2012 A/N: I don't know what program I originally wrote this on, as I didn't have a word processor with a spell check back then and it shows. I re-read it, ran it through a spelling and grammar check, and fixed some very embarrassing mistakes. I was just 16 when I posted it and I wasn't the best speller. The story is the same though I cleaned it up a bit to make it more cohesive. If you want to take over the story please message me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Hermione's POV
"Mione, dear, it's time to wake up. You don't want to be late for the train." mum called from the kitchen.
I got up quickly, jumped in the shower, dressed, and got downstairs in less than an hour. I was nervous as to who the Head Boy would be this year. I didn't think Harry had gotten it. It would have been unwelcome now that he had a chance at having a normal school year, having defeated Voldemort before the end of 6th year, just before summer. The only other person it would have been was Malfoy but that's impossible since he's now in St. Mungos after trying to kill Ginny Weasley.
They said that he lost his mind after being hit by a curse sent from Dolohov. I still can't figure out why Malfoy shielded me from it. Even more disturbing was the fact that Draco Malfoys will, though he wasn't dead just insane, said that if something was to happen to him then everything was to go to the Weasley family. That came as a shock to everyone and yet no one knew why Draco Malfoy would leave his entire estate to the Weasleys. I thought that he might of felt bad for making fun of the Weasleys for being poor, that and he had a huge crush on Ginny.
I figured that I would find out who got the Head Boy position soon enough, after all the Head Boy and Girl had to sit in the Heads compartment on the train. An hour and a half later, I was saying good-bye to my parents and crossing the barriers onto Platform 9 3/4.
As I was making my way through the crowd, I heard Ginny yell "Hermione!" I look at her right in time to see Ron, Harry, and Ginny run towards me and scoop me up into a bone-crushing hug.
"Hermione!" said Ron as they finally let me go after I complained of not being able to breathe.
"How was your summer, Mione?" asked Harry.
"It was great! I made Head Girl!" I replied.
"We all knew you would Mione!" said Ron.
"Well I'll see you guys at Hogwarts, I have to ride in the Heads compartment...by the way does anyone know who the Head Boy is?" I asked as I was putting my trunk away.
"Nope not a clue." Replied Ginny, smiling up at Harry. I knew the two were dating though I didn't know if Ron knew about their relationship.
As I made my way up to the Heads compartment, bracing myself for whoever it might be, I was slightly disappointed to find no-one else in there. Oh well, I decided that he would have to show up eventually. About 15 minutes later the compartment door opened to reveal Professors' Dumbledore and Snape but no Head Boy.
"Hello Miss Granger, you're probably wondering where our new Head Boy is." I just nodded and said, "Yes sir."
"Well its rather simple really, he's already at Hogwarts." Replied a smiling Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye that I had grown to hate. It usually meant that something strange was going to happen and as luck would have it, it would probably happen to Ron, Harry or myself.
"Headmaster I was wondering who this year's Head Boy is and why he is already at school." I asked nicely.
"His name is Blaise Zabini and as to why he is at Hogwarts already is none of your concern, Miss Granger!" Snape replied coldly. I was taken aback by the tone of his voice. Since the war, Snape had been fairly reasonable.
"Now now, Severus, Miss Granger was just asking." Dumbledore said gently. Now I knew there was something strange going on and I wasn't sure I liked it.
When we arrived, I took my usual seat across from Harry and Ron with Ginny sitting next to me. I was facing the Slytherin table to try to find Zabini. When I spotted him, I noticed he was sitting quietly by himself and I realized that he had been in almost all of my classes for the past 6 years. I had never once noticed him before or heard him speak. All thoughts were put to a stop at the sound of Dumbledore's voice ringing through the Great Hall.
"I must remind you that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a reason and Mr. Filch has asked me to tell you that almost all of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes are strictly forbidden. On a lighter note I must say that I am extremely happy to say that this year and every year after is now completely Voldemort free!" At this, hardly anyone flinched at hearing his name. "And now I must introduce our new Head Girl and Boy, Miss Hermione Granger of Gryffindor and Mr. Blaise Zabini of Slytherin!" Loud applause was heard even though I suspected that most of them had no idea who Blaise Zabini was.
"A Slytherin! What could Dumbledore have been thinking! Making a Slytherin Head Boy!" Said Ron angrily.
"Oh Ron, get over it, Slytherins aren't that bad and anyway if it wasn't for a certain blonde Slytherin I'd most likely be dead!" I said. I couldn't understand why Ron hates Slytherins still, not all of them turned out to be Death Eaters and some were even spies for the Order.
"Mione! How can you say that, you have to live with him! What if he tries something on you!" he retorted.
