Blaise took another sip of his firewhisky. He wasn't anywhere near being drunk, more like pleasantly fuzzy. It hadn't been a hard day, but a certain potion was not availing him, and it was more frustrating than anything. So here he was, trying to drown his irritations, and starting to do a rather good job of it.

All right. So Knockturn Alley probably was not where she ought to be dressed as she was, but Hannah Abbott needed drinks. Lots of them probably. She'd never really gotten drunk, didn't really drink, but today seemed like a good day to start. Hannah slammed into the first place she came across and tore her veil from her head. Ernie and Justin were probably already looking for her. She was not certain Wayne would be, but Ernie and Justin would be for sure. They certainly wouldn't think to look in here. Hannah stomped up to the bar and set her bouquet down.

"I'll have a firewhisky please."

Blaise looked at the girl who was a few seats down from him with raised eyebrows. She was clearly in a wedding dress, and he wasn't an expert on the matter, but he thought when one was in a wedding dress, they got drunk with their new spouse with a whole lot of people that followed from a church. As she was obviously not doing things the way he was thinking, he decided to be curious and nosy and find out what the hell she was doing.

He got off his stool and moved to sit next to her.

"Put it on my tab," he told the barman.

"Of course, Mr. Zabini."

Hannah turned and glared. Not that it had any real effect. She recognized him, and hadn't the barkeep called him Zabini? Oh poop. Not him. Anyone but him. No Slytherins. She couldn't handle that right now.

She sighed and tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear. "You don't have to do that. I'm perfectly capable..." Hannah then realized that she didn't have any money on her. Darn, she was bad at this taking care of herself and making her own decisions thing. "Thank you."

The barkeep set a glass before her. Hannah wasn't certain how firewhisky was to be drunk. She took the glass holding it in teacup fashion, pinky out, and took a little sip. Hannah coughed a bit and made a face. Icky! And it burned. Why would anyone drink this on purpose?

He snickered at her expression.

"Your first time drinking, am I right? Well then," he began, "Firewhisky is best drunk quickly in a half-shot. It'll burn, but you'll get used to it. Once you're used to it you can sip it and drink it."

Blaise grabbed the glass and his own firewhisky bottle, and motioned for two shot glasses. He poured a tiny amount of the drink in her glass and handed it to her, before giving himself a large shot. He toasted her and smirked.

"To whoever obviously fucked up your life. May they rot in hell." With that he threw back the shot.

Hannah gasped. He'd just swore. Twice. She didn't think she could drink to the F word. Then again she didn't think she could leave Wayne at the alter, but she had. Hannah straightened her spine and knocked back the rest of the glass, coughing and sputtering afterwards. She looked at him as he poured her another. Hannah wondered if the rumors of him from school were true.

"If you're trying to get me intoxicated so that you can have your wicked way with me, don't bother," she said primly.

He just grinned as he poured himself his second shot.

"Even I'm not so evil as to get a girl drunk after she either left someone at the altar or got left there." He winked at her and took his shot. "I at least wait until the day after."

Good heavens, it was true. He really would try to make it with anything. Hannah sighed and drank her glass of firewhisky. She made a yucky face.

"It'll be all over the society section tomorrow anyhow. I left. The official asked if there was anyone who knew of any reason why we shouldn't be married to speak now," she poured herself more firewhisky and drank that. "And I knew of a reason, so I said so. Never spoken up before, and the first time I do... oh, what am I doing?"

She put her hand over her eyes. She was going to cry now. Hannah did not want to do that. She had not cried last night when she'd opened that envelope with all its awful contents, so she sure did not want to be crying now.

Blaise had a shot halfway to his mouth when he stopped and looked closely at her.

"Oh Merlin, please don't cry. I don't do crying women unless they're crying out in pleasure."

When that didn't seem to help, he grimaced and took the shot, before slamming it down on the bar. "Look, I'm sure whatever idiot you agreed to marry was a bastard, or you wouldn't have left him. It's good that you've spoken up. You probably just saved yourself years of torment." He made a nasty face again. "I can't believe I'm giving love advice."

