…Italy…
We enjoyed the rest of dinner. I was surprised when mum and Mrs. Zabini brought out a six-tiered cake for our graduation. Harry and Izzy were on the verge of tears. Blaise stared at the cake a hint of tear in his eyes.
I sliced the cake and gasped. Each of the tiers was a different flavor with different fillings. I gave everyone a piece of each tier. We continued to talk into the night. The adults went over to the kitchen to clean up.
A week later I was seeing my family off at the airport. I gave them all hugs. Mum kept returning for another hug. I tried to get dad's help, but he was looking at the ceiling.
"It's almost time to go.", Blaise tapped mum's shoulder. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. With Izzy's help I detached mum from me to dad. "It'll only be two weeks.", I tried to reassure her.
Dad shooed me and Blaise off. I walked hand in hand with him to board the flight.
I studied my Italian and recipes on the flight. We landed and I felt my stomach drop. Blaise held my hand as we got off the plane. His mum picked us up from the airport and we went to their house.
Mrs. Zabini took our luggage upstairs. Blaise led me to the kitchen. He handed me a glass of water. I drank it looking around. "They are not going to pop up from out of nowhere.", he joked but I wasn't sold.
"The family will be over for lunch tomorrow. You can relax, or we can find something to distract you with.", he offered while grabbing some grapes.
I looked around again, "Distraction." He nodded and he waved me over to where he was. He opened what I thought was a pantry. Inside were cookbooks that had been passed down for a long time.
I looked over every single one. "Mum would be more than happy to help you make some of these tomorrow. I'm get this feeling you'd be comfortable meeting my family if you were covered in flour.", he joked.
"You stop teasing her. Sweetie you pick quite a few recipes and we'll go shopping.", Mrs. Zabini came into the kitchen with a smile. She took out a notepad so she could make a list.
I scanned the recipes as quickly as I could. I chose several side dishes and main dishes. I began searching for desserts while Blaise helped his mum with the list. I finished and added the ingredients to the list along with my éclair ingredients.
We shopped for the items on the list at a local market. Blaise kept encouraging me to try samples of the food. A lot of the older women there knew the Zabini's. They kept bringing up all the trouble Blaise would get into when he was younger.
When we were done, we went back to the house and I helped put the food away. Mrs. Zabini whispered something to Blaise, and he led me from the kitchen.
"She wants to make a special meal for you, so we're going upstairs.", he explained once out of earshot of the kitchen. He led me up the stairs and to a room.
He shook his head. He motioned for me to stay put. He came back looking very flustered. He motioned me inside. "Mum thinks it might help you relax if we shared a room.", he mumbled.
I smiled. "See! That look is exactly why I said no to her saying we should share a room.", he gave me a stern look. "What if I promise not to do anything.", I pouted holding up my hands. He thought for a moment. He relented and I clapped my hands.
"You'll behave yourself. The entire time.", he stated as he looked around. I nodded skipping around. He leaned against a wall watching me explore the room.
We headed back down to the kitchen when dinner was done. "How do you like the room?", Mrs. Zabini asked as she put the finishing touches on Porchetta, Risotto alla Milanese, Scarcia, and a Caprese salad.
"I love it!", I exclaimed as she poured some wine. "You just let me know if my son misbehaves in any way.", she winked at me.
Blaise scoffed and muttered under his breath, "I can control myself, she can't." His mum tsked disapprovingly and he sat down.
After dinner we went outside to enjoy the last bits of the sunset as we finished our wine. "I'll see you two in the morning.", Mrs. Zabini yawned as she headed inside. I waved at her then turned back to the night sky. I watched as the stars twinkled in the sky.
I was led back inside by Blaise who had decided that I needed rest. I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed with Blaise. I put my head on his chest as he wrapped an arm around me, and I fell asleep.
I was woken in the morning by Blaise tapping my shoulder. I opened my eyes. "Time to wake up sleepy head.", he whispered. I groaned and rolled back over covering my face with a pillow.
