FIC: Normality is an overrated concept, NC17 - Chapter Nine
Title: Normality is an overrated concept
Username: Anonymous
Chapter: Chapter Nine
Pairing(s): Blaise/Ginny/Draco
Rating: NC17
Chapter Word Count: 3,313
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. We're only borrowing them. Chapter titles are songs or lyrics and are property of the musicians. Quotes or literature used are also notated as not mine.
Summary: You cannot make peace with terrorists. The normal dividing lines between war and peace do not apply. - Ulrich Beck. Ever wonder what happened at Hogwarts during Deathly Hallows…
Author Notes: AU for epilogue and parts of DH.
Chapter Nine
Breakeven -The Script
None of them had felt up to a big Christmas celebration even though they had pushed back Yule until Narcissa and Luna were safe at Valhalla in the first place. It had taken Narcissa almost a week to be up and around for more than a few hours without feeling drained and Luna almost two. The time for them to return to Hogwarts had come and passed without anyone even bringing up the idea of them returning. Blaise knew that it was partially due to Luna’s almost constant nightmares on top of Narcissa’s paranoia about letting any of them, Draco most especially, out of her sight for more than a few minutes. Luckily, his mum had been intervening on the paranoia issue and it seemed to be getting better the last day or two.
That was how Blaise found himself walking through Valhalla towards Luna’s room in mid-January on strict orders from his mum to get everyone up and doing something-anything-she didn’t care so long as the maudlin mood was lifted, at least a little bit.
He knocked lightly on Luna’s door and pushed it open at the quiet response. Trying for a smile, he shook his head at the sight before him. Greg was splayed out on the sofa, a Quidditch book in hand whilst Theo and Luna were playing chess on the bed. He remembered the row almost two weeks back when Luna had insisted that Theo bring Greg to explain why he had been all but absent from her room. Everyone in the house had heard her actually. Luna had proven herself that day, by sheer volume alone. Apparently, Greg had stayed away out of fear of upsetting her, not knowing if she was wary of anyone but the girls and Theo. Luna had made it crystal clear that Greg was her friend and she trusted him. No one, not even Ginevra, knew all of what Luna had endured and he was certain that if anyone knew it would be Theo. He wasn’t about to ask and everyone seemed to feel the same. Not knowing was definitely better in this case, for all of them.
“I’ve strict orders to get you three up and out into the snow or other winter-type pursuit.” He kept hold of the door in case he needed to duck hexes.
Luna laughed, sounding much like her old self. “We’ll not hex you, Ginevra would take me to task if we did and then Draco would pout.”
“So, now those two are scarier than I am?” he teased, looking wounded. “At least I know where I stand with you.”
She grinned. “Where are those two anyway? It’s been days since we’ve seen you without one of them.”
Blaise cautiously stepped inside and sat in the chair by the fire. “With Narcissa, of course; she and Mum have decreed that we’re too young to be holed up inside especially when it snowed last night.”
Luna slipped from the bed and padded barefoot over to the large windows overlooking the gardens. “It does look lovely and I do believe these are the perfect conditions for Blibbering Humdingers. I just don’t have a winter cloak.”
“You do too,” Theo protested, moving to stand with her looking quite indignant. “Marguerite had you make that list, remember, love?”
She laughed lightly. “I didn’t think she was serious, Theodore.”
Blaise and Greg shared an amused look, but both were smart enough to stay out of it. Hells, Blaise and Draco had much the same conversation with Ginevra on Christmas day. She too had protested that the new clothing was ‘too much’. They had disagreed. It had taken Narcissa asking to speak to her, and that conversation he hadn’t been privy to, for her to agree to take all the presents they wished to bestow on her.
“What exactly do they wish us to do?”
He looked up and grinned once he realised Luna was speaking to him. “I don’t think they rightly care actually.” He chuckled. “Mum said that she never thought she would consider Valhalla too small for eight people, but that she was tired of all but tripping over us looking maudlin and pale.”
Greg shook his head, turning his attention to Luna and Theo. “I would say then, that it is up to you.”
