Chapter One
Monday 30th September
"You."
Bang
"Stupid"
Bang
"Fucking"
Bang
"Brainless"
Bang
"Idiot"
Bang
"Talking about yourself again Potter?"
Shit. "Oh joy, Zabini."
"Trying to make your scar hurt so you'll get more sympathy? Trying to get more attention? Trying to forget…"
Bang
Harry slammed his head back on the desk, this time leaving it there.
"Fuck off Zabini," came the muffled reply.
"Potter got a problem?" Blaise smiled maliciously and leaned closer to the slightly flushed boy in front of him "want to share?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I did." Harry lifted his head to meet Blaise's gaze.
"Oh now I'm intrigued, do tell."
Harry looked at him closely and a smile spread across his face "if you insist. Its not like you could tell anyone. In fact I could do with a laugh. I will tell you."
"God make it sound like your doing me a favour much. Like you'd have anything interesting to say."
"Fine. Leave. But you'll regret it." The indecision shone clearly on Blaise's face. Did Potter actually have an interesting secret? Harry decided to help him out "hey, what's the thing you want to know most? What the biggest secret you just know someone is keeping from you?"
"Easy, I want to know who Draco's shagging but I'll settle for your pathetic little secret for now. You shagging anyone Potter? Girlfriend playing you up? That your big secret?"
"What Malfoy doesn't brag about his conquests?" Harry countered neatly.
"Not this one" Blaise scowled happy to have another chance to air this long held grievance "he used to tell us all about the little sluts he screwed," he paused "in detail, but he started shagging someone in sixth and clammed up. Not a word. Its like he somehow got morals or something. People are actually suggesting that it's been one person the whole time. Monogamy!" Blaise snorted "he used to think it was a dirty word. But now…this girl has got him totally wrapped up. I've actually seen him reject people. Its unheard of."
"Wow this really pisses you off doesn't it?"
"What's it to you?" Blaise suddenly recollected whom he was talking to and became less friendly, "anyway, you had a problem to share?"
"Actually it's the same as your problem, in a way."
"What you wanna know who Draco's shagging, "Harry gave him a pained look, waiting for the other foot to drop, "no you know."
"Oh for fucks sake you moron I am the person Malfoy's shagging. The only one if your confidence boosting rant can be relied upon."
Blaise just sat there opening and closing his mouth, trying desperately to respond. Well Potter was right about one thing, he wouldn't be telling anytime soon. Draco was his best friend, his only real friend and he would keep his secret…and even if Potter had told any other Slytherin the secret would have gone no further. Draco wouldn't have killed them for telling but he would make them wish he had.
Blaise made one final attempt to respond and to his joy sound came out. Unfortunately this joy was slightly muted when all he said was "huh?"
"We. Have. Been. Shagging. Each. Others. Brains. Out." Harry said slowly, "and I'm the idiot who's gone and fallen in love with him."
"How is that a problem?"
"Hello? Were you listening to either of us? Me and Malfoy are shagging. Shagging not dating or seeing each other or in love a la Romeo and Juliet."
"Two houses both alike in dignity in fair Hogwarts where we lay our scene," Blaise smiled at the idea and Harry looked mildly impressed.
"Anyway he doesn't love me. As he has pointed out so many times this is a convenient arrangement. He gets to shag blokes without Lucius finding out and I get to shag without tarnishing my perfect image. Stress relief and all that. And a lot more fun that the constant fights. And why aren't you completely ragging on me for this."
"Well for a start I'm not sure why you're telling me this and secondly I can't help thinking that it's kind of…right. Your Romeo and Juliet quip…my only love sprung from my only hate and all that."
"Yeah my only love sprung from a hormone ridden closet case who doesn't love me and is probably getting hitched to some blonde bimbo his parents pick as soon as we graduate."
"Um Potter hate to burst your bubble but (a) I can't see him marrying anytime soon and (b) Draco is so not a closet case. Everyone knows he's bi at the least. With the exception of you we know everyone he's shagged…Turpin, Farrow, Flint, MacMillan, Bones, Chang, Finnigan…" he looked straight at Harry with the last two names and it was Harry's turn to looked shocked.
"Seamus and…and Cho? Well," he grinned slightly, "he said I'd be shocked if I found out his shag list. No wonder he kept stum…Seamus?"
"Yeah," Blaise spat frowning.
"Zabini, want to tell me something," Harry was positively grinning, "you're not fond of Seamus are you now?"
