A/N: I'm sooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyy!

But you can't blame me. The site wouldn't let me sign in last night and I had to work all day today.Anyway, this is longer than usual and I was REALLY uninspired whenI wrote it so it probably won't be that good. But it does cover a lot of ground.

Unfortunately, I'm trying, but I've suddenly hit a wall with this story. I know what happens next, sorta, but I can't write it. So, I will, hopefully have a chapter ready on time next week but I may have to start updating only every other week. In fact expect that unless told otherwise. Again sorry.

If anyone has any ideas for anything, how to un-block writers block, absolutely ANYTHING you want to see happen in the story, I would massively appreciate you reviewing or emailing me and explaining. See, one of my big inspirations is input from other people. So input...:grin:

"It figures."

"What?"

"The bookcase. It's real enough but it's spelled so that, unless I'm Moody, it does this." Alex ran her hands through the row of texts as if it were a cheap illusion. "Any suggestions, Draco?"

Only silence greeted her. "Find something?" Turning as she spoke Alex was met with a sight that was familiar. Of course this time his hair wasn't in mid-fall.

She started to laugh. It would seem that the Time-stopper spell was something of a favorite of Moody's.

I am NOT going to feel guilty about it. I am NOT going to feel guilty about it! I am NOT! Blaise tried to console himself for his deception as he watched Tania enjoy her meal. Just because what he'd talked her into getting was one of Alex's favorites…

"So," he interrupted his own thoughts, "what do you think?"

They were the first words spoken since their food had come, mostly because Blaise was still the person carrying the conversation and, like all things male, had found his food more important than pointless chatter.

Unfortunately for them both Tania had just taken a slightly larger bite of meat as the words left his mouth. Fear flashed over her face and she began to chew frantically, as if she would get in trouble if she didn't answer right away.

Something, that could only be called kinship, filled Blaise. The Need to answer when spoken to was something he'd had to work very hard to overcome after his parents had gone. Sometimes he still fell into the pattern but never with the emotions behind it that she was obviously feeling. It was just a habit for him.

"Stop," he ordered. "I am making conversation, rather stupidly I might add. I am more than content to sit here and blink slowly, with much concentration, whilst you finish chewing. Don't die just because I have bad timing."

Tania hesitated but, in the end, obeyed.

"I," she coughed out the word as she finished swallowing, "it's very good.

"Good. I was hoping you'd like it."

"I do." Tania hastened to assure him.

"Good," he repeated. "So, what's your favorite subject and/or Professor?"

"Oh yes. Laugh why don't you?" Draco snarled as he wiped blood from his forehead again. "I did a detection spell this time. The bloody thing doesn't show up! In fact you just might want to show me how to break the spell in case you get caught."

"Couldn't happen." Alex answered, turning back to frown at her previous problem.

"You say that now."

"Well, is there at least something interesting in there?"

There was a muffled, frustrated sigh. "No. There are old marks on the wood, like there was something stored in here, but it's gone now."

"Took it to Hogwarts with him." Alex said dismissively, poking her wand into the illusion/not-illusion bookcase.

"Or," Draco stressed the word to get her attention, "whoever was here, the person who blew up the dustbins and the pantry and under the table, wanted what we want…but the physical stuff not just the knowledge."

"Well, if so then they went through a ton of trouble to put everything back to normal! Oh for the love of-!" she snapped in frustration. "If I could just read the bloody titles! But every time I try to focus on one it kinda fuzzes out!"

"Weeell…" Draco looked thoughtful.

"Yes?"

"No, no. Don't mind me. You're the all-powerful one."

"Draco, if you're gonna be helpful, be helpful! If not, shut up!"

He sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Try a Librarian List. They're good for inventories in general but books in specific."

"Now see. You can be helpful without dying."

It seems my entire day is going to be fraught with awkwardness. Blaise grumbled to himself as he surveyed his current difficulty. He had more than enough money to cover a couple dozen meals like this on him, but it was more than obvious, to him at least, that Tania didn't. Unfortunately it was also obvious that she was going to try and pay anyway.

And so, as the check was laid down on the table he did the only thing he could think of, and hoped he'd be able to talk himself out of Tania's bad side eventually.

"Here." He slapped a handful of coins onto the table and smiled nicely at the waitress, ignoring Tania with her hand halfway into her belt pouch. "Keep the change."

"Well, thank you, sir." The girl grinned and winked at him before walking away. "Good luck and have a good day."

"Oh I think we will." Rising with his usual grace he offer Tania his arm. She took it…eventually.

Outside it had warmed up a little but after a second it got positively hot for poor Blaise.

"Why did you do that?" Tania demanded.

