Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. All credit must be given to J.K.

The Cradle Will Fall

Chapter 8

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Hermione turned around to see whom had spoken to her. Her heart leapt in fear when she realized who it was. Blaise was sitting on an old desk in the middle of the Potions classroom. The bell had rung minutes earlier, but Hermione was late getting out.

"What do you mean? I haven't been avoiding you at all." She pretended to look around in disinterest but she was actually hoping to spot Snape for once. Unfortunately, he was not to be found anywhere in the classroom. This brought her comfort level down to nil.

"You don't have to lie. You've been trying to dodge your way out of my sight since we talked yesterday." He slid off the desk and walked over to her, his blue eyes glowing spectacularly in the dark dungeon. It was a harsh reminder of yesterday's discovery. Blaise was very close now, touching her in fact. He had a good hold of her wrist. Now she couldn't get away.

"Please let go of me." Hermione's voice wavered, but she tried her best to keep eye contact with him, not wanting to reveal she was afraid.

"Listen, please. I wasn't sure why you ran off yesterday, but I hadn't spoken to you yet." He didn't have a menacing look about him. In fact, he looked quite charming. But he had not let go of her arm yet, causing Hermione to lose her control. Suddenly, she felt herself collapsing. He caught her though, just like she knew he would. That was exactly why she hoped she would be stronger.

"Are you okay?" He looked a little shaken and was unsure of what to do.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He escorted her over to a chair and allowed her to seat herself.

"Well, the reason I decided to speak to you was because," He looked down, puzzled at how he should tell her, "well, when I realized you had a son, I knew I should have said something from the start." Hermione felt it coming, a rush of cold confirmation that came in through her fingertips and went out through her cheeks. She almost felt remorseful towards him, for he was very uncomfortable about the situation.

"I should have said something. I didn't know you were pregnant, though. I didn't know..."

Harry was halfway to the Great Hall for lunch when he finally turned around. He wasn't sure why he did, but he had a feeling something was wrong.

"Brilliant." He said sarcastically, angry that he had been so absorbed in his own thoughts that he hadn't realized that Hermione was no longer by his side. For some reason he believed she was trailing behind him. But of course, she was not. He was about to turn around to find her when a female voice called out to him.

"Harry!" He looked over his shoulder and noticed she was alone. He wasn't sure he knew who she was, but he had definitely seen her before. She had short brown hair that ended in an outward curl that bounced when she walked. She wasn't too tall. In fact, she was rather petite, like Hermione. There was something that stood out on her, though. She had braces on the top and bottom of her teeth, which really caught one's attention. She was a muggle-born.

"Hi." He said, walking over and beaming at the girl. He offered her his hand, which she seemed to shake with much joy.

"My name's Mandy. Mandy Brocklehurst. I can't believe I haven't had the opportunity to meet you before this." She was gleaming with excitement, which Harry found attractive. 'She's very confident.' He noticed she stood straight and did not slouch.

"Ravenclaw, right?" Harry remembered her around the halls and in a few lessons a couple of times. He was confirmed when she pointed to her house crest on her robes.

"Right. Well, I was wondering if you wanted to join me for lunch. I was going out to the tree by the lake. You know the one." Harry knew it very well, actually.

"Well," Harry glanced back at the stairs to the dungeon and hesitated, hoping Hermione had been heading to the library and nowhere near Malfoy, "I suppose I could." Mandy linked arms with him and they walked off in the direction of the Entrance Hall, both very excited about the afternoon.

Hermione silently wished Harry would run through the door and rescue her from him. He wasn't attacking her, not at all. But for some reason, Hermione felt threatened by him. She was very curious about what he was trying to tell her, though.

"I didn't know you were pregnant. If I had, I would have told you." Hermione braced herself for what he was attempting to say, knitting her eyebrows gripping the side of the chair tightly.

"I was there that night," He looked as if he was going to decide against telling her, but decided to go through with it, "I was in a dark corner. I had been on my way back to the Slytherin common room with more alcohol when I had turned the corner. There you were," he licked his lips, "and Draco Malfoy was on you."

"What?" Hermione's eyes widened and she nearly fell back in her chair.

"You liar! Why are you saying this?" She felt her breathing quicken and become shallower. 'I don't believe this crap.' She tried to tell herself, but her body told her otherwise.

"Why would I lie? So I could win your affection? I don't think so. I'm happily engaged, thank you very much." He held up his left hand to show her the ring. There was no need for that, though, for everyone knew that he and some Ravenclaw girl were to be married after this year.

Hermione wasn't sure why he would lie to her. There had to be some kind of ulterior motive. She was sure of it.

"Right Blaise. Draco raped me." Hermione gave a mocking nod to him and stood. 'If I don't believe him, why do I suddenly feel less nervous around him?' She felt angry about the way she was acting. Blaise is lying bastard who probably wanted something from her.

"And you just let it happen?" She tried to catch him in a lie, prove he was lying.

"Draco was drunk. He had been drinking that whole night. I had heard of all the spells his father had been teaching him. I was afraid to get in his way, especially if he wasn't thinking straight. He could have blasted something important off me." His voice was unwavering and confident.

Hermione eyes narrowed.

"I'm not lying. If you don't want to believe me, suit yourself." As Hermione made her way to the door, she looked up into his blue eyes, finally coming to a conclusion: he was trying to find some alibi for himself. 'Well mister, I've got news for you: it isn't going to work.'