Greg raced into his flat wondering why in hell he'd chosen today to wander aimlessly. Blaise would never let him live it down if they got to his flat before he did. Thankfully the flat was empty save for a very disapproving Luthien. He had a feeling she was still upset about that little...water battle...or whatever one would call it. He changed and was back in the living room by the time his guests were supposed to arrive.

Hannah smoothed down her skirt again. Blaise was looking at her like she was crazy. He'd said repeatedly that they were just popping in on Greg, and she didn't have to dress up. Draco had been sullen and mostly silent for the last two days. He was taking brooding to a whole new level.

Hannah smiled at the house-elf who answered the door. Hannah grinned and waved at Greg as they were led into the living room. She was feeling... odd lately. Her emotions were on a bit of a yo-yo. She was happy one minute and sad the next. It had been suggested that she needed to actually leave Blaise's rooms and beyond that leave the Manor. She had not been out since Sunday.

Greg tried to smile, he didn't want any of them to feel unwelcome here. It was the opposite in fact. "Have a seat, no need to stand on formalities. I tightened the wards when I saw the papers."

Blaise nodded and put his hand on Hannah's back, steering her to one of the couches. "So you heard, then. Quite a shock, yes?"

Shaking his head, Greg sat at the far end of the couch. "Just what was in the news. I have a feeling there is a lot more to it than that."

He focused on Hannah for a moment. "I really appreciated you taking the time to owl me the sweets. It's good to see you again, Hannah."

"You're very welcome, and thank you for having us," Hannah said stiffly. She didn't mean to be behaving so oddly, but she hadn't really wanted to leave the house today. She was perfectly content to never leave the house ever again. The house was safe. No dead bodies to run across in the house. At least she hoped not.

Greg didn't like the woman he knew was usually so bright and cheerful to look... wary. "It isn't a problem, you three are welcome here anytime." He looked over, meeting Blaise's eyes. "What is going on? It has to be more than what I know."

"More than just what's in the papers, Greg," Blaise said with significant look. "But the W--" he stopped and sighed in irritation when he knew he was about to get an elbow to the gut, "Hopkins' death affected Hannah here pretty hard. Salazar knows why," he mumbled at the end.

"Draco?" Greg inquired, wondering if it was something that could be said here and now, or if it would have to wait.

Draco scowled, arms folded across his chest. The more he thought about all this business, the more it bothered him. Hannah saved him from having to explain.

"Harry tried to arrest him for Wayne's murder," Hannah said. "It's rubbish, of course. He's been questioned, and I think they may fine him for beating Wayne up that time, but they know he didn't do it. And I'm upset because the man I was going to marry at one time was brutalized and hung on the sign at Puddifoot's. I don't care what he had done. No one deserves something like that."

Blaise sighed, knowing they would probably argue about this until the day they died, and addressed Greg again. "It's been a rough week, and Sunday wasn't the start of it." Before he could possibly lead the discussion into darker paths, he cleared his throat. "So, Greg, how have you been?"

Well that was certainly a question he'd have to carefully answer seeing as he wasn't explaining his sordid affairs while there were more important issues, like Potter trying to arrest Draco. "Well...I bought the building for the school and took Pans holiday shopping. Really not much else to tell."

"That sounds exciting," Hannah said, honestly interested in the school. Draco had mentioned it a few times. "Where will the school be?"

Anything to keep them from talking about Wayne and what had happened to Blaise before that - which he refused to discuss with her. Hannah was feeling very left out and excluded. Especially with the taking Ginny out dancing on Friday. Hannah was also still smarting from the fact that she could not seem to get Blaise to have sex with her.

"In the Highlands, Draco and I looked at both buildings." Greg wasn't sure what could be said at this point. Hannah was nervous, Draco was silent, and Blaise looked rather like he was worn thin. He wanted to help damn it all. "Once it is fixed up a bit, you are welcome to come and see it."

"I had no idea you were opening a school. Are you making it like a miniature Hogwarts or something else?" Blaise asked, intrigued.

"It's a primary school and it will accept anyone from pureblood to squib."

Not good. This is really not good, Blaise thought. He quickly stood, startling Hannah and making Draco look up at him oddly. "Greg, can we talk somewhere privately for a moment? It's rather urgent." He turned to Draco. "You, sit up and stop moping about. Merlin help me, I will hex you soon, if you don't. And you," he said, turning to Hannah. "Make sure Draco doesn't wander, yeah? Try to get a smile out of him, as well. Be your Hufflepuff self. Hug him if you have to."

Blaise turned to Greg and motioned for them to leave the room.

Hannah folded her arms across her chest and pouted. Excluded again. Draco scowled and hunched lower on the sofa.

