Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
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Theo had been updated on the whole suicide attempt fiasco a couple of days ago. The poor boy was so shocked when he learned that one of his two best friends had tried to kill himself that he nearly started crying. Draco merely said, "Oh don't go soft on me. I'm not dead, am I? So get over it," and promptly rolled over on his left side on his bed, showing his back to Theo and his feet to Blaise. Blaise had scolded him harshly for being so rude and uncaring towards Theo and his feelings. The night had ended when Theo said, "Please don't try that again, Draco…" in a scared tone, and Draco had responded with, "I won't."
When Blaise went back to his room after dinner, he found Draco and Theo there. "Yo." He threw his bag on the floor and pounced onto his bed. Theo was primping in front of their mirror. "Where are you going tonight?" Blaise asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"I am meeting up with that sexy, sexy man I told you about the other day." Theo grinned and brushed a hand through his dark brown hair. He was quite easy on the eyes. His features weren't sharp but they weren't round, either, he was muscular but thin, and his eyes were a striking electric blue. He was the fantasy of many a girl in Hogwarts, but he went the other way – and had no problems there.
Blaise snorted and rolled his eyes. "That Ravenclaw? You playboy, you."
"Hey. I can't help that I'm gorgeous."
Blaise threw a pillow at him but missed. Theo let out an indignant noise and glared at the darker boy with his hands on his hips. "I'll have you know that I have been primping for hours!"
"I don't doubt it," came Blaise's reply.
"*huff* Well then don't mess up all of my hard work with a pillow!"
Blaise snorted again. "There's this really cool thing called magic. You should learn how to use it." Theo stuck his tongue out, and Blaise waved at him as he walked towards the door. "Have fun, lover boy."
"Oh, I will." Theo grinned and walked out.
"What was that all about?" Blaise asked Draco.
"What?"
"You said nothing when usually, you'll jokingly pick on him with me."
"Oh well excuse me for not feeling like busting his happy little date."
"Draco, you're the one who broke up with Harry. Not the other way around. So don't take it out on other people who are happy."
Draco shot up from his position. "How do you know about that?!"
"I overheard a few things."
"From who?"
"That's not important. What happened, Draco? You were so happy. Did you really break up with him?"
"I told him to leave me. He had the choice to come back."
"Oh stop it, you know he wouldn't and didn't think of it that way. The way you say things sometimes makes people think it's final. I hear he's been really upset, won't eat, is neglecting his friends, etc."
"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Draco asked incredulously. The truth was, he felt incredibly guilty.
"No. I'm just saying what I thought, observed, and heard, and I want to know what happened because this was so sudden. I have to know, Draco – did your attempt have anything to do with this?"
"He's better off without me."
"That's not what I asked."
"Why do I need to tell you?"
"You don't. I just would like to know because I care about you and I want to help. Please open up to me. You know you can. You've done it before, many times."
"Hmph."
"Why do you think he's better off without you? Is this about your task? That you're scared of losing people?" Draco said nothing, but turned away from his friend. "Draco, you can't cut off the people who care about you just because you're scared."
"What would you know? You're not the one who has to kill Dumbledore. You're not the one who's life is screwed."
"Maybe not, but I know when my friend is being an idiot. You should make up with him. At least tell him why you broke up with him. He deserves that much."
"Bah. He's too hurt to take me back. Like I want to go back to him, anyway. And like I said, he's better off without me, and I'm better off without him."
"Really?" Blaise drawled in an unbelieving tone. Just then, a paper airplane flew under their door and over to Blaise's bed. He opened it and read. "It's from Pansy. She wants my help with something."
"So go, then!"
