Title: What You Don't Know, Can't Hurt

Summary: Blaise asks an owed favor and Draco complies. What Draco doesn't know is that Blaise's intentions for a certain girl will end up being the girl Draco wants for himself. Will conflicts arise? You betcha!

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Harry Potter and Co.

A/N: So much hot reviews, holla! LOL, okay seriously though thanks much to all of you guys who participated in the little poll and since most of you want sexy Draco and Blaise, I must give. Sorry to the other's who want Harry, Ron and Hermione, I promise there will be more of them. Hold on and read!

Chapter 5: First, Talk

Draco,

After your little disappearing act and the Daily Prophet's column on you, your mother hasn't stopped harassing me about where the fuck you are. I don't know about you but I'm getting sick of telling her I don't know where you are when I really do. I'm no snitch but this is getting ridiculous. What do you have against her anyways?

Vincent Crabbe

Draco rolled his eyes after reading the letter for the second time and set the letter on the dinning table. He would think about the letter later but in the mean time he checked the other mail he received. It was the Daily Prophet, a news letter he decided to subscribe for ever since his mother decided to have a Ministry Missing Search. And one look at the cover page made his stomach turn. His mother now had a full-blown moving picture of him in his Quidditch clothes that his mother had taken during the summer. He should have never given his mother too much credit because not it was worse than he thought; his mother didn't waste any time searching every nook and cranny for her son. His known disappearance was making his life difficult. He couldn't show himself to the public anymore or else someone would spill the beans to his mother.

And what made his life even more complicated was the thought of not using his money; money that pleasantly beckons for him to touch and use. Of course, he knew what the Ministry and his mother planned. They were waiting on him to use his Gringotts key and it would be rather stupid for him to be tempted by money. Yes, there were a few minor things he needed to purchase but Blaise took care of that for him in the mean time. Yet, Draco never thought of the day when he would have to scoop so low as asking for a friends help. If one looked at the bigger picture, they would say Draco was homeless and poor. And logically that was the case. There was so much Blaise could do and that 'helping hand' would soon have to come to an end.

Blaise's parents maybe out of town for a couple of months but that didn't excuse the fact that Draco needed to buy a small accommodation for himself. It was Blaise who had suggested that to him a few nights ago. But it was rather impossible until his mother was out of the picture, he couldn't touch his money and use it for himself. Draco placed his hands on his face, in fatigue. He was so sick of this cat and mouse chase with his mother. He was sick of all the waiting he had to do. And there were so many things crashing down on him at one time it made him regret for taking his old life for granted.

And he hated the one person who caused all of this to happen to him over night. He hated his enemy, Harry Potter, for getting his father locked up in jail. He hated how life for the ones who were on the light side was all handy-dandy when he couldn't even walk into a room without looking behind him. He hated all of this and he couldn't do anything but wait and the worse part of waiting is when waiting is intolerable. That's exactly what Draco was; impatient and time was definitely not on his side.

Two hours later…

Blaise woke up extra late and the first thing he did after he finished his late breakfast in his bed was look for his new mentor. He was a bit relaxed now that he knew he had someone to let him know what to do with Hermione because, to Blaise, she was a challenge. And that was one of the reasons that got Blaise to notice her.

He remembered how a month ago, on a Thursday, before Draco moved in, he visited the Leaky Caldron to see how much it cost to stay at the Inn for a month or so. He knew that Draco needed a way out of his mother's life and Blaise was willing to lend Draco some money, seeing that he couldn't find his Gringotts key at the time, to live at the Inn. But the moment he entered the place, the first person he caught sight of was Hermione.

She looked just the way she had when they graduated from Hogwarts except now; she looked more radiant and free. She looked happy and something about her cheerful smiles turned his insides. Blaise had never really hated her for being a muggle-born but he also never liked her for being a righteous bookworm but it was a different case now. She tempted him to introduce himself since she didn't seem like she knew who he was. But Blaise had held himself back from her; he didn't have the balls to talk to her. Because if she figured out he was a friend of Draco's, someone she seemed to despise with her every fiber and bone, she would hate him instantly.

