On the day of Severus's birthday party, I arrived at Grimmauld Place early to help set up. I'd spent the morning thinking about another birthday party likely going on the same day and it had my stomach churning with nerves. It didn't help that I was also going to tell Harry and Pansy about Italy… and Blaise.

It had been three weeks since Christmas and Blaise and I had been seeing each other a few nights a week. We hadn't gone out in public yet, but we would tonight, and I wanted to tell my friends first. This also included telling Ron, and I wasn't looking forward to that at all.

When I stepped through the Floo, Harry was in the living room with the boys, trying to keep them amused. James immediately ran to me, screeching, "Auntie Mi!"

I scooped him up and kissed both of his cheeks, making him laugh. "Auntie Mi, play with me?"

"I need to help your mum setup, but I promise I will come down and play with you later," I whispered and he nodded, smiling as I set him down.

Harry hugged me, passing Severus off. I held him close. "And happy birthday to you, little man! One already!"

"I can't believe it. And I can't believe I'll have another one in six months or so," Harry said.

Spinning quickly to face him, I asked, "Really?"

A blush rose to his cheeks. "Your birthday party."

I'll have to tell Luna she was right about that. She'll be so pleased.

"Congratulations!" I replied, hugging Harry tight, squishing the birthday boy between us. When I set Sev down, his little legs wobbled for a moment and then he started walking on his own. I was amazed at how fast he'd grown. Again, I thought of another child with the same birthday who was likely walking now, too.

Harry gave me a meaningful look. "You look good, Hermione. Almost happy again."

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I think I'm finally getting there. I know it's taken a long time, but I'm doing well right now. I actually wanted to talk to you and Pansy about something."

"Pansy's down in the kitchen. If you grab Sev, I'll grab James, and we can head down there," he replied.

I scooped Sev up in my arms, kissing his cheeks and making him laugh. His smile made me grin widely. When we walked into the kitchen, Pansy was directing a couple of hired house-elves to do the cooking.

"Not a word, Granger. The very thought of food is making me nauseous this morning. I needed someone to do the cooking for me."

"Whose elves are these?" I asked.

"Daphne's. I've borrowed them before. They're happy to do it since she and Michael don't have children yet."

Astoria's sister. Of course, Daphne and Michael are likely at Malfoy Manor today for Scorpius' birthday…

Shaking my head to focus on the conversation at hand again, I looked to Pansy and said, "I heard congratulations are in order a third time."

"This is the last bloody time, too. No more after this. I'm having them put a stop to it so I can enjoy… you know, without worrying about the potion or charm failing," Pansy stated firmly.

Laughing, I decided to just rip the plaster off. "So, I have something to tell you guys."

Harry's face blanched. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"Why in the name of Merlin would you think that, Harry? Does it seem like I've been out shagging blokes left and right?"

A look of relief crossed his face until Pansy chimed in, "No, not left and right, but I think there's something going on. You could be shagging one bloke."

"None of that yet. And should we really be saying this word in front of James?"

Pansy smiled widely, quickly picking up on the yet I'd slipped in there. "So there is someone! Don't try to deflect, Granger. Tell us now."

Harry focused on me, likely expecting me to say I was doing something horrible, like sleeping with another married bloke. Deciding to put him out of his misery, I said, "Blaise and I are going on a date after the party."

I was met with silence and started to worry. After a moment, Pansy ordered Harry out of the room so we could talk, telling him he'd just be a hindrance until I was properly sorted out by her. With a sigh, he took the boys with him, his mind likely spinning all kinds of scenarios about work.

Pansy gestured for me to sit across the table from her. "So when did all this start? I thought I felt something different between you two at Christmas, but I didn't want to assume anything, and you didn't touch much while you were here."

"I — Well, I'm not actually sure where or when it started. He told me he had feelings for me on my birthday. He was afraid I was going to leave with Theo or someone else," I admitted. "But for me… Sometime between then and Christmas? I couldn't make up my mind. I'd had a good time dancing with him on my birthday and things just seemed normal after that, so I was worried that nothing had really changed."

Pansy smirked. "So what was the catalyst?"

"I was going to ask him to the ball, and when I went out into the department, he was chatting up one of the younger girls," I replied. "I was kind of a bitch and made him come to my office. I said I wanted to have 'several words' with him because I was so flustered. When we finally started talking, I told him I was going to ask him to the ball but I could see he likely had other plans."

Reaching for her glass of pumpkin juice, she snorted. "I'm sure he corrected you quickly."

