A/N: OK, so I know it's been like four months since my last update and I'm
really, really sorry! There has just been so much going on in my life
lately that I haven't had time! Have no fear; I have not abandoned my
story! It's just as well really, I didn't like the way this chapter was
originally written and now I think it's much better! I was really
surprised that you all were so angry with Blaise when he walked in on Draco
and Ginny. After all, Draco was kissing Ginny on her and Blaise's date!
Oh well, I can't say that I'm too upset about that as D/G are my OTP (one
true pairing). Now back to the good stuff!
Chapter 8
It had been two weeks since the afternoon in Hogsmeade, two weeks since she'd last talked to her brother, and two weeks since Draco Malfoy kissed her. Hermione had found her that night and apologized for her behavior that afternoon. She explained that she'd only gone along hoping to be able to try and talk some sense into Ron. Ginny could understand Hermione's position. She knew that her brother had a hard head and wouldn't listen to anyone once his mind was made up about something.
Ginny really was glad that she and Hermione had made things right between them, and really wanted to talk to Hermione about what happened that afternoon, but she was afraid that deep down Hermione didn't trust the Slytherin anymore than her brother did. Ginny didn't even know how she would even say that Draco Malfoy had kissed her...or that she had enjoyed it.
Predictably Ron didn't offer any apologies and Ginny knew that he believed what he was doing was right. She hadn't talked to him since that afternoon and while Ron tried to talk to her she was more inclined to give him the silent treatment. She didn't want him thinking that he could interfere in her life and tell her what to do. If he had an opinion he wanted to share with her they could talk about it, but she would not tolerate him following her around and telling her what to do.
Sessions with Draco had been the weirdest. They'd arrive at the room, have a couple moments of awkward silence, get to work, and as soon as they were done Draco would leave. Ginny figured that he felt rather guilty over what happened since Blaise was his best mate. Tonight had been another night of silent work and a quick departure. Ginny sighed. At least there was only another month to go before her O.W.L.s and then she could go back to her peaceful Draco free existence.
Ginny sighed. The fact that she'd enjoyed being kissed by Draco was what made this so hard. She felt so guilty especially since Blaise had been nothing but nice to her. At first she thought that it was the spontaneity and shock of having him kiss her that made it so exhilarating. That theory went out the window that evening however, when Blaise took her back to Gryffindor tower and surprised her with a good night kiss.
While Ginny couldn't deny that it was a nice kiss, it didn't grab her the same way Draco's kiss had and neither had any kiss since then. She tried to feel something, really she did. Any girl would have been thrilled to have Blaise Zabini kissing her but unfortunately, it just wasn't doing it for her.
Ginny decided that tonight would be the night when she told Blaise how she felt. It wouldn't be easy, but she didn't think it was fair to lead Blaise on when she felt nothing for him, at least nothing more than friendship. She headed up to the Astronomy Tower where Blaise was waiting for her. He was leaning against the wall looking up at the sky. When he heard her footsteps he looked at her and smiled.
"Hey Ginny," he said as she sat next to him. He leaned over to kiss her and at the last second she turned her face and he kissed her cheek. She thought that Blaise would be angry by her action or at the very least confused, but she was surprised when he started laughing. "Well, I can't say that this comes as a surprise."
Ginny looked at him wondering what he was talking about. What did he know? He saw her questioning expression and continued, "I take it that tonight we're going to have 'the talk,'" he said using his fingers as quotation marks. Ginny still looked at him quizzically. "You know what I'm talking about, Ginny. The 'it's not you it's me talk.' I've given plenty of them to know how it works." He looked away for a moment and Ginny couldn't see his expression, "Gotta say this is the first time I've been on the receiving end. Can't say that I care much for it."
He turned back to Ginny with a smile on his face that looked a bit forced. She put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry," was all she could bring herself to say.
Blaise's smile widened a bit, "It's all right." He brought up his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I guess I should just be glad that you gave me a chance." He looked down at her and grinned, "You know, for a no good Gryffindor, Weasley, friend of Harry Potter, you're not half bad."
Ginny laughed, "And for an insufferable Slytherin you're not half bad either."
Blaise winked at her, "Just don't tell anyone. I would hate for people to think that I was a nice guy."
