A/N: YAY! Congratulations to harryhermione731 for being our 200th reviewer! Harryhermione731 has also won our EARLY-CHAPTER-CONTEST/GIVE-AWAY! YAY! So, while you all are reading this chapter, keep in mind that harryhermione731 has read it a FULL WEEK before all of you!
Dolly: Makes you jealous, doesn't it?
Llama: Jealous enough…to kill?
Dolly: Uh-what? No, no, no! Of course, not!
Llama: Well, in any case, the chapter is now posted for you all to see! YAY!
Dolly: Yes. Yay, indeed.
Llama: *looks nervously at Dolly but then regains composure* Yes! Well, enjoy Chapter Seventeen, everyone!
Dolly: Yes. Enjoy it, indeed.
Llama: ……. *cough*
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"TALKING" ((THINKING))
"Wal-Mart! Para su familia y todo corazon!" Blaise sang as he burst into Draco's room for tutoring. He suddenly stopped and struck a pose. "Siempre," he said seductively to no one in particular.
Ginny, Draco, and Neville all stared at him.
"What was that?" Ginny asked after a moment.
"It's a slogan for a Muggle store that sells walls!" Blaise replied easily.
"Wal-Mart doesn't sell walls," she laughed. (A/N: Don't ask us how in the world she knows that.)
"Whatever! I just saw the commercial on the tell-all-vision my dad got me for Christmas. I charmed it to work in Hogwarts." Blaise draped an arm around Ginny's shoulders. "Maybe sometime we could get together…and see what's on the tell-all-vision," he winked.
"You mean the television," she pushed his arm off, "and no."
Blaise simply shrugged and began singing again. "Wal-Mart! Para su familia y todo corazon!" He struck the pose again, "Siempre."
"Do you even know what you're saying, Zabini?" Draco asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"Who cares? As long as we're best friends!" Blaise beamed as he tackled Draco into a bear hug.
Draco pushed him away and took him by the shoulders. "Did you hear everything?" he asked Blaise seriously.
"I followed you when you left the room."
"You can't tell anyone. Not a word. Swear."
"That we're best friends?"
"No! I mean about the plan!"
"What plan? Best friends…? Friends…Best! Best friends!"
"Do you have selective hearing or something?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind." Draco let go of Blaise and remembered that he was wasting time again.
"Hey, uh, Malfoy?" Neville asked timidly.
"What?!" Draco snapped.
"Can I use your bathroom?"
"Fine, just don't stink it up or clog the loo," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the bathroom. "And use the seat covers!" he yelled after him.
Suddenly an idea struck Draco.
"Hey Blaise! Best pal," he said as he patted Blaise on the back. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Sure, anything!" Blaise cried happily, clapping his hands.
"Well…" Draco stole a glance at Ginny, who at the moment, had her back to them and was stirring the cauldron's contents, "Go over there and block the bathroom door, so the squib gets locked in."
"That'd be fun!" Blaise shrieked with excitement.
Draco nudged him in the ribs and hissed, "Shut up! Now go over there!" And when Draco saw a jittery Blaise full of excitement, he scowled, "And would you just act casually? Gods, you're like a dog ready to hump someone!"
Blaise smiled brightly and jumped to his feet. He not-so-secretly skipped towards the loo's entrance, while humming his "Wal-Mart" tune under his breath and dramatically leaned against the door.
When he sighed loudly, Ginny looked over her shoulder at him and rolled her eyes, "You're so strange, Blaise."
"Just doin' me job, ma'am," he said as he saluted her and began to wink continuously at Draco.
"Is your eye okay? 'Cuz it's kind of twitching." Ginny pointed to her eye and Blaise stopped winking. He laughed nervously and Ginny shook her head. ((Typical Blaise,)) she thought as if she was used to the raven-haired boy's antics.
Draco slowly crept toward Ginny. He took a deep breath and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Nev-" she turned, "Oh, it's you, Malfoy."
"What happened to calling me Draco?" he asked, tilting his head and raising one eyebrow.
"I-uh…" she stumbled with her words.
Suddenly there was a banging noise coming from the bathroom door. Draco and Ginny spun around to see Blaise trying to keep the shaking door closed by pulling on the doorknob.
"Blaise!" Ginny cried.
