She let herself right in, waving at Didly as she saw him cleaning something. The house-elf gave her a smile and a slight bow. It was a pink corset sort of a day. She had on jeans and a corduroy jacket with it. The jacket could be shrugged out of. Despite the pink, Hannah felt a little dangerous for her. She headed up the stairs, wondering where he was hiding. Not that he was expecting her, but Hannah just felt like seeing him. Harry was buried in studying for becoming a full Auror, and Ernie had been sent off to who knows where with his work. Honestly, he'd probably said, but Hannah had not paid attention. He and Justin were keeping an annoyingly close watch on her. Thank goodness Justin was training to be an Unspeakable for the Ministry and that took up loads of his time. At her first day off with no male friends hovering, Hannah was going to see the person she'd been thinking about all week.

"Blaise?" she said softly upon entering his rooms.

The bedroom door was slightly open. Hannah shrugged out of her jacket, tossing it and her handbag on the couch before walking in. She was about to say something when she noticed blonde hair sticking out from under the covers. Hannah gasped and spun on her heel. Once again, she was stung. She stormed past grabbing her handbag and jacket before slamming the door to his sitting room. When would she stop letting this bother her?

Draco had noticed the instant someone slipped into the bedroom. He was paranoid like that. He also had his wand ready until he heard the female gasp followed by storming and slamming. Blaise's new bird. Shite. Draco scrambled out of the bed after her, surely waking Blaise.

"Get up!" he shouted making growling noises when he didn't see his trousers anywhere.

Draco mentally said fuck it, then and took off after her. He wasn't letting this be ruined. Not because of him. He ruined enough as it was.

"UP!" He shouted again at Blaise, this time flicking his wand at the bed and making all the covers fly into the floor.

Draco took off running then... in just his pants.

Blaise groaned and shivered when the blankets disappeared.

"Draco, what the hell are you screaming about?" He rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head.

Draco made it to the main entrance just in time to see Didly blocking the path of a blonde in a pink corset and jeans. Draco took a moment to appreciate how her arse set in said jeans.

"No!" Didly shouted loudly. "Miss Hannah must NOT leave! Master is not sleeping with the blondes again! Master is just bed sharing with Master Malfoy!"

"So you must be Miss Hannah then," Draco said loudly. "It's so good to... Abbott?" Hannah Abbott? In a pink corset with her face all flushed? Looking just the thing? Someone was all grown up.

Draco grinned in a feral manner and stalked towards her.

Hannah swallowed nervously. Draco Malfoy was walking towards her in just his underpants.

"Didly is going to fetch Master. Miss is not leaving."

"No, Didly," Draco said smoothly. "She's not leaving. She and I are going to have a bit of a chat."

Didly looked from one to the other with eyes wider than Hannah's were currently and disappeared with a pop.

"Sitting room?" Draco said, noticing her nervousness. "Come on. Do let's."

Hannah followed him, wringing her hands. She was ushered onto a little sofa. Draco Malfoy sat next to her and draped his arm along the back of it. Hannah was so uncomfortable she thought her skin might fly off her body.

"So... how did you and Blaise meet then?"

"Master Blaise! Master Blaise!" Didly started jumping on the bed trying to wake Blaise up.

"Why the fuck is everyone screaming?!" he shouted, throwing his pillow at the bouncing house-elf, who ducked it.

"Master Blaise! Yous must come quick! Miss Hannah be here!"

Blaise groaned and rolled over. "Just send her into the kitchen and leave me alone."

"Yous is not understand! Miss Hannah be in the sitting room... with Master Malfoy!"

Blaise's eyes shot open.

"Oh fuck."

He grabbed his wand and shot out of bed. He started running down the stairs and he finally slid into the sitting room, his wand aimed at the couch.

Draco snorted with laughter when Blaise slid into the sitting room in just his pants. That told Draco pretty much everything he needed to know.

"Blaise," Hannah said in a breathy sort of whisper, feeling relieved at seeing him.

"Look at you, all ready to duel someone."

