A/N: This is a little different than how I normally write. I happen to like it though.
Disclaimer: I don't own the people, places or things. I basically own nothing that would fall in the noun category. :)
In the far corner of the library, amongst the sea of students grudgingly studying, a bushy haired girl can be seen frantically flipping through endless textbooks and jotting down notes. If you listen carefully you can even hear the repeated muttering of random facts, incantations, and potions ingredients. It's the tell tale sign that the O.W.L.s were approaching. Unlike the many students around her however, she wasn't one you'd want to disturb. Most other students would be pleased to be distracted from their studies. Most other students would only be too quick to leave the second that dinnertime came around. This student though, this student gives off a 'do not disturb' vibe. She won't be the first one up to leave for dinner; chances are she'll forget its even time to eat until much later, when the foods already come and gone. Her friends won't dare interrupt her for something as trivial as food. She's became more of a head case as O.W.L.s creep nearer. No, her friends won't be there to interrupt her.
On the opposite side of the library, a dark haired boy can be seen going through the same text books, jotting down the same notes, can even be heard muttering the same things on occasion. What won't be seen is the frantic state. He's studying at a seemingly leisurely pace, though he's making it through just as much as she is. He gives the same 'do not disturb' vibe as she does. There's even the same chance he'll miss dinner as well. And his friends won't disturb him either. Only, that's because they won't care if he makes it to dinner or not. If he doesn't eat, that's his own fault.
At first glance these two were very different – opposites if you will. Though, upon further inspection, it's to be known that they're more similar than anyone would like to admit. The girl, one Hermione Granger, Gryffindor, and the boy, one Blaise Zabini, Slytherin, were not friends, did not communicate ever, and disliked each other on sheer principle. This has been a fine arrangement for them both. For almost a full five years of school now this arrangement was never a problem. Today however, right now in this library, everyone else having left for dinner, predictably leaving these two behind, it is to become a problem.
"Where the hell is that damn book?" Blaise mutters to himself, searching every shelf he comes across. Deciding to finally just ask Madame Pince, the librarian, he sighs and walks up to her desk.
"Yes, Mr. Zabini?" she asks stiffly.
"I need to use 'Asiatic Anti-Venoms' and I can't find it on the shelves. Can you tell me if someone has checked it out?"
"No," she answers shortly. "Miss Granger is using it."
"Thank you," he responds politely. As soon as his back is to her, however, he lets out a string of muttered curse words. Making a split second decision he heads over to her side of the library.
"Granger?" She doesn't respond so he waits a moment and tries again. "Granger?"
"Leave me alone," she mutters, not even looking up.
"Granger?" he asks again with a raised eyebrow, sounding slightly amused now.
"Leave me alone," she says more firmly.
"No can do, Granger," he shakes his head, "you've got something I need."
"Look, I don't care what you need I'm studying and it'd be in your best interest to leave me alone," she says, still not looking up.
He contemplates what to do. He can see the book in her pile and she's obviously not using it. Surely it would be okay if he just takes it. She's completely lost in Herbology by the looks of it and he could have it back on her table in a matter of minutes if he could just look up what he needs to verify. He slowly inches forward until he reaches the table. She's given no sign of noticing him so he begins to lean across the surface to get the book. Unfortunately, as soon as his hand crosses in the path of her eyesight her head snaps up.
"What are you dong?" she asks with narrowed eyes.
"I need that book," he says simply, gesturing to 'Asiatic Anti-Venoms'.
"I'm using it," she sniffs.
"You're not. It's just sitting next to you."
"I'm using it next."
"And I want to use it now," he says reaching to take it. She slaps his hand away.
"Whom do you think you are to take something from me?" she asks harshly. "Can't you see I'm studying? Don't you know the O.W.L.s are only a week away? Do you think I can just miraculously pass tests with out studying for them? No, I can't! I need to study with that book. I'm the one who got it when it was still on the shelf. You need to wait until I'm finished with it. You don't just start grabbing things off somebody else's pile. I thought you Slytherins had more manners than that."
