Thank Heaven for Little Girls
Pevensie was doing one handed chin-ups in the training room when she saw Blaise walk in. Her eyes narrowed. This was the first time she had seen him since learning of Draco’s spying. She just glared at him meanly and kept working out.
Blaise’s eyebrows went up. He wasn’t used to getting the cold shoulder from Pevensie. It made him double think his reason for coming. “Um, hello?”
She let go of the bar and dropped. “Don’t get attitude with me, bub. I thought we were cool. Friends and shit.”
He just stared at her in confusion. “You’re the one who took a bitchy pill and glared at me when I walked in here. What the hell did I do?”
“Polyjuice,” was all she said, then raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest.
For a moment, he thought she wanted him to bring some for her, but then Blaise groaned. “Who told you?”
“Andromeda, actually. She mentioned it in front of Draco’s mom, so now she knows too. And Teddy. I can’t believe you spied on me, dude.”
She slapped him lightly on the arm.
“That’s so not cool.”
Blaise rubbed the stinging spot. “First of all, it was not my idea. I was going to pay off the owners of the places you went to and have them keep an eye on you. It was your damned Watcher that wanted to go in person. I didn’t even know I was drinking polyjuice until I arrived. I also didn’t know I would be wearing my ex-girlfriends skin and clothes. Trust me, I would have rather stayed far, far away.”
“You should have fessed up after, and don’t you ever pay off owners of places where I go on dates. I’ll let Alice cut you. I’m a freaking slayer, Blaise. I can take care of myself.”
He made a face. “That was so not the point. I don’t care if you can take care of yourself or not. It’s a Slytherin thing, all right? And forgive me if I didn’t want to go telling the world that had to wear a corset for an hour. Sober.”
“You’ve worn one drunk before? Is this one of those stories of yours Draco never wants me to hear? Because if so, let’s hear it.”
Blaise snorted. “No. A very loud and emphatic no. I’m telling my drunk stories to a fifteen year old teenaged girl.”
“Well, I gotta have something since you were a big pervert who spied on me dressed like a chick. I will accept dinner at your Nonna’s,” Pevensie said as she walked over to the sitting area.
Blaise tossed his arms out. “Why do people always want to go to my grandmother’s when I owe them favors? You know, I came over here to talk about Christmas presents but if I’m going to get blackmailed and abused, I’ll leave.”
“Oooo. Do go on. But the answer is because your grandmother makes magic food. It has healing properties, I’m sure of it.”
He snorted. “You’ve eaten enough of it to know.” Blaise pulled out some parchment and a quill. “I’ve got a few questions about presents. Think you can answer for Meredith? Hannah wasn’t any help.”
“Oh my God, if you get Meredith a Christmas present, you will never be rid of her. She already thinks you’re perfect. She wants a crossbow, but then again, don’t we all.”
“I’m not getting anyone a crossbow, especially not after what happened at the Garden Party.” Blaise did preen a bit after hearing Meredith’s opinion of him, although he had no idea why. “I’m not getting anyone any weapons either. I won’t be responsible for any accidental deaths around here. Now what’s your favorite color?”
“Black,” she said. “What are you getting Hannah?
“None of your business,” he replied. “Gold or silver?”
“Silver,” she replied. “Don’t be lying on the bed just wearing a bow. That’s tacky. Get ehr a real present.”
Blaise glared at her. “I can stop anytime and come back with a shitty gift if you don’t stop with the commentary. Favorite flower?”
“I’m not really a flower person. I guess daisies are okay. I think I should be allowed to make snide comments since you dressed up like a woman and spied on me with my boyfriend like a pervy perverton.”
His hand clenched so tightly around the quill that he was worried he would break it. “Again, not my idea, but if I hadn’t gone along, you would have noticed Draco and then your date would be ruined. So I did you a favor. Now shut it.”
Pevensie sighed loudly. “Fine. Go on.”
Blaise gave her a cautious look. “You are not allowed to look too much into this next one. Favorite weapon.”
“That’s easy. The staff. It also happens to be the one I am best at. Meredith is an excellent fencer. Like, if you find something with fencing on it, she’d totally like it.”
Well that gave him all sorts of ideas. He knew what he would get Meredith, then. “Would you rather read indoors or do an activity outdoors.” At the look Pevensie gave him, Blaise shrugged. “I’m thorough in my gift-giving and these questions are all relevant.”
“I like both,” Pevensie said. “I know. You can just give me your grandma.”
Blaise snorted. “I don’t think she would be okay with me giving her away as a Christmas present.”
“I’d take real good care of her,” Pevensie said in a playful offended tone.
He glared at her. “No. At best I’ll give you a voucher for cooking lessons so you can feed your own damn self.”
