Bright White Noise (II)

[bisharp]

Part I

"This is so stupid," Ernie groused, flopping his textbook onto his lap. "Why would Professor McGonagall give us a long essay on the first week of term?"

"Because she's Professor McGonagall?" Zacharias leafed through his own textbook. "I don't think there's anything else here about Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration other than what the laws actually are."

"I give up," said Ernie. He tossed his textbook to the table next to them. "I give up," he repeated, and ignored the look Madame Pince shot at them from a few bookcases over.

"This is a library!" she hissed.

"I don't care!" said Ernie for the third time, though a bit softer. "Professor McGonagall's mad, I tell you, mad—she's been made too hard after last year, assigning three feet long essays on a topic we can't even find."

"I'm sure we can find it somewhere," Hannah tried assuring as she put her own book down, although her face was full of doubt as well. "We just have to keep looking."

"I think it's a Hufflepuff thing to be bad at Transfiguration," mused Susan, slouching in her chair.

"I sure hope so," muttered Zacharias, thoroughly displeased at his lack of interest and skill in the subject. It was a miracle that he had gotten his O.W.L. for it.

A few minutes passed in which the Hufflepuffs continued looking through the Transfiguration books for any references to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. Zacharias sighed as he put The Theory of Idealistic Transfiguration back on their library table, and then stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to go look for more books," he announced to his friends, pointing to a bookshelf in the back.

They made little noises of response. Zacharias made his way over to the back.

He was flipping through Spellwork and its Limits, using a Searching Spell for the word "Gamp" (and being thoroughly annoyed when the words "flying amphibian" and "wrong amplitude" came up) when a voice out of nowhere exclaimed, "Zacharias!" Startled, Zacharias spun around to see Blaise standing there.

"Blaise," he said, feeling thoroughly bewildered. He had only seen him in the library twice before this year, and didn't expect a third time.

Blaise peered over his shoulder at the book he was flipping through. He seemed amused. "Might want to specify with a capital G, if you're not looking for 'bog, amplify'," he said, pointing his spell at the page in the book. Immediately, the red highlights lessened. Then he looked back up to Zacharias. "What are you doing, anyways?"

"Transfiguration essay," sighed Zacharias.

Blaise laughed and leaned against a nearby bookshelf. "Oh, good old McGonagall," he said. "Luckily I managed to pass her N.E.W.T. last year, despite… circumstances. What's the essay on?"

"How wizards got around Gamp's Laws of Elemental Transfiguration."

"I remember that one," said Blaise reminiscently.

"I'm pants at Transfigurations." Zacharias fumbled with the hem of his robe and stared down at his book, feeling his cheeks redden. "I can't find anything on it. Well, except." He indicated the three pages in the book he was currently holding, which probably mentioned Gamp's Law.

"And that's not going to be enough for you to write an essay, is it," Blaise concluded. "Well never fear! I am here! And you're looking in the wrong section, anyways." He pointed to another row of bookshelves near the entrance of the library. "You might want to check the basic uses of Transfigurations. That might be a bit more helpful."

"Oh." Zacharias managed out a weak chuckle. "Yeah. Thanks."

Blaise smiled at him. "Here, let me help."

So for the next ten minutes, they spent their time roaming the bookshelves, searching for all the books on basic Transfiguration spellwork, which proved to be a lot more useful than what Zacharias had been looking for before (laws and misuse.) Once they were sure they got enough books for reference, they walked over to the table where Zacharias's friends were, who were still fruitlessly poring over books.

"Hiya Hufflepuffs," said Blaise cheerfully, toppling an armful of books onto the table.

Ernie and Justin looked up, alarmed. Hannah was too immersed in her book to care.

"What are you doing here?" Justin asked, narrowing his eyes at Blaise.

Blaise shrugged. "Helping you hopeless Hufflpuffs with homework. Like my alliteration?"

Susan, from her side of the table, giggled. Zacharias shot her a look.

"Thanks," he said gratefully to Blaise. "We would be hopeless without you."

"No doubting that." Blaise smirked. "Well have fun with your essays, Hufflepuffs. I've got my own homework to tend to."

He patted Zacharias's arse and left. Zacharias was aware of the blush that was spreading to every inch of his body.

Ernie and Justin stared at him.

"You're a Veela! You're supposed to love him!" cried Hannah at her book.

x x x

The first Hogsmeade trip of term was the last weekend of September. Zacharias slouched in the carriage, waiting for the rest of his friends to get their permission slips checked by Filch (really, it was stupid how they had to get them checked every year.) He glanced at the thestrals standing and clicking in the front, and shuddered. Those things would probably always give him the creeps.

Hannah was the next one done, while Justin was busy being prodded with one of Filch's Dark stuff detectors in uncomfortable places. Ignoring Justin's pleas for help, she ran over to Zacharias and plopped herself in the seat next to him.

"Hey. Excited to see the reparations since the war?" she asked, reaching into her bag and pulling out a piece of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. She opened it and started chewing noisily.

"Positively delighted," Zacharias deadpanned. He glanced over at her. "And stop chewing so loudly, I'm getting a headache."

"Sorry," said Hannah, not sounding sorry at all. She blew a large bubble and then popped it. She giggled when a bit of it landed on Zacharias's nose.

"That's disgusting." Zacharias wrinkled his nose and picked the gum off with his fingertips.

"I'm disgusting," Hannah said cheerfully, and then reached into her bag again just as Justin made his way over to them.

"I swear to god, Filch is getting older and older these days," Justin growled under his breath as he climbed up into the carriage. "More and more senile. Why doesn't he just die already?"

"That was rude," said Hannah, glancing up at him and pulling out a quill from her bag.

"You know you agree," said Justin.

