Struggling Through New Beginnings

Chapter 15

He saw Draco’s eyes flick over his shoulder when the dark-haired witch gasped in surprise at his sudden movement. But, then those light eyes came back to look into his dark ones.

Neither moved when they heard Ron’s voice from behind Draco, “Hermione, are you okay?”

“Of course, Ronald. Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, oblivious to all that had occurred under her nose. “What happened?”

He stepped around the unmovable wall that was Draco and Blaise, and reached for her hand, “Nothing. It’s just, uh, we’re going to be late for class if we don’t get going.”

She nodded and put her book in her bag, all the while looking between the three men for explanation. When none seemed forthcoming she shook her head and turned to leave the hall.

Ron paused a moment and looked at Draco over Blaise’s shoulder. He nodded his thanks and turned to follow his friend from the hall.

When they stood alone Draco stepped back from Blaise, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Me?” Blaise hissed. “Give me back my wand, Malfoy!”

“Blaise, you have to calm down,” Draco began only to be cut off by a voice from behind his back.

Professor Snape assessed the situation as he asked quietly, “Is there a problem here, gentlemen?”

“No, sir,” Draco bit out, refusing to turn around and take his eyes off the angry man in front of him.

“He has my wand and refuses to return it,” Blaise accused maliciously. “I believe that should earn him at least a week’s detention.”

Snape looked from one young man to the other before he asked, “And, why do you refuse to return his wand, Mr. Malfoy?”

“He…” Draco began and then faltered. He didn’t want to rat out his friend, even if he was behaving irrationally. “It was just a joke, sir.”

He handed the wand back to Blaise who took it and turned to retrieve his bag. Before he could storm off, Snape’s soft voice stilled him.

“Mr. Zabini, as a school Head, you might want to remember in the future that hexing fellow students, no matter how annoying they may be, could lose you that position.” With a swish of his robes, Snape then departed, leaving both men staring after him in wonder.

Blaise seemed to deflate as he fell heavily into the chair closest to him and put his head in his hands.

Draco shifted uncomfortably and then cleared his throat. It sounded unnaturally loud in the now empty hall, as it bounced off the walls to echo back at them.

“What is going on, Blaise?” Draco finally asked, even though he stayed standing behind him, his wand firmly in his hand just in case Blaise lost it once again. “Talk to me.”

When the man simply shook his head, Draco came around the chair and pulled another one out. He sat down and put his wand away before he continued, “Blaise, I’ve never seen you like this. I’ve known you since before we could walk and in all those years, I’ve never known you to lose control like that. You were about to hurt a defenseless woman.”

Blaise snorted a derisive laugh, “Defenseless my left nut.”

“Okay, there’s the Zabini I know,” Draco laughed a bit. “Seriously, what’s going on? Last night you said a lot of stuff that made no sense, and then just now…”

Blaise put his fists to his eyes and groaned in realization, “They’re turning her into Granger.”

“What? Who? Huh?” Draco stammered in confusion.