveniently shriveled into dust while Potter's monster still rotted somewhere in the castle's plumbing.
Cedric squeezed her shoulder, taking her back to the present. "Blaise, I was joking." She shrugged, masking her annoyance.
"Whatever. I'll see you when I get there." She followed her friends into a carriage. Cedric watched her depart, scratching his head.
"Draco! Over here!" Pansy called waving out the carriage window. "We saved a seat for you!"
"No, we didn't!" Blaise howled loudly, pulling at Pansy's skirt. "We are NOT riding with that fecker!"
"Yes, we are," Pansy sniffed. "And if you don't like it, you can ride with someone else."
Blaise groaned. She and Pansy never saw eye to eye when it came to Malfoy. She knew her friend adored the blond heathen. Pansy fussed over him even more since the Hippogriff incident, an incident Blaise thought was entirely Malfoy's fault. Even though she found it annoying that Potter was involved in some fashion.
"Fine. I'll see you guys at the Three Broomsticks," she mumbled hopping off the carriage.
She shuffled over to several carriages. She saw Susan get on one but she didn't bother joining. Their friendship had reduced to cards and the occasional hello in the halls.
She hopped into an empty carriage and scooted over to the window. A few minutes later, the door swung open.
"Oy, Ron! There's one over here!" She hopped in before she saw Blaise. "Oh! I'm sorry. Is it okay?"
"Sure, Granger. It's just me." Blaise shrugged. Hermione sat down just as Ron Weasley hopped quickly inside. It suddenly dawned on Blaise who would share this carriage with her. She glanced nervously at the door, anticipating that mop of black hair.
But Ron closed the door and knocked on the wall. The carriage lurched forward with no fourth passenger. Blaise bit her lip. Well, what happened?! She caught Hermione looking at her curiously. Blaise gave her a little smile.
"You look familiar," she said. "Aren't you in my Arithmancy class?" Ron glanced at Blaise too. Did his cheeks just get redder? It amused her thinking Potter's close friend thought she was attractive. But why? It's not like Ron's opinion of her would influence Potter's. And it's not like she bloody gives a damn.
"Oh yeah," Blaise replied, snapping out of her reverie. "I see you in Arithmancy too. We've several classes together, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures." Hermione nodded eagerly. Ron frowned.
"Potions and Hagrid's class? So … you're in Slytherin?" He asked narrowing his eyes. Hermione glared at him, but she held back her tongue. Blaise shrugged.
"Well, yes. I've always been in Slytherin," she said lazily. Ron glanced at his friend as if to say: How could you share a cabin with a Slytherin? It strongly reminded Blaise of her house's reaction when she walked in the common room with Morag.
"So you're one of Malfoy's friends?" He assumed gruffly. Hermione's eyes widened. But Blaise surprised them when she barked a laugh at Ron's question.
"Malfoy and I as friends?" She said slowly. "Well, we love to hate each other. He loves to annoy me and I love to respond with a hex up his arse. I admit it's a slightly perverted relationship, but I think it's best we are at each other's throats. It's the only way we reach some middle ground." Ron and Hermione exchanged uneasy looks. Blaise noticed the blush on both their cheeks.
Ron looked away from Hermione as she stared at her nails. "Sounds like you are his friend," he persisted hotly. "How can you even be remotely civil to such a git? Every time we see him, Harry has to hold me back from bloody cursing him." Blaise rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, what is it with boys and rivalries?" She asked as Hermione grinned knowingly. "Fine, Weasley, Malfoy's my friend. We eat off each other's plate and braid each other's hair too. In fact, we're so close and so in tune that he's in my pocket as we speak."
Ron ignored Blaise the rest of the way to the village. Not that she cared. Hermione proved a more engaging passenger. They talked about their lessons in Arithmancy and the Hippogriff incident. Blaise found Hermione's friendliness pleasantly off-putting. She expected Hermione would behave pompously since Potter is the Wonder Boy of Gryffindor. But her first impression had been right. Hermione was okay. And nothing like Look-at-me-I-saved-the-day-again Potter, thank Merlin.
The carriage pulled up to the wizards' village and the three of them hopped out. Blaise scanned the crowd for her friends while Hermione and Ron ventured into the town. Hermione turned back to Blaise and gave her a small smile just as Ron offered his arm to her. Blaise watched the two walk away, wondering if Potter intentionally stayed behind so his friends could have some time together.
