The Almost Black Blood
As Ginny was heading downstairs from her bedroom at Shell Cottage, after having taken care of some homework, she spotted her brother and Fleur clearing up the kitchen table after dinner and starting doing the dishes.
"That's not fair!" Ginny exclaimed as she entered the kitchen a couple of seconds later. "Fleur, you did all the cooking and I was to do the dishes! That was our deal! I can't let you do everything...
"It iz fine Ginny, really" Fleur said, waving her left hand impatiently, without taking her eyes off the used plates that she held in her right. "I do not mind!"
Ginny remained silent, but still helped Bill by removing glasses, forks and knives from the table and handing them to Fleur. Ever since yesterday, when Ginny had accidentally let slip that it was because of a Slytherin student that she'd been acting distant lately, Fleur had been treating her like a bomb that might explode at any second. She avoided Ginny's gaze and didn't talk to her if she could help it. Even though it had only been a day it was getting really annoying...
It seemed that even though Fleur had been attending Beauxbatons, she knew enough about Hogwarts to be aware of the fact that gryffindors and slytherins didn't usually enjoy each other's company. And that was a shame, because Ginny really would have needed another witch's opinion about this. A witch whose mind was not stuffed with prejudices like the rest of them.
At least Fleur seemed to have kept her promise about not telling Bill, because he didn't act as if anything was wrong and actually seemed to be in a better mood than usual. Maybe it was due to the fact that he'd seen their parents the day before. As soon as they'd finished clearing off the table he went to sit down on one of the couches in the living room, and Ginny joined him.
"Was everything all right at Muriel's place?" she asked softly and Bill nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I think so... Of course, mum was just as worried as usual and you could tell that Charlie really wanted to get out of there..."
"Well, I actually agree with mum on that one" Ginny interrupted him firmly. "He shouldn't go back to Romania in times like these..."
Bill shrugged.
"I guess you're right but he's still a grown-up wizard, Ginny" he said. "It's really not up to anyone else to decide where he should go or when"
Or who he should be friends with. Laugh with. Talk to. Ginny suddenly came to think of her own current situation. In August, only five months from now, she'd turn seventeen. Then, no one else could tell her that she and Blaise Zabini couldn't be friends. No one could forbid her to speak to him in public.
But of course she knew that it wasn't that simple. He was already seventeen, and did that stop him from caring about what his friends and family thought of gryffindors and "bloodtraitors"? Hardly.
"Ginny! Wake up!"
She jumped slightly in her seat at Bill's rasied voice and stared at him, confused.
"What?" she asked and he smiled slightly, shaking his head.
"Your mind is obviously somewhere else. It's happened a lot lately, something you wish to tell me?"
Ginny looked into her brothers kind, brown eyes filled with so much worry and caring and she suddenly felt awful for not being able to tell him the truth. But Fleur's reaction from yesterday was still fresh in her mind and she couldn't afford Bill finding out about Blaise and then tell their parents about it.
She just couldn't.
She gave her brother what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"No, it's nothing. I'm just tired" Tired of excuses. "You were saying?"
Bill kept looking at her for a moment, as if expecting the truth to be written all across her face, but then seemed to give up:
"I was just talking about Fred and George's birthday. What do you reckon we should give them?"
"Well, given thought that they own the only shop in Diagon Alley that is still open I guess we can cross 'buy something' out" Ginny said, smirking slightly. "But how about that we just prepare a really nice cake?"
Bill nodded and was just about to open his mouth to say something, when Fleur entered the living room. She looked from her husband to her sister-in-law and Ginny could tell immediately that something was not right. Fleur looking worried. No, she looked scared. Bill seemed to notice the same thing.
"What's wrong?" he asked and stood up, walking with quick steps towards his wife.
Fleur swallowed and then told him, her voice trembling:
"I... I waz just about to come and join you in 'ere when I... I 'eard a zound"
"What kind of sound?" Ginny asked, standing up as well. "Was it coming from outside the house?"
Fleur nodded slowly, her face pale now.
