Okay, so it recently came to my attention that my stories seem to have melded, so I've unmelded them (hopefully) and reposting chapters that had mixed together. Sorry if it causes any confusion!
Chapter 5: Wrath
"HOW DARE YOU!" a high pitched shriek pitch launched its' way across the Hogwart's grounds, travelling down to where Blaise Zabini was reclining underneath a tree by the Great Lake, a heavy Defence book open on his lap.
He looked up, instantly knowing from whom the voice belonged, and to whom it was directed.
"Blaise Zabini!" shouted Daphne, storming down the embankment towards Blaise's tree-lined hideaway. Her school cloak flared behind her in accompaniment to her wrath, her heavy footsteps trampling through the slightly dampened soil of the lakeside.
It was fifth period at Hogwarts, and Blaise had taken his free period as a chance to catch up on his class readings, and had been enjoying the peace and quiet of the lake in what was likely to be their last sunny afternoon in a while, as winter's chill was being felt more and more frequently.
As sixth years Daphne and Blaise had a number of coinciding free periods, and often would share their study time with each other, enjoying the silence of the other's company and the lack of obligation for small chat that only occurs when two people are so well acquainted with each other they do not need to exchange such pleasantries.
But recently Blaise had been studying alone, not by choice but as a result of Daphne's newfound fondness for a certain Slytherin chaser named Carter Vaisey.
Carter Vaisey was, without question, one of the most annoying people Blaise had ever met. Even Draco Malfoy didn't quite compare to the irritating mannerisms that found Blaise gritting his teeth in every class he shared with Vaiser.
It was the way that, no matter what was being said in a conversation, Carter would have to have the final word. Only yesterday they had been talking about the times that, as children, they had all become wedged in trees while still learning to fly. Draco had been stuck in a tree outside his manor for hours one weekend when he stole his father's broom out of the closet without his parents' knowledge. Blaise had been wedged, upside down, for what had seemed like hours one summer and had had the misfortune of becoming the target for an angry family of skylarks that had made a nest within the tree's branches.
And, as usual, Carter waited until the entire group had shared its tales before regaling them all with a story where he had holidayed in France with a "mademoiselle" with whom he had shared a flight - only to be distracted by a very welcome kiss from the young lady and find himself hurling into a lake with her.
Everyone had laughed, and Blaise had naturally joined in. But really, the story had no bearing to trees whatsoever, and Blaise couldn't help but feel annoyed at the way Daphne had seemed so entranced by the big blonde brute. Surely she could see through him! She was so much smarter than that!
Even so, he couldn't begrudge the blonde Slytherin everything. Carter was an exceptionally good looking guy, at least Blaise thought he could see why the guy had all the girls in their house swooning. He was tall enough, he supposed. And Blaise had always rather thought that Carter spent a little too long in front of the mirrors each morning - anyone could brush up that well with the right spells and enough time every day.
Blaise personally felt that he didn't need that extra maintenance himself. He was fully aware of the effect he had of the females of Hogwarts and didn't need to go to extra effort when he looked as he did. Besides, the effort Carter put into his appearance was more a sign of weakness than anything else.
But despite these obvious deficiencies Daphne seemed to be taken in by the tall chaser's stories from his travels around the globe. Blaise had rolled his eyes when Carter had kept Daphne entranced a few nights ago by the common room fire with his stories of South America.
Blaise and Daphne had been to Brazil only last year on a holiday to visit one of Blaise's mother's Amazonian friends. So it wasn't as if the Brazilian cuisine was news to her.
But Daphne had sat there on the rug by the fire, and had gazed like a lovesick puppy at Carter.
It made Blaise want to throw up.
As a result, Blaise didn't mind helping Malfoy in adding a few tweaks to one of the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes pranks, so that when Blaise woke up that morning he had found the words "I AM A PRAT" tattooed all over his body.
The best part was there was no way to trace the prank back to the two of them.
Or so he had thought.
Daphne had by now reached him and as she drew closer she drew out her wand, and before Blaise could react, he was hanging upside down, robes askew, and his face at eye level with a blonde who was showing an abnormally fierce temper, her wand now positioned at his neck.
