…Italy 2.0…

I awoke a few hours later my head still on Blaise's chest. I smiled at him. I traced his facial features with my finger. I kissed him lightly. I put my head back on his shoulder.

I felt him stir. "Hey.", he whispered his voice gruff with sleep. "Hey.", I responded turning my face to him. He gave me a quick kiss before enveloping me in a hug. "Come on. Up you get.", he wrapped me in a blanket as he carried me to the bathroom. He filled the tub with water. We sat in the water. "Are you ok?", he asked as he rubbed my shoulders. "Of course. I've never felt better.", I turned my head to him.

He smiled. I leaned back so I could rest my head on his chest. We spent the rest of the time in the tub talking. He handed me a robe and towel. I towel dried my hair and put the robe on.

I sat on the bathroom counter while Blaise stood in front of the sink a towel wrapped around his waist and washing his face. "Blaise. I'd love to keep you to myself, but I know that every now and again you'll need space.", I explained. He stood with hands on the sink letting the words sink in.

He slowly nodded. I nudged him with my foot. "Your right. I was a bit immature.", he muttered. I turned his head towards me. "I don't want to be right. I want you to understand. I love spending time with you, but you can't keep me to yourself. I wouldn't do that to you, because I love you and I know you love me.", I placed my head against his. "Ok. I understand. I'm really sorry love.", he whispered.

I hopped off the counter. I went to my luggage and got dressed in some shorts and a tank top. I cleaned up the mess we had made earlier. I went through the photos on my camera while I waited on Blaise.

He emerged a few minutes later. I waved him over and he sat next to me on the couch. I showed him the photos I'd taken during our walk.

When we got hungry, we went to the kitchen. I made a quick pasta dish while he watched me. I brought it over to him when it was done. "Dinner is served.", I sang happily. We sat at the kitchen island eating straight from the pan. "This is delicious.", he said in between bites.

We talked about where we might go tomorrow until I began yawning. He picked me up and wrapped my legs around him as he carried me up to our room. He placed me on the bed. I shifted slightly before getting comfortable. I felt him slide into the bed. I reached my arms out and he pulled me to him. I fell asleep curled up against him with a smile.

I woke early and took a shower. I came out of the bathroom in my towel. "What a lovely sight to see so early in the morning.", Blaise mumbled from the bed. I walked over and smacked his arm lightly. "Time to get up. Go on. Go get showered and changed.", I said. He groaned. "Do I need to start counting?", I asked taking his little catchphrase. He smirked and then sighed.

He got up and went to take a shower. I got dressed in a skirt, crop top, and wedges. I braided my hair, so it was out of my face and put into a hat.

I looked around. I found my camera and put it in my bag. He came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and began to get dressed. I grabbed a light jacket when he was done.

"Who are we meeting today?", I asked as I followed him down the stairs. He grinned at my gleeful expression. "Rochelle, Cesco, Elda, and Neryssa. Ortensia, Byanca, Uberto, and Jino all have extra lessons that they need to do. I think we'll take you up and down the Amalfi Coast today."

I stopped walking. "The Amalfi Coast? REALLY?!", I shrieked. He smirked and grabbed my hand leading me out the front door. I skipped happily along side him all the way to the car. We went to pick up the others and drove down the coast.

I took pictures of the coast as Blaise drove. We reached our destination and got out of the car. Rochelle, Elda, Neryssa, and I took off and began taking pictures. "Geez, you guys. We have all day. You can take your time you know.", Cesco sighed as he and Blaise rushed after us.

We stopped taking pictures long enough to eat. While Blaise and Cesco were distracted by a group of tourists me and the girls snuck into a dessert shop. We selected a huge variety and sat at a table.

"Won't Blaise be upset you've disappeared?", Neryssa asked she took a bite of Panna Cotta. I thought about it. "I don't know. Most of the time when I wander off, he's always been able to find me with no problems at all.", I responded taking a bite of cannoli.

"She's quite right.", came Blaise's voice from behind us. Elda and Rochelle jumped in shock. I let a laugh and Neryssa shook her head as she waved them to the table seats that were empty.

After that Blaise took my hand in his. We continued our exploration of the coast. I sat on the beach eating some gelato. When I was done, I joined the other girls in the water. We splashed around in the water for a while and did tricks.

The sun had begun to set, and we were having dinner watching it. "I still can't believe you ate a whole cake an hour ago and your still hungry.", Elda poked at Cesco. He waved her off and continued devouring the pasta dish in front of him.

I sipped my water. I nudged Elda and she winked back at me. Elda nudged Rochelle who winked at Neryssa. Blaise watched us and sat back in his seat folding his arms. A server came forward and whispered something to Elda. She clapped her hands excitedly nodding as he spoke.

