Thanks for 66 reviews! Thank you all for the 27 reviews I've received since my birthday, and all the birth day well wishing! See the responses to your reviews at the bottom.
Help me: I still haven't shaken this writer's block, even though I've had some good advice. I know what I want to happen but I can't concentrate on writing it out. So I'm still stuck on chapter 15. Any ideas?
Chapter eleven: Sinister
"Blaise…" Blaise stopped walking, but did not turn around.
Hermione looked over her shoulder to see who had called. Her face paled.
"Professor Sinistra." Hermione muttered, wondering at her ability to attract confrontations.
According to Blaise like calls to like, so perhaps she should work on her personality. All this stress was getting to her, she was starting to feel dizzy.
"What." Blaise said finally, still not looking at her.
"I was wondering if we might have a chat." Said the Professor.
"mmmm…no. We're on our way to detention, right now." Blaise said, and raised the hand which was holding Hermione's to indicate the two of them were going together.
It was just after dinner, but after hearing McGonogol and Snape's lecture on morality that morning just before breakfast, Hermione had been rather disinclined to eat the entire day. Add to that, the embarrassment of everyone knowing she was the reason for the talk made her insides writhe with humiliation and completely ruined her appetite.
Blaise and Hermione had decided to continue their charade of dating, lest Snape- or anyone else for that matter- get suspicious, and it was already turning into more trouble than it was worth. Still, after the talking to the entire tower had received, everyone knew- or at least thought- that Blaise and Hermione were a couple. They didn't have any choice but to keep playing the part, and neither one of them was happy about it.
However, it was either play the romantic couple, forced to keep their relationship a secret all this time because of the rivalries between their houses, or deal with the indulgent rumors people would make up to explain away the circumstances leading up to "the talk." It seemed the entire school had known of the talk at breakfast, and the rumors that were beginning to circulated took up a broad spectrum –everything from Hermione whoring herself out to purebloods as a way to climb the social ladder, to ideas that Blaise had used his legendary dark power to ensnare Harry Potter's best friend as part of the Dark Lord's master plan to destroy him.
It was obvious which houses were spreading which version of events, but neither Blaise nor Hermione wanted to deal with the whispers surrounding them at breakfast. They'd chosen the lesser evil, and spread their own version of the tale which had circulated around the school by lunch. To validate it, and punish Hermione in his own way, Blaise had held her hand when ever in her company.
Only the "inner circle" as Ginny had dubbed the odd group consisting of herself, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Pansy, and Blaise, knew the whole truth. Consequently, the others were led to believe Hermione and Blaise had been caught kissing in the astronomy tower and were chased by Snape all the way to the common room. Seamus hadn't behaved the same towards her since the row this morning.
He wasn't the only one.
Ron had been ignoring her since last night when he heard about the fake kiss. She heard his exclamation from the girl's dormitory where she was telling the story to the other girls, from the boy's dormitory where Blaise was telling it. She wondered if that was why he overreacted on Ginny, because he was never so coarse with his sister.
"I see… I heard about your er… girlfriend.. from Professor Snape." Professor Sinistra was saying, eying Hermione with the distaste.
Blaise snorted and turned around fully, forcing Hermione to walk around him as he kept hold of her hand.
"Don't you mean Severus." Blaise sneered. "And what I do is not his business or anyone else's."
"Blaise, your mum and I warned you about this… you don't want to…"
"There are a lot of things you probably don't want me doing, but that hasn't stopped me before and it won't now. Good evening Ursula." Blaise said and dragged Hermione towards detention.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"What was that all that about?" Hermione asked as they approached the new potion's classroom.
"Never you mind." Blaise sneered, not looking at her.
Hermione made an impatient noise with her tongue but did not persist.
"Speaking of that, I've got some questions for you." Blaise said, stopping Hermione right before the door. "And now that we're alone." He smirked his evil smirk that made him look five times uglier. "Why did you stop me, back in his room, from hearing what I wanted to know? What do you know about Snape?" Blaise whispered.
Hermione backed herself into the wall behind her and tried to yank her hand away, but he wouldn't give. His expression was becoming colder, and Hermione was starting to understand why no one crossed this dark boy.
