Stylistic Harmony

Chapter Fifteen
Draco and Hermione emerged from the shower scrubbed and clean an hour later. They were in the common room, eating breakfast when Blaise finally came downstairs, bleary eyed and half asleep still. He muttered an incoherent good morning and poured himself a cup of strong black coffee. The caffeine immediately began to clear his head, Hermione came over to him and kissed him on the cheek,
"Morning Blaise." She said, then sat herself down beside him, Draco had now disappeared off to his room in Slytherin to get changed, he was coming back to have lunch with her later. Blaise raised an eyebrow,
"Morning Cara, you okay?" She nodded, but he wasn't convinced, she looked like her head was in some place else. He had heard the argument in the early hours of the morning, and he knew that things had just got serious, "Come on Hermione, I know you're not. I heard the argument this morning." She looked at him with weary eyes,
"Don't Blaise, just leave it. Me and Draco are fine." They were interrupted by a knock at the door, she went to answer it, finding Ginny on the threshold, red-eyed and exhausted. "Ginny, what, what is it?" She led Ginny into her common room, and sat her down by the fire. Ginny had a newspaper in her hand, Hermione took it from her and read the front page, the story detailed how the entire building had been leveled, there was nothing left. Twenty people had lost their lives, including Cornelius Fudge, the former Minister for Magic. Hermione plastered her best shocked face on and said,
"Oh my God. Thats so horrible. I can't believe it, its awful." Ginny nodded, and said,
"Thats not all. Harry and Ron have gone.." As she was talking she looked over at Blaise who was listening into the conversation intently, "Harry left this morning, and Ron was gone before I woke up." Hermione couldn't believe it, she knew Harry had gone, but Ron? He was supposed to be her boyfriend, granted she wasn't the best girlfriend, but he hadn't even said goodbye. Ginny seemed to realise this, "Oh Hermione, I'm sure he meant to say goodbye, but it was early, he probably didn't want to wake you." Hermione got up from the sofa and went back to the kitchen, saying to Ginny as she went,
"Yeah maybe, listen do you want some breakfast or some coffee or something?"
"Erm, coffee would be great thanks." Hermione poured her a cup and handed it to her. Blaise was still sat at the counter watching Ginny intensely, Hermione smacked Blaise on the arm, "Stop staring at her Zabini." Blaise winked,
"Sorry Cara, can't help it." Giving Ginny a wickedly seductive grin he got up and stood next to Hermione. He leaned down and whispered low enough so Ginny wouldn't hear, "Poor little rabbit, all alone, do you think it would be entirely inappropriate for me to offer myself as comfort in this sad time?" He had the wickedest smile on his face as he said this, the tone at which he did, sent shivers down Hermione's spine. She gave him a reproving look, in a low tone she said,
"Don't you dare Blaise Zabini. She doesn't need you sniffing around her at the moment. Her boyfriend has just buggered off, so has her brother. Just leave her alone okay?" He pouted, then started to kiss her neck, she smacked him, but he didn't stop. Hermione was looking over at the sofa, Ginny was staring off into the fire, but she could still turn her head and see them at any moment. She smacked him again, "Would you stop that! She could see, then where would you be huh?!" She pushed him away from her and went back to sit with Ginny. Blaise left to put some clothes on, leaving Hermione and Ginny alone. Hermione put her arm around her friend,
"Ginny, you look awfully tired, why don't you go up to my room and get some sleep. You're not going to be much help to Harry being all exhausted." Ginny nodded,
"Thanks Hermione, I think I will. Will you wake me up for lunch?" All though she had plans with Draco, she felt Ginny may need her company more.
"Sure," Ginny got up from the sofa and made towards the staircase, suddenly remembering Harry's message,
"Hermione, Harry, he had a message for you. He told me to tell you he was sorry." The brunette witch looked confused, Ginny shrugged her shoulders and went up the stairs. Hermione flopped back onto the sofa, Harry should bloody well be sorry, he had left her behind, he didn't have faith in her to look after herself, just as Draco and Blaise had predicted. She sighed, although angry at both Harry and Ron for not including her, she couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved, at least this way the time she spent with Draco would be unmarred by worry about being caught. Blaise came back down, fully dressed and deliciously gorgeous, he sank on the seat next to her, pulling her to sit on his lap. She lent against him, he said,
"Sorry bout earlier Cara, I was only kidding around. Is Red okay?" She smirked at his pet name for her friend,
"Yeah she's fine, just a bit cut up about Harry and Ron leaving," Blaise looked quizzically at her,
"They left?" She nodded,
"Yeah, because of what happened last night. They left this morning, without saying goodbye. Draco ran into Harry at the gates. He knows it was Draco who saved his life, and he kept asking him why he did it. Me and Draco, we argued, about everything. I told him...I told him that I loved him and he told me that he couldn't love me." She began to cry, he hugged her to him, comforting her. Whispering in her ear that everything would be okay, that everything would work out. He just wished that he believed it.

