Valentine's Day

"Come on!"

"I said no!"

Blaise felt like talking to a stubborn five-year-old when telling Draco for the tenth time that morning to accompany him to Hogsmeade. Now, more than ever before, he realized just how stubborn his best friend actually was but also how much Draco needed this. He needed to get away from everything, if only for a short while. And right now, going to Hogsmeade seemed like the only somewhat reasonable way to achieve that.

In Hogsmeade, it was easier for Draco to stay away from students who whispered "death eater" after him in the hallways. Over there, he wouldn't have to face the Carrows or Snape that constantly reminded him of a world that he'd practically been forced to be a part of...

"I'm not going"

Draco crossed his arms, leaning back on the couch as if to tell Blaise that he didn't plan to move in at least a couple of hours.

"Yes, you are"

"No, I'm not!"

Blaise sighed tiredly before glaring at his friend.

"And what are you planning on doing instead?" he snapped. "Sitting here all day, thinking about things you can't change and feeling sorry for yourself?"

If he hadn't known Draco as well as he did Blaise was sure that his friend's silver grey eyes, now burning with fury, would have made him flinch. Draco stood up and took few steps towards him, their faces only inches apart when he hissed:

"You don't know a thing about what I'm going through so don't tell me that I have no right to feel sorry for myself because I bloody well do!"

He was angry, but Blaise stood his ground and met his friend's gaze. At least this, a furious reaction, was better than no reaction at all.

"I know you do" he said calmly. "But it's not going to help you"

"And accompany you to Hogsmeade would?" Draco snorted. "It's Valentine's Day Blaise, do you want people to think that we're a couple?"

Blaise found it hard not to smile at his friend's comment. There was the Draco he knew.

"Since when do you care about what people think?" he asked and watched as Draco walked back to the couch and sat down again.

He muttered something incoherently under his breath before saying:

"I'm still not going"

Blaise felt like punching him in the face for not realizing what was really best for him. He was just about to think of something to say when Draco pointed out:

"Why aren't you going with Theo, Pansy and Daphne?"

He hadn't expected this question and for a moment Blaise was speechless. He opened and closed his mouth several times before avoiding his friend's curious gaze, murmuring:

"That's not going to happen"

Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Why not? I thought you and Daphne were going steady..."

Blaise knew that Draco was well aware of the fact that he wasn't even the slighest interested in Daphne and that he'd meant for his comment to be sarcastic but it was still annoying.

"See, that's just it!" he exclaimed angrily. "Why does she think that?! I never gave her the impression of wanting a relationship with her and yet she kissed me..."

"Hold on a second" Draco held up his hand and Blaise fell silent. "She kissed you?"

There was a short silence where Blaise didn't know what to say. For a moment they just stared at each other and then, to his great frustration, Draco snorted with laughter.

"When did that happen?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you haven't seemed very interested in anything lately" Blaise replied dryly.

Despite the fact that it was all quite embarrassing it actually made him happy to see that the whole Daphne-thing amused his friend. It had been a long while since he'd seen Draco smile...

"Well, I would have liked to be informed about this" Draco snorted again. "I can imagine your face expression..."

"Shut up" Blaise hissed at him, taking a quick look around the common room to make sure that they were still alone.

"So..." Draco started, actually leaning forward out of curiosity. "What happened?"

Blaise was just about to tell him but slowly closed his mouth again as he got an ever better idea.

"I'll tell you if we go to Hogsmeade" he said, finding it hard to keep the triumph out of his voice.

He knew he'd won and threw Draco's cloak at him.

"So for the hundredth time: act like Draco Malfoy and not some sulky Hufflepuff. And come on!"

Blaise wouldn't admit it to his friend, but there was also another reason why he wanted to visit Hogsemade on this particular Saturday. He'd accidentally overheard one of Ginny's friends tell Longbottom that she'd be taking a boy that she didn't know very well and that Ginny would accompany them, bringing her own date...

As Blaise and Draco climbed through the portrait hole this specific thought wouldn't leave Blaise alone. Who would Ginny Weasley be taking?

And what was it to him?

How do you make a time line haha

Ginny had experienced some uncomfortable and embarrassing moments in her life but this was worse than all of them together. She, Madison, Lucas and Marwin had not even been in the Three Broomsticks for half an hour and Ginny was already desperate to leave. All the time, Madison kept sending her looks as if to tell her: say something, anything! But for once, Ginny was completely speechless. It was all too much for her to handle. Thankfully, at least Madison tried her best to keep the conversation going.

"So... you're both ravenclaws!" she said to the boys. "That must mean you have quite a lot in common!"

"Not necessarily" Lucas replied dryly.