Hannah straightened up and wiped at the corners of her eyes with a great sniff. "You're right. You're absolutely right. He... he wasn't a... um, that B word you used. His parents are married, and he knows who his father is. He just... he lied to me. Big huge lies. He didn't wait. He didn't... I..." she took another drink. "Well, I thought about it, and I didn't want to be that. He's wealthy, sure, but all I was, was pretty to him. He didn't... I mean he did, but... all I was... was the thing that would hang off of his arm at parties. Mrs. Wayne Hopkins, accessory. I might be quiet and sweet, but did he really think it wouldn't bother me? That I really would stand there not saying anything? Forever? Because if they do it once, they'll do it again. Now that I've been thinking about it, I'm not even really sure I love him anymore. Maybe I was just getting married for lack of anything better to do, and that's just... it's just... sad."

Hannah hiccuped, poured herself another, and downed that.

"How could I go do that anyhow, be an ornament, when I don't even really know who Hannah Abbott is. Not really. But I aim to find out. I'm going to find me. I didn't even know I was lost, you know? You don't know. Oh goodness." She eyed him and held out her hand. "How terribly rude of me. Hannah Abbott."

He choked on his own drink.

"Oh my God. I'm drinking in Knockturn with a Hufflepuff."

Blaise held up his drink and looked at it in the light and then at the barman.

"Roarke, what the hell did you give me? Did you poison me or something?"

Shaking his head, he grabbed Hannah's dainty hand and brought it to his lips.

"Blaise Zabini, at your service, in any way you wish to take that."

He'd just kissed the back of her hand. Heat travelled up her arm. Hannah wasn't sure if it was from the firewhiskey or not. How many bitty glasses had she had of it now? She was also a bit sure she'd gone pink in her cheeks. Hannah yanked her hand back. She would blame her reaction on the firewhisky. Yes.

"I'm a Hufflepuff, yes. What's so wrong with being a Hufflepuff?"

"Slytherin, hello! How many times did Slytherins and Hufflepuffs get together in school?" Before she could answer, he continued on. "None, that's how many. Just the words Knockturn and Hufflepuff near one another is an oxymoron."

He was getting a bit loud. Hannah blinked nervously. She poured herself another and knocked it back. "You're rude, and I don't think I like you very much."

Then she let out a dainty little burp that tasted of firewhiskey. Hannah clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I'm so terribly sorry. How unladylike."

Blaise snorted and took another shot. "You're rude, and I don't think I like you very much," he mocked in a high-pitched voice.

Hannah gasped and slapped at his arm pathetically. "Don't do that."

"Don't do that," he mocked again.

"What are you... a first year?"

Blaise grinned lazily. "Oh, there are so many responses to that, but most of them would revolve around me taking off my pants. I doubt you'd want that."

Hannah gasped yet again and blushed at the taking off of the pants comment. She'd only ever seen pictures. She'd never seen a naked man... live. She'd wanted to wait until she got married for sex. Looks like that would be put off for a while longer. Hannah poured herself another and began sipping it. Her head was feeling a bit fuzzy, and she was awfully warm now. Probably all the meters of material on her. She fanned herself a bit and continued sipping.

"Well, what are you doing here?" Hannah asked with a smile. She didn't like him, but she could still make nice. After all, he had bought her drinks. Much-needed drinks. She was feeling less tense and more... wobbly and laid back. Drinking on an empty stomach probably was not the best idea she had ever had.

"Making sure you don't take a facer into the bar, apparently," he said dryly, sipping his own drink. "No, I'm here just to be here. Nothing better to do. I'd ask you the same thing but it's pretty obvious, you being in a wedding dress and demanding vast amounts of liquor."

"I'm hiding," she replied, not liking how difficult it seemed to be for her to concentrate suddenly. Hannah stretched a bit, popping her back. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. If she went back to her flat right now, they'd find her for sure, and she so did not want to be found. Not quite yet. Perhaps she could check into an inn? The Leaky Cauldron? But she had no money on her. Hannah sighed and sipped her drink.

Blaise snickered. "Well you're doing a smashing job. I doubt anyone would look for you here. And if I would be the sort to go telling you were here, which I'm not," he hastily added when Hannah stared at him in horror, "I doubt anyone would believe me. No, I think you've got the hiding thing down. What are you going to do after you hide?"

Hannah sighed and turned to face him. "I actually have no idea. I didn't think much beyond run and hide. What would you do?"

"One," Blaise began, "I would never get married. Not right now, at least. I haven't found the person I want to tie myself to. And two, if I was going to back out of my own wedding, I wouldn't run and hide. I'd do something Slytherin-ish and blackmail my not-spouse into saying it was all their fault or something, like they cheated, and I found out, so I decided not to attach myself to a person who would lie to me about something like that."

