Blaise leaned down and watched the boiling potion carefully. Timing was crucial and now that Weasley had gone for the night and he was alone, he finally had the silence he needed to concentrate.

Just at the critical moment, there was a loud popping in the lobby. Tracey had decided the best way to actually find time with her best friend would be to actually find him physically and force him to hang out with her. She arrived in the corner of the front waiting room and looked around. The office was charming enough.She couldn't see much, it was well after closing and the room was dark and deserted except the light coming from the back room. Didly had told her Blaise was still at work, so she knew he had to be puttering in his new potions lab. He forgot all about time when he was puttering.

"B? Are you back there? It's Tracey," she called as she walked down the corridor.

The loud pop and then Tracey called out made him miss a turn and the potion turned black. He straighted up with a huff and closed his eyes in irritation.

"You have the shittiest timing ever, Trace!" he yelled over his shoulder.

She tried not to roll her eyes at him and smirked. "Fine then. I can just go home. I was here to spend time with my best mate who I haven't seen for weeks and apprise him of all the details of my until recently, very boring life, but if that's the way you want to play it, have fun on your own." Stil smirking, she flipped her hair behind her and walked toward the waiting room.

"Oh, no you don't," he said, laughing in a mocking manner. Blaise grabbed her around the waist and hauled her into the lab, and then closed the door. Crossing his arms, he glared at her. "We are going to talk, little miss, and there will be much spilling of the details. And do you happen to know Nott's blood type? The potion was making needs specifics. If I'm going to make his blood boil, I need to do it right."

Tracey's smile left her face and she grew serious. "You leave him alone, Blaise Zabini," she warned. "You will not bugger this up for me. Greg almost did and I'm not above standing in the way of an Unforgivable if I have to. Leave off."

His eyebrows rose. "Greg knows and did something to get you all in a tiff? Well, imagine what I'll do, since I'm known for not having a long fuse. Wonder what Draco would say when he finds out."

Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Tell me you're not pregnant, Tracey. I swear to Salazar if you are, an Unforgivable will be the least of Nott's worries."

"Bloody Hell, Blaise," she cursed, walking away from him and fingering some of the tools on the counter top. "I'm not, and if I were you'd still be expected to leave him the fuck alone. It wouldn't do for Uncle Beeni to harm the father of his niece or nephew, now would it?" She looked up at him through narrow eyes. "I don't know what it is with all of you and trying to protect me from Theo Nott. He's one of us. We've known him since we were children. Would you be happier if I were off shagging Harry Potter or something?" She shook her head in frustration. Did she have a big sign on her that said, 'Tracey Davis... please baby me.'?

"First of all, I refuse to be called that horrid nickname, and second, it doesn't matter who the bloke is. It could be Potter or Draco, though I hope you have enough sense to not date either of them, but they'll still never be worthy of you, Trace." He grinned and walked over to her, pulling her to his side. "Hell, I'm not worthy and I'm the most magnificent being on the planet"

"I figured the house-elves would teach the baby that... and wait a minute, there are no babies yet. Why are we talking about babies? Honestly! There won't even be shagging for a while yet... and that reminds me. Why didn't anyone say that once you shag someone that's all you want to do? This taking it slow bit is ridiculous. I can't believe I suggested the damn thing at all. Even though it was my idea, all I want to do all the time is Apparate to the hospital and fuck him on his desk. The last time we did, I got a bloody quill in my hair and I'd still do it again. It must have been horrible for the rest of you, shagging in school and not being able to do it whenever you wanted to." She looked at his horror stricken face and continued with a cheeky grin, "Though, I suppose you didn't really restrain yourself outside of classes. But you did teach me to always knock before entering the boy's dormitory. I never want to see Alora Fletcher's pale white arse ever again."

"I can't believe you just told me you want to fuck Nott on his desk. Nyah," he did a full body shiver, which caused her to giggle. He stopped and scowled at her. "And I liked Alora Fletcher's arse. It was cute. Do you have something against pale arses? I'll be sure to tell Draco, then. You hate him now. That's so sad."

