A/N: Hello my dearest, darling readers. I am terribly and absolutely sorry for the delay. I know, I know, it's been forever and, again, I am sorry. A lot has happened since the last time I posted, I won't bore you with the details, but it left me...well...unwilling to write for some time. I'm rebounding now. It was terrible, because I love to write and I wanted to write, but I couldn't bring myself to do more than zone out infront of the television. However, I am back. I reread my previous chapter and the review responses, and they reminded me of my love for this story and the promises made to you all that it WOULD NOT be abandoned. I intend to keep that promise. So, without (much) further ado, Chapter 8.

Disclaimer: Props to J. K.

Blaise's eyes flickered to the room into which Draco and Ginny had disappeared and from which Draco had reappeared moments ago. The look in Draco's eyes unsettled Blaise and he wanted nothing more than to rush to Ginny's side, to assert that she was safe and happy. Reason grounded him to the dance floor. Barely. If he went rushing to her now, it would draw attention. He would simply have to wait for Ginny to emerge.

Someone pressed against him, and Blaise looked away from the door to find Pansy leering up at him in what she obviously thought was a seductive manner. It wasn't working. In fact, it was having the averse effect she desired. Disgusted, he pushed Pansy away firmly.

"What do you want, Pansy?"

"Isn't it obvious, Blaise?" she inquired, drawling out his name in a purr. "I want you."

"What a shame that desire won't be fulfilled," Blaise said with a sneer. "How about you refocus your efforts on someone you might actually have a chance with?"

"Merlin, you and Draco are both infatuated with that infuriating little snit, Weasley, aren't you?" Pansy snarled as she stepped away from him, her posture screaming agitation.

Blaise considered her for a moment before shrugging, "Infatuation is pushing it, but she's certainly more appealing than you." He glanced at the room once more, and this time he was rewarded by the appearance of a very disheveled looking Ginny. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

He turned to make his way toward Ginny when Pansy grabbed his wrist and muttered, "No, I won't."

Blaise froze and turned to face her slowly. He looked utterly calm, but his eyes were burning with rage as he firmly jerked his arm out of her grip. "Fine, that works as well, Parkinson. I'm not making any excuse for my behavior anyway, regardless of your reaction to it. Get lost, Parkinson. This is the last time I'll tell you."

With that, he turned and slipped through the crowd with ease toward Ginny. By the time he reached her, she was heading out the door. Slipping out with her in favor of privacy, he took the door from her grip and shut it gently behind them.

"So," he said calmly, forcing amusement and a hint of curiosity into his tone, "Did you capture his heart with your wit and tenacious character?" It came out sounding flawless, Ginny wouldn't be in the least conscious of his hammering heart or the fear for her well being which caused its quickened rhythm. He kept his breathing controlled by some miracle, and leaned against the door gracefully.

Ginny was still visibly upset, not being anything near the emotionally schooled actor Blaise was. Try as she might to reign her emotions in, she was transparent to him. Therefore, when she told him, "Not yet, but I think I made a dent. He's definitely aware of me. Everything is going according to plan," he knew it was a barefaced lie. Well, not completely a lie, but it certainly wasn't the truth.

Blaise caught a sigh of disbelief from slipping from him, and moved closer to her instead. Any slip in character now, and he would lose himself completely. Keeping the tenderness of the sigh in mind, he placed the knuckle of his forefinger under her chin and tilted it tentatively upward. She looked him in the eyes reluctantly.

"Ginny...I'm involved now, you said so yourself," Blaise murmured. "Tell me the truth so I can help you."

Her jaw tightened, but in a moment her resolve melted away and tears filled her eyes. She blinked furiously, but it was a vain attempt. A tear leaked down her cheek and Blaise released her chin to brush it away.

"I'm sorry," she murmured needlessly, choking back a sob. "It's wasn't...he didn't mean it. I know he didn't. He was just so upset over that list, so...so that's why. I wish I knew...what it is, why he's angry."

The list, Blaise quoted mentally as he watched her rub tears away from her eyes roughly. Then he understood and he gently took hold of her wrists and pulled them away from her face so he could look her in the eyes ones more.

"Ginny, what did he do to you?"

"I don't...he didn't mean it."

"I know," Blaise asserted calmly, smiling reassuringly. "I won't be upset, I know he didn't mean it, but I still need to know what he did to you."

Ginny appraised him briefly before nodding. "Okay," she said gently, "Um...well...he asked me what I was doing here, at the party, and I told him I was here because of him. Before I could tell him I just wanted to talk to him, to get to know him, he...he had me pinned down and than he was kissing me, but not like the other day. It was hard and angry, and...I tried fighting him off but, Merlin he's strong. Then I just...I gave up and he stopped. Then he left."

Blaise felt himself go numb and was sure that whatever color resided in his pale cheeks had just drained. The picture she had just painted for him was vivid and horrifying. He could see Draco holding her down, the sneer of a devil on his face, and her flailing tearfully and uselessly against him. He bristled internally, and it took all his strength and resolve to keep the typhoon of rage that crashed over him at that moment at bay. It cost him dearly to refrain from visibly revealing how upset he truly was, to keep his hands from balling into fists, his jaw from tightening, or his body from either shaking or going completely still.

