Title: The Beginning of the End (12)
Author: Procella Nox noctis
Category: Drama
Sub Category: Mystery
Keywords: Hermione, Blaise, friends
Summary: Summer brake had been his favourite time of year. Until he had to spend it with Hermione Granger. And that was just the beginning of the story.
Sneak-peek: "You look horrible." He grinned relieved that she had woken up.
"I love you too." She grinned back, after having rolled her eyes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and unfortunately never will. No money is being made out of this story, which is a pity, it's really good. I own some of the Priori Incantatem though.
Twelve: Something Good Coming Out From A Disaster
One thought crossed her mind before she collapsed on the floor: "Fire."
Blaise was reading a book on Feng-shui when he smelled it. Being an Animagus wolf, he realised his senses were more accurate and high. So when he smelled the smoke, he was in front of Hermione's door in two seconds.
It was locked. He tried with his wand. Nothing. 'Open up! Open the goddamn door!' Blaise started banging on the door so it opened up. The black smoke made him choke. He panicked. If the few bits of smoke that were getting to him through the door's creeks managed to choke him, what happened to Hermione. Needless to say, that thought was all it took. Blaise gave the door one more try before letting out a savage growl and breaking the door with his foot.
All the commotion woke up the other members of the Prefects' Tower. Ron Weasley was livid at the sight in front of him. Blaise was stepping out of Hermione's room, which was on fire, carrying an unconscious Hermione in his arms.
"Get help. Stop the fire." Were Blaise's only words before he went running with Hermione to the Infirmary.
The raven-haired boy ran for all he was worth. He tried shaking the girl who now rested in his arms. No answer. 'Don't die on me. Please don't die on me, Hermione.' He stepped into the Infirmary and yelled for Madam Pomfrey. The nurse arrived in a hurry, still dressed in her nightgown, and ordered Blaise to place Hermione on a bed.
"What happened?" she asked while rummaging through her cupboards.
"Fire. In her room."
"Oh holly Mary. Did you--?"
"Dumbledore's been alerted. I don't know how long she's been inside that room after the fire started, but the smoke was unbearable even from outside."
Pomfrey gave Hermione one of her Potions. She said it was a Poumon Potion which was supposed to clean her lungs of the smoke she had inhaled. All that was left was to wait and see.
Blaise had only been watching Hermione for half-an-hour when a worried Harry, a hysteric Ginny, Neville, Luna and a still livid Ron entered the Infirmary. They were followed by Draco, Pansy and Millicent who all looked preoccupied.
"How is she?" Harry asked taking a seat beside Blaise.
"We have to wait and see. I hate that phrase. I really hate it."
"Do you have any idea who it was?" Ginny asked while she sat down next to the Gryffindor's bed.
"I have a suspicion." He answered looking at Draco.
"Dester." Pansy answered for him.
"Would he go this far?" Ron finally talked.
"He's a bloody Death Eater, and he was bloody slapped by Hermione twice. He'll want revenge!" Blaise shouted, angry at his own stupidity in not protecting Hermione.
"How can you know that? Is it because you see him at the meetings? How do we know you haven't been planning this before?" Ron shouted back.
"BECAUSE WE AREN'T BLOODY DEATH EATERS YOU GREAT BIG OAF!" Draco shouted back at Ron.
"Why is it that I don't believe you? How can you prove that you didn't plan on making Hermione slap Dester so that he could go kill her?"
BAM!
Blaise looked at the furious Pansy, who had just punched Weasley for all his worth. He fought the urge to clap.
"Because she's our friend, you heartless jerk! She knows we aren't Death Eaters, and we will never be that, because we trust her. Blaise can't be a bloody Death Eater, because he hates them for killing off his parents. That's right Potter, you two have that in common. Draco has been beaten his whole life by his father and his friends, I don't think he'll want to join them. Millicent never felt like it in the first place, she doesn't have killer instincts like everybody thinks. And I don't know you, but personally I would never join the people who took away every ounce of dignity I had." She shouted in Ron's face, which had changed from anger to astonishment, to shame and to regret.
Draco hugged his cousin, who had began crying again, and glared at Ron. "Slytherin don't only think about hurting people. And just by being Slytherin doesn't mean Voldemort can't harm you."
"It's the rest of the people who make us what we are. By closing the door, you forbid us from proving you that we aren't like that. Hermione opened the door one day, and she found out the truth. We haven't been friends up until today. But we did respect each other. And respect is the tie of friendship. So when Hermione defended Pansy's dignity, she won our friendship. Whether you like it or not." Millicent explained to all the present Gryffindor members and the Ravenclaw girl.
"I'm sorry. It was just unexpected. Seeing Zabini with Hermione in his arms, and her room on fire, was just too much." Ron answered honestly.
"Yes, well. Keep your mouth shut the next time you don't know something for sure." Pansy answered, which in Slytherin language meant: Apology accepted.
Madam Pomfrey arrived a moment later to throw everybody out, but she agreed on letting Blaise survey Hermione, for he was after all her saviour, and Poppy had always liked the boy.
It was already half past two at night when Blaise was woken up by coughing. He lifted his head from where he had fallen asleep, namely on Hermione's lap, and looked at the girl.
"You look horrible." He grinned relieved that she had woken up.
"I love you too." She grinned back, after having rolled her eyes.
"Still sarcastic as ever, I see."
"Yeah. Put me through fire and floods and heavy heat, my sarcasm will never go." She smiled weakly.
