"Oh...Blair...hi" Harry stuttered whist Hermione and Ron just their faces clearly showing how awkward they felt. They were all surprised, probably by both that I had heard their words and that I had said something at all.
"It's alright, I understand I'm new and these are dangerous times, but I am loyal and I won't be breaking confidences with my Slytherin friends just to gain your trust." I said after a moment of thought in the almost awkward silence. I wanted them to realize that they could trust me, more than anything, but I wanted them to do it on their own terms not because they wanted information from Blaise or Draco or any other Slytherin.
"We're sorry." Hermione said, "We are glad you're in Gryffindor and we respect your loyalty." her words made me feel better and I smiled again.
"Thanks, and don't feel rushed take the time you need I realize that trust is built over time and I'm patient." I said turning to the door again to see if Ginny was on her way back from talking to Blaise yet. Almost at that moment, both Ginny and Blaise came back into the hall, Blaise going to the Slytherin table and Ginny came back to sit with me.
"Well, what did he need?" Ron immediately questioned scooting a little closer to Ginny and I, I could hear the edge in Ron's voice, but I wasn't angry, there were years of animosity between the Slytherins and my friends. Ginny gave him a look that clearly said, calm down, as she sat back down beside me.
"Well.." Ron encouraged slightly impatient.
"Well what?" she asked, and I knew she was just trying to avoid the question.
"What did Zabini want?" he questioned, and I was curious what she would answer.
"Nothing really." she said reaching for food rather than truly answering the questions, leaving Ron to just kind of stare at her and then look to me for an answer. I simply shrugged, I didn't know any more than they did.
"Okay then." Ron said a little grumpily.
"Oh Ron, don't worry about it. It' not a big deal." she said taking a bite of food and letting the line of questioning fall flat. Ginny kept eating in silence until Ron went back to conversation with Harry and Hermione.
"So…?" I questioned in a low tone trying to get the information.
"He just wants to make sure you're safe, he thinks it will be harder for him to do alone since you're in difference houses." she said.
"So he asked you to keep me safe?" I questioned, it made some sense I supposed, but not completely.
"Yeah more or less, he asked me to keep him informed." she said with a little bit of a laugh.
"So do you get anything out of this deal?" I asked.
"We both promised to attempt a friendship for your sake." I froze, my brother consented to that, my brother who had only been prideful and arrogant towards Ginny, actually consented to that for me.
"Really?" I questioned feeling excited at the prospect of my brother being able to be friends with my Gryffindor friends. That would be one of the best things that could happen, though I knew it would probably take a bit of time to overcome what had been done in the past.
"Yes really." she said with a smile, "But don't expect too much right away."
"If you were friends that would be perfect!" I exclaimed just waiting for her to finish.
A week went by as I settled into school and being around both the Slytherins and Gryffindors and I was finally getting used to everything. I was once again in Potions and had been partnered up with Ron our potion for the most part had gone well as I had stopped him from ruining anything a few times. Harry had been paired with my brother and I had been distracted listening to see how things were going, so I wasn't able to stop Ron from accidentally stirring the wrong direction which had affected the turn out. "Sorry Blair." Ron said shaking his head and looking into the cauldron, the potion, instead of being a light pink, was a deep maroon.
"It's alright Ron, don't worry." I said shrugging, there was nothing I could do about it now. When the class ended we left with Harry and Hermione. Classes seemed to drag by that day leading up to the break for the weekend, we did have some homework assigned out but not a ton. We were all done by the time dinner rolled around and we met up with Ginny at the Gryffindor table.
"I am ready for the weekend!" Ron sighed laying his head on the table, Hermione put a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll make it Ron." she said with a laugh.
"I wish it was a Hogsmead weekend." Harry said, and Ginny agreed.
"What's Hogsmead like?" I asked I had only been there the briefest of time when we arrived for school. The thought of going was exciting.
"It's great! Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, and Zonkos." Harry said happy in the memory of the last time he had been no doubt.
"I want to go, when is the next Hogsmead trip?" I asked, Hermione was about to respond when someone called my name.
"Blair!" a female voice called out just as we were leaving the great hall from dinner. Pansy had exited the great hall a little ways behind us and was moving toward me with a smile on her face.
"Oh, hey Pansy, what's going on?" I asked, everyone paused around me though they were a little awkward.
"Nothing much, I had just finished dinner and I missed you the last time you came to the dungeons, I thought we could hang out?" she asked.
"Sure." I said, then turned back to the others. "You guys can go on if you want, I'll meet you in the common room later."
"I'll stay." Ginny said, but Harry Ron and Hermione moved off calling out their goodbyes.
