The Magic of a Book

Chapter 2

No, running after him would be utterly childish, but blackmail has its appeal... Hermione's thoughts were wild and fragmented as she walked around Honeydukes with Ron and Harry. She was trying to conceive a way of getting her book without Blaise knowing it was her. In short, she was trying to be Slytherin. In short, it wasn't working.

Snapping out of her daze briefly Hermione walked over to the toffee counter, scooping some into a bag, while praying her parents would never find out. They would not approve, being dentists and all. She paid for her sweets and met Harry and Ron outside the shop, as it was quite crowded.

"We've still got twenty minuets; want to go to Zonko's?" Harry asked. Hermione would normally have disagreed with this; she was after all a prefect. But no, Zonko's may work; it is, after all for the greater good of a book.

"Oh alright," she replied with a fake sigh, as Ron and Harry looked at her expectantly.

"Brilliant, come on," Ron replied cheerfully, and they all headed over to Zonko's. They walked across the street and into the joke shop, which was only slightly less crowded than Honeydukes. Harry and Ron immediately went off for dungbombs and Hermione walked around the shop in what she hoped was an unobtrusive easily ignored way. She carefully scanned the shelves, picking up products at random and trying to think if they would actually achieve anything.

Hermione did find some tooth floss that made the sound of a chainsaw when you cleaned your teeth, and picking up a couple of packets for her parents, she continued on. "Befuddlement Biscuit; confuse and distract with a yummy treat!" That could work...

"What you got there, Hermione?"

Hermione jumped in the air at the sound of Ron's voice. "Oh, just, er, looking," she stuttered. "Really, these ought to be banned," she rectified herself, while holding up the Befuddlement Biscuit.

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and they all walked over and paid, Hermione being left feeling rather frustrated, but also a bit guilty for lying to Harry and Ron. Once they had paid and gone outside Hermione felt extremely exposed. She had never bought anything from Zonko's in her life, and carrying a bag from there with bright flashing letters on displaying their name would surely not go down well with the professors (except, perhaps, Dumbledore, he'd just smile, claiming he'd gone temporarily blind in his left eye), and was likely to get her jeered at by Slytherins. Wait! Hold it; what if I lose my prefect's badge? Hermione was immediately fearful, before realising she was being utterly stupid. Deciding to put those thoughts to one side, she turned her mind to the smug Slytherin that was Blaise Zabini.

***

Hermione turned the page of her potions book in the Gryffindor common room. She tutted. She shifted. She threw the book down in anger. It was not the same since Blaise Zabini had run off with her book. The stress was getting to her; she was not spoiled, but no one had ever had the idiocy to not give her a book she wanted. Who does he think he is? She fumed.

"Er, Hermione?" Hermione jumped and looked sideways into the concerned face of Harry Potter.

"Harry! I didn't see you sit down."

"My point exactly," Harry shifted in his seat awkwardly, "Hermione, you've been in a world of your own for the past two days."

Hermione shifted in her seat. "It's nothing, overworked, I-"

"No, it's not that, what is it?"

"Nothing, honestly Harry, I just-"

"Hermione, that's not it. Tell me, what's wrong?"

Blimey, he's persistent today! But the more Hermione thought about, the more she realised Harry would be able to see right through her lies; he knew her too well.

"Well, it's a Slytherin," Hermione began.

"Oh, God, no, Hermione, don't go towards the light!"

Hermione laughed at Harry; he had not been this open for a long time.

"Nothing like that; he stole my book."

Harry looked shocked. "Someone was stupid enough to do that?" he asked in disbelief. "But don't you think you are getting rather worked up over it? I know you like reading, but it's nothing to get depressed about, Hermione," Harry reasoned.

He has no idea, I should have the book! "It's just Zabini; he's so... so smarmy!" Harry raised an eyebrow. "He keeps giving me these weird looks in the corridor."

"Did it cross your mind that he may fancy you?"

"Yes and I immediately shuddered, repeatedly," Hermione admitted.

Harry looked pensive. "So, he actually took your book away from you?"

Hermione went slightly red. "Well, not per se. I had reserved a copy and the shop messed up; they didn't have one left for me, so-"

Harry frowned. "Hang on Hermione; I thought he actually took your book away from you, it's the opposite really, isn't it?"

Hermione ducked her head slightly. "It was the proper thing to do, then he started sweet talking me, and then he ran off with my book!"

Harry was deadpan. "I told you he fancied you."

"He does not!"

Harry held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay."

"Humph." Hermione went back to being restless and Harry went back to sitting.

"Does," Harry mumbled.

Hermione threw a ball of parchment at him.

***

After two days of not having her book, Hermione Granger was tearing at the seams. Her hair was bushier than normal; she was snapping at everyone and was constantly restless. There was only one thing for it; Hermione needed her book. The problem was that she didn't have the slightest idea about how to go about getting it. So, plan A was the straightforward approach. Ask and smile nicely. And what better time to put plan A into action than during Ancient Runes?

So it was for that reason Hermione found herself attempting to talk to Blaise Zabini during period one, NEWT Ancient Rules, first thing on Tuesday morning.

Hermione twisted round in her seat to face the man in question, who was at that point mocking her. By reading her book. Hermione cleared her throat. Nothing. Again, she cleared her throat.

"In the side compartment, Granger," was Zabini's smooth drawl, never taking his eyes off his book.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Cough sweets, Granger. They're in the side pocket of my bag. Unless you need to see Madam Pomfrey?" he asked, finally looking up and catching her dead in the eye. Hermione just started at his blue eyes, which were boring so intensely into hers. Blaise smirked. "See something you like, Hermione?"

Hermione snapped out of her daze suddenly, landing back on earth with a painful bump to her ego. She frowned at him. "Yes, my book." She pointed at the book which was still in Blaise's hands. He rolled his eyes.

"Not this again, Granger. I've told you once already that it's not my fault the shop cocked it up."

"Don't swear. My point is, however, that it is only proper to give a lady the book which she desires."

Blaise's eyebrows shot into his curly hair. "Oh, the book the lady desires, eh?"

Hermione shifted, "Yes, the book."

Blaise smirked at her. "Well, as it so happens, the gentleman is quite content with his book in his own possession," was his smooth reply.

Hermione started to colour. Am I flirting with Zabini? "You would not be a gentleman, though, if you did not honour a ladies wish," Hermione contradicted swiftly.

"And what does the lady wish?" Blaise whispered, leaning forwards. Hermione unglued her eyes from his and leant forwards to meet him.

"The lady wishes that you give her back her book."

Blaise leaned back in his chair, staring at her with a calculating look.

"No."