Blaise put down the parchment and stared at Draco with a disappointed expression. "Don't you realize you're just hurting yourself? Draco, what if this thing with Potter could turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to you? What if you end up with a family like you've always wanted? No, I'm not being mushy, stop it! I'm being very serious so shut up and LISTEN to me!" Draco, who had opened his mouth to say something, shut it and looked affronted. "This might not be anything at all – just a fling, perhaps – but it COULD be the rest of your life. It COULD be what saves you. Are you really willing to give that up just because of your own fears and insecurities? Let that sink in a little. I'm going to meet Pansy."
With that, Blaise left. Once again, Draco grew angry with Blaise's stupid wisdom, but it was already working. He was already rolling Blaise's words around in his head.
The Next Day
"You called?"
"Indeed. It was done. I didn't find much out – only that he did it because of his insecurities. But I did get my say in the matter. Hopefully, it'll make him re-think his decision. He usually listens to me. How is Potter?"
Ginny's eyes were downcast. "Not good."
"Chin up. Maybe this will work itself out. We can only do everything we can that's in our power, but the most we can do is try to cheer them up and get them to talk to each other. We shouldn't intervene too much because if they are meant to be, they'll come together on their own. There's no need for us to prolong if they'll just end up like that, again."
Ginny nodded. "I know. I just truly feel that even though love isn't in the picture yet, they're perfect for each other. They complement each other very well, and I can't speak for Malfoy but I know he helps Harry. Harry has never been happier. Well, before the fight."
Blaise smiled. "I'm glad you can see that. Most people wouldn't."
"Such as my brother."
"Among quite a lot of others."
"He'll come around. And if he doesn't, he'll have me to deal with." Ginny's eyes obtained a glint that Blaise hoped would never be directed at him.
"You know, most Slytherins can't get that look no matter how hard they try."
"Why thank you." She smirked, and he jokingly shuddered.
"Scary…"
She laughed. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."
"Together?" he asked, a little surprised.
"Why not?"
"Well there is that one little problem of you being a Gryffindor and me being a Slytherin."
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And that's going to stop us?"
"I guess not," he replied, chuckling.
"Come on." She linked her arm through his and led him to the Great Hall. "No one ever got what they wanted without doing something about it. The houses don't really sit with each other because they're either too scared or too conditioned about where to sit. We're friends. I am allowed to sit with my friends, am I not?"
"I'm not gonna stop you," he said, smirking at the girl's eccentricity. It was so much like his own; he could easily become close with her. Talking to her was like breathing. It was so natural, and it warmed his heart that a Gryffindor could pass through the house line and befriend a Slytherin. "So, who's sitting where?"
"I'll sit with you. It's more understandable. Slytherins don't move for anyone."
He snorted. "Darn right we don't."
She smirked. "You will."
"Will I?"
"Oh yes. But for now, I won't make you."
"And you think you can make me?"
"You bet I can."
"Ah! There it is. The famous Gryffindor cockiness. I knew you had it in you; you hide it well."
"Oh, do I?" she asked innocently. They reached the doors of the Great Hall and she glanced at him. "Here we go!"
They walked in together and both sat down at the Slytherin table. Ginny laughed when she saw Ron choke and spit out his pumpkin juice while Hermione was trying to wrestle him back in his seat without Harry's help. The Great Hall did not become quiet, but the conversations changed. Dumbledore, who was sitting in his normal chair at the staff table, had a bright twinkle in his eyes as he sipped his tea.
"What is she doing?! Why is she fraternizing with the enemy?! I'm gonna kill her! I'm gonna go over there and take her back! She's coming back here where she belongs!"
"Ronald Weasley you will do no such thing!" Hermione said. "Sit DOWN!"
At the look Hermione gave him, he sat, but was still fuming and ranting. "Why are you defending her?!"
"I'm not defending her nor am I taking sides! LISTEN to me and stop acting like a four year old. I don't know why she's sitting with them but there is obviously a good reason and we will hear her out later, not scream our heads off at her. You don't even know the reason, you just want to chew her head off! For Merlin's sake, shut up and eat."
Ron grumbled, telling Ginny how lucky she was that Hermione was there, even though his sister couldn't hear him.
