bnthridiot: Apologies to all those who have been silently massacring me privately in your thoughts for not writing for so long. I hate myself, if its any help. Anyways, I'm not sure how good this chapter really is compared to my others. I was kind of cranking it out of myself. Again, all Harry Potter references are a tribute to J. K. Rowling.
"Ms. Granger," Harry said, addressing her in the same aloof tone he had used on Malfoy, "You have been charged with planning to break laws reproaching the contact of muggles and wizards. Mr. Malfoy has shown us his proof confirming this is true.
Do you deny his claims or the proof he had set before us?"
The official turned the hour glass over, beginning Hermione's turn for appeal. The whispers died for a moment as everyone waited for her answer. Hermione's face was dead set, her eyes calm and unafraid. Her hands rested on either side of the closed folder resting before her, but she did not open it to glance at the papers. Some whispered at this, wondering if it proved she'd deny the accusations, or if she was guilty over the contents.
She knew she didn't need to look at Malfoy's artillery; she was confident in her own powers. Finally, her head tilted slightly to one side as she opened her lips.
"Why would I deny his claims? Mr. Malfoy speaks entirely the truth."
The court room went dead silent, as if someone had sucked all the air out of it. Everyone had expected her to exclaim her innocence, or perhaps even to fluster and cry. Hermione was not a woman of such degree. She was a witch with a backbone, not just a wand. She also had an incriminating mind, but today was not the day the courts were going to call her on it, though.
Hermione smiled in greeting at her jury members as she stepped around her table to take the center floor. Her gait was calm and controlled. The candlelight glinted off her eyes and face, making her appear warm and approachable. Her bearing lacked any of the cold aloofness that haunted Malfoy's demeanor. He had painted her in a damnable image; Hermione presented its opposite to them. She needed to convince them her image was the real one.
"I do not deny his proof he has laid before you, honorable Council. If anything, I am thankful he brought it, and that he has presented it to you for me. You see, I have no reason to lie about my intentions when I can tell you the truth for the better. I advocate truth with my very spirit, Council, despite what Mr. Malfoy would have you believe."
She motioned toward the folders in front of them. "When I bought the crumbling castle of Hogwarts, it was with a vision. That vision was of our future, and when I say 'our' I mean the entire next generation of witches and wizards."
Hermione took a deep breath and continued. "In the ruins of the Dark Lord's War, our school systems lay in ruins. Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts were stripped of their headmasters, staff, students, and honor. None of these schools are up and running today, Council, NONE."
Several heads nodded in the stands, and there were murmurs of sad agreement.
"For me, this is a sad prospect, that our children will not have the joy of looking forward to the beginning of the school year, to learning new magic. I remember my own school years fondly. Mr. Malfoy himself no doubt remembers his experiences of school."
She grinned to herself, flexing her right hand in fond remembrance of punching the snob in the face.
"The Ministry has opened a School in this very building, as I well know. I helped fund and organize the expedition, among other endeavors. I do not-" Hermione's voice hardened, as did her stare. "-appreciate being accused of hiding from the Wizarding World, by any of my peers." She shot a withering glare at Malfoy, before looking back at her audience.
Hermione stepped close to the jury stand, smiled invitingly at the old wizard in green robes sitting to wards the front. "Wizard Lamond, you work in one of the front offices of the building, do you not?"
He cleared his throat, a small smile on his lips. "Aye."
"How many days a week do you see me walk in, and how often do I ask you for the latest developments in domestic policies?"
He blinked a few times in thought. "Well, I'd say you come in about 5 times a week, at the least. Every time you come in, you greet me and ask for the latest news, as it were, Ms. Granger."
Hermione nodded her thanks, and let her gaze sweet across their faces. Her voice was sarcastic and teasing. "5 times a week sure sounds like I'm distancing myself from you, doesn't it Council? Perhaps if I came in every 5 minutes I may be counted as a tourist of the wizarding world."
There were a few chuckles concealed behind coughs in her audience.