He drained the last of the firewhiskey from the bottle.

"But if I were you? I'd buck up, and not hide. You said you spoke up, and that surprised people. Why not surprise them even more by not letting it worry you?"

"But it does worry me," Hannah said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how to take care of myself. I've never had to."

"Then I guess now is a good time to learn. Have someone teach you. Think of it as a bit of school work. In the end, you'll have something to show for it. You'll be a stronger, more independent Abbott. How does that sound?"

"You seem to have a firm grasp of the situation," Hannah replied, suddenly getting a terrible idea. "Would you be up to teaching me? I don't think I should ask this of anyone that knows me so well. They wouldn't be as firm as I think I'd need them to be."

Blaise slowly turned to look at her.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You want me to teach you... how to take care of yourself." He just looked at her incredulously. "Alright, now I know you're drunk. Let's get you back home and then you'll sleep this off and it'll be nothing more than a bad dream for both of us."

He started to grab her arm and pull her off her stool.

Hannah jerked back from him and would have fallen on her bottom if he had not grabbed her again.

"I can't go home. They'll find me. I'm not ready to be found. Can we go to your place instead? I won't be any trouble. Swear."

Blaise laughed hysterically. "You're not coming to my place! What the hell would I do with a runaway bride Hufflepuff in my house? Just you being there would cause trouble. Do you hear yourself? Do you know how insane and psychotic this is?"

Hannah's eyes filled with tears. She didn't mean to be this pathetic, but she was firewhiskey-impaired. "But... but... I don't have any money or anywhere else to go. Help me? Just this once? I'll owe you. Don't Slytherins like people owing them favors?"

"I knew I shouldn't have come here, I knew it," he whispered to himself. "You're like a lost puppy, you know that? Or a lost kneazle or something like that. You're so irritating I want to kick you and then you make faces and it's like I turn into a girl. I hate it."

He crossed his arms and glared at her. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He glared at her some more, before sighing. "Alright then, I'm guessing you don't want to floo in that dress. So, will it be side-along or portkey?"

No, she didn't want to floo in the dress. Portkey always made her want to vomit. "Side-along will probably be best."

She smoothed her dress down and weaved over to where she'd dropped her veil. She put it back on her head, likely a bit crooked. Hannah wove back to the bar and snatched her bouquet up. She let out a dainty little burp that smelled of firewhiskey and smiled at him.

"I'm ready now."

"Blaise, you fool, you've finally gone insane," he whispered to himself as he reached out to Hannah. "Oh how the mighty have fallen."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and groaned lightly. "What the hell am I doing?" he asked aloud before apparating to Zabini Manor.

Hannah stumbled a bit when they apparated in. She had to grab on to his shirt or go down. Her face smacked into his chest. He smelled clean. Hannah seemed to realize after several moments that she was clutching at him and let go so suddenly that she stumbled a bit. She looked around. The place was beautiful. He lived here? Not that she expected him to live in a shack, but it was less dungeon than she expected of a Slytherin. Maybe the dungeon was downstairs?

After making sure she wasn't going to keel over, Blaise stepped away from Hannah and sighed.

"Didly!"

A house-elf appeared next to Blaise.

"Set up the room across from my living quarters for Miss Abbott and make sure she has some clothing to change into. And make sure the bathroom is in order in case she wishes to bathe. Oh, and bring up some snacks for her if she's hungry."

Blaise started stalking off towards a set of stairs, leaving Hannah and the house-elf.

"Is... that all sir wishes?"

Without turning around, Blaise yelled over his shoulder, "For Merlin's sake, get me some alcohol!"

"Wait!" Hannah called, picking up the heavy skirt of her dress and hurrying after him. Her heels clicked with an echo as she scrambled across the marble floor. "Where are you going?"

Blaise stopped at the bottom of the stairs and sighed, finally turning around. He loosened the tie that was around his neck and took it off, before starting to unbutton his shirt.

"It's late, Abbott, and I'm tired. I've had a very long day, and it just got longer. I'm going to bathe, read a bit, have a little midnight snack, and then go to bed. Hopefully, when I wake up, my brain will have a plan. Because I have to tell you, this is new to me. I've never had anyone like you want to stay with me before so I could teach them how to be tough. Thank Merlin Mother doesn't live here anymore."

