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Whip Him Into Shape
Mei Queen
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Authoress' Note: HP7 will have no bearing on this story at all. So don't be overtly obvious and point out that it's out of canon. I'm saying it now, lol. Also, please don't hold my long time between updates (sorry, life gets in the way sometimes) against whether or not your review…if you don't review, I don't get to hear all the awesome criticisms or comments you guys have, and that's what helps me improve!
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Chapter 2: Blaise Plays
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Ginny Weasley sighed, grimacing at the image in the mirror of the Gladrags' dressing room. "Ugh. Hideous," she muttered, pulling at the clingy blue satin. The gym's manager, Jacques Ferdinand, was hosting a private soiree at his home to celebrate his newest clients, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. As the trainer for the client, Ginny was expected to be there the entire time…she was just hoping he wouldn't force her to make a speech like she had to with the Patil account.
"How's it lookin', Gin?" Jacques called through the stall door. He was shopping with her as usual, because fashion was not Ginny's strong suit, and Jacques relished any chance to act like a host on the Muggle show 'What Not to Wear.'
Ginny snorted. "Um…it's been better. It's far too clingy to my arse. And the bottom flares out too much, I look like a bloody Muggle mermaid!"
Jacques rolled his eyes. "Thus the 'mermaid' dress, Ginny. Your observational facilities remain as sharp as ever. Come out, let me see. It can't be all that bad…"
The redhead turned miserably, unlocking the door.
Jacques' eyes bugged slightly. "Okay…maybe it can be that bad. Merlin, it looked good on the hanger. Well, we'll just find something else, won't we? I'll try something that's a little less…fitted this time."
Ginny nodded mutely. Thinking of something, she lifted her head and called to the retreating Frenchman, "Make sure to get it in emerald green! I think Malfoy will appreciate the gesture."
Jacques, who knew nothing about the history of Hogwarts (he attended Beauxbatons, after all), simply shrugged and nodded. He was used to nothing less than borderline insanity from his staff, so Ginny's quirks came as no surprise to him.
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"Here you go," Jacques said a few moments later, setting a few emerald green dresses on top of the door. Ginny pulled them down and started trying them on, absentmindedly listening to Jacques' steady stream of babble.
"You won't believe who was out there, Gin. Merlin, he's hot! All fitted robes and nice arse, and I could have sworn he glanced my way!" Jacques was plainly working himself up into an excited frenzy. Ginny just rolled her eyes in amusement. Ninety percent of the men Jacques was 'sure were checking him out' were actually straight. Ginny often joked that Jacques' "gay-dar" was broken because nothing French-made lasts for long.
She chuckled softly, zipping herself up into a swingy cocktail number. The dress was strapless, with an A-line skirt that ended at the knee. Simple, easy, I like it, Ginny thought to herself in surprise. "I found it, Jacques! Finally!"
She swung wide the door, and Jacques gasped in appreciation of his own good taste. "Gods, I'm good," he muttered with a self-satisfied smirk. "It looks great on you, Gin. Especially the green, the colour really balances your hair out nicely."
Ginny smiled in appreciation at the compliment. "Thanks, Jacques. Now how about we take a look at your bloke?"
Jacques grinned like the cat that got the cream, motioning for the two of them to walk back out onto the sales floor.
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"See, there he is," Jacques whispered, trying to point the man out to Ginny as unobtrusively as possible. Ginny casually followed Jacques' line of vision, eyes falling upon a figure that looked vaguely familiar from the back. Dark hair, black cloak with green lining…probably Slytherin, she decided. The man's hand came out to check his mobile. Dark skin, and is that…a sports watch?
"No go," she muttered to Jacques. "He's got to be straight."
"Why do you have to go and ruin my fantasies like that?" the Frenchman whined in reply. "I pick out nice dresses for you, I give you your Christmas bonus…I'll give you time off to go to the bloody Bahamas after the Malfoy account, and this is how you repay me? Crushing my hopes and dreams? Cruel wench."
Ginny snorted. "I can't help the truth. He's wearing a beat-up sports watch. Not a Rolex, nothing fancy, and certainly not one of those bizarre but socially acceptable sports watches that tells you the time in seven different countries or works underwater for divers. It's just a terrible watch picked by a single straight man with no woman in his life."
Jacques sighed. "Always happens. Well, you should make a move then, chicken. 'Sides, you could use a date for our little gathering."
