Disclaimer: I own nothing of J.K Rowlings. I own nothing but the plot so don't sue.
A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! Keep reviewing! Actually everyone should review I love reading them!
Ehlonna: Muhahaha! Only I know what he was doing all day. (Looks from side to side before responding...) But I will be getting to that part of the mystery soon, not in this chapter but probably the next, it plays a big part in the story though.
Kichou: You'll find out soon!
Jen: Don't worry I'm not going to get all cheesy on you. I'll save that for the Star Wars movies (No offense to anyone who likes Star Wars! Don't get us wrong we like Star Wars too! We just think the romance lines are cheesy and like to make fun of them.).
Mystress Fate: I'm glad you're intrigued by my story! I did try to make this one longer. It's about 100 words (o.k. so not alot longer but...) over but I had to leave the end the way it was so I could have inspiration for my next chapter.
Dracoschick124: I'm glad you liked my story!
Weaselbee: I'm glad you like my story! Here's the next chapter!
Knivesgirl1346: I know I can't wait for the book to come out! Yeah, there is a little mystery but it pushes the plot forward so it works out just fine. It'll all be revealed in time. I'm thinkng about writing in Blaises POV but it's so much fun to write in Hermiones. I might have a chapter or two with his POV but there's more mystery if you don't know Blaise's point of view...I have to think about it some more. Thanks for reviewing!
On with the story!
Chapter 5
The next morning I awoke with the resolve that I would find out what game Zabini was trying to play. It was amazing how much my life could change in a few short days. My perspective on life had just done a 180-degree turn on me and I found myself thinking about things I would have berated myself for thinking a week ago. My thoughts weren't solely based on school anymore, I was neglecting my friends and yet I was happy. No matter how odd that may seem I was enjoying myself more than I ever had in my whole life. I had a mystery to solve and an image of a man that wouldn't leave my mind. I couldn't get the kiss that Zabini had so softly placed on my lips out of my brain, and I found that I didn't really want to. He'd given me hope. Hope that I wasn't just the bookworm everyone thought I was, that it was possible to like me even love me, not that Zabini loves me but he gave me hope that someone possibly could. That I wasn't as repulsive as I had so recently thought.
Over the next few days when my mind would try and work out what Zabini was up to. My mind raced with possibilities but I found that I could never keep to the track of thoughts about what he was doing; they always drifted back to thoughts of love. I felt so silly the day after Zabini kissed me thinking about love and fairy tale endings, after all everyone knew you never actually got fairy tale endings. When I was young I always loved to hear stories about how the prince swept the princess off her feet and took her away to be wed. To be honest whenever I read fairy tales as a child I always was more partial to the stories where the good guy wasn't always the prettiest or nicest. My favorite was always Beauty and the Beast, the fact that the girl could overcome a hideous outside that was the beast, only to find the flicker of hope and goodness that lived inside him. She saw him for who he was not who he was perceived to be. When I got older I learned that stuff like that are meant to be kept in fairy tale books because they give us false hope as children. I suppose what got me onto the fairy tale train of thought was the fact Zabini and I had talking about knights in shining armor and evil villains. I actually think it's kind of ironic that the girl who doesn't believe happy endings that happen only in fairy tales goes to a school where you learn how to be a witch and learn about all types of wondrous creatures that were only thought to be in fairy tales. At night I'd let my mind ponder these thoughts before slowly entering a deep slumber filled with magnificent, vivid dreams about knights and princes and castles with tangled vines wrapped around them. Eventually I'd wake up though and reality would always come crashing back down.
Ron and Harry didn't seem to care too much. They were generally pretty happy that I hadn't been pestering them about homework. Needless to say their grades were dropping rapidly. I decided that this time they could deal with it on their own; I was so stress free I didn't even want to think about becoming that girl who was so strict and uptight. Somehow it just wasn't me anymore, I'd changed. Not to say I didn't keep up with my homework or even let my grades drop a little, I definitely did not. I was just worrying less about it. I'd barely seen Zabini, it was almost like he was avoiding me, but I suppose I had been avoiding him too so I wasn't that upset. He had kissed me, which was very forward and so unlike him. I didn't blame him for not wanting to talk with me just yet. After all he probably had a lot of emotions to deal with to.
After a week of Zabini and I avoiding each other like the plague I decided I was going to confront him after Care of Magical Creatures. But first I actually had to survive Care of Magical Creatures…It wasn't that I didn't like the class it was just Hagrid seemed to be bringing in more bizarre creatures everyday and it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.
