A Throne of Blood and Stars

Chapter Thirty-One

Only in his room, alone.

She didn't seem to be getting better, but she didn't seem to be getting worse.

And it's been a few weeks since Draco has written to them, but he hopes all is well.

You should be happy for me!

I am, Draco thinks sadly. I am happy for you. I just want you to be careful.

Blaise doesn't know the difference between happy and lovesick, and Draco has seen him come to terms with the differences way too many times.

It hurts him, too. Seeing Blaise sobbing into his pillow, cursing the world left and right. He's always been too sensitive, to heartfelt. Draco doesn't know how he made it into Slytherin.

Oh, but he does, actually.

Because he's seen the look Blaise gets when he's done crying, when he wants revenge.

He's very creative about it, too. The malice in his eyes is something the Dark Lord would have admired greatly, because Blaise can go from heartfelt to heartless really quick, without second guessing it.

Malevolent would be the only word to describe him at that point.

You haven't even been kissed!

Wrong again, dear friend, Draco thinks sadly.

Yet a part of him feels exhilarated every time he thinks back to this morning. Every time he thinks about Harry Potter's hands on his skin. Every time he thinks about Harry's green eyes focused on him. Every time he feels Harry's lips on him again.

He shivers.

So wrong.

*******

"Are you upset?"

Blaise keeps slashing branches with his wand, frustrated that he still has to do this. He could be studying, for Salazar's sake!

"No," Blaise grunts, aggressively throwing a small branch aside. "Why would you think that?"

"Because," Ron dodges a small piece of bark and looks at Blaise worriedly. "You're being a tad...violent."

The Slytherin stops and looks around, gasping at all the chopped and dead greenery, the exact one they were supposed to be nursing back to health. "Salazar, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ron steps forward and pulls him into his chest. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

Ron waits a split moment, listens to Blaise breathing in his scent and rubs his back. "Draco."

"You're having a row with Malfoy?"

"It's not just a row," Blaise lifts his nose from Ron's chest and lays his temple on his shoulder. "This is the first time Draco and I have come to a disagreement on a relationship."

"And that relationship being ours."

"Yes."

"And what did he say?"

"He said that it was too soon to put a label on it. That I don't know anything about you and you don't know anything about me."

Ron stays silent for a moment, he knows Blaise is thinking, and he doesn't want to interrupt him. When Blaise sighs, he knows he's come up blank. "Do you think we jumped into it too soon?"

"No," Blaise exclaims, pulling away from Ron and throwing his hands up. "That's the thing! I don't! And to me, the label means close to nothing because we don't know anything about each other. It's an insurance for me, because I'm an insecure prat who doesn't know how to act around the bloke he fancies!"

The Gryffindor lifts a brow. "The label means nothing?"

Blaise turns around in record time. "What I meant is, I don't care if the label is boyfriend, or significant other. I could call you my husband for all I care. My point is, I wanted you to be my boyfriend because that way I know I can take all the time I need to come to terms with the fact that it's okay to call you my boyfriend."

"But you didn't have to do that," Ron frowns. "I would have waited all the time it takes."

"I know. I know that."

"Blaise," Ron says gently. "I will not do anything you're not ready for. We don't have to be boyfriends, we don't have to not be friends. We can be whatever you want, and we don't even have to label it. I just don't want you to think I'm not going to wait."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You did nothing wrong. I don't want you fighting with your best friend over me, that's ridiculous. That's like fighting with Harry over Hermione. Stupid."

"I just...don't like being wrong," Blaise turns around sheepishly. "And especially since it seems that Draco can never do wrong. He knows how to act, in every situation."

"I know, I've seen it."

"And I'm sorry for dragging you into it."

"I don't mind."

Blaise rushes over and pushes himself into Ron's chest again, takes a deep breath and smiles at the smell of leather and chocolate. "Thank you."

"So...not boyfriends?"

"Not boyfriends."

"Still exclusive?"

"Yep."

"Can I kiss you?"

"Nope."

"Worth a shot."