“I want to make snow fairies,” Luna said dreamily, turning back to the windows. “Where are we to meet you three?”
“The solarium,” he replied easily, picking it at random and knowing that it would give them access to most of the grounds easily.
“I’ll go and get ready,” Greg said, setting his book aside.
“I won’t be long, unless there are Wrackspurts about.” Luna replied, laughing lightly as Theo shooed her towards the closet.
Blaise took that as his cue to go, wondering if Ginevra had any idea what Luna was on about. He hurried out as Theo started in on Luna, “you need to dress warmly, no need to get a cold.”
He didn’t wait to see if Greg joined in or fled. Greg had confided that he thought of Luna as an honorary sister, nothing more and that he wouldn’t ever dream of stepping in on Theo’s girl. What it did, though, was create a bit of fun as he thought of Ginevra the same way. Grinning at the memory of both girls allowing Greg to fuss over them the one day they’d agreed to sit in the solarium, he hurried back to their suite. It had been Ginevra’s idea to get Luna out of her suite and Greg had surprised them all by playing doting brother to both women. He, Theo, and Draco had sat back and watched knowing that it was Greg’s way of showing the girls that he wasn’t the big hulking brute that most everyone assumed he was.
Blaise entered their suite, grinning outright at Ginevra teasing Draco. Their boyfriend was dressed for the weather already in a dark grey jumper and black slacks with fur-lined boots. The current teasing was over Draco’s insistence that Ginevra needed two jumpers. From what he could see, the pink one he knew to have been a gift for Luna was being held out to Draco.
“If I wear two, so do you,” Ginevra said teasingly.
“Not a chance,” Draco said, clearly trying to stand firm on the issue.
“Aww, but Draco, the pink will complement your complexion,” Blaise said, walking over to pull Ginevra into his arms.
“Not you too!”
Ginevra laughed, leaning back into Blaise. “Have I made my point?”
Draco pouted and threw himself onto the bed. “Fine, fine. When you need Pepper-Up, don’t complain to me, love.”
“I talked to Luna, Greg, and Theo,” he interjected hoping to stave off Draco’s full on fit. “We are to meet them in the solarium. Oh, and Luna said something about snow fairies.”
Ginevra laid the jumper over the back of the chair and laughed long and hard. “I can’t wait to see that!”
“What are snow fairies or am I better off not knowing?” Draco asked, still laid out on the bed.
Blaise walked over to the closet and got dressed, enjoying the sound of Ginevra’s laughter. He sat down on the small bench and pulled on boots much like Draco’s before grabbing them all winter cloaks. When he got back to the bedroom, he saw that Ginevra had curled up with Draco and both of them were watching him.
“Keep looking at me like that and we’ll not make it out of the room.” He grinned though, setting the cloaks aside before joining them. “Tonks is supposed to be here tonight, though before you ask I have no idea what news she might bring.”
“Mother mentioned it.” Draco sighed and pushed off the bed. “As much as I want to stay here with you two, Mother and Marguerite were very clear on the ‘get outside and have fun’ orders. I’d rather do that than return to Mother being paranoid and jumping at shadows.”
Blaise tugged Ginevra into his arms and sat up, sliding to the edge of the bed. “Are you going to give us fair warning as to what these snow fairies are? A hint?”
She shook her head and snickered. “Not a chance. I want to see your faces when Luna explains.”
“That evil streak of yours seems to be growing.” Blaise still wasn’t certain if what he felt for them was love, but he thought it was. With that in mind, he kissed Ginevra, pulling back before he forgot all about meeting everyone and going outside. “I do adore you.”
“I adore you,” she murmured.
“I adore you both, but we need to go or I’ll be jumping you and we’ll have to listen to our mothers whinging and complaining that we’re too pale and getting outside will do us all a world of good.”
Smirking at Draco, he set Ginevra on her feet and stood. “There is the maze…we could sneak in there and jump on another.”
Ginevra grabbed his hand as well as one of Draco’s and all but yanked them out of the room. “Ha! Not a chance. Do you know how cold it is out there? I am not freezing to death because you two can’t keep your hands to yourselves.”