Blaise glanced down at his companion and winced. There were spots of red in her cheeks that screamed anger and humiliation, and a look of wounded pride(that oh so sore spot of all pure bloods) was in her furious eyes. He decided that trying it innocent was the way to go. After all he would have paid for her food even if she'd been richer than Alex. She was with him. "What did I do, Tania?"

"You…the bill…" she frowned. There didn't seem to be a good way to phrase it. Fortunately Blaise seemed to catch on. His worried look faded slightly.

"Tania, I was raised properly. Meaning I have good manners. When I am out with a lady it is my job, my duty, to take care of her, in every way. That includes paying for things. I didn't mean to insult you. And," he let out a soft breath, "I am very sorry if I hurt you by my actions. If I have please tell me, that I may begin to make my amends."

Tania shrugged, brushing the issue aside, "I-it's fine."

"No, it's not. If I hurt you then I owe you far more than a simple apology."

"You owe me nothing," she said quickly.

"Yes. I. Do." He replied, matching her tone. "I owe you my respect. I owe you courtesy. I owe you protection. I owe you my care. I owe you an experience free of worry and concern. I owe you a time where you needn't fear insult or injury of any kind. And as of right now I owe you an apology that goes beyond mere words because I have failed you." He was breathing a little hard when he finished and Tania had the sudden image of him kissing his sword before an altar as he proclaimed those self-same words.

"I think, perhaps, I've just heard a reiteration of your Code." She said, with a weak smile, unable to think of any other response. The moment was getting very thick and she wondered that the air was still breathable.

Blaise grimaced comically. "What I wouldn't give for Alex to show up for two minutes. Just long enough for her to hit me about the head and proclaim that I'm being a pompous ass. I think it would help."

Tania obligingly smiled at his attempted joke. "But, alas, she's deeply entrenched in her project…whatever that may be."

"Oh yes. Her and bloody M-…"

"Yes?" Tania prodded, suddenly curious. It hadn't occurred to her before, that this so called 'project' of Alex's might be something that involved several people. In fact…

"Nothing really. It's just annoying. When she gets on one of these little Crusades of hers, you know."

"Of course I do."

"Gone on a few yourself, have you?"

Tania replaced her hand on his arm and did not answer.

"Paranoid. Paranoid. Paranoid." Alex sighed and rubbed her neck. "Nothing in here worth reading. Draco come look at this list."

Frowning, Draco returned from where he'd been doing one last circuit of the room(to make sure they didn't miss anything…or so he said. Alex merely wanted to know if he was looking for traps they hadn't set off yet.). Glancing at the list of protection and detection books he snorted. "Have you ever read any of these, Alex?"

"A few….why?"

"Dark Witches and Wizards: The Way They Think? The Path Not So Straight? When Your Death is Desired? For the Love of Power? Evil Magic and Those Who Use It?" He snickered. "I have. Oh they're terrible. It's all a bunch of drivel."

"As if everyone who uses 'forbidden magics' all have the same motivations and thought patterns." She moved away from the glowing list and eyed the stairs contemplatively. "You know, I think we should write a book, you and I."

"Really?" he sounded amused as he casually banished the list. "What about?"

"Us. Our kind."

"And what would we call it?"

"Hmm…" she chuckled. "Either something really pathetic, like…"

"Beyond the Grey: Inside the Mind of Evil?" Draco suggested.

Alex laughed. "Exactly. That's brilliant. Or we give it no title and put no author's name on it either."

"Nothing to distinguish it," He said slowly, something akin to a smile forming. "You either have to own a copy, or be shown one by someone who does to even know it exists."

"It would be accurate though," she whirled dramatically and grinned, framed by the staircase. "We'd make millions."

"My dear darling…" Draco smirked. "I already do."

"You have millions, you don't make millions. And the returns on your investments don't count."

"Semantics."

"Whatever you say. Are we finished down here Draco? I'd rather get this all done."

"Yes. It's all clear. The only thing I haven't-"

"Good." She cut him off and stepped backwards onto the first stair.

"Dammit! Accio Alex!" Draco yelled, the spell yanking her across the room. He used the momentum of her slamming into his chest to drop them both to the floor. A glittering light flickered in his vision, roaring overhead.

"…..well that was…deadly…looking." Draco tried to joke, shifting slightly. Alex took the hint and rolled off him.

Lying there, side by side on the floor in front of the bookcase her gaze flickered between the stairs, the far wall and Draco's face. "Merlin," she breathed as if she were really entreating him to save her. All of the self-assurance and bravado that she'd recovered since entering the house vanished.

"Suggestion," Draco heaved himself up onto his elbows. "when you ask a question try listening to the answer!"

Alex shut her eyes and nodded silently.

"As I was trying to say, it's all clear, except I haven't cleared out the spells on the staircase yet."

