Dream Connections
Chapter 6; part 1
Friday morning Harry awoke with a start. Another one of those damn dreams had invaded his sleep and it was at a particularly heated moment when three little words had been spoken.
"I love you."
Harry wasn't quite sure whether he had said it or Draco, but it had shocked him into consciousness. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and reached for his glasses. He looked at the clock on the wall... 6:30... He might as well get up. Yawning widely, he stretched his muscles and crawled from the bed.
Taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Harry thought about his dreams. He didn't understand them at all. They had suddenly started occurring nightly at the beginning of the school year. No... It was earlier than that. They had started a few weeks before school started. Each night the dream was different in a sense although it was always the same boy.
Harry knew Malfoy was handsome, sexy even... everyone knew that. What he couldn't figure out, however, was when he had started to like the spoiled brat. It wasn't just attraction, he knew that much. It was more of an infatuation with the boy as a whole... his looks, his attitude, the way he curled his lips into a half smile when Pansy made a joke, the way he blushed slightly when he caught Harry looking at him... the way he sucked the... WHOA...
Harry forcibly stopped that train of thought from going any further. He had been getting aroused and refused to take another cold shower. Gathering his books, he made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
The tables were pretty much empty except for a few early risers in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Apparently Gryffindors and Slytherins were not exactly eager to start that day. There was one lone Slytherin at the breakfast table, and when Harry saw him he hurried over to speak to him... Blaise Zabini.
As he hurried the length of the room, Zabini caught his eye and smiled brightly. Ignoring everything else around him, Harry rushed to see his crush accidentally bumping into someone on his way.
"Harry! I have so much to tell you, come on." Ginny Weasley's red head popped into view as she stopped him in his tracks. Harry scowled at her for the umpteenth time that week. She always seemed to pop up anytime he was going to talk to Blaise. He didn't want to send her away since she so obviously wanted to talk to him, so instead he sent a glance over to Blaise and shrugged in a way that said 'Oh well.'
Harry wasn't even sure what the redhead was chattering so excitedly about as he sat down to breakfast with her. He just nodded occasionally, wishing he could've been talking to Blaise instead.
Harry's mind paused a moment... He liked Blaise... that was obvious. So why were his dreams about Malfoy? He shook his head distractedly and tried not to think about that. He knew that the dreams would never come true and he had to be more realistic. Malfoy was a dream, but Blaise was reality.
"Ginny, quit talking Harry's ear off." Ron plopped down at the table next to Harry, slapping him heartily on the back in the process. "You know he isn't listening."
"Shut up, Ron." Hermione sat on the opposite side of the table from Ron, next to Ginny. "Ginny can talk to Harry if she feels like it. He obviously isn't stopping her."
Ron immediately shut up... Harry laughed mentally as he saw how whipped his friend was. They had barely started to date and already Hermione had Ron in check. He smiled at his two friends and returned to eating his breakfast, looking up occasionally to look over at the Slytherin table where Blaise had been joined by Malfoy and Parkinson. They looked as though they were threatening him and Harry didn't like that one bit.
The raven haired boy was seriously considering walking over to defend his... whatever Blaise was... but was interrupted by the morning post. A large gray owl flew directly to Harry, dropping a letter into his bowl of strawberries before flying off.
Opening the letter cautiously, Harry silently read its content...
//Dear Harry,
I know we haven't had much time to get to know each other. I've tried to meet up with you several times this week, but something or someone always interferes. I wanted to let you know that I really like you as a person and am extremely attracted to you. If you would be willing, I'd like to become more than friends. If you'd come to the Slytherin party tonight I would be greatly pleased. Your friends are more than welcome to attend as well. I hope to see you tonight... Please be prepared with an answer because I plan on asking you tonight to be my boyfriend.
Sincerely yours,
Blaise I. Zabini//
Harry glanced up, meeting Blaise's gaze who nodded in acknowledgement. He giggled as he saw Pansy pull Blaise's long black hair, frowning viciously. Then he noticed Draco's expression of sheer horror and rage. He looked away, unable to look at that face anymore, knowing that Draco probably was outraged that his associate wanted to be involved with a Gryffindor... Harry Potter at that...
Focusing on something other than the look on Malfoy's face, Harry turned to look back at the letter... Blaise I. Zabini... He wondered what the 'I' stood for and decided to ask at their next meeting. Frowning, he thought about when their next meeting would be... probably at the party, but there was no privacy there... it didn't matter, Harry was excited.
*~*
Ginny heaved a sigh of relief as she reflected upon this last week. She distinctly remembered that Malfoy didn't want Harry and Blaise near each other, so she had tried her hardest to keep them from meeting up. It was difficult tailing Harry without being obvious, but she had done a remarkable job if she said so herself (and she did). Finally it was Friday and most of her work was done, at least she thought so. She wasn't sure what else she'd have to do, but she was fairly confident that the most difficult and tedious of her tasks was over with. Now it was time to meet up with Malfoy.
Red hair curled gently around her face, swaying as she bobbed her head. She had been checking her watch all day and finally it was over, the feast that is. The annual Halloween feast in the Great Hall had been fabulous as ever, but Ginny was relieved that it was over. She knew that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the others planned on going back to their rooms to get ready before heading down to the Slytherin party. So, in order to keep an hour ahead of the rest, she had to wear her party clothes under her robes at the feast.