"Yeah, he did. He walked around my desk, hugged me, and wouldn't let go when I tried to pull away." I could hear myself rambling, but it just wouldn't stop. "He kissed me, and it was like the whole world had slowed down. I freaked out a little, and he said, 'It's just a kiss, not a marriage proposal' or something like that, then kissed me again."

"And how did it feel?" Pansy asked.

Pausing to think for a moment, I summoned the orange juice and poured myself a glass. "It was different, but not bad. I was scared since it was the first time I'd kissed anyone but Draco in years."

"Understandable. So you agreed to go to the ball together and then he took you to Venice," she prompted.

"Yeah, that's how it went," I said.

Pansy narrowed her eyes at me. "So did you sleep with him in Italy? Is that why you were so weird together at Christmas?"

"No!" I squeaked. "No, we just spent a lot of time making out and doing some… ah… light touching. He doesn't want me to rush into anything." Pansy made a small 'hmm' sound. "I mean, I'm not even sure if I'm ready. I certainly felt desire when we were together, but how am I supposed to know when the right time for all of that is? I'm not going to know if I'm ready or not until we've actually moved beyond over the clothes touching, and he won't even do that right now and I don't understand why—"

Laughing, Pansy cut me off. "It sounds like you're ready for more with him. I understand why he's afraid, though, Hermione. He's probably wanted this for years, and he's afraid you'll run, regardless of whether you enjoy it or not. We all know your brain is going to compare him to Draco in every way."

It's true. I know it's true, even if I don't want it to be.

"But let me say one thing to you, and try not to get scared. I'm looking out for Blaise, especially because I couldn't do it for Draco. This relationship, it's a big deal. I'm willing to bet he started to fall in love with you when you were with Draco. It's been a big buildup for him, waiting for you to end things and then get better. He's been through the ringer just as much as you have. Are you ready to put your all into something new?"

"I'm not sure," I confessed. "But it feels… right with him. The kissing, the easy touching, the companionship. I'm still afraid, though, and I'm not always certain why."

"Blaise terrifies you because you know you could fall in love with him," Pansy said. "He could be it for you and then this whole messy affair with Draco is truly over. Blaise could make you happy, and I know the feeling you have. It's terrifying because what happens if it goes away again?"

Everything she was saying was accurate. If I let Blaise in and he made me happy, I wouldn't know what to do if it ever ended. My heart was nearly back together, and a lot of that was because of Blaise, Harry, and Pansy's support throughout the past year. What if this relationship ended? Would they all abandon me?

Pansy placed a reassuring hand over mine. "Listen, I know the feeling. Do you think it was easy for me to accept that I had fallen for Harry? He was relentless when he decided he wanted me, but I felt like I didn't deserve him, like I didn't deserve to be happy with him after what I'd done on the day of the final battle. But Hermione, everyone deserves to be happy. I was right pissed at you when I found out what you did to Draco, but every time I look at my boys, I get it. I still think it was wrong, but I get it. You wanted Scorpius to have his father's full attention, and if the two of you had carried on, Draco would've been splitting his time between his family and you still."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything, and it seemed unnecessary anyway. I wasn't going to dispute anything she'd said so far. I just listened to her analyse me.

"I wish you'd had the strength to walk away from him, but I know how Draco is. I know how hard he is to let go of, and I had only fallen into bed with him as a teenager, Hermione. On top of that, he wouldn't have wanted to let you go, and Salazar knows he's a possessive little git." She paused, taking a deep breath. "Just be sure with Blaise, please. He's available and he doesn't open himself up often. I don't think you really know that because he's so extroverted, but the way he's formed a bond with you… that's rare for him," she finished, and I still didn't know what to say.

Knowing I needed to answer, I went with, "I think I'm sure. There's no way to be a hundred percent certain, but I feel like I'm finally ready to move on."

Pansy smiled. "Good. I'm glad. You deserve to be happy, Hermione. I just, I wish there was a way for you to see Draco before you decide. I know you haven't crossed paths this whole time."

"I'm not sure if that would've helped or hurt me, Pansy. I had a hard enough time when I saw his photos in the paper, nevermind seeing him in person."

When she looked straight at me, I could see her concern. "I know, but what are you going to feel like when it finally does happen? And, if it goes badly, what will that do to you and Blaise?"

"You're the one who encouraged me to start something with Blaise on my birthday! Or are you forgetting that now?"