"Where's Ernie and Susan?" asked Zacharias, peering out over Justin's head to where the queue standing beside Filch was.

"Susan said that she can't come this weekend," sighed Justin, sounding especially disappointed. "And Ernie..." He looked around. "I dunno, actually. Thought he was right behind me."

"You know, I heard he and Hermione Granger were getting pretty close," Hannah said seriously.

Zacharias scoffed. "Hermione Granger is with one of the Weasleys. The one in your year."

"Ron?" offered Justin.

Zacharias shrugged. "How should I know? I don't keep track of all the Weasleys."

"That's my life philosophy," said a voice behind them suddenly, and Zacharias spun around to see Blaise standing at the entrance of their carriage, looking especially pleased with himself.

Justin and Hannah looked around Zacharias, their expressions mingled with shock and mild wariness. Zacharias stared at Blaise as well, but Blaise just grinned up at them.

"Mind if I join your carriage?" he asked.

Justin opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something, but then Hannah sharply elbowed him. Zacharias gaped at Blaise for a few moments, feeling faintly like a fish out of water.

"Ah- Erm- Sure," he finally managed out, and scooted over in the carriage to make room for him.

Blaise beamed and climbed up, and then slid himself between the wall of the carriage and Zacharias. "Thanks," he said, turning to Zacharias, his eyes glittering.

Justin finally managed to yank Hannah's elbow out from his side and narrowed his eyes at Blaise. "Why aren't you sitting with your own friends?" he asked relentlessly.

Hannah moaned, "Justin!" under her breath—probably at his rudeness—but Blaise just continued grinning.

"They're a bit annoyed with me, you see," he said casually. "Since I'm hanging out with you Hufflepuffs. And there's no more room in their carriage." He jerked his head over to the side, where Zacharias, Hannah and Justin glanced over to see Parkinson, Goyle and Nott sitting in their own carriage.

"What are you talking about? There's three people," said Justin.

"Greg counts as two people," said Blaise loftily.

Zacharias couldn't hold back a snigger. "True," he said, muffling his laughs.

Blaise shot him a half-grateful, half-irritatedly amused look.

The carriage ride to Hogsmeade was pleasant, albeit a little awkward. Justin and Hannah found it in themselves to converse rather than attempt to antagonize Blaise (or at least, Justin was the one who resisted the temptation; Hannah just kept glowering at him until Justin managed to at least ignore him), leaving Blaise and Zacharias in a comfortable silence themselves. Zacharias felt the urge to talk to Blaise—he knew that because of their recent... acquaintanceship, they were sort of friends; but he felt too nervous to do so. Plus, he was extremely, extremely aware of the way their thighs were pressed against each other, and Blaise's leg was warm. In a very nice way.

They arrived at Hogsmeade a half an hour later. As the four of them climbed out of the carriage, Zacharias said, "Honeydukes?" to Hannah and Justin. He wasn't sure what to do with Blaise.

"Aw, but I wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks!" said Justin, glancing over at the pub across the street.

Zacharias raised an eyebrow. "Why? We just had lunch an hour ago."

"Yeah, but I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry," said Hannah pointedly.

"And Honeydukes sells candy, which we can eat," said Zacharias.

Blaise looked around at the three of them in turn, the expression on his face highly amused. Zacharias noticed this, and immediately his cheeks colored. "Don't say anything," he murmured, embarrassed for himself and his friends.

"I wasn't, I wasn't," said Blaise, although the smirk on his face gave him away. "Do you want to go to Honeydukes with me, then? If your friend here—"

"I have a name," Justin said loudly.

"—wants to go to the Three Broomsticks so badly, he can," Blaise continued, as if Justin had not interrupted him at all. "I need to buy some sweets for Draco, anyways," he added as an afterthought.

"Yes, yes, not like we want to hear how chummy you and your Slytherin buddies are," said Justin, looking highly affronted.

Zacharias couldn't help it. He chuckled a bit, at the way his friend was being immature and how Blaise wasn't affected at all. "Sure, then," he said to Blaise, smiling at him. "I'll go to Honeydukes with you."

"And I'll make sure Justin doesn't make a fool of himself in front of Madame Rosmerta again," whispered Hannah to Zacharias very loudly.

"I think he makes a fool of himself all the time," said Blaise cheerfully.

Justin sent them dark looks. "You all just underestimate my capabilities of getting a woman."

"Dear, I don't think you can get a woman," said Hannah, patting his arm.

"You'll be lonely and single all your life," said Zacharias.

"Poor, poor Hufflepuff," said Blaise, putting a hand over his heart.

Justin glowered again and stomped off to the Three Broomsticks without waiting for Hannah. They chuckled.

"Well, I'll see you," said Hannah, turning to Zacharias. And then, to Blaise, she said a little bit hesitantly, "And you."

"You too." Blaise smiled at her.

When Hannah left, Zacharias turned to Blaise, feeling slightly bemused. "Warming up to my 'Hufflepuffs'?" he said, quirking an eyebrow.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Only to warm up to you," he said, and then grinned and grabbed his wrist. "Now onwards! To Honeydukes!"

The village looked loads better since the war; it was no longer barren and quiet, but full of life as it had never been before. Even though Christmas was nowhere near, already lights hung from roofs and around shops. Zacharias also noticed that a lot of shops were opening, twice as many had closed before.

"You know, I might have been on the wrong side during the war," said Blaise thoughtfully, evidently noticing the same changes as Zacharias had, "but it was definitely worth losing if it came to this."

"Do you regret being on the wrong side?" Zacharias couldn't help asking.

Blaise glanced at him. "I suppose," he said, watching as a Wizarding couple passed by, giggling and kissing each other. "I did believe in the blood purity thing—but in the end, I think it matters very little. Wizards are wizards and witches are witches, and Muggles are Muggles, aren't they?"

