Title: Summer of Uncertainty (3/?)
Author: granger2malfoy
E-mail:
Disclaimer: I am not JK. But that's not what the voices in my head keep saying.
Summary: Due to threat on the Golden Trio and Hermione's family, desperate measures are taken the summer before their seventh year. How does this effect Blaise Zabini?
Previously in Chapter Two ......
"Good idea," Blaise said as the bell chimed that it was ten thirty. "Okay, we need to get going. Now, just follow my lead and act normal as if you were with Ron. We are going to floo by to a certain carriage station and then we will be riding for about three hours. Then we will be taking a special portkey to our final destination. Don't ask any questions till we are on the carriage. All right?"
"Sure, let's get going, Ron. Hate for us to be late." Hermione gave a huge smile as she put her hand in the nook his arm and gave him a wink.
Blaise shook his head as they headed out of the library and toward the nearest exit. "What have I gotten myself into?"
Chapter Three
An hour later, Blaise Zabini sat still Polyjuiced as Ronald Weasley with Hermione across from him in the carriage. So far, everything was going smoothly as they were headed in the direction of a large city nearby. The pair would not be staying there; instead it was a rouse as they were going to portkey to the Zabini's family summerhouse.
He sat there across from her with the body of her boyfriend as he read over the Charms text for the up coming year. Hermione was impressed because she hadn't started it yet. True, she was currently holding her Potions text in her hands but her mind just was not able to concentrate. So much had changed in the matter of a few hours. She was not sure what to think about the idea of her and her family staying at a wizarding family's house of a person she hardly knew. The Burrow was one thing because her parents had meet Ron and his parents on several occasions but she didn't know how his family would react to having a muggleborn and her parents stay with them for the entire summer.
Zabini had gained her trust over the last year as he proved himself more than just what she considered a snob-pureblood. Hermione was shocked when he approached her about him becoming a member of the DA as well as over a dozen other Slytherin. It took several hours to convince Ron and Neville that he was trust worthy enough. Harry seemed to be willing to give him a chance right off the back because he noticed how strong the now-only male Slytherin for their year.
Everyone noticed how he stepped up to the plate and took on the role Prefect seriously as he was person younger students looked up to and his peers respected. He reformed the House of Slytherin by not standing for foul play as he showed by example that one could be cunning and determined without being mean and ruthless. Snape was still a snarky bastard with his sharp wit comments but with a little less venom since Malfoy and the other Death Eater's children left Hogwarts. The Potions Master enough awarded Gryffindor points on a few rare occasions and floored everyone when he complimented Hermione, who he once told her she was an insufferable know-it-all, on her perfect final exam.
Hermione had watched the young man in front of her became some she trusted and get along well with. They were often paired with each other during their classes and DA meetings. He excelled in the DA became an equal to Harry by the last lesson and bested her best friend in a fair match. The once quiet Slytherin now stood out in a crowd within the walls of Hogwarts. But outside of the school, his ways of fading into the background came out with full force.
The countryside passed quickly outside her window, as she was still lost in her thoughts. She almost found it a shame for him to still have to take the potion because they were going to be in that carriage alone for the next three hours. Hermione silently wished she could sit there with him in his own form and not her boyfriends. At first, it was cute to see him suffer as the red head Gryffindor but she found herself missing the beautiful indigo eyes that matched his own voice. A few times she closed her eyes as he talked just so in her mind to focus that he was there with her and her boyfriend.
Though she would never admit out loud, Blaise had become more attractive during the last year. His black curly hair matched his olive-colored skin and his frame was matching Harry's with only an inch taller than her best friend. During the DA meeting where their attire was relax because of the exercises, one could tell he was developing muscle tone from the Quidditch training also. The Slytherin had received many approvals of female stares over the past school year. She even noticed a few males did a double take at him in his Quidditch uniform.
"Did you have any questions for me about any of this? I am surprised you are not bubbling over with questions." His soft voice brought Hermione out of the train of thoughts as she looked towards him as Ron.
She shrugged her shoulders and set the leather bond book in her hands onto the seat next to her. She spoke, "I guess I assumed that everything was on a need to know basis and that I didn't need to know."
Blaise shook his head as he chuckled. "Like that's ever stopped you before."
"I guess my first question is about your family. Tell me about them," Hermione stated as she pulled her legs up on the seat and rest her head against the side of the padded carriage as she sat ready to listen about his home life.