Yet after all of those weeks later, Blaise couldn't help but visit the Leaky Caldron every Thursday. He knew he couldn't show his face around that place all the time or she would have considered him a pervert or a stalker, no matter how much it was the opposite from that. Blaise never took for granted that he had a choice of seeing her from a far unaware, to admire her beauty. And every time he felt like talking to her, the wrong words would form and he would end up saying something degrading. Something he didn't want her to see was the Slytherin in him. And hopefully, Draco would help him be more subtle and gentle with the ladies because boy, did he need it after almost making a fool of himself a few days ago.

Blaise walked into the dinning room and found Draco who looked like a miserable wasted wizard. He noticed the Single-Malt Whiskey next to Draco and he shook his head pitiably as he walked over to his friend. He took the bottle from the table as well as the mail Draco received and glanced over it once.

"Draco, what did I tell you about drinking in the morning?" Blaise said in a father like tone.

"That I'll be a drunken-retard before the rip old age of 20," Draco muttered.

"That's my little boy, you learn very well. Now I'm going to stash all of the whiskeys in this place from your sight." Blaise said as he took a mental note down to hide them as well as wine, beer, and anything else that's alcoholic in his manor.

"Whatever, it's your call." Draco replied and rubbed his red eyes. It seemed like Draco didn't have a good nights rest at all. Something must have kept him up but Blaise knew better than to ask that. He sat down on the chair next to Draco's and read the Daily Prophet.

After about two minutes Blaise said, "Narcissa isn't wasting any time on finding you. Next thing you know she'll have flyers all over the world 'Draco Malfoy, wanted for running away'" He made hand gestures in the air like he was reading a banner across a wall.

"That won't happen." Draco waved off but Blaise could see the haunted look in his eyes.

"You know…" Blaise trailed off as he skipped through the pages of the newsletter, "you never really told me why you're hiding from your mother."

Draco didn't look over his way and kept his eyes on the large ceiling-to-floor shaded windows. "She's just not who she use to be okay? I don't want to talk about it."

"You'll have to one day because even though she doesn't know you're with me, she will eventually put two and two together."

"She won't okay. She thinks I hate you, she'll never suspect a thing." Draco said in a final tone to drop the subject.

"Okay." Blaise shrugged and decided to move on to something more agreeable. "Now about those lessons."

It took Draco a good minute to figure out what Blaise was referring to before he replied, "Wait hold on, I never said anything about lessons. I'm no freaking teacher." Draco raised his hands up.

"But you said lessons the other day." Blaise corrected him but realized that he sounded like a baby and quickly added, "not that I need it anyways."

"Of course you do or you'll probably shit in your pants when you see this girl. Who is she anyways? Probably a Veela since she got you all hot and tempered." Draco said as he took a quick grab for the whiskey in Blaise's hand. Successfully, he took a great big gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Blaise rolled his eyes at Draco's need for a whiskey during day time.

"She is far from a Veela but she's prettier than one." Blaise replied and took out his wand from his pocket, making the whiskey disappear from Draco's hand. But Draco had no time to actually think about Blaise's actions because he just spit out some of the whiskey in his mouth.

"Prettier! Are you fucking insane?" Draco said loudly. "No girl can be as pretty as a Veela unless you're like in love or something." Draco said as a matter of factly than looked over his friend once and widened his eyes. "Awww, fuck! You love her, don't you?"

"No! I fancy her. F-A-N-C-Y. So don't ever bring love into this." Blaise retorted with annoyance.

"So who is she for the last fucking time?" Draco asked.

"That's not important."

"Yes it is. How the hell am I suppose to help you out if you don't tell me her bloody name? Like is she some foreign new-comer or something? What you so ashamed of?" Draco persisted. Blaise gave a straight face and refused to answer him because no matter how bluntly he put it, Draco would never understand that Hermione was different from other girls he had talked to and seen. All Draco would ever see is the muggle blood in her.

"Let's just say you don't want to know. She's not your type anyways." Blaise replied.

"What type is she?" Draco asked.

"The smart type."

"And that's not my type? How the bloody hell do you know that?" Draco inquired.

"Every girl you've ever dated didn't know what the difference is between a rock and a bird." Blaise answered.

"Oh, right. Sorry for picking the ones who know how to have a good time? I bet you that so-claimed-smart girl isn't good in bed anyways."

"She's exclusive." Blaise stated with a smirk.

Draco narrowed his eyes down at Blaise and asked, "Exclusive, how?"

"She doesn't sleep around, you fool. She's probably the type to wait for the right kind of guy."