Laughing, Blaise allowed her to pull them down the hallway.
--ii-
Oh gods, the look on Draco’s face was priceless as Luna patiently told them to lie in the snow like she was and wave their arms and legs. Blaise wasn’t about to do it, but Ginevra had just laughed and scampered over to make a snow fairy right off.
“Luna,” Theo whinged, “I think you and Ginevra are doing a fine job of it.”
She pouted at him. “We’re to be having fun. Unless you want to look for Blibbering Humdingers in this weather, this is the fun we’re to be having.”
Blaise turned back towards the house at the sound of a door opening. His mum was standing there, her face drained of colour. Concerned, he made his way over, climbing the stairs quickly. His voice was low enough not to carry. “What is wrong?”
“I need you to come inside with me, let them stay out here.”
Casting a worried glance at the group out in the snow, he caught Draco’s eye and shook his head, cautioning him not to say anything. Shaking off the snow, he waited until they were back inside to question his mum. “What is wrong?”
“Tonks arrived with news that a small group of Snatchers is close, just on the other side of the woods near the coast. She wanted to know if you wished to go with her to capture them.”
“I’ll not promise that I won’t kill instead of capture, but sure.” He stepped over to the glass, smiling at the sight of Ginevra and Draco pelting one another with snowballs. “Does she want to go now?”
“Yes, go on, I will tell them what is going on when they come back inside.”
He kissed her cheek and strode out. He would rather have his poisons and other mayhem-inducing items, just in case.
--ii-
“What is the plan?” Tonks whispered.
They were hidden in a copse of trees just outside of the Snatcher camp. This was the first time any attack had been made on one of these groups since the Order didn’t want to resort to those sorts of tactics. He couldn’t help but wonder what had changed. Or if it hadn’t and this was just Tonks’ doing. “Well, are we after someone they caught or just causing mayhem?”
“They have my daddy,” Tonks replied brokenly. “I want him back.”
Blaise winced. “Which one is he?”
She pointed out a man sitting off to the left who was being carefully watched. He looked to be in decent condition, which would go a long way in helping them get him out of the situation. He dug around in his poisons bag and finally found what he was looking for. Pressing the container of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder into her hand, he pointed at the treeline behind her father. “Go there and when I’ve taken out two of the four idiots, lob this over by the fire and pull your dad back into the trees. Apparate him to wherever you feel he will be safest and I will be along shortly.”
“I am not leaving you here; Marguerite would flay me alive if I did. Not to mention what Draco and Ginevra would do to me.” She was whispering and glaring, waving her wand under his nose.
“You will.” Considering the conversation over, Blaise slipped through the trees taking out the first Snatcher with a silent stunner before sending a paralysing hex at the second. Knowing his time was short, he stepped out right behind the third, slitting his throat and dropping him to the ground negligently. There were two other prisoners that he could see, both of whom were wise enough to be moving slowly towards the treeline on the other side of this little clearing.
He waited until he could see Tonks move in to position before calling out, “Hey, moron!”
The Snatcher turned already flinging hexes and Blaise ducked, sending out hexes of his own. The third one hit the Snatcher in the leg, sending the fool crashing to the ground. Motioning for Tonks, he braced for the small explosion. Once it had finished, he calmly walked over to the remaining minion. “I’m going to have fun with you.”
And he did.
--ii-
“What were you thinking?”
He winced, thankful he’d vanished all the blood and gore before returning home. All four of those disgusting Snatchers were meeting whatever god or gods they believed in by now. He’d not been willing to allow any of them to live. Ginevra sounded right angry. Trying for a reassuring smile, he pulled off his cloak. “That Tonks needed my help?”
“That is not what I mean, Blaise Damon Zabini!”
Yeah, he was in for it. Damn.
“You left without a word! We didn’t know where you were until Marguerite told us! Do you know how worried we were?”
“Ginevra,” he began with a wince. “Tonks needed my help to get her father from them. I was in the snow and having fun if that matters any.”
