Disclaimer: Nah. J.K Rowling is the mastermind behind the entire Harry Potter series.

A/N: Seriously, READ the author's note at the end of the chapter!

All That You Haven't Got
Chapter Ten:
Explanations or Lack Thereof

Honestly, Blaise would have rather taken a poorly executed spell lashing from Draco and Pansy than have to face this. This gaping group of daft pricks who needed to learn how to mind their own damned business and get their equally daft minds out of the gutter. Sure, Hermione and Blaise exiting a closet-resembling room appeared rather compromising and an eyebrow raising position but still, was this staring necessary? Especially when Blaise was happily and barely acknowledged his entire six year existence in Hogwarts until now.

Just because he supposedly was involved with one of inglorious (to the Slytherins at least) Golden Trio's female member – save the poor soul who assumed he'd rather swing the other way – here he found himself, stricken in place and rumored to be romantically inclined to the annoying, insufferable Hermione Granger aside of him. Well, at least it wasn't as painful as being identified as Daphne's neglectful boyfriend – wait, what? Damnit.

"I-I knew it!" exclaimed Lavender, pointing accusingly at the two students. "Hermione's dating that –"

"–prick and disgusting excuse for even a Slytherin!" howled the tall Weasley as he launched forward and viciously tackled Blaise to the ground.

"Ron!" Hermione chided loudly into a bellow when the unexpected Slytherin collided into the ground and the blood from his leg began to mingle with Ron's uniform.

Suddenly Blaise felt a flurry of jabs aimed directly towards his already beaten and barely healed face, his leg throbbing painfully under the Weasley's remarkable weight, while his ears pounded with the sound of missed punches hitting mercilessly into the tile floor aside of his head. As adrenaline flooded his body he surprisingly found himself throwing Ron off him and switched positions, now his curled up fists flying directly at the redhead's rather stunned face. The entire series of events had happened too fast for Blaise's liking and, when he managed to hit the impulsive; good for nothing Weasley a few times, he felt himself being lifted off Ron by a pair of several arms.

"Blimey!" he heard Finnigan chirp to Boot behind him. "That Zabini's got one bleeding hell of a punch!"

"Well, that's what Weasley gets for acting completely uncivilized," sneered Boot cruelly.

"What in the blazes hell do you think you're doing?" Hermione hissed darkly and quietly in his arm as she dragged him away from the minor beaten and pride-wounded Weasley. The teeming crowd that had previously surrounded the fighting wizards were now too preoccupied with the defeated redhead; giving the witch an opportunity to sneak the two off down a corridor and away from prying eyes. Blaise then suddenly found himself alone with the Gryffindor, limping down an empty hallway, with one of his arms within her steel grip. "What the hell is your problem?"

"It's your jealous brick-head Weasel friend that's got the problem, Granger," he snarled. "I did absolutely nothing to have him jump on me like some savage animal that he apparently is. You really need to pick your friends better."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she glared, her eyes flashing dangerously at him.

He scoffed. "You know what I mean, Granger. I can see why you hang around Potter, he's pretty even tempered from my understanding. That is, unless you prod his touchy side about his parents. But Weasley's nothing more than some barbaric boy who's so dense he doesn't even realize he fancies you."

"Oh, well, aren't your friends just precious little things!" she snapped back, continuing before he could even retort something in response. "Bulstrode, who's as cruel as you, and Greengrass who can't even count beyond ten. Yeah, those are priceless. Honestly, with the way you act, Zabini, you could be best mates with Malfoy –"

He halted abruptly, violently yanking his arm her grasp. "Don't ever compare me to that thing." Hermione's expression softened the slightest at his demand, detecting a hint of shame amongst the complete loath in his voice. "I am nothing like him. Him and his worthless father who nearly cost me everything –"

"Cost you?" she repeated. "How did Malfoy–?"

"Never mind what I said, Granger," he dismissed coldly as he began to stride forth without her assistance. "Just keep to yourself and take care of Potter and Weasley." He paused. "You're the best thing they've got."

Hermione paused momentarily, allowing his words to embed themselves into her mind. Had he just… complimented her? Without strings attached and intentionally? She bit her lip and hurried to his side, ignoring the blunt glare he was offering her. "Parkinson is bound to be around here somewhere, maybe that's why she and Malfoy were gone when we stepped out. Ron and the lot probably scared them away from the Room of Requirement."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Your point, Granger?"

"I'm taking it upon myself that you don't become tangled up in another Malfoy/Parkinson incident," she answered nonchalantly. "And I don't really want to face my friends, not now at least."

He felt the refusal in his throat seep back down. He could sympathize slightly. Despite their classification as being noble and whatnot, Hermione's friends – specifically Weasley – didn't appear forgiving, especially when it came to people they greatly disliked. Excuses, he assumed, would be overlooked, and he supposed they'd definitely come down quite hard on the brunette witch which he found, despite her intellectually acclaimed status, terribly naïve.

After all, here she was, attempting to aid him with his bitter disposition even if he was a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor.

Blaise felt his stomach tighten, glancing down at her awaiting face. He wondered if she knew how stained and soiled he was, how dirty she had gotten her hands by associating with him.

She flushed under his attentive gaze. "And besides," she added promptly. "You still owe me that book."

A/N: Okayyyyy, thank you all for have been reading, reviewing, or even both! I know my updates have been slow (due to my sudden fascination and interest in Disney Show-related fanfiction located on my other account -ahem, click the link on my profile if you want to view that account-) but I promise you I haven't lost interest in this story or my other in progress one(s).
I also have a favor to ask you aside of requesting some lovely feedback from you guys. I'm thinking of starting a new story that's more serious piece and an actual Deathly Hallows complaint, but of course with either Canon!Blaise/Hermione or Theodore Nott/Hermione as a main and forbidden pairing because an affair would be terribly interesting to write. If you're interested, I'd really like to know, and I'd also really like to know if you want Theodore/Hermione instead of another Blaise story.