Disclaimer: still don't anything you recognise from the books…
A/N: well, I'm glad you all like the last chapter, I just wanted to put it in as an ending for the Halloween party without making chapter 17 too long…well anyway thanks for all your great reviews…. also this will be my last upload for about week because I'm going away on a school trip tomorrow and won't be back until next Saturday but hopefully I will be able to write the next chapter or chapters so all I'll have to do is type it up and upload it…
One Week after the Return from Fascino Quas
The weather had turned cold suddenly, and Hermione's room in the dungeons, had been no exception in letting the coolness in. not matter what charms she did or how much wood she put on the fire, Hermione could not manage to warm her small room up.
Finally at 10:30pm, shivering she crawled into her bed with a book, pulling the covers right up, hoping to keep the warmth around her, when their was a knock on the door.
Pulling her flannelette dressing gown around herself she padded toward the door in her slippers. Slowly opening the door, Hermione revealed Blaise.
"Blaise what are you doing? It's late and cold?" Hermione said, shivering.
"I just wanted to talk," Blaise stopped as he looked at her, her lips almost blue from being so cold, "Come on," He said pulling her out of her room, "It's too cold for you to stay here."
"No, Blaise, really, I'm fine," Hermione began as he led her toward his own room.
"No your not. Look at your lips are almost blue. If I leave you in there you'll freeze to death," He answered opening his own door.
They were greeted with the sound of wood cracking in the fire, and Hermione could already feel the warmth from the doorway.
"Fine," Hermione said as she followed him into the room and sat on the couch, "What was it that you wanted to talk about?"
"Oh, it was nothing important," Blaise stopped looking at the fire and turned to the brunette, "It doesn't matter."
"SO, you come to my room at then-thirty telling me you need to talk, then you think I'll settle with 'it doesn't matter'? I think you know me too well to try that Blaise," Hermione said, shifting in her seat, "Now tell me what it is."
"Ok. But you can't get mad at me. I've been thinking. Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" He spoke quietly, watching her, waiting for her reaction.
"What?" Hermione whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
FLASHBACK
Blaise waited for in the library, it was dark and the only light came from the moon shining through the window.
He never had to wait for her before; usually she was there before him, her head buried in a book, as she waited for him. Finally she came.
Blaise stood as she entered. She waked slowly, her head down, her brown curls covering her face. Finally when she reached him she looked up.
"Hermione," Blaise whispered, her face streaked with tears, "What happened?"
She shook her head and wiped her face with the back of her hand, taking a seep breath she finally spoke.
"This isn't right Blaise." Her voice cracked as the tears began to flow freely again.
"What's not right?" Blaise asked stupidly, he already knew the answer.
"Us. It's never going to work outside Hogwarts, you're a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor…" She trailed off, trying to sound convincing.
"Don't say that." Blaise whispered as he watched Hermione turn and walk toward the door.
"Hermione, wait," He called out following her.
She continued walking, ignoring his calls. Eventually he followed her to the Gryffindor tower, just as she was bout to give the password to the fat lady he grabbed her arm and pulled her around so she would finally face him.
"Blaise, let go," Her voice hoarse from the crying.
"No," He replied forcefully, "Not until you listen to me."
She stared at him blankly, her brown eyes lost in his blue one.
"Hermione Granger, I love you with all my heart, and nothing, no-one is ever going to change that," He paused and wiped the tears off her face gently. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he waited for her to reply, but when she didn't he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips, "Tell me that didn't mean anything to you, tell me that you didn't feel anything then I'll let you go."
She couldn't do it, she couldn't lie to him.
"I'm sorry Blaise," She whispered as she hugged him tightly, "I love you. That's why I need to let you go, so you'll be safe."
"Hermione, I'm always safe when I'm with you," He said pulling away from, not understanding what she meant, "I'm not letting you go."
"Blaise, please," She began.
"Tell me, give me the honest reason, not some shit about how this will only work in Hogwarts, if your going to break my heart I want the truth," He cut her off, letting go of her hand.
"Jesus, Blaise, I'm best friends with the bloody boy-who-lived, I'm a target and while I'm with you you're a target, I couldn't deal if something happened to you because of me, please" She pleaded with him.
