Red With Black:

50 by Senorita for Blaise & Ginny

In sweet memory of all those sweet memories I have shared with and on SS.
16/ 3/ 07 :: 16/ 3/ 08


{ To Do List }

1. Accio
2. Avada Kedavra
3. Braking Charm
4. Blasting Curse
5. Colloportus
6. Crucio
7. Confundus
8. Diffindo
9. Disapparate
10. Engorgio
11. Expecto Patronum
12. Furnunculus
13. Flagrate
14. Horn Tongue
15. Hurling Hex
16. Impedimenta
17. Imperio
18. Incarcerous
19. Jelly Legs
20. Knitting Charm
21. Langlock
22. Legilimens
23. Levicorpus
24. Lumos
25. Mobilicorpus
26. Morsmordre
27. Muffliato
28. Nox
29. Obliviate
30. Oppugno
31. Orchideous
32. Petrificus Totalus
33. Point Me
34. Protego
35. Quietus
36. Reducto
37. Relashio
38. Rictusempra
39. Sectumsempra
40. Sonorus
41. Scourgify
42. Silencio
43. Specialis Revelio
44. Stupefy
45. Tarantallegra
46. Tergeo
47. Twitchy Ears Hex
48. Unbreakable Vow
49. Wingardium Leviosa
50. Waddiwasi

Pink = Done

______________________

Impressions
Theme # 1: Accio


"You think the spell Potter used was cool?" Blaise Zabini scoffed at the first year. "Are you sure you're even a Slytherin, Denver?"

Marcus shivered.

You get odd-ones-out in every breed, Blaise thought.

“Well?” he demanded impatiently.

“I – ye – NO!” Marcus squeaked, red-faced. “M-most fourth year-rr-s c-can’t d-do it. M-my f-friend said s-so.”

Blaise rolled his eyes. “Let me show you a little practical, Denver.” He raised his wand lazily, just as a group of girls – third years, Gryffindors all of them – filed out from Potions class. “Accio parchment!"

A roll of parchment in the hands of the nearest girl zoomed neatly towards him. All of the girls looked over, but retreated on seeing him – A Slytherin, and not the very friendliest one, either. The one whose parchment he now held, however, did not.

“What’s your problem, Zabini?” Her voice was fierce.

“You can speak, Weasley? By the sight of your robes, anyone would have thought otherwise.”

She elbowed him so hard, he had to grab the nearest wall for support. Snatching her roll of parchment from him, Ginny Weasley stormed off. Zabini raised an eyebrow, a slight smile crossing his face as he turned around.

She was – – Impressive.

You do get odd-ones-out in every breed, after all.

Unexpected Invites
Theme # 2: Avada Kedavra


"Who can tell me the third unforgivable curse, now?"

Moody's half silent question seemed to send a wave of electricity among those in the class who knew the answer. Among them was Ron. Blaise, leaning back in his chair, noticed his immediate reaction without meaning to: He was Ginny Weasley's brother.

Ginny Weasley.

He shook his head, shook away the thoughts. His eyes were wandering around aimlessly, all of a sudden. To think these people were actually scared of a simple, unforgivable curse, one like Avada Kedavra. But he had known the dark arts for too long, now. Perhaps... Perhaps that was why he was not afraid, not afraid of the thought, of the deed.

His face showed too plainly his inner feelings: the feeling of no care, and no worry as far as this class was concerned. He did not think anyone would notice, though. Which was exactly why the event as the class ended, and everyone left - Gryffindors heading their way, Slytherins their, all with their bags and books - came as a surprise to him.

"You want to see me personally in your office, Professor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mad-Eye Moody nodded. "Yes, Zabini."

Seeing Red
Theme # 12: Furnunculus


Ginny giggled as Cormac McLaggen stormed off, livid. Having just challenged Harry to an on-the-spot duel and lost spectacularly, he was clearly aggravated.

"What a jerk," Ron muttered.

"Your sister's boyfriend, you mean," a voice, not far off, shot back.

