Pairings: Blaise Zabini/Harry Potter.

Tags: Female Harry Potter, After the War

Thank you steves bucky for helping me fix the Italian!

She is young and joyous, laughing and dancing without a care in the world as if she hadn't spent her childhood as a child soldier, raised like a lamb to the slaughter. Every expression she gives lights up the world around her, chasing shadows and darkness away from the pureness of her soul. He is older, but not by much, and quiet. Choosing instead to smile softly, and watch her as she explores the shopping alley of Florence, Italy: La città della magia. The open bazaar, filled with color and action and full of life seemed to be one of the best choices he had made to introduce her too. She flitted around each stall, looking over the wares, magical and mundane, touching whatever drew her attention and enjoying the new experience. Relishing in the opportunity to shop without a care, without worrying about being mobbed or attacked or pestered.

The young woman, with soft curled black hair, turned to flash him one of her brilliant, Patronus-inducing smiles that always warmed him to the core without her ever realizing it. He follows behind her, taking the few extra moments to pay for items that had caught her interest. Once they returned home, and he showed her the collection he had bought for her, she would scold him for spending so much money on her and he would merely smile at her lovingly before she would thank him and proceed to re-examine every item he bought.

For now, Blaise Zabini watched with honey-colored eyes as Harriet "call me Harry dammit" Potter urged him over to take a look at a stall where the shopkeeper would carve their soulmate marks onto a piece of jewelry for them. He could already tell, as he ambled toward her slowly, that she would want something for them both, not that he minded. He had certainly never expected to find his soulmate in the lovely Gryffindor War Hero who was shy but loud, courageous and brave and cunning and still so so innocent. He was sure her surprise at accidentally running into him in the Ministry and saying their first words together had shocked her even more upon learning her soulmate was in an Italian-British Slytherin that had never directly interacted with her. He was slightly ashamed that his first words to her were, "Cazzo! Sono così dispiaciuto di averti fatto cadere." ¹ In his defense, being shoved out of one of the ministry lifts and practically thrown onto someone else, knocking them both on the ground, wasn't a normal situation for him and he had cursed before realizing it. Hearing back the words he had traced on his skin ever since they had appeared when he was ten, and the reason why he chose to go to Hogwarts, instead of the Italian wizarding school, Stregoneria. "What did you just call me?"

It was the heady rush of magic that had suddenly appeared, wrapping around their forearms as the silver lettering turned a brilliant, vibrant gold, signifying that someone had discovered their soulmate, easily gathered the attention of everyone around them, who stopped to gaze. Blaise had stood up, reaching a hand down to help the young woman up, only knowing that she was his soulmate, and he hers. "I apologize for bumping into you, anima gemella." ²

"What does that mean?" She asked curiously as she waved her wand over her robes, smoothing out the rumbled mess they had become with her unexpected introduction to the floor.

"It translates as my soul mate. In my previous statement, I said something impolite for company and apologized for bumping into you." He had explained with a roguish smile, utterly charmed as she threw her head back and laughed in delight.

"I think we will be getting along just fine. I'm Harry." She had struck her hand out to shake and had been surprised when he had bowed over her hand to place a delicate kiss across the back of her knuckles, cradling her small but calloused hand in his own.

"I am Blaise, tesoro mio.³ I am honored to meet you."

For now, watching the pure delight that popped up on her face as she cradled the newer carved bracelet that had both of their words on it, admiring it in the same way that Blaise knew he admired her, he couldn't help but be glad that he had been lucky enough to meet his soulmate, especially one who wished for nothing more than to learn about him and make experiences with him.

His mother, upon meeting her for the first time, months ago, had proclaimed that she couldn't be happier with his choice of soulmate as if he had chosen her instead of magic declaring them perfect for each other. His own mother had dealt with losing her soulmate as a child and had since gained a reputation for being a black widow for other wizards who had lost their soulmates. Rumors had run rampant as the body count raised but Sienna Zabini had found her calling helping those like her to pass on peacefully.

His life has only gotten better since literally running into his soulmate, each day a new surprise and each night a welcome ending. He takes her on a trip across Italy, showing her his favorite locations, the best restaurants, and the best views. And as she looks up at him, face radiating nothing but happiness at the gift of the bracelet which he helps her put on, Blaise cannot help but lean down to press a small kiss to her forehead and whisper, "Sei il grande amore della mia vita." ⁴

She replies with a heavily-accented, "Ti amo,⁵ Blaise." And hearing her speak his native tongue does not help the flames of love in his heart as they soar at her willingness to accept him for all that he is. He knows that he will likely spend the rest of his day enamored and devoted to the woman who gives him her all.

I am not a native Italian speaker so I may have the phrases wrong.

Italian To English Translations:

1. Fuck! I'm so sorry I knocked you down.

2. My soulmate

3. My treasure

4. You are the great love of my life

5. I love you