"Yez, but it zeemed close... Bill, it... It zounded az if zomeone waz apparating 'ere"
She whispered something in French and Bill and Ginny turned to look at each other, eyes widening. Who would be apparating here, at this hour? And why? It didn't seem like the sort of thing that their parents, Charlie, Fred or George would do...
What if there were death eaters standing outside the front door, at this very moment?
Ginny swallowed and Bill's firm voice interrupted her thoughts:
"Okay, you two stay in here. I'll go and see what it is..."
"No Bill, you can't!" Fleur exclaimed. "Zomething could 'appen to you!"
"And something will most likely happen to all of us unless we look into this now"
Bill gave Ginny one last reassuring smile and kissed his wife on the cheek before leaving the living room without another word. Now, it seemed impossible for Fleur to not talk to or look at Ginny.
"What do you think..." she started but Ginny just shook her head.
"I don't know" she whispered, and knew that that was nothing but the truth.
She had no idea what was going on.
The next minute seemed to last forever. Ginny and Fleur both remained standing, staring at each other without saying anything. No words were needed. Then, they both jumped slightly as Bill called out:
"FLEUR! GINNY! COME HERE AND HELP ME OUT!"
They both rushed into the kitchen and what Ginny spotted made her feel as if her heart had gotten stuck in her throat. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. She froze, suddenly unable to move.
This had to be a dream. Or maybe more of a nightmare.
Because Blaise Zabini was standing there, and he was bleeding. A lot. But the blood, that coloured his white shirt, was not red. It was darker, almost black, and the amount only seemed to increase by the second...
But despite all the blood, it was his face that really caught Ginny's attention. He was pale as a sheet, seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes open and was obviously unable to speak. And he looked like he was in so much pain, it hurt Ginny to look at him. It was a lucky thing Bill had put Blaise's arm around his shoulders, because otherwise he probably would have fallen.
Fleur gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Blaise..." Ginny burst out, without thinking about it, and hurried towards him.
At the mention of his name Blaise looked up slightly and it seemed to take all that he had to meet her gaze. His dark eyes were distant, like he was about to pass out.
"Blaise... Blaise, look at me" Ginny ignored the fact that her voice was trembling really badly. "What happened?"
But he didn't say anything, and soon dropped her gaze again.
"Do you two know each other?" Bill asked, furrowing as he nodded between his sister and Blaise.
Ginny could see the suspicious look Fleur gave her and quickly said:
"Yeah he... he's a friend from school"
"Well..." Bill started, and with some help from Ginny he soon got Blaise into the living room. "I have no idea who he is or what he's doing here but we should take him to St Mungos before..."
"No"
They all looked at Blaise as he spoke for the first time since Bill had brought him inside. Ginny could hear on his voice how exhausted he was. He looked at her again, eyes pleading.
"No hospital"
"Why not?" Bill asked suspiciously, shaking Blaise gently which caused Ginny to gasp. " Who are you? Answer me and don't lie!"
"Stop it!" Ginny exclaimed and grabbed her brother's arm firmly.
Fleur stood a couple of metres away from them, still looking horrified while eyeing the blood spreading all over Blaise's shirt. Ginny swallowed at the sight of it.
"We have to do something about the blood..." she mumbled, more to herself than to anyone else.
Bill sighed and watched as Ginny took off her cardigan and pressed it against Blaise's side. He groaned slightly but then clenched his jaw, as if he was determined to not show any sign of weakness. If the situation hadn't been so serious Ginny might have rolled her eyes; it was just so like him.
"Ginny, he could be an imposter..."
"He's not" Ginny replied determinedly and looked from her brother to Fleur before adding:
"I know it's really him"
"Then ask him something" Bill said, looking slightly pale himself as he watched her cardigan turn dark from the strange-looking blood.
Ginny watched, in horror, how Blaise suddenly seemed to become too weak to stand even with their help and roared:
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT NOW! WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO STOP THE BLEEDING OR ELSE HE'LL DIE!"
The room fell completely silent. Bill and Fleur both stared at her and for a moment Ginny felt astounded by her own words and the way she'd actually screamed at her brother. But she also knew that she was right. Time was running out and she wanted to save Blaise.
She had to save him.
