Since the night Blaise had returned from Russia seven weeks ago, we'd been nearly inseparable. From the time I woke up in the morning until the moment I fell asleep, he consumed every part of me, every hour of my day. I'd been spending every night in his bed, growing more and more addicted to his touch. Even thinking about him made me shiver with arousal, and I felt like my heart was almost on the same page as my body.

Deep down, I knew I was growing dependent on him, the way I had grown dependent on Draco. I was substituting one vice for another. However, unlike Draco, Blaise was an appropriate choice of partner. He was mine, and I was his. There was no one else in the picture for either of us. On top of that, I knew this was likely just the honeymoon phase. Everything about our relationship was still new and exciting, and I was sure that I'd eventually need some space.

I was just enjoying the happiness while it lasted.

I didn't want to be with Draco, still sneaking around as his mistress. No, that was definitely not what I needed. I wanted what I had with Blaise, a partner, someone who I could make a life with. I didn't want complicated. I wanted to be in love, like Harry and Pansy were. I wasn't there yet with Blaise, but he was there with me, and that was half the battle.

With Blaise around, I'd even managed to forget all about Draco and Astoria's anniversary until after it had already passed. On that date, he had kept me very, very busy, and I was grateful for it. I hadn't ended up a teary mess or fallen to pieces like I had the previous year. I hadn't obsessed over the new batch of photos from Paris. I felt like I had truly moved on — the third of April was just another day of the year now.

I'd made so much progress in such a short amount of time. After feeling miserable for so long, I was happy to finally have some joy in my life again. Honestly, Blaise seemed like my reward after the struggle, the rainbow after the storm.

Every time he touched me, I wanted more — more of him, more of the feelings he stirred in me, more of the way he made me forget everything that had happened over the past year and a half. Just more.

Somehow, I was sure he'd been talking to Harry, taking only missions that would keep him in the UK so he could come home to me just about every night. Hell, we were even together in the office most days, sharing lunch and enjoying the newness of our relationship.

When he finally started going on missions again, I would more than likely ache for him, spend my days and nights wishing he was there.

Inside my head, I silently hoped that I'd be able to handle it better than I had before Russia. I didn't want to be worrying, drawing parallels where there weren't any.

I loved the little bubble of happiness and lust we'd found ourselves in. I didn't want it to pop and ruin everything.

All I could do was hope.

In mid-April, fate decided it was time to test our relationship.

Blaise was summoned to Italy by his mother, likely because another one of her husbands had died mysteriously, and I was left on my own. I slept in my own bed that night, and it felt empty. In such a short time, I'd grown used to sleeping in a tangle of limbs, Blaise wrapped around my body after we'd finished shagging. I woke more than once throughout the night, and it took me quite some time to get back to sleep. While I was tossing and turning, I noticed I was now back to sleeping on one side of the bed rather than in the middle, even when I was alone.

At half seven, I gave up and got out of bed. Blaise wasn't sure when he'd be back, so I spent the morning soaking in the tub and finishing a novel. The hot water felt good around my skin, and I was comfortable submerged beneath it. When the book was done, I felt somewhat restless.

After stepping out of the tub, I dried myself from head to toe. Looking out the window, I saw it was an unseasonably beautiful day, the sun shining down and the birds chirping away. I pulled on a pair of fitted jeans — ones I was actually starting to fill out again now that I was almost back to my normal weight — and a cream colored jumper. I slipped my feet into tall brown leather boots and tied my hair into a messy knot at the back of my head.

Grabbing my coat and my iPod, I started walking towards town. My music blaring in my ears, it felt like most of the world had fallen away. This walk felt very different than it had right after the Obliviation; I wasn't crying or thinking of Draco when my song changed. I wasn't worrying about what I'd do without him.

No, instead I was filled with hope that I was really moving on, and that the next stage of my life was just around the corner. My mobile vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, smiling at a message from Blaise.

Be home for dinnertime. Get some takeout and meet me at mine around 7? Missed you last night. So much.