When Blaise and Ginny sat down next to Pansy across the table from Draco and Theo, Draco raised his eyebrows. 'Shit, what is she doing here?' He was worried that she would say something, but she acted as if she didn't know about what happened between him and Harry. Then he thought he was foolish to think that. Of course she knew. She was Potter's best friend. So why wasn't she saying anything?
"So what honor has been bestowed upon us for you to grace us with your lovely presence, Miss Weasley?" Theo asked gallantly. Ginny giggled and gave him a bright smile. She had not known that Theo knew about her and Blaise's growing friendship, but she was not surprised at the gay man's friendliness. He was known for it throughout Hogwarts.
"Well, Mr. Nott, I do believe that Blaise and Draco need a Gryffindor in their lives to keep them in line."
Blaise snickered while Draco looked affronted, but was still too cautious to say anything to her. Ah. There it was. The glare. The look in her eyes that told him she knew he was the cause of Harry's pain, and that she was NOT okay with what he did. His heart grew heavy and pained. It hurt. She had every right to be angry with him.
"You have a very valid point there," Theo said, laughing.
Pansy snorted when Draco made a sour face. "Draco dearest, you know it's true."
'Yeah, well I had a Gryffindor in my life and look at how well that went, even though it was my own fault…'
Blaise saw the depressed look in Draco's eyes and could tell his friend was hurting, so he changed the subject. "So how did your date go?" he asked Theo. The brunette grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "Alright, that's enough information for me." The group laughed and Pansy turned to Ginny.
"So what really made you sit with us?"
Pansy seemed friendly enough, so Ginny answered her honestly. "Blaise and I have been becoming quite friendly quite rapidly and since I like eating with my friends and meeting new people, I decided to sit with him."
"But what about your Gryffindor friends?" she asked. She was trying to see if Ginny was worthy of being their friend, if she was a true, good person.
"If they can't accept that I have friends in other houses, then they shouldn't be my friends in the first place."
Pansy and the others looked impressed. That was exactly what she was looking for. Ginny took a good look at the older girl for the first time. Pansy had dark hair that was cut above her shoulders, big brown eyes, a slender body, and an elegant face. She grew out of the awkward "pug" stage, as Hermione put it, a while ago. In fact, Ginny never liked that Hermione was capable of being that mean, though she never said anything about it.
They chatted and ate together, and Blaise and Draco noticed that Ginny Weasley got along very well with them all, just as Draco had predicted.
Later that night when Ginny came back up to the Gryffindor common room, the trio was waiting for her. Harry was sitting by the fire, staring into it as he so often did since Draco broke up with him.
"Hey, guys."
"Hey guys? That's all you have to say?" Ron asked furiously. Hermione gave him a scathing look.
"Um, yeah. Why?"
"YOU KNOW WHY!" Ron jumped up from his seat.
"Ron, stop –"
"Stop, Hermione. I know what this is about," Ginny said. "It's because I sat with Blaise today at dinner, isn't it?"
"Oh GREAT GUESS! What the FUCK were you doing over there?!"
"Ron, stop it –"
"Sitting with my friend Blaise. Since when was it wrong to eat with your friends?"
"IT'S WRONG TO SIT WITH A SLYTHERIN!"
"NO IT'S NOT! Just because most death eaters and Voldemort came from Slytherin does NOT mean that every single person in Slytherin is bad! If you gave them a chance, you'd see how great they really are!"
"THEY'RE ALL DEATH EATERS!"
"RONALD!" Hermione shouted. "You don't KNOW that! Just because they're in Slytherin doesn't make them all death eaters!"
"Shut UP, Hermione!"
She reeled back as if she was slapped, then narrowed her eyes at him. "You're out of line. You don't know every Slytherin and you don't know what goes on in their lives or who they are. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott have never been rude to us. And Ginny can be friends with whoever she wants! You can't control that! And what about Pettigrew? He was from GRYFFINDOR!"