"I've always wondered how some wizards and witches are Muggle-borns," said Zacharias. "Wouldn't they need magic blood in them to have magic?"

"Maybe it's just something that's predetermined, and doesn't have any control." Blaise shrugged, and then pointed off into the distance. "Look, there's Honeydukes!"

They sped down the road, Zacharias feeling a little freer as he ran with Blaise. There was something comfortable about the way Blaise's warm fingers were wrapped around his wrist, in a protective and caring way. The thought made his insides bubble with excitement.

Zacharias didn't say anything when they entered the shop, though he did cast an impressed glance around at the walls. The candy shop was lined with more sweets than ever. He saw that Blaise was eyeing each shelf eagerly, like a tiger about to pounce on its prey.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to buy something?" said Zacharias, amused. He didn't know Blaise liked sweets so much.

"Oh—Yeah." Blaise jerked out of his reverie and grinned at him. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Delicious," said Zacharias with a vague nod.

Blaise grinned and pushed past a few students (who scowled at him; but of course Blaise didn't notice) to grab a handful of Cockroach Clusters. "I used to steal all my Housemates' food," he said gleefully.

"Why am I not surprised," Zacharias muttered to himself, though he followed Blaise, smiling all the same. It was sort of adorable, he had to admit, the way Blaise was acting like a complete child.

"Look! Chocolate Cauldrons! Chocolate Frogs! Chocolate everywhere!"

Blaise ran to the chocolate section of the candy shop, everything else forgotten. Zacharias smiled and shook his head, feeling like he should be annoyed but was nothing but endeared.

They ended up spending twenty-seven Galleons, sixteen Sickles and four Knuts at Honeydukes—Zacharias stocked up on his favorite Sugar Quills and Acid Pops while Blaise bought nearly everything in the store. When they were done (and their money bags significantly lighter, although Zacharias knew that Blaise was loaded and didn't have to worry—Blaise actually had paid for about half of what Zacharias bought, as much as Zacharias tried to protest—though, admittedly, he didn't protest too much), they walked out of the shop and back into the crisp autumn air.

"What should we do next?" asked Blaise cheerfully, sucking on a Blood Pop.

Zacharias tore his gaze away. "Um." He glanced around. "Want to go to Zonko's?"

"No." Blaise crinkled his nose. "Pranks are childish." He waved a wand at his bags and then pulled them up with much more ease, and did the same with Zacharias. A nonverbal Lightening Charm. Zacharias was impressed. "I think I need some new clothes, though…"

"We are not going clothes shopping," Zacharias said firmly. "I swear, that's what we do all the bloody time every time Susan and Hannah are along, and I don't want to be stuck with some other girl—"

"Oh, but I'm not a girl," said Blaise, winking at him, still licking his Blood Pop.

Zacharias felt his cheeks redden and turned away. "I know that," he said, purposefully staring at the roof of some nearby cottage. "We are just not shopping for clothes. That's all."

"Fine, fine. You're no fun." There was a loud popping sound, and Blaise withdrew the lollipop from his mouth. "At least we can go to the Three Broomsticks and meet up with your friends. Will that satisfy your masculinity?"

"Very much, thank you," said Zacharias, and then started up the road, Blaise only trailing a few feet behind him.

When they entered the Three Broomsticks, Zacharias immediately looked around, seeking his friends. "Do you see them?" he asked, nudging Blaise's hand with his own. His skin tingled.

Blaise glanced around as well, looking over heads and stools. "No," he replied, "but I do see an empty table in the back. We could stop and sit there."

"Good idea," said Zacharias, although he still sought out his friends. All he saw were other Hogwarts students and Hogsmeade villagers, though. "Maybe they left already to look around without us," he said to Blaise as they made their way to the empty table.

"Probably. Ow, bugger!"

"What's wrong?" asked Zacharias, looking over at him.

Blaise made a face and held up his hand. "Cut it on the table," he said, indicating a small cut with little pieces of wood sticking out.

Zacharias winced. "Looks painful. Episkey." He pointed his wand at Blaise's palm and all the blood siphoned away, though there were still some pieces of wood stuck on his skin. The pained expression on Blaise's face didn't say anything about it getting any better, either. Zacharias brought his wand down and then took Blaise's hand, and observed it.

"Might need to take this out the old-fashioned way," he said, and then chuckled at Blaise briefly.

"I have no objections," said Blaise, and Zacharias started pulling out the wood, tiny piece by piece.

When he was done, Blaise turned and smiled at him. "Thanks," he said; Zacharias's breath caught. "I'll go get us drinks, then. Butterbeer?"

"Firewhiskey," Zacharias clarified.

"Ooh, big boy now, aren't we?" Blaise teased, before going over to the counter where Madame Rosmerta was.

Zacharias watched him order their drinks with a smile on his face. Being with Blaise was nice. Sure, he had never been alone like this with him before, and his friends were off… somewhere… doing their own thing… But so far this year, Blaise had been proven to be decent. Nice. And completely interested in Zacharias. It suddenly struck Zacharias that this visit could Hogsmeade could definitely be a date or something of the sort… and, well, Zacharias had just nearly held his hand. But if it was a date, Blaise would have told him, wouldn't he? And it wasn't like Zacharias actually held his hand. Blaise had gotten a splinter, and Zacharias helped him get it out. That was all.

Blaise came back with the drinks, and Zacharias smiled when he took his. "I have always been a big boy," he said to Blaise, smirking. "I don't need a drink to prove it."

"Yes, right, of course," said Blaise, still smirking.

Zacharias peered over to his flask. "What did you get?"

"Mead." Blaise grinned. "Not sure if it's your type of taste, though."

