"I'll be right there!" Hermione called down from her open office door. It was three o'clock and she was getting ready to head to Blaise's newly opened office. She felt steady enough on the heels but not much like herself in the three quarter sleeve violet dress with round toed nude pumps. She even had a clutch to carry and a cloak. She was loading letters and papers into the clutch, she had charmed it so it would fit.

Hurrying down the stairs she felt their magics and stilled for a moment. Then charged forward bravely.

"Draco, Narcissa, it's lovely to see you this afternoon. Just a moment." Adding her to the wards took a minute and a slightly pinched look appeared on the matrons face. She inwardly frowned and then smiled politely at them.

"There. No need for you to hold onto your mother like she may be ejected onto the street." Her tone was a bit teasing and he did grin eventually. After he finished his perusal of her outfit, right down to the pale pink lipstick. Only her hair was her own free riot of curls.

"It was so I didn't lunge at you. What are you doing dressed up like that?" His eyes were appreciative, not predatory and his tone was light. She laughed in response as Narcissa chastised her son.

"Draco! You may leave immediately. It is no wonder I had to come here. The way you two speak." Her tone was as aggrieved as she had ever heard. You wouldn't have known it when she turned to face Hermione.

"Hermione. It seems you are going out, and you look lovely. Truly. That is an inspired combination." The witch was scanning her minutely and looking at her shoes as if she wanted a pair.

"It's inspired directly by you. I'm going to Blaise's office, it officially opens tomorrow." She smiled genuinely at the older witch. It had been fun to play dress up. Today had been a good one, so far at least.

"So you do know. I told Theo it was something you said to him." Draco sounded pouty and she lifted her nose imperiously.

"If you can not be polite then you can leave this setting." He stared at her for a moment and then they were laughing and Hermione felt a bit better.

"Could I come by after? You'll have to feed me though." Hermione was thinking through her plans and fitting the woman in. It was clear that she wanted to speak to her and the witch needn't be upset over something Hermione wasn't. It would take a private conversation though.

"Of course. We will eat in the conservatory. In an hour and a half, thirty minutes should suffice if you've plans or obligations." The woman was uncertain but as usual carried on. Hermione could interject changes but that was fine. Smiling her compliance she waited politely while they left the way they had come and apparated into the Alley.

The day was nice and as it was a Sunday afternoon, there were people everywhere. Wandlessly and silently she cast warming charms and then was quite comfortable. People did notice her appearance and Hermione just grinned. She waved at a surprised looking Neville and smiled at a dumbstruck looking Terry Boot. Sabrina was walking out of the apothecary and raised her eyebrows. Beginning to walk over to her, the witch stopped and then gave her a small wave and a mischievous grin before heading the other way.

As she approached the dark stone building with a single ornate door, she assessed their finished project. The equally ornate though simple sign hung about four feet above the door and said Zabini Inc., it was done in dark green with a burnished gold on the antique looking wood. The door had touches of the same colours on the scrolling woodwork. The amber panel of beaded glass came to just above the ornate door handle. The word closed was written in the same script as the name. Even though others would have been stopped by the ward, she just walked through it and turned the knob. It was silent as it swung open.

Golden burnished wood shone and the book shelves were full though not crammed. The carpet was luxurious, she could feel it through her heels.

"Is there a knight here? A maiden has need." Her tone was dramatic and a bit whiny. She kept the laugh in, even as she heard his deeper chuckle.

"Well, well, well. I'm surprised he let you out of the house all dolled up like that, and for another man." She did laugh at that and then grinned coyly at the tall dark man.

"Only Draco and our muse have seen me. I will surprise him later." Then she walked over the the huge ornate desk and dropped her clutch on it. The sound was out of proportion and he raised both brows at her. She opened it and then summoned the paper she wanted.

"I know you mentioned your own privacy contracts, I'm sure they are good. This is mine." She didn't think he would balk and after perusal, he proved her right by signing.

"I won't tie myself that tight to everyone, witch." He smiled at her and she returned it. Then summoned a list.

"I've sorted them into three catagories. Financial, families, and miscellaneous. The projects are filed under their appropriate categories. The family ones, please be kind. I'm sure that you know there is nothing to be afraid of, I supply the wolfsbane." Her eyes were steady on him and after a moment of stillness he met her eyes.

"Explain what you have been doing Hermione. Or what I need to know. And what you want me to do, moving forward." No levity and he pulled his own quill and parchment toward himself. An hour passed and she looked up at the clock.

