He'd snuck out of his own home and went to Blaise's. Draco had not had to sneak out since he was fourteen years old. It had been to go to Blaise's then as well. Draco entered quietly. He wondered if there were blonde Hufflepuffs afoot for him to torment. He wanted to ask her about Tracey.

Speaking of...

Draco froze. Wasn't the house-elf that just walked past him one of hers? What in the hell was one of Trace's elves doing here? He'd have to ask. Draco made his way to Blaise's rooms. He still had not seen anyone. Well, the house-elves knew he was here. He was sure to see a person at any moment. If not, he'd just hang out here for a bit then go back home. He had just really needed to get out of his home. He was beginning to feel like a prisoner.

Blaise was in the bathroom relaxing when he heard the door to his rooms open. He frowned and grabbed his wand from the ledge by the bath. Hannah wasn't coming over, he knew, because had seen her yesterday and she didn't mention anything about coming over tonight. It could have been Tracey, but she would have announced herself when entering through the door. He couldn't imagine anyone else being so quiet going through his house. Shifting in the bathtub, he ducked down so he couldn't be seen in the mirrors or through the door and raised his wand.

The slight movement of water told Draco plenty. He snickered to himself, knowing him rustling around and not saying who he was had probably irritated Blaise.

"Are you in the tub," Draco called, grinning. "I'll wait."

Blaise let out a huff of air and glared at the door. "I nearly hexed you, you prat. Announce yourself next time. I might just hex you for the hell of it!"

"Sorry, mate. Someone's already started the hexing Draco for the hell of it trend. Try something new," he said as he strolled into the bathroom. "Where's Sunshine? I was hoping to ask her how lunch with Trace went. Pans is all in a tizzy. She feels left out. Wants to meet your girl."

Draco took a seat on the chair in there. Actually, he did his usual of sprawling himself in the chair.

Blaise snorted and put his wand back down. "Yeah, Pansy will meet Hannah as soon as she agrees to hand over some hair so you can polyjuice into her. The meeting with Tracey went fine, but Pansy is much different than Trace. I'm not letting that viper near her until Hannah is more used to you and Trace. She'll need more than me to help calm her down."

"I can go."

Blaise gave him a look.

"You know I crashed the girls' lunch on Tuesday and something happened that bothered me. Well, several things that bothered me happened at lunch, but one thing in particular. I know it's programming and all, because I used to be full of this sort of thing myself and in many ways I still am, but how do we feel about your girlfriend being called a Mudblood?"

Blaise's head fell back against the back of the tub. "Shit. I didn't even think of that. Fuck, Pansy and Trace both will be rambling that off." He glared at Draco. "When did you get so smart and all-knowing?"

"I've always been smart. I just hide it well, and it wasn't Pans. It was Trace, and I corrected her."

Draco sighed and considered. Did he want to share?

"There's this friend of mine. Yes, once she was a naked friend, now just a friend. Lives in the States right now. Muggle studies professor of all things. She's Muggleborn, and she's pretty great. Helped me with many of my more annoying issues. Lindsay taught me to despise that word."

Blaise slowly grinned. "So, I'm assuming you're still in contact with this Lindsay? When do I get to meet her, huh? I can't believe you haven't told me about her sooner."

"Well..." Draco started, trying to think about how to explain it without offending Blaise. "She'll probably visit for the hols. Bit of a wanderer, this one. I'm surprised she's teaching. Well, staying in once place really, not the teaching part. I usually get a letter from her once a week."

Draco reached into his jacket and pulled something out. He held the snap close enough for Blaise to see the woman there with sandy blonde hair.



"That's Linds. You'll get to meet her, I suppose. I just... she's only mine, you know? No one else here knows her. I guess I haven't been ready to share."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "It's not like if she visits I'm going to snatch her away and hide her in my closet. Merlin, Draco."

"She's just not like us, all right. Not Hannah not like us not like us either. It's different. Besides, I'd like to see anyone try to snatch Linds away. She'd beat you down."

Draco sighed, not sure how to go on with what he needed to say.

"You're going to be mad..."

"But..." Blaise prompted with a suspicious look on his face.

"I've been getting death threat owls for a few weeks now and Alecto Carrow is not dead and she tried to kill me on Sunday," he said in a rush.

Blaise shot up out of the bathtub, glaring at Draco and dripping bubbles. "WHAT?"

"Can you not point that thing at me? Save it for Hannah."

"Draco!"

"All right! I didn't think the notes were a big deal until dead lady popped up at the Malfoy crypt and started making with the hexes. I sent her brother to Azkaban. He died there. She's pissed."

"You. Me. Talk. Now," Blaise growled as he grabbed his wand and spelled all the bubbles off of his body and wrapped a towel around his waist. "I can't believe someone nearly killed you and you didn't tell me about it. Does your mother know?"

"Yes," Draco snapped. "And I'm telling you now, all right. It's fine. Ginny fixed it, and I'm even feeling normal again. There really isn't much left to tell except that Carrow said she wasn't the one owling me."

Blaise quickly turned around from grabbing his clothes on the counter to glaring at Draco.

"I know Weasley fixed you. She told me about it Tuesday. I was wondering how long it would take you to tell me. And what do you mean Carrow wasn't sending the owls. It was just one big coincidence, then?"