I responded in the affirmative, telling him I'd be there. However, I was struck with the sudden urge to cook for him, and I knew I'd have to head to Diagon Alley to pick up a couple of things, so I decided to do my shopping there. Once I'd retrieved my latte from the coffee shop, I walked back into the woods again, making sure I wasn't visible to any Muggles, and Disapparated.

When I landed in Diagon Alley, the street was filled with witches and wizards. I quickly moved to Flourish and Blotts, picking up a couple of things I had on reserve. I was devouring books again, and that was maybe the part of myself I had missed the most. When I was in mourning, I hadn't been able to just get lost in a story, lost in the words on a page. Now I was able to immerse myself again, my focus not slipping from the books to the love I'd essentially banished from my life.

After that, I quickly moved through the market, casting charms over the food I'd picked up to keep it fresh. In my head, I had been planning an elaborate meal for Blaise's homecoming, and I was barely paying attention to my surroundings. When I left the shop, I looked up and saw both platinum and golden blonde and froze.

The man was undeniably Draco; he and Astoria were walking down the street very slowly, their shoulders two or three feet apart. There was a cafe next to the market, and I quickly sat down at one of the small tables. I watched them, my heart beating in my throat. It was the first time I had seen him, or Astoria, in almost eighteen months. And from my new position, I could see why there was so much space between them.

Scorpius was holding onto one of each of their hands, wearing a warm coat and hat, his blond hair peeking out from underneath it. Astoria said something, and Draco smiled at her. My emotions crashed through me, twisting and warping.

I hadn't been expecting this. I knew it would happen eventually, but I thought it would be at a function or at the Ministry or really anywhere but in the middle of wizarding London.

And I didn't think I'd see all three of them, looking like an idyllic family, the first time.

At that moment, I knew I had to get away. I couldn't just stay here and watch them walk along the street with their perfect little boy. So, I did the only thing I could think of — I started making my way towards the Apparition point.

"Excuse me!" a woman said, and I nearly kept walking. I should have. I really should have. But I couldn't when I saw the curly-haired little girl looking up at me.

"Are you Hermione Granger?" the little girl asked. "I think I recognize you from your Chocolate Frog card!"

I leaned down a bit so I could meet her eyes. At least she'd given me something else to focus on. "I am," I confirmed. "What's your name?"

"Samantha. I'm going to be starting at Hogwarts in the fall! I just found out last week when I turned eleven!"

Her words reverberated in my head. She just found out. I looked at her mother. "You're non-magical?" I asked.

She nodded, looking afraid. "It's all… it's a lot to take in."

"My parents thought so, too. Though they were glad they hadn't been hallucinating my magic," I quipped. "Samantha, have you bought a copy of Hogwarts, A History?"

The girl nodded eagerly. "You're in there! Did you know that? I read about the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk and Dumbledore's Army!"

I laughed, trying to brush off the uncomfortable feeling some of those memories brought me now. The writer who'd updated the book had made our adventures sound commonplace, when really they were anything but. "Well, I can see that you've done a lot of reading since last week!" My voice sounded more enthusiastic than I actually felt. "But don't worry, Samantha, you won't have to deal with anything like that. I can assure you Hogwarts is very safe now. In fact, I visit the headmistress quite often."

"I wouldn't mind if it did! I hope I'm in Gryffindor like you," she said.

Smiling at her, I told her that all of the houses had both positive and negative qualities and that the Sorting Hat would make the best choice for her.

I rose and shook her mother's hand. "Please rest assured that the wizarding world is much different than it was when I went to Hogwarts. There is nothing for you to worry about. If you speak with Minerva McGonagall, she'll set you up with an owl and a Floo call schedule. You have a fireplace at home, yes?" The woman nodded. "You'll be able to speak with Samantha that way. We're aiming to really integrate non-magical parents into the world more than we have in the past. It's a hard transition."

"Thank you. I know you're somewhat of a celebrity, so thank you for stopping," she replied.

I shook my head. "It's not a problem at all. If you do get an owl, feel free to send me one any time. What's your name?"

"Sharon Ames."

"It was nice to meet you. I do have to run, but like I said, please feel free to get my contact information from Minerva or just send me an owl," I said before walking away.

