A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 91 ~ A Heart to Heart

"How—" Snape began as Blaise walked past him.

"I'm starving. Let me get something to eat and I'll tell you what happened," the wizard said, walking past Snape and down the hall. Instead of going into the kitchen, he went to his bedroom and took out the bottom drawer of his dresser, then felt around and pulled out a ham sandwich.

"Ugh!" he said as he looked at the moldy, green thing. He looked at Snape, who was standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. So, Blaise had a stash the entire time. He must not have taken the oath.

"How long have I been gone?" Blaise asked, dropping the disgusting sandwich into the little trash bin beside his night stand.

"About a week and a half. Actually, they're having your memorial today."

"My memorial? What? They think I'm dead?"

Snape nodded.

"Bloody hell. I thought I was only gone a couple of hours. Is there any meat in the cooler?"

Snape nodded again.

"All right. Let's go to the kitchen."

Snape and Blaise walked to the kitchen and Snape sat down and watched as Blaise made himself a large sandwich. He poured a big glass of milk, sat down and took a satisfying bite. He chewed with a look of bliss on his face, then washed it down with some milk.

He looked around the kitchen.

"Where's the Goof Troop?" he asked Snape.

"Who?"

"The Gryffindors. Did they go home?"

"Actually they planned on leaving today, after they went to your memorial service. They wanted to pay their last respects."

Blaise took this in, then arched an eyebrow at him.

"So, why didn't you go?"

"I knew we wouldn't be welcome."

Blaise nodded.

"You're right about that. They'll be lucky if they aren't blasted out of their trainers for showing up. I know my mum and dad, not to mention my relatives. All Slytherins. But, this does make for an interesting situation."

"How so?"

"Well, if everyone thinks I'm dead, I could do some fantastic work for the Ministry. You know, be the 'Wizard with No Name.' type.

"I imagine you could, but—what about your parents?"

Blaise sighed.

"I couldn't do that to my mum," he admitted. "It was just a passing thought, really. Do you have my wand?"

"No. It was given to your parents. It's all we had left of you, after all."

"Yeah, well, I have to get that back, don't I?"

Snape nodded. He was burning up with curiosity.

"So, what happened, Blaise?" he pressed as Blaise bit into his sandwich and chewed slowly, drawing it out a bit. Snape made an aggravated sound.

"Well, I was pulled into this place underground. It was rocky and cold in some places, and other places there were huge fires. All I could see were thousands of shadowy figures. No demons like ours. Just those things, standing about. They couldn't touch me and demanded I go with them to meet the Horned One. I went, and I didn't see any horns on him at all. He was just larger than the rest of them and sat on a throne of stones carved into skulls. Or they might have been real skulls. I don't know.

He tried to get me to recognize his power, but even he couldn't touch me. Then, they found out I could order them about. I made them do a ballet, the Watusi, then a Can-Can. It was hilarious. After that, I ordered them to let me go, and they did. They didn't know what else to do with me. It really only felt like two or three hours at the most. And here I am."

Snape just blinked at him. Can-can?

Suddenly they heard voices.

"It seems they're back," Snape said, getting out of the way as Blaise finished his sandwich and walked over to the sink to put his plate, glass and utensils in. Blaise looked at him.

"Why are you moving away?" he asked as Harry, Ron, Susan, Ginny and Hermione walked into the kitchen, talking about how they shouldn't have gone to Blaise's memorial. They fell silent when they saw Blaise looking back at them in his tattered robes.

Here it comes, Snape thought, ready for the eruption.

"BLAISE!" they cried in unison, then washed over him like a tide, crushing the wizard against the sink as they felt him and hugged him and rubbed his head, making sure he was real.

"Get off me!" Blaise spluttered, trying to throw his elbows as the overjoyed Gryffindors smiled and continued mauling him. All but one.

Ginny. She stood back, starting at him as if he'd come back from the dead.

As far as she was concerned, he had.

Finally, they released him, all smiles and all very, very happy to see him.

Blaise straightened his tattered robes indignantly. He scowled at Snape.

"You could have warned me this would happen. I would have hid," he groused.

Suddenly, Ginny walked up to him, her brown eyes meeting his.

"Blaise—you're back. How?" she asked him softly.

Harry looked at her, but didn't say anything. Of course she'd be emotional. Blaise had saved her life, and they all thought he'd died for her.