Ginny wore a short black skirt with a cerulean blue shirt that had one shoulder and looked torn in places. Her mother would never approve of such an outfit in a million years and that was EXACTLY why she was wearing it. She was shivering under her robes, half from the cold, half from anticipation. As she rubbed her arms, she watched Hermione turn back to call to her.
"Don't worry, Mione. I'll meet you and the others at the party. I have something to do." Ginny watched Hermione turn away returning to the group that was heading back to the tower. She didn't notice a dark figure looming behind her and jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning quickly she found herself looking into the sneering face of Draco Malfoy.
"Good job, Weaselette." Draco grinned evilly at the small red-head. "Let's go, we have a little more work to do in preparation. He turned away, heading toward the Slytherin common room and obviously expected her to follow. So, heaving a sigh and shivering slightly once more, Ginny traced Malfoy's figure through the crowd toward what felt like her doom.
*~*
Harry walked silently back to Gryffindor tower. He was brooding and he knew that eventually Ron and Hermione would confront him on it. So, after dressing quickly, he waited in the common room for them to come to him. He sat slumped into one of their usual chairs in the corner of the room, thinking about the last time he had talked to Hermione. Things hadn't gone so badly, but then Ron wasn't with her that time...
Harry shook his head as he thought about what he'd say, first to Ron and Hermione, then to Blaise. Was he ready to start a relationship with Blaise? Maybe... but what about Malfoy? Wouldn't everyone else be upset too?
The raven-haired boy never finished his train of thought for Ron came bounding over, obviously excited. "Can you believe it, Mate?! WE are going to a SLYTHERIN party! I wonder what it will be like." He grinned at his friend, oblivious to the reflective mood he was in.
"I thought you were the one who didn't even want to go at first." Harry drawled, clearly amused at the sudden turnabout in his friend's feelings toward the party. "I could've sworn you even accused your own little sister of being 'in leagues' with the Slytherins."
Ron blushed and was about to speak when he saw Harry's jaw drop. Harry was looking somewhere over his friend's shoulder and so, turning to see what was going on, Ron saw the most incredible sight in the world... Hermione.
Hermione seemed to float down the stairs on clouds. Well, that's what fit the angel description in Ron's head... Her hair was straightened and was clipped up (so as to avoid it sticking to her neck while dancing... sweat... uggh.). She wore a pair of tight black pants, fashionable flats (for dancing), and a red off-the-shoulders shirt that clung to her curves.
"Wow." Harry and Ron whispered in unison as Hermione approached. The red- head gulped and leaned in to kiss his girlfriend. She turned, giving him the cheek. "Ahem, don't even think you are going to mess up my lip gloss, Mr. Weasley."
That was when Harry really took a look at his friend. She was wearing muggle make-up that he recognized as eye shadow, eye liner, lip-liner, and lip gloss. She looked wonderful... she even had a little glitter near her eyes that made her brown eyes really seem to sparkle. Ron seemed to notice it too, for his jaw had dropped as well and Harry thought he'd start drooling soon if he didn't close his mouth.
Hermione shifted her attention to Harry and he remembered that he would have to explain (at least to Hermione) why he hadn't spoken after the feast. "Well..." She began, expecting Harry to know what she was going to say.
"I know." Harry bit his lip. "Now is the time that all will be revealed." He meant to say it half jokingly, but it came out bitter and painful. Ron frowned at him and shook his head, gesturing to the seats next to Harry's.
"I suppose we'll have to sit down for this one." Ron quipped, a little more darkly than he meant to. "So, what is it that you need to tell us? I'm gonna take a wild shot in the dark here and say that it has to do with Saturday."
"Got it in one, Ron." Harry never expected Ron to have figured it out so soon. He normally doesn't pick up on those things.
"Really?! My second guess was going to be that it was about the person in your dream on Sunday." He grinned slyly at Harry.
"What?! NO!!" Harry scowled at Ron and then looked at his watch. They needed to be heading to the dungeons in about a half an hour. He hoped that was enough time. "Let me just get this out. First of all, Ron, I'm gay... well, at least bi, but I'm not completely sure on that. Hermione, you already know that." He looked at Ron who had turned a shade of red that topped even his hair. He looked at his hands, waiting for an explosion that never came.
"Alright, Mate, we don't have time to talk about that now. Get on with the rest of it and we'll talk about that later... much later. Rest assured though, we WILL talk about it!" Ron tried to look supportive and waited expectantly for Harry to finish.
When Harry finally regained his senses (he hadn't known Ron could be so mature about that kind of stuff... although he knew that Bill was gay...), he once again resumed his story. "Well, there is this guy that I really like. He was the one I met that day for butterbeers... the reason I wasn't here when you two got back."
Hermione nodded encouragingly and Ron shot her a look that said 'you know who it is, don't you?' and frowned when she flashed him a knowing smile. "Yes, Ron, I know about this already. I told you he'd tell you in his own time. He is apparently ready now, so pay attention." Ron turned his attention back to Harry and nodded his consent for the boy to continue.
"Well, that owl that I got today..." Harry paused, looking pleadingly at his two friends, "was his asking me to be his boyfriend. He expects an answer tonight and I kind of wanted your opinion before I do anything." He waited for some kind of response and noticed the looks of surprise on the couple's faces.