He stepped back, wary of her temper as she quite literally hissed at him. He knew she adored him, but that she wasn’t above getting her point across via the Bat-Bogey Hex. He didn’t miss Draco standing on the stairs, looking content to watch the scene either. Fuck.
“I adore you, hells I may very well love you.” She looked near tears now. “I don’t even care who or what you kill, I just need to know where you are so that I don’t worry…so that we don’t worry. Had you taken two minutes to tell one of us what was going on, it would have been fine.”
She turned and stomped off towards the library, but Blaise just stood there, not sure what he was supposed to do. That phantom knife in his chest was back, twisting itself viciously. Damn it hurt.
“I’m not saying she should have yelled,” Draco said from his spot on the stairs, “but she’s right. I get it a bit better though, you aren’t used to telling anyone what you are doing, not even Marguerite. Just try from here on out. Okay?”
Blaise nodded, feeling miserable. He hadn’t thought past being able to kill minions and he felt like an idiot for it. Draco shot him an apologetic look and went after Ginevra.
“Blaise, come in here for a moment.”
He sighed and walked into the main parlour, the door closing behind him with a wave of his mum’s wand. She didn’t look too pleased with him either. Lovely, just fucking lovely. “If you mean to make me feel worse, I don’t think it’s possible.”
“Oh, darling boy, no,” she said sadly, patting the seat next to her. “Come and sit with me for a moment.”
He did as requested, knowing her well enough to know that she would talk when she was ready to. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to make it right with Ginevra and Draco.
“You love them.”
Blaise simply sighed and shrugged.
“You do, I see it,” she insisted, brushing his hair off of his face. “You would move the earth; pull down the moon and stars, or anything else those two asked for, wouldn’t you?”
“It’s no less than they deserve,” he conceded quietly. “I’m a selfish, vain bastard, but they don’t care. How the hells do I deserve them?”
“Because you are you, it is that simple. They love you, Blaise, whether you believe it or not. That is why Ginevra and Draco accept you, all parts of you just not the pleasant ones. I finally found that sort of love with Kingsley. You are so very lucky and I know, deep down, you know it as well.”
“I do, but how do I fix it. How do I even know that this is love? I know I adore them and that I would kill anyone necessary to keep them safe and happy…” He shrugged. “I adore them.”
She laughed, kissing his cheek. “Exactly. I adore you is simply a way of saying I love you, dear one. Now, go and make things right.”
He sat up, finally opening his eyes. “How? I don’t exactly have any practice at the more sane aspects of life.”
She smiled, patting his cheek. “Even those of us of questionable sanity can muddle through. I can’t tell you what to do or not to do, as much as I want to. You must figure it out on your own. Remember that they love you, dubious sanity included.”
He kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mum.”
He searched until he found them in one of the smaller parlours. Ginevra looked upset and had been crying, but she seemed calmer now. “I’m sorry.”
She threw her hands up and turned to Draco. “Can you explain to this complete idiot that we know he can stay safe, but we need to know where he is so we don't worry?”
Blaise didn’t know what to say to that, he knew better than to stop her as she stomped out of the room, grumbling quietly. He waited for Draco to say or do anything.
The blond just sighed and said, “She’s not really angry, you know that right? She’s upset and worried, which she shows by yelling and apparently crying.”
Blaise shrugged. She had sounded angry. Women were just plain confusing.
Draco walked over and pulled Blaise into his arms. “Just give her time to cool down and try the ‘sorry’ bit again. She - we - know that you are more than capable. But,” he stressed, “After what happened to Luna, she is almost as paranoid as Mother is.”
Laying his head on Draco’s shoulder, Blaise sighed. “I have a feeling she is going to keep us on our toes constantly.”
Draco laughed. “That’s what we love about her, though, isn’t it?”
“I think so,” Blaise began, for once not able to say what he was meaning clearly. “I mean, I am fairly certain that I love you both. It’s not something I have felt before, which makes me confused and off kilter.”
Draco kissed him lightly. “So, we should find Ginevra so you can tell her that. Just so we’re clear, I love you both as well.”
With those simple words, Blaise finally felt as if this was fixable. They had their own version of ‘normal’ and nothing would change that. Finally, he had found peace.