Greg slipped past Blaise to lead him down to the office, wondering just what the fuck was going on. Nearly slamming the door and only stopping himself when he remembered how upset Hannah was, he snapped, "Explain what is going on."

Blaise sighed and closed his eyes. "Don't tell Narcissa about your school."

"Why?" He was sure he wouldn't like the answer and that this just might lead to what else was going on. "And while I'm at it, what is going on that you didn't mention out there?"

"It's one in the same. Narcissa confronted me about Hannah being a Muggleborn. Greg, she flipped. She told me it was forbidden and told Draco he couldn't see Hannah either. It was like she was a totally different person now that she knew Hannah wasn't a pureblood. Draco's living with me now, because of the argument. You can't tell Hannah, because she would be horrified if she knew, but I just wanted you to know. I'm not sure if you've made contact with her, but I wanted you to be prepared."

Greg leaned against the desk unsure of what to say. On one hand, he figured Narcissa wouldn't care about seeing him since he'd 'run away' leaving Draco to deal on his own. On the other, he was and always had been, very wary of her. "All right," he said slowly. He knew the answer before he asked, but wanted it confirmed. "You did reset the wards against her, didn't you?"

Blaise just gave Greg a 'How stupid do you think I am? look. He shook his head and looked at the door leading out into the hallway. "Five sickles says they're both in the same spot pouting."

"I'm not betting, as you're right. Oh and Blaise, you've no reason to be jealous anymore." He really hoped his glare was enough to keep Blaise from questioning him.

His eyebrow went up. "Right then. Let's get back shall we? I feel like I have a Dementor following me around twenty-four hours a day now. It's hell."

"If you need a break, I'm usually home, though Pansy took all the alcohol," Greg said, half-teasing and half-hoping that Blaise did take him up on the offer. He knew all too well what shouldering too much could do, physically and mentally. He opened the door and stepped aside to let Blaise go ahead of him.

They'd been sitting there mostly silent.

Hannah looked at Draco. "You know what they're talking about."

"I believe I do."

"Well?"

"You need to talk to Blaise about that. I've had enough grief this week, and if you try to hug me again, I swear to Salazar, I'll hex you."

"Draco..."

They both looked up when the door opened. Hannah tightened her arms across her chest and looked away. She was aware that she was sulking. She didn't mean to be, but she felt very excluded and not trusted.

Blaise turned to Greg. "I could have been five sickles richer." He turned to the two on the couch and sighed loudly. "Alright, I've had it! Can we not focus on the fucker who nearly ruined Hannah's life for one fucking afternoon?!"

"I wasn't thinking about him," Draco snapped. "I was focusing on my near-arrest, thank you."

Hannah had her head turned away and her arms still tightly tucked across her chest. "Neither was I."

"I think I should be allowed a bit of a sulk if I want," Draco added.

"Yes. Especially since we're the mixed company whatever you two were discussing can't be discussed in front of."

Draco gave her a confused look.

"If you wanted something that would sit and stay," Hannah snapped. "Perhaps you should have gotten a dog."

Draco's mouth dropped open, and he laughed a little. He liked Hannah best when she was baking or cross with someone. She could be very snippy when she wanted to be.

Blaise's eyes widened. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He growled and crossed his arms. "At least you're showing more emotion, even if you're royally pissed at me! I'm sorry that I have secrets that I won't tell you, but they are my secrets which implies that not everyone and their kneazles get to know about it!" He turned to Draco. "So Potter tried to arrest you. Go you. Get off your arse and stop moping about! I'm sick of it!"

Draco shot to his feet and shouted. "It's not just-"

"Oh enough already!" Greg moved forward, not wanting to get mixed up in the argument and risk hexing. But, Hannah needn't be caught in the middle either. "Hannah, would you come with me for a moment? Just to the kitchen, promise."

"If either of you do anything to the other one while we're gone, I'll put something in the biscuits that makes you have watery bowels," Hannah snapped before following Greg.

They were silent.

Once Hannah was in the kitchen, she started looking around a bit. "What did you want to talk about?"

He shrugged and smiled slightly. "I wanted you out of that more than any other reason. I was being truthful earlier, you know. I didn't expect all those sweets, which were excellent. Luthien is quite jealous. She couldn't quite get the recipes right."

Hannah blushed. "Thank you. I'm glad you liked them."

She wasn't really sure what to say. If anyone had ever told her she would one day be standing in Gregory Goyle's kitchen talking about her baking, she'd have thought them mental. Hannah shifted awkwardly and looked around.