Hermione broke out of her shock induced stupor first and smiled encouragingly at Harry. "If that is what you want and is what will make you happy. I say go for it." He grinned broadly, wrapping his arms around Hermione's shoulders.
"Thank you so very much, Mione. You know I appreciate your support." Harry pulled away from the girl and turned to his other friend. Ron was still stuck on stupid... the information hadn't seemed to have registered just yet.
A few minutes passed and Harry checked his watch again. "Fifteen minutes... Ron I need a response from you. Please..." At his pleading, Ron seemed to come back to his senses, blinking a few times.
"Wha... What... I mean... Who is he?" Ron stumbled through his words, still trying to comprehend all that his friend was telling him. "And is it going to be an open relationship? Will everyone know about it?"
Despite how calm Ron had been earlier, Harry KNEW that there would be an explosion coming now. "It's... Blaise Zabini... and I really don't know about the rest of that."
"WHAT?!?!" Ron screamed, gaining the attention of the entire common room. "What the bloody hell were... are... you thinking?! Slytherin, Harry, SLYTHERIN..." Hermione giggled, but quieted immediately when Ron sent her a withering look.
"Ron, listen." Harry began. "You've gotta think about it. Blaise has never done anything to us in the past. He always stayed in the background of things. That was always Malfoy and his lot that started stuff. I can't remember one time that Blaise did anything against me or you for that matter. He didn't even sing 'Weasley is our king', if I remember correctly."
Ron thought about if for a moment before nodding. "You're right."
Hermione and Harry's jaws dropped in utter shock. Ron agreed. Ronald Weasley, the infamous Slytherin-hating spokesman of Gryffindor tower, agreed that Blaise hadn't done anything wrong toward Harry or the others.
"But..." Harry's shock dissipated as he heard Ron begin to speak again, "that really doesn't mean he isn't an evil git like the rest of them. He might just be their ace in the hole." Hermione laughed remembering the time she had spent that summer teaching him about poker. "They've probably been saving him up just for something like this. They're sneaky little bastards, the whole lot of them. You can take my word on that one... He is up to no good."
Harry frowned, unsure of what to do next. He needed an answer prepared in the next five minutes. "Ron, I really like him. Now, I won't say yes if you really don't approve, but I just want you to know that I think I can be really happy with him. I spent hardly any time with him Saturday and already I'm happier than I've been since... well... y'know."
Ron sighed. Harry just had to play the Sirius card, didn't he? He knew that his friend was severely hurt by the whole thing, but to use that now?! Ron had been sent on a guilt trip and he knew it. "Fine... Say yes. I won't say that I approve, but it's your decision and I'm not going to stop you from being happy again. You deserve all the happiness you can get." He frowned. "We WILL talk about all this later though!"
Harry threw his arms around Ron's neck... then remembering himself pulled away quickly and began flattening his hair nervously. Ron laughed at his friend and stood up...
"Well, I guess we'd better get going. We wouldn't want to keep the Slytherins waiting, would we?" Ron couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but that didn't daunt Harry. He was going to be Blaise I. Zabini's boyfriend! He still wondered what that damn "I" stood for...
*~*
Ginny relaxed a little once the party started about fifteen minutes after her and Draco's arrival. He had led her into his rooms immediately. Once inside, he took her robe, nodding approvingly at her outfit. He congratulated her on completing the most difficult of her tasks... getting Harry to come and keeping him away from Blaise. He seemed a bit miffed about something until Pansy assured him it would further the effectiveness of the plan.
Ginny now stood in the middle of the common room, a drink in hand, looking for Blaise. Her final tasks were to give Blaise that drink and to stick close to him for the rest of the night. "Oh," Malfoy had said, "drink some yourself and have fun while you're at it. This IS a party."
Looking around the room, Ginny saw Blaise sitting on a couch facing the door and apparently waiting on someone. Malfoy had told her to give the drink to him as soon as possible, so she figured there was no hesitating allowed on her part. She walked calmly over to the object of her affection and sat down primly next to him. "Hey, Blaise, would you like a drink?" She smiled sweetly at him and offered him the cup.
Blaise eyed the drink for a moment, glancing between it and Ginny suspiciously. When he had evidently deemed it and/or Ginny free of any mal- intent, he shrugged casually and took the drink. "Thanks, Weasley... I mean... It's Ginny, isn't it?" He nodded satisfactorily when she confirmed that it was her name. "Well, I get the feeling that we are going to be spending a lot of time together, so we might as well get friendly, eh?"
Ginny melted as Blaise sent her a seducing smile. She watched heatedly as he downed half the drink, placing the cup on the table. He turned back to engage her in conversation, making her job extremely easy. She picked up the drink and finished it off. Neither one of them noticed the look of glee that crossed Draco Malfoy's face.
*~*
Pansy was right again! The Weaselette was working out perfectly! Draco was ecstatic that his plan was unfolding according to his will. He could kiss Pansy for coming up with such a magnificent idea. He walked over to Pansy who was avidly watching the door (probably for Seamus) and wrapped her into a warm embrace.
"I love that mind of yours, Pan. You know that right?"
"Of course, I'm the brains of this outfit."
"And I suppose that makes me the beauty."
"Only in your dreams, Dray."
"No, in my dreams, I'm fucking Harry Potter."
"Or are you getting fucked by Mr. Potter?"
"How did you know about that?!"