Username: Anonymous
Chapter: Chapter Nine
Pairing(s): Blaise/Ginny/Draco
Rating: NC17
Chapter Word Count: 3,313
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. We're only borrowing them. Chapter titles are songs or lyrics and are property of the musicians. Quotes or literature used are also notated as not mine.
Summary: You cannot make peace with terrorists. The normal dividing lines between war and peace do not apply. - Ulrich Beck. Ever wonder what happened at Hogwarts during Deathly Hallows…
Author Notes: AU for epilogue and parts of DH.
Chapter Nine
Breakeven -The Script
None of them had felt up to a big Christmas celebration even though they had pushed back Yule until Narcissa and Luna were safe at Valhalla in the first place. It had taken Narcissa almost a week to be up and around for more than a few hours without feeling drained and Luna almost two. The time for them to return to Hogwarts had come and passed without anyone even bringing up the idea of them returning. Blaise knew that it was partially due to Luna’s almost constant nightmares on top of Narcissa’s paranoia about letting any of them, Draco most especially, out of her sight for more than a few minutes. Luckily, his mum had been intervening on the paranoia issue and it seemed to be getting better the last day or two.
That was how Blaise found himself walking through Valhalla towards Luna’s room in mid-January on strict orders from his mum to get everyone up and doing something-anything-she didn’t care so long as the maudlin mood was lifted, at least a little bit.
He knocked lightly on Luna’s door and pushed it open at the quiet response. Trying for a smile, he shook his head at the sight before him. Greg was splayed out on the sofa, a Quidditch book in hand whilst Theo and Luna were playing chess on the bed. He remembered the row almost two weeks back when Luna had insisted that Theo bring Greg to explain why he had been all but absent from her room. Everyone in the house had heard her actually. Luna had proven herself that day, by sheer volume alone. Apparently, Greg had stayed away out of fear of upsetting her, not knowing if she was wary of anyone but the girls and Theo. Luna had made it crystal clear that Greg was her friend and she trusted him. No one, not even Ginevra, knew all of what Luna had endured and he was certain that if anyone knew it would be Theo. He wasn’t about to ask and everyone seemed to feel the same. Not knowing was definitely better in this case, for all of them.
“I’ve strict orders to get you three up and out into the snow or other winter-type pursuit.” He kept hold of the door in case he needed to duck hexes.
Luna laughed, sounding much like her old self. “We’ll not hex you, Ginevra would take me to task if we did and then Draco would pout.”
“So, now those two are scarier than I am?” he teased, looking wounded. “At least I know where I stand with you.”
She grinned. “Where are those two anyway? It’s been days since we’ve seen you without one of them.”
Blaise cautiously stepped inside and sat in the chair by the fire. “With Narcissa, of course; she and Mum have decreed that we’re too young to be holed up inside especially when it snowed last night.”
Luna slipped from the bed and padded barefoot over to the large windows overlooking the gardens. “It does look lovely and I do believe these are the perfect conditions for Blibbering Humdingers. I just don’t have a winter cloak.”
“You do too,” Theo protested, moving to stand with her looking quite indignant. “Marguerite had you make that list, remember, love?”
She laughed lightly. “I didn’t think she was serious, Theodore.”
Blaise and Greg shared an amused look, but both were smart enough to stay out of it. Hells, Blaise and Draco had much the same conversation with Ginevra on Christmas day. She too had protested that the new clothing was ‘too much’. They had disagreed. It had taken Narcissa asking to speak to her, and that conversation he hadn’t been privy to, for her to agree to take all the presents they wished to bestow on her.
“What exactly do they wish us to do?”
He looked up and grinned once he realised Luna was speaking to him. “I don’t think they rightly care actually.” He chuckled. “Mum said that she never thought she would consider Valhalla too small for eight people, but that she was tired of all but tripping over us looking maudlin and pale.”
Greg shook his head, turning his attention to Luna and Theo. “I would say then, that it is up to you.”
“I want to make snow fairies,” Luna said dreamily, turning back to the windows. “Where are we to meet you three?”
