Never the Twain Shall Meet

Sunday afternoon Blaise and Harry were sitting in the Great hall eating lunch at the Slytherin table.

Pansy, Daphne and Astoria were sitting across from them chatting and occasionally throwing a wayward question Blaise and Harry's way to keep them involved and prevent them from choking on the sheer amounts of food they were shoveling in their mouths.

The mood seemed light and Astoria wondered aloud about Draco and Greg's estimated time of return from 'town'.

Blaise shrugged, "don't know." Was all Blaise said and pushed the second half of his sandwich in his mouth.

Pansy made a face and thanked Merlin that the boy across from her chewed with his mouth closed. This thought made her eyes venture into Gryffindor territory where the red head, formerly known as Harry's best mate, sat there chewing the same amount of food as the two across from her except his mouth was open and he was talking.

She grimaced and pushed her plate away.

"Best not to look over there while he's eating." Harry teased as if reading her thoughts.

She nodded and gave him a smile to which he returned sans food.

"ahem" a feminine voice interrupted.

They all looked up at the intruder.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise, the others didn't register their surprise (they were Slytherin), but they all felt it.

"Blaise, I need to talk to you please… alone." She said pleading with her eyes not looking at anyone else at the table, especially Harry.

Blaise quirked an eyebrow and cast a quick glance to Harry. Harry shrugged and looked at the pretty red head again.

"OI! Ginny, What're you doing over there?" Came the bellowing voice of her brother from across the hall. He was standing now and the last thing anyone needed was for him to come over there and cause trouble.

Blaise sighed at the drama, "Meet me in the Astronomy tower in 15 minutes." He said and turned back to his food dismissing her.

She nodded curtly and walked away.

"What's that about?" Daphne asked her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He shrugged.

"Blaise." Pansy scolded

He sighed again and pushed his plate away, "I didn't do anything that 30 other 7th years haven't done. I was curious, so about three weeks ago she met me in the library and we …uh… did it." He explained sheepishly.

Harry's eyebrows rose to his hairline and he snorted, "She met me in the prefects bathroom on the fifth floor. I would imagine doing it against the stacks would be a little more comfortable than the hard tiled floor." He commented casually resulting in Blaise chuckling and the girls looking on in horror.

"How long ago did you meet her in the prefects bathroom?" Pansy asked piercing Harry with her intense blue eyes.

He wasn't worried, "A few times last year, Pans. I stopped seeing her when I realized just how many wizards had preceded me. It's like throwing a hot dog down a hallway, if you get my meaning." He told her hoping he wouldn't have to explain.

It didn't need explaining.

Blaise almost choked on his pumpkin juice and even Astoria and Daphne smirked at the comment shaking their heads.

This, of course, prompted much teasing from Blaise about Harry's … endowment. The two were laughing as they walked out the hall and parted ways, "I'll be in the heads common room." Harry told Blaise.

The dark wizard nodded and made his way to the tower.

Ginny was there pacing and wringing her hands she stopped when the door opened and the handsome Blaise walked in, "So what's up?" he asked trying to sound nonchalant.

He was mildly concerned at her behavior and wanted this to be over. He wasn't curious anymore and Harry was right; more rides than a broom, that one.

He waited patiently (though it was wearing thin) and watched her walk back and forth inside the confines of the small area.

She stopped suddenly and looked at him expectantly, "I'm pregnant." She blurted.

He pushed his lips out a little and nodded slightly, "So what's that have to do with me?"

She huffed, "It's yours." She said annoyed.

Inside his heart just stopped and his stomach dropped to his knees, outside he remained cool and collected, "you performed a pregnancy test followed by a paternity test?" he asked wanting to make certain that she wasn't just trying to trick him into marriage and fatherhood, because that's where this would lead, marriage; and then he felt it… crushing disappointment quickly turning into anger.

"How? I cast a contraception spell." He spat.

She looked down – ashamed. When she raised her head to return his stare her eyes were brimming with tears, "I countered it." She admitted.

All the breath left his body like he had been hit by a bludger, "But why? And why me?" he asked barely able to speak.