"What happened?"
"I was thinking about our discussion at lunch, I went to the bathroom, and when I came back the room was on fire and the door was locked." She looked at the boy and saw his eyes darken. "Blaise" she took his hand in hers, "We aren't sure it was him."
"Maybe you aren't, but I am." He answered, ignoring the comfortable tingles surging from where their hands connected.
"So what do you propose?"
"We can't prove it, because you didn't see him, but I'm keeping an eye on you."
"Like a bodyguard? Only if I get to sing."
"What ever you wish, Miss Huston."
"Why thank you Mister Costner." She smiled at him.
"You had visits."
"So that was what all those noises I heard in my subconscious were all about."
"We only shouted for two minutes. Pansy punched Ron, by the way."
"Ah, those two are made for each other."
Blaise chuckled. Even after a fire, her sarcasm still ran high.
"On a brighter note, I think they're starting to accept each other."
"Wow, next time I want enemies to be friends I'll start a fire and throw myself in it. Who saved me, by the way?"
"I did."
"Oh."
"You're welcome."
"Thank you. I don't know if I can resist for fifteen days more."
"Actually, it's fourteen. It's three in the morning."
"Blaise? Do you think there is sunshine behind these clouds of war?" she looked at him, surprising him with the fear which took place in her eyes.
"After the storm there's calmness." He answered rubbing his thumb on her hand comfortingly.
"I hope so. I'm going to bed now. Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked closing her eyes.
"Sure." He answered placing a kiss on her temple.
Blaise thought about the events that past day. He focused on how he had been able to break a locked door with only his foot. He figured he had been pretty worried, if nothing else, when he thought of a possibly dead Hermione.
It had been almost as if part of his Animagus strength had passed to his human body, which would explain the growl.
He looked at Hermione's sleeping form, remembering the times he used to do that at her house. 'Even if I do love her, I can't tell her. I won't bear having another loved person be taken from me.' But one thing was sure. Dester was going to pay. Even if it was the last thing he'd do.
"Mr. Zabini?" He was woken up from his thoughts by the old voice of Dumbledore.
"Headmaster."
"How is Miss Granger?"
"Better. Headmaster, has the fire been put down?"
"It has. But most of Miss Granger's possessions were burnt down."
"Her T-shirts?"
"Those as well."
"She isn't going to like that." He answered remembering how much Hermione enjoyed wearing those shirts, remembering when she had told him she had made a few herself.
"One was saved, though, if you wish to know. It has "Don't judge a book by its cover." written on it."
Blaise smiled. His sisters had given her that shirt. He remembered how she squealed in joy when she saw the inscription on it.
"Headmaster, I've decided on being Hermione's guardian."
Albus Dumbledore looked at his student carefully. There. He saw it. The spark Amelia had talked about. It was clear, they were falling in love. The old professor nodded at the young boy, and left the Infirmary.
"I'll take care of you, Honey. Promise." He heard the raven-haired boy say before he left the room.
Albus Dumbledore walked in a sullen mood that night. It was starting. The war was practically over them. His only relief was the unborn friendship that was showing its head between certain Gryffindors and Slytherins.
Tired, he said the password to the gargoyle, and stepped inside his alcove. Surprisingly, they were already there. All ten of them.
"Evening." Sirius muttered from a corner, while he sipped one some coffee.
"How is the girl?" Flamel asked once they were settled.
"She is fine. She has a good guardian watching over her now."
Amelia grinned despite what had happened to her beloved apprentice.
"Before you say anything, Nicholas, I'll have you know he volunteered to do it." Dumbledore cut Flamel before he could say a word.
"How very heroic, coming from a Slytherin." Orion replied dryly.
"Now, now, Cornwell, let us not be biased. Again." Vivian gave the man a look that clearly told him not to mess with her.
"Do we have any idea who might have done it?" Remus asked from his chair.
"It obviously wasn't Voldemort. He wouldn't like to kill off someone who holds the key to his ultimate power." Fleur answered in perfect English.
"So that would leave us with—"Anemona tried to continue.
"Abso-bloody-lutely nothing." Orion finished sourly.
"We can't jump to conclusions, yet. But I think it's someone from the castle. I'll have to talk to Harry, ask him if he noticed anything." Sirius added, taking another sip from the coffee in his hand.
"I suggest that if the case be, we keep an eye on every student. We're talking about a possible spy for Voldemort." Adrianna replied seriously.
"It was a foolish thing to do. If indeed it reaches Voldemort's ears that someone tried to kill off an uninitiated sorcerer, the bloody bastard will kill who ever did it." Amelia commented dryly.
"That is, of course, unless Voldemort ordered him to do it. Which would mean—"Remus said back astonished.
"Which would mean he doesn't know." Fleur finished the realisation for him.
Silence settled in the office. Cornwell was the person who said what everybody was obviously thinking: "We might have another chance."
E/N: Wow! Pansy punched Ron! Fleur has a brain! Not to mention good English. Sinistra can say more than just: "The starts foretold it." Vivian Sarrasin has a temper, and possible Slytherin pride. Cornwell has a bit of sarcasm in him! More Sirius and Remus appearances! So how did you like it? I'm sorry for burning Hermione's t-shirts, but it was either them or Crookshanks, and I just love that cat. Which hasn't made one appearance. I'll pull him through somehow, promise. And not to worry about the t-shirt, I have a plan. To all my reviewers: Thank you!