Pansy put her fingers to her temples and rubbed small circles. "I know. And I do think it'll be brilliant, but right now, I'm just worried. I wanted to give you a nudge, but I expected it would take longer than it did, and now I've got all these lovey-dovey pregnancy hormones raging through me and they make me worry more than usual."

I supposed it was a good thing that she cared enough about Blaise to be worried about him. Over the past few years, it seemed like I had so much going on all the time that I barely noticed what was going on in his life. Draco had consumed me — consumed my every waking thought — and I barely had the time or space for anyone else. As awful as that sounded, it was true. And, when I started working on myself, I also worked on my relationships with Harry and Ron. It left Blaise in limbo — we were friends, and he was always there for me, but I didn't really know what he'd been through.

"I'm just realising I've been a horrible friend to Blaise," I blurted. "He knows everything about me, everything that's happened to me over the past three years, but I've barely…"

"Barely even noticed his moods or what's going on with him?" she prompted.

"Yeah. I just — things got so complicated with Draco."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Understatement of the century, Granger. Blaise hasn't really done much of anything. He's made himself available for you whenever you need him, thrown himself into work, and gone on a few odd dates. I think his mother got married once, maybe twice. I can't remember that timeline."

Laughing, I said, "It's fine. I'm going to talk to him about all of that tonight and apologise for being a terrible friend."

As if we'd cued them, Harry and Blaise entered the room, holding James and Sev. I stood, moving towards Blaise, and he smiled at me. I leaned in and kissed Sev on the cheek, earning myself a glare. "I know you've told them, Hermione. Potter has already given me the big brother lecture."

Laughing, I gave him a peck on the lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning. I'm looking forward to this evening," he said.

I felt my cheeks heat a bit and I grabbed Sev, using him as a shield. "I am, too."

"Enough," Harry interrupted. "I'm happy for you both, but we need to set some rules for this."

I dropped Sev to my hip and looked over at him. "You're joking, right?"

"No. There will be no office… shenanigans. Nothing at work, please," Harry began. "Also, please keep me in the loop. If things get tense between you for any reason, I need to know about it."

Blaise crossed his arms over his chest. "I was planning on courting her properly, Potter. That doesn't involve doing those things in the office. Especially at first."

Pansy laughed, breaking the tension, and James giggled. He kicked at Harry. "Dad, Auntie Mi!"

Harry and I swapped children and I tossed James into the air, shaking him up and making him laugh. "I can't believe little Sev is one!" I sang out. "He's getting so big. Are you ready to be a big brother again?"

James was laughing uncontrollably and I set him on the floor, tickling his ribs. He wiggled away, running and hiding behind Pansy. "Mum! Please make her stop!"

Blaise chuckled and moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and dropping a kiss on my neck. "I'm so glad I can do this now," he whispered. "Christmas was torture. I wanted to touch you all day."

His words sent heat racing through my body, and I wanted him to touch me more. Now.

His lips still beside my ear, he continued, "I can't wait to take you out tonight and then get you alone so I can kiss you within an inch of your life, Tesoro. I need that. I need your lips."

I could feel my face getting hot and Pansy was smirking over the rim of her glass, clearly enjoying that Blaise was flustering me right in front of her. His hands dropped down to my hips and I turned around, facing him. "You, Zabini, are absolutely horrible. We have a whole party and then a date to get through! Whispering things like that in my ear… that's just rude."

James stood beside us, looking up, and said, "Kiss!"

With a grin, Blaise looked down at him and said, "Don't mind if I do, mini Potter."

He gave me a gentle kiss with no heat and James clapped. Pansy stood from the table and grabbed James. "Harry, let's give these two a moment."

"Pansy, that's really not necessary! The elves are working and—"

She rolled her eyes. "Go up to your old bedroom then. It's clear Blaise can't keep his hands to himself right now."

Blaise looked down at me and nodded. "It's true. I want to—"

I slapped a hand over his mouth. "Stop. Now. We'll go upstairs where no one can hear any of your wants, since I'm sure they fall into the 'not appropriate for little ears' category."

When we had closed the door to my bedroom, Blaise spun me and pinned me against the door with his body. His lips met mine violently, his tongue demanding entry into my mouth. The heat that I'd been worried we were lacking was certainly present in this kiss; my toes curled and I squeezed his arse, pulling him closer. He reached down and grabbed my thighs, lifting me and pressing his hardening cock against my core.

I moaned and he rocked into me. "That is a sweet fucking sound," he said, breaking the kiss. "I want to hear it over and over again. I want to hear you come and scream my name."

