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Chapter Four: Foreign Affairs

Disclaimer and Notes: I don't own Harry Potter – it's also ironic that I've started writing right before Deathly Hallows. Blaise is not white, I know this, but I started writing Sway before Half Blood Prince. Hopefully you've all forgiven me for my absence – I had a busy senior year, which also meant more essays and book analysis to write. Yada, yada, yada…. You all know where the story left off. Enjoy. :

There were not too many material possessions Hermione salvaged from her life previous to her current one with Draco. She had her wedding dress, her memories, and a necklace her mother had given her a week before she was scheduled to say her vows. The necklace was a simple gold chain with a gold ring attached, and upon that gold ring was a pearl Hermione's Dad had found in the ocean the night before he proposed to her mother. And the ring was given to her on the first anniversary.

She tried to not think of her parents, but at this moment that ring captivated her. She stood up to look at herself in the mirror. There were visible changes. Her hair wasn't as luminous, her eyes didn't sparkle, and her skin didn't give off a faint glow anymore. She looked tired and sullen.

But as she clasped the ring behind her neck something came over her and suddenly thoughts of the house, and Draco, and Blaise all left her head. At that moment she was her mother's daughter. At that moment all that mattered was that necklace around her neck.

A knock broke her from her thoughts.

"Come in."

She spotted his silver hair behind her but didn't turn to face him, "Yes?"

He watched her. They never seemed to get along, but both knew deep down inside how much the other cared. Lately, though, he had been concerned. She was distant and cold and even someone in Draco's position was thrown off by it.

Not saying a word he started on his usual tour of her room. Occasionally he'd run his finger along her wide array of evening robes, each as expensive and beautiful as the next. Her room always smelt like her scent. It was comforting but then he'd grow furious that she still insisted on staying in her own room at the opposite end of the house from where his was. It had been long enough and he was growing tired of her games.

"Did you have fun last night?" He finally muttered, turning to her.

Hermione couldn't help but smirk slightly, "Draco, your parties are a chore, not a choice."

"Oh come off it," He took a seat on the chair by the window, "You always have to be one up on me. Just quit. Can't we have a decent conversation? You and I? No one would ever have to know."

Hermione wasn't fazed.

When she didn't answer, he continued, "It's not like I ever force you to come down. That is your choice entirely."

The material of last nights dress felt cool on her skin as she picked it up to examine the wear and tear she had caused, "True, but isn't it you who always says that if I didn't come down I'd be an embarrassment to you?" She paused, "So really, it's not a choice, because if it was a choice I'd have it that I was up here taking bubble baths and reading books rather than listening to that mindless babble I have to endure from those wretched women."

Draco couldn't help but laugh.

He stood up to meet her by the closet, "Mindless babble? Enlighten me on what you have to go through each night."

She took out a hanger and put the dress on it before putting it back in the closet and closing the door.

"Let's see, Millicent always has to inform me on how much of an infidel I am if I can't see how entirely privileged I am to have the opportunity to fuck you every night."

"Go on."

She ran her fingers along the black material of his shirt, "And that a mudblood like me has no business even being able to be in your presence."

"And you allow her to talk to you this way?"

She stopped in front of him, "In some sick way it absolutely tickles me to death."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"Because," She took a step closer so that their bodies came in contact sending chills up Draco's spine, "They don't realize that I have you wrapped around my finger."

The statement shocked him, enthralled him even, but even so he couldn't let her see that she was in fact absolutely, positively right. So before she could see that he had stopped thinking, he pushed her away, "Oh Hermione, you only wish that was true."

"Really?" She knew how to get him riled up, "So you'd gladly let Blaise and I go out tonight?"

It took a lot to shock Draco, but this statement caused him to make a complete 180 to face her, "Excuse me?"

She shrugged, "Blaise asked me to dinner tonight."

He was infuriated, "No. You can not just go out on dates."

"And why not? I am not your property; I do not belong to you. I have not chosen you,"

The words sent a spike through his heart. Draco snarled as he grabbed her wrist, "Don't play these games with me."

Hermione didn't falter, "Let me go."
When he didn't she started her fight with words, "I don't want you Draco."

He tightened his grip.