"I have to go and have dinner. Could you come by this week? That's most of it, of course you can owl me or whatever." It was a lot to dump on the man. He didn't look daunted though and she thought that this had been an excellent match between his personality and this unique occupation.

"Okay. Later this week then. For now it's seeing to the usual financial arrangements and when the time comes, an introduction. Merlin, I hadn't any idea there were six werewolf children in hiding. You are devious. The usual back alley dealing can continue until the yearly vow, we can talk about that closer too. How do you want me to screen letters? Weekly?" Hermione thought this through. She bit her lip and then made a decision. Summoning another paper she signed it.

"A thousand galleons can be the signing limit, if you're okay with that. When you are ready we can decide if you want to manage finances or maybe have Theo do a portion of it. I've been doing my own and it's interesting but I don't want to and don't need to. Weekly is fine and you know that I'll take your owl any time. If it's urgent and I'm working, then deal with it, your best judgement, and we can fix anything that needs to be fixed after. Is that okay?" Hermione looked up from her paper and met the searching eyes in front of her. When he didn't speak she began to worry.

"If you don't want to then I won't be upset." She had been looking forward to offloading a lot of this and felt a bit badly now. It was a lot.

"You are something else Hermione. Just comes in here and makes me sign a contract before disclosing surprise after surprise." She didn't squirm but might have if she wasn't dressed as the matriarch.

"I trust you Blaise." She said evenly and slight colour showed on his dark cheeks.

"Thank you." It was a bit gruff but she just smiled gently at him and let him kiss her hand and bow her out of his new premise. Strolling back up the Alley to the apparition point she heard people whispering about her and the interesting sign that didn't give much away.

"Narcissa. Thank you." She was a bit surprised to be handed a glass of red wine upon entering the conservatory.

"It's nothing. Would you like to speak or eat first?" The woman asked, eyes on the younger witch.

"Speak first, then your husband needn't eat alone in his office or whatever your version of the dog house is." A quick explanation of that muggle phrase prompted a laugh.

"Alright. If you are truly okay with that, we will eat in the conservatory with the mongrel." Her cheeks pinked a bit and Hermione just smiled without letting the loud laugh out that she wanted to. Watching the woman compose herself and then open her mouth Hermione decided that this wouldn't do.

"If you are still good with me then I hold none of this against you. I'm fine and you didn't insult me or my master." Normally she took part in the verbal fencing that was usual in this family but she wasn't willing to do that, not right now. The blond just looked at her and didn't seem to know what to say.

"That's between Dolohov and Lucius. I would like to continue our association as it was. Friendship, really. I hope." As usual, she began to wilt a little, the woman was a force to be reckoned with and seemed to be X-raying her.

"I have few friends and would likewise, prefer to keep this relationship." Maybe her tone was a bit quieter but Hermione could hear and see nothing that indicated the witch was prevaricating so just smiled and leaned back a bit.

"You will enjoy seeing Blaise in his office. It is like a warmer Slytherin common room, in style." She offered as a way of beginning their usual exchange of news. With that a half hour passed comfortably though nothing of consequence was mentioned. It was comfortable right until they were about to stand and go to dinner.

"First Hermione. How are things with your young man?" Hermione didn't blush but gave Narcissa her attention.

"Good. I think. To be fair I haven't done this before." At the witches raised brow she continued. "Been in a relationship that I didn't intend to ultimately end. I had no honest future with any of those muggles. A distraction, though that is unkind." It did make her feel a bit badly but she hadn't dated any of them for more than a couple months, and didn't become emotionally close with any of them. On purpose.

"It is understandable, though I am glad you have chosen a different tack this time. I ask because, well." The witch faltered and Hermione didn't let her mouth drop open. Even though she wanted to. The witch had just halted mid sentence. Waiting, politely and with the same expression as before this shocking event, she just decided to remain frozen until the witch continued. Trying not to dread what might cause such a thing.

"I have no daughter, he has no mother. Neither have you. I am sorry for saying it in such a way. If you have questions or merely need a woman's ear. I will be happy to listen." Hermione smiled gently and decided to do what her heart told her instead of what manners indicated. Carefully she put down her wine glass and rose. Watching the older witches face as she walked over to her, it was blank, she crouched and then wrapped both arms around the witch. Her body remained tense for a moment and then one arm wrapped around her shoulders and Hermione could feel the woman relax. She didn't push it and kept it short.