I was wet — absolutely drenched for him — and I almost let my body take the reins. But I was still nervous. Over the clothes touching, heated kisses — they were one thing. Actually stripping down and getting naked was another, and I thought of Draco. The way I was pressed into the door, it was so much like my first time with him that I panicked. Blaise rocked against me again and I pushed him away.

"I can't. Not like this," I said, squirming until he let me down. I quickly moved to the other side of the room and he didn't follow me.

Blaise looked horrified. "Hermione, what's wrong? What did I do?"

"Nothing," I replied. "It's not you. It's me. I just, I can't. Not like that and definitely not the first time. It needs to be different. It can't be like it was with—"

"With him," he answered, cutting me off. "I never asked for specifics. I didn't realise… I wasn't going to try to have sex with you, Hermione. Our first time won't be against a door in Potter's house."

I took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out. I liked what we were doing, but then I had a flashback or something, and I'm sorry. I promise I was there with you. My brain is just…"

I didn't finish the sentence. I didn't have to. Blaise knew me. He knew how my brain worked, where my mind was most times. He took a tentative step forward and I nodded, signalling I was fine if he came to me. I didn't want to freeze him out, even if I was giving him some mixed signals at the moment.

"He's stuck there. I know, love. Please try not to worry about it. I'll slow things down. It's just been a bit since I've had you all to myself and I got excited."

I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him close. "I know. I want you, Blaise. Really, I do, but it's like I can't escape him. Every time we start to get physical, he pops into my head and I don't know how to make it stop."

I felt his hands on my back. They travelled up to my shoulders, kneading them lightly. Whispering once again, he said, "Tesoro, you'll probably always think of him initially. I know you loved him and that moving on hasn't been easy for you. But I promise that you'll only think of me eventually. I'm going to treat you so well. I could go into detail, but we'll likely get into trouble if I do."

His hot breath on my ear and neck made me shiver, and I could nearly feel him smirking at me. My face was still against his chest, and I could smell his cologne — light and fresh and masculine — on his shirt. His body heat was radiating through and it was all comforting. I loved the way he held me.

"Okay. We'll work on it," I said, and he squeezed me tighter. "I'll try to get past it every time."

"And if it's ever too much, just tell me, Hermione. I understand."

But will you always? Or will this drive a wedge between us?

Blaise and I were sitting beside each other on the sofa and I was nervously awaiting Ron and Luna's arrival. I was looking forward to seeing little Stella — she'd been so cute at Christmas. Most of the other Weasleys had arrived already, along with Andromeda and Teddy. At eight years old, Teddy was definitely shaping up to be his mother's son. He was just as clumsy as Tonks had been and was also a Metamorphmagus.

Feeling an arm wrap around my shoulders, I turned my attention to Blaise. He kissed my lips sweetly. "It's not going to be as bad as you think it is."

"Oh, have you ever had a row with Ronald Weasley? Have you ever dealt with his jealousy and tirades?" I teased.

He shook his head. "No, I haven't, but you've always succeeded wonderfully with it."

I snuggled closer into his side, even though I knew breaking the news to Ron by being actively cuddled by Blaise was cowardly. Then again, he might not even think twice since we had always been affectionate friends. Hearing the Floo roar to life, I took a deep breath.

Luna and Stella stepped out first. Her eyes landed on us and widened. "Well, that's new," she began. "Hermione, you're shifting! I can see you're trying to mesh. It looks like it's taking."

Laughing, I replied, "Well, I'm glad it seems to be working. I'm ready for something different."

She surveyed me thoughtfully, and then Ron stepped out, his eyes automatically landing on Blaise and me. Before her husband could start rambling, Luna nodded and said, "It looks good on you. It's a happy color."

Ron groaned. "So you're finally ready to admit that all the touching and stuff is more than just a friendship?"

Blaise somehow pulled me closer and kissed my temple. "Yes, Weasley. Hermione and I are going to give it a go. Do you have a problem with it?"

"Only if you hurt her, Zabini," he sighed. "I'm just glad you finally accepted it and admitted it out loud. I've seen the way you've looked at her for years."

Ron's words made my heart speed up, especially since I'd just heard them from Pansy, as well. Years? Had it really been years? Had he been interested in me even when I was with Draco?

"I'm not going to hurt her. You can trust me on that," Blaise answered, sounding so sure of himself.

I wish I could feel that sure, that comfortable.