There was a short silence and Ginny suddenly felt a strong urge to hide under the table and never come back out. Madison tried again:

"You play quidditch, don't you Lucas?"

"Yes"

Another silence. Madison turned towards Marwin instead and smiled widely at him.

"You like quidditch as well, don't you Marwin?" she asked and as he nodded she told Lucas:

"Marwin's dad is from Belgium so he usually goes there during the summer holidays to watch their games"

Ginny was starting to believe that quidditch was actually something that Lucas and Marwin would be able to discuss but she lost all hope when Lucas snorted loudly.

"Belgium doesn't stand a chance in the next World Cup! Their players are all a complete disaster..."

Marwin raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"They're not!" he said. "Their seeker is really good and the keeper..."

"Is not as good as Troy and Mullet and the rest of Ireland's team" Lucas interrupted him, sounding bored. "Of course, we all know that the UK doesn't stand a chance. However, if you honestly believe that Belgium is that good then I guess you're not as interested in quidditch as you first thought"

Ginny stared at him in disbelief but he was obviously too busy glaring at Marwin, who glared back at him, to notice. She cleared her throat, feeling like she had to help Madison out at least a little.

"Well... I guess it's all a matter of how we look at things" she said and her friend gave her a grateful look before saying:

"Right!"

They all fell silent again and this time, it was Ginny who glared at Madison. I'll kill you for this when we get back to school. Mostly because it was too painful to rest her gaze on Madison's nervous looking face or Lucas' and Marwin's annoyed ones she took a quick look around the room instead. She soon spotted Neville and Luna sitting by a table and sipping butterbeer, both looking like they had a really great time. Ginny didn't want to disturb them, but she also silently wished that she could have been sitting with them instead...

"Ginny! Ginny!"

Madison's words brought her back to reailty and Ginny quickly turned around to look at her.

"What?"

"Marwin wanted to know more about your brothers' joke shop" Madison explained and Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh!" she said and Marwin asked, his voice curious:

"How do they manage even when almost all other shops in Diagon Alley have closed down?"

Ginny shrugged, smiling.

"Great question, I have no idea. I guess that people really need to laugh these days, now more than ever"

"My uncle actually owns a joke shop in Belgium" Marwin told her excitedly.

"Really?" Ginny asked and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, it's quite a big one..."

"Never heard of it"

Once again, Lucas had to say something to make things as awkward as possible. This time, Ginny could tell from Madison's face expression that she wasn't the only one who wanted to hex him.

Was it really worth bringing him here?

This whole thing would have been so much easier if only Madison and Marwin had been on this date just the two of them. By now, Marwin seemed to have lost his temper and it was quite a shame because he really did seem like a great guy... He turned to look at Lucas again.

"Well, then I guess you haven't been paying attention" he said cooly. "Do you ever read the newspapers?"

"Oh look, we're out of butterbeer!" Madison exclaimed loudly, causing the people who sat by the tables nearby to look at her. "I'll go get us some more!"

As she got up and left, Ginny felt like hexing her, too. This was all Madison's idea in the first place and now she, Ginny, was left here alone with two Ravenclaw boys who she didn't know but who obviously despised each other already... As Ginny cast them a quick glance she noticed that they were still glaring at each other as if their lives depended on it.

She couldn't take this. It was enough with one war going on the wizarding world at the time, she didn't need two...

"I... I'll head outside for a while to get some air" she said. "I'll be back soon"

Lucas suddenly looked up.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" he asked but Ginny shook her head quickly.

I'd rather be accompanied by Voldemort's snake...

"No, it's fine. Thanks anyway"

And without another word she stood up and hurried out of the Three Broomsticks.

How do you make a time line haha

As Ginny saw it she had two options: run for her life or stand out here only for a short while before going back inside. There was no point of lying; option number one would be the obvious choice if she only had to think of herself. However, she couldn't do that to Madison and to leave her alone with Lucas and Marwin would be really cruel...

She froze.

She'd been staring absentmindedly down the main street for the past five minutes and noticed nothing of interest- until now. Blaise was walking down the street, alone, and judging from his face expression he'd just spotted her, too. His eyes widened, if only for a split second, before he looked completely indifferent again and made his way towards her.

For a short moment Ginny was actually happy to see him. But then the image from the night before of him and Daphne kissing came back to her and she remembered why she'd brought Lucas to Hogsmeade in the first place...

"Hi" he just said, stopping in front of her with his hands in his pockets.

Ginny swallowed, finding it hard to meet his penetrating gaze.

"Hi" she replied shortly. "Are you here all by yourself?"

She looked around briefly; from what she could tell none of Blaise's friends were standing nearby. He shook his head slowly.

"No, I'm here with Draco"

No you're not Ginny was about to burst out but then, realizing that she wasn't with a friend that she could joke around with, she asked:

"Then where is he?"

