48 hours

Titles

"Ah, Hermione, the pleasure is all mine. From which Hogwarts house do you hail from?" He asked, thoroughly relieved that she'd gone along with it. She smiled that dainty little smile of hers and looked up at him.
"I hail from Gryfindor, what about you, fine sir?" She asked- imitating a old fashioned Duchess from the Victorian era. He smiled right back at her.
"I come from the House of Slytherin. And might I say, you look lovely today!" He proclaimed, sweeping a trained eye over her and smirking devilishly. Hermione was rather shocked.
  Guys don't exactly just outright compliment her. Dropping the act, she rolled her eyes.
  "Haha Blaise, very funny."
Blaise blinked, he hadn't been joking. He'd honestly meant evert word. Lightly shaking his head, he gave a little smile, watching her carefully.
  "Hermione, I am absolutely hilarious, and I thank you for recognizing it-" He got interrupted by Hermione snorting and standing up, beginning to walk away.
"Wait." He commanded, in a tone very unlike his normal warm yet sarcastic one.
  She froze and half turned to face him.
"Let me finish. I am hilarious. But I wasn't joking. Not even a little. You're beautiful." He said, half expecting her to leave the room yet wishing for her to stay.
  Sighing once more, Hermione walked back to her seat and plopped down. She looked up and blushed a little- immediately glancing away again when she realized he was watching her. She giggled a little, covering her mouth and squeezing her eyes shut.
  Blaise cocked his head in confusion. What in the bloody hell?
  "Something you want to tell me?" He asked, annoyed. She looked up again and laughed even harder.
"I'm... Never.. Like this! Not.. With any.. Guy.. Ever!" She managed to choke out between rounds of laughter. Her face quickly growing red due to her laughter. Blaises smile grew wider as he watched her, she really was quite adorable.
  After a few more minutes of laughter, Hermione calmed down. Looking up to him with a apologetic smile, she nodded. Practically demanding him to say something.
  Blaise coughed uncomfortably and struggled to find a topic. For someone who could converse with anyone effortlessly and could charm even Dumbledor into anything? He was having problems talking to this woman.
  "What's your favorite color?" He asked, surprised that this was all he could come up with. Hermione smiled again, softer this time.
"Orange. But not the gross, neon orange. More like sunset.. Soft, muted. Mixed with a little bit of everything. Yet still so pure.. So unlike me." She whispered.
Blaise gently took her head and angled it to look back up to him. He didn't want her thinking this way.
  "Hermione, forget all the bullox I went on about. There's really no difference. I don't care if you're pure or not. I still want you..." He trailed off, watching several emotions flutter across her face- Gratitude, hope, desire.. He took a breath and finished the sentence
"I still want you to be my friend."
  The disappointment on her face was almost tangible but to her credit, she hid it almost immediately. A tight smile flashed across her face as she reached over and rested her hand lightly on his.
"Thanks Blaise. I needed that, and for the record? I'd love to be your... Friend."