Grimacing, Ron followed his daughter through the house, her strawberry blonde curls bouncing. "James!" she screeched, repeating her friend's name over and over again.

Luna smiled, a hand resting on her abdomen. I knew what it meant; she was either already pregnant or longing to be again. Ron had always wanted a big family and I was sure they'd soon have another little one running around. I'd never really been the type to fantasise about being a mother, but I was feeling left behind again. It was the same feeling I'd had at the Leaky before my first night with Draco, and I knew it had made me reckless then.

I wouldn't let this emotion rule me this time — I would take things slowly with Blaise. I didn't want to mess up, and that was a real risk here. Resolving to make an appointment with Penelope to discuss all of these things — my new relationship, my feelings of being left behind, my feelings about Draco — I stopped worrying and started enjoying the company surrounding me.

"So, Luna, tell me about Stella and what she's been reading," I began. "What has she been enjoying lately?"

When we left Grimmauld Place, Blaise assured me I was dressed perfectly for whatever he had planned. I was still having difficulty believing that; most places I imagined Blaise Zabini would involve more formal outfits than a sweater dress and leggings paired with heeled boots, but he was also dressed slightly more casual than usual. His shirt wasn't buttoned up all the way and he wasn't wearing a blazer.

"I can take you Side-Along, yes?" he asked.

Laughing, I said, "Of course you can. I trust you."

He grinned and spun on his heel, taking me to a busy street in a wizarding community. It wasn't Diagon Alley, but I could feel the magic humming in the air and everyone was wearing cloaks instead of jackets or coats. Looking down the street, I saw unfamiliar shops and restaurants. I had never been here before.

"Where are we?"

"We're in Falmouth, near where the Falcons play Quidditch." Seeing the expression on my face, he quickly added, "Don't worry, Tesoro, we're not going to a match. A friend of mine has a great restaurant near the stadium. That's all."

"Thank Merlin. It's cold out and I don't fancy sitting outside," I replied.

He rolled his eyes. "Like I'd take you to Quidditch on a first date or make you sit outside. I'm not a peasant — I do have a climate-controlled box at Falmouth."

Pansy was right — he's a lot like Draco. More money than he knows what to do with.

"Okay. Let's go and get inside," I said, rubbing my hands together. Blaise conjured me a pair of gloves and I thanked him with a smile.

He shook his head. "One stop first. I think you really need to see this."

I quickly realised why when he pulled me into an unmarked shop. There were shelves upon shelves of old books and the shop was still decorated with twinkling lights and leaf and evergreen garlands. It was like a fairy bower filled with rare texts, and there were chairs and cushions to read on strewn throughout the store.

"Blaise, it's gorgeous. Absolutely, well, magical," I breathed, running my gloved fingertips over the spines of the nearest books.

He kissed the top of my head. "They're not all magical. This shop has a big Muggle collection as well. A lot of older editions of the classics preserved with magic."

"Do they sell them?" I asked, mentally going over how many Galleons I had available to spend.

He chuckled. "Of course they do, but we're just here for a peek today. I want to bring you back here on a day when we have more time."

"I'll be quick," I reasoned. "I'll just pick one or two and then we can go."

"No, Tesoro. You won't be quick. I want you to take everything in and pick what you'd really like. I'll bring you back tomorrow if you really want—"

I stopped him there. "Yes, tomorrow morning when we get up, I want to come back here straight away."

Smiling at me indulgently, Blaise took my hand and led me to the small restaurant owned by his friend, a Hufflepuff several years older than us. I hadn't known her, but she came over to chat with Blaise and make recommendations. I watched him essentially flirt with her, and I found myself wondering if they'd ever slept together. She touched his shoulders and his arm, displaying familiarity. Even though I knew Blaise's general demeanour was flirtatious, my stomach started churning with jealousy and nerves.

When he looked up at me, he read my expression quickly.

"Hermione, are you okay?" he asked.

I swallowed hard and plastered on a smile. "Yes, everything's fine. Carry on."

The Hufflepuff blushed and stood up. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Granger. I shouldn't have — it was rude of me to stay longer than a quick hello. You two are on a date."

"Sara, thank you for the reservation. We'll definitely be back again," Blaise said before she nodded and walked away.

When she was out of our line of sight, he smirked at me. "You got jealous again."

"I did not!" I hissed. "I just didn't realise we were inviting other people to join us on our first date."

"She gave us the table, last minute, on a Saturday night. I was being polite," Blaise explained. "Do you really think I want to be here with anyone but you? I've been waiting a long time for this."