"I only agreed to do it for the magical empathy spell… not to interrogate a teacher on his personal life. It's none of my business, nor is it any of yours." She whispered shortly, sounding much more confident than she felt.
"Really." He said, anger blazing in his eyes. "That's it? You just didn't want to be a busy body after all? What a good girl you are." His whisper was like silk. "You must hate your reputation getting ruined like this." He said, and raised their joined hands, the knuckles of which were white.
"You… you haven't given me cause to think you're a bad sort." Hermione's voice was losing its confidence.
"Yet." He snapped at her, making her flinch, then pulled her towards the door.
It opened with a creek and Blaise held it for her, increasing her unease.
Snape was sitting at the teacher's desk, marking papers when they came in.
Even though potions were no longer held in the dungeon, this new class room seemed just as cold and gloomy because Snape kept all the windows sealed shut and the fires out. It was even colder and darker at night. The atmosphere in addition to the company, Professor Snape, the hated potions master, and Blaise Zabini, the rumored poster child of the dark arts, made Hermione feel light headed with ill-ease.
She stumbled slightly as they walked to the front of the room, and started to shiver.
"You two are late." Snape hissed, when they stopped in front of his desk.
"My fault professor." Blaise said, then he licked his lips slowly.
Snape's lips thinned, just as Blaise knew they would. Hermione turned pink.
"Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin." He stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. Extracting a book he said: "You two will be brewing some medicinal supplies for Madame Pomfrey tonight." He flicked to the proper page and walked back over to them.
He handed Hermione the book, and she took it. It was opened onto the Pepper up potion. Snape was busy in his supply cabinet, extracting ingredients.
"I believe you know how to stand a cauldron up the right way, Mr. Zabini. You're mother is quite the accomplished potions mistress." Snape said to him with a sneer.
"She prefers the title of Potions Master, sir. She doesn't believe in differentiating the title for gender." Blaise replied icily as he set up one of the work tables.
"Indeed. You're mother has always had strong views on gender issues." Snape gave the boy a quelling look. "And what do you believe?" Snape asked, setting down their ingredients.
"Everyone has their place, sir. But it's natural for anyone to want more than that." Blaise answered quietly, his voice chilling the whole room.
"Do you want more than that, Mr. Zabini?" Snape asked as he set down the last item.
Blaise snorted.
"Yeah." He sneered, looking Snape dead in the eyes. "I want grown men to crawl to me on their hands and knees and kiss the hem of my robes." He cackled horribly.
Snape looked utterly furious and… -to Hermione's great surprise- embarrassed.
"It's little wonder you keep no one close Mr. Zabini, with that charming personality." Snape drawled. And Blaise chuckled some more.
"Don't need personality when you've got animal magnetism, ey sir?" Blaise sneered, throwing his arm around Hermione's shoulders, who by this time was ready to collapse with embarrassment.
Snape sneered: "Indeed." In reply. "Please proceed, you two."
And they set to work.
Hermione wondered at Blaise. One minute he was ready to see Snape dead, and looked at him with more hated than she'd ever seen in a person. And just now, he teased Snape, rather cruelly to be truthful, but almost like…. An old friend. In a way, his behavior was so odd, and in another way, it was just like him: hot and cold.
Last night, he was almost comforting as she cried with embarrassment, never teasing her about kissing him once. Now she felt like he held her hand justto embarrass her. He even made lewd innuendo whenever possible. Hot and cold, and yet at other times, completely blasé. She wondered if she'd ever understand him.
She shivered and drew her robes around her tighter. It was freezing in the school, especially this close to the winter holidays. Her teeth were starting to chatter.
They were making several batches of pepper up potion, all of which were simmering individually in three separate cauldrons. They would be ready soon. Hermione stayed close, attempting to absorb some heat from the fires that sparked beneath each pot.
"Cold?" Blaise asked, watching her rub her arms for warmth. She nodded at him. He looked at her inquisitively a little bit, making her turn away in embarrassment. She still couldn't believe she just pulled him down and kissed him, what must he think of her!
"Hermione…" He began slowly, a pensive look on his face. "You dated Viktor Krum right?"
That was the absolute last thing she ever expected him to ask. Her mouth fell open in shock. She closed it and nodded mutely.
