Disclaimer: All characters are owned by JKR.

Plot: Draco/Hermione. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. This is my story. And I did warn you in the summary. As for the actual plot being original, no one has a copyright on the entire school idea. If so, Hollywood would be in serious trouble.

Author's Notes: THANKS for the reviews. Thanks for all the patience. Yes, I know it was over six months. I hope that the next chapter won't take that long. Life just gets in the way sometimes. Here is the long overdue chapter. Enjoy.

I tried posting this on 05/30 and on 05/31 but the server wouldn't let me login. At the moment, I'm currently worried that it will do something to the formatting.


Chapter 17: Truth, Lies and Business, as usual


Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley watch Pansy Parkinson approach them warily, their hackles up. The Slytherin girl looked enticing, rich and deadly. From her custom made robes to her perfectly manicured nails, she looked every inch the Pureblooded society girl. Normally, she would not deign to speak to them at all, and even her taunts were spoken as if they were not present.

"Care to repeat what you said?" Ronald Weasley demanded.

Pansy smiled, and it almost made Harry want to recoil. It was so fake and unnatural; there was no happiness, no warmth radiating from her, only a sickening sort of malice, cloying like her musky perfume. "I thought you would like to know that you have competition," she said mockingly.

Harry and Ron both narrowed their eyes, their expressions stormy.

"Word is that Blaise is interested in your precious little Gryffindor princess," Pansy said, leaning back against a wall, her eyes dancing in wicked amusement.

Harry blanched and Ron's ears turned pink. "What?" they both shouted. The idea that Hogwart's oiliest information broker, slimiest smooth talker and resident transvestite was interested in their Hermione was enough to give anyone a mental breakdown.

"You're making this up," Ron gasped out.

Pansy shrugged, her lips turned up in an amused smirk. "Am I? It doesn't matter. As long as the rest of the school thinks that it's true."

Harry let out a bitter laugh. "It doesn't matter. I would say that at least Zabini knows a slag when he sees one," he said, looking pointedly at Pansy.

Pansy's smile turned brittle. "Zabini is a bloody ponce and everyone knows it. Heavens knows what twisted and perverted fantasies he entertains regarding your mudblood whore," she spat out, turning on her heel. Secretly, she was pleased. Potter and Weasel King would be so worried about Zabini that they wouldn't possibly prepare against her. Also, with Potter and Weasel on super bodyguard duty, her Drakey-poo would think twice before looking that mudblood bitch's way. All in all, she had played her cards right.

Ron and Harry exchanged preoccupied glances. It was just a rumor or Parkinson trying to fuck with their minds? But if it was true, it was almost too horrifying to think about. Not that they thought that Hermione would ever be interested in a Slytherin, especially in such a deviant as Zabini. However, who knew how obsessive a Slytherin could be? As for the perversions that Pansy had alluded to, enough was said that even the Slytherins whispered about Zabini's "antics". Combined with the reputation of the Zabini family as supporters of Voldemort, the picture just kept getting uglier and uglier.

"You reckon she was right?" Ron asked, his brow furrowed in preoccupation.

"Only one way to find out," Harry said, with a glint in his eyes. Time to find Lavender and Parvati.


Meanwhile, Blaise Zabini was attempting to keep his cool. He nodded his head and a third year Slytherin backed away hurriedly. He looked around himself. Thank Merlin he was in the library or else he would just bloody scream. What in Rowena's knickers had planted the idea that he, Blaise Zabini, information broker extraordinaire, was panting after one Head Girl-Stick Up My Ass-Hermione Granger into the maggoty brains of Brown and Patil?

Zabini wanted to groan and bury his face in his hands. Talk about impending disaster and doom. Potter and Weasley would no doubt come, hunt him down and geld him on sight for even attempting to dream of touching their little Princess. And that would be soon. At this rate, it would take another 25 minutes before the entire school population found out about this rumor. He had a begrudging respect for Brown and Patil, when those girls wanted to be, they were devastatingly effective. Unfortunately for him, the devastation would most likely happen on his end. And then he would have to explain to Draco-I Am Slyterin Prat #1 With Repressed Sexual Desire For Obnoxious Head Girl Granger-Malfoy why everyone thought he was after the object of his "affections". Despite Malfoy's denials of the contrary, he was proprietary, territorial and one jealous bastard. He would rather not have to deal with Draco's snarkiness especially when he had to watch his back from being pounded by Potter and Weasley.

Oh yes, Zabini was in a pretty pickle and he knew it.

He also knew he had 25 minutes to turn this situation around to his favor. Some people looked for the silver lining in a bad situation; a Zabini was more about looking for the way to turn the silver lining into gold brick.