Hermione stepped back from the jury stand and stepped back to the center of the shining marble floor. "I deeply care about what goes on in our Wizarding world, honorable wizards and witches. Which is why I care about the magical education of our children. I want them to have the educational upbringing that inspired and strengthened us to be the leaders we are today. I place my trust in you to see that justice is served, Council, because we all came from that upbringing. My experiences, your experiences, growing up has made you the strong government that you are.
I was appointed Head Girl for several years while I was growing up at Hogwarts. I care very deeply about the honor of our heritage and the school that supported me. Council, Mr. Malfoy falsely accuses me of trying to undermine the honor of our school. He seems to argue that by buying it with an intention of putting it to use that I am planning something sinister."
Hermione made a sound of utter amazement at the gall of the idea. "The Hogwarts that is a representation of our honor and heritage is nothing more then a pile of rubble at this very moment! What proud symbol of our government is that? Does Mr. Malfoy contend that our government is proudly represented as ruins?"
Hermione shook her head, lifting her arms to encompass the room. "The Council before me is no ruin! It is the epitome of strength! Yet Mr. Malfoy would have you believe that I, one lonely witch, could bring you down by buying a rundown castle. To you, it falls no shorter then insult!
Would you like to know what I plan to do with the pile of rubble, council? I intend to restore its honor. I intend to reopen Hogwarts School, but not-"
She raised her palm up in warning. "-Not as it was before. The glory of our past cannot be replicated. The future is where our efforts must be trained. And the education this council has provided is more than adequate. If anything, the new Ministry School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in this building is a pillar of strength. Our world in the future is finally, after so many years, back on the solid ground that we once occupied in 2000. And it is this council, and the people of our wizarding society, who have made it so."
The witches and wizards in the council voiced their approval, some banging their canes or fists on the wooden railings. Hermione let them congratulate themselves a moment longer, then raised her hand for silence once again. She was granted it instantly.
Her pleasant smile became grave as she spoke next. "Yet it would be foolish to think we have won, Ministry. We may have vanquished the Dark Lord's power…but we have, as of yet, failed to solve the curse that started the whole war. Now that we are capable of attending to that curse, we must! And what is this curse?"
Hermione turned on her feet, glancing over every face in the crowd. "When I look at your faces, I see friends...and enemies. I also see half bloods…"-She looked directly at Blaise Zabini, who stared right back. "…Purebloods, and…"-She met a few of the reporters stares- "…even those who some consider Mudbloods."
There were several coughs at the word. The term Mudblood had gratefully grown more taboo in the last year or so.
"Years ago, the very fact that a witch or wizard had muggle parents would cause others to look down on them, to shun them, and to degrade their existence merely because of the blood flowing through their veins. No matter their magical talent or their intellect or their virtue, they were less then nothing.
Out of this hatred for what some would deem 'impurity,' a dark wizard rose up and decided to take this hatred to a new extreme. Lord Voldermort." Hermione took a breath, effectively. "I do not have to tell you what happened next, because you all saw for yourselves. Thankfully, he failed.
I can see that the wizarding world has progressed on this matter. I no longer see the deep and inevitable prejudice against blood lines as I once did. The very fact that this council is able to sit peacefully together, a mix of blood yourselves, and listen to me, a mudblood, proves this. However," Hermione frowned, "No one here will deny they don't still seem some…" -Hermione glanced meaningfully at Malfoy from the corner of her eye- "…some, of the blood hatred living on today.
But this Council of the Ministry has worked to end this in our society. Recent laws passed against discrimination on account of one's blood has been a major leap of progress. Yet I'm afraid it will not be enough." Her tone sounded like a doctor pronouncing a loved one's life hopeless. "The prejudice will never end, the threat of another Dark Lord in our future will never end, unless we attack this curse at its source."
Hermione moved across the room fluidly to her desk, so that she was in the center of the room. "That source is not within our society, Council." Her tone hardened, as did her stare. "Its Outside it!"
"I speak of Muggles! They surround us daily beyond the confines of our Diagon Walls, our spelled communities and our homes. We use magic to keep them out, to protect ourselves and to keep our magic a secrecy, no?"
Hermione's lips twitched in a slow smile. "In all our haste to protect ourselves, we've stepped in front of our own spells, council! We've gone beyond secrecy, and have cut ourselves off from the world we came from. In my eyes, we've locked the chains on our own cages."
