15th November 1997

"Boo!"

Blaise Zabini looked sideways and smirked.

"Someday, Zabini; someday I will be successful in scaring you." Ginny Weasley sniffed as they cast disillusionment charms on them to patrol the corridors together.

"That would be the day when you would learn to walk silently. The way you stomp around like an elephant, you would never catch me off guard."

"I don't stomp around like an elephant."

"You do."

"Do not! Besides you wouldn't even know what an elephant looks like or walks like."

"I will give you that. I haven't seen an elephant for real but I guess even they would be quieter than you."

"BLAISE ZABINI." Ginny whisper screamed, "You are an infuriating, insufferable prat-"

"And yet you can't help but fall in love with me." Blaise whispered back smirking.

"You are funny." Ginny said before stalking away.

Blaise grinned and shook his head. He had nursed a soft corner for Ginny Weasley ever since his fourth year, when he had witnessed the little spitfire hex two Slytherins in her year for harassing Longbottom. Then when she had attended the ball, looking like a Victorian queen in that dress, he had all but cursed his stars for being a Slytherin which made him incapable of approaching her on principle.

Over the years, Blaise had observed the youngest Weasley with dedication, observed her generosity, her unconditional love and loyalty for her friends. He noticed her ability to laugh even in the worse situations, her indomitable spirit; he even observed her glow with happiness when she was with Potter. In the course of these past months, he had come to appreciate her ability to love, trust, care and smile during such turbulent times. If Blaise was to be honest, he desired Ginny Weasley for her ability to love and trust with all of herself, to have a pure, selfless heart despite being deceived, controlled and almost killed by Voldemort at the age of 11. Her horrible experiences never made her angry or bitter or cruel, if anything they strengthened her faith in love and fairness. He was curious; he wanted to know how it feels like to be loved so completely by someone as self assured and independent as Ginny. Did he love Ginny? He could learn to love her, if she loved him as fiercely as she loves Potter, he would give her the world, because he could never trust anyone lesser with his heart.

He chased after her disillusioned chameleon form which shimmered slightly in the moonlight. He caught up with her and yanked her arm. "Okay wait, you don't have to get mad and we still have to patrol together. I don't know how you manage to do it, but you are the only one Theo or for that matter I apologise to on a daily basis." He mock grumbled; in all honesty, he knew for a fact that Theo loved Ginny, Astoria and Luna as he would love his younger sisters, only he never showed it to any of them. And Blaise was elated at every chance he had of spending time with Ginny.

He could almost hear her laugh. "When you have 6 elder brothers, you learn a thing or two about manipulating men."

Blaise laughed, "Why are you not in Slytherin?" He wondered aloud for the hundredth time.

"Because I manipulated the hat to put me into Gryffindor, you know family honour and all."

Blaise was about to respond when he felt Ginny's restricting hand on his chest. He stilled immediately, they could hear voices and shuffling of feet around the corner. Blaise took Ginny's invisible hand and tapped twice; hand in hand silently they made their way to the corner pillar and peeked into the corridor.

Filch had caught what looked like a pair of Ravenclaw third years who were carrying food in their arms.

"Now what have we here?" Filch rasped happily.

A third Ravenclaw stepped out from the shadows, a seventh year called Stacy Davis; her hands were full of food too. "Please mister Filch, Professor Carrow punished the entire third year to go hungry for a week because they refused to hex a stray kitten that had walked into their classroom accidentally. They have been hungry for two days, they didn't even tell us fearing that we would break curfew and end up in trouble. They will be sick if they don't eat."

"But you are still out of bed after hours; if someone catches you, you will be punished severely." Filch mused.

The Ravenclaws looked visibly shaken; Ginny swore softly, Blaise had to agree this was the time for swearing.

"- and if that Crabbe boy and his good for nothing friends get hold of you, the two of you would be tortured and you girl would-"Filch shrugged in what looked like disgust. "So, instead of taking this route, walk straight and take the third tapestry to your right, follow the stairs to the end, you will get out near the Ravenclaw common room. Now run and don't let me catch you prowling after dark again."

Filch watched the three disappear behind the tapestry before walking away. Once in the clear Ginny poked Blaise, "Your spell is wearing off." She whispered. Blaise re- did the charm, Ginny followed suit and they silently followed the three Ravenclaws to their tower.

After ensuring that the three Ravenclaws reached their common rooms safely and receiving the message from Neville that Luna had followed Crabbe till he had retired to the Slytherin common room for the night, both Ginny and Blaise took a break and headed for the astronomy tower.

Once there, Ginny and Blaise sat side by side on the rampant looking out at the inky sky and the reflection of the moon in the lake beside Dumbledore's shimmering grave.

"Blaise?"

"Hmmm…"

"Why do you hate Crabbe so much? He has been your dorm mate for 7 years, you must be friends with him."

Blaise frowned. "I was never really friends with Crabbe or Goyle. I have had very few friends since my childhood; Theo and Draco have been my friends all my life."

"I can't believe Malfoy is capable of being anyone's friend."

Blaise let out a humourless laugh. "Draco, has always been an over entitled prat because that's how his father brought him up but he is not all bad. He is generous, intelligent and loyal. Completely devoted to his family, maybe that's why he is so broken now. Theo and I spent all of last year convincing him to save his skin and let his parents be, but he didn't listen to us and now look at him."

Ginny nodded, "Harry said that the night Dumbledore, Malfoy was lowering his wand, he didn't want to kill anyone but that he was forced to."

Blaise nodded, not really saying anything.

"You know I always thought, you never cared for anything apart from your pretty face." Ginny said teasingly.

Blaise grinned. "Beauty is not always all that great. Honestly, I don't think I am good looking and I hope I appreciate something deeper than something as superficial as physical beauty."

"Who taught you that?"

"My mother."

"Is that why she marries again and again? Because no one appreciates her for anything other than her physical appearance?"

Ginny looked at Blaise who looked physically ill. She kept her silence, choosing to leave this topic where it was. Ginny patted Blaise's shoulder as she got up to leave.

"My mother went to Uagadou instead of Hogwarts." Blaise said suddenly, Ginny turned and looked at Blaise who was staring at the lake; she turned around and settled down next to him. He looked at her and smiled before continuing.

Do read and review. Happy reading folks.

Much love

The fishes.