He turned back at them with a maniacal grin on his face. "'Ello, ol' mum!" he cackled.
"What are you doing?!" Ginny shrieked.
"Just me job!" he answered. Draco immediately had a coughing fit.
"Oh, God!" Ginny gasped. "Are you alright, Draco?" She began hitting him on the back, screaming, "Breathe! Breathe!"
"I'm alright!" he coughed.
There was now banging noises coming from inside the bathroom.
Blaise then began screaming. "No way, José! You are not coming out of there! I will not fail my best friend! You will not prevail!" he cackled madly.
There was a muffled voice coming from the other side of the door.
"Neville?!" Ginny ran to the door and pressed her ear against it. "Draco, please! He's claustrophobic!"
"Oh, please! That bathroom is bigger than your house," Draco scowled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Blaise, let go!" Ginny yelled.
"No! I'm obeying orders!"
"LET GO!"
"I MUSTN'T!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"LET GO!"
"NEVER!"
With a sudden burst of strength, Ginny pushed Blaise off of the door and threw it open. A hysterical Neville fell upon her in an embrace and they wept together.
Blaise hung his head and walked over to Draco.
"I have failed you as a best friend. I do not deserve your love," he said quietly, not looking up from the floor.
"Well…you tried," Draco offered.
"I'll make it up to you, mate. Dunno when, dunno how. But, I will."
"Sure, Blaise," Draco said nervously as he awkwardly patted the defeated boy on the back.
Draco stayed up that whole night planning their next tutoring session.
((This time she is going to notice me!))
Before he knew it, it was time for his first class. He grabbed his book bag and ran out the door, totally oblivious to the fact that his eyes were bloodshot, hair disheveled, and only wearing his silk green pajama pants. He was running so fast that when Blaise stepped in front of him he couldn't stop and toppled right into him.
"Whoa, there!" Blaise cried as they both fell to the floor.
Draco grumbled an apology as they both lifted themselves from the floor.
"It's alright. I was just coming up to tell you what happened at breakfast," Blaise grinned maliciously.
Draco's shoulders fell. "What did you do?" he sighed.
"Oh, you'll see in a second! Let's go to Potions!" Blaise grabbed Draco's arm and began pulling him down the corridor. "By the way, didn't you want clothes?"
Draco cursed as Blaise suddenly stopped and Draco knocked into him again.
"Accio Draco's robes!" Blaise yelled.
Suddenly, a pile of clothing that reached the ceiling came hurdling down the hall at them like an angry swarm of bees.
"Great job, Zabini," Draco rolled his eyes as he picked out an outfit and banished the rest back to his room.
"Thanks!" Blaise replied brightly.
A few moments later, Draco was dressed. He was wearing his black robes with silver lining and a white button-up shirt underneath with simple black pants. He could see his reflection in his black shoes and his "Head Boy" badge sparkled on his front. His tie hung loosely around his neck. He was about to charm his hair back before Blaise stopped him.
"Let it go, Draco. It's better this way, believe me."
"No, it isn't!" Draco stared at him in disbelief.
Blaise seemed to have a slight inner struggle with himself before he looked at Draco and said nervously, "Well, the thing is, Draco… The other way makes you look slightly…gay."
Draco looked outraged.
"Yes, now hurry!" Blaise rushed him forward before he could say anything, "Or we're going to be late!"
So, Draco had to go to Potions without his bucket-of-gel-can-only-keep-it-in-place-hair, but his fan-girls-love-it-sexy-cool-hot-hot-superhot!-hair, instead.
Draco and Blaise strut into Potions and took their seats in the back. Draco kept running a hand through his hair, which was gaining him the attention of many girls in the room.
"Ah-Malfoy, Zabini," came a voice from behind them. "I see you've finally decided to join us."
Draco's eyes widened as he turned around to face Ginny. "Gin? What the bloody hell are you doing here?!"
She blushed slightly and Draco frowned, mentally kicking himself as he greeted her so commonly in front of everyone. Ron looked especially murderous, and the Slytherins looked slightly confused and betrayed.
Ginny cleared her throat, "I was just asked to watch the class attempt to brew the Nocturnal Nectar potion, as it seems that I'm the only one in this whole school besides Professor Snape who knows how to make it perfectly," she said. Hermione huffed slightly and crossed her arms.