"I can handle it," Zacharias said defensively.

"Not if you'd handle it. If you'd like it," said Blaise. "I'm sure you can handle anything, Zacharias."

It sounded a bit like a taunt. But it sounded rather genuine as well. Zacharias didn't know what to think.

"Let me try it, then," he said.

"After I drink it first," said Blaise, and then took a healthy gulp. Then he handed the flagon to Zacharias. "There. It's all yours."

Zacharias drank. The meadwas warm, but with a faint sweetness that Zacharias couldn't help liking. Plus, he was sure that there was something else that he tasted. Something that wasn't from the drink at all. But he wasn't quite sure what it was.

x x x

"Two feet on the properties of Binding Charms!" squeaked Professor Flitwick as the class made their way out the door. "And not one inch longer!"

"You'd think that we would want to write a longer essay than that," Zacharias grumbled, shuffling the rest of his papers into his bag.

"I, personally, find pleasure in writing essays," said Blaise, watching him with amusement.

Zacharias glanced at him and rolled his eyes. "Well you're different."

"Different in a good way?"

"Different in a bad way. A very bad way." And when he saw Blaise pouting at him, he straightened up and grinned. "A very, very bad way."

"Oh, is it the type of bad way where you need to punish me?" said Blaise, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

Zacharias stared at him for a moment, and then turned bright pink. "I—No!—I—That's not—!"

Blaise laughed. "You're so easy to tease, Zach," he said to him.

Zacharias let out an indignant huff. He didn't know if he was supposed to feel flattered or insulted.

"So, what do you have now?" asked Blaise as they walked down the corridor.

Zacharias shrugged. "Free period," he answered. "I usually go around the lake around this time—helps me clear my thoughts."

"Mind if I go with you? I have a free period too. Unless, of course, I'll interrupt your process of thought-clearing," Blaise added.

Zacharias hastily shook his head. "No, no, of course not! You can come, if you want!" Actually, a part of Zacharias might have even preferred it if Blaise went with him. He didn't say this, though. Nor did he address this feeling much at all.

Blaise beamed at him. "Brilliant. Are you going to drop off your bag at your common room, or…?" He gestured at Zacharias's messenger bag.

Zacharias glanced down and blushed. "Oh, no, er—well the Hufflepuff common room is sort of out of the way, and—"

"That's all right." Blaise nodded, seeming to understand. "Though your common room's pretty close to ours, right? Near the dungeons? You're near the kitchens and everything."

"Yeah, that's true," said Zacharias. "How did you know?"

Blaise smirked. "I sleepwalk sometimes. Other times, I sneak out of the common room. Well, shall we go to the lake?"

Zacharias turned his head away so that Blaise wouldn't see him blush. It sounded oddly like Blaise was asking him out on a date. "Of course," he said, and the two of them proceeded to head out of the castle.

The castle grounds were just as ruined as the inside of Hogwarts—that is, mostly repaired with stains and marks here and there. Blaise looked around at them in awe while Zacharias gazed at the side, determined not to let his mind travel to the boy next to him. He didn't mind being around Blaise, yes, but he also took faint notice of the way that their bodies brushed a little every time they walked. Maybe they were a bit too close together. Zacharias moved away, a bit.

"Look, it's Professor Hagrid's hut," he said, nudging Blaise and indicating the house at the edge of the Forest.

Blaise snorted audibly. "Professor Hagrid," he said sarcastic. "Yes, because that great oaf really deserves to teach students when he can barely say two clear words."

"Sort of grumbles all the time, don't you think? I always wondered how the Gryffindors understood him," said Zacharias thoughtfully.

Blaise scoffed, again. "Because they're Gryffindors, of course. They believe in the good of everyone, instead of, you know, actually seeing what's there."

"Like how Hagrid can't teach at all?" said Zacharias.

"Precisely," said Blaise.

They walked around for a bit longer, holding brief conversations about little to nothing. But it was nice though, Zacharias figured, just strolling around and getting the fresh air. Blaise wasn't intruding on him at all, like Blaise had thought he would; their conversations were brief but nice, and their silences were different but comfortable. It was better than being alone, even. Much better.

They slowed for a moment under a tree near the lake. From this part of the grounds, they couldn't see any other students, and Hogwarts was the only landmark remotely close to them, probably a few hundred meters away. They couldn't even see Hagrid's hut anymore, probably hidden in the shadows of the Forbidden Forest. Zacharias breathed in deeply; the scent of water filled his nostrils.

Blaise's hand nudged his. Zacharias turned to him. "Come on," said Blaise, nodding away from the lake. Zacharias complied and followed him, so that they were walking again, farther and farther away from the castle, though now no longer by the lake's edge either.

Then Blaise stopped and grabbed Zacharias's wrist. Slightly startled, Zacharias tried to tug away out of Blaise's grip, turning Blaise around to face him.

"What are you—" Zacharias started, but was cut off when Blaise placed his mouth on his.

Zacharias had never kissed any girls before, so it was a surprise that Blaise's lips were large and soft, though his rough hands on his arms certainly changed the image. Zacharias was aware of the heat from Blaise's mouth, and immediately tilted his head and parted his own lips when Blaise's tongue pressed against them. He felt Blaise's tongue roam around his mouth, licking, flicking, teasing him. A hand was traveling down the side of his robe, gripping onto the folds, looking for an opening. Faintly, Zacharias recognized the taste from the mead he had drunk at Hogsmeade, though lacking in alcohol and with a unique sweetness, rather than the sweet of sugars. Zacharias pulled away from Blaise and breathed heavily.