"I guessed... you're too delicate not to be bottom."
"Ha! I'll show you delicate, you trollop!"
"Whore of Babylon!"
"Scarlet Woman!"
"Arse-plunging piece of spooge-gone-wrong!"
"Ouch, Pan, that hurt."
"I know, poor baby, but look." Pansy pointed at the couch where Ginny and Blaise had been sitting, chatting merrily.
It appeared that Ginny and Blaise had become a little more intimate. They were cuddled on one end of the couch, snogging mercilessly. "Aww," Draco cooed, "look at the cute little kiddies. That drink really does do magic, how else would Zabini snog the Weaselette?" He smiled to himself as he hummed a muggle song he had heard once... "Love Potion Number 9"...
*~*
Harry's heart beat wildly in his chest as he, Hermione, Ron, Seamus, and Dean approached the Slytherin common room. He was too nervous to even think straight, instead babbling about how great the party would be.
Seamus gave Harry a knowing smile and a wink, nudging Dean in the side. He had overheard part of Ron's yelling and had figured out that the Golden Boy liked someone in Slytherin. Smiling slyly, he leaned over to whisper into Dean's ear... "I think we're gonna find out who he was dreaming about."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione glared at the two boys whispering and giggling behind them. "So, does this mean you two are official?" Ron smirked at the two as they turned bright red.
"No, Mate. I don't want Seam-rock here anymore. I want you!" Dean wrapped his arms around Ron's waist, smiling devilishly.
Hermione's laughter rang through the halls, much to Ron's dismay. "Don't worry, Ron... and, Dean, what would Parvati say?" She knew that Dean and Parvati had been secretly dating each other since school started. This was, of course, after Ginny had brutally dumped him over the summer.
Dean had the decency to look properly chastised and hung his head in shame. "I was just kidding around." He laughed, however, as Harry slapped him on the back.
"At least now Seamus knows you're not out to deflower him, in one way or another." The friendly conversation was easing the butterflies in Harry's stomach considerably.
"I know, but that ruins my fun." Dean pouted. "Next time I was going to announce that I wanted to baptize him." (A/N: Inside joke)
Harry's laughter subsided as he realized that they had reached the common room and the entrance had opened, allowing them inside. He stepped cautiously into the room, stomach rolling in nervous energy. Looking around for Blaise, he stepped farther into the room. He spotted Malfoy standing near the wall with Parkinson, both were eyeing him. He thought he saw some emotion flicker in Malfoy's eyes, but dismissed it as poor lighting.
As Harry's eyes roamed the room, he saw people paired up already. There were couples snogging against the walls, on the floor, in the stairways... on the couch. As his gaze fell upon the couple on the couch, his heart clenched and his lungs seemed to constrict... he couldn't breathe. He saw the red hair first, but what kept his eyes glued to the spot was the magnificent male that was kissing his would-be little sister... Blaise.
Confused and feeling utterly alone, Harry froze on the spot. Hermione bumped into his back as he stopped walking abruptly. "Hey, Harry, what's wrong?" She followed his line of vision and saw what was wrong. "Oh my goodness... Harry, it's okay." She tried to wrap him into a hug but he was already gone, fleeing from the room in tears.
"Holy shit!"
Ron had obviously just seen what was on the couch.
*~*
Draco and Pansy expected their special guests to arrive at any moment, so they stood watching the door patiently. As it opened after just a few moments to admit the five Gryffindors, Draco let his eyes drift over the bunch. They all looked great... he had to admit... even the Weasel.
The four boys all wore black slacks and nice shoes... surprisingly enough. Thomas, Finnegan, and Weasley wore matching tight-knit red sweaters. Weasley's matched his hair quite nicely... Harry, however, wore a gold sweater just like the others' red ones. The Golden Boy... how appropriate...
Granger made Draco do a double take with her outfit. He never thought the day would come when he would admire a mudblood. "Wow," he muttered softly, the word just reaching Pansy's ears.
"He does look amazing, doesn't he, Dray?" Pansy whispered excitedly in his ear, causing him to turn in shock.
"I was talking about Granger and her outfit. She actually looks nice for once. Harry, of course, looks ravishing." Draco turned his eyes back to Harry catching his eye momentarily. He smiled inwardly as a warm feeling filled his heart. He simply HAD to have that boy.
"I was talking about Seamus..." Pansy muttered under her breath.
Draco laughed at Pansy quietly, but stopped immediately as he saw Harry tense. The blonde boy watched Granger bump into Harry and speak to him quietly, peeking around his shoulder. Then he saw tears start to roll down the boy wonder's cheeks as he ran from the room.
Draco stood perfectly still as he heard Weasley say, 'Oh shit!" He started as Pansy nudged him (none too subtly). "Now," she said pointedly, "is the part where you run after him." She pushed him in the direction of the door, calling after him as he started to run. "I'll take care of his friends..."
*~*~*
(A/N): Ummm, this was getting waaaaay too long... so I decided to cut it off right here and finish the party scenes in another posting... This is already like ten pages on my computer, so... ANYWAY... thanks for all your reviews... *Author does a dance singing "I've got forty revieeeeews, I've got forty revieeeeews*... Give me more... please. Oh yeah, and before I forget... Thanks to my buddy and beta, N.C. PsyChick... she is one cool person... (That's my niggrah ^__^)... REVIEW!!!!