"You're an animal.I despise you. I hate you"

The words cut him. Hermione had learned just what to say to kill him. She had been right all along: she was the only thing he cared about. She was everything to him. But Draco wasn't quite aware of her games just yet, all he knew was that she enjoyed seeing him angry, she even enjoyed when he'd physically reprimand her actions. But all the same, he could not play the games anymore and finally he was to his limit.

"Fine," He released her arm, "What do I care anyway? I never see you, I can't touch you, and I certainly can't love you. Why am I keeping you here?"

Hermione stood there puzzled.

"Go with Blaise," the tone of his voice was dry. No emotion at all and Hermione couldn't read if he was serious or not.

"I'm done, Granger."

She knew much better.

"You'll be back Draco..."

He cut her off before she could continue, "No. Don't you understand! There is no coming back."

The tone of his voice drove it in that he was serious, "It's begun! You wonder why I've been so on edge lately, so here's the truth – four deatheaters were captured. Four, Hermione. They're up and we're down –"

"Oh you're so ridiculous!"

He turned quicker than she could get away. Grabbing her shoulders, Draco pushed her against the post of her bed, "Ridiculous?"

"You don't care about anything but yourself and getting yours. In your eyes they gave up their lives for the cause. Am I right?"

He felt like spitting in her face.

At that moment he had never hated anyone more. Hermione did not falter under his gaze. She kept her cool because the moment she broke, he had one again.

It was not about winning anymore to Draco.
"You are wrong. You don't know a damned thing about me, Granger."

"And you don't know about me either, Malfoy."

He released his grip and stared at her. Both nose to nose, neither daring to move away. She knew he wasn't playing and he knew that she had found her opportunity to break him. But what they didn't know about one another was that they both had entirely too much respect to destroy one another anymore than they had. Hermione could not take loving him though, she could not take sleeping in the same bed or even eating dinner on most occasions. He was in reality the death of what she had been and looking at him made her sick. It was different for Draco. She had cost him everything and yet he still yearned to love her and have her fully to himself.

In some sick way, he had wished Blaise had been among those captured.

"There is no more going out, Hermione. From now on the manor will not be a place of parties and lavish dinners."

She nodded her head.

"We caused this war."

She looked away.

"And I will finish it."

Fear spread through her body like a disease.

Looking back at him Hermione finally saw Draco show a shred of humanity. His body stayed composed and stately, but in his eyes she saw what he saw in hers.

After their talk Hermione wanted time to herself away from the coldness of the manor so she ventured to the place she felt most at home – the library.

She put a book in her hands with no intention of reading it. The only thing she could think of was Harry. He was at risk now and if Draco didn't kill him the first time he had the opportunity he surely would now. Her eyes glazed over as pictures in her mind of a bloody battle field played with her mind until she heard someone cough from behind her.

"Draco, leave me, please."

When the person didn't leave she turned to find Blaise staring at her, "What are you doing here?"

Her inquiry brought a smirk across his lips, "Business."

She shook her head and turned to the decoy in her hands.

"May I ask what you're reading?"

"What do you care?"

Her demeanor threw him off.

"I was under the impression that I would take you out for dinner tonight, but clearly…" He stared at her attire, "You had no plans of leaving the manor today."

She scoffed, "You seriously thought Draco would approve."

He didn't think before he spoke, "… Well, yes."

Hermione looked away from her book and towards the dark haired man, "Honestly, Blaise, this is no time to wine and dine me…"

He cut her off, "Oh because Draco's given you the lies about the war? I see…"

She stood up, "They're not lies."

"I see that you two have made up," He stood up, towering above her petite frame, "If I didn't like you so much I'd grow tired of your nonsense."

Blaise was around for mere flattery and finally she had realized this. Of course she enjoyed his presence, and his looks and the way he kissed her, but he offered nothing Draco did. No matter what man entered her life she would always pick the same one, and the only person who knew this was herself.

"It isn't nonsense, but I do not feel it's appropriate to have a dinner while four of your close companions have been captured and are being held prisoner."

"Companions?" He laughed, "Give me a break. Every man for himself, Granger."

Not even Draco would have the gall to say those words, "It's all a huge game. Someone has to win and then the world goes on. People are sacrificed along the way and we all get over it, right?"

'People are sacrificed…'

"My family and friends were not a sacrifice."