"Blaise…" he said, but Blaise took his face with his hands again and kissed him soundly on the mouth. Zacharias moaned; the feeling was too great to be helped. Even though he was sure that every sensible part of his body should be a bit concerned that they were snogging outside in full daylight, and not too far from the lake was well, he didn't care. All he cared was the fact that Blaise's delicious, delicious lips were dragging along his, leaving lingering saliva and the fresh smell of dew.

Blaise moved his head to the side of Zacharias's face and bit gently; Zacharias moaned and pressed himself against Blaise. He was far too dazed to care how loud he was being, as well. He rubbed his body against Blaise's, eager to create friction; he was sure he heard Blaise chuckle and then gasp when his knee drew too close to his groin. Zacharias quickly realized that there was a hardness between Blaise's legs, and immediately felt himself harden as well.

"You like this?" Blaise murmured against Zacharias's chin, trailing kisses around his jawline. One of Blaise's hands was holding the back of Zacharias's head, while the other was slowly traveling to Zacharias's front.

"Y-Yes…" Zacharias gasped out as Blaise's fingers traced on the fabric against his hip. Blaise's hand somehow made its way into the inside fold of Zacharias's robes and then slid them open, revealing his shirt and trousers. Blaise pulled his lips away from Zacharias and chuckled, glancing down at him.

"Never knew you'd be in for Muggle traditions," he teased, looking straight into Zacharias's eyes.

Zacharias blushed. "My mum says it's warmer."

"True," Blaise agreed, before leaning in to kiss Zacharias's ear. Blaise brought Zacharias's earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it, and Zacharias let out a very loud moan at that, feeling the sensation go straight to his cock. Oh, to have Blaise suck on something else like that…

Seeming to understand his thoughts, Blaise's hand traveled to the front of his trousers and pressed against them slightly, and then further downward and massaged Zacharias's now fully hard erection. Blaise chuckled.

"You didn't need me to touch you?"

Zacharias blushed against Blaise's lips. "That would take too much time, wouldn't it?"

Blaise merely replied with another kiss on Zacharias's neck, and then bit down gently as his hand stroked Zacharias outside his trousers. Zacharias let out a little whine and pressed against Blaise's palm, eager, wanting him to touch him more. Blaise's fingers found the button of his trousers and popped it open, and then slid a hand down and touched Zacharias without any hesitation.

"Oh!" Zacharias gasped out at the skin to skin contact. He had never felt anything quite like it, Blaise's hot, hot hand touching his cock like that. He jerked forward even more, as Blaise felt around his length, squeezing a bit, running a nail along his foreskin. Zacharias whimpered and whined, throwing his head back and squeezing his eye shut as Blaise's fingers worked on him.

Then Blaise retracted his mouth from Zacharias's skin and started kneeling down; Zacharias let out a little mewl of protest. But Blaise merely smirked up at him, and then pulled Zacharias's trousers down to his knees and exposed his cock, right in his face.

Zacharias turned pink at the sight of Blaise staring at his full-hard erection jutting out at him, but Blaise looked completely fascinated. "You're gorgeous," he murmured, before putting his hands behind Zacharias's bare thighs against his robes, and drawing his tongue over the head of Zacharias's cock. Zacharias shuddered, feeling his knees go weak at the feeling. Blaise's tongue was warm and wet, and now Zacharias was sure that every other part of his body felt horrible in comparison to how his dick felt.

Blaise licked him again. Zacharias moaned and thrust forward, wanting to feel his entire cock enclosed between Blaise's lips. "Blaise," he muttered, gripping onto his robes and steadying himself.

Blaise carefully brought Zacharias's erection into his mouth, closing his lips gently, covering up his teeth. Zacharias watched Blaise's dark lips slowly start sucking on him, and a jolt of pleasure ran through him; Zacharias closed his eyes again and pushed forward, needing more and more heat around him. Merlin, nothing had ever felt this great before; no food could ever compare to the feeling of Blaise's hot mouth around his cock. Zacharias cracked open one eye to see Blaise staring up at him, watching his every move—Zacharias's eyes traveled even further down below, and he noticed that Blaise's hand was in his own pants. Blaise was jerking himself off.

The sight alone made Zacharias cry out and come all into Blaise's mouth, and he was sure he saw stars as he squeezed his eyes tighter than ever, barely able to hold himself up. He felt Blaise's warm hands press even more against his thighs, but acknowledging this just sent more waves of pleasure throughout his body. Zacharias came and came, sending his orgasm straight into Blaise's mouth, and didn't stop until he was sure he was going to collapse from the heat and exhaustion.

x x x

Zacharias had no idea what to think after that Wednesday afternoon. Blaise had... had kissed him. Hadtouchedhim.

Had given him a blowjob.

He debated telling one of his friends. But he knew that talking about being sucked off by another bloke with his friends was not something one really would, well, talk about with his friends. His male friends, at least. Who knew what Ernie and Justin would think? Sure it had felt good—but wouldn't anyone feel good if they were being sucked like that? Well maybe they wouldn't have Blaise's talented tongue on them like Zacharias had, and all right, he doubted even a girl could do it that well...

Speaking of girls, maybe he should just tell his female friends. Hannah and Susan. They'd understand, wouldn't they? Well, probably not because they didn't have pricks like he did, but they'd understand that sort of attraction to Blaise... Maybe. Did he even have an attraction to Blaise? He supposed that he didn't really haveto have one: all Blaise had done was suck him off. And if Zacharias continued thinking about this, he'd probably get hard all over again.

He sighed and rested his elbow against the chaise armrest. Staring at his Transfiguration book wasn't going to help anything, because Transfiguration was boring and he'd probably end up thinking about Blaise again. And again. And again. His Transfiguration essay wasn't due until next week, he knew that; but he needed to do something to get his mind on something and not on Blaise.

Merlin, he was hopeless.

