The Holiday Season

"Eye of newt, stir cauldron anti-clockwise four times then add-"

"Hi, Harry!" said a seemingly insanely cheerful Ginny Weasley, who had just thrown herself onto the sofa on the common room. Harry scowled; he'd just made a massive smudge on his Potions essay. As he blotted it with a tissue, he spoke to Ginny.

"So what are you so happy about?" he asked, still blotting furiously at his essay.

"Why, Blaise and Hermione of course!" came the somewhat smug reply, "don't you think I was so sweet the way she just went up to him, in front of everyone, threw caution to the wind and went in for the kill?" Ginny continued in admiration, "I mean if that's not Gryffindor courage, I don't know what is." Harry scowled again.

"Actually I was trying to block the memory out of my head, I think I'm scarred for life," came the sour reply.

"Jealous, Harry?" He laughed and turned properly, to speak to Ginny.

"Jealous, Of Blaise getting Hermione? You're joking Gingersnap, I feel ever so slightly ill, that my best friend of about five years, is kissing Slytherins in front of me."

"Don't throw up, it would be awfully rude, Hermione would not take that well," came the reply from Ginny.

"Metaphorically speaking, Ginny. Anyway, I suppose you're feeling all proud of yourself for setting them up, aren't you?"

"Rather, they're probably off snogging in a broom cupboard, as we speak." Harry screwed up his face in disgust. "Okay, well maybe the Astronomy tower then, Hermione is a classy, elegant girl after all."

"Classy, elegant?" was the snorted reply from Harry, "are we talking about the same girl who tackled Blaise Zabini in Hogsmeade?"

"Well, I suppose she has a wild side, I'll have to ask Blaise, when she's through with him," said a saucy Ginny.

"Go away Ginny," was the flat reply.

"Aye, aye Cap'n," and with that, Ginny Weasley went, for once in her life, to do her homework.

Blaise was currently feeling very smug, being bodily pulled through the halls of Hogwarts by Hermione Granger. He really didn't know Hermione had a wild side like this. His hopes however were shattered, as she pulled him into the library. Shit.

"Hermiooonnnnnnnnnnnnee!" he whined, sounding like a sulking child. Hermione pushed him into a comfy chair in the library corner, and started scanning the shelves. She turned round and raised an eyebrow in a horribly Slytherin way.

"Yes, Blaise?" she replied curtly.

"What are we doing in here, we could be doing, er, other, er stuff," came Blaise's blushing reply. Hermione rolled her eyes. Honestly, boys, is that all they think about?

"I need to solve that Arithmancy problem."

"Er, what?" said Blaise, blankly.

"The Arithmancy problem I asked you about in the Three Broomsticks, before we got er, sidetracked," was the blushing reply, as Hermione started jumping up and down, trying to pull out a book, from a shelf above her head.

Blaise smiled, standing up, he walked round till he was behind her and easily reached the book she was struggling too. Hermione huffed.

"Not fair, you're tall," said an annoyed Hermione. Blaise smirked.

"Not particularly, you're just short." Blaise replied smugly.

"Am not," replied Hermione with a childish stamp of her foot.

"What are you? Five foot five, at the most?" Blaise asked ironically. Hermione blushed red and turned around; a mumbled incoherent reply was all he got.

Blaise sidestepped round Hermione, so he was facing her. "How tall are you?" he asked with a grin, another mumbled response.

"Sorry Hermione; didn't quite get that." Hermione shot him a look of pure evil.

"I said; I'm five foot three," she pronounced loudly. Blaise smiled.

"Aaaahhh, just pocket sized." Hermione stamped her foot again; she was getting riled up. Blaise smirked.

"I am NOT short!" Was her indignant cry, as her irritation heightened, "I refuse to be short!" Blaise laughed openly at that one, Hermione Granger had to have control of every situation, didn't she?

"Yes you are, and rather cute when you've worked yourself into a temper," drawled Blaise. Hermione fumed.

"I am not - did you just call me cute?"

Ginny Weasley hummed tunelessly as she read her edition of "The Quibbler" in the Gryffindor common room. She really couldn't sing worth a damn, and it showed. Turning to the article about the Weird Sisters drummer, who had lost his ear to a rather irate Jarvey, she smiled, wondering what Blaise and Hermione were up too. She had just narrowed it down to studying in the library, or snogging in the Astronomy Tower, when Hermione stumbled into the common room, red lipped with a large amount of books under her arm. Or snogging in the library, Ginny thought.

