Collide

It's a secret that no one tells.

One day it's heaven one day it's hell.

And it's no fairy tale, take it from me.

That's the way it's supposed to be.

--Jessica Riddle

Hermione awoke to a beam of sunlight shining across her face. Turning onto her side, she almost laughed. Blaise was perched on the very edge of the bed, snoring slightly, back to her. Creeping toward him, she wrapped one arm around his waist and kissed him just under his ear.

"Mmm," he said, quite inarticulately.

"Good morning," she whispered, planting kisses on his neck. Her hand slipped under his shirt to caress with his chest hair.

"Mmm," he mumbled more loudly.

"Why, Mr. Zabini, you're such a smooth talker," she said, laughing lightly, as her hand slid lower. She hesitated for a moment before brushing lower. Blaise yelped and jumped out of bed while Hermione sat up suddenly. "You're...you're..." She gestured toward his lower half. "Just from...that," she said, astonished.

He flushed bright enough that she could tell he was blushing even under his tan. "Well, it is morning."

"Is it always...like that...when you wake up?"

"Depends what I've been dreaming about," he admitted.

"And last night?"

He rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"

Hermione stopped looking embarrassed and started looking hurt. "Who was she then?"

"Honestly, Hermione, after our discussion this morning, whom do you think I was dreaming about?" he said, shaking his head.

Now it was her turn to blush. "Really?" she squeaked out. He nodded once, refusing to look her in the eye. "What were we doing?" she asked, sounding quite interested in the whole thing. When he rolled his eyes again, she clarified, "I mean, specifically, what...um...were we doing?"

"You really want to know?" he asked, incredulously.

She patted the bed next to her and nodded, trying not to look too eager. Blaise took a seat on the edge of the bed, taking care to keep both feet on the floor. He'd never shared his fantasies with the object of said fantasies before and was unsure of the protocol. "Well," he said, staring resolutely at his feet, "you and I were on the couch downstairs and we were...kissing...and all that...and you took off your shirt...and..." He mumbled the last bit.

"Pardon?"

His head snapped up and he locked eyes with her. "You also took off your bra."

"Oh." She paused. "Is that all?"

"No."

"Then what happened?"

Blaise stood up abruptly and shook his head. "No. I can't do this. I'm not discussing this with you. It's too odd." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to go back to my dormitory."

As he opened the door, she blurted out, "I'm sorry that I kissed Seamus." Without turning, he nodded once and left.

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

Vector assigned them a 'special project' in Arithmancy. She told them that they'd be excused from all the regular assignments for the remainder of the term. Hermione, of course, wanted to know how that would affect their grades. Vector assured them that this project would count for the excused assignments. Handing them a sheaf of papers, she dismissed them from class.

Two weeks later, they were still stuck on the first page of the 'special project.' Blaise threw the pages down on the side table in Hermione's common room. "You think she would've given us a little direction," he fumed.

Hermione, closing her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maybe we ought to call it a night."

"Fine. I still need to write Snape's essay," he agreed. "Too bad Vector's arrangement didn't cover all of our classes."

"We still need to be ready for our N.E.W.T.s."

"Bollocks to the N.E.W.T.s!" he exclaimed, frustrated by their inability to solve Vector's project.

"To ensure we can pursue the career that we want, we need to do well," she tried to soothe.

He shrugged. "I don't even know what I want to do."

Hermione's eyes flew open. "I thought you were going to work at the Department of Mysteries. With me," she added, slightly hurt.

Another shrug. "I don't know. I was thinking about going back to Italy after graduation. Maybe trying to restart the vineyard."

"Oh," she said, turning away.

"Hermione," he said softly, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. "It's not even Christmas yet. Can you be upset about this once I've made a decision?"

She nodded. "Speaking of Christmas, what are your plans?"

"Both Theo and Millie've invited me to stay with them for holiday," he said, giving her a squeeze.

"Oh." She paused and flushed slightly.

"Did you have something else in mind?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "We could both stay here for Christmas," he said, pulling her into a kiss.

Between kisses, she managed, "I can't. I promised Mum and Dad that I'd spend the holiday with them."