"Yes, I'm sure that would be terrible. But honestly, who would believe me even if I did try to tell them."
Blaise laughed, "Touché."
They sat in companionable silence. Ginny felt so relieved that the whole thing went so well. She knew that it could have happened very differently. The best part about the whole thing was that Blaise would never have to know anything happened with Draco.
"So," Blaise said after a while, "where you ever going to tell me that something happened with Draco or were you planning on taking it to the grave?"
Ginny lurched forward and spun to face him. "What?"
"Well, I don't know all the details, as Draco hasn't mentioned anything either, but it's obvious now that something did happen. That day in Hogsmeade was it?"
Ginny looked down, "I didn't want to hurt your feelings and I thought that you would never know." Ginny bit her bottom lip, "Draco didn't say anything either?"
Blaise shook his head. "He probably feels pretty guilty himself."
"How did you find out?" Ginny asked.
"Well, it was Pansy really who made me think that anything was up," he began. "She said that Draco was acting odd when he finally came out of the Shrieking Shack. Then she pointed out to me that whenever when ever we came near you in the halls Draco would come up with some excuse to go somewhere else."
Ginny nodded, she should have realized that Draco would be spending as much time avoiding her as she had avoiding him. "Anyway after Pansy mentioned this to me I started paying more attention. Both of you were pretty keen to be anywhere but where they other was. Plus, he stopped talking about your tutoring sessions."
Ginny's brow furrowed together, "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked.
"A lot actually, considering how much he had talked about them before. Usually he'd tell me how determined you'd get while working on your potions. I think you impressed him with your motivation.
She smiled slightly, "I didn't know he talked about our sessions that much." She shook her head, "Oh, but it doesn't matter. He doesn't even talk to me anymore. You should see him during our sessions. He comes in, we're all business and then he leaves."
"Do you like him," Blaise asked.
Ginny's face flamed, "Blaise really, I don't think that we should be having this discussion."
Blaise raised an eyebrow," Why not?"
"Well, because he's your friend," she replied.
"So are you," he said without pause.
Ginny smiled at him and he smiled back, "We were dating until just a few minutes ago."
"Well, it's a good thing we've been able to move on to friendship so quickly," he joked. "I hate that uncomfortable time after a breakup when you say you'll be friends, but it's just a hoax. We've already moved on and are comfortable enough in our friendship to talk about other relationship problems."
Ginny laughed again and shook her head; "I really don't want to put you into an awkward position."
"Let me worry about what positions I get myself into," Blaise assured her. "Besides, this doesn't really seem like a problem you can talk to your brother and his friends about."
Ginny gave a snort, "You've got that right." She didn't say anything for a moment and then, "I don't know."
"Come on Ginny, I really want to try and help..."
"No," she interrupted, "I don't know is the answer to your previous question," she reiterated. Blaise nodded his head understanding dawning on him. "I mean it's not like I hate him or anything and kissing him wasn't at all unpleasant..."
"Kissing him?" Blaise interrupted with an arched brow.
Ginny looked at him feebly and nodded her head. "In the Shrieking Shack."
"Oh, I see."
Ginny threw her hands up in an exasperated manner. "I told you we shouldn't talk about this. It's not a good idea!"
She moved to get up, but before she could get anywhere Blaise had grabbed her arm and pulled her next to him again. "No, really I'm fine." Ginny gave him a skeptical look. "Honestly, I'm fine. Where were we? Ah yes...kissing him wasn't so bad."
"Fat lot of good that does me. Remember, he's not talking to me," she added glumly.
"Well, I'm going to help you," Blaise proclaimed loftily.
"Great, put me out of my misery now," she said.
Blaise laughed, "No, I'm going to help you with Draco. Of course, you've first got to get him talking to you again."
Ginny threw her hands up, "Oh that's bloody brilliant. I think I'll just sit on him and force him to talk."
Still laughing Blaise said, "I'm sure that you'll think of something. You worry about that and I'll think up a plan."
Ginny didn't look convinced that Blaise would be able to do much to help her and Draco work things out, but she didn't want to say anything. Instead as she headed back toward Gryffindor tower she tried to think of a way of getting Draco Malfoy talking to her.