And thankfully, Bill seemed to realize that she was serious. Without taking his eyes off Blaise he told his wife:
"Fleur, go upstairs and see if you can find that book about curses that I bought in Diagon Alley last year. You know which one?"
Fleur nodded slowly.
"Good. Then look in it for any curse with symptoms like this"
He nodded towards Blaise's bleeding side and it didn't take long before his wife had hurried out of the room, obviously keen on leaving as soon as possible. Bill turned to look at Ginny, seeming both suspicious and afraid. Not to mention stressed out.
"Maybe he's the one he says he is but in times like these we need proof" he told her. "If not for my and Fleur's safety, then for yours"
Ginny sighed. Her heart was pounding faster than usual and she still pressed her cardigan against Blaise's side. She felt like holding his hand, telling him that everything was going to be okay. She didn't know if that was the truth, but she got the feeling that he might need to hear it.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked her brother. "You simply have to trust me, Bill..."
"Ask him something" Bill repeated firmly. "Ask him something that only the real he knows"
Ginny bit her lip, thinking hard. Something that only the real he knows... What could that possibly be? But as she looked into his eyes, despite feeling awful when realizing how weak and hurt he looked, she knew. And the words left her mouth before she had time to think:
"Blaise..." she whispered. "I know that talking is probably the last thing you want to do right now, but please just answer this..."
She took a deep breath. This was it.
"What were the last words you said to me before you left the Hog's Head, that day when we met?"
The first time he'd ever spoken to her. The first time she'd ever spoken to him. It seemed like such a long time ago now... And those last words, the ones she now asked him to remember, had refused to leave her mind ever since. In a way, he'd saved her from her own misery by saying them... Their gazes locked.
"Potter never deserved you"
His voice was hoarse, and the words came out as nothing but a mere whisper. But she heard him and she found herself letting out a sigh of relief. Of course, she'd known all along that it was him but now she had proof that'd hopefully calm Bill down.
"It's him" she said quietly and as her brother nodded Fleur came back, with what looked like a really heavy book in her hands.
"I can not find anything" she said, panting slightly. "But there iz a description of 'ow to make an antidote that workz on most cursez..."
"How do you do it?" Ginny interrupted her immediately and Bill asked Blaise:
"It has to be a curse... Do you know which one it was?"
As Blaise shook his head slowly, closing his eyes out of pure exhaustion, Bill turned to his wife again:
"What kind of antidote?"
"A potion" Fleur explained. "But I am afraid that we do not 'ave a cauldron that iz good for brewing potionz..."
Once again, the situation was almost laughable. And here she thought she'd brought a cauldron home for Easter for nothing...
"I have one" Ginny told them. "It's upstairs, in my trunk"
"Well, we'd better hurry" Bill said. "Fleur, find the right page and the ingredients we need and I'll go get the cauldron. Ginny... take care of your friend"
As Bill was about to exit the living room Ginny called after him:
"Bill"
He stopped and turned around to face her. She smiled slightly.
"Thank you"
As soon as her brother had left the room Ginny gave Blaise her full attention and somehow made him sit down on the couch. He groaned again and she closed her eyes, swallowing hard. Seeing him like this was almost more than she could take. And she could usually take a lot.
"You'll be fine" she said, completely ignoring the way Fleur looked at her and Blaise curiously before hurrying out of the living room to find the ingredients needed for the antidote potion. "Just lie down, I reckon it'll hurt less..."
"I'm fine"
Ginny, who could tell that his words were nothing but a typical Slytherin-defense mechanism, rolled her eyes and practically forced him into a lying position.
"The hell you are..." she muttered. "What happened?"
Who did this to you? And how did you find your way here?
This had not been an accident, that was for sure. And Ginny felt like killing the person guilty. Blaise had his eyes closed, so she couldn't tell whether he hadn't heard her or just ignored her question. She tried again:
"Blaise, anyone can tell that someone did this on purpose..."
But she was interrupted by Bill's voice as he and Fleur re-entered the living room.