What he was saying made sense, but the part of me that was used to being the other woman was having a hard time accepting the split attention. Blaise moved his chair closer to mine and grabbed my hand. "I'm here with you. You're who I want to be with. You're the one I've been waiting for, Hermione."

Squeezing his hand, I replied, "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to this."

"I know, and it's not like I don't have a past. I do. I've been with more than my fair share of women, so I know it's going to take you time to trust me. Just know that since you've been alone, I have, too."

This shocked me. Blaise had always been the type to be with a different witch every month, if not every week. Draco used to tease him about it relentlessly. If he'd stopped sleeping around when I became more or less available, well, it spoke volumes. His feelings had clearly existed longer than I could even fathom, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Throughout the date, I didn't feel much different than I had at a regular meal with Blaise; we conversed in the same way, talking about work and our mutual acquaintances. It was all very comfortable and normal. However, his touch caused both goosebumps on my skin and heat in my blood. And when he ordered a slice of cake for dessert, he fed me from his fork, his eyes focused on my lips. Once we were outside of the restaurant, he pressed me against the wall and kissed me again, just like he had in Italy.

As soon as our lips met, a camera flashed somewhere nearby, and I knew I'd be finding myself in the paper or Witch Weekly in the very near future. There would be speculation about how long we'd been seeing each other, why I hadn't told anyone, so on and so forth. I didn't really care, but I knew others would want to weigh in on my decision to start something with Blaise, and I didn't want to hear it. Pansy had been right on my birthday — he knew everything about me, good and bad, light and dark, and he still wanted me. He was still here.

And it helped that I felt attracted to him, as well.

There was potential in this relationship if I could exorcise Draco's ghost from my life. But Draco was under my skin, on my mind, in my heart. He was always there, waiting for me to be alone so I'd think of him, always a part of me.

Blaise held my hand and pulled me along. "So, shall I take you home now?"

"Are you coming with me?" I asked.

Watching his face, I saw a flash of desire but also wariness. "I don't think we should spend the night together yet, Hermione."

"I wasn't implying that we'd have sex, if that's what you're worried about, Blaise," I stated. "We slept in the same bed in Italy and it wasn't anything sexual."

"Maybe not, but I wanted it to be," he admitted. "I want you so badly it hurts. I won't be able to control myself as well this time around."

But I think I can.

Even though I knew it was a bit manipulative, I said, "I just don't want to be alone. I want to spend time with you and make this work, Blaise."

"I don't want to make anything work, Hermione. I want it to work on its own. Do you feel like you're forcing this? Being with me?"

I thought for a moment. "Not really. I'm wary, and I need to give myself a nudge sometimes, but I definitely feel something."

Looking into my eyes with both relief and determination, he asked, "Well, will you come back to mine at least? I don't really want to be in the bed you shared with—"

"Yes," I answered quickly. "I think that would be for the best."

Blaise extended his hand to me and I grabbed it tightly. When we arrived at his house, I was shocked. It was so much different than the last time I'd visited. It was clear he'd had renovations performed, lightening up the whole place. All of the deep forest green and dark wood furnishing had been changed out for much lighter colors — greys and blues and lighter greens.

"So, Tesoro, welcome back. I think you'll notice things are a bit different here now."

I walked through the open main floor, tracing the edges of the furniture with my fingertips. Everything was of the highest quality, showcasing his wealth in an understated way. I sat down on his plush sofa, which was upholstered in rich cream-colored leather.

Dropping my head back, I groaned. "This is so fucking comfortable. Where did you find it?"

He shrugged. "I didn't. The decorator did."

I leaned down and started removing my shoes, getting ready to curl up on the sofa for a bit. Blaise took the seat next to me and pulled me into his side. Placing a kiss on his cheek, I smiled at him. "Dinner was great, even if I did get a teensy bit jealous of Sara."

"Oh, so you're admitting it now?"

"I didn't deny it before," I answered.

Blaise seemed like he was thinking back. "Oh, you definitely did deny it, Hermione." He punctuated the statement with a peck on my lips. "But that's okay. I like you jealous." Leaning in, he kissed me again. Just like every other kiss we'd shared, it made me want more. More of him, here at his flat.

When I returned his kiss, he held me even closer.

As the passion between us grew, Blaise pulled me into his lap. I straddled him, nearly breathless, and pressed my body against his. He was gripping my waist and I could feel self-control rolling off of him in waves. His hands wanted to roam, wanted to touch me everywhere, but he was holding himself back, afraid to scare me away.

