The Magic of a Book

Chapter 6

Ten minuets later one Ginny Weasley was to be found in the Gryffindor common room, lounging on a sofa, with slightly smudged lipstick and an Irishman trying to look down her top. She didn't seem particularly bothered; but she may not have noticed. A couple of seconds later though she seemed too, and pushed Seamus Finnegan on to the floor, looking incensed. Hermione took this as her cue and walked over to the sofa which Ginny was on.

"We have a problem."

"Don't tell me he caught you, I had him for five minutes!" Ginny looked thoroughly put out.

"Well he did, but that's beside the point." Hermione paused. "He's after me."

Ginny's eyebrows shot into her hair. "It's only a book, jeez, you two are so violent-"

"No, I mean he's after me in the, er, other sense of the word," Hermione replied awkwardly, taking a seat next to Ginny. Ginny stared blankly at her for a good few seconds until something suddenly seemed to click.

"No!" Ginny gasped.

Hermione nodded, going pink. "Well, at least I think so."

"What are the signals?"

"Well, when I talked to Malfoy..." Hermione began.

Ginny smirked. "Now was this before or after you broke his nose?"

"Er..." Hermione thought. "No, this was after. Anyway, Malfoy said he liked me and that he stole my book to make me go after him. He also said that he was so embarrassed he couldn't stay in the Slytherin dorms for any length of time." Hermione was getting redder and redder as she spoke, seeming to get more shy.

"That's all lovely and sweet, but this is Malfoy we're talking about, bouncing ferret, Mr I-spit-on-you-because-you-looked-at-me-funny-once Malfoy."

"See, that's what I thought, but then it hit me that he really had no reason to lie to me there; he knows I would never go after Blaise even if I knew that, he spoke about it so matter of factly, you'd think everyone knows." Hermione paused, thinking about it. "What if everyone does know? Well, at least everyone in Slytherin, I mean, what if that's why they've been giving me these dodgy looks?"

"They're Slytherins, isn't it obligatory to give you dodgy looks? I think Snape burns them on the stake if they go within a ten metre radius of Gryffindors," Ginny stated.

Hermione nodded. "We have no real proof of that one; I think that may just be one of Terry Boot's more fanciful tales." She paused. "But it is Snape we're talking about."

Ginny nodded solemnly. "Anyway, back on topic, what else makes you think he likes you?"

"Well, he caught me after I got my book; he sort of backed me up against the wall-"

"Oo-er, this is getting good." Ginny was leaning forwards.

"Please, Ginny, go and ask Harry for your anti-hormonal shots. So, then he said I was a challenge-"

Ginny's eyebrows knitted together. "Riiiiight, go on."

"Then he said..." Hermione flushed and paused.

"Yes, what?" Ginny urged.

"He said he liked a challenge."

Ginny paused, apparently in thought. "So he likes potions?"

There was silence,

"Oh, wait, he likes you!" Ginny cried gleefully.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "God Ginny, how slow?"

"Hermione," Harry's voice called from the other side of the common room, before Ginny had time to make a biting reply. Hermione twisted in her seat to look at Harry. "Someone to see you," he said, with a smile and a nod at the open portrait hole.

Ginny smirked. "Ten guesses as to who that is," she sounded gleeful, as Hermione got up and walked over to the entrance.

Hermione climbed through onto the other side to see Blaise Zabini leaning against the wall, looking too calm and good looking to be allowed.

"Can I help you?" she inquired. Blaise looked up; he seemed to not have noticed her. He straightened and took a step towards her.

"I haven't come for your help, per se, more to make a mutual agreement." Blaise seemed quite at ease, a lazy smile on his face as he looked at Hermione with a smirk on his face. Hermione was suddenly quite aware of the lack of cloak and consequently started to play with the end of her blouse.

"A mutual agreement? What do you mean?" Hermione asked, wondering what he was on about.

Blaise smirked. "I mean, I ask you to do something, and you agree."

Hermione frowned., "But what's in it for me?"

"The pleasure of agreeing to what I asked you to do."

"So it's not really a mutual agreement then."

Blaise considered. "No, not really, no."

Hermione stared at him. What is he talking about? If I didn't know any better I'd say this is his weird way of being nervous. "I doubt I'll agree to it, but have a go," Hermione finally conceded.

Blaise took a deep breath.

"I want you to come into Hogsmeade with me this Saturday," he said, in an almost shy tone of voice. Hermione spluttered incoherently, staring at him.

"What?"

"I want you to come into Hogsmeade with me this Saturday," Blaise repeated, a faint, very faint, pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Why, if you want the book just ask, I mean I -" she started babbling.

"Hermione! This is not about the book, I want you to go on a date with me." Blaise was definitely blushing now, but not as much as Hermione, who was gaping at him.

"You're asking me out?"

"Er, yeah."

Hermione stared at him a bit more wondering what an earth was going on; a week ago Blaise Zabini was the Slytherin at the back of her Ancient Runes class, quiet, but intense. Now he was at the forefront of her mind, loud and unavoidable. She continued staring, and then answered him.

"Where are we going then?"

Blaise looked overjoyed. "Is that a yes?"

Hermione smiled brightly. "Yes, it is."

"We're going for a meal. I know a man."

"Sounds mysterious," said Hermione.

"Oh, it is," Blaise replied. He stepped forward and kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Meet me outside The Three Broomsticks at twelve o'clock, Hermione." And with that, he looked her in the eye for a second, and then walked back down the corridor.