The Fine Line
Just before we start, I'd like to mention my dearest Paris. Paris is blackmailing me. She says I have to write something to give her more credit for betaing my stories she says. So, everyone, special thanks to my beta Dazed and Utterly Confused (who verbally abuses me). ;)
Dazed and Utterly Confused: WHAT! I do not verbally abuse you, you cow! Ha! PS I'm like on my 9th Chapter so get your ass moving! Oh and does nobody get your Hedley reference from WOTM? I guess it really is a Canadian thing! I love BOYS! HA! And you of course, my love ! ;)
Hermione Granger:
Blaise made her way alone to her NEWT level Potions class in the cold and drafty dungeons at around noon the next day (once Madam Pomfrey had been convinced that she was well enough to go). The only reason she suffered through Snape's classes was that she wanted to become an Auror one day and, for that to happen, she needed to be skilled with potions.
She arrived quickly enough in the still empty dark room that was Potions class. She took a seat at a table at the back of the class and waited. Everyone else was obviously still at lunch, savoring the little free time they had left before the bell rang. Blaise wasn't one to eat much and normally skipped lunch...who would she sit with anyways?
Blaise let her thoughts drift as she sat and waited alone.
'I'm always alone...'
She sighed, and pitied herself for not having anyone who cared for her at this school; or anywhere else, for that matter. Not even her parents cared for her. All they wanted was for her not to disgrace the family name. Basically that meant: she had to finish school, get married to a rich and respectable pureblood, be a good housewife and give them at least one grandson.
Blaise hated her parents. Hated everything they did and everything they believed in. She had moved out of the Zambini manor the previous year, when she was 16. All summer she worked at a run-down place in Knockturn Alley. In return she was allowed to live in the cellar, was provided with meals and paid a small weekly salary that barely covered her school materials.
Neither of Blaise's parents appreciated her. The reason for that was simple: they had never wanted a child, let alone a "filthy useless daughter" as Mr. Zambini put it. Mr. Zambini had always wanted a son to put in service of the Dark Lord as his father had done to him when he had become of age. Unfortunately, he was stuck with Blaise seeing as Mrs. Zambini was incapable of having any more children due to the fact that she had been put away in Azkaban for crimes against the wizarding world in the name of the Dark Lord. The Dementors were the only things that differentiated the Zambini family home from Azkaban...
You see, Blaise's parents had very strict rules they expected her to obey them, but they had very low expectations of her. They were a very traditional family. 'Blaise you should be seen and not heard' 'Blaise do as your told'... It was all too much. When she was young, her parents would beat her if ever she broke their rules. She had learnt not to fight with them but betray them in every way possible. That included questioning their authority, befriending muggles, and even denying her services to the Dark Lord when she came of age; she knew enough of what he did to unwilling muggle girls to know that coming to him willingly would be like jumping of a cliff.
'Speaking of cliffs... How am I going to get back at Joahs and Thompson? No way are they going to get away with what they did to me... I can't tell Snape on them... He'd probably congratulate them or something... But what can I do...'
Her thoughts of vengeance and disdain were interrupted as Snape himself entered the classroom, wearing his usual black robes and scowl. His face was just as pale as it had been the previous year and his nose still as long and hooked.
'Oh look. Speak of the devil.'
He headed towards his desk, walking past her without a word, as if she were but a part of the wall.
"Hello Professor. How was your summer break" she asked, forcing him to show some sign that he knew she existed.
He turned slowly and glared at her with his beetle-black eyes.
"Miss Zambini, I have no intention of making conversation with you. Go back to what you were doing and cease from disturbing me" he replied coldly before sitting behind his desk.
'Merlin! Would it kill him not to be so damn rude to everyone all the time?' she thought angrily,as Draco Malfoy and his friend Elrin Greaysein entered the classroom and sat at two tables at front of the class, 'I guess it might ruin his bad boy image!'
