𝔖𝔢𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔡 ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (18+ ℭ𝔬𝔪𝔭𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔢)

Advice from the Ace

     "Prowling again?"

     Freezing, my eyes darted to the person seated near the fireplace. "Zabini, what are you doing up this early?" Relaxing my shoulders, I took a deep breath.

     "I asked first."

     I scanned the room to make sure there wasn't a Parkinson groupie around—or anyone for that matter—and walked over to my longtime friend. "You guessed it, just getting laid."

     He steepled his hands and arched a dark brow. "Potter?"

     Chuckling, I said, "Yeah, right. He would dominate my ass, and you know how I like to be in charge." My stomach twisted with worry as I made myself as comfortable as possible under Zabini's disquieting gaze.

     "I had a fascinating discussion with Parkinson last night."

     Rolling my eyes, I said, "What's she saying now?"

     He flicked something off his robes. "About two weeks ago, she and Bulstrode saw you kiss Potter."

     I should have guessed that she would have followed me to Hogsmeade after our fight. I opened my mouth to lie and said, "I...I did. I mean, yes, and we have a few times since."

     He raised his eyebrows.

     I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair. "And I know you're going to ask. Yes, I was with Harry last night."

     He calmly stated after a minute, "That's not what I was expecting to hear—ever."

     "I'm tired of hiding, so..."

     Squeezing his eyes closed, he said, "Merlin, you sure like things to be complicated, don't you?"

      "Complicated is my permanent home address."

     He chuckled without smiling, in his odd Zabini way. "I should have figured it out after all these years obsessing over him."

     "I didn't obsess." I scoffed.

     "You were always on about how rotten Harry Potter, Granger, and Weasley were." He shook his head. "I had myself convinced you hated the guy, not that you wanted to bear his children."

     Harry's voice whispered in my mind, one, and my body sizzled with anticipation. Smiling, I said, "It just sorta happened."

     "Normally, I don't waste my time with this type of nonsense." He waved his arm to get rid of the bad whatever around him. "But since I hate you less than I do everyone else on this planet, I find myself compelled to help."

     "With what?" I have a bad feeling about this.

     "Seems the Ugly-one that insists you two are getting married after school." He held his hand up to keep me from interrupting. "I know she bought the fake engagement ring—not that the princess cut rock isn't real, but clearly, you didn't give it to her."

     I thought of the stone and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I would have chosen a blue diamond to highlight her eyes. And even though she hates it, yellow gold would be best for her skin and hair coloring."

     "She should avoid silver like the plague, but, whatever." He rolled his shoulders.

     This wasn't what I expected Blaise to be talking about, thank Merlin. "I can't believe she's so clingy after I've told her point blank I'm not interested in being in a relationship with her."

     "The only thing that girl is capable of understanding how to color-coordinate."

     "I think that was her grandmother's doing."