Draco gave Hannah's bare shoulder a pat. She flinched a bit. He bet she wouldn't have flinched if Blaise had done it. Draco wasn't offended. He was far too amused right now to be offended. His best mate was digging on a Hufflepuff? Not that Draco blamed him much. She was a cute little thing. The sort that made you want to dig your fingers into her flesh to get at her innocence.

"What the fuck is going on here? And Malfoy, you tell it to me straight or I'll set Didly and his spoon on you. He's very attached to Hannah."

With a pop, Didly appeared next to Draco on the couch with his arms folded, wooden spoon in hand. The little house-elf glared at Draco.

"Nothing's going on here," Hannah said in a shrill voice. "Do you think I would... that I... with him... I'm not like that."

"We were just talking," Draco said, his grin becoming more wide by the minute.

"And you and I are just friends. Why would it matter-"

Draco cut her off. "You're not friends, love."

"We are!" Hannah stomped her foot. "Just because you've known him longer doesn't mean I can't be friends with him too."

Draco looked at Blaise. Was she serious? She really didn't see it?

Draco looked just above the top of her corset. "Could you just stomp your foot again?"

Blaise growled and was about to throw a hex when Didly snapped the spoon against Draco's head.

"Be nice to Miss Hannah!"

Blaise snorted and walked over to the couch and held out a hand for Hannah. "Fancy a trip to the kitchens? I have a feeling it'll help calm your nerves."

She smiled at him. He knew she liked the kitchens.

Draco made a face at Didly. He got up and followed Blaise and Hannah though. It was weird. Draco observed, knowing full well he was going to have to have a talk with his best mate. Blaise said he was the idiot and a moron? Draco was thinking that it was catching then. If he fancied a girl and she thought they were just friends, he sure would make sure that she... oh bloody hell. Right then. All right, so he needed to listen to his own advice.

"I didn't mean to pop by unannounced. I just wanted to see what you were doing." Hannah smiled at Blaise.

"Today," Blaise said with a grin, "I am doing absolutely nothing. Well, besides work. Princess here decided to stay the night after a particularly exhausting dinner here last night. I honestly had nothing planned. You?"

Hannah just shrugged.

Draco made a face. "Why don't you two just do something together then. I can think of LOTS of things the two of you could do together, and might I add that your top is fabulous. I'm not normally one for pink, but you make it work."

"Thank you, Malfoy."

"Draco."

Hannah flushed a bit. "Draco then. And do call me Hannah."

"Alrighty... Hannah." He was smirking.

Hannah blinked. How did he make her name sound like that? He was also giving her this look. She was unsure of it. She didn't want Draco Malfoy looking at her like that. She wanted Blaise looking at her like that.

Draco was having fun. He wasn't used to a girl who acted like she did. She was so proper. He didn't meet many of those who didn't have guile under it.

Blaise slapped Draco on the back of the head. "Stop it, you pillock, or I'll have Didly spank you. And no, it won't be the good way and that IS a promise." He then grinned at Hannah. "Ignore him. Life is easier like that. Fancy a spot of breakfast?"

She always cooked for people. He was wanting to bring food to her. She liked that. He never asked her to make him anything. She would. She so would, but he didn't expect it. Hannah definitely liked that.

"I'd LOVE some breakfast," Draco said loudly. "Thank you SO MUCH for asking."

Hannah giggled, "I would like breakfast. That would be lovely, Blaise. Thank you."

Draco Malfoy pulled out a seat for her at the kitchen counter. Hannah was surprised. So far he had not been mean. In fact, so far he had been charming and quite affable. He took the seat next to her and sprawled his upper half across the counter. He was grinning widely and looking at Blaise like he knew some big secret.

"You the one that's been staying over then?"

Hannah looked at Blaise with wide eyes. She wasn't sure how to answer that.

Blaise groaned and took the seat on her other side, his head coming down hard on the counter. "One of these days I'm going to learn to shut up around you. How would you like it if I went and told Miss Weasley you weren't really gay and you fancied the pants off of her?"

