Sorry it's been so long. Terrible writer's block and I really dunno how to end this yet. I thought that this would be the last chapter, but Blaise and Rashida was like eff that, we are going to be stubborn, our angst must continue lol.

Chapter 13: Trick Or Treat

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, October 31, 2002

"Look Miss Ubeko, bribery of any kind for grades is unacceptable, and also grounds for expulsion," said Blaise, scooting a box of nougat filled chocolate frogs back over to a fourth year Slytherin by the name of Raisa Ubeko. "Maybe you should stop giggling with Miss Parkinson and actually concentrate on your work. Especially since out of the pair of you, you're the one who seems to be failing."

Raisa crumpled up her face in disappointment. "Sorry, Mr. Zabini. But you have to admit, It was worth a shot."

Blaise chuckled. "It was a nice attempt, but I cannot be bought. What I'm wondering is how you even knew that these were my favorite."

"Oh that's easy," said Raisa. "My cousin told me."

"And who might that be?"

"Rashida Mosi, of course. Didn't you know?"asked Raisa, as if she thought that Blaise already knew.

Blaise stood up much quicker than he should have. He tried to recover by brushing off invisible dirt from his shirt, but Raisa smirked, amused by her teacher's noticeable flustering.

Blaise cleared his throat, embarrassed. "I didn't know you were related to my old friend," he said trying to sound casual, when inside his body, his heart was beating a mile a minute.

Raisa's smirk grew wider. She knew she held a bit of power. "Don't give me that, Mr. Zabini. You and Cousin Shi-Shi used to go out. And you still loooooooove her." she teased.

Blaise sighed. He thought about the fact that a fourteen year old did not need to know the business of her teacher, even if it had to do with one of her relatives. However, he had come to know the crafty Slytherin fairly quickly, as she was one of the more rambunctious students in his class. If he had known, he would have seen a lot of Rashida in the girl.

There wasn't a day that had went by where he hadn't thought of her. After their night of passion, Blaise waited a week to contact her, trying to give her some space. He then discovered that she had moved back to her parents home, wanting to expand her art down there. He had written a few owls to her, but none had been returned. By the start of term, he had forced himself to attempt to move on.

"How about I give you a chance to earn some extra credit instead say, helping me with organizing books two evenings from now?" suggested Blaise, knowing that he was somewhat at the mercy of a teenager.

"That's more like it," said Raisa with a grin. She slid the box of chocolate frogs back towards her teacher. "You may want to open those. I hear they are quite good."

She turned and walked out the classroom.

Blaise looked down at the box of frogs. He flicked his wand at the box and it opened, revealing a piece of parchment that covered up the candy. He picked up the parchment and read the words out loud.

Look up. Trick or treat.

Instinctively Blaise looked up towards the door. He couldn't help but chuckle. There, leaning against the door sill was Rashida, smirking and twirling her wand in her hand. She looked a bit different from last he had seen her, as her dreadlocks were long again and black with golden clasps on some of them.

"I was worried you wouldn't open the box until later. Thankfully I can always rely on your sweet tooth." laughed Rashida, as she approached Blaise, who was looking awestruck.

"What are you doing here?" said Blaise slowly.

"I had a client in Hogsmeade and decided to pop in to check on my cousin. And you too I guess." said Rashida as she walked towards Blaise's desk. "Weird seeing you teaching and not Flitwick. He was sweet."

"I guarantee you I'm sweeter." joked Blaise, sitting on his desk. He still couldn't believe what was right in front of him.

"Your students seem to like you a lot," said Rashida as she stopped in front of him. "My cousin spoke highly of you when she came to visit during the summer. Said that you were her favorite teacher.'

Blaise chuckled. He had to remember to make sure the extra credit Raisa would earn would bring her up higher than anticipated.

"Yeah, her and Pansy's little sister keeps my classes pretty exciting. I didn't know you two were related however."

"That was my fault really," said Rashida, giving a guilty look at the floor. "I told her not to say anything."

"I understand." nodded Blaise. He felt that familiar knot form in his stomach that he would only get around her. He dammed his body for still responding to her presence."

"So, how long are you sticking around?" he asked.

"Well, McGonagall asked me to help her with transfiguration lessons for her sixth year classes for the next couple of days, so I guess until Friday."

"Brilliant. You were always good at that. Made my grades look like shit."

"They would have been fine had you applied yourself."

"My mind was always too preoccupied on the person who would sit beside me," said Blaise, feeling his cheeks heat up with unseen blush.

Rashida's blush shown a bit more, as she was lighter. "Don't try and blame me, Zabini. I got to do my work just fine."

"That's because you could resist my charms. I couldn't resist yours."

"If I didn't know any better. I would believe that you were flirting with me, Professor." said Rashida in a coy voice.

"Keep calling me that, and I will." said Blaise.

Rashida decided to stop. She was playing with fire, and she didn't know if she wanted to be burned yet. Besides, she had much more important things to worry about than to catch butterflies and get sidetracked.

"I have to go," she said, taking a few steps back. "McGonagall wanted to go over lessons with me. I just wanted to drop by and say hello."

Blaise was disappointed, but decided not to show it. "Okay then. Guess I'll see you around?"

"Guess so." nodded Rashida. She turned and walked out the door.

Blaise slammed his fist onto his desk. He felt like an ickle firstie with a crush, once again. How dare he not try to contain himself when clearly Rashida wanted to just remain friends with him? He couldn't help it. Rashida looked just as wonderful as she did the night he had last seen her. His feelings for her had proven to be unwavering, despite many attempts to move past her.

How in the world was he going to survive these next couple of days in close proximity of her?

Rashida made a dash down the hall and around the corner. She leaned against the wall, catching her breath. Had she known that her feelings would wash back over her like a violent flood at first sight of Blaise Zabini, she wouldn't have even came. Actually, that wasn't right. She had to come.

It wasn't that she thought ill of Blaise. That was extremely far from the truth. She had just made a promise to herself to not let romance get in the way of her life again. It wasn't like she didn't want to have it, she just didn't feel like she was ready for it. She was enjoying her life the way it was going, until recently when things had turned upside down.

Was she ready to let Blaise in? Did she really have a choice?