The Fine Line Between Love and Hate | Dramione AU by Short-circuit-Soulmate

Chapter 2

...in which Draco gets the wrong idea.

Quidditch season had fallen upon Hogwarts once again, and already Blaise was sick to death of hearing about it. Since the announcement had been made for try-outs, every single conversation Blaise had with his friends was quickly ruined by Quidditch talk. He supposed being friends with three players of the Slytherin Quidditch team had something to do with it.

"Well you two are definitely shoe-ins," Draco said confidently to Weasley and Potter as they walked to breakfast one morning.

The two boys let out howls of celebration, causing many girls around them to giggle at their antics. They didn't notice, however, or they were just used to the attention and didn't care.

"What about you, Zabini?" Draco continued, smirking at the Italian who had been quiet during the conversation, "Sure you don't wanna try out this year? You do have good flying skills."

Weasley and Potter murmured in agreement. Blaise ignored them, they tried to convince him to try-out every year, but he never had. He hadn't felt Quidditch was an important thing to be focused on; he placed much more importance on intellect.

"Come on, Zabini!" Weasley whined, "You beat us all this summer when we played at Malfoy's. You've got natural skill, why don't you use it!"

They made their way to the Slytherin table and began dishing themselves breakfast.

"I've told you a million times, I'm not trying out." Blaise stated firmly, scooping scrambled eggs onto his plate.

"Come on," Draco complained, before looking around and leaning forward, "I can guarantee you a spot."

Blaise shook his head tiredly, "Doesn't it defeat the purpose of try-outs if you're just going to give the positions to your friends? I thought it was about skill?"

Weasley and Potter looked offended at his insinuation that they didn't have skill, Blaise ignored them, however; he knew they would get on the team whether they were friends with the Captain or not.

Draco smirked. "It is about skill, and you're better then all of the idiots who'll try out. Come on!" Draco insisted, in one last attempt to convince the Italian.

"Not gonna happen." Blaise said, with finality in his tone. The other boys grumbled at him, but eventually stopped like they did every year, knowing it was a lost cause. They continued breakfast chatting about the try-outs the next day and the upcoming game in two weeks between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Blaise zoned out for the rest of breakfast.

Hermione awoke later than usual that morning; she was typically one of the first down to breakfast, but had allowed herself to sleep in for once, given that she'd be up later that night with her prefect duties. She dressed and brushed her hair, delighting in the way a few spells could smooth such a monstrosity.

Hermione wasn't sure how much she'd actually changed over the summer, but she had noticed that she'd been getting a few looks from the male population that were not of ridicule or disgust, in fact if Hermione had more experience with males she might have realised that they were actually checking her out. Being modest, naive Hermione though, she merely thought she must have had something stuck in her teeth. She smiled in the mirror to make sure she didn't, anyway, before making her way down to the common room where Neville was waiting to walk with her to the Great Hall.

The two chatted animatedly about the upcoming Hogsmeade visit in two weeks. It was a large topic of conversation amongst students as well, but given that Quidditch try-outs were tomorrow and the first game was in two weeks, just a day before the weekend, it had been pushed to the side. Hermione and Neville, however, not being Quidditch fans at all were focusing purely on what they would do at Hogsmeade.