Hermione purposely avoided the catcalls that were being sent her way, by Seamus and strode over to Ginny. Hermione stood there, saying nothing, merely blushing. Ginny smirked.

"Well, well, well, I see we've been a bit ruffled, enjoy you're date, Hermione?"

Hermione looked torn between hitting Ginny and thanking her, she settled on the latter.

"Ginny, thank you so much, I don't know what too say, I-"

"Just kiss my feet, dear Hermione," was the simple reply. Hermione scowled.

"Go away Ginny."

"Hey! I was here first!"

"You are a total retard, you know," stated a rather posh, and amused voice.

Blaise looked up from his book, which he had been reading on an armchair in the Slytherin common room.

He raised an eyebrow. "But, then again, we already knew that, didn't we Draco?" Draco gave a very thin smile, which made him look just plain scary.

"Kissing Granger in front of half of Hogwarts, do you have a death wish Blaise?"

"You couldn't kill me if you tried Draco," was Blaise's simple reply, "besides, you've gone soft, spying for Dumbledore and all."

"Jesus Blaise, keep you're voice down. Besides it's not me who'd kill you; at times you're rather amusing. If word gets to the Dark Lord about this, you're family's neutrality will be shot, he'll hunt you down Blaise." Blaise paled.

"No, he has bigger fish to fry." Blaise sounded as if he was trying to convince himself, more than Draco, who shrugged.

"Maybe, but if he can get to you, then he will, you wont be able to go home this Christmas Blaise, the wards aren't strong enough and strengthening them will attract attention. I'd invite you to mine, but, well," Draco shrugged, looking rather embarrassed, "what with the fact of the Dark Lord doing his daily visit..."

Blaise sighed, he'd really dug himself a hole here.

"I can't ask anyone from Slytherin, they'll ask questions and I am not staying on my own here for Christmas, so that leaves absolutely no one"

"You could ask Granger, I suppose," Draco began, "but why you'd want to go to her hovel is beyond me." he ended with a sneer. Blaise shook his head, keeping his anger down.

"That would seem pushy, I mean we've only been on one date and-"

"Blaise, Granger's house has wards on about as strong at Hogwarts and you know it," smirked Draco. "You're just scared shitless of meeting her parents, aren't you?" Draco was looking rather smug at having worked all of that out.

Blaise looked like he wanted to hit him. He heaved a great sigh. "I'll go and see Hermione," he grumbled, putting down his magazine. Draco sighed as he walked out of the room, reckless moron. He picked up Blaise's magazine, which for some bizarre reason was, "The Quibbler." He flicked open a random page: "Weird Sisters drummer loses ear to irate Jarvey!" Draco snorted. Was there no God?

Meanwhile, Blaise was walking the path to the library, hoping to find Hermione, quite possibly buried under a pile of books; when he walked into someone.

"Oh I'm sorry. Oh, hi Ginevra." He realised it was Ginny whom he'd bumped into, and apologized again, as she dusted herself off.

"Have you seen Hermione around? I need to talk to her," Blaise asked. Ginny smirked.

"She went to the library about 15 minutes ago. Now, let me think, what you would want with her..." finished Ginny, rather cheekily.

Blaise blushed and scowled at the same time. "Go away Ginevra."

Ginny growled.

Hermione trembled, as she turned the page of her book. She really shouldn't read horror books, but now she was half way through - she couldn't stop!

"Hi Hermione," said Blaise, appearing behind her. Hermione screamed, jumped to her feet, and in a split second had her wanted pointed at Blaise's heart. Blaise looked shocked and raised his hands in mercy.

"Whoa, it's only me, who stole your kneazles?" Hermione sagged and collapsed onto her chair, heart beating madly.

"Jesus, Blaise, you scared me!" she said faintly. Blaise raised an eyebrow and sat down next to her.

"That's no way to greet me is it?" he replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek and smiling cheekily. Hermione grinned.

"Must give up the horror books," she said sheepishly. He laughed amusedly, but then his expression turned serious.

"Hermione, this is going to seem really, er, I dunno, anyway, er, here it is- " Blaise took a deep breath, not looking at Hermione.

"I can't go back to Italy for Christmas, word from the Dark Lord says he's after me; I can't put my family in danger by staying there." Hermione looked panicked.