Hannah looked from one to the other. "Miss Weasley? You mean Ginny? Ginny Weasley? That's the only Miss Weasley I know. You fancy her? Really? Does she know? Well, no obviously not if she thinks you're gay. That's... well, that's... that's odd. I can't see the two of you... but maybe that's why it will work... because it shouldn't. You should tell her."

"I think she might hex me."

"I wouldn't hex you."

"Yes, well, you're a Hufflepuff."

Hannah scowled. "I certainly can't speak for Ginny Weasley, but I like hearing things. If a bloke fancied me, it would be nice to know."

"Even if you didn't feel the same way?"

Hannah made a face. "I can see your point. You should at least let her know you're straight... or have heterosexual tendencies. She might not think of you that way because she thinks you're off-limits. Ever considered that?"

"I just wanted her to relax around me," Draco sighed. "Feel safe, not think I was trying to do something."

"But you are trying to do something, aren't you?"

"Well... yeah."

"Mmmm-hmmm. You'd get further with honesty, I think."

"A Hufflepuff is giving love advice to Draco Malfoy in my kitchen," Blaise said dryly. "Wake me up when the nightmare ends, will you? I want more sleep. Someone hogged the covers, the pillows, and kept kicking me," he said, leaning around Hannah to glare at Draco. "Not to mention I kept smelling roast all night because it got thrown in my face."

Hannah looked at him. "What on earth did the two of you... do last night?"

"Escorted a drunk lady home. Got rid of an inappropriate boyfriend," Draco said smirking. "The usual."

"Went swimming in only our pants. Well, I did. Draco stripped down to nothing before I tossed Weasley in. Then her now ex-boyfriend got pissed and left." Blaise grinned. "So, yeah, it was a pretty usual night. What did you and Potter do?"

"Potter!" Draco all but shouted.

Hannah looked at him with wide eyes. "I live with him."

Draco started sputtering. His best mate fancied someone who lived with Potter? Then again, he fancied someone who had actually been with Potter, so he could not say too much. Still, Harry Potter gave him an eye twitch.

Blaise smirked. "And it's a rather nice place to live in. Potter seemed to like the place when we stopped by." He snickered at Draco's pained expression. "Let's see about that brekkie, shall we? Didly, mind getting us a full? I know Draco eats like he's a starving man."

He looked at the stunned Hannah. "Anything in particular you're craving?"

At the looks he gave him, Draco was certain her answer should be... you. What was his friend waiting for? He'd never had anyone look at him like that.

"I'm really not particular today. I'll have whatever Didly feels like setting out for me. He'd never served anything I didn't like."

Draco started glaring at Blaise. Hard. Why didn't he just kick Draco out already, so the two of them could be alone?

Blaise grinned. "Sounds wonderful. Why don't you stay here and keep Didly company while Draco and I put on clothes. We'll be back in a tick."

As soon as they were out of sight, Blaise punched Draco in the arm. "Stop glaring! It'll make her nervous! You nearly scared her out of her skin earlier! What the hell were you thinking, sitting alone with her!"

"What in the hell is the matter with you," Draco hissed.

"What?"

"Well, she sure as shite didn't wear that corset for me!"

"And she didn't wear it for me for the reason you're thinking. She knows that we're only friends. She wore that because she knows I enjoy seeing her in the clothes I bought her. Merlin, stop acting like cupid!"

"You're a fucking moron," Draco snapped. "You say I'm an idiot? You are BURYING me today. She doesn't look at you like she wants to be friends with you, and that sure isn't how you look at her."

"Draco-"

"So if you're just friends, you won't mind if I ask her out on a date then?"

Blaise grabbed Draco's shoulders and slammed him into the wall. He huffed at Draco's smug grin. "Stop saying things to get a reaction out of me. You know for a fact that you wouldn't ask her because she's not your type. Your type is red-headed healer who frustrates the living shit out of you. Stop trying to get a rise."

"Of course," Draco said grinning. "But just because I fancy her, doesn't mean Gin will have me. Why shouldn't I kill some time with a blonde?"