She made her way through the sea of students until she reached a cobblestone road lined with small boutiques and cafés. She spotted Morag and Millicent a couple of meters away. Waving to get their attention, she abruptly tripped and landed awkwardly on her elbows.
"Oh look. Another pothole," someone drawled as Blaise brushed away her bangs. She glared up at the kids standing over her. Marietta Edgecombe and several other 4th year Ravenclaws stood over her, including the Asian girl Cedric ogled earlier. Marietta's parents worked in the Ministry with Vanessa. But since her folks looked down on Mama (especially now), Marietta the Sheep resented Blaise as well.
"Grow a pair, Edgecombe," she grunted getting to her feet. "If you want to spar, don't be subtle about it." Marietta reached for her wand, but the Asian girl stepped in between them.
"Stop it, Marietta," she said evenly. "She's just walking here."
"Don't defend her, Cho! She may not look it, but she's as nasty as the whole lot of them. Bloody Slytherins," Marietta snarled. Cho turned to her friend.
"You can't believe everything you hear." Marietta ignored her friend and pulled out her wand. Blaise drew out hers as well.
"Give me one reason, Zabini. And I'll have your arse in Azkaban along with your pathetic excuse of a mother."
Blaise lunged for Marietta preferring to break the girl's nose with her bare hands. She managed to scratch the Ravenclaw on the cheek before bystanders pulled them apart.
"Stop, Marietta! You should know better! We're older!" Cho gasped.
"That's enough. We're here to have a good time," a voice boomed behind Blaise. She yanked herself away and glared at Roger Davies. He nodded curtly at her. "Enough, Blaise … Just walk away. And don't follow her, Marietta!" He barked facing his housemates.
Blaise debated whether to ignore Roger or listen to him when someone grabbed her arm. She looked up to find Oliver eying the Ravenclaws warily.
"All right there, Davies?" He asked gruffly. Now, Oliver had grown into a very commanding frame. He was half a foot taller than Roger was. His cloak covered his brawny figure, but one could still make out the defined shoulders and arms. He looked more like a rugby player than a wizard.
People dispersed as Roger assured Oliver things were okay. Marietta disappeared in the crowd. Blaise wasn't surprised. Cowards like Edgecombe tended to bully her only when an audience was around.
"Well, so much for getting a good first impression of this place," Oliver said shortly. "What were you fighting about anyways?"
"Does it really matter?" She sighed staring at her feet. Oliver bit his lip.
"Here. Let me buy you a drink. Have you tried butterbeer before?"
He held the door open to the Three Broomsticks. It was a homely bar with Maple panels along the wall and floor. Lanterns made of colorful stained glass dangled from the ceiling while the lazy sounds of a harp and ukulele combo droned from speakers. Round wooden tables with cushioned benches scattered the pub, occupied with patrons from the village and Hogwarts. Persian-styled rugs secured them in place. Booths covered with maroon velvet provided a more intimate seating. Several booths had candles floating on their surfaces.
Oliver closed the door behind him as Blaise treaded along the gypsy-like afghan on the floor. She couldn't help looking around the pub, even if it drew attention to herself. Several patrons lifted glasses to her. The owner of the pub smiled at the pair.
"Hi there, Oliver. I see you brought a friend. Your usual seat?"
"Ta, Rosemerta," he smiled and tipped his hat to her. He leaned close to Blaise's shoulder and directed her to their seats.
Blaise skipped past a group of Warrior Elves and almost bumped into an ogre. They settled into a booth in the corner by the window. Blaise gave up searching for her friends in the noisy pub. She leaned back tiredly in her chair as Rosemerta placed two mugs of butterbeer on the table.
"I'm surprised you haven't had this drink before," Oliver grinned. Blaise licked the foam off her lips and smiled back.
"I remember we had a tap in the manor. But my mum said I was too young to drink it. Then one of the elves got into it. I reckon Dad had to close the tap after that. For their own safety." Blaise stopped herself. She really didn't want to mention her parents … or Oma. She only grew frustrated thinking about it.
"So," Oliver cleared his throat probably sensing her uneasiness, "Why isn't Cedric showing you around this place? He's been enticing you about it since I can remember."
"He had other plans." She tried not to sound too irritated. "I went here with my friends, but we got separated. But Millicent was banging on about Honeydukes. So I could check over there." Oliver cleared his throat again. Blaise raised her brow.
"Are you catching a cold or something? You've been coughing up a lung since summer break." He chuckled.
"No. Probably just allergies." He rubbed his nose making it redder than necessary. "By the way, Elle says Hi." Blaise grinned.