"I didn't just tell you I wanted to fuck him there... I said I did already and it was grand. Though I neglected to mention the 'almost' audience we had, that would have been a laugh." She grinned and shook her head. "And I could never hate Draco's pale arse. It's smashing. I've thought so for years. He may be melodramatic, but I've never denied that he's pretty. Too bad kissing him would be like kissing you... or worse, Greg. Ick!" She did a full body shiver at that.

She was walking around the room running her fingers along the counter top as she rambled. She was always this way with him, so she wasn't worried about him stopping her. She could talk all night and he'd just lean back and smirk at her. "So... the clinic is very nice. Did you help with the decoration then? I noticed some of the rooms on the walk back here. They were dark, but they looked brilliant."

"I didn't do anything but unload my crap when it arrived. Weasley did everything else. To be truthful, I rarely go anywhere else, except Weasley's office, but that's right across the hall and I only do it when I want to annoy her, which is pretty often. She's left already, so you'll be missing the chance to meet her today. But you'll be coming back so I'm sure you can meet her soon."

Blaise grabbed his wand and banished the ruined potion. He set a cleaning charm on the cauldron and put the ingredients back in their proper places.

"Well, are you ready to head back to my place? Are we getting take-out or will Didly be allowed to whip up something for us? He was so excited when he knew you were coming over for a night."

Tracey picked up the cloak she'd dropped on the counter and grabbed Blaise's arm. "I've been dying for a kebab, so take-away it is. Didly did seem a little more hyper than usual when I stopped by earlier to see if you were home. I just thought it had to do with Baxter. He's behaving himself, right? Or did you even notice him in the house? I had Artanis tell him to not make a peep and to not give his new family any grief. It was horrible letting him go. I'd never given an elf clothes before."

"He's not been too bad. He was mighty unsure of himself, but once he had been given daily chores, he was fine. I know Didly likes having him around, but Baxter isn't allowed in the kitchen. At all." At Tracey's curious look, he grinned and tossed an arm over her shoulders. "He found the fish tank and trying to get him away from it was a bloody ordeal, let me tell you. You would've thought I was giving him clothes myself."

With that, he Apparated them to his sitting room, and he dumped his traveling cloak and some papers he picked up on the couch. "Do you want something to drink before I send Didly to call in the take-out?"

"Riesling. It's always Riesling, Blaise." Tracey answered as she walked toward the stairs. "I'm getting my pyjamas on now so I don't have to when I'm tipsy, all right?" Thankfully, the elves hadn't moved anything now that Blaise was seeing this Hannah person steadily. Tracey had always kept pyjama's in one of the spare rooms upstairs just as one of the rooms at Whittom was set aside just for Blaise. By the time she'd come back down, happily wearing soft green and black flannel, Blaise was lounged out on the black sofa looking very pleased with himself.

"The food is ordered, the drinks are on the table, and I want to know everything that's happened in your life, excluding you shagging Nott in his place of business. I'll do the same, promise."

Tracey picked up his feet so she could sit underneath them. Once she'd lowered herself onto the soft sofa and grabbed her glass of wine she leaned back and looked at him with a gleam in her eye. "So, the shagging at St. Mungo's is out, but does that mean you want to hear about the shagging in the shower? Or about under the dining room table instead?" He dropped his jaw and she laughed out loud.

"All right. What's happening with me. I got a new assistant. That was nice. I was asked to do this Halloween thing and hardly had to do a thing. That's always pleasant, especially this week. Okay, now you... you're work with Weasley? How did this come about? All I had was squealing from a loyal house elf."

"You and shagging will never be mentioned in any of our conversations ever again. Got that?" He sighed and picked up his own glass. "I got bored about a month ago and put out an ad in the Prophet, of all things, about me being wonderful at potions, blah blah blah, and Weasley responded. I didn't know it was her who responded, but when we met, it was interesting. It seemed like something to do at the time. I'm hardly ever at the Muggle business any more, and this is more fun. I get to annoy her and Draco practically at the same time."

