Chapter 7- Black Knight

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Striding determinedly down the corridor, Draco abruptly halted his angry stride and whirled to face his cronies. They stopped a few paces behind. Eyes narrowed in thought, he pointed to Vincent and ordered, "Crabbe, you go to the kitchen and have Slinky bring Zabini a plate of food." His finger stabbed toward the other boy. "Goyle, you go to the library and get a book."

"A book?" Gregory's thick brows were drawn in confusion.

Draco sighed in exasperation, rolling his eyes over the dull tools he was forced to employ. He grabbed his quill and a beefy arm. Pushing up the food stained sleeve, he wrote the name of the book directly onto Goyle's skin.

"Saucy Tricks for Tricksy Sorts," Goyle read carefully. "How do I find it, then?"

"You go grab whoever's assisting Pince and make them find it for you."

White-blond brows rose in mild surprise when Draco heard Crabbe give the practical advice with a punch to Goyle's arm for emphasis. He said, "Excellent. When you're done, meet me in the common room. We've got a job to do before my detention this evening."

"Is it that Ravenclaw?"

"Are we going to make him not so pretty?"

Draco answered Goyle and Crabbe's questions with a curl of his lip. Grinning like fiends, they split up to complete their assigned tasks.

Continuing towards the Slytherin common room, Draco irritably spat out the password echis, wondering why Snape always had to use Greek or Latin. Wasn't plain English good enough? Viper sounded loads better than the Greek equivalent.

Last week's password had everyone sniggering so hard in the attempt to say Polygonom erectum, it was a wonder anyone had been able to enter. 'Knotweed' would have been a big bloody improvement.

Once in the common room, he stood by the girls' staircase and called, "Get your arse down here Zabini!"

Blaise appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed in a green tee and a pair of denims. Smiling down at him, she quickly descended the steps.

Appraising her face, he drawled, "Glad to see today's fiasco hasn't affected your looks."

"Gee, thanks," she said, before throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. "You're the best, Draco, and I'll jinx anybody who says differently!"

"Yeah, whatever, you'd be up against half the school I expect," he said dismissively, inwardly enjoying the sentiment.

Rude snickering from the doorway announced Vincent's arrival. Slinky followed close behind carrying a large tray. Placing it on a table, the elf accepted Blaise's thanks and Draco's curt dismissal with a sly smile.

The couple looked at each other ruefully. It was evident Slinky couldn't wait to get back to the kitchen and tell his fellow elves what he'd witnessed. Shrugging, Draco pulled his friend down onto the couch beside him and handed her a chicken leg.

Blaise looked taken aback by the quantity of food before her. "I hope this food's not just for me."

"Good job, Crabbe. I'm still starved from missing half of dinner!" exclaimed Goyle, lumbering over with a book. He handed it to Draco and dropped to the floor to join his friend in eating with bare hands.

While he leafed through the saucy tricks detailed in the book, Draco was amused by Blaise's affected disinterest in his reading material. He knew she was fighting not to ask him what he was about.

A sidelong glance caused him to half smile in approval of her ladylike table manners, so different from the execrable ones exhibited by the Neanderthals on the floor. If only they weren't so bloody useful. Exhaling heavily, he concentrated on the text for just the right spell.

"Honestly, you are the most maddening boy."

"Thought I was the best, Zabini," he replied without looking up from the tome.

"You are, and one of the things you're best at is driving me spare. So tell me what you're up to or so help me..."

"What, you'll jinx, when you swore to defend me?"

Grabbing the book and flinging it to Goyle, Blaise jumped on Draco. Curious, he allowed her to pin him down. He regretted the impulse when the girl raised her fingers.

"No, I'll tickle you!"

The duo chortled at the sight of a helplessly laughing Malfoy. They snorted with glee when he turned the tables and tickled the girl in retaliation. After calling an unspoken truce, the pair sat up and arranged their clothing into a more dignified arrangement, snickering to see their audience pouting over the loss of entertainment.

Draco nimbly caught the book cast to him by Goyle, opened it and tapped a finger on a specific page.

Blaise read the words aloud. "Alopecia Extremis is a spectacularly saucy trick to play on an inveterate liar. Whilst performing the spell, a tricksy wizard must persuade the victim to vow to keep a specific promise of his or her own free will. Afterwards, upon breaking the bespelled promise, the ensorcelled person will experience total, embarrassing hair loss." Brown eyes widened. "Are you planning to use this on...?" Swallowing hard, she looked away, unable to speak the name.