There were two main courses of actions.

Plan A: He could deny everything. That would get The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-Annoying and the Weasel tosser off his back. Unfortunately, Brown and Patil could confirm he had indeed been commissioned to make a dossier, a client who obviously had a marked interest for Granger. Invariably the trail would lead back to Malfoy and this would just spark off the much anticipated war between the Light and the Dark right here in Hogwarts. Because Malfoy would stop at nothing until he had Granger and Potter and Weasley would rather be eaten alive by Hypogriffs than let a Slytherin have his evil way with their Gryffindor princess. Not to mention that Malfoy would be in a perpetual foul humor for the rest of the school year. Invariably, he would be blamed by either side and if he was lucky, he would be destroyed quickly and therefore saved from a very painful existence.

Obviously option A involved a good deal of bodily harm to his person. Thus, it was a bad plan. Actually, it was a worst scenario nightmare.

Plan B: He could take the bum wrap. He would have to go immediately to Malfoy and convince him that it was in his best interest to have everyone else in Hogwarts believe that it was Zabini who was interested in Granger. Therefore, he wouldn't have to worry about the Boy Wonder and Annoying Sidekick being suspicious of him as their attention was obviously elsewhere. As a bonus, he could attempt to talk to one Ginevra Weasley under the guise of trying to court the uptight Head Girl. Sure, he would have to deal with Potter and Weasley, but they would be so focused on preventing him from talking to Granger that they wouldn't be quite so worried about him talking to Ginny. Of course he would blackmail Malfoy since he was doing him a favor by serving as a distraction. Malfoy was going to owe him another fat favor.

Option B was a much, much better plan. Because it would mean that Malfoy would not just owe him one favor, but two. And one can never be owed too many boons. The proverbial gold brick was his for the taking.

Blaise Zabini strode out of the library, heading straight to the Slytherin Common Room to talk to Malfoy and do some damage control. He felt eyes follow him, but if he was going to go through with option B he wasn't going to let anyone else know what he was doing.

He still wanted to avoid getting shit-kicked by The Boy Wonder and the Annoying Sidekick or one pissed off Draco Malfoy.


"You won't believe what I just heard about you," Ginny said in a sing-song voice, a playful smirk on her face.

Hermione paled. The smirk reminded her of somebody else's mouth. Not that she wanted to particularly think about said person's mouth. Usually those thoughts lead to other very naughty thoughts that she really, really shouldn't have. Alarm bells were bellowing in her head. "Oh?" she asked a little tensely.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Hermione. Most of the time, Hermione didn't give a rat's ass about gossip. Mainly because most gossip involving her was about the torrid love affair she had with either Ron or Harry or sometimes both. Other times the gossip said that she would be having a torrid love affair with either Ron, Harry or both of them if she wasn't a frigid bitch. Occasionally, there was the odd tidbit that Hermione must obviously be doing drugs or drinking illegal potions because how could it be possible for any witch to have top-grades in every single class, even if she is supposed to be the cleverest witch of her entire generation. Regardless of what the rumor was, Hermione had never been infuriated with gossip.

Except during the entire Rita Skeeter affair. But really, who could blame the girl? The rumors had not just been confined to the school but had been the breakfast fodder for the entire Wizarding world. At least in the United Kingdom. Possibly in Europe as well. Ginny was surprised that Hermione's reaction had been that restrained. She would have possibly flipped out completely if she saw her personal life to be the object of open speculation around the world.

"Well?" Hermione asked. She needed to know. Not that she thought that anyone had really guessed that she might have the teeniest tiniest fancy on Draco Malfoy. Really, it wasn't like she was a full-fledged card-carrying member of the Draco Malfoy fan club. And admittedly, girls of every House thought he was a sexy prat even if his attitude made a Norwegian ridgeback look positively refined. Besides, she told herself it was only natural that tongues would wag. After all, she was Head Girl and he was Head Boy. They did share quarters. She wasn't going to be bothered by what she knew wasn't true, she told herself silently.

"I heard that Blaise Zabini is interested in you," Ginny said, looking carefully at Hermione's reaction.

Already thinking of how to best refute the fact that she may like Draco Malfoy, or that she was carrying his illegitimate child or that he had convinced her to join the Deathlosers, Hermione's brain refused to process what Ginny said. In fact, she had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that all she really heard was 'is interested in you'. It was obviously time to refute whatever incredible piece of yarn that was floating through the heads of every other student in Hogwarts. This really wouldn't happen if people spent more time concentrating in their studies instead of everyone else's life. This really just confirmed that the workload most people took was way too light. "Utterly ludicrous," Hermione snapped out, a little too angrily.