"Thank god that saleswoman at Flourish and Blotts convinced me to buy that book..." he said. "I've never seen anything like that antidote potion before... It should be done within ten minutes"
Ginny let out another sigh of relief, feeling as if a huge stone lifted from her chest. Blaise would probably be all right. Whoever had done this to him wouldn't win.
Not this time.
"Let's just hope it helps" she said quietly, her gaze resting on Blaise.
He still had his eyes closed and at that very moment Ginny knew for sure that slytherins were really just as vulnerable and human as anybody else.
How do you make a time line haha
Bill kept his promise, and after around ten minutes the antidote potion had finished brewing. Fleur returned from the kitchen with a transparent vial filled with a dark blue liquid Ginny had never seen before. She didn't leave Blaise's side and, without really thinking about it, grabbed his arm and held it gently as Bill said:
"He should drink half of this"
Remarkably, Blaise seemed to have some strength left and grabbed the vial from Bill. Judging from his face expression the content didn't taste very good. Still, he finished it in seconds and then handed the now half-empty vial to Ginny who eyed it curiously.
"What are we doing with the other half?" she asked and as she looked at her brother and sister-in-law she could see that they exchanged a quick glance before Fleur told her:
"It didn't say 'ow the potion should be taken, depending on 'ow the curze affected the person in question"
"So?" Ginny asked. "Should't he just drink all of it and..."
"Fleur took a healing class at Beauxbatons..." Bill started and his wife interrupted him, her voice somewhat triumphant:
"Which iz one of the many reasonz why Beauxbatons iz a much better school than 'Ogwarts..."
"Anyway" Bill said quickly, since he probably remembered that comments like these was one of the reasons why Ginny had despised Fleur when they first met. "She thinks we should pour the other half over the wound"
Ginny turned her head to look at Blaise. Lying on the couch, he looked exhausted but his face seemed to have regained some of its colour. The antidote potion seemed to have helped already. However, he still seemed to be in a lot of pain...
"Fine" she mumbled. "If it's for the best..."
She couldn't help feeling slightly uncomfortable and forced herself to look away as Fleur helped Blaise remove his shirt; he was obviously still too weak to do that on his own. But as the dark blue liquid was poured over his side, that was covered with so much blood that it was hard to see the actual wound, Ginny couldn't stop herself from turning to face him. He groaned loudly out of pain and whilst the wound magically seemed to heal itself, small amounts of smoke appeared from it.
"It lookz like it iz 'elping" Fleur said and as she gently wiped Blaise's side with a wet towel Ginny realized that she was right.
The bleeding had stopped and left was nothing but a long, dark cut looking slightly terrifying. Blaise had his eyes closed and was breathing heavily, and in the middle of it all Ginny found herself staring at his bare torso. How could he possibly look so fit when he didn't even play on the Slytherin quidditch team?
It was astonishing...
"GINNY!"
She turned to look at Bill who rolled his eyes.
"You did it again. Wake up!"
"Sorry!" Ginny said quickly.
She helped her brother remove her bloodstained cardigan and the empty vial from the living room while Fleur put some bandages around Blaise's torso. By the time Ginny returned to the living room he was fast asleep, and Fleur was standing in the doorway.
"He iz azleep" she told her and Ginny nodded slightly before trying to make her way past her.
But Fleur wouldn't budge and Ginny stared at her.
"I am not stupid, you know" Fleur said quietly. "The boy you were talking about yezterday..."
"You don't know anything" Ginny snapped and her sister-in-law fell silent at her cold voice.
Ginny didn't mean to sound rude, but she couldn't take any accusations right now. Besides, how could she possibly explain something to Fleur when she didn't understand it herself? She didn't even know why Blaise Zabini was here.
Or why she desperately wanted him to be.
Blaise's point of view
The first sound he heard when he woke up was distant and relaxing, and it didn't take him long to figure out that it came from the ocean. Then, as he opened his eyes, he found himself staring right out of a big, circle shaped window. The sky outside was white and, if looking closely, one could tell that the sun was hiding somewhere behind the clouds, waiting to come forward.
The bright day light made Blaise feel wide awake and as he sat up straight in the very comfortable and warm bed, yesterday's events unpleasantly came back to him. Even though it was not as bad as before, thanks to the antidote potion, the cut on his side still hurt and he grimaced to himself.