"Cool, I know we've met but not on the best terms, I"m Pansy." Pansy stuck out her hand towards Ginny, I was glad that she had stayed.
"Ginny." she said and they shook hands, I smiled it was great.
"Whats been going on with you?" I asked, we started walking towards the Slytherin common room.
"Nothing really, I'm curious has Blaise has said anything to you about Draco?" Pansy asked, and I was confused.
"What do you mean? Is he okay?" I asked, I hadn't really seen him enough to notice if anything was different.
"I don't know, I mean you know what happened to him over the summer right?" she asked sounding very serious, she sent a slightly concerned look toward Ginny, I could tell she wasn't sure about trusting her.
"I haven't." I said, completely curious.
"Blaise hasn't said anything?" she asked and I was just about to respond when Blaise arrived.
"BLAIR!" my brother appeared behind us catching up and interrupting our conversation, Draco was further behind talking to Theodore Nott.
"Blaise do you mind, Pansy was in the middle of telling me a story." I said turning to Pansy to continue.
"Sure, sorry." he said falling into step beside Ginny.
"Anyway I was just going to tell her about what happened to Draco this summer." Pansy said in a very serious and low tone, trying to be quiet about it.
"You mean his vacation." Blaise said pointedly, he sounded off a little bit, I looked over at him confused and saw him eyes wide and eyebrows raised at Pansy. So this was something he didn't want me to know.
"Are you hiding something from me?" I asked rather pointedly to my brother who looked sheepish for a moment.
"No of course not, it's just since it's Draco's business maybe it should be his decision on if he wants to tell you or not." he rushed out, it seemed like an excuse but he did have a point.
"I don't see why he wouldn't tell me but I guess you're right." I said pursing my lips and giving my brother a scowl.
"Well I guess you do have a point." Pansy seemed to be just take his comment in stride without much of a huff or anything, it was nice of her.
"I don't like that you're hiding things from me Blaise, I'm not stupid, I know you are." I said a little angry.
"Blair I'm not hiding anything." he said, but I knew better, I knew my twin as well as I knew myself and this was the face he made when he was lying.
"Well, this isn't awkward." Ginny said, as I stared down Blaise and neither of us said anything.
"Definitely not." Pansy said with just as much sarcasm.
"Come on girls lets go." I said angry with my brother now, and I stormed off, Ginny followed, Pansy hesitated for a moment. We altered course and spent our time in an empty classroom rather than either of our common rooms. Ginny and Pansy got on well and we had a great time and made plans to meet in the Slytherin common room the next morning.
Blaise POV
"Pansy how's Blair." I asked, the next morning when I saw her at breakfast, I wished that I didn't have to keep secrets from her, but our parents made me promise and I knew it was what was best for her. I did not want her to know Draco's secret and I knew he wouldn't either.
"She's pissed, I understand your decision but she'll find out eventually you know that right?" Pansy said then shrugged patted me on the shoulder. "She's waiting for me in the hall with Ginny, we're meeting in the common room.
"Hey mate, what's up?" Draco appeared beside me barely catching a glimpse of Pansy's back before she had left the hall. "What happened to Pansy?" he asked.
"Well yesterday I caught Pansy as she was about to share your experience this summer with Blair." I said, trying to say it quietly Draco's face blanched. I was honestly so concerned for my best friend, I didn't know how he was holding himself together. I still felt that there was more to what happened this summer that he hadn't told even me.
"Did you stop her?" he asked quickly, clearly concerned as he looked at the doors after where my Pansy had just gone.
"Of course I did, first off that's not anyones business to share, and second if she knew it would lead to other questions and we both promised." I said running a hand through my hair.
"Thank you, I just wish, I wish things were different." he said after a moment and we both stood to leave the great hall, this was not the place to be talking about these things.
"I do too, I'm next Draco and I know it, my father already wrote." I muttered as soon as we got out of the hall and were alone, keeping things quiet was the only way to keep my sister safe..
"I know, and he wants her Blaise." he said looking so fearful, I hated it, I knew we both did we shouldn't have even been in this situation.
"We have to try and be as normal as possible for Blair, so she doesn't find out." I said.
"You're right about that." Draco said.
"I think you're our best bet right now, she doesn't hate you yet. I'm the one she knows is keeping secrets from her." I said.
"What do you mean yet? She could never hate me." Draco said and I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood.
"Ha! I take that back, she hates you but not for anything current."
"Shut up mate, we were young and immature then, surely she has gotten over all of that." he paused then looked at me imploringly, "Right?"
"Yes she's probably over it, let's just get in the common room and see if we can smooth things over she's meeting Pansy there." I said moving a little faster towards the dungeons.
"She's not still that mad at you right?" Draco asked, and I paused a moment right in front of the entrance.