The server went back to the kitchen. I smirked as 5 servers brought out a tray. "The women here have requested this dish for a Cesco Ricci.", the original server gave Cesco a sly smirk. They pulled another table over and placed a giant pizza on it. Cesco's mouth dropped open. He shifted in his seat. It was the size of the entire table it sat upon.

Blaise scoffed. "Oh, and here is the dish for a Blaise Zabini.", the server continued his smile growing. The servers cleared off the table and placed a family sized Focaccia in front of him. I clapped my hands in glee. The servers brought gelato and tiramisu.

Cesco groaned as he staggered to the car. Both he and Blaise had finished their extra dishes with quite a bit of effort. They sat in the back of the car groaning.

I drove everyone home. Rochelle, Elda, and Neryssa were still chuckling happily as they went inside their homes. I helped Cesco out of the car. Blaise moved to the passenger seat.

I drove us back home. I helped Blaise out of the car. "What happened?", Mrs. Zabini asked as she stood from the kitchen table where she was sitting with Ymelda and Zoela. "He overate.", I explained as Blaise leaned against the kitchen sink drinking water straight from the tap.

"Overate? Blaise?", Zoela scoffed watching Blaise. "Well, Rochelle, Neryssa, and Elda had this idea of ordering more food for them. No one made them eat the whole thing by themselves we just ordered it under their names. Honestly, I don't understand why they would a family size portion of food on top of all the food we'd eaten today.", I huffed.

Ymelda was shaking with laughter. "They finished the whole thing? Oh, my lord. They've done it again. Don't worry Charlotte dear. They've done this before they'll recover in no time.", Ymelda she shook her head as she sat back down. "What did they eat this time?", Zoela asked handing Blaise some medicine.

"Cesco had a pizza as big as the table it sat upon and Blaise had a family-sized Focaccia.", I answered grabbing some grapes from the fruit bowl. Ymelda and Zoela doubled over in laughter. Mrs. Zabini hit her lightly and repeatedly on his shoulder. After a bit more discussion about their weird behavior in which I learned about the other giant portions of food they'd tried to eat before Ymelda and Zoela went home.

Mrs. Zabini went to bed extremely tired from her day and making Blaise take the medicinal potion. I watched as Blaise sat on the floor. He'd thrown up most of the food he'd eaten and looked to be in very bad shape. If this state of being is much better than the previous incidents how much worse were they! I thought to myself as I stood up.

I helped Blaise off the floor. He groaned as we went up the stairs. I propped him against the wall as I opened the door and he staggered inside undressing as went. He collapsed on the couch and I threw a blanket over him and went to bed.

I was washing my face in the bathroom the next morning when I heard Blaise groan as he woke up. "Good morning dummy.", I called. He grumbled as he got up and brushed his teeth. I patted his shoulder sympathetically.

I went to the kitchen and finished preparing the soup Mrs. Zabini told me about the previous night. She had plans with her siblings today and thought that since I was here Blaise would be fine.

I ladled the soup from the pot just as Blaise stumbled into the kitchen. He put his head on my shoulder watching. I handed the bowl up to him and he took it thankfully. I made myself a bowl and climbed onto the counter as I ate. Blaise leaned against the counter as he ate slowly.

"That was extremely irresponsible.", I stated while I ate. Blaise nodded and continued eating. "I know that.", he grumbled as he went to get more soup. I crossed my legs and leaned forward. "You know? Interesting. Next time we'll just have to snack all day instead of a meal.", I sighed in mock exasperation.

Blaise turned to me looking very tired. I smiled to let him know I was joking, and he relaxed. When he was done with his soup he sagged back against the counter. I hopped down from the counter.

I cleaned up the traces of breakfast. Blaise hugged me from behind as I washed the dishes. When I was done, I led him back upstairs and forced him lightly onto the couch. I watched as he laid on the couch eyes fixed on the ceiling. I sat on the floor by the couch. I began singing a song lightly and watched as he closed his eyes falling asleep. I put the blanket back on him.

I wrote letters to my family and sent them off with Blaise's owl. I went back down to the kitchen and began reading through recipe books. I translated a few books by the time Blaise woke again. I opened my arms as he entered the kitchen and he walked into them.

I hugged him and he mumbled tiredly. I went back to my task and he sat by me. "What are you doing love?", he asked as he ate some grapes. "Translations. There are so many stories.", I whispered. Blaise scoffed. "You found the old stories.", he reached over and grabbed a book. He began reading the story I had translated.