I kept my head down, not wanting to be stopped again, and I crashed straight into someone. When I looked up, I was met with grey eyes and a smirk, and I nearly died on the spot. I grabbed Draco's shirt, trying to steady myself, and Astoria looked over at me, worry written across her face. However, I couldn't have cared less about her in that moment. No, instead I gazed up at Draco, his eyes twinkling at me.

When had they crossed the street?

"Granger, you can let go now," he stated.

Fuck. Why now? Why was this happening to me now? Things were just starting to get better…

The reply of "Sorry, Malfoy" that escaped my lips felt wrong. He was Draco, but I couldn't be so familiar with him. We were cordial coworkers before his accident, and that was all…

I heard a throat clear, and Astoria said, "We need to go, Draco. Your father is expecting us at the Manor."

At the mention of Lucius, I released his shirt and stepped back, but his eyes remained focused on me, looking me up and down from head to toe.

Just then, Scorpius started babbling, trying to get Draco's attention, and the moment was over. He bent down to grab him, something that looked so natural to him now, and he said, "Scorp, wave to Granger. We need to get to your grandfather's house."

Hearing Granger hurt, especially since it was said in a normal tone, not the teasing, happy way he used to say it.

Scorpius waved, and Astoria grabbed Draco's arm, pulling him away from me once more. When Scorpius distracted him, she turned her head back and shot me a sly little smile, and I knew she was taunting me — telling me that she'd won in the end. She had Draco and Scorpius, and I'd run into them when I was alone. Not with Blaise.

I continued to the Apparition point and spun on the spot, landing in my kitchen and collapsing into the armchair, replaying the mantra in my head.

It was for the best.

He has a son.

He has a wife.

He doesn't even know what he's missing, what I'm missing.

Lucius will kill my parents if I don't stay away from him.

It was for the best.

The tears came after the initial shock wore off, and I welcomed them. Feeling something, even sadness like this, was preferable to feeling emotionally numb. On top of that, I knew I'd be seeing Blaise soon, and I needed to get it all out now. I didn't think I could break down like this in front of him; he'd get the wrong idea.

I considered my feelings after seeing Draco. My heart had swelled and cracked, but it wasn't anything like the way it had been before. I thought I might be able to put it back together, or repair the fracture lines on my own. I still loved him; I knew I always would. Blaise knew that, too. It was just one more reason why he was perfect for me.

I'd only seen Draco in passing. As long as it wasn't a constant thing, I could survive it. I could cry it out and put myself back together before anyone really knew how much his presence affected me.

A whisper of a memory came through the recesses of my mind; Draco's voice taunting me, trying to get me to fall back into old patterns, thinking of the good times when I was certain he loved me.

"You can fall apart in front of me, Granger," he said, his voice low, his breath warm against the shell of my ear. "I won't tell anyone."

He kissed me sweetly, coaxing me in the way only he could. His tongue stroked over my closed lips and I let him in — to both my mouth and my heart.

When I broke away, it felt like everything had changed.

The tears streamed down my cheeks as I told him about my greatest failure, the one thing I hadn't been able to succeed at — restoring my parents memories. I'd received yet another letter from the Australian healers. They were doing well — perfectly healthy — but there was still no way to reverse the Memory Charm. It had gone back too far, modifying nearly eighteen years of their lives.

After six years, the healers were giving up, refusing to continue visiting them twice a year to see if anything had shaken loose.

They'd have to live out their lives as Wendell and Monica Wilkins in Australia, never knowing they'd had a daughter.

"Oh, Hermione," he soothed, running his hands up and down my spine. "We can look for answers ourselves. We can try to find a way to fix it. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you had to do this to save them."

His apologies had been so sincere, but I couldn't let him blame himself…

Suddenly, I snapped out of it. I couldn't let myself think about all the times he'd shown me his heart, the one that he hid from nearly everyone else, even though it was so big and full of love. I had to focus on the bad times, the reasons why I'd gone through with the Obliviation without really thinking about it.

I took deep breaths in and let them out, trying to calm myself.