Ginny was a bit taken aback at Hermione's vehemence. Could it possibly be that Hermione harbored some sort of secret crush on the Slytherin? Usually Hermione reserved this kind of irritation to things that truly bothered her. Or when Ron managed to annoy her. It wasn't completely implausible. Blaise was attractive. Ginny gave herself a mental shake. She was merely being pragmatic. It wasn't like she actually liked Zabini, but he wasn't ugly to look at. And she was merely talking about aesthetic qualities, and she was being entirely objective about Blaise's look. She decided to give her theory a shot.

"Well, aesthetically speaking, he is good looking," Ginny said with a casual shrug.

Hermione eyed Ginny. Was Ginny a member of the Draco-Should Always Wear Sexy Dragon Leather Pants-Malfoy fan club?

"Oh, come on Hermione, you can't tell me you haven't noticed?" Ginny said, using a bit of reverse psychology. If Hermione denied it, then it was because she did think he was handsome even if she didn't want anyone to find out. And maybe the bad boy type was what Hermione wanted. It was obvious that Hermione needed a guy that defied conventions, that wasn't afraid to walk his own path and with a certain degree of strength of character. She was, afterall, best friends with Harry Potter. Good girls like Hermione would always have a weak spot for the maverick, the rebel, the bad boy. Hell, even she did and she was less of a goody two shoes than Hermione.

Hermione had noticed, too much for her own liking. Admitting it to Ginny seemed tantamount to admitting she had a crush on him. Even if her mind was becoming more susceptible to thinking she did have the tiniest infatuation on him it wasn't something that she wanted to dwell on more than she needed. If she said anything to Ginny, she could very well expect an entire afternoon of girl talk about the subject. On the other hand, if she denied it completely Ginny would know that something is up. And she could expect an excruciating interrogation session and Ginny was an extremely effective interrogator. You didn't survive six Weasley brothers and Mrs. Weasley without becoming a psychological chess master.

"I suppose some people would think so," Hermione said noncommittally, treading the treacherous line of neutrality. If Ginny thought she would just give in and tell her what she wanted to know, she had another think coming.

Ginny wanted to laugh out loud. This was one of the reasons she liked Hermione. She could be forthright when she wanted to and she could be devious when she needed to be. And when it came to boys, Hermione was very tight-lipped. Well, with the exception of Viktor Krum because she was still puzzled about certain aspects of relationships. Not that Hermione viewed Viktor as anything other than friend, much to the Bulgarian's dismay.

"So you do think he's cute," she said, injecting her tone with just the right amount of teasing and triumph, smiling wickedly at her She knew it would drive Hermione bonkers.

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she wanted to scowl. She knew what Ginny was doing. She knew that Ginny wouldn't go feeding the rumor mill but she did have to make some sort of public comment about how far-fetched the entire notion really was before the entire situation got too out of hand. The last thing she needed was death threats from all the Pure-blooded ninnies in the world. "This really just proves that people have too much free time on their hands. Frankly, the fact that a Slytherin would like a Gryffindor is so improbable. For crying out loud, he has publicly loathed me and called me mudblood to my face in public. How anyone thought that he might fancy me is utterly beyond me," she said a little too angrily.

It had hurt. Then and now. She knew that prejudice and bigotry were learned behavior. She knew that he really didn't know better. But that didn't stop the pain. It didn't stop the insult from being ugly. More importantly, the intent to hurt had been there. And for someone such as her, who had been thrown into an unknown world in which she needed to prove herself, it was discouraging to have someone tell her that she didn't belong. She had already felt the duality of having to manage two different identities. In those first few months, Malfoy's words had cut deep because she had been all alone and she had no friends to count on. Things had changed but Hermione had never really gotten over it.

Ginny was puzzled. As far as she knew, Zabini had never called anyone a mudblood. In fact, no one really knew what his opinions on such things truly were. Granted, he was in Slytherin so it meant that he was a supporter of the Dark Tosser, since his entire family was. But everyone knew that the Zabini family was weird. Blaise was no exception with his gender changing proclivities. And really, with his family's odd quirks and behaviors, it wasn't like Blaise could accuse anyone of anything, really.

"Zabini has never called you a mudblood," Ginny said slowly. There were a number of Slytherins that have called Hermione any number of foul names. But first and foremost would be always one Draco Malfoy, who just incidentally happened to be Head Boy and happened to share close quarters with Hermione. Ginny's mind started working fast and furious. Draco Malfoy fit the bad boy profile. He was also supremely intelligent, devious to the core, didn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself and was sexy enough to be considered illegal. Could it possibly be?