Ron turned around, red-faced, only to see Blaise. For reasons, he had never liked him. Others would think it was because Zabini was the stereotypical, cunning Slytherin but, if truth be told, Ron had his personal, not-so-pleasant memories associated with the boy.

"You -" he began.

Next moment, he had been thrown backwards, and Blaise was grinning.

"What a tragedy your best friend is, Potter. Ever heard of second-hand robes trying to duel?" Blaise's said coldly. Harry's wand sprang into immediate action but, before he could do anything, Blaise was already ducking Ginny's fierce Furnunculus.

"What's your problem, Weasley?" he demanded angrily, unexpectedly not responding with an even spell.

"You need some special St. Mungo's treatment, Zabini," Ginny spat at him.

"You know you have a way with words that's so... delicious."

Ginny's face was redder than her hair.

- Blaise always knew how to shut her up.

Because We Never Know
Theme # 3: Braking Charm


"Way better than Draco's," Blaise told Marcus Flint loudly. Flint grinned at down at his new chaser.

"Niiice."

Blaise nodded. She stood nearby, a certain redhead, pretending as if she could not hear him, and he was bent upon making her come up to him. "It's nothing. Firebolt's nothing compared to it - unbreakable braking charm here, stronger one than Potter's."

His voice grew just a little too loud and, finally, Ginny did look his way. She looked away immediately on being caught in the act, though.


"Weasley?"

It was ten minutes later, and Marcus had left. Broomstick over his shoulder, the tall, ruddy-faced Blaise presented more than just a pleasing sight: It was an attractive one.

- Ginny ignored him.

"I see you find my new broom... appealing."

Ginny, sitting beneath a tree, continued to gaze at her Arithmancy book.

"Want a ride with me, Weasley?"

"Shut it, Zabini!"

Blaise grinned down at her. "Any chance that means a yes?"

Book under arm, Ginny stood up and marched off. Two feet away, she stopped abruptly and looked back. Blaise stood there, tall and grinning in his Quidditch robes.

"You never know," she just had to say.

Of Pairs and Lessons
Theme # 4: Blasting Curse


"Connfrinngoh," Ginny repeated.

Impatient, Blaise stamped his foot. "The Blasting Curse is Confringo, NOT 'connfrinngoh,' Weasley. Look, I'm not doing this by choice. If Lupin hadn't taken it into his head to pair Slytherins with Gryffindors for his assignment, I'd never be here in the first place. Not my fault I am, is it? I teach you a spell, you learn it. UNDERSTOOD?"

Ginny glared at him. "I'm trying, alright!"

"Yeah, right!"

"Well, you don't know how to teach, you're -"

Their voices had escalated for the umpteenth time, and Lupin looked wearily over. "Mr. Zabini, Miss Weasley, is there a problem?"

"Zabini doesn't know how to teach, Professor," Ginny complained at once

Lupin smiled. "I'm sorry I paired you up with him, then. But you can learn a lot from him, if you try. After all, that was the whole purpose of pairing second years with third years. He's amazing at Defense, Ginny, I know him."

Ginny groaned as Lupin left and glared up at Blaise. "I hate you," she said simply.

Blaise took a step closer. "But you know, I can teach you a lot, Weasley."

He grinned. Ginny blushed.

Staying Close
Theme # 24: Lumos


– Panic.

It seemed as if the Quidditch World Cup had excitement to offer: and not very pleasant one, either.

Blaise, for one, was not excited. Stupid bunch of death eaters, trying to impress. He walked on calmly, until something made him stop.

"Ron? Harry? Hermione?"

It was Ginny Weasley and, for the first time in his life, she sounded scared. Gloom stretched: He knew she could not see anything. Involuntarily, he moved towards her.

"Harry, is that you?"

"No." His voice was cold.

"W-who is it?"

Silently, Blaise raised his wand. "Lumos."

He saw the fear on Ginny's face by the light of his wand, before she instantly concealed it behind a mask of passiveness.

"Oh, it's you," she muttered, though he could very well tell she was relieved. Very.

"I don't plan to stay," he replied coldly. "Nox." He started walking away - Ten seconds later, Ginny was running after him.

"Zabini - wait. Please."