"Hello Daphne" he managed to get out, only to be have the wand pressed even more firmly across his windpipe.
"Don't you 'hello' me" she hissed, and Blaise tried not to grin despite himself. It was always interesting when he managed to provoke her to an outburst. She was usually so self-contained.
"I know you and Malfoy did that prank on Carter Vaisey, Blaise. I knew that you were planning it - do you really think you could get one by me? If I had known who the target was I would have cursed you both then and there!"
Blaise tried to gulp upside down, and upon finding that this was no easy task he settle instead for trying to plaster his most intimidated look upon his face.
"Well, if you knew but you didn't stop us, then you're basically just as much at fault as the two of us" he said, knowing that this probably wasn't the best way to handle Daphne-In-A-Temper but unable to resist seeing how far he could push.
"I thought you were aiming for one of the 'Golden Gryffindors' and you know I don't care what you do to them in retaliation to the pranks they pull! But what's Carter ever done to you!" she said, releasing her levitating spell so that Blaise dropped heavily to the ground.
Blaise sat himself up, rubbing sorely at his right shoulder on which he had landed.
"Daphne, he's a pig. Surely you can see that?" he said, looking up at her.
"All he does all day is go around bragging about the girls he's had. You can't seriously be considering dating that guy?" he said, eyebrows raised. To think that Daphne would demean herself for the likes of him...well Blaise would happily put a stop to that potential disaster!
"What I do with other people is my own business" she said tartly, pointing her nose up and giving him a small kick where he was still sitting on the ground.
"Ouch" he said, now rubbing the spot on his shin where she had kicked him. He bruised quite easily and knew he was probably going to look quite the sight unless he remembered to put some anti-bruise balm on himself tonight.
"Okay. I know it's your business. But he's a serious twat" he said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his robes. He bent down to pick up his heavy textbook and to ensure it hadn't been damaged in battle.
Daphne crossed her arms and gave him her best 'death glare'.
He smirked. She knew better than to try such tactics on him.
Suddenly Daphne deflated. It was as if all of a sudden she realised that this was an argument she was unlikely to win.
"And it was kind of funny, come on...you have to admit that!" he said, knowing her well enough to be assured the danger had passed.
He was rewarded by a small smile, and together they turned towards the castle and started making their way across the grounds.
"Yeah, okay. It was a little amusing" she conceded, "But you guys have had your fun. Make sure you reverse the spell by tonight" she said, giving him a look which told him that if he didn't there would be serious consequences.
He nodded and put his arm around her shoulders to pull her into a hug.
"Okay. But you promise me one thing?" he said.
Daphne glanced to her side warily.
"Okay?..."
"Promise me you'll defend your honour yourself then?" he said, waiting for the reaction.
"Defend my what? What are you going on about?" she asked him, obviously taken aback by his question.
He stopped, and with the hand he had been hugging her with he rummaged through the pocket of his robe.
"Here" he said, pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment and handing it to Daphne.
Daphne took the piece of parchment and looked down at it.
"My Top Five Most-Shaggable Girls" the heading pronounced, and below it was a list of names.
Daphne was number three.
Numbers one and two had already been crossed out.
Daphne looked back up at Blaise.
"Where did you get this?" she demanded, and he now tried out his 'innocent' face.
"Why, I just needed to borrow a quill from Carter" he said, "It certainly wasn't my fault I couldn't find a quill in his bag and had to search his trunk instead."
Daphne was still staring down at the 'list'.
She looked up at him, her magic beginning to sparkle along her hair as her temper rose once more.
Blaise hid his smile as he watched Daphne's mouth become set, tightening the hand that gripped her wand into a fist.
He watched as his blonde companion once more stormed across the Hogwarts grounds, this time in a direction that Blaise thought boded ill for a certain blonde chaser.
"BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD DAPH..." he shouted at her retreating back, "YOU WOULD HAVE MADE THE TOP OF MY LIST!" he yelled, and several nearby students looked up and smirked at his comment.
And with that, before he could react and jump out of the way, Blaise found himself suddenly on the cold grass, watching in horror as the nose on his face suddenly grew several inches and erupted in dozens of purplish boils.
The students nearby, previously merely amused, now burst into hysterics of laughter.