Hermione's mind registered Ginny's words with a shock. So it wasn't about Malfoy they had been talking about all along? Hermione met Ginny's eyes and the word BUSTED flashed through her mind in giant red neon lights. She was going to have to do some fancy footwork now.

Hermione really didn't like that gleam in Ginny's eye.

This was going to be one hell of a girl's talk.


"This better be good Zabini," Draco said through gritted teeth. He had been hearing some very disturbing rumors. Well, more like whispers. No one had the balls yet to tell him but he had heard enough to piece it all together and he didn't like it. Zabini better have a good explanation for this or things were going to get ugly. Fast.

Draco was working himself into a foul mood and he didn't give a rat's ass who knew.

Blaise just grinned at him idiotically, which made Draco just want to scowl even more. Blaise pointed toward the bedchamber he shared with Crabbe, Goyle and Pucey. Crabbe and Goyle had been in there doing bench presses and working with weights but one look at Draco's face made them drop the weights and step outside the room. Pucey, as always, preferred to spend the least amount of time in the room as possible. Blaise closed the door behind him, muttered a number of locking and silencing spells and adding a particular nasty hex to anyone that even dared to come near enough to knock on the door.

"I assume you've heard some of the rumors that are floating around," Blaise began nonchalantly, still smiling. Not that he'd let Malfoy know he was sweating it. If he was planning to pull this particular scheme of his off, he needed to look like he knew what he was doing.

"Something like that," Draco said, his eyes flashing.

"First, let me assure you that I have no such interest in the precious little Head Girl. Secondly, I did not start the rumor and I know who did. And thirdly, let me point out to you that this rumor actually works out in your favor," Blaise said smoothly.

"Oh?" Draco raised an eyebrow, vaguely reassured by Zabini's confidence and intrigued on how this particular debacle could be used to his advantage. Not that he was going to let the matter drop that easily. Zabini still had some explaining to do.

"You want Granger," Blaise said bluntly. "I'm not going to inquire as to the motives that spark this particular interest." Which was not a lie, but neither it was the truth. Simply because he didn't ask Draco didn't mean that he was not going to find out. It was his job after all.

Draco opened his mouth to refute that he didn't want Granger but his retort was not quick enough and Zabini kept talking.

"More importantly, I know you won't stop until you get what you want. You were like this when you were six and wanted that damn kneazle even when your father had strictly forbidden you from it. Same thing. I don't expect you to change," Blaise brought up the memory of when they were six and they had found a number of rogue kneazles camping out in the Zabini summer estate.

"Almost as importantly, I'm willing to let the rest of this ruddy school think that I am in fact quite enamored of Hermione Granger, letting her two bloodhounds attempt to beat the stuffing out of me at every turn and off your scent so that you can talk her out of her knickers," Blaise said.

This surprised Draco but he had been a Malfoy all of his life and a Slytherin almost as long, so he masked it well as if he was merely contemplating Blaise's offer. It was tempting. Potter and Weasley would be distracted and he could take his time with Granger.

"For a price," Blaise said, interrupting Draco's thoughts.

Draco had to smile thinly. Of course he didn't expect Zabini to do this out of the greatness of his little black heart.

"I have two conditions," Blaise stated baldly. "One is that I want protection. Simply because I am willing to set myself up as bait doesn't mean I fancy Wonder Boy and Weasel King breaking every single one of my bones on a daily basis."

Draco had no problems with that condition. He wasn't going to let anyone think that a Gryffindor could harm one of his people with impunity, even if it was Harry-sodding-Potter. It would not bode well for his reputation. More importantly, if Blaise was permanently stuck in the infirmary he would need to find a replacement drummer. He nodded in agreement.

"Secondly, as long as I am required to maintain this charade, my actions are beyond questioning and reproach," Blaise stated. This was the big iffy clause. He expected Malfoy to accede to his first condition. It served Malfoy's purposes nicely. This one, on the other hand, meant that he would be left in the dark. Not that he wasn't already. Malfoy didn't expect Blaise to be entirely forthright about everything but he did exert a certain amount of control. If he wanted to know, Blaise would answer to him. Malfoy expected Blaise to lie and Blaise expected to be appropriately punished if he was caught lying to the Slytherin King.

"And if I don't agree?" Draco said coolly. It really was just for form's sake that he asked this. He didn't want Zabini to think he could just dictate whatever bloody terms he felt like.