Ginny made her way up to Hermione's room, thinking about the Head Boy, and his interactions with her best friend. This morning, unlike the other day when they were at each others throats, they seemed almost too friendly, Blaise it appeared called Hermione, Cara, whatever the hell that meant. Opening the door to the Head Girls bedroom, she found something which aroused her suspicions even more, Hermione's bed hadn't been slept in, to exhausted to think anymore on it, she collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep, the image of Blaise smiling at her planted firm within her subconscious.

*****Harry was gone, he had left her. Left her to fight alone, fight against darkness that was consuming the world. She was scared, afraid of what would become of her. She wandered down a darkened corridor, not knowing where it would lead her, what was waiting. He was waiting. He knew her mind, he knew her soul. He would never leave her, not like Harry had. He would save her from this darkness, if only she would allow herself to let him. She stood in front of the door, knowing full well what was behind it. It opened and there he was. The man who had been plaguing her thoughts, he had overtaken her very being. His dark hair ruffled, his indigo eyes shining with adoration. Lunging forward he grabbed her roughly and caught her lips in a searing kiss, she felt power surging through her, he gave her strength, he gave her a reason. Her breath caught in her throat, her fears dissipating with his every movement. He whispered in her ear, his voice a low purr,
"You don't know how long I've wanted this. Now Pothead is gone, we can have it. You can't deny me any more Red." She moaned, and clung to him,
"I don't want to." Blaise smirked, and pushed her up against the wall, tearing at her clothes. She sensed a movement behind him, grey and chocolate eyes met hers. She stiffened, Blaise looked back over his shoulder and smiled, turning back to her,
"Relax Lover, they're not here for us. They can entertain themselves." Grinning wickedly he kissed her sensuously, over his shoulder she saw Draco and Hermione smiling smugly, before kissing each other passionately. She closed her eyes, letting sensation overtake her.*****

She was shocked awake by a loud bang, bolting upright in Hermione's bed. Perspiration beaded on her forehead and her eyes pricked with tears, her dream self shaming her. However what shamed her more was her body's reaction to the dream, she stumbled into Hermione's bathroom and vomited. Splashing her face with water to calm her, she then slumped to the floor, head in her hands. Harry had only been gone for a total of about ten hours and already she was dreaming about being with another man. Not just any man either, one of her boyfriends enemies, and the best friend of Draco Malfoy. Wait, she had just remembered something else about her dream. Draco and Hermione, together. It made her blood run cold, her best friend, and a Death Eater. At least, she thought to herself that part was not reality. However, the feelings that had arisen in her when Blaise had kissed her were. She couldn't deny it to herself, she wanted him and she knew he wanted her; if he came to her then she knew she wouldn't be able to resist him. She had to get out of there, back to Gryffindor, this was all to overwhelming for her. She straightened her clothes and ran down the stairs, two steps from the bottom she tripped, flying forwards, falling flat on her face. A shadow fell across her, a hand was offered to help her up, she took it and was hauled to her feet. Dazed she looked up, straight into gleaming dark eyes. The one person she couldn't deal with right now was stood in front of her, shirtless, looking to die for. He cocked an eyebrow and smirked,
"Hey Red."

