AN: Needed a break from writing 'Maybe They Did Know What They Were Doing' so I decided to revisit this. Hope you like the new update! It's a bit of a longer chapter than the starter ones. I think they will be around this length from now on.

Harry entered the Gala already wincing internally as he saw heads swivel his way. Brushing a hand down his new robes he made his way down the stairs and made a beeline towards the bar and the bushy-brown hair he'd spotted. "Hey Ron, hey Hermione," he said as approached his two best friends.

"Harry!" Hermione cried as she saw him, pulling him into a quick hug as Ron clapped a hand on his back, "you came! I honestly thought I'd have to leave in a minute to drag you here."

Harry rolled his eyes, "yeah well, I thought it might be better if you didn't this time, what with what happened last year." Ron snorted remembering the hex Hermione had placed on Harry's undergarments. They would get tighter and tighter, the further he got away from her. Effectively trapping him within a ten-foot vicinity of the witch.

"Well, if you and Ron would act a bit more like the grown-ups you're supposed to be. I wouldn't have to resort to those jealousy charms I found in the Black library now would I?" She said with her hands on her hips and a grin spreading across her face. Harry just rolled his eyes and signalled the bartender for a drink.

Turning back around he made eye-contact with Kingsley, the Minister for Magic's face becoming predatory as he laid eyes on the Head Auror. "Right, well if you'll excuse me," Harry said to his friends, "it's time to play 'dodge the politics'." With that, he dove into the crowd smiling and nodding at everyone he passed, never stopping. That was the trick. 'Just keep swimming,' he muttered to himself over and over. For this was exactly what it was like, swimming through dense, shark-infested waters, that if he stopped moving for a second he'd be swallowed up by the crowd and lose his sanity.

Harry soon spotted a safe zone, that is to say, a shadowy corner behind a column that the design team had tried to hide by putting large decorative bushes in front of. Grinning in triumph he glanced over his shoulder to make sure no-one was watching him directly and then he dove between the branches. Sighing gratefully when no-one yelled his name. Taking a sip of the Ogden's he had been served at the bar, he sighed again and nursed the drink close to his chest.

Blaise had been watching Harry from his spot across the room since the shorter man had entered the event. He watched him as he made his way to the bar to greet his friends, and then had watched with an amused smile as the other man smiled and dodged simpering fanatics and politicians. Blaise's grin had grown wider when he saw Harry furtively dash into a hidden alcove. Draining his drink, he summoned two more from a passing tray and made his way across the room, to confront and tease him for escaping the party.

"So, hidden waiting rooms, bathrooms and now hiding behind some bushes?" came a deeply amused voice.

Harry jerked suddenly, his wand slipping down into his hand at the unexpected voice. "Oh, it's you Zabini," he said relaxing when he saw the taller man. He wasn't entirely sure why, but his gut trusted the man.

The darker man chuckled, "indeed it is. You have fast reflexes. Though, it's a bit hard for me to attack whilst holding two drinks."

Harry hummed in agreement, "why do you have two drinks? It's not like they are hard to come by here."

Blaise held one out, "ah, but I thought perhaps you needed a refill, after all, the less you leave your hiding place, the less likely you'll be discovered."

Harry snorted and accepted the drink, when the ring he wore as Head Auror did not alert him to any danger, he took a sip. "Thank you, I was out." He replied. "How'd you know I was here?" he asked.

"I watched you when you came in," Blaise replied. "It was amusing to see you head for the nearest place to get away."

Harry blushed lightly, "yeah well, they don't really want me here." He said with a little disgust colouring his tone.

Blaise arched an eyebrow and leaned one shoulder against the wall, crossing his legs at the ankle he said, "oh?"

Harry just looked back at him impassively, "it's true, they would all notice if I wasn't here at all. But, now that I am." He shrugged and took another sip of whiskey. "They can go back to whatever sycophantic, power-hungry conversations though were having and content themselves with brown-nosing everyone they run into."

"And you intend for that not to be you?" Blaise questioned.

