- TWELVE-

                                    

                                          
Chapter Twelve
Firewhiskey and faith
Bronwyn had been excited for this up coming Friday, for the first big inter-house party was going to occur. Eight weeks into the return of term Hufflepuff, which was ultimately the house which threw some of the best parties, were putting on a school wide party. One which would be fuelled by drugs and alcohol. But something she honestly needed. Gryffindor had thrown a small one on the second week back but it had been busted early on into the night with their head of house not wanting the younger years to think bad on the older ones. Hufflepuff parties were different, firstly it was one that most of the school would attend. Secondly, they had the most laid back head of house and Professor Sprout would often let the party go into the late hours of the morning. They usually had the second best playlist, unfortunately the best did belong to Slytherin, and it was one that most people who attended loved. 
Bronwyn had been attending these school wide parties since she was in her third year, she had been drinking since her fourth. And they were something she was generally looking forwards to. But one part of her brain was wondering about something a little different this time. Usually it hyper focused on what she was going to wear, how she would do her makeup, her hair. Things she was very much used to having to spend much more time thinking about than she would like to admit. This had not really changed since she went to her first party. Not this time her brain wanted to know if someone else was attending the party. It was becoming desperate to know whether she would get to see him there. 
Her intrusive thoughts were even winning or clearly taking her distraction away from the topic at hand. The Charms work she had been trying to do completely abandoned at the desk she was sat at, rather Bronwyn's attention seemed to be elsewhere as she fixated her eyes upon something far away and they almost glossed over. Blaise had noticed her lack of attention for the last five or so minutes but considering she had given up all attempts to actually try to write some of the essay out she had been working on, he had to know. What was going through her mind? What was so important it took her attention away from her work? From him?
"What's going through your mind, pretty one?" He dropped a little bit of something in to see how she responded. Bronwyn was quick to turn to look at him and she had a look of disbelief on her face. 
"Little one? I'll have you know I am still taller than you." Bronwyn's voice showed off her disbelief and even if it hadn't been exactly what he said, Blaise was just happy her attention was back on him. 
"That's not even what I said, I asked what was going through your mind. It's clearly distracted you."
"Just thinking about the party later, are you going." Bronwyn wanted to pat herself on the back for being so upfront. 
"Wasn't really thinking of it."
"Oh come on Zabini, you know Hufflepuff throw the best parties." Bronwyn's words were whiny in tone and she hated the way she sounded almost desperate for a man, but then she realised that this was what she had started to become, desperate for him. Gross, she was only 15. 
"You're going to have to try harder than that to convince me." Blaise teased and Bronwyn at his words abandoned her work to fully turn herself to look at him. Her quill was thrown haphazardly onto the desk leaving an ink stain she didn't care if she could get out or not. 
"What's it going to take for the elusive Blaise Zabini to grace us all with his presence later tonight?" Bronwyn was serious in her words but to Blaise he could barely contain the butterflies he felt bubbling in the way she spoke to him, the way she had turned to give him her full attention. And he knew whatever she offered him, he would say yes to because she was making him weak. He was a knight upon her chessboard desperately trying to make his way up to her king.