Tracey pulled her purple scarf tighter around her neck as she stepped out of the costume store in Hogsmeade. She wasn't sure why she'd chosen to shop for Theodore's costume in Scotland, but now she was seriously wishing she'd thought of some place warmer. If she was lucky, the costume would be delivered on Monday and Theo wouldn't be able to back out of wearing it. She knew he was stand-offish and wouldn't want to mingle at the party, but he would look ridiculous without a costume. As her mind was hitherto occupied, she hardly noticed when her best friend moved in front of her on the pavement with his arms crossed and his eyebrow quirked.

"I just wanted you to know that you've caused me a great pain recently, and I plan on collecting payment for it. Why didn't you tell me you were planning the big Halloween whatever it is?"

Tracey looked up and smiled cheekily at him. "I was under the impression that you had been eaten by your latest conquest... or at the very least that you were too busy planning the big career change that I wasn't told about. Seems neither one of us has been very forthcoming with information lately."

He stared at her incredulously. "We may not have but that certainly hasn't stopped you apparently. How did you know about all that? Been spying on me? Or have you been hitting Draco up for information?"

Blaise crossed his arms again and glared at her. "And what the hell do you mean you were under the impression I had been eaten by my latest conquest?"

"Like I'd ever need to stoop so low as to go to Draco for information. I'd never live down the fact that I don't know what's going on with you for the first time in our lives. No, I just happen to have a very nosey house-elf who seems smitten with Didly and who thinks if he gives me information that I grumble aloud about not having that he'll get on my good side." Tracey rolled her eyes and shuddered thinking about that particularly icky conversation when she realized Baxter was into house-elves of the same sexual persuasion. "And as for the conquest. I knew there was another woman... your shopping trip, remember? I just figured she must be either extremely high maintenance and would not enjoy the idea that you have a bird for a best friend, or you were just really busy with her and would tell me about her in your own due time."


Blaise rolled his eyes. "She is anything but high maintenance. Hell, Draco's more high maintenance, but we're not in a relationship." A confused look came over his face. "Well, sort of. But that's a different story. So... Halloween. Weasley is making me dress up. That being said, you suck. It's all your fault. And I have to dress in something that's appropriate for the kiddies. Again, you suck."

"So it is Weasley that you're shagging." Tracey grinned at him, ignoring his taunting. He always taunted her, she was used to it. "I'm so glad I was nice to her in my owl. Even said she could use my given name. Excellent."

Blaise faked a gag. "Ew, no. Not that Weasley isn't rather nice looking, but she is so not my type." He smirked. "Although, I'm not denying she isn't a Slytherin's type. She's just not mine. No, you'll have to wait a little more to find out my lovely lady."

"Are you going to walk with me then? I have to find a sword for Theo's costume and I want to get there today." She gestured down the path and pulled his arm. If he was going to tease and harass her he was going to escort her as well. "Besides, I'd like to speak some more about a certain Slytherin... okay, come on, it's obviously Draco. It's not like Daphne has all of a sudden fallen for Ginny Weasley and I see Pansy far too often to believe she could ever turn lesbian, have you seen her shoe collection? How many other Slytherins do we see? Well... I heard about you and Greg... but I'll just let that lie."

Blaise let out a sigh. "In my defense, he's the one who blew up, not me. And for the record, I did not tell you that Draco is arse over tit for Ginny Weasley. You figured it out all on your own, right?"

He pulled her to a stop in the middle of the street. "And what the hell do you mean Theo's costume? I thought he was the bad date that had you crying all over my bed?"

She'd forgot about that. Well, she hadn't... but it was hardly the first thing she thought about when she thought about Theo now. How did you explain to your best mate that you let a bloke move in with you and that he was sharing more than just the covers? "Uhhh... yes well. Things have changed a bit since then. I sort of invited him to kip over at the Park when his flat was set to be turned into a shopping centre. Would it be possible to plead silence and beg for a change of subject?"

His eyebrow slowly rose. "You... what? You have Theo Nott in your house and more than likely in your bed and you're just now telling me this? What the fuck, Trace?!"