"Thank you. I'm sure I will have questions, eventually." The witch was composed but looked a bit uncomfortable. How Sirius turned out so well adjusted, she wasn't sure.

"What's for dinner?" She asked, hoping it would help.

A half hour later she was seated at a small table in the gorgeous back conservatory of their summer home. Tiny rose vines climbed the steel rafters and it was absolutely charming.

"Miss Granger, perhaps you might speak to your master." She had expected it but still was a bit surprised at the man's audacity.

"No." Her voice was calm and she hoped he would drop it. She replied to Narcissa's question about the spring benefit both planned to attend.

"I'm sure..." He began and Hermione decided this was it. She smiled at Narcissa who looked pinched and then smoothed her face and nodded, Hermione thought she understood.

"That is enough. If he will not speak to you as a consequence for your questioning him, that is your problem. You invited him here and he came. Then you tried to tell him what to do. What were you thinking?" Hermione was asking him genuinely. The man was terrible but in such a predictable way that she felt a bit like she couldn't help but want to try and save him. For his family of course.

"An apprentice is untried." With that she stood. A glance at Narcissa received a small hand gesture and that was permission enough.

"This is the only time I will speak to you about this. That man is a genius. Only his imprisonment has kept him from being recognized as his talents deserve. You can find another warding master but you will go to bed each night, knowing that he or, probably I, could get through them. That is professionally and I say this to you, personally. I would sit at a table with few who disrespected me so openly, in my presence. Perhaps once I was forced to take the sneers and dismissals because of my gender or background. No longer. Antonin Dolohov took me on as his apprentice. Does that tell you nothing? I have not put on a show for you nor have I bragged in any way. If this leads you to think that he would keep or allow an apprentice that wasn't measuring up, then your idiocy is greater than I had expected. I told you I would ask for nothing, and I meant it, but I've decided that respect, at least outwardly, is something I will demand from here on out. From you." The last was clarified so that neither Draco or Narcissa, or god forbid Theo, thought she meant them in some convoluted Slytherin way. He just looked at her and she stood.

"Narcissa, thank you for dinner and the chat. You are added to my wards so feel free to come through for tea, I do have a lot going on and if a comfortable tea or glass of wine is what you want then I will try and be available." She meant it and the witch smiled at her.

"Thank you. I will. I will also owl you with a list for Blaise." Her tones were friendly and Hermione felt relieved as she left the monor.

As she crunched to the cabin containing the wizard she wanted to see, she wondered about several things. Nothing could be solved at the moment.

"Little witch." He had turned to her, at her entrance, and then froze. Clearly unable to see what had caused such a reaction, Rabastan walked into view and even he was silent for a moment.

"Little witch. Merlin." Finn sounded a bit pained and she just smiled her most rapier smile and laughed when he lunged at her and scooped her up.

"I'm going to take all this off and watch you be you again before I make you scream." He whispered into her ear and she laughed even as she shivered.

"Now, now children. In private." Rabastan's tone was joking and they took it as such. Settling into the chair Finn had been on, she began the tale of her day.

"It went beautifully. Really, more people noticed me than if I had gone in a mask and cloak. The sign with no details was brilliant and the offices turned out as beautifully as I knew they would. He does have style. The pile of papers was big and the list long. Contracts signed and the first batch of things I don't have to worry about as much has been handed off." Her smile was relieved.

"Before I left though, Narcissa had Draco bring her through and wanted to talk. We did after I went to the Alley. That was lovely and then Lucius tried to get me to talk to Dolohov for him." Eyebrows went up and she just nodded. "I told him off and left." She finished and leaned back against Finn's chest. This dress was not terrible but it wasn't comfortable either.

"That man is unique." Was Rabastan's contribution and Finn snorted his contempt from behind her.

"There is something I wanted to tell you. Your period of penitence is over, though I've not noticed much in the way of personal debasement from you." Her tone was a bit arch but she kept a level smile at Rabastan.

"Penitence? For which of my sins?" He sounded curious.

"The sin of speaking without thinking of course. He indicated today that I might, might mind you, be able to try my lunar wards this coming full moon." Meeting his eyes she waited and then he gaped at her for a moment.

"Just now?" She nodded in confirmation.

"Because of my one comment?" He checked and she nodded. He looked to Finn and whatever his face said told him that she wasn't exaggerating.

"I would never have thought. The man is as stubborn as a hippogriff and just as prideful." Hermione thought that apt and Finn's chuckle told her that he did too.