"Why would he be after you, I mean you're neutral, pureblood, I think I can check this book I saw the other day, it says that if you have the right-"

"Hermione; shut up rambling. Look, he's after me because I was seen with you." Hermione looked mortified and began to speak, but Blaise cut her off.

"Hermione, my family are neutral purebloods, there was always going to be a time when Voldemort was going to come after me anyway, he'd want to recruit me into the Death Eaters." At Hermione's expression he ploughed on, "but I'd hoped that by the time he'd get round to me, that Potter would have done the business and we'd all be living happily ever after. Whatever you may think Hermione, it's not you're fault."

Hermione tried to breathe slowly, but the reality hit her hard, whatever Blaise had said, in the end it was her fault. It was all because of her that he couldn't go home this Christmas, there was no way he could go to any of the Slytherins' houses, half of them were Death Eaters, or supporters by association. There was only one option.

"Blaise, you can come home with me for Christmas," Hermione stated. Blaise looked relieved.

"I was going to ask you, but it did seem rather pushy..." he trailed off. Hermione smiled and went to sit in his lap, leaning against him.

"Nonsense, you can have the guest room, I will not leave on your own at Hogwarts for Christmas." She was using her bossy voice again. Blaise was getting very turned on.

"Think you're parents will like me for ruffling their little girl?" he whispered in her ear. Hermione shivered.

"You haven't ruffled me properly yet, I-" Hermione's little speech ended as Blaise's mouth firmly crushed against her own. Had I been saying something?

Five days after all of these events Blaise Zabini was to be found in the Slytherin sixth year's dormitory, packing frantically and looking panicked.

"Left this a bit late, didn't you?" asked a voice from the door. Blaise turned round to see Draco leaning against the doorframe, his trademark evil smirk firmly in place. Blaise sighed.

"Yeah, I dunno, I had three essays to do in two days and we'll what with-" Blaise broke off suddenly, blushing. Draco smirked as he went to sit in an armchair opposite Blaise's bed.

"Ah, yes, the fine art of snogging in the Astronomy Tower. I am very familiar with this well known tradition," Draco drawled, "but not with Granger though, yuck," he finished, looking appalled. Blaise scowled fiercely at Draco.

"What gives you, and the rest of the school for that matter, the idea that all we do is snog?" asked Blaise angrily; Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on Zabini, jeez, Granger has a permanent stupid smile on her face, and nine nights out of ten you come back to the dorms looking like you've never brushed you're hair." Blaise looked highly embarrassed, and sat down on his bed, head in hands.

"I, it's just different with Hermione, we don't just snog," Draco raised an eyebrow, "no, we talk about anything and everything, muggle books, runes homework, anything and then, by that time, one of us has usually pounced on the other!" Blaise looked pleased, but also slightly scared. Draco, apart from looking thoroughly sickened, looked incredulous.

"Zabini, you're in love with her!" Draco was by now on the edge of his seat, looking highly delighted that he'd figured this out. He punched the air for effect, Blaise however, looked doubtful.

I'm not in love with her, and she's not in love with me, it's just," Blaise screwed up his face in thought, trying to find the words. "We're falling in love with each other," he finished, grinning in a bashful sort of way. Draco looked utterly horrified.

"Dear god, in love with Granger? I think I just threw up a little," said Draco, sounding sickened. Blaise started to rise from his bed, looking furious.

"But, whatever makes you happy," Draco added hastily.

"Well, I hope you're going to shut up for a few minutes, I've got all of my books and quills to pack in," Blaise looked at his watch, "ten minutes." Draco, as requested shut up, something he had never done in his life and didn't plan on ever doing again, however he knew that if he said something, it would most likely be offensive in some way, shape, or form; and therefore, because he liked his spleen intact, kept quiet.

Ten minutes later Blaise and Draco made their way out of the Slytherin dormitories at a fast run, each with a book, a magazine and a coat. Blaise had arranged to meet Hermione in the Entrance Hall and sure enough, when he arrived there he saw her waiting by the main door. He bid his farewell to Draco, who gave Hermione a scowl, and walked over to meet her. She smiled, after sending Draco a dirty look and gave him a kiss on the lips, as he hugged her.

"Got everything?" she asked, though she disapproved the house elves dealt with their luggage. Blaise nodded and they headed off out of the doors, towards the train. Shooting Hermione a sideways glance, as he was walking Blaise smiled at her.