The redhead chuckled. "No thanks. Single is far more comfortable to me than taking a blind date into the lion's den of Slytherins."
The Frenchman groaned at Ginny's characteristic passivity. "Do I have to do everything myself?"
Before Ginny could stop him, her boss was rapidly approaching the single man with the determination of a marathon runner.
"Jacques, no!" she hissed, but it did no good. Jacques was already tapping the man on the shoulder, and before Ginny could really register what was happening, she found herself face-to-face with Blaise Zabini for the first time since her Hogwarts days.
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"Well," Blaise drawled, his mind dimly registering the Weasley. "This is a surprise."
His gaze then flitted to the Frenchman who had tapped him in the first place. "I'm sorry," Blaise said, confused. "Do I know you?"
Jacques opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Ginny. "This is the manager of the gym I work at. His name is Jacques Ferdinand. Jacques, this is Blaise Zabini, someone I know from my schooldays."
A light seemed to register in Blaise's mind as he shook hands with Jacques. "Wait…Shape Gyms, right?"
Ginny nodded cautiously. Oh Merlin, please don't say he's…
"I'm in the wedding party! Malfoy and Pansy!" Blaise proclaimed with a smile. "I'm their best man!"
Ginny smiled weakly. "Great," she muttered half-heartedly, trying to ignore the flood of emotions that were going through her at the thought of spending the next few months with this man. Sure, he's attractive, but he's a Slytherin…and I definitely don't trust him. Anyone who's best man for a Malfoy can't be trusted. But that doesn't stop him being attractive.
Jacques licked his lips unconsciously. "Are you? Well, what a happy coincidence! Miss Weasley here is your trainer!"
Blaise smirked at the redhead. "Wow…well, now I'm looking forward to it."
Ginny's face was shuffling through different shades of green. Right now, it was borderline puce. "Fabulous," she muttered softly. "Well, we must be going; I've got to pay for my dress for this evening… Jacques! Come on!"
She pinched the Frenchman's arm, trying to stir him out of whatever happy coma he'd fallen into since setting eyes on Blaise. Jacques whimpered in pain, narrowing his eyes at Ginny angrily. "Let's go, Jacques," she hissed.
"Fine," he muttered furiously. "Excuse us, Mr. Zabini."
"Blaise, please," the Slytherin replied with a smirk. He loved the effect he had on people. Women, gay men, it didn't matter. He enjoyed placing them under his spell, seeing them fall into lust with his features. He rarely returned the sentiments, but he certainly enjoyed receiving them.
His eyes watched Ginny and Jacques walk up to the register. Unconsciously, Blaise noted Ginny's toned figure, and the way her arse was featured in those jeans. Well, the Slytherin thought to himself, I suppose I wouldn't mind returning her sentiment. Part of me is actually quite excited to be around her in the coming months. Who would've guessed?
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Ginny walked up to Jacques' door with trepidation in every step. Draco Malfoy would be here. Most of his wedding party probably would. That stupid bint Pansy would be here, too. All the people she'd made it a priority to avoid in her schooldays, all crammed into one place like sardines. She couldn't think of a more pleasant way to spend an evening…except, perhaps, driving a car off a cliff. Or getting hit by a train. Or…
Her mind stopped with the suicidal possibilities as someone joined her on the doorstep.
"Have you rung the bell yet?" a voice whispered close to her ear, sending a chill up her nerve endings. Turning, she saw the same man she'd seen earlier today.
"Zabini," she said, nodding curtly. "No, I have not."
Leaning across her (and certainly seeming to brush against any part of her that he could in the process), Blaise Zabini rung the doorbell. "I was hoping you'd say that," he whispered, before going back to his place, a respectable few feet from Ginny. So when Jacques Ferdinand opened the door, he had no idea why his trainer was beet red and exhaling breaths furiously, since Zabini was at least three feet from her on the doorstep.
"Evening, Jacques," Blaise murmured smoothly, before graciously allowing Ginny to go ahead of him into the house.
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Ginny downed her third glass of champagne. Her head was buzzing, but she didn't care. She just wanted to drown out Blaise…and Malfoy, come to that. There was an uncomfortable tension around the Slytherins that she wasn't sure she liked. She had no idea what she would do when it came to the actual training sessions…it wasn't like she could just uncork a bottle of champagne while they were exercising. And the idea of Blaise sweaty or, Merlin forbid, shirtless… was starting to make her break out in hives.