Pevensie’s eyes went wide. “I don’t know how to cook anything. Would she really show me? I know how to mix drinks, but... would she really? Show me, I mean. Because Draco can’t cook, and I think one of us ought to know how.”
She seemed so enthusiastic that perhaps Blaise would ask. If his nonna couldn’t, then his stepmother definitely would. “We’ll see.”
“All Draco knows how to make is salad and toast. I’m still growing.”
Blaise chuckled. “You have house elves here. I’ve seen them. They’ll make anything for you.”
“Oh! Draco’s mom gave us one. She’s so cute! But I really want a dog. Or a cat or something. Draco keeps pushing for a fish, but I want something with fur, something cuddly.”
He made a face. “Narcissa gave you a house elf?” He had no idea why she would do such a thing, unless she wanted it to spy for her.
“Well, she gave it to Draco, but she’s really cute. She set up the dinner for Draco’s date.”
Blaise paused in scribbling notes on the corner of the parchment. “I’m sorry, she did what for who’s what?”
“Ooops. Um, nothing.”
She got up quickly and tried to walk away.
Blaise pulled out his wand and used a sticking spell on her shoes, something his father had done when he was younger. “Oh no. You said for Draco’s date. I want details. Now. Or you can kiss your chances of cooking class goodbye.”
Pevensie sighed.
“I didn’t think he’d keep it a secret from you,” she sighed. “But they aren’t going public. Him and Luna. She’s real... nervous, and he’s being all ‘no sudden moves’ you know? I don’t know the details. They stayed in and ate soup and stuff and watched a movie. He was smiling the next day, so I’m guessing he at least got some kissing in. I don’t want to know, though.”
Oh he knew exactly why Draco didn’t tell him. It was for the same reason Slytherins kept things to themselves. They really were too possessive for their own good.
“I’m not going to tease him about it. Much. But I will most definitely let him know you told.”
“You really ought to let him tell you in his own time, but do what you want. You usually do.”
“Oh,” he said lightly, “like we would have told you on our time that we followed you in Hogsmeade? Because you handled that so well.”
“You never would have told me. If Andromeda hadn’t slipped up and said something, I would never have known. You did that, you violated my privacy and you were never going to tell me. Draco being with Luna is something he kind of has to tell you. At some point, it’ll be pretty hard to miss.”
Blaise snorted and undid the sticking charm on her shoes. “Draco would have told you. He would have screamed it during a fight or something, but I’m surprised it hadn’t gotten out sooner. Besides, it isn’t like you used to follow him around and listen in on his conversations. Kind of like our first meeting, right?” he asked, giving her a pointed look.
“I was a little kid then. I’m different now. Little kids do crap like that. You’re supposed to be a grown up.”
“Then you really don’t know Draco that well. What part of any of his plans scream grown up to you?”
“He’s not that bad,” Pevensie defended. “He hasn’t lit anything on fire in months.”
“It’s sad that we measure his issues by the amount of times he’s lit something on fire.” Blaise looked down at his list. He had a pretty good idea about what he was going to get Meredith and Pevensie for Christmas. “When do you want your presents? I’ll be out of the country from Christmas Eve until the 28th.”
“Why?” Pevensie was frowning. “I thought you’d spend part of Christmas with me and Draco.”
“Hannah and I will be in Italy. I spend the Christmas holidays there and then come back here for New Year’s. I always make the Malfoy dinner though. Well, not always. I will this year, though.”
“Yeah, you better. Narcissa invited Andy and I think she’s bringing Giles.”
The only thing he was happy about in regards to the dinner was that none of his family, from his father’s side or his mother’s, would be there. Lucius didn’t like his mother and Narcissa didn’t like his father. “Wonderful. That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t know. I guess when you feel like giving it to me,” she said with a frown.
She wasn’t used to getting presents, and oftentimes did not know how to react.
“How about I swing by Christmas Eve and we can have some sort of special lunch or whatever? I’ll just not eat the week before because I’ll be so full. And I might be persuaded to bring some leftovers back from Italy.”
Pevensie made a squealing sound and hugged him, even though she was well aware he did not like hugs.
Blaise sighed loudly. He would have to get used to hugs if he was going to be giving everyone presents. He half-suspected Pevensie kept holding on just to irritate him. “All right, you’ve made your point. Don’t wrinkle me.”
She squeezed a bit tighter and heard him grunt.
“Just remember I can snap you like kindling,” she said grinning.
“And if you do that, not only will you not get presents, you will not endear yourself to my family, who will feed you.” He nudged her away and smoothed out his clothes.
“You’re so prissy,” she said as she headed out of the training room. “I think I’m going to get you a mirror.”
