Boys Night, Girls Night

17.

Draco couldn’t function. Every time he went to do something, he’d knock something over, forget what he was meant to do, do it wrong, or half ass it. He was the damn boss and he couldn’t make simple things work.

He had come back to the apartment to face Harry. They spent the night speculating on the topic of Granger’s stalker. Over and over they collaborated what they knew.

Then, when they were ready to pass out, Harry had to open his damn mouth.
“Hermione bought an apartment today. She’s planning on moving out by Friday.”

He had said it to warn him. Draco knew Harry said it so he could make a game plan. He now had till the end of the week to figure out what the fuck to do to fix his relationship with Hermione.

But all that comment had done was make him toss and turn all night so he looked haggard the next morning. Malfoy and the word haggard don’t belong in the same sentence.

He didn’t say as much, but in his gut he knew that Potter and his merry band of law abiding citizens weren’t going to catch this guy. They followed the law. They would act accordingly.

What they needed- what Hermione needed- was someone who, from time to time, flirted with the edge of legal. Draco knew that individual.

Blaise Zabini.

Blaise was a cunning and clever son of bitch. He somehow knew exactly what and who everyone was doing at any given moment. He had an uncanny knack of being able to look at a situation and pierce directly at the heart of it.
Wednesday meant Blaise was at home for lunch. His actions sure for the first time that day, he made towards the fireplace.


“So let me get this straight- there is some unknown person coming after Granger, and you need to unmask them before something serious happens?” Blaise asked matter-of-factly.

Draco nodded. It was almost a palpable relief to say these things out loud. His head felt less like it was going to explode. Going over the facts to outsiders allowed him to look at it from a different perspective.

Pansy, who had been watching him shrewdly since he arrived, finally spoke. “You fought with her, haven’t you?" When all he did was stare at her his mouth agape, she smirked before continuing.

She did love being right. "Hermione has no clue that you know, that you are trying to stop this from going farther, or the fact you know that you were somewhat an overreacting drama queen and should apologize?”

Draco felt his mouth snap shut and his teeth grind as his jaw flexed.

Pansy.

She saw everything and her intuition was a force of nature. She is the Slytherin version of Ginny.
(There was a reason he stayed in touch by owl. Together with Blaise as an additional help, they were unstoppable.
Merlin bless him. Privacy was unheard of between these two.)

“Yes, Pans. I feel like a prat.” He said tonelessly knowing what she wanted. “I don’t know how to even begin to start the conversation where I can excuse myself. I am a degenerate cad not worth licking her dainty feet, let alone sit in your very presence. I-”

“Should have told us long ago what was going on with Granger and how utterly, head over heels in love with her you are.” Pansy finished in a breathy voice, the back of her hand sweeping dramatically against her forehead. Then she smirked while shrugging back into herself, “Well, as long as you know.” Pansy smiled sweetly.

If he was still clueless, well, she did love raking him over the coals. His temper was always fast to light and burnt quick. But that was always the reason behind the reoccurring thought of hers that he and Granger would be a great match.

If they ever got out of their own way- the sex would be hot.

Draco was still reeling from her so casually mentioning he loved Granger...
He shoved the thought aside. Other things needed to be taken care of, he could prod that thought at another time.

“She’s gone and bought a new apartment. Harry said she leaving Friday. I need to fix this somewhat by then. I can’t- no, I won’t let her move out if I can help it. It’s entirely too dangerous for her to be on her own.” Draco ranted, pacing back and forth.

Blaise and Pansy watched him like a zoo exhibit, their eyes tracking his movements. Draco knew they were reading more into this than they should. He couldn’t help it - he needed extra eyes and ears on this. “Then there is the banquet this Friday. You’re both going, right? You got the invitation?” He briefly paused to see them nod. He continued pacing.

“To say that it’s the perfect opportunity to strike is an understatement. Hermione is going to be behind the scenes some of the time, and then there is the sheer amount of questionable suspects invited to this. I can’t watch everyone.” He abruptly sat down running a hand through his hair, wondering if he'd have any hair left at this point.

Pansy stared at him for a minute. He really did care for Granger. And she knew he would take it very, very hard if they failed. Like "never forgive himself" kind of hard.

Once boyfriend, best friend, and childhood playmate...Draco finally grew up.

About bloody time. Pansy chuckled to herself.

Both men looked at her strangely. She waved it aside. “We’ll help Draco, you never need to ask us twice. Blaise and I will let you know anything we figure out. Now go do everyone a favor. Get some rest, you look like shit.” She watched a flicker of amusement cross Draco’s face before he walked to the fireplace.

“As always, Pansy. You are a pureblooded bitch.” Draco bowed ironically.
“The original.” Draco heard Blaise murmur. The last look he saw was of Blaise dodging Pansy as she made to hit him.

----

It was later than night that Draco decided he was going to talk to Hermione.
Or grovel.
Or pick a fight.
He hadn’t yet decided.

But the decision was rubbish. The problem was that Granger was once again missing, sort of. Oh, she popped in and out at odd intervals. During one of these she had told him briefly that she was moving out, ignoring making eye contact.

When he started to protest she gave him a piece of parchment.She had made him a potential list of new roommates. It grated on him that more than half were females.

It irritated him that two weeks ago he would have been happy with this list.

It practically goaded him that now that should not be the case.

So right now she was missing because she was out running errands for her new apartment or the gala that was coming up in about 48 hours.

What she didn’t know was that Blaise was tailing her, invisible of course. Friendly stalking, if you will. How else to catch a stalker, except to stalk him in return?