Hannah frowned. She was going to say something, but he was unbuttoning his shirt. That completely distracted her from whatever she'd previously had in mind. She shielded her eyes with one hand. "Well, don't take your clothes off here. It's not proper. I thought... I thought perhaps after I was out of my dress we could... could talk... or something."

Blaise grinned, his shirt unbuttoned but still on. "Oh, Hannah," he purred, "once you're out of your dress we could do so much more than... talk."

She gasped, took a step back, and blushed a very dark pink. She should probably leave, but she really didn't want to go home. Hannah knew there would be things to be faced, but she was not quite ready to face them. She wanted one day of hiding. Tomorrow she would face things.

Suddenly it felt as if the room was spinning. Hannah panicked because she was standing still. She took two steps forward and steadied herself by grabbing onto his arms. A few petals dislodged from her bouquet during this.

"The room just went spinny," she said as she tried not to sound panicked, but she'd never drank much before. Especially not firewhisky, and she'd certainly never been drunk before now. "I... I don't feel well."

"Well, shit. Didly, get a bucket, would you? I do believe our dear Miss Abbott is feeling the effects of her alcohol."

The house-elf appeared seconds later with a medium-sized white rubbish bin and placed it next to Hannah. Blaise picked it up and moved both the bucket and her to a nearby seat against the hallway wall.

"Sometimes closing your eyes makes it worse. It depends on the person. Slow, deep breaths." He turned to the house-elf. "Water, two glasses."

She looked at him in a panic. "I think I might have gotten drunk." Hannah sniffed loudly. This was so unlike her. "I've never been drunk before," she wailed. "I don't think I like it."

That said, she tossed her bouquet to the floor, snatched the rubbish bin, and vomited in it.

Blaise just stared at her shaking form and then looked at the wall before banging his head against it.

"What the hell did I do to deserve this? Why? Why me? I don't know what to do with Hufflepuffs, I really don't. And I'm talking to myself. I've gone insane. Wonderful."

He noticed Hannah had stopped vomiting and that Didly had brought the water. He took the glasses from the house-elf and handed one to Hannah.

"Drink, in very small sips. It'll help. Promise."

Hannah held the glass in both hands and sipped in very small sips as directed. It was a bit frustrating how automatically she still followed orders. Perhaps she could work on that. She'd start tomorrow.

"I probably should have eaten something today, but I was too nervous. I knew, and I didn't know what to do about it. Snaps. The snaps. Someone owled me pictures of him cheating on me. Yesterday. Yesterday they mailed, not that he cheated on me yesterday. Though he might have. I don't know."

She looked at him suddenly, blinking. "This isn't how I envisioned this night ending."

"That makes two of us," Blaise said dryly. "Drink that glass of water and then we'll get you up to your room and out of the dress. Maybe once you're in bed you'll feel a bit better. I can make some headache potion tomorrow for you. I may already have some in stock."

Hannah smiled. "Maybe you are not so very rude and perhaps I do like you a little."

He rolled his eyes at her. Hannah sipped at her water slowly until most of the glass was gone. This was done in silence mostly with a few exasperated sighs from Blaise. She was feeling less spinny now. She could probably walk without weaving much or vomiting again.

"Oh bother. Now I have to make pee."

"Please tell me you can piss on your own. You're probably going to have to change out of that dress first, and I'm more than prepared to help with that, but I draw the line at bathroom fun, unless it's in a bathtub or shower. Then I'm all for it."

Hannah scowled. "I can tinkle by myself, thank you very much."

She stood up unsteadily. He took hold of her arm and started helping her up the stairs. Hannah groaned.

"Oh, I don't like this."

"I have half a mind to knock you out just so I could sleep. I have a feeling it's going to be one of those long nights." He kept helping her up the stairs and they were nearly to the top. "Just a few more, then it's right down the hall. Then you lay down and piss and moan all you want."

Hannah slapped at his arm. "I am not a moaner."

He gave her an odd look, but continued to steer her down the hall. Hannah gaped at the room. It was lovely. She jumped and made a squeaking noise when he unhooked the back of her dress and had it unzipped before she could even think to do it herself.

Blaise pointed at one of the doors to her left.

"Bathroom is through there. There are towels and plenty of body cleansers. The taps are easy to operate. I'll have Didly find some clothing that'll fit you and lay it out for you. If you need him, just call on him. I'm right across the hall. Need anything else?"