Blaise mocked her statement with a haughty laugh, "Oh my darling, you are still going on about that? Tsk, tsk… it's time for you to move on."

Blaise had changed. He didn't go out of his way to baby her or lead her to believe that he was a 'good' deatheater anymore. She saw it for herself – they were all the same. Each one of them wore those black robes and had the same goal in his mind. Did it turn him off from wanting her? No. He wanted her now more than ever. Hermione though was through, his true colors made him much worse than anyone she had ever met and Draco was entirely right: Blaise was no saint.

Her fists were turning a shade of pale peach as she clinched them so she wouldn't the man in front of her. She didn't speak, just kept her eyes to his not daring to back down.

"Come off it," Blaise finally said, his hand gently stroking her cheek. She quickly moved away and towards the fire place.

"Honestly, you're not welcome here, leave."

"Not welcome? I am Draco's right hand man; he discusses his plans and battles with me."

She turned to him, "Even so. I don't want you here, and what I want goes."

"You must think you are so special. You have Draco whipped, is that what you think? Think again, sweetheart."

She didn't understand where he was going.

"None of us have time to be your babysitters anymore. This is not a joke and all of us have prepared to fight. We all have made the same request," Blaise cupped her chin in his hand, "That you don't get in the way anymore."

"Prick."

He smirked at the venom directed toward him, "I'm just giving you the message that would have been sent sometime."

Hermione wondered if Blaise knew the fuel he gave her to fight. She stared as he made his way around the library, each occasionally meeting eyes, but not once did she return his smile. If their intentions were to fight a war then she'd fight with them.

"Now, I'll ask you again," she moved her head in the direction his voice came from, "Are you coming to dinner?"

She took this as her opportunity.

"I'll go get dressed."

By time Draco found her room unaccompanied she was far away from the manor.

While port keys were being tracked more and more by the ministry, Dark Wizards knew how to get away with darker magic. When they landed in Blaise's chosen destination he tucked the rose inside the pocket of his robe for safe keeping and took Hermione's hand. The first difference in the place that they were in was the bright lights, the excess of people, the color of their skin, and the difference of the language.

"Where are we?" She muttered, not really expecting a response.

But Blaise was too proud of what he had done to hide it, "Egypt, darling. Land of the Pharaohs and minimum wizard security."

She nodded her head as she took it all in; even as an auror she never had been on any missions in Egypt or near it. She found it beautiful and exhilarating and frightening – all at once. The women were beautiful, and the men handsome and for the first time in a long time she felt completely invisible. These people weren't on the lookout for her; they probably didn't even see her walking down the same street as them. Blaise took notice her amusement and took opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulder, bringing her frame closer to his.

"There's a small restaurant; the only one in Egypt run by wizards," he noticed the panic that overcame her face, "Don't worry Hermione – they don't know the story, and they're good friends of Draco's."

She didn't see how that made anything better.

But then again – they were in an entirely different country; A deliberate move on Blaise's part.

"Welcome Mr. Zabini," The woman who greeted them was gorgeous and Hermione felt inferior in her presence. Her dark hair was long and cascaded down her back, her skin was a beautiful olive color and she had never seen eyes of that color before. Hermione followed the woman and Blaise to their table secluded in a corner.

The restaurant itself was gorgeous. The lights were dimmed, and there were candlelights at each table. For a place that seemed so dark, Hermione could not help but feel cozy and warm as she took her seat across from Blaise who now was whispering something to the woman.

"How do you know about this place?" She asked when the woman walked away.

"I thought I mentioned Draco knows the owners."

She nodded, "Well, he and I have been here on many occasions growing up. The earliest was when Narcissa came to see one of her friends here and took Draco and me along for the day."

It was hard to imagine Blaise and Draco as children away from Hogwarts. They both had lives that she couldn't even imagine and it made hers seem so ordinary.

As dinner went on, Hermione forgot things: the world was right now, right there, right within the whimsical conversations they were having. She didn't dare bring up Draco and he did the same – not even the decorations in the manor were talked about. He was the Blaise that she had met in school: the well tempered, polite, handsome man that made her forget her heart and who it belonged to.

"And do you remember that time in potions when Snape couldn't give me a good explanation on why it was that I got a mark off on my exam?" She was laughing as the reminisced about their seventeenth year, "Honestly, that man had it out for me."