"You don't understand! My mother was getting ready to marry me off to some… some… ugh. He was gross and then said we were to live at the burrow, it … I would have been stuck raising a thousand babies and listening to my mother for eternity. I couldn't… I'm sorry." She was sobbing now.

He was enraged, "WHY ME?" he yelled.

"I needed someone who could take care of me, but wouldn't care what I did."

"…and the baby?" he asked her as if she were mentally challenged, which at this point, he wasn't certain she wasn't.

"Don't you have house elves or something?"

He looked at her aghast.

"I need to think. Did you tell anyone else?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head and as if she hadn't wounded him enough, "You have three days, if I don't hear from you I'm telling my mother and owling yours …and then everyone will know."

He groaned and nodded sullenly.

He walked down to the heads portrait like a broken man.

King Draco and Queen Hermione were bickering as per the usual, but stopped when they noticed him standing there head bent, shoulders slumped, hands in pockets.

Queen Hermione frowned, "Are you alright dear boy?" she asked in a very British, very royal accent.

He snorted, even in portrait she was concerned for others he thought.

As he stared at Queen Hermione, he felt the angry burn of unshed tears; his whole life … ruined. There was no way around marriage. They were both purebloods, his mother alone would make sure the girl was taken care of and that Blaise made every effort to make her comfortable.

If he didn't, she would string him by his balls in a public setting. He shuddered; his mother was not one to be trifled with.

He had shared a scorching kiss with his Mya. She was everything he wanted. He knew he would have been a happy man for the rest of his life with her by his side… would have been.

He nodded and waited for the prompt. King Draco grumbled, "Password."

"Iunctus Nos Sto." Blaise said and the portrait door swung open.

Harry was sitting by the fire, staring at the dancing flames when Blaise walked in, "Hey mate." Harry greeted before Blaise's countenance struck him.

Blaise's eyes were red rimmed and he still had tears drying on his cheeks. His hands were still in his pockets and there was nothing of the confident wizard Harry had come to know and consider a friend standing in front of him.

Harry stood, "What?" he asked fearing death "Is your family alright? No one died?"

Blaise shook his head and dropped his muscled body down on the seat at the other end of the couch from where Harry was seated a moment ago, "worse. Ginny's pregnant and it's mine." He croaked.

"Are you sure, Blaise? We both know she isn't…"

Blaise stopped him with a raised hand, "she did it on purpose. She said her mother was marrying her off to some guy, making her live at the burrow… she needed someone rich." He paused to draw in a long tortured breath, "she doesn't even care about the baby."

Harry sat down next to his friend not knowing what to say, so he put a hand on his shoulder in support.

When Draco and Greg walked in the scene in front of them raised the hairs on the back of their necks in warning.

Blaise was slouched on the couch, his dropped back with an occasional tear leaking from his eyes. His hand was massaging his temples and Harry was subdued, patting the larger wizards shoulder.

"Who died?" Draco asked none too tactfully.

Blaise raised his head and sighed. Draco's body stiffened when he noted the tears on his long time friends' face. He quickly closed the distance between them and sat on the chair next to the couch closest to Blaise.

Greg followed suit and sat on the coffee table across from the couch.

Blaise couldn't speak so he cut his eyes to Harry.

Harry nodded and recounted the story.

Draco hissed in rage, "THAT BINT!" silently thanking the stars that he had not been curious enough to act.

Draco pinned Blaise with cold grey eyes, "you didn't cast a contraception spell?" he asked incredulously. He knew Blaise was careful; the man sexed up three quarters of Hogwarts every year since fifth year.

"She countered it after I left." He said.

"She admitted this?" Greg asked.

Blaise nodded, "she gave me three days to get back to her before she owls my mother." He said bitterly

"Isn't that worth something, can't we use a pensieve to prove she set you up and get you out of this?" Harry asked.

Draco snorted, "You haven't met Blaise's mother yet, but she would never allow Blaise to 'get out of this'. Pureblood mothers live for one thing and one thing only; to marry their sons off and nag them to death about having babies." He said it in a joking tone of voice, but it was all true.