"Mother's sort of had me under house arrest, and I didn't think this was the sort of conversation you'd be too keen on having by owl. Carrow wasn't sending the owls. She didn't know what I was talking about, and honestly, I don't know if she's clever enough to write her own name much less send death threats using different pre-paid owls from different post locations."

Draco made a face. "Besides, this is why I don't like telling you lot stuff. You get all worked up about it. I'm fine. Not a scratch on me. And beyond that, now that I think on it, I'm not entirely sure Carrow wanted to kill me. She had me trapped. One killing curse from her, and we would not be having this conversation. She got me with so many hexes. It was a bit mad."

"Oh piss off," Blaise said as he started to put on his pants. "We get worked up about stuff because we care, you dolt. If I didn't get worked up, then that would mean I didn't give a shit about you, and then I would probably be the one trying to kill you, because you're right annoying."

"I just don't know why everybody supposes I can't take care of myself."

Blaise eyed Draco's left arm.

"Oh piss off yourself," Draco snapped. "Like I had any choice about that. If I hadn't taken it they would have... they'd have..."

"I was actually referring to your attempt to cut the thing out of your arm with a broken bottle."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. You have a habit of getting into trouble. And yes, you didn't have a choice about your mark, but still. Only you would find a chit who wants to set you on fire. And think, if Carrow wasn't smart enough to owl the death threats in such a precise manner, don't you think the person who did is more than capable of killing you? Think things through! I don't blame Narcissa for keeping you in the house!"

"Well, maybe I'll just go back to my mummy since I am incapable of being out and about," Draco snapped, feeling very petulant child indeed.

"Well, if you're going to be brat about it then you should! And then what are you going to do when I come looking for you? You'll be stuck either way, so there's no ignoring me. Piss and moan all you like, but this is serious."

"I know it's serious! I just really can't think why anyone would care enough to bother. Can't they just leave me alone? Yes, so I sold some folks out to get myself free of Azkaban. I'm not my Aunt Bella. I won't stay in there because I'm too crazy to know better."

"Draco," Blaise said dryly, "You're a Malfoy. People would want to kill if you hadn't taken the mark, and no one is accusing you of being your psycho aunt."

"And as per usual, Draco Malfoy can't win. He has to be hidden and watched." Now he was just feeling sorry for himself. But Ginny's not wanting her friends or family to know about their... whatever was bothering him. Still.

He rolled his eyes. "You do not have be hidden. Have I ever wanted to hide you? No. Not even when you were almost starkers at Hogsmeade. Did I try to shove clothes on you? No. So don't bitch to me about it. I've never been ashamed of you."

Draco sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "That last bit wasn't really about you."

"And who might it have been about?"

"I understand, mind, but it doesn't mean I like it. I saw Gin today. She's not exactly wanting to tell anyone about our... whatever."

"She hasn't, has she?" Blaise said in a low voice. "And why not? Is she ashamed?"

"She says she's not, says she doesn't want me getting boxed in the face as the reason. I dunno. I could take it. Her brother has hit me in my face before, and I've been knocked about or hexed loads of times. Does she think it's easy for me? I knew you wouldn't care, but Pans? Trace? Vin if he were here? I'm actually a bit surprised Mother took it so well. Though I have to wonder if you lot just accept the things rather than listen to me fuss."

"I can't speak for the others, but I'd much rather accept you than listen to you fuss. You bitch like a girl," he said with a laugh, then became serious. "But seriously, Draco. This bothers me now. I'm going to have a talk with Weasley. If she could go into business with me, then she sure as shit can date you."

"Can she? I mean we are talking about the son of the man who put a cursed diary in her hands, tried to kill her."

"You are not Lucius."

"Yes, that much was painfully apparent in our sixth year. I apparently have issues about killing where he did not."

He had finally finished putting his trousers and shirt on, and threw the damp towel at Draco. "Stop acting like that. If she's ashamed, then she doesn't deserve you. It doesn't matter if we're business partners. My loyalty is to you first, not her."

"I think I'm going to cry."

Blaise glared.

"Seriously. That was just beautiful."

They moved into the sitting area.

"Don't piss Gin off though, B. If she gets mad at me by default, then no one will treat me."

"What do you mean?"

"I was trying to give her space. She was all mad. I went to St. Mungo's, waited for hours before I gave up and went to Ginny anyhow. Won't make that mistake again," Draco said flippantly.

"You were at Mungo's for hours and they just let you leave? Explain how this works to me, please."

"My shirt got burned off... which I have GOT to try on someone sometime. That was fabulous, and it would have been hilarious if it was not happening to me. Anyhow, they could see my arm, the Mark. No one really wanted to treat me. I think they were hoping I'd leave. When the little mediwitches started in with the rock paper scissors, I bailed. With obscene hand gestures. No one stopped me. Worked out better that way anyhow, so I'm not that bothered by it any longer."

Blaise growled. "Fucking self-righteous pricks." He sprawled onto one of the couches. "It still bothers me that she won't be seen in public, but I won't push it. And I think mother may know that curse to burn off items of clothing. Maybe. It sounds familiar... well, the effects do, at least."

Draco nodded. He scooted close to Blaise and put his head on Blaise's shoulder. "Am I still allowed to cuddle with you or will Hannah be jealous?"


{SUMMARY} Draco sneaks out to see Blaise. They have a bit of a chat.