A/N: Genderbent!Hermione and Blaise meet up in the Astronomy Tower.
Build A Zoo Challenge - Elephants (Blaise Zabini)
Character Diversity Boot Camp - #23 (flight), Blaise Zabini
If You Dare Challenge - #866 (All night)
Are You Crazy Enough To Do It - #104 (Blaise Zabini)
365 Prompts Challenge - #8 (Reading)
Fanfiction Writing Month: October (1044)
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.
His legs were kicked up against the wall of the Astronomy Tower, and his head was resting against the floor, so his entire body was at a strangely comfortable ninety degree angle. He was reading an old, dusty hardcover book that he'd thought would help him with the charm he was inventing.
"Merlin's beard, Herman," said a boy as he entered the tower. "I get it now."
It was Blaise, Herman's best friend. He loosened his Slytherin tie, breathing in deeply as he took a few more steps forward. "What?" replied Herman, eyes still glued to the book.
"Why you come up here so often," he clarified, gazing up at the glass. It revealed the stars above, the moon providing enough light to read by. "Does anyone even know about this?"
Herman shrugged, his spine rubbing against the smooth floor. "It's out-of-bounds to students, mostly."
Blaise smiled, getting down on the ground next to his friend. He laid down on the ground so that the tops of their heads were touching. They now split the Astronomy Tower perfectly in two with their bodies. "I didn't know you were willing to break the rules."
"For you, I am," replied Herman simply. "I needed to concentrate. I'm almost done."
"Really?" Blaise sat up straight. "The charm's finished?"
"If you keep yelling like that, it won't be," he joked. "Just a minute more of silence, alright?"
Blaise obediently closed his mouth, tightening his lips and trying not to say anything. But he was so anxious for the charm that he— "Are you done yet?"
Herman sighed in exasperation but could not help but smile. "Yes, Blaise." He swung his legs down from their elevated position and turned so that he was facing him. "I'm done."
Blaise grinned. "Can you—"
"Do it now? Sure." Herman brought out his wand from beneath his Gryffindor robes and gripped it firmly in his right hand. "Show me your arm."
This time, Blaise was not so eager. His smile faded. "Herm—"
"Blaise, don't worry. Show me your arm."
The Slytherin boy gulped and began to roll up his sleeve. His fear increased, and suddenly he could feel his fight or flight instincts roaring through him. His legs shook. He revealed his forearm to his friend, cowering under his gaze. "Herman, I'm not sure if I..." He didn't know how to explain it. He'd been so excited to have the charm performed on him up until this very moment.
"What?" said Herman impatiently. When he saw the expression on his friend's face, his anger washed away. "What's wrong?"
There was a moment of agonizing silence before Blaise spoke again. "It's just... I'm nothing without this. I don't think I want to just...take it away, just like that."
"You're not nothing, Blaise," Herman assured him. "This will make everything better, I promise."
He raised his wand and pressed it against the dark tattoo. "Wait!" cried Blaise, before he could begin the charm. "Wait, wait, I... I can't do this. I'm sorry. I can't."
Herman frowned. "Blaise, we've been working on this for months! I stayed up all night! You can't—" He stopped. He did not want to pressure him into doing this. "Blaise," he said. "What's wrong?"
The Slytherin stared at the ground. "No one likes me."
"That's not true. I like you. You've got tons of—"
"Let me finish." Blaise took a deep breath. "No one ever liked me or admired me before. Being admired feels good. When I'm following him, I can forget about how idiotic I am and everything because I'm something. I don't want to give that up."
Herman resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Blaise, you're loved and admired by everyone around you, don't you get it? Being part of Voldemort's" —he flinched— "gang of followers has made you think that you're not. You have tons of power that you use for good every day. Giving your Dark Mark up will not take away your power. You think you don't have any, but you do. I swear you do. You have power over me, Blaise. I would follow you to the ends of the earth, but instead of using that power to make me do bad things, you use it for good. You ask me to help you out of bad situations, and that's all I want for you. You're loved, Blaise, so loved. Don't you see?"
He looked up again. "Yeah," he answered finally, and he allowed Herman to take his arm again. "Okay." He took a deep breath before every word he said. "Do it."
Herman nodded and pressed his wand up against his friend's arm. He whispered the charm and watched as the ink vanished painlessly from his dark skin. He gasped as his skin warmed and then was completely clear for the first time in months. He embraced Herman with every bit of strength he had, and tried not to cry. "I love you," said Blaise's eyes, but his mouth said, "Thank you."
Herman's eyes didn't say anything back, but his mouth said, "You're welcome."
Blaise clutched his friend harder, and then pulled away. He didn't think that Herman ever noticed his more-than-just-friendly affection for him, and he thought that maybe now would be a good—
"Do you want to go down to the kitchens?" asked the Gryffindor. "Get something to eat? I know you didn't eat a whole lot at dinner."
Blaise shook his head. "Can we just stay here?"
"Sure." Then the both of them got back on the floor, and this time they were closer. They still formed a line like before, their toes pointing in opposite directions, but Herman's head was on Blaise's shoulder and vice versa. Blaise could hear Herman's every breath. Their ears were nearly touching.
"Herman?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you," said Blaise's eyes as he directed them at Herman's. "I love you, I love you, I love you." His traitorous mouth refused to help, so he searched for a reaction in the eyes of the one he loved. He didn't know. He never had. "You're brilliant," he said instead, mentally slapping himself.
Herman laughed, and when he did, Blaise felt the noise light up a spark within his heart. He hid it from him. "You, too, Blaise."
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please favorite, follow, and review!