Hermione sighed as she stood before Malfoy Zabini Industries. She straightened out the skirt of her dress once more and began walking towards the doors. After the war Hermione had moved to Italy to escape all of the publicity. She had told herself that she would go back after things had calmed down. That was three years ago, now she couldn't bring herself to leave the beautiful city. Harry and Ginny had begged her to come back promising that the hype was over but she was much happier here. She explained to them that she loved them and missed them but she couldn't come back. Here she wasn't Hermione Granger best friend to Harry Potter, ex-lover of Ron Wesley and the brains of the Golden Trio. No she much preferred it here where no one really knew her or her past. That was until a year ago. She had been dining in one of her favorite restaurants a few blocks from her flat when she was approached by Blaise Zabini. The conversation had started out awkwardly and Hermione was unsure about him. After a few drinks she had dropped her guard and the Italian had slithered his way into her heart, a close friendship had formed. She sighed and stepped into the building, she smiled at the secretary.

"Miss Granger," she said as she stood. "Mr. Zambini is waiting for you." Hermione nodded and headed to the door behind her desk. For the last three months Blaise had been asking her to take the head research position in the company. She had said no straight away not wanting to work for Malfoy. He hadn't given up though. Her friend had asked her every time they had met for their weekly lunch and last week she had caved. She now stood before his door knowing that not just her friend lay on the other side; she took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Mia!" Blaise said as she walked in, he crossed the room towards her and kissed her on both cheeks.

"It's good to see you Blaise." She said smiling as she stepped back. Her eyes fell on the man who stood by the fire. Her heart skipped a beat as her old school crush looked at her. She kept her feelings hidden just as she had then. Her guard was up; she was determined not to let him get to her. He had changed in the years since the war. His hair was shaggy and he no longer tried to slick it back. His build had improved too, he was more muscular. His eyes were the same though. Deep blue and a glaring at her

"Granger"he nodded to her.

"Malfoy" Her icy glare matched his as she moved to a chair near him and sat down.

"Well you could cut the tension in here with a knife." Blaise commented Hermione laughed at him

"You knew that when you set up this meeting chiudi gli amici." Blaise smirked at her and took the seat next to her.

"Are you going to sit and have a drink Draco or are you going to stand in the corner and sulk?" Blaise asked holding up a bottle of fire whisky. Hermione giggled and took her drink from Blaise. Draco looked at the two and sighed before he sat down.

"I don't know how you expect this to ever work Blaise." Draco said taking his glass and shaking his head.

"We've had this discussion Draco you know she's the best researcher we could ever get and she lives here in Italy."

"You live here?" he asked turning his attention to the girl before him.

"I moved here after the war, needed to escape all the publicity." She muttered as she took a drink. He nodded and mimicked her.

"Dumb and dumber didn't follow you?" He asked smoothly.

"Draco" Blaise said warningly.

"It's ok Blaise," she said as she patted his arm. "No Harry and Ron didn't follow me and I can't say it's a bad thing." She shrugged.

"Oh?" Draco ask. She nodded signifying she was done with the conversation. Draco smirked and she sighed knowing she wasn't getting off that easy.

"Lover boy just let you run off to Italy?" He drawled

"No Ron and I are not together." She said calmly "He made to many assumptions about our relationship after the war. When he didn't get his way I –"She paused and looked at Blaise "Left" she finished quietly. She didn't want to tell Malfoy about her falling out with Ron nor her two day stint in the hospital because of it. Malfoy watched the two in interest. Blaise eyes looked protective it gave Draco an uneasy feeling.

"Look you two aren't together or something are you?" Draco asked laughing Blaise turned to his friend mouth agape. Hermione couldn't help but burst out laughing. Draco watched her in amusement. She took note of just how much the witch had changed over the last few years. She had gained a little weight since the war filling her out in all the right places. Her long legs could have gone on for miles and the bushy hair he had been so used to now lay in soft ringlets down her back. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Blaise "Because you can't be working here and sleeping with the boss."

"Draco Malfoy! How dare you!" Hermione screamed.

"She's like my sister you dolt." Blaise said staring at his friend in disbelief.