"And you er… kissed him right?" He asked quietly. Hermione wondered if her face would ever return to its rightful color.
"Look, I don't know what you must think of me… but really, I don't… I mean, it isn't like I go around…" Blaise made an impatient noise. "Er.. yes… that is to say, I did.. we did. What… why?"
Blaise shook his head, looking down at the boiling cauldrons.
"It's probably nothing then."
"Why did you ask?" She didn't suffer that embarrassment for nothing!
He shook his head again.
"Look.. I wasn't paying attention when I … when we… I mean…" She attempted, but had no idea what she meant. Blaise smiled.
"I gathered that." He muttered, watching Snape to make sure they weren't being overheard.
"I just don't want you thinking…" she trailed off, not knowing what she wanted to say.
"Professor Snape?" The voice that spoke, did so without the warmth of familiarity.
Hermione turned around.
Standing in the doorway was Professor Sinistra.
Snape looked up, his expression very cold. "Professor Sinistra, may I help you?" His voice matched his face.
She frowned, looking at the floor and answered.
"Are you done with Blaise, I was wondering if I could borrow him for the remainder of the evening." She said to the floor.
"That's alright, I'll stay and finish my detention." Blaise said, his coldness outstripping them both.
"The potions are completed; they only have to boil another ten minutes." Snape said.
"But what kind of teacher would undermine the punishment system by compromising my detention time!" Blaise declared in an airy voice.
Snape raised one eyebrow and said: "I would. You may go." Blaise pursed his lips.
"No really, I'd rather wait for Hermione." He said, sitting on the lab stool resolutely.
"Zabini." Snape stood. "Get out." The two men glared at each other. Blaise stood and removed his robe.
For one wild moment, Hermione thought he was going to draw his wand to duel, but he simply threw the robe to her, and turned to walk out of the room.
He muttered a quick:"Later Hermione." And walked right past Professor Sinistra where she waited for him by the door. She left, shutting the door behind her, without another word.
Hermione was grateful for the robe.
Hot. She thought, smiling, as she put it on.
"Is it that cold in here?" Asked Snape lightly, as though he enjoyed inflicting that discomfort onto his students in addition to everything else.
"I'm feeling a bit ill, sir." She said, examining the Slytherin crest on Blaise's robe. This close to her skin, she noticed the faint smell of incense and old spice, and wondered what a pureblood wizard would be doing with muggle deodorant.
"This potion looks to be done, perhaps you could sample it Ms. Granger." Snape said, taking the first batch off the fire to cool.
Hermione nodded, and a few minutes later was presented with a steaming beaker of pepper up potion. She had no doubt it was perfect, and downed the mixture without preamble.
Instantly, her ears began to steam, and her face flushed as the potion took effect. Too quickly, it seemed, the warmth died and the steam stopped.
"Hmm… looks like a weak batch." Snape said, observing his student.
Hermione was feeling a bit dizzy and she assumed she was simply tired.
"May I go now professor?" She asked. Snape nodded, his full attention on the potion now.
Once out of the door, Hermione picked up her pace, desperate to be in bed as she had never been before. She dragged her feet, feeling more weary that she ever thought possible.
Her heart sprang with joy when she caught sight of the fat lady through her heavy eye lids.
"Welcome home." She intoned and walked in to the common room, staggering slightly.
"Granger." Malfoy said, approaching from the Slytherin section. "There is work to be done." He gestured to the stairs.
"I'm sorry… I can't tonight…" Hermione muttered, her vision going blurry. "I… I…" Malfoy was coming closer, looking at her with crossed brows.
He was saying something, but there was a rushing in her ears that drowned out his words, and Ginny's call for help.
Hermione collapsed, falling forward towards the blond Slytherin, whose body reacted again, just as it had done the first time, and caught the falling muggle born.
"Granger!" Malfoy snapped as she collapsed into his arms. He staggered against her dead weight for a moment, her head lolling against his chest. "What on earth…" He began bewildered.
Blaise Zabini took that moment to enter through the portrait hole. He took in the sight of Hermione slumped limply against Draco Malfoy, with increasingly widening eyes.
"What happened?" He asked, joining the swelling group around the blond boy and unconscious girl. "Back up!" Blaise snapped at her friends, who obeyed immediately.
