Things changed a lot in the winter of Blaise’s fifth year. Draco started to fancy Pansy Parkinson, but he was nervous about actually talking to her. Blaise got tired of hearing him bemoaning his great love for her, and how she was ignoring him completely. He was convinced she’d reject him if he asked her to Hogsmeade. Blaise watched her narrowly for a few days, and being much more objective than Draco, was nearly positive that she might like him, or at least not make fun of him to his face. Draco wouldn’t even listen to him, though, but kept on complaining and worrying.
Finally, Blaise got so aggravated by Draco that he decided to put an end to his whining. One night in the common room, Blaise purposely sat near Pansy and her little group of friends as they studied for the upcoming OWLs. He listened to them talking, and soon interrupted on the conversation, agreeing with Millicent Bulstrode about Snape’s latest essay being very hard. Their conversation stopped dead as all the girls stared at him blankly.
Blaise was well known for never speaking to anyone if he could avoid it- certainly not joining a conversation out of his own free will. It was like Draco asking a Mudblood to help him with his homework- it simply wasn’t something that could happen. Pansy was the first to recover from the surprise.
“Zabini,” she said, starting to giggle, “what do you think you’re doing?”
“I want to talk to you for a minute,” Blaise said, scowling.
“How are you doing, Blaise?” Daphne Greengrass asked breathlessly. Blaise looked at her strangely, but said politely, “Fine, thank you.”
Pansy’s elbow nudged Daphne’s shoulder, and all the girls burst into fits of giggles, except Millicent Bulstrode, who was not the giggly sort. Blaise internally rolled his eyes.
Bracing himself to carry out his purpose, he said bluntly, “Pansy, what do you think of Draco Malfoy?”
Pansy doubled over in giggles. Blaise waited impatiently. It annoyed him, the way Daphne Greengrass was staring at him like she would never stop, and he stared back at her, hoping she would look away. It didn’t work, so he looked back at Pansy, who was recovering.
“Well, to tell you the truth, Zabini- and you’d better not tell him I said this, or else- but I do think he is, er,” Pansy hesitated, trying to sound like she was being shy and delicate. Blaise knew she wasn’t, though. He’d heard her strident voice in the common room over the years, and what she would say- she was delicate and shy like…like Snape was an adorable, fluffy kitten.
Tracey Davis, a blonde, blue-eyed girl famous for her malicious sense of humor, interrupted Pansy’s hesitation.
“She thinks he’s cute, actually. She tells us that all the time.” Smirking, Tracey leaned back in her seat.
Daphne giggled again. “She’s crazy about him. Anything else you want to know?”
“Thanks, no.” Blaise got up from his seat, ignoring them completely now, and went back to his dormitory to study until Draco came.
Blaise was deeply immersed in his Transfiguration notes when Draco entered, shutting the door behind him. The slamming noise made Blaise look up.
“Oh, Draco,” he said.
“What do you want, Zabini?” Draco asked brusquely.
“I was just speaking with Pansy.” Blaise was satisfied to see Draco’s head jerk up and his eyes focus intently. “You fancy her, don’t you?”
“Of course, you know that, if you ever listen to me,” Draco said. “But she doesn’t even-“
“Yes, yes, I know,” Blaise said hurriedly. Next thing he’d be hearing a pitiful attempt at poetry about unrequited love again, just like he had been forced to listen to last night. Draco really shouldn’t eat that much sausage at dinner. He hurried to the point instead.
“Draco, that isn’t what she said.”
“What?” Draco said, not comprehending.
“She fancies you, Draco.”
“What?”
Blaise rolled his eyes.
“She- is- crazy- about- you,” he enunciated slowly, “and that is a direct quote from Daphne Greengrass. She apparently talks about you all the time.”
Draco looked more surprised than Blaise had ever seen him. He almost laughed at Draco’s expression, but decided it wouldn’t be wise.
“Personally, Draco, I don’t see why you don’t ask her out already. There’s a Hogsmeade weekend in two weeks.”
Draco snapped his mouth shut and said breathlessly, “You’re sure, Blaise?”
“I’m absolutely beyond positive. Unless I have hitherto-undiagnosed hearing problems, I know what I heard,” Blaise said wryly.
Draco looked at him for a moment, then turned around and hurried out of the room. Blaise returned to his studying with a sense of relief.
Two weeks later, Blaise watched Draco and Pansy walk together back down the road toward Hogwarts, talking and smiling at each other. Draco returned to the dorm room in a state of elation, and Blaise was treated to a detailed account of everything Pansy had said and done over the past few hours.