The sight made Draco even more eager to carry out his unique brand of justice. "Terry-Boy will be fine if he keeps his promise not to let you down again." His smile widened. "If he doesn't stand up for you when he should, however, all that girly hair..."

"Will go bye-bye," Crabbe said with relish.

"Can we do it now, huh, can we?" said Goyle.

Draco said, "That's up to Zabini. Mind if we teach your Ravenclaw to act like a man?"

"If he doesn't act cowardly nothing will happen?" He shook his head. Blaise nodded solemnly and kissed her defender on the cheek. "You're a wonderful White Knight."

Malfoy abruptly denied it. "I'm a Black Knight, more like, but I get the job done." Motioning to the door, he waited for his trusty squires to leave before raising Blaise's hand to his lips in smirking version of a courtly kiss. "Farewell, fair maiden. Before I go, are you sure you don't want me to slay this dragon instead?"

"Nay, Sir Knight, methinks this trick will be more than sufficient." Pink cheeked, she confessed, "I'm rather fond of the blue-eyed dragon...and all that beautiful long hair of his."

Sneering playfully at the daft girl's statement, the 'Black Knight' exited the room, beckoned his boys, and swiftly headed toward the dungeons.

At the bottom of the staircase, he signalled Crabbe at the top. The large youth would step out of a doorway to follow their prey down the stairs, distracting him from sensing the two lying in wait below.

The bend at the bottom leading to the dungeon corridor was a pool of shadows, perfect for Goyle to burst out of and surprise the craven 'dragon.' His heavily muscled arms would quickly grab the wretch and bring him to meet his fate.

Catching the gleam of Goyle's large teeth flashing in the darkness, Malfoy couldn't prevent his own wolfish grin from lightening the doorway at an angle from the happy brute. Waiting was almost as much fun as the actual...

Footsteps echoed on the dungeon stairs. The prey was flushed out and headed for the hunters.

Within moments, Draco faced his captive. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Terry-Boy," he said with malevolent satisfaction. He removed the other boy's wand and tossed it to Crabbe. Goyle had immobilised the Ravenclaw by twisting his arms behind his back. Terry fought being hauled over to Draco, twisting in a vain effort to escape.

"What're you going to do to me Malfoy? Go on, make it your worst, but it won't make me feel any sorrier than I am right now."

"How sorry is that, you miserable cretin." Malfoy's wand prodded the teen's chin up to meet his glacial stare.

"I know I froze over that Gusher. I'm not a Slytherin. I don't react quickly, but I am smart. I learn from my mistakes."

Girly-locks sounded sincere, but that wasn't good enough. "Talk's cheap. The boys and I need proof that you're not going to bail on our friend again. So you've got a choice. I can let them work you over," he paused to let Crabbe crack his knuckles and flex his massive fingers before saying, "or you can willingly promise to never let Blaise down again." Nudging the gormless wonder a bit harder than necessary, Draco waited for an answer.

Boot flinched in pain. "I willingly promise to champion Blaise Zabini against anything and anyone--satisfied, now? What's that you're saying Malfoy?"

Waving his wand in an intricate pattern over the git's hair, Draco taunted, "I just engaged an Alopecia Extremis hex. If you go back on your word..."

"Bye-Bye pretty hair, Nancy-Boy," explained Crabbe with a sneer.

"Think Zabini would like running her fingers over a bald head?" wondered Goyle, in a rare burst of nasty inspiration. He let the boy go with a warning shove.

Malfoy nodded to Crabbe, who threw the confiscated wand like a stick down the corridor toward Dungeon Five. He sneered. "Go fetch, Terry-Boy, and remember what'll happen if you act the cur again."

Draco watched the retreating figure for a moment and then turned to his companions. Slapping each broad shoulder, he gave the pair a wide smile of approval that had them puffing out their chests in pleasure. "Merlin, you two were ace. Good one, Goyle about the bald head. Go grab a couple of butterbeers from my private stock. You deserve it."

Chuckling over their hurried clomping up the stairs, Draco turned to enter Snape's classroom.

"Eager to get to those specimens, are we?"

The Potions Master's cool inquiry froze Draco in place. How much had the professor seen...heard?

"If you were, you'll have to live with disappointment. The fluids do not require replacing, so you only have to inventory my collection. Come along."