And then I did something I promised myself I wouldn't. I took the journal down off my shelf and started penning a letter to Draco.

If I got everything I was feeling down on the page, it would be out of the forefront of my mind. I couldn't let it stand in the way of my relationship with Blaise, and I couldn't start pining for Draco again.

I just couldn't.

It had been two days since I'd seen Draco in Diagon Alley and I'd been on edge ever since. Somehow, I'd managed to pull myself together before Blaise arrived home, burying my pain deep down inside of me. I knew it was wrong to hide it from him, but imagining how he'd look at me if he knew stopped me.

No, instead I'd kept quiet and we'd had a perfectly lovely night. I cooked dinner like I had planned and we'd fallen into bed like it had been a normal day, and I'd held it all down until I Apparated home the following morning. As soon as I landed in my kitchen, I'd seen the journal on the table and cracked it open, re-reading the entry I'd written the previous day.

I'd said that Astoria had won, that I was totally alone.

But had Astoria really won? Yes, she had Draco, but was a relationship built entirely on lies even real? If I hadn't modified his memories, I was sure he'd still be in my bed more often than hers, if not every night. He never would've stopped pursuing me.

Maybe he even would've left her.

And, while I'd been physically alone in Diagon Alley, I wasn't really alone. I had someone — I had Blaise — who was devoted to me, who loved me on his own, no spells required. He loved me and I knew I loved him, even if I wasn't quite in love with him yet. After everything with Draco, he'd brought me back to life, and I would be forever in his debt for it.

Guilt flooded me. As soon as I had seen Draco and looked into his eyes, I had forgotten all about Blaise until after I'd cried it out. No amount of photos or pretty words from Narcissa and Lucius could've prepared me for that moment. He was Draco, but not my Draco. Once again, he'd been hiding behind a mask, using his Malfoy pride as a shield to keep people at a distance.

For a moment, when he was looking into my eyes, I felt like he had really seen me, like he knew everything about me again. I almost forgot that he didn't remember me, that he couldn't really know what it felt like for me to touch him again, even if it was just his arm and just for a moment.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. It was Monday morning, and it was time for work. I had to get it together before Blaise got out of the shower — I still wasn't ready to tell him what had happened. I had to push it all back down, to Occlude until it was buried in an impenetrable place in my brain. Dreaming of Draco's eyes again wasn't conducive to moving on and falling in love with Blaise.

I'd been fine until the run-in in Diagon Alley, and I would be fine again. I could survive seeing him every so often. It wasn't much different from a memory of an anniversary or a birthday. Sure, I'd been able to feel the warmth of his skin and smell the scent of his cologne, but I remembered experiencing those things anyway.

In fact, after seeing him in person, I remembered them like no time had passed at all.

The first half of the week passed in the same fashion. I woke up drowning in guilt because I was hiding my accidental run-in with Draco from Blaise. After tamping it down, I slogged through the day at work, trying desperately to keep my brain busy so I didn't have time to think. In the evening, I kept losing myself in Blaise. Every time he asked me if I was okay, I kissed him senseless and seduced him.

By Thursday, I was almost back to normal. I'd managed to bury the whole encounter without crushing Blaise's heart. While I knew it wasn't the healthiest decision, I couldn't stand the thought of hurting him.

That was love, right?

On Friday morning, I was sitting in my office, daydreaming about the upcoming weekend. The simple act of hoping for the weekend so I could spend my time wrapped up in my little bubble of happiness was new for me, as well. I no longer had to worry about spending the weekend at home all by myself. No, in fact, I'd barely been to my house at all over the past few weeks.

As images of Blaise's naked body played in my brain, I relaxed into my office chair. I could feel my blood heating, my heart rate picking up, my knickers dampening…

And then there was a knock on my door and Harry walked in.

"Hermione, we need to talk," he said, and I immediately went on high alert, thinking there was a major threat to the wizarding world.

I gestured for him to sit in one of the chairs across from me, but he wouldn't.

"What's going on?" I asked, concerned by his odd behaviour.