“The solarium,” he replied easily, picking it at random and knowing that it would give them access to most of the grounds easily.
“I’ll go and get ready,” Greg said, setting his book aside.
“I won’t be long, unless there are Wrackspurts about.” Luna replied, laughing lightly as Theo shooed her towards the closet.
Blaise took that as his cue to go, wondering if Ginevra had any idea what Luna was on about. He hurried out as Theo started in on Luna, “you need to dress warmly, no need to get a cold.”
He didn’t wait to see if Greg joined in or fled. Greg had confided that he thought of Luna as an honorary sister, nothing more and that he wouldn’t ever dream of stepping in on Theo’s girl. What it did, though, was create a bit of fun as he thought of Ginevra the same way. Grinning at the memory of both girls allowing Greg to fuss over them the one day they’d agreed to sit in the solarium, he hurried back to their suite. It had been Ginevra’s idea to get Luna out of her suite and Greg had surprised them all by playing doting brother to both women. He, Theo, and Draco had sat back and watched knowing that it was Greg’s way of showing the girls that he wasn’t the big hulking brute that most everyone assumed he was.
Blaise entered their suite, grinning outright at Ginevra teasing Draco. Their boyfriend was dressed for the weather already in a dark grey jumper and black slacks with fur-lined boots. The current teasing was over Draco’s insistence that Ginevra needed two jumpers. From what he could see, the pink one he knew to have been a gift for Luna was being held out to Draco.
“If I wear two, so do you,” Ginevra said teasingly.
“Not a chance,” Draco said, clearly trying to stand firm on the issue.
“Aww, but Draco, the pink will complement your complexion,” Blaise said, walking over to pull Ginevra into his arms.
“Not you too!”
Ginevra laughed, leaning back into Blaise. “Have I made my point?”
Draco pouted and threw himself onto the bed. “Fine, fine. When you need Pepper-Up, don’t complain to me, love.”
“I talked to Luna, Greg, and Theo,” he interjected hoping to stave off Draco’s full on fit. “We are to meet them in the solarium. Oh, and Luna said something about snow fairies.”
Ginevra laid the jumper over the back of the chair and laughed long and hard. “I can’t wait to see that!”
“What are snow fairies or am I better off not knowing?” Draco asked, still laid out on the bed.
Blaise walked over to the closet and got dressed, enjoying the sound of Ginevra’s laughter. He sat down on the small bench and pulled on boots much like Draco’s before grabbing them all winter cloaks. When he got back to the bedroom, he saw that Ginevra had curled up with Draco and both of them were watching him.
“Keep looking at me like that and we’ll not make it out of the room.” He grinned though, setting the cloaks aside before joining them. “Tonks is supposed to be here tonight, though before you ask I have no idea what news she might bring.”
“Mother mentioned it.” Draco sighed and pushed off the bed. “As much as I want to stay here with you two, Mother and Marguerite were very clear on the ‘get outside and have fun’ orders. I’d rather do that than return to Mother being paranoid and jumping at shadows.”
Blaise tugged Ginevra into his arms and sat up, sliding to the edge of the bed. “Are you going to give us fair warning as to what these snow fairies are? A hint?”
She shook her head and snickered. “Not a chance. I want to see your faces when Luna explains.”
“That evil streak of yours seems to be growing.” Blaise still wasn’t certain if what he felt for them was love, but he thought it was. With that in mind, he kissed Ginevra, pulling back before he forgot all about meeting everyone and going outside. “I do adore you.”
“I adore you,” she murmured.
“I adore you both, but we need to go or I’ll be jumping you and we’ll have to listen to our mothers whinging and complaining that we’re too pale and getting outside will do us all a world of good.”
Smirking at Draco, he set Ginevra on her feet and stood. “There is the maze…we could sneak in there and jump on another.”
Ginevra grabbed his hand as well as one of Draco’s and all but yanked them out of the room. “Ha! Not a chance. Do you know how cold it is out there? I am not freezing to death because you two can’t keep your hands to yourselves.”
Laughing, Blaise allowed her to pull them down the hallway.