"Need any help?"

"Aah!"

Zacharias jumped and spun around to see a familiar face grinning at him.

"Blaise," he said, feeling slightly bewildered, mostly because Zacharias had just been thinking about him. Well, Zacharias had been thinking about Blaise for the past twenty-four hours, since that time near the lake when they had been doing... that. "What are you doing here?" he asked, straightening himself out so he didn't look completely flustered.

"Looking for material on my Ancient Runes homework." Blaise peered over his shoulder. "Still working on that Transfiguration essay of yours?"

"Yes," said Zacharias. "Though I'm not getting very far, but—mmf!"

Blaise chose that moment to kiss him. Somehow, his body had wound around the chair and he was now leaning across Zacharias's body, one hand on the armrest of the chair, the other on the back, his lips pressed very firmly against Zacharias's, the Transfiguration textbook having slipped off his lap and fallen to the floor. Zacharias nearly melted at the touch—but then he told himself that he couldn't let this happen again, and was determined to talk to Blaise about it.

"Blaise, we really shouldn't—" he murmured when Blaise finally tore apart for a moment, for air. But Blaise didn't spare him a second glance, and instead kissed him again. He kissed his lips, and then moved his mouth a little to the corner of Zacharias's lips and kissed him there as well, and then covered the rest of Zacharias's face with his kisses. Zacharias was starting to feel slightly lightheaded at the closeness of their bodies, and he was well aware of the rising temperature in the room, and dear Merlin, he probably looked like he was fully snogged now (which he was pretty much was) and it was hard to think like this.

"Blaise," he tried to say again, but then Blaise pressed his mouth against his, hot and needy. Zacharias let out an audible moan, which embarrassed him for a moment; but Blaise slipped his tongue into Zacharias's wanting and surprised open mouth, feeling every inch of his gums and teeth. He danced little zigzags across the roof of Zacharias's mouth like he had done before—Zacharias moaned again—as his hands moved to the front of Zacharias's robes.

Zacharias felt one cool hand slip through, but it wasn't until Blaise's fingers were running along his warm belly when the feeling finally registered, and his body automatically arched up to him. He moaned for a third time, moving his hands up to Blaise's shoulders and gripping his own robes, trying to tug him closer, even if possible. Very vaguely, in the back of his mind, Zacharias was wondering why he was doing this—but it felt so damngoodthat he didn't want to stop any time soon. Ever.

Blaise's mouth traveled downward and Zacharias let out a little whine of protest at the lack of contact with their mouths, though his cheeks heated up at the sound. Blaise merely chuckled and started kissing downwards, trailing a tongue over Zacharias's jawline, tasting as much of him as he could like he was a man dying of thirst and Zacharias's skin was every drop of water in the world. Zacharias dug his fingers deep into Blaise's shoulders and couldn't help feeling slightly satisfied when he felt Blaise flinch against him; but then Blaise's mouth started doing thingsto the sensitive skin between his neck and shoulder and all other thoughts flew out of his head and he was very, very aware of the growing hardness between his own thighs.

"Blaise," he moaned, finally not trying to talk to him, but wanting more of him, wanting more of Blaise's wonderful mouth all over his body and Blaise's hands touching him everywhere and Blaise's teeth nipping at every inch of skin and Blaise's tongue licking him, licking him everywhere. He heard Blaise chuckle faintly as he bit and sucked at his neck, but Zacharias didn't care; he wanted more, more. He looked down to Blaise's dark head kissing down at him, and then around. It suddenly occurred to him where exactly they were.

"B-Blaise." It took all of Zacharias's effort to push Blaise off of him, but when he finally did, he found the ability to speak. Sort of. Blaise's bruised and swollen lips were distracting him, and as Zacharias did his best to look Blaise right in the eye, he realized that Blaise's pupils were dilated, darker than ever, full of lust. Zacharias swallowed.

"We-We can't do this here," he said with a staggered breath, his voice strangely hoarse. He felt at his throat self-consciously, and wondered if he sounded like that because he hadn't spoken for a while or, somehow, it was Blaise's fault.

Blaise glanced around and seemed to realize where they were too. "Right," he said, straightening up and adjusting his robes. It was astonishing how he could look so cool about this even though for the past about half an hour, he and Zacharias had been snogging ferociously and doing nothing else. "We'll go up to my dormitory," said Blaise, sticking his hand out to Zacharias.

Zacharias stared at it, and remembered faintly that that hand had been stroking his stomach, had felt every beat of his heart. He shivered instinctively. "Th-The Slytherin dormitory?" he said, tearing his gaze away from those fingers. "B-But what about your dormmates—"

"Theodore falls asleep by the fire, and Greg sleeps like a log. We can use a Silencing Charm." Blaise impatiently shook his hand in front of Zacharias's face. "Come on."

In any other circumstance, Zacharias would have sneered and said no, and might have even spat on his hand. But this was Blaise, and plus lust was surging through Zacharias's blood now that if he didn't take a cold shower or wank or do somethingsoon, he would die of sexual frustration. Plus, this was Blaise. So Zacharias stood up from his chair—though his knees buckled, slightly—grabbed onto Blaise's warm hand, and allowed himself to be led away from the library, the Transfiguration book left forgotten on the floor.

It took them very little time to get to the dungeons, for one moment they were standing outside of the library, and the next they were in front of an empty wall. Blaise muttered something to the stones, and they moved apart to reveal a decent sized hole in the wall. Tugging on Zacharias's hand, Blaise guided them into the darkened common room, faintly illuminated green by the glow of the lake water through the windows, and then they were climbing up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Zacharias assumed that if he was in any other state, the room would have been cold—but right now he was with Blaise and Blaise's lovely fingers were touching him and even if he was surrounded by snow, he would be hotter than anything else in the world.