Blaise had listened as Hermione had cried her eyes out, he had reassured her that Draco had trained himself not to love. He could not deal with the pain of losing those he cared about, because he felt he couldn't protect them from Voldemort. Hermione brightened at this, at least it explained why Draco had reacted the way that he had done. The subject had then moved onto Ginny. Hermione had seen the lust Blaise had for the little red head before, and this time he had not even bothered to cover it up. Blaise wanted Ginny more now he knew that Potter was gone, without that twit in the way it would be easier to seduce her, if Hermione would let him that was. She could see the wheels in his mind stirring, and said to him,
"Say I let you have her Blaise, would you want her forever? Or would you just use her every time you couldn't have me?" He shook his head,
"Of course I wouldn't. What do you think I am? I would have her instead of you. Don't treat me like an idiot Hermione, you and Draco are meant for each other, its him you love, not me, and no offense meant Cara, but I don't love you, not like that and I know that you don't either. I care about you greatly, but I think of you more as a friend, with you know, benefits!" She smacked him on the arm,
"Nice, thanks Love. Seriously though, do you think that bringing Ginny into this would benefit us in the long run? She's pretty powerful when she gets going." He thought about it for a moment, having spent the last few days observing Ginny, he had realised that she was the best person to compliment him. She was hot tempered and feisty, exactly the type to challenge him constantly, therefore making her ideal to make their trio into a foursome. It would be an unstoppable combination. He looked Hermione deep in the eyes,
"Don't you?" He asked her, she considered her answer, she wasn't sure whether she could condone Ginny leaving Harry, but two things were overwhelming her decision; firstly, she couldn't really be angry if Ginny decided to betray Harry because that would make her the world's biggest hypocrite. Secondly she did not want Blaise to feel neglected, but right now she had too much going on with Draco to give him her full attention, and he was right she didn't love him, not like she loved Draco. Blaise nudged her, "Hermione?" She looked at him, his eyes were glimmering with hope and want for her best friend,
"I do. She won't benefit from being with Harry. He just smothers people, stifles them until they feel used and useless. I won't let that happen to her. She deserves better. Go ahead Blaise, I think that she needs you. Just go slow, don't overwhelm her, after all Harry has only just gone." He grinned widely, and kissed her on the lips,
"Thank you Cara. I know this will work out." Hermione chuckled, he really did care about her friend. She then thought of something, even though she was happy for Blaise, it didn't mean that she was willing to let him go, just yet, she looked at him seductively.
"You know, this doesn't mean that I don't want you. In point of fact..." She straddled his lap and kissed him deeply, he growled at her, saying,
"I don't think that this would be the best way to convince Red that I want to be with her." She smirked, and nipped at his neck, whispering,
"Please, you think she needs convincing? Once you work you're magic she'll be powerless to resist. You can be very persuasive." She tugged his shirt off, kissed him again and then stood up. He frowned, and stood up, pressing his body against hers,
"Cara, you're teasing me again. You know I don't like it." She eyed him coyly, batting her eyelashes,
"Well Blaise Love, she's in my room now, there's no time like the present. We'll talk over the issue of me and you, and our situation when I've told Draco, which I will go and do now. Off you trot now my pet, you're Princess is waiting." She extracted herself from his grasp and went off to find Draco, slamming the door shut as she went. He checked out his appearance in the mirror and then made his way over the staircase, just in time to see Ginny trip down the stairs and fall flat on her face at his feet. He helped her to her feet, she looked like she had been crying. He fixed her with a lusty stare, raised his eyebrow and said,
"Hey Red."