Inside My Mind (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter LXIX

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, Great Britain

Sunday the 14th of November 1996

8:20 AM

"Happy birthday!"

Blaise smiled at his friends and siblings, softly. Hermione hugged him and he hugged her back, burying his face in her excessively curly hair. He smelled the woman's shampoo and perfume and it had a soothing effect instead of overwhelming like Lavender Brown's.

"Thanks," Blaise laughed, quietly. Hermione kissed him, chastely. They were private about their relationship. Hermione leaned in as she kissed his cheek and hugged him, tightly.

"I'll give you your gift later tonight," Hermione murmured. Though her tone didn't allude to anything but really a gift, Blaise knew his Hermione well enough and he knew exactly what this gift entailed. He wasn't opposed to the idea of it all, actually, and he truly welcomed it. He gave her a distinctly Slytherin smirk and Hermione smiled.

"Blaise, I love you so much. As a friend, a lover, and even stranger…as a brother. But, it's okay because it's you. Happy birthday,"

Hermione let go of him and Blaise looked at his blond brother.

"I've known you for a long time, Blaise. You're my best friend. And though you may not be in blood, you are my brother. Always," Draco said, quietly. Blaise smirked. He knew that Draco wasn't prone to have sudden bouts of public displays and announcements of affection. He was even less so now that he was sick.

Yes, Blaise had noticed. Draco looked tired all the time now. His skin was a sickly grey and his lips were blue, like those of a corpse. Draco coughed quite a lot though he never coughed blood. Draco had cut himself in Potions the other day and he hadn't bled for almost two minutes. Blaise constantly kept track of his brother and the symptoms but he couldn't come up with anything except for one hypothesis.

His was brother was dead.

And that was obviously not true since the man was currently breathing like his life depended on it. Draco wheezed and Luna rubbed his back. She looked grave and Blaise repressed his shudder. Luna did not look optimistic. She looked almost as tired as Draco and her pupils were wide. He was trying to See while listening and it was proving slightly difficult.

Bella stepped towards Blaise. Blaise looked down at the young woman and he could see it. She was so close. She was very nearly there. She was very nearly the woman that he had come to see as his sister. She just needed…one…more…push. He wondered if Luna would prophesy about that one more push.

"Blaise…you're my brother. Even though you don't acknowledge me as your sister anymore, I still see you as a brother. You're my guide. You're the wisest of the bunch, besides Luna. I'm happy to call you brother. I'm happy to call you family. I love you. Happy birthday," Bella said. Blaise smiled and grabbed her wrist. He blinked when he saw her wince in pain. She didn't pay any mind to it and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Bella pulled away from him. His family stepped away from him and gave Luna space.

Blaise looked down at Luna as she tilted her head. She touched his chest.

"Blaise Zabini, Lord of Plague, Sun God, Apollo. You are so intelligent. Your mind is brilliance. This is a strength and with this gift, I want you to understand. That is something I can rarely do. I can See. I know but as Bella learned…I do not understand," Luna said, softly. Blaise glanced at Bella and followed Luna's faze. Luna was looking down at Bella's glove covered wrists. He did a double take when he realized that both hands were gloved.