Harry dropped his stack of books next to Hermione on their table in the library. She was already deeply absorbed in her work. The brunette yawned and suddenly noticed that Harry had arrived. She jumped in her seat.
"Oh, hi, Harry, " she greeted, "you frightened me there." Grinning weakly, he nodded. "I can check over your Charms essay after I finish mine, " she offered absently, already being drawn back into her writing.
"Thanks," he accepted with a grateful smile that went unnoticed by Hermione.
"Hmm, " she muttered, deep in thought. She rapped her quill against the table, a quirk that Harry surprisingly did not find annoying, but endearing. He was glad that he had such a good friend as Hermione. Loyalty was very important to him, which was probably why the Sorting Hat placed him in Hufflepuff. They studied and finished their homework, taking the time to check their work and make sure that every answer was thorough. It took them hours.
The sun set, dipping lower and lower into the sky until finally the moon became the only beacon of light aside from the stars. Madam Pince apologetically ejected them from the library. She loved it when students enjoyed reading, but it was getting late, past the fifth-years' bedtimes, she presumed. "Get a good night's sleep, dears, "she called after them, "It's a Hogsmeade day tomorrow." Harry's shoulders slumped a little -he was not able to go to Hogsmeade due to his abusive and neglectful uncle not signing the permission never did, year after year. Hermione patted his shoulder reassuringly.
They wandered back to the Hufflepuff common room, not quite ready to go to bed. The pair sat on a cozy sofa and stared into the fireplace for awhile.
"Hermione," Harry said, "Tonight was so fun. I'm so glad to have a friend like you."
His bookworm friend smiled at him, inwardly disappointed that he didn't think of her as anything more than a friend. She had had a serious crush on him ever since he had saved her from the troll in their first year. But with the way things were looking now, she didn't think that Harry would return anything other than friendly affections. She knew that with all of her being she wanted to change that. And then she promised herself,
"I will make Harry notice me
as a girl, not a best friend."
With a new goal in mind, she retired to her room, where her friend Hannah Abbott was already sleeping, snoring lightly. Taking care to be as quiet as possible lest she wake her, Hermione prepared for bed, putting on flannel pajamas and brushing her teeth before slipping between her silken sheets. She looked forward to her dreams. She knew she would dream about Harry.
'"Hermione, " Harry said, a bit embarrassed, "I have something to tell you ..." He seemed to have lost his courage (and his voice) after the opening line,but decided to tell her with actions how he felt. Harry pulled her towards him and into a passionate French kiss. Hermione was in heaven. Harry pulled away, grinning. "I've always wanted to try that, "he admitted, panting.'
Hermione woke with rays of sunlight nearly blinding her. She nearly turned over to go back to sleep, but belatedly remembered that Sunday was a Hogsmeade day. She hopped out of bed and ran straight to her wardrobe, browsing for the perfect outfit to impress Harry with, before she was freed from her half-awake state and she realized that Harry wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Something about an unsigned permission slip year after year, according to Harry(and Hannah, her gossipy roommate). She decided she wouldn't let her new clothes go to waste. It wasn't fair for Harry to be the only third-year stuck at Hogwarts. Hermione would keep him company. That was what friends were for, after all -though hopefully, if everything went as planned, she would be something more by the end of the day. She carefully selected her favorite jeans and a violet shirt. Everything would have to appear normal in the beginning of the day.
She found Harry moping in the library. She snuck up behind him and covered his eyes. "Guess who?"she asked him gleefully.
Harry flinched, shocked. "'Mione," he groaned, "you know that scares me."
She shrugged innocently. Her best friend grinned evilly, preparing for payback.
He snaked his hands around her waist and started tickling her mercilessly.
She shrieked in protest, but was reduced to a limp, giggling girl in Harry's arms. He carried her jokingly over to the couch and lay her down. Hermione played dead, lest the raven haired boy continued to attack her.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Harry teased. In case he was trying to trick her, Hermione remained limp."Oh, wait, "Harry continued, "I forgot. The amazingly handsome, buff and charming prince (Hermione cracked a small grin at that)must kiss Sleeping Beauty so she will wake." The brunette felt her heart beat faster at the idea. This was just how she dreamed it would be -almost. With an outrageous sweep of his hand unseen by Hermione, Harry lifted her dainty wrist and gallantly kissed the back of her hand. Hermione felt elated but also disappointed. Nevertheless, she certainly felt more awake after that, sitting up quickly and blushing.