Blaise nodded towards one of the shops behind him.

"At Zonko's. He should be here in a minute"

"Oh"

They both fell silent. Ginny thought that this was almost as uncomfortable as sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Madison, Lucas and Marwin.

She wanted to ask him so badly why he'd done it. Was he really interested in Daphne? Didn't he see what a vial person she was?

And he wasn't like her. Right?

"And you?" Blaise suddenly asked, making Ginny look up. "Are you here alone?"

This was the perfect time to tell him, to say that she was here with Lucas McLaggen. But for some reason, she didn't.

"No" she mumbled. "No, I'm just out here to escape one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life so far"

Not that this is much better.

She was shocked to see him smiling slightly and she got almost angry with herself when she found the ends of her own lips going upwards. How did he do that?

But then, the kiss came back to her mind. She stopped smiling and looked down again. It hurt too bad. All of it.

"Who are you escaping?"

As their gazes locked Ginny noticed that he looked really interested, his eyes shining with curiosity that she hadn't seen there before. At least not like this. You don't have to tell him a little voice inside her head whispered but Ginny ignored it. Still thinking about that stupid kiss, she felt that this was the right time to say it. She was just about to open her mouth when the door leading into the Three Broomsticks opened from the inside. Ginny had to admit that the timing was perfect. Or horrible.

"Lucas!" she exclaimed, trying her best to sound truthfully happy at the sight of him. "There you are, we were just talking about you!"

The effect was immediate; Blaise's eyes darkened and he looked at Lucas as if he was something the dog had brought inside. Or worse. Bingo. But why didn't it feel as good as Ginny had hoped? Standing there, telling Blaise that Lucas was her date made her feel stupid rather than like a winner.

And a winner of what, exactly?

"Zabini" Lucas said, eyes widening slightly in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Blaise snorted and at that moment Ginny knew. He'd put on his mask, the one that she'd managed to see behind, and now he was nothing but that arrogant Slytherin student again. Nothing but the friend of Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy...

"Believe it or not McLaggen, I'm visiting Hogsmeade" Blaise replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that a crime?"

Lucas shrugged slightly.

"Well, one wouldn't know with you right? I wouldn't be surprised if you entered the Three Broomsticks and summoned You-know-who there just to finish everybody off, being a death eater and all..."

Ginny gasped unwillingly at Lucas' words. Maybe because she knew how Blaise would react to them or maybe because they were just... vial. Before she'd had time to think properly, Blaise had drawn his wand and aimed it at Lucas' chest.

"What did you just say?" he asked threateningly and as Lucas also grabbed his wand Ginny had had enough.

This was enough drama for one day and she didn't need any more of it. She quickly jumped in between them and held out her hands while exclaiming:

"Hey! Stop it! Take your wands away, both of you!"

She met Blaise's gaze and he glared at her for a short moment before doing as he was told. It took Ginny a bit longer to convince Lucas to do the same and when he'd finally put his wand back inside robes she let out a sigh of relief. Lucas didn't drop Blaise's gaze while telling Ginny:

"I'll wait for you inside Ginny. You shouldn't make acquaintance with scum like him..."

"Yeah you do that" Ginny replied quickly, afraid that Blaise would take out his wand again, and almost pushed Lucas back into the Three Broomsticks.

As soon as the door to the pub had closed behind him Ginny turned around slowly, almost afraid to meet Blaise's gaze. His eyes were still dark, shining with fury.

"Why would you take McLaggen?" he hissed, his voice dangerously low.

Ginny tried her best to look brave and crossed her arms.

"Why not?" she asked defiantly, glaring back at him as he snorted.

"I saw the way you looked at him when you were first introduced to him by your friends" he said. "Everybody knows he's an idiot..."

"You know, believe it or not people can actually change Zabini" Ginny interrupted him heatedly but Blaise just shook his head slowly, looking at her as if she was stupid to even say such a thing.

"People like him never change, they're too full of themselves"

Ginny stared at him, feeling how the fury boiled inside of her. Who was he to tell her who Lucas McLaggen really was and whether she should date him or not? It had absolutely nothing to do with him!

Why couldn't everybody just stop interfering with her life and her decisions?!

She laughed out of disbelief, unaware of that she'd raised her voice when she said:

"Oh, unlike you who walk around thinking that you own the world, treating people like vermin just because their blood isn't pure enough?"

He looked like she'd slapped him and she actually felt like she had. She knew she was being unfair, he'd only commented on her blood once and that was the very first time they'd talked to each other... But what did it matter? It had to be true since he kissed Daphne...

"Is that really what you think?" he asked, looking at her as if he'd never properly seen her before.