"Ronald Weasley I doubt that he'd try something on me, you're just being paranoid!" I yelled at him and went up to the teachers tables since it was time for Dumbledore to lead Zabini and me to our new common room.
"Ah Miss Granger Mr. Zabini this door does not need a password it will recognize you and only you. If you'd like to invite someone then one of you must be with them or inside to open the door otherwise it won't open. Now I must be off, Goodnight!" and with that Dumbledore left. I turned towards Zabini only to notice that he was walking into the room across the common room and to the bookshelves. I watched him a little while before going to my room to unpack, after an hour I came down to read to find him staring into the fire.
"Zabini are you alright?" I asked concerned that he wasn't feeling well. He just looked at me and then back into the fire. Odd.
"Uh okay" I replied, I had no idea what to say to him, I didn't even know him, but I thought that it was best if I tried to make conversation. Therefore, I asked, "What classes are you taking this year?" Again, he just looked at me, only this time there was some type of emotion in his eyes that I couldn't place. Then he just grabbed a piece of paper off the table and handed it to me, but still he didn't say anything. As I read, I realized that I shared all of my classes with him.
I smiled and handed it back to him and stated, "We share all the classes together." At this, he just looked at me, only this time he was smiling, true it was small but it was still a smile. I went and sat on the couch and began to read but stopped shortly after noticing Zabini was looking at me kind of funny...like he wanted to say something but couldn't seem to figure out what, how or even why. So again, I did the only thing I could think of.
"Zabini?" I asked softly wondering why he was looking at me like that but again all he did was smile. Strange! I knew Dumbledore planned something, stupid twinkling eyes! However, I was tired seeing as it was about 10:30 at night I decided to drop it and go to bed. I got up, with him still staring, and then I did something even more childish then staring! I looked at him and stuck out my tongue! How bloody childish! Only he just grinned and so I did the only thing I could think of; I smiled back, said goodnight, and headed towards my room. The next morning I woke up, headed to the bathroom to take a shower, and noticed Zabini sitting on the couch, staring into the fire, yet again.
While I was calmly eating breakfast Ron, Harry, and Ginny came and sat beside me. Guess what the very first thing to come out of Ron's mouth was.
"So Mione what did Zabini try doing? I swear if he hu-" but I'd had enough!
"Ron don't you even dare say anything, he did absolutely nothing to me so get over it!" I yelled, I swear the hall went so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as I stormed off to Potions. Yay! Mean Evil Bastard of a Potions Master first thing in the morning, my luck! When I got there, I was about 20 minutes early and I sat down in my usual seat, Snape merely looked at me then asked what I was doing here so early. I decided to tell Snape that I left the hall because of Ron going off on a tangent about Zabini being a Slytherin. When I was finished, Snape was looking at me with wide eyes and a shocked expression.
"Let me assure you Miss Granger that Mr. Zabini would never do something to harm another person. I know that for a fact." stated Snape, almost as if thinking that I was afraid of Zabini.
"Professor I don't think Zabini would ever do anything like that, that never even crossed my mind, though I was wondering if he was mute." I said. I really wanted to know if Zabini could talk or if he was just being a prat.
"Miss Granger I might as well tell you that Mr. Zabini hasn't had a pleasant life. When he was 10 he witnessed his parents being murdered by Death Eaters, he honestly hasn't said a word since that night. I am sorry if he does anything...unusual, but just remember that he would never hurt you." He sighed.
"Sir is there a way that I can understand what he wants to say or something. Last night I went into the common room and he was staring into the fire, when I asked if he was all right, he just looked at me then back to the fire. I tried to start a conversation by asking what classes he was taking and all he did was just hand me his schedule then he kept staring at me, smiling." I said and took a much need breath; Snape looked at me as if he's never heard someone say that much on one breath. Then he looked like Christmas had come early, which frankly scared me.
"He smiled at you?" He asked incredulously.
"Yes and when he wouldn't quit staring I stuck out my tongue which only made him grin at me." I replied, if only I had known what was going to happen next maybe I would have kept my mouth shut.
"Miss Granger, may I ask a favor from you?" he asked.
"Of course, Professor." I said hoping in what was a brave voice.
"Blaise has hardly shown any emotion to anyone and if you could befriend him it might make him come out of his shell." he replied. I couldn't say no after what had happened to Zabini and the hopeful look on Snapes face; well as hopeful as Snape can look.
