A/N: I'm sorry for the delay everyone! But I've been busy with holiday summer school (why did I choose to take extra classes in summer?!) so my plot bunnies went to sleep while I agonized over modern electrical systems. They're back now, so let's find out who the mysterious guys are!
Chapter 3-Lightbulbs go off in my head
Monday morning arrived once more at Hogwarts, and as usual after a Hogsmeade weekend, everyone was sluggish and tired after two days of eating sweets and drinking butterbeer. Harry stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, scrutinizing the bags under his eyes. He and Ron and stayed up late last night in a rush to complete their Potions assignment which was due this morning right after breakfast. "Merlin, I look terrible" he muttered to himself, "Mione would kill me and Ron if she knew we put off our work to the last minute again". He splashed more cold water on his face and fervently prayed the rims of his glasses would hid the eye-bags somewhat as he made his way down to breakfast.
Hermione was busy berating Ron over breakfast as Harry approached. "Honestly Ron, this Potions assignment was given a week ago! You were supposed to have already finished it, not scribble the last few paragraphs over breakfast! Where's your sense of student responsibility?" She looked up, muttered a quick "morning" to Harry, and was off again.
Ron finally managed to get a word in, and blurted out, "But Mione! Harry was up late doing his Potions essay too!"
Harry froze, a forkful of scrambled eggs halfway to his mouth. He glared daggers at Ron for giving him away and tried to smile sheepishly at Hermione. "HARRY POTTER! You too? How could you do this? It's your final year! You're supposed to be more responsible to your studies…" " Hermione, I finished my assignment", Harry interjected when she paused for a breath. That took the wind out of her sails. "Hmph. At least you finished your assignment. Unlike someone here". She stirred her tea and looked at Ron who was shoveling eggs and bacon into his mouth with one hand while scribbling his conclusion.
"Done? Let's go to class".
As Harry finished his tea, a strange owl landed in front of him. It was purely black, with wickedly sharp talons and beak. And in that sharp beak it held…a red rose?
Harry blinked. He blinked again. Nope, his eyes were not playing tricks on him. The owl was really holding a red rose in its beak. He asked tentatively, "erm, is that rose…for me?" The owl impatiently nudged at him to take the rose from its beak, and once it had done so, it flew off.
"Blimey, mate, is that a rose? Who would give that to you?"
"I don't know". Harry twirled the rose slowly and spotted a scroll of parchment tied to the stem with a white ribbon. Unrolling it, he read the words, ' From your secret admirer'
"Harry has a secret admirer? Since when?" Ron burst out. "Since now Ron".
"Strange, who would send a boy flowers? Unless…" Hermione trailed off, narrowing her eyes at Harry speculatively. "Harry is there anything you want to tell us?"
Harry laughed nervously. "No, no, nothing at all. Oops, look at the time, we're gonna be late for Potions!" Having successfully distracted Hermione, Harry took the chance to sniff delicately at the rose. 'Mmm…what a lovely scent, and what a nice gift to start the week. But who would send me the rose?'
* * * * * *
Harry swore that Snape just got nastier and nastier every week. And he especially seemed to get even nastier whenever there was a Hogsmeade weekend. He winced at Snape's harsh berating of poor Neville when the latter answered a question incorrectly, and winced again at the 20 points lost. He thought back to his Hogsmeade weekend, thinking of the little crystal viola and the really tall cute guy he had bumped into…
"Well, Potter?!" Harry snapped out of his daydream to find his angry professor standing in front of his table, arms folded and black eyes snapping fire. "Erm, erm…" "For merlin's sake Potter, will you move and join your partner!" Harry jumped and turned around, to see Malfoy standing behind him, sneering. The blond teen was holding his bag and was clearly waiting for Harry to vacate his seat so he (Malfoy) could join his partner. Harry gathered his belongings hastily and looked up at his scowling professor. "Er, Professor Snape, who am I supposed to join?"
"The Great Harry Potter thought he didn't need to listen to my instructions didn't he. If you had listened, you would have known that you are to join Mr. Zabini, who has been waiting for you for the past 10 minutes. Stop daydreaming in my class and get a move on Potter!"
Harry spotted a tall dark haired boy waiting across the room and scampered over quickly. He had just reached the other side of the room when Snape's voice rang out, "Oh, Potter, you didn't think I'd forget, did you? 15 points from Gryffindor". Harry scowled to himself; he had been hoping Snape would forget. Just his luck. He dumped his things on the table and turned to his partner saying, "All right then, let's get started" his voice trailed off as he gazed up into face of the boy he had bumped into at Hogsmeade.
* * * * * *
"You're, you're Zabini?"
"Yes Potter, it's me. Is there something wrong with my face?"
"You're in my year? But I've never seen you around before!"
"Just because your attention is solely focused on Malfoy and Snape doesn't mean other people don't exist, Potter. Are there any further inane questions you wish to ask me, or can we get started on this potion now. I would hate to miss lunch today just because of you".