Was that a smile twisting the stoic man's thin lips? Draco could hardly believe how brilliant this night had become. He entered the dungeon humming the tune Spanish Guitar.

-

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Luna climbed the stairs to the second floor of the library, wondering why Ginny needed to research the play even more. The essay was only required to be one roll of parchment in length. Surely she had enough material to write a set of scrolls by now.

At the top of the stairs, she dreamily imagined doing a tango. It had looked very romantic. She wondered what it was like to dance so close she could feel every inch of Harry's body.

"What the blazes are you doing, Luna?"

Apparently, she had been swaying about in a daydream. Sighing over the loss of a lovely vision, Luna pushed her hair back and looked over at the impatiently waiting redhead.

"I was just...thinking...about that dance. I wish I had that sort of nerve."

"Nerve is right. How dare they cavort around the library? They deserved more than three night's detention!"

"I would've thought a Gryffindor would admire boldness."

"It wasn't bold, it was brazen!"

Luna laughed merrily until the other girl started looking uneasy. She said, "You sound just like your mother."

Ginny was taken aback, but quickly recovered and went on the offensive. "The whole school wouldn't be talking...Zabini wouldn't have gotten that Gusher...if those two were behaving properly."

"Behaving properly, did you get that from Granger, or was that another phrase you heard from your mum?"

"Are you implying that I'm intolerant? I'll have you know I thought Malfoy was gallant for taking up for Blaise, but he changed my mind with that filthy mouth of his."

Luna's brows contracted in feigned puzzlement. "When was he filthy? I thought it kind of Draco to want to comfort a friend."

"Comfort--oh, right--we know how a Slytherin comforts his girl friends."

"Do we? Did you personally see or hear anything that makes you say that, or are you boldly jumping to conclusion like we know Gryffindors do?"

Ginny's freckles stood out starkly against her white face. Her dark eyes looked haunted. Luna hoped she hadn't been too blunt. Her Beatrice might need a kick in the arse, but she didn't want it to hurt badly.

Uncertainly, Ginny asked, "Do you really think I misjudged him?"

It was all too easy to imagine Ginny as Beatrice, saying, "What fire is in my ears? Can this be true? Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn so much?"

The image made Luna smile. "Why don't you talk to Malfoy and find out?" She leaned over the railing to trace the progress of a boy below. He stood by the stairs gazing up at the girls talking above. "Detention should be over at nine," she added casually over her shoulder, before descending and giving Harry a misty smile.

He gave her a friendly nod. "How's it going, Luna?"

Luna enjoyed the confounded expression on Harry's face when she said while brushing past him, "Getting better all the time, Harry."

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"Enter."

How did Professor Lorelei know she was hesitating outside? Blaise wondered if the professor and the Potions Master had more in common than darkly compelling voices.

Shaking off fanciful thoughts, she entered the dungeon classroom. Lorelei was smiling enigmatically from her seat at her desk, but no one else was in the room.

"I sent Mr. Boot on an errand. He'll be right back." The woman's amused voice caused Blaise to squirm uneasily. What did the professor know? In eerie answer to her unspoken question, the woman confessed, "You seemed to be looking for your detention companion. If you'd like, there's a basket full of potions that need testing in my storeroom. You may bring it out and set the flagons on a table while you wait for his return."

Nodding her agreement, the girl headed to the storeroom. It was much brighter and airier than Snape's. No nasty specimens wiggling about in jars either thank Merlin.

Blaise picked up the basket, noticing a strange tag tied onto the handle. It was in the shape of a black Scottie dog holding a bone which had 'second years' written upon it. Shaking her head in amusement, she brought it into the classroom and unloaded the contents onto the same worktable she had used last time.

Terry entered the chamber. "Here's the potion, professor. Madam Pomfrey says it will relieve your headache more effectively if you lie down for an hour after taking it."

"Thank you, Mr. Boot. I believe I'll go along to my quarters and return to check your progress later. Here's a dropper. It only takes a drop to test the Hair Raising solution. If your hair rises as if by static, mark the student's potion as successful. Happy testing, Mr. Boot, Ms. Zabini."

The girl kept her head down, rearranging flagons during the professor's instructions to Terry. She felt his presence before he dropped a quill and parchment onto the table. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and looked up.

"Did you know about Malfoy's plan for me tonight?" Terry's blue gaze was dark and searching.

"Yes."