"Pity."

"Mmm," she agreed as his mouth latched onto her neck and sucked gently. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt and tugged it off his shoulders. She pulled his mouth back to hers and kissed him hard, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. His own hands drifted to the hem of her T shirt, hesitating for a moment. She sighed impatiently into his mouth and he tugged her shirt up and over her head, casting it aside. Without warning, she rolled so that she was sprawled on top of Blaise. She kissed him again and, marveling at how gentle and patient he was with her, pulled back.

"What's the matter?" he asked softly.

Hermione shook her head. Reaching around, she unclasped her bra while his eyes grew large ('in addition to other parts of him,' she added naughtily). Holding the garment in front of her, she stared shyly at him.

"Y-you don't have to," he said with every ounce of self-control he had.

That sealed the deal for her and she let her arms drop to the sides, taking the bra with her and revealing herself to him.

He gulped. "You're...amazing," he breathed as one hand lightly skimmed her breast. Her nipple immediately hardened against his feather touch. "Wow."

Hermione gathered her hair over one shoulder and leaned down to kiss Blaise again.

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

Blaise was sitting with Theodore and Millicent the next morning when Harry strode up.

"Hello," he said, nodding at Theodore and Blaise. "Millicent, I was hoping I could speak to you...privately."

"We were just going," Blaise said. "Right, Theo?"

"No, we weren't...ow!" Theodore barked as someone's foot crashed down on his. "Bloody hell, what did you do that for?"

"See you later, Potter, Millie," Blaise said, dragging Theo off the bench.

"So where are we supposed to go?" Theodore asked moodily.

"I'm going to say 'hello' to my girlfriend." He paused and grinned. "And if I'm not mistaken, Hannah Abbott has been staring at you for the past week. Why don't you see what she wants?" Blaise said, sauntering over to the Gryffindor table.

"Morning, love," Blaise said, sitting in the seat recently vacated by Harry.

Hermione smiled bashfully and he knew she was remembering last night. He blushed, thinking about how wonderful her warm, smooth skin had felt against his bare chest.

"Someone's gotten lucky," Lavender said. Both Hermione and Blaise's heads turned toward Lavender, identical looks of astonishment mixed with embarrassment on their faces. Lavender, ignoring them, pointed her fork at the Slytherin table. Millicent and Harry were smiling at each other.

"Oh, Harry's done it," Hermione sighed happily.

"Done what?" Blaise asked.

"Asked Millicent to Hogsmeade."

"Perhaps the six of us could meet up at the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" Lavender suggested.

Hermione looked at Blaise who shrugged. "Why not?" he said diffidently. "However, those two might want to be alone," nodding toward Harry and Millicent.

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

Blaise sat back and watched as Hermione's eyes skimmed the parchment he'd given her. Her eyes grew wider as she scanned the paper.

"Well?" he demanded.

She put her index finger up, indicating she wasn't done. He sighed and waited, knowing better than to interrupt her again. Finally, she let the parchment dangle loosely at her side.

"Well?"

"You've cracked it." She swallowed. "And it's instructions."

"Instructions?"

"For how Harry can defeat Voldemort," she said, sitting heavily on the couch next to him.

"On how Harry..." His voice trailed off. "But it talks about three."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, Harry, Ron...and me."

"WHAT?" he roared, leaping up from the couch. "But it says that one of you has to make the ultimate sacrifice!"

"I know, love," she said sadly. "But it's the only way."

Blaise shook his head violently. "Absolutely not. I won't allow it."

If there was anything Hermione hated in this world (besides Voldemort and the mistreatment of house elves), it was being told what to do. She rose slowly, standing practically nose to nose with Blaise. "You won't allow it?" she said quietly, but firmly.

"That's right. I won't allow it."

"This is not your decision to make."

"So this..." He grabbed the parchment out of her hand. "Says you need to help St. Potter and you follow blindly?"

"Of course not. We need to translate the rest of it. But if it's true, then yes, I'll risk my life."

"Well, that's just fine!" he sputtered before storming out of her room.