Chapter 5

"Relax!" Hermione's masseuse hissed as she worked on yet another knot on Hermione neck. Hermione groaned - the slow and slightly painful therapy only highlighted her physical manifestations of stress from her strained relationship with Ron. The bumps in her neck and shoulders were borderline ridiculous.

"Come on, Hermione. The point of this is to relax, not stress over the fact that you should be researching science advisors," Nessa admonished, moaning slightly as her masseuse kneaded her lower back. The reminder, however, had Hermione tensing up even tighter. Hermione's masseuse let out a frustrated hiss.

"Please be patient with my friend," Ginny said amused from Hermione's left, opposite of Nessa. She broke off with a slightly pained yelp when her massage therapist found a particularly sore spot. "As you can see, she really needed this."

Hermione's masseuse swore quietly in French, but also let off on some of the pressure she had been applying on Hermione's shoulder, allowing Hermione to breathe a little better.

Hermione's eyes fluttered shut, momentarily, but when she reopened them, she tensed immediately as she processed who else was entering the massage table rooms. There was a face she had thought she'd never have to see again.

Pansy Parkinson.

Hermione's masseuse let out a string of curse words at Hermione's tensing shoulders, which caught Parkinson's attention. Seeing Hermione, alongside Vanessa Sterling and the she-weasel, Parkinson lifted her nose into the air as she made her way over.

"Well if it isn't the two most popular single witches in all of Britain," she sneered at Hermione and Ginny. "I'm surprised that you aren't soaking up your revived fame."

Nessa looked up to see Pansy and Astoria Greengrass taking close behind. Astoria's lips were slightly pursed, annoyed by Pansy's inability to leave well enough alone. "Hello, Pansy," Nessa smiled fakely. "I would say it's lovely to see you..." Nessa smugly let the rest of her thought hang in implication.

"Vanessa," Pansy sniffed. Although irritated by Pansy's presence, it fascinated Hermione that Nessa was able to so smoothly transition into the subtle game of the wizarding aristocracy's underhanded jabs.

"It's wonderful to run into you, Astoria," Nessa smiled softly at the brunette, whose ensemble was beautifully classy and elegant. She was far overdressed for attending a spa, no matter how fancy it was.

Astoria, tight lipped and in full knowledge of the confidence she exuded, merely inclined her head towards Nessa politely.

"What brings you here to La Rivière?" Nessa inquired.

"A celebration," Pansy informed them haughtily. "Astoria's family has begun its negotiations with Draco's family for formal courtship. It will be a strong union."

"Draco, as in Malfoy?" Hermione finally spoke up.

"Of course," Pansy sneered. "How many other Dracos do you know?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow and shrugged. Parkinson wouldn't be able about get to her.

Pansy sighed suddenly. "I suppose I should be nice to you. After all, Blaise wouldn't be happy with me if I were the reason you didn't take the job." Pansy extended a perfectly manicured hand. "I apologize, may we start over?"

Hermione frowned at Pansy's hand, incredibly confused. Her masseuse had just about given up trying to get Hermione to breathe deeply and let go. "Why would you affect my decision about taking on an advisory position to Zabini?"

"Because we're dating, and I'll be living with you if you come with us to Italy," Pansy explained impatiently, her hand still extended. Hermione suppressed the desire to gag. Not only did she have to deal with Malfoy and Zabini, but Parkinson too? Hermione didn't know if she could survive in the den of snakes, but took Pansy's hand anyways. She had already committed to the job, so she would do almost anything to make it less painful. Pansy looked slightly taken aback at Hermione's lack of additional questioning.

"Will you be accompanying us, as well?" Hermione directed towards Astoria. Astoria's eyes flashed, and Hermione froze, unsure about what she had said to offend her.

"It is improper for a couple in courtship to house together," Astoria said tightly, looking scandalized.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate anything," Hermione backtracked, trying to not get on Astoria's bad side. It appeared to be too late, as the brunette simply glared once more at Hermione before stalking off to another part of the spa.

"See, I no longer have anything against your blood status, Granger," Pansy began, and Ginny gave a strangled noise. "It's simply because you're ignorant," Pansy scoffed, following Astoria shortly.

Hermione frowned, looking at Nessa, who shrugged. "Are they always like that? Even to each other?" Hermione asked wide-eyed.