Ginny ignored her and continued, "There was an…accident at breakfast."
Draco quickly scanned the room and noticed that Neville was not present. When he caught Harry's eye, the scar-head simply shrugged, but Draco could tell he looked happier than usual. He looked at Blaise and the silly Slytherin merely winked at him.
Draco turned pale (well, paler than usual) and nervously looked back at Ginny. She looked as if she was trying to keep from ripping his head off.
"I'd like to have a word with you outside, Malfoy," she said darkly.
Remembering that he was in a room full of Slytherins and Gryffindors, Draco attempted to salvage his stature. "Excuse me, Weasley?" he sneered.
"You heard me, you bloody prat!"
"Now, now…It's not a question of whether I heard you or not-as I'm sure everyone in Hogwarts has-but, you can't tell me what to do. You're only a sub, and a sixth year at that. Besides, I'm Head Boy."
Ginny was growing angrier, "Get off your bloody arse and come outside!"
"Hmm…sit comfortably, or take orders from a weasel?" Draco frowned in mock thoughtfulness. Seeing the look on Ginny's face now, though, he decided that it was best he went with her.
"Okay, okay. I'm coming," he muttered as he got up from his seat.
"Ooh!" Blaise chimed childishly as they walked out the door.
As soon as it shut, Ginny erupted.
"What the bloody hell is your problem?!" she shrieked.
"I had to say something," Draco said calmly, "If I just went along with you they would all get suspicious."
"Forget that! You know what I bloody well mean!"
"What are you on about?" Draco asked, slightly uncomfortable.
"Can't you just leave him alone?!"
"Leave who alone?"
"Give it up, Draco!"
"I never give up! …Even if I knew what you were talking about!"
"I'm telling you one last time, leave Neville alone!"
"I haven't done anything to him!"
"Oh, so the house elves put the Nocturnal Nectar into his pumpkin juice?"
"Nocturnal Nectar?" Draco asked. "I don't even know how to make it!"
Ginny ignored him. "How could you do that?!" she screamed.
"I said I don't know how to make that potion!" Draco shouted just as loud, "Hence, the tutoring!"
"I mean, he's such a nice boy!" Ginny went on, "What has he ever done to you?"
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Draco shouted as loud as he could.
Back in the classroom, Blaise shrieked happily, "I wonder what they're doing out there!" He hummed merrily while the surrounding students whispered animatedly.
Ginny immediately stopped talking. After a moment she raised an eyebrow, "What did you say?"
"I said…I didn't do whatever you think I did," Draco massaged his temples, "First of all, I don't even know how to create that Neutral Neeter-"
"It's Nocturnal Nectar," Ginny interrupted.
"Yeah, yeah. Second, I wasn't even at breakfast today!" he pointed out before mumbling quietly, "Not that you would notice anyway, 'cuz you're always hanging on Longbottom's body!"
"What did you just say?!" Ginny asked angrily.
"Nothing," Draco held up his hands in surrender, "By the way, why would I do it? Haven't you ever considered someone else…someone like Blaise?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Ginny waved her hand as if to dismiss the option, "Hello! He's in tutoring; he doesn't even know how to make it."
Draco imitated her and waved his hand in front of her face, "Hello! I'm in tutoring! I don't know how to make it!"
Ginny just shook her head, "But, Blaise is a nice boy. Weird, but nice."
Draco sighed in frustration, "Haven't you ever noticed that Blaise came to our tutoring sessions just now?" he used his hands to gesture for emphasis, "Just after the New Year's Ball? After he saw you with Longbottom, another guy?"
"So?" Ginny blinked.
"Haven't you ever heard the saying-'People always want what they can't have?'"
"What does that have to do with me and Neville?"
The corners of Draco's mouth twitched, "Don't you see? People-meaning Blaise-want you because apparently you're with 'Neville.'" Draco created quotation marks in the air with his index and middle fingers while saying "Neville."
"Me and Neville?" Ginny leaned back as if she didn't care any, but she couldn't help but smile wide, "Are people talking about us or something?" she asked eagerly as she leaned in close, eyes wide.