Like every other time he was anxious, Harry ran both hands through his hair, tugging on the ends. "I don't know how to tell you this, and I was trying to wait for Blaise, but I can't put it off anymore."

"You're scaring me."

He sighed and finally slumped into a chair. Looking me straight in the eyes, he said, "Malfoy is coming back to work next month. It seems he still wants to be an Auror."

Stunned, I was momentarily silent, my breath catching in my throat and my whole body going rigid. As my brain processed what Harry said, I snapped out of the initial shock.

"He can't! There are too many holes in his memory! It's not safe!"

"He's been cleared for duty by St. Mungo's and the Ministry, Hermione. He's passed all of the re-entrance exams. There is nothing I can do to stop it, unless you want to tell everyone what really happened to him," he responded.

No. No, no, no, no. I can't. I can't do this. I can't see him every day. But I can't tell anyone what I've done!

And then something clicked in my brain. "He had to take re-entrance exams? And get cleared by healers? How long have you known he wanted to come back?"

I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't want to answer the question. "Since mid-March."

"And you're just telling me now?" I shrieked. "How could you do that, Harry? How could you act like it's not a big deal?"

"Things with you and Blaise were going so well," he said in a pleading tone. "I didn't want to mess things up. You were happy again. I was hoping that Astoria would put a stop to him coming back. She was fighting him on it—"

I felt like the walls were closing in on me. Things had just started to get better. I was recovering. I was happy. I wasn't thinking about Draco every fucking day anymore.

And now he was coming back.

I would see him almost every single day again.

Instead of his memory haunting me, it would be him. In the flesh.

My breath started to come faster and faster as Draco's face appeared in my mind and I thought about working with him again. I'd be trapped in the same space as him, my mind full of the memories of us together while he had no idea. How was I supposed to act around him? How was I supposed to think clearly?

How was I supposed to forget about him when he was right in front of me?

Panic flooded me, much in the way it had many times the previous year. I couldn't bear to be in the office, and I didn't want anyone to see me truly break down. Wanting nothing more than to hide, my brain quickly came up with the obvious response:

I needed to go home — to my house — immediately. Before Blaise returned to the office and saw me falling apart at the seams. I needed to sort this all out in my head, write in my journal, talk to Penelope… something.

"Hermione!" Harry said, his voice breaking through the fog. "Answer me!"

"I need to go," I said, rising from my desk chair. "I need to get out of here."

As I started throwing my personal items in my handbag, he grabbed my upper arms. "Hermione, talk to me. I can see you're panicking—"

"Of course I'm fucking panicking! You just dropped this on me like it was absolutely nothing, Harry! I can't even look at you right now."

His eyes welled up. "I know. I just — I didn't know how to tell you. I knew you'd be upset, and—"

"Telling me when I'm alone and when it's already a done deal was definitely not the way to go about it. Now let me go," I snapped, pulling away from him. "I need to leave before anyone sees me get upset."

Taking a step back, he asked, "Where are you going?"

As much as I wanted to tell him it was none of his business, I knew that would upset both him and Blaise, and Blaise certainly didn't deserve it.

"My house to start. I might see if I can get an appointment with Penelope. And I might write to Lucius," I replied. "I'm not certain what will help me right now, but I know I can't stay here today."

"What do you want me to tell Blaise?"

I took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment. "I want you to tell him the truth. Tell him that you dropped this on me out of nowhere and I needed to get out for the day. Tell him to call me if he wants to check on me. I'm going to try not to shut him out."

A moment later I was gone, striding down the hallways of the Ministry towards the lift. I was barely holding it together, but I'd managed thus far. Praying that Blaise was still delayed at his flat, I rode the lift and nearly ran for the Floo. As soon as I reached it, I called out my address and was transported to my kitchen, immediately falling to my knees as the tears started.

Once I'd let the sorrow crash through me, I summoned the journal again. I hadn't written in it in months, and now I was running for it twice in one week.

Everything was changing again and I couldn't cope.