"Then you can kiss whatever chance you had of seducing Granger goodbye. Everyone will be watching your every move. You won't have a moment of peace with her. She will have those two watchdogs of hers permanently stuck to her side," Blaise said flatly. He really didn't put it past Potter and Weasley to set up camp in the common room of the Head quarters just to make sure Malfoy didn't make a move on their girl.

Draco's eyebrows knitted in frustration. He knew that Zabini was right. Sodding Potter and Weasley were just itching for the chance to AK him. This would provide them with the perfect excuse. "Granger would know the truth, though," he said, trying to blow a hole into Zabini's apparently perfect strategy.

Leave it up to Malfoy to bring up the one possible weakness in his plan, Zabini thought. But he had thought of it already and given his not inconsiderate knowledge of the Head Girl, he was pretty sure he knew how she would react. "First of all, Granger isn't going to risk Potter's life in a confrontation with you. She'll do whatever it takes to make sure the Boy Hero goes off to fulfill his glorious destiny in vanquishing the Evil Overlord. Secondly, she really doesn't view you as such a threat that she needs her best friends to save her, which of course works to your advantage. But most importantly, can you imagine Granger claiming that its really YOU who is interested in her? It's just completely, and utterly unbelievable. Even more that this stupid rumor that I am interested in her. It just wouldn't take. And she would look like the one that has a crush on you, aside from looking absolutely mental; something she isn't going to risk doing. Hermione is not going to blow your cover for fear that everyone else will interpret it as her being interested in you. Which just would cause the entire Gryffindor to die from shock and shame," Blaise explained smugly. Oh yes, he knew his reasoning was on the money. Damn, he was good.

Draco was impressed. Damn, Zabini was good. He was still didn't like the conditions that Zabini had set but the entire situation worked so well in his favor that he wasn't going to question it. "Very well Zabini, you have a deal," he said imperiously.

Zabini smiled. He had a deal and he also had permission to talk to one Ginevra Weasley without anyone being the wiser of what he was up to. Equally as important, he had not used the favor that Malfoy owed him over the subject. Oh yes, he had not just found the proverbial gold brick in the situation but rather found a goddamn gold mine.

Now, if he could only survive Potter and Weasley for the next two terms and talk to Ginny Weasley without having his personal bits hexed to hell and back, he would have a record year. But then again, Blaise Zabini didn't have a devious mind for nothing.


Meanwhile, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were sitting pretty and very smug of their accomplishments. The Blaise Zabini-Hermione Granger rumor had taken off like wild fire. In fact, after 21 minutes and 16 seconds, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley come barging into their 'office' demanding explanations. Not that Harry or Ron would ever stop them from doing their jobs although Harry and Ron were both part of the 'unofficial' cabinet that ruled Gryffindor intra-house interactions.

Although Lavender and Parvati were both concerned at how concerned both of the boys appeared to be, they knew that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were more than capable of defending Hermione Granger from Blaise Zabini's advances. Hell, Hermione was more than capable of defending herself from anyone's advances with a well-placed hex here and there. More importantly, it gave Harry and Ron something to do other than brood about the impending war. Despite their reputations as airheads, Lavender and Parvati weren't stupid. This was their gift to Harry. They weren't going to treat this school year as anything different or special. This was going to be their last school year and it would be just like any other school year, even if the Apocalypse were to happen the next day.

"Is it true?" Ron gasped out. Both he and Harry were a bit out of breath having had to run from the Great Hall to the nook that Lavender and Parvati occupied every afternoon under the eighth staircase from which they managed their 'operations'.

Lavender and Parvati nodded their heads solemnly, their eyes serious but glittering with merriment.

"How sure are you?" Harry asked, his tone distinctively implying that he would brook no joke.

Lavender looked at Parvati meaningfully. Normally they wouldn't just state bald facts unless absolutely necessary. Bald facts tended to ruin speculation and interpretation. Parvati shrugged. The general populace of the school had taken up this particular rumor. If Harry and Ron knew the truth, it wouldn't change anything. Besides, whatever details they had divulged about Hermione had been worth the price.

"Blaise Zabini came to us. Asking for very specific information concerning Hermione. By the rules of the network, we traded information," Lavender said seriously.

Harry's green eyes acquired a glint. He knew of some of the rules of the network. Not that he expected a Slytherin to tell the complete truth, but perhaps there was enough to piece together something. Precious little information ever came from the Slytherin quarter. And whatever Zabini used in exchange couldn't have been just run-of-the-mill information. "What did Zabini pay you with?" he asked.

It was time for some Gryffindor business.


Author's Notes: Read and review. Comments are always appreciated. Anyone intrigued on what Blaise told Lavender and Parvati? Yeah, so am I.