"You're wearing my scarf," he said smugly, indicating the Slytherin scarf round her neck. Hermione smiled, and replied.

"I think I prefer it to my Gryffindor one and besides, it's mine now," she finished rather smugly. Blaise smiled; he had another one and wasn't about to argue the odds. Besides, he rather liked her wearing it, it told other guys to keep off. Hermione was his, and the scarf showed that, it was, as if Hermione had a neon sign neon sign above her head, saying, "Hands off, taken." Blaise smirked, just the message he wanted to put across, especially to that Ravenclaw bloke who was staring at her as they walked. Blaise turned his head and shot him a fowl look, accompanied by a one-fingered gesture. The Ravenclaw looked away, Hermione tutted.

"Honestly Blaise, why did you do that?" Hermione asked, slightly irritated.

"He was eyeing you up," Blaise stated. Hermione went positively scarlet, and shook her head.

"Honestly Blaise, Terry? He's one of the kindest boys I know, he would-"

"One of the kindest boys you know? Excuse for a chance to get in you're robes, if ever there was one." Hermione gaped at him and stopped walking, several people bumped into them.

"Blaise, you have no right to accuse my friends of such things, no right at all. Getting all protective for no reason, dreaming up all of these wild-" Hermione was abruptly silenced by Blaise's lips on her own in a searing kiss. She immediately wrapped her arms round his neck. Blaise smirked against her mouth.

"You're mine Hermione, I don't care if all he wanted was to borrow a book, and I'm not handing you over." Hermione's expression turned furious at that comment.

"Now see here Blaise I will-" He kissed her again, and pulled away a few seconds later.

"I think I quite like belonging to you," said Hermione dazedly. Blaise smirked, took her hand back and kept walking.

"Knew you'd see things my way."

Hermione gave a great pull of her trunk and gave up. It was no use; it wouldn't budge. Standing in the middle of platform 9 and ¾, looking around frantically for Blaise, Harry, or Ron, or someone, to help her lift her trunk. She finally spotted Blaise and Harry, talking amiably as they pulled their trolleys along, piled high with trunks. Hermione tutted, there were no trolleys left when she had looked. Suddenly Harry looked up and saw her, he grinned, nudged Blaise, who smiled and they walked over to her.

"Need a hand?" asked Harry looking at her trunk. Hermione smiled.

"Could you guy's lift it onto the trolley for me, you might struggle, it's really-"

Blaise and Harry took an end each of her trunk and lifted it onto Blaise's trolley easily. Hermione gaped, then, reconsidering, shut her mouth. Blaise gave her a kiss on the cheek and she smiled. Harry and Blaise pushed their trunks through the divide between the muggle and magical platforms. Looking to her left, Hermione saw Blaise looking very apprehensive. She took his hand for support and smiled. Blaise was starting to look seriously scared. It didn't suit him. Turning to Harry, she bid him farewell and gave him a hug. She looked around, still grasping Blaise's hand and spotted her parents standing slightly to her right, they hadn't yet seen her. She nudged Blaise and led him over, still with the trolley. Her parents, at last spotted her and waved, as she walked over. When she got there she gave them a hug and introduced Blaise.

"Mum, Dad, this is Blaise, my, er, boyfriend." Mrs Granger's eyebrows shot up, but Mr Granger's face did not change. Offering Blaise his hand, (which Blaise shook), Mr Granger addressed him.

"Nice to meet you Blaise, we've got the guest room set up for you, hope that's all right." His tone was pleasant; he seemed at ease. Blaise nodded emphatically.

"Oh that's excellent, thank you for having me." Blaise went into ultra suave mode. Mrs Granger offered her hand to Blaise as well, but Blaise, just like he had done to Hermione, plucked Mrs Granger's hand from midair and kissed it. Mrs Granger look thoroughly astounded. Getting her voice back she spoke, as Mr Granger lead them to the car.

"Quite all right, Blaise, I hope you like Christmas muffins?" Blaise nodded vigorously, smiling as they loaded the trunks into the car and got in, (Hermione opened the door for a very bemused Blaise.)

The car ride was uneventful, as the Granger's asked Blaise and Hermione about their year, and Mr Granger quizzed Blaise on his taste in muggle music. Overall, Blaise was of the opinion the Granger's were very pleasing people.

