Hello, everyone!
This outtake is for my Harry Potter fic, "Time's Up", which can be found on my profile. This gives another peek into the early lives of Blaise and Hermione, occurring after the last two outtakes. I would not suggest this is read before the first several chapters of "Time's Up" but it's your life. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own many things, including a vending card that needs to be re-charged, so I can do my laundry. However, I do not own anyone or anything when it comes to the world of Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. The end.
'Time's Up"- Outtake Number Three
It was September 20th, and Blaise was eighteen years old. His final year at Hogwarts had started less than three weeks prior, and he was already breaking the rules- in a big way. Looking around the alley he had just apparated into, he took a minute to orient himself. Or at least attempt to.
He was deep in the heart of Muggle London, somewhere he wouldn't normally be caught dead. But it was a special occasion, and he didn't want to disappoint her. Love made people do crazy things.
Causally stepping onto the street, he searched for a street sign. At the end of the road, the signs designated it was the intersection of F Street and Laurence Avenue. She had written that they would meet at G Street and Nightingale Road, and he set off.
It was a Hogsmead weekend for Hogwarts students, and it had been surprisingly easy to slip behind a building and apparate into London. They both had their licenses, being born so early in the school year, and as long as they were both back in the castle by dark, the faculty had no reason to check their apparition logs.
Finally coming to the intersection of G and Nightingale, he looked around for his companion. While looking around, he recognized the area. A few streets away was The Leaky Cauldron, where the sunshine became scarce and shadows obscured the strange, non- muggle attire found on its patrons.
Suddenly, there was a small, gentle hand on his arm. Fighting the automatic reflex to bring his wand out of his pocket and hex someone, he turned to face Hermione Granger.
"Buongiorno, cara." (Hello, darling) He greeted her, drawing her into his arms. The September air was quite a bit cooler than usual, and both the teens were in heavy coats.
"Good morning, Blaise." Hermione returned softly, suddenly shy. It always amused him that she was so shy about physical affection with him. One of his favorite things to do was drawing his little lioness out to play.
"Did you get lost at all?" she asked, looking up at him with those dark, beautiful eyes.
Cocking an eyebrow, he smirked. "Please, cara. You're insulting my intelligence."
Hermione giggled, a rare sound coming from her usually serious mouth. Tightening his hold on her, he leaned down, kissing her forehead. To the few muggles on the street, they seemed like just another young couple in love. None of them knew the relationship had the potential to end fatally.
If anyone from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary ever saw Hermione Granger in the arms of Blaise Zabini, there would be all- out warfare among the houses. Hermione was categorized as a muggleborn witch, a Gryffindor, the best friend of Harry Potter, and one of the Golden Trio. Blaise was seen as a dangerous pureblood Slytherin, nee- deep in the Dark Arts, no doubt.
Even as he held her, Blaise was on constant alert for anyone looking a little too closely at them, and soon became restless, standing exposed on the sidewalk.
"So, where am I taking you?" he inquired as she took his hand, pulling him further down the street. They passed various muggle shops, bright, colorful displays in their windows.
"There's a little tea shop down the road. It's got most lovely jasmine tea." She responded. Soon stopping in front of a simple, clean storefront, she entered the establishment. Blaise glimpsed a sign, which read NINA'S TEA SHOP.
The inside was almost exactly what he expected. While it wasn't as flamboyantly romantic as, say, Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmead, it had a feminine air. Sitting down in a booth, Blaise took the left seat so he faced the entrance to the shop.
Hermione settled into her seat, looking around the shop. She had discovered it one day as she wandered around London, and was delighted to find it so close to the Leaky Caldron.
Blaise and Hermione spoke in muted voices, as soft music played overhead. They discussed their classes together (arthrimicy, and potions) and their peers, studiously avoiding talking about either Harry or Draco. Hermione's birthday had been the day before, and Blaise hid his anger. He had wanted, more than anything, to spend the day with her as she turned eighteen. His own birthday had been a week and a half before, and she had crept into his room under Potter's cloak. He knew, even if he did get into the Gryffindor common room, the staircase to the girl's dorm would only turn into a slide. Spending the day with her was out of the question, with both his friends and hers watching.
But he would make up for it today. As the waitress approached their booth, Blaise ordered a pot of Jasmine tea, and a plate of treats.
"I don't suppose you serve a good Italian roast coffee here, do you?" Blaise asked hopefully, ignoring Hermione's snort of amusement.
The waitress gave him a long stare, before turning away, distain painted across her features.
"We really need to break you of this coffee addiction." Hermione said, smiling.