"Fuck off Potter."
"You know he likes you?"
"For a quick shag maybe but…" Blaise flushed and looked down "why am I telling you this?"
"Because I just spilled my guts. Because I'm a noble Gryffindor obliged not to laugh or tell your secrets. Because…"
"Because despite my better judgement I find myself liking you."
"Now you're making me blush."
"And that's why. It's why Draco likes you. Just don't take any shit, do you."
"Actually it's a year of him that's done it. I used to spend all my time blushing crimson," Harry laughed softly "he used to set out to make me blush. He said he liked having a new way of tormenting me."
Blaise smiled to himself, Harry was really in love. Potter love struck over Malfoy. Fancy that.
"Why are you so sure he doesn't love you."
"He would have said something."
"You didn't. At least I'm assuming you haven't unless that's why you were beating your head against the table earlier."
"I wasn't the one saying how this is just sex every five seconds."
"Sex every five seconds Potter?"
"Shut up smart arse."
"Sorry couldn't resist."
"Perfect grammar is another Slytherin trait I take it. I thought it was just another of his idiosyncrasies."
"No its all of us. Draco's just a little more Ravenclaw than most. How you've managed to remain as grammatically poor as you are is a miracle."
"It annoys him. Its funny. And what do you mean more Ravenclaw?"
"You must know? He hasn't said?"
"No surprisingly houses haven't been one of the big topics."
"How."
"If I tell you then that's two things about me that only he and you know. He looked at Blaise for a moment before saying "I should have been in Slytherin. That pretty much stopped any house-ist comments."
"The Boy-Who-Lived in Slytherin. No wonder you kept that one secret. It would finish off half the school."
"Don't call me that. And back to the original point…"
"Its another of Draco's pet peeves. Basically the main difference between Ravenclaw and Slytherin is that Ravenclaws want knowledge for knowledge's sake, Slytherins seek it for the advantages it brings. We're not essentially evil…"
"…I'd figured that…"
"…Thanks for that. But the point is we get good grades because we earn them. Some of us more that others but the majority of the house have Ravenclaw as their second."
"Second?"
"The differences between the houses are so slim that it can be one thought on the day that makes the difference between Ravenclaw or Slytherin; Gryffindor or Hufflepuff…"
"Or Slytherin or Gryffindor."
"Exactly."
"You know Seamus likes you more that just a quickie behind the broomshed."
"Does he? Sometimes I think he might but he's not going to do anything about it even if you are right."
They sat there, neither knowing how to get out of the dead-end that their conversation had reached. Eventually Blaise said, "I think you're wrong about Draco. You've been…whatever you want to call it for nearly a year now. That's got to mean something. And he is different. Actually, the worst we've seen him recently was when you spent those two weeks in the hospital after going after Lupin. He was totally on edge."
"Probably sexually frustrated. We didn't shag for over three weeks."
"Yet he didn't look elsewhere. He likes you Potter."
"Doesn't," Harry dug in, refusing to allow his hopes to build only to be torn down once again.
"Prove it."
"What?"
"Call it a game. You get to know, one way or the other. I get Seamus."
"Do tell."
"Chuck him, date me."
"Just like that? You're mad."
"Seriously. Think about it. Start gradually, we become friendly, then tell him you can't see him anymore, that you love me but want to remain friends with him. Force him into your little Gryffindor circle. I guarantee he'll accept."
"This is stupid."
"No its not. We'll show both of them that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin can date. Then well 'fess up and claim them."
"'Cus he's suddenly going to want to be my friend."
"Trust me. I know him better than you."
"I really hope not," the anger in his voice was only half put on and Blaise held up his hands.
"Woah, back down boy. Not like that."
"Why not. Nothing wrong with him?
"You want me to have shagged the bloke you love?"
"Shut up."
"What do you say?"
"I'll loose everything."
"You have nothing."
"I have his body."
"Its not what you want."
"Its all I'll get."
"No, you'll get everything. I promise."
"How can you."
"Same as you can say Seamus likes me. I believe you. Believe me."
"You can be very convincing, you know that?"
"I was counting on it."
"Do we have a deal?"
"I guess so. Yes."
They shook hands and began to plan their strategy.
END CHAPTER ONESo what do you think? Should I carry this on? The chapters are going to be long so will need some encouragement if I'm to continue.
Having said that chapter two is nearly complete and I really like it so let me know if it's worth posting/continuing.