They arrived at the house and in attempts to look manly Blaise and Mr Granger handled the luggage. Hermione and her mother went in, and Hermione got a shock as her mother pulled her bodily into the lounge, looking rather pleased.

"Where did you find him? He is yummy!" Hermione looked utterly scandalized.

"Mother!" was her indignant reply, Mrs Granger tutted and continued.

"The way he kissed my hand and his manners and his bum!" Hermione looked unimpressed.

"Keep away from my boyfriend, mother," said Hermione flatly. Mrs Granger chuckled.

"So, one room or two?" Mrs Granger asked innocently. Hermione walked out of the room, hating her mother of being so, so, infuriating! Her mother had a sense of humour that would make Ron blush and laugh at the same time. No, Hermione got her sense of intellect from her father, who was quieter than her rather loud-mouthed mother.

"I like your parents," said a voice in Hermione's ear, making her jump. She turned to face Blaise, who, totally oblivious to her parents, had his arms round her waist and face an inch from hers. Hermione looked sideways at her mother, who was smiling broadly at them - or was it Blaise's bum she was smiling at? She knew her father was in the kitchen making coffee; it's what he did every time he got home.

"Of course you like them, they're like me," Hermione whispered, "and you do like me?" she continued, innocently. Blaise smirked.

"You're tolerable, dear Hermione," and with that, he leaned in and gave her a searing kiss, right in front of her parents. Hermione really did not want to be in this situation in front of her parents, but at the same time her lips seemed oddly stuck to Blaise's. Oh well.

A couple of minutes later, in a distant part of her mind Hermione heard someone clear their throat and somehow managed to separate herself from Blaise, who was grinning stupidly.

"Your coffee Blaise, strong and black," said Mr Granger pleasantly, handing Blaise a mug of coffee. Blaise went slightly pink and replied in an embarrassed sort of voice.

"Oh, er thanks Mr Granger." He disentangled himself from Hermione and took a swig from the mug, nodding appreciatively. Hermione looked to her father, who handed her a mug of herbal tea. Hermione smiled. It was good to be home.

Hermione was sat in her bed, pyjamas on, happily reading her by now very worn copy of "Hogwarts: A History." It had been a good afternoon; her parents liked Blaise, though Hermione was concerned by how much her mother liked him. They had spent the afternoon in front of the television, watching the Christmas evening shows on the BBC, where several good films had been shown. Blaise had struggled at first to grasp the concept of a television, so Hermione had dragged him into the lounge, to where her parents were watching the news. Needless to say, Blaise had been fascinated by it, commenting on how exciting the programme was that her parents were watching was. So, he got rather more excited during the film that was on afterwards, laughing out loud at the right places, and inadvertently changing the colour display, when trying to turn the volume down. Hermione smiled, they had sat curled up on the sofa, alongside her parents, like one big happy family.

Hermione crawled out of bed and walked down to the bathroom, to brush her teeth, something she never forget, that her parents would never let her forget. After finishing her cleaning ritual, Hermione walked back into her room, only to find Blaise sitting on her bed, reading her copy of "Hogwarts: a history," wearing only pyjama bottoms. Hermione gulped, Blaise looked up and grinned at her.

"Good book," he commented as she crawled onto the bed and sat beside him.

"It's my favourite," she replied happily, trying to keep her eyes off the top, bare part of his body, it was too appealing to be legal she decided. He smirked, in a way which would have made Hermione's mother drool.

"I know it is, mine too," he said, "want me to read to you?" He was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world. Hermione felt rather exposed in her vest top and pyjama bottoms. They snuggled up next to each other, propped up against the pillows and Blaise began to read. The combined effort of her boyfriend, half naked, with that sexy voice of his, reading her favourite book to her, on her bed was enough to make Hermione slightly aroused. Not that she would admit it to herself. A couple of paragraphs in Blaise suddenly stopped reading, but Hermione didn't really notice; she was too busy staring at him. Blaise grinned crookedly and spoke in a very Slytherin drawl.

"See something you like Granger?" Hermione snapped out of her daze and blushed fiercely, desperately avoiding eye contact. Blaise quite suddenly leaned over and kissed her, dead on the mouth in a very satisfying way. In Hermione's brain was the merest half thought that if her parents were to catch her and her boyfriend snogging on her bed they might be slightly annoyed. However, the thought was soon gone, Blaise had rolled on top of her and her hands were touching his chest, his abs, does he work out? After five or so minutes both knew that they were in dangerous territory, and so reluctantly parted, panting hard. Hermione satisfied, but pleased they'd managed to stop, smiled and let out a breath, only to have Blaise start attacking her neck with his mouth. She let out a small whimper, but she wasn't sure if it was of protest or pleasure, but she did know one thing, she was certainly not stopping Blaise. And almost immediately they were kissing more heatedly than before.

