"Blaise?!" Pansy gasped. "What are you-? How are you-? Where-?!"
Millicent Bulstrode, a tall and moderately muscled girl, cut in, shoving Pansy aside and fluttering her eyelashes at the tall handsome boy.
"What Pansy means is... We all thought that you were still in Italy... So what are you doing back so early, handsome?"
Blaise smiled back easily, knowing that she was only playing a role for Marcus' and Hermione's benefit. They were all in his group and all knew that he was gay... Plus, due to a Veritaserum-spiked Truth or Dare game, they also knew that he had the biggest crush on Marcus Flint since Godzilla terrorized Muggles. But we digress...
"Well Milli..." Blaise drawled, slinging an arm around the tall girl' shoulders. "It's like this... I go on vacation, fully expecting to be there the whole summer when, wonder of wonders, He-who-calls-constantly sends a private message to my father, 'requesting' that I be sent over to my Aunt Rowena's house for the rest of the summer so I can meet my newest cousin who'd been thought lost all these years."
The Slytherins started to grin as Blaise stepped back and put his hands into the pockets of the Muggle jeans he wore.
Blaise grinned at them all and winked at Hermione.
"Heck, I didn't even know I HAD an Aunt Rowena, mush less that she has a daughter that, and I quote, "You just HAVE to meet!"
They all laughed, including Hermione and exempting Marcus.
"Now, if ya'll will excuse me... I need to go to Madame Malkin's to meet my, hopefully, beautiful aunt...." Blaise said, waving goodbye to them all and walking away.
All the girls sighed and stared at his backside, which was firmly encased in tight black denim.
Marcus made a sound of disgust and started walking away in the opposite direction, dragging Hermione behind him.
She twisted out of his hold and ran towards Blaise, past the group of Slytherins staring dreamily into space.
"Zabini! WAIT!" she called, trotting after him, Marcus walking slowly but still on her tail. Blaise turned back to see Hermione jogging towards him and smiled, waiting for her to reach him.
"Hello there... Cousin."