Dear Draco,

I just found out that you're coming back to work. I'm going to have to see you every single day. I'm going to have to look you in the face and lie to you over and over again. With all the scenarios I've anticipated over the past year and a half, I never considered that you'd come back to the DMLE. It looks like I'm in for a special kind of punishment now.

Honestly, I don't know how I'm going to manage. Things were just starting to be good for me again. I think I'm falling in love with Blaise, and now you're coming back, and I don't know what to do. Obviously you won't remember anything that happened between us, but I remember everything and I don't know how to handle that. I don't know if I can cope with what I did and carry on with my life if I have to see you every day.

As soon as Harry told me, I ran out of the office. I came home, to our little house, as you used to call it, and I'm writing to you again. Merlin, it's been months since I did this, but I needed to get it all out. I haven't been in a panic like this in a very, very long time, and it's knocked me down completely. And if Blaise had been with me when Harry told me… I'm sure he would've been crushed. Completely devastated by my reaction.

I just… I don't know how to exist in the same space as you when you're not really the you that I knew before. I'm so nervous that you'll treat me differently — like you used to before we had the affair — and I don't know if I can handle that. I don't know if I can handle being ignored or stared at or even breathing the same air as you.

I don't know what I'll feel when I smell your cologne or if our arms brush in passing.

I don't know if I still love you because I haven't been near you. I haven't had to be near you.

I thought that if I ever saw you again, it would be a quick hello or a smile across a crowded room at a ball. Or maybe at Platform 9 34. I never, ever would've imagined daily interactions or forced proximity in meetings. I never would've imagined watching you and Blaise leave on a mission together again, and now I'm thinking about that, and my head and heart are just a jumbled mess.

I'm going to owl Penelope and set up an appointment. I don't know how I'll explain this situation to her, but I know I can't do this alone. I need help. I refuse to let myself sink back down into depression, and I refuse to sabotage my relationship with Blaise because I'm freaked out about seeing you again. If I can move on from you — and I've proven I can — then I can certainly stay moved on from you.

Hermione xx

After hastily writing the letter to Draco, I found myself in my bedroom, kneeling in front of the trunk that contained his memories and everything else. It had been well over a year since I'd opened it, and I knew I was putting myself in danger if I did it now. As much as I wanted to stay in the happy place I'd been living in for the past four months, I felt like it was about to be smashed to bits.

Again, I considered what to do. My hands were on the latches, and I'd already cancelled the locking charm on the chest. With a deep breath, I pulled my hands off it and sat back on my heels. Closing my eyes, I focused on breathing in and out slowly, trying to quell the panic running through my system.

I was disgusted to find myself in front of this trunk again. I was furious that I was considering slipping back into bad habits like looking through the photos or reading the notes he'd left me over the years. It wasn't a smart thing to do, and I thought about how Blaise would feel if he found me sitting here. When an image of his disappointed face flashed through my mind, my eyes popped open. My hands were twisting together in my lap and my stomach was churning.

"I can't fucking do this," I said aloud. "I won't do this. Not to myself, and not to Blaise."

Regardless, Draco doesn't fucking remember our relationship. Getting lost in the memories is not going to help me. It's going to hurt me.

The words in my head were starting to make sense, and I rose, pointing my wand at the chest. I locked it again and stepped back. I was still staring at it, still fixated on the items inside, but I wouldn't allow myself to open it.

I forced myself to leave the bedroom.

When I got back downstairs, I started manically cleaning. I didn't even change out of my work clothes. I just started sweeping and dusting and clearing away all the signs of disuse the house was showing. It wasn't lived in — hadn't been lived in — for over a month. And when I thought about that, I started questioning if things with Blaise were moving too fast, something I hadn't been questioning before.

As I grew more and more frustrated with myself, I looked for more and more chores to do.

How could Astoria and Lucius let him come back to work? Why wouldn't they find a way to stop him? Why did they suddenly not care if he saw me every day? Was he properly in love with her? Did they think my relationship with Blaise would keep me away from him? Will my relationship with Blaise keep me away from him? Or keep him away from me?

The questions were seemingly endless.

