The next day in Arithmacy, instead of taking his usual seat behind Hermione Granger, Blaise sat in the empty seat right next to her. In response to her look of dumbfounded shock he just smirked easily, tauntingly.
"What do you want this time?" She hissed, just loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to create a scene. Well, more of a scene. The sight of the Slytherin boy sitting next to the Gryffindor girl – Hermione Granger no less! – was already causing a bit of a stir.
"Nothing really, just noted that this seat was empty. It's not yours too is it?" He teased, taking an odd pleasure in the way her cheeks flushed.
"You don't sit here," she was starting to lose her cool, obviously expecting the worst. "You've never sat here."
Blaise only shrugged, and when Professor Vector walked in he just leaned back, getting comfortable in his new seat.
While Professor Vector talked Blaise knew he was in no danger of having Hermione yell at him, she never talked when a teacher did. But after the first five minutes Blaise noticed out of the corner of his eye that Hermione was furiously writing something on a piece of paper. When she slid the parchment in front of him he lowered his eyes to read it:
What do you want Zabini? Aiming to torture the Gryffindor?
Blaise couldn't help but smirk widely at Hermione before jotting down a reply. He figured it would be best just to get to the point.
So, I hear you've had a chance to meet Nicola Contadino.
He looked up as he slid the parchment back to her and carefully studied her expression as she read it. Blaise bit back a grin as her eyes widened and then narrowed and he knew he had struck a nerve.
Well, seeing as how she is in Gryffindor and in my year it would seem obvious that I have met her.
Hermione scribbled back and practically threw the paper back at him. He read it, using his Slytherin instincts to take in the slightly erratic turn her writing had taken. She was never very good at tramping down her emotions. He wrote her back and the two continued their note-passing.
So then you know about her and Weasley? Of course you do, you two are such close friends.
Are you getting to a point Zabini? Or just wasting time until class is over?
Of course I have a point.
Then get to it.
Blaise finally had her right where he wanted her. He paused for a moment, partially for dramatic effect but mostly to make sure that this was the right course of action. Hermione Granger was definitely not someone he wanted to get on the bad side with so he had to word this exactly right.
I have it from a very reliable source that you have a thing for Weasley, and I thought maybe you'd like some help in snatching him from Contadino.
After reading over what he had written twice Blaise slid the parchment back to Hermione and leaned back slightly as he watched her read it. Hermione snorted and flushed slightly as she read it, drawing a glance from Professor Vector at her slight and unusual disturbance of the class. After a moment Professor Vector went back to teaching and once Hermione deemed it safe she wrote back.
I doubt your source is that reliable, and even if what you say is true, why on earth would you want to help me? What's in it for you? And who even says that I would want to break them up? Ron's my friend.
Blaise smirked at Hermione in a way that told her that he knew about her feelings for Ron Weasley and that no matter how brave or aloof she acted she couldn't fool him before writing back.
You wound me deep Granger.
Blaise couldn't help writing it. She was just so easy to bother and he couldn't resist teasing her a bit. If he had known how fun it was to annoy her he would've joined Malfoy in the sport long ago.
Get on with it Zabini.
Hermione was getting impatient.
If I help you break them up you get Weasley, and than I can get Contadino.
Blaise wrote the truth on the paper, deciding that was the best course of action. It was several minutes before Hermione wrote back, and Blaise had started to shift uneasily, wondering if she would even consider going along with his plan. He could do it without her that much he knew, but it would be harder and take longer. Hermione, being a Gryffindor, was on the inside. She had an advantage over him since she could easily affect their daily lives more productively than he could. Besides, she and Ron were best friends.
You have a thing for Nicola?
When Blaise read those six words he was slightly annoyed at how long it had taken her to write them. The answer was obvious, wasn't it? He had gone right out and said it. But he decided to indulge her and answered.
Yes. And so it seems does your friend Weasley. So, you gonna help me break them up?
Once again it took a long time for Hermione to answer, and when she did it was with one simple word that would succeed in throwing Blaise's entire year upside down.
Yes.