Chapter 10

Hello Lovely Readers!

I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter. I am really going to try and update bi-weekly. I write this story in between schoolwork and assignments, so sometimes it gets a back seat. A couple of notes:

-I wanted Hermione to be a real woman with real insecurities, so I put in the bit about her stomach. I also want to give the feel that she's innocent and somewhat daft about the physical side romance. There will definitely be some of Greg tutoring Hermione on the art of sex in later chapters.

-I made Hogsmeade larger and more like an outdoor mall. I figured after the war and everything the students went through McGonagall would have wanted them to have some fun.

-I'm slowly building the tension between Hermione and Greg. Sometimes when I write Greg's portions, I feel like maybe I'm making him into the perfect guy without too many faults. Let me know if you think his character is believable and not too cheesy or dreamy. I feel that Greg's warts are his abusive father and fighting with other students. However, he will NOT be abusive to Hermione. I definitely did not want to take the road that other fanfiction writers have taken before where Greg is just stupid and can't string two words together so he's definitely more complex in my story. I would love some feedback.

-And yes, Mrs. Goyle is meddling in her son's love life. Lol I wanted her to be a likeable, sweet woman so she doesn't have any prejudice against muggleborns.

Xoxo,

Emerald

Disclaimer: I own nothing…..J.K Rowling owns it all.

….

Blaise and Hermione walked quickly through Hogsmeade. The wind had picked up and there was the sharp smell that promised snowfall. Hermione wanted to stop at the book shop to get some necessities like ink and parchment, but Blaise dragged her along insisting they were late, and Ginny was waiting for them. When Blaise and Hermione arrived at the dress shop, Lavender was sitting in the window, distracted and puffy eyed, as Ginny was talking to the owner of the shop, Madame de Vestito. Blaise went to join Ginny at the counter while Hermione sat next to Lavender, holding the blonde girl's hand, attempting to make her smile. Unfortunately, the sting of scandal was much too fresh for anything other than a frown.

"Well, I don't have much in the way of bathing suits, my dear," the kind, older woman said. "It is November after all." Madame de Vestito smiled warmly at Blaise as the Madame was on good terms with Madame Zabini.

"It's supposed to snow tonight, you know," the young shop assistant said as she hung new dresses for Christmas. Ginny rolled her eyes impatiently, giving a worried glance to the clock in the corner of the shop. However, Hermione smiled inwardly. The brunette knew the idea of a pool party in November was a ridiculous one and was happy someone else agreed.

"Yes, well," Blaise began stepping forward. "These bathing suits are for over the Christmas holidays. I'm taking these ladies to my private beach in Southern Italy." Blaise gave an honest smile to Ginny who looked at him and the others with surprise. Hermione couldn't believe it. How amazing, Hermione thought. The raven haired wizard did plan on inviting his new friends to his home in Sicily, but that was supposed to be a Christmas surprise. However, Blaise felt it better to spoil the surprise than to endure any more questions from Madame de Vestito.

"Oh, how lovely, my dears," the Madame said with a hint of envy. "I know I have some options in the back, if you'd all follow me."

The group followed Madame de Vestito to the back of the shop. Blaise noticed the small smile on Lavender's face. The beach seemed agreeable to the blonde girl. Blaise figured that once Greg and Hermione were officially paired off, he would begin to mend the damage between Lavender and Theo on the Sicilian beach.

"We'll have to make a pit stop in Milan because these suits won't do in Palermo," Blaise said, wrapping his arm around Lavender's shoulders as Hermione and Ginny looked through the closet of bathing suits. Lavender smiled joining Hermione and Ginny.

"Now remember," Blaise raised his index finger at Ginny. "No yellow." To which Ginny raised a different finger at Blaise as Hermione giggled.

…..

Sitting at his desk by the fire, Greg was looking over his letter to his mother one final time before heading to the owlery. Greg had written that he was happy to hear that she wasn't shopping and informing her to be careful with her friendship to Crabbe Senior. He knew his mother would roll her eyes at his warning, but Greg wouldn't feel right, if he didn't at least mention his doubts in Crabbe Senior. It had taken a while for Greg to figure out how to word that his "lady friend" was none other than Hermione Granger. Greg explained that Hermione had been tutoring him and that was all. However, he doubted his mother would believe it, but Greg didn't want to get his mother's hopes up until Hermione had agreed to be his girlfriend. Greg heard a knock at the door and rising to answer, he was surprised to see Theo nervously shuffling from foot to foot.

"Hey, Greg," Theo said, his voice somewhat gravelly. "Mind if I come in?"

Greg stood aside to let Theo in. Their friendship had been rocky this past month and a half. They hadn't spent much time alone together. They were always surrounded by friends who could keep the conversation moving. Their conversation at lunch was the most civil one they'd had since Hermione had begun tutoring Greg.

"Finished your letter?" Theo nodded, to the piece of parchment on Greg's desk. Theo sat on the arm of the armchair tapping his fingers against his thighs. The blue-eyed boy was tense and uncomfortable. For whatever reason, Greg had no idea. "How is your mother?"