"Kidding only kidding you can put your wand away Granger." Draco said looking over at her. She mumbled something under her breath before shoving her wand back in her bag.

"No can we get down to business?" Blaise asked pulling out the contracts. After 20 minutes of glares and a few small spats Hermione was leaving the office and heading home. She hugged Blaise glared at Malfoy and left the room. "Well that could have gone better." Blaise sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

"She hates me mate." Draco sighed as he took another drink from his glass.

"No I really don't think she does. I think she hates who you used to be."

"Been having long discussions about me with her have you?" Draco asked raising an eyebrow. Blaise chuckled.

"It took me three months to get her to agree to take the position. Of course we talked about you. She rather interested in your newest charity projects as well as the research we've been conducting to help those still affected by the war. She doesn't hate you though Draco. Distrusts you yes but doesn't hate you."

Hermione stepped though the floo and directly into Ginny Potters living room.

"Aunt Mione!" a small boy yelled as he ran forward and latched onto her leg. She leaned down and picked him up pulling him into a hug.

"Well Hello there James, and how's my favorite nephew today?" she ask his smile widened.

"Daddy got me a broom!" He exclaimed and began to wiggle in her arms. She laughed setting him down on the floor. He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the back garden.

"Mione! It's good to see you." Ginny said pulling her into a hug.

"It really has been to long Mione." Harry said as he hugged her. She pulled away smiling.

"I know and I'm sorry." She said as she took a seat.

"So tell us what's new in the world of Hermione Granger?" Ginny asked.

"Well," she paused "You guys know I'm friends with Blaise, and he's been badgering me for the past few months to take the head researcher position with the company?" Ginny nodded harry looked at her curiously. "Well I finally gave in, I start work tomorrow. Blaise is going to show me around and introduce me to the researchers."

"Oh Mione that's great!"

"Isn't this Malfoy's company?" Harry asked Hermione sighed.

"They are partners yes. I've only had to deal with Malfoy once so far. It wasn't all bad. We had a few little spats, Blaise ran interference though." She laughed

"Mione are you sure this is something you want to do?" Harry asked more seriously.

"Harry," She sighed "I'm not moving back to England. There are too many horrors here for me. Another haunting memory around every corner and I'm sorry but after all we have been though I can't face those demons. Working for Malfoy isn't ideal but working for Blaise is. He's like a Slytherin version of you Harry. He won't let anything happen to me especially at the hands of Malfoy." Ginny laughed

"I didn't know Zabini was the protective type." She smiled trying to alleviate some of the tension

"Gin, you have no idea. It took me hours to keep him from coming here and throttling Ron when I told him about our past." She sighed and focused on James who was hovering inches off the ground. The inevitable conversation had reared its ugly head at last. "How is he anyway?"

"Mione you promised," Ginny started sternly.

"I just," She sighed "I know I'm sorry."

"He's the same as he was the last time you asked. Drinking his sorrows away in some brothel in knockturn alley" Ginny sighed "Now enough about my idiot brother, tell me about Malfoy." She said smirking. Hermione blushed and Harry shook his head.

"Ginny!" She chastised the blush in her cheeks creeping further into her face.

"Oh stop it Mione! You had a major crush on him at Hogwarts. That obviously hasn't changed now that you have seen grown up Malfoy." She smirked

"He's much the same as he was back then. Except he doesn't slick his hair back anymore and he's been working out," she pictured grown up Malfoy as Ginny had called him in her mind.

"That's because he's trying to get back into quidditch." Harry answered matter of factly.

"What?" Ginny asked turning to face her husband.

"He was at England's try outs last week." Harry shrugged

"And?" Hermione asked

"And he's got another tryout this afternoon." He smiled "In fact, it's in about an hour. I should go get ready." Once he had left Ginny turned back to Hermione.

"You'll go with me to tryouts wont you?" Ginny asked Hermione sighed.

"Gin-"

"Come on mione! I need help with James and you know Malfoy will be there, don't you want to see him fly again?" Hermione blushed again and nodded.

"Fine I'll go." She smiled