Hermione rested on her palms against the table. "Mudbloods are proof that magic can come from an un-magical source. They are proof that Muggles are chained to our world, if only in blood. So why does our society seem to look over them? To pretend they do not exist? We're ignoring them, in every way possible.
And this ignorance has led to our hating them, council. Every one of us has a prejudice against them, simply because they do not know magic exists, or that we exist. Our society has taught us this prejudice, our parents have taught us this, and our own culture has set it in stone.
The Dark Lord took advantage of this. Muggles were scarred, and mudbloods were lumped with them. Are they still lumped together? YES! They are!
Many of you must be saying 'no' to this in your heads right now, denying that your hearts could carry such a stone against another. Bless you for trying, but the damage has been done to our thinking. It's impossible even now for you to imagine yourself on the same level as a muggle. Non-Magic folk is all they will ever be to you.
Our own children are being taught this prejudice by us. I've heard children with my own ears and seen children with my own eyes defame a person on the street, simply because they are a muggle."
Hermione looked around the room, into the uncomfortable faces of the people who her message had reached. The truth was there, and many thankfully were seeing it.
"This prejudice, this belief, is a weakness. Our greatness, our progress in the future will not continue if this sad fact remains. THIS is the curse we must rectify immediately if our children's future is to be free of it."
Hermione emphasized her words against the desktop. "I will not allow my nieces and nephews to grow up with this same curse upon their heads! I am confident this Council does not either! The next generation must be freed from this mindless prejudice."
Her hand became a fist on the wood surface. "The next generation must be taught to see a human being for just that, an equal. Their talents, their feelings, and their attitudes must count in their eyes, not their blood lines or the length of their wands. Mere rods of wood are not the glory we possess as people, Council; our glory is the legacy we leave behind in our world."
Hermione pushed off from the desk and stepped back onto the main floor. "To end this listless weakness, we need an outlet. A clean ground to train our children to leave this hatred behind. We need to bring them to a place where they can resolve their differences with muggles face-to-face!"
Hermione put her hands together, and represented a posture of entreaty. "Council, I recommend a place where both sides of the prejudice can live together, to learn to coexist and to see each other as equals."
As presumed, some began to cry out or to make sounds of discontent over her words.
Hermione raised her arms high and raised her voice to stop them. "LISTEN to what I say, Council, for I am delivering a warning! The Dark Lord grumbled just as loud against equality, and how many died! Hmm? How many died to keep this prejudice alive?!"
The grumbles stopped, and the court room was quiet again. Her eyes shown fiercely as she lowered her arms. "This massacre of free, innocent people will not continue! It must not continue! So help me!
Help me by allowing me this small boon: a test, to see if we can have a hope of stopping this prejudice from continuing on!" Hermione stepped quickly across the room, to one of the front reporters from the Daily Prophet. The Manila folder Malfoy had distributed sat in front of him on the desk. Hermione flipped it open and stabbed her finger down on the front page.
"This test I speak of has been well planned out, and will be executed in the same degree, Council. As Mr. Malfoy has so adequately pointed out, I am thorough, and wouldn't waste your time or the wizarding communities time with meaningless fodder. I care too deeply, and have put too much at stake to fail in any way on this issue!"
Her voice had cooled, but held as much authority and volume as before. "I propose that Hogwarts School be reopened. Not to teach magic, but to be a school where the curse of prejudice against muggle borns can be ended.
I do not mean to just throw our groups together in the mere sake they'll get along. I wouldn't dream of throwing them into a room together to see what explosions might occur."
Hermione's hands moved with her words. "Our two groups, of magic and muggle, will be brought together with a purpose to fulfill. This purpose is one that is shared universally, by both of our worlds. In this purpose, the two groups CAN bond, and see eye-to-eye.
This purpose is Music. It's an entity not associated with magic, but yet it's a passion second to Quiddich in our world. In the muggles world it is no different. What better way to end the prejudice between our worlds then to meet together in it? Each entity can bring something of their world and culture into the endeavor. In this way, the gap between our generations can be bridged."
