Masquerade

Chapter 5: Discoveries

Wherever one saw Hermione it was unlikely not to see Blaise close behind. Though the two had seemed mostly inseparable over the past months, no one truly knew the meaning of the word until the events of the week unfolded. They were often found reading by the side of the lake, walking together to meals, and always laughing. Their laughter filled the air in and around Hogwarts.

It occurred to Hermione three days into their plan that it did not seem a like a game. She never forgot the rules and slipped into her character incredibly easy, as did Blaise. In fact, she forgot about the trick they were playing completely. Yet, when her memory returned to her she was beset with overwhelming sadness that accompanied it.

Blaise would express similar feelings if either felt at license to discuss such things. Any other topic was allowed and there were few they had not chattered over, but there was a restriction on that one in particular.

But alas, neither felt right confronting the other.

One afternoon they were lounging by the lake under the filtered sunlight that came through green trees. They were discussing future plans after school and somehow from Blaise's announcement that he was curse-breaking bound, they ended off on a tangent where he was dodging evil spirits in the long forgotten Buddhist temples in rural China while saving the world from a surely disastrous rule by pandas, who, while decidedly cuddly and therefore wonderful, were no good at foreign policy.

As their laughter floated into the air, Ginny, Neville, and Ron walked over to them.

"What's so funny?" Neville asked.

Blaise and Hermione looked up at the newcomers, flushed from their laughter and out of breath. "Pandas and foreign policy." The group looked at them confusedly as they sat amid Blaise and Hermione's continued laughter.

"Sorry," Hermione sat up leaning towards Blaise, barely grazing her arm against his, causing a brief embarrassed glance to be exchanged.

"So how are you two?" ventured Ginny knowingly. The rumors had flown since the party on Saturday as they had hoped and Ginny thought she knew all too well how they were. Neville and Ron shared a nervous look as they feared their mistake would be revealed somehow.

Blaise and Hermione began to speak at once and then stopped abruptly laughing again. "We're good," Hermione finally said.

"Good," Ginny nodded as she settled into her seat feeling that her mission had been accomplished.

The group sat there for a few minutes in the somewhat uncomfortable silence. No one was sure what to say to anyone else. Hermione and Blaise were unsure how to continue their ruse except to leave their companions with questions as to where they were headed.

"Well, I, uh, we," Blaise smiled at Hermione. "We really should be going." He almost felt like he was asking Ginny for permission as the alpha female. They stood, Blaise giving Hermione a hand up and they left the others heading for the castle.

"I'm so glad things worked out." Ginny sighed happily as she watched them go.

"Just as you planned, Gin," Neville said nervously.

"Only because I was right. If I weren't the plan wouldn't have worked."

"There are other ways it could have gone wrong," Ron said slyly. The question wasn't whether Ron valued his and Neville's lives, but rather how long Ron felt he could tread on dangerous ground before getting burned. Neville shot him a look of death with his left eye twitching slightly.

"Hmm?" Ginny was fishing in her bag looking for the right book. "Aha! Here it is." She straightened up now that she had her Potions text. "What were you saying? How else could it go wrong?"

"Oh nothing." Ron lay down on his back peering through the leaves on the trees. "A simple slip of the tongue could have ruined everything."

"Yes, but you all know better than that." Ginny flipped through to the page on truth potions. "Right?"

"It may have been meaningless to the person though." Neville's nerves put him over the edge revealing everything inadvertently.

Ginny put down her book and looked at her boyfriend. "What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"No, you said something about it being a meaningless mistake."

"Oh, that . . ."

"Yes, that." Ginny marked her place and set the book on the ground. "Ron!" Her brother jumped slightly from where he lay. "What do you know about this? Did something go wrong?"

"Serves you right," Ron said from where he continued to lay with his eyes closed. "Meddling never brings anything good. What was wrong with letting things progress naturally?"

Ginny turned to her boyfriend now, knowing Ron would never cooperate fully. "Neville? What happened?"

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Further up the hill, Hermione and Blaise were laughing breathlessly. "She had no clue," Blaise finally got out.

"To be fair, we weren't on show very long."

"Proves how convincing we can be is all." Blaise looked at Hermione and then took her by the hands quickly before leading her in a dance to no music for a moment. "It was fabulous," he said after twirling his partner. She stayed in his arms another moment looking into his eyes.

