Rain

By forbiddenlight

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K., so why would I own anything of hers? This plot is my own though…

A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed. I'd also like to invite everyone to become a staff or subscriber to my c2 community, Hogwarts Romantic Library for Harry Potter. This chapter is much longer, and I am very proud of myself. Please enjoy and review!

Kichou: Yes, yes, you're right. Mr. Smarty Pants! ) Okay, well, glad you're paying attention and thanks for reviewing!

Athena: Actually, there could very well be a story without Pansy and Ron scheming to break up Hermione and Blaise. You'll get an idea by the end of this chapter…

Dakota-Malfoy: Glad you liked it. I am glad that you enjoyed. And thank you for reviewing me again! I love reviewers like you and the rest of my reviewers. You guys have no idea how stressful it is o write a fanfic (lest you've written one yourself) and have to share a computer with about three other people. At my Dad's house, I don't have to worry about stuff like this. I try to update fast, but sometimes I can't update too fast or people won't notice my story as much, which is where you help by adding me to things like author alert, favorite author, favorite stories, or to a c2 archive, because then my story will get extra publicity and I can update as fast as I like with the fact that I will always get reviewed. Thank you.

I-Lurve-Ron: Thanks for reviewing! I'm writing another story, titled Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It is a Luna Lovegood fic. It will hopefully be out sometime next week…

And, again, be sure to take note of the names in bold. That is very important to the story. It will also keep you out of any confusion…

Ship: Blaise Zabini/Hermione Granger

Genre: Romance/Drama

Chapter Nine: Letters & Tough Decisions Hermione

Hermione woke up to a scratching on the window the next morning. A screech owl was sitting there, a violet envelope attached to its toes. Hermione reached up and opened the window. It was a beautiful day outside, warm and humid. Hermione grinned when she saw that the letter was from Blaise.

Morning, Hermione

Is tonight okay for the date? It is a Hogsmeade day. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks around noontime, if that's all right. Dress casual for a day of walking. Miss you.

Blaise

Hermione scribbled a "yes, that's fine- miss you too!" on the back and sent the owl off into the brisk morning. Suddenly Ginny burst in.

"I hear you have a date tonight!" she smiled.

Hermione gave her a Look. "Who told you, Ms. Weasley?"

Ginny frowned. "Ron did. I was curious how he would know before I knew. Are you hiding something?"

Hermione flashed her a second look- this time, a confused one. "That's odd- how would Ron know? Whatever. But yes, I do have a date tonight. I'm meeting Blaise at the Three Broomsticks at noon."

"Perfect! It's nine o'clock, just the amount of time we need before your date! Now come on, you're a wreck. You need to take a shower. Shave your legs, wash your hair, etcetera, etcetera." Ginny pushed Hermione toward the showers.

Hermione couldn't help but recall the night before as she scrubbed her hair and washed her face. It had been so romantic. She realized then that she loved Blaise. And she would tell him so- tonight.

Then she remembered how Blaise had been sure someone was watching them. He was right. Someone had. And that someone, she knew now, was Ron.

What the heck is he scheming? Blaise

"So, who is she?" Drake asked him as Blaise picked out his clothes for the day.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked innocently, not looking up. He was trying to decide which shirt he should wear- his green polo or the yellow tee. If only he knew what Hermione was wearing.

"What do you mean what do you mean? You know very well what I am talking about Blaise. Her. You wrote about her."

"No!" Blaise spun around, fuming. "You read my journal, didn't you?"

Draco looked at his feet. "It was… for the best, Blaise."

Blaise looked ready to kill. "I can't believe you, Draco! You said you would never read it!"

"YOU SAID YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE A FOLLOWER OF THE DARK LORD!" Draco shouted back. Luckily, there were alone in the dormitory, but Blaise couldn't believe his best friend…

"I did," Blaise replied softly, turning back to his shirts. "But not anymore. Lord Voldemort was not a good person. I do not like him. I will never follow him. Do what you like, Draco, but life as a Death Eater is not the same as life as a good person. Voldemort- he tricks you, saying that evil is good, evil is good. And when you fall for that and become devoted, there's no turning back. You either kill, or are killed. And that will not be my fate, as it is my father's. And he's wanted for an Unforgivable Curse. He can't show his face in public without a million aurors flocking up to bring him to Azkaban. I don't want that future. You're welcome to it, but I don't want it!"

Blaise closed his eyes, but opened them at the sound of two owls tapping the door. Draco swept from the room, allowing the birds entrance, and shut the door behind him with barely a sound.

One of the owls was a screech owl- the owl that he had sent to Hermione. The other he recognized, but wasn't happy too see. It was a horned owl. It was the Zabini family owl.

The screech owl sat patiently at the foot of the bed, smoothing its wings. The Zabini family owl, or Fate, flew right at him and sat down on his shoulder.

Cursing, Blaise lifted the black envelope off of the leather throng on Fate's leg. Opening the envelope, he lifted out a letter, written in jaunty, spiky handwriting.

Blaise,

I will be coming to Hogwarts this Saturday- the eighth. IT is time you become a follower

Love,

Your mother,

Janetta Zabini

Blaise chucked the letter into a fireplace in the dorm. Fate glared at him before Blaise threw him, literally, out the door.

The screech owl's (Blaise's) name was Infinite. Infinite had a violet envelope tied to the leather throng on her leg with care. Blaise removed this, and read the note that Hermione had sent.

Yes, that's fine- Miss you too!

Blaise looked up, and petted Infinite softly. He realized then he did love her- Hermione. And always would.

So he chose the red polo shirt that sat under all of the green, yellow, and blue shirts he owned.

He would tell her today.

Pansy

She wouldn't go to Hogsmeade today. She wouldn't be able to withstand the humiliation. She, dating Ron Weasley? Sure, they were pretending, but no one else would know that. No. She wouldn't do it.

Her eyes landed on the picture frame in the bedside table. Blaise Zabini grinned back at her.

She would do it. For Blaise.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

NO!

Yes, you will, Pansy Parkinson! You love him don't you?

If you mean Blaise, then, well, yes.

Then you will do it. For Blaise.

But Ron?

Either three weeks of humiliation or a life without your soul mate loving you back.

Well, now that you put it that way…

Exactly.

All right, all right! I'll do it…

Good. Now get up and get pretty. You're a wreck.

Thanks a lot.

Pansy rubbed her eyes and stood up and headed to her bathroom. She turned on the bath water, undressed, and slipped in, relishing the feeling of hot water on her skin.

As she got dressed, Pansy took the picture of Blaise from the picture frame and slipped it into her pocket. She would need some extra reminders of why she was going to even pretend to go out with Ronald Weasley.

That is, if she survived their first fake date.

forbiddenlight