I felt the bed shift as he sat on it. Then I felt icy cold water being poured on me. I jumped up glaring. He left the room with a chuckle. I showered and waved my wand so that the ice water was no longer on the bed. I put on a midi skirt, a blouse, and a pair of flats. I pinned my hair up into a braided bun. I made my way into the kitchen where Mrs. Zabini was already prepping.
"Ah, come in dear. Blaise just left for a run. You can help me prepare the ingredients.", she waved at some vegetables on the counter. "Did you sleep well?", she asked as she prepped some fresh pasta.
I gave a shudder, "I was until Blaise poured ice water on my head." She shook her head. I chopped, sliced, and minced as she instructed me through the dishes. The first guests arrived after she took the eclairs out of the oven.
She motioned for me to stay put as she rushed off to the front door. I heard cheerful voices coming from the door. I wrung my hands together. I organized the eclairs and cannoli's on a tray.
They came in the kitchen still talking. "This is Charlotte Black!", Mrs. Zabini introduced me. A woman with ivy colored eyes and auburn hair rushed over hugging me and kissing my face. "Charlotte dear this is Bianka and Roque Zabini and their daughter Rochelle.", Mrs. Zabini explained waving to each one. A man with Blaise's brown eyes smiled at me. Roque Zabini shook my hand. He had mahogany brown hair just like Rochelle. Rochelle gave me an eye smile and I noticed she had her mother's ivy eyes.
"Bianka dear relax you'll scare the child.", Roque told his wife. She let me go and went around the kitchen looking at the food we'd prepared.
"So, this is the young woman who was finally able to capture Blaise's eye Cianna!", a new voice called from the doorway. Mrs. Zabini turned and hugged the voice.
Rochelle stood by me as we watched. "That's auntie Cianna's sister. The one with amber eyes and brown hair.", she informed me. I nodded. "Her name is Ymelda Bianchi. The man next to her is her husband Jeno Bianchi.", she pointed at a man with ebony eyes and chestnut brown hair.
Two girls came over while the adults talked. "These two are Ortensia and Elda Bianchi.", the girls raised their hands respectively as Rochelle introduced them. They had their mother's amber eyes and their father's chestnut hair.
"Where is Blaise? I know he didn't leave you here to meet us by yourself.", Elda whispered looking around. "He left to go on a run.", I explained. Ortensia shook her head. "We've heard a lot about you from auntie Cianna and Blaise. Did you really make him eat that icing?", Rochelle asked. "He wasn't behaving.", I laughed as the memory came back.
We talked at the kitchen island while the adults went to the garden. "I'm guessing that you probably had to work really hard to get Blaise to bring you here.", Ortensia said as she looked at me. "Of course. I had to beat him in 6 subjects at school. He was pretty shocked when I beat him at 8.", I responded as I checked on the dishes bubbling away on the stove.
Elda gasped and I turned around. they'd begun eating the eclairs. "Blaise said that these were good, but I don't think he did this enough justice.", Elda bounced around in her seat. Rochelle nodded as Ortensia grabbed another. "He told us all about how much you like food, so if you need any advice on where to get some amazing food just ask us.", Ortensia told me as she started on the cannoli in front of her.
The doorbell rang again, and Elda rushed off to get it. She returned with more people. "Charlotte! Let me introduce you. This is Nardo and Zoela Zabini and their daughters Byanca and Neryssa.", she pointed to each of them in turn. Nardo was just like Roque except his hair was more of a coco than mahogany brown. Zoela exuded the same energy as Mrs. Zabini. Her Caribbean blue eyes scanned the room as she ran her hand through her onyx hair. Rochelle told Zoela and Nardo that the others were in the garden.
Byanca and Neryssa relaxed as soon as their parents left. "Nice to meet you Charlotte!", Neryssa greeted me as she sat down beside Elda. She and her sister had their mum's blue eyes and father's coco hair. They began chatting and asked to see a picture of my family.
