The Enemy of my Enemy

The Locket

"How was Slughorn's party?"

Blaise shrugged and cut into his bacon and sausage. "It was fine," he said, smoothly. "You'd know if you had turned up."

Teddie rolled her eyes. "Are you really going to stay mad at me for bailing again?" she asked. "I told you the reasons that I don't want to indulge Slughorn."

"Yes, because you don't want to be affiliated with Faye, You-Know-Who, or Avery," said Blaise, nodding. "But, the point is, Ted, the more you try to avoid being affiliated with them, the more people are going to think of you as one of them."

"How do you work that one out, genius?"

Blaise chewed and swallowed. "What's the one thing everyone does when you tell them not to do something?" he asked.

"They want to do it all the more," said Teddie.

"Exactly. The more you tell people you're not Faye, the more they are going to think you are."

Teddie heaved a sigh. She knew he had a point, and she found she couldn't counter the argument. Instead, she directed her attention towards her breakfast.

But Blaise wasn't finished. "Slughorn's having a Christmas party," he said, "and before you argue and say you're going home for the holidays, he is having it before then. He has insisted that I get you to attend."

"What you going to do? Force me against my will?"

Blaise shrugged. "I was thinking that if I ask Daphne to go and you asked Theo, then you'd attend because you wouldn't want to be alone in the common room," he said.

"I could always go find Mason."

Blaise chuckled. "I've already spoken with Mason," he said. "We agreed that he would ask Astoria, and that way, we're all there."

Teddie glared at her friend. "You planned all this without even asking me first?" she asked. "Pretty sure that falls under 'forced against my Will'."

"Don't be a dramatic," said Blaise, reaching for his goblet. "It'll be fun. Plus, you never know, you may be inspired to tell Theo how you really feel about him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Please, you'd have to be blind to not see it," said Blaise. "The sidelong glances, the gentle touches, the pretend dates? The jealousy, on his part of course. Need I go on?"

"Isn't that what you and Daphne do, though?" Teddie countered. "I mean, like you said, you'd have to be blind to not see the gentle touches, sidelong looks, the jealousy, on your part of course."

Blaise grinned. "If there is one thing we can't deny about you, Ted, it's your observational skills. How long have you known?"

"That you've been crushing on Daph?" Teddie asked. She shrugged. "Second year. I noticed at the Christmas Ball that Mo and Ursula threw in my honour. How long have you known about me and Theo?"

"Since first year," said Blaise. "I've known Theo a long time. No one, and I mean no one, has ever caught his attention like you have. The spunky little Muggleborn with a heart of gold."

Teddie rolled her eyes.

"All, I am curious about is how long this little dance is going to go on for?"

"How long is the dance between you and Daphne going to last?"

Blaise shrugged. "It's more complicated for us," he admitted. "We're both Purebloods, we have betrothed's to contend with. With his father... emancipated, for the lack of a proper word, Theo is a free agent. Besides, with you being... who you are... his father would probably be more than happy to set the pair of you up."