Blaise, after seeing Madam Pomfrey had only made one stop before heading to the library and was just to grab his books. He'd decided to skive off his classes for the day as he was a man on a mission.
The time was now 7:30. He'd been in the library since 11 that morning and was really starting to feel sick. He'd had nothing to eat all day and while he did know several useful conjuring spells they only worked if you had something to conjure. Blaise leaned back at his table; he was sitting in a dark corner of the library on the exact opposite side of Granger's chair. He shut his eyes and massaged his temples, his head throbbing from the constant reading he'd been doing. Blaise had decided to finish the Arithmacy project without Hermione, this way he wouldn't have to interact with her any more than absolutely necessary. Professor Vector would make them all switch partners soon which was just as well since Blaise didn't think he'd be able to take anymore late night study sessions in the library with that particular student.
He was now almost completely finished the second booklet. Just three more questions to go. Blaise couldn't see straight he was so hungry.
Dinner was over by now, but Blaise was sure that if he went to the Great Hall he could find someone to fix something up for him – the house elves were always so obliging. He closed his books and slowly put everything into his bags, making his way out of the library in search of food. He was confident that if he looked as sick as he felt none of his teachers would say anything about his missing all his classes.
Blaise was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't notice the other student walking towards him, her head stuck in a book, until she full on collided into him. Her momentum, she'd obviously been in a hurry, knocked Blaise to the ground, her landing on top of his lap, knocking the breath out of him. It took Blaise a moment to clear his head, slowly letting it register in his mind that there was a girl lying on top of him. Blaise shook his head to clear his vision – he'd smacked it quite hard on the ground – and focuses on the brunette right before his eyes. Oh no.
Neither Blaise nor Hermione moved for a moment, both too stunned at their bad luck. Blaise groaned in frustration. Why him? Why couldn't he ever manage to avoid her? Why couldn't someone else have just steam rolled into him? It seemed the more he tried to avoid her the more he saw of her.
Hermione tried to push herself to her feet but in scrambling to get up she only slipped on her sleeve and landing right back down on Blaise, hitting him as hard as a bludger to the gut with her elbow. She lay still for a moment before attempting to rise again, slowly this time realizing that the faster she was the clumsier she became. Hermione stood up, leaving Blaise lying on the floor too winded and too angry to try and get up.
"Zabini?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence as she stood over him, eyeing him cautiously as he lay there on the floor as if he was a panther about to pounce.
Blaise said nothing in return, just continued to lie there trying to decide if his day could get any worse. He was startled nearly out of his skin when he felt Hermione's grip on his arm. She'd reached down to try and pull him up. Blaise didn't resist and didn't help either as she struggled to get him off the ground. Finally, with an annoyed "hrrumph" at his lack of cooperation Hermione let go of Blaise's arm causing him to fall back down, hitting his head against the stone floor once again.
"Ouch! What the hell did you that for?!" Blaise sat up, running his head and glaring angrily, all other emotions pushed aside. Anger was a good emotion to embrace when dealing with Granger.
Hermione glared right back and stood akimbo, her eyes burned. "Serves you right for being so childish! What'd you expect? Me to carry you out of the library while you flop around like fallen log?"
"Fallen logs don't flop."
"Oh you know what I meant!" She almost trembled with annoyance.
Blaise smirked as he stood, enjoying seeing her flustered and angry. He didn't bother defending himself, he had been acting childish. She blushed a little as he stood up, not longer holding the high ground while he towered over her.
They both stood their ground, glaring angrily and both acting like nothing had happened the night before. Blaise swallowed hard. Hermione broke first – Gryffindor bravery, ha! – bending down to gather her stuff. Blaise counted slowly to three before following her example, wanting to establish his willpower as being greater than hers.
It was awkward, the two of them kneeling on the floor in the entrance of the library. Blaise wanted to bolt but couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't – no, couldn't lose face in front of her again. He didn't want her to know how badly she affected him.
As she stood once more, her things back in her possession Hermione spoke. "You weren't in class today." It was a matter-of-fact statement and betrayed nothing; there was no emotion in her words.
"I know. Something I did last night made me sick." Blaise instantly regretted what he'd just said as he watched Hermione's eyes widen and then narrow. Merlin! Why had he just said that? It was as if he had ripped a page or two from Malfoy's book.
Hermione started to walk deeper into the library, calling back over her shoulder in a voice that whipped him. "You're insufferable!"
Blaise stood still for a moment, debating with himself and trying in vain to stop himself before he humiliated himself even more. It took a moment of silent battle before he gave in, spinning on his heel and following Hermione and cursing his own stupidity every step of the way.