He stopped. "Problem, Weasley?"

She sounded scared to death. "I'm - I'm frightened. Please - please don't go."

In the darkness, he could barely see her features. Then he nodded, placing an arm around her waist. "Stay close. I'm here."

Secret Security
Theme # 6: Crucio


Draco had let them in Hogwarts: The death eaters. Ginny could feel the tension in the atmosphere and, though it frightened her, she wanted to fight - and fighting she was.
"Crucio!"

She ducked the curse just as another jet of light flew past, bruising her arm. Slowly, she closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, Fenrir Greyback breathed down her face. She was on the ground, and everything was a blur. Then there was the sound of heavy footsteps, a scream, and Greyback was thrown backwards. The werewolf lay on the ground, senseless.

Slowly, Blaise Zabini bent down over her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Her voice was small.

He helped her up, and then looked around quickly. "Get in that classroom. Now."

"But -"

"Just get there. NOW."

She had no idea what she was doing. Then she was inside, and the door had been closed. Outside, she heard more footsteps. It was Draco.

"Blaise, what are you doing here? Where's that blood traitor? Who attacked Greyback?"

"She dashed for her dormitory," Blaise said, panting. "I'll tend to Greyback. Get going."

Inside, Ginny closed her eyes again.

- As long as he was around, she knew she was safe.

Animals and Future Wives
Theme # 39: Sectumsempra


Blaise scowled. In the middle of a shouting match with Ginny Weasley, he could do nothing else: he could shout, and he could scowl. Period.

"Potter isn't as funny as he thinks he is, he could have killed Draco," he snapped.

Ginny folded her arms across her chest, clearly not ready to listen to anything against her brother's best friend. "And all that you Slytherins do! You're nothing but sneaks, at least Harry's good enough to care for others and -"

"- And show how much he cares by trying to murder them?" Blaise spat.

The words stung. For a moment, Ginny looked shaken. "The curse was a mistake!" she said finally, trying to strengthen her defenses again. "He didn't know what Sectumsempra does!"

"All the more dangerous, then," Blaise pointed out.

Ginny sighed. "Why can't you ever give it a rest with me, Zabini! Why can't you just leave me and my friends alone and get LOST."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Maybe because I find it hard?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You're an animal, Zabini. Your future wife better be an expert at Care of Magical Creatures."

"And are you?" Blaise asked sweetly.

Locked Doors and Hexes
Theme # 5: Colloportus


Seated around the fire in the Slytherin common room, Draco's face looked drawn and haggard. He stared aimlessly into the fireplace, watching the flames flicker. Pansy patted his back, trying to comfort him.

"It will be okay, Draco. We just need to prepare you for the battle - if there is one."

"Yeah, and you're going to prepare him so well," Blaise slipped in sarcastically, snorting.

Draco spoke before Pansy - who looked highly offended - could cause a shouting match. "Look, Blaise, I just wanted some good spells thrown at me. Suggest something, and I'll learn it. Where are all your dark arts leanings and goodness at charms and stuff when I need it all, eh?"

Pansy did not let Blaise speak. "Ooooh, I know a spell, Draco. It seals doors, it's a pretty nifty one, I just can't remember it."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Colloportus, you mean, Parkinson."
Pansy looked highly disgruntled. "I knew that."

"Whatever." Blaise leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. A sudden smile flitted across his face.

"What's with you?" Draco asked, clearly irritated.

Blaise smiled. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking of bat-bogey hexes. Try one - they're not bad, you know."

The Longest Walk
Theme # 8: Diffindo


"Zabini, wait! Please!"

They had fought. He had tried to talk to her, and she had been an absolute jerk. Ginny did not see why she should not be one: She had never been more than a blood traitor to him. And now he was storming away, angry, refusing to even fight with her any longer. She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

He did not turn.

"Zabini, please!"

She acted on impulse: whipping out her wand, she shouted, "Diffindo." The spell whizzed past her, hitting his bag which split apart at the seams. He turned around, a heavy scowl on his face.

"What's your problem, Weasley?"

"I want you to listen to me!"

"Not interested."

