To Play with Fire

Disclaimer: I own only plot and pleasure of writing. All hail J.K.Rowling!


Chapter 6

To Love Is To Act


Harry thought it odd. Earlier Blaise had put his hand on Hermione's knee and Malfoy's Adam apple bobbed, then Blaise took a lock of Hermione's hair between his fingers and Draco's nostrils flared. Now Blaise was smiling contently glancing at times at Malfoy whose jaw seemed to be ticking in rage. How... odd?

They were all sitting in the library again and Harry hated it! He really hated it. It wasn't as bad with classes, they were all in different rooms, but whenever you needed to do your homework with other resources than your textbook you sat in the library. After reading Malfoy Senior's letter, Quidditch practices had been scheduled erratically as to not set any particular pattern, so it had been a week since the last one. Harry was bored to death. Well, at least he had been until two days ago when he noticed that something was off about these gatherings. It was in the air, something intangible, something peculiar...

At the first glance everything was as always. Ron and he were doing Potions essay, Hermione and Draco were finishing up with their project and Blaise... Harry's thoughts halted. That was one of these odd things, Blaise rarely studied but often sat with them, mostly his hands somewhere on Hermione. At first he thought it natural because it's not like you need an excuse to hang out with your girlfriend. A couple of days ago, though, he noticed that there was a strange tension in the air whenever he showed up. At first Harry had thought it was coming off Malfoy because that particular blond never mixed with one particular red very well. But lately he started to pick it up even when Ron wasn't present.

Today it had become apparent that it was the two Slytherins who had something going on between them. Yesterday he had thought that the guys probably had some unimportant fallout but today he started to think that whatever was going on was not a new development. It seemed to be as deep-routed as it was concealed. It had to be something neither would ever acknowledge publicly, a secret battle of wills that neither could win or give up. Harry had been amused at first but soon he started to worry that Slytherins would not stop at the silent rivalry. That it would explode into a full war where Hermione, and maybe even Ron and himself, would get caught in the crossfire.

Harry couldn't tell where exactly the heart of the rotten apple was, there was plenty of smell but nothing to indicate what to amputate. He continued observing. Malfoy was composed as he always was. Though he had seemed more exhausted lately, taut and dried-up somehow. His face was even more pointy, dark circles were under his eyes and his mouth was a grim line. Had he been sleeping at all lately? Funny, how Harry hadn't noticed when Malfoy's amused and mocking, but still somehow humorous smirk had turned into a thin line of bitterness. Blaise, on the other hand, appeared to be smug and obnoxious, outwardly nice and polite but without any warmth or friendliness.


The day before

They were working in silence. Hermione appeared to be annoyed and Harry thought that he would be too, if somebody hung on him as if glued. He couldn't understand what she saw in that Zabini anyway and the Italian's behaviour had been turning more and more indecent over the last days. The guys most appendages were now wrapped around Hermione and his mouth was on her neck. He was apparently taking advantage of the fact that Madam Pince was out of the room and had been for some time.

Ron couldn't take it any more, “Cut that out will you?! If you want to go at it maybe you could find some privacy elsewhere?”

Harry thought that Malfoy was glad though outwardly there was no reaction.

Hermione's only indication that she had paid attention, was to shake off some extra limbs. Though a hand remained snaked around her middle she didn't say anything.

Zabini didn't seemed to be perturbed, he just smiled lazily, “Jealous, are you, Weasley? Want some action, get yourself a girl. If not, stop whining.”

Ron was about to answer but Blaise continued, “Look at Malfoy here, taking it like a man, he is. Brave and silent.” He neared his girlfriend once more, inhaled the sent of her hair and glanced up from his ministrations at Draco, “Or do you not fancy girls at all, Malfoy?”

Even though nobody at the table actually liked Draco, the jibe was delivered in such a manner that everybody felt distinctly uncomfortable and the moment of silence was deafening.

Draco's jaw set and started ticking again but he only said in a neutral tone, “If I didn't, would you be putting out?”

Zabini laughed and the uneasy silence resumed.

The present


Harry had started to think that everything any of the Slytherins said or did had something to do with the unspoken rivalry and – as unlikely it sounded – it had something to do with Hermione. Blaise often asked Malfoy questions that had a sting in them but Harry or Ron had never given them any consideration before because it was Malfoy they were directed at. Though they did tick Hermione off and often the party fell apart soon after these uneasy conversations. Still, Draco rarely rose to the bait. He usually answered something neutral and appeared utterly unconcerned. Harry wondered how he had never noticed before how uncharacteristic it was for such a guy as Draco Malfoy.

“It's good to get shagged once in a while, isn't it, Malfoy?” That was today's quip and this time Blaise had miscalculated. First, Hermione had had a bad day - she had done considerably less work than she had planned because of her boyfriend. Secondly it did insinuate that they had been doing something they hadn't, plus Hermione didn't want others to know if they had done it or not. And finally she had had enough of these crude jokes anyway.

“Lay off of him, Blaise, it's getting old. If you are bored, you can leave. Some of us have a work to do.”

No one had ever heard her use that tone with him before. Ron and Harry were staring in surprise and Draco inhaled. A warm feeling went through him and his eyes shone with a hint of satisfaction and hope.

As soon as Blaise saw his girlfriend's face, he realised that he had gone too far (or started too soon, to be precise) this time, so he tried to capitulate, “I'm sorry, love. It's just that I can't stand the git. I'll stop if you don't like it.” He smiled a cheesy smile that had never let him down before but Hermione was not just any girl.