Rolling her eyes, she took her arm back. "It's not like you've been forthcoming with all your comings and goings either. He needed a place to stay, and even if he is sharing my bed, I'm not a serial shagger and you know it. One bloke. I'm 23 years old. I'm hardly a slag!"

Blaise narrowed his eyes and grabbed her arm, putting it through his again. "I don't like it that you're shacked up with Theodore Nott of all people, or that he's having to mooch off you for something. What does he even do for a living?"

Tracey's jaw dropped. Her face flushed and if she hadn't known better she would think this all an incredibly unamusing gag. "Excuse me? He's a doctor, if you must know. He works at St. Mungo's. It wasn't like I gave him much choice in the matter either... well, in the moving part anyway. I practically forced him to. His flat was run down and ratty. You'd never know he was a pure-blood from the state of it. He doesn't have a trust fund to live off of like we do. The damned ministry saw fit to take that when they arrested his father." She was shaking in anger and took a step back from him as she raised her voice. "Shacked up? Shacked up!? You say that like he's a gigolo or something and like I'm paying for services rendered! I can't believe you of all people are giving me a lecture about who I choose to shag. I know you've lucked out and never had to give me 'the talk' before, but trust me... I may have never done it before, but I do it now and I do it often and I'm pretty damn good at it to boot, so you can just sod off, Blaise Zabini. You may be my best friend, but you are not my mother, and even if you were, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself!"

When Tracey started to storm off, Blaise stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection, trapping her arms beneath his.

"Calm down, Tracey. You know how possessive I am of you and how my mouth runs away with me. Deep breaths." He waited until she wasn't huffing anymore and loosened his grip a bit. "I know I've been rather MIA recently, but with everyone suddenly showing up and this whole thing with Hannah and the new clinic I've been running myself ragged here."

She was mad. Probably madder than she'd ever been before. He just couldn't say those kinds of things and just expect her to always be the bloody dish rag. Tracey knew more than most that she was soft, prone to mothering, and weak... but she wasn't going to be weak about Theodore and she certainly wasn't going to let him blow off her feelings. "I just- I just can't believe you'd think so little of me. It's been a hard time for me too." She looked up at the sky and relaxed completely so he would be more likely to let her go. "And don't you even think I'm going to let up on the 'Hannah' thing. Who is this Hannah? Do I need to give you a lecture now?"

He stiffened. Oh bugger. He went back over what he said in his mind. Yes, he had mentioned Hannah. "Oh damn. I don't supposed I could beg off with the 'long story' line, right?" Blaise sighed. "We need to have a you and me night with take-out and girlie gossip so we can catch up on everything. We've both been running around like mad. I miss the quiet."

"Yeah, that line is sooo not going to work B, but nice try. Do I know this Hannah? Is she the type to get upset if I pop round at all hours? Have you even told her about me? If Draco has met her and I haven't you're in trouble." She turned up to face him, "And so help me, if she's living at your house you are getting the hexing of a lifetime for being an insufferable hypocrite!"

Blaise snickered. "I didn't think it would. And before you even start to hex me, the only reason Draco has met her is she popped over and found us in bed together. Again, it's a very long story but it ended well for all parties involved, hexes aside." He sighed. "We really do need to get together. Most of these tales need to be told. As for Hannah, she would understand if you popped round, especially if she knew our relationship. She'd probably want to come over and braid your hair or something," he said rolling his eyes.

"No, she doesn't live with me, although she's spent the night twice, and nothing happened, sadly. She lives with Potter, believe it or not."

"Harry Potter? First you choose to fraternize with Ginny Weasley, no doubt corrupting the last Malfoy, and now Potter? You've chummed up with another Golden Gryff? Honestly, the world has gone crazy. Pansy shags one, Draco lusts after one, Greg has a psychotic episode over one. Next thing you'll be telling me is that your Hannah is a Hufflepuff." At his look she paled. "She is not! You are taking the piss at me. She's not really, is she?"

