Hope Spring Eternal Chapter 2

Thank you, to all my reviewers. Love you all; especially gudik (my first reviewer) and goofball (one of my favorite authors!) I feel honored. Review again please. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with it. sigh

HSEHSEHSEHSE (line break)

Blaise woke with start to the shout of "I hate the Hospital Wing." Suppressing giggles she swung herself out of bed and quietly walked toward the only section of the Hospital Wing partitioned off. When she strode through the curtains she witnessed the scene of Madame Pomfrey scolding a terrified Harry Potter. Stifling a laugh, she waited to be acknowledged. To her surprise, she was noticed rather quickly.

"You can come over Blaise, I don't bite… much." Harry said with out even looking in her direction. As she walked over, she noticed subtle differences. His muscles were slightly more defined, his hair seemed to glint silver in the light, and his glasses were gone. Walking over to his front, she gasped noticing the one thing she had missed. Several small and not-so-small scars and the smallest of all a tiny lightning bolt right over his heart, obviously from the Killing Curse.

"Damn you Gryffindors and your bloody courage… You could have died! You were supposed to die!" she sobbed out, "Professor Dumbledore had to stun me! I was in hysterics!" She approached him all the while wanting to hug him and never let go but knowing he would never accept him. Her breath hitched as he gathered her up in a hug.

"And you're in hysterics now…" Harry said with just a hint of amusement. "I thought you were supposed to be the Slytherin Ice Queen? Going all emotional over the Golden Boy, Harry Potter?" 'She must be crying 'cause I saved her. Not because she cares about me that way.'

Blaise felt so warm in his embrace. She wished she could stay in his arms forever, but she knew she couldn't. He just exuded this sense of… warmth, strength, caring. She wanted all of that. 'I wish he would exude the last thing I want, his affection. He just being the kind person he usually is, hugging me, comforting me…' She breathed in deeply; she wanted his scent imprinted into her memory.

Harry was beginning to blush, he might be more confident but he was the same old Harry around females in general, and this was his crush! 'Bloody hell… maybe I should have been a womanizer like Dad, maybe then I could handle this situation.' But, alas, poor Harry was not a womanizer… so he just held onto her, hoping for some idea to pop into his rather barren brain at this point in time, and fast!

Blaise happened to look up and saw Harry blushing. Her devious Slytherin mind taking over, she said, rather seductively, "Is poor Potter getting hot over hugging a girl, hmmm?" Inside her devious Slytherin mind, Blaise was laughing her head off at how much Harry was blushing now.

"I… uh… err… I mean…" Harry began to splutter, getting pretty freaked out at what was happening. I mean you hug a girl and comfort her, she hugs you back, and she starts being all seductive, what is wrong with the female population!

"It's alright Harry, I was just teasing." Giggling slightly, she leaned back into his arms, "I'm really happy you're alright."

"Say, Blaise, why were the Death Eaters after you?" Seeing Blaise beginning to tear up, "I'm really sorry Blaise, I didn't mean to upset –"

"No it's alright. It's just that, the Death Eaters went after my parents first," seeing Harry's face cloud over in worry she quickly said, "They're okay, just a couple of cuts and bruises. The Death Eaters went after me next, to try and force my parents to surrender. I'm pretty sure that they would have raped me, even killed me if you hadn't come."

"Indeed Ms. Zabini, it was quite lucky that Mr. Potter did happen to stumble on you." Both Harry and Blaise jumped, turning to the curtains to see Professor Dumbledore sitting in a chair, popcorn in hand, looking like he just watched a rather enjoyable movie.

"Professor Dumbledore!" they both said in unison. "Were you there the whole time?" Harry said his eye twitching oh so slightly.

"Why of course, I enjoyed quite the nice show."

"Professor!"

"But watching a show was not the reason I came here. Harry I need to speak with you about several things." As he said this the expression slowly faded from his face becoming a more serious one.

"Sir…" Harry began worriedly, "If this is about your office, I am really sorry and I have no excuse for it, even if I had just –"

"Harry, you're rambling. I already told you that it's alright; I have far too many possessions in general. But that is not what I wished to speak to you about. However this must be a one on one conversation, Ms. Zabini must leave for now." Dumbledore was still serious. (Is that even possible?)

"Right, I'll see you later Harry." Blaise walked out, closing the curtains after her.

"Harry, do you know what has happened? No don't answer. Perhaps you remember the silver light that appeared when you were hit buy the killing curse? That was an aura. That by it self should be impossible for one so young." See Harry about to protest about being called young, he quickly added, "By physical wizarding standards, not mental standards. Any way Harry auras are not supposed to appear ever for any normal wizard. However exceptionally powerful wizards, like myself and Voldermort, have auras that allows to exude certain feelings, and in extreme cases block, and attack opponents. The aura is not supposed to appear until magical maturity, which by the way is supposed to be at age 20 or so. It seems the Killing curse has sped up the process of magical maturity, leading your power to be at its greatest extent earlier. That is very good, because it seems you are of about he same strength of myself, and Voldermort. I will begin to train you as soon as you have recovered. Good day and good bye." And with a swirl of his neon, polka dot, green robes Albus Dumbledore was gone.

Harry twitched slightly. He had so many questions. 'Damn it, Dumbledore need you always be so… so … annoying!' Harry blinked at his thoughts. He thought of Albus Dumbledorem, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Receiver of the Order of Merlin, blah blah… as annoying? Harry burst out in hysterical laughing. And he laughed and laughed…

HSEHSEHSEHSE

A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay, my computer went crazy.

Next chapter: the training begins, Harry and Blaise get closer! By the way i really do think the female population is crazy.