The Fine Line Between Love and Hate | Dramione AU by Short-circuit-Soulmate

Chapter 20

...in which things get put right, and things just go wrong.

The sun shone across the Black lake, causing golden streaks to ripple across the surface each time the water was broken. As Blaise stared at the beautiful sight from his position under the Beech tree with his friends, he couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to never come back to this. To have died.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that Blaise had awoken from his coma to find out that he'd nearly been killed in a not-so-accidental Quidditch accident, and ever since then he had been a lot more grateful of the things he used to take for granted.

One of those things was the beauty of Hogwarts and the surrounding ground. He'd never really taken the time to look, but it really was a magical place. It was sad to think that after the end of this year, he would only have one year left.

His days were so busy that he'd often had little time to stop and relax. Since his accident, his friends had been reluctant to let him out of their sight. They insisted he join them in whatever they did, which often meant sitting around bored.

Luna hadn't been so forceful, unfortunately. Blaise would've quite enjoyed the unwavering attention of his eccentric girlfriend. It seemed, however, that it was he who always wanted to spend more time with her. It seemed with Luna, there was no possible way to play it cool. She was just naturally cooler at everything. It also seemed though, that she didn't mind Blaise's constant attention.

He had also spent a lot of time with Hermione in the library, doing homework and assignments together when Draco wasn't demanding her constant attention. Since he was no longer playing Quidditch, and had a lot more time on his hands, Draco was around a lot more. Hermione didn't seem to mind, in fact, Blaise had noticed her eyes had become rather glazed over when she looked at him lately. Blaise didn't know what that was about and he didn't particularly want to know. He was just glad they seemed to be getting along, even if they still hadn't made their relationship public.

Blaise honestly wondered if they ever would. He understood it was different to his and Luna's relationship, but if you really cared, wasn't it worth it?

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a loud guffaw coming from beside him. It was Potter, eyeing something that must have been of great amusement. Following the gaze of the bespectacled boy, Blaise saw the scene that had caused the laughter.

Across the lawn, Nott stood in full Quidditch uniform, yelling rather loudly at two of the other team members, who were notably not wearing their own.

"I told you three times in the past two days we were having a practise today!" The black haired Slytherin growled angrily, "You bloody well knew it! You can be replaced you know?"

The two other boys shrugged.

"You're a shit Captain anyway." One of them commented before they both walked off.

Nott looked as though a vein were going to pop in his neck because of his anger. Next to him, his friend Culver stood leaning on his broom looking thoroughly bored.

The sight only seemed to make Potter's laughter louder, and soon Weasley joined in. Blaise snuck a glance at Draco to find him ripping up a blade of grass with a blank expression on his face. It seemed, even after all this time, he was still hurt about his loss of the captaincy.

"Oi, Nott! Looks as though you don't even have a team to Captain!" Weasley bellowed across the lawn. Nott turned at the sound and immediately his face darkened. In a few quick, angry strides he was standing less the 3 feet away from the group, glaring at Draco.