Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. There are also references to homophobia. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Yes. There are people who do treat queer relationships as disposable or otherwise "not real". No. I won't debate it with you.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 13); MC4A
Individual Challenges: Shadow HP Bribery (Y); Gryffindor MC (x2); Slytherin MC; Hold the Mayo; Gender Bender; The 3rd Rule; Rian-Russo Inversion (x2); Ethnic & Present (x2); Neurodivergent; Zed Era; Old Shoes (Y); Bucket Listing (Y); In a Flash; Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 13 – Assignment 04
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [950](In the Name of Love); 365 [245](Price); Auction [31-4](Blaise Zabini); Like a Skyscraper [1-10](Dialogue Exchange); Pick a Wick [06](Laughing); Build a Better Breakfast [31](Harry/Any)
Other MC4A Challenges: FaB [4A](Costume/Mask); Set [5A](Cottage);Hunt [Fa WD](Eating Disorder); Chim [Karma](Gender Bend; "Your Arms Feel Like Home" by 3 Doors Down; Copper); Ship (Heroic Shadow)[Fa Big](Lamp); Fire [Med](The Good Ship); Garden [Garden Tools](Chessboard); Hangman [Phase 01](Family)
Representation(s): Desi & Autistic Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini; Always Female Harry & Blaise; The Weasleys
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Corvid Brain; Turtle-Duck; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Found Family; Nontraditional; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice; Clio's Conclusion; Lock & Key; Lovely Coconuts; Lyre Liar; Muck & Slime); Chorus (Wabi Sabi; Tomorrow's Shade; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Creature Feature; Abandoned Ship; Surprise!)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Toad); SN (Rail); FR (Satisfaction); O3 (Olivine); SS (Schooner; Sanctuary)
Word Count: 684

(^^)
In the Name of Love
(^^)

Blaise watched as the youngest Weasley boy flirted with Harini. As always, Harini remained oblivious. She just laughed at whatever Ron had said and signed something that made her copper bracelets glitter in the light from the floor lamp. Then she moved one of her pieces and sat back with a smug smile. Ron looked down at the board between them with the frown that Blaise knew meant he was on the verge of descending into a fit of temper.

Harini wouldn't see any of it, of course. Blaise had already tried telling her that Ron was interested in being more than friends, but Harini didn't believe her. Harini only saw the boy who was her first friend, the boy whose family took her in during the summers.

So Blaise tried to stay close during visits with Ron. It was a careful balance between giving her space and not interfering with her friendships while still being nearby if something should happened. It was all that she could really do. Even in the name of protecting the woman she loved, Blaise could not deny her anything, least of all the family she loved beyond reason.

Blaise did not have the full details on how Harini was raised by her Muggle family. Harini was very careful not to answer any questions about them. Harini also did not call what they did abuse, not that Blaise had any will to push that particular topic. Harini did not seem ready to face the idea. It left Blaise in an awkward place, but she didn't mind. She could manage to get Harini to eat most of the time, and the nightmares were relatively easy to manage.

Most importantly, Blaise just kept loving Harini. She made sure to come home every single day and send messages when she was going to be late. She learned how to best rub Harini's back to get her to stop shivering after a nightmare featuring anything related to Hogwarts and to avoid touching her back or sides if the nightmare was anything related to her relatives. Blaise knew to distract Harini when she was having trouble finding the will to eat.

Blaise simply gave Harini her time. She stayed present. She stayed close. She didn't hide away her expressions as she had learned as a student in Slytherin where each one could be used as leverage against her. She was there for Harini, always.

Especially when her best friend was flirting with her, desperate to be more, but Harini was oblivious.

It was such a small price and so, so worth it.

All of a sudden, Blaise found her laps and arms full of her sweet smelling girlfriend, forcing her to set her book aside or drop it. Harini nuzzled into the spot where Blaise's head met her shoulder, like she always did when she was reaching the limits of her tolerance for human interaction. Blaise carded one hand through Harini's curls, confused, before raising her eyes towards Ron who was rubbing the back of his neck.

"I think she's upset," he said. Blaise raised a brow at him, prompting him to continue his explanation. "I, uh, well, I may have brought up that Mum wants us to get together."

"I see," Blaise said quietly. Harini shivered against her but didn't pull away. In fact, she only pressed closer. "And you thought that would be a good idea? That it couldn't possibly end badly given how much Harini loves your mother and wouldn't want to disappoint her?"

"Well, it's not like Harini's really seeing—" Ron cut himself off at Blaise's glare. "It's just that you can't get married. You know that you can't."

"And marriage is the only way to commit to a relationship," Blaise snarked. "I guess Granger is just living with Krumov as a temporary measure. I wonder how their children will feel about that."

"Would it kill you to go a day without being sarcastic?" Ron asked, throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Probably," Blaise returned. She kissed Harini's hair. "But we'll figure it out."

After all, they always did.