Blaise, Most Cunning Man in Hogwarts

For Random Book Challenge by Sharlmalfoy

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Hermione Granger had been enjoying the lovely scenery that the lakeside provided. It was nearly sunset, which was when the mermaids would occasionally jump out to catch the last couple of rays before nightfall. Even though she knew the pine cone she was sitting on would most likely ooze some sap onto her newly cleaned robes, she didn't care. She needed some quiet, but, for some reason, Slytherins had seem to have taken a liking to her.

"He really isn't that bad you know."

She stared at the Italian who was looking down at her, "You don't need to vouch for him."

"I'm not," The Head Boy found it humorous as she glared at him as he sat down next to her. Draco sure did like 'em fiesty, "I'm just speaking the truth."

Trying to return back to her book that she had brought, she snorted, "Sure, he hasn't proven to me that he cares for anyone but himself. If he can't care for anyone else, he surely won't start by caring about me."

"He does care about people."

Hermione looked at him critically, "Who, then, Blaise?"

"Me." Blaise waited nervously for the girl's response. This was live or die territory that he had marched himself in, and there was a big invisible sign posted next to her: Proceed with caution. "Can I attempt to convince you?"

"Do what you have to do."

"I'm actually not a very social person," He started. Even though she was looking at her book, he could tell she was listening; she hadn't turned a page in the past four minutes. "Talking to people and making a couple of friends I can sometimes handle. But usually I'm inept at all of it – once friendship stopped being about who had the best snacks in his lunch box, I got shuffled to the retard pile. But Draco picked me, when he could have had anyone he wanted, as his best mate."

As hard as she tried not to be, she was definitely intrigued, "Why?"

"Because we were secret friends."

"Secret friends?"

"Yes, ma'm. We're neighbors, and we had been friends forever. But once I started losing friends fast, he didn't know what he should do. Not that I would blame him, he was always quite used to being Mr. Popular, even at the tender age of five and six." He watched as Hermione fidgeted with the corner of a page; oh yes, she was definitely considering this, "But after the first year of Hogwarts, my parents wanted me to drop out because of lack of friendships I possessed.

Draco knew I would be upset to leave Hogwarts, which was my dream school. The rest of the males in my family had found their way into Durmstrang, despite the fact that they weren't Bulgarian. So, he told me that we were going to be more than just secret friends, and he was going to be my best mate. It's been great ever since, and obviously I've gotten to stay."

Merlin knows she had been affected and truly awed at Blaise's story, but as soon as the feeling had came, had it left, and Hermione sniffed stiffly, "Well, he doesn't really care about me. It's just a challenge."

"You're both too headstrong. He didn't want me to come talk to you; you don't want to believe that he might have figured something out before you. All you need is to give him a chance... we've changed you know." He chuckled, "We Slytherins may come off as all-for-one and none-for-all, but we're surprisingly loyal."

Silently, the Head Girl stood up and placed her bookmark back into Hogwarts: A History. She hadn't read a page. "Where's Draco, Blaise?"

Trying to act as blasé as he could, even though he knew he had won, he sighed, "Probably at the Quidditch pitch chasing after a fake snitch. He likes to overwork himself when he gets upset."

Blaise Zabini, Head Boy, and the most cunning man in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, if he did say so himself, smirked to himself as he watched his silly best mate's soon-to-be-girlfriend walk away from him towards the pitch, "Damn, I'm good."

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A/n.

For the ending, I saw it as the story was true, but Blaise came up with the idea of telling Hermione the story by himself, knowing that it would help out his best mate. :)

For: Sharlmalfoy's Random Book Challenge on HPFFCF.

Quote: "But usually I'm inept at all of it – once friendship stopped being about who had the best snacks in his lunch box, I got shuffled to the retard pile." from Ordinary Ghosts by Eireann Corrigan

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