A Throne of Blood and Stars

Chapter Thirty

"Well, good morning, sunshine."

Draco rolls his eyes, stuffs the rest of his toast in his mouth instead of answering. He ignores the little pep in each of Blaise's steps, just focuses on getting to Potions.

With Gryffindor.

"Well, how rude," Blaise grins. "Tell me, Draco, where were you all night long?"

"Babysitting," Draco grumbles.

"The little cockroach? Oh, well no wonder you're in a great mood! You must have had a splendid time at the Infirmary."

The blond narrows his eyes at his best friend. "Your glee is not contagious in the slightest, my dear friend."

"Not with that attitude!" Blaise laughs, throws an arm over Draco's shoulders. "Now, I bet you want to know all about my detention escapade."

"Hardly."

"That's the spirit! Now. Did you know Gryffindors are actually quite," Blaise giggles into his hand, whispering. "Fit."

Okay, and, maybe Blaise's happiness is a bit contagious. So Draco grins, and then he full on laughs because it's been a while since he's seen Blaise's dimples.

"You are a moron."

Blaise sobers up. "No! But I'm serious. Yesternight, we had to haul branches that weighed tons of kilograms, and despite what everyone else thinks, my magic is not that strong. So Ron started lifting them as if they weighed absolutely nothing. Nothing, Draco! And my, my, my did those freckles look like chocolate chips, and let me tell you I had a sweet tooth."

Draco laughs out loud again, doesn't even notice the heads that turn to him with wide eyes. "Why do I even talk to you, anymore?"

"Because then who would make you laugh like your old pal Blaise Zabini?"

"Literally, everyone else."

"Not everyone understands you humor, darling," Blaise pats his chest halfheartedly.

"Unfortunately."

Blaise is about to say something but he doesn't, he's staring ahead, and when Draco looks up, he sees Ron and Hermione hugging.

He looks to his best friend. "Blaise..."

"No, no," Blaise's voice is light. He nods his chin back to the two Gryffindors. "Look."

Hermione is trying to get out of the hug Ron has her in, tugging the rest of her body away, but Ron has a hold of her neck and he's laughing.

And then Draco gets a look at Hermione's face.

And wow.

She looks fantastic. With full brows and dark lashes and red, red lipstick.

She's glowing.

Draco also notices that her hair doesn't look like a river dam, it looks good. It's smoothed and loosely curled, framed around her face like a halo. He looks back at Blaise, who's grinning.

"Your doing?"

"Of course," Blaise says obviously. "Do you know anyone else more capable than transforming the old Granger into that?"

"I suppose not." Draco turns back to the pair and sees Hermione finally got out of the hold, and is now waving goodbye to Ron.

Ron stands there for a second before he looks around with a pleased smile, his face lighting up when he sees Blaise. He nods him over with his head.