After working on her essay for a few moments, Hermione noticed a strange tapping noise from the desk directly across from her. When she looked up, all she saw was the back of a tall boy. Trying to concentrate on her essay, Hermione tried to block the tapping from her head. However, as though the sound knew how it was affecting her, it seemed to grow louder and louder, consuming her mind, demanding to be noticed.
Tap…Tap…Tap…TAP…TAP.
Throwing down her quill in defeat, Hermione sought out the noise to make them stop. If they didn't listen to her, surely they would listen to a Hogwarts prefect. Leaning to one side, she tried to get the boy's attention.
"Psss….excuse me….hey…" she tried to whisper softly. No response came from that desk. "Excuse me! Can you please keep it down so people can stu-Ahh!" Hermione let out a loud squeak as she leaned too far forward and her chair toppled over with her still in it.
Red-faced with her nose on the floor, Hermione struggled to get up from the weight of her wooden chair on top of her. Suddenly the weight on her back disappeared, and a shadowy face loomed over her body as it leaned in. Letting out a cry of protest, Hermione shoved the person away from her and leaped to the side. She winced as her left leg started to cramp up and ache.
"Oh, it's you." A deep voice muttered in the shadows. "Should have known you Mudbloods would be loud and so much trouble."
Hermione's voice tightened at the stranger's voice and straightened up as she glared in his direction.
"Excuse me? Who are you and why are you sulking in the shadows?" Hermione demanded as she strained her eyes to recognize the dark figure.
The figure chuckled and moved farther into the shadows. "What does it matter to you who I am and what I'm doing here? Just be grateful that it was only me witnessing your embarrassing display being a klutz rather then anyone else who would have cared."
Hermione's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "Why you-"
"Ms. Granger!" A stern shrill voice called from behind her.
Hermione spun around in surprise. "Madam Pince!"
"Ms. Granger," Madam Pince repeated in a fierce whisper. "What do you think you're doing making an uproar in the library like a…a…student?"
Hermione hung her head in shame and began to quickly gather her books. "I'm sorry Madam Pince, this will never happen again." Hermione said as she shoved her books into her bag. "But it wasn't just me it was-" She pointed behind her and turned around in the direction of the rude boy. Her eyes became two brown orbs of confusion as she realized that he vanished.
"But…but he was just…"Hermione spluttered as she whipped around to find the missing guy.
"Ms. Granger, it is getting late and I suggest you should go straight to your house before I take points from you with the entire ruckus you made." Madam Pince said grimly.
"Yes, ma'me," Hermione quickly replied. She picked up the fallen chair and turned to leave.
"Oh my," Madam Pince said as she picked up a book from the floor. "He's always leaving his books behind. Ms. Granger?"
"Yes," Hermione replied as she turned around.
The older woman waved a book under her nose. "Can you please give this book back to Blaise Zabini when you can? I know you're both in the same year."
Hermione automatically took the book from her hands and stared at Madam Pince in confusion. "Excuse me? You mean Blaise Zabini was here in the library?"
"Why, yes, he's always at that same desk every night." Madam Pince said as she picked up some loose papers from the ground and walked back to her seat.
As Hermione walked back to the Gryffindor house, she looked down at the book in her hand, expecting to see a Dark Arts or Slytherin book. However, much to her surprise, the book in her hand, the very book that Madam Pince claimed was for Blaise Zabini the proud Slytherin, was none other than "Muggles and Their Contraptions – How They Survive Life Wihout Magic".
"…then I've decided that perhaps you need someone older then you, more mature." Ginny rambled as she ate her kippers. "A sixth or seventh year would be okay right? You don't know them…"
Hermione, oblivious to Ginny's ramblings, ate her toast in silence as she snuck a glance at the Slytherin table. As usual Malfoy was sitting at the head as though he was a king on his throne. As he waved his arms around, he bragged about all the presents his mum had sent him this morning. His annoying posse, Crabbe and Goyle, listened intently as though Malfoy was lecturing them on the secret of life. Pansy gazed at him adoringly as she fed him grapes and bits of breakfast. Yet Hermione's attention was not on them, but rather on a quiet boy on the left of Malfoy. Blaise Zabini ate his breakfast silently, ignoring the noise and chaos around him. Every once in a while he'd nod absentmindedly at Malfoy's comments. Yet Hermione suspected that nothing Malfoy said was going through Zabini's head.
"So what do you think Hermione?" Ginny questioned as she buttered another piece of toast after her speech.
"What-Er." Hermione was interrupted from her thoughts. "I think it's a great idea."
"Really? So you think after breakfast we should-" Ginny continued enthusiastically.
Just then Blaise picked up his bookbag and started toward the door. He paused at the Gryffindor table for a few seconds and continued on his way out.
"Sorry Ginny, but I forgot that I left Snape's paper-essay in the room-my room." Hermione interrupted Ginny as she pushed her chair back and grabbed her bag. "I'll catch up with you later okay?" Without waiting for an answer, she hurried out the door, intent on returning Zabini his book.