"Really? How is she? When did you talk to her? I got the card she sent me. It was very clever." He chuckled at her questions.
"She's working for Gringotts. Last, I heard, she explored some tombs in Brazil. And she just sent me an owl two days ago. She's having a wicked time. She said she already tackled a mummy and had a near scuffle with a Manticore! Can you imagine? And she especially wanted me to tell you that there're about 200 Manticores still running free." He arched his brow at her this time. "Why are you interested in them?"
"Just curious," she shrugged stifling a smug grin. "I can't wait until I graduate. I want to be a treasure hunter too. I've always wanted to be one ever since I watched Indiana Jones."
"Who?"
"Nothing. Just a muggle reference."
Oliver leaned forward in his seat. "You know … I honestly don't see what that Edgecombe berk hates about you." Blaise blushed as he continued. "I mean, if you're this evil little pureblood they insist you are, then why do you know so much about Muggle culture? And … you appreciate it as well."
Blaise took another sip from her drink. "It's obvious, isn't it?" She said quietly. "All they see is this," she tapped the badge on her cloak. The badge of Slytherin, the snake.
"That's not very fair."
"Well, it goes for everyone, Oliver. We all have our prejudices, whether we voice them out or not. Because I'm a Slytherin, people expect the worst from me. And since you're in Gryffindor, you're supposed to be nauseatingly good. While Cedric's expected to conform to Hufflepuff's easy-peasy image, and so on. I hate the discrimination, but I just have to accept it."
"Yet you accept it with a hex and a spit on the neck." He hinted at her temper with a bemused smile. "That doesn't really sound like you're cooperating with the system." Blaise gulped down the rest of her drink.
"I don't know exactly how to cooperate or accept it. Every day I tell myself: Sod it. I am whatever they say I am. If that's cooperating, then I'm guilty." She slowly rubbed the side of her brow.
"Sorry, if I hit a nerve."
"You didn't, Oliver. Sometimes, it's relaxing to talk about it." She glanced up from her drink to see Millicent squishing her nose against the pub's window. "Thanks for the drink, mate. My friends are outside, so I'll get out of your hair now."
"It's always a pleasure, Blaise," he shrugged. She waved and left the pub, leaving Oliver to order another drink for himself.
The rest of her Hogsmeade trip went without incident. The girls tried on the different dress robes, took pictures by the Shrieking Shack, drank more butterbeer (and convinced some older patrons to buy them a pint of mead), and sent a handful of anonymous hate mail to Edgecombe.
The girls decided to play dress up for the Halloween Feast later that night, to Blaise's chagrin. She dug into her trunk and pulled out the first clean dressy-thing she saw. It was a little tight, but a dress is a dress. As she waited for Pansy in the common room, Blaise laced on her combat boots and managed her hair into a ponytail as best she could without a mirror.
Blaise had just wrapped the Handy Sash around her upper thigh and covered it with the hem of her dress, when Pansy jogged down the stairs. She nodded approvingly at her ensemble, only to snort at Blaise's boots.
"So close, yet so far once again," she sighed. "Girl, those boots are dreadful."
"That's why they're so me," she drawled. She wrapped an arm around Pansy. "Mill's already outside. Debating with Vincent again. I can't believe that witch. She'll argue with anyone."
"Hmm … amazing it's Crabbe of all people. Don't you think it's odd … She's always arguing with the fellow. Even when he doesn't argue back."
Blaise snickered. "Yes, it's all quite touching. Ah, but such is puppy love." They snorted loudly. "By the way, don't think I don't see what you're doing with Malfoy."
Pansy blushed. "I'm just concerned for the boy, Blaise! He was nearly killed by that horrible feathered … thing."
"That dunderhead provoked Buckbeak. And he says Goyle's slow. I've seen spoons sharper than Malfoy."
"Oh, shut up. I'm going to enjoy myself tonight," Pansy sighed tossing her hair over her shoulder. She scrunched her curls for the nth time. "Remember that favor I asked of you? You have to be absobloodylutely discreet."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
"Seriously, Blaise-"
"I know!"
Pansy had asked Blaise to take a picture of her with Malfoy. Only Pansy was too embarrassed to ask the boy to pose for one. So Blaise had to take a candid shot once Pansy managed to squeeze into a chair next to him. Blaise wished she'd asked Millicent or Morag to do this. If Malfoy caught her taking his picture, his arrogance would probably convince him she's starting a fan club. Well, Pansy would be anyway.