"And, what I'm not a target with out. I betrayed my father, my friends, all the while in doing it, I found you. Now you just think just because your best friends with Harry, you have the right to decided what's best for me," He said calmly "You're what's best for me, I won't let you just give this all up because you feel the need to protect me."
"You really mean it?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
"I mean everything I say," Blaise replied, taking her hand.
"No, did you really mean it when you said you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me?" She asked again, looking into his blue eyes.
"Every single day," He breathed as they kissed.
END OF FLASHACK
"Blaise, you once said you would spend the rest of your life with me," Hermione whispered, standing up, taking a step back.
"Hermione," Blaise began, standing too.
She shook her head and swallowed as a large lump formed in her throat. Tears began to prickle her eyes.
"If this isn't what you wanted, then I'll leave," she took a step toward the door, as she felt Blaise's handed on her arm.
"This is what I want. I've wanted it since the first time I met you, I just, I just need to know if this is what you definitely want." He spun her around; his heart broke as he watched the tears flow down her face.
Fantastic work Blaise, the voice in his head told him, you just keep on hurting her don't you.
Gently he traced the tears with his fingertips, until she grabbed his hand. Holding it tight over her heart, she finally spoke.
"Blaise, this is what I want. I haven't felt like this, my heart hasn't beaten like this for fifteen years. You do this to me because I love you," She pulled him closer, "I need you in my life Blaise."
He pulled her close to him, kissing her with all the passion he had bottled up for so many years.
Hermione hummed softly to herself as she walked to her charms classroom, images of Blaise from the previous night filled her mind.
"Hermione," a familiar voice called out.
Hermione either ignored or did not appear to have heard Ben Walker as he called out to her.
"Hermione," He called again, this time grabbing her elbow.
Startled, Hermione turned, coming face to face with the blonde man.
"Ben," She said slowly, "How are you?"
"GOOD, good," He spoke quickly, his eyes shooting around at the passing students, glaring at them as if someone was going to catch him, "I was just wondering if you were staying here at Christmas, you know we could spend it together, have our own little Hogwart's party,"
"Oh, Ben," She said softly, "I would like to, but I'm actually spending the Holidays with Professor Zabini and some friends,"
"Oh, right," He said sounding a little angry, he let go of her elbow, "I hope you have good time then," and with that he disappeared down the corridor, as Hermione turned and continued her way toward her classroom.
"Draco," Lydia Malfoy called as their fireplace filled with green smoke.
"Yeah? What?" Draco said entering the room, carrying a small blonde girl on his back, "Blaise," He began as the dark haired man stepped out of the fireplace, "Don't you have classes, I mean my son mustn't be learning too much if all the teachers are skipping out just to visit friends,"
"Uncle Blaise," the girl cried, jumping off her fathers back, hugging Blaise tightly.
"Hello Chelsea, where's you sister?" Blaise asked, putting the girl down. She looked remarkable like Draco, except her eyes were a soft brown, given to her from her mother.
"She's in her room," Chelsea began excitedly, "I can go get her if you want"
"Clam down Chels," Lydia began, "Uncle Blaise has to go back to school soon, he's just here to see Daddy," she gave Blaise a smile before picking the girl up and leaving Draco and Blaise alone.
"So, you finally came to see me?" Draco sneered, "What it's been almost a week since Halloween,"
"Draco," Blaise began to explain, but looked at his friend, to see that he was joking.
"Look, I have to be quick, Severus is watching the class at the moment," He continued, " Your definitely spending Christmas at the Zabini Manor?" he waited for Draco to answer.
"Yes," he replied sitting on the couch, "My mother is still insisting on spending Christmas here with all her friends. Why?"
"Well, I've asked Hermione and Alex to spend it with me," he said slowly, "You don't mind do you?"
"Why would we mind?" Lydia asked coming back into he room without Chelsea, "Draco already figured you would end up asking them, they're your family Blaise,"
'I just wanted to check," He said, watching as Draco pulled his wife onto the lounge, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You know I haven't seen Granger since before I left Hogwarts, it should be good," He paused, as Blaise frowned when he referred to her as 'Granger', "I mean Hermione" he quickly covered up, "how is she?"
"She's fine, she's actually looking forward to spending Christmas with you Draco," He gave him a smirk, "Which is more than what I can say about Alex."