"How bad am I going to get hexed if I say yes?" he asked with a wince.

Tracey had to loose her hand to hold her stomach against the laughing. "Why, Blaise, I think you have just made my afternoon. I thought it would have been the nude portrait I just sat for, but no, you win. Blaise Zabini, mad for a Hufflepuff. Brilliant! Can you let me go? I'm not going anywhere now that you've shared this hilariously juicy piece of information."

"Hold up, you just sat for a portrait... nude? Darling, that's something I would do, not you." He sighed and they started walking down the street again, with Tracey still laughing. "We really need to have an us night. Just us and stories, because I'm sensing a story behind that portrait. And stop making fun of Hannah," he grumbled.

"All right, I promise, no more laughing. I'm sure she's a very nice girl... but not too nice - or you would have tired of her long ago and come to the Park to find me... most likely in a very compromising position too." Tracey covered her mouth giggling again at the horror on her friend's face. "Yes, yes. We've needed you and me time. If I didn't have to go meet Theo at the hospital I'd make you sit for a cup with me right now, but as it is, I have to see someone about a sword."

"I don't ever want to hear you talk about you in an compromising position ever again, is that clear?" He shuddered. "I could have done without that visual aid for the rest of my life and it wouldn't have affected me at all. But before you go, can you give me an idea about what the other vendors and businesses are doing at the Halloween thing? Weasley wants to be involved and I promised I'd talk with you to see what we could do."

"Mmmm. The main thing during the early evening is the Trick-or-Treating. I've been calling it something else all together for the last two weeks and feel like an utter idiot. Candy to children, there is bobbing for floating things - apples, whatever. I think each proprietor is doing something a wee bit different. There will be food and music and dancing all night. I don't expect the Clinic to be open all night though, right? I won't even be in Hogsmeade during the day... I've assigned my new assistant that job, but I hope you're going to wear your costume when all the adults are around too. I've got mine already and according to Theo I shouldn't be seen wearing it anywhere but in our bedroom. My plan is to give Greg a coronary."

Blaise snickered. "If you do, I want to see his face, but again, overshare on the bedroom part. Weasley's making me dress up, but I haven't chosen it yet. I'm trying to figure out something original that we can do both during the day and evening, so we could draw more business in. Got any bright ideas for my costume? My ideas mostly are geared towards revenge for everything I've been through during the last week at the clinic."

Most of the things Tracey was thinking of would either result in Blaise hexing her for even suggesting them (such as the cowboy or the giant coloured hippogryff) or Ginny Weasley hexing her for giving him the incredibly inappropriate ideas (the cabana boy, complete with tighty-whities and bottle of sun block for one). "You could always go as something unique. Something Muggle perhaps. Either that or go for something terrifying, like a Dementor or something."

"I doubt Weasley would let me do something terrifying, since she wants to be around the kiddies, but the idea has merit. I might look into that. I wanted her to be a sexy nurse, but she said no. I think a little but of skin flashing would do the business good." Blaise chuckled, then paused, smirking. "And I just thought of an idea for the clinic."

Her eyebrows rose and she smirked, "What? Giving the upperclassmen at Hogwarts ample space to play 'Healer'? If Weasley won't let you dress as a Dementor then she certainly won't allow you let out the examining rooms."

Blaise smirked. "A kissing booth. During the day little boys can give her a kiss on the cheek and get a piece of candy. At night all the adults can come out to play and get a kiss as well. Sound good?"

Tracey actually tilted her head back and laughed at that. "What do the little girls get? Would they get to kiss their friendly neighbourhood potion maker? That's it... I'm coming... only, do you think Weasley would mind if I kissed her instead? I'd be sure to do it in front of dear Draco... give him that show he wanted Pansy and I to do when we were in school. You think?"

Blaise snickered. "There is no way in hell I'm doing it as well. I'm just going to walk around and scare the kiddies. And I know for a fact that Weasley would shag Susan Bones if she could, so I'm pretty sure a kiss wouldn't be too bad."