"It's easier than I thought it would be," she breathed.

"How's that?"

"This game, it . . . it doesn't seem it."

Blaise was unsure what to say as the comment was altogether unexpected. He was slightly put off balance. He continued looking into her eyes for a prolonged moment unsure what to say or do. Millicent fixed this problem for him by interrupting.

"Oi, lovebirds! You're in our way!" Millicent happily tramped over to the couple slapping Blaise on the back. He broke apart from Hermione, both smiling shyly, realizing how much they were in fact in the spotlight, even as a faux couple.

Theo looked at the two critically, knowing the truth from Harry. "Glad to see you are doing well," he said blandly.

"What's with you, Theo? You've wanted them together as much as the rest of us. Why so sedate?"

"Nothing. Just my usual quiet I suppose." Theo kept eye contact with Blaise that clearly said he didn't approve of the game for fear of hurting someone's emotions.

Millicent seemed appeased by his answer and turned back on the couple. "Where are you two going?" Millicent raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, just -" Hermione started.

"No need, honey," Millicent patted her on the arm. "See you two later."

As they left, Blaise hung his head. "Theo knows," he said.

"What?" Hermione turned to look at him. "You all right?"

He raised his head to look at her. "Yeah, just feel bad about lying."

"To your friends?"

"And you."

His words hung in the air for a moment. She looked at him and the small distance between them seemed so far suddenly.

"Me?"

"You."

He turned around for a moment slowly before quickening his pace to face her again. "All of this. It's a lie. This isn't right." He crossed the short space between them and pulled her close looking into her eyes. "Hermione, I, uh, I -"

"Don't tease me," Hermione interrupted.

"What?"

"Whatever you are going to say, be truthful. Don't tease me. Don't make me feel something when it's not true." Hermione held his eyes afraid of what he might say, but willing for once to hear the truth.

"I never meant to. Not with you." In Blaise's eyes she saw it was the truth.

"You tease all the time. We both tease and flirt and I don't know what's true. Our friendship or those moments we share when the way we acted with Ginny seems to be the truth." She looked down where he held her hand. "What would you do if I kissed you?" she barely whispered.

He was taken aback that she had asked such a bold question. Her eyes showed him that she was equally amazed at her brashness. "I, uh, I." He looked at their hands a moment before taking a breath and looking up into her eyes. "I would probably have no choice, but to let myself finally fall in love with you."

He saw the shock shared in her eyes. Her lips came closer and for once they met his in a real kiss. Every time before that they had come close left the two in agony, but it wasn't meant to happen any of those times. The meeting of their lips this once was confirmation that their long wait was well worth it. Standing in the bright sunlight on the Hogwarts grounds in front of the world and not hidden in some dark corridor like a dirty little secret.

They continued to hold each other even after breaking from the kiss looking into each others eyes smiling. Now on the other side of the kiss they knew that there was nothing either had to hide anymore. All secrets were told and the truth was shared.

"If they aren't together," Millicent was saying to the assembled group down the hill below Blaise and Hermione, "Why are they holding each other like that?"

"They're only acting the part. That's what I'm trying to tell you."

"No, Neville. Look!" Ron turned the shorter boy around to show him the passionate kiss being shared between Blaise and Hermione at that very moment. "They aren't acting for anyone anymore."

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The Assignment:

38. Name/Pen Name: hasapi
Pairing of the fic you want: Blaise/Hermione
Rating(s) of the fic you want: Up to R
3 - 5 Things you want your gift to include:
1. Seventh year; Hermione is Head Girl, your choice for Head Boy.
2. Blaise is quiet and studious.

3. Hermione is a closet romantic (reads romance novels, maybe...your decision; definitely reads Jane Austen).

4. Blaise knows almost everything about her because he's "stalked" her since the Yule Ball in fourth year, but they are NOT together and Hermione has no clue.

5. Side-pairings: Neville/Ginny, Harry/ Pansy or Luna (your choice).

What you don't want your gift to include:
1. Draco likes Hermione.
2. Voldemort.
3. Harry/Ron or reference to it in the past.
4. Draco/Blaise or reference to it in the past.
5. Angst. (well, a tiny bit is okay, like regular relationship/are-we-in-a-relationship? angst, but not major angst)
6. Suicide/ thoughts of it/past thoughts of it.
7. Nothing Dark.