Chapter Five

It was snowing. Small balls of white fluff littered the Hogwarts grounds as Hermione sat in the common room by the fire, reading a book. It was Saturday evening, and she had already finished her dinner and homework and had the entire night to spare. She sighed and rolled out onto floor, lying on her stomach. She flipped a page of Romeo and Juliet, and looked up at the frosted window. She closed her eyes and let the heat of the fire play across her face. The book slowly dropped from her hands. Her arm slid onto the floor and her head rested on it. Smiling comfortably to herself, Hermione fell asleep.

Everything was black. Hermione opened her eyes and saw nothing but blur. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. As things began to shift into focus, she heard something breathing roughly next to her. She looked down and saw the figure of a young man on the ground. The ground…it was muddy and brown, covered in damp leaves. It was then Hermione realized she was in a forest…the Forbidden Forest. She turned back to the boy next to her and put her hand on his shoulder, hoping he would wake up. He moved his head to look up at her. She smiled gently at him, and all she saw were his blazing blue eyes, which sparkled. He sat up with some difficulty and put his hand on her face, moving forward slightly.

"You saved me…" he whispered in her ear softly.

He pulled away tenderly and his eyes locked with hers. She gave him a small smile and he pulled her towards himself, his lips pressing gingerly on hers. She sighed quietly and put her hand on his shoulder, then moved away. He was finally coming into focus. The ground began to shake and Hermione fell back onto the ground, hitting her head on a stone, and the world began to darken again.

Hermione jerked awake. She sat up quickly and touched her lips. To her great surprise they were a little bit swollen and moist. Picking up her book, she stood up hastily, only to fall back down again with something…no, someone heavy on top of her.

"Ow!" she panted, looking up. A pair of dark blue eyes caught hers. It was Blaise. She tried to move from underneath him without adding to the extremely awkward moment, but failed. The only thing that happened was that she ended up rolling over, resulting in Blaise now being underneath her. She put her hands on either side of him, still not letting go of his gaze, and pushed herself off of him. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It was my fault," he said, clearing his throat. "You sat up so quickly you caught me off guard. I came in and you were asleep, so I started this evening's work on the potion. When you sat up I turned around and was about to ask you what was wrong and then…well…" Blaise said roughly.

"Oh. Yeah…Erm, I was waiting for you to come, and I guess I kind of drifted off, as you saw…" Hermione stood up and put her book on the table. It had been two weeks since they had started working on the potion. It was now a dark purple color, and Hermione had gotten her say when she proved that Blaise had done something wrong the night she walked in on him working. Blaise had been treating her fairly decently, holding true to his word of not calling her a Mudblood, and to her surprise the others had also kept their mouths shut as well. Most nights they worked in silence, exchanging only a necessary sentence or two. Pansy, Freddie and Juliette spent most of the time reading up on the side effects of the potion, the people it had killed in the past and who had used it, procedures for making it, and on locations they could get ingredients. Blaise, Hermione and Draco, on the other hand, spent most nights adding to the mixture and saying the incantations and things of that sort. Hermione moved towards the table and looked at the contents inside the bubbling cauldron, which were now a yellowish color.

"You already added the Leprechaun gold?" she asked.

"Yeah, and the Grindylow skin…"

"Gross…this potion has some of the most disgusting ingredients I've ever heard of…and I've made the Polyjuice Potion…" Hermione said quietly.

"You've made the Polyjuice Potion?" Blaise said, cocking his eyebrow.

Hermione looked up, her eyes wide. "Er…well, yes. I did it for Snape in sixth year, to see if I was ready for Advanced Potions," she said smoothly. This was true, even though it wasn't the time Hermione had actually been referring to.

"Uh-huh…he had you make Polyjuice? He had me make a truth serum," Blaise said simply.

"Are you serious? That's supposed to be extremely difficult to make, not many in our year are able to do it," Hermione said, mildly impressed.

"Yeah. Can you?" Blaise said, waiting anxiously for her reply.

"Since fourth year," she said, not wanting to brag. Blaise's chuckled. "What?"

"It doesn't surprise me. You really are the smartest witch in the school," he said, shaking his head.

"I'll take that as a compliment, so thank you, I guess?" she said, slightly confused.

"I meant it as one."

"Oh, okay," Hermione began to think hard to herself. She was debating whether or not to ask Blaise the question she'd been dying to ask him since the start of the year.

Blaise noticed how her face was focused and her eyes dark. "What is it?"

Hermione looked up. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing really. I'm just not sure…"

"What is it?" he repeated.

"Er…okay. Look, please don't get mad. I was just wondering. I mean, people have said things…I have heard things…about you, and your family, your powers. They say you can do wandless magic, that you can do things that some of the most powerful wizards in the world cannot. They say your entire bloodline is evil, even that…"

"Even that what?"