"She doesn't even know me," Draco protested.
"Oh, she should come back on the train with Draco, then I can pick them up and you and Hermione can go to the manor and have some time alone," Lydia said at the same time.
"It's your little draco she can't stand," He said to Draco before turning to Lydia, "I'll ask Hermione and then get back to you on it, but I'm sure it would be fine, but right now I should get going."
"Hogwarts dungeons," He said stepping back into the green flames.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Hermione and Blaise walked hand in hand down the streets of Hogsmeade, they were Christmas shopping.
"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Hermione asked as Blaise pulled her into yet another shop.
"Once we find it, we'll know," Blaise replied, looking at the things on the shelves.
"But it's for Alex right?" Hermione asked again, picking up a book, as Blaise nodded.
He let go of her hand so he could move freely around the shop, inspecting what they had to offer carefully. Finally he came to a glass cabinet. Inside it was various pieces of jewellery, finally Blaise found what he had been looking for.
"Blaise, have you found anything yet?" Hermione asked, coming over, carrying her own parcels.
He nodded, before stepping to the side to show Hermione what he had found.
"That ugly brooch?" She asked, "DO you really think she'll like that?"
"Not the brooch," Blaise said, "The charm on that necklace," he pointed to the next shelf up.
Hermione looked at it carefully. It was a simple charm; three musical notes grouped together, each with their own stone residing in the centre of the gold. The first resembled and emerald, the second an amethyst and the third a ruby.
"Blaise, she'll love it. But isn't it a bit expensive?" Hermione turned to see him watching her.
"It doesn't matter how much it is, she deserves it," Blaise said quietly.
Hermione nodded and waited for him to pay the shop clerk and have the gift-wrapped.
"Now, I just have to find your present," He grinned at her as they exited the shop.
A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Alex sat in her history of magic classroom, listening to Professor Walker drone on about the first war. No-body was really listening, all were thinking about their Christmas break. Alex, however wasn't actually looking forward to her holidays, she had to spend them with Draco Malfoy after all.
Sighing, she turned to look out the window, as Nicole scribbled furiously on a piece of parchment.
Finally the class ended.
"You seemed a little distracted," Riley said as he waited for her to pack her books.
"Well it's a bit hard to stay interested in something that's boring," Alex replied as they left the classroom.
"Yeah," Riley answered taking her hand, "So, um, well every year we have this big new years party, I was wondering if you would like to come."
"Gee, I don't know, I might be busy spending quality time with Draco,' She answered sarcastically.
"Hey, I heard that," Draco's voice came from behind, "But Granger, I'm actually going to the Potters, Riley's Mum invited us, and since your mum is best friends with her, your probably going anyway,"
"Oh yeah, I forgot my mum would have told your parents," He looked at Alex as Draco walked away.
"Still it's better when you ask me, I mean how would I feel when my mum tells me were going to a party at your house and you didn't even tell me about it?" She asked him as they began to walk up the stairs leading to the tower.
"I guess you'd be upset," Riley guessed, wondering whether or not it was actually a rhetorical question.
"Well I think that if that's what happened, you wouldn't have been getting a new years kiss from me," Alex replied, skipping ahead of him up the stairs.
"Oh, really?" Riley asked as he followed her, "and what about now?" he grabbed her wrist before she could skip ahead of him again.
She spun around and faced him, "Well, now Mr Potter, I think you definitely will, maybe even a few more," She grinned as he leant toward her.
"Password," The fat lady said from her place in the portrait.
"Fairy lights," Alex said, giggling as she pulled away from Riley before he could kiss her and climbed through the hole the portrait revealed.
FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Hermione asked Alex as the students began to board the Hogwarts express.
"Mum, I'll be fine," Alex sighed, looking longingly to where her friends were standing, "It's just a train ride,"
"I know, but still," Hermione began.
"Hermione," Blaise said putting his hand on her shoulder as she reached up to straighten Alex's clothes, "She'll be fine, and when they get into London, Lydia will be there to bring them back to the manor."
"Alright, Alex just stay with Draco when the train gets in, you've never been to London before I don't want you to get lost," Hermione said finally letting Alex go.