They reached the Entrance Hall to find the students mingling with each other. Heads turned when Blaise called out Morag's name. Several jaws dropped as the blonde crossed the room and punched playfully at Morag's arm.
"You look great, Morag!" Blaise laughed. She had chosen a flattering navy blue to heighten her red hair. Morag shook her head.
"Blaise, you look … stunning. I'm serious. You look … sixteen."
"Yeah, just too bad I'm flat as a nail head. I know the joke, sweetie."
Morag objected again when someone tapped on Blaise's shoulder. She turned around to find a lens aimed directly at her.
"What the-"
"H-hi, Blaise!" A boy squeaked. "You must be wondering why I know you're Blaise. Well, Neville told me that was your name, because I asked him when I saw you across the Great Hall last year. You're so pretty. And you still are. Even more now. Ha, ha. Anyway, you look really h-hot tonight and I was wondering, c-can I take your picture? You don't have to right now, but anytime would be okay. I'll understand if you don't. Anyway, my name's Colin Creevey. I'm a Muggleborn. And you're a Pureblood, right? I hope that's not weird."
This is weird. "Uh … I guess." Colin quickly snapped a shot. She blinked at the stars in her eyes when Malfoy approached them.
"Taking pictures again, Creevey? Whose arse are you kissing …" He stared at Blaise, "… nice--err--now?" Did Malfoy just blush?!
"What the hell are you looking at?" She snapped. She brushed past him and made her way to the Great Hall's doors. All the while, she suddenly became aware of the heads, mostly male heads, turning to her. She saw Roger completely turn his back to the girl talking to him to stare at Blaise. Shawn, Cedric's classmate, blushed as he nodded towards her, earning envious glares from his mates. Even Fred and George smiled appraisingly at her. Blaise began to wonder.
"Is there a bogey hanging off my nose or something?" She whispered to Millicent. Mill shook her head. "Then why are they all staring at me?! Is there a Kick-Me sign taped on my arse or what?!" Morag ran up to them with Pansy following closely behind.
"Blaise, didn't you look at yourself in the mirror before you left?" Mill asked cautiously.
"I checked myself this morning. Why?" Mill laughed. Morag slapped her lightly. "What is it?!" Pansy cleared her throat.
"Umm … Blaise … well … you have a different look tonight. Everyone's accustomed to seeing you in those baggy robes. And your dress now just really shows off your … form."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Blaise snapped folding her arms over her chest. Wait, her … chest? What happen to the ribcage? She glanced down. "HOLY SHIT!" The girls clamped their hands over her mouth.
"Blaise, are you okay?" Cedric asked walking over to them.
Oh, please don't let Cedric see this, she thought hysterically. He peeked over Morag's shoulder. His eyes widened.
"Is it really that bad?" She whimpered.
"Prefect's bathroom," he mumbled ushering them out the Hall. They quickly piled into the bathroom as Cedric closed the door behind him. He turned back to the four girls. He stared openly at Blaise.
"Stop looking at me like that!" She snapped. "What's the big deal?!"
"Apparently, it's your breasts," Mill said trying to sustain her grin.
Blaise threw up her hands. "Well, I didn't know I had them! They're not supposed to be there!" She stomped over to the full-length mirror. She almost didn't recognize herself.
The tight sweater dress ended halfway down her thigh. The slit sleeves showed her arms adorned with silver bangles, while an armband in the shape of a silver snake with emerald eyes coiled around her upper arm. But no amount of accessories could take away the fact that Blaise Zabini had hit puberty. Big time.
"You need a bra," Pansy said comfortingly. "A real bra, since training bras won't have the support you need. I say they're a perky C-cup." Blaise grimaced.
"This's not natural," she groaned. Cedric fidgeted.
Morag said, "Neither's that arse. But you do look good, Blaise."
"But I'm only thirteen! No girls our age look like this. What happened? Cedric, is this normal?!"
He suddenly smiled. "Blaise … you were always beautiful." A lump balled in her throat.
"No, Cedric. It's freakish." She hugged herself, trying to cover as much as she could. Her friends exchanged uneasy glances. The Blaise they knew never expressed insecurity. And the connection between her and Cedric made them feel out of place.
"Hey, girls, is it okay if I talk to Blaise alone for a minute?" He asked quietly. They nodded and left the bathroom.
Blaise tightened her arms around her chest. She felt like an idiot. She remembered all the boys staring at her, Creevey taking his stupid pictures. She was a joke and she didn't even know it.
"Blaise, what are you thinking?"
"I look like a whore," she whispered. He lifted her face to him.