I obliged and got my photobook. I pointed everyone out to them. Rochelle was the same age as Harry. Ortensia and Neryssa were my age. Elda was the same age as Ava and Lucas. Byanca was the same age as Akio who she seemed very interested in upon seeing his picture with Alastair.
"There's one more family on the way. Auntie Cianna's brother and his family.", Elda explained as the doorbell rang. Neryssa got the door. They filled me in quickly before they entered the room. Belvidere Ricci and his wife walked in first. Belvidere had amber eyes and black hair. He had his arm around his wife, Cyprienne Ricci. she had hazel eyes and rose-colored hair. She gave me a hug before joining her husband and the others in the garden.
The next to enter the room was Cesco Ricci was the next to enter looking extremely harassed. He was about Lucas' age with amber eyes and rose hair. We waved and he waved back before sitting on the kitchen counter. "So, you're the problem child Blaise mentioned.", he stated as he looked at me.
"Problem child?", I scoffed, "No, I'm not a problem child but I am the one Blaise mentioned. He laughed, "Flying a motorbike around at a young age isn't being a problem child?"
The others tsked at him, but I turned some pages in the book we were looking through. I pointed at a photo and he hopped off the counter. Everyone bent over to look at the photo of the motorbike. He shook my hand, "You have my respect Charlotte." He went back to the countertop as the twins entered the room.
Uberto and Jino Ricci waved and hugged me as they entered the room. They were Edwin and Jessica's age, and they had Hazel eyes and black hair. They looked less harassed than Cesco did when he entered the room. They were laughing with Neryssa and Cesco shook his head.
I relaxed and moved around them as I finished up lunch. "Nice to see everyone getting along.", Blaise called from where he was leaning on the door frame, already showered, and changed. Rochelle rushed over hitting him. "You left Charlotte here by her lonesome.", she scolded as everyone laughed as he tried to avoid her.
Elda led Rochelle back to her seat. "I just got an extreme case of déjà vu from that attack.", he smiled at me. I waved him off. "Why did you hit him?", Elda asked turning to me.
"He pushed me off a zipline with no warning.", I explained. Ortensia gave him look that asked why. "Charlotte and her friends left without leaving a note. So, we punished them by making them go on an early morning hike and ziplining.", he shrugged unashamed.
Rochelle and I threw bits of éclair at him. Cesco shook his head again. "Don't tell me you're on her side.", Blaise said in mock despair. "As soon as I saw that motorbike my loyalties shifted.", Cesco stated proudly.
Since Blaise had finally arrived, we could start lunch. We were halfway through lunch when the questions began. "I already know how Blaise acted in the beginning. So, how about you tell me about his reaction when he it finally hit him who you are and are related to?", Ymelda asked with a sly smile.
"Ah, we were cleaning a house up for my cousins from France. We found a couple of bins of photos from the travels over the years. Then we went to the garage where the men in my family keep their motorcycles and such. I turned around because he wasn't moving. He just stood there muttering. I only had one thought. After years of stories I told him the point at which it finally hit him was when he realized my grandparents work as spies.", I explained as everyone sat up.
Blaise looked down remembering that day and shook his head. "It was insanity. Her mum and aunts sent their husbands to Las Vegas just so they could go on vacation.", he told them. I pointed at his bewildered expression, "Times that by about a 1000 and that was his reaction then.", I smiled. Rochelle and Elda scoffed.
"I saw the family portrait you sent him the last time we visited.", Elda informed me as the others began teasing Blaise. "Ah yes. He seems to find the range eye and hair colors in my family mind-numbing and technicolor living. So, I sent him a portrait of everyone.", I smiled. Zoela reached across the table smacking Blaise's arm.
"First you leave her alone to meet everyone and now we find out you made comments like that.", she chided him in a playful manner. He blinked looking slightly affronted. "What if she left you alone with her family?", she asked. I held up a hand.