"…and once Molly Weasley smells the Zabini fortune, well…" Greg added.

Harry had to concede, Molly wouldn't let this go.

"What about Mya?" Greg asked.

He had a soft spot for the little witch; different than the others. They were all protective of the girls and cared for them, but Greg knew he could talk to her without being judged or scorned.

They had had many conversations into the wee hours of the morning, her listening, him talking. She was family to him.

He hadn't expressed it to anyone else, just because he didn't want the competition, Harry and Draco adored her and Blaise had been carrying a torch for her for nigh two years.

They were all very good looking wizards oozing self-confidence, while Greg was large he wasn't particularly attractive, most thought he was unable to string two sentences together; he was one of Draco's henchmen and that's it, according to the other students.

Blaise groaned, "I'll tell her… DAMNIT!" he yelled and pounded a fist into the leather couch seat.

Later that evening Hermione walked into her common room; the somber mood settled around her like wet blanket, "What happened?" she asked the four men seated in front of the fire.

Draco sighed and looked at her with an expression she hadn't seen him wear before. She tilted her head in question.

He motioned to Blaise with his chin and she furrowed her brows already feeling her stomach tie in knots.

She thought for a moment Blaise was sleeping so she walked quietly to his side and touched his muscled bicep, "Blaise?" she whispered looking at him appraisingly.

He was wearing faded loose fit jeans with a plain black t-shirt that stretched across a densely muscled chest and fit tightly around robustly defined arms ending with large masculine hands. His arm was thrown across his forehead so the muscle was more pronounced.

Draco, Blaise and Harry stood to leave.

When the door clicked shut, she bent down to kiss him softly. She was startled to find his eyes open and watching her, "Hey." She said.

He pulled her down onto his lap and buried his face in her hair; hugging her tightly he kissed her neck, "cara…" he whispered.

His warm breath sent tingles down her spine and she pressed closer to him wrapping her arms around him.

His grip tightened and he inhaled deeply, trailing wet kisses up her neck, on her cheek finally reaching her mouth.

He kissed her with such longing and feeling she thought she'd suffocate with sheer emotion.

She returned his kiss with fervor and moved to straddle him.

He slid down a little further to accommodate her and gripped her hips to keep her still while he rocked his sudden erection into her womanhood.

He was breathing heavy now, their tongues dueling for dominance, her hands fisted in his hair; she was circling her hips grinding against him.

He moaned in pleasure and was getting ready to stand and carry her away so he could feel her wetness around him, but then everything came to a screeching halt when his mind came bouncing back with, this is what got you in trouble in the first place.

He groaned, but not in a good way. Hermione stopped and pulled back questioning.

"Cara… we have to stop. I need to talk to you."

She was worried now and nodded, sliding to sit at his side, he didn't let go of her, he kept his arm wrapped around her shoulder tightly pressing her body against the side of his.

He couldn't look at her just yet.

He focused on the table in front of him and started talking, "about three weeks ago Ginny Weasley and I had sex…"

She interrupted, "I don't care about your past …partners, Blaise…"

The look he gave her made her jaw snap shut.

He started again, "About three weeks ago Ginny Weasley and I had sex… I cast a contraceptive spell and left afterwards.

I found out tonight that she countered it and now she's pregnant and its mine."

Hermione stiffened; she knew what was coming next.

Still focused on the table in front of him, "She said she did it to get away from some situation at home and needed a wizard with money and who wouldn't care what she did with her time."

Hermione frowned, "What about the baby?" she asked.

He snorted, "I asked her that as well and her response was house elves." He said flatly.

Hermione shook her head in disgust.

Blaise didn't speak waiting for it all to sink it.

"You'll marry her." She stated. Blaise nodded.

After a moment she sighed and looked at his handsome features. She cupped his cheek and turned it so that her eyes met his; when she saw the raw emotion her heart broke and she had to fight back tears.

She blinked several times and told herself he needed her to be strong for both of them, "I know you feel like your life is over, but it's not. You're not alone, you don't have to do this alone." She paused.

