When Darkness Breaks

Chapter One

I tossed the piece of parchment I was trying to read on the table. It missed its target and gracefully fell to the floor. I tapped my fingers on the library table and sighed. Loudly.

My companion was still hunched over the books in front of him, studying them intently. I sighed even louder. No reaction what so ever. I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm bored," I announced.

Harry Potter looked up from the book and gave me an amused glance before turning back to the page in front of him.

I would never have believed it if I wasn't sitting in this chair right now. Me, Blaise Zabini, teamed up with "the boy who lived", when just a few months ago I was in the circle of Death Eaters. Well, I guess I should mention I've been spying on them for the past six years.

I decided in my seventh year I didn't want to work with or anywhere near Voldemort. That's when Dumbledore suggested I work with the Ministry. It was a great idea. Draco and I were spies together. Romantic, don't you think? We were engaged for five of those years, so no one thought it odd that we spent so much time together.

Of course Harry bloody Potter was my contact. It was his stupid fault I got caught in the first place. We met in our usual spot, Flourish and Blotts. Well, it consisted of us talking over books. But I digress. He thought that he should tell me one of closest friends at Hogwarts, Julia McIntyre, was killed by a group of Death Eaters. He also thought he should console me, being the saint he is. Big mistake on his part.

One of Lucius Malfoy's spies saw us. I noticed a moment too late and knew my cover was blown. So did Potter.

He dragged me out of the bookstore and to the closest Ministry safehouse. Which just happened to be where bloody Potter and his stupid Weasley friend lived.

And now here I am, sitting the house's stupid library, helping him find information about some sodding book.

It was times like this I missed Draco. If he were here, he'd take me to the new club in Knockturn Alley and we'd dance until dawn. And before we went home, we'd down a few pints of Ogden's Fire Whiskey and he'd tell all about how infuriating little Ginny Weasley was.

Hmm. That reminds me. She and I need to have a talk the next time I see her. Maybe she's a little smarter than my pal Draco.

"Why don't you go read a book, Zabini?" Potter suggested.

"I've already read all these stupid books, Potter. And now I'm bored."

He looked at me in confusion. "Don't you ever read for fun?"

"Why would anyone read for fun? Clubs and pubs are fun. Books are . ." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, boring."

He rolled his eyes at me and decided the parchment was more interesting than my pleasant company. "We have to find this spell. Are you going to help or not, Blaise?"

Maybe guilt would work. "I wouldn't eve be here if it weren't you, you know. It's your fault I'm bored."

I could hear him grinding his teeth from my chair. "I didn't kill your friend. Voldemort took care of that."
I felt the tears prick behind my eyes, but I wouldn't let them show. No, it wasn't his fault, but why did he have to bring up fresh wounds? "Maybe I'll go find Draco. Isn't Weasley with him?"

Potter looked up and stared daggers through me. "If you go looking for your precious fiancée, you're going to die. Not to mention you'll be killing my best friend's sister."

I stood up abruptly and smoothed the tight pants I was wearing. "Yes, we wouldn't want anything to happen to your little girlfriend."

His eyes flashed at my words, but I wasn't about to back down to anyone. Especially not the boy who lived.

"And you're going to stop me?" I challenged him.

"Even if I have to tie you to the bed."

The corners of my mouth quirked up, despite my motives of being a royal bitch. "Is that a promise?"

Potter smiled a bit, relaxing. "I know you'd rather be elsewhere, Blaise, but until Voldemort and his followers are gone, this is the way it has to be," he said seriously. "Once we find the book and destroy it, you can go back to Malfoy."

"Why would I want to do that?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

Potter shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "So you two can get married and have dozens of little Malfoy's running around," he huffed.

I snorted very unladylike. "Draco and I aren't really engaged. We did it to please our parents. If we really got married, we'd end up killing each other within six months."

"Really?" a territorial look formed on his face that I chose to ignore.

I tossed a length of my dark hair over my shoulder and nodded. "Besides, I could never compete with the way he fawns over ickle Weasley. Personally, though it could be a girl thing, I'd rather have someone's full attention."