Blaise felt her forehead.
"She's burning up." He declared to the silent common room. "Come on." Blaise said to the other, and he and Malfoy maneuvered Hermione over to one of the vacated couches.
"What's wrong with her?" asked a first year in concern.
Blaise was pulling her shirt from her waist band to reveal her stomach.
"What are you doing?" Asked Draco, horrified at having Granger's head in his lap, and thus contributing to this exploitation. Blaise didn't answer, but pulled her waist band a little lower to reveal more of her belly. There, beneath her belly button, were several rose colored spots.
Draco gasped, as did Ginny and Ron, who were looking on.
"That isn't!" Ginny moaned worriedly.
"Hepatyphus." Blaise confirmed coldly, pulling Hermione's shirt down.
All the Slyherins, and some of the Gryffindors gasped and backed away.
"But she's muggle born!" Said Madeline. "She should've gotten it ages ago."
"That's a myth!" Snapped Blaise. "You don't get Hepatypus from muggles, you get it from people who have it, or have had it."
Blaise pulled out his wand and tapped the robe she was wearing.
Draco only then noticed it was a Slytherin boy's robe, and belatedly noticed that Blaise was not wearing his robe. He felt the robe instantly grow warm with the charm.
"Rubbish." Pansy said. "Everyone knows you get Hepatyphus from muggles."
"How can muggles carry a disease that only affects wizards! Just cause muggles were the one that discovered diseases like Typhoid fever, doesn't mean they are the cause or carriers of said diseases. No.." Blaise said, kneeling next to the couch at the end Malfoy was perched on and continued: "She got it from me."
"From you?" Harry asked, not understanding. Harry had heard of Typhoid fever, but never of Hepatyphus.
"I'm a carrier, I got it as a kid. Speaking of which…." Blaise turned towards Harry. "Don't come near her or touch her Potter.. you and other muggle borns have never gotten Hepatyphus and are especially susceptible. It's killed plenty of wizard babies, and is perfectly capable of killing adults." He added.
"But how it quickened this fast when…" Blaise was looking pensive as he observed Hermione's eyes though lids he had raised. "Unless!" Blaise snapped, making Draco start.
Blaise bent low over Hermione's face, hesitated -- then tasted her lips with his own.
"Are you mad!" Yelled Draco. He immediately pulled Hermione into a protective embrace -away from Blaise. "You can't kiss an unconscious girl! Even you should have some decency…" He stopped when Blaise's wand was nearly shoved up his left nostril.
"Watch it Malfoy!" Blaise thundered, getting to his feet. "I was just confirming…" he began looking murderous. "Stupid man, he should've checked first!" He raged.
"What are you on about!" Ginny wailed.
"Snape gave her pepper up potion without checking for hepatyphus first, we'll be lucky if she doesn't die now." Blaise snapped.
"What!" Harry ejaculated. "What do you mean, die!"
Ron and Ginny were white beneath their freckles.
"Hepatyphus feeds off magic, that's why only wizards get it and muggles can't carry it… It's also the reason you can't treat hepatyphus with potions or healing spells, because it'll just make the disease stronger! Giving someone pepper up is as good as sealing their fate."
Blaise turned to Draco, whose eyes were wide as he looked down at Hermione, like she'd just died in his arms. "Malfoy!" Blaise snapped. "Get up, we've got work to do."
Lips tightening in distaste, Draco hoisted Hermione up in a cradle – not an easy task, mind you - and walked over to the portrait hole. Blaise held the portrait open for him. Ginny followed them out.
Belatedly, Harry realized his friend was dying and ran after the group, closely followed by Ron, who seemed just as shocked as Harry was.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Before you get mad: This isn't a cliff hanger per-se… I can't kill off the second most important character! So, you know it'll be alright.
Reviewers:
Bzhgdm: Thanks. Yes, I'm trying to use fiction to convey my convoluted sense of morality to the masses. There is going to be a whole lot more of that, so I'm glad you like it.
Nathonea: Very perceptive… Yes, there was foreshadowing in that chapter galore… but surprisingly enough, it wasn't for Ron or Ginny, but for Harry and Draco.