"Granger!" he called after her, watching her back stiffen as he stalked after her. He walked faster to catch up with her, his long strides easily gaining ground on her small ones. "Come on Granger," he was exasperated and couldn't for the life of him figure out why he didn't just let her walk away.
"Oh come on!" Hermione mimicked him as she spun around to face him so suddenly he lost his balance and stumbled trying not to mow her over. "Why can't you just sod off?" Her eyes were blazing, as if she could burn him where he stood with the blink of an eye.
Blaise took a deep breathe to steel himself, wary of her. "I don't know." Blaise ran his had through his hair, too flustered at his own honesty to enjoy the look of confusion on Hermione's face. "Look … I'm sorry," he mumbled nervously.
Hermione let out a groan of frustration staring at the ceiling as if beseeching some higher power to strike him down where he stood. She turned around and continued walking without another word, as if she didn't trust herself to speak lest she curse him into oblivion.
Blaise followed after her like a lost puppy, disgusted with himself. He didn't speak again as she plotted herself down in her chair. He took the seat across from her, ignoring her withering glare. Hermione pulled out a book and tried to ignore him.
He sat on the edge of his seat, trying not to fidget like a naughty child in the headmaster's office. He wanted to bolt from the library and avoid Hermione but no matter how much his brain screamed at his legs they just wouldn't budge. He tilted his head a bit to watch her, his frown deepening as his bangs fell into his eyes. What was it about her? Sure, she was beautiful and smart, and funny when she was actually talking to him. Hell, she was even funny when she wasn't talking to him. But a lot of girls were all those things, and they were a hell of a lot more acceptable to a Zabini than Hermione Granger. He ignored the voice in his head that whispered "not like her."
Finally Hermione gave up, lowering her book and emphasizing the action with a huge sigh.
"Zabini, what do you want?"
He was startled at her sudden question and tried to think of something to say. It was embarrassing how long it was taking him to speak. "Well …"
"Well what?" She was clearly impatient.
"You never actually said no to working on the project tonight. Blaise wanted to hit himself and half wished she'd do it for him for his foolish response. He deserved a slap for his stupidity. All he could think was that he was usually much smoother.
Hermione actually laughed and the sound caused him to relax a bit. She shook her head slowly, still laughing and closed her book. "Insufferable git!" she said, but she didn't sound angry. "Bring out the books then, the sooner we get this done the better."
Blaise reached into his bag and pulled out all the Arithmacy work he had. This was common ground. As long as he didn't say or do anything to screw things up they'd be fine. Blaise ignored the voices in his head that nagged at him, reminding him that he'd spent the whole day trying to finish this project so he could be rid of her and now he was practically begging for her attention. He didn't think about his pride, or lack thereof.
After barely a minute of reading, just when he'd finally started to relax, Blaise's stomach grumbled causing Hermione to laugh so loud she had to cover her mouth. Blaise flushed as she reached into her bag pulling out some Hogsmeade treats. "Miss dinner?" She said playfully, reminding Blaise of the other night and causing her to flush even more.
He didn't take the candies right away until she practically threw the bag at him. "I'm pretty sure Hogsmeade sells the same candies to everyone despite what house you belong to. They're not poison." Her eyes gleamed with a small smile.
Blaise was sure that if his face went any redder she'd think he was having a stroke. "Thanks," he mumbled. They were silent again for a few minutes before Blaise spoke again. "Granger, I'm sorry."
Hermione didn't even look up. "Oh do shut up and get back to work."
The two sat in silence scribbling away at the work. If Hermione noticed he'd completed almost an entire booklet on his own she didn't say anything. They worked like this for about an hour and Blaise was feeling very content with her silent company before Ginny Weasley had to fly in and ruin it all.
"Hermione!" she came running up, half out of breathe as she skidded to a stop next to them. She cast Blaise a curious glance before turning her attention back to Hermione. "Hermione, you have to come with me right now! Ron's beside himself and he's-"
"What happened to Ron?" Hermione asked closing her book and leaning forward in obvious concern. Blaise's good evaporated and his eyes darkened.
"I think he and Nicola broke up!"
Hermione stood up and gathered her things, rushing to console the prat. Blaise scowled as the two began to leave. Hermione turned to say something like goodbye to him but he beat her to the punch. "Better rush off to help the Weasel. No telling what he'll do." His voice dripped with ire and Hermione frowned as she walked away, hiding her confusion by eagerly asking Ginny what had happened.
Blaise leaned back in his chair completely furious. Merlin, how he hated being jealous. It made him sick. Blaise looked down at the few remaining candies that Hermione had given him before throwing tem onto her seat and leaving the library. His last thought before going to bed that night was how desperately he needed to get a grip.