A/N: So now Blaise is going to help Ginny out...wonder how that's going to go! What do you all think of that idea? Hope you like it! I know that I usually thank everyone at the end of my chapters, but I just want to get this out as soon as possible! A collective thank you to everyone! Thanks for reading, review if you have time! L8r!
Chapter 8
It had been two weeks since the afternoon in Hogsmeade, two weeks since she'd last talked to her brother, and two weeks since Draco Malfoy kissed her. Hermione had found her that night and apologized for her behavior that afternoon. She explained that she'd only gone along hoping to be able to try and talk some sense into Ron. Ginny could understand Hermione's position. She knew that her brother had a hard head and wouldn't listen to anyone once his mind was made up about something.
Ginny really was glad that she and Hermione had made things right between them, and really wanted to talk to Hermione about what happened that afternoon, but she was afraid that deep down Hermione didn't trust the Slytherin anymore than her brother did. Ginny didn't even know how she would even say that Draco Malfoy had kissed her...or that she had enjoyed it.
Predictably Ron didn't offer any apologies and Ginny knew that he believed what he was doing was right. She hadn't talked to him since that afternoon and while Ron tried to talk to her she was more inclined to give him the silent treatment. She didn't want him thinking that he could interfere in her life and tell her what to do. If he had an opinion he wanted to share with her they could talk about it, but she would not tolerate him following her around and telling her what to do.
Sessions with Draco had been the weirdest. They'd arrive at the room, have a couple moments of awkward silence, get to work, and as soon as they were done Draco would leave. Ginny figured that he felt rather guilty over what happened since Blaise was his best mate. Tonight had been another night of silent work and a quick departure. Ginny sighed. At least there was only another month to go before her O.W.L.s and then she could go back to her peaceful Draco free existence.
Ginny sighed. The fact that she'd enjoyed being kissed by Draco was what made this so hard. She felt so guilty especially since Blaise had been nothing but nice to her. At first she thought that it was the spontaneity and shock of having him kiss her that made it so exhilarating. That theory went out the window that evening however, when Blaise took her back to Gryffindor tower and surprised her with a good night kiss.
While Ginny couldn't deny that it was a nice kiss, it didn't grab her the same way Draco's kiss had and neither had any kiss since then. She tried to feel something, really she did. Any girl would have been thrilled to have Blaise Zabini kissing her but unfortunately, it just wasn't doing it for her.
Ginny decided that tonight would be the night when she told Blaise how she felt. It wouldn't be easy, but she didn't think it was fair to lead Blaise on when she felt nothing for him, at least nothing more than friendship. She headed up to the Astronomy Tower where Blaise was waiting for her. He was leaning against the wall looking up at the sky. When he heard her footsteps he looked at her and smiled.
"Hey Ginny," he said as she sat next to him. He leaned over to kiss her and at the last second she turned her face and he kissed her cheek. She thought that Blaise would be angry by her action or at the very least confused, but she was surprised when he started laughing. "Well, I can't say that this comes as a surprise."
Ginny looked at him wondering what he was talking about. What did he know? He saw her questioning expression and continued, "I take it that tonight we're going to have 'the talk,'" he said using his fingers as quotation marks. Ginny still looked at him quizzically. "You know what I'm talking about, Ginny. The 'it's not you it's me talk.' I've given plenty of them to know how it works." He looked away for a moment and Ginny couldn't see his expression, "Gotta say this is the first time I've been on the receiving end. Can't say that I care much for it."
He turned back to Ginny with a smile on his face that looked a bit forced. She put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry," was all she could bring herself to say.
Blaise's smile widened a bit, "It's all right." He brought up his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I guess I should just be glad that you gave me a chance." He looked down at her and grinned, "You know, for a no good Gryffindor, Weasley, friend of Harry Potter, you're not half bad."
Ginny laughed, "And for an insufferable Slytherin you're not half bad either."
Blaise winked at her, "Just don't tell anyone. I would hate for people to think that I was a nice guy."
"Yes, I'm sure that would be terrible. But honestly, who would believe me even if I did try to tell them."
Blaise laughed, "Touché."
They sat in companionable silence. Ginny felt so relieved that the whole thing went so well. She knew that it could have happened very differently. The best part about the whole thing was that Blaise would never have to know anything happened with Draco.