When I stopped cleaning for a moment, I looked around the ground floor of my house. It was spotless, and that made me wonder how long I'd been at it. Checking my watch, I saw it was past lunchtime, and I thought it was strange that I hadn't heard from Blaise at all.

I reached into my bag, grabbing my mobile. I had ten missed calls. Five from Blaise and five from Harry.

Fuck.

Just as I was about to dial Blaise, my Floo activated and he came through, looking panicked.

"I'm sorry!" I said, throwing myself into his arms. "I left my phone in my bag and you know what the Extension Charm does to it! I just saw the calls."

"Merlin, Tesoro, you had me worried," he replied, crushing me against his chest. "Potter told me everything. I hexed him for telling you when I wasn't there."

"Did you use a good one?" I asked.

Blaise laughed, and I heard the sound rumbling in his chest. "You're in a better mood than I thought you would be."

"Now I am," I admitted. "I was in a state earlier."

"I can imagine," he said, kissing the top of my head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Did I want to talk about it?

Deep down, I knew we should talk about it… but I just couldn't. Just like the run-in in Diagon Alley, I couldn't put this into words that wouldn't hurt him.

Rather than saying no, I said, "Not yet."

I felt Blaise's hand stroke over my curls and he held me tighter. "You're not saying we won't talk about it?"

"Of course not," I replied. "I just need some time to process."

"Should I be worried that you didn't come to me right away, Hermione?" he asked.

I don't know? Maybe? I hope not.

"No. Like I said, I just need to process, I think."

Pulling back, he tilted my face up, forcing me to meet his dark brown eyes. "You promise?"

I smiled at him and it felt natural — not forced. Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed him softly. "I promise."

His hand moved to my jaw, cradling it as he kissed me again. "Good. Can I take you out for the rest of the day? I was thinking Falmouth — books, an early dinner, and then back to mine…"

"Sounds perfect."

We'd stuck to Blaise's plan, spending the day walking around in Falmouth, our fingers linked together. Getting out of my house and out of my own head had been exactly what I needed. Not that it surprised me that Blaise knew how to make me feel better; he knew me better than I knew myself at times.

When we walked into the bookstore he'd taken me to on our first date, he gave me free reign, letting me peruse all the titles on the shelves and lounge around while I thumbed through the pages. The shop was decorated the same way it had been right after Christmas for the most part, though some flowers had been added into the garlands that lined the doors and shelves. It still felt like something out of a fairytale, and I was so happy he'd shown it to me.

As we were walking towards Sara's restaurant, Harry called Blaise, making sure that he'd found me and I was alright. From what I heard, Blaise's responses sounded clipped and tense, and I could tell he was still upset with Harry.

After dinner, Blaise turned to face me and said, "Are you feeling any better?"

I nodded, swinging our hands between our bodies. "I am. This has been perfect, Blaise. It was exactly what I needed."

"Good," he replied. "And now? Are you ready to go home?"

At the word home, I froze. Did he not want me to go back to his place with him anymore? Was he upset with me for not going to him straight away when I was upset? Could he sense that I was already a bit confused about Draco?

"To mine, Hermione. I didn't mean I wanted you to go back to your house," he clarified, stopping beside me on the pavement.

"Okay. Yes, that's what I want. I want to stay with you," I replied.

Smirking, he wrapped me in his arms and Apparated me away, not even bothering to look around us.

We landed in his flat — at home — and I immediately lost control, kissing him hard and with as much heat as I could muster. Groaning against my lips, Blaise moved his hands from my waist down to my arse, lifting me and carrying me into his bedroom. While he walked, my hands moved to my blouse, quickly undoing the buttons so I could strip it off. I felt him growing hard inside his trousers, just as desperate for me as I was for him in that moment.

Setting me down on the bed, his hands moved to his belt buckle while, but his lips stayed on mine, kissing me hungrily. I felt him shifting, kicking his shoes off as he unbuttoned his trousers, and I did the same. My heels clattered against the hardwood floor and I started groping around, looking for the zipper on my skirt. When Blaise heard the teeth parting, he broke away.

"No time," he said, hiking it up around my hips and then tugging at the waistband of my knickers. I lifted my hips and allowed him to pull them down.