Hermione's smile graced her face in sufficient coyness. "But I hardly want to turn this proposal into some little operation, like a summer project that will bloom and die upon the first year. My plans for the future are too grandiose, council. I wouldn't bother you with them if they weren't!"
Her eyes kindled, and she leaned toward her audience as if sharing an intimate secret. "I aim to create the greatest music school on the continent! I do not merely want Hogwarts School to be recognized once again, I want it to be revered in all circles!
When I'm in New York I want to hear the Philharmonic Orchestra envy it; When I'm in Paris I want the art critiques to discuss it over coffee; In London, 12 blocks down, I want the Queen herself to listen to our greatest students while drinking tea. I want any musician or artist who graduates from my Hogwarts School of Magical Arts to be worshiped, to be considered with the highest honor!"
Hermione shook her head in amazement. "Why should a wizard have to walk down the streets of London as a stranger to muggle society, when they can walk with their heads high and be recodnized as one of England's greatest musicians or artists of their time? And in retrospect, why should the muggles fear our respect for their talent in such a field? Music and the arts is a field any person on this green earth can understand."
Hermione cocked her head, studying the Manila folder again. She slipped a sheet out, and stepped back some from the jury.
"If you'd please open your Manila folders now, council, and on page 5 you should find a list of the sorts of teachers I would like to employ for this endeavor." She waited a moment as they ruffled around for it. Hermione raised a brow as she glanced over the sheet. Well, Malfoy really had done a good job. All the more better for her. Although she would have to find out who his contacts were, and either punish them gently or bribe them for herself.
Malfoy was turning red with anger as his entire case to began to fall to parts in front of him. And he couldn't do anything until her time was up.
"The teachers," She said smoothly, "Are only the best and highly qualified musicians of our age. Some are muggles, and some are wizards. Some of them you no doubt recognize."
There were excited whispers among several of the jury members as famous wizard and witch musicians were recognized. Hermione smiled in encouragement.
"No matter their blood or their society, Council, they are the best at what they do. They are famous individuals, who's names will carry their students to greatness with merely a hint of attention. I have met with all the people you see on this list and everyone," she emphasized, "Everyone of them has agreed to live and teach at Hogwarts School of the Magical Arts if it is started. Their honor and very names are a guarantee if you agree with me today council."
Hermione handed the papers back to the reporter, who smiled quite encouragingly at her, she thought. Hermione stepped back to her desk, seeing her sand began to sift to wards the bottom of the hour glass. It was time to make a last stab at her plea.
"Council," she implored with feeling, "despite even that, I guarantee something even greater. I promise you that this is the only way to have even a hope of ensuring peace in our future. We've progressed as far as our magical spells and walls have allowed, and have outgrown our own boundaries. It is time to open some gates, and some doors into the rest of the world.
There is so much opportunity out there. Why should we deny ourselves this glory? Why don't we accept it today? I implore you, council, to make a difference in our world for our children's sakes. Give them a world without prejudice, and a world of music and wonder. Give them friends, even if those friends do not carry wands. The lives those friends do carry can prove to be much more beneficial and meaningful.
The curse will be ended if we do something now, council. I have proposed a solution. Your authority and your strength will decide on its wisdom."
As her words died, so did the stream of sand in the hourglass. Malfoy was braced for it, and as the last sand spiraled through the glass, he was springing to his feet. "INSANITY! You spout…"
But his words were drowned out momentarily by the applause from the audience and jury members. Hermione smiled and nodded her head in appreciation. Malfoy's face turned an uncomfortable shade of red, and he bullied his way around his seat to stand in front of his desk to claim the audience's attention again. He was slow in getting it.
"Ms. Granger speaks insanity and pointless arguments, Council! Do you not hear her? She intends to let MUGGLES know of our world! She is meaning to go against hundreds of years of secrecy! Do not let her words of grander and plans cloud your judgment or your ears. The point is, she is BREAKING THE LAW! The very act of planning such a thing is heresy and traitorous to our government! I called her on this today to ensure that you know of her plot!"
Hermione turned her full attention to Malfoy, indignant. "Plot? Oh, that's very honorable of you, Mr. Malfoy! Yet if you had done further research beyond that of this flimsy stack of papers you've handed to everyone, you'd have found that I had already scheduled an appointment with this Council to discuss this very endeavor and my plans with them officially! I've taken no steps to secrecy. Unlike you, Mr. Malfoy, I have no wish to hide my business dealings under the table!"