Hannah was holding her dress to the front of her body. She shook her head no. When he turned to leave she let go of the dress and stepped out of it. Only to be horribly embarrassed when he turned back around with something else to say apparently. Stupid firewhisky impairing her judgement.

Raising an eyebrow, he quickly gave her a once-over glance. She quickly pulled the dress back up as best she could, but she was blushing furiously. He smirked at her discomfort. "Don't worry about the dress, I'll have the house-elves either burn it for you or launder it and reapply the anti-wrinkle charms. Still sure you don't need anything else? I'm just a needy shout away."

Hannah just made a squealing sound and rushed into the bathroom. She slammed the door and panicked for two whole seconds. Then she got a look at the bathroom. Specifically the tub. Her jaw dropped. He might never be rid of her for the bathroom alone. Hannah squealed again, this time in excitement and did a little dance, but that made her dizzy again. She stopped and sat down, catching her center of balance back and trying not to be sick again. Then she started running the bath water.

She'd just relax and pretend she was on vacation. You know, with no money or clothes.

When he heard the bath water running, he assumed it was safe to leave and come check on her later.

"Didly? Where the hell is my alcohol?!"

She'd undressed fully and done her business with the commode, only getting sick one more time. Hannah soaked in the scented bath water until it was not hot any longer. The house-elf had gotten her a white tee shirt, men's, V-necked, and a pair of black boxer briefs. His probably. Hannah frowned but put them on. What choice did she have? She did a drying charm on her hair and padded across the hall. She was feeling much improved now. Didn't he say his room was across the hall? She really should leave him be, but she was feeling talkish and not at all tired. Hannah rapped on the door.

He threw open the door in only his underwear, which happened to match the ones Hannah was wearing. He raised an eyebrow.

"You know, when I mentioned clothes, I thought Didly would at least lay out some of the female clothing here. Not that you don't look just too cute in my clothes."

"You're just in your pants," she offered feebly, blushing darkly. You'd think with two males as her closest friends, she'd have seen one of them undressed, but she was very carefully shielded from such things by them. "I... I... thought you might want to talk or something."

He grinned at her and chuckled. "Look, Abbott, if you're going to stay here, get used to seeing me in just my pants. This is your lucky chance. I was getting ready for bed, and I don't sleep in anything."

Hannah did not know it was possible to turn any more red than she already was. Part of her was curious, part of her wanted to run because nothing about this was at all proper. It would be interesting to see which part won out considering she was on a bit of a tear of not doing what she should today.

"My name is Hannah," she replied softly, not looking at him... much.

"What?"

"If we're going to be wearing the same underpants, I think we should at least call one another by first names, don't you?"

Blaise just snickered. "You have quite a way with words." He stood back and held the door open. "No sense talking over the doorway. Come into my parlor."

As she passed him and walked into the room, he shut the door and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Just so we're clear, I'm the spider."

Hannah squeaked and jumped away from him. His breath had made all the hair stand up on her neck and not in a scary way. She wasn't sure, but she might have liked it a bit. Oh bother, she was still drunk. She wasn't stumbling or feeling ill, but she was obviously still impaired. That was the only explanation for her reaction. Great. She looked around the room. She should not be in here. Her virginity had probably evaporated the moment she stepped over the threshold.

"What is it that you do?" Hannah asked, trying for polite conversation.

Blaise motioned her over to a set of comfortable chairs near the fireplace across the room. Once Hannah sat and settled, he started speaking.

"Well, I do a bit of potions work privately for those who need it and I work in the muggle world a bit, as well. Commercial industry, products and the like. It's business and politics, which is probably boring to you. So what do you do, Hannah?"

Oh bother, she didn't want to tell him. She'd sound dull. Then again, why should she care if she sounded dull to Blaise Zabini?

"I'm currently a salesgirl at Madam Malkin's, but I don't like it much. My notice is in already. I was supposed to quit after I was married. Wayne wanted me to stay at home." Hannah frowned. "So I suppose I should look for a job."

"Looking for a job is easy. You just have to think of what you like, and then go from there." Blaise settled back into the chair. "So, what is it you like to do?"

Hannah wrung her hands. "Well, I like reading and knitting and baking." It sounded like a personal advertisement. "I prefer long walks on the beach," she joked. "Non-smokers, and wizards who hold open doors. My favorite color is pink, and I'm a Gemini. I never kiss on the first date."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Nice to know if I ever take you out on a date. We'll either have to have two dates, or I'll have to break that nasty little thought, because a date isn't a date without a goodnight kiss."

