Title: The Beginning of the End (14)

Author: Procella Nox noctis

Category: Mystery

Sub Category: Romance

Keywords: Hermione, Blaise, Initiation

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: "Blaise? Shut up and kiss me."

"That was clichéd, too." He grinned before leaning in.


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.

A/N: Finally, here's the chapter I have been waiting to write. Their initiation. This is where they get full powers, and right to use them. I wonder what I could make them do.

Fourteen: Thank God For Birthday Presents


Denial. When someone asked their friends what was wrong with Hermione and Blaise, that would be their answer. They were in denial. Harry, Ron and Draco were starting to grow desperate. Ginny, Pansy and Luna were a bit mad. Neville was getting angry himself. Millicent had suggested locking them in a broom closet until they'd confess. She was persistent in getting those two together, even though at first she had been the one who stopped the rest from revealing the fact over the Lust Potion.

But no matter how hard their friends tried, Hermione and Blaise were back to normal, meaning they chose to forget about the snog. Again. And it drove Blaise mad, honestly, but he wasn't willing to risk his friendship with the brunette Gryffindor. So when the girl had asked him t forget about that moment of heaven they had shared, claiming it was the effect of the potion, he agreed. Reluctantly, if so, but he agreed.

So it was now Friday, the big day for Blaise. Besides the fact that he was turning seventeen today, but he'd be fully initiated as a sorcerer, thus allowing him to do wandless magic, Animagus transformation, and so on and so forth. Plus, all the persons he loved and cared for were now safe, since Voldemort knew better than to mess with a full powered sorcerer. Or was it just him?

The day had gone easily by, with Hermione wishing him good luck before the grand moment, and receiving his presents. Draco, Pansy and Millicent had given him a Firebolt, because as Draco put it, only the best for Slytherin's best Chaser. Luna, Ginny and Neville had given him a book entitled: "When ignorance shouldn't be bliss: adolescent in love." He took it as an unsubtle indirect. Harry and Ron gave him a chess board, to help him ease the mind. He honestly didn't know why the Gryffindors and Luna gave him anything, they weren't that close, but he supposed it was one of those "The friend of my friend is my friend" occasions.

Hermione had given him her present while they were in Arithmancy. She had plopped a rather heavy package in his lap, blushed and left for her next class, not bothering to wait up for her bodyguard now that Dester had been expelled.

Blaise carefully opened the package and, for the first time in his life, gasped at what he saw. It was like a snow globe only that it wasn't. There was indeed a globe, but instead of snowflakes it shed cherry petals. It the middle of the globe there was a big tree, one identical copy of the tree the Grangers had in their garden. On the tree's lower branch two figures sat. One was obviously a boy, raven-haired, leaning on the branch, in a care-free manner, a small smirk on his face. The other was a girl, brunette, her head leaned on the boy's chest, her eyes closed and her mouth in a peaceful smile. Blaise and Hermione.

Blaise opened the card as well. He recognized Hermione's neat writing, from the times he spied over her shoulder when she wrote. "To my favourite bodyguard. Happy birthday. I hope all your wishes will come true. Unless they're perverted, in which case you should reconsider your mental status. The globe is something that reminds me of one part of my life that I will never want to forget. You may not know it, but you changed my life and my perspectives on Slytherins and on the war. Don't dare brake the globe, I spent hours making it. Love, Hermione."

He couldn't help but chuckle. She had changed his life as well, but in a more romantic way. He got dressed in his black robes, put Hermione's card in the pocket closest to his heart and left for the Headmaster's office, where the Priori Incantatem would pick him up.

One could say Blaise had been very surprised when he was greeted by familiar faces. he greeted everyone he knew, and met the ones he didn't. His mouth didn't close for five seconds when he met Nicolas Flamel. Sirius had to close it forcefully for him. Blaise was happy to see Fleur again, not to mention old Prof. Lupin. Even if the werewolf scared him a bit, he had been his favourite professor, except Sirius, but he wouldn't be caught saying that.

Together with the ten Superiors, Blaise took a portkey that took them to a cave. The Slytherin already knew what he had to do, because Hermione had told him, from what she had read. He settled in the middle of the cave, while the Superiors formed a circle in front of him.