"I see," he murmured quietly to keep his terse tone from being too noticeable.

"You're upset," Ginny said in dejection. "I shouldn't have told you, I knew I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, please don't be mad at him, he didn't mean it, I swear. He thought I was just after sex."

For some reason, this simply caused another wave of fury to crash over him, but Blaise inhaled slowly and forced himself into calm. "I'm not upset," he said trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to reassure Ginny. He took her shoulders firmly and said, "Are you alright?"

"I..." Again, the tears pricked at her eyes visibly. "I will be. I know he didn't mean it."

Blaise pulled her into the safety of her arms then, wanting nothing more than to protect her. To make her okay now. He knew it wasn't enough, but he murmured, "That you're okay; that's all that matters." Then he kissed the top of her head to comfort her. Resting his head against hers, he sighed quietly.

Suddenly, he realized he'd made a mistake. He'd let down his walls and lost himself in the moment.

Quickly he released her and stepped away. He felt exposed and didn't want to look at her, but knew he had to. If he looked away from her it would show her how vulnerable and exposed she had made him. He couldn't allow that. He pulled himself back together and smirked at her. "That's the second time you've let me kiss you today, Ginny. I think you may have a thing for more than one Slytherin." How he wished that were true. Internally disgruntled, he pushed that thought out of mind and continued to grin.

Ginny stared at him for a moment before glaring. "Well, it's the last time, too, you bloody git!" she spat before turning on her heels and storming away.

Blaise collapsed against the wall again, momentarily exhausted by the effort he'd exerted to keep Ginny ignorant of his true feelings. Then the anger returned, bursting out from behind his mental block and he took off in the direction of the Slytherin dungeon.

8

When she'd told him what had transpired between her and Draco, Ginny was sure that Blaise would explode. His eyes had darkened briefly and he was still for a moment. To Ginny he seemed more in shock than upset. Then he blinked and murmured a simple, "I see," through his teeth.

"You're upset," she decided verbally, saddened by the prospect of turning Blaise against Draco. From the way he'd rushed from the room she knew Draco was already beating himself up over it enough without having Blaise at his throat as well.

"I shouldn't have told you," she added then. "I knew I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, please don't be mad at him, he didn't mean it, I swear. He thought I was just after sex."

His eyes darkened again and Ginny decided, too late, that was the wrong thing to say. She could imagine the rage boiling beneath the surface and winced internally in apprehension. He was going to rave any moment now, or rush off to kill Draco. She wasn't sure which.

"I'm not upset," Blaise told her, and it threw Ginny completely how calm he sounded. She could have sworn he was upset, at least unsettled, but he seemed completely unperturbed. "Are you alright?"

"I-I will be," Ginny asserted, even as tears welled up in her eyes. Annoyed at herself for being so weak, she blinked them away and added, "I know he didn't mean it."

Suddenly, she was in his arms, her own were crushed against his chest between them. He held her close and murmured, "That you're okay; that's all that matters." He kissed the top of her head and rested his head against hers. Her heart was thumping against her chest as she wondered wildly where this had come from. He sighed then, and just as quickly as he had pulled her to him, he let go and stepped away. Dazed and confused, Ginny allowed her arms to drop to her side as she stared at him.

He smirked, throwing her off again, and said, "That's the second time you've let me kiss you today, Ginny. I think you may have a thing for more than one Slytherin."

She stared at him as he grinned at her and she realized that it had been a ploy. He just wanted to tease her, as if she hadn't been through enough today!

"Well it's the last time, too, you bloody git!"

With that, she turned on her heels and rushed away. Why? Why was Blaise toying with her like this? Was it all a game to him? Did he care about her at all? Sure, he'd said he did. He'd said her well-being was all that mattered, but he'd just been teasing the whole time. If he didn't care, she decided, then neither would she.

A/N: Whooo. Yay, I'm finally done with chapter 8. Sorry about that, again. I tend to have troubles writing chapters 3 and 8 on all my stories and all the crap that's happened wasn't helping me at all. Ah well, it's done now. Yay...Again! Anyway...I tried to show how much Blaise tried to stay introverted and how much he actually hides from Ginny. How did I do? Tell me through review!

Speaking of review...

Review Responses:

Demon-childe619: Muahaha! Curiosity killed the cat, but hopefully satisfaction brought you back. Yay, updates! Oh! Twilght, I read that two. Not as well written as Harry Potter, but pretty good. About the pics, as I mentioned in my Author Notes the creatie juices...haven't been flowing, so I haven't really worked on them yet. Now that the old gears are turning again, though, maybe I can focus on those soon!

Sympathetic Me: Thanks! Well, Blaise just realized it himself, so...as soon as he stops being dumb and lets her know how he feels without teasing her maybe something can happen. -glares at him-

snowfire81: I don't think story is the kind where anyone dies. Although, it DOES happen in some of my stories. Sorry about the exceedingly long break between updates. I promise that the future ones won't take as long.

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Wow, my in box is almost empty now. XD Thanks to all who reviewed and to those who checked out my story. I see a lot of new names and I hope see some of them reviewing soon. -Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge-

SHOUT OUT and big props to my new beta, Somer. You are quite the amazing person.