He nodded before saying, "I promised willingly. I would have even if I'd known about the Alopecia hex."

"Would you?" Her lips pressed together. She took the dropper out of his hand, dipped it into a flagon and read off, 'Rowling, Jay' before offering it to the boy watching her with an earnest expression on his face.

"Yes. I told Malfoy that I was smart enough to learn from my mistakes. I'll never let you down again, Blaise. Will you forgive me?"

Her heart turned over. Moving close enough to smooth down the fine hairs that had risen in reaction to the solution, Blaise smiled tenderly. "Of course I will." She wound her arms around his neck. "I never want anything to happen to your gorgeous hair."

Pressing fervent kisses to every inch of skin he could reach, Terry finally smiled against her mouth and teased, "It's not too girly-haired, pretty-boy for you?"

Clenching her fingers in the locks in question, Blaise narrowed her eyes and warned, "You know your hair is sexy, and you'd better not lose it, Terry-my-man."

"I won't, because I am your man," he vowed, tightening his embrace. Terry proceeded to demonstrate his affection so thoroughly; they barely had time to test potions before the end of detention.

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What am I doing here? Why did I listen to Loony Luna anyway? I should leave.

"Waiting for me, Red?"

Turning slowly, Ginny faced the boy lifting a brow with a look of faint inquiry. Malfoy's face, when not twisted in a sneer, was classically handsome and almost angelic in beauty. No wonder he was called a love god. His face and form was every bit the pale perfection starry-eyed girls sighed over. Fighting the urge to press her hand against her fluttering middle, Ginny said bluntly, "Yes."

"All right, if you want a chat, I'll walk you to your common room. I don't want to talk here. I've already had Snape in my business once tonight."

She walked close enough to smell a faint scent. She couldn't tell if it was soap or skin, but it was really--not what she needed to think about. Changing her mental direction, Ginny asked impulsively, "What happened?"

Malfoy slanted a look of satisfaction her way. "The boys and I helped Boot learn a lesson about standing up for a friend."

Forcing herself not to 'boldly jump to conclusions', she replied calmly, "How did you do that?"

He blinked. She smiled inwardly. Somehow, a surprised Malfoy was as amusing as he was attractive.

"Aren't you going to accuse me of every vile deed, facts unknown?"

"No."

"Fine...whatever... I got Boot to willingly promise not to let Blaise down again and put a hex on him to fix him good if he breaks it."

"Which one?"

He bent his head to look uncertainly at her. She must be breaking every preconceived idea of a redheaded Gryffindor girl. Malfoy's slight pout made his lips extremely--not what she cared to see. Breaking away from his gaze, Ginny walked faster.

He easily caught up. "Alopecia Extremis."

"Saucy Tricks for Tricksy Sorts," she said with a little smile. "I suppose if anyone knows how proud a boy can be about his hair, it's you."

Strong fingers encircled her wrist, making her halt. "What's that crack mean, Weaselette?"

"Pretending not to notice girls sighing over your platinum locks, Ferret?"

"Girls...do you sigh over my hair too?"

Trust a snake to slither out of something only to turn it around on her. Tugging free, Ginny started walking even more briskly. "In your dreams, Malfoy."

He caught up to her near the Gryffindor corridor. Moving with that fluid grace she reluctantly admired so much, Draco manoeuvred her into a corner and placed his hands against the stone on either side of her head. She turned her face away from the heated grey stare, but it was impossible to forget when his lips were so close to her ear.

Draco murmured, "Do you have the same dreams I do, Red? Ones where you and I are a lot more--friendly--and wear a lot less clothing?"

The feel of his warm lips against her heated flesh was causing the most distressful urge to consume Ginny. She was a moment away from turning and grabbing the hair that yes, damn him to Hades, she had sighed over and bringing those tormenting lips to hers when an indignant command broke the spell.

"Get away from her now, Malfoy, or spend the night in the Infirmary!"

Cat-like, he sprang away with a last meaningful glance Ginny's direction.

"Are you okay?"

Ginny tried to be grateful to Hermione for her interruption. It could have been worse. Ron could have seen her and Malfoy in that compromising position.

She smiled shakily at her rescuer and assured her that yes, she was fine and no, Ronald did not need to hear about this and no, she would not like to explain how the situation came about. It was over and that was that.

Ignoring Hermione's patent disbelief, Ginny followed her into the common room and immediately went up to bed, unsure as to whether she did, or did not, want to dream.