They began humming softly at first, a soft glow surging from their hands. Blaise stood still. One by one, each of them began giving Blaise a bit of their power. Vivan Sarrasin was the first one. Her hands glowing with a soft earthy colour, she quietly invoked all the elements. A purple globe of light stood above her hands. She blew it in Blaise's direction. He felt queasy. He felt the Air in his hair, the Water in his eyes, the Fire in his heart and the Earth in his bones. The Elements settled into his mind.

The next was Fleur. She sang beautifully, a light blue globe of air gathering in her hands. She blew it at Blaise. He felt peaceful. Warmth travelled through his body, his mind in a state of bliss. Images of things he considered beautiful came to his mind. He saw his entire family alive and smiling. He saw his friends at ease and laughing. He saw the sunset and the sunrise. He saw the sea and the mountains. He saw cherry petals. He saw the old tree. He saw Hermione leaning into him. He saw her smile. He saw beauty.

Lupin followed Fleur. Beast followed Beauty. The man's eyes glowed amber, a globe of the same colour settling in his arms. He sent it to Blaise. The boy felt his animal instincts kick in. He felt the rage in his wolf heart. He felt the hatred towards his parents' killer. Disgust towards the ones who made his friends hurt. Need of vengeance. A wild howl escaped his throat. He missed Lupin's proud expression.

The next was Anemona. She smiled comfortingly at Blaise, and blew her globe of white light at the boy. He felt all childhood scars healing, his soul feeling better.

Sirius followed. He grinned at him, before blowing his red globe. Blaise felt the need to take care of his loved ones. To protect his sisters, his friends and his loved one. He felt growing stronger at those thoughts.

Orion's turn was next. The Warrior gave Blaise his power, his stubbornness and his skill. Blaise felt his courage grow higher. He felt as if he'd be able to take a whole pack of Kappa with his bear hands. He felt brave.

Amelia was the next one. But instead of a light globe, she bit her wrist, and placed the hand over Blaise's mouth. Now, the boy really felt fire burn through his veins. He felt Amelia's cold temperament, her strategies and her humour all pouring into his mind.

Sinistra gave Blaise her sphere of dark light. She gave him the stars at his hand's proximity. She gave him what could be, and what was. She showed him his future. And he could only see Hermione in it.

Dumbledore's gift was less pretty. The old man showed him tragedy. What could be if Evil would triumph. Yet he also showed him what would be if Evil would fail. Blaise saw himself holding a baby in his arms. And someone giving him a dazzling smile, one he knew so well.

The last one was Nicolas Flamel. The old man placed his hands on Blaise's temple, chanting loudly. Something clicked inside of the raven-haired boy. He felt himself capable of doing wandless magic, of healing people with his mind, of controlling weather and of fighting till the end. He felt himself: a sorcerer. And then he collapsed.

Four days had passed and Blaise still felt weary. And queasy. But happy nonetheless. He was often found by Hermione doing bits of wandless magic, which resulted in Hermione scolding him. Hermione. She had been so happy for him, so proud and anxious. And today was finally the day.

Blaise had tried all day to catch her and congratulate her, but it being Tuesday and her having all her important classes, he only saw her at breakfast. The evening came and he knew the girl was already gone.

He went, or rather dragged himself up to the Prefect Tower, where he planned on waiting for the brunette. He was greeted by a rather surprising sight.

All his friends, and all of Hermione's friends were there, chatting and worrying over the girl.

"Not fair, you didn't worry about me!" Blaise whined, plopping down beside Draco.

"I did. I worried you wouldn't die, and it pains me you haven't." Draco joked, in mock sadness.

"We did worry, but Hermione threw us out, saying that she didn't need more stress in her head." Harry said.

"I think he wanted to wait for you alone." Ginny said, looking over at Pansy in a mischievous manner.

"Wants you all for herself, the lunatic." Millicent chuckled.

"Was it hard?" Ron began questioning him over the initiation.

"Not really. Depends on what you see."

"Does it take long?" Ginny asked.

"It depends."

"Does it involve much gore?" Draco asked hopefully.

"You have a very sick mind."

