A/N: Hey :) So I forgot to put an authors note in the last chapter, but hi! This is being done as part of a 30 Day Writing Challenge thing, which in theory means I should be updating this every day, but if I'm having an off day chances are I won't, because I don't wanna give you a lame chapter just to keep up with the challenge :P Also, I reeeeally appreciate feedback. If you think a chapter is rubbish and you have any idea as to why it's rubbish, I'd love you to tell me :) Enjoy!

Blaine began to doubt himself for the 100th time as to why he was put in Gryffindor. Granted, he got along with everyone well, and there was no lack of excitement in the dorms, but he couldn't shake the Gryffindor definition from his mind; where dwell the brave at heart. Blaine was not brave. If he was, he could march straight up to Kurt and demand to know why he had been avoiding him.

It had been over a month, now, since the pair of them last spoke before sorting. Blaine had stuck religiously to Finn's side while he tried to get around the loss of someone he'd felt such a strong connection to, but he soon found moping around was almost impossible to do in the presence of the Gryffindor's. Mike Chang, the boy who had sat next to him immediately after being sorted, was one of the most energetic and friendliest people Blaine had ever met, managing to find the fun in everything and never backing down from a challenge. So used to being reserved, Blaine found Mike's behaviour almost shocking, but found himself being sucked into his playful ways and before he knew it, he'd made another friend. Artie soon followed, after the boy with glasses had also found himself being drawn to Mike, and, by extension, Blaine. Before long, Blaine had a group of people he could be comfortable with, where he was not only accepted, but involved. He was sure he'd never had so much fun in his entire life, never had inside jokes with people or someone to talk to when things got rough.

But it still didn't mean he missed Kurt any less.

Finn was always patient with Blaine's random waves of sorrow, which he was thankful for, finding Finn incredibly easy to talk to about this stuff. The taller boy would usually put a comforting hand on his shoulder and say, "Don't worry, man; he'll come around!" The more Finn had to say it, however, the less Blaine believed it.

Nonetheless, one day, in the middle of October, this all seemed like it could change.

"Blaine!" the boy in question heard Finn call before he could even see him. He had been learning to play 'wizard chess', something Sam, a Hufflepuff, was extremely good at thanks to his halfblood heritage involving a chess champion for a mother. Sam was another person in Blaine's growing circle of friends, and despite his house he was often found in the Gryffindor common room.

"I'm over here," Blaine called, after Finn hadn't moved from his spot by the Fat Lady's portrait. Finn walked over to him with long strides, grinning almost creepily with excitement.

"Blaine!" he said again, towering over him as Blaine remained sat on the squishy sofa. "I overheard some Slytherin say Kurt's looking for you!"

"Kurt's looking for me?" Blaine repeated, feeling his heart leap with hope.

"Yeah, man!" Finn grinned, reaching out to pat Blaine's shoulder. "Go find him!"

Blaine didn't need to be told twice, abandoning his game with just a quick glance at Sam before running out of the common room. He began to think about what he could say to Kurt, and what made the other boy finally turn around. Did he miss him as much as Blaine did? He began to wonder if what he was saying to Finn was getting back to Kurt, but couldn't bring himself to be mad or annoyed if it meant the Slytherin finally wanted his company. After a minute or so of aimless walking, he realised he wasn't really sure where to find him in the giant castle, which was still like a maze to him. He decided to check the usual hang out spots, figuring if Kurt was looking for him, he wouldn't be in the Slytherin common room. Once he'd checked the library, the great hall and the lakes, however, Blaine was beginning to run out of ideas, when he spotted a familiar pale boy standing within a group of Slytherin's on the paved courtyard.

"Kurt!" Blaine called out, resulting in the entire group turning to look at him. He frowned slightly as most of their expressions turned smug and amused, a chorus of "oooooooh" murmured in a way that suggested trouble as Blaine approached. He stopped a little hesitantly, looking at Kurt who was looking back at him as if he was the dumbest person in the world.

"I heard you were looking for me," Blaine said, much less cheerily. Some of the Slytherin's actually laughed, and Kurt turned to glare at them before looking back at Blaine.

"As a matter of fact, I was," Kurt said coolly, grabbing Blaine's arm and tugging him away, far from the others, and looking behind his shoulder before pulling Blaine inside the castle. He looked like he was ready to slap him. "What the hell were you thinking?" Kurt hissed. Blaine could only stutter in response.

"I… Y-you wanted to talk to me! …So I-"

"Well do you know what I need to talk to you about?" Blaine shook his head, and Kurt folded his arms, lifting his head a little and looking down on Blaine with raised eyebrows. Blaine suddenly felt much smaller. "Word has it that you and my brother have been getting a little… cosy."

"I… what?" Blaine asked, genuinely not understanding. Kurt pressed his lips into a fine line, his irritation practically coming off him in waves.

"You have a crush on my brother."

"What? Kurt, that's-"

"So you don't deny it!"