"So let me get this straight." Draco said standing up from his seat. "You like a smart girl that is deprived from sex and you want me to give you a few pointers in how to lay her in the sack?"

"No!" Blaise yelled out as he got up. "For the last time, if I wanted a good piece of fuck I would have gotten one from any girl. But she's different. I want to get to know her."

"Oh, so you don't know her name." Draco concluded without waiting for Blaise to reply. Blaise let it slip, it was better for Draco to assume than for him to be forced to tell Draco that he liked Hermione Granger.

"Why don't you just TALK to her?" Draco asked a second later.

"She's not so easy to talk to."

"What, she has a personality deficiency?"

"She has a…attitude problem, I guess. She's really bossy." Blaise corrected.

"Well, you've got yourself a keeper." Draco said sarcastically. "A smart, bossy and sexually deprived chick, now how do you expect me to give you pointers on that?"

Blaise gave a shrug. "I don't know."

Draco walked in a small circle and thought about it for a few seconds. "You know what? Just talk to the bloody girl. Then when you see that you're not getting anywhere, come back to me." Draco said but Blaise didn't really like that idea. Of course, he would have to talk to her sooner or later but the thought that she would run away when she recognized him kind of scared him. He wanted her to not judge him for being a Slytherin and just see him the way he really is; a friendly, thoughtful guy.

"Yeah, whatever."

Later that day…

The Leaky Caldron was filled with a few young witches and wizards. Every one of them seemed to be working on fixing something or decorating the main hall of the Inn. When Blaise stepped into the place, the first person he heard was the angelic voice of Hermione most likely instructing someone at the far end of the room. He stomped off some of the dirty snow his boots collected and gave a quick glance at himself. He was dressed in a black dress shirt, with a silver tie and a pair of black slacks with a nice thick black cloak with silver lining. Unfortunately it was something Draco suggested he should wear to look good and high class. It was a bit different from his casual robes but if it was to impress Hermione, it was worth the change.

It didn't seem like anyone really noticed that the door bell rang and Blaise made himself get comfortable at a table near the only front window. He instantly caught sight of Hermione who was speaking to someone. He noticed her hand gestures and how fluently she spoke as if she knew what to say next. It was nothing like how he felt. He was losing his trace of thought just by watching her and he couldn't even remember what Draco had told him to say to her when he had the guts to go up to her.

Hermione smiled at the man and slapped his arm, jokingly. It made Blaise wonder who the hell that man was and why he looked so familiar with that red hair. Of course he knew very few people who had red hair and that person definitely wasn't Ron Weasley. Although that goofy looking face looked familiar. Blaise moved his attention to the man's attire. It undeniably looked like second hand material. He shook his head, could it be one of the older Weasley's? Because Merlin knows why Ms. Weasley never stops having kids.

Hermione finally waved to the older Weasley brother as he went off to decorating the walls with banners. Blaise was curious as to what the decorating was for but put it behind him as he noticed Hermione walking over his way. He didn't have a hood over his head and he knew that she will never forget his face now that she catches a good glimpse of him. His mind began to race as he tried to think of something to say but she beat him to it. She gave him a warm smile and placed her little pad into her apron.

"I'm sorry, but you look awfully familiar. Have I seen you here before?" Hermione asks nicely. Blaise thought back to that day he walked into the Inn but he knew she never seen him that time or any of the other times he hid himself and he couldn't trust himself to say no to her so he nodded his head.

"Yeah, you've seen me before." Blaise replied. Hermione tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him peculiarly.

"Is that so?" Hermione said.

"Well if you have a seat than I'll be glad to tell you where you've seen me before." Blaise said calmly. Truthfully, her towering over him made him a bit nervous and uncomfortable. And luckily, she didn't find anything wrong with his suggestion and sat herself down.

"So revive my memory please." Hermione said jokingly. Blaise by now completely forgot Draco's tip to say something seductive to Hermione and took out his hand to reacquaint himself.

"I'm Blaise Zabini, a graduated Hogwarts Student." Blaise replied. Hermione took his hand and shook it firmly. She must not really know who he was or else she wouldn't have been smiling at him politely.

"I remember you; you were in Slytherin weren't you?" She asked. Blaise took his hand back and nervously nodded. He was afraid of what she might say next. Everyone knew she hated Slytherins because of Draco and his taunts which he never really joined in even though he laughed here and there just to look like he was into degrading muggle-borns.

