Title: Just Ask
Author: Miz Thang
Characters/Pairing: Hermione Granger, BZ/HG

Rating: FRT/ PG-13
Word Count: 540
Warnings: Melodrama. Maybe Fluff.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the little story's idea. Everything else belongs to who it belongs to.

Notes/Summary: She knew – in her heart. All she had to do was ask. For 30hath's July 6th challenge: ask your heart what it doth know.

Hermione knows that sometimes she thinks too much. Sometimes, she thinks too much, and she analyzes, and there are only rare occasions when she acts on pure impulse (never mentioning that most times include violence).

Another thing about Hermione? She's scared. Of the future, of what awaits her, of the things she can't quite figure out and pin point.

Blaise Zabini is one of those things. He, to her, is an enigma, despite all the ways she tries to figure him out, and all the new things she learns about him everyday. He always finds ways to surprise her, always says the right things, always does the right things, always satisfies her.

And that scares her, because she thinks she's – maybe – yes – no – she doesn't know – she might be – falling in love with him. And if nothing else was ever solid in her life, she's always held confidence in the way she felt at all times and she doesn't even have that anymore. It doesn't exist and she doesn't know what to do.

Love songs play when she turns on the radio, and romantic scenes play out when she turns on the television. Couples surround her at work and wherever else she goes, and it all drives her insane because she doesn't want to be in love. Not yet, maybe not ever.

Blaise makes grand gestures, yes, and he does big things that, while they do impress her, make her wonder if their relationship is real, or forever, or even remotely serious. She wonders, and she contemplates, and she thinks – which is what bothers her. She thinks too much, and too hard, and too long about all of it.

All her worries become null and void, however, and she knows her troubles are gone when she meets him for dinner on their second month anniversary and he does something so simple as ask her what she wants for dinner instead of attempting to order for her (which is a big deal because even Harry and Ron can't remember that simple thing, but Blaise did and that says everything).

The simple things make everything clear, she remembers telling Harry when he thought he might love Ginny, and she smiles at Blaise, wanting to mention it later and order her dinner, content and at peace with her feelings finally. Instead of her order however, her lips move on their own accord and she blurts out, "I love you."

He looks up at her, and for a moment she thinks it's surprise on his face, but then he gives her this somewhat dopey grin and she realizes it's wonder. The waitress hides her smile, and tries not to look out of place when Blaise kisses Hermione and returns the precious three words.

Hermione realizes something as he returns to his seat and the night continues on. She realizes, as she watches him eat, and as they walk to her apartment together, and when he kisses her gently on her lips (so softly and so right that it makes her feel dizzy and tingles in all the right places), that she knew how she felt the entire time she agonized over it. She knew – in her heart. All she had to do was ask.