"We have to stop," Blaise panted a few minutes later.

Hermione looked up at him in what she hoped was an appealing way, and replied: "Why?" Blaise growled, desire written all over his face.

"Because, Hermione, we are bordering on very unfamiliar territory in your parent's house with the door wide open," he replied irritably. Hermione smiled coyly.

"Then close the door," she stated innocently. Blaise gaped at her like a fish out of water. He looked highly tempted, but appeared to quite suddenly snap out of it and crawled out from underneath Hermione.

"No," he stated, sounding like he was trying to convince Hermione and himself, "not here, not now." Hermione pouted but reluctantly crawled off him, to sit on his lap.

"You're not fun, Blaise," she said, pouting even more. Blaise smiled ironically at her.

"Who would have thought Hermione Granger was such a naughty girl, total tease?" He smirked. Hermione quite suddenly stopped grinding herself into his lap and went to her stern expression.

"I am not a tease, no, you make me out like I'm a scarlet woman! I mean honestly, Blaise, if you tell Harry or Ron, or mainly Ginny that, I'll hunt you down and, and, and I'll, I'll, er..." Blaise smirked, yet again.

"You'll what, exactly?" he asked, still smirking.

"I'll, I'll," Hermione took a deep breath, "I'll never kiss you again," she said triumphantly. Blaise looked thunderstruck, and looked at her, mouth hanging open.

"You wouldn't," he replied in a reverent hushed toned. Hermione nodded seriously.

"Oh I most definitely would," she replied sincerely.

"All right, you've got yourself a deal, Miss Perfect Prefect, let's see how long we can last with out a kiss, winner gets," he looked around the room, "your copy of "Hogwarts: A History." Hermione nodded, and they shook hands. Blaise crawled out of bed, to go back to his room, but stopped at the door and turned to look at Hermione.

"A kiss for the road?" he asked innocently. Hermione shook her head.

"No way, Zabini." Blaise smirked in a very Draco Malfoy way.

"Who'd thunk it? You were gagging for it a minute ago."

"Goodnight Blaise."

***

Hermione woke up on Christmas morning, feeling thoroughly cheerful, wanting nothing more than to open her presents and kiss Blaise goodmor- oh, wait, she couldn't do that. Hermione instantly scowled, clearly she had not been in her right mind last night, she had acted like a total scarlet woman and she had made that stupid bet. Crawling out of bed and rubbing her eyes, Hermione felt confident she would be able to outlast Blaise and climbed down the stairs, not seeing her parents in the kitchen she assumed they must still be in bed, but Blaise however was in the kitchen, inhaling a cup of coffee and not wearing a shirt, again. Quite suddenly Hermione felt very exposed in her pyjama bottoms and vest top. Blaise finished his cup of coffee, looking markedly better after it, and slowly rose from his chair, looking at Hermione a slow smile on his face. Hermione shuffled her feet and made eye contact. Big mistake. They stared, they stared more and just for good measure, they stared even more. Quite abruptly Hermione barrelled at Blaise and practically jumped on him, her mouth landing squarely on his. Blaise, out of surprise, stumbled into the table, but managed to manoeuvre himself in such a way that Hermione was perched daintily on the table, with them still being firmly attached at the lips. Their kiss deepened and Hermione began running her hands all over Blaise's chest; which he enjoyed immensely. Quite suddenly Hermione broke off, look terrified.

"Oh bugger," were Hermione's words. Blaise gaped, this was almost as strange as hearing her giggle... almost.

"I'm going to loose my book now, aren't I?" she muttered pathetically, she looked close to tears. Blaise smirked, he liked Hermione, nearly loved her, but still, he was a Slytherin. He almost felt his heart break as tears welled up in her eyes, so instead he leaned forwards to kiss her.

"You can keep the book," he murmured softly, Hermione smiled, her eyes instantly clearing.

"I was going to keep it, no matter what you, or anyone else had to say about it," she replied cheekily. Blaise sighed.

"You just like stealing my stuff? Don't you?"