"Evening, Weasley," Malfoy drawled, sidling up to her. Ginny was standing, head leaning against the wall, trying to drown out the noise.
"Hi, Malfoy."
"So," the blond murmured, smirking. "How are you enjoying my little party?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. He always thought everything was for him…little did he know they had a party like this for any client who paid amounts like he was going to. She looked over at the Malfoy, who was gazing intently back at her with his stone-grey eyes, smirk still permanently glued to his features. She wanted to wipe that smirk right off his face, and was pretty sure she knew how to do it.
"Nope. I think it sucks. I'm only here because I have to be," she muttered evenly, so Jacques couldn't hear.
Draco snorted, leaning against the space of wall next to her. "You know," he whispered. "I agree."
Ginny couldn't believe her ears. The party was for him, these were all his friends and wedding party, and he wasn't even enjoying himself. Well, isn't that just a bitch? She thought to herself with a chuckle. "Why not? These are all your friends."
"Are they?" Draco asked mysteriously. "Well…I can certainly pick out a few people in here who would gladly tie me to the tracks of the Hogwarts Express for a few Galleons, yourself included."
Ginny snorted. "Oh, please, Malfoy…you cut me to the quick. I'd at least want a hundred Galleons. A girl's got needs, you know."
Malfoy smiled. "I like your spunk, you know that? Not nearly enough birds have that type of spirit."
"Well," she countered evenly, "not nearly enough blokes have your type of brute honesty. It brings out the spirit in me."
"Well, Malfoy," a voice cut in, coming toward them. Ginny looked up into the slanting eyes of Blaise Zabini. "Isn't this cozy?" Blaise muttered derisively. "Don't you have a fiancée to be getting back to, Draco?"
Draco's eyes, before a placid stone-grey, had now turned icy. "Fine. I'll be going, then. See you later, Weasley."
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"What did you do that for?" Ginny asked Blaise curiously, signalling the waiter to come over with more champagne.
Blaise noted her signal with amusement. "What is that, your sixth glass? Trying to drown out your feelings for me, are you?"
She snorted in reply. "Hardly. You blokes don't have nearly the effect you think you do," she said, slurring slightly as she sipped from her fourth glass of the evening. Hmm, I wonder how I'm getting home…I certainly can't Apparate like this, she thought blearily. I'll splice myself into pieces.
"Is that so?" Blaise replied, chuckling in amusement. She was beginning to teeter on her feet slightly. What a lightweight, he thought with a grin. "If we don't have such an effect, then it stands to reason that you must be, in fact, an alcoholic."
Her jaw slackened in shock at his audacity. "I'll have you know," she spat irritably, "I'm just enjoying the party. Your mate's bloody party...for chrissakes, don't you have a toast to be making or something? Go away, Zabini."
He nodded, wry grin never leaving his features. She amused him, he was sure of that…and if he played his cards right, perhaps he could be the lucky bloke to escort the pissed Weaselette back to her flat. Ah, the possibilities…
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"- Thank Merlin he found Pansy!" Blaise cheered loudly, raising his wineglass. "I mean, really, who would put up with such a moody bastard besides Ms Parkinson here? And who else would have the trust fund to afford Ms Parkinson? Three cheers for this match made in…well, you know," he finished saucily, making sure to aim a big wink in Ginny's direction as he finished.
While everyone cheered for Blaise's speech, Blaise himself began to make his way through the crowd to where Ginny was standing.
"Oh, bugger, not again," she muttered to Bernard, the gym employee who was standing right next to her.
"What's wrong? He seems nice enough," Bernard murmured. "At least he's funny…Jacques says he's even straight. It couldn't hurt you to actually get some action, you know…you haven't dated in like a year."
Ginny threw him a glare. "Keep my dating life outta this, Bern."
"Fine," he replied, pouting slightly. "Do you want me to run interference on this guy, or what? Are you going to talk to him?"
She sighed. "I guess. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't run from Slytherins."
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"Ready for a ride home, Weasley?" Blaise asked suggestively, leaning close to her and jingling his car keys.
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. I swear, God. If someone else comes up and offers me a ride home right now, I'll be good for the rest of my life. I'll never eat junk food again. I'll work out everyday. I'll even be nice to Ron! Please…
"Need a ride?"
Ginny smiled at the ceiling, thanking God for his expedient answer to her prayers, before looking down gratefully at her saviour.
Draco Malfoy.