Blaise propped his elbows upon the table and rested his head on his hands as he stared at her, smiling back, "He couldn't take that you were smarter than him. Out of the ten people that made it to that year's potions class he knew you'd be the one that passed with flying colors and it killed him. "

Hermione took a sip of wine, "You never spoke to me."
It was the alcohol talking by now, "I mean... even as lab partners you never seemed to stare me in the eye let alone say two words to my face."

"I knew my boundaries."

She cocked her head to the side, confused by the statement, "Boundaries?"

Blaise shook his head, not really wanting to go into it, "Forgive me, should we get des—"

"Blaise, what boundaries?"

He would not dare to bring up Draco right now and knowing her mind was not completely aware of everything going on he poured more wine into her glass and kissed her forehead, "I'm teasing. I was just shy back then."

She smiled, "And I was the loud, brainiac, know-it-all…'
Her words were starting to slur and Blaise realized that it was time to go. He left a few galleons and helped Hermione with her things before the exited the restaurant.

Hermione was the one to grab his hand and lead him down the bustling streets, now that it was dark the lights were coming from all directions and Hermione couldn't take in all the beauty at once. It had been so long that she had been anywhere outside of the manor – let alone a foreign country in which everything seemed to be absolutely breathtaking.

She could not understand why she did this to herself and the two men she toyed with. Because she was this way she destroyed Harry's life, killed her friends and family, and now was stuck in a place that she hated. She lived a life she hated. She hated everything. Hate. Love brought on all she hated. The love for one man and yet here she was, once again. The way Blaise talked to her, his dark hair, his blue eyes, the way he smelt, the way he touched her – all contrasted from Draco, and even Harry. Each one of them was different. Each one of them vexed her. Each one fought his own battles and his own wars.

Nothing made sense.

Nothing.

Just as her mind started running off Hermione noticed a man reading something that seemed very familiar. Then she remember, not all newspapers had moving pictures – and there on the front cover, a story by Colin Creevy: 'Four Dark Wizards Caught; Malfoy Still Targeted'

Blaise followed her eye as she slowed to look at the pictures of the minister in front of the Ministry talking to a group of press and citizens.

"Marcus was caught?"
She seemed to sober up really fast, and she realized this with the impending headache.

Blaise stared at his feet, "Draco didn't tell you?"

She shook her head.

"Marcus, Terrence, Millicent, and Graham were all caught."

Once again she shook her head at the news, Draco didn't mention any names but these were all people she had talked to the previous night. Now – they were in Azkaban. When she looked up at Blaise she no longer had the urge to be wined and dined.

"Take me home."

"What?"

She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, "You don't even care that he's at the manor, not only worrying about them being in the custody of the ministry but now he has to worry about me. You are so selfish!"

"And what are you?"

Even while speaking in a different language, the people around them sensed the tension between the two.

"Me?!"

"Yes, you," He stepped towards her, "You make it seem like everyone else is the bad guy, but when it comes right down to it you are just like the rest of us. Look at you. Worrying about how I'm making Draco feel. You are the one who agreed, who allowed me to get close once again. So tell me sweetheart, what are you trying to gain?"

She was baffled.

Blaise snarled, "You are the selfish one."

Hermione couldn't take it. The saddest part is that she knew everything he was saying was true – but finally someone had the nerve to point it out to her. She took in a deep breath trying to rid herself of the anger that was boiling down deep inside of her, but the more she looked at him the more she felt like slapping him continuously to make him feel the hurt that she felt at that moment in time. Blaise was not like Draco though, instead of staring her down waiting for her to break he moved away and lit a cigarette.

He flicked the ashes of the cigarette away before looking at her, "In Gryffindor you learned loyalty – in Slytherin we learned that you have no one else to depend on but yourself."

She turned to him and he saw that her eyes were wet, "I still can't understand what happened to the girl who was the spitting image of what Godric Gryffindor would've wanted in his house."

They both knew the answer.

A/N No waiting another year for a chapter. I'm falling in love with this story just as much as Sway. I would LOVE to hear any kind of feedback just to assure me there's a continued fanbase and plus i just enjoy hearing what people think. Yes it's confusing and topsy-turvey, but just wait. Thank you all for your support.