From that point on, Draco would ask for favors from Blaise without threatening him with Crabbe and Goyle, and even do a favor in return if Blaise asked just right. Sometimes they would study together, or share notes, and Draco would have actual conversations with Blaise, telling him not everything, but some things about his grades and his hatred for Potter and Dumbledore. Theodore began talking to Blaise too, and they had some rousing discussions about Mudbloods, Dark magic, girls, and homework. Blaise still spoke to the snakes, but now he had more human contact, if not exactly a best friend.
* * *
When Snape called Blaise to his office for the required meeting about career planning, it was the first time Blaise had ever had a meeting in his office.
“So,” Snape said, his dark eyes staring at Blaise, sizing him up. “Do you have any career plans?”
“I don’t know, sir,” Blaise said, his face carefully blank as it always was when he spoke with a teacher.
“Completely clueless, are you?” Snape said, his voice dry but still managing to sound like he was sneering.
“Pretty much, sir,” Blaise said calmly.
“You haven’t thought about it at all?” Snape stared at him as though he was rather crazy.
“Not especially. Do you have any suggestions for me?” Blaise asked. It turned out to be the right thing to say.
Snape picked up a file of papers on his desk and riffled through it.
“Your grades aren’t too bad…let me see. Yes, you’re about equal in most of your subjects. It would help if you had a preference, since most options are open for you if you keep up the same quality of work. I see your potions, of course, and I’ve seen you have some initiative in brewing them, not just sticking to the rules like most students. Would you like a career in Potions?”
“What kind of job can you get in Potions?” Blaise asked. Implicit in his words was the question; is there a job in Potions that would be classy enough to suit my mother and other purebloods? He knew full well his mother would never let him accept a job considered menial.
Snape seemed to understand. “There are excellent opportunities available, as a matter of fact. Potions is a rapidly growing market these days. Not just teaching the subject, like me, but jobs in developing new potions or improving old ones. There are apprenticeship programs that might take you, in companies that sell potions. They are rather exclusive programs, usually.”
“You think I could do that?” Blaise asked.
“Think about it, and you tell me. Sitting in a lab with other potion-makers, mixing different ingredients and testing the results- does it appeal to you?” Snape stared at him intently, waiting for an answer.
Blaise didn’t give one right away. He thought hard, imagining what it would be like to do that all day. He wouldn’t have to talk to other people all the time, though he would have to here and there, but that didn’t bother him. The idea of experimenting with potion ingredients did rather appeal to him, and it wasn’t like he could think of anything else he’d rather do.
“All right,” Blaise said slowly. “I think I’d like it.”
“Excellent,” Snape said, looking more cheerful than usual. “Just keep up your grades, and take Potions, Herbology, Arithmancy and Charms on the NEWT level. You may take more that that, though, if you wish; it would be advisable. Any questions?”
“Not really,” Blaise said.
“Good luck, then,” Snape said, and Blaise got up to leave. “Blaise?” Snape added.
Blaise looked at him questioningly, wondering what else he could possibly have to say.
“I see you’ve been making more friends recently. It must be hard for you these days, with the death of your stepfather, Mr. Dempster, earlier this year.” Snape looked at him in a way that made Blaise nervous. He didn’t pay much attention to his mother’s doings these days. He had barely met the unpleasant, slimy-looking millionaire she’d married in the beginning of his fourth year, and had only taken one day off school to attend the man’s funeral a year later. It hadn’t made the news much this time, so few students had teased him about it, luckily enough. Why was Snape bringing it up?
Snape didn’t seem to be inclined to explain himself. He said in response to Blaise’s strange look, “Be careful, that’s all I want to say. Use judgment when others make you an offer, whatever it may be for. Think twice before getting into anything.”
“Do you say this to everyone at their career meetings?” Blaise asked, somewhat humorously. Snape’s dark eyes flashed dangerously.
“No. I don’t. You don’t have to take me seriously if you don’t want to.”
“I’ll remember it,” Blaise shrugged, having no idea what Snape was up to.
“You may go, then,” Snape said in a careless tone, turning back to the papers on his desk. Blaise didn’t linger.
A Blaze of Light by Leahr
Chapter Notes: Thanks to RE for her quick read-over! much gratitude. I should put a disclaimer, i dont usually bother, but some people do funny ones. I saw some good ones today. If I had invented Blaise Zabini, I wouldn't be writing this and let's leave it at that.