True2u: I don't believe anything or anyone is truly evil, no do I believe in altruism… but rather people are born indiscriminate to either opposite, and are given a set of circumstances in life, as well as a genetic disposition, towards one end or the other…In the end they must choose. Blaise is a perfect example of that fact: A pureblood raised in a dark art practicing family, but is he evil or good? That's a value judgement the readers will have to make.. but it's unfair to group anyone in that kind of "good" or "bad" box, like Muslims in post 9-11 american have been labeled. Speaking of:
I wonder what made you think I was muslim? You know, only 20 of muslims are arab… so what gave it away?
As for Kyer, I'm over it… but I'll leave it up just the same. It isn't a great story after all.
Thanks for the long review.
Ammiva: As Mama used to say "Stupid is a stupid does." I'm a bit of a behaviorist (raised on skinner) so I must say that I agree with you. A person is as they behave, and in that way, the choices they make, make them who they are. Blaise (see true's response above) is going to exemplify how I feel about that more and more.
You are correct about Blaise's interest in Snape, and I hope I did an alright job of revealing more about that in this chapter, however, he still has another reason to care about Sinistra. And yes, Draco was part of the incident at 10 and hint hint That incident was tied to Blaise's "special powers."
Winterbreak is just for studies, I'll keep going with this story and update more often (if I can ever get over this writer's block)
Veryimpressedreader: I still don't think it's the best. The best story I ever read on FF is "hinge of fate" by Ramos. (A SS/HG story) Anyway. Your email was cut off (FF doesn't like anything dot com) so I couldn't email you. That card thing was actually a quote from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Harry doesn't get any cards cause dobby is blocking his mail. I actually don't celebrate birthdays, cause I can't every remember when mine or anyone else's is. LOL, my husband had to remind me it was my birthday that day.
Thanks for appreciating "Honeybee." There is actually a significance to that name, that will be revealed in the sequel to this book.
Thanks too for the advice on writer's block, it genuinely helped me, but I'm afraid I'm just having a lapse in concentration on this, and in my studies. We'll see how I fare.
Finally, thanks for reviewing summer days, terrible story that it is.
Yokai: Blaise has a large part to play, but more in the sequel to this book that this on in particular.
Bludiamond: Thanks for the loyalty. Yes, my belief in the justice of the universe crept up big time in that past chapter.
Candygoddess: Gah, don't become infatuated with Blaise! I based him off myself! Lol! Thanks for the compliment tho… I am rather evil and crazy. As for Harry kissing Hermione, I don't see that happening in cards. However, you were DEAD ON with Hermione crying! Wow, I didn't realize I'd turned her into such a PANSY. I've since gone through a removed any unnecessary crying from the future chapters. Thank you so much for the critique. And don't worry, more sing a longs are coming!
DizzyDragon: Thank you. No, I don't imagine I'll ever be good enough to publish professionally, but I appreciate the flattery. It will be a Draco/Hermione story when it's all said and done, tho I must admit I prefer writing the Blaise/Hermione parts.
Ehlonna: The hint was Blaise's attempted murder at age 10 and his connection to snape.. in addition to some foreshadowing. Thanks, I appreciate thinkers… and that was definitely the point.
Ravens-Jade: MAJOR HINT: honeybee's future role has to do with the ingredients in the Synergy potion and her connection to Voldemort. I thought I clarified the "product of their environment" argument in chapter ten, however, when Harry realized that people's choices are what make them what they are, despite what ever happened to them in the past. I will finish this story, thanks and keep reviewing!
Star-Angel23: Yes, I hate those stories where Pansy is some idiot and Crabb and Goyle do nothing but eat and grunt. Everyone's got a personality, even if they are stupid. I always thought that Pansy would have to be pretty clever to ruin Hermione's name through witchweekly, and I wanted to bring out the devious mind I'd always taken her for. You'll see more of that in chapter thirteen. Keep reviewing!
NEvermind2, Rulerofthedisenchantedforest, Vidagami, Gaia-moore, unspotted giraffe, Sweetytweety013, harrys lover, caraboo, fallen angel of hell, Sw-in-no-cence, Soydream, DracoMalfoyishot888, and Xelendhwenx: Thank you for the lovely birthday wishes, and reviews, I really appreciate it. Please continue to review, your loyalty inspires me!
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