"Oh no. we could never do that. Especially with the portrait of grandma Black. Oh no. I can't even begin to fathom what might've happened. Besides, he was terrified enough that he had to help me cook.", I explained patting Blaise's shoulder.
Ortensia dropped her cutlery. "He cooked?!", Roque choked on his wine. "He was nowhere near as bad as my auntie Amber used to be before mum and her sisters taught her. He did a very good job and then I sent him off to hang out with my dad and uncles. Heard they took the motorcycles out while everyone else was inside.", I shook my head in mock sadness.
The meal continued. "What does your grandma Black think of Blaise?", Rochelle asked me in a whisper. "She thinks he's finer than wine.", I responded as we fell into laughter.
"Your gossiping about me on the side, aren't you?", Blaise asked. We shrugged. I brought my photobook from the kitchen since Ymelda wanted to see my family. "Was this the game punishment?", Cyprienne giggled pointing to the picture of Izzy and Ava eating their punishment. I nodded.
Blaise gave an involuntary shudder. "She got you good with all those pranks, didn't she?", Nardo asked as he chuckled. I winked at Blaise. "I do believe the last one was a mixture I made. The worst Bertie Botts Beans flavors, licorice, habanero peppers, Scotch Bonnet peppers, pickles, baking soda, and durian.", I smiled. Elda and Jeno high fived me as Blaise shuddered.
"See how she treats me.", he whined. After lunch everyone went home promising to come by every now and then. Mrs. Zabini joined Bianka and Ymelda who were going to the store for wine.
Blaise closed the door as the last person left. I pretended like I was exhausted. "Those pranks were really mean.", he sighed. I hugged him. He chuckled.
"See that wasn't so bad. They completely loved you.", he stated. I nodded. I yawned. "Come on. You need a nap.", he smiled. I followed him upstairs and collapsed into bed.
I woke up the next morning with my head on Blaise's chest. It wasn't even 7 in the morning. I went to sit up, but Blaise pulled me back down. "Morning love.", he murmured. "Morning. How are you?", I asked. He kissed my forehead, "That's my line."
I buried my face in his neck. "I was more wound up than I thought. Should've relaxed.", I mumbled. He chuckled. I wrapped my arms around his waist as we watched the sunrise.
I wanted to stay there a bit longer, but then I decided I wanted to go exploring. "Come on. Get up.", I poked Blaise, but he kept shaking his head. I leaned down so my face and his were mere inches away. "Why not?", I mumbled against his lips. "I'd rather keep you to myself for a day.", he replied as he kissed me.
"Nope, get up.", I said as he let me go. He groaned. I kissed him and jumped up from the bed. Once I was showered and dressed. I waited on the couch. I played with the settings on my brand-new camera while I waited on him.
Blaise finally emerged 20 minutes later. I put my camera down. We were both wearing jeans, boots, a tee, and a jacket. "Go change.", I told him with my hands on my hips. He scoffed and walked around me. I jumped on his back. "Please?!", I whined.
"Why?", he snickered. "You look to good.", I muttered. He laughed and I hopped off his back. He sat on the couch still laughing. I poked his arm. "No love.", he pulled me down to him. I sighed giving in.
I played with my camera again. He put my camera down on the table. He slid me onto his lap. "Time to go.", he said with a smile. He kissed me until I returned his smile. I buried my face in his neck. "Good. Your done pouting.", he grabbed my things and stood with me still clinging to him.
I shifted so he was giving me a piggyback ride as he descended the stairs. He started down a path that he knew well. I took in the sights as he walked. He seemed to have found what he was looking for.
He put me down. I looked around. We were on the top of a hill with the Italian countryside spread out below. I hopped up and down. I started bending down and observing. "What are you doing?", he asked from where he was sitting. "Practicing camera angles.", I said barely paying attention.
He handed me my camera. I took a few photos. I stood up. I looked around. I grabbed Blaise's hand. I posed him on the hillside and began taking photos again.