"Okay, mum," Alex said as she watched her parents walk away, "God anyone would think it's the first time I've been on a train," she muttered to herself, moving closer to her friends.
"What?" Sam asked looking at her confused.
"Nothing," Alex replied, "just talking to myself."
"And you think I'm the weird one," Draco smirked at Riley.
Hermione took a deep breath as she stepped into the fireplace at Hogwarts. She felt the warmth from the green flames, but nothing could cover up her nervousness of going to the Zabini manor.
"Zabini Manor," She finally said and the green flames swallowed her.
After minutes of spinning past the various fireplaces before her destination, Hermione finally stopped, then proceeded to trip out of the fireplace. She landed with a thud on the floor of the Zabini family room.
"Finally, What took you so long?" Blaise asked as he helped her up.
"Nothing," Hermione murmured as she stood.
"You didn't hurt yourself when you fell did you?" she looked up at him, his blue eyes looking deep with in her brown ones. She shook her head, suddenly she had lost all power to speak properly. He lifted her chin up, cupping her face is his left hand.
"Where's Draco?" Hermione asked suddenly, not sure as why she was spoiling the moment. Blaise stareda t her blankly for a moment, before letting go of her.
"He's not here, he left just before ou got here. Something about Lil's present," Blaise said, taking a step back and scratching his head.
"Oh," Hermione replied gently, moving slowly around the room.
on the mantle piece around the fireplace she had jest entered from were various photo's, ones of Blaise when he was a boy, some from before that of his parents and grandparents when they were younger, Hermione also caught glimpse of one of her with Blaise at Hogwarts. But it wasn't the photos she had turned to look at. It was something she had studied the first time she was there. The Zabini family tapestry.
It was similar to the one from Grimmuld place, only this one traced the Zabini bloodline, not the black bloodline. Studying it closely, she found that it was still the same as the last time she had looked at it, the navy cloth, the electric blue thread joining each name to the next, the silver writing of the names. She began to trace it with her fingers, starting with Blaise's grandparents. Marius Zabini, Carlotta Zabini. Se followed the line to Blaise's mother and father, Jorge Zabini, Gianina Zabini.
(A/N: I don't actually know his parent's names, I'm not even sure if they have even been mentioned in the book. But in a story I read his dad's name was Jorge and it thought it suited him, I just made up his mum's and grandparents names though…)
Then Down to Blaise. Blaise Zabini, she stopped, next to Blaise's name a small blue thread had been sewed, but no name had been placed there. She didn't know who had sewn it, but Hermione knew they had stopped when she left.
"You need to add Alex on here," Hermione said slowly, surprising herself when she spoke. Blaise came and stood behind her, placing his hand on hers, still on the empty place on the tapestry.
"I need to finish this one first," Blaise said softly.
Alex leaned back against Riley and looked out the window at the passing landscape, they would be back in London soon, but Alex didn't want to leave. Nicole and Sam had disappeared a while ago, Nicole in search of her brothers, (her mothers orders to check on them), while Sam went off in search for Jess and Natalie. Draco had fallen asleep, or was at least pretending to be asleep. Leaving Alex and Riley pretty much alone in the compartment together.
"I wish I could stay here all Christmas," Alex said as Riley wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.
"Yeah," Riley replied.
They sat in a comfortable silence, until the compartment door was slid open violently, causing Draco to jump (or wake up) in a state of shock.
"Bloody hell Weasley, what was that about?" He sneered as Nicole gave them a guilty look and gently pushed the door closed as she stepped in.
"Sorry," She said, not looking like she actually meant it, with a big smile on her face.
She sat down and the three of them stared at her waiting for her to tell them what was going on.
"What's up?" Alex finally asked her.
"Huh? Oh nothing," she replied, putting a piece of parchment in her bag, glancing quickly at Riley and Draco.
"Hey, Malfoy, you want to come with me to find Paul. He owes me money and I want it back for the holidays," Riley said standing up.
"Nah, I'd rather just stay here," Draco replied.
"Bad luck, you're coming," He replied pulling the blonde boy out of the compartment.
"Spill," Alex began, looking at Nicole once Riley had closed the door again.
"Spill what?" She replied, still grinning.
"Spill on what's making you grin like some weird clown," Alex said moving to the seat next to her friend.