When I looked down, I saw his erection straining towards me. He pulled me to the edge of the bed — already at the right height for our bodies to align — and his fingers tested me, making sure I was wet.

"You're so ready," he groaned, sliding in and out a few times before replacing his fingers with his cock.

When I felt him stretch me, I cried out and wrapped my legs around his hips. His hands fell on my thighs, pushing and pulling me at the pace he wanted.

"I want your shirt off," I said. "I want to see you."

Blaise closed his eyes in concentration, and the rest of our clothing vanished, save the skirt hiked up around my waist. I nearly laughed.

"It looks fucking hot," he commented. "I'm imagining doing this to you somewhere really naughty."

Leaning forward, I kissed his chest, sucking over his collarbones, inhaling the scent of his heated skin. I filled all of my senses with Blaise, focusing all of my energy on him as I rocked my hips, angling myself just so.

"Lean back on your elbows," he commanded, and I immediately fell back, watching him lose himself in my body.

Grabbing my thighs, he pulled my legs straight up, leaning them against his torso. My feet were in the air to the right of his head, and his cock hit my g-spot hard.

"Oh gods," I moaned, and I felt him thrust again, hitting the same spot.

He looked down at me. "Right there, babe?"

"Right there," I confirmed, my head tipping back as pleasure coursed through my body.

Blaise kept moving, speeding up as the volume of my screams increased. Over the past weeks he'd learned everything about my body, finding the best ways to make me come. He knew when I was close and what he needed to do to get me to tip over the edge.

As if on cue, his fingers moved to my clit, circling and stroking over it, giving my body exactly what it needed. My pussy clenched around him rhythmically, and he grunted, "Oh, fuck. Yes, that's exactly what I wanted. Keep going, Hermione."

And I did.

I continued shifting as much as I could, listening to the sound of his skin slapping against mine as he chased his own release. His fingers were still giving my clit attention every so often, keeping me keyed up and fluttering around him. Once he got me going, he liked to keep my body on a cycle of gentle and hard climaxes, never really letting me come down.

Where he'd learned his tricks, I had no idea, but I'd never felt so lucky.

As I tightened around him again, I swore I could feel him swelling inside of me. When his breaths turned to pants, I knew he was on the verge of coming, too.

"Blaise!" I cried. "Blaise, I'm going to—"

"I know," he replied. "I know. I'm right there with you."

And when I came again, I pulled him over the edge with me, my orgasm sucking him in deep as he filled me. I felt him shaking and sat up, letting him lean on me as he recovered. Though I was feeling just as boneless, I had the bed supporting me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him close, knowing he likely needed the reassurance today.

His tongue tasted the sweat on my neck and he hummed with pleasure. "You taste so good."

Letting out a chuckle, I said, "I'm sure there are other parts of me that taste better."

He pulled back and raised an eyebrow at me. "Really? I just made you come hard at least twice, and now you want me to—"

I kissed him, halting his words when I worked my tongue into his mouth, swiping it against his. His hands moved to my hair, tangling in it and holding me in place until he was ready to break the kiss.

"You're perfect," he murmured. "Everything I could ever want."

My heart swelled.

"I love you, Hermione," he added. "And I know this is going to get messy, and you're probably going to freak out and try to push me away, but I love you. I'm not going anywhere."

He hadn't said the words before now, and I was speechless. I knew I should say them back. I knew I felt love for him, so they would be true.

But I couldn't make them come out of my mouth.

Instead, I kissed him again and said, "I'm going to try to not push you away, Blaise."

"That's good enough for now," he replied.

However, with all the things I was pushing down rather than discussing, I knew I was already putting space between us.

Author's Note: We've reached the part of the story where we're going to have Dramione interaction in just about every chapter! Finally, I know. Thank you for sticking with me - I know it feels so long when posting one chapter a week.

Next week, we're back with Draco... and it's a bit of a hot mess. We're at a ball, so you know everyone will be there.

Thank you so much for reading and leaving your thoughts. I know I don't reply to comments on this site, but I appreciate every single one.