"Blaise -" She stopped short, realizing she had used his first name, for the first time in her life. He realized it, too. He was silent. Then he said.

"You have five seconds."

Ginny took a deep breathe. "Listen - I'm - I'm sorry. Alright?"

With an effort, he nodded. "Anything else, Weasley?"

"Yes. I have a first name."

He looked away. "I know."

Ginny bit her lip, then held out her hand. He took it.

- Long walks were fun.

Recollections – I
Theme 11: Expecto Patronum


Seventh year.

Blaise had been looking forward to this year, looking forward to the magic they would learn, the spells, the charms, the hexes. Stepping into Defense Against the Dark Arts, however, he could not help feeling disappointed: they were - from what he could discern - learning how to produce a Patronus, today.

It was dull, boring work. The Professor lectured about bringing vivid, happy recollections to the mind, summoning courage through happiness, and similar junk. Junk, for Blaise, because he already knew all this.

"You can try producing your own patronus, now."

Blaise did not even bother to get up from his seat. A happy recollection: Yes. He thought of her perfume, sweet and English and perfect and lovely. He thought of her eyes, brown and deep and endless and eloquent. He thought of her hair, red and fragrant and soft and silky. Then he raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!"

The silver chimaera that erupted from the tip of his wand raged through the classroom, and the body of students surrounding him burst into a clear round of applause.

"Mr. Zabini - extremely impressive!" The Professor said, delighted at his spellwork.

Blaise inclined his head. "Trust me, she is."

Recollections – II
Theme 9: Disapparate


It was well past lunch time, and the sun glowed orange over the horizon. As could be expected, Hermione Granrger sat in the common room, a book propped up in her lap.

"You can't disapparate inside Hogwarts," she read aloud. "It says so here. This is the reference you need for your essay, then, Gin."

Ginny smiled at her friend. "Thanks for finding it for me, 'Mione, I really appreciate it."

Hermione responded with a modest grin of sorts. "No problem, my pleasure."

She knelt down by the fireside, warming her hands. Outside, it was cold, and growing colder. She looked up: Ginny was staring, quiet, into the flames. Ten minutes later, she looked again: Ginny was still staring into the flames, quiet, her eyes glassy.

"Gin?"

Ginny started. "Wha-? What happened? Yes?!"

"What are you thinking of?"
A sudden, secret smile flitted across Ginny's fair face, but she immediately sobered up. "Um. nothing. So, erm, did you find the other reference I asked you about?"

Letting it pass, Hermione nodded. She began her tale of how Godric and Salazar had separated but, if truth be told, Ginny was not listening.

Her mind, as always, was on Blaise.

More Than Just Confunded
Theme 7: Confundus


"So you admit it," Blaise said triumphantly. "Your brother is pathetic, as far as Quidditch skills are concerned."

Ginny stamped her foot on the cold, hard ground in absolute fury, ignoring the sudden pain in her toe - the result of it hitting a pretty large stone in the process. "No. Go wash your ears or something, Zabini. I only said I admitted Hermione used a Confundus charm on that idiot McLaggen. And he deserved it, too!" she added, defensively, at once.

Blaise snorted. "Yeah, right. Sidekick Weasel's girlfriend just knew her pretty boy didn't have it in him to make it on to the team."

Ginny's fist came crashing down. She missed him, and Blaise grinned.

"No exhibitions of muggle duelling with me, Weasley. You can't seriously be trying to punch me. I'm a foot taller than you - Don't mess with the big kids, girl. I won't allow it, you know."

His voice was sickly sweet. That was how he always got to her in the end. Always.

"What do you allow then, Zabini?" she began fiercely. "An exhibition of your idiocy?"

"An exhibition of muggle affection, Weasley," Zabini responded, still sickly sweet.

Silenced, Well and Good
Theme 42: Silencio


She was studying, today. Studying hard. Blaise Zabini knew Ginny Weasley, and he knew her well - which was exactly why this new enthusiasm for books came as a surprise to him.

"You're studying?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned against the gnarled tree whose branches she was resting beneath, with the sole objective of annoying her to the point where she would whip out her wand and hex him.