Blaise set down his textbook as well and leaned on his knees as he began. "Well, my family lives in Italy in a small wizarding village. Plus, our summerhouse is near the beach in a more southern part of Italy. I have an older sister but she recently got married, so I assume you will stay that room. My mother and father are nice and I guess what you could consider 'muggle-friendly.' Even though I am a pureblood, I was raised that you judge a person on the capabilities and actions not just the blood that runs through the veins. I only just informed them of the need for you and your family to stay with us last night. But they are very understanding and they trust my choices. I am sure your family will feel comfortable once they get to know my parents.
"I have a grandmother that usually arrives in the middle of July and stays with us till I leave for Hogwarts. She is on my mother's side and I call her 'Nana' and I am sure she'll insist that you do that as well. Nana is very – different, but you'll understand more once you meet her. But she is very wise and one of my favorite relatives."
He leaned back into his seat and put his hands behind the currently red hair. He stifled a yawn as he asked, "Your turn to tell me about your family."
"Well, I am an only child. My parents are dentists and are very nice. They are still a little weary of this world because they are not used to it yet. But my father is a history buff and could go on for hours discussing battles, politics, leaders, and eras –all muggle of course," Hermione replied as relaxed more and more while in his presence.
He sly smile crept on his lips as he heard that bit about her father. "Well, your father and my father will get along splendidly. He is also a history buff and dabbles in muggle history to. What is your mother like?"
Hermione tucked a loose curl behind her ear as she watched him and noticed something odd. Even though his body was transformed into resembling Ron's, his mannerisms and speech made it very easy to separate his from her boyfriend. She also noticed that he watched her in different way than Ron did but she couldn't put her finger on what the difference was. With a quick look out the window, she began, "My mother is the type of person that would do anything for anyone. She is not into the cooking and homebody-type. Her past time is reading literature and gardening in our large backyard."
"Then she will love the gardens we have on the estate. My mother enjoys looking at them, studying them and crossbreeding them. But she is more into Potions and is the head of our family business of producing potion ingredients. While my father prefers the past time of running a small vineyard on the estate," Blaise said as he pulled out a watch to check the time. He looked back up at her as he tucked it back away in his pocket. "So, what do you enjoy in your free time?"
"I enjoy reading all I can get my hands on. But I am sure that is no surprise there." He nodded his head in agreement with a knowing smirk on his lips that did not go with Ron's face. She continued, "I always love reading out in our garden on a small bench next to a the Jasmine vine that runs along our fence. But I also enjoy working a practicing my potion skills, since I am not able to practice with my wand over the summer holidays. What about you? What keeps you out of trouble during your time off?"
The Slytherin sat proudly in his seat with both shoulder back and stated, "Few things keep me out of trouble during the summers. Especially, when my sister was there. It was always fun messing with her but last year was getting kind of boring without someone near my age there. The summerhouse has a shield over all of the estate and one of the things is that we are able to use our wands there at any times. Just no using them on my elders. That's their rule, not mine because I have to obey it too. But I guess I enjoy reading different things since I find quiet very relaxing. I also have been building up my defense skills over this past year and will continue during the summer. Plus, I like to dabble in divination."
"Okay, I am not going to touch that last statement. But I think we might be about to enjoy this summer. Too bad we can't get rid of Snape while we're there," she commented with a huge mischievous smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.
He sighed at that her last sentence and shook his head. "You'd be surprised. He's not that bad once out of the classroom. I've learned a lot from him this year and I gained a lot of respect at the same time. Just give him the same chance you gave me. Okay?"
"Okay. I don't know why I am so tired. Do you mind if I take a cat nap before we get there?" Hermione asked as she stretched her arms over her head and folded her cloak in a bundle for a pillow.
"No, go ahead. We still have about two more hours." With a slight movement of his hand, he pulled out a flask to take a swig and shook almost violently as he swallowed. Polyjuice Potion. She remembered how awful that stuffed taste from when she brewed it herself in the second year. As she lay down and brought her knees up, her mind began to wonder why he was going to all this trouble with his parents, their summerhouse and the potion. Many questions ran through her mind as sleep finally took over her body and mind.
End of Chapter Three
Please review and let me know the good and the bad. But don't flame me. If you don't like the pairing of Blaise/Hermione, it will be Ron/Hermione for the most of this but with angst of Blaise/Hermione and MORE Severus Snape. ;)