"That you are supposed to follow Voldemort…"

Blaise remained silent. To Hermione's relief, his eyes hadn't flashed red…at least not yet. He looked at her, their eyes locking.

"I don't want this to sound mean, but, what the bloody hell is you're point Granger?" he said, fully aware of what she was going to say.

"Is any of it true? I mean…"

"I know what you mean. And yes, some of it is true. But I'm not going to follow Voldemort if that's what you're thinking. I will never do that. I wanted to get through school without being known to the world, but thanks to that jackass, the entire Death Eater population knows who I am. Draco was the only one who I would talk to; none of the other Slytherins have the brains to have an intelligent conversation with…that's not the point. The point is, I'm sick of being told I have to follow Voldemort. I'm not like him. I don't discriminate against a group of people without a justified reason. Now I'm not saying I'm jumping for the light side, but the dark side is not the one I'm on," Blaise said moving in front of the fireplace and staring into it.

"What side are you on?" Hermione said softly from behind him. He turned around.

"No side. Don't you get it? I'm not going to involve myself in this battle. I've enough of my own, and I still do. This war has nothing to do with me! For once I don't have to do anything, to cause pain, to receive pain. I've had enough of hurting people. I wanted to be a shadow, a shadow only people I chose could see. But he ruined that for me. My stupid bloodline ruined it for me…"

"So you are the good guy?" Hermione asked, locking her eyes with his.

"Good guy? No…I'm just not the bad guy."

The snow that had gently accumulated to an inch a few days ago had now reached a whopping one foot and three inches. Students had to use brooms that had been elongated to get to the greenhouses for two days until finally, all Herbology classes had been canceled do to the height of the snow and the fact that Professor Sprout now had to tend her freezing plants.

But everyone felt happy and content now because it was the winter holidays and students, glad to be out of the snow covered castle, had bustled onto the train to reach their homes. The few who had stayed were fine with the castle being almost completely empty and couldn't wait until Christmas arrived in two days. The small amount consisted of all the Gryffindor seventh years (that all had refused to return home due to it being their last year), a couple Gryffindor sixth and fifth years, like Ginny, Susan Bones, Joseph Marks, and to everyone's great surprise Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Juliette Mirtasa, Freddie Colesone and Draco Malfoy. Of course, Hermione was the only one who knew why a bunch of Slytherins weren't going home for the holidays and did not utter a word to Harry and Ron when they asked her if she knew what was going on. She merely shook her head and suggested that the two of them should ask the Slytherins themselves, with only earned her a roll of the eyes from Harry and a jaw drop from Ron, who was so surprised Hermione would ever say such a thing.

The threesome spent most of their time in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron playing chess, and Hermione either nestled in a chair reading, or talking with Lavender and Parvati, who refused to let Hermione leave the common room until they were done gossiping about how gorgeous Harry was, or how perfect Ron's biceps were. These conversations greatly disturbed Hermione, as she had never ever thought of Harry and Ron as more than just her best friends. But, when Lavender and Parvati made her think about it, she came to realize she was best friends with two of the best looking guys in the school. This thought was followed by the question of why it took her so long to notice how many girls actually did like them.

Christmas came and went. Hermione was especially satisfied with the presents she received (which included a 100 Galleon gift card to Flourish and Blotts from Harry and the newest edition of Hogwarts, A History from Ron). When New Years rolled around, the twenty Gryffindor seventh years decided to through a little party and to Harry and Ron's great pleasure, Hermione took the evening off from her exam schedule making to come, stating that she would only stay until the countdown was done and then go back to her dormitory.

"Hermione! Hermione, over here!" Ginny's voice swept over the insanely loud music. Hermione turned around and smiled, walking over to Ginny who was standing by the beverage table.

"Hello Ginny. Having fun?" Hermione said, leaning on the table gently.

"Yes," she giggled. "Have you tried this butterbeer? It's a new flavor. Oh my god, its so good. Have some!" She thrust a bottle into Hermione's hand. Hermione looked at it for a moment. "Oh come on Hermione. Live a little!"

"Okay, okay. I'll have some," Hermione opened the bottle and took a long swig. "Damn! This stuff is good!"

"What did I tell you?" Ginny said, opening another bottle as Hermione finished the first one. Ginny handed it to her as they sat down on the chairs and began to talk.

Two hours and seven butterbeers later Hermione made her way sloppily out of the Gryffindor common room, forcefully declining Harry's offers to accompany her back to the Head Dorms. (She's drunk if you don't get it) Still clutching her eighth, not finished, butterbeer, Hermione climbed up two flights of stairs as a shortcut and reached the Head Corridor. As she turned the hall, she crashed headfirst into something solid.

"Shit…" she muttered as the butterbeer fell out of her hand.

"Damnit Granger. Thanks for getting butterbeer all over me!" Draco Malfoy's voice came from above her head.

"No problem. I'll spill butterbeer on you any time Malfoy," she said, standing up.