He was courting a hexing or a beating. Possibly both. Draco couldn't believe Blaise didn't see it though. Sure, she was sweet and all Draco would do was ruin her, but he didn't think Blaise would. Draco suspected some odd part of his friend liked the fact that she didn't react like any of his other girls would.

And that pink corset just took the cake.

"Because," Blaise said with a deadly calm. "If you so much breathe wrong in her direction I'll cut off your bollocks and choke you with them. Then I'll go tell your mother you'd rather prance about being gay than tell a girl you like her. How do you think she'll look when I tell her that you'd rather be gay than give her grandchildren? Stay away from Hannah."

Blaise pushed off Draco's shoulders and continued on to his rooms.

Draco grinned as he leaned against the wall for a moment. Then he hurried after Blaise.

"Does she know you fancy her?"

"No," Blaise said sternly. "She knows I only want to be friends, much to her disappointment."

"Again," Draco snapped. "What's WRONG with you? You know she fancies you and you fancy her... and you're not... what's wrong with you?"

"What's different about her?" Blaise snapped as he turned around. "What's so different about her than any of the other girls I've ever seen?"

"Well, she does remind me a bit of a baby kneazle that got caught out in the rain, but so what?"

"There's a difference Draco. A fundamental difference and that is she is so unlike any other girl I've ever been with. She's goodness, and innocence, and sweetness. Why the hell would she want to be with me? She doesn't need to. She's... Hannah."

Now Draco was getting irritated. "So something good can't have you?"

Draco started yanking his clothes on.

"What about what she wants? And your other relationships worked out so well then? Maybe it's time to attempt something different."

Blaise glared at him. "You ever think of taking your own advice?" He angrily put on a shirt. "And she doesn't know what she wants. She wants male attention. Maybe you should date her." He quickly glared at Draco when the blonde's eyebrow went up. "Don't even fucking think about it."

"Oh she wants male attention, all right. YOUR male attention. She didn't want me looking at her. Her eyes seek out you. Don't tell me you haven't noticed. And maybe I will think about it... because if you don't start thinking about it yourself, I can guarantee you some other wizard will."

Blaise crossed his arms in a huff. "I hate it when you're right. You get all high and righteous for weeks. It's irritating."

"And now she thinks you just want to be friends. You'll have to address this, you realize, and yes, I do plan to address my heterosexuality with Ginny the next time I see her, so don't fret about that. I do hate to break up. Mother loves you so, but it's just not meant to be, my darling. You understand. It's me... not you."

He grabbed one of the pillows off of his couches and launched it at Draco. "Get stuffed, pillock," he said before smirking. "Well, think of it this way. There's less chance of you catching wizarding VD."

Draco snorted. "Yes, it's all turds and chuckles until somebody's penis falls off."

Laughing, he buttoned up his shirt. "I can't believe you actually thought you had wizarding VD. Some pureblood you are. I hope you know I sent your mother flowers. It was a wonderful prank."

"Yes, and for my next trick I'm going back down to the kitchen to flirt with your not-girlfriend." Draco snapped before heading that way.

"Alright then. I'll just keep giving your not-girlfriend dancing lessons. Should be a fair trade. At least both females in question like being around me!"

Draco bristled. He did that thing he usually did not do around those he cared for. He closed himself off utterly. He would not be jealous of Blaise. Well, he would, but he wouldn't let Blaise see it. Aunt Bella would have been proud of him for once. But it was his time in China that assisted him here.

"All females like being around you, Blaise," Draco said drolly, sounding utterly unaffected. "What else is new?"

Hannah talking to Didly as he piled food on plates. After watching him for a bit, she'd gotten up to help. Didly had protested until she had told him cooking make her happy. Then he was telling her what he wanted.

Draco watched for a moment. She was definitely something different for Blaise.

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long, Hannah," Draco said. "May I call you Hannah?"

Hannah spun about, wooden spoon in one hand, spatula in the other. "Y-yes. I thought we had already... yes. I suppose."

