I. social casualty | blaise zabini ✔️

DEFENSE

CHAPTER 23

DEFENSE

Blaise had not wanted to return to Hogwarts this year. His soon-to-be step-father had been talking about how this school year was going to be different with a Ministry representative taking the Defence position. The conversation had bored his mother, so the man had changed topics to discuss Potter's attention seeking ways and Dumbledore's senile mind that would destroy the Wizarding World. Blaise had rolled his eyes once and his mother kicked his shin so hard under the table that his eyes watered for at least half a minute.

Since then, he tried to avoid being in a room where he would have to endure their bashing of the members of Gryffindor house, mostly because when that was discussed his brain went to a certain blue-eyed Gryffindor. And that was the last thing he needed.

He really tried avoiding that thought because it meant he would think about the night of the last tasks. And he hated himself for it because one of his classmates died and the only thing he could think about was this girl who held his hand that day out of fear and maybe comfort.

He planned on staying far away from her this school year. But then he got on the train and Malfoy practically dragged him to the Gryffindor squad compartment, including a few Ravenclaws. And he saw her and she looked different, her hair was a shade of blue fading to her usual brown, matching with her eyes. She had grown maybe two inches, not much compared to the five inches he now gained on her.

He assumed she would probably stay at that height, while he was expected to grow a bit more in the coming year, most likely towering over her by sixth year.

Still seeing her again is strange, because he doesn't know where they stand exactly. Last he checked they were this complicated fireball of arguments, truces, one awkward kiss, and hand holding. A whole mess of things that he has no clue how to categorize. He just knows that she's fierce and kind and someone who gets him in a way.

The first time after the train that he encounters her is History of Magic. She's almost late, barely entering the room when the bell begins to ring. But she makes it and takes a seat behind him next to her friends, he doesn't look because he knows Theo or Draco will ask questions.

He liked history, despite how many people doze off in the class. Sure, Professor Binns is a bit boring but the topics are interesting, informative. So, he endures the teasing from his friends who think it's dumb to be so invested in the subject. What he wasn't expecting was Lyra's teases coming in small notes that she sneakily levitated into his hand.

He had looked at his friends on either side of him, no one seemed to be paying attention so he opened the note and responded, fighting back a stupid grin that was threatening to break his cool demeanor.

And then she sent, "That's adorable, Zabini."

And Blaise felt himself freeze because, first of all: he was not adorable, that is dumb. Attractive, he can understand. Hot, he had heard a few times. But adorable? Really? And second: Lyra Knight was calling him adorable.

Fighting back the grin now just felt useless because, yup, he was smiling. And he sent her back a casual note, like what she wrote wasn't affecting him. Then turned, classmates be damned, and smiled at her, watching her troublemaking grin disappear into a look of complete shock that made him want to laugh.

Suddenly, History of Magic didn't seem as interesting as Lyra Knight.

Potions had been boring. Blaise was never really good at it so he didn't bother trying too hard. He was smart enough to get a passing OWL, if Draco managed to force him into studying long enough, but it bored him and he instead spent the period staring at the back of Knight's blue-to-brown hair.