"That's weird, I never really seen you around Hogwarts except for graduation." Hermione went on. "It's nice to see an old Hogwarts student. How are you?"

Blaise literally choked on his own balls. How could she just speak to him so friendly when he was a Slytherin? Didn't she care? What happened to all her anger towards the Slytherins?

"I'm doing great, thanks. How are you doing?" He asked after a long awkward silence.

"I'm great." Hermione replied then arched her eyebrow. "I'm sorry to bring this up or anything, but were you a friend of Draco Malfoy?" She asked kindly. Blaise weighed out his options. If he told her he was, she would get up, leave and refuse to have further conversation with him but if he said he wasn't, Hermione would eventually find out, leave and refuse to speak to him ever again. Either case, being friends with Draco wasn't looking good. So he went for the less harsh of the two.

"No, not really. Why?" He asked convincingly. Hermione's happy-go-lucky expression changed at the news and gave a shrug.

"Nothing important," she said but Blaise took her hand gently and looked at her directly in the eyes. Ignoring the fact that her hands were nice and smooth, he said.

"It must be if you looking so down."

Hermione wasn't offended by the gesture but gave a little sigh. "Don't think I'm a friend of his or anything, it's just that he's been on the news lately. With his mother searching for him and his father in Azkaban, I feel kind of bad for the guy." She said sincerely. Now, as for Blaise he didn't understand at all what made her have a heart for someone as cruel as Draco after all the things he had done to her but it made him realize that she was a very unique girl with a heart of gold. She cared about her friends and her enemies, and he never met anyone who ever was like that. It was odd but at the same time, he wanted to go punch Draco for not noticing her. She was the most perfect girl he ever met and he didn't know why he hadn't noticed before. How could he have ever thought she would hate him for associating with a Slytherin bad-ass? Now, he regretted for lying to her. But he had to keep the charade up whether he liked it or not.

"Don't worry about him, he can handle himself." Blaise realizing what he just said quickly added, "Wherever he is."

Hermione took her hand back from him and stood up. "You're right but I just hope he doesn't end up found dead. I mean of course I wish death upon him a thousand times but to actually be dead is another case." She said with a shrug. She looked over her shoulder at the many people still working in the Inn and gave another sigh. "Well, I've got to head back to work. Still need to fix the place up."

"What's the occasion?" Blaise asked curiously.

"Surprise birthday party for my best friend Ron Weasley," Hermione said. "You know who he is right?" She asked in wonder.

"Yeah, Potter's friend."

It seemed that it didn't faze Hermione that Blaise used surnames because she clapped her hands together as though she thought of a great idea. "Well, if you want I can introduce you to the gang. The party is happening tonight." Hermione said happily.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Blaise considered. He didn't want to start a row with Potter and Weasley for being in speaking terms with Hermione because he knew how many times Draco was beaten the shit out of by those two and he didn't need the same crap.

"It will be so much fun! I promise they're harmless, it will be a great opportunity to reunite with Hogwart students." Hermione insisted.

Blaise came here to have a chance with Hermione and by all means, he didn't want to ruin the invitation she was giving him. It was the closest thing he had to getting to her as of now and he needed any excuse to be close to her. Why not? And if she promised Potter and Weasley will behave then he'd do the same. Besides, he couldn't say no to a sweet person like her. She was befriending him without judging him, how could he say no to that?

"All right, I'll come." Blaise decided as he got up to tower her. He was six feet tall and still growing compared to her five feet and six inches. He didn't really mind the difference because her beauty and intellect made up for the shortness; perfect combination in his opinion.

"That's great." Hermione smiled as she looked up at him and began to walk off. "See you here at eleven tonight. Don't be late." She said over her shoulder as she went back to the front desk.

"I'll be looking forward to it." Blaise stated with a smirk, something he had tried hard to hide the entire time, and left the Inn.

A/N: Goodies! We get a party! Ahaha, I'm just high tonight. At least I made up for my long absence with a long chapter, am I right? Sorry for making it all about Blaise, I had a bit of Draco in there too. Next chapter is dedicated to those who wanted Harry, Ron and Hermione. Oh and if you be real good with your sexy reviews I'll add something you guys will appreciate. Lemons? You'll never know Mwahahah. Just stay tune.