Hannah was intrigued. "You'd kiss someone on your first date?"

"Sometimes a lot more than kiss."

Hannah gasped and blushed. "But you wouldn't even know them. Isn't something like that better when you know the person?"

"I guess it's whatever a person likes," he shrugged. "To each his or her own, but I don't care if I've known them years or seconds. I do have some standards though, I don't go shagging anything with a pair of legs and a pretty face."

That made her smile. Hannah didn't know if it was because he had standards at all or that it seemed like he wasn't looking for just a pretty face with nothing in her head... even for sex.

"Well, now I'm curious," she said. "Do go on."

She was sitting all proper in the chair with her hands folded in her lap and her legs crossed at the ankle. A bit weird considering she was wearing his underthings, and she should be on her honeymoon with Wayne right now.

He laughed and gazed at her in a teasing manner. "Are you asking me about my sex life? What a nosy little bird you are. Here I am opening my home to you and all I'm wanted for is sex." He paused and then shrugged. "No different from normal then. Alright, ask away!"

"What?" Hannah gasped, horrified that she could be so misunderstood in communication. "No. I'm not interested in you for sex. I was only wondering what else interested you if you look for something besides legs and a nice face."

"Damn," Blaise chuckled. "There goes my hope for getting laid soon."

At Hannah's shocked face, he rolled his eyes. "Joking, bloody hell, I was just joking. Remember... I want until the second night for runaway brides."

"You still haven't answered my question. Stop trying to suggest I get out of your pants, even in jest. What do you look for then? If we're to be friends, then I'd like to know."

"Friends?" Now he looked horrified.

"Well, yes. You helped me. You didn't have to. I think we should be friends."

"I think you and I have vastly different ideas about what makes a friend. My helping you wasn't me being your friend. It was you owing me something. Slytherin, remember? We don't do friends very well at first."

He huffed and crossed his arms.

"This is what I get for helping a drunk Hufflepuff. And your favorite color is pink? Eugh," he had a full body shiver. "Nasty color."

"Pink is a very nice color, I'll have you know," she said with a bit of a snap, slightly wounded at having her friendship thrown back in her face so meanly. "What's yours then? Black, I suppose? Figures."

She huffed and folded her own arms across her chest.

"Don't get your knickers... er... underpants in a twist. And my favorite color is not black, thank you very much, although I do like the color. It's blue. And sometimes green as well. It depends on my mood." He made a face. "Do I have to tell you my favorite food as well? Well I have a sweet tooth. Anything chocolate. White chocolate is my favorite, and I like the bitter dark chocolate as well. I love sour candies more than sweet candies. I also like lollies. I like to suck on things."

Hannah unfolded her arms and placed her hands back in her lap. "I should have guessed," she replied, looking at the blue orchid on his chest. It was very distracting on his chest like it was. Hannah had a very odd impulse to touch it. She curbed that. She filed away everything he'd said for future reference though. He didn't know it as of yet, but she would be his friend. She would also strive to make him her friend. Because he'd helped her, was helping her. Hannah couldn't just let that go. Yes, she would owe him a favor, but hopefully by the time he asked for it, he would like her a smidge and not ask something she would hate.

"I'm a bit of a nibbler. Sugar quills and Droobles." Hannah smiled.

He looked at her strangely at her 'should have guessed' comment, before following her line of sight.

"Ah, the tattoos. Yes, this one was for my mother, mainly. Not that she knows I have it, but I got it because of her nonetheless."

"And much more attractive than the typical muggle red heart with mum scripted under it," Hannah smiled. Who knew she could be funny? Then again, she'd never really been given the chance. Wayne had frowned upon humor.

He snickered. "And just how do you know that one isn't tattooed on my arse?"

Hannah's eyes went wide. She blinked a few times. "Do... you?"

Blaise grinned and stood up, fingering the edge of his underpants.

"Want to check?"

Oddly? Yes. She was curious. Hannah suddenly felt she could do things she had not been allowed before. This was getting a bit scary though. She wasn't brave enough for this though. Not yet. Her stomach had just knotted up.

"What would you do if I said yes?" she asked before she stopped herself. Then Hannah went bright red at her sudden audacity.

He snickered and sat back down. "I don't, by the way. All my tattoos can be seen when I don't have a shirt on. I'm scared if I pull my pants down you'll either attack my arse or run away screaming."