Chapter 6; part 1
Friday morning Harry awoke with a start. Another one of those damn dreams had invaded his sleep and it was at a particularly heated moment when three little words had been spoken.
"I love you."
Harry wasn't quite sure whether he had said it or Draco, but it had shocked him into consciousness. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and reached for his glasses. He looked at the clock on the wall... 6:30... He might as well get up. Yawning widely, he stretched his muscles and crawled from the bed.
Taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Harry thought about his dreams. He didn't understand them at all. They had suddenly started occurring nightly at the beginning of the school year. No... It was earlier than that. They had started a few weeks before school started. Each night the dream was different in a sense although it was always the same boy.
Harry knew Malfoy was handsome, sexy even... everyone knew that. What he couldn't figure out, however, was when he had started to like the spoiled brat. It wasn't just attraction, he knew that much. It was more of an infatuation with the boy as a whole... his looks, his attitude, the way he curled his lips into a half smile when Pansy made a joke, the way he blushed slightly when he caught Harry looking at him... the way he sucked the... WHOA...
Harry forcibly stopped that train of thought from going any further. He had been getting aroused and refused to take another cold shower. Gathering his books, he made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
The tables were pretty much empty except for a few early risers in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Apparently Gryffindors and Slytherins were not exactly eager to start that day. There was one lone Slytherin at the breakfast table, and when Harry saw him he hurried over to speak to him... Blaise Zabini.
As he hurried the length of the room, Zabini caught his eye and smiled brightly. Ignoring everything else around him, Harry rushed to see his crush accidentally bumping into someone on his way.
"Harry! I have so much to tell you, come on." Ginny Weasley's red head popped into view as she stopped him in his tracks. Harry scowled at her for the umpteenth time that week. She always seemed to pop up anytime he was going to talk to Blaise. He didn't want to send her away since she so obviously wanted to talk to him, so instead he sent a glance over to Blaise and shrugged in a way that said 'Oh well.'
Harry wasn't even sure what the redhead was chattering so excitedly about as he sat down to breakfast with her. He just nodded occasionally, wishing he could've been talking to Blaise instead.
Harry's mind paused a moment... He liked Blaise... that was obvious. So why were his dreams about Malfoy? He shook his head distractedly and tried not to think about that. He knew that the dreams would never come true and he had to be more realistic. Malfoy was a dream, but Blaise was reality.
"Ginny, quit talking Harry's ear off." Ron plopped down at the table next to Harry, slapping him heartily on the back in the process. "You know he isn't listening."
"Shut up, Ron." Hermione sat on the opposite side of the table from Ron, next to Ginny. "Ginny can talk to Harry if she feels like it. He obviously isn't stopping her."
Ron immediately shut up... Harry laughed mentally as he saw how whipped his friend was. They had barely started to date and already Hermione had Ron in check. He smiled at his two friends and returned to eating his breakfast, looking up occasionally to look over at the Slytherin table where Blaise had been joined by Malfoy and Parkinson. They looked as though they were threatening him and Harry didn't like that one bit.
The raven haired boy was seriously considering walking over to defend his... whatever Blaise was... but was interrupted by the morning post. A large gray owl flew directly to Harry, dropping a letter into his bowl of strawberries before flying off.
Opening the letter cautiously, Harry silently read its content...
//Dear Harry,
I know we haven't had much time to get to know each other. I've tried to meet up with you several times this week, but something or someone always interferes. I wanted to let you know that I really like you as a person and am extremely attracted to you. If you would be willing, I'd like to become more than friends. If you'd come to the Slytherin party tonight I would be greatly pleased. Your friends are more than welcome to attend as well. I hope to see you tonight... Please be prepared with an answer because I plan on asking you tonight to be my boyfriend.
Sincerely yours,
Blaise I. Zabini//
Harry glanced up, meeting Blaise's gaze who nodded in acknowledgement. He giggled as he saw Pansy pull Blaise's long black hair, frowning viciously. Then he noticed Draco's expression of sheer horror and rage. He looked away, unable to look at that face anymore, knowing that Draco probably was outraged that his associate wanted to be involved with a Gryffindor... Harry Potter at that...
Focusing on something other than the look on Malfoy's face, Harry turned to look back at the letter... Blaise I. Zabini... He wondered what the 'I' stood for and decided to ask at their next meeting. Frowning, he thought about when their next meeting would be... probably at the party, but there was no privacy there... it didn't matter, Harry was excited.
*~*
Ginny heaved a sigh of relief as she reflected upon this last week. She distinctly remembered that Malfoy didn't want Harry and Blaise near each other, so she had tried her hardest to keep them from meeting up. It was difficult tailing Harry without being obvious, but she had done a remarkable job if she said so herself (and she did). Finally it was Friday and most of her work was done, at least she thought so. She wasn't sure what else she'd have to do, but she was fairly confident that the most difficult and tedious of her tasks was over with. Now it was time to meet up with Malfoy.
Red hair curled gently around her face, swaying as she bobbed her head. She had been checking her watch all day and finally it was over, the feast that is. The annual Halloween feast in the Great Hall had been fabulous as ever, but Ginny was relieved that it was over. She knew that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the others planned on going back to their rooms to get ready before heading down to the Slytherin party. So, in order to keep an hour ahead of the rest, she had to wear her party clothes under her robes at the feast.