He thought of Ginny. Of her brother and his French wife. Of all the places he could have gone, why here?
Because you had nowhere else to go.
He tried to ignore the whispering voice coming from inside his own head, but it was hard. He felt weak, and if there was something Blaise absolutely hated it was that. He hated accepting the fact that he'd had to ask for somebody else's help. That he'd needed it. Her help...
She'd saved his life. They all had. Two bloodtraitors. Weasleys. And that French girl, why would she bother helping him? He hadn't missed the suspicious looks she'd given him last night and the way she'd looked at Ginny as if she'd gone mental when she grabbed his arm...
He knew already that he'd never forget that. And even though she might never find out, Ginny Weasley was the reason why he hadn't lost it completely. Why he was able to bear the pain. And now he found himself in her brother's and his wife's house. He'd actually spent the night here.
He shivered at the thought of what Draco, Pansy and the others would say if they knew. Not to mention how his mother would react...
He felt another sting of pain in his side as he thought of her face expression. How she'd gone all pale, and opened her mouth as if she wanted to oppose and help him. But she never did. She just stood there, and thereby betrayed him. If he hadn't managed to disapparate...
Blaise swallowed, closing his eyes hard to stop the tears that seemed to be forming in his eyes. Slytherins didn't cry. He didn't cry. And definitely not when Ginny Weasley was in the same house. But it was difficult, when thinking about what could have happened.
He could have been dead. Perhaps that would make his mother nothing but pleased...
Blaise's thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Looking down at his torso for the first time since yesterday, he realized that he still wasn't wearing any shirt and quickly pulled the sheets up before muttering:
"Come in"
He silently hoped that it wasn't Ginny's brother or his wife. That would be really awkward, considering he didn't know any of them... But it was Ginny standing in the doorway and after a quick look at him she slowly closed the door behind her, and made her way into the bedroom.
Ginny's point of view
Ginny tried her best not to look shocked or even the slightest surprised by the sight of him. Even though he definitely looked more like himself than he had the night before, he was still slightly pale and his eyes looked tired and defeated. But what had she expected? That he'd be perfectly all right?
If he was he'd never be here, stupid.
That was true, and Ginny knew that she couldn't wait much longer. She needed answers, and so she asked him, voice low:
"How are you?"
"Never been better" Blaise replied sarcastically and to her, and probably also his, great surprise Ginny found herself smiling slightly.
"That's more like it. I'd be furious if you'd say 'I'm fine' one more time"
He didn't look at her, and he didn't say anything. Ginny pressed her lips together and moved slightly closed to his bed before mumbling:
"What happened, Blaise?"
Suddenly, he looked up at her and he seemed almost annoyed by her words.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked sharply and Ginny couldn't help flinching slightly at the edge in his voice.
"What do you mean?" she asked, but she already knew.
"I thought I was 'Zabini' to you"
He looked at her so intently it felt almost as if he was glaring, and yet Ginny found it impossible to drop his gaze.
"You were" she said, her voice so quiet the words came out as nothing more than a whisper. "But I honestly think we're past that now"
Once again, he looked away and she added:
"Unless you want me to use your last name of course..."
"Blaise is fine" he interrupted her and she fell silent at once. "I was just curious what made you change your mind, that's all"
They both fell silent. Ginny's thoughts wandered off to the night before, how much did he remember? Potter never deserved you. Did he remember saying that? Did he still believe it?
"You're avoiding my question" she said, crossing her arms to look more secure and defiant than she really felt. "And don't tell me that you don't know what question I'm talking about. Or that it was an accident because we both know that's not true..."
"I don't want to talk about what happened"
She stared at him in disbelief. For some reason, this was the answer she'd expected and yet she found herself feeling very frustrated.
"Well that's very stupid of you" she said angrily. "Because I might be able to help..."
"No Ginny, you can't"
She froze at the sound of her first name coming from his lips. It sounded so... perfect. Right. And yet absurd.
