A/n: Thank you once again to all my great reviewers! Well, ENJOY THIS CHAPPIE!
Disclaimer: Not mine… need I say more?
Recap:
Blaise gave him a small nod before turning on his heels and walking out of the Great Hall. Draco watched him leave before turning to his bacon.
I hope Hermione'll say 'yes'…
:End of Recap.
Of All The People In The WorldChapter Seven…
Blaise quickened his pace to catch up with Hermione. She was heading for the library. Probably to do some extra credit to butter up her teachers.
Hermione heard footsteps following her and froze. She waited for a few seconds, before turning around sharply and brandishing her wand, ready to throw a curse at her stalker.
Blaise halted and his eyes widened at the sight of Hermione's wand pointing directly at his chest -- she loved studying, so she obviously knew every hex in the book!
"Whoa! Hermione!" Blaise cried. Hermione saw that it was just him, and lowered her wand.
"What do you want, Zabini?" she snapped in a irritated voice.
Blaise's heart sank. Zabini? So I talked to her last night… for NOTHING?
"Are we back to sirname terms?" he asked in fake sadness.
"Well, you were stalking me… rather loudly, if you ask me…," Hermione huffed.
"I wasn't stalking you, Hermione!" Blaise cried, exasperated. "I was trying to catch up with you! I needed to go to the library to do some extra research on Transfiguration before classes started. I need to add on a paragraph to my essay – it didn't seem long enough," he fibbed. He saw Hermione twirl her wand between her fingers.
"Oh, isn't that a coincidence!" she said with a smile. "I was going to the library, too. I want to do some extra credit for Ancient Runes. We can walk there together, if you want."
Blaise nodded, smiling. "Sure, why not?"
They walked towards the library, with Blaise trying to start a useful conversation.
"So, Hermione," he began. "What's your first class today?"
"Double Arithmancy," Hermione replied with a definite nod.
"Oh, okay. Mine's Transfiguration," Blaise said. He pondered over his next question during their descent up the tall flight of stairs to the library.
"Blaise, why are you suddenly being so nice to me?" Hermione asked innocently as she walked closer to Blaise, her eyes filled with curiosity. Blaise thought for a second, before answering her with a small smile.
"Why, can't I get to know to you better, Hermione? You're not like other girls -- all they do is gossip about boys, make-up, Draco…," Blaise rambled. "You're different. You're focused on your studying, and you've claimed the position of smartest student in Hogwarts."
Hermione blushed at that. No one had ever commented her like that before.
"And I think you're unique," Blaise continued as they reached the top of the stairs. He smirked. "And that's a good thing."
Blaise mentally whacked himself. Oh, Merlin! I'm flirting with Granger! Draco better be happy with all the things I'm going through…
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
Blaise nodded as he looked ahead, and spotted the large oak library doors infront of them. He pushed open the doors and held it open for Hermione. "Ladies first."
Hermione walked inside. "Thank you," she added with a small smile. Blaise walked in after her and shut the door behind him.
They passed Madam Pince's desk and walked towards a table under one of the large chandeliers. They could feel Madam Pince's burning stares on the back of their heads as they chose their books.
Blaise returned to their table with a heavy leather-bound book to find Hermione already there, scribbling hurriedly while taking quick glances at the open book beside her parchment.
Blaise sait down opposite her at the long table and set his book down. He stared dully at the cover – Transfiguration At It's Best. He lazily flicked his wand, and a roll of crisp new parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink materialised infront of him on the table. He opened his book and flipped through the pages until he found something about transfigurating a quill into a tea cup.
That looks interesting, he thought, a smile playing across his lips. He stole a glance at Hermione and sighed, shaking his head. How can she do extra credit for ANCIENT RUNES? That's the most boring subject ever. I know… and I don't even take it! Well, I am talking about Hermione, so that goes as natural. For her.
He slowly copied down a paragraph from the yellowing page in his best handwriting, making sure to keep his sentences straight. Every now and then, he'd glance around the room and look for something amusing or inspiring. Then, his gaze would fall on Hermione again, and he'd shake his head… again.
"Done," Hermione muttered as she put her quill down. She smiled happily as she re-read her essay. Pleased with her work, she chanted a non-verbal spell in her head -- summoning her Ancient Runes essay that she had left upstairs on her bed. She had found the spell while flipping through 'Amazing Spells & How To Use Them', and decided to try it out.
Immediately, a thin stack of parchments appeared infront of her, all bearing Hermione's neat but visibly hurried writing -- her essay! She added her extra credit to the pile and stuffed it into her bag before briskly returning the book back to the shelves. As she turned to walk back to the table, a book title caught her eye – The Many Magical Wonders of The World. Hermione's eyes lit-up as she removed the book from the shelf. It was very thick, and was rather dusty -- a sign that it had not been touched for quite a long time.
"I'm leaving now, Blaise," Hermione said as she kept the quill and bottle of ink in her bag. She slung her bag over her shoulder and held the heavy library book to her chest. "I'll see you later."
"Huh? Wha-? Oh, mmm hmm. Yeah. Bye," Blaise mumbled, looking up. He had falled asleep on the table while debating in his mind whether to write some more or to just end his essay there.
Hermione gave him a small smile as she walked towards Madam Pince's desk to borrow the book.
Blaise decided to end his essay there, so he kept his stuff and levitated the Transfiguration At It's Best book towards the shelves and slotting it neatly inbetween Magical Fauna & Fungi and An Autobiography: Gilderoy Lockhart – The Star of Our Lives.
He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out the door, too sleepy to be aware of Madam Pince's piercing glare. He adjusted to the brighter light before descending a flight of steps to the Transfiguration classroom.
A/n: There! Another chappie finished! Phew… it's hard to maintain a chappie a day… but I've succeeded! Oh, I feel so happy! Oh, and a note to the reviewers for 'Living Life As It Is' – I've stopped writing that story, coz I have no lead or plot. Very sorry! I wrote it quite some time ago… last year, perhaps? I dunno… Well, I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far. I know I sure am! Who knew writing fanfics could be so much fun! Oh, and about that Gilderoy Lockhart autobiography – I'm not a big fan of him… in fact, I'm not a fan of him at all! I just felt like adding something else besides study books, ya know?
Lova ya lots,
-Punk Priz.