Most ardently by swift night This is a collection of stories
from the world of most ardently chapter 3 pocket watches and.
Pining something? Wrong with your.
Watch Brother. Pansy asked pointedly as she
caught him catching it for the sixth time in the last half
hour. It was true that he had recently
taken the last heirloom from his father.
To a. Watchmaker for inspection under
the assumption it had become defective.
However, the tinker confirmed it was in prime order and had even
complimented him on the device's craftsmanship and accuracy.
It had been a discouraging discovery and forced him to a
rather stark realisation that no matter how many gruelling
minutes he endured between glances, the hands never moved
fast enough to account for all his suffering.
No, Blaze replied, ticking it back into his pocket.
And today has been unbearably slow.
Time had been a sensitive topic for the wizard in the last few
months. Ever since vacating
Featherfield, he had been in search of new ways to distract
himself. At first he had plunged himself
into his work, devoting significantly more time to his
duties on the Wisengemot than he had done during his previous
sessions. It had worked for a time, but
when the session came to an end, he felt quite lost and without
purpose. The changing of the seasons had
not brought with them a change of heart.
After months apart, his heart still yearned for the company
and companionship of Miss Luna Lovegood.
Despite no longer residing in Autry St.
Catchpole, he still searched her out wherever he went.
Every fair haired which he passed on the street could be
mistaken for her until he got a closer look.
The most memorable of these encounters occurred while out
with Pansy and Diagon Alley last winter.
She had been walking in the opposite direction, so he never
saw her face, but the mystery witch wore a dress and coat
nearly identical to 1 Miss Lovegood had previously worn.
When he encountered her by chance in the village, he wished
to get a closer look to confirm the witch's identity, but Pansy
distracted him for a moment, and when he looked back in her
direction, she had disappeared. Now Pansy seemed inclined to
offer him another distraction. If you are looking for ways to
pass the time, the Selwyns invited us for supper this
evening. Blaise snorted.
You. Despise the Selwyn's.
His sister only shrugged. The Selwyn's son, Grayson, had
taken an interest in his sister, or more accurately, his sister's
galleons. If she was willing to walk into
the home of a fortunate hunter on his behalf, she must truly be
desperate to get him out of the house.
Not as much as I despise your wallowing.
She confirmed. Surely.
There are better uses of your time.
Blaze intended to reply to her teasing, but his brilliant quip
was interrupted by the arrival of a visitor.
Mr. Malfoy is here to see you, Master Blaze.
Crumsey announced as he bowed low.
Draco stood in the doorway, hesitating before stepping
inside. When he finally came in, he
ignored Blaze and Pansy entirely in favour of the bar cart.
After a generous pour that he immediately downed, there was a
poured another and collapsed onto the chaise to nurse it.
Does your? Appearance and sudden obsession
with my fire whiskey have anything to do with the
Potter's. Wedding 10 points to Slytherin,
Draker refused to look at him while he swirled the amber
liquid in his Tumblr. Draker's rivalry with the wizard
had been impossible to avoid throughout their school years.
The scene before him reminded Blaze of when Draco would pout
about Potter, one upping him in classes or on the Quidditch
pitch. But the stakes felt so much
higher than they had been when they were children.
Given the circumstances, I suppose I can waste 100.
Year old fire whisky to help you drown out your sorrows.
Leave it to Potter to decide to elope on your birthday.
The wizard simply grunted in reply.
It was not uncommon for him to grow quiet in his brooding.
Of all the Weasley sisters, I'm unsurprised it was the young
Missionevra to fall prey to his influence.
Pansy chimed in. That which would take advice
from her own diary. If it wrote back.
The Weasleys must have been so worried when she disappeared.
Though not blood related, he considered the Weasley wards
among those impacted by the scandal.
It pained him to think of Miss Lovegood enduring such
suffering. I'm sure Hermione was beside
herself. His sister's voice conveyed her
sincerity despite her denial. It was clear she harboured a
soft spot for the muggle born witch.
He recalled how. Pansy had been so disappointed
to leave Featherfield and her newest friend behind.
She was. It took Blaise a moment to
realise it was Draco who had spoken, and another for his mind
to register the implication of such a declaration.
Pansy caught on a second before him, turning her full attention
to the wizard sprawled out on the chaise.
You saw Miss Granger. The witch asked.
When was this? I have seen her on several
occasions since we last left Featherfield.
Draco admitted with a groan as he sat up.