"Oh and I can pass tests with out studying then? I think not. I need that book and you aren't using it right now," he replies calmly, not at all affected by her out burst or lecture about manners.
"I'm going to be using it in about ten minutes."
"And you're still not using it now," he points out. "I'm ready for it now; you've got others you can study until I'm finished."
"No, I have a system," she tells him, closing her Herbology book and concentrating on him. "I don't just do these things on a whim. I have an organized system of studying and things need to be done in that order. If you take that book from me I'll be all off schedule. Then I'll probably fail all my O.W.L.s because of you; because you needed my book and you couldn't wait. Then I won't be able to take the right classes next year. I won't be able to take the N.E.W.T.s I want to take. I won't be able to get the job I want. I won't be able to do anything so I'll become nothing. I'll end up one of those witches you see living on the streets, begging for money, begging for a safe place to sleep!"
"You're getting a bit dramatic there don't we think?" he asks with a raised eyebrow, thoroughly amused with the turn this conversation has taken.
"This is my life we're talking about. I think I have every right to be dramatic when you're trying to ruin my life."
Unshed tears are shining bright in her eyes and for a second he thinks that maybe this was more than he could handle. Maybe he should just leave her with the book and be on his way. Then he sees the desperate and frantic look in her eye and thinks better of leaving.
"I'm not trying to ruin you're life Granger," he says softly. "I'm just trying to study for my O.W.L.s so I don't ruin mine."
"Like it matters if you fail," she huffs. "You're rich. You'll never be left on the street to beg."
"And you would?" he raises an eyebrow. "I doubt your parents or those wretched Weasleys would leave you to rot in the street."
"If I fail them they would," she says quietly, tears now falling steadily down her face. He's momentarily stunned by her sudden change from indignant to insecure.
"That's not true Granger," he says slowly. Growing up with just his mother he didn't have any relevant experience in comforting crying girls, but he was willing to try since he was sort of to blame.
"Yes it is," she whispers, rather pathetically. "I'm the know-it-all. If I don't get my O.W.L.s I'll fail them. They'll hate me."
"Granger you're being ridiculous. They wouldn't leave you to rot over something like that."
"You don't know that!" she snapped. "You don't know them!" Well she got him on that one. He doesn't know her parents or the Weasleys well. What he knows of them though makes him believe they wouldn't leave her.
"They wouldn't leave you," he says again, trying to drill it into her head.
"You don't know that," she says, back to whispering.
"Fine," he sighs, "you're right I don't know that. I do know that if by some freak occurrence you fail your O.W.L.s and are left to beg on the streets, I would make sure to give you money and a safe place to sleep."
"Oh please," she laughs humorlessly, tears still pouring down. "You'd be one of the first ones to turn and walk away, only to owl all your friends and tell them that you just saw Hermione Granger at her lowest and they should come quick and not to forget the cameras."
"You don't know me," he says, his bordering on harsh as the assumptions. "You don't know what I'd do. I don't take pleasure in other people's pain. Just because I'm a Slytherin you all think I'm another Malfoy. Sorry to tell you I'm not. I actually have morals."
"Morals? Ha."
"You listen to me Granger," he says, locking eyes with her. "You won't fail your O.W.L.s. You won't fail your family. You won't end up begging on the streets."
"You don't know that!" she screams in response. Her sudden loudness stuns him but he doesn't have a chance to reply before someone else is.
"Miss Granger! Mr. Zabini! I'm appalled to see this ruckus is coming from you! Out of my library! Shoo!" Madame Pince interrupts the argument.
With a slight, shocking growl at Blaise, Hermione grabs her things, making sure to grab the book he was after and heads to check it out. Blaise groans and goes to collect his things as well. Neither had ever been thrown out of the library before. They were the librarian's favorites. They respected the books, never disobeyed the rules, and were always responsible, until today that is.
"You're really trying to ruin my life aren't you?" she asks dejectedly once they're outside of the library doors. "Well I think you've succeeded so I hope you're happy now."
