Again and again Hermione found herself in the library, her head in a book. She was usually so engrossed that she would miss a meal. Whether she went at lunch and was nearly late for her afternoon lesson or she arrived after her lesson, Hermione was nearly always in the library.
This frantic use of the library had of course gone unnoticed by her two best friends. Harry had been so distracted by Malfoy and his death eater plans, he too was skipping meals. Ron on the other hand was being very single-minded in his approach to Hermione, simply making sure she was there for him to copy her homework. The redhead had also been rather busy with another female Gryffindor that Hermione had to share a room with. Many evenings, Hermione preferred the library to the insistent giggles and gossip by the other girls her age in their shared bedroom.
It was in the library where she met another similar minded person. Blaise Zabini also enjoyed the library, apparently too much according to his friends.
'Blaise,' Malfoy cocked his head at his friend, who was sitting in a corner, almost unnoticeable. 'What are you doing in the library? Again?'
Blaise slowly lifted his head and met Draco's eyes with his own. He gave him an uncompromising stare as he said slowly, 'Well, most people have to use the library more than once in their life to learn something, Malfoy.'
From her spot at the nearest table to the pair, Hermione had a hard time containing her laughter. It was not often someone like herself was able to watch this kind of exchange, which she was sure must happen often in the Slytherin chambers. She hid herself behind her large tome and chuckled quietly to herself. She did not hear the rest of the conversation but felt Draco's robe swish past her in a rush.
It took a moment before she had regained enough control to be able to lower her book without a large smile dominating her face. However, when she did, the penetrating stare of Blaise Zabini's was staring right at her from across the table. A small squeak escaped her lips as she quickly pulled the book back up to hide the embarrassment on her face.
'Something funny, Ms Granger?' Blaise sounded calm and relaxed; Hermione could not detect any anger in his voice.
She carefully lowered her book, which she had no more intention of reading today, not with Blaise sat opposite her staring with those beautiful brown eyes...
Hermione mentally shook herself of thoughts of his lips before answering him, controlling her voice as best as she could, 'Yes, my book is rather funny.'
Her voice cracked on the last word and a broad smile escaped her lips. To her surprise, Blaise returned the smile.
'Of course, I'm sure that...' Blaise flicked his gaze to her book, then back up to her eyes unflinchingly, unnerving Hermione quite a bit, '... An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms is simply hilarious.'
'Certainly is,' she muttered before lifting her book again. She let her gaze wander over the words, not taking in a single one. Her mind was on Blaise, whom she kept going back to thinking about no matter how hard she tried not to. His plump lips danced in her head, she could see his piercing gaze through her unread book and hear nothing but his breath gently leave his mouth. She could smell his musty scent, a mix of the soap he used in the shower, the detergent used on his clothes and the heavenly scent of his skin, wafting together to create the perfect smell that made Hermione glad she was sat down, for her knees would surely give way if she were standing.
And then suddenly she felt the rough fabric of trousers brush against her bare knee, bringing her up from reverie. She lowered her book once more to find Blaise smirking at her, his work left forgotten to the side of his desk. Hermione blanched for a moment; she had never received attention quite like this from a boy her own age. Sure, Victor had liked her, but he had not been very vocal and liked to watch her study and only touch her hands. Hermione knew for a fact that Blaise was very intelligent, getting several full marks during his OWLs. He had also just brushed his leg against hers, on purpose. Ron and Harry's legs were always touching hers under desks, but they never smiled at her like that when they did. The look on Blaise's face sent shivers down her spine and made her lower abdomen tingle.
Quickly coming to her senses – not that ones that said 'Stop! You don't know him!' but the ones that said 'Live a little, flirt with the man!' – the corner of Hermione's mouth twitched up and she moved her leg so it rested next to his.
Her book lay in front of her, long forgotten, as her foot slid up his leg. One of his eyebrows raised just a touch as her foot slid closer to his crotch. The he slid back in his chair so suddenly that Hermione fell forward onto the desk following the momentum of her leg with a loud 'oof'. Students at neighbouring tables frowned at the pair and Madame Pince, the librarian, rushed over to shush them. When everyone had looked away, Hermione glanced up to frown at Blaise and tell him off for making her look like an idiot, when she noticed he was not there anymore. She was about to jump up and storm back to the Gryffindor common room and agonise over how much the Slytherins would make fun of her when they found out, that she almost didn't notice Blaise sitting right beside her, smirking.
'Calm down, Granger. I'm right here,' whispered Blaise.
His hand was rested on her thigh. It was very warm and made her cheeks flush a violent pink. He leaned in very close to her, brushed away her messy hair and spoke, 'I can do a lot more than this to get you red in the cheeks, Granger.'
He was so close she could feel the heat from his breath. He sounded so sure that Hermione could think of nothing to do but believe him. Anyway, his whispering had made it hard to think of anything but his large, strong hand on her thigh... and what it could do to her if it only moved a few centimetres... She shivered at the thought.
His heated breath was now on her neck, onto which he planted the lightest kisses possibly. Hermione leaned into his soft lips, sighing. He moved away and looked at her. She could barely keep eye contact with him, his eyes burning into hers telling her a thousand things he wanted to do to her, but hiding all his emotions from her.
She couldn't control herself any longer, she lunged forward and crashed her lips onto his. He wrapped his remaining hand around her neck, steadying the pair as they fervently moved their lips and tongues together in unity. His hands were like two furnaces on her already burning skin. Hermione was floating in ecstasy, oblivious to stares and catcalls as she and Blaise kissed. And just as abruptly as it had started, it was finished. Blaise had pulled away, panting lightly, a small smile playing on his lips.
'Until next time,' said Blaise, finally removing his hand from her thing, he exited the library without another glance back at the girl he had left flustered and red, but definitely wanting more.
