Sanctuary
By BD2 (Tasha)
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, Sirius and Dumbledore wouldn't be dead by now.
(A/N: Yep, another one-shot. Sort of based on the comic, Falling Heart and Love Fight Triangle by Takamiya Satoru. HermioneBlaise. Enjoy.)
-sanctuary-
Autumn
The Great Hall was filled with mutters, fingers pointing at her and doubtful stares.
"Thanks a lot." Hermione said as she left the table, tears flowing freely.
"But, 'Mione…" Ron tried to explain.
No one could stop her. She ran out the door, lost in the darkness.
-sanctuary-
She ran up a hill that had a tree at the top of it that overlooked the lake. Her robe flew with the wind, like a cape. She kept running until a figure came from behind the tree and stopping her dead in her tracks.
"Granger?" The figure said in a confused voice. She recognized that voice as Blaise Zabini, fellow Head Boy and mysterious Slytherin.
"Get out of my way, Zabini." Hermione replied, pushing the figure out of the way.
She sat against the tree, staring at the full moon reflected on the lake.
"What happened back there?" He leaned on the side of the tree next to her, dangling a handkerchief by his right hand.
"It's those stupid friends of mine and their stupid big mouths." She said as she quickly took the handkerchief from his hands. "I can't believe how stupid they are!" She blew her nose loudly on his handkerchief and stuck it out in one hand, trying to give it back to Blaise.
"You can keep that…" He replied in a disgusted voice, moving uneasily. Being Heads, they didn't share a dormitory, but they did share a small, private library which they used to bond at times. "I repeat, what happened?"
"Remember last week, when I told you that I was going to move to Salem for an internship?" She said, looking up. "Well that's what I told them. And they freaked out."
"I did that too, remember?" He replied calmly. "I mean, a close friend of mine is going to an area where ghosts infest the place. And not just any ghosts, but poltergeists and banshees, some claim that they might even have pow—" He ranted.
"I know, I know." She interrupted. "But this is for my Auror training, so calm down." She said between a sniff. "As you can already guess, Ronald Weasley's temper got in the way."
"Blew up, I suppose." He said knowingly.
"Yeah." She replied before she began to sob.
Blaise never liked watching a girl cry by herself with no one to comfort her, it was as if no one really cared… But he wanted to show that someone did.
He found himself sit right next to her, patting her on her back.
"I told them that I was moving to Salem for the summer, Harry and Ginny were surprised, and they did try to talk me out of it." She continued. "But Ron was the problem. He got really angry at me for making a decision before consulting him, he said that I was going to Salem because of another guy like 'Vicky'."
"Hermione, don't worry, we'll find a way to get over this." Blaise said sympathetically.
"We?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Um, yeah. About that." Blaise shifted uneasily towards her. "I wasn't completely honest. I did receive an internship to Salem. But I kept it a secret because I wasn't sure if I wanted to go or not."
"Then you should go! We could go together!" Hermione's face lit up.
"And I will. I'll tell them that I'm going with you and I'll take care of you there." Blaise said. "We've been friends for a couple of months… I think they trust me now, right?"
"Yeah…" Hermione wiped away her tears. "Thanks. Let's tell them tomorrow."
Blaise nodded and put his arm around Hermione, as she rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed that way for what seemed like an eternity. But that was too short for them.
-sanctuary-
Winter
Blaise walked up the same hill he had before that autumn, when the wind blew and leaves had started to change color. Now he trudged on the freshly fallen snow, trying to get to the top of the hill, where a colorless tree stood and a figure sat next to it.
Half-way up the hill, he squinted to see the figure. He recognized it to be Hermione. His heart began to speed up. He knew he liked her since the first day he saw her in their library, and he knew she won't like him back that way ever since she warmed up to him and told him secrets, as if he were only a friend. He sighed at the thought, but then he went faster to the top.
At the top, he found her throwing paper airplanes in the air, which just went around in a loop and fell back down, punctured in the snow, where the other paper airplanes stood around her.
As he sat next to her, she took one of the paper airplanes that were next to her, unfolded it and gave it to Blaise.
Gingerly, he took it and read it.
Dear Hermione,
Your father collapsed last night. I think it was because he said that he had a hard time breathing, but we just thought that he had a cold. We went to the hospital and we were immediately informed that he has a severe case of pneumonia. I know you're not the religious type, but please pray for him.
Love,
Jane Thompson-Granger
He skimmed through the paper, and found a date on the top of the paper.
"This was sent last month." Blaise said as he returned it to Hermione.
Hermione snatched it back, took another paper airplane, unfolded it and gave it to Blaise.
Dear Hermione,
Last night, your father was feeling better, he could breathe freely and he wanted to go home. The doctors checked him one last time before he could go, an hour later we left the hospital.
Blaise looked up and said: "But that's great news!"
Hermione, who was looking at the snow the whole time, looked up to Blaise with a teary face and sniffed. "Keep reading."
And that was what Blaise did, only it did not contain the good news that he expected.
But then, just this morning, he collapsed again while I was in the office. Maria the housekeeper found him in the bathroom, apparently he was trying to fix a light bulb standing on a stool, but he slipped and fell.
When we arrived in the hospital and after he was taken to his room, he said he couldn't breathe freely again, felt dizzy and passed out again. It was a horrible sight, the tubes going inside his skin and he had to wear an oxygen mask. The doctors said that this was worse than ever. Please pray for him, we wouldn't want to lose him…
Love,
Jane Thompson-Granger
Blaise found out that this was sent two weeks ago, he felt so sorry for Hermione, losing a loved one was hard, as he had experienced it before.