When I was done, I sat beside Blaise. I leaned my head on his shoulder. "This place is beautiful.", I murmured. We stayed there for a bit longer before continuing on our way.
He held my hand as we walked up the path. We walked until we reached his house. I'd taken a lot of photos during our walk. We went back up to our room. I put my camera away and flopped on the couch.
Blaise sat down beside me. "What do you want to do tomorrow?", he asked. "The taste of Italy. Presented by the people who know it best.", I smiled happily. "People? Oh, no. you mean person.", he corrected. "Oh, no. I mean people.", I joked.
He pulled me onto his lap. "I don't want to share.", he stated looking upset. I buried my face in his neck to hide my smile. "Do you really want to meet with others?", he murmured. I kissed him up and down his neck. "You have to learn to share.", I told him. He shook his head defiantly. I kissed him and wrapped my arms arounds his neck.
He pressed me up against him. I smiled against his lips. "I still don't want to share.", he whispered. I frowned. I kissed him again. I let my hands travel the length of his torso.
He groaned. "Really. I don't want to share.", he huffed. "Seriously Blaise!", I huffed. He stared at me defiantly. "Do you really want to see who'll win this?", he whispered kissing my neck.
I slid his jacket off, "Blaise if you don't want to share, I'll just go out by myself." He froze as my fingers made their way to the hem of his shirt. I worked his shirt off of him. "Really Charlotte.", he muttered.
He flipped us over so that I was beneath him on the couch. He kissed me with more passion this time around. I giggled against his lips as I pressed myself against him. I shrugged out of my jacket.
"Do give in before I lose all myself control. Please love.", he whispered as he attacked my neck. I gave a moan as he focused in on his task. I managed to shake my head. His hands made their way to my shirt and started rolling it up.
I threw it off as he rolled it up to my neck. He stopped his assault on my neck to stare at me. His eyes reflected mine. "Merlin's beard you're going to get me in trouble.", his eyes traveled down my body. My breath caught as I watched him.
"Fuck it.", he groaned as his eyes met mine. He captured my mouth in a kiss. I let him take control. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his torso as he carried me to the bed.
I rolled off my jeans flinging them into a corner of the room before returning to my task of kissing Blaise's neck. He bent down kissing a trail down my neck and chest. I felt a sense of longing wash over my body.
He kept kissing until he reached the top of my panties. He began kissing the insides of my legs and I gave a slight shudder. He rolled my panties all the way off my legs. He licked away at me sucking my clit into his mouth as I grabbed at the sheets.
He used a hand to hold me still and get me to stop squirming. I let out a moan as I felt an orgasm wash over my body, and Blaise kept going. Orgasm after orgasm rolled over me. Blaise began kissing my legs again.
"Need you. Need you now.", I panted. He smirked. He reached over to the dresser and got out something. I faintly heard the sound of him rolling on the condom. He slid down between my legs kissing me passionately again. "Let me know when to stop.", he whispered. he looked at me with concern. I nodded.
He slowly pushed himself inside me. I buried my face in his neck. I shuddered and then the pain was gone. I kissed his neck. He groaned in understandment. I pressed myself against him as he thrusted in and out of me. "I love you. I love you so very much Charlotte.", he looked at me. "I love you too.", I whispered as tears of happiness sprung up into my eyes.
He kept going until I had another orgasm and then he started going full speed. I arched my back as I felt my strongest orgasm yet wash over me as he came. I panted trying to catch my breathe. I was shuddering uncontrollably as the waves of orgasm still crashed over me. I kissed Blaise gently. "I love you.", I murmured against his lips. He groaned again. "I love you too.", he slid himself out of me and collapsed on the bed next to me.
He pulled me over to him so that my head was on his chest. I wrapped my arms around his torso. "If I have to share you with others, I suppose I'll have to. You win.", he kissed my forehead. I smiled while I played with his hand. He pulled the blanket over us as I fell asleep content.