"I AM NOT OUT OF LINE!" Ron roared, and conveniently ignored the part about Pettigrew. "MY SISTER IS HANGING OUT WITH A SLYTHERIN! That's all that matters! They all turn evil at some point!" He turned back to Ginny. "Are you fucking him? That's all they're good for and it's all they want! Not friendship! You're STUPID if you think that!"
"You son of a bitch." Ginny's eyes filled with a fiery anger. "How dare you! I'm your SISTER! You're supposed to support me and LOVE me! But calling me a whore?! Family doesn't do that, Ron! A brother doesn't do that!You're the stupid one, here. NOT me. Besides Lily Evans, Theo Nott and I are the only known people in a very long time to have breached the wall between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and at least I'm fucking brave enough! You're just a fucking coward who refuses to let go of a stupid hatred that has no grounds to back it! FUCK you!"
Ron looked shocked for a moment but when he snapped out of it, he went to hit her in his rage, as he wasn't thinking clearly. But he was not as shocked as he was when Harry grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip and Hermione jumped in front of Ginny.
He turned to Harry, confused and betrayed. "You side with her?!"
"If you ever go to hit her again, I will beat the shit out of you so badly you won't be able to move for a month, and you will be kicked off the team." Harry's voice was deadly and so filled with venom that Ron actually leaned back and away from him.
"She's MY sister, Harry! NOT YOURS! You seem to forget that!"
"She's just as much mine as she is yours. Blood means nothing to me. You're not yourself, Ron. You need to leave before you say more things you'll regret. Now."
Hermione glared at Ron as he looked at them both, then at his sister, and then stormed away from them up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "Harry, I'm so sorry. I didn't think that I would jeopardize your friendship with Ron. I just wanted to sit with my friend –"
"Stop, Ginny. He needs to learn how to calm down and think before he talks." He sat back down as Hermione and Ginny sat on either side of him.
"He's not Slytherin enough to have that ability," Hermione said. Ginny gave her a half-hearted smile. "So, I didn't know you and Zabini were getting close."
"Eh it's a recent thing. It kind of just happened. We started talking one day and realized that we'd be great friends."
"Hm, well I think it's nice. I'm going up; I'm tired and I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Good night."
"Night," Harry and Ginny said. Hermione gave a sad look to Harry and went upstairs.
"Why did you sit with them, Gin?"
Harry's voice was so soft, she wouldn't have heard it if she wasn't paying attention.
"Because I wanted to hang out with Blaise."
"But he was there. I thought you hated him for what he did to me."
"Oh… oh, Harry… look, I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't even think about him being there. I just wanted to sit with Blaise because we were in the middle of a conversation when we went to lunch. I'm sorry. You know I want to rip his guts out for hurting you, and I gave him a nice death glare just for you. Then again, you did tell me not to be angry with him for what he did. What you told me about what he does to himself sat in my mind and I thought about it for a while. I feel sorry for him. He looks really awful, Harry. I don't think he actually wanted to break up with you. You were right. There is something really serious going on that we don't know about. I think you should go to him and try to patch things up, figure out what he's hiding. He needs help. He was showing the signs of severe depression, though I wouldn't have seen them if I didn't know what to look for, and knew about his cutting. You don't have to, but just think about it, alright?"
Harry nodded. "Thanks, Ginny."
"For what, love?"
"Just for being you. I'm sorry I got jealous. I couldn't help it."
"I know. Thank you for stopping Ron and standing up for me."
"Anytime, you know that."
Ginny kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Harry. Sleep, please?"
He nodded, but she didn't believe him. She hesitantly walked to the stairs but turned to Harry before she climbed them. "Oh, and I think it's now safe to say Hermione won't judge you if you tell her about everything. Goodnight." She went to her room, worrying until she fell asleep about the boy who wormed his way into her heart as a seventh brother and best friend.
Thanks for reading!