"Kurt!" Blaine said desperately. "I'm eleven!" Kurt just raised an eyebrow at him, and Blaine blushed, realising that wasn't meant to be the main factor. "Also he's a boy," he added quickly. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Well you've been spending an awful amount of time together, don't you think? It's creepy. Stop hounding my brother." He turned to stride away, but Blaine felt an irrational sense of hurt and betrayal inside him – this wasn't the Kurt he'd met on the train.

"Well he's been much better company than you have!" he yelled before he could think twice. Kurt suddenly stopped, turning slowly, which only made Blaine nervous, and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"That's not fair," he said coldly, taking a few steps towards Blaine. Although he wanted to come off as powerful and aggressive, there was a sense of apprehension coming off him, something Blaine couldn't help but notice.

"No. 'Not fair' is the fact that you've avoided me for weeks and haven't even bothered to explain why! I thought we were f… I thought we were friends," Blaine finished quietly, dropping his gaze.

"You don't understand," Kurt said, sounding frustrated and desperate. "You're a Gryffindor, and you're a mud- a muggle born. We're like a lion and a lamb, okay? And I am a lion in a pack of other very judgemental lions. If I don't do something they like, they'll eat me alive."

"And you want friends like that? Who can turn on you so easily?"

"No! Of course I don't!" Kurt cried, his eyebrows drawn together in exasperation. "I don't wanna be in Slytherin. I don't wanna be surrounded by people who watch my every move because they want me to slip up purely so they can taunt me. I don't want this, Blaine! But there's nothing I can do!"

Blaine looked at him with wide, scared eyes, having not expected such a sudden emotional outburst. He couldn't see a way around it - there was no way Kurt could change house. They were put in those houses for a reason. But he wasn't ready to let him go so easily, even if he knew it was a little selfish.

"I really miss you," he said quietly, biting his lip nervously and watching Kurt. The other boy's expression relaxed into sadness, his mouth dropping open ever so slightly just like it had when he realised he had to cut himself off from Blaine after being sorted into Slytherin.

"We spoke for one day," Kurt tried to reason, shaking his head and shrugging. "How could you possibly miss me?"

Blaine felt grief stir inside him, unable to believe Kurt was still trying to push him away. "I never had friends. Okay?" his voice sounded defeated, folding his arms across his chest and sighing. "No one ever spoke to me. I was always the oddball, the weirdo that no one wanted to be friends with. And then you came along… Kurt, you were my first friend. The first person I ever laughed with, and shared stories with, and connected with… That's so important to me." His shoulder's dropped, feeling his entire defence crash down around him. "I can't let that go."

There was a moment of silence that hung between them, Kurt's bright eyes boring into Blaine's with surprise. "I was your first friend?" he said in a hushed tone, stepping slightly closer to Blaine. His guard had completely come down, and Blaine felt so much better now that Kurt wasn't wearing the Slytherin mask.

"I've always been called a freak… Other kids avoided me," Blaine laughed self-depreciatively. "You might have thought I was weird at first, but you looked past it. No one's ever done that for me before."

Kurt considered him for a moment, pressing his lips together and looking as if he could be scheming. After drawing a long breath, it seemed he'd finally made up his mind.

"We can be friends… in secret."

"Are you ashamed of me?"

"It's the best I can do. It's the only way," Kurt responded quietly, shaking his head. Blaine bit his lip before nodding, smiling slightly in the hope Kurt would smile, too.

"As long as I get to be your friend… It's better than nothing."

"If anyone sees us talking, we tell them I'm getting homework answers off of you. Got it? Also don't smile at me too much. I'll have to make a rumour that you have a crush on me if people start questioning. …Unless we're alone together, then smile away."

Blaine couldn't help but chuckle, his face splitting into a grin, and even Kurt relaxed enough to smile back at him.

"This sounds really complicated."

"It is," Kurt said, smiling sadly. "But, truth be told, I missed you, too. I haven't had as much fun with any of the Slytherin's put together as I did with you." Blaine grinned, and Kurt smiled wider. "One last thing - Finn used to do this with his friends all the time. Hold out your hand."

Blaine did as he was told, watching Kurt curiously as he laughed and turned Blaine's hand the right way round. After putting out his own hand and teaching Blaine the movements, Kurt had taught Blaine their own secret handshake, slapping their palms and backs of their hands together before linking their pinkies and making an explosion gesture to break it. Blaine felt the need to make the sound effect the second time, and Kurt laughed.

"I have to go before they suspect something. I'll owl you, okay? We can arrange something."

"I'll look forward to it," Blaine smiled. Kurt returned it one last time, beginning to walk away before turning back.

"Almost forgot," Kurt grinned, before initiating their handshake once more. Blaine giggled, making the explosive noise again and looking at Kurt happily, wishing he didn't have to go so soon.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" Kurt said, smiling encouragingly.

"I hope so," Blaine replied, doing his best to smile as Kurt turned away finally this time, watching him leave before sighing and slumping against the wall.

He had him back. Even if they could be the only two that knew it.