Potter's eyes narrowed. "Malfoy likes Ginny?" he got this protective look my brother Damon got whenever one of his friends was interested in me.

I grinned wickedly at him. "I'd say pathetically in love with her is more like it."

I plopped down on a couch and gleefully watched as my words set in.

Potter stood up slowly and walked towards me menacingly. You know, if he didn't get on my nerves so much, he'd be kind of sexy when he got angry. In a dark sort of way. The thought made my smile grow.

"You're telling me that my worst enemy is out there right now, with a girl I consider my little sister, alone, with thoughts of more than information going through his head?" he asked, as he rounded on me. He bent down so our faces were only an inch away from each other.

My heart beat a little bit faster as I felt his breath on my lips. I looked him in the eye, not blinking. He had really beautiful green eyes. Wait. I should not be thinking that. He's only made my life worse since I met him. "He's not going to rape her, potter. Draco loves her, he wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Harr- I mean Potter's eyes raked over my face in curiosity. "And how do I know I can trust you on that?"

I licked my lips slowly as I regarded him thoughtfully. "Well, he chose her to be his contact, if that tells you anything, and it's not because he hates you."

His face tilted slightly and he leaned in.

I sucked in a quick breath as our lips met.

"Shove it up your ass, Ron!" granger yelled from the top of the stairs.

I let out a sigh as her footsteps pounded down the stairs. I sat back in the chair feeling suddenly grumpy, and Potter ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated moan. He moved away from me just as she swung the library doors open.

"I swear I'm just going to bury him out back one day," she huffed out. She surveyed the room through slitted eyes. "What's wrong with you two?"

Potter rolled his eyes and moved back to the table. "Absolutely nothing," he said shortly. "What happened now, Hermione?"

"Instead of helping me go through the pile of books I had, he was too busy going on about some girl he met," she explained grumpily. "You'd think Voldemort had disappeared."

"Sure you're not jealous, Granger?" I put in from my seat.

She glared daggers at me. "Not that it's any of your business, Zabini, but I'm not jealous. I'm just a little more concerned about the end of the world at the moment than his latest fling."

I chose not to respond. But anyone with eyes could see she still had feelings for her ex. But I wasn't about to tell her that. She'd figure it out eventually, if she hadn't already.

I looked over at Potter and found him staring at me. Well, staring at my lips more or less.

I wet my lips with my tongue and watched his mouth go lax with wonder. His eyes rose to mine and I smiled at him. Don't worry. It was a nice, normal smile. Nothing evil or mean about it.

"Is Fred here yet?" Virginia Weasley asked from the door. Her red hair was disheveled and a button was missing from her shirt that exposed a part of her bra.

Granger looked at her in extreme concern, but didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. "Gin, you all right?"

Ginny looked at her with a goofy smile on her dazed face. "Never better. Why do you ask?"

Potter's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Did Malfoy do something to you?"

Her smile disappeared and she looked shocked. "No! Of course not, Harry! Why would he?!"

He shook his head. "You just look a little . . . lost."

"Oh, okay," she managed with a small smile. "Is Fred here yet?"

Granger frowned. "Not yet. But he and Angelina should be here soon. And so should Oliver and Katie."

"If he ever lets her out of bed," I piped up. I swear this place is on of those, what do some muggles call them? Oh, right, soap operas. Everyone has their own little drama going on.

Little Weasley sat down by me and I smirked at her.

"What?" she snapped irritably.

I pulled myself up so only she could hear what I was about to say. "You have very noticeable love bite on your neck, just there," I told her, pointing.

Her face was bright red and her eyes were wide as they met mine. "It's nothing, you know," she said hastily.

I smirked at her. "That nothing certainly has Draco Malfoy written all over it."

Her brown eyes flashed a challenge at me, daring me to say a word. "We just kissed, Zabini. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"I guess Draco finally wised up."

"What are you on about, Zabini?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, if you can't figure that out, you're just as stupid as he is."

Weasley opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off when her annoying brother burst through the room.

"Angelina's here! Fred was attacked by Death Eaters!"