“Got plenty, thanks.” But Blaise stared after her curiously. “You better get me something better than a damned mirror!”
Blaise’s eyebrows went up. He wasn’t used to getting the cold shoulder from Pevensie. It made him double think his reason for coming. “Um, hello?”
She let go of the bar and dropped. “Don’t get attitude with me, bub. I thought we were cool. Friends and shit.”
He just stared at her in confusion. “You’re the one who took a bitchy pill and glared at me when I walked in here. What the hell did I do?”
“Polyjuice,” was all she said, then raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest.
For a moment, he thought she wanted him to bring some for her, but then Blaise groaned. “Who told you?”
“Andromeda, actually. She mentioned it in front of Draco’s mom, so now she knows too. And Teddy. I can’t believe you spied on me, dude.”
She slapped him lightly on the arm.
“That’s so not cool.”
Blaise rubbed the stinging spot. “First of all, it was not my idea. I was going to pay off the owners of the places you went to and have them keep an eye on you. It was your damned Watcher that wanted to go in person. I didn’t even know I was drinking polyjuice until I arrived. I also didn’t know I would be wearing my ex-girlfriends skin and clothes. Trust me, I would have rather stayed far, far away.”
“You should have fessed up after, and don’t you ever pay off owners of places where I go on dates. I’ll let Alice cut you. I’m a freaking slayer, Blaise. I can take care of myself.”
He made a face. “That was so not the point. I don’t care if you can take care of yourself or not. It’s a Slytherin thing, all right? And forgive me if I didn’t want to go telling the world that had to wear a corset for an hour. Sober.”
“You’ve worn one drunk before? Is this one of those stories of yours Draco never wants me to hear? Because if so, let’s hear it.”
Blaise snorted. “No. A very loud and emphatic no. I’m telling my drunk stories to a fifteen year old teenaged girl.”
“Well, I gotta have something since you were a big pervert who spied on me dressed like a chick. I will accept dinner at your Nonna’s,” Pevensie said as she walked over to the sitting area.
Blaise tossed his arms out. “Why do people always want to go to my grandmother’s when I owe them favors? You know, I came over here to talk about Christmas presents but if I’m going to get blackmailed and abused, I’ll leave.”
“Oooo. Do go on. But the answer is because your grandmother makes magic food. It has healing properties, I’m sure of it.”
He snorted. “You’ve eaten enough of it to know.” Blaise pulled out some parchment and a quill. “I’ve got a few questions about presents. Think you can answer for Meredith? Hannah wasn’t any help.”
“Oh my God, if you get Meredith a Christmas present, you will never be rid of her. She already thinks you’re perfect. She wants a crossbow, but then again, don’t we all.”
“I’m not getting anyone a crossbow, especially not after what happened at the Garden Party.” Blaise did preen a bit after hearing Meredith’s opinion of him, although he had no idea why. “I’m not getting anyone any weapons either. I won’t be responsible for any accidental deaths around here. Now what’s your favorite color?”
“Black,” she said. “What are you getting Hannah?
“None of your business,” he replied. “Gold or silver?”
“Silver,” she replied. “Don’t be lying on the bed just wearing a bow. That’s tacky. Get ehr a real present.”
Blaise glared at her. “I can stop anytime and come back with a shitty gift if you don’t stop with the commentary. Favorite flower?”
“I’m not really a flower person. I guess daisies are okay. I think I should be allowed to make snide comments since you dressed up like a woman and spied on me with my boyfriend like a pervy perverton.”
His hand clenched so tightly around the quill that he was worried he would break it. “Again, not my idea, but if I hadn’t gone along, you would have noticed Draco and then your date would be ruined. So I did you a favor. Now shut it.”
Pevensie sighed loudly. “Fine. Go on.”
Blaise gave her a cautious look. “You are not allowed to look too much into this next one. Favorite weapon.”
“That’s easy. The staff. It also happens to be the one I am best at. Meredith is an excellent fencer. Like, if you find something with fencing on it, she’d totally like it.”
Well that gave him all sorts of ideas. He knew what he would get Meredith, then. “Would you rather read indoors or do an activity outdoors.” At the look Pevensie gave him, Blaise shrugged. “I’m thorough in my gift-giving and these questions are all relevant.”
“I like both,” Pevensie said. “I know. You can just give me your grandma.”
Blaise snorted. “I don’t think she would be okay with me giving her away as a Christmas present.”
“I’d take real good care of her,” Pevensie said in a playful offended tone.
He glared at her. “No. At best I’ll give you a voucher for cooking lessons so you can feed your own damn self.”