Tracey nodded sagely, "That's always a plus. I should give up my day job and come work over here too, I'm sure there is enough annoying Draco to go round. Oh right, I don't have a day job. Ah well. So you don't want to hear how your favourite girl finally lost it to the boy she's been mad about for years. Well what DO you want to know about Theo then? He and I bumped into one another at the Hospital last month. I was in negotiations for some benefit dinner and he was in a funding meeting. We went out, had a horrible date. His bloody assistant called him out of it." Tracey rolled her eyes and tried not to think of Applebee or whatever the bastard's name was. "We went on another, he got a hard on hugging me, clearly he didn't find me repulsive, he shagged Pansy, we bumped into one another over coffee." Tracey tried to look nonchalant as she rambled quicker now. "I sort of forced him to move into the Park when I found out his flat was going to be crushed. It didn't take very long to change from a live in arrangement to a 'live in' arrangement. You only walk in on someone wanking off once before things get out of hand and you end up shagging... a lot. And yeah... aside from some misplaced tears, a few sleepless nights, and a mini-break, you've got my relationship with Theo. Too bad I was being barmy and suggested the whole 'sleeping in the same bed but taking it slow thing'. Yeah... how's your sex life. Let me live as before, vicariously through you."

He just stared at her before putting his glass back on the coffee table and falling against the couch. After grabbing a pillow, he put it over his head and groaned. "You're channelling Draco and giving me too much information at once," he said, muffled. He put the pillow to the side and glared at the ceiling. "Give me a moment to process everything."

Blaise suddenly sat up. "He shagged Pans? And you knew this and then invited him over to fucking live with you? Did your brain not register this as maybe he was using you for a shag and roof over his head? Oh my God, Trace, and don't accuse me of being harsh. The way you're telling it, that's how it sounds. And yes, I know him. He's a Slytherin, love. We all are. I know how we think."

She sighed. She'd wanted to tell him the whole truth and now she regretted that she had. Though perhaps if he heard it from her he'd be less likely to hex Theo to death. How would those futuristic Nott's come into the world without a father? Tracey wasn't in a rush, but she knew that an intact Theo was important to the equation.

"Blaise, it's not like that. Of course I didn't know about Pansy. She didn't -doesn't- know that I know about them at all, and I'd like to keep it that way if you don't mind. It was a one-off. From what I gather, they did it a lot at school and he was trying to respect me by not pouncing on me the moment I got close to him. She was just there. Of course he was being a moron, since I would have gladly pounced on him that night. In a weird sort of way, I think he was showing me how much he liked me by refraining. Of course, up until last week I had no idea that I could even make a male look twice, so I wouldn't have known what to do anyway."

Tracey looked him in the eye, she was serious about what she was saying and she wanted him to understand that, "I know it's not just the roof over his head. He's tried to leave already, and I won't have it. If it weren't for the fact that he had to work late tonight, I'd not even be here, I sleep like rubbish without him. It's not even the sex, though trust me, even though I have NO experience I'm pretty sure it's fucking fantastic. We're not even having sex right now. I pulled back. I want to take it slow, but slow won't change the fact that I love him, Blaise. I always have."

He crossed his arms in a pout. "I hate sharing." When she grinned, he rolled his eyes. "And I guess I can't be mad about the Pansy thing. I'd be pretty hypocritical if were. Damn conscience."

Tracey laughed at that and moved in to hug him. With her chin on his chest, her eyes grew bright. "Now, enough about my sordid love affair with Theo. Tell me about Miss Abbott. We've arranged to meet next week. I think I may have freaked her out a bit. Though I'm sure Draco has done more than enough freaking her out for all of us. Tell me how the Hogwarts Man-whore was caught by Little Miss Sunshine and Rainbows."

Blaise looked down at her in alarm. "You're going to meet with her? When? Where? Alone? Oh Merlin, tell me you're not bringing Pansy. Myself and Draco must be present for that meeting, otherwise she'll tear into Hannah."

Tracey grinned in amusement. "No Pansy. Just me. And I promise to be nice. She seemed really nice in the owl. A little too nice, if you know what I mean. Quite frankly, she seemed a bit scared out of her tree when it comes to Draco, though from what she described, it's clear Draco approves of her. I hope I don't disappoint you then, and that she'll like me as much as she does him."