"Good," she replied, her eyes still shut.

"Oh for the love of-You're still not listening to me!" Sitting up he reached over to assist her, willing or not, into a similar position. It was then Draco discovered she was shaking. "Bloody hell. You are not going to go to pieces on me right now, Bellmonte! Come on," he grabbed her shoulders and pulled, albeit slowly. "up."

"I do not want to die, thank you." it came out clipped and precise with an edge of hauteur. She still wasn't looking at him.

"Neither do I. And that is why you need to sit up and join me. If you don't I'll be forced to take on the upstairs on my own and, as I'm sure you've noticed, I tend to get into scrapes. Can you imagine having to face my parents and explain why I'm dead? Or worse," he paused and shuddered. "Professor Snape?"

That definitely got through to her. Alex twitched and stopped resisting his gentle pull. Once she was upright, and looked like she was going to stay that way, he stood. With a practiced flourish Draco pocketed his wand and offered her his hand.

She took it immediately and kept it after she was on her feet…but she wasn't shaking anymore so he let it go.

"Shall we, perhaps, try that one again?"

"I'll not play bait for you a second time, Draco." The declaration lacked the heat necessary to make it effective.

"Oh but you will."

"Blaise!"

He paused and looked around, "What?"

"Blaise!" Stretching up on her tiptoes, Milli waved at him from across the street. "Come here!"

Sighing at the interruption Blaise smiled apologetically at Tania. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

With barely a glance he dashed across the crowded street to the group of Slytherins. Though she didn't really mean to Tania began to guess what they were all saying. It was mostly impossible. Milli talked too fast to try and lip-read and Blaise had his back to her. But, Slytherin though he was, Blaise was true to his word and only a few moments had passed before he was, once again, risking his life in a speedy road crossing.

Unwilling to openly pry into his business Tania couldn't help but give him one, very small, inquiring look.

The boy was good with subtle.

He grimaced. "It looks like I may be spending the night in Common Room."

"Oh?" she encouraged politely.

"It would seem that Malfoy is ill. So ill everyone has been banned from his room...which, consequently, is also my room."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Blaise said just a hint too quickly. Tania caught a flicker of movement at the corners of his mouth and noted it. "Either he'll be better by tonight or they'll move him to the hospital wing. Professor Snape will take care of it, I'm sure."

"I'm sure." She echoed in a low voice, not as vocal in her support of their Head of House but more emphatic.

Blaise yawned and stretched, glancing upwards at the smooth grey sky. "So, anyway, we've covered, Zonko's, Honeyduke's, the Post Office, the theater, the 'Museum of Hogsmeade stuff', and lunch or, as I dis-like to call it, Mistress Monocarp's Munchies. All that's left is, the Shrieking Shack, Madame Pudifoots, if you make me, and all of Supply Street. We've got maybe one more stop before curfew, where do you wanna go?"

"Wherever. It's up to you."

"Well, we aren't going to the 'Great Black Hole of Lace' if I have anything to say about it and it'll be cold up by the Shack by now. So let's jog down Supply Street on our way back to the Castle and you can tell me if anything inspires drool."

Nodding decisively, like she'd just been handed a mission statement, Tania headed for supply Street as if both of their lives depended on it.

"I see my plan agrees with you." Blaise muttered to the no longer present girl both taking off after her. "Gods and magic she's confusing."

Supply Street was as austere as the rest of Hogsmeade was flamboyant. It also suited it's name...or perhaps it had been named after it's purpose had been established.

Either way, it was a double row of dull, square buildings all nestled up to one another and all with only minor decoration on their fronts. Namely, simple signs with the name of the store. But that was the point. This was not the place one went to window shop or buy random trinkets.

No, you went to Supply Street when you'd broken all of your everyday quills or were down to your last few potion vials. All the things you had such fun picking out in Diagon Alley before term began, the things that were now vital necessities to your everyday existence, were purchased, often in great haste and desperation, from somewhere on this street.

As a whole it probably did better business than the rest of the town combined; for who cares the least the amount he is spending but the frantic student fearing the wrath of a teacher?

It was just a little thing, a fumbling of feet, a switching of the steady rhythm that was Tania's stride but in the silence it was enough.

Not caring what he looked like Blaise hurried swung his head around. As he took in the shop they passed he almost grinned. In a way he felt like he should have known.

The Apothecary.

"Liar. Whiney, sneaky little-"

"just because I played your favorite game for a little while...and beat you at it, doesn't mean I'm a liar. I never said an untruth." Draco paused in his speech to re-cast a shield around the two of them. Somehow frowning around a sigh Alex conjured yet another handful of stones and tossed them onto stair #19. This argument had been 'raging' since #2.