Hermione snatched it back, her hands trembling, took another airplane, unfolded it, and gave it to Blaise to read.
Hermione,
Your father died in his sleep last night, he died peacefully so you have nothing to worry about.
He wrote his will the night before he died, he said that he wanted you to have his collection of books and the fortune his mother had left for him.
Love,
Jane Thompson-Granger
The letter came in yesterday, it was full of tear and ink blotches, and fresh tear blotches from Hermione.
Hermione began to sob, Blaise tried to comfort her in his arms and patted her on the back.
"I'm sorry, Hermione… Is there anything I can do?" Blaise said sympathetically.
"Is there a spell to bring back the dead?" Hermione asked to herself. "Why did this happen? He never felt sick when we were together in the summer, we didn't even go anywhere cold!"
"I know how you feel, but you have to stay strong…"
"How?" Hermione snapped. "He never had a chance to say good bye, we didn't even know that this was going to happen…"
"I know, the same thing happened to me remember?" Blaise said. "When my father was killed by that dragon in his expedition, I was only seven, I couldn't take it. My mother was already over it in a second because they were kept having fights before he left anyway, then she came home with those other men… But that's not the point. Don't worry. Death does not end a relationship."
"I know that he will still be up there, watching on me." Hermione tried to control her tears. "But I was wondering if anyone else would die." She looked up. "I don't want to die."
"It's not your time, don't worry. You'll be fine. Remember that promise we made last fall?" Blaise said.
"Yeah…"
"I'll protect you, trust me, even your friends do and they're the most high maintenance people I've ever met." Blaise reassured her.
Hermione giggled. "I guess. Thanks Blaise." She hugged him and adjusted herself, so she can rest on Blaise.
Blaise wiped a tear that made its way on one of her rosy cheeks. 'If only she knew how I feel…' He thought.
-sanctuary-
Spring
"Hermione, I… I don't think it's possible." Ron slowly replied to Hermione, who stood opposite him.
Hermione looked down at her feet, embarrassed and sad that Ron had declined her. "So you hate me?" She mouthed.
"No, it's not that." Ron said, his arms on Hermione's shoulders. "I still love you, Hermione…"
"Then why?" She whispered.
"There are different types of love, my feelings for you aren't that kind of love." Ron replied.
"Then how should I feel?" Hermione demanded.
Ron took Hermione's hands and replied: "Do you feel anything?"
Hermione shook her head, not knowing what his intentions were.
"Love is not supposed to be relaxing, you're supposed to feel your heart beating when you're the one you love. Unfortunately, that isn't how I feel about you, and it looks like the feeling's mutual." Ron replied calmly, different from how he usually acted.
She looked around, broke away from Ron's grasp and ran to the hill overlooking the lake.
As she reached the top, she saw Blaise sitting against the tree, which had fresh leaves on it. She sat right in front of Blaise and told him everything.
"He said that he didn't love me that way, and that I didn't either, I'm so confused!" Hermione said, tears flowing.
"Maybe he was trying to tell you that he loved you as a sister, and that you loved him as a brother. He is right you know, true love is when you feel your heart beating faster with the one you love." Blaise replied.
"I guess your right, and maybe Ron was right." Hermione said, her tears seemed to cease. "Thanks, Blaise." Hermione rested on Blaise's chest.
"Your welcome, always here for you." Blaise whispered as he touched her hair.
For a few moments, they stayed that way, until Hermione looked up, then looked away again.
"You seem like a brother to me Blaise." She said, getting up.
"You're wrong. I never thought of you as a sister." Blaise said, pulling Hermione and giving her a kiss.
SMACK.
She slapped him and ran away. What was this feeling? Her heart raced at the moment their lips touched, she felt safe with him, but she never could make eye contact.
It was as if she wanted to be with him, but also to leave so her stomach won't feel funny every time he was near. She hated the feeling, she wanted the feeling to go, but at the same time she wanted to feel it when she was with Blaise…
Was it love?
Hermione tried to shake it off, but all she could think of was the smile Blaise gave her the day they first met in their library.
-sanctuary-
Summer
It was the day of the graduation, a day before they would leave Hogwarts and never come back. Blaise had to visit 'their' spot before he left tomorrow.
After their kiss that spring, they never made eye contact, they never met there again, it was as if Hermione was avoiding him.
During that time, he was sad, forlorn, you might say, he regretted for trying to kiss her or trying to confess his feelings for her when he knew that she would never feel the same.
But deep inside, he knew there was a spark of hope.
So there he sat, shaded by the big tree, looking across the lake. The graduation was over, the parents had already left and some students stayed to clean up the decorations that hung at the windows and doors.
Suddenly, an airplane flew past him, went around the tree and landed in front of him.
Congratulations! We both graduated.
It read. The words were small and neat. Hermione's writing.
Blaise was confused. What was Hermione writing to him?
Then, another flew and landed in front of him.
Love you.
Blaise smiled, Hermione jumped down from the tree.
"I realized how I felt, and I don't want you to go away from me." Hermione said.
Sanctuary. According to the English dictionary, it meant a place of refuge or safety. In his arms, Hermione had finally found it.
-sanctuary-
(A/N: Sorry that it's pretty short, but I just got to get this off my mind…)