Nessa shrugged again. "Depends. For families they don't respect, they don't even acknowledge your existence. For families they hate, they passively make life a living Hell. For acquaintances, they are dismissive but civil. For allies, they are business-like and serious. For friends, they are respectful, loyal, and kind. For family, even more so. But they're never friendly, so don't ever expect that."

"It all just gives me a headache," Ginny commented, dismissing the ridiculousness and complexity. Nessa sighed, shaking her head.

"You're not used to it. Everything is always out there in the open with you Gryffindors." Ginny raised an eyebrow, so Vanessa clarified. "I'm not saying that openness and acceptance is a bad thing, but you subsequently never learn the art of subtlety-" Hermione stiffened slightly at the familiar words "- which is necessary for you to work well with certain social circles. You can't expect others to be as accepting and courageous in vocalizing who they are and what they believe in as you," Nessa pointed out wisely.

Hermione contemplated Nessa's words, while Ginny let out a soft snort. "I don't like games," Ginny said simply. "Besides Quidditch," she clarified at Hermione's look of disbelief. "I don't like games where the rules aren't stated clearly, because it's not a level playing field."

"I get that, Ginny, I do," Nessa nodded. "But you have to realize you're choosing to take yourself out of the pureblood and aristocratic social circles."

"They're not my people," Ginny said firmly. "They may not be all bad, but they'll never understand me, and I'll never understand them. We're bred different. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but I'm content to leave their world undisturbed as long as they leave mine alone, too."

Nessa simply shrugged. "I can respect that." She looked at Hermione expectantly, who was still forming her thoughts.

"It's a culture, isn't it?" Hermione asked softly. Nessa nodded. "I understand what Ginny means by the idea that they're a different breed of people, but they still are people, aren't they? Why shouldn't we attempt to understand them? There aren't many of us magical folk in the world, and we ought to be bonded by our shared experiences and gifts of magic, rather than divided by it."

"Attempt is the key word there," Ginny pointed out. "Look Hermione, people like us? We'll never fit into that world. We don't value the same things as them. They don't value the same things as us. To them, our ignorance of their traditions is at best innocence, at worst stupidity and intentional rudeness. To us, their customs are downright patronizing, old-fashioned, and bigoted. We're oil and water. We don't mix."

Nessa shifted uncomfortably, and her masseuse pushed her down a bit to get her to relax. "Would you really say that about me, Ginny?" Nessa asked bluntly.

"Frankly, you're weird," Ginny said without hesitation. "It doesn't bother you that we're ignorant, and your priorities are very much aligned with ours. How many people in your family or your family's social circles would you say match up with you well?"

Nessa tilted her head. Ginny did have a point, there.

"I just find this blood-oriented class system very irritating," Hermione sighed. "And I would like to be part of the building of bridges between our very different worlds."

Nessa smiled at Hermione. "Well, why don't you take a look at us? I'd say we're building those bridges already."

Their one week vacation went by altogether too quickly, and before she knew it, Hermione was walking to the Department of International Magical Cooperation to meet her new co-workers.

She entered through the double doors and was presented with three different hallways. One was labelled "International Magical Trading Standards," another "International Magical Office of Law," and the last "International Confederation of Wizards, British Division." Hermione glanced around until she found an administrator, whose name plate displayed "Ashley Breckenridge" in bronze lettering.

"Miss Breckenridge?" Hermione asked, walking to the counter.

"Yes?" Ashley glanced up, eyes widening. "Oh, Miss Granger!"

"Hi," Hermione smiled politely. "I was wondering if you could direct me towards Blaise Zabini's office?"

Instantly, Ashley's eyes darkened. "Oh." Ashley paused. "His office is number 543, down the last hallway." Ashley gestured to the one labelled "International Confederation of Wizards, British Division."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled again. "I hope you have a good day."

Ashley didn't respond, returning to her paperwork. Confusedly, Hermione turned away from the drastic shift in mood she had just observed. Shaking it off, she strode down the hallway until she found a door named Blaise Zabini, which, she noted, was situated next to two of the four British representatives in the International Confederation of Wizards - namely Raven Bloxam and Otger Lunderphoff. Taking a deep breath, she knocked twice.

"Coming!" she heard a muffled voice through the door, and a second later, Blaise Zabini opened the door.