"Don't ever say that. Hey, look at me. Don't ever let yourself think that. Look in the mirror, Blaise. No, really look." She did blinking back tears. "You know what I see, Blaise? I see a lovely young girl. She's been through a lot. She's still going through a lot. But as long as she keeps a good head on her shoulders, she'll be fine. She has a good heart, a wicked temper, a great sense of humour, and amazing beauty, inside and out." He turned her to him.
"You will never be anything less to me, Blaise." He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I feel bad. We should've noticed before you came back to school. Mum should've at least …"
"We're all pretty distracted right now. With Black on the run and everything."
"They'll find him, Blaise. They'll catch him soon enough. Dad's even helping, you know. Fudge's just an idiot."
"Yeah, but he's got the power," she sighed. Cedric rustled her hair.
"Let's go to the feast, kid. Enough moping. Your folks insisted you carry on. Oma told you-"
"I know. Keep your chin up."
Steamed
Lighting coursed across the ceiling of the Great Hall making Blaise tear her eyes off her book to stare at it. The weather reflected her mood: stormy, prone to spastic shocks of electricity, deafening outbursts, and chaotic grumblings. The discovery of her womanliness left Blaise suspicious of all male glances. Heck, even when female heads turned she'd fling her arms out and challenge them to a duel. Her erratic behaviour earned her the nickname Lady Cadogan from her friends.
Mail from McGee came in early November. The package contained bras and other embarrassing paraphernalia. Blaise had to open it in the privacy of her chambers, with the curtains drawn over her bed and all the candles snuffed out. She still felt her cheeks burn whenever she remembered the lacy bustier McGee purchased for her.
But the embarrassment only worsened when the whole Slytherin house discovered Blaise had a secret admirer. For the past week, swarms of pixies delivered roses to her in the common room. Well, rather they delivered the flowers everywhere else but to her hands. She even found little notes tucked in her books, falling out at the most inconvenient moments where Malfoy can read them to the whole class. It also didn't help that Creevey had gotten over his Potter infatuation and now tailed Blaise everywhere she went. The tiniest sound of a camera click would send Blaise diving to the floor covering her face.
And Blaise thought Valentine's Day last year had been horrible. She'd gladly welcome back that singing goblin if it meant she'd never have to pull a pixie out of her hair again. She wanted to find the bugger who sent that blasted card to her. It might be the same fool pestering her now. But with her newfound bubbies, it could be any bloke. It could be more than one bloke. Either way, she thought all boys were perverts, except Cedric … and maybe Oliver. He was the only boy who still treated her like one of the guys.
Lighting flashed again just as Millicent called out to Blaise.
"Have you been here all day?" Mill asked. "Aren't you going to watch the game? Cedric's playing against Gryffindor."
Blaise threw her books in her bag and glanced at the ceiling. "Are you sure there's even a game? They shouldn't let them play in this weather."
"C-cancel Quidditch?" Millicent choked. "Blasphemy! It was bad enough they cancelled the game last year. I can't, I can't take it. Must … must!" She pulled at her braids.
"Hey, take it easy, Mill." Blaise tried not to laugh. "I only expressed an opinion. I'm sure they didn't cancel the game." Mill breathing steadied. "Of course, everyone here's just as loony over Quidditch as you are. Let's go. You're cheering for Cedric, right?"
Thirty minutes later and twenty minutes into the game, Blaise stopped cheering, period. She couldn't make out anything on the field. Every now and then, she'd hear people cheer or Lee Jordan's voice ring out from the speakers, but none of it sounded intelligible.
Resting her hands on the metal railing, Blaise wondered why Cedric and Oliver just didn't call this match a stalemate and play again under better conditions. But those two have behaved differently around each other since summer break. Boys will be boys, McGee said. Still, Blaise found their fighting over a stupid goal abnormal. Then again, Oliver had become more obsessed with winning, while the pressure of making captain got to Cedric, more than he let on.
"We've got two blokes out there, hungry to prove themselves to the other," she mused under her breath. "Yeah, they're not calling off this game anytime soon."
She stifled a yawn as someone whistled beside her. Blaise turned to find Hermione and Ron huddled under an umbrella.
"Enjoying the game, Zabini?" She grinned. Blaise chuckled.
"I'd enjoy it more once it's over. Who's leading?"
"Hufflepuff's just down by fifty," Hermione said biting her lip. "But at this rate, both teams will be over 300 if nobody finds that Snitch."
