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Only wish that you were here

You know I'm seeing it so clear

I've been afraid

To tell you how I really feel

Admit to some of those bad mistakes I've made

--David Gray

Blaise spotted Hermione sitting with Ginny in the library. Waving, he made his way toward them, ignoring the groups of fourth and fifth year girls who stared and giggled after him.

"Hello, love," he said, dropping a kiss on Hermione's cheek. "Hi, Ginny."

"Hello, Blaise," Ginny said warmly. She'd gotten to know the Slytherin in the last month that he and Hermione had been dating and found he wasn't so bad. "I'll leave you two alone then."

"Ginny, you still need help with that Herbology project?" Blaise asked as Ginny packed up.

"Pardon?" Ginny said, confused.

"You know that Herbology project? The one we spoke about the other day?" he said meaningfully.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed. "The Herbology project! Yes, I still do."

"Want to meet tomorrow?"

"Sure. Tomorrow."

Ginny hurried away and he turned to find Hermione giving him an odd look. "Yes?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're helping Ginny? With Herbology?" she added in a disbelieving tone.

"Yeah, it's more help with research than anything else," he explained, fishing his Runes text out of his bag. Looking up to find her still staring, he said, "That's not a problem, is it? I figured that she's your friend and all."

"No, not at all."

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

"Do you have plans tomorrow night?" Hermione asked as they sat on her couch the following Thursday.

"I promised Millie and Theo that I'd hang out with them," he said apologetically. "I feel like I've been neglecting them." He smiled suddenly. "I hear there's a party in Gryffindor tower tomorrow night. Why don't you go to that? Spend some time with Harry and Ron?"

She snorted. "You think they want the Head Girl at their party?"

"Well, don't go as the Head Girl. You're seventeen, Hermione. It wouldn't kill you to act like it once in a while."

"You don't think I act like I'm seventeen?" she huffed.

"Well..." He didn't have a chance to complete his sentence before she grabbed him by the tie and pulled him into a kiss. Several minutes later, his tie as well as her jumper and tie were in a pile on the floor. His shirt joined the pile shortly thereafter. As they kissed, her nails raked up and down his chest and back. His own hands slowly made their way under her shirt, giving her ample time to say 'no.' They hadn't gone much further in the last month, Blaise not wanting to push Hermione into anything.

Her hands left his chest and moved to the first button on her shirt. His eyes grew large as she unbuttoned first one and then two buttons. "Hermione, you don't have..."

She kissed him fiercely and pulled his own hands up to the third button. His hands felt large and overly clumsy as they undid the rest of the buttons, gently pushing the shirt off her shoulders. Blaise pulled back, needing to assure himself that this was what she wanted. She must have sensed his reasons because she smiled. "I'm sure," she said.

He swallowed once and slid his hands up to her breasts, kneading them tenderly, as he bent to claim her lips again.

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

Hermione just needed to check out one book. 'And then I'll go up to the party,' she told herself as she ducked into the library. Making her way to the Arithmancy section, she quickly scanned the row for the book she was looking for. Voices on the other side of the row caught her attention.

"I can't believe that this is happening," Blaise's voice said. Hermione backed up. He'd told her he was spending the evening with Theodore and Millicent.

A muffled female voice said something in response. Hermione couldn't make out her words.

Blaise sighed deeply. "You know that I love you," he said. Now Hermione's eyes were saucer-sized. Blaise, her Blaise, had just told some slag that he loved her. "But I can't keep doing this."

Hermione took another step back, knocking into the row behind her. "I think someone's listening to us," Blaise said. By the time he'd made it to the next row, Hermione was gone. He shrugged and went back to Millicent.

"Millie, you always do this to yourself. You pick boys who couldn't be more wrong for you. And then when they show you how they really are, you're surprised. And brokenhearted. And Theo and I have to pick up the pieces," he said as he handed her a handkerchief.

She blew her nose. "But I thought he liked me."

"Maybe you should just avoid boys until graduation," Theo offered helpfully.

"Maybe you should just be more choosy," Blaise said.

"It's not as if I can be choosy, Blaise. Look at me," she wailed, covering her face with her hands.

Blaise pulled them away. "I see a very pretty girl who is smart and protective of her friends." Before she could bring up the obvious, he continued. "I know that you're self-conscious about your height. But honestly, Millie, would it be so bad to date someone who was slightly shorter than you?"

"I have no desire to look like a giant," she huffed.

"Potter's not that much shorter than you are," Blaise said warily.

"Potter?"

"I've seen him look at you."

"Potter?"