The first was when Theo and I were visiting Greengrass Grove,
and the second was just last week when she toured the Manor
with her muggle parents. Blaze shot a glance at Pansy,
confirming she appeared just as baffled by the confession as he
had. Miss Grainger was at Malvoy
Manor. Draco only nodded in
confirmation at his question. Why are you just now telling us
this? Based on her tone, Blaise could
sense his sister's rising irritation after Downing the
rest of his fire whiskey, He answered.
Because you will need to understand the context for the
rest of what I gave here to tell you.
Don't be dramatic, Draco. Whatever you have come to say,
do not keep us waiting. Pansy ordered fine.
If you must. Know Pansy, Last April I went to
Green Grass Grove with Theo with the purpose of proposing to Miss
Granger. He paused, letting his words
permeate the room. Blaze's first thought was to
deny that possibility, but Draco was not one to jest.
When the wizard finally met his eye, there was no hint of
deception to be found. I insist you elaborate.
Blaise made his own demand of his friend.
After all, your objections to Miss Lovegood had been due to
her family. Connections and indifference.
Seeing as Miss Granger is her sister and therefore shares the
same family connections, I'm inclined to call you a
hypocrite. Not to mention that considering
how you 2 could not even entertain a conversation without
it becoming a sparring match, I found it difficult to believe
that she held you in any romantic regard.
When Draco approached him with his concerns about Miss
Lovegood's indifference, it was a difficult potion to swallow.
He had not wanted to believe it, but when Pansy agreed with his
oldest friend, Blaise was forced to hear them out, Now learning
that Draco had ignored his advice in the.
Pursuit of miss. Granger, he could not help.
But to have. It feel like a betrayal.
You are right to call me a hypocrite.
And will be pleased to know that.
Miss Granger rejected my offer without hesitation.
As it turns out, I had offended her greatly due to my
interference in your courtship with Miss Lovegood.
I did not say it pleased me to hear such a thing.
While he was angry, he felt a kinship with the wizard over
their unrequited feelings for the Weasley wards.
I am sorry she refused you. But you said you saw her again
last week in Wiltshire. Pansy spoke again.
Did she reconsider? Your offer?
Draco snorted. Merlin, no.
She made it. Quite clear I was the last
wizard she would. Ever marry?
She had. Been passing through the
village. When the family encountered
carriage troubles. When I discovered she was there.
I may have bribed the coach. Builder to delay the repairs so
I could introduce her to my mother.
Blaise could not help but smirk. It was so like Draco to scheme,
but this had been the first time the wizard had done so in favour
of a witch. And did Miss Granger learn of
this manipulation? Or does she remain ignorant of
it? He enquired after sipping his
own drink. I had no chance to confess,
seeing as the letter from Miss Lovegood arrived to inform her
of the news when she fainted. I had assumed the letter had
been to inform her of a. Death in the.
Family. After learning the truth, I
acquired. A port key to deliver her home
and took another here to London to track down Potter myself.
Now that Draco had begun his confession, it seemed he could
not stop. His words increased in cadence
as he stumbled through the story.
I suspected he was. Hidden in the black residence he
had inherited so. After securing the.
Loyalty of the Pruitt twins, the Weasley cousins.
I had my solicitor draw up a contract to transfer ownership
of the Black seat in exchange for Potter marrying Miss
Weasley. Then I bribed and traded deals
with various ministry officials and journalists to clear
Potter's name. So you are.
Behind that horrid Skeeter article published this morning.
When Draco confirmed with another nod, his sister rolled
her eyes. Honestly, Draco, she was laying
it on pretty thick. Was a full article about his
family history truly necessary? She called him the Boy Who Lived
for Cersei's sake. Yes, Pansy, I deemed it quite
necessary considering next week the news will break about his
acquisition of the seat. We agreed between us that the
story would be kept simple, a clause that Mister Black put in
that stipulated he not inherit until he was married, wrapping
everything up in a neat. Little bow, what about Theo?
Blaise enquired, worried for their gentleman's livelihood now
that Draco no longer had possession of the seat.
I informed him this morning and promised to assist him in
seeking out other employment. It was obvious the sacrifice
weighed heavily on Draco's shoulders, but Blaise would not
let him carry that burden alone, vowing to help him in securing a
position for Theo as soon as possible.
You did all that for Potter. And the.
Bastard still chose to insult you by getting married on your
birthday. Pansy sneered, offended on the
wizard's behalf. Language, Pansy.
Blaise could not help but scold his sister, even if he agreed
with the sentiment. Potter didn't pick the date.
It was just bad luck on my part since it was the earliest
appointment I could procure with Ministry officiant.
I could not delay without risking further ruin to Miss
Granger and her sisters. I.
Suspected your infatuation with her while at Featherfield, but
this is far greater than anything I expected.