"She's taken him on as a project, I think. She's worried about him, and all concerned. It's weird, and he's always telling me to make her stop. I think he likes her as well." He paused, then chuckled. "Well enough to hex her, strip her down and pose her on my bed the first day he met her. So, yes, I think she has a slight fear of meeting my Slytherin friends."

Her eyes grew wide and a wicked grin crossed her face. "I think I'm a bit concerned to meet your Slytherin friends... and they're my friends. I explained to her that the six of us were more like family than just friends anyway... I get the impression that this is a foreign thing to other people. I suppose you don't go living lives like ours, seeing the things we had to grow up with and feel very close to the real people we call family. I even told Weasley, once a member of our family adopts another person in, the rest of us may have our little hissy fits, but we'll come around. Family is family after all."

"True. And Draco meant well. He only did it so I'd get my head out of my arse and actually start being with Hannah instead of trying to be all noble, which really was a terrible idea, now that I think about it."

"Blaise Zabini, noble? Who knew?" She grinned as she turned to the little house-elf at the door. He was carrying a platter with bags taller than he was. Setting it down on the little table, it was only when he came out from behind the bags did she see that it was Baxter. He jumped a little at seeing her and looked about ready to speak when he thought better of it.

"Thank you, Baxter," she said quietly. Her anger at the elf from her childhood had all but disappeared, but she didn't want to look weak in front of him. "I hope you're very happy here and that you've been very obedient to your new master."

The little house-elf squeaked, nodding before answering her with a little, "Yes, Mistress Tracey."

"It's Miss Tracey now, Baxter. I'm not your mistress any more. Be sure to remember that from now on," she told hi. He nodded a few dozen times and then moved out of the room quickly. Tracey sighed and looked over at Blaise. "Shall we keep confessing, or can we eat? I'm famished!"

He grinned and grabbed a bag. "You eat, I'll keep confessing. I want to see your face when you find this out. You'll laugh. Promise."

They both settled down with their food and Blaise looked up, grinning. "Remember that time in fifth year, the Truth and Dare? Where Draco and I kissed and some smart-arse third year snapped a photograph of it?" When she nodded, he continued. "Apparently, Weasley was over doing some healing before the clinic opened, and she saw it, so she thought we were gay. And he didn't correct her. I didn't find out until a week ago when she made some off-hand comment about how she didn't want to hear what we did in bed together. That night we had a celebratory dinner here and she brought her boyfriend, and when we acted a bit too gay for the likes of him, he bolted. Well, it was more of a Blaise, Weasley, and Draco sandwich in the pool with Draco being naked and me nearly there, but still."

Shaking her head of images of two of the boys she'd known all her life in a compromising position, Tracey couldn't help but laugh. "You're taking the piss, I'm sure of it. Who'd believe that you two... the Man-whore and the Slytherin Sex God were poofters? She didn't really believe it, did she? I thought you said... all right, you didn't say, that he was mad over her? I know Draco, when he's mad for someone, it's pretty damn obvious. She doesn't think it any more, does she? He set her straight, pardon the pun."

"Of course she believed it. We didn't exactly act like we weren't, although if she had looked closer, she would have seen how arse-over-tit he was for her."

Tracey shook her head. Poor Draco. She hoped Weasley had managed to get her head out of her arse soon. A frustrated Malfoy was the last thing the world needed. Bad things happened when Draco was kept from the things that he wanted for too long. Even this new and improved version, she was sure of it.

She couldn't help but sigh in contentment. It felt good to be like this. It used to be this way all the time - just Tracey and Blaise - though before Greg and Draco came home it was time usually spent laughing over Pansy's latest conquest. Even now, when Blaise had Hannah and Theo was slaving away at the office so he could come home and spend the entire weekend with her, it felt good to just be here with Blaise. It had been too long. Tracey took another bite of her kebab and leaned back happily. It was a scary thing when you finally realised that you were happy, really happy - despite having rubbish things happen to you.


(Summary: Tracey and Blaise finally settle in for some long overdue girl-talk)