"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Greaysein" Snape greeted them"How is your father faring, Mr. Malfoy"
'Figures. He's only polite with the ones he likes. He always goes out of his way to make my life a misery in his classes, despite how well I do...' she thought as Malfoy told Snape how it had been ruled that his father was not a Death-Eater and how he was let out of Azkaban.
Students began to gradually fill the classroom and everyone meant to be there was present by the time the bell rang.
"Settle down" Snape said, unnecessarily, as not a person in the class was talking"This year, thankfully the last year you will be spending at this castle, we will be learning about potions which previously were too advanced and dangerous for you to handle. Today we will begin the brewing of an advanced truth serum, the Draught of Truth. The instructions" he flicked his wand at the chalkboard in front of the class"are on the blackboard." They appeared. "Groups of two. Begin"
Everyone hurried into groups of two. In the end, the only ones left without partners were Blaise and the Granger girl.
'Good Lord. Now I'm left with the stuck-up, smart-assed, Gryffindor, Granger,' Blaise thought.
Granger looked around, and seeing that everyone one else already had partners, approached Blaise, slowly. She was probably also displeased with the fact she was going to have to pair with Blaise.
"So I guess we're partners" she asked cautiously, once she reached Blaise's table.
"I guess so" Blaise replied, her voice full of distaste.
"So... First we start by bringing two cups of Flubberworm mucus to a boil... We should put on gloves" Granger said, not bothering to check the blackboard, then pulling on her gloves.
Blaise put on her gloves and checked the board.
"Bubotuber pus, not Flubberworm mucus..." Blaise corrected, surprised that Granger had made a mistake.
"What" She checked the board. "Oh... I guess you're right..." she said in a low voice.
She bowed her head, shading her eyes.
"Are you alright" asked Blaise, concerned for some reason"It's alright that you made a mistake..."
"It's been happening all the time lately" she said angrily. Silent tears were dripping down her face. "I've been having trouble remembering things I've known since forever! It's just my friend... well you know what happened to Harry... and I can't stop thinking about how he'd just love to be here with us, learning to become an Auror..."
'Potter was her friend... That's right...' she thought, pitying the girl. 'I can't imagine what it must be like for her... Having a friend and suddenly having them be taken away...'
"I'm really sorry about what happened"
"Keep your sympathy." Granger interrupted stiffly, whipping the tears from her eyes and grabbing the jar of Bubotuber pus that was on the table.
They continued brewing the potion in silence.
"He and I studied how to make this potion together..." Granger said after some time.
Blaise remained silent, not knowing how to reply.
"We joked about Snape slipping some of it into our drinks and all the things he's make us tell him" she continued, adding Jobberknoll feathers to the potion with a shaking hand.
"Do you want to talk about it" Blaise tried.
Granger opened her mouth to answer. Blaise felt someone come up behind her.
"Gossiping, are we" came the voice of Snape.
"We weren't gossiping" argued Granger.
"Five points from Gryffindor for talking back, Granger. Now get back to work, both of you."
He moved on to harass the group at the table next to them.
"He makes me so mad" hissed Granger, once Snape was out of earshot.
"I know. Like there isn't enough problems in life without him going and making us all miserable."
She snorted.
"You've got that right..." Granger said"Hey, how come you and I have never spoken to each other before now? We seem to have a lot in common."
"Guess it's 'cause I'm in Slytherin and you're in Gryffindor..."
"Right..." she remembered"I always forget you're in Slytherin... That makes a world of difference doesn't it…but you really don't seem the type."
"Why is that"
"Well, for one Snape treats you as he would a Gryffindor and for another you're much too smart."
Blaise laughed softly.
"Thanks, I think."
"I really should introduce you to Ron sometime... You guy's would get along famously."
"I'd like that" Blaise replied. This Granger... Hermione... really wasn't that bad.
Finally updates eh? This chap and chapter 4 have actually been done for ages... I've just been waiting for my lazy beta to get up off her ass and beta them. Hope it was worth the wait... Let me know what you thought of it.