"Excellent. Yes, we did already establish this. I'm just making certain, so again, please call me Draco. Have you lot made the toast yet? Because that I can help with. I'm pants at anything else in the kitchen."

Hannah giggled.

Didly was looking at Draco as if he had lost his mind.

He was less scary when he was offering to make the toast. Hannah decided to make nice with him. After all, he was Blaise's dearest friend. If Blaise liked him then perhaps Draco Malfoy was not so very bad.

"Didly and I would appreciate your making the toast then... provided you can do it without burning it."

"I wouldn't have offered to do it if I usually fucked it up."

Hannah giggled again. "All right then. Bread's there."

Draco made with the toasting, but got a bit curious as to what she was doing. He noticed she had a little apron over her clothes.

"What are you doing there then?"

"It's called cooking."

Draco smirked, liking her snappy retort. He moved close to her to watch, taking in the movements. He'd never really watched anyone cook before. It was weird. He usually didn't think about the process of how food became what was eaten.

Blaise walked in and glared. Hannah didn't see what Draco was doing, but he sure as hell did. But as he looked at Draco, he noticed there was no obvious smugness or anger... only curiosity. Still... there was something different about Draco. He was expecting more of a fit than just a cold acceptance and Draco walking away. Blaise wasn't sure he liked it.

"Hannah, you know you don't have to cook your own food here. Didly is more than capable."

"Miss Hannah is liking the cooking. It is making her happy."

"Cooking makes you happy. It's your zen." Draco said, nodding. Interesting.

"My what?"

"It calms you."

"Yes," Hannah answered, baffled by how nice and not at all like the nasty git she recalled him being in school he was with her just now. She busied herself by putting things on plates with Didly.

"We never got to finish our chat. How did the two of you meet again?"

Hannah blushed. "I ran out on my wedding and got drunk. Blaise brought me home with him."

"I'll just bet he did," Draco said almost tonelessly.

"Oh, it's not like that at all, Dr-Draco," she stumbled over his name a bit, not used to familiarity with him. "We're just friends. Blaise doesn't think of me like that. Boys don't think of me like that. They just don't. I'm beginning to accept it."

It was only because he'd closed off that Draco did not react to that statement. A pretty girl who didn't see her worth. That was the saddest thing he'd seen in a while. If his mate wasn't going to fix this, Draco would. She couldn't think of herself like that. Not if she was going to be friends or anything else with Blaise Zabini.

"If I could be so bold as to ask... you ran out of your wedding? Why?"

"Couldn't do it."

"Cold feet?"

"Cheating fiance."

"Damn. What's the blighter's name? I could hex him for you."

"You barely know me."

"But I like hexing people."

Hannah giggled.

He had been observing. It was something he was good at--blending into the shadows and observing. Draco was focused solely on Hannah.

"Draco," he said loudly, making Hannah jump. "Can I talk to you in private for a moment before our lovely breakfast will be ready?"

"He can be very fussy of the mornings, as I am sure you have noticed, Hannah. Do excuse us... yet again."

"Of course," she was smiling now. Draco Malfoy wasn't so bad. Perhaps he had grown up? Why had she ever been nervous about him? He was pleasant enough.

Draco nodded at her before following Blaise out of the kitchen. When they were far enough away Blaise turned on him. Draco just stared at him with nothing there. He almost felt guilty about this, would have, if he was allowing himself to feel anything just now. He hadn't done this in a while. Not since before going to Berlin.

"Yes?"

"And that's why I won't get involved with her. She just came out of a bad engagement. She was the one who ran, and for good reason. This arse dictated everything about her life, and she got out. What would it be like if she was seen a few weeks later with me. The rumors would go she was the one cheating and ran out to be with me. How the hell do you think that would make her look and feel? I'm not doing this because I think myself righteous, I'm doing it to protect her. So get off your high horse and whatever funk you've put yourself in, because right now, you are really starting to piss me off."

Blaise started walking back and knocked shoulders with Draco.