"Hermione!" he greeted jovially, smiling grandly as he let her in. She smiled at Blaise, and then nodded politely towards Draco Malfoy, who was lounging in one of Blaise's luxurious black leather seats. Blaise's office was enormous, to the say the least. Charcoal grey curtains draped over incredibly large windows overlooking the atrium below, matching the grey couch that was positioned behind a coffee table. The pure white tile floor contrasted with other black chairs surrounding the coffee table, all in front of Blaise's desk.

"Granger," Malfoy acknowledged. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise, Malfoy," Hermione nodded, taking the other seat next to Malfoy as Blaise sat behind his desk across from them. There was an awkward pause before Blaise began speaking, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm surprised," he stated smoothly.

"About what?" Hermione asked.

"Pansy had me slightly worried when she mentioned how she had run into you at the spa, and you seemed less than inclined to work with us," Blaise said slowly.

"Oh, I'm not sure where she got that impression," Hermione said truthfully. "I'd already decided to work with you by the time I ran into her - I was merely taking some time off to make sure that I was making the right decision."

"Well, I'm pleased you decided this is the place for you," Blaise smiled.

"Also, congratulations," Hermione turned to Malfoy, who looked at her curiously. "Pansy informed me that you and Astoria are in the process of an engagement," Hermione bit her lip a little, not sure if that was exactly what Pansy had meant by the coordination of a strong union and or courtship.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" he asked. Hermione couldn't tell if he was upset at the fact that private news had been leaked, if he was attempting to joke about his ignorance in the matter, or if he actually was surprised by the news. Hermione coughed awkwardly, glancing at Blaise, who was frowning.

"At least… that was what they informed me of," Hermione replied softly.

"There is no such engagement, as you have termed it," Malfoy replied tonelessly without further explanation.

"My mistake," Hermione said, uncrossing and crossing her legs. There was another long pause. Hermione was getting sick of all this dancing around.

"Shall we discuss who we want for our scientific advisor?" Blaise asked, pulling out a few files. Hermione nodded, and Malfoy did as well. Blaise raised an eyebrow at Malfoy, appearing to plead for some assistance in keeping the conversation alive. Malfoy didn't acknowledge the hint.

"Okay, I'll start off with my list of potential candidates-"

"Oh forget it," Hermione said frustratedly, and the two Slytherins looked at her oddly. "No, not about the scientific advisor, we need to discuss that, but I happen to be the type of person who cannot stand unresolved issues that are suffocating us and our ability to work together. Can we just all have it out with each other and iron it all out before getting down to business?"

Malfoy looked bored, refusing to indicate his opinion on the matter, but Blaise shrugged. "That sounds reasonable, don't you think?" Blaise asked Malfoy pointedly.

"If Granger needs to get something off her chest so we can work with her, why not?" Malfoy stated uninterestedly.

"I'll go first," Blaise volunteered. "Hermione, I have always been jealous of your incredible work ethic and intelligence, especially when you received the Dux Litterarum title. Although I didn't have any real positive or negative interactions with you in school, I'm glad that we now have the chance to reconnect and work together to benefit our society."

"Thank you for that, Blaise," Hermione gave him a small smile. "Like you said, we never really interacted during our Hogwarts years, and I'm glad I'll be able to get to know you better this time around." Blaise nodded, and she turned to Malfoy, pausing.

"I honestly don't know where to begin with you, Malfoy," she sighed, and Malfoy remained stoic. "I have to say that I'm pleased by the new developments in maintaining a civil relationship, but it will take me a long time to look past our history. I never understood why you hated me so. At first, if Harry and Ron weren't around, you never gave me a second glance. It was all for show. But something changed, fourth year. You were cruel, with or without an audience. You were pretentious, condescending, and manipulative. Cowardly, disloyal-"

"Call me anything you want, but don't ever call me disloyal!" Malfoy snapped losing his calm facade and springing to his feet. "You have no inkling of the pain and suffering I witnessed, caused, and experienced first hand to save my parents. Perhaps family means nothing to your orphaned golden boy, the freckled weasel who has too much family to go around, or whatever dysfunctional muggle parents you have-"

Hermione's eyes flashed, and she stood up and jabbed him in the chest, refusing to let him tower over her. "I WIPED MY PARENTS' MEMORIES AND SENT THEM TO AUSTRALIA SO THEY COULD BE SAFE, AND WHEN I FINALLY RESTORED THEIR MEMORIES, THEY -" Hermione suddenly broke off, her anger deflating so quickly that she fell back into her chair, sobs wracking her body. Blaise looked towards Draco angrily, communicating that Draco had better apologize now or incur Blaise's wrath later.

