𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃

Chapter 3

Soirees and Stabwounds

"I'm so glad you could make it, Harry, Draco," Hermione said, turning to each of them, beaming, "There's food in the kitchen but Ginny's there so maybe you should make a few laps first," she whispered to Harry as an afterthought.

"Hey Harry, glad you could make it!" Ron said clapping him on the shoulder and pointing to Hermione with a beer in his hand, "The wife's doing the hostess duties but I'm free," Ron grinned, the epitome of the proud father, "what do you think, does she have the glow?" Ron noticed Draco and looked at him distastefully, "Blaise is in the kitchen," Draco nodded gratefully and kissed Harry on the cheek before making a beeline for Blaise, which made Harry's lips twitch, "You make those marks? You dog!" It took a second for Harry to realize what Ron was talking about, Draco's neck, of course, he had forgotten the Glamour.

Harry was slightly glad to have an excuse to check up on Blaise and Draco. Blaise was the only thing Draco refused to relent on, which made him highly suspicious. "I'll be back in a sec, Ron," Harry said distractedly as he made his way through the throng of people so he could get to the kitchen.

Harry was disappointed to find only Blaise standing in the kitchen (Ginny was no longer there) and said smarmily, "Where is he?"

"HE is in the bathroom," Blaise said without looking at him, his trademark cigarette in his hand.

"When he gets out tell him to put on a Glamour," Harry said dismissively as he made to leave.

"What do you think he's doing in the bathroom?" Blaise asked irritably. He gave Harry a once over and said quietly, "I hope you're proud of yourself."

Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Excuse me?"

Blaise leaned in conspiratorially and said with hushed ire, "You heard me. I hope you're proud of yourself. I hope you feel like a man, pushing around someone who would never raise a hand against you."

Harry looked at him skeptically, "Did he tell you that?"

Blaise rolled his eyes, "HE would never say an unkind word in reference to you, but you already know that, don't you?"

Harry got into Blaise's face and said sadistically, "And it just burns you up, doesn't it? That he wants me, that he loves me, that he doesn't give you a second thought. That he'll never love you."

Blaise took a drag from his cigarette nonchalantly, "You know, one of these days he'll wise up and he'll leave you."

Harry sneered and finished triumphantly, "And he still won't be with you." Harry left the kitchen to return to Ron just as Draco exited the bathroom.

"Your boyfriend came by," The second word was dripping with sarcasm, Blaise continued disgusted, "Wanted to remind you about the Glamour."

Draco gave him a knowing look, "Did you play nice?"

Blaise grinned, "He told me you'd never love me."

Draco sighed exasperatedly, "Why won't you just tell him you're straight? I must've told him a million times but he doesn't believe me, says, 'he's seen the way you look at me.'"

Blaise chuckled and took a swig of his beer, "I like to keep him on his toes."

Draco's voice was disapproving, "Be nice to him."

"Why," Blaise shrugged, "he's not nice to you."

Draco huffed, "Blaise..."

Blaise knew their conversation would just loop as it always did and pushed Draco's back so that he couldn't hide in the kitchen, "Go, be social." Draco walked out self-consciously and stood in the corner by himself. Blaise shook his head. He had no idea why Draco had such low self-esteem. Oh wait, yes he did, and his initials were H.J.P.