Ginny wore a short black skirt with a cerulean blue shirt that had one shoulder and looked torn in places. Her mother would never approve of such an outfit in a million years and that was EXACTLY why she was wearing it. She was shivering under her robes, half from the cold, half from anticipation. As she rubbed her arms, she watched Hermione turn back to call to her.
"Don't worry, Mione. I'll meet you and the others at the party. I have something to do." Ginny watched Hermione turn away returning to the group that was heading back to the tower. She didn't notice a dark figure looming behind her and jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning quickly she found herself looking into the sneering face of Draco Malfoy.
"Good job, Weaselette." Draco grinned evilly at the small red-head. "Let's go, we have a little more work to do in preparation. He turned away, heading toward the Slytherin common room and obviously expected her to follow. So, heaving a sigh and shivering slightly once more, Ginny traced Malfoy's figure through the crowd toward what felt like her doom.
*~*
Harry walked silently back to Gryffindor tower. He was brooding and he knew that eventually Ron and Hermione would confront him on it. So, after dressing quickly, he waited in the common room for them to come to him. He sat slumped into one of their usual chairs in the corner of the room, thinking about the last time he had talked to Hermione. Things hadn't gone so badly, but then Ron wasn't with her that time...
Harry shook his head as he thought about what he'd say, first to Ron and Hermione, then to Blaise. Was he ready to start a relationship with Blaise? Maybe... but what about Malfoy? Wouldn't everyone else be upset too?
The raven-haired boy never finished his train of thought for Ron came bounding over, obviously excited. "Can you believe it, Mate?! WE are going to a SLYTHERIN party! I wonder what it will be like." He grinned at his friend, oblivious to the reflective mood he was in.
"I thought you were the one who didn't even want to go at first." Harry drawled, clearly amused at the sudden turnabout in his friend's feelings toward the party. "I could've sworn you even accused your own little sister of being 'in leagues' with the Slytherins."
Ron blushed and was about to speak when he saw Harry's jaw drop. Harry was looking somewhere over his friend's shoulder and so, turning to see what was going on, Ron saw the most incredible sight in the world... Hermione.
Hermione seemed to float down the stairs on clouds. Well, that's what fit the angel description in Ron's head... Her hair was straightened and was clipped up (so as to avoid it sticking to her neck while dancing... sweat... uggh.). She wore a pair of tight black pants, fashionable flats (for dancing), and a red off-the-shoulders shirt that clung to her curves.
"Wow." Harry and Ron whispered in unison as Hermione approached. The red- head gulped and leaned in to kiss his girlfriend. She turned, giving him the cheek. "Ahem, don't even think you are going to mess up my lip gloss, Mr. Weasley."
That was when Harry really took a look at his friend. She was wearing muggle make-up that he recognized as eye shadow, eye liner, lip-liner, and lip gloss. She looked wonderful... she even had a little glitter near her eyes that made her brown eyes really seem to sparkle. Ron seemed to notice it too, for his jaw had dropped as well and Harry thought he'd start drooling soon if he didn't close his mouth.
Hermione shifted her attention to Harry and he remembered that he would have to explain (at least to Hermione) why he hadn't spoken after the feast. "Well..." She began, expecting Harry to know what she was going to say.
"I know." Harry bit his lip. "Now is the time that all will be revealed." He meant to say it half jokingly, but it came out bitter and painful. Ron frowned at him and shook his head, gesturing to the seats next to Harry's.
"I suppose we'll have to sit down for this one." Ron quipped, a little more darkly than he meant to. "So, what is it that you need to tell us? I'm gonna take a wild shot in the dark here and say that it has to do with Saturday."
"Got it in one, Ron." Harry never expected Ron to have figured it out so soon. He normally doesn't pick up on those things.
"Really?! My second guess was going to be that it was about the person in your dream on Sunday." He grinned slyly at Harry.
"What?! NO!!" Harry scowled at Ron and then looked at his watch. They needed to be heading to the dungeons in about a half an hour. He hoped that was enough time. "Let me just get this out. First of all, Ron, I'm gay... well, at least bi, but I'm not completely sure on that. Hermione, you already know that." He looked at Ron who had turned a shade of red that topped even his hair. He looked at his hands, waiting for an explosion that never came.
"Alright, Mate, we don't have time to talk about that now. Get on with the rest of it and we'll talk about that later... much later. Rest assured though, we WILL talk about it!" Ron tried to look supportive and waited expectantly for Harry to finish.
When Harry finally regained his senses (he hadn't known Ron could be so mature about that kind of stuff... although he knew that Bill was gay...), he once again resumed his story. "Well, there is this guy that I really like. He was the one I met that day for butterbeers... the reason I wasn't here when you two got back."
Hermione nodded encouragingly and Ron shot her a look that said 'you know who it is, don't you?' and frowned when she flashed him a knowing smile. "Yes, Ron, I know about this already. I told you he'd tell you in his own time. He is apparently ready now, so pay attention." Ron turned his attention back to Harry and nodded his consent for the boy to continue.
"Well, that owl that I got today..." Harry paused, looking pleadingly at his two friends, "was his asking me to be his boyfriend. He expects an answer tonight and I kind of wanted your opinion before I do anything." He waited for some kind of response and noticed the looks of surprise on the couple's faces.
