Flame Thrower (Blairon)

Professor Zabini: Part 2

"I'm not going," I stated simply and Pansy and Draco both groaned, rolling their eyes. I sneered at the two. "And why not?" Pansy snapped and I chuckled. "I'm not a student here. Besides, I'm technically their teacher. Imagine seeing a teacher dancing at some stupid event," I said and Pansy frowned. Draco however, seemed amused. A sly smirk threatening to form on his lips.

"They don't see you as a teacher, Blaise. Believe me. Pansy and I have been listening around and almost everybody is looking for the perfect excuse to get you alone in the classroom with them," Draco pured and I scoffed, furrowing my eyebrows. "All people see when they look at me is a pretty face. Why do you think I've never dated anyone?" I asked and Draco frowned. Pansy merely sighed. "Pretty face or not, you're coming with us to prom." She said with finality and I groaned. "You have a date! Why are you even bothered with this?!" I asked hysterically and Pansy's face heated up ever so slightly. "I feel bad for you," she said as if it didn't hurt my feelings. But then again, it was Pansy. Too straight (gay) forward for her own good.

"She's right, Blaise. You know there are going to be at least a few people in the world who'll see you like we do." He said with optimism. I smiled a gentle smile at my best friend but doubt swam in my eyes. "I love you guys for trying to convince me but it's not working. And I have a meeting in a few seconds and your sitting on my desk!" I fussed and they both smirked. They skidded themselves off my work space before standing by the door to my temporary classroom.

"You never know, Blaise." Draco winked before the two of them took off for class. I sighed and sat on my desk where they had just been. As much as it has its perks, being a Zabini wasn't the greatest. Sure! I had high self esteem and was never worried about things a handful of people in the world worry about that they shouldn't have to be and I'm grateful for that. But when people find you attractive, half of the time they don't take you seriously. All they see is your face, your body or both. Nothing else. But that doesn't bother me too much. After a while I've gotten used to unwanted attention. This job seemed like a good distraction from the real world anyway.

At least I get to spend more time with Pansy and Dra-

A knock sounded on my door and I looked up in shock. I had almost forgotten I was supposed to talk to Weasley...

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," the ginger said, a quiver in his voice. I shrugged and motioned for him to take a seat in the chair in front of my desk on which I was still sitting on. I may be a teacher for a week but I'm still a teenager. Sitting on desks is in my nature. Weasley looked around nervously.

"Uh, so- what did you want to talk about?" He asked and I took a file off my desk, scanning it intently. "Look, I know I'm not the best student but-"

Out of nowhere, laughter bubbled out of my throat and his eyes widened. "You think you're in trouble?" I asked almost hysterically and he nodded hesitantly. Curiousity coating his deep, blue eyes. Wow, I hadn't noticed how blue they actually were. His irises looked like the ocean itself. Churning with mischief and swimming with more than he led on. And the freckles on his face. They danced as he rose an eyebrow, utterly at a loss as to why I called him here.

"Weasley-"

"Ron is fine," he muttered and I rose an eyebrow, nodding. "Well, Ron. You've got it all wrong," I stated and he frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked and I smiled down at him from my place on my desk.

"Your physics grade exceeds those of a thirty two year old physician."

It took the boy a minute or two to compute what I meant and when he did, his eyes widened. I nodded solemnly. "At the rate you're going, you've passed even Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." I added and his mouth fell open in disbelief. "No-" He mumbled in awe and I laughed. "Mr Lupin wanted to let you know that he put your name down for the Lockhart Program. They've looked at your work and have offered you a scholarship to work with them." I said and Weasley gasped, slapping his hand over his mouth.

"B-but, isn't that-"

"The program that won a Nobel last year? Precisely." I said and he just stared at me. Pure shock etching his interesting features. I couldn't help but laugh. He looked so adorable in his state of confusion. We stared at each other for a long time and something in me lurched. Like it yearned for the staring to go longer than it would. His eyes were more than captivating to look into. They were enticing...

Ron's POV

Suddenly, I realized I had been staring at Professor Zabini longer than anyone should stare at anything and a seething hot blush ran up my collar bone, to my neck all the way through my cheeks and onto my ears. I probably looked ridiculous with my firey hair, tan freckles, red face and maroon jacket. The Professor noticed my panic and chuckled. My heart skipped a beat at the sound.

"I take it you didn't know how smart you actually are?" He asked and I shook my head, my heart racing in my chest as he spoke. Each word strong. Each syllable he pronounced with an accent I couldn't place because of how English he sounded. Every movement of his face as he talked to me left a mark me. Like I was being branded with only words.

I blushed again.

"I wasn't the smartest kid back then." I said with slight embarrassment and he nodded, analyzing me solemnly. "It's often those who think little of themselves who end up succeeding the most. Think about the scholarship. Take your time with it. It's a big decision." He said, hopping off of his perch on his desk. I stood up and he gave me the papers. I took them, avoiding eye contact. We were more or less the same height and I didn't want to take any chances looking into his eyes again like I had a few minutes ago. I only knew I'd get lost in them which wasn't a smart move.

I nodded, my stomach erupting with butterflies. Pride filled my chest and I couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

I had a scholarship!

Unless you couldn't tell, I achieve the least in both my family, and when I'm at school. When people see me at school, they see Ron Weasley, Harry's bimbo of a best friend. Fun to hang out with but doesn't have much going on in his brain. And when my family sees me they see me as the son my mother never needed. There's a reason she favors my sister Ginny over Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, Percy and I.

"Uh-thank you, so much Professor!" I muttered, giddy, as I clumsily stuffed the scholarship papers into my backpack. He nodded, his face stiff, but he didn't have the cold look in his dark golden eyes that he had all the times I'd seem him today. He smiled at me and my heart stopped working for a moment. I stopped unzipping my backpack mid-zip and everything began tingling. That seething heat returned to my body and I gulped. He watched me in amusement for what felt like years until the bell sounded like a horn in my ear and I snapped out of my stupor. Fast walking out of the classroom shouting a flustered, "Thanks again!"

I sat unmoving as my father drove my sister and I home from school. My mother in the passenger seat. I didn't want to tell them about my scholarship just yet. I was still trying to wrap my head around it myself. My parents began talking with Ginny, but I didn't bother paying attention to the conversation. I had other people..... things on my mind. I hadn't realized my father had spoken to me until Ginny nudged me in the ribs.

"Huh, what?"

My dad rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Got a date for your prom yet?" He asked and I groaned, narrowing my eyes at nothing in particular. "Harry and I are going as friends." I stated matter-of-factly and my dad rose a ginger, almost grey eyebrow. Frowning as he studied me through the rear view mirror. My mother's eyes widened and she yelled.

"Arthur! Keep your eyes on the-"

I jumped in my seat as the car launched to a stand still. The four of us sat still, slowly realizing what had just happened. Ginny was the first to react.

"Did we just run someone over?" She asked quietly. Her voice high pitched and trembling. My mother and father tussled with their seat belts, and we all stepped out of the car urgently. My heart began beating louder in my ears as the cold, night air harrased my body. Sending me into shudders of chills.

"No, but we definitely hit something." My mom said. Extreme worry evident in her voice. We all walked to the front of the car and my eyes widened. A sleek motorcycle lay on its side a few meters away and next to it, lay a man.

My breath caught in my throat when I recognized the blinding yellow shirt he was wearing...