"Yes, Millie, Potter."

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

Hermione barged into the Gryffindor common room. She noticed Ron shove a bottle of something between the cushions of the couch and she made a beeline for him.

"Give it here," Hermione demanded.

Ron looked sheepish and handed it over to the protests of Dean and Seamus. Rather than dump it out or throw it away, Hermione twisted the cap off and took a large swallow. She shut her eyes as it burned its way to her stomach.

"Hermione, what's the matter?" Harry asked concerned.

"Sod off, Harry," she said, taking another swig. She passed the bottle back to Ron and nodded with satisfaction as he took a large swallow.

The bottle was empty a half hour later. Ron was licking his lips as he stared after Lavender. Hermione was swaying unsteadily on her feet, but demanded that the boys open another bottle.

Harry pulled Ginny aside. "You know what's going on here?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head. She'd never seen Hermione drunk before and found it was rather like an unfortunate accident in Potions--you knew you should look away before Professor Snape got angry, but you found you couldn't.

He handed her a folded up piece of parchment. "Use this and find Blaise," he said in a low tone.

"Do you really think that's wise?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I don't fancy dealing with a drunk Hermione, do you?"

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

"Hermione's what?" Blaise said incredulously as he stood outside the Slytherin dormitory with Ginny.

"She's...well...she's right pissed."

"Hermione's drunk?" he asked for clarification.

Ginny nodded. "And Harry thought you might be able to deal with her."

He sighed deeply. "Give me a minute," he said, disappearing back inside. A minute later, he came out, pulling a jumper over his head.

"Oh and next time, you're going to lie to your girlfriend at least let me know ahead of time," Ginny said as they walked to the Gryffindor common room.

"I'm sorry," he said bashfully. "I'm not very good at lying."

"You're a Slytherin," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'm not good at lying to Hermione," he amended.

"You'd better not be," Ginny warned. "Any ideas what you're going to get her for Christmas?"

Blaise shrugged. "I've got a few thoughts." At Ginny's eager look, he laughed, "None of which I'm willing to share with you."

"I'll have you know that I'm very good at keeping a secret," she said, pouting.

"Dear, that's the Slytherin who pounded on my portrait a few months ago," the Fat Lady sniffed.

"Do you mind?" Ginny asked Blaise who turned away as she whispered the password. Clucking her tongue, the Fat Lady swung open.

As Blaise and Ginny clambered through the portrait hole, they were faced with the sight of Hermione holding firmly to Seamus' collar as she kissed him.

"Finnegan!" Blaise shouted. "Would you kindly remove your hands from my girlfriend?"

Seamus twisted out of Hermione's grasp and darted up the stairs of the boys' dormitory. Hermione, eyes blazing, turned on Blaise. "You have no right to call me that!" she yelled.

"Hermione," he said, approaching her.

"You...you who told some slag in the library tonight that you loved her!"

The Gryffindor common room gasped. Ron took a step forward, but Harry restrained him. To everyone's shock, Blaise didn't deny it, or stammer, or look guilty. Instead, he laughed. "I was talking to Millie."

"You're in love with Millie?" Hermione asked, clearly confused.

"No," Blaise said slowly. "I was comforting Millie because some sixth year--" He broke off to glare at the group of sixth year boys in the corner. "--pretended as if he liked her when he was in fact using her for her Magical Creatures knowledge."

"Someone hurt Millie?" Harry asked softly.

Blaise glanced over at Harry. "Yes. And I was trying to tell her that she needs to pick boys who will respect her." He turned back to Hermione. "I was not telling her that I was in love with her."

"Still...you...you've been avoiding me...you've been hanging out with Ginny..." She pointed an accusatory finger at Ginny.

"He was asking me what to buy you for Christmas," Ginny explained.

"Oh. But I..." Hermione's sentence trailed off as she slumped to the floor. Blaise lifted her up and hoisted her over his shoulder.

"I suppose I'll take her back to her room," he said, looking around.

"I'll come with you," Harry offered, holding up the map. "Just to make sure you're all right."

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

Harry said the password softly enough for the little girl to hear, but not loudly enough for Blaise. "Nothing personal, mate," he said apologetically as the door swung open.

Blaise shrugged. "Understood," he said, shifting Hermione's weight as he carried her into the common room.

"I guess you can take it from here," Harry said.

"Sure. Thanks, Potter," Blaise said over his shoulder as he headed toward the staircase to Hermione's room. Harry stepped out in the corridor and, checking the map once more, headed in the opposite direction from Gryffindor Tower.