"Never let it be said that I let a Slytherin and fellow student miss his lunch", Harry tried to lighten the mood by joking back, and was rewarded with a raised eyebrow and a twitch of the Slytherin's lips.
As Harry prepared ingredients to hand to his fellow student, he glanced casually now and then over at the other boy. He was tall, slim, and had really long delicate hands. He pictured those fingers running over his just as they had done in Hogsmeade, and a light flush suffused his cheeks again.
"Do tell, Potter, what has gotten your cheeks red and those little giggles to escape from you, so much so that you have just chopped the last 4 ingredients wrongly?" an irate voice spoke to his right. Harry was so flustered that he spoke without thinking, "Your hands". He immediately realized what he had said and blushed even harder, cursing his tongue.
"My hands huh" the Slytherin boy gazed at his fingers and looked back at Harry. "You like them?" Harry plucked up his courage and whispered, "Yeah". He looked away, sure that the other boy was going to mock him. Zabini quirked his lips.
"Get some more ingredients and chop them properly this time…Potter".
"Call me Harry", came the impulsive answer.
"Hmm. Just go will you"
* * * * * *
Their strange behaviour had not gone unnoticed in the classroom. Hermione was frowning at them as she stirred her potion, glancing up at them whenever possible. Her partner Pansy Parkinson was busily painting her nails. Draco Malfoy frowned as well. He had never seen Potty Potter so chummy with a Slytherin before. But neither had he known Zabini to actually speak with a Gryffindor; the boy didn't even speak with most of his housemates! His eyes narrowed. This would bear investigating.
* * * * * *
The long lesson finally ended and after receiving their latest essay assignment ("Twelve inches on why fairy wings and honey should not be mixed together!), Harry and Zabini packed their things away in silence and got ready to leave. Harry fidgeted. He wanted to talk to the other boy and find out more about him, but his courage had deserted him and he had no idea what to say. The other boy finished packing and slipped out of the classroom.
Harry gathered his Gryffindor scarf and bag, trying to slip out of the classroom before Snape decided to lecture him further on not daydreaming in class. Luckily the professor was preoccupied scolding Seamus, who had just spilled a bottle of Armadillo bile on the floor.
In his next class Transfiguration, Harry dug around in his bag for parchment to scribble notes on. His hand closed on a crumpled ball of parchment and he pulled it out frowning. Checking to make sure that Mcgonagall was not looking at him, he smoothed it out carefully, and read, 'Well then, Harry. You may call me…Blaise then'.
His heart stopped for a moment, then started again. Blaise. He now knew the name of the tall Slytherin boy. 'Well Blaise. I can't wait to find out more about you'.
* * * * * *
Draco Malfoy studied Blaise Zabini over the lunch table. The tall dark-haired boy ate methodically and silently. He decided to ask, at the moment when the other boy was taking a drink of pumpkin juice. "So Zabini. Been friendly with any Gryffindors lately?" If he had been hoping for Zabini to choke and sputter, he was sorely disappointed. The other boy swallowed, put his goblet down, and answered, "None of your business Malfoy. You play your game, I'll play mine". Zabini then got up from the table and left the hall, leaving Malfoy sitting there. Draco Malfoy narrowed his grey eyes. 'you don't keep secrets from a Malfoy. I will find out what you're up to with Potter. No one messes with him except me'.
* * * * * *
Up in the Headmaster's office that night, Professor Snape could be found pacing and complaining to Professor Dumbledore about his favourite topic: Harry Potter.
"I swear, Headmaster, that boy becomes more cheeky and disrespectful every time I see him. He does not pay attention in class because he is too busy daydreaming. He wastes my expensive Potions ingredients by not following instructions and preparing them incorrectly. He cannot stir a Potion correctly. That boy is a hazard to himself and others!"
"Now now, Severus. Don't you think you'd better calm down a little?" the Headmaster attempted to soothe his Potions Master's irritable temper.
"No, Albus, this has to be said! That boy is such a menace. He thinks he is above common instruction, exactly the same as his father…"
"Severus, don't you think you ought to understand Harry better, as a person instead of seeing him as his father?"
"Albus, I am indeed grateful that the brat slew the dark lord and saved my miserable hide, but he has no need to torment me in this manner! I am constantly worried he will blow my classroom apart by his inattention! And he is distracting the other students as well, blushing all over the place and making the other students wonder what Harry Potter found so fascinating…" his voice fell away to a mutter as he grumbled to himself.
Then he seemed to realize what he had said, and a flush appeared on his sallow cheeks. Turning around to face the Headmaster, he said "Excuse me Headmaster, I must return to my rooms now", and he stalked out of the office.
Albus Dumbledore sat in his chair, sucking a lemon drop thoughtfully. 'Harry blushing eh? Now, why would Severus find that disturbing…'
A/N: Ok folks! This is the end of the third chapter, my plot bunnies have run away 'cos it's past 1am here in Singapore and I have to wake up early tomorrow. Don't forget to review! Reviewers get one freshly baked vanilla and chocolate muffin!