That God sure has a cruel sense of humour.
Just then, before she was forced to choose between two of the horsemen of the apocalypse, Jacques walked by, surreptitiously scoping out Blaise for the millionth time that evening. "Jacques!" she called gratefully.
He turned to the redhead, confused. Why the hell is she talking to the gay man when she has two incredibly attractive straight men offering her rides home? The woman is hopeless…really, what would she do without me?
Walking toward her, he asked, "What's up?"
"Can I crash on your couch?" she asked softly. "I've had a few too many glasses of champagne, and I'm scared to Apparate."
He nodded mutely. "S'fine. But wouldn't your own bed be more comfortable? I'm sure one of these two gentlemen would take you home."
Blaise beamed. "Yes. I told her I would; it's no problem at all. I barely had one glass…'sides, I don't have a woman waiting up for me like Draco."
Jacques grinned at Ginny. "So what do you think?"
Ginny sighed. It was plain that Jacques wanted her to go with Blaise…she was guessing that Jacques figured if Ginny started dating Blaise, she wouldn't mind Jacques constantly checking him out. After all, he had set them up. She could just imagine the guilt trip now…but still; she didn't want to disappoint him. He was her boss, after all, and she was grateful that he was trying to spice up her life a little, even if she wished he could have found someone who was in a different House at Hogwarts to do it.
She rolled her eyes, mentally bracing herself for what she was about to say. "Fine. I'll go with Blaise."
Draco shook his head. There goes another one, he thought mentally. She had such potential, too…
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"That's me," Ginny murmured, pointing at the flat a ways up the street. Her voice was still slurring slightly from all the champagne.
Blaise smirked. "Oh, okay."
Pulling over, he killed the motor, and looked over at the redhead in his passenger seat. Taking in the strapless dress that clung to her breasts like a second skin, he found his heartbeat quickening slightly. His voice took on a husky tone as he asked, "Are you tired?"
"I dunno, not really," she said, confused. Would it be rude for me to just open the door and get out? He doesn't seem to want me to get out. I don't want to be rude…especially since I'm going to be working with this guy for the next few months. I'm going to kill Jacques for putting me in this position…
His eyes lit up slightly. "Good," he whispered.
She looked up at Blaise in confusion. "Good how?"
Big mistake. He was looking at her like a lion eyeing its prey, licking his lips hungrily, ready to devour her at the earliest possible opportunity. Oh Merlin. Get out of here, Gin, she said to herself mentally. "Well…thanks, Zabini," she said clearly, hoping that using his surname would dissipate the sudden unwanted intimacy that had settled between the two of them. "I should be going."
"Wait," he whispered.
She turned back to him cautiously. "What?"
"Just…" he whispered, allowing his voice to trail off. His eyes were now completely focused on her lips, and the shiny, juicy look that her lipgloss had given them. Blaise found that he couldn't hold it back any longer. He leaned down, capturing her lips with his, with as much force and intensity as he could muster.
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Ginny had no idea what was going on. It was the next morning, and somehow, she found herself in her soft bed, surrounded by her many pillows, still in her party dress from the night before. At least I'm not wearing my shoes anymore, she noted dimly. God, my head fuckin' hurts!
Getting up and tying on her robe, she slipped her feet into her slippers. Padding into the kitchen, she shielded her eyes against the bright fluorescent light, searching for some damn aspirin. Stupid champagne. I knew I shouldn't have drunk so much, she thought regretfully. After an aspirin and a lot of water, the Weasley was feeling much better. Looking to the fruit bowl on her kitchen counter for breakfast, she was startled to find a note propped against the nectarines.
Ginny-
I was on my own way home, and saw Zabini's car on the side of the street, and saw Zabini making a move on you. He probably would have gone much farther if I hadn't interrupted. Since you weren't yourself, I figured I should do something. I brought you in here and took off your shoes. Sorry you had to sleep in your new dress.
Sincerely,
Draco M
Ginny's eyes widened in shock, and her hand drifted to the side, allowing the note to trickle down to the floor. No bloody way. Draco stopped Blaise making a move on me when I was pissed. Not to mention he made sure I got inside safely. Hell, he even tucked me in to bed! Well…I suppose now I can honestly say that I've seen everything. I wonder how much more awkward this will make my individual workouts with Draco…
Then another thought hit her. How the hell am I going to act with Zabini?!
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Authoress' Note: Reviews are good for the soul.