Blaise shrugged. "Not to put down Cedric's skills, but I'm surprised Potter hasn't seen the thing yet. He's got the best vision out there with his glasses protecting his eyes."
Hermione frowned. "What do you mean …" Gryffindor suddenly called a time out. Her face brightened. "Wait! That's brilliant, Zabini!" She ran off the bleachers. Blaise scratched her head.
"What the heck was that all about?" Ron asked her.
"I don't know. She's your friend, the genius." Hermione came back minutes later. And the game resumed.
Blaise propped her elbows on the railing. The lightning made Potter's glasses flash in her direction. He suddenly dove just as Cedric did. Blaise stood up from her seat.
"Go, Cedric!" She cried cupping her hands over her mouth.
Suddenly a collective shudder surged through the crowd, hushing everyone to silence. Blaise steadied herself against the railing, her blood felt like ice. She glanced at the grounds and nearly fell over the ledge. Lightning illuminated hundreds of black hoods. All turned their faces to the crowd. She had thought she lucked out when the Dementors avoided her cabin on the train. But tonight, they subjected everyone to their presence.
Blaise closed her eyes against her will as her back arched painfully backwards. Her tongue caught in her throat as she heard voices echo harshly in her head.
… So witches do bleed …
… You're nothing without your stupid witchcraft! …
… Your family is the worst kind … How many galleons did they pay? …
… You're not cut out for Hufflepuff … Tenderhearted, forgiving -- That's not you …
… No one in this school is on your side …
Blaise tried to shake the voices out of her mind. She saw Pansy lean against Millicent, shaking from her sobs. Malfoy turned to her, unable to speak as an icy tear fell down his cheek. He, too, struggled against the Dementors. Blaise shivered.
Staring down at the hoods hovering beneath them, she clenched on the railing. "Get out of our heads!" She hissed. They floated closer. People began to scream as Blaise saw someone fall from the sky. Her necked ached as she tried to stand still.
… Have I EVER asked you of anything?! …
… What we tell you now must never leave this table …
… One shot, little girl … Try to save the day …
… Forgive me … I hope you understand …
… Please tell me nothing happened … I'd die! …
… It hurts at first, little girl …
… Please tell me nothing happened! …
… It hurts at first …
… PAPA! WHERE ARE YOU! … HELP ME! …
… Stop crying, stop moving …
… Tell me nothing happened!!! …
"Stop it!" She roared. Something swelled inside her. It broke through her skin and flared around her. The voices stopped. The Dementors backed away when Dumbledore streamed a Patronus from his wand.
Potter's body lay motionless on the ground.
"Look out behind you!" Morag cried.
A Dementor swooped in front of the Slytherins as Dumbledore conjured a stretcher for Potter. Excited from the crowd, it became greedy for their energy. Blaise spun around as it loomed over her. It drew in a raggedy breath, making her blood curdle.
"NO!" She cried flinging out her arms. The voices circled around her, she heard that voice again. Tears blinded her vision. A sob crawled to her throat. She couldn't stop it.
Then she suddenly saw the face of a little boy in her mind. His mouth formed the words: Fight Back … Louder the words came, flooding her brain until it drowned out her heartbeat. Fight back. Her blood boiled.
She closed off her mind and the only emotion that remained in her was … rage.
An invisible force surrounded her, and the Dementor stepped back, slightly confused. Blaise spat at the ground and narrowed her eyes. Clenching her fists, the force swelled until the Dementor backed so far that it fell over the other side of the bleachers. Stumbling weakly, Morag peered over the ledge.
"I-it's gone!" She gasped. Blaise flinched as the force withdrew back into her.
"Blaise! Are you all right?!" Millicent reached out to hold her but quickly jumped back. "B-Blaise! You're piping hot!" She held up her blistered hand.
"W-what?" She asked faintly. Malfoy ran forward with Professor Snape at his side.
"There she is, Professor. Steam coming out of her ears and everything," he said with a straight face. She dared him to laugh at her. His gaze wavered as Snape approached her.
"Zabini …" The professor said curtly. When she didn't respond, he hesitantly tapped her on the shoulder. "Blaise … Do you know what happened, Blaise?" The soft tone of his voice took her out of the stupor. Snape narrowed his eyes.
"Everyone, back to the common room. Zabini, I'll send up a potion with one of the elves to take care of that fever of yours." She nodded numbly.
The group quietly headed back to the dorm amidst whispers of Potter's fatal accident. Her whole body ached from struggling against the Dementor's glare, her skin still warm. Once she reached the room, Blaise headed for the showers.
