It's got to be her. It is freakish and unnerving and definitely alarming. But it is her. She had checked and rechecked.

Hermione Granger isn't easily perturbed but the last two weeks has got her thinking. She wasn't even sure when it had started. Only that she had started noticing it two weeks back. It started as simply nothing. A few covert glances here and there. A look, a blank stare or maybe a frown. It was nothing.

Hermione had never felt any sort of attraction towards Blaise Zabini. He was one of those fellows whom you notice instantly but never think much about. He had that quiet beauty about him that got people interested but that was where it ended.

So she of course noticed him. Again how could she not? He was always hanging out with Draco Jackass Malfoy and his pug of a girlfriend. She had noticed him ever since they started Hogwarts. But you never think much of Blaise. He is overall a nice fellow and as far as she knew is never mean to anyone. He is a good student and comes from a moderately liberal pureblood family. There is seriously nothing alarming about the guy.

He wasn't physically imposing either. Maybe a 5'8" or 5'9". Hermione herself was 5'7". But he had strong shoulders, a narrow waist and marvellous bone structure. She would like to stress on the bone structure. He has a face that can best be described as classical features with a hint of ruggedness. Yeah, Hermione is aware that it doesn't even make much sense. But there it was, nothing ever did.

And here he was again, both of them sitting in the Quidditch field religiously after class. She was always there with Ron and Harry and he was there with whichever friend he could find that day. He had a ton of friends and unlike all other Slytherins he made it a point to interact with all other houses. She liked that about him but it also made him unpredictable. He wasn't what you would normally expect of a Slytherin and that bothered her.

"...and then Dean said that David Harzinger is gonna bite the dust soon enough. I mean seriously, does that guy have no brains? Anyone who knows anything about Quidditch can see that Harzinger is a top class keeper. " Ron said. "What do you say Hermione? Even you must agree to that."

"Of course Ronald" Hermione answered looking up from her book. Unconsciously her eyes sought out Blaise. She wanted to see if he was watching her today. They had a weird routine. It almost ran hot and cold.

"Say Hermione, are you warming up to Quidditch?" Harry asked with a slight playfulness in his voice.

"Why do you say so?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"You have been hanging around the Quidditch field more in the last couple of weeks than you have in the rest of the year. It makes me wonder if it is the love of the game or something else."

Shit. Harry is much cleverer than he ever got the credit for. Ron's brain wouldn't even tread in that direction but Harry had the uncanny ability to understand that something was up although he couldn't exactly pinpoint what.

"HaHa. It's nothing like that Harry. I just wanted to sit outside in this nice weather. Even I don't like the dark, dank library all the time." Phew. Hermione snuck another look. He wasn't looking this way today. Suddenly she wasn't feeling too well.

"You know what, maybe we should leave. It's getting late anyway."

"Aww c'mon Hermione. It's only been an hour." Ron whined.

"Maybe tomorrow..." she started "You know what I will get going. You guys can sit here. I have to write a letter home anyway." Hermione packed up her books and got up. She felt depressed. On days like this she wondered if she had been reading the signs right. Chances are that she misinterpreted and built up the whole thing in her mind. It's not like she had much experience with boys. For all she knew maybe there is an ongoing joke about her staring at him and he is just indulging her.

She could vividly imagine Blaise and Draco sitting in their common room and going "Dude Granger was looking at me again. Told you even that nun can't resist me" and Draco says "Here is your 100 galleons Blaise. You win."

Arrrgh.

Hermione and her imagination! As much as she would like to deny Hermione Granger was intrigued by Blaise for despite the shy demeanour that guy was more complex than all of Voldemort's twisted souls combined. She had looked into his eyes and ever since had been drawn like a moth to the flame.