She was deeply shocked to realise once more that her boyfriend could be so inconsiderate to other people, even if it was Malfoy. It wasn't the first time she had noticed less than favourable traits of Blaise's character but she wasn't ready discuss the matter, especially not in front of others.

She noticed Malfoy had opened his mouth so she quickly cut him off, “I would really like to have some work done today, maybe we could meet up tomorrow after classes and spend some time without people either of us dislikes, OK?” She smiled and the light went off in Draco's eyes.

He drawled, “We could always clear out the library for an emergency, I'm sure Madam Pince will understand your need for privacy.”

Hermione huffed, Zabini laughed, Ron glared at Malfoy and Harry forced himself to dismiss the obvious once more.

When the Italian left the relative peace returned. Hermione had wanted to apologise to Draco for her boyfriend but the blond himself had squashed her noble intentions. They worked in silence for five minutes and then Draco could not take it any more.

“He's cheating on you, you know?” He looked up at her from his work to gauge her reaction. He'd known it for some time on some level but he'd saw it with his own two eyes only a day before. Draco had not really decided if he should tell her, fully aware that she could choose not to believe him but it was something he could not hold in any more either.

“What?” At first she was baffled, then disbelief crossed her features and then anger. She practically cried, “You have some nerve, Malfoy! He insults you a couple of times and you go and... and... Is this your idea of revenge?”

The hell broke loose.

She was trying really hard not to shout. She was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes and her hands started to shake, “You are lying! Tell me you are lying!”

“You bastard!” Ron jumped up at the same time, his fists raised.

“Ron!” Harry stood to hold his friend back though his demeanour was also angry.

Draco was the only one who retained some modicum of peace.

He looked her straight in the eyes and said, “I saw him with Pansy yesterday. They were kissing at the entrance of the Astronomy Tower.”

Harry and Ron both stilled at that, they had also heard one or two things but the main reason they took it seriously was Malfoys face – there was no duplicity or malice about it, instead, it was solemn and sad, almost as if he'd never expected to be believed anyway.

Hermione huffed, “Do you really expect me believe it?! You are a lying bastard and everybody knows it!” Tears were now falling freely from her eyes, “I hate you! Get out of my sight! Just get out and I don't want to ever see you again!”

Draco closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again he said, “I'm sorry.” He took his things and started for the doors.

Hermione was openly crying now and Ron went to hug her while Harry began to pack their things to get away from the public eye. The boys glanced at each other - neither really thought any more that Malfoy had lied and both were anxious to do something about it. Zabini had a lot to answer for.


* * *


Blaise was not in the best of moods. He was deprived of his favourite leisure activity – pissing off Malfoy. He rounded a corner to head for the Slytherin common room in hopes to see Pansy before she decided to retire for some girl time in the dorm. They usually met in a certain alcove in the deserted part of the castle but today she didn't know to wait for him. Maybe he would be lucky enough to whisk her away somewhere for a little cuddling? That would certainly improve his mood! When he entered the room though, he was disappointed - it was empty. Blaise strode to the sofa and sat with a huff. Bloody, sodding Malfoy!

Malfoy was a bane of his existence. He had always envied the git, Blaise was aware of the fact and not ashamed to admit it. At least to himself. Malfoy had everything – money, good looks, position in society and a family that supported him. Actually it was the last one he had always envied the most – family. A mother that loved and cared for her son and a father who was deemed as a respectable family man and who was proud of his successful son. It did not matter to Blaise that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater, the only side of the whole package he saw, was that Draco had someone in whose footsteps to follow.

And until recently Malfoy had also had Pansy. Now though... now, Blaise smiled. He knew exactly how Malfoy felt when he had to witness Hermione in the other guy's arms. He had experienced the same thing when Pansy was showering Draco with her attention. Blaise realised that it was not Malfoy's fault how Pansy saw the whole arrangement and that the girl had been so dedicated to the engagement. On the other hand, he also knew that Draco never cared about her, therefore was unworthy of any happiness. Draco had disregarded the most wonderful girl he could ever have and was therefore guilty. He was guilty and was now paying with every stab of jealousy that wrecked his body every time Blaise touched Hermione’s hand, caressed her back or kissed her mouth. Blaise loved taunting Draco and told each and every detail of it to Pansy who listened to him with glee.

Sometimes, however, being in the arms of the girl of his dreams, he felt rather forgiving. So, maybe, just maybe, Blaise thought, he was soon ready to break up with Hermione but not before he'd poisoned her mind against the git for good. All the time they were dating, he had been in a habit of telling her exactly just what kind of a man Malfoy was. Or what kind of a man Blaise wanted her to think the blond Slytherin was. He was going to remember and relay all, even the most trivial things Malfoy had ever done wrong. Maybe he would even exaggerate things out of proportion to make it look worse. Although Hermione didn't seem to want to listen to him most of the time, Blaise loved blackening Draco's reputation almost as much as he loved Pansy. He loved her more than anything and was ready to do anything she wanted him to. The whole thing was her idea, after all.

Blaise was now lying on the back, hands behind his head, eyes closed. That was the first mistake that cost him most of his and Pansy's revenge plans. The second was, that when he heard somebody enter the room he didn't pay them any attention.

The next time he would see anything but blackness, he would be lying in the hospital wing in severe pain.


...To Be Continued...