"She's doing well," Greg said, sitting down at his desk and pushing the letter aside for now. "Not shopping, thankfully." Greg almost shot his fist in the air in triumph. "But she's getting closer to Crabbe…Senior." Greg added as Theo looked at him with a funny expression.

"I thought Crabbe Senior was dead," Theo said, watching Greg shake his head in reply. "I mean, no one has heard about him for months."

"It was tough when Vince died," Greg said. He wanted to bluntly ask why Theo was here, but he didn't want to be rude. The tension in the room was uncomfortably high.

"Look, Greg," Theo began as if sensing Greg wanted him to get to the point. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior this past month or so. I know I've been a prick. I just…I didn't realize you and Granger were," Theo stumbled over his words. "I just…I was being selfish and…"

"It's okay, Theo," Greg said, with a chuckle. "I think we've both acted like… we could have acted better." The two boys smiled at one another.

"So, I hear Hermione was here last night," Theo said, with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. Before Greg could respond, they heard the lazy drawl of the Head Boy from the door.

"My, my good news travels fast," Draco said, as he walked in. The blonde tossing a duffle bag on Greg's bed.

"What's that then?" Theo said, nodding to the bag. Greg grabbed his coat and stuffed his letter in an envelope.

"I've been kicked out of the Head's Dorms," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "So, the girls and Blaise can change."

"I'm going up to the owlery," Greg said, quickly flashing the envelope. "You two are welcome to stay here if you like."

"Why does Blaise get to have all the fun?" Theo said, with envy. Theo's eyes acquiring a lusty gleam at the idea of the girls together. Theo was trying to become a one woman man, but he couldn't be expected to change overnight, could he?

"Well, technically," Greg said, opening the door to leave. "Blaise isn't having any fun."

"Exactly," Draco said in agreement, throwing a pillow at Theo's face. "Now knock it off before I turn the hose on you!"

Greg walked out of the hallway and towards the portrait. His mind dwelling on Theo's suggestive declaration. Yes, Hermione was in his room last night, but nothing had happened. If anything, Greg was left a bit doubtful.

When Greg had returned to his bedroom last night after walking Hermione to the Head's Dorms, the scent of vanilla and lavender faintly hung in the air. Greg had sat down on the edge of the bed and inhaled greedily before the scent disappeared. Hermione was here, Greg thought. She was so close, so beautiful, but so nervous. Greg did not dwell on her nerves just yet. Making certain his bedroom door was locked, Greg allowed his mind to wander. Images filled his head of Hermione on his lap, imagining himself kissing and sucking her large breasts as she slowly rode his cock. Her head falling back in ecstasy as his fingers twisted her clit and his lips caught hers before shooting his come inside her. After a few pulls on his painfully erect cock, Greg had come hard and fast with a grunt before heading into the shower to wash off his seed.

As Greg climbed the stairs to the owlery, he pulled himself back to the present. Greg began seriously pondering on why Hermione seemed so skittish alone with him. Giving Scuttle his letter and watching him fly off, Greg couldn't help but wonder why she had been so nervous. Was it simply inexperience or something else? He hoped she knew he would never force himself on her. Last night after his shower, Greg had come realization that it might be a long while until she was ready to make love, but he would be patient. Until then he would "take care" of himself; he'd be doing so since he was twelve after all. Hermione wasn't like other girls who were careless with their affections, but she was passionate. Greg could see that passion in classes and at each tutoring session, and he could only imagine that that passion would translate into the bedroom. Greg was certain that when they finally did make love, it would be worth the wait.

Greg made his way back down to the dungeons, planning to shower and shave before the party. Greg wanted his chin to be stubble free just in case he was to kiss Hermione. Greg went to enter his bedroom until he heard arguing from Theo's room. Greg entered to see Theo, fully clothed holding up two speedos, one black, the other green. Draco shook his head, looking to Greg for help.

"Which one?" Theo asked, looking back and forth between his friends. "Black might make it look small, I'd imagine." Theo threw the black speedo behind his back, settling on the green.

"Theo, I thought we'd settled this," Greg said with a laugh. "No speedos."

"Tosser won't listen though," Draco said, not wanting to argue. "I'll change in Blaise's room."

"Well, pardon me for not wanting to be all loosey-goosey in swim trunks," Theo said as he started to change. "My "boys" like to be settled." Greg shook his head, sharing an exasperated sigh with Draco as the two parted down the hall.

…..

At a little past six Hermione, Blaise, Ginny, and Lavender returned to the Heads Dorms carrying many shopping bags. Blaise had bought each girl new bathing suits, dresses, and sandals and then, despite Hermione and Ginny's objections, treated them to dinner at a new Italian restaurant in Hogsmeade, La Magia Mangiare. However, Blaise explained he was happy to treat all of them, having no siblings and not many close friends to shop with he was pleased to spoil each of them.

Blaise brought Draco a slice of tiramisu from the