"I didn't fit in down there," he said shortly. "Just like here."

Ouch.

Ginny just blinked at him.

"Well, we're glad you're back, Blaise, really we are," Hermione told him as Harry and Ron nodded like twin bobbleheads.

"Hoorah. I'm going to pack now. I need to get home and let my parents know I'm alive," he said, pushing through them and heading for his room.

"He's still a git," Ron said.

"Yeah, but he's a brave wizard," Susan responded.

"He probably just needs some space. Did he tell you what happened, Severus?" Hermione asked him.

They had made up over the days following Blaise's death, with Hermione admitting her prejudice and apologizing for being so judgmental and thick-skulled. Snape was satisfied with that, and a bit of make-up shagging. He got over his anger at Ron and Harry, too, realizing once again, they were basically good sorts.

"Yes, yes he did," Snape admitted.

"Well, don't just stand there. Tell us!" Hermione breathed, sitting down at the island. They were so interested in what Snape had to say, that no one noticed Ginny slip out of the kitchen. She walked down to Blaise's room and looked in the doorway. He had changed out of his tattered robes and was packing his carry-all.

"How are you going to get back to England?" she asked him softly from the doorway.

Blaise turned and looked at her.

"I was planning to ask Snape to take me," he responded.

"Oh," Ginny said. They stood there looking at each other.

"I could take you," Ginny suddenly said, turning a little red as she issued an unspoken invitation that involved more than transport.

Blaise studied her, then returned to stuffing his bag.

"No. I think I'll let Snape take me," he responded, not looking at her.

"What? Why?" Ginny asked, frowning at him.

"Because, frankly, Ginny, I'm over you. You've already given me what you give Harry, and I'm satisfied with that," he said quietly.

"What are you talking about? I didn't give you anything?"

"Yes, you did. I wasn't the only one willing to sacrifice my life, Ginny. You were just as willing to die to save me. You think I didn't notice that?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess so."

"Well, I did," he said, straightening and looking at her. "No one's ever shown me that kind of care and loyalty before, and I've never stuck my neck out for anyone before. You, Ginny Weasley, are trouble. I don't want anything to do with you."

Ginny blinked at him.

"I don't understand. You said, you said you wanted to be with me one time, and I'm willing to do that now. You deserve it."

Blaise shook his head.

"I don't want it, Ginny. You are what is known in shagging circles as a 'Keeper.' You're the kind of witch that gets under a bloke's skin and doesn't let him go. If that had been anyone else getting sucked into that vortex, including Draco, I would have let them go to save my own life. But I didn't do that with you. Nothing has ever happened between us to make me react that way, but still, I did it. No, I don't want to deal with a Keeper, Ginny. The kind of life I'm going to live doesn't have room for that, not even for me thinking about that. If I were to shag you, you'd never get out of my head. I wouldn't be one hundred percent and I need to be to accomplish what I want in life. I'm selfish. I want what I want, and that's to be an Unspeakable. The best Unspeakables have little or no attachments, so they are fearless. They don't hesitate because of a wife or child that will miss them if they die in the line of duty. They're free. And I have to be free as well."

Ginny just looked at him.

"Besides, you have Potter, and he's right for you. I'm not. And I don't want to be. So, it's better that Snape takes me back, you know?"

Ginny nodded.

"Maybe it is, Blaise," she said softly. "But thank you."

"If you really want to thank me, have everyone write a notarized testament as to my fighting off those demons. Now, that kind of gratitude I can use. It will shore up my resume," he told her with a smirk.

"All right, I can do that," Ginny said.

"Good. Now, I need to finish packing," he said, returning to his carry-all.

Knowing she'd been dismissed, Ginny left his bedroom door and nearly walked into Harry, who was coming to look for her.

"Are you all right, Ginny?" he asked her soberly, his eyes flicking toward Blaise's room. There was a slightly worried look in them.

Ginny smiled softly and kissed his cheek.

"I'm fine, Harry, just fine," she replied.

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A/N: A short chapter I know, but I had to clear the air about the Ginny/Blaise thing. It would have been nice to bring them together, but I didn't particularly like the idea of Ginny cheating on Harry, although I can understand her interest in Blaise. He's hot. Lol. Well, thanks for reading. In case you want to know why I'm writing so much, my vision's a little better today and the house is completely empty. Oh and the muse was whipping me nearly to death. I had to write. Thanks.