"How... how long should we wait before we check on them? Draco's dreadful, you know. Someone somewhere taught him how to throw a punch properly, and I know Blaise can handle himself, but I don't want them fighting. I was always good at binding hexes. I'd hate to have to use one in front of you."

"You're welcome," he replied faintly. He wasn't sure how to respond to her being overprotective of him. He wasn't about to enlighten her as to how well acquainted he was with everything she'd mentioned. "I can check on them if it would make you feel better."

He was at a loss actually. His usual method of dealing with upset women, meaning Maeve and Pansy, would only get him hexed with Hannah.

"Well, there are no crashing noises, and I don't hear any loud swearing, so it can't be too terrible. Though Blaise might be sorry he got that hex for how to burn people's clothing off for Draco." Hannah shook her head. "As much as I have come to know, I still fail to understand most of the time."

Damn, first the knives and now that spell, was all he could think for a moment. Shaking his head, he told her the only thing he could. "You are learning, which is more than I can say for most people. You care enough to learn. That says something right there, Hannah."

"Should we go make sure everyone still has their pants on?"

Hannah didn't wait to answer. She headed back towards the living room.

Draco and Blaise were nose to nose and glaring at one another. Nothing much had passed save staring, but Hannah and Greg did not know that.

"Draco, if you kiss him, I'll hex you. I swear it. I don't feel like sharing today."

Greg snickered, beginning to see what Draco had meant about Hannah having a bit of a bite to her. "And you were worried about fighting."

If anything, Blaise's glare increased and he took a deep breath through his nostrils. "I dare you," he whispered.

Draco raised a brow. "You just want to see me get hexed by a Huffle."

Blaise smirked. "And you're scared by said Huffle. Now isn't that rather impressive."

Draco snorted. "Please. I just don't want to upset her or make her jealous. She already thinks-"

Hannah made this screeching sound.

"Nevermind," Draco finished awkwardly. Draco turned his head towards her and whispered. "Quick. Take your clothes off and distract him. I'll jump out the window."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, just stop!" Greg snarled, glaring at Draco and Blaise. "There will be no stripping or kissing." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "And no jumping out windows. Am I clear?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Draco joked.

"Act your age," Greg suggested dryly, a hint of humor in his tone as he knew they'd never change.

"Where's the fun in that?" Blaise asked, his voice matching Greg's. "Besides, if we're supposed to act our age, prissy pants here would have stopped his tantrums long ago, and we know that'll never change."

Draco folded his arms across his chest and started pouting again.

Hannah threw her hands in the air and went to sit down. They were so fussy. She turned away from all three of them and busied herself with picking imaginary lint from her skirt.

Blaise tried to hold in his grin, but he motioned to where Hannah was sitting with a devious look at Draco and Greg. Shall we? he mouthed.

Of course,, Greg mouthed back.

Draco just smirked.

Blaise slowly walked to the couch and put his head on her shoulder. "Hannah..." he said in a sing-song voice. "You're not really irritated, are you? Because I'd hate for you to be mad at us. Right, mates?"

Irritated? Try sexually frustrated. Hannah rolled her eyes.

Draco threw himself on the floor by her feet rather dramatically and grinned at her. He was still feeling pouty, but she had better reasons to be upset than he did.

Greg grinned. "If you're upset then how do I go about spoiling you with shoes and jewelry, now that you're family and all?"

Hannah looked at Greg sharply. Family? Her? With them? Harry was going to have apoplexy. "I don't need jewelry. I wouldn't say no to a pair of pink mittens though."

Draco made a face at Blaise that clearly said Pink mittens? What the fuck?

Greg blinked in shock, shoving things best left alone to the back of his mind. "You sure? Just mittens?"

"What's wrong with mittens? It's getting colder. They're perfectly practical." Hannah frowned.

Greg shook his head quickly, not wanting her upset again. "No, no, mittens is just something I've never been asked to buy before."

Draco shook his head. She could have had expensive shiny things. She wanted mittens.

Blaise glared at Greg. "If you make them pink, you'll get a nice, close-up look of my knives."

Oh thank Merlin. Greg cleared his throat mockingly. "See, he'll hurt me if I buy pink. So, second choice?"

"I'll be the one wearing them," Hannah snapped, feeling another pout coming on. "I should not have to settle for a second choice when they'll be on MY hands. I like pink. You asked what I wanted. It's pink mittens."

"Sadly, despite my aversion to pink, I really can't fault her logic here," Draco said, grinning.


{SUMMARY} Blaise is tired of living with Gloomy Gus One and Gloomy Gus Two. He decides to take Hannah and Draco on an outing to see Greg. Confused by all the sulking and pouting by blonde people, Greg is pulled aside by Blaise and told about recent motherly events.