Draco stiffly raised an eyebrow. Malfoys never apologize.

Blaise glared at Draco as Blaise took it upon himself to kneel down to Hermione's level, comforting her. Draco sniffed as he looked on, slightly disturbed by how such a fiery Gryffindor could be reduced to such a weak state with a few sentences. What happened to all of Granger's pure concentrated ire and passion? The lioness looked tiny. Draco then knew that almost anyone could destroy her pathetic soul if they just dug deep enough. It was disappointing, really, that the person who seemed so unbreakable was perhaps even more fragile than his mother's finest china set.

After all, magic couldn't fix a broken soul.

Draco was pulled back to the present when Blaise pulled her hands away from her arms, holding them gently as he apologized for making her feel uncomfortable.

"No," Hermione sniffled, and Draco squashed the tiny part of him that felt hope when a bit of her previous steel leaked through that one word. "That was the point. We need everything in the open."

Draco couldn't help but snort at that, and Blaise glared at him. Draco could handle Blaise's glare… but Granger's watery gaze should not have affected him as much as it did.

"You want it all out?" Draco scoffed, and Granger took to answering his question literally with a nod. Draco shook his head and strode to the window, his back to Granger and Blaise, still crouched down and patting her hand.

"You represented everything I was raised to hate. Muggleborn, ignorant, unrefined, lower class, Gryffindor," Draco laughed cynically. "Merlin, you fit the bill too well. But then you didn't." Draco turned around and faced Granger, meeting her brown eyes that shone with a hint of determination.

"You were fucking brilliant," Draco snapped. "You beat me at every fucking subject. It didn't matter that I had everything already going for me - pureblood, rich, the best wand, the best tutors, the best breeding, the motivation, the ambition - you, the ignorant, supposedly stupid muggleborn, came out of nowhere and placed me in second in every fucking thing you ever did. You were the only infuriating contradiction to my entire paradigm, and I took it out on you. You could never imagine the ways my father loved to punish me for my lackluster performance," Draco sneered.

"And to top it all off, you showed me in fourth year that you weren't unrefined or lower class," Draco snarled. "You were fucking beautiful, handling yourself with such sophistication and grace that ninety-percent of pureblood girls couldn't even attempt to imitate. I couldn't stand you. It was either you, or my family and their ideals." Draco whipped around to face the window again, unable to stand her widening eyes.

"And you chose your family," Granger whispered.

Draco jerkily nodded, before becoming silent. There was a long pause before Draco spoke up again.

"I know now that those prejudices were simply old traditions that are no longer applicable to our society," Draco said stiffly. "And I can't resent you for showing me the outdated principles of my family. I respect you, Granger. That should be enough."

Granger nodded. "I understand and empathize with your upbringing and your dedication to your family. I am sorry for accusing you of being disloyal." Draco nodded his head, accepting her apology.

"And I suppose we do have something in common, anyways," Draco turned again back to Granger and Blaise, who was now sitting on the other chair solemnly.

"What's that?" Granger asked skeptically, meeting his intense grey eyes.

Draco's mouth twisted sourly as he spoke.

"We'd do anything humanly possible to guarantee our parents' safeties."

The three decided that the day's potential had been fully exhausted and planned to reconvene the next day to truly get down to business. Hermione apparated back to her flat, surprising Ginny, who was hunched over various wizarding photos of the Chudley Cannons versus Puddlemere United game as she scribbled notes about Oliver Wood's latest innovative move. Slowly but surely, Ginny's role as sports correspondent was growing, and she was beginning to enjoy analyzing others' techniques more than getting sweaty trying to train her own.

"I thought you wouldn't be back so soon?" Ginny asked poker-faced.

Hermione was taken aback a little by the oddly emotionless appearance her friend was creating. "We ironed out some emotional issues, but tomorrow we'll get back to work after taking a break from each other," Hermione explained.

"Oh good," Ginny breathed. "I was worried that I was going to have to testify at your trial that you were really here, home, with me, when Malfoy was murdered, or that you'd just been fired for being too smart for the Slytherins," Ginny smiled cheerfully.

"No," Hermione chuckled softly. "Nothing quite so dramatic as that."