"Well it depends she could be cool about it or she could hex me into oblivion on sight." I muttered before I said the password and the door opened.
"I'll go first, just to be safe." Draco said putting a hand on my shoulder
"Try not to let her kill you, because I'd hate to have to find a new best mate." I joked and followed behind him into the common room.
Blair POV
We were talking amongst ourselves on the couches, Ginny had been given a few weird looks when she came in with me but Pansy effectively shut them up and quick. We had the day ahead of us and Pansy was busy trying to come up with plans
"Hey ladies." The cool, calm and collected voice of Draco Malfoy came into the room followed by Blaise.
"Hey Draco." I said, giving him a smile, though his presence made me immediately wonder what had really happened this summer. Again I took in the sight of him, recently it had been harder and harder to not see my brother's best friend as only that. He looked handsome in casual clothes, they fit him well, it was enough to tell that he had grown, he had definition. I blushed and cursed myself for thinking he was attractive and looked away.
"Ladies." he said, "do we have any plans for the day?" he asked casually, Blaise gave me a questioning look and I smiled, I could never stay mad at him for too long. I was determined to figure out what he was hiding of course, but I knew he had the best of intentions.
"I was thinking maybe a dip in the lake?" Pansy suggested and the thought was nice, it was still pleasantly warm outside.
"That sounds awesome!" Blaise said, "We'll go change right now and let some other people know."
"Did I hear someone say swimming?" Astoria came into the room and moved immediately to Draco's side.
"Yeah…" Draco said but he looked like he didn't really want her to come, I didn't either but there wasn't anything I could do about it.
"Perfect I'll get my swim suit." she said running off, Pansy stood up as well.
"I'll go get mine as well." Pansy said and moved away.
"Should we go get ours?" Ginny questioned.
"Nah, Accio swimsuits!" I did a quick spell so summon our swimsuits, we waited in the common room while everyone in Slytherin went to change into their swimsuits
"What in the bloody hell is going on!" Vincent Crabbe came through the entrance to the common room with two swimsuits wrapped around his head. At the sight both Ginny and I burst into hysterics, though the suits detangled themselves and flew to me almost as soon as he came through the door.
"Blair, good to see you." he said awkwardly after a moment, while we finished laughing, he was a little more socially awkward.
"Good to see you too, sorry about that!" I said when I finally finished laughing.
"BLAIR!" Pansy yelled out to me, and I could see her poking her head out of a dorm. "COME CHANGE UP HERE IN THE BATHROOM."
Ginny and I followed her up, earning even more glares from Slytherin girls that I didn't recognize, we made quick work of changing and I put my skirt back on over the swim suit. When we finally went back out there was a good size group that was going to go swimming with us. On the walk down we were a little ahead of Draco and Blaise just talking amongst ourselves.
"My legs are much longer than yours you know." Draco spoke from beside me it almost startled me.
"I wasn't trying to outpace you." I said with a laugh.
"We could beat everyone to the lake though." he said quickly with a carefree look on his face, and I realized in that moment that I hadn't seen that look on his face since before the summer.
"I guess so." I said, looking at Pansy and Ginny with a questioning look.
"Go on." Ginny said and Pansy gave a shooing motion, but I had no intention of leaving them behind. That was until Draco grabbed my hand and with a smile took off running yelling some sort of jab at Blaise as we ran.
"What are you doing Draco!" I yelled as he pulled me behind him, he just turned and sent me a breath taking smile. "DRACO!" I yelled again, now laughing and struggling to keep up. The warm air hitting my face as we ran was refreshing, I glanced back and saw Blaise running and tugging both Pansy and Ginny along with him.
"What was that all about?"
"Nothing just felt like running." he shrugged, I shoved him shaking my head and climbing up onto a rock that sat next to the lake. Blaise arrived with my two friends all panting and laughing.
"You know you can jump off that rock into the lake." Blaise said to me, and Draco jumped up on the rock beside me.
"Sometimes I don't understand you Draco Malfoy." I said shaking my head at him though I smiled.
"I don't know what you're talking about." he said with a funny look on his face which quickly transformed into his trade mark smirk.
"What now?" Ginny questioned from below.
"We get in the water obviously." Blaise said with a laugh.
Without much thought I decided to push Draco into the lake with his shirt still on, everyone finally made it to the lake and they all burst into laughter. He came up spluttering and looking entirely shocked.
"Blair! What on earth!" Draco exclaimed looking up at me shaking his head. "What are you just standing there for? Come in!" he yelled floating on his back as if he was truly having fun.
"Let me just take these off." I called back getting ready to get down to my swimsuit.
"That sounds nice." it surprised me a little, it almost sounded like he was flirting with me.