My self-control, on the other hand, was severely lacking. Internally, I debated stripping my dress off and throwing it aside. I was wearing a camisole underneath it, and I wanted to feel his hands on me with nothing between us. I ground against the tent in his trousers and moaned into his mouth. Pulling back, he searched my eyes, and I took the opportunity to start removing my dress. After a second, Blaise tugged at it too, helping me. As we dragged it over my head, I felt the static crackle, mixing with our magic in the air, and my whole body started to feel electrified.

When I was finally left in my camisole and leggings atop Blaise's lap, I kissed him hard and shamelessly rubbed against him again, making myself shiver. His hands were gripping my arse and he held me in place as he rocked up into me. As I whimpered, his mouth moved down my neck, to my shoulder, where his teeth snagged the thin strap of the camisole and tugged it aside. He sucked on my collarbone, his mouth moving from the outside in, and one of his hands slid up to cup my breast. When he gently skimmed his palm over my hard nipple, my hips jerked closer to his pelvis of their own volition.

"Blaise," I murmured, my voice husky. "Please touch me."

At my words, he pulled back. "I thought we were just going to sleep. We're not supposed to be doing this tonight. Fuck, I'm sorry."

"Please, don't stop. I want this. I want you," I said, and it was the truth.

His hand stayed on my waist and I looked into his eyes. "Hermione, you've been giving me mixed signals all day. At Grimmauld, you were into what we were doing until we started grinding like this and I was talking dirty to you. Before we came here, you said we weren't going to have sex. I need to know what you're comfortable with. I don't want to scare you away."

When he said it like that, it made sense. I had been giving him a lot of contradicting information. I thought for a moment. "Can we try hands? Fingers? Whatever."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

I nodded and leaned in, kissing him again. His hand moved tentatively back to my breast, slipping inside the camisole. When his fingers found my nipple, I purred my approval into his mouth. He kept rolling it between his fingers, teasing me. My hands moved down his torso, tugging his shirt free of his trousers. My hands slid up under it, finding his hard, muscled abdomen. I groaned, suddenly realising I'd never seen Blaise without a shirt.

I pulled back. "Take it off, Zabini. I want to look at you."

"Bossy little thing," he said, laughing. He unbuttoned the cuffs and collar and pulled it over his head, leaving him in an undershirt.

I mock-glared at him. "All of it, Blaise. I could feel what's under there with my hands. I want to see it."

I grabbed the hem of the white cotton shirt and tugged it off of him. At the sight of his lean, bared torso, my mouth went dry. He was perfection, dark skin over hard muscles. He wasn't pale and somewhat wiry. No, he was completely different, and I found that was exactly what I wanted — what I needed.

My hands explored every inch of his exposed body as my lips devoured his. Blaise's hands stayed steady on my hips, and my breasts missed the attention he had been giving them earlier. I moved my hands to the bottom of my camisole, preparing to take it off, and he stopped me.

"You need to stay dressed, Hermione," he said. "I won't be able to stop myself if we both end up naked."

I pouted at him. "But I want you to touch me again."

"And I will, but please don't strip down to nothing. Hands only, remember?"

I grabbed his hand and placed it on my breast, and he stroked his thumb over my hardened nipple. After a few repeats of this motion, his forehead was resting on my shoulder, his tongue and lips teasing the collarbone closest to him. "I want to suck on your nipples," he confessed. "I want to make them even harder."

My hips rocked against him again and I pulled the camisole down under my breast, giving his mouth access. I cried out when he took the bud into his mouth, his tongue teasing it gently. His hands pulled me even closer and I continued rolling my hips, grinding on his hard length. After a few moments, I was moaning, the feeling of him hard against my clit and the pleasure I was getting from him sucking my nipple driving me towards the edge.

His free hand moved between our bodies and I felt him delve into the waistband of my leggings. Again, he looked to me for approval. I nodded, and he started rubbing his fingers through my folds, exploring me. "Fuck, Hermione, you're so wet," he groaned, his attentions focusing on my clit. It was already swollen, and this teasing was only going to make it worse. "Merlin, I want to slide inside of you."

Blaise shifted, laying me flat on my back. He was alongside me, his hand still between my thighs. I threw a leg over the back of the sofa, opening wider for him. When I felt a finger slip inside of me, rubbing against my walls, I nearly cried out. It had been so long — I hadn't even touched myself since the Obliviation.