"You know what I think would be fun?" She asked Harry. He shrugged.
"No. Would you tell me?" He asked.
"Looking for a random book and reading it." Hermione's eyes lit up with delight.
"There must be thousands to choose from!" Harry nodded, glad that his friend was happy. Who was he to refuse her her simple pleasures? She was a true friend to him.
"Sounds like fun."he replied.
Together they browsed upon row after row of books. Finally, Hermione pulled a slender, golden and well-loved book from the shelves.
"Compatibility:How Well Things Work, "she read. "Sounds interesting." The bushy-haired brunette looked with pleading eyes past eye level (Harry's delectably toned torso) up to his utterly sexy (in Hermione's opinion) eyes. He nodded in agreement and together the Hufflepuffs headed back to their table. Hermione reverently gazed at the book, opened the front cover, and tentatively turned the first page.
"the Compatibility Charm, "she read, "A spell that shows the compatibility between oneself and their partner, based on the intensity of the light caused by casting this spell between the two." She gently closed the book, trying to absorb the information.
"The incantation is Compato Compareto, Compato Compareto, "she muttered under her breath.
Harry grinned. "We should try it, as a joke. Just for fun, you know!" With that, he burst into infectious laughter. Hermione joined in, but her friend couldn'thelp but notice her giggles were a little whipped out her wand, oak with a unicorn hair core. "Compato Compareto! "Hermione yelled. A flash of blinding light burst from between them, lasting for only a second before disappearing completely."Wow, "breathed Hermione, "I guess we're compatible, then."Harry waved it away. "Of course we are, "he agreed, "we are best friends, after all."Neither Hermione nor Harry noticed the handsome young Italian in the shadows, watching them, calculating. "Hermione obviously loves him. "He thought bitterly. "With a makeover others will see her true beauty besides me. With my way, we'll both get what we want. Even though I won't get if long enough for my liking."
Blaise Zabini was a catch if there ever was one. At 6'1",with a toned body and a handsome face with gorgeous violet eyes and dark hair, he was every girls' fantasy. But whenever a girl tried to get close to the Slytherin teen, he moved away. If not for his crush on Hermione Granger, he might have slipped completely off the radar. Not many noticed him, and that was just the way he liked it. Until now. Blaise was setting his plan into motion. He could get the girl, she could get the boy, everything would work out just fine. He wondered if he was selfish though, because even though the plan was fair, he wanted more. He noticed Hermione even if she didn't notice him. Blaise loved her giggle. Her innocence. Her little habits, like biting her nails. Blaise loved everything about her. Maybe knew more about her than Harry did. Was it wrong to think he deserved her most?
When Hermione sat down at the Hufflepuff table for lunch with Harry, she noticed many girls giggling and pointing towards the Slytherin table. A boy she vaguely remembered but hadn't really seen before was there, and Lord, he was handsome. Hermione thought he was probably a jerk. But that didn't mean that she felt the slightest bit attracted to him. She decided it was nothing and thought about other things -like Harry. He obviously cared about her, but only as a friend. Hermione was despairing slightly. She didn't know what to do. Should she just become Sleeping Beauty every day until she got a real kiss? Should she look for another guy? Hermione loved Harry desparately -he was so kind to everyone. Hermione continued to munch on her sandwich, deep in thought.
Hermione decided to go on a walk for awhile. She needed some alone time. Slowly, she wandered down to the Black Lake and sat under a tree. She decided that she wasn't brave enough to tell Harry how she felt. If only she could be a Gryffindor just then! Hermione would bide her time, wait and see. She would enjoy the early October sunshine before it was too late and she started fretting about O.W.L.s. Hermione got up, and looked towards the robins-egg-blue sky dotted with clouds. She felt like a first-year again, young and clueless, and twirled around, watching the world spin. Hermione was so caught up in nature that she didn't notice the nearby figure until it was too late.
She ran into him, making them both lose their balance. They landed on the ground hard, the wind knocked out of them.
"Ow, " she groaned, trying to regain her breath, "Sorry about that."