"This is an opportunity, Blaise. You're going to be a father and that baby is going to have plenty of aunts and uncles to dote on it." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"…but… I …us." He couldn't even speak about 'what could have been'

She nodded, "We are friends, Blaise." She said with finality.

He nodded letting a tear escape. She brushed it with her thumb.

"Get to know her, before you let hate take over and you end up in a miserable marriage. She's pretty, smart, funny and there many more qualities I'm sure you'll notice about her." Hermione said though it physically pained her to sing Ginny's praises at the moment.

He huffed in disbelief, but didn't say anything.

"It's late, why don't you sleep in my bed tonight. I'll give you some calming drought." She said pulling him up (not really, but went through the motions) from the couch into a standing position towering over her and walked him to her room.

He kicked off his shoes and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back and pulled him down in order to place the softest of good bye kisses on his lips.

He drank the solution and lay down on her bed falling asleep before his head hit the pillow.

She walked out and floo'd Sirius (their floo was connected to Grimmauld Place and Malfoy Manor), "Sirius?" she called.

His popped up from the couch when he heard Hermione's voice, he looked down at the witch he was snogging and smiled, "just one moment, pet." He said and pecked her on the lips when she pouted.

He walked over the floo and poked his head through, "Yes, kitten?"

Hermione and Sirius had struck up a strange friendship with Harry being the connection. After they both got over the awkwardness of loving each other because of Harry and actually getting to know one another, they found they had more in common than originally thought.

He was the one who helped her buy the season tickets for Harry, with the promise that she would help him remodel and redecorate Grimmauld Place. She was the only one he knew with a proficiency in décor charms, which were particularly difficult and he didn't want to spend the crazy amount of Galleons it would take to hire someone in the field.

So she agreed.

His first negotiation tactic was to share the gift; her idea his purchase, but Hermione refused scolding him. That was her gift to Harry and Sirius had to come up with an idea of his own instead of trying to piggy back off of hers.

He relented and came up with the remodeling scheme.

"I could use some fire whisky." She said neither beating around the bush nor offering explanation.

She could make out the furrowed brows of the ashy representation that was Sirius, "Is everything alright, kitten?"

"It will be, but right now I just need to chill out."

He knew not to press her, he would get the story later, "Ok but A) I'm adding it to your tab, B) you catch the bottles and not let them break, C) don't tell anyone where you got them." He conditioned.

"B and C are fine, what're you thinking for A?" she asked wary of what he was going to have her do.

"When you become a curse-breaker you take all the curses off all of these old books in my library."

She groaned, the Black library was huge and infamous for having complicated spell work and a plethora of dark arts books, "I'll be an indentured servant before this school year is finished." she said.

He chuckled, "Ok here's the first one, catch." He said and sent a bottle of Ogdens through.

She caught it with ease and waited for the second; she caught it, "Thanks Sirius." She said.

"I can come through, kitten, we can talk." He offered.

She was about to accept when she heard the unmistakable feminine whine beckoning the handsome wizard back to her.

She let out a breath of laughter, "No, that's ok, sorry to have interrupted. Thanks again."

She heard him mumble something in response to the whine with giggling in the background before the floo connection closed.

She summoned a glass and poured herself two fingers and sat in front of the fire to filter through her catalogue of spells stored in her mind.

What Ginny did was rotten and manipulative. Not to mention, Hermione had feelings for the sexy wizard and had just begun to relax enough to enjoy them. Hermione did not like things being taken away from her and she didn't share well.

Ginny would pay for what she did to Blaise and indirectly to Hermione.

Many were under the mistaken impression that Hermione wouldn't hurt a fly, they were wrong.

Draco and Harry walked in to find Hermione staring in angry concentration into the dancing flames in front of holding a tumbler of whiskey.

Harry knew that look and was immediately concerned for Ginny.

They sat down on either side of her; her eyes never meeting theirs she silently summoned two more tumblers and poured them drinks as well.

The three friends sat there in silence drinking and taking comfort in each others' presence while sharing in the anger they all felt on Blaise's behalf.