Hermione broke out of her shock induced stupor first and smiled encouragingly at Harry. "If that is what you want and is what will make you happy. I say go for it." He grinned broadly, wrapping his arms around Hermione's shoulders.
"Thank you so very much, Mione. You know I appreciate your support." Harry pulled away from the girl and turned to his other friend. Ron was still stuck on stupid... the information hadn't seemed to have registered just yet.
A few minutes passed and Harry checked his watch again. "Fifteen minutes... Ron I need a response from you. Please..." At his pleading, Ron seemed to come back to his senses, blinking a few times.
"Wha... What... I mean... Who is he?" Ron stumbled through his words, still trying to comprehend all that his friend was telling him. "And is it going to be an open relationship? Will everyone know about it?"
Despite how calm Ron had been earlier, Harry KNEW that there would be an explosion coming now. "It's... Blaise Zabini... and I really don't know about the rest of that."
"WHAT?!?!" Ron screamed, gaining the attention of the entire common room. "What the bloody hell were... are... you thinking?! Slytherin, Harry, SLYTHERIN..." Hermione giggled, but quieted immediately when Ron sent her a withering look.
"Ron, listen." Harry began. "You've gotta think about it. Blaise has never done anything to us in the past. He always stayed in the background of things. That was always Malfoy and his lot that started stuff. I can't remember one time that Blaise did anything against me or you for that matter. He didn't even sing 'Weasley is our king', if I remember correctly."
Ron thought about if for a moment before nodding. "You're right."
Hermione and Harry's jaws dropped in utter shock. Ron agreed. Ronald Weasley, the infamous Slytherin-hating spokesman of Gryffindor tower, agreed that Blaise hadn't done anything wrong toward Harry or the others.
"But..." Harry's shock dissipated as he heard Ron begin to speak again, "that really doesn't mean he isn't an evil git like the rest of them. He might just be their ace in the hole." Hermione laughed remembering the time she had spent that summer teaching him about poker. "They've probably been saving him up just for something like this. They're sneaky little bastards, the whole lot of them. You can take my word on that one... He is up to no good."
Harry frowned, unsure of what to do next. He needed an answer prepared in the next five minutes. "Ron, I really like him. Now, I won't say yes if you really don't approve, but I just want you to know that I think I can be really happy with him. I spent hardly any time with him Saturday and already I'm happier than I've been since... well... y'know."
Ron sighed. Harry just had to play the Sirius card, didn't he? He knew that his friend was severely hurt by the whole thing, but to use that now?! Ron had been sent on a guilt trip and he knew it. "Fine... Say yes. I won't say that I approve, but it's your decision and I'm not going to stop you from being happy again. You deserve all the happiness you can get." He frowned. "We WILL talk about all this later though!"
Harry threw his arms around Ron's neck... then remembering himself pulled away quickly and began flattening his hair nervously. Ron laughed at his friend and stood up...
"Well, I guess we'd better get going. We wouldn't want to keep the Slytherins waiting, would we?" Ron couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but that didn't daunt Harry. He was going to be Blaise I. Zabini's boyfriend! He still wondered what that damn "I" stood for...
*~*
Ginny relaxed a little once the party started about fifteen minutes after her and Draco's arrival. He had led her into his rooms immediately. Once inside, he took her robe, nodding approvingly at her outfit. He congratulated her on completing the most difficult of her tasks... getting Harry to come and keeping him away from Blaise. He seemed a bit miffed about something until Pansy assured him it would further the effectiveness of the plan.
Ginny now stood in the middle of the common room, a drink in hand, looking for Blaise. Her final tasks were to give Blaise that drink and to stick close to him for the rest of the night. "Oh," Malfoy had said, "drink some yourself and have fun while you're at it. This IS a party."
Looking around the room, Ginny saw Blaise sitting on a couch facing the door and apparently waiting on someone. Malfoy had told her to give the drink to him as soon as possible, so she figured there was no hesitating allowed on her part. She walked calmly over to the object of her affection and sat down primly next to him. "Hey, Blaise, would you like a drink?" She smiled sweetly at him and offered him the cup.
Blaise eyed the drink for a moment, glancing between it and Ginny suspiciously. When he had evidently deemed it and/or Ginny free of any mal- intent, he shrugged casually and took the drink. "Thanks, Weasley... I mean... It's Ginny, isn't it?" He nodded satisfactorily when she confirmed that it was her name. "Well, I get the feeling that we are going to be spending a lot of time together, so we might as well get friendly, eh?"
Ginny melted as Blaise sent her a seducing smile. She watched heatedly as he downed half the drink, placing the cup on the table. He turned back to engage her in conversation, making her job extremely easy. She picked up the drink and finished it off. Neither one of them noticed the look of glee that crossed Draco Malfoy's face.
*~*
Pansy was right again! The Weaselette was working out perfectly! Draco was ecstatic that his plan was unfolding according to his will. He could kiss Pansy for coming up with such a magnificent idea. He walked over to Pansy who was avidly watching the door (probably for Seamus) and wrapped her into a warm embrace.
"I love that mind of yours, Pan. You know that right?"
"Of course, I'm the brains of this outfit."
"And I suppose that makes me the beauty."
"Only in your dreams, Dray."
"No, in my dreams, I'm fucking Harry Potter."
"Or are you getting fucked by Mr. Potter?"
"How did you know about that?!"