Draco jumped back at their close proximity, but felt like cursing something as he watched her getting all excited over the stupid disgrace of a wizard. He rolled his eyes, "That's not the point, Ginny! The point is that Blaise probably did it." He waited for Ginny's reaction, but when none came he continued, "After all, he did trap Neville in that bathroom of mine," he laughed nervously.
Ginny scoffed. "Whatever," she sneered as she turned to go back into the classroom.
"Wait!" Draco grabbed her arm. "I'm not done!" ((I'll make her believe me,)) he thought to himself.
Ginny looked at him expectantly.
"Well, don't you at least think it's a little weird that Blaise knew how to make that potion all year, but now he doesn't? Did he suddenly forget or something?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
It took Ginny a moment, but when her eyes widened in realization, they quickly squinted into thin slits.
"Zabini," she whispered dangerously under her breath.
Draco laughed. "What happened, anyway? What did the stupid lump do this time?" he asked with a malicious grin on his face.
Ginny looked down, "He hexed Professor Snape," she mumbled.
"WHAT?!" Draco burst out, "That was his deepest desire?! To hex Snape?!" He was doubled over now, clutching his gut, laughing like someone had put a Cheering Charm on him.
Ginny sniffed and put her hands on her hips. "He wanted to be brave!" she pouted.
"Whoo," Draco breathed as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "That was a good one, Gin. Thanks for the talk." He turned and walked back into the classroom. Ginny scoffed and followed.
Ginny searched the room and yelled, "Zabini!"
Blaise stretched his neck from where he was sitting when his ears perked up and he stared intently in Ginny's direction. She stomped her foot and pointed at a spot in front of her.
"You come here right now!" she barked.
Blaise shrunk in his seat. His eyes briefly glanced at Draco who was now silently backing away from the explosive red-head.
"Did I do something wrong?" Blaise asked innocently at the whole room.
Ginny sighed impatiently, stomped right over to Blaise, and she yanked him by his ear out of the classroom and slammed the door behind her. She knew it probably looked ridiculous-this petite fireball bossing around a nearly grown man over a head taller than her-but it had to be done.
A series of muffled shouts, yelps, and crashes were heard, and then a moment later Blaise came back inside with his head hung low.
He slowly walked to Draco and looked up briefly before returning his gaze to the floor. "I have failed you…once again," he said quietly.
Draco looked down at him sympathetically and shook his head.
"Class dismissed!" Ginny shouted as she came back in, "Now, get outta here!"
After what they had all just witnessed, the students packed as quickly as they could, terrified at what she might do next.
"Except you two," Ginny said, standing at a desk up front, bent over some paperwork, "Malfoy, Zabini." She didn't look up, "Remember, we have tutoring tonight; I'll see you at eight o'clock… Now, you're excused."
Draco glanced at Blaise who still hung his head. When clear out of earshot he said, "Now for 'Plan B.'"
A/N: Bwahahaha! Did you like it?
Dolly: For those of you who didn't get the whole "Plan B" thing, "Plan A" was when he told Blaise to lock Neville in the bathroom…and "Plan B" is the thing he is going to do next! Remember: "Draco stayed up that whole night planning their next tutoring session."
Llama: Oh, gosh, DOLLY! I just can't wait till we can post the next chapter! It's just so cool!
Dolly: Yeah! Remember how much fun we had writing it?
Llama: And then reading it, and re-reading it, and then reading it again!
Dolly: And laughing…
Llama: And loving…
Dolly: Good times, good times.
Llama: And crying…
Dolly: Really? You cried? Which part?
Llama: Well, I couldn't exactly tell you without ruining it for the readers, could I?
Dolly: But, you seriously cried?
Llama: I don't really know… If I did at all, then it must have been from laughter!
Dolly: Well, I suppose you could cry at the part that-
Llama: Yes, well I guess you could, yes. Now, no more about it-we might give something away!
Dolly: Yes, you're right.
Llama: I love The Torch from Fantastic Four.
Dolly: And I love The Thing from Fantastic Four-I mean Mr. Fantastic!
Llama: And I love Draco&Blaise!
Dolly: And I love Blaise&Draco! And DracoandBlaise!
Llama: *in an undertone* Although, they are all the same people, all-in-all…
Dolly: *ferociously* WHAT?!
Llama: Nothing, bloody hell…