Collide

Prologue

The Death Eater removed his hood and Hermione found herself staring up into the cold, expressionless face of Lucius Malfoy.

"Hello, Miss Granger," he sneered.

"You should know that they'll be looking for me. Blaise is expecting..."

Malfoy chuckled, a low evil-sounding laugh with no mirth behind it. "How do you think we knew where you were?"

"I don't believe you."

"Believe what you wish, silly girl." He paused and a sly grin passed across his face. "Don't tell me you fell for that ridiculous story about his sister and her muggle husband?" At one look at Hermione's countenance, he chuckled again. "You did, didn't you?"

************************************

Chapter 1

I'm so smart, too bad I can't get anything figured out
I'm so brave, too bad I'm a baby
I'm so fly, that's probably why it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time

--Barenaked Ladies

Hermione raced into Advanced Arithmancy with seconds to spare. To her chagrin, the only seat left was next to Blaise Zabini, seven^th year Slytherin. He'd already made an appearance in her Ancient Runes, Advanced Potions, and Languages class. Sighing inwardly, she slid into the empty seat. Professor Vector was just getting started and Hermione pulled out some parchment and a quill. At the top of the parchment, she neatly labeled Advanced Arithmancy, 03 September. Glancing over, she noticed that Zabini had done the same thing.

"I'm pleased to see all of you back for the second year of Advanced Arithmancy. This is, of course, a very important year as you'll be taking your N.E.W.T.s at the end of second term. An exceptional mark on your Arithmancy N.E.W.T. helps to open several career options," Professor Vector droned on. Hermione had already heard the career speech in every one of her classes--except Professor Snape's; he merely informed them that he expected them all to make high marks on their Potions N.E.W.T.--and proceeded to tune out Professor Vector. She knew that Harry and Ron would be flabbergasted to know that even she didn't listen to every word their teachers said. Turning her mind to the N.E.W.T.s, she quickly devised a revision schedule in her head. The scratching quill to the right distracted Hermione from her list-making. Glancing to the right, she could make out a rough chart headed up by the days of the week. As soon as Zabini noticed Hermione's interest, he curled his hand around his parchment, effectively blocking her view.

"I hope you're sitting next to someone with whom you can work." Professor Vector's declaration caught Hermione's attention and her head snapped up. "Your partner for this term will be the person sharing your desk." There were more than a few groans at this, including Zabini's if Hermione's hearing was what she thought it was. "You can choose a new partner next term," Vector attempted to placate the class. With that, Professor Vector explained the first assignment of the term.

An hour later, she'd dismissed the class. Packing her books into her bag, Hermione turned to her partner. "Shall we meet in the library after dinner?" she asked quite simply. Zabini nodded once and left. Hermione shook her head and wondered what she'd gotten herself into.

***********************************

On Friday night, Hermione was eating dinner with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Ron was casting looks at Lavender Brown who was giggling and blushing. Harry was casting looks at someone at the Hufflepuff table. Ginny was casting looks at Colin Creevey who was sitting with his brother at the other end of the table. Hermione was casting looks at no one. She sighed and stabbed a piece of steak. It wasn't as if she wanted to be pining away for someone necessarily; it was just she felt so left out with her friends. Didn't they realize it was an important year? They needed to focus on their studies.

"What do you want?" Hermione looked up to find Ron glaring at someone standing behind her.

"I need to talk to Granger," Zabini said gruffly.

"What for?" Ron demanded.

"Honestly, Ron. Leave him alone," Hermione said, turning around. "What do you want, Zabini?"

"I was hoping we could meet tonight. I think I've discovered the solution to our problem," he said.

"All right. Come to my room around eight," she replied. "You know where it is, don't you?"

Zabini nodded once and retreated to the Slytherin table. Hermione turned back to find her friends staring at her.

"Your problem?" Harry asked, one eyebrow arched.

"Our Arithmancy problem," she said shortly. "We're partners."

"You're partners with that git?" Ron said.

"I think he's rather handsome," Lavender piped up.

"What?" Ron asked Lavender.

She shrugged. "I dunno. He's just dark and kind of mysterious."

"Please. He can barely string together three words," Hermione said firmly, putting an end to that particular conversation.

At precisely 8 p.m., the little girl whose portrait hung outside the Heads' Rooms reported that there was a dark-looking man outside the portrait hole. Hermione opened the door to find Zabini standing there, shuffling his feet. "Well, come in then," she ordered, holding the door open for him.

Several minutes later, they were spread out in the common room that she and Ernie McMillan shared. Hermione was looking over Zabini's chart. Startled by what she'd read, she looked up quickly. "You did this?" she asked uncertainly. He nodded once. "It's brilliant."

Zabini shook his head. "It was nothing really."

"Are you serious? Professor Vector said this should take us two weeks to complete. With your breakthrough, it will take us less than one." If Zabini wasn't so swarthy, Hermione might have thought he was blushing.

"Well, let's finish then. I've still got Snape's essay to start this weekend."

"You haven't begun yet?" she asked, feeling slightly superior.

"I was slightly busy with this," he replied sarcastically.

"Right," she said, deflated.

"But I'm stuck right here," he said, coming over to stand behind her. He pointed to where the chart was blank. "I thought it was nine, but that doesn't fit."

"What about seven?" Hermione asked, grabbing her quill and scribbling something on the chart.

Bending even closer, Zabini ran his finger across the row, muttering something under his breath. Catching a whiff of his scent--slightly spicy, but very masculine--Hermione felt suddenly dizzy at being in such close proximity to him. 'It's Zabini for Merlin's sake,' she thought, trying to get her reactions under control. She realized that he was speaking aloud again. "W-what?" she stammered out.

"I said that I think seven would work," he replied, straightening abruptly and going back to the other side of the table. There was a moment of silence as Hermione filled in the blanks.

She raised her head to find him staring at her. "You're right," she said finally, pushing the parchment toward him. He glanced at it for a moment, again running his index finger across the row, and then his face broke into a grin. Just as rapidly the grin was gone and he was standing and packing up his books.

"You could work on your Potions essay here if you'd like," Hermione said unexpectedly. Zabini had stopped shoving books into his bulging bag and he fixed his gaze on her. "I just meant that I need to work on it too. And you could stay here and work on it." She paused, but he still hadn't replied. "You probably have other plans. After all, it's Friday night." She knew she was babbling, but found herself unable to stop. 'It's ZABINI for Merlin's sake," her brain was shouting.

Before Zabini could answer, the door swung open and Ernie and Padma Patil stumbled in, arms around each other. Ernie pulled back. "I didn't think you'd be here," he said to Hermione.

"Obviously," she answered.

"We're just going up to study," he said as he pulled Padma up the stairs to the Head Boys' room. Hermione heard Zabini snort somewhere to her left.

Once they were out of earshot, Zabini said, "Perhaps I shouldn't have been so hasty in turning down Head Boy."

"You were offered Head Boy?" Hermione said, disbelief evident in her voice.

He shrugged. "Too much work. All that patrolling. But perhaps it does have its perks." He was staring at her as he said that.

Flushing under his gaze, she snapped, "That's right. Leave it to the Slytherin to be looking out for himself only."

The mood in the room changed and Hermione shivered slightly under the icy gaze of Zabini's cold blue eyes. "You don't know anything about me," he said softly. With that, he was gone.