Wooing of Blaise Zabini

The punch sent Harry reeling back into the couch. He massaged his throbbing chin as he watched Draco Malfoy glaring angrily at him. Draco clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. He marched angrily up to Harry and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up so that they were eye-to-eye. Draco pulled his hand back and was about to swing it at Harry's face when he felt something stopping his arm. He turned around and saw Ginny holding his arm and shaking his head at him.

"Why shouldn't I?" he said angrily. "You saw how devastated she was! He deserved it!"

"I know darling but you still can't, no matter how much you feel like it. Blaise won't be happy with you if you did. She still loves him," Ginny said.

Draco looked at Harry then at Ginny and back at Harry before snorting in disgust and pushing Harry into the sofa. Draco walked out of the apartment and stood at the balcony, calming himself down. Damn that Potter, he thought angrily. I wish Ginny hadn't stop me. I would have loved to pound him to the ground. Draco smiled at that thought and went back inside. He was in time to see Ginny slapping a bag of frozen peas onto Harry's chin.

"Ow! Ginny that hurts," Harry whined.

"Well, you deserved it for making Blaise cry," she replied, smirking at him. "Damn it Harry! Why'd you say that to her for! Shouldn't you be happy about the news?"

Harry groaned and covered his face with his hands. "I know. It just caught me by surprise, you know?" Harry rubbed his face and recalled all events that led to Draco punching him in the face.

The storm was still blowing strong outside, the rain lashing against the windows. Both Harry and Blaise were cuddling up in front of the TV watching a video when Blaise turned her head up to look at Harry. She traced her finger along his chin and smiled, thinking how handsome he looked in the dim light. Just realising that his girlfriend was not paying attention to the movie, he looked down and found her smiling at him.

He smiled back and asked, "What are you smiling about honey?"

"Nothing, It's just that I've got something really important to tell you," she said as she sat up to face him.

"What is it?"

"Harry, we're going to have a baby!" she squealed.

"WHAT? HOW? WHO?" he yelled in shock.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WHO! The baby's YOURS Harry! Why aren't you happy about this? It's our baby Harry. OUR baby!"

"But how can I be sure. I'm away very often on Auror assignments and I heard that someone saw you being very chummy with that spiky haired man from your law firm."

The slap snapped his head back, leaving a read handprint on his cheek. He was too dumbstruck by the slap to stop her from getting up from the sofa and going into their room. When she stepped put of their bedroom, Blaise was carrying a large black bag. He could see the sleeve of her favourite shirt peeking out from the zipper.

"I'm sorry honey. I'm so sorry for what I said. It's just that the news caught me by surprised and I'm just confused," he said softly, trying to get the bag away from her.

"Well, while sort out your feelings about our baby, I'll be at Ginny's," she said as she shrugged on her jacket. She picked up her bag and left their apartment.

"Blaise, Blaise!" Harry called out to the woman he loved but she didn't look back. Resting his head against the doorframe, he said, "Oh God, what have I done?"

Harry sat back down on the sofa, resting his face in his hands, thinking about the bombshell Blaise dropped on him earlier. I don't know whether to be happy or scared. I don't know if I'm ready to be a father yet. I don't know, I just don't know. Harry went to the bookshelf and took out a photo album. He flipped through the album before stopping at a page that held the most recent photo of him and Blaise, two months back at her birthday party at Draco's. Ginny took the picture while he and Blaise were dancing to her favourite slow tune. She looked so beautiful that night and lovely that he fell in love with her all over again. Harry fell asleep on the couch with the album on his chest. The next thing he knew, he felt someone pulling him up by the collar and punching him in the face.

Harry touched his jaw tenderly and hissed at the pain. He looked up and saw Draco smirking at him.

"I did warn you before that if you hurt her, I'll make you pay," Draco said.

"I know but did you have to hit so hard?"

"Like Ginny said, you deserved it. You made her cry Potter and I don't take lightly to people making the people I love cry."

"How is she?"

"She was still in bed when we left this morning," Ginny said. "You need to talk to her Harry."

"I know that but what if she doesn't want to see me anymore. I did say a few hurtful things to her before she left."

"Damn right they were hurtful! You BLOODY implied that she had an affair and the baby wasn't yours!" Draco roared, rushing towards him angrily.

"DON'T YOU THINK I REGRET SAYING THAT!" Harry shouted back.

"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!" Ginny shouted at both angry men. She turned to Draco and said, "He knows his mistake so don't give him a harder time than he's already having." She then turned to Harry and said, "You better make things up with her before Hermione finds out about this. You know how close Hermione and Blaise are after their college years. You wouldn't want her to hex you for hurting her best friend."

