Hermione walked into her room and collapsed onto her bed. As soon as she hit the mattress, she grabbed a pillow and proceeded to scream into it. She was incredibly frustrated and perhaps a tiny bit turned on. All day she and Blaise Zabini had been in the library, working on their potions assignment and all day, the incorrigible flirt would not leave her alone. Every chance he got, he was flirting, or touching, or writing little notes. She didn't know how to deal with this.

Never before had a boy affected her so much. Usually she was calm, in control. Not anymore though. Ever since she'd met Blaise and had to work with him, he'd found his way into her thoughts. Not a single day passed where Hermione didn't think about Blaise. Not a single day passed where she didn't want him.

They'd been formally introduced earlier that year, being stuck as Potions partners for the year because he had been late arriving the first class and had been forced to take the only seat remaining, the one next to Hermione. Snape had told the class that they were sitting with their partner for that year soon after. She'd been surprised to hear no groan of annoyance from him, and even more surprised when she'd looked at him and he was wearing a sexy grin, and winked at her.

Throughout the year so far, she'd been trying to keep her cool. She'd been trying to stay above the water and not let him sink her. It was difficult. Blaise was very attractive. He had dark olive skin, a compliment to his Italian background and gorgeous blue eyes. His hair was kept long, and curled slightly as it touched his shoulders. She loved it when he pulled it back. He wasn't overly tall, but his slender form gave him the allusion of more height. His features looked like they should be molded then cast in gold: high aristocratic cheekbones, finely arched eyebrows and soft, pouty lips. How could a girl been obliviuous to that?

At first he'd been shy and quiet, but after they agreed on a tentative friendship, he'd become more open. The man was incredibly intelligent and could arouse her mind just as easily as her body. He hadn't started that until a few weeks ago though.

Until a few weeks ago, their relationship had been strictly friendship based, but then he'd invited her to Hogsmeade with him, and ever since had been flirting heavily and hinting that he wanted it to happen more. She didn't know how to handle that. Boys were obscure, and she did not know how to deal with Zabini. He was making it painfully obvious that he wanted her, and she didn't know why.

What man wouldwant her? She was bushy haired, big toothed (even after the shrinking of them) and loud. She didn't hesitate to let her opinion be known and she didn't care who heard it. Boys didn't like girls like her. They like quiet, prissy little things that hung on their every word and praised them all the time. That wasn't her at all. She didn't think she could ever be like that.

And this left Hermione in a compromising position. She wanted Blaise, she'd already accepted that fact a long time ago. She also accepted the fact that he would never want her back. But now, now he had set her world in a whirlwind of confusion. Why did he want her? She'd accepted long ago that if a man ever did like her, it would be someone like Neville, or Ron. She shuddered thinking about it.

This was Blaise though, Blaise. He was attractive. He was smart. Women wanted him. Blaise though, wanted nothing to do with them, choosing to keep to himself and the few friends he liked the company. Those friends included her.

Hermione stood and began pacing around the room. This was all too confusing to her. She was not supposed to like men, she was supposed to focus on studies, she was supposed to be immune to attractive boys. But she wasn't. This thing with Blaise was certainly proving that. She sighed and looked out the window. An owl in flight came into view and she smiled. Seeing the owl post made her feel warm inside. It was such a better system than muggle post. She watched the tawny owl flutter about and then suddenly she realized that the owl was heading toward her.

The thing slowed a bit and landed on her windowsill. It dropped the letter into her hand and took off again, toward the other side of the castle. She looked at the letter questioningly, flipping it over. On the front of the envelope was her name. It was scrawled delicately in a black ink. She knew who the writing belonged to. How could she not when he'd written her little notes all that afternoon in the library.

Hermione debated opening it. She was sure it would say something flattering about her. He'd been doing that all day. Curiosity got the best of her though, and she gently opened the envelope. What was written made her eyes widen in shock.

To the dearest lady I know,

I know this may shock you Hermione, but I want to be with you. You're a wonderfully beautiful and smart woman. Your mind easily arouses me just as much as your body does. You have this way of making me want to just sit on a sofa and study you all day, just to see what you'll do next. You intrigue me, miss Granger, and I want to have you around more. I'm offering myself to you, Hermione, because I want you to have me. I'm already addicted to you and I pray that you could find yourself with me someday.

I'd like you to meet me by the lake tonight, and we could talk about this. If you don't want to be with me, that's ok. I just want to be able to speak to you about it. I want to be able to know if there will ever be a possibility of us. If there isn't, I promise I won't let my feelings affect our friendship.

Yours if you want me,

Blaise

Hermione put the letter down and exhaled. She should have realized this was coming. Blaise didn't flirt with anyone except her. At first she thought it was because he was shy and they were friends but she eventually began to get the picture. She also began to realize that she really liked Blaise, and she knew she could easily begin to love him. When he came over, she got this warm feeling in her body and butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. She didn't know what it was about him, but she did want him. She wanted him so much it scared her. She took another look at the letter and read it through again. She looked at the clock on her mantle piece and then peered out the window again to the lake. She caught sight of a solitary figure headed down toward the water. She looked back at the letter once more, and then made a decision. She knew what she had to do.