"I'll try too" I replied just as class was starting to fill in. I heard someone sit down next to me, thinking it was either Harry or Ron. I looked over and almost fell off my chair. I glanced at Snape who looked disturbingly happy. Sitting next to me was Blaise Zabini. Still smiling. Prat! I heard Harry and Ron come in and the Ron starts yelling something to Harry about Blaise sitting next to me. I noticed that Blaise had stopped smiling...he slid me a note asking if he could sit there. I turned to look at him and he looked like he was a bit scared that I was going to tell him to sit somewhere else. I smiled.
"Of course you can sit there." I said and was happy when his smiled returned. By now Harry and Ron where running towards the front of the class intending to scream at Blaise.
"Hermione what's he doing sitting there!" Screamed the ever-calm Ron.
"He's sitting there Ron, and no don't ask he's not moving either." I said firmly hoping that Ron and Harry would get the picture that Blaise was going to sit there. They didn't. In fact, it looked like they were worse off now. Great. Blaise slid the paper back to me, not smiling anymore and he looked resigned. The paper said..."Just forget it. I'll sit somewhere else."
"No Blaise you can sit there, if Harry and Ron don't like then they can sit somewhere else." I said, loud enough for Snape, Blaise, Harry and Ron to hear. Automatically Ron started spewing nonsense..."She's under the Imperius Curse" at that I looked over at Blaise looking for his reaction, he only rolled his eyes, which for some reason I found funny, and started to laugh, which made the class and Snape look at me. Ron though wasn't laughing. Neither was I after the next thing out of his mouth.
"He's done something to her! Harry, he's probably a Death Eater!" screamed Ron.
That was it, I snapped. How dare he! He doesn't know anything about Blaise! I looked over at him and his eyes were so cold and angry. I couldn't blame him, I really couldn't. This is why what he did next didn't shock me. He left. Just got up and walked out. Snape was furious, and so was I.
"Ronald Weasley what the hell do you think you're doing accusing someone you don't know about being a Death Eater. I told you once already that he did nothing to me and I meant it; Ron you can be so stupid!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, I don't know who looked more shocked, Snape, Ron and Harry, or the rest of the class. I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door, I know I probably shouldn't just leave class but I wanted to find Blaise and make sure he was all right. I heard Snape screaming at Ron and Harry and they got a month's detention, then I heard Ron ask why Blaise and I didn't get in trouble. Snape said that if Ron didn't sit down this instant and shut up he would have two more month's detention. I liked that. Now to find Blaise. I decided that I had no idea where Blaise would go so I made a list.
Common room. Nope. Slytherin Dorms. Nope. Library. Still no Blaise. Finally, I was fed up and got the map out of Harry's trunk. Hmm where is Blaise Zabini. Aha! I found him, out by the lake. When I got there, I found him sitting there blankly staring into the lake. God he looked so broken. I walked up to him and he just stared out into the lake.
"Blaise." I said softly. He looked up at me and his eyes were so sad and hurt. I sat beside him and just stared out into the lake with him for a while. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked softly, while turning to look at him, only to find him staring at me again. I remembered what Snape said about him not talking since he was 10. I could have almost kicked myself for thinking he'd want to talk about it. He just smirked at me as if he knows that I'm berating myself about asking that. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry Ron said that. I know you're not a Death Eater. Ron just tends to say the first thing that pops into his head, which is usually never a good thing." He just smiles. God I wish he'd say something so I don't end up insulting him in some way. "Blaise. If you ever want to talk about anything you can talk to me." I say quietly. He looks at me strangely.
"Why" he asks. I thought Snape said he doesn't talk. I must have had a confused look cause he said, "Yes, I can talk I just chose not to. Why are you being nice to me, you don't have too."
"Sorry, I didn't really think that you'd talk to me. I know that I don't have to but I want too. Snape told me what happened, I'm sorry." I reply. He looks confused and a little pissed. Oh no.
"Why are you sorry, you didn't kill them and I don't need your pity." he snaps. Great now I've made him mad.
"I'm not offering you my pity, just a friend." I say and start staring out at the lake. We've missed potions and pretty soon Gryffindor and Slytherin 7th years will be making their way outside for Care for Magical Creatures, they'll see us out here by the lake.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you, Hermione." he says looking ashamed.
"It's okay, though unless we want to get into trouble again we should probably either get to class or go hide in the common room." I smile. He smiles back, he's not mad.
"You can go back to class; Potter and Weasley will want to know where you are. I'll go hide in the common room." He says looking somewhat sad again.
"Want company?" I ask. He looks at me shocked. Wonder why.
"Hermione Granger blowing off classes?" he teased shocked, while I stick out my tongue. Prat.
"I can blow off classes, sometimes." I reply smiling.
Please review so I know if I should keep this going this might be my first chapter story if I can think of a way to continue it. JadedChaela