--ii-
Oh gods, the look on Draco’s face was priceless as Luna patiently told them to lie in the snow like she was and wave their arms and legs. Blaise wasn’t about to do it, but Ginevra had just laughed and scampered over to make a snow fairy right off.
“Luna,” Theo whinged, “I think you and Ginevra are doing a fine job of it.”
She pouted at him. “We’re to be having fun. Unless you want to look for Blibbering Humdingers in this weather, this is the fun we’re to be having.”
Blaise turned back towards the house at the sound of a door opening. His mum was standing there, her face drained of colour. Concerned, he made his way over, climbing the stairs quickly. His voice was low enough not to carry. “What is wrong?”
“I need you to come inside with me, let them stay out here.”
Casting a worried glance at the group out in the snow, he caught Draco’s eye and shook his head, cautioning him not to say anything. Shaking off the snow, he waited until they were back inside to question his mum. “What is wrong?”
“Tonks arrived with news that a small group of Snatchers is close, just on the other side of the woods near the coast. She wanted to know if you wished to go with her to capture them.”
“I’ll not promise that I won’t kill instead of capture, but sure.” He stepped over to the glass, smiling at the sight of Ginevra and Draco pelting one another with snowballs. “Does she want to go now?”
“Yes, go on, I will tell them what is going on when they come back inside.”
He kissed her cheek and strode out. He would rather have his poisons and other mayhem-inducing items, just in case.
--ii-
“What is the plan?” Tonks whispered.
They were hidden in a copse of trees just outside of the Snatcher camp. This was the first time any attack had been made on one of these groups since the Order didn’t want to resort to those sorts of tactics. He couldn’t help but wonder what had changed. Or if it hadn’t and this was just Tonks’ doing. “Well, are we after someone they caught or just causing mayhem?”
“They have my daddy,” Tonks replied brokenly. “I want him back.”
Blaise winced. “Which one is he?”
She pointed out a man sitting off to the left who was being carefully watched. He looked to be in decent condition, which would go a long way in helping them get him out of the situation. He dug around in his poisons bag and finally found what he was looking for. Pressing the container of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder into her hand, he pointed at the treeline behind her father. “Go there and when I’ve taken out two of the four idiots, lob this over by the fire and pull your dad back into the trees. Apparate him to wherever you feel he will be safest and I will be along shortly.”
“I am not leaving you here; Marguerite would flay me alive if I did. Not to mention what Draco and Ginevra would do to me.” She was whispering and glaring, waving her wand under his nose.
“You will.” Considering the conversation over, Blaise slipped through the trees taking out the first Snatcher with a silent stunner before sending a paralysing hex at the second. Knowing his time was short, he stepped out right behind the third, slitting his throat and dropping him to the ground negligently. There were two other prisoners that he could see, both of whom were wise enough to be moving slowly towards the treeline on the other side of this little clearing.
He waited until he could see Tonks move in to position before calling out, “Hey, moron!”
The Snatcher turned already flinging hexes and Blaise ducked, sending out hexes of his own. The third one hit the Snatcher in the leg, sending the fool crashing to the ground. Motioning for Tonks, he braced for the small explosion. Once it had finished, he calmly walked over to the remaining minion. “I’m going to have fun with you.”
And he did.
--ii-
“What were you thinking?”
He winced, thankful he’d vanished all the blood and gore before returning home. All four of those disgusting Snatchers were meeting whatever god or gods they believed in by now. He’d not been willing to allow any of them to live. Ginevra sounded right angry. Trying for a reassuring smile, he pulled off his cloak. “That Tonks needed my help?”
“That is not what I mean, Blaise Damon Zabini!”
Yeah, he was in for it. Damn.
“You left without a word! We didn’t know where you were until Marguerite told us! Do you know how worried we were?”
“Ginevra,” he began with a wince. “Tonks needed my help to get her father from them. I was in the snow and having fun if that matters any.”
He stepped back, wary of her temper as she quite literally hissed at him. He knew she adored him, but that she wasn’t above getting her point across via the Bat-Bogey Hex. He didn’t miss Draco standing on the stairs, looking content to watch the scene either. Fuck.