"Why would I be happy? I was kicked out too you know. I need to finish studying too. And for the last time," he adds, exasperated, "I'm not trying to ruin your life!"
"You may say that, and maybe you mean it, but you have regardless."
She speeds her steps, trying to put distance between them and he groans lightly and follows. "Granger, get this through your head. You'll pass all your O.W.L.s and probably with the best grades. You'll make your family and the Weasleys proud. You'll not be thrown out on the streets. Do you understand?"
"How many times do I have to tell you that you're wrong?" she shakes her head. He thinks it's odd that she looks like she pities him as she talks. "You don't know what will happen. You don't know what they'll do. You don't know."
"Granger," he tries to interrupt but she ignores him and continues on.
"Why'd you even have to bother me? Huh?" and she's starting to turn angry again. "Now I'm kicked out of the library for the first time ever. I'm going to fail my O.W.L.s."
"Granger," he says more firmly, realizing that she's quickly getting hysterical again and he needs to cut it short.
"I'm going to fail to make people proud of me. I'm going to be abandoned and I'm going to be alone."
"Hermione!" he snaps loudly at her. She instantly shuts up at the foreign sound of her name from his lips. "If you're done with the over dramatics," he says calmly, "I suggest we catch the end of dinner and see if Madame Pince will let us back in once we're calmed down a bit." With out waiting for a response he takes her hand and pulls her down the stairs and across the vast entrance hall.
He throws the Great Hall doors open harder than intended, drawing attention from the near by students, which unfortunately enough are mostly his house mates, who quickly nudge their friends, resulting in half of the hall staring his way. He wouldn't normally mind the attention, and he didn't now. That is, of course, until he realizes why he has all the extra attention. Standing right beside him, hand still firmly clasped in his, is Hermione Granger, tear stains visible down her cheeks. He groans as he realizes he would have a lot to explain about this one.
Everyone seems to break out of their shocked states at the sound of silverware hitting wood coming from across the hall at the Gryffindor table. Whispers break out over the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables while the Slytherins and Gryffindors just continue staring. Everybody knew that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were on their way to the scene and answers would be offered soon enough.
"Hermione! What are you doing with him?" Ron is still several feet away, but apparently feels it necessary to holler as he makes his way closer.
"We're going to dinner of course," Blaise answers when it becomes apparent that she seems unable. "That's what one does in the Great Hall, do they not?"
"Were you crying Hermione?" Harry asks softly as he reaches them before turning to Blaise with narrowed eyes. "Did this git do something to you?"
"Only ruined my life," she whispers.
"How many times do I have to tell you I did not ruin your life?" Blaise asks exasperated.
"What did you do?" Ron growls threateningly at him.
"I didn't do anything," Blaise answers. "She just had a bit of a breakdown."
"You did to do something," she snaps, getting louder with every word. "You interrupted my studying. You got me kicked out of the library. And because of you I'm going to fail everything. You ruined my life!" This dramatic explanation earns many laughs from the Slytherins and glares across the hall from the Gryffindors.
Before Blaise can respond she rips her hand from his grasp – which he is a bit surprised to realize is still in his – and flees the Great Hall. Blaise groans loudly before making the decision to turn and follow her out. He chases her out the doors and on to the grounds, across the courtyard and to the opposite side of the lake, Ron and Harry on his trail the whole time. By the time he reaches her she has sunk to her knees, head in her hands and her body shaking with sobs.
He is amazed at the effect this is having on her. He first assumes she has just been too stressed out lately, but now he thinks it might be something more.
"Granger?" he asks softly. He waits a minute and when he still hasn't been acknowledged he tries a different approach, not caring that Ron and Harry are just about catching up to them. "Hermione?"
"Go away Zabini; all this is your fault," she says quietly.
"I'm not going away," he says, deciding to be daring and trying to comfort her. He places his hand hesitantly on her shoulder and she finally turns to face him, tears flowing freely down her face.
"Why won't you just leave me alone?" she asks. "You've already ruined everything for me."