"Not your problem, Zabini."

"But it is. I mean, who in his right mind would want a bookworm for a wife?"

Ginny awarded him a glare over the top of her book, but nothing more. When he persisted, she ignored him.

"What are you reading anyway?" Blaise asked, making a grab for the book. Ginny jumped to her feet, red hair hanging down as, upside down, he read the title.

"Charms and Spells - Volume one-?" Blaise repeated, eyebrow raised. "You're that bad at Charms?" He peeked at the page she had been reading. "Silencio? Why would you want to learn that spell?"

Haughtily, Ginny snatched her book back from him. She could not help adding, though,

"To get rid of your love-sick sarcasm, thank you. Silencio!"

Of Chickens and Husbands
Theme 10: Engorgio


"It is comfy up here," Ginny admitted. "Much more than I expected."

Luna nodded dreamily, swaying gently with the wind. They sat, in the midst of the Hogwarts grounds, on one of the topmost branches of a large tree. It had been a difficult climb but, when all was said and done, it was an excellent way to relieve tension: The wind there was lovely.

"It's so calm here," Luna was now telling Ginny. "And I can see everyone from here, too. Father thought me an excercise. You look at people, and allot them spells. Then you spin stories about them."

Ginny looked over at her friend, clearly bewildered. "Sorry?"

Luna smiled sleepily. "Swaaaayyy with the wind. You raise your right hand - like this - then you -"

"Um, Luna?"

"Yes?"

"I think Goyle reminds me of Engorgio."

"He reminds me of chickens."

Ginny giggled. Even though half the time she did not know where their conversation was headed, Ginny could not help enjoying her time with Luna all the same.

"What does Zabini remind you of?" she couldn't help asking.

"Zabini?" Luna asked, eyes wide.

Ginny kept back another giggle. "Yes."

"Your husband," Luna replied, for once not dreamy.

Back-Up for Two
Theme # 17: Imperio


“You head left, I’ll head right,” Draco Malfoy’s voice rang throughout the abandoned corridor. Blaise’s face was expressionless. Even though the boy was trying his best to sound calm and unconcerned, Blaise knew that he was scared to death.

“If Rodolphus went right, we’re already covered there. The Carrows were with him. They can handle a bunch of stupid Professors.”

“Rodolphus always said he was scared of McGonagall, though.”

“You know he joked.”

“I know.”

Both of them were quiet. In the darkness broken only by the light of their own wands, this feeble attempt at humour sounded clammy and suffocating. Morbid, one might say. Then Draco shook himself out of the trance. “Come on, I’m going. Follow me.”

Blaise nodded. “Get going, I’m backing you up. Just let me make sure this corridor is empty, first. Catch up with you in five minutes. If you see a student – you know the trick.”

Draco nodded. Imperio. That was their trick, the little seven-alphabet spell that had always been one of their most powerful weapons – the Imperius curse.

Once Draco was out of sight, Blaise let his wand fall.

- He had to find Ginny.

Creativity
Theme # 13: Flagrate


"I can beat you at charms, and you know it, Weasley."

Ginny snorted, clearly not believing Blaise's words - on the outside. Deep inside, she knew exactly how true they were.

"No one can beat my bat-bogey hexes, though," she said finally, with some pride.

"I find myself more.... creative, Weasley," Blaise said, his voice suggesting anything but all that is, was or could ever be good.

"Do not," Ginny insisted. Without realizing it, she took out her wand and slashed it through the air. A bunch of flowers, half their petals yellow, half green, landed on the floor in the bunch. "See! Creativity."

"I still insist on a lovelier bout of creativity, Weasley," Blaise said, something of a smile playing around his lips. "Something not so.... girly."

"I'm NOT girly."

He had touched her weak point. He knew she hated being called that.

"But of course. Wouldn't you agree this is more creative, now, though?" His wand moved with sudden swiftness, and the burning, fiery line created in the air twisted itself into three, plain alphabets: I. L. U.

"What do you say, Ginerva? Flagrate more fun?"

There was no response: she had already stomped off.