"I guessed... you're too delicate not to be bottom."
"Ha! I'll show you delicate, you trollop!"
"Whore of Babylon!"
"Scarlet Woman!"
"Arse-plunging piece of spooge-gone-wrong!"
"Ouch, Pan, that hurt."
"I know, poor baby, but look." Pansy pointed at the couch where Ginny and Blaise had been sitting, chatting merrily.
It appeared that Ginny and Blaise had become a little more intimate. They were cuddled on one end of the couch, snogging mercilessly. "Aww," Draco cooed, "look at the cute little kiddies. That drink really does do magic, how else would Zabini snog the Weaselette?" He smiled to himself as he hummed a muggle song he had heard once... "Love Potion Number 9"...
*~*
Harry's heart beat wildly in his chest as he, Hermione, Ron, Seamus, and Dean approached the Slytherin common room. He was too nervous to even think straight, instead babbling about how great the party would be.
Seamus gave Harry a knowing smile and a wink, nudging Dean in the side. He had overheard part of Ron's yelling and had figured out that the Golden Boy liked someone in Slytherin. Smiling slyly, he leaned over to whisper into Dean's ear... "I think we're gonna find out who he was dreaming about."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione glared at the two boys whispering and giggling behind them. "So, does this mean you two are official?" Ron smirked at the two as they turned bright red.
"No, Mate. I don't want Seam-rock here anymore. I want you!" Dean wrapped his arms around Ron's waist, smiling devilishly.
Hermione's laughter rang through the halls, much to Ron's dismay. "Don't worry, Ron... and, Dean, what would Parvati say?" She knew that Dean and Parvati had been secretly dating each other since school started. This was, of course, after Ginny had brutally dumped him over the summer.
Dean had the decency to look properly chastised and hung his head in shame. "I was just kidding around." He laughed, however, as Harry slapped him on the back.
"At least now Seamus knows you're not out to deflower him, in one way or another." The friendly conversation was easing the butterflies in Harry's stomach considerably.
"I know, but that ruins my fun." Dean pouted. "Next time I was going to announce that I wanted to baptize him." (A/N: Inside joke)
Harry's laughter subsided as he realized that they had reached the common room and the entrance had opened, allowing them inside. He stepped cautiously into the room, stomach rolling in nervous energy. Looking around for Blaise, he stepped farther into the room. He spotted Malfoy standing near the wall with Parkinson, both were eyeing him. He thought he saw some emotion flicker in Malfoy's eyes, but dismissed it as poor lighting.
As Harry's eyes roamed the room, he saw people paired up already. There were couples snogging against the walls, on the floor, in the stairways... on the couch. As his gaze fell upon the couple on the couch, his heart clenched and his lungs seemed to constrict... he couldn't breathe. He saw the red hair first, but what kept his eyes glued to the spot was the magnificent male that was kissing his would-be little sister... Blaise.
Confused and feeling utterly alone, Harry froze on the spot. Hermione bumped into his back as he stopped walking abruptly. "Hey, Harry, what's wrong?" She followed his line of vision and saw what was wrong. "Oh my goodness... Harry, it's okay." She tried to wrap him into a hug but he was already gone, fleeing from the room in tears.
"Holy shit!"
Ron had obviously just seen what was on the couch.
*~*
Draco and Pansy expected their special guests to arrive at any moment, so they stood watching the door patiently. As it opened after just a few moments to admit the five Gryffindors, Draco let his eyes drift over the bunch. They all looked great... he had to admit... even the Weasel.
The four boys all wore black slacks and nice shoes... surprisingly enough. Thomas, Finnegan, and Weasley wore matching tight-knit red sweaters. Weasley's matched his hair quite nicely... Harry, however, wore a gold sweater just like the others' red ones. The Golden Boy... how appropriate...
Granger made Draco do a double take with her outfit. He never thought the day would come when he would admire a mudblood. "Wow," he muttered softly, the word just reaching Pansy's ears.
"He does look amazing, doesn't he, Dray?" Pansy whispered excitedly in his ear, causing him to turn in shock.
"I was talking about Granger and her outfit. She actually looks nice for once. Harry, of course, looks ravishing." Draco turned his eyes back to Harry catching his eye momentarily. He smiled inwardly as a warm feeling filled his heart. He simply HAD to have that boy.
"I was talking about Seamus..." Pansy muttered under her breath.
Draco laughed at Pansy quietly, but stopped immediately as he saw Harry tense. The blonde boy watched Granger bump into Harry and speak to him quietly, peeking around his shoulder. Then he saw tears start to roll down the boy wonder's cheeks as he ran from the room.
Draco stood perfectly still as he heard Weasley say, 'Oh shit!" He started as Pansy nudged him (none too subtly). "Now," she said pointedly, "is the part where you run after him." She pushed him in the direction of the door, calling after him as he started to run. "I'll take care of his friends..."
*~*~*
(A/N): Ummm, this was getting waaaaay too long... so I decided to cut it off right here and finish the party scenes in another posting... This is already like ten pages on my computer, so... ANYWAY... thanks for all your reviews... *Author does a dance singing "I've got forty revieeeeews, I've got forty revieeeeews*... Give me more... please. Oh yeah, and before I forget... Thanks to my buddy and beta, N.C. PsyChick... she is one cool person... (That's my niggrah ^__^)... REVIEW!!!!