"I'll have to think on it then... might be a fun way to introduce myself properly, besides, I remember what a dish she was in her Quidditch kit." Tracey grinned cheekily and stopped in front of the advertisement for Billingsly's Broad Sword in a large window. "That's the one. If Theo is going to be a convincing knight-in-shining-armour he's going to need one of those."

He made a face when she mentioned Theo. "You sure I can't hex him? Just a little? Please?" At Tracey's look, he snickered. "Remember: you, me, take-out and night in at my place. Didly will make dessert for us. Sound good? You may even get to meet Hannah."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll have to bring Baxter. Maybe he and Didly can curl our hair and charm our nails for us too. And if you're really feeling serious about this bird, I may have to go find her and meet her before our little pyjama party. You know... let her know you have a few friends that are pleasant and polite and less likely to throw a tantrum if they don't get their way... though I suppose Draco has grown up a bit since before he left us. He came to seem me, did he tell you? I think I yelled more than I needed to, but it was really nice to have him home. Glad that he still has you, I hope he realises he has all of us."

Laughing, Blaise nudged her in the shoulder with his own. "Oh come on, Draco deserves to be yelled at. It's all he's good for, besides a hexing target. And you will not go see Hannah. You'd give her a heart attack. I think she nearly passed out when she was with Draco. Course that could have been just because it was Draco. I guess you're too busy with this Halloween shit, right, or do you have a free night? Owl me with a good date then."

"After the Festival then? Maybe this weekend okay? Though I want to come and see you on Wednesday night too. Even if the little girlies don't get a kiss, I want one from my favourite potion maker." He looked as though he was about to say something smart so she stopped him, "And no, I didn't mean Snape, you git. Mention something like that again I'll not only make a point to find our Miss Hannah - she does have a surname, I hope, but I'll make you brew me some contraceptive potions or something." She blushed, realizing that she'd never had to worry about that before. Apparently a trip to see Professor Snape actually was in order... she would never make Blaise brew them for her, he'd put something in them so she never had the urge to shag Theo again on the assumption that he was doing her a favour.

His eyes widened so much they hurt. "Merlin help me, if you're shagging and not using a contraceptive, I will hex the dick off of Nott. Seriously, Trace."

She hated that he could read her so well and her flush went a deeper shade of red. "Well, it's not like I have a huge amount of experience in this area... and it's not something I'd come and talk to you guys about... I knew that you'd threaten first and listen later and Pansy? She's had more 'experience' than the entire staff at Madam Carlotta's. You think I need to compare myself to her when I already know I fall short? It wasn't like I'd planned it anyway... and if you want me to stop with the details there you're going to have to hug me and tell me this little Hufflepoof Hannah's last name so I can go buy myself a sword. I have some bribing to do this afternoon, and trust me, you don't want to know what I plan to do to Theo to get my way about this costume thing."

Blaise glared at her. "You should have asked someone. Merlin, Trace. As beautiful as your children are going to be, although it could be doubtful if you're spawning with Nott, you're too young. Live your life, first. And Nott should have known better. He should have made sure you were on a contraceptive or something," he growled before holding his arms open and giving Tracey a hug. "You're not getting Hannah's last name, because if you meet her, she'll probably tell you. Otherwise, you'll just have to do some digging. There weren't that many Hannahs at Hogwarts and I like to make your brain work."

"Alas, dear Blaise. My brain has already been working and I have a fairly good idea who she is. I paid pretty close attention to the Puffs in our year. I wonder what the lovely Miss Abbott's been doing lately... well, other than you. I might have to owl her." Tracey pulled out of the hug and made her way to the shop's door before he could swat her. "I'll see you Wednesday night then, yeah? Give Draco kisses for me. Cheers!" With a smirk, she walked into the shop and let the door close behind her leaving Blaise alone on the pavement.

When Tracey looked through the window at him, he smirked and mouthed 'Bitch!' at her. She just laughed and he shook his head, walking down the street away from the shop.

[Summary]: Blaise runs into Tracey and they chat about Halloween and their love lives.