Author's note: sorry it took me so long to update. Break ended abruptly and I had to return to the real world. But here is chapter eight, and chapter nine should be coming soon. And, no, we are still not JK Rowling. She has better things to do than write fanfiction about her own characters.
8: In which Draco abruptly changes plans
By the time the promised two weeks were up, Blaise considered his promise to Draco completed. Though he had not snogged Weasley, nor had he attempted to do so, the two boys were at least on speaking terms. For Blaise, that was accomplishment enough. After all, he had gone into this expecting to be shunned and hurt, and he had come out with at least a casual friendship. In Blaise's book, that was good enough.
As Blaise had expected, Draco and Potter called to inform him that they would be returning a little later than expected. Blaise took advantage of the situation to tell Draco precisely what he thought of his so-called friend's scheme, though he had to avoid saying anything straight out, since Weasley was standing behind him the entire time. Still, by the time Blaise hung up, Weasley's mouth was hanging open with admiration at some of Blaise's more… choice phrases.
"Blimey," he said finally. "How do you know all of those?"
Blaise eyed him pityingly. "It's clear you never survived Slytherin," he answered dryly. "If you had, you would understand. Draco knows worse."
Weasley shook his head in amazement. "Remind me to tell my mum that next time she threatens to wash my mouth out for saying 'bloody hell'."
Blaise stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Oh, you sheltered child," he managed finally. "My mother would bless me if that was all I said."
Weasley grimaced. "You're lucky."
"No, not really," Blaise muttered without thinking.
Weasley frowned. "What?"
Hurriedly, Blaise shook his head. "Never mind."
Wealsey looked at him for a long moment, then shrugged. Changing the subject, he nodded towards the phone. "What did he do, anyway?"
"Who, Draco?"
Weasley nodded.
Blaise shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary. He's just being Draco."
"I don't see how anyone can be friends with him," Weasley muttered under his breath. "He's a git."
"He invited you along, didn't he?" Blaise shot back, stung by Weasley's casual assessment of Draco, forgetting that he'd been thinking worse himself only moments before.
"Harry invited me," Weasley corrected. "There's a difference."
"You're here, at least. Wouldn't you rather be here than at your house?"
Weasley rounded on him, his lips tight. "What exactly do you mean by that?" he asked tightly, his fists clenching.
Blaise, ignoring the slight wrenching in his belly, sighed. "Must you be so touchy about everything? Surely you enjoy getting away from your family occasionally. I know I do."
Weasley eyed him for a long moment, then slowly relaxed his body. "Oh." He didn't apologize. Blaise hadn't expected him to.
"How long will they be gone?" Weasley asked, changing the subject again.
Blaise shrugged, secretly relieved to sidestep any mention of his mother. "He said three days. Knowing Draco, we should plan on another week, at least."
Weasley sighed. "Why do I get the feeling he's enjoying seeing us suffer?"
"Maybe because he is," Blaise replied tartly. "It's Draco's style."
"And yet you're still his friend. Why?"
Blaise sighed. How to answer such a question? Finally, he shrugged. "It's… complicated."
"I'm sure I can handle it."
Blaise rolled his eyes. "It's less a question of you handling it than my not particularly wanting to talk about it."
He knew instantly that it was the wrong thing to have said. Weasley's eyes brightened and his face became insistent. "It can't be that bad, surely!"
Later, Blaise would tell himself that he was only trying to get Weasley off his back. He would insist that he'd done it out of self defense, not because he couldn't help himself. It would be a lie, though. As he opened his mouth to speak, he only thought of making Weasley happy, of making those beautiful brown eyes watch him and smile as he told his story.