For Sam, as a ticket prize for fun fair. BlaiseDaphne, happy ending drabble
Speed Drabble: lemonade
Word Count: 413
He finds her in the hospital after the war. It feels so strange having to sneak through the castle, but Blaise knows it's necessary. Despite his neutrality, he is still a Slytherin, still the enemy. The few people who had noticed him at all had looked at him with clear distrust.
But he doesn't care. Daphne is hurt, and that's all that matters.
"I brought your favorite," he says, holding up the goblet of lemonade.
Daphne's expression brightens, and she sits up, wincing slightly. "Knew I liked you for a reason," she teases, accepting the goblet. She sips, and her lips twist into a bright smile. "Perfect."
Silence hangs between them. Looking at her is the greatest relief, even if her dark hair is wild and tangled and coated with a layer of dust and debris, even if skin is a patchwork of cuts and bruises. She is alive.
But there's no denying the shame that sours his stomach. He should have been by her side. Maybe if he had been, he could have kept her safe.
"You've got that look," Daphne mutters, sipping at the lemonade again. "What's going on in that clever little head of yours."
"I shouldn't have run," he says, voice tight. "I should have stayed and fought."
"For a cause you didn't believe in?" Daphne asks dryly, shaking her head. "I nearly died for it, and that's okay because I wanted the Death Eaters to fall more than anything. But you didn't, Blaise." She sighs, rubbing her temples. "I can't hate you for not becoming a martyr for something you didn't care about."
"I did care. I hated what the Carrows did. I just…" He pauses, scowling. Why does he have to sound so pathetic? He's a Zabini; he is meant to be calm, collected, and certain. "No one else is going to look at the way you do. They'll think I'm a coward."
"And they can piss off," she says with a shrug. "Who else brings me lemonade while I'm on my deathbed?"
"You're not dying. Shut up."
Her bright eyes flash with amusement, and she smirks. "Make me."
And just like that, they can put the war out of their minds and have a few moments of hope and normalcy. Blaise takes the goblet and sets it aside before pressing a kiss to her lips.
They've got a long way to go before they can heal and move past this, but Blaise is ready to begin.