Blaise walked over to the bed closest to the doorway, pointed at his four-poster bed and muttered, "Silencio," then brought Zacharias onto the bed with him. He stood up and carefully closed the drapes so that they could see nothing but each other and the faint glitter of the green fabric in the darkness, and then Blaise turned to him.

Zacharias had barely registered what was going on when Blaise leaned across the bed and kissed him again. This time, the kiss was slow and gentle, lazy and languid, speaking something more than just sex. Zacharias kissed him back, moving so that their chests were pressed together, and his lips hungrily moved against Blaise's. He was even daring enough to let a little tongue dart out and prod at the slit between Blaise's lips; he felt Blaise smirk but allow him access. With a sort of wonder, Zacharias roamed his tongue around inside Blaise's mouth, pressing against his gums, sliding across his teeth. He felt a little jolt of pleasure when he felt Blaise shiver as he licked at Blaise's bottom lip; he licked him again and heard Blaise growl, and then suddenly he was on his back, on Blaise's bed.

Blaise knelt above him, his knees on either side of Zacharias's body. Zacharias was pretty sure he had never seen something this hot before. He watched as Blaise's dark skin still managed to glow, despite the lack of light in the room. Rather clumsily, he fumbled through the sleeve of his robe, pulled out his wand, and murmured, "Lumos."

Blaise stared at him and blinked. His gaze darted to the wand in Zacharias's hand. "What are you doing?" he said, his harsh voice barely above a whisper.

Zacharias felt his heart jump in his throat, as he looked over Blaise's possessive hands holding his hips in place, Blaise's eyes burning through him, eyes smoked over with lust. "Wanted to... look at you," Zacharias breathed.

Blaise's eyes widened and he growled again, and he pounced on Zacharias, knocking the wand out of his hand. Zacharias could see that the wand was still glowing as it fell to the floor, but then he wasn't looking anymore because Blaise's mouth was attacking his throat, attaching itself to him, kissing, biting, sucking. Zacharias groaned loudly and gripped on Blaise's shoulder, as Blaise's hand found its way to the part in Zacharias's robe. He could feel Blaise's fingers attach themselves around the waistband of his trousers, and Zacharias struggled to look down at him, doing his best not to let himself get too distracted by the way Blaise's mouth was now traveling down to the center of his chest.

"C-Clothes," he gasped, tugging at the sleeve of Blaise's robe.

Blaise nodded, his gaze fixed on Zacharias's collarbone. He fished his wand out of the sleeve of his own robes and muttered a spell; immediately, both of their clothes were gone and were in a pile at the edge of Blaise's bed.

Zacharias chuckled. "Handy spell," he whispered. His mind wandered and he thought of Blaise using the spell on anyone else who was in the same position Zacharias was in right now; his gut twisted in envy.

Blaise glanced up at him. "Never used it before," he whispered back, making Zacharias's insides turn into jelly. As Blaise started moving away to look at Zacharias's body as a whole, Zacharias suddenly leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, just for saying that. When he pulled away, he saw that Blaise was looking at him funnily—but his cheeks felt warm until Zacharias's fingertips, in pleasure.

"Good," Zacharias whispered. Blaise smiled at him before starting to suck at his collarbone, and then his fingers stroked along Zacharias's pale skin. Zacharias couldn't help watching in awe the way their bodies melted together: dark against light, yet the contrast making them look even more blended. And then something moved against his cock; Zacharias suddenly realized that every part of their body was pressed together, their shoulders to their chests to their feet, and their hips too and Blaise's hot crotch was rubbing against his. Zacharias moaned into Blaise's mouth, grinding against him and begging for more friction. Blaise must have gotten the same idea, because he started rolling his hips against Zacharias's, body moving like fluid.

He pulled apart and Zacharias blinked up at him: Blaise was smirking. He watched as he rolled his hips on Zacharias's again, and Zacharias opened up his pink mouth and moaned, his hot breath blowing into Blaise's face. Blaise grinned even wider and kissed Zacharias promptly on the lips. "You like that?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Even though half of Zacharias's thoughts were not coherent at all, he barely managed to gasp out, as the heat between them increased, as his cock throbbed between his thighs, "What do you think, of course I fucking like it."

Blaise chuckled and kissed him on the lips again. "Never lose fire, do you?"

Zacharias barely processed these words when Blaise went down on him again, trailing his tongue across Zacharias's chest, wet and warm, swirling on his skin. He flicked Zacharias's nipples lightly; Zacharias dug his shoulders into the mattress beneath him as he struggled to get more contact with Blaise's mouth. Blaise licked down between his ribs, biting gently on his abs, and then licked lightly at the little hairs that trailed down from below his bellybutton to below his waist. Zacharias whined and shivered a little, feeling Blaise's nose nuzzle the hairs as his mouth worked lower and lower, until he touched him briefly at the base of his cock. Zacharias's body convulsed for a moment, and he jerked forward, bumping Blaise's cheek.

Blaise glanced up and chuckled at him. "Eager, are you?"

Zacharias only responded with a frustrated growl as he thrust upward, causing his cock to brush against Blaise again. Blaise let out a low groan from the back of his throat and he licked at the base of Zacharias's length, and then swept his tongue along the head. Zacharias shoved his hands deep into the mattress to keep himself from shaking too hard; Blaise's tongue flicked along him once more, and though they were shielded by the Silencing Charm, Zacharias bit down on his lip so that the only sound that came out of his mouth was a low, frustrated groan.