“I adore you, hells I may very well love you.” She looked near tears now. “I don’t even care who or what you kill, I just need to know where you are so that I don’t worry…so that we don’t worry. Had you taken two minutes to tell one of us what was going on, it would have been fine.”
She turned and stomped off towards the library, but Blaise just stood there, not sure what he was supposed to do. That phantom knife in his chest was back, twisting itself viciously. Damn it hurt.
“I’m not saying she should have yelled,” Draco said from his spot on the stairs, “but she’s right. I get it a bit better though, you aren’t used to telling anyone what you are doing, not even Marguerite. Just try from here on out. Okay?”
Blaise nodded, feeling miserable. He hadn’t thought past being able to kill minions and he felt like an idiot for it. Draco shot him an apologetic look and went after Ginevra.
“Blaise, come in here for a moment.”
He sighed and walked into the main parlour, the door closing behind him with a wave of his mum’s wand. She didn’t look too pleased with him either. Lovely, just fucking lovely. “If you mean to make me feel worse, I don’t think it’s possible.”
“Oh, darling boy, no,” she said sadly, patting the seat next to her. “Come and sit with me for a moment.”
He did as requested, knowing her well enough to know that she would talk when she was ready to. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to make it right with Ginevra and Draco.
“You love them.”
Blaise simply sighed and shrugged.
“You do, I see it,” she insisted, brushing his hair off of his face. “You would move the earth; pull down the moon and stars, or anything else those two asked for, wouldn’t you?”
“It’s no less than they deserve,” he conceded quietly. “I’m a selfish, vain bastard, but they don’t care. How the hells do I deserve them?”
“Because you are you, it is that simple. They love you, Blaise, whether you believe it or not. That is why Ginevra and Draco accept you, all parts of you just not the pleasant ones. I finally found that sort of love with Kingsley. You are so very lucky and I know, deep down, you know it as well.”
“I do, but how do I fix it. How do I even know that this is love? I know I adore them and that I would kill anyone necessary to keep them safe and happy…” He shrugged. “I adore them.”
She laughed, kissing his cheek. “Exactly. I adore you is simply a way of saying I love you, dear one. Now, go and make things right.”
He sat up, finally opening his eyes. “How? I don’t exactly have any practice at the more sane aspects of life.”
She smiled, patting his cheek. “Even those of us of questionable sanity can muddle through. I can’t tell you what to do or not to do, as much as I want to. You must figure it out on your own. Remember that they love you, dubious sanity included.”
He kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mum.”
He searched until he found them in one of the smaller parlours. Ginevra looked upset and had been crying, but she seemed calmer now. “I’m sorry.”
She threw her hands up and turned to Draco. “Can you explain to this complete idiot that we know he can stay safe, but we need to know where he is so we don't worry?”
Blaise didn’t know what to say to that, he knew better than to stop her as she stomped out of the room, grumbling quietly. He waited for Draco to say or do anything.
The blond just sighed and said, “She’s not really angry, you know that right? She’s upset and worried, which she shows by yelling and apparently crying.”
Blaise shrugged. She had sounded angry. Women were just plain confusing.
Draco walked over and pulled Blaise into his arms. “Just give her time to cool down and try the ‘sorry’ bit again. She - we - know that you are more than capable. But,” he stressed, “After what happened to Luna, she is almost as paranoid as Mother is.”
Laying his head on Draco’s shoulder, Blaise sighed. “I have a feeling she is going to keep us on our toes constantly.”
Draco laughed. “That’s what we love about her, though, isn’t it?”
“I think so,” Blaise began, for once not able to say what he was meaning clearly. “I mean, I am fairly certain that I love you both. It’s not something I have felt before, which makes me confused and off kilter.”
Draco kissed him lightly. “So, we should find Ginevra so you can tell her that. Just so we’re clear, I love you both as well.”
With those simple words, Blaise finally felt as if this was fixable. They had their own version of ‘normal’ and nothing would change that. Finally, he had found peace.