DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!

The Serpents' Child

Chapter 26

Early November 1996

"Is the Quidditch team ready for the game tomorrow night?" Hermione asked Blaise as they sat with the Slytherin Sixth years in the common room. Draco was purposefully taking up half the sofa Blaise was sitting on, to stop Hermione sitting next to the Italian. She'd sat in the armchair to the side of Blaise instead, giving Draco an amused smirk as he glared at her. In the weeks that had passed since Slughorn's introductory dinner, Hermione and Blaise had grown closer. He had started sitting closer to her, smiling at her, talking to her about topics he knew she was interested in. Pansy had given her some food for thought a few nights previous as they were getting ready for bed in the dormitory.

"Hermione, do you know anything about Pureblood courting etiquette?" She had asked, pulling the covers back on her bed, sitting on the mattress and rubbing her feet with moisturiser.

The brunette looked at her as Tippy brushed her hair. "No, why?"

Clearly Pansy had regretted asking and didn't want to explain herself, so she had shook her head, said 'never mind', gotten into bed – despite having only moisturised one foot – and pretended to be asleep. Since then Hermione had pondered over the question. Pureblood courting etiquette? Was that what Blaise was doing with her? Courting her? Whether or not he was indeed courting her, whether she wanted him to was another story. She had never had a boy make any kind of effort with her, romantically speaking. Sure, Victor Krum had given her a lovely night to remember at the Yule Ball, but as the school year came to an end, he had clumsily explained in his broken English that he didn't think a relationship would work between them. She hadn't minded, and they were still good friends and pen-pals. Before or after him though, not a single boy had paid her the slightest of attention. She found Blaise's attentions truly flattering, but was she ready for a relationship, with everything else that was going on in her life? Or what if he just wanted to do what teenage boys think about all day?

"Yes, we're in good shape for tomorrow." He answered simply and briefly, knowing Hermione didn't like to talk a lot about Quidditch. "I trust you'll be cheering for us, of course?" He teased.

"Of course." She smiled back. "I'll make sure I'm covered head to toe in green and silver."

"Good." Draco put in sullenly. The two cousins glared at each other for a minute before Blaise distracted Hermione by asking what book she was currently reading.

!"!

The match the next day went well. Or terribly. It depended on who you supported. Slytherin were in mourning; the rest of the school celebrated. Hermione had been greatly surprised – happily, admittedly – by Ron's Keeping skills. Apparently during practices he had barely been able to stop a single Quaffle from passing through the hoops, leading him to begging Harry – who was now Captain of the Gryffindor team – to let him resign from the team. Harry had always refused, claiming that he 'was sure everything would go much better during a real game'. And, perhaps miraculously, he turned out to be right, and Ron had stopped every single Quaffle that was thrown at the hoops, letting Harry focus on catching the Snitch, leading to Gryffindor's win of 230-20 after two hours of play.

Thanks to the madness in the Gryffindor common room, Harry had been able to sneak in a Disillusioned Hermione, standing with her in a corner to make sure no-one bumped into her by accident. Ron was standing on a coffee table in the centre of a large crowd in the common room, people chanting his name in worship. Harry and Hermione watched on, happy both at Gryffindor's win and their friend's victory.

"How did you do it?" She whispered.

Harry inclined his head, showing he was listening, but couldn't turn all the way around without looking like he was talking to a wall. "What?"

"Suddenly turn Ron into the greatest Keeper of the last century?" Harry could almost hear her smile. He smiled and pulled out a small vial from his pocket. Hermione gasped when she recognised it as the bottle of Felix Felices that Harry won during their first Potions lesson of the year. "Harry! You gave him some of that? Harry, you could be expelled if-" He shook the bottle gently, drawing her attention to the intact seal on the cap of the bottle. "You didn't open it." She caught up. "Ron thought you had dosed him, which boosted his confidence. But his performance today was all him. I have to say, Harry, well thought out." She touched his arm in support. He smiled back at her and squeezed her hand on his arm.

