Loving You - Dramione/Blinny Veela

Ch. 19

She didn't even want to go to Gladrag's anymore when they left Spintwitches; she was too excited about the broom, and Blaise didn't seem to mind. He knew that she would probably have that reaction, and he gladly walked her back to the carriages so that she wouldn't have to wait too long to open it.

"Why won't you let me hold it?" She whined playfully as they made their way up to one of the empty carriages.

"Because, little Red," He answered with a grin, "You're only going to pick at the paper until you've 'accidentally' picked enough of it away to find out what it is. And I want you to be surprised when you open it!"

She groaned and crossed her arms against her chest when she plopped down on one side of the carriage and he shook his head at her, sitting on the opposite side but putting his legs up on the seat next to her and laying her new broom across his lap.

Raising an eyebrow at his outstretched legs, she asked, "Are you trying to prevent me from going anywhere?"

He smirked at her. "I'm smart enough to know that I can't stop you from doing anything you want to do."

"Good." She said, leaning back.

"That doesn't mean I can't make it difficult for you though if you were intending to leave," He went on.

She smacked his leg but grinned at him. "Just admit that you don't want me to leave, Zabini."

"If you really want to jump out of a moving carriage, Red, by all means," He said, gesturing behind them. "I'm not going to stop you."

"Why not?" She asked, raising another eyebrow at him.

"Don't think that means that I want you to," He smiled. "I'd much prefer you to stay here, but I won't stop you if leaving is what would make you happy."

She looked at him silently, wondering if he was still joking. He simply smiled at her, readjusting and putting his arms up against the siding, looking away from her towards the Thestral pulling the carriage.

"Blaise," She said quietly, catching his attention almost immediately.

"Yes?" He replied.

She hesitated slightly. "You've been nothing but nice to me since we came back to school. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He said in a calm tone.

She didn't answer, waiting for him to say it. He smiled then and pulled his feet away from her, leaning forward and gently grabbing her chin. "You, Ginny Weasley, have caught my attention. You are incredibly bright, incredibly feisty, and without a doubt one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen."

She smiled then, her cheeks flushing to nearly the same color as her hair. He grinned in response at her sudden embarrassment, taking note of the sudden surge of happiness that went through her.

Everyone stared at them again as they walked through the halls of the castle, with Blaise still carrying her broom. She was eager to go and open it, but at the same time that meant that her time with him had ended for the day. She decided to walk a little slower, and knew that he wouldn't mind. She couldn't help but notice that they were walking closer to each other, their arms almost fully against one another but neither of them pulled away.

"I still can't believe you bought me a broom," She stated in disbelief for probably the fifth time that day.

"You better start believing it," He said happily. "I'm almost half tempted to go out to the Quidditch pitch, because I know the first thing you're going to want to do is test it out."