rarepair_shorts | Clue(do) Ficathon: Trick Steps (Ginny/Blaise)

Title: Trick Steps
Character Pairing: Ginny/Blaise
Prompt: Ginny/Blaise in The Staircase with the Trick Step with The Snitch.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1181
Summary: Blaise catches Ginny in a stupid position, and of course, any help from a Slytherin must come at a price.
Author's Notes: For the Clue(do) Ficathon!

Ginny Weasley had a very important exam to get to. It was absolutely vital for her to score well, so she could improve her dismal Potions grade. She loathed Snape, as all proper Gryffindors should, and so she just had to hurry up and get to class on time, so she could ace her exam and thoroughly enjoy the look of disappointed resentment from Snape when he couldn't take any house points from her (for once). It was a beautiful dream, and unfortunately for Ginny Weasley, she would never get to see it come to fruition.

"Oh, bollocks," she said miserably, finding herself suddenly trapped in the middle of the stairs. She'd been in such a rush, and so consumed with thoughts of besting Snape, that she'd completely forgotten about the trick step, and now she was stuck missing her exam and looking like a loony bird until somebody found her and helped her out. Hopefully whoever it was would be from Gryffindor, or at least not Slytherin. But, of course, today was just not Ginny's day.

"Well, well, what have we here?" The voice was predatory in its silky amusement, and Ginny scowled at the sound of it. She didn't know who the boy was, but it was clear from the sound of his voice that he was Slytherin. "A little lost Gryffindor, caught in a spider's web?"

"Either give me a hand or sod off," Ginny snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Baby's got bite," said the boy, and Ginny shivered as he passed, the hairs on her arms standing on end. He walked much too closely, was all. As he came around to face her, Ginny realized that she did know this boy; she had seen him around from time to time, impressing the stupider girls with his handsome features and Slytherin charms. It was Blaise Zabini, from Harry's year. "The Weasel girl," he said, grinning. "How lovely."

Ginny wished desperately that she hadn't been caught by Blaise Zabini like this, in such a stupid position. Not because she particularly cared what a mindless Slytherin thought of her, no. Of coure that couldn't be it. Zabini was an idiot. She just wished she could move, so she could rush at him and hex the smirk off his face. Well, she could probably still reach her wand, couldn't she? She was pondering her move when Blaise began to chuckle, which just completely threw her off. "What's so funny, Zabini?" Ginny snarled, her hands balling into fists. "Like you've never been stuck in one of these stupid magical traps before."

"Actually, no, I haven't," he drawled. "Regrettably." He looked her over carefully, his gaze lingering somewhere around her middle, which just angered Ginny even more. It was bad enough being ogled, but by Blaise Zabini, it was utterly nauseating. And why did he have to be so good looking? Just made it all the more irritating.

"Look," said Ginny, pulling her wand from her pocket, "get out of here, or I'll hex you. It's as simple as that."

"You know as well as I that hexing isn't allowed in the corridors, Weasley," he said, grinning at her, leaning in from his place several steps higher than her. Ginny was shorter than most as it was, and he towered over her, his figure tall and imposing. Clearly, he was trying to intimidate her, but Ginny Weasley did not intimidate easily. "You don't want to get detention, do you? I'm sure Snape would love to get his greasy claws in you."

Ginny attempted to hide her laughter and ended up snorting loudly, which was only slightly mortifying. "Even Slytherins rag on Snape, eh? And I thought only Gryffindors called him greasy."

"Well, if the oil fits," said Blaise, and this time Ginny laughed properly, lowering her wand. "All right, Weasel, I've got an offer for you." Ginny raised an eyebrow curiously, and Blaise crossed his arms over his chest with a smug grin. "I will set you free. But, you have to earn it."

"And how do you expect me to do that?" She cried, waving her arms about to indicate her trapped status. She hoped he wasn't going to ask for something stupid, like a kiss, which would be just the sort of disgusting foolishness Slytherins were known for.

"It's very simple," Blaise said calmly, reaching into his robes. "You only have to catch this." He held aloft a struggling Snitch.

Ginny snorted again, though this time in disbelieving frustration. She was relieved it wasn't a kiss, of course, though this was hardly more desirable. "Impossible," she snapped, tapping her wand against her thigh, which set off a set of tiny red sparks. "I know I'm good, Zabini, but nobody's that brilliant. You can't even predict which way it will go!"

"So I suppose you're content to stay here, then."

"Of course not; release the damn thing."

Blaise let go of the Snitch and watched hungrily as it flitted back and forth between the two of them, seemingly deciding on which way it wanted to go. Then, in a flash, it was gone, flying far above them in an invisible blur. "Well, that's that, then. Have a pleasant afternoon, Miss Weasley."

"Hem, hem," said Ginny, in her Umbridge voice, and Blaise startled at the sight of the Golden Snitch, held fast in the palm of Ginny's hand. "A little help, Zabini?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Merlin's beard," he said, reaching out to pull Ginny from the staircase. A good hard yank with both hands, accompanied by a grunt of straining, and he managed it, freeing Ginny and sending her flying into him. Blaise wrapped his arms around her to steady the both of them, and Ginny blushed furiously at the warmth of his body. She pushed him away quickly and smoothed her hair back, hiding her face for a moment while she recovered. "How did you do that, Ginny?"

She couldn't answer at first, so stunned was she by his touch and the fact that he'd used her given name. Still, she had a reputation to uphold, so she quickly took a deep breath and re-affixed her usual fierce grin. "You'll just have to wonder, I'm afraid. Try not to stay up too late thinking about it." She winked at him and picked her belongings up off the floor. "Thanks for the help."

Blaise stood still and watched her go, trapped in a trick stair of his own making, a cloud of Ginny perfume, the residual heat of her in his arms, and the image of her smirking at him with a Snitch in her fist. So transfixed was he, that he completely missed the sight of the original Snitch buzzing about behind him, and he never realized that Ginny had been hiding one in her robes, too.

It sure did pay to practice Quidditch techniques between classes, Ginny thought to herself as she rushed to class. And the prospect of detention with Snape was almost enough to erase the feel of Blaise Zabini's arms around her. Almost.