"Cara, I've been drinking coffee since I was thirteen. I don't plan on stopping any time soon."
Their tea was soon served, and Hermione was delighted at both the tea and the small assortment of cakes that Blaise ordered. She looked worried at first, until he flashed the muggle currency at her, which he had exchanged via owl that morning.
As the cakes disappeared and the tea dwindled to its dregs, Blaise reached across the table and took her hands in his.
"Cara," he said quietly, seriously, "I'd like to ask you something. I know, with the war brewing, it's not possible to openly be with you. I want to, so, so badly. I want to stop every other wizard from looking at you; from thinking they have a chance with you. But with the Death Eaters doing their best to recruit me, and the Order already having already gotten a hold of you," he paused, trying to bury the disgust in his voice. They'd argued about her participation in the coming war, and this wasn't the time for it. "it's not safe for you and I to announce our relationship." Hermione nodded sadly at this point, stroking his fingers with her own.
"But I want to ask you something. When this Gods- forsaken war is over, and I can know you're safe, will you marry me?" Hermione's eyes widened comically as he reached into his coat pocket. Pulling out a long, velvet box, he snapped it open. Inside, dangling on a delicate chain, was a large silver ring. It was obviously sized to fit a man, and had the initials B.A.Z. inscribed on the surface. Hermione instantly recognized it as the family ring he always wore. Confused, she looked at his other hand, which rested in hers. The fingers were bare.
"I read up on muggle promise rings, and realized there are some differences between muggle and wizarding traditions. In the magical world, when a wizard intends to marry a witch, he gives her his family ring. She wears it around her neck every day until he can formally propose properly. There's also a charm I found, which allows only the members of the couple to see the ring. It was invented in the 1700's, when there were a lot of secret marriages, because one or both parts of the couple were in arranged engagements, already." It was one of the longest speeches Hermione had ever heard him speak. Even when Blaise had first told her he loved her, he had simply come out and said it.
"But Blaise, won't people notice your ring is gone?" Hermione asked, afraid to take his ring if it would put him in danger.
Reaching into his pocket again, he drew out an identical ring. However, when he tapped it against the metal of the tea tray, it emitted a dull, metallic clunk. Taking the true ring into his hand, he repeated the procedure, and the ring gave a high, clear sound, like a bell being struck. Seeing this, Hermione's eyes teared up. Blaise, worried at her distress, quickly cupped her face in his hands.
"Hermione, if you don't want to get married, that's okay. I know it's a big choice, but you can always tell me no. I just wanted to show you I'm serious about this relationship. Please, cara, don't cry. Don't cry." His normally smooth voice was rough with emotion, and Hermione quickly spoke through her tears, easing his mind.
"No, Blaise it's not that. But what if one of us dies in the war? I know you're working to stay neutral, but the Death Eaters won't keep taking 'no' for an answer. And if you died, and I was only left with your ring, I don't know what I would do." At that, Hermione's tears spilled over, sweeping down her cheeks.
Ignoring his Slytherin instincts, he slid out of his side of the booth and into hers, putting his back to the door. Gathering Hermione into his arms once more, he crooned into her hair, "Darling, it's okay. No one is going to die. This war won't last forever, and we're both smart enough to stay alive…you already know what I want you to do-" he was cut off by Hermione's retort, a mix of anger and sadness.
"Blaise, I'm not going to Italy. I won't run away from a cause that means something to me." Her tone of voice implied this was an old argument, and it was.
Exhaling a long breath, his mouth tightened. This was supposed to be a happy moment for them, and he could always try to persuade her into it later.
"All right, Hermione, all right. But will you wear the ring?" The normally impassive look drained from his eyes, and Hermione saw how much this meant to him.
"Yes, Blaise, I'll wear your ring." She moved her hair away so he could clasp the chain around her neck.
Pulling out his wand, he cast a notice- me- not charm, and then turned to Hermione. Pointing the wand at the ring and chain, he whispered "OculusEffugioAnulus Amado." His wand emitted a warm golden glow, which entered the ring and chain, making it glow briefly. The glow soon faded, and Hermione looked at him in confusion. "It roughly means 'eyes flee away from this ring of love.'"
The young couple sat in the booth, talking and laughing, until the sun began to fade outside. "We better get back," Hermione murmured. With a reluctant nod, Blaise slid out of the booth. The couple exited the shop, stepping out into the cool evening air.
They soon reached the alley Blaise had first apparated from. "You go first. I'll wait ten minutes, then follow. And cara?" he paused, before kissing her like his life depended on it. Pulling away before the kiss could get too heated, he whispered in her ear, "Happy birthday."