A/N: none of these characters belong to me...if they did, I'd be the one making billions, but alas it is the great JKR that is, but it is oh so fun to borrow them for a spell-BG
Invisible
Sometimes in life, you have high times, when you are always surrounded by people and admirers. At those times, you feel like you are in the spotlight, the center of attention, and everything feels right because you are being recognized. Unfortunately, there will come a time, as it always does, when the "high" time in you life comes crashing own around you like a scene set at the end of a long running show. That is when your light goes out, sometimes making you feel totally and completely alone, invisible. In order to go on, everyone needs something or someone to show them the way, or else they will be moving and bumping helplessly around, never finding his or her intended path. These times are known as low times, and one would think them as bad times. Well, for some, they are. For others, however, the low times are a chance for discovery about oneself and who they are. Those low times are also a time for one to find the love of their lives. If you're lucky, your love will come around and offer to be your guiding light. Such a thing happened to two particular Hogwarts students one evening.
"Why, may I ask, are you sitting here, in the darkest corner of the library, with only a window for light, by yourself with no books around to indicate your usual feverish studying?" This question came in a soft, masculine voice, with only a slight hint of his foreign roots.
"I'm…I'm thinking about things," The girl in the corner replied from the floor as she quickly wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her school jumper, hoping to any god that would listen that she would be discreet while in the eyes of this particular man.
"Now, now, Gran…Hermione. I know you better than that."
"You do?" She asked, puzzlement clearly evident on her flushed face. "We've never said so much as two words to each other in the six years before being made Heads, Blaise. How could you?"
"Well…um…" He started, but Blaise Zabini wasn't a very articulate person when it came to having conversations with girls, now women, who had, unknowingly to them, attained his affection. Hermione Granger was no exception.
As nervous habits go, Blaise started to shuffle his feet back and forth, his blue eyes staring intently on his moving feet, trying to think of something to say in his limited borrowed time. He continued doing the shuffle, knowing that she was watching him closely, waiting for what was to be an interesting explanation.
Finally, coming up with an answer that he knew would suffice, he said, "I…I'm just really good at reading people as who they really are, I guess. From experience, I also know that when you're thinking about school, you don't always tear the way you were just then. It's about something or someone."
When he finally looked up to judge her reaction, he noticed that she was, indeed, staring at him, though not in a way that said 'you're a freak' or 'you're insane; it was more of a 'you're amazing, how come I didn't realize it before' way. After a few time-stopping moments of just getting lost in each others eyes, he took notice of a broad grin surfacing on her tear-streaked face, deciding that her glistening brown eyes and wavy brown hair only made her seem more beautiful to him. He was only brought out of his state of pure adoration, when he focused on her hand, which was currently gesturing for him to sit next to her on the floor.
As he moved to sit down, she turned her head back to the window to gaze out over the seemingly harmless forest as it swayed in the light, spring wind, which was bathed in the full moon's glow.
"So what's wrong Hermione? I'm sure I'm not the only one to say that we're not used to seeing you cry. You're usually the strong one. Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Can it?"
Hermione sighed. "It depends. You know what it's like to be invisible, don't you? If I remember correctly, I know I've heard and seen your name around school over the years, but never do I remember actually seeing you being in the halls." This earned her a nod from the man by her side.
"Well, ever since Harry started seeing Ginny and Ron-Parvati, I feel like I've disappeared in their eyes as their only 'girl friend'. I feel they've forgotten me. Whenever I would try to talk to them, they would just ignore me or avoid me like I was a Blast-ended Skrewt. What do you think I should do, Blaise?" She asked as tears started catching in her throat at the memories of the times her and her friends had before seventh year.
"You're right, Hermione. I do know what it is like to feel invisible, but it was a choice all of my own. You're used to being in the spotlight so often because of Harry, that when he's no longer busy worrying if he'll live to graduation and finding the love of his life, along with Ron, your spotlight in their eyes dissipates until it disappears completely, and you are left in an unforeseeable darkness. That darkness only lasts until someone shines a light anew just for you so as to help you emerge back into the world."
Realizing what he had just said, she turned back to him and just sat there, continuously amazed at the extent of this mans wisdom and expertise on certain aspects of life.
Fear clearly forming in her eyes at what she was about to ask him, Hermione looked deep into Blaise's indigo eyes, left hand reaching up to grab his right, and whispered in his ear, "You're right…I need a guiding light. Blaise? Will you be that light for me? Would you be my guiding light through the darkness of my low times in life?"
"Of course." His response caused her to break into both a heart-warming smile, which could be seen in the moonlight that was shining through the large window in her corner of the library, and a warm embrace, which he, most happily, returned.
"Thank you." Hermione said with a sigh, while her head rested peacefully upon his shoulder. The warmth that was being emitted by the couple entwined in their own solitary light was only matched by the light shining by way of the moonlight. They shared a hope for a more promising future, where neither of them would feel invisible in each other's eyes.
The End…Or is it?
(A/N: Reviews are GREATLY (!) appreciated!)