Blaise moved downwards. He ran his tongue down along the side of Zacharias's cock, touching, tasting every bit of him—Zacharias wanted so badly for Blaise to bring him into his mouth, if only a little, but all he felt was the torturous wetness and the brief flicks of heat. Then Blaise's mouth traveled further south, licking the underside of his cock, pushing past the skin at his base, moving further and further until Zacharias was aware of one of Blaise's hands grabbing one of his arsecheeks and then—and then he felt something wet dart around his hole.

Zacharias let out a spasm involuntarily. "Oh—fuck!" he swore, waving his hands around and grabbing onto the first thing he could catch hold of—Blaise's shoulder. Blaise's tongue touched his entrance again, and Zacharias did his best to bite back a scream. Over and over again, tantalizing and teasing, Blaise's tongue moved around the edge of Zacharias's hole and then pressed in and it was a little, only a little but the pain ran through Zacharias's body like an electric shock, with little bursts of pleasure along the way. Blaise pushed his tongue further into Zacharias and Zacharias arched his back, wanting more of Blaise in him, small and wet and invasive and yet, yet it felt so right and Zacharias moaned, pressing his hands into Blaise's shoulders until he was sure that he could have made marks, throwing his head back until his neck was sore.

Then Blaise drew back; Zacharias saw that he was smirking. It was a miracle that he hadn't come yet, from the way Blaise had tasted him or from the look on his face. "Was that new for you?" said Blaise, and his voice was raspy and fuck, Zacharias was so aware of Blaise's prick digging into his thigh as Blaise rested on his legs.

"A-A little," Zacharias admitted breathlessly, wanting nothing more than for Blaise to fuck him again, with his tongue or his finger or—or with anything. "Can you—" He whimpered a little and pulled Blaise back onto him, shoving his head back down to his crotch.

Blaise chuckled and brought himself back up to Zacharias's face. Zacharias was a little disappointed that he wasn't going to tongue him again. "What do you want?" Blaise whispered, bending his head down that Zacharias could see the glint of his eyes in the dark.

Zacharias drew in a quick breath. "Want you..." and he gasped when Blaise's rough hand wrapped around his cock, and strained his body upward. "... to fuck me..." He shivered against Blaise and did his best to hold himself up, told himself, not yet.

Blaise smiled. "It would be my pleasure," he said, and then flipped Zacharias over onto his stomach. Zacharias's backside felt uncomfortably bare but he stuck his arse up in the air, closer to Blaise, wanting him to do... to dothatagain. He was pretty sure he heard Blaise laugh again.

"All right," said Blaise's voice congenially from behind him. Zacharias heard the sound of a drawer opening, and then a bottle opening: magical lubricant. Zacharias trembled in anticipation.

Then Zacharias felt something slip inside of him; he let out a yelp, although it sounded much more like a mewl. He dug the heels of his palms into the mattress and struggled to keep his face up, feeling his forehead bead with sweat.

"Tell me if it's too much," he heard Blaise's gentle voice say, sounding a bit worried.

"Never... too much..." Zacharias whined again when another finger entered into him. They moved and stretched and Zacharias writhed in pain; but he made himself maintain a bit of control as Blaise continued stretching his hole around.

"One more?" asked Blaise.

"Yes," pleaded Zacharias, panting.

A third; but when Zacharias cried out and thrashed his body again, Blaise promptly pulled out. Zacharias lay there, gasping and catching his breath, his arsehole feeling more exposed than ever—but then he heard the opening of a bottle, then a closing, and then something filling him again, something bigger.

"Does it hurt?" whispered Blaise as he slid into Zacharias, slowly, gently, almost mockingly.

Zacharias saw black, and then white, and he tugged on whatever part of Blaise he could reach from behind him—his forearm. "Faster," he said, trying to pull on Blaise like he was guiding him in.

Blaise chuckled, and then he pushed himself into Zacharias until Zacharias knew nothing but pain, an impossible numbing pain that he couldn't help loving. He arched his back forward and drew his back closer to Blaise's warm chest, though all he was distinctly aware of feeling was Blaise's cock thick and hot inside of him.

"I'm going to move now," Blaise said suddenly, once he was inside and Zacharias was sure he couldn't hold out any longer. Zacharias nodded and bit his bottom lip back, and then Blaise started moving.

The heat grew, if possible, and suddenly Blaise was thrusting into him, his hands on either side of Zacharias's body as he moved. Zacharias moaned and then he cried out and suddenly Blaise was doing something inside of him and he didn't know what but dear Merlin it sent white sparks of pleasure in front of Zacharias's eyelids as he moved as well, in rhythm with him. Zacharias's legs stretched all the way up to fasten around the top of Blaise's thighs and he was sure he faintly heard Blaise whimpering at their touch and Zacharias tightened his ankles around him, encouraging, pushing Blaise against him even more. Then suddenly Blaise's hand found its way to Zacharias's cock and it was stroking and moving it at all the perfect angles and Zacharias knew he was going to come within the next second, he hadto.

"You're incredibly flexible," Blaise whispered into his ear, his breath hot against his skin and then suddenly Zacharias cried out and came all over Blaise's palm, the same moment he felt heat surge through him and Blaise shouted out as well. Their voices blended and became one and then Zacharias couldn't stop as Blaise continued stroking him, and he came and he came and he could feel his toes curling up as he threw the back of his body right against Blaise's and Blaise released all into him. Black shot in front of his vision, and then white stars, and Zacharias didn't know when it would be over but he prayed that it wouldn't be too soon, he never wanted it to end. They continued to move together as Zacharias released all he could onto Blaise, and Blaise the same into him.

Then Blaise rolled off of him; Zacharias vaguely heard him say, "Scourgify," next to him. Zacharias turned to look at Blaise, even though now his eyelids felt heavy already.

But when his gaze flickered to Blaise again, he was sure he saw a smile on Blaise's face, before he fell asleep.

x x x

Part III