"I haven't though," he presses." I don't see why you can't understand that. Not that you will, but your parents aren't going to disown you if you fail your O.W.L.s. The Weasley's aren't going to abandon you either. I don't know where you got those ideas, but it's not going to happen."
Harry and Ron finally reach them and promptly freeze upon his words, shocked that she would think so.
"Yes they will Zabini. I'm supposed to be the know-it-all. I'm supposed to be the best and brightest in all my classes. I'm supposed to succeed at everything I try. They'll all hate me if I don't. They'll all hate me," she responds quietly before breaking off in tears again. He hasn't realized how much pressure she has on her. He always assumed she liked being known as the best and brightest; he didn't realize that even if she was brilliant it would be a lot of pressure to maintain. Blaise, making another daring move, wraps his arms around her in an awkward hug. She doesn't push him off; she simply turns into his chest and continues crying.
"Granger-Hermione," he stumbles over what to call her, "that simply won't happen, but like I said earlier, I promise you, if that were to ever happen, I'd make sure you aren't left begging for money and a place to sleep." She doesn't respond and simply snuggles into his chest a bit more, still crying.
"Hermione," Harry finally speaks up at the lull in their conversation, "no one would abandon you."
"Yeah, my family and yours would never do that. I can't believe you would even think so," Ron adds on. She still doesn't say anything; she doesn't even turn from Blaise's embrace.
"I think I've got this guys. Maybe you should leave," Blaise suggests.
"I'm not leaving her alone with you," Ron says harshly, not forgetting this is a Slytherin he was talking to.
"You've left me alone with her in the library every day this week," he points out.
"Well we didn't know you were there," he defends lamely.
"Do I look like I'm going to hurt her or something?"
"You are a Slytherin and she is crying," Harry points out.
"Yes and I'm trying to make her stop crying," Blaise responds, only just not rolling his eyes. "And just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean anything."
"It means we can't trust you with her," Ron says a bit too loud.
"Just go away," Hermione quietly interrupts the argument.
"See," Ron says triumphantly, "she wants you to go away."
"No," Hermione says, shaking her head in Blaise's chest, "you and Harry – go away."
"Hermione," Ron gasps out in shock.
"You heard her Weasley, you and Potter can run along now."
"But-"
"Come on Ron. It was Hermione's request," Harry says, obviously uncomfortable with leaving her there, but wanting to comply with her wishes. Once they're gone Hermione finally pulls away from Blaise.
"Thank you," she says quietly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah…just had a bit of a breakdown," she whispers, clearly ashamed of herself.
"I think it was more than a bit."
"Okay, I had a massive breakdown."
"I'd say," he smirks, pleased to see that her lips quirk up in to a semi-smile as well.
"I really do have a strict study schedule though."
"Yes, I remember hearing that somewhere." Now she laughs lightly and he's glad he could be the cause of it.
"You really wouldn't leave me to rot?" she asks softly.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he smiles, almost fondly, at her.
"Thank you," she whispers again, this time with her own soft smile at him.
"I expect Potter and Weasley will drill you when you get back."
"Maybe I should stay out here longer then."
"What about your strict study schedule?" he asks amused.
"It's okay, I won't be left to rot on the streets now. You've already promised me," she grins. "I can slack a little."
"Well you can't beat that logic," he chuckles. "May I stay with you?"
"I was hoping you would…Blaise."
"That sounds lovely, Hermione," he smiles at her.
The rest of the evening is spent talking out by the lake. Neither worries about their studying, their friends or their lives. They simply sit there, leisurely enjoying the slowly setting sun and the company.
Much later, when asked by Harry and Ron what transpired between herself and Blaise she'll respond with a simple, and far from the truth, "Nothing." After that, when asked by Ginny, she'll respond with a simple, and not even close to covering it all, "Everything."
When Blaise makes it back to his common room, he won't even grace his friends with answers. He'll simply continue past them as if he hasn't heard them and not stop until he reaches his room. Once he's securely in bed for the night, curtains firmly shut and in a whispered tone, assuring no one can hear him, he'll simply smile to himself and say, "There's beauty in the breakdown."