Kicking her door shut behind him, he dropped her unceremoniously on the bed. She groaned once and rolled over.

"Oh no, you don't," he said, rolling her back toward him. Bending over, he unlaced her trainers and pulled them off, letting them fall to the floor. Holding onto her wrists, he managed to get her into an upright position. She slumped against him and he yanked her jumper over her head, throwing it onto the floor. He debated taking off her shirt and jeans, spotting her nightgown folded neatly on her armchair, but decided that he didn't have enough self-control to strip his girlfriend down.

"Blaise," she slurred.

"Yes, love," he said gently.

"I'm gonna be sick," she replied right before she threw up all over him.

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

Hermione moaned loudly and slowly opened her eyes. Her room was dark so it still must be night, she surmised. Her head was pounding and her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," a voice from the armchair said softly.

She bolted upright, startled, and the pain in her head increased tenfold. "Blaise?" she said, flopping back down.

"You hungry?" he said, coming closer to the bed. He sat down next to her. "Accio tray," he said, pointing his wand at her desk. Setting it on the bed, he lifted the cover of the tray. "What have we here?" he asked.

Hermione was faced with a platter full of greasy sausages, kippers, and the runniest scrambled eggs she'd ever seen. One hand flew to her mouth as she jumped out of bed. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said as she ran to the bathroom.

Blaise smiled smugly in the dark. Several minutes later, however, he was concerned. "Hermione, love? Are you all right?"

He heard the sound of running water. The door opened and she emerged, looking wan. "Please put the food away."

Scooping up a forkful of dripping eggs, he held it up. "So you're not hungry?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, closing her eyes and leaning against the doorframe.

Blaise set the fork down and put the cover back on the food. "Is this how you're going to behave every time you're angry with me?" he asked softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Getting pissed, kissing other boys."

Her eyes flew open. "Kissing other...oh my gods. I kissed Seamus."

Blaise nodded. "Are you going to tell me why you're angry?" He held up a mug. "Drink this first." She took it, sniffing experimentally, nose wrinkling at the smell. "Ginny made it. It's a sobering potion."

Hermione held her nose and gulped down the contents. Suppressing the urge to vomit, she swallowed. Fifteen seconds later, she felt much better. "You look as badly as I felt," she said, changing the subject.

"Getting thrown up on, holding your hair back most of the night, and sleeping in this completely uncomfortable armchair have a way of making me look my best," he answered sarcastically.

"Why didn't you sleep in here?" She gestured to the bed.

He was glad it was dark so she couldn't see him blush. "When I sleep in your bed, it's going to be because you've invited me there and not because you're too drunk to know what's going on." Turning back to his original question, he repeated, "Why were you so angry with me?"

"All the girls look at you!" she exclaimed, sitting on the bed.

He sighed. "All the girls look at me because you look at me," he said patiently.

"Are you mad? All the girls look at you because you're good-looking!"

Blaise took a seat on the bed, being careful not to sit too closely to an angry and irrational Hermione.

"So, in the last month, I've suddenly become good-looking? Hermione," he said gently, "the only reason that girls look at me is because of you. You make me smile. You make me interact with other people. If it weren't for you, I'd still be brooding in the corner with only Theo and Millie to keep me company."

"But there are prettier girls..."

"No, there aren't."

"Now I know you're mad. Lavender and Parvati..."

"Lavender and Parvati are nice looking, I suppose. But you...you are beautiful to me." Hermione snorted and shook her head. "Yes, you are. You're beautiful because you're the only girl I know who can spend an hour arguing over the meaning of one rune with me. You're beautiful because your eyes sparkle when you get excited by something. You're beautiful because you go out and play for hours in the snow with Harry and Ron, completely disregarding the fact that your hair will unmanageable for the rest of the day. You're beautiful because of the tiny moan you make when I suck on your earlobe. You're beautiful because you look at me like I'm the handsomest bloke you've ever met. You're beautiful..." Her hand reached out to cover his. "W-what are you doing?"

"Shh. I'm giving you the signal," she explained. "That you're babbling."

"Oh."

"What time is it?" she asked.

Blaise glanced at his watch. "Just after six."

Pulling back the covers, Hermione climbed into bed. "Are you getting in or not?"

He looked uncertainly from the bed to the door and back again. "I should be getting back," he said nervously.

"For Merlin's sake, Blaise, I'm not too drunk to notice," she said grumpily.

"I--I don't know." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Have it your way," she said, plumping her pillow. "Go back and sleep in your small bed. I'll see you later."

He looked longingly at her large bed. Shrugging, he flipped back the covers and slipped into bed next to her.