Malfoy's teeth clenched together in anger. "To what are you hinting, Granger? If nothing, I suggest you keep you empty thoughts out of this meeting!"
Her eyes flashed as she took a step toward him. "Oh, dropping the formalities are we, Malfoy? And you haven't exactly been keeping your own imbecile thoughts outside of this meeting! You wish to discuss plots?" Her expression darkened. "I have plenty of those to discuss with you!" As fists curled at his sides, Hermione began to think that the pistol would have come in handy right about then.
Harry decided they had gotten quite close enough to each others noses. He could see their hands curling around their wands as they spoke. "Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger. Please, remember where you are."
The two shot one last murdering glance at each other, before retreating to their respectful positions.
Out of the two of them, Hermione Granger looked the least ruffled, Blaise thought, pleased. He was quite enjoying the show going on below. Granger hadn't disappointed him in the least.
Harry cleared his throat, and gestured to the jury members on both sides. "You have heard their cases. Mr. Malfoy has let it be known that Ms. Granger is planning an endeavor that is outside the confines of our law, and outside the norms of a hundred years of thinking. Ms. Granger has in her own stead made it clear that Mr. Malfoy is correct, yet she has not been planning outside the law as he accuses. She has proven that she has cooperated, and is willing to cooperate with this council on her plans."
Harry paused, seeming to make his mind up about something.
"These plans-," he finally continued, "-are a credit to her mind and to her loyalty to this wizarding council. And to our world."
Several heads turned in surprise to the Minister of Magic. Had he just voiced his support for the endeavor? Hermione looked at Harry in meaningful surprise herself.
"It is not Ms.Granger who should be judged here, Council," Harry continued, "It is the truth of her words. This council needs to recognize on its own that she is right." Harry met Malfoy's furious glare with a look of patient recondition. "The curse of prejudice is our master. We are its slaves, and the next generation will feel its heat if we do not take action. I do not want my own sons and daughters to bear its burden."
One hesitant council member raised her hand. "Excuse me, but I must admit I am somewhat wary of just blindly throwing this muggle-thing together. You mentioned a test first, to see if your plan will succeed, Ms. Granger. What test are you proposing?"
Hermione smiled at the woman. "I humbly propose to open the school for 5 years, with both muggles and wizards attending. Music and Art will be taught, and if I cannot impress this council with its progress, or if the reputation of the school is not first class, then, " Hermione nodded her head sadly, "I'm afraid I'll have to cut the wizarding world off from the school, and only make it a muggle institution."
The woman looked startled. "Hogwarts School? Why not cut it off from the muggles side and let it be a wizarding institution?"
"Because," Hermione explained, "I'm afraid its prestige would not be global. With just the wizarding world as its audience, I'm afraid the school would not grow. As I stated earlier, there are more opportunities to offer in the muggle world-musically and artistically-that need to be taken advantage of."
The woman seemed to think of this seriously. Several heads pulled together to whisper about this.
"You would turn Hogwarts School into a muggle institution?" One reporter questioned, his tone hard.
"No, I would have it be a school where magic can be used to enhance the art of music, and where our worlds can finally be bridged." She met the reporters stare firmly. "I would have it be the 'celebrational toast' of our wizarding world."
The entire occupancy of the room seemed to muse over the state of things, and to what they should do.
"Then the case now stands to vote on this," Harry stated to the room, "We are voting to allow Ms. Granger to fund and organize the effort, on behalf of this Council and Authority, to end the prejudice that has plagued our world and mind. This effort will be a test of 5 years, with its success to be determined by this council at the end of such.
If found failing, it is only fitting that all muggles involved will have their memories erased and returned to society. The law already allows this much room for error."
The Council members nodded their agreement to such terms.
"Also, if found failing, Ms. Granger will be obligated to return the property of Hogwarts to this Minsitry Council control. Despite plans to create a muggle institution, I'm afraid this Council and the Wizarding World cannot allow such history to be taken from us, Ms. Granger. If that is the case, you will be fully refunded for the endeavor.-"
Hermione frowned, but didn't object to the change.