The mysterious boy from lunch weakly grinned at her. "Yeah,"he agreed, "I'm sorry that had to happen." Hermione giggled,staring into his hypnotizing. Violet. Eyes. That she considered even sexier than Harry's, if that was possible. She had a sudden realization that she was lying on top of him and rolled off, blushing. They scrambled up quickly, Blaise offering his hand to help her up like a proper gentleman. Hermione decided that he could be a good friend. Maybe he wasn't a jerk, after all. "Blaise Zabini, "he introduced, holding out his hand. "Hermione Granger, "she shyly smiled at him, accepting his hand. Hermione liked holding Blaise's hand. It was warm and dry and seemed made for her own. Reluctantly, they broke the connection and went their separate ways, Blaise further along the Black Lake,and Hermione back to her dorm room. When she got there, Hannah Abbott was waiting eagerly on her bed.
"Who was that hottie I saw you outside with?"she asked excitedly. Hermione shrugged. "Oh, him, "she replied, "Blaise Zabini. He's a Slytherin," she added.
"Well, I knew that!"said Hannah, "I saw him sitting at their table during lunch."The girls chatted for hours about boys and more important things like O.W.L.s, until it was rimmed for dinner. Hermione was glad that she had this opportunity for "girl talk,"as Hannah called it. Harry was an amazing friend and secret crush, but there were some things he couldn't relate to.
Hermione plunked down next to Harry at the Hufflepuff table -the same table which had been filled with cheering students last year after Hufflepuff won the House Cup. Harry was already halfway through his dinner. "You're late, "he noticed.
"Talking with Hannah, "she dismissed. Hermione daintily cut her steak into small pieces. Her table manners were part if the reason she did so well in Potions -she was used to precision cutting. One by one, full-stomached students left the Great Hall. Hermione realized that only she and Harry were left. She gathered up all of her courage. Now was her chance to tell him how she felt. "Harry,"she said, nervous. "I lo... lo...lost my Transfiguration textbook." Hermione felt like she was going to cry. She couldn't tell him. She was too scared.
"I'm going to bed early, "she told him, dashing out of the Great Hall before he could see her cry. She left a thoroughly confused Harry sitting alone at the Hufflepuff table.
That night she didn't feel like chatting till midnight with Hannah. She slowly disrobed and slipped on her elegant pink satin nightgown. She trudged despondently to the bathroom and brushed her teeth without the usual energy she had. She closed the hangings on her bed and tucked the covers up to her chin. She needed some comfort now.
"Shh,shh, "Blaise comforted her,"It's alright." He hugged her gently, making her feel wanted and cared for. Then he disappeared, replaced by a shirtless Harry. Hermione spent the rest of the dream appreciatively gazing at his well-developed chest.
Monday brought dreary clouds and a light drizzle that matched Hermione's mood. How would Harry like her if he didn't know how she felt? She hurriedly changed into a form-fitting black silk robe and ran down to the Great Hall,her mood improved slightly by her dream. She had felt safe and warm in... whose arms? The details of her dream had already been forgotten. She assumed it must have been Harry. She could have yelled at him for making her fall deeper in love! She had enough time for a couple pieces of toast with jam before hurrying to Potions. This year, Hufflepuff had Potions with the Slytherins. By now, they were used to the bias shown by Snape to his own house. Hermione had had points taken off of her for breathing once!
She looked desparately around for a Hufflepuff partner. Harry and Hannah smiled apologetically at her from their table. Hermione scanned the room for someone without a partner. "Granger, we meet again."Blaise Zabini smiled at her easily. "I assume you're in need of a Potions partner." Hermione nodded, flashing him a grateful smile. They sat together at a table in the back of the cold stone room.
They quietly read the instructions for the Persistence Potion that had been written on the board in the front of the took. It was decided without words that Hermione would do the preparation while Blaise did the brewing. As she cut Draconia Roots into perfect 2cm-long pieces, Blaise whispered into her ear, startling her a bit.
"I can tell you like Harry, "he told her. The Slytherin read the panicked look on her face and knew age thought he was going to tell. "Don't worry, "he soothed, "I won't tell anyone." Blaise saw her shoulders sag with relief. "I have a plan to make your dreams come true. After dinner, wait in front of that tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy teaching trolls ballet. He could tell the brunette was unsure, but the promise of getting Harry extinguished all caution and she slowly nodded. Blaise grinned triumphantly while he stirred their brew.
"Time's up!"barked Snape, startling many. Blaise carefully poured some of their mixture into a crystal vial and set it on the Potion Master's desk. Hermione didn't react to Snape's shouts. She simply sat in her seat, a dreamy smile across her face. Harry would finally be hers!