"You're drunk," Draco said, looking at her with an extremely surprised look on his face.

"Really…Am I?" Hermione said, laughing. She began to fall forwards, but Draco caught her in his arms. She was completely leaning on him, her eyes locking with his. Draco felt his head spin and then spoke.

"Damnit Mudblood, I just took a shower!" he hissed. She pushed off of him, picked up the empty bottle, and walked around him.

"Take another one then…" she called back to him. Draco felt his cheeks redden. Somehow, he found Hermione kind of attractive drunk. He came up behind her and turned her around forcefully. "Ow…Let go of me!" she squealed. "Draco, you're hurting me!"

Draco disregarded the fact that she had said his first name and glared at her.

"You never walk away from a Malfoy when they are talking to you," he breathed.

"I was under the impression you didn't think me worthy enough to talk to. Now I'd appreciate it if you let go of me."

"Sorry, I don't take orders from lesser beings," he said, smirking. He tightened his grip.

"Let me go Malfoy!" Hermione said. She was coming to her senses, and was realizing how much Draco was actually hurting her. She looked at the ground as her eyes began to fill with tears from the pain.

"No! What are you going to do about it?"

She looked up, the only way to get him to let go springing into her mind. "This!" she muttered. She slid her free hand slowly up his chest and onto his shoulder. His eyes widened slightly. Moving quickly, she pushed forward and pressed her lips against his. She heard him gasp in surprise, but he did not push her away. On the contrary, he let go of her arm, put his hand on her waist, and knocked her gently into the wall. This time Hermione gasped. Draco moved his hand slowly up and down her side, as Hermione's hand snaked around his neck. He deepened the kiss. Slowly, he began to trail kisses on her neck. That was when Hermione's un-drunk half woke up. Realizing what was going on as Draco began to kiss her lips again, she slowly propped her knee on the wall. Then, suddenly, she took her leg off the wall, and with a force she didn't know she possessed, kicked him in the groin. Draco looked at her for a moment, and then fell onto the ground, curled up in pain. Laughing out loud, Hermione knelt down next to him. "Led you on a little bit, didn't I?" she said softly. Turning him over, so he was lying on his back, Hermione bent over him and placed her lips on his. Kissing him extremely passionately for a moment, she swore she heard him moan. She got up and went to the common room, leaving a dumbstruck Draco on the ground.

Hermione entered the common room, laughing softly to herself. She went over to the fireplace and propped herself up on a pillow. She starred into the dancing flames for a moment and her eyes began to drop.

"Where were you?" came a voice from behind her. Her hand slipped from under her head, and she turned around in surprise.

"You scared me," she said quietly to Blaise, who was sitting on the couch behind her. Hermione was surprised she hadn't seen him when she came in.

"Did I? Well, now I've accomplished everything. Scaring a brave Gryffindor…" he said, smirking.

She glared at him. "Don't flatter yourself… I didn't see you when I came in…"

"Drunk, I may add. That is something I never thought I would see. The day Little Miss Perfect, Hermione Granger, got drunk," Blaise said, standing up.

"Little Miss Perfect? There is so much more to me that no one sees, Zabini. What makes you think I'm perfect? Just because I get good grades, it doesn't make me perfect!" Hermione said, irritated. She stood up, slightly unbalanced.

"Back to Zabini, are we? I didn't…I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you always seem so put-together, like nothing is ever wrong. It gives that impression to people."

"Do you know how hard I try to make it seem that way? My life is nowhere close to perfect. My father was killed by Death Eaters last year! Did you know that? My mother sunk into depression and was hospitalized because of it. I lived alone; most of the time I stayed at Ron's house, but no one really knew what was going on. They all just felt bad for me…that was it. No one ever tried to talk to about it, and I couldn't talk to anyone, I just got sympathetic looks. I am still alone, Blaise. Even here, with all my friends, I'm still alone…" Hermione said, sinking back to the floor, her eyes filling with tears. They gently trickled down her cheeks.

Slowly, Blaise sat down next to her. He put his hand on her shoulder, and cupped her face with his other hand, wiping the tears away. His eyes searched hers for a moment before he spoke.

"I understand being alone more than anyone else Hermione. You can talk to me."

Black Aliss: I'm glad you liked it lol

LadySnake: That's alright, I guess if someone does speak it, they can let me know!

FarDeep: Any time. I'm glad you liked it. I really hope you like this chapter. It took me a while to update because I wanted it to be good.

Lady Ghost Buster: haha

Doodleflip: No, you haven't reviewed before. But I'm glad you like it, and thanks for reviewing!

Tary Chang: I'm glad. I hope you like this chapter and the ones to come.

Jemma452: haha, Well don't get too fond of Blaise. And that's all I'm going to say. He's not better than Harry, and you'll see why later on, but it's a very twisted plot.

HPFreak2gd4u Yay, I'm glad you like it.