"-Other infringements in this test may result in demotions or loss of powers in the wizarding community based on their magnitude. Do these terms agree with you, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione inclined her head. "More then fair, Minister," she agreed avidly.
Harry nodded and took up his courts hammer. "Then it is time for the vote to be placed."
The room quieted as individuals straightened and came to smart attention. All except Blaise Zabini, who continued to lounge unabashedly from on high. His raptor gaze was all that sharpened.
"Those in favor of vetoing the plans set forth by Ms. Granger to enact a Music School for both wizards and muggles?"
Hermione looked around the room, and watched as a good number of hands went up, some slowly; others rather quickly. She tried to push down the feeling of dread in her throat, even as Malfoy's grin became wider.
The secretary counted the votes and wrote it swiftly on his parchment in black ink, and showed it to Harry. Harry read it, and nodded.
"Now, those in favor of allowing Ms. Granger the allotted time of 5 years to enact a music School for both wizards and muggles?"
Hermione's breath stopped completely. She turned her head slowly, and was relieved when the hands began to go up. And up…
Blaise Zabini seemed to stretch his shoulders, before he raised his right hand high. Several of the female reporters around him noticed, and nudged each other. Many of their hands went up. Some had already voted. As they did, the secretary at his Harry's side scowled and crossed out the original number, changing it.
Hermione was slightly shocked at his support. They hadn't exactly parted in best of terms, her and Blaise Zabini, and he was a Slytherin, a pureblood…one of Malfoy's associates.
Malfoy didn't look too happy either. In fact, he was sputtering. Blaise Zabini merely shrugged, grinning at his friend as if it was a pardonable sin.
Then, Harry's hand went up. Another shock for the room and the reporters! The Minister himself was taking a deliberate side, something he tried generally not to do.
Several more authority and politically driven individuals saw it in their best interests to now raise their hands.
There were many hands, she saw. But it was close. The room waited anxiously as the secretary counted, and wrote the final number. He slid the parchment across to the Minister of Magic. Harry looked down at it, and cleared his throat.
"Those in favor of vetoing: 27." Harry looked up, meeting Hermione's anxious eyes. A small smile graced his features. "Those in favor of approval for Hogwarts School of Magical Arts: 35."
Hermione's entire body seemed to flow with relief. For a second she didn't even hear the applause that the verdict was greeted with, nor did she hear the sound of Harry's hammer ending the entire ordeal. All she could think for several moments, was "Thank God, its over. It's going to happen!"
Malfoy didn't even pause in his hurried escape from the room. Hermione watched him rush angrily from the room, nearly knocking the poor secretary over at the door. She decided that, if she didn't want to risk getting hexed on her way out by him, she might want to take the back worker's entrance today. Besides, a calming taxi ride was just what she needed to relax before she started getting her plans to working.
It took her several minutes to even get out of the court room, as just about every reporter imaginable was there to stop her with questions on her victory. Not to mention, she did go out of her way to personally thank certain members for voting for her.
Somewhere in the middle of the throng, she found herself standing next to Harry, the Minister of Magic, for the Daily Prophet. As they snapped away what would undoubtedly be the front headline photograph, Harry bent to whisper in her ear. "Well done, 'Mione. Seems you've triumphed again."
She smiled and whispered back, "Not without your help, I'm afraid. What ever happened to your words that I would have to 'convince them on my own?' Something to do with 'staying out of politics,' wasn't it?"
"Screw politics," he said swiftly, "You were floundering for once. Now, how often do I get to bail you out of trouble? Besides…" He smiled conspiratorially. "Will's been starting to experiment with that dusty old piano Sirius's had in the back parlor. I have my own son's musical future to worry about."
Hermione grinned brilliantly and shook his hand one last time for the reporters. "I'll send you a Student's Package for the School personally."
Going through the doors, they parted; Harry to the left, and Hermione to the right. Down the hall a ways she looked back, relieved to see the reporters had followed him. No doubt they wanted to question him specifically about his personal interest in the School.