If this cannot convince Hermione, I'm not sure anything
can. Pansy's expression showed her
impressed by the wizard's dedication, and Blaise found
himself agreeing with the sentiment.
I swore. Potter and the Pruitt's to
secrecy. She can never know about my
involvement. Draco insisted.
Blaise shook his head at the fantastical tale and his closest
friend's insistence on being miserable after such heroics for
a witch who had already refused him.
However, he could not help but recall who that witch was
related to, wanting to return to one of the Wizards previous
remarks. When you initially proposed, you
said Miss Granger declined your offer due to the offence she had
taken regarding Miss Lovegood, but you never clarified what
that. Meant Draco could not meet his
eye, looking toward the fireplace.
That is the real reason I came to see you.
It appears I was mistaken about Miss Lovegood's indifference
towards you. The affections you held for her
were very much mutual and I wish to apologise for my role in
separating you both. Blaise could do nothing but
stare at him in shock. Logic returned as he finally
regained the ability to speak. That is not.
Possible, he denied. If Miss Lovegood cared for me,
why have I heard nothing from her in the last six months?
Draco opened his mouth to answer, but it was Pansy who
cleared her throat and made her confession.
I may have received letters from Miss Lovegood and Hermione
informing me that she had come to London.
It was quite obvious what her intentions were in doing.
So had the witch in Diagon Alley been Miss Lovegood?
Could he have found her months ago?
Had Pansy not distracted him? Had his sister seen her and done
so on purpose of keeping them apart?
Then why did you not tell me? His sister's betrayal stung just
as much as Draco's had. Because I asked her to conceal
it from you. Draco came to Pansy's defence.
I was. Wrong in doing.
So I am sorry, Blaze. I hope you can eventually
forgive me. His apology was startling.
In all the years he had known him, Draco was not one to
apologise. The remorse written on his
features convinced him it was genuine, even if he was unsure
if he was willing to accept it quite yet.
His main priority at the moment was seeking out Miss Lovegood
and offering his own apology for his actions.
While I am still cross with both of you, I'm afraid I shall
require your help. Blaise eventually replied, a
plan forming in his mind. Whatever you need.
Draco agreed with an eager nod. I must return to Featherfield at
once. Despite the ease with which he
had just declared his commitment to Blaise's cause, Draco shook
his head. Potter took Miss Weasley well.
Miss Potter now. Back to Otterie St.
Catchpole to. Spend the week with the
Weasleys, he informed him. But if you wait until the
following week, he will be gone. He did not want to wait, but he
could see Draco had a point. The Weasleys would likely not be
taking visitors while Potter was there, nor did he particularly
want to encounter him or have him interfere with his personal
business. The timing also afforded him the
ability to take a trip to Gringotts before he departed
London. All right, he accepted.
But I shall send Crumsey ahead of us.
To collect gossip in the neighborhood, I must confirm if
Miss Lovegood has inquired any new suitors in the time I was
away. The idea of Miss Lovegood's
attentions being drawn elsewhere made him feel somewhat ill, but
until she accepted a gentleman's proposal, he would pursue her.
But next week is Tracy Davis's wedding.
Pansy wind. It is one of the most
anticipated social events in the season and I must attend as part
of the bridal party. You cannot leave me in London
alone. UN.
Chaperoned plays cursed into his breath, but Draco was already
searching for solutions. My mother will be in town for
the wedding as well. You are more than welcome to
stay with her at our house in Mayfair.
No one would object to such an arrangement if I were with Blaze
at Featherfield. If you would like to join him
after the wedding, I can secure you a port key.
Fine, the witch. Crossed her arms, but did not
argue further. After some more discussion back
and forth about securing port keys and coordinating Pansy's
move to Grosvenor Square with Narcissa in the following week,
Draco finally stood to leave. I'll stop by in a few days with
the rest of the details. He offered in lieu of a goodbye.
He made it nearly to the doorway before turning back.
Again, I must. Say how sorry I am, I'll make
this right, Blaze. I promise, Draco.
He contemplated how to continue. Perhaps Miss Granger will
reconsider once she knows. Of your contributions.
Don't give up. Friend.
The wizard returned a bittersweet smile.
I have bothered her enough and respect her far too much.
To force my. Presence upon her any more than
I already have. She will find her happiness, and
I have accepted I shall not be a part of it.
After Draco disappeared out the front door, Blaze pulled out his
father's pocket watch again. Only half an hour had passed
since the wizard stumbled in, but compared to the last six
months, the time had flown by. Now he only needed to endure
another week before he could return to the borough.
If Miss Lovegood was receptive to his proposal, then he was
confident he would spend the rest of his life cherishing
every minute that ticked by while in her company.