"You got that bloody well right," Harry said decisively. "It's not like they listen to anything I have to say anyway, that just talk at you." He said a sneer covering his face.

Blaise smiled to himself, deciding to change the subject he dragged his eyes rather obviously down Harry's body and replied, "your robes suit you."

Harry looked down, a blush staining his cheeks again, "Er, thanks, I um, took your advice. Went and saw that Mr Titchings."

"Oh?" Blaise asked, prompting Harry to elaborate.

"Yeah, he was really good actually, just asked me what I didn't like and took my measurements. He only made me try on a few things and then sent me away. Three days later, these rocked up." Harry brushed another hand over the material, it was rather nice and the robes were comfortable and fit extremely well.

Blaise smiled, "I told you he was good," he responded as he took another sip of his drink.

"You did," came the reply and the stood silently for a moment, Harry suddenly very keenly aware of the small space they stood in. He shifted slightly and averted his eyes from the strong gaze of the Slytherin, fiddling with his glass he said, "so, er, what have you been up to since school?" He asked, he was actually quite interested in the other man. Since they'd started running into each other he had found himself thinking about him more and more.

Blaise lifted one shoulder fluidly, "I spent some time travelling. I have family in Italy and I spent a lot of time with them. Learning family recipes from my Nonna."

"You cook?" Harry said, perking up interestedly.

Blaise inclined his head graciously, "I enjoy cooking, why? Do you?"

Harry nodded vigorously, "yeah, I love to cook, though I rarely get a chance to anymore." Blaise raised his eyebrow again and Harry was beginning to realise this is what the other man did when he was waiting to hear more. So he continued to speak, relishing the fact that the other man seemed to want to listen. "I learned to cook young," he said voice a little flat as he recounted why he had learned to cook. "but I loved experimenting, figuring out how things interacted with each other, why certain things tasted different when cooked different ways. It's nice too, to see people enjoy the food you make. When I was little, I wanted to be a chef when I grew up, own my restaurant and travel the world."

"What stopped you?" Blaise asked.

Harry snorted, "are you serious? The wizarding world would go mad if I quit being an Auror to become a chef. It's just not expected."

"You never really struck me as the type of person to do what was expected of you," Blaise intoned as he took another sip of his whiskey.

Harry sighed as he leaned heavily against the column, "I'm not really, I just, after the war, I was so busy helping to 'clean up' the Death Eaters that it just became my job. I'm good at it too, which is why I have the positions I'm in. But."

"Your heart's not in it." Blaise inferred.

Harry looked at him, "yeah, I guess so. I never thought this would be my life you know? Chasing bad guys all the time, always seeing the horrible side of life.

"Why don't you get to cook now?" Blaise asked trying to steer the conversation away from unhappy waters.

Harry shrugged, "I don't have the time, I barely have time to see my godkids let alone cook. When I saw you the other day at Hannah's I was picking up Lucy, we went to the zoo." He said with a small smile remembering the fun day they had. "I'd already had to reschedule that outing three times because of different cases. To cook I'd actually have to find the time to stock the fridge with something other than bread, juice and butterbeer."

Blaise nodded, "what are you doing Friday night?" he asked abruptly.

Harry blinked surprised at the seemingly random question, "er.. nothing at the moment, I'm supposed to have the night rostered off. So unless an urgent case comes up.."

"Perfect," Blaise said as he pushed off the wall and stepped closer to Harry, "I've decided on my favour." He told the Auror.

Harry bit his lip as he looked up at the taller man, "oh? And what's that?"

"I'll owl you the details later, keep the night open for me?" he asked in a low voice, leaning in a little so that they were scant inches apart. He smirked inwardly as he saw bright green eyes dilate and he noticed Harry's breathing speed up.

Harry managed a nod, "sure," he said.

Blaise smirked openly then, Harry felt his heart stutter at the sight of it. "Good, I need to go, but I'll be seeing you soon."

Harry could only nod mutely as he watched the darker man walk away, his eyes drifting over the man's broad shoulders and slender waist as he did so. What had he just agreed to?

AN: Hope you guys enjoyed this!
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Love
Ariel
xx