"So tight, Tesoro. I'm going to try to add another finger." He slid it in, filling me and stretching me.

I had forgotten what this felt like, how something as simple as a touch could make me cry out. My hips started moving with Blaise's hand and he seemed pleased. Kissing me again, he stifled my whimpers and cries. I felt one of his fingers curl ever so slightly, and then my walls started fluttering. As I whimpered, he kept sliding in and out, his palm putting pressure on my clit. When I moaned for him, he just stroked that spot inside of me, rubbing it until I came, convulsing and crying out for him.

"Perfect. You're so perfect," he said, sliding his fingers away and leaving me wanting more. I watched as he tasted me, sucking them into his mouth to clean up.

Oh Godric. He's just made me come all over his hand. Blaise is sucking my come off of his fingers, and it's bloody fucking hot.

I was boneless against him, the first orgasm I'd had in over a year taking a lot out of me, even if I hadn't been the one working for it.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Some women don't like it after I've… Well, I've just tasted you."

I kissed him, my tongue working its way into his mouth. He groaned in surprise and I kept going. His hand was working its way back towards my centre, and I let him bring me to climax once more before I sat up. He moved with me and I looked into his eyes. "I'm not ready to have sex, but I don't… I hate giving hand jobs." He laughed, interrupting me. "If you're okay with it—"

"You don't have to return the favour, so to speak," he said, reassuring me.

I shook my head. "Listen to me. If you're okay with it, I'd like to—" I hesitated again. Why was this so hard for me to say? I wanted to do it, but the words wouldn't come out. "I'd like to use my mouth on you, Blaise."

I watched as his eyes widened a fraction. "Are you sure, Hermione? Really, you don't have to. I can… take care of myself. In the shower or something."

I moved off the sofa, settling myself on my knees between his thighs and reaching for his belt. "No, I want to, Blaise. I want to do something for you."

His Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed, and he took a deep breath. "If it's what you actually want to do, I won't stop you."

I tugged at his trousers and he stood, summoning a blanket to cover the leather upholstery. When I pulled his shorts and trousers down, they pooled around his ankles. His cock was hard and heavy, and when he sat on the edge of the sofa, it stood at attention, waiting for me to begin.

Blaise leaned forward and cupped my face with his hands. "If you're not ready, don't force it, Tesoro," he pleaded.

I smirked at him before moving towards his prick, slowly sucking just the head into my mouth. His hands moved from my cheeks to my hair, holding on while I took more of him in.

"Fuck, Hermione, I've wanked to the thought of this so many times," he groaned, stopping when my tongue stroked the underside of his cock with as much pressure as it could. "This is so much better than anything I'd imagined already."

I pulled back, holding only the head in my mouth again. I met his eyes when I swirled my tongue around, and he looked like he wanted to thrust until he was nearly all the way down my throat. Testing that theory, I quickly moved down, taking him as deep as I could without help. When I gagged a bit, he tried to pull back, but I held him in place.

"Oh, sweet Salazar," Blaise gasped, his hips jerking up. I moaned around him and he tentatively moved upwards again. "Do you like that?"

In response, I took him deep again.

"Okay, best girlfriend ever," he said, tangling his hands in my hair and dropping his head back to enjoy my ministrations.

I pulled up, laughing. "I'm sorry. I just… It's funny. I'm going to assume you never thought I'd like doing this?"

"Talk later. Finish what you started now," he whined. "My bollocks have been aching all day. It won't be much longer."

Smiling at him, I continued, sucking and teasing until he came. When I swallowed his come, he pulled me into his lap again, kissing me deeply. I loved that he was also okay with the taste of himself, not shying away from kissing me after a blow job.

"So fucking good," he murmured against my lips between kisses. "I'm gonna make you come again for that. I need to."

His hand started rubbing me through my leggings. I was keyed up from giving him head, so it didn't take long for him to drive me over the edge.

When I collapsed against his chest, breathing heavily, I said, "Well, I think we should get cleaned up and ready for bed now."

He nuzzled his face against my neck. "This wasn't what I had planned, but it was amazing. I'd be willing to do it again anytime."

"Me too," I answered. "Please tell me I can borrow a pair of your boxers to sleep in. I'm a mess."

Laughing, he lifted and held onto me as he stepped out of the trousers around his ankles. "Of course you can. Wrap your legs around me, Tesoro. I'll bring you to the bedroom to get changed."

And so he did.

Author's Note: As always, thank you for reading! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!