"Shut up!" I called back at him before kicking off my flats and tossing them down to land beside the rock and pulling my outer clothes off.
"Oi mate! That's my sister!" Blaise yelled, he just laughed in response I wondered what prompted that sort of response from Blaise.
"What?" I heard Astoria's voice question and saw her climb up onto the rock before I could turn around she had shoved me off and down into the water.
"HEY!" I heard Pansy yell before I hit the water, thoroughly surprised, I felt strong arms pulling me up in the water.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked shaking water out of his eyes, I pushed my own wet hair out of my face while I tried to tread water.
"I'm fine." I said sending a glare up the rock where Astoria was laughing, but not for long as Pansy and Ginny climbed up and shoved her off still with her outside clothes on.
"Thank you!" I called up and Draco and I laughed and swam away from the rock and towards where we could stand.
"I can't believe you pushed me in!" Draco said pretending to be serious.
"If I remember correctly you pushed me into a pond." I said recalling the day that he had shoved me into the dirty pond water.
"That's true, but you pushed me in too." he said, before Blaise joined us and we watched Many and Ginny jump of the rock one after the other.
"Hey you!" Astoria appeared swimming up to hold onto Draco's middle, it annoyed me.
"Hi." Draco said, and she let go swimming to be in the circle we were standing in, Pansy swam up and dunked her under the water with a laugh. Draco turned and splashed me full on in the face causing lake water to go into my mouth.
"Agh Prat!" I yelled before jumping forward and pushing him back into the water, he stumbled a bit and went in a tiny bit but not as far as I planned. He quickly grabbed me by the waist and pulling me over to where he could touch but I still couldn't. Still holding me by the waist he lifted me up a bit and tossed me out farther. I let out a slight shriek before going under again, however I came up with a vengeance splashing him with all my might causing an all out splashing war with everyone in the lake.
"Okay okay, I'm done." I lied to Draco feigning exhaustion, he smiled confidently puffing out his chest, moving closer to me. I was up to my waist in the water, and as soon as he got close enough I turned and splashed water full into his face and then Blaise shoved him back into the water. I exchanged high fives with my brother and a laugh before he turned on me and shoved me into the water as well. I swam as fast as I could away from him in the water laughing hysterically the whole time. Being fit from Quidditch he quickly caught up to be and grabbed me, however he tripped slightly just as I turned around. This action caused him to fall onto me every so slightly, but he caught me and steadied himself before we fell into the water. My arms were now wrapped around his neck and he was barely a hairs width away. I could see the water on his face, his blue eyes staring into mine we were both breathless. I could feel his warm breath on my face and the small water drops that fell from his hair. We were so close, I felt flushed, but was unable to tear my eyes away from his we just stayed like that for a moment before we were tackled into the water by Pansy and Ginny. Underwater I immediately pulled my arms from around his neck. We emerged from the water the spell broken and we both moved at least a step apart I could feel the heat moving up my neck. The encounter had slightly shaken me, I stood still in the waist deep in the water one arm across the front of my body holding onto the other.
Still feeling a little self conscious about the moment I had shared with Draco, the obvious flirting I moved toward the shore not realizing I was being followed by my two friends.
"It's such a nice day isn't it?" Pansy said moving out to sit in the grass, Ginny and I joined her and we sat back in the sun watching the others swim around.
"It really is." I replied, watching Draco move about in the water and Astoria shadow around him.
"I'm surprised we haven't upset the giant squid." Ginny said, startling me and I stopped watching Draco to stare at her in surprise.
"Giant Squid?" I asked sounding more than a little concerned.
"Yeah the giant squid that lives in the lake." Ginny said with a shrug moving her red hair over her shoulders.
"Why didn't anyone tell me there was a giant possibly dangerous creature in the lake!" I exclaimed, Pansy and Ginny just laughed.
"So do you want to tell us what was happening between you and Draco?" Pansy asked, and I felt the rush of heat to accompany my blush hit my face.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said quickly shaking it off, I didn't even really know how to answer that question anyway.
"You seemed, how do I put this, a little closer than usual." she said, and Ginny voiced her agreement.
"No such thing, we're just friends is all." I said, though I wondered if maybe they were right and I was wrong. Perhaps more than wondered and actually hoped there could be something more, but not entirely sure either way.
"Alright I guess I'll take your word on that one." Ginny said giving me a knowing smile. We sat for a while warming in the sun and I thought about what they had asked me. I remembered Draco's hands on my waist, the way his eyes had stared into mine, and I wondered if he saw me as anything but Blaise's sister. Did I even care how he thought about me? It was all just a little harmless flirting, Draco would always be a friend and nothing more, and I was almost sure of that, almost.