As I made my way out to class I mentally prepared myself for my confrontation of Zabini. It seemed that me confronting Zabini was starting to become a habit, not that I minded much because it meant I actually got to talk to him. I was so wrapped up in mentally preparing myself I didn't see that I'd walked straight into a patch of what looked to be giant fuzz balls. I slowly turned around to see Hagrid motioning for me to stay quiet and stay still and all my classmates had horrified looks planted on their face. I had no idea what was going on so I did what Hagrid was telling me to do, I didn't move. I could see Hagrid trying to figure out how to get to me and everyone else was stock-still. What was going on? I mean I was only surrounded by giant balls of fuzz...how much harm could a ball of fuzz cause? Then I started to panic, I racked my brains for things that were dangerous and fuzzy…then it came to me. Today we were supposed to be observing firiznals, which were basically like giant hedgehogs except they didn't have quills, they had hair and their teeth and claws were deadly poisonous. I also remembered that they are nocturnal animals who do not like to be awaken in the day and do not tolerate intruders on their territory. I also remembered that they do kill if necessary. I still knew that I was forgetting something, I just couldn't remember what.
Immediately after that thought crossed my mind I heard a twig snap and I whipped around at lightening speed with my wand in hand. Shit! I remembered what I was forgetting; abrupt movements cause them to become frightened and they attack. I had come face to face with a frizinal and he was going to charge any moment. I racked my brains for incantations I knew but my mind seemed to have blanked on me. I just stood there with a blank face unable to move. My legs refused to move. I caught a brief sidelong glance at Ron trying to control Harry telling him if he went in there he'd be killed as well. Malfoy just stood to the side and sneered. I briefly wondered if the last thing I would ever see would be Malfoys sneering face. I promised myself if it was I would come back to haunt Malfoy for the rest of his life. I had no idea how I had a sense of humor a few moments before I died but somehow I did. Time seemed to have stopped everything was going so slow and then I saw the frizinal charge. This was it; I was going to die. He was getting closer and there was nothing I could do. I was staring intently at the animal when I felt something hard hit my side, I was knocked to the ground with something on top of me but it didn't matter because the next thing I knew I was being hauled up. I think I blacked out because I was briefly aware of the sensation that someone was running with me in their arms and then nothing.
Later I awoke and decided I had died. I couldn't see anything so I assumed the worst and I awaited an angel or devil or some entity, thinking it would come take me away. Then I became aware that my head was excruciating pain and was pounding and felt like it was going to explode. I groaned and realized I was alive, but I was probably blind and severely wounded at the present moment I didn't care, I just wanted the pounding in my head to cease. "Oh, good you're up!" I heard and was slightly relieved that I wasn't dead. I heard Madame Promfrey bustling about next to the bed and the she placed her hands on the back of my head. I didn't know what she was doing but all of a sudden I could see…o.k. so maybe I was being a little overdramatic when I was thinking I couldn't see, I just had bandages over my eyes. At least I wasn't blind though.
"My head…" I groaned. "What happened?" I asked.
"Here dearie, drink this and I'll answer your question." She stated handing me a vial of liquid. "You seem to be making a habit of coming to the infirmary…anyway apparently Hagrid brought in some frizinals and you walked right into their pen. Your lucky Mr. Zabini was there, seems he tackled you to the ground before they did any severe damage. They did get you though, you got a small scratch on your leg but fortunately there was not enough poison to do any severe damage. Also Mr. Zabini got you here before the poison could spread into the blood further." She said and then walked away murmuring something about going to restock some of her supplies. Fortunately that vial of liquid she gave me made my headache subside so I had time to ponder my thoughts.
He did it again. I turned my thoughts over in my mind again and again. I couldn't figure out what Zabini could possibly gain from saving me. He had to have some motive… maybe he was working for Voldemort! No, no that's not possible if he was wouldn't Voldemort want me dead? I just couldn't see it. I was abruptly torn from my thoughts when I heard the door to the infirmary slam open. Then I saw Harry and Ron storm in. Oh, this was going to give me headache I could feel it.
"Hermione! What were you thinking? Going out into the pen like that…did you want to get yourself killed? And what was Zabini doing saving you? Is there something going on between you and that…that…Slytherin?" said Harry who was now very flustered and looked to be quite angry if his yelling told anything of his emotions. I suddenly got very frustrated with them. They didn't even ask how I felt!
"How dare you! It's not like I meant to go in there! It's not like I wanted to get killed! No there's nothing going on between Zabini and I and if there was it would be none of your business! You both parade around pretending to be my best friends, but where were you when I needed to be saved? I could have died and the first thing you two buffoons ask when you come in is what was I thinking! You didn't even ask how I felt!" I told them releasing all my anger and frustration that had been building in my system on them. Madame Promfrey must have heard the entire ruckus because she immediately came out and shooed them away. They had been completely rendered speechless at my outburst.
When they left I just sighed and settled back in my pillow. I decided I could use a little nap and I started to drift back to sleep. "So I see things are not always flowers and rainbows with the golden trio." Said a voice off to my side. I was so startled I bolted right up in my bed. Then I realized I recognized that voice; it was Zabini. I slowly turned to face him…