The first time Gabrielle met Blaise, she hadn't even noticed him that much. She remembered his dark eyes and how he scoffed at the sight of her and Fleur, and Gabrielle wondered if he was truly not fazed by their beauty. Gabrielle didn't consider herself to be vain, but when a wizard or witch didn't care about their obvious Veela ancestry, she worried.
It had nothing to do with Blaise and more to do with the ever-present fear of being prosecuted for having creature blood. There, in England, she felt even more fear because of their history and traditions: Englishmen never mixed their blood with creatures.
Gabrielle can still feel the light pressure of Fleur's hand telling her to keep walking and not to stare at the boy. She didn't obey her sister, back then, because she found the wicked eyes of Blaise Zabini enthralling.
She didn't meet him again, not even in the confusion that was the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament, and never thought of him again until a week ago.
While Fleur was a strong witch with an even stronger will, Gabrielle was not the same. She thought of herself as smart and intelligent, but not really strong like her sister. Instead of going to England to pursue an adventurous career, Gabrielle stayed back at home, with Mother and Father, and found a job as a governess for a wealthy family.
Every day, Gabrielle would dress modestly, eat a healthy and filling breakfast, and then depart to the other side of town, where the humble chateau of the Mitterrand family was located. Gabrielle loved it there, more because of the family than because of whatever historical things had happened there.
Her student was a young wizard of nine years old, León Mitterrand, who loved to test her patience with hard-to-answer questions about magical theory. He was very intelligent, and sometimes Gabrielle wondered if he was smarter than her already. That day's lesson was one León had been expecting for quite some time and one that Gabrielle had a hard time convincing his parents of letting them do.
"Will we learn about rituals?" the boy asked as soon as Gabrielle came in, not letting her take her coat off before pulling her to their classroom. "I can't believe Mum agreed to it!"
Gabrielle asked him for moderation, claiming his excitement would be dimmed by the time they finished with the theory behind rituals and their applications to magic.
She actually felt a little apprehensive, as ritualistic magic was not usually taught until the students turned thirteen and became well-versed in other kinds of simpler magic. The truth was, León was ready for that. He was quite intelligent and even more prudent.
"Oh, you have to meet the English teacher," he suddenly remembered, falling behind Gabrielle for a second before catching up with her a few steps further.
"English teacher?"
Nobody had told Gabrielle about any other teacher for León, and she was not sure about it... Being a governess meant she was in charge of planning León's schedule and learning, as long as his parents wished for her services. She hadn't been dismissed, and yet her nerves could only speak of a possibly awkward situation.
"Mother should have told you, but she was busy with my sister," León explained, and Gabrielle nodded as they entered the classroom. Madame Mitterrand had recently given birth to a sickly little girl who was proving to be quite resistant. "And Father is busy with something at the capital... So it means I will be the responsible Mitterrand!"
Gabrielle, despite her nerves, smiled at León. They boy was glowing with all the responsibility left for him to bear, and Gabrielle thought, not for the first time, that he would be a good leader some day.
"Well, let's hear it," she said clapping her hands as she sat on the simple chair she had beside the tallest window.
León sat in front of her, a table between them. He was still smiling.
"Professor Blaise will be teaching me English, and Italian!"
Gabrielle smiled, relieved, at hearing León's words. It was a common teacher, not a magic teacher. That meant she would keep her job, at least for a little while longer.
"I'm glad to hear that, León," she said honestly, producing from her pocket a small leather briefcase that she enlarged over the table.
"What did I get on my test, Gabrielle?" León asked, half excited and half worried, as he always was when she assigned him grades.
Gabrielle let his nerves simmer for a bit longer, as she took out parchment, a book, and a velvet sachet with diverse objects inside. She set all the needed items at their assigned places before looking at León.
She smiled softly at the boy, who looked strangely happy that day.
"You got right all but one of the questions," Gabrielle teased, knowing the almost-perfect score would make León growl.
She was right.
"Aww! I studied for that test!" he complained, but his eyes showed pride and Gabrielle grinned.
"You are ready for the heavier theory," she told him, turning a book to face him.
"Elinor's Runes," commented a voice from the other side of the room. "I read that book many years ago. I'm surprised you still consider it accurate."
Gabrielle felt a shiver, hearing that voice. She turned to face the wizard who was surely the new Teacher and stood up from the chair. The man walked towards them, and Gabrielle lost herself in those familiar eyes, not really listening to the playful conversation between León and the wizard.
"I think I know you," she blurted before thinking, blushing as she realized it. Still, she bit her lip and offered him her hand in greeting. "My name is Gabrielle Delacour."
The handsome wizard smirked wickedly, and for a second Gabrielle felt herself back in time, contemplating a similar smile with fear in her eyes. This time, the fear was replaced with a warm sensation on her body.
"Miss Delacour," the wizard almost whispered, bringing his lips to her hand. "I remember a girl clutching her sister's hand as if she were a beacon of safety."
"From Hogwarts, then?" she asked, not wanting to appear scared to a wizard who could not (and would not if her assumption about him were correct) hurt her. "The Triwizard Tournament?"
The man nodded. "I was a Slytherin. Fourth Year," he commented with a voice as smooth as satin, ruffling León's hair and conjuring a chair similar to hers.
She sat on her own chair, and both León and the man followed her actions.
"This is great!" León exclaimed, his happiness radiating from his whole face. "You already know each other and that means we will be great friends and I will learn many things!"
Gabrielle smiled at León's words, and she quickly put him to work on his new book. The boy adopted a determined expression and Gabrielle nodded, proud of her student.
"Would you mind?" she asked the man, standing from her chair and pointing to a nearby bookshelf. "I can't reach the green book over there."
"Use a charm," León commented mindlessly, already writing notes.
Gabrielle felt the rush of blood coming to her cheeks.
"It's alright, young León," the man laughed. "There is always room for chivalry."
A mortified Gabrielle saw the man wave his wand to get the book, passing it to her with a smile. Their fingers touched for brief seconds, and during those Gabrielle and the man kept on staring at the other.
"I don't know your name, Slytherin wizard," she said, finally taking her hand from his. "And yet, you know mine."
The wizard closed the gap between them, putting them at mere inches from each other. Gabrielle felt herself blush again at the improper posture, but the warm feeling on her told her not to move. Instead, she breathed his scent: tangerine? Quite strange...
"My name is Blaise Zabini," he finally said with the same wicked smile she remembered from that one encounter during her childhood. "And it is lovely meeting you again."
He left her standing there as he moved to a different desk, by a different window. She stared at his back, and with a smile went back to her student.
Blaise Zabini. She liked it. She liked him.