"So… what did you talk about?" Ginny grinned.

"Well, Blaise and I don't know much about each other beyond the fact that we were competitors for top rank at Hogwarts, so we didn't have much to discuss. Malfoy, on the other hand…" Hermione trailed off, shaking her head. "I chewed him out, to be frank, but went over the line."

Ginny coughed awkwardly. "What's 'over the line' for Malfoy? What line hasn't he crossed?"

Hermione shrugged, figuring that Ginny had a decent point. "He snapped when I said he was disloyal."

"Ah," Ginny nodded, understanding. "I suppose that's one of the few things the ferret doesn't lack. Loyalty, though… to a fault."

Hermione smiled ruefully. "Well, needless to say, he called me out on it, and snapped at me, saying some fairly despicable things about Harry, Ron, and my family…"

"Oh, sweetie," Ginny sighed concernedly. "We're your family, you know that, right?"

Hermione's mouth twisted slightly, but nodded. "I know… but they're my family, too."

Ginny could only hug her, rubbing circles on her back.

"So did you yell at Malfoy?" Ginny asked wryly, attempting to lighten the mood.

Hermione smiled slightly, still somber. "Indeed, but there may have been tears involved. I hated showing him that weakness… it's just…"

"Caring for your family and feeling abandoned is not a weakness," Ginny told her firmly. "If he can't see that for himself, given his history… well let's just say there's not much upstairs."

Hermione finally let loose a giggle.

"I still think you're insane for trying to work with them, even if it's a fantastic opportunity," Ginny sighed.

"I get to live in Italy, Ginny, how much better can you get than that?" Hermione smiled ruefully as she made her way into the kitchen to fix a light snack.

"So when are you leaving, again?" Ginny asked with a tone of sadness in her voice.

"Not for another two weeks. I'll only be gone for six months, and then I'll be back. Of course, it'll only be for a little bit before I start travelling between England and Italy permanently, but I promise you I won't leave you," Hermione said comfortingly.

"Do you want me to keep your flat for you?" Ginny wondered.

"Actually that would be perfect!" Hermione smiled. "You could live here until you decide that you want a place of your own, what with… Harry and all…" Hermione trailed off. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Plus, there's no one else I'd trust to not explode my flat," Hermione laughed.

"I'll pay rent and everything," Ginny promised.

"Oh no, you don't have to-" Hermione protested.

"No, I'm subletting from you, and I will pay the rent as I'm supposed to," Ginny said firmly.

"But-"

"No buts!" Ginny waved her wand menacingly at Hermione.

Hermione frowned and crossed her arms, but eventually relented. Ginny beamed when she saw Hermione's resolve crumbling, knowing that the threat of a nasty bat-bogey hex would be worse than letting Ginny pay for an apartment that she'd be renting anyways if Hermione fully moved out. Ginny grabbed Hermione's arm suddenly, dragging her to the Floo.

"Now I know you have a terribly lacking wardrobe normally, Hermione, but it's simply dreadful in regards to having appropriate wear for Mediterranean weather," Ginny commented as she grabbed a handful of Floo powder and shoved it into Hermione's fist. "Especially for summer. I'll meet you at Madam Malkin's. I have to drop off a copy of my article at The Daily Prophet first."

"But I don't have my purse-" Hermione protested, until Ginny waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm covering it. Go!"

Hermione merely shook her head before doing as Ginny asked, or rather, demanded.

AN: Hello everyone! School is out, so let the heavy writing begin! Warning, updates are going to be a little bit slower since I've pretty much caught up to posting a chapter just before the one I'm currently writing, but hopefully I'll be writing quickly enough to keep it up to approximately a new chapter a week. Thanks as always to the favoriters, followers, and reviewers! To Guest #1: Ginny is definitely going to be a much stronger person than we saw in the movies and possibly even the books, so I'm glad you saw what I was aiming for. Although we might not see Ginny and Hermione be the absolute best of friends, they're there for each other if the need arises. I'm not sure how much Ginny we'll see once Hermione moves to Italy, but she'll definitely get some airtime. We've just seen a little glimpse of the Slytherins, who I think we'll be seeing much more of soon. Draco's riding that line between decent and utter bastard. Do you guys think his explanation of his horrid treatment towards Hermione somewhat redeems his character or condemns him? Drop me a review below!