What happened next shocked everyone. Lavender Brown suddenly got on the table with Ron, wrapped her arms around his neck and snogged him senseless. Everyone in the common room cheered and whooped madly, in the typically teenage way whenever two people kiss in public. Harry laughed jovially and clapped, amused to see his friend wildly snogging a pretty girl. Hermione however, somehow felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, slapped her round the face and squeezed her throat all at the same time. Why, in the name of Merlin, would she feel that way? She didn't even fancy Ron! Or did she? No…Maybe… But Blaise…Goodness, teenage emotions were confusing!

She turned and ran out of the common room, knocking Harry slightly in her desperate need to escape the horrid sight of Ron and Lavender – what people called – sucking face. She ran down corridors, unsure of where she wanted to go, just knowing that anywhere was better than that scene. She came to a stop at the base of the Astronomy Tower, the cold air blowing through the open spaces made her cheeks burn from her tears. As she took a few deep shuddering breaths, she became aware of Harry running up behind her. He said her name softly, took her hand, led her over to the stairs and sat down with her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, her head leaning against his shoulder.

"This is how I feel when I see Ginny with Dean." Harry murmured in her ear.

"No, Harry," She fiddled with the fingers on Harry's free hand, "I don't even think I like Ron that way."

"Then why did you run out? And why are you crying now?" He asked softly in a tone of voice that made it clear that he was making a point.

"I don't really know." She confessed, wiping away tears. They were interrupted from talking anymore by Ron and Lavender running in laughing. They stopped abruptly when they saw Harry and Hermione sitting together.

Lavender smiled like a cat that had just caught a mouse. "I think this room's taken! Got to say; I'm surprised at you, Granger – I thought you were 'too good' for Gryffindors now!" She giggled cattily before bouncing off, presumably to look for another 'room'.

"You two weren't about to…You know, were you?" Ron asked, furrowing his brow in confusion and disbelief.

Hermione scoffed in offence. "Really, Ronald!"

"Hey, hey, I was just asking! But seriously, that would be weird if you did." He commented, walking off after his new girlfriend.

She huffed in indignation. "Bloody idiot." She sighed heavily and stood up. "I have to get back to the dungeons; Draco will give me the Third Degree about where I've been."

"Hermione." Harry spoke softly, taking hold of her hand and giving it a squeeze. "Ron is an idiot. I always thought you were too good for him, anyway."

They both laughed softly, Hermione sniffled and stood up straighter. "Good night, Harry."

As soon as she was sure Harry couldn't see or hear her, the tears erupted from her eyes, the sobs burst out of her throat and she found herself running at full speed towards the dungeons. She'd gotten from the seventh floor to the second when she crashed into Blaise on one of the staircases. She'd barely even noticed as she crashed to the floor, her sobs racking her body as she was helped up and checked over by the concerned French-Italian.

"Are you alright, cara?" Blaise asked, cupping her face. What a sight she must have been…Eyes and cheeks red, face wet, nose running. He didn't pay that any mind, merely pulling out a handkerchief and gently cleaning her face for her. After a minute, she calmed down enough to open her eyes and look into his. "Feeling better?"

She sniffed, taking the handkerchief and dabbing her nose. "Not really."

"What's wrong?"

She sighed. "Ron is now with that stupid Lavender girl."

"Lavender Brown?"

"She snogged his face off in front of everyone during the After-Party in the common room."

Blaise looked mildly disgusted. "Not a pretty sight, I'm sure." She laughed. "And you are sprinting through the castle because…?"

"I'm jealous." She sobbed.

He scrunched his nose up in disgust. "Of Brown beating you to Weasley?"

"No. Mainly of the…Of the intimacy between them! Of the touches! No one's ever kissed me like that before, I doubt anyone ever will." She said glumly. Having a thought, she looked up and said, "Would you ever…Never mind."

She tried to walk past him when he held her arm gently. "Would I ever what? Kiss you? Touch you?" He whispered in her ear, making her moan gently. "All you have to do is say the word, and I'm yours." Hermione didn't give reason a moment's thought before she cupped Blaise's cheeks in her hands and pressed her mouth to his firmly.