Blaise/Hermione.
Winter turned into spring, and Hermione focused on the upcoming exams instead of her lack of love life.
Though she didn't know it at the time, Hermione had caught the eye of one particular Slytherin. Dark eyes had followed her from across the Great Hall as she ate her meals and bantered with her friends.
The interested gaze had started seeking out her slim form in more places; whilst she did her studying in the library, as she sorted her ingredients in Potions, and when she focused on her Charms work in class. The longer the eyes watched, the more intrigued the owner became.
The bushy-haired prefect was astonished when she was approached by Blaise Zabini; Slytherin's heart throb. He was tall, dark and mysterious; everything Hermione had never thought to think about.
Although he wasn't ever-present like Ron had been, and he wasn't sweet like Ernie had been, Blaise slowly managed to integrate himself in to her every day routine. He started turning up at her study sessions with rare books from his personal library to pique her interest, and appearing beside her in the corridors to pull her into thoughtful debates.
Intelligent and secretive, Blaise managed to gain himself a spot in her life as he captured her attention with his riddles and mysteries. He put her brain to the test, and seemed ever pleased as she figured out answers at a speedy pace.
When Blaise brought Hermione flowers for the first time, she looked in confusion between the beautiful lilies and the stoic boy for several minutes whilst she tried to figure out where this fit into their unusual friendship. A dark eyebrow raised after a long moment of silence, and then he calmly explained he would like to take her out on a date. Although stunned at this new turn of events, Hermione accepted.
Their love was a short and bright flame; secret meetings in odd places, passionate intellectual discussions and blazing arguments about the way their world was run.
When Blaise ended it, Hermione was not devastated but felt bereft. She explained to Harry over a bottle of rum that she couldn't work out this love thing, it never seemed to last. She resolved to leave it alone- she was tired of trying. A good, long break from men sounded like what she needed.