The stream collected thickly around her even if the tap was on the coldest notch. When she went to bed, an excitable house elf had a glass of milk and Snape's remedy waiting for her. Her whole body cooled after she swallowed the vial's contents.
Blaise fell into an uneasy sleep, waking up whenever a hint of the memories the Dementor's conjured came close to her conscious. It had been a tough night for everyone, since they all faced a memory they'd rather forget. Blaise tried to sleep, tried to hold back the anger boiling under her skin. Millicent and Pansy watched from their beds wondering how they could help their friend escape the hell in her mind.
Know Who Your Friends Are
Cedric felt awful that his team won against Gryffindor. He claimed it wasn't a real win. He wanted an unquestionable victory, the kind that everyone would accept. Where there'd be no reason to think that the other team had better odds.
Blaise agreed. Cedric had an easy win, because Potter fell off his broom. That may not mean Cedric was the better flier, but it meant Cedric had a stronger threshold for misery. But a wizard had never attacked him. He never witnessed his parents being tortured or murdered. So maybe what the Dementors inflicted on him was mild compared to what Potter endured.
Pain is still pain though.
At their next Potions class, Blaise found herself partnered with Malfoy. She wouldn't have minded so much, if the boy would stop the stupid Dementor impressions. She snapped at him to start chopping their ingredients. But Malfoy ignored her and continued his antics as his friends snickered behind them.
He suddenly stopped when someone flung a ronking crocodile heart at his head. Blaise almost laughed aloud at the shock registered on his face, but instead she hissed, "Serves you right, Malfoy!"
She looked up to find Potter and Weasley grinning goofily at them. For someone like him to lose a Quidditch match and nearly die from it, he seemed in good spirits. She found Potter's ability to smile at trauma admirable. But his mirth had been short-lived when Snape took 50 points from Gryffindor. Blaise caught Draco smirking. In response, she kicked him under their table. He rubbed his shin, scowling at her.
"Are you done gloating there? Chop these bloody leeks for me." To her surprise, he did.
Blaise would catch glimpses of Potter every now and then in and out of their classes. She didn't know why, but she sensed something troubled him. Something bigger than losing a game. She kept out of his way most of the time. Rumor in school was that Black was after him. He didn't have a hunted look on his face though. But Malfoy had let it slip that Potter didn't know the complete truth about Black. Blaise wondered if Malfoy knew himself.
As the holidays grew closer, Blaise often found herself sitting amongst her friends, not saying much. She found their banter distracting in a positive way. Since the Dementors stormed the Quidditch field, she couldn't sleep without having nightmares. It angered her thinking the Dementors purposely sought out her mind. It angered her more thinking that, maybe they found her because all the school's defenses focused on Potter's safety. Screw everyone else.
She had to hand it to the girls though. This year brought them closer. Last year, they stuck together through the Chamber of Secrets ordeal. But this year just felt more significant. Secret crushes were revealed. Hell, they literally saw Blaise blossom into this bosomy waif. And they each witnessed the other at their most vulnerable moments.
Pansy talked frankly about the memories the Dementors made her mind regurgitate. She told them her parents' relationship with her older brother grew strained when he fell in love with a Muggle. She told them how her father threatened her brother Patrick. How Patrick left their home. How it had been one of the saddest days of her life when he said he could never come back again.
Millicent had her own insecurities. She had to constantly lie to her folks about her friendship with cousin Morag. She just didn't see what all the fuss was in purity. It felt wrong to Mill to disown a good friend for such shallow reasons. And last year, Mill feared for her cousin's life. She went out of her way to protect her. To the point that the older years almost threw Mill out, when they found out she let a Ravenclaw inside their dorms. Blaise had stopped them though, challenging the whole lot of them to duel. They backed away when they realised Zabini was quite a skilled dueler.
And Morag. She stuck with people she liked and became an outcast in her house in the process. Morag had a frank, listen-to-me-or-sod-off attitude that alienated the Ravenclaws. But their standoffish behaviour turned her off as well. When Morag told Blaise that she often felt like she didn't know where she belonged in Hogwarts, Blaise knew exactly what she meant. Morag was the breath of fresh air in their group. Her geeky exuberant attitude definitely contrasted with Pansy's snootiness, Mill's bluntness, and Blaise's … well, Blaise.
She was glad she had these girls around … her soul sistahs. A term Millicent coined, since she also had noticed their bond after the Soul-Suckers aka Dementor incident.