High horse? It was plain old jealousy and irritation that Blaise would not accept what was being offered to him. Sod protecting her. Rumors could be weathered. Hell, he'd done it, was still doing it.

The corner of Draco's mouth twitched. He smirked as he walked back into the kitchen.

"Hannah, love, what are you doing tonight?"

Hannah nearly dropped what she was holding. "What? Why?"

"I wanted to ask you to dinner."

"I don't... I... dating might be a bad idea. I said I wouldn't. Not yet," she looked nervously at Blaise. She didn't know what to do.

Blaise stared incredulously at Draco. "You did not just fucking ask her that, you prick. God, I swear I'm going to kill you. You just can't live your life without drama, can you?"

"What's the point?"

Hannah stepped between the two of them. "All right now. I'm not going out with anyone, understand? It's too soon. People would talk. I wouldn't have them say nasty things about Blaise... or any of his friends because of me. No going out."

"Who said anything about going out?" Draco snapped. "I was going to have you to my place. Certainly no public to gawk and gossip there."

"The fuck you're taking her to Malfoy Manor! Going to introduce her to your mum, are you? Or your bedroom?"

Hannah looked between the both of them with wide eyes.

"If she wanted to, I would. The mum, not the bedroom." He eyed the lace at the top of her corset. "Though I can't say I'd mind the bedroom... if my head wasn't with someone else. No, I just thought she might like it. You do want us to be friends don't you?"

Blaise snarled and pointed at Draco.

"You are well on your way to the biggest hexing of your life!"

Hannah stepped up to Blaise and placed her hands on his chest. She was shaking. She didn't like men shouting. She didn't know why. "Stop. Oh please, stop. I won't... I'll stay here with you. I won't go. I won't."

Draco looked at Blaise and just raised an eyebrow. He was getting the feeling he should cut out of here and leave the two of them alone.

He glared at Draco. "No Hannah, if you want to be friends with Draco, go ahead. Meet his mum and his bedroom. Date all you want. We're just friends, right? Go have fun."

Hannah frowned and look down. Something she did not understand was going on here. She didn't want to meet Draco Malfoy's bedroom. She didn't care a bit about that. It was other bedrooms she was interested in.

Draco would be scowling if he hadn't shut down. This was definitely bothering him. Well, he was just going to help her. Draco of the past would have enjoyed her obvious distress. Now he didn't. He didn't know what that was all about, but he was not about to go telling anyone he could not stand to see a Hufflepuff in pain. He'd never live it down.

"I'll pick you up here at six."

"What? No." Hannah was in a state of panic.

"Yes," Draco said, plan already forming in his head. "You won't be sorry." He turned to Blaise and had his wand out hexing. The other man was knocked off his feet.

Hannah actually screamed.

"That's for calling me an idiot and a moron before," Draco snapped. "When you're obviously a bigger one. You're a Slytherin, for fuck's sake. A little less nobility here might be nice."

Draco stalked towards the back door so he could apparate. "Six, Abbott! And you had better be here! If I have to hunt you down, you'll be one sorry little Huffle!"

Hannah's mouth was hanging open. She dropped down next to Blaise. He seemed stunned and was blinking a lot.

"Blaise? Oh goodness. Are you all right?" Hannah took out her wand. "Ennervate!"

"I'm awake already, damn." Blaise sat up and glared at the spot Draco had been. "Hope you didn't have any plans tonight. You're welcome to be here at six. If you didn't, he'd go looking for you. I'll be in my lab doing potions and stuff. Just stay in the main sitting room and he'll collect you."

He stood up and glanced over the breakfast in the works in his kitchen. "Sorry to say I've lost my appetite and I have to get to work. I'll see you later, Hannah. You're welcome to stick around and eat."

"But..." she watched as he left the kitchen. Hannah looked at Didly who'd been watching with wide eyes the entire time. "Didly, I do not understand him."

Didly didn't say anything as Hannah stomped to the door and apparated away herself.


{SUMMARY} Hannah pops by to see Blaise and meets his best mate. Things go a bit awry. Blaise ends up hexed and Hannah ends up with a date.