"So," Blaise said after a while, "where you ever going to tell me that something happened with Draco or were you planning on taking it to the grave?"
Ginny lurched forward and spun to face him. "What?"
"Well, I don't know all the details, as Draco hasn't mentioned anything either, but it's obvious now that something did happen. That day in Hogsmeade was it?"
Ginny looked down, "I didn't want to hurt your feelings and I thought that you would never know." Ginny bit her bottom lip, "Draco didn't say anything either?"
Blaise shook his head. "He probably feels pretty guilty himself."
"How did you find out?" Ginny asked.
"Well, it was Pansy really who made me think that anything was up," he began. "She said that Draco was acting odd when he finally came out of the Shrieking Shack. Then she pointed out to me that whenever when ever we came near you in the halls Draco would come up with some excuse to go somewhere else."
Ginny nodded, she should have realized that Draco would be spending as much time avoiding her as she had avoiding him. "Anyway after Pansy mentioned this to me I started paying more attention. Both of you were pretty keen to be anywhere but where they other was. Plus, he stopped talking about your tutoring sessions."
Ginny's brow furrowed together, "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked.
"A lot actually, considering how much he had talked about them before. Usually he'd tell me how determined you'd get while working on your potions. I think you impressed him with your motivation.
She smiled slightly, "I didn't know he talked about our sessions that much." She shook her head, "Oh, but it doesn't matter. He doesn't even talk to me anymore. You should see him during our sessions. He comes in, we're all business and then he leaves."
"Do you like him," Blaise asked.
Ginny's face flamed, "Blaise really, I don't think that we should be having this discussion."
Blaise raised an eyebrow," Why not?"
"Well, because he's your friend," she replied.
"So are you," he said without pause.
Ginny smiled at him and he smiled back, "We were dating until just a few minutes ago."
"Well, it's a good thing we've been able to move on to friendship so quickly," he joked. "I hate that uncomfortable time after a breakup when you say you'll be friends, but it's just a hoax. We've already moved on and are comfortable enough in our friendship to talk about other relationship problems."
Ginny laughed again and shook her head; "I really don't want to put you into an awkward position."
"Let me worry about what positions I get myself into," Blaise assured her. "Besides, this doesn't really seem like a problem you can talk to your brother and his friends about."
Ginny gave a snort, "You've got that right." She didn't say anything for a moment and then, "I don't know."
"Come on Ginny, I really want to try and help..."
"No," she interrupted, "I don't know is the answer to your previous question," she reiterated. Blaise nodded his head understanding dawning on him. "I mean it's not like I hate him or anything and kissing him wasn't at all unpleasant..."
"Kissing him?" Blaise interrupted with an arched brow.
Ginny looked at him feebly and nodded her head. "In the Shrieking Shack."
"Oh, I see."
Ginny threw her hands up in an exasperated manner. "I told you we shouldn't talk about this. It's not a good idea!"
She moved to get up, but before she could get anywhere Blaise had grabbed her arm and pulled her next to him again. "No, really I'm fine." Ginny gave him a skeptical look. "Honestly, I'm fine. Where were we? Ah yes...kissing him wasn't so bad."
"Fat lot of good that does me. Remember, he's not talking to me," she added glumly.
"Well, I'm going to help you," Blaise proclaimed loftily.
"Great, put me out of my misery now," she said.
Blaise laughed, "No, I'm going to help you with Draco. Of course, you've first got to get him talking to you again."
Ginny threw her hands up, "Oh that's bloody brilliant. I think I'll just sit on him and force him to talk."
Still laughing Blaise said, "I'm sure that you'll think of something. You worry about that and I'll think up a plan."
Ginny didn't look convinced that Blaise would be able to do much to help her and Draco work things out, but she didn't want to say anything. Instead as she headed back toward Gryffindor tower she tried to think of a way of getting Draco Malfoy talking to her.
A/N: So now Blaise is going to help Ginny out...wonder how that's going to go! What do you all think of that idea? Hope you like it! I know that I usually thank everyone at the end of my chapters, but I just want to get this out as soon as possible! A collective thank you to everyone! Thanks for reading, review if you have time! L8r!