At the thought of Hermione, hexing him drained all the blood from his face. Angry Hermione and a wand were not good combinations.

"Please don't tell Hermione until I talk to Blaise?" he pleaded.

Just then, the door to his apartment burst open and Hermione marched in, her eyes blazing in anger.

"Harry Potter what the HELL did you do to Blaise? I went by to Ginny's to see if she wanted to do a little shopping and I found Blaise there. The moment she saw me she burst into tears!" she raged. "You either tell me what happened the easy way or I'll get it out of you the hard way."

Harry sighed and sat down on the sofa, rubbing his face. He explained in a soft and low voice the events that transpired the previous night. Once he finished his recount, he looked up to Hermione half-afraid of what she would do. Hermione looked at him, shook her head and sighed.

"Oh Harry, I know you love her but why did you say that?" Hermione asked.

"I really don't know Hermione. It's just that it was all so sudden. I'm not even sure I'm ready to get married yet, not to mention having kids."

"Look at Ron, Harry. He thought he wasn't ready to be a daddy either but he's doing fine."

As if on cue, Ron entered the apartment, carrying his four-month old daughter, Rory.

"Hey Harry! I hope Hermione hasn't used that triple bat-bogey hex she was mumbling about when she left Ginny's in a hurry," he said, smiling at his best friend. Ron laughed when he saw Harry gulp audibly and look at Hermione in fear. "I've also brought someone you should speak too." Ron moved aside to let Blaise enter the apartment.

"I think we should all leave and let them talk it out," Ginny said, dragging Draco out of the apartment. "Blaise, if you need more time to think, you're more than welcomed to stay at my place."

Blaise nodded towards her and turned back to face Harry. When they heard the door close, Harry walked towards Blaise and tried to take her into his arms but she walked away from him.

"Blaise, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, love," he said.

"There's never been anyone else Harry, only you. You're my first and only. It hurt me so much when you said asked who's baby it was," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"I'm really, really sorry about what I said. I don't know why I said it."

Blaise turned to face Harry and said, "Do you love me Harry?"

"Of course I love you, Blaise! I've loved you since Hogwarts."

"Do you want the baby?"

"I….. I…. I don't know Blaise."

"Then what DO you know Harry!" Blaise said in exasperation. Her tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she looked at the man she loved so dearly.

"I do know that I want you in my life."

"You want me and not the baby. You can't have it that way Harry. I love you but I'm not willing to get rid of our baby just because you're not ready for the responsibility. The baby and I come as a package Harry. If you don't love me enough to be the baby's father, then I guess it's better that we don't see each other anymore."

"Blaise, please don't be so hasty with that decision," Harry pleaded. "I love you Blaise."

"I love you too Harry. I love you so much but I don't see the point of us being together if you can't accept the baby," she said as she stepped out of the door. Looking back one last time at him, she said "Goodbye Harry", before closing the door behind her. Wiping away her tears with the back of her hands, she walked slowly out of the apartment complex and made her way back to Ginny's place.

Inside their apartment, Harry rested his forehead against the closed door and sighed.

I need to think. I need to get out of the apartment and think, he thought.

After a quick shower, Harry walked slowly down the street, thinking about Blaise. He stopped by a coffee place, got himself a take away coffee and a bagel (since he was rudely awaken early in the morning and he didn't get any breakfast), and made his way to the park. Fortunately, Harry was taking the week off after a rather long overseas assignment so he didn't need to report to the office. Harry sat down at the benches by the small pond and ate his late breakfast. As he was eating, a man and his son walked pass him. The little boy was only about three and was happily chatting away and pointing at the swans in the pond. Father and son looked so happy together and Harry envied them. He never knew what it felt like to have a father. The nearest thing he had to a father was Sirius but the war robbed him of even that.

"Sirius, I wish you were here to help me out with my predicament," he said softly. "If only there's someone with fatherhood experience………" he trailed off. He knew exactly who to ask for advice. Throwing his empty coffee cup and the remains of his bagel, Harry looked for a deserted portion of the park to aparate to his destination. Taking out his wand and closing his eyes, Harry thought of his destination and concentrated hard. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in front of a house that brought so many happy memories for him. He walked up the front porch and nervously knocked on the door. A few minutes later, the door opened to reveal a man with greying red hair, smiling at him.

"Harry, what a wonderful surprise! Come on in," the man said. Closing the door behind Harry, the man asked, "So what brings you to the Burrow early Saturday morning?"

"Well, Mr Weasley, I need some advice."