Alya sighed heavily before throwing herself on her bed. She was exhausted and she hurt everywhere. She had been back to school for nearly a month now and she still was adjusting to the chance. Rolling over she took the envelop she left on her bedside table that morning.

Giggling she ripped it open, swinging her feet up and down in the air behind her.

Ciao Bellissima,

I'm glad that you agreed to exchange letters before we both left for school. I'm looking forward for the chance to get to know you better without a certain blond angrily breathing down my neck. Mind you, he would probably stomp all over the common room if he knew I was writing you at the moment instead of doing my charms essay. I'm quite temped to tell him just to enjoy the show he would provide, but then he would probably demand to read all our correspondence to make sure I wasn't corrupting you or something similar. Better not.

That said, I apologize it took me so long to finally write you. You won't believe what a madhouse Hogwarts is at the moment.

Right at the welcoming feast the old coot had not only announced that there would be no Quidditch Cup this year –can you imagine the injustice? Quidditch fanatics threw a right tantrum and still are going strong about it – but he also announced that the TriWizard Tournament would take place at Hogwarts this year.

Yeah, totally insane.

I can imagine the decrepit idiots in the Ministry being bored to death and deciding to revive the thing just for the hell of it. And obviously, being the concerned and cautious headmaster that he is, Dumbledore agreed with the farce.

*please insert sarcastic scoff right here*

I'm relieved that I'm not depending just on this school for my education or I would be ruined.

Thankfully someone with a grain of brain must have put his hand in this whole mess and limited the participation to the students of seventeen and older. Personally I think that it's just because that way they'll be able to shrug off the blame for eventual deaths since the competitors would be of age, ergo able to understand what they are getting into and take their own decisions, and limit the amount of angry parents and eventual legal actions against the Ministry or the school.

Want to bet that somehow Potter will find himself under the spotlight of the event?

Enough with all this boring talk though. It's you I want to speak about. I'd really like to know more, whatever you feel comfortable sharing with me, I won't ask you questions you're not willing to answer. Maybe we could start with something basic?

Of course I'm ready to reciprocate and tell anything you wish to know about little old me.

I really need to go now, Draco is looking at me strangely and suspects I'm not really doing my homework. Wonder why? It's perfectly normal to write essays on charms theories with a silly grin on your face.

I eagerly await your letter.

Blaise Zabini.

Alya sighed letting herself fall face first into the pillow. Why did the headmaster have to think up all those ridiculous and dangerous shit? And why did it have to happen while her cousin/brother was attending there? She swore to herself that should any harm befall on Draco she would throw a storm of curses at whomever responsible, the old coot first on the list.

She raised her head warily and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was past ten p.m. and she still had to do her homework. She groaned pitifully.

Maybe she shouldn't have chosen so many classes to take..


Dear Blaise,

Must you always call me 'beautiful'? I'll have you know that one of the very few people I consider friends is half Italian, so I can understand perfectly what you say or write for that matter.

That said, I can't believe the idiocy of the British Ministry! The tournament had been banned for a reason – the death of too many students and let's not talk about all the spectators that had been injured or killed during the tasks! Even a couple of headmasters had not escaped untouched or alive for that matter.

The knowledge that it's reserved to of age students only relieves me. At least I'll know that Draco won't be tempted to enter or risk his life needlessly.

I quite agree with you about your theory on the old mummies of the Ministry.

You got me quite curious, what do you mean that you don't depend on the school for education? I mean, I understand that you are probably being side tutored on dark arts and the like, like Draco and the other purebloods, but something makes me think that you meant more than that.

Speaking of Draco, please avoid telling him that we are corresponding or we'll never hear the end of it! He's worse than an overprotective father when he puts his mind into it, it's quite a feat.

So you want to know more of me? Fine.. let's see… what can I tell you?
My favorite color is red, not Gryffindor red before you even think about complaining, blood red. I love reading, especially if it's curled on a comfortable armchair in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate. Oh, I looove chocolate!

What else? I'm not very good at this sharing thing.. why don't you go first and show me?
I'm sorry but I have to cut this short. I'm literally drowning in schoolwork!

Alya Black


Mia Cara,

I don't see the problem in calling you beautiful, that's what you are after all.

It's interesting the fact that you know Italian, may have to take advantage of it when we see each other in person again. Draco sucks at languages, knows French only because his mother drilled it into his head as a small child and didn't give up until he learned.

It seems that the Drumstrang and Beaubatons delegations will arrive just before Halloween. Joy. Hogwarts will be invaded by Vikings and silly veelas.

So you do want to know about me! I knew it!
Very well… I like blue, running on the beach early in the morning, dueling and rock music. Shh! Don't tell anyone about it but muggles sure know what they're doing, it's my little secret. I can play the guitar too, though it's something only my mother and now you know.

I like to collect things, at the manor I have a room full of swords and other weapons, paintings scattered all over the place and the library is overflowing. May have to show you sometimes, I'm sure that you'll be able to find many tomes you haven't read yet.

What else? At seven I pushed stepdad number 6 off the terrace. He was soo obnoxious and expected mother to spend all of her time with him. If that wasn't enough he kept calling me Bill… BILL! Pity I miscalculated and he fell into the pool instead of the torn bushes near it.

I totally share your love for chocolate, but really I like all good food, you know being Italian and all. We sure know how to make drool worthy food.

As for my education, I can say much about it but let's say that I have special tutors that work me to the bones in the summer and bury me in assignments during the school year so I don't fall behind. Maybe we could compare workloads sometimes, see which one is in worse danger of dying.

Do you know what's better than reading on the couch in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate?

Doing it while snuggled with someone.

Totally volunteering.

Blaise.


You cruel man,

Why do you have to have the power to make me blush even by letter?! My friends had been hounding me for hours after that trying to discover who my secret admirer is!

I'll never forgive you.

If school doesn't kill me this year, my friends surely will.

I'm sure you were adorable as a child and I can easily imagine you pushing people off the terrace. I'm surprised I'm not the only child who tried to kill someone. But then again I'm his Dark Lordness daughter, it's kind of expected from me. But you? Wow..

I have to say though that I was better at planning that you, still not successful but I did more than an unplanned bath.

So, Bill is a mummy's boy… Who would have thought?

I'll have to take you up on your offer sometimes, I can't say no the temptation of new books or even better old tomes. Do you know how to use all those weapons too or it's just for show?

Your secret is safe with me. I despise muggles but I can recognize they can create beautiful things. It always leaves me confused. How can such fearful and hateful creatures, who can destroy with such ease also be able to create such divine art, sculptures that survived centuries, paintings that capture you, music that can move your soul. I simply cannot understand it.

I guess it's my turn to share something?

Oh! You'll like that, but it stays between us or I'll never hear the end of it.

When I joined the Malfoys I didn't want to play with Draco at the beginning because he kept pushing pink tea cups and dolls at me. I didn't like them. When he tried to get me into a frilly pink dress I snapped and he found himself dressed into the monstrosity with curly hair and pink lipstick. He never tried again and I guess he finally understood that I hated pink!
I remember Narcissa and Lucius running into the room alerted by Draco's scream and the faces they made. Priceless! I still have blackmail pictures stored safely away.

That said. My dueling professor will have my hide if I'm late.

Try not to fall for some pretty veela allure.

Alya.


Well, here was the new chapter, what do you think about it? Blaise sure doesn't waste any time in trying to woo our Alya..

As always thank you for adding my story to your favourite or alert lists and leaving a review!

Next update, tomorrow!