"It's nothing," she began, looking at Alex.
"You really think I'm going to believe it's nothing?' Alex asked and waited for her to reply.
'Oh, Fine, when I was leaving Matt and Bill's compartment an owl was at the window so they let it in and it flew to me and dropped this at me," She pulled out the parchment she had put in her bag earlier, and handed it to Alex.
Infolding it, Alex found that it wasn't a thick piece of parchment, but smaller pieces wrapped in one large piece.
"There from the ball," Nicole said as Alex looked at the pictures.
They were muggle pictures, meaning the people in them were not moving, all were candid photos so no one was actually posing in any of them. The first was of Nicole and Logan, laughing while they were dancing. The next was of Georgie and Alex, sitting at the table, talking. Then there was one of riley and Nicole, their ed hair making it obvious they were cousins. Finally the last was once again of Logan and Nicole, only this time they were sitting at the table talking.
"Wow, their really good Nik, " Alex said handing them back to the redhead.
"Yeah but that's not it," She said grinning, as Alex noticed the small card she had dropped on the floor.
On the front was a cartoon of a snowman being dressed by elves. She opened it and read the familiar scrawl of Logan's writing.
Dear Nicole,
Um, Georgie said she was sending some photos to you so I got her to put this in with it.
Merry Christmas.
Hope you have great holidays, I really enjoyed when you guys were here, it's kind of boring now that you're gone. Can't wait to see you and everyone when we visit.
From Logan
She handed the card back to her and gave her a sly grin.
"Would I be right in saying that like Logan back?" She asked as Nicole blushed, but nodded giggling slightly.
"It's weird you know," Nicole began as Alex frowned at her, "Before you came, I didn't even get along with my cousin, now I actually have a fantastic best friend, let alone just normal friends."
"Nikki, you had friends before I came to Hogwarts," Alex began.
"Yeah, but they were just guys, I couldn't do this with them," She smiled at Alex, who smile back, understanding what she meant.
"So this is your room," Blaise said as Hermione followed him into the guest room.
It was a simply décor, yet it was elegant just like the rest of the house. The dark mahogany bed was covered in a cream and gold bedspread, with matching pillows. A matching dresser and bedside table sat beside the bed and along the opposite wall. One wasll was just a window featuring the Zabini gardens, while the other three were a light cream colour, matching the bedspread.
"Your putting me in the guest room?" Hermione asked, turning to Blaise, a sly grin across her face.
"Well, yeah, I though with Alex staying aswell you'd be more comfortable in here," he said, avoiding her gaze.
"Well, you see Blaise," She pulled him closer to her, "I don't think I really like this room,"
"Wel you can change rooms with Draco and Lydia," He said nervously, as Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I could," She paused, " but it would be less hassle if I stayed in your room,"
Blaise looked at her. She smiled sweetly at him, before pulling him out of the guest room and toward the main bedroom.
This room was larger and while the set up was similar, it was decorated in a pale blue colour. She sat on the bed as Blaise watched her inspect his room from the doorway.
"Yep, this room is much b etter," She said looking at Blaise, her eyes almost laughing at him.
"I guess, I'll stay in the guest room then," He said sly and began to walk down the hallway. He stopped as he heard Hermione get up off the bed. She came into the hallway.
"Blaise, I'll stay in your guest room," she said seriously, the laughter gone from her eyes now.
"Are you kidding?" Blaise smiled at her, pulling him close to her. Their lips met, as Blaise wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer, her hands running through his black curls.
"Jesus Blaise," Draco Malfoy's voice came from the end of the hallway, they broke apart.
"I though you went shopping Malfoy," Blaise responded, never tearing his eyes away from Hermione's.
"I was, but I got bored. I figures I'd come back and see Granger, but I can see you two were busy," He sneered.
"It's Hermione, Draco," Hermione replied, finally breaking eye contact with Blaise, before making her way down the stairs. Blaise watched as she reached the bottom, before she turned and smiled at him then headed toward where the kitchen was.
A/N: yes I know it's longer than usual and most of you are probably thinking why did you leave it there, but I wanted to make it a bit longer since I wasn't going to be able to update it sooner but I didn't want to make it too long……please REVIEW!..i'll look forward to reading them when i get back
Luv emgurl