Pevensie’s eyes went wide. “I don’t know how to cook anything. Would she really show me? I know how to mix drinks, but... would she really? Show me, I mean. Because Draco can’t cook, and I think one of us ought to know how.”
She seemed so enthusiastic that perhaps Blaise would ask. If his nonna couldn’t, then his stepmother definitely would. “We’ll see.”
“All Draco knows how to make is salad and toast. I’m still growing.”
Blaise chuckled. “You have house elves here. I’ve seen them. They’ll make anything for you.”
“Oh! Draco’s mom gave us one. She’s so cute! But I really want a dog. Or a cat or something. Draco keeps pushing for a fish, but I want something with fur, something cuddly.”
He made a face. “Narcissa gave you a house elf?” He had no idea why she would do such a thing, unless she wanted it to spy for her.
“Well, she gave it to Draco, but she’s really cute. She set up the dinner for Draco’s date.”
Blaise paused in scribbling notes on the corner of the parchment. “I’m sorry, she did what for who’s what?”
“Ooops. Um, nothing.”
She got up quickly and tried to walk away.
Blaise pulled out his wand and used a sticking spell on her shoes, something his father had done when he was younger. “Oh no. You said for Draco’s date. I want details. Now. Or you can kiss your chances of cooking class goodbye.”
Pevensie sighed.
“I didn’t think he’d keep it a secret from you,” she sighed. “But they aren’t going public. Him and Luna. She’s real... nervous, and he’s being all ‘no sudden moves’ you know? I don’t know the details. They stayed in and ate soup and stuff and watched a movie. He was smiling the next day, so I’m guessing he at least got some kissing in. I don’t want to know, though.”
Oh he knew exactly why Draco didn’t tell him. It was for the same reason Slytherins kept things to themselves. They really were too possessive for their own good.
“I’m not going to tease him about it. Much. But I will most definitely let him know you told.”
“You really ought to let him tell you in his own time, but do what you want. You usually do.”
“Oh,” he said lightly, “like we would have told you on our time that we followed you in Hogsmeade? Because you handled that so well.”
“You never would have told me. If Andromeda hadn’t slipped up and said something, I would never have known. You did that, you violated my privacy and you were never going to tell me. Draco being with Luna is something he kind of has to tell you. At some point, it’ll be pretty hard to miss.”
Blaise snorted and undid the sticking charm on her shoes. “Draco would have told you. He would have screamed it during a fight or something, but I’m surprised it hadn’t gotten out sooner. Besides, it isn’t like you used to follow him around and listen in on his conversations. Kind of like our first meeting, right?” he asked, giving her a pointed look.
“I was a little kid then. I’m different now. Little kids do crap like that. You’re supposed to be a grown up.”
“Then you really don’t know Draco that well. What part of any of his plans scream grown up to you?”
“He’s not that bad,” Pevensie defended. “He hasn’t lit anything on fire in months.”
“It’s sad that we measure his issues by the amount of times he’s lit something on fire.” Blaise looked down at his list. He had a pretty good idea about what he was going to get Meredith and Pevensie for Christmas. “When do you want your presents? I’ll be out of the country from Christmas Eve until the 28th.”
“Why?” Pevensie was frowning. “I thought you’d spend part of Christmas with me and Draco.”
“Hannah and I will be in Italy. I spend the Christmas holidays there and then come back here for New Year’s. I always make the Malfoy dinner though. Well, not always. I will this year, though.”
“Yeah, you better. Narcissa invited Andy and I think she’s bringing Giles.”
The only thing he was happy about in regards to the dinner was that none of his family, from his father’s side or his mother’s, would be there. Lucius didn’t like his mother and Narcissa didn’t like his father. “Wonderful. That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t know. I guess when you feel like giving it to me,” she said with a frown.
She wasn’t used to getting presents, and oftentimes did not know how to react.
“How about I swing by Christmas Eve and we can have some sort of special lunch or whatever? I’ll just not eat the week before because I’ll be so full. And I might be persuaded to bring some leftovers back from Italy.”
Pevensie made a squealing sound and hugged him, even though she was well aware he did not like hugs.
Blaise sighed loudly. He would have to get used to hugs if he was going to be giving everyone presents. He half-suspected Pevensie kept holding on just to irritate him. “All right, you’ve made your point. Don’t wrinkle me.”
She squeezed a bit tighter and heard him grunt.
“Just remember I can snap you like kindling,” she said grinning.
“And if you do that, not only will you not get presents, you will not endear yourself to my family, who will feed you.” He nudged her away and smoothed out his clothes.
“You’re so prissy,” she said as she headed out of the training room. “I think I’m going to get you a mirror.”
“Got plenty, thanks.” But Blaise stared after her curiously. “You better get me something better than a damned mirror!”