Chapter Text
“Hiding from me, Emaline?”
The sudden sound of a voice caused Emaline Nilsen to turn her attention from the train window to Blaise Zabini. He stood in the doorway of the compartment with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, but she was instantly aware of the playfulness behind it.
Emaline and Blaise had known each other since they were born. Their mothers both attended Hogwarts together and became lifelong friends. So when Blaise was born only two years after Emaline, it was only natural for them to be attached at the hip as well. That was until the Nilsen’s moved overseas. Her father had gotten a new job in America, so they moved over there before Emaline started her schooling. Thus she and Blaise only saw each other on holidays but exchanged frequent letters back and forth over the years.
“Of course not Zabini, why would you think that?” Emaline quipped, her gaze following him as he closed the door and sat across from her.
“Because out of all the fucking compartments on this bloody train you chose the one in the very back.” She opened her mouth to respond, but he continued before she could. “And don’t say you were running late because I know damn well you left early because your anxiety would never allow you to be late right now.” The sigh she let out made Blaise’s smirk deepen; it was a sigh of defeat, proving he was correct.
Her nerves had kept her awake for most of the night prior, tossing and turning while thinking about all the things that could go wrong during her school year. Despite her few hours of sleep, she even got up long before the rest of the Zabini household. Shaky hands brushing through her long blonde hair with black streaks, hurriedly throwing on a burgundy top, black pants, and shoes, adorning herself with her usual silver jewelry and leaving for the train station just as Blaise was rolling out of bed.
“Oh shove off,” Emaline muttered, “If you were transferring to a new school, at the start of your sixth year, you would be pissing your trousers.”
Blaise let out a laugh, letting himself relax more in his seat. “C’mon Ems, it’s not that bad. It’s better than living with my mother and learning from that creepy git of a tutor.”
Blaise’s mother, Nicola Zabini, was Emaline’s godparent and looked after her as if she were her own child, which she now technically was. The Zabini’s took her in, after an accident that killed both of her parents the previous year. She suggested Emaline learn from a private tutor from the safety of their manor while she recovered from the loss of her parents. But Emaline was too smart and too observant not to notice that the interest the tutor was taking in her, was more than professional or even friendly.
She groaned and threw her head back against the seat. “Godric, don’t remind me. He kept insisting that he needed to live with us so he could ‘be available for me at any hour of the day, what a load of rubbish.” Both her and Blaise quietly chuckled, before her expression became more serious. “I never did thank you for getting me out of that.”
Emaline needed the help of Blaise for his mother to allow her to enroll at Hogwarts. Her capabilities in academics were not the concern, it was her being left alone in a new school. But after an agonizing amount of convincing, Ms. Zabini said she could enroll under the condition that Blaise would watch after her. Emaline had to hold back a scoff at the idea that her younger best friend could protect her better than herself but agreed nonetheless.
“Well, Go on then. I’m waiting.” Blaise’s sarcastic response earned him a glare, to which he chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I would pass up the opportunity for us to finally be at the same school. My hand’s been getting tired from writing so many letters, ya know.”
“Are you sure your hand isn’t tired from you doing something else?” Now it was his turn to glare while she laughed at his expense.
“Shut it, Nilsen.” He muttered while standing up.
“Come on Blaise, that joke wasn’t bad enough for you to have to leave.” She said, now slightly nervous that she had gone too far.
“Relax, I’m just gonna go say hi to my other friends, I’m sure they’re wondering where I am. I’ll be back before we arrive.” Blaise gave her a reassuring smile before exiting.
Other friends. After spending so much time living together, Emaline had almost forgotten he had other friends. It’s not like she was surprised, though he was often quite reserved Blaise was naturally charismatic. And she knew from his letters that he had found a friend group. But in their time together it was always just the two of them. Emaline didn’t know what she would do without him. She hadn’t planned for the moment when he’d go off with others, leaving her in the dust. Not to mention she hadn’t even considered how she would make friends of her own.
***
Just as promised, Blaise returned to the compartment to accompany Emaline off the Hogwarts Express. He grabbed both of their bags before she could grab her own, a habit he’s had since they were little when one of his mother’s husbands gave him lessons on how to “act like a gentleman”. Emaline couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the action as they walked off the train.
“Don’t you get tired of carrying my bags all the time?” She asked as they climbed into the first empty carriage they found.
“Don’t you get tired complaining about it?” He fired back.
“I just don’t understand why you keep doing it. Even when Nicola isn’t breathing down your neck.”
“Well I’m supposed to be your caretaker or some shit, aren’t I? I can’t have you breaking your back from carrying your things. Mother would have my head.”
“Blaise I’m not going to break my back from carrying my bags.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, your trunk weighs a ton. I mean, did you kill someone and decide to hide their body in there?” He fake gasped. “Are you trying to make me an accomplice?”
“Please. I’m not your mother.”
The two of them would keep going for ages if one of them didn’t eventually break. Emaline was usually the one to do so, with a huff and yet another eye-roll. That final quip caused them both to laugh, ultimately ending their little argument and they sat in silence for the remainder of the ride. The moments like this where she got the final word, made her stand a little taller than usual.