Say It Again

Draco and Blaise Zabini sat up in the Slytherin Common Room watching the dying embers of the fire. Blaise’s dark eyes glistened in the red orange glow. When he finally spoke, he seemed to be addressing the flames. “You’re sure you want to go through with the duel? Why not just inform the Carrows? They have far more leeway than we do to administer curses and hexes.”

Draco’s upper lip curled at the thought. “The Leprechaun needs to learn his place. He and the other Gryffindors might have had the run of Hogwarts when Potter and Dumbledore were here, but that time is over. We’re in charge now and it’s time we start asserting our authority.”

Zabini’s eyes flickered over to his pale friend. “And you’re sure this duel has no other reasoning?”

“I can’t begin to imagine what you’re suggesting, Zabini,” replied Draco coldly.

Blaise blinked unabashed. It was the cool calculating traits of both that made them such affable friends. They understood each other, sometimes too well. “I’m very plainly suggesting that you agreed to Finnigan’s duel because of a worthless French Muggle-Lover.”

“She is not worthless!” Draco snapped. He instantly regretted his rash words, but the damage was already done.

Zabini’s smooth lips twisted momentarily into a smile. “My apologies, Draco. I thought it was all over between the two of you, my mistake.”

He glared moodily into the fire grate. “There was nothing to be over. You know I was only toying with the stupid girl because of the Dark Lord’s –“

To his great annoyance, Bliase cut him off. “Her name is Ellie, Draco, unless you’ve forgotten. What ever mission you claim you had, I call bollocks. If she was just a mission, then tell the Carrows about Finnigan’s duel.”

“What are you going on about?”

“If you’re dueling Finnigan is about proving whose who at Hogwarts now, then tell the Carrows. Like I told you earlier, they’ll be able to take care of him much more . . . efficiently than either you or I.”

The challenge was laid down. Zabini was challenging Draco to prove he didn’t care about Ellie. For a moment he tensed at the implications. Was his real reason for wanting to curse Finnigan because Ellie trusted that wanker and not him? It was a repulsive thought.

Unclenching his fists, Draco relaxed back into the arm chair. “If you’re too scared to face the Gryffindors, Zabini, you could have just said so this afternoon. Goyle or Crabbe would very readily have seconded me.”

It was Zabini’s turn to grimace. “I’m not in the least scared to face two sniveling Muggle Lovers.”

“Are you sure? I can go wake Goyle now if you’d rather back out. . .” Draco smirked at his friend. Having turned the challenged around, he felt far better about the ground he stood on.

Blaise sighed. “We need to leave now or we’ll be late.” He stood and looked back at Draco with a bland expression. “So I guess it’s a good thing Pansy got cursed instead of Ellie, then.”

Draco’s grey eyes sliced to his black ones. “I had nothing to do with that.”

“Of course you didn’t.” He turned on his heel and started toward the passage to the hallway.

And Draco was back where he had started. Worrying that Blaise knew far more than he should. Wand clenched in his right hand, Draco followed after his second into the dark, silent corridors of the dungeon.