sweet ; blaise zabini

01

     Chapter One - AT FIRST (GLANCE)

    Blaise lets out an exasperated sigh, wishing Pansy Parkinson would shut up.

     From the Slytherin common room, to the Great Hall, and as they now make their way to Potions class, the girl has not shut her mouth once. He was hoping to get through the first day of sixth year without a head-splitting migraine, but Pansy has no off switch.

   "I do hope we don't have class with Potter." Pansy practically spits out Potter's name, sneering as she leads the way to class with Draco at her side.

     Draco merely nods, sporting a far off look on his face that Pansy either doesn't notice or chooses to ignore as she continues to go off about her morning classes.

     Once they arrive to class, the group of Slytherins occupy the nearest empty table beside Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, to their left. At the table across from them sits Hermione Granger, chatting away with one of the Patil twins. Blaise can already tell it will be a very dull class this year.

     "My apologies for running late, I had some very important matters to attend to." The new professor, Professor Slughorn, calls to the class, breathing heavily as he makes his way to his desk. Only seconds behind him, a Hufflepuff hastily takes a seat at Dean Thomas' table without being spotted.

     "Very well, then." Professor Slughorn sighs, giving the expectant students a tight smile. "I'm sure you lot will miss Professor Snape dearly," half the class groans in disagreement. "but you have me now, like it or not."

      As Slughorn drones on, Blaise finds himself absently scanning the room once more in boredom.

     Beside him, Pansy doodles random objects on spare parchment, rolling her eyes at something Slughorn says. Crabbe and Goyle are no better as they sit snickering at some joke they've made. Draco sits with his head in his hand, the same vacant expression still in place. Across the room Blaise spots people actually listening to Slughorn  and actually enjoying his gibberish, laughing along to whatever tale he's told.

     He's only halfway through scanning the classroom when Slughorn exclaims, "Ah, Mr.Potter!" and turns, just like the rest of the class, to find Potter and Weasley standing at the door.

     As the two move to get their book, Crabbe turns to Pansy, "Looks like you have shit luck." This earns him an eye roll from Pansy and a snicker from Goyle. Draco, however, says nothing and settles for just glaring at Potter's back as he fights with Weasley.

     Once they've gotten their books, Potter and Weasley make their way to the front of the room to sit with Granger. This is when Blaise finally notices the previous Hufflepuff. As Potter passes between Blaise's table and Dean Thomas', Blaise's eyes land on the Hufflepuff who's face turns bright red after he takes a quick glance at Potter. This peaks his interest, if only for a moment.

     The boy is quite small, figure-wise and height-wise. His natural tan complexion does not hide the lingering blush still coating his cheeks as he laughs along to something Dean Thomas has said. The boy covers his laugh behind his hand, his dark eyes lighting up in amusement. His laugh, warm and joyful, breaks into a small snort that causes him to laugh and blush harder.

     With a hitch in his throat, Blaise looks away.