Ginny took a deep breath.

"No Zabini, it's what I know"

You do?

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING..."

"NO, THAT'S RIGHT I DON'T!" Ginny interrupted him, almost screaming now.

Some of the people who were passing by the pub turned to look at her and Blaise, their eyes shining with curiosity. Some of them even whispered, but right now Ginny didn't care. She just wanted him to suffer the way she had the night before, when she'd spotted him with her... She continued:

"I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT YOU AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME. WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER AND WE SHOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH EACH OTHER'S LIVES SO STAY OUT OF MINE!"

She was quiet for a second, tried to catch her breath. But it was hard; the look on his face made her feel as if she could barely breathe at all.

"It's not like I'm telling you what I think of Daphne..."

Suddenly, his face showed nothing but pure shock. He opened and closed his mouth several times before asking, his voice quiet again:

"What are you talking about?"

Ginny wasn't sure why, but this time her words came out as nothing but a mere whisper.

"You know what I'm talking about" she said. "But at least I don't kiss McLaggen..."

Blaise stared at her.

"How do you even know about that?"

She sighed deeply. There was no point of not telling him the truth now...

"Because I came to the library thank you for saving me from being hit by Pansy's curse, and now that that's done we can just go back to not knowing each other..."

Can we really?

"That 'kiss', if you could even call it that, meant nothing" Blaise said sternly. "I didn't kiss her back. But I guess you left too early to see that..."

Ginny didn't know what to say, so she stayed silent. Was he really telling the truth? But then again, why would he lie? They stood there silent, staring at each other and ignoring everything else than was going on on the main street surrounding them.

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned around at the mention of her name and found herself facing none other than Dean, accompanied by his friend Seamus Finnigan. She let out a small gasp.

Great. This was just what she needed.

"I thought you were ill" Dean said and Ginny hated the confusion in his eyes. "I thought you weren't coming here today"

She swallowed before saying:

"Dean! I wasn't planning on going but... well, I'd promised Madison so..."

"So you're taking him?"

Dean nodded towards Blaise, looking truthfully shocked. The latter had his arms crossed and glared back at Dean.

"No!" Ginny exclaimed, shaking her head fiercly. "No I'm..."

"Ginny what are you doing out here? We're waiting and Lucas is driving me crazy and..."

The door to the Three Broomsticks had burst open again and this time, Madison was the one standing in the doorway. However, as she noticed that Ginny had company, she drifted off in the middle of her sentence. Her gaze wandered from Ginny, to Dean and Seamus and finally to Blaise.

"Oh" she just said and then, after having cleared her throat uncomfortably, she added:

"Well... come inside when you're ready, okay?"

Ginny nodded slightly and as soon as Madison had gone back inside Dean asked, his voice sounding upset:

"Lucas? Lucas McLaggen?"

"Dean, I can explain..." Ginny started but he interrupted her:

"You know what Ginny, there's no need for that. I just don't understand why you felt like you had to lie to me. I thought we were friends"

"We are! Dean..."

"Come on Seamus" Dean said shortly and without another word he and his friend took off.

Ginny couldn't bring herself to call for him.

After having stared after them for a short while Ginny turned around to face Blaise again, tears in her eyes.

"Happy now?" she asked, voice trembling.

He shook his head slowly and she realized that his eyes looked... empty. Indifferent. Like he didn't care. At all.

"Not even close" he said cooly.

Ginny looked away from him, couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. She knew she had to go back inside; this day would only get even worse if she'd let Madison down as well. She took a deep breath. She couldn't come back in there crying...

Why was she crying so much these days, anyway? It wasn't like her at all...

At that moment, the door to the Three Broomsticks opened from the inside once again and Neville stuck out his head. Ginny immediately noticed the relief in his eyes by the sight of her.

"Ginny!" he said. "Have you seen Luna?"

"Lots of running here today..." Blaise muttered under his breath but Neville barely seemed to notice that he was standing there.

In fact, he didn't even seem to realize that Ginny was really upset... She furrowed.

"Luna? No, she was in there with you minutes ago, wasn't she?"

She saw the panic and fear in Neville's eyes as he nodded slowly.

"Yeah... and then she went to the bathroom but she never came back! I've looked everywhere and I can't find her!"

"Well, you know how Luna is! I'm sure she'll turn up, have you tried..."

"Look, she might be a bit weird at times but she wouldn't just leave without saying anything!" Neville exclaimed impatiently and Ginny fell silent immediately.

She'd never seen him act like this before. He was usually the quiet one who often did as he was told. Now, Ginny's words seemed to mean nothing to him. They stared at each other for a moment before Neville said, voice trembling:

"She's gone, Ginny"

Please review if you want to! :D It'd make me so happy!