I fixed some tea for us while I waited. His eyes widened as he read. I handed him a cup. "Merlin's beard!", he gasped. "What?", I asked hurrying over. "You translated this perfectly.", he gaped. I frowned. "We had almost given up hope on translating some of these, but you were able to translate it. Oh, love. This is amazing!", he stated as his eyes ran over the pages.

I stared at the pages. "Some of these haven't been used in hundreds of years. It makes me wonder.", he muttered. He got up and made a call. I kept reading over the pages trying to figure out what he was talking about. He rejoined me and kissed me happily.

"You do realize what you've done. You have given my family back some lost stories and memories that we hadn't been able to understand.", he hugged me. I thought about it. "I was wondering why they were written in different languages. I just realized that they were secrets.", I muttered looking at the floor.

He picked my head up. "There's no need for you to be like this.", he told me, and I nodded. He organized the papers and books. "This is just like your art notes. Hidden messages and stories.", he said as he worked, and I smiled realizing how right he was.

He turned to me as he finished. "You know if you keep being like this and finding these stories and things that have been forgotten they might not let you leave. When I told the others, they were so overjoyed.", he shook his head, "They'll be over tomorrow to go through the books. They might even bring more with them if you're up to it."

"Of course. I'd love to help.", I told him as I walked around prepping a small dinner of soup, bread, and fruit.

He watched me with interest. "I think your dad was right. You really haven't even begun to show your actual potential yet.", he smiled.

As we ate, we talked about the stories and recipes I'd translated. Mrs. Zabini came home a bit after having already heard. "Charlotte just so you know I'd love it if my son proposed to you already. You have been so helpful without anyone asking you. Thank you!", she cried as she hugged me. Blaise choked in surprise when she mentioned proposing. She fixed herself some food and hurried from the room avoiding her son's questioning gaze.

We went to bed that night after cleaning. I had to force Blaise to go to bed instead of going to question his mum. He protested quite a bit.

"You need your rest so you can help me translate tomorrow.", I told him as I closed the door. He tapped his foot on the floor before getting ready for bed. I climbed into bed and curled up.

The next day everyone arrived early to view the progress I'd made. "I heard from Blaise about your mum's linguist skills and know I'm rather sure myself that you've inherited it.", Jeno laughed reading my translations. "Why of course she has. The girl learned how to speak Italian in less than three days!", Mrs. Zabini scoffed as she riffled through a stack of papers.

Belvidere looked at me in shock. "Are you sure you want to be with Blaise. Maybe you should aim higher.", he joked. "Oh, hell no! I've already told Blaise he better not let her go.", Mrs. Zabini laughed. I laughed with Rochelle and Elda.

They had the us translating the papers. Blaise, Neryssa, and Cesco checked our work while Byanca, Ortensia, Uberto, and Jino ran back and forth from the adults to us with more papers.

While everyone was immersed in their work I riffled through my papers. I stopped on a page. Rochelle looked over. It was a drawing of a woman. Rochelle let out a shocked gasp. Blaise leaned over to look. He took the paper from me and handed it Roque and Nardo.

"There's a message in the drawing.", I said. They looked at me and then at Blaise. "She has a talent for hidden messages. I told you.", he shrugged. I went over and tapped my wand on the drawing. A poem appeared on the surface. A lover's message.

They read it quickly and smiled. "A message to our grandfather from when they were young.", Nardo handed the paper to the other adults who read it. "Come to think of it the set you are wearing used to be hers.", Roque smiled at Blaise who had busied himself with a stack of papers.

I looked through more papers finding more pictures and making the messages appear. Cyprienne and Ymelda copied them down into a journal. I looked at the last one very confused. "What's wrong?", Elda asked. "The messages were found, and they've switched the rest of them to artworks.", I muttered reading the message again.

I looked up. "Sounds like a treasure hunt to me.", Uberto sat up looking very excited by the prospect. I shook my head. "They didn't just hide their messages in things passed down through the family. they hid them in national treasures.", I mumbled, but the room had gone so silent that it was easy to hear me.

We finished translating the recipes and pictures and at the same time Cyprienne had mapped out all the places where she was sure they would have hidden messages.

We made plans to visit all the places over the next week. We cleaned up and everyone left. Mrs. Zabini went with Ymelda since she had the most.

I trudged upstairs deep in thought as I entered our room. A treasure hunt in Italy. Mum would be jealous. I thought as I got ready for bed. Blaise was already in bed by the time I slid in. He pulled me over to him. "This is going to be fun.", he murmured. "Why did you act like that when Roque mentioned the jewelry you gave me?", I asked.

I felt him stiffen then relax. "It's sort of like a promise ring.", he whispered. I felt the smile grow on my face. I wrapped my arms around him as we fell asleep.