"Drake's meeting us at mine. Wish we still hung out here." Blaise said as he spelled them both clean in the floo room of the Dale.
"It doesn't matter where we are Blaise. You've done your whole den and it's as good as mine." She protested and revelled in the amazing feelings of having had fun and then going to have more.
"Do the girls know where we are going?" He asked her and she nodded.
"I sent Rina a message and Pansy too." That was everyone who hadn't been there when they finally left the party at Avery's. All of them had been well behaved but stuck together and she had danced most of the night which was amazing. The music had been good and the atmosphere jovial.
"Come on then woman. Draco will figure out a way to have you be his partner in charades if we don't hurry." He picked her up and ran for the stairs. She was laughing and protesting when he nearly skidded around the corner and she shrieked when he jumped up three stairs.
The door across from hers opened and Josh stood there. Her smile fell and she felt Blaise tighten his grip momentarily before loosening it and putting her down carefully.
"Sorry for disturbing you. I'm just changing and then we are going." She tried for a smile but knew it was pathetic and felt some of her good mood drain away at the way his eyes flicked between them.
"Was tonight a usual display?" Josh asked her and she felt Blaise press his fingers more firmly into her lower back.
"I'm not sure what you mean. Adelaide was thrilled with the turn out and the mood." Her mind was beginning to race and there was something on his face she didn't like. In his eyes too.
"Perhaps we should have this conversation privately." Was her brother's reply and she didn't want to agree but knew she didn't see a way out of this.
"I'll be there later." She looked up into Blaise's face and could see he didn't like this at all. His dark eyes were warning her and she could only answer silently that she knew. There wasn't a way to say no and now she wished she hadn't come home to get out of this gown and into something fit for playing games and hanging out with her friends. Blaise nodded and then waited until she nodded too. She would come when she was finished. She would be alright. His resistance was easy to see and she could only smile at him. More genuinely, and his face softened slightly too. Then he nodded to Josh and gently gripped her hand quickly before turning toward the stairs.
Assuming Josh would indicate where he wanted to speak to her, she waited but he didn't move from his position holding onto his door so she opened hers and gestured for him to enter. She walked into the room and head the door click softly behind her.
All she could do was turn and face him. Then wait for him to speak because she didn't know what to say or what he would say.
His eyes were a darker shade of brown than hers and maybe they had similar eye shapes or cheek bones. His curls had come back to their perfection and he seemed to have decided on a bit longer but nowhere near his chin. The formal robes he had worn were missing but the white shirt and black slacks were still there. He was tall and it felt awkward to stand here in her formal robes. Their house blue too, even though she had wanted to wear the amethyst set Narcissa had gifted her. The witch had approved though and she decided next time she would wear them.
"The way you are touched is unseemly and ill befitting a witch with contracts in place." Josh didn't yell and he didn't move at all but his words slapped her as if he had roared it. Her mind nearly blanked and she couldn't even blink. Her left hand was still holding her robes so she could more easily walk and the other was limp at her side.
"Just now you mean?" Hermione was surprised anything had come out of her mouth. He didn't reply in any way and she could feel herself flushing and getting angry. Really very angry and she tried to think, not react but think.
"Yes but this evening as well. The way you waltzed with him and were seated with him was surprising. Unwelcome as well. Perhaps Thor's absence has led you to believe such behaviour is acceptable." In a moment she wanted to run. Apparate away. Call for Zavi and disappear. Then she wanted to cry. Narcissa Malfoy had been there. Attended many of these with her and never once indicated she was behaving unacceptably. Blaise and her had discussed their friendship in this way and she had spoken to nearly everyone about it, everyone in her circle at least.
"There is nothing in my friendship or interactions with Blaise, or anyone else, that is objectionable. We have attended many events and often are paired by the hostess. I have been paired with others, Draco often or Harry when Ginny isn't there." She spoke slowly and evenly. Hoping he would drop it and apologize for this, for criticizing her honour. Surely Rowle would have said something. Thorfinn, she was trying to use it in her mind like he had suggested.
"If my betrothed was being touched like you just were, by someone not family, then I would be justifiably angry. As I am now." His words were as even and emotionless as the previous ones.
"Surely you understand. The Rites make sure." She was not yelling but was terse. Couldn't help the tight sound of her voice. He cut her off though and she just stood and listened.
"Exactly. Maybe you didn't think it through before you pledged your virginity. You did though. In addition to the betrothal contract. These two things dictate your behaviour. Or they should. Chaste and without excess. In public certainly. At home, well you've lived here alone and so perhaps the standards have slipped." Had he been sneering or something then she would have retaliated. He wasn't though. Josh was speaking to her as if she were an errant child. One he had promised himself he wouldn't yell at. All she could do was stare until he spoke again.
"This will stop." The three words seemed to bring her back to herself. Maybe it was that he had delivered it as an order or just that he was impugning her.
"Of all the things people have said to me, and there have been many, this isn't one. Not a single person has so much as hinted that I've been playing the little freedom I might have, as regards Rowle. Sabrina was there tonight and I assure you that she would certainly let me know if I was disrespecting their House. I do not know what Rowle told you, most of it is none of your business. As regards anything outside of our family business, none of my life is. I have tried to be as open and welcoming as I could. Tried to be the only daughter of our House, as you said. It seems that all of my effort was for not. There are a single handful of men I can touch for any length of time. Less than five of them. I don't know if you are one, as you have never so much as offered me your arm. Nor did you offer to escort me to the party tonight." If she had yelled these words than she would have cried but she didn't. Merely spoke as evenly as she could and held his eyes.