With the girls, Blaise found it easier to talk about things. Girly topics she couldn't otherwise discuss with Cedric. She still held back many things from them. When asked about any boys she may fancy, Blaise had nothing to say. When asked who she thought was cute, she drew a blank. She could've been politically correct and answered Cedric. But that would be too weird.
As for Cedric, he was proving to be quite the idiot.
"Are you kidding me, Diggory?!" She growled chasing after him across the Quidditch field. Hufflepuff had just suffered an embarrassing loss to Ravenclaw. Blaise watched the whole thing with a bad taste in her mouth. "Are you bloody kidding me? The Snitch was right there! How could you stop for her?! Wait … WHY DID YOU STOP FOR HER?"
"Let it go, Blaise," he sighed propping his broom over his shoulder. "You win some, you lose some." Blaise narrowed her eyes.
"Did you throw this game then? Is that it? Why don't you just give Gryffindor the cup?"
"Let it go! Damn!" He snapped. "Since when are you so passionate about Quidditch anyway? You never cared whenever I showed you my moves. You'd just flip another stupid page in your stupid charm book. As if you're too bloody smart to play on broomsticks."
Blaise bit her lip. "Just because I don't know how to fly doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. I like this game as the next person. Which's why I can't understand what happened today! It's as if … you don't care. You didn't even try. Cedric … it's not your fault Potter fell off the broom."
He turned sharply to her. "Drop it now, Blaise." He ran his fingers through his hair just as some Ravenclaw players passed by. Blaise recognized Cho Chang who waved shyly at him.
"Good game," she said hesitantly. Cedric nodded with a blush. Blaise scoffed at the girl.
"Bullshit, Chang. You know they played bad. Why do you have to be such a bloody fake?" Cedric reeled and dragged Blaise away as Cho stared after them.
"What's wrong with you?" He hissed once they were away from the crowd. "Can't you get along with anybody? See, this's why you're fighting with everyone. You think everyone's out to get you. And with an attitude like yours, I'm not surprised. What the hell happened to you, Blaise? You used to be fun."
Blood rushed to her face. "Sorry, I'm not Miss Perfect Personality!" Her eyes watered as she stormed away.
"Blaise," he sighed. "Blaise, wait!"
She ignored him and jogged up the steps to the castle. Cedric called for her again and grabbed her arm.
"Blaise, I'm sorry! Come on, look at me!"
Someone scoffed at them.
"Are we having a lovers' spat here?" Hannah laughed. Several Hufflepuffs turned and snickered at Blaise. Cedric paled when he saw Cho was among the crowd. Looking away, Cho hurried back to her dorm.
That moment, Cedric let Blaise's arm go. Glaring, he marched inside the castle leaving Blaise to face the girls.
"Guess it wasn't a lovers' spat after all," Hannah smirked. She walked away with the rest of the group following her. Blaise couldn't find any words to snarl back at them. For the first time ever, Cedric … deserted her.
But that would happen, wouldn't it? He owed her nothing. And she surely didn't own him. Thinking over the years she knew him, she needed him more than he needed her. And now … Blaise realised the truth. He never needed her. She was just a whiny neighbor that wouldn't go away. Probably the only source of headaches for him.
"Blaise?" She looked up to find Susan standing by the doors. The two girls eyed each other carefully. "Are you okay?"
Blaise squared her shoulders and nodded. She still couldn't speak. Susan bit her lip.
"We should hang out more, you know? I was wondering … Well, actually, I want you to stay with us for a while during the holidays. It's tough, you know, without family."
Blaise finally found her voice. "Yeah, I'd like that. We could catch up on things."
Susan held out her hand. She stared at it for a moment. Her chest ached thinking about the time Susan told her she was the sister she never had. She felt so alone now, staring at the girl's outstretched hand. She didn't know what the gesture meant anymore.
Was it pity? An apology? A truce? For what? They never fought. Cedric said he'd never think less of her. But he did today. And Blaise felt like … she let him down. She had let herself down.
Blaise took Susan's hand for a handshake. But Susan pulled her into a bear hug instead. And suddenly, Blaise couldn't stop her tears. She buried her face in Susan's hair as the girl patted her on the back. And she voiced out what truly tore at her heart.
"I don't know what's going to happen, Susan. I'm losing everyone. I'm scared."
Susan hugged her tighter. And even though she said nothing, Blaise felt it. She felt Susan's message … You haven't lost me, Blaise. I'm still here.
***********
Thanks for reading and reviewing! Your support's greatly appreciated … Seriously. ^_^ Nengski