Blaise became the friend I wanted to see, him more than any of the others. I loved Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna even Ron although I wasn't his favourite person right now. Ginny was good for girly talk, but there were some things I couldn't tell her. Ron was her brother although she didn't blame me like he did she still thought I should still be with him.

I saw Blaise more and more, doing my homework in the same quiet corner with him, being careful not to attract attention. My marks didn't go down if anything they got better, most of the time we sat in silence enjoying each other's company; just like on the train.

We would meet in the Room of Requirement on the weekends; I knew Blaise spent a lot of his weekend there to stay away from the Slytherins. I would come and visit and it would always be the same, the walls would be white and in the middle there would be an easel and there would be art materials all over the room. I never saw him painting, the only time I ever saw him work was when he drew me, and I would see finished sketches and paintings but never anything in progress.

I was sitting at breakfast on Monday thinking about the lessons I had and checking through my homework. The whole hall was talking excitedly because there was a notice for the fist Hogsmeade weekend. This would also be followed by the Halloween feast.

There was a flurry of movement as the post came in, didn't look up because I wasn't expecting anything so I didn't look up. I was sitting next to Harry as Hedwig (A/N: I have decided that Harry bought another owl and named her Hedwig as a tribute but he never loved the new one as much as his first.) came down with a letter from the ministry about applying to become an auror next year. Ron had obviously got one too judging from the look on his face.

A black owl landed in front of my plate and nudged me to get my attention.

"Hello, Sedna."

I pulled off the letter around her leg. I fed her some bacon but she still stayed waiting patiently by my plate. The note was in Blaise's handwriting.

Hermione

I am guessing most of your friends are using Hogsmeade as a chance to go on a date so you will be lonely. It would be nice to go with a friend because I've always spent my time in Hogsmeade alone. Scribble a reply on the back of this saying if you want to go with me or not.

Blaise

I grabbed a quill and wrote a hasty yes and sent Sedna on her way.

I spent all my spare time perfecting the painting of her, I copied the outline of the sketch carefully, I started off adding colour to the shelves, table and books leaving the girl in the middle blank. While I did my homework I would study things about her until they were imprinted in my mind. I saw the caramel of her eyes, the flecks of green dotted in the middle of the iris like shads of broken glass. I noted every subtle shade of brown, from the darkest shades of chocolate to the lightest shades of copper. When I was working I would use my colour charts to help create every colour as close as I could to her.

Every subtle shade was painted over the base colours, bringing the portrait to life even before it was enchanted. Finally after perfecting her pale skin and striking hazel eyes I began the last detail. Obsessively placing and shaping every russet freckle, I was finished at last. I signed my name in the top left corner of the pine wood frame and wrote the title of "A Friend" at the bottom underneath the painting. I said the spell I had been practising for weeks and she blinked.

I had found an old text book to keep her in, it was hard backed and leather bound with a buckle to keep it closed. I had cut out all the writing in the middle pages leaving only the cream borders. The painting fitted perfectly and it seemed fitting to keep her in a book when reading and quenching her eternal thirst for knowledge was the thing she loved best. For me I could just open to the right page and watch, talk to her and no one would know I wasn't working and repeating what I had learnt.

I would never have guessed that her friendship alone would no longer satisfy me. I would never have guessed that I would have fallen in love with my only friend.

They announced an upcoming Hogsmeade weekend so I went up to the owlery to give Sedna a note to send to her. On Monday I watched Sedna swoop down to her with the other owls bringing in the post, Hermione had her back to me so I couldn't see her face as she read the note. I knew it wasn't a date as I didn't think she felt the same way but I would have been crushed if she had said no. Sedna flew over to me with her reply, I saw that she had said yes and beamed. For the whole day nothing could darken my mood, I normally liked Hogsmeade because I could escape my house and sketch the landscape at peace with my thoughts, know I had a completely knew reason to look forward to the weekend.

Hey I would like to thankyou for reading my story but please review, even if you didn't like it critism will help me improve. I don't like to nag but 74 hits and just 4 reviews is pathetic. Thankyou to Handy1994, Gerad Galdorcraeftiga, Livvi and X-Charcoalmoon-x for being those lovely people who have made me amazingly happy by reviewing. it takes 2 seconds people it's all i ask.