"I'll say!" Ginny mumbled. Draco looked at her with a raised eyebrow, at which the girl blushed.

Before anyone had the time to ask anything else, a loud pop was heard. And Blaise panicked again. There in the middle of the room stood Sirius, and in his arms an unconscious Hermione.

"What happened?" Harry asked frenetically.

"Don't worry, it isn't grave." The man answered looking at Blaise.

"The hell it isn't! This is the second time I get to see her like that. I promised her she wouldn't be hurt. Now what happened?" Blaise hissed, scaring half of the present people.

"It turned out Hermione has powerful sorcerer blood in her, but the spell Dumbledore placed upon her, you know, to hide her real blood from Voldemort, was really powerful. And it almost mixed with her genes. Which made the initiation harder, because only purebloods are sorcerers, and Hermione's blood was still under the spell. Which would make her a Fake One. As in a fake muggle-born. They're very rare in the sorcerer realm. During the initiation Hermione concentrated on lifting the spell herself. As I said, she's really powerful, she made it in the end, but she's a bit exhausted."

When they calmed down a bit, they took Hermione to her room, with Blaise insisting that he should stay. The others said not a thing, only grinned in complicity.

He watched her sleeping again. So peaceful, and so beautiful. He couldn't help brushing a hair from her face. His heart beat heightened as Hermione opened her eyes slowly. She smiled at him adoringly.

"Did I make it?" she asked softly.

Blaise nodded, kissing her hand. He looked at her. His mind was settled. He didn't care what would happen, he'd do it. He'd tell her.

"You never let me give you my present."

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

Blaise looked at her, taking her face into his hands. He lowered himself, and kissed her with all the might he had. Hermione was still on her bed, which made Blaise move on top of her to have better access.

Hermione moaned as soon as she felt him over her. It was a soft moan, but one nonetheless. She clasped her hands behind Blaise's neck, and gave into his kiss. After a few minutes, they broke apart panting.

"I love you." Blaise said, hushing Hermione down. "And I don't care what might happen to our friendship once I tell you this, but I love you. And I don't want to become an old man who regrets not having told the love of his life what he felt for her. I don't want to see you taking some other guy. I love you. Call me foolish and cheesy, but I feel like I want to spend my life with you, to grow old at your side. I don't care if you don't reciprocate, but I have to get this off of my chest."

When he finally looked at Hermione he found her crying. She lifted one hand to cup his face, and smiled. "I love you too." She said with no doubt. Then she grinned. "Man I feel like we're from a cheesy novel right now."

Blaise laughed, and kissed her nose. "Yeah, me too. I hope I won't have to do that very often."

"You could never know."

"But I do know. I hope to only have to say this less than ten times in my life. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against romanticism, but we could do greatly without it. We can have a good relationship without the cheesy lines and confessions. I'm rather surprised you cried. How clichéd. But we can manage without the tears from now on, right? You do realise that this means we're a couple."

"Blaise? Shut up and kiss me."

"That was clichéd, too." He grinned before leaning in.

This kiss was more special. This time they both wanted, no, needed it. No surprise was involved in it, only the be-freeing sensation whenever their lips met. Blaise rolled Hermione over, placing her on top of him. His hands roamed her hands, back and neck. She moaned gratefully at each attention she was given.

They pulled away, their cheeks flushed and eyes glazed over with desire, but didn't continue. Hermione cuddled herself on Blaise's chest once more. She kissed the crook of his neck and buried her face in the same spot.

Blaise grinned. "Happy birthday, love."

As Hermione fell asleep, her nose breathing Blaise's scent, his arms encircling her waist in a protective manner, she couldn't help but think: "Thank god for birthday presents."

E/N: Well, that was the fluffiest thing I have ever written. I kind of scares me I'm capable of writing like that, considering I've never lived it to know what it's like. Ah, well. Please tell me your opinion on the Initiation, and on Blaise's visions, of Hermione. What Blaise saw is NOT an aclaration of how this fic will end, remember he saw what COULD be not what WILL be. Keep that in mind. Please review and tell me what you think. 5 or more reviews and I'll make the next chapter. Thank you to all my reviewers. You make my day, and inspire me. Thank you.