"You think very highly of yourself," Hannah remarked. She sighed loudly, suddenly very tired. She'd had a long day after all. "I think I could keep from attacking you. Perhaps I should wander off and get some sleep. Stop bothering you and making you feel the need to undress fully."

Blaise grinned. "I'll be able to sleep in peace now that I know my arse is safe from Hannah Abbott. Check on the no attacks."

He stood up and held out a hand to help her from her chair.

His hand was warm. She didn't know why this mattered, but it was quite warm. She turned in the doorway and smiled at him. On impulse Hannah kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

Then she bolted into the room he'd prepared for her before she could see how ticked off he was about her cheek kissing. Justin and Ernie hated it.

He quickly went to the door and leaned into the hallway.

"Liar! You said you didn't kiss on first dates!"

Hannah flung open her own door and leaned out herself. "This was a date? I don't think my having a date with someone not my husband on my wedding night is entirely appropriate. And do you have all your dates wear your pants?"

This was so much... fun. Wayne would have glared her into silence by now. Ernie and Justin would be giving her that "not amused" look. Not this one. He was, well she didn't know what he was exactly, but it was making her feel less stressed and worried about what tomorrow would bring. Then again, that might be some of the alcohol still flowing in her veins.

"I have kissed people before, you know. I'm not sure we should really count that as a kiss."

"You're damn right we won't," he said. "And now I'm curious as what you constitute as kissing. That little peck was pathetic. The only person who does cheek-kisses that I'll allow is my mother. I have male friends who kiss me better than that!"

Hannah's eyes widened. Now he was just trying to shock her. She stepped out into the hallway. "Well, kissing is lips, of course. Sometimes a bit more. And don't call my thank you pathetic. It's rude." Oh bother, why was she even having this conversation? She had half a mind to kiss him for real, but she felt that would be pushing it and very much a bit more than she was willing to dare at this point.

He, too, stepped out into the hallway and crossed his arms.

"Considering you called me rude earlier in the night, your statement is obvious. And obviously kissing is lips. What else?"

Danger, Hannah Abbott, danger! She stepped closer to him, no longer thinking properly. She was fully in her explanatory mode, as if he truly didn't understand and she actually needed to explain it to him. "It's sharing space and a moment. It's breathing the same air and and touching and just being near."

Hannah closed her eyes and considered. At least, that's what she wanted it to be. Wayne had never let her. Not in the way she wanted to. He was so reserved. Well, with her anyhow. She had always thought she was reserved as well, but perhaps she truly was not.

"It's an exposure. Or it should be," she smiled to herself with her eyes still closed. Hannah was a terrible romantic, always had been. "A shared sensory experience."

"I feel like we should be walking through a rose garden with candles floating over our heads," Blaise said with a grin. "Who knew that Hufflepuffs were closet romantics? And you threw away what was probably a terribly romantic wedding?"

Hannah's eyes snapped open. "It was false. Pretty on the outside, nothing on the inside."

There was something weird happening with her just now. Hannah was staring at his mouth. All this talk of kissing had affected her. She swayed close to him before snapping out of whatever she had done to herself, stumbling back a step. Hannah shook her head to clear it. She was a bit more than certain she had almost kissed him just then and would have if she had not stopped herself. That was not acceptable. He was not the sort of thing she needed to be interested in when everything else in her life had just crashed all around her. Hannah blamed it on the drinking and the odd situation. If things were normal, she would not even cast him a second look.

Hannah looked anywhere but him, as if trying to prove something to herself. "Goodnight then."

He grabbed her hand as she turned and slowly brought it to his lips and kissed her wrist while looking directly into her eyes.

"Goodnight, then, Hannah."

She could not help but look at him when he touched her. His eyes had held hers while he put his mouth to her wrist. Wide-eyed, Hannah stumbled backwards awkwardly and let herself back into the room she would be staying in, her breathing heavy. She leaned against the door after having all but slammed it shut. Him kissing her wrist like that had done more for her than any of Wayne's emotionless, calculated, and closed-mouth kisses ever had. Must be the alcohol and the odd place her head was in. Had to be. Must. She'd sleep and be clear-headed tomorrow. Yes.

Blaise snickered and went into his own room. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.


{SUMMARY} After ditching her groom at the alter, Hannah makes a new friend - Blaise Zabini.