"Good evening Josh. I assure you that you won't be troubled by my presence or behaviour outside of the weekly contracted dinner and public events. The elves can make sure we do not shirk anything." With that she gave a nod and broke the eye contact. Not once in that whole excruciating tableau had he moved or even crossed his arms or anything. That she was thinking that showed her level of discomfort and uncertainty.
"Zavi." She said into the air when she closed the doors to her rooms behind her. There was no pop and she knew he had heard everything. Of course he had.
"Please send what I will want to the Escape. Sabrina's things too please." She said quietly and he didn't pop away.
"That's okay right? You can come with me." She said and hoped this hadn't caused some kind of problem.
"Yes Miss. You goes to Master Blaise?" He asked her after a second and she tried to smile.
"Yes. Rina is there too. I'll see you in France?" She asked and he nodded twice and bobbed his head before disappearing with a soft pop.
All there was to do was change and leave now. So she did, removed the robes and hung them over the rails so they didn't get damaged. Her jeans and a hoodie were enough to make her feel better and she decided to go in her socks. Then she stared at the intricate knot her hair was in and the glittery eye make up. Going to be alone wasn't a good idea but she wasn't sure she wanted to go to Blaise's either. Everyone was there and they would know something had happened. They would know anyways she thought sarcastically and then left the mirror to walk through her rooms and then past the ornate J on his door and down the stairs.
"Zabini Townhouse." She called into the floo and came out into an empty room. As she stood for a moment the sounds of her friends speaking and low music told her that they were in the den and she slowly walked toward it. Pausing at the double doors, she watched them. Sabrina, Cam, Mark, and Claudia were along one side of the low table and each had cards in their hands. Blaise was stood with Draco and Harry. Warrington had Ginny and Pansy at the cocktail bar. They were laughing as he tried to persuade them of something. She heard the plea for them to trust him.
"I'll have a double." She said into the room and then moved from her peeking spot and entered the room. All of them looked at her and she just tried to smile and walked toward the three with the booze.
"Over here Granger. We were ready for you." Draco said and held up a glass of red wine and a whiskey glass. Her smile was genuine this time and she smiled at the girls before walking over to the three wizards. All of whom looked solemn and worried.
"I'm alright." She said quietly and took the whiskey first. It had been champagne all night and the first sip burned. It helped and the second felt comforting. Then she met Harry's green eyes and he looked angry. Draco looked concerned and Blaise looked livid.
Then the hardness fell from Blaise's face and he looked down into his glass before the dark eyes met hers again.
"I'm sorry Cara. I shouldn't have." She was about to interrupt her friend when Harry spoke.
"Fuck off with that Zabini. He has no right to question her. Hasn't bothered to ask her anything and now he takes some fun and makes a big deal of it. Don't let him Mione." Harry had been talking to Blaise but looked at her then and she nodded.
"There was nothing wrong with what we were doing Blaise. Nothing. I've never had a single person make a snide comment or innuendo about us. What we might do to their finances recently and about getting to big for my britches or any number of things about my family, either one. Not us though. I flat out asked Narcissa, several times actually and she says it's often done. Someone or a few stand in and everyone understands." Her frustration was heard clearly and Harry put an arm around her shoulder.
"He's jealous Granger. Or something else. There isn't anything out of bounds in your behaviour." Draco spoke sincerely and she smiled her thanks.
"What did he say?" Sabrina asked from behind her and Hermione caught Blaise's eye. His look said 'you can't protect her from everything' and she agreed even if she didn't like it.
"He implied my behaviour was less than your brother deserved." Was the way she chose to phrase it and she watched the younger witch's face firm. Sabrina's eyes flashed and in that moment she was all Rowle. All her brother and she knew that if Josh was here, Rina would have let him have it. Part of her was glad that wouldn't happen. She didn't want any extra strain between them. Josh was Thorfinn's best friend and she didn't want to make any of this harder.
"Thor will not be pleased." Sabrina said and then looked to Draco who Hermione looked to as well at his silence.
"I agree. Perhaps that will take care of all this. Rowle will tell him that if he doesn't have an issue, Rosier shouldn't either. Or he will see something. I don't know. This wasn't what I expected." Hermione thought Draco meant it. That he had expected everything to be better when Josh got out. Like Sabrina, he had thought she was too critical of herself and Josh. Now they had seen though and opinion seemed to be shifting.
"So did you want to talk about it or play charades and have a quiet breakfast tomorrow?" Blaise asked her and she met his eyes.
"French breakfast tomorrow, everyone is welcome. Charades tonight. Partner?" She asked him and he grinned while Draco groaned theatrically and demanded to be their third since he was the only unpaired one in the blasted love nest.
When Sabrina got up there and pretended to be Professor Flirwick silently she laughed with everyone else. The calm acceptance of the people around her and the lack of concern from Rina was like a balm to her emotions. Sabrina was upset for her but not upset with her.