"Well," she flinched as a magical fire flared against their bubble of protection. "since it is my game I feel I have the right to state the rules. And I know that I'm a liar so I promise you are."

"Yeah but you called me, not just a liar," step #20 passed without incident...or spell. "but a whiney, sneaky liar."

"You cannot say you don't think I'm sneaky." Alex whiney spectacularly.

"Of course not, but if we're talking about you I think we should add cruel to the list."

There was a silence, during which the faint sound of pebbles falling could be heard. The 21st, and last, stair produced a billowing cloud of poisonous looking mist.

"I believe, Mr. Malfoy," Alex said, barely audible under the hiss of mist vs shield, "That you have mistaken me for my mother."

Draco dispersed his spell as Alex turned and banished all of her stones. "Not that, Miss Bellmonte. Never that."

Alex changed the subject. "Is it just me or is it smaller up here?"

"It is." Draco agreed. They were standing in the hall, but really it was just a landing leading to a single door. The only thing reminiscent of a hallway was a short, five or six foot long stretch that over looked the foyer. "But I don't think this house was ever supposed to have an upstairs. This probably used to be the attic."

"He made it into a bedroom and opened up the rest to make his foyer and front room seem larger? An interesting stylistic choice."

"We're not here to discuss his decorating themes, Alex."

"Draco Auterius Malfoy!" Draco stopped with his fingers mere hairs away from the doorknob. Alex glared. "if you touch that door without testing it then so help me..."

"Now I'm confusing you with my mother." He grumbled, while testing the door. It was clean. He opened it.

A moment later, as he looked into a pair of green eyes and felt a wet trickle between his eyebrows, he heard an irritated, "I am not your mother!"

Draco grinned. "Of course not...mother."

"Next time I'm leaving you stopped." She turned her back on him and entered the sparsely furnished, and very tiny, room.

"But then you'd have to do my Arithmancy homework."

"Merlin! A fate worse than death. I can barely do mine. How about this, you do my Arithmancy homework and I'll do your Ancient Runes?"

"I don't take Ancient Runes."

She shot him a dry look over her shoulder. "That's the point. Wow, you're stupid."

"Gosh, again she's my mother."

Alex ignored him, saying instead, "I almost feel bad for the sadistic bastard. A bed a nightstand and an armoire. Not even a closet. Hell, he doesn't even have a picture on the walls."

"Diseased mind." Draco intoned pompously, moving around the bed to tap at the bedstand.

"Talking about yourself again?" Alex carefully cast her spell on the armoire and frowned when it came back empty. "You know with the paranoia of the rest of this place you'd think he'd put something on his armoire. But the spell came up clean."

She shrugged, pulled open the door and reached into the first shelf.

It was like a rippling wave of ice and then...

Literally between one second and the next a burning, searing feeling filled her. Along with it came the knowledge that someone had just dared to mingle their blood with hers.

"Blood magic!" she snarled, preparing to hunt, torture and eviscerate the culprit.

"Of course." It was spoken in a tone of barely controlled hilarity. "You told me yourself it was the only way to break the spell safely. I wasn't about to risk ending you after all. Even if you did make me do this."

A bloody thumb entered her field of vision, bite marks scoring the pale skin. Alex glared at Draco, noticing the stress he was burying along with the amusement pulling at his mouth.

"I..." she reached up and wiped off her forehead, the crimson liquid staining her fingertips.

"...forgot that the Time-stopper doesn't show up on normal testing spells?" Yes, Draco was definitely laughing at her. But, Alex gave a mental shrug, she'd laughed at him too.

"Aparently."

"Well, there's nothing much in the bedstand. Just a scrap of parchment that looks to be an old list of attacks."

"Copy it." Alex said instantly.

"I already did. You never know what might be useful."

"..." she opened her mouth and shut it again when she realized he'd already said what she'd been about to.

"Since you've already nicely cleared out the spell protections let's look in here. It's the last place."

So the two teens buried their heads in the dark-wood shelves.

"Nothing. Not even a sock." Draco said, pulling himself free.

"Me either, except...wait. Hmm. Come here you!"

"I'm right here Alex."

"Not you!" she snapped. "This...this...got it!"

Alex reappeared, holding a very thin book. She and Draco exchanged matching grins.

Jackpot.

A/N: First: If I've already given Draco a middle name...I don't remember it, so review and let me know.

Second: I know I said I'd finish Moody's house this chapter but, due to things beyond my control(mostly, my beta demanded I not post certain things without her approval and she hasn't read that tiny bit yet) the end of it will be a very short first scene in the next chapter.

Third: Snape is absolutely and 100 in the next chapter, heck he's in half the scenes I think. Woot!