"Nobody can"
The defeat in his voice was striking. Ginny turned her face to look out the window and whilst eyeing a couple of swallows in the sky, she told him:
"People have kept things from me my whole life. I was always the 'little girl' who was too young to understand anything. My boyfriend wouldn't even tell me where he was going when they took off last year..."
She drifted off. She hadn't meant to mention Harry, and yet it seemed impossible not to. It was nothing but facts: he'd once been a very important part of her life and she couldn't just forget about that. Blaise had turned to look at her at the mention of Harry's name, but now looked down again. She continued:
"And I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being left out and not being trusted..."
"It's not that I don't trust you"
"Then prove it"
Ginny looked deep into his eyes, not even caring about the fact that she might look and sound desperate. If she could get at least something out of him, that wouldn't matter.
"Let someone in" she said softly. "Just this once"
There was a long silence. She found herself wondering whether he might want her to leave and knew that it'd really hurt her if he told her to. But why should he want to tell her anything?
"He overheard me telling my mother that I thought she should call the whole wedding off..."
Blaise seemed determined not to look at her whilst he spoke and Ginny gasped involuntarily. It was obvious, really. Why hadn't she thought of it sooner?
"Your mum's fiancée?" she asked quietly and he nodded.
"He lost it completely, said I was a spoiled prat who didn't think of anyone but myself. And that... that my father was probably happy to die, because at least that meant he wouldn't have to stand me any longer"
Ginny stared at Blaise. She was at a loss of words, because what could she possibly say to take away the look on his face? To make him feel all right. None of this was all right. And he'd obviously just been through something she could scarcely imagine; he'd been insulted and attacked in his own home. The one place where every person had a right to feel safe.
"I raised my wand, just to disarm him or something..." Blaise continued. "...But he reached me to it, and did this"
He nodded towards his torso, still covered in bandages, and then locked his cold gaze with Ginny's.
"So now you know" he said, voice hard. "So much for the family spirit you Weasleys stand for... My own mother wouldn't even bother trying to save me"
There was something challenging, almost defiant, in his eyes. As if he expected her to to say something that'd make him want to defend himself and his actions. But the only words Ginny managed to utter were:
"Blaise I'm... I'm so..."
"Don't" he interrupted her cooly and she fell silent. "Don't pity me"
But Ginny shook her head slowly.
"I don't pity you, I'm sorry for you and for what you've been through. That's not the same thing"
They both fell silent again. Eventually, Ginny said:
"Does anyone know you're here?"
"Who would I tell? Draco?" Blaise snorted. "Whoever I'd talk to would freak out..."
"How come you didn't go to his place?" Ginny asked curiously. "Malfoy's, I mean"
"Because it's full of death eaters and prisoners. If I showed up like this..." He nodded towards his bandages again "They'd ask questions"
Ginny nodded slowly. That made sense, and still...
"And Tracey?"
"On vacation with her parents in France" Blaise replied. "Besides, she'd get so angry she'd want to head straight back to my place to 'sort everything out'"
It seemed as if he knew very well how Tracey would react in a situation like this and it made Ginny wonder how close the two of them really were. Best friends? More?
"I wouldn't have come here if I had a choice"
She did her best to not flinch at his words. For some reason, it felt as if someone gave her a hard kick in the stommach. Of course she knew that he came here only because he had nowhere else to go- and yet the thought hurt.
Stop imagining things. What makes you think he'd actually enjoy being here?
"How did you find your way here?" she asked and hoped she looked as unbothered as she wished she felt. "I don't recall ever having told you about this place..."
"I overheard Longbottom tell one of your friends about it"
Madison, probably.
"I just caught the words 'shell cottage' and when I disapparated it just... popped into my head"
I'm glad it did.
Ginny nodded again, before looking up to meet his gaze. She felt like there were so many things she wanted to say, and ask, and yet she couldn't think of anything in particular. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Well... I'm glad you're okay. I should give you some rest"
"I'll see you later"
With her hand on the doorknob, Ginny turned around one last time. I wouldn't have come here if I had a choice. She swallowed. Why did it feel as if she was about to start crying? She had to get out of here, now...
"Yeah..." she said weakly. "Yeah, you will"