Slowing to a more leisurely pace, Hermione's eyes fell on a certain someone who was standing towards the exit doors. A rather tall, and somehow not so seemingly easy looking wizard. Her brain did a keen back flip before righting itself again as Blaise Zabini grinned at her. "So, Ms. Granger, you charmed the wolves once again. Congratulations."
She frowned. "Again? I do not know what you mean, Mr. Zabini."
He tilted his head. "Once at Auction, and nearly two weeks later again at Court. I think you mean to turn the world upside down, Granger."
She smiled slightly. "That's no secret. And what about you?" She slipped her hands out of her robes, letting them hand at her sides. "It looks to me like I have a blood traitor standing in my midst."
He smiled. "If you're referring to my little vote of confidence in there, I assure you it was for purely selfish reasons."
She frowned again, slightly concerned. "Then I hope you're prepared to weather out the glares of your constituents. Was it wise to seemingly ally yourself with me, Zabini? I didn't think I'd made you one, considering how I insulted you at the auction."
He made a sound of incredulous amusement. "You hardly insulted me with that, Granger. Actually, I must confess your anger towards our little insulting group…impressed me."
She smiled wryly. "Then I'll no doubt be impressing you more in the future. Now if you'll excuse me…" She stepped around him, but he was already holding the door open for her.
"Oh no, I shall not be excusing you yet." He said. "Heading anywhere in particular?"
He followed her out onto the street. Hermione stopped on the side walk, narrowly avoiding some tourist group that passed by. "Ah…I was going to find a taxi."
He grinned in amusement at her. "My, you do like embracing muggle life! Riding in a taxi…I shouldn't allow it." He placed a strong hand on her shoulder and began to steer her through the crowds.
Her brows furrowed. "And just why shouldn't you allow it?"
"Because after that incredibly entertaining but pointless waste of human life span of a trial, I'm starving and in need of a good pint, so Granger, you'll have to do for company. I'm keenly interested in being impressed again."
She stopped purposefully, resisting the pressure of his hand when he applied it.
He sighed, and faced her fully again. "You must not be the type of witch who is swept away easily, are you?"
He bit her lip as if thinking about it, then shook her head. "No. Now, I need to leave…"
She lifted his hand of her shoulder and tried to push it away. Imagine her frustration when he then intertwined them in his long tapered fingers. And this was a grip she couldn't get out of.
"Then it's a pity for you I am also not so easily deterred." He said it quietly, in a way that was so intimate it put Hermione's concentration on full. He ran his thumb over her knuckle, and then broke her gaze to glance across the street. "Ah, here you go." He looked back at her, smiling. "Never let it be said I keep a beautiful woman waiting."
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, when a blue taxi squealed to a halt in front of them. Blaise Zabini once again opened the door for her. He helped her into the taxi, not once letting go of her hand. Once she was inside and seated, he did. She slowly let it fall into her lap, feeling odd to have it back in her possession.
She cleared her throat, arranging her robes around her knees. "Look, thank you Zabini, for your vote of confidence. Even if it was for some secret, selfish reasons." She was beginning to wonder just what those reasons might be.
He grinned in that Italian suave way of his. "About those selfish reasons…" He drawled, "I'll be stopping by at some point in the future to discuss those with you. Until then…"
He studied her cool expression, drinking in the planes of her face and the curve of her hair against her neck. Until then…
"I'm going to start calling you Hermione from now on," he announced to her. "That should start something new for you and me."
With that, he shut the door in her startled face. After mumbling some address to the driver, she stared out the slightly dirtied window at the wizard who was seemingly meddling in her life. She wasn't sure, but had he been deliberately waiting for her at the workers exit? And just why was he at the Court that day? As far as she knew, Blaise Zabini had his own circles, and none of them involved politics.
Seeing the taxi start pulling away, he Disaparated. Hermione thought it troublesome that she was wondering just where he had gone. And the thought of it mattered too much for several blocks before she could even begin to think about anything else.
bnthridiot: Well, thats it for now. Next chapter will be the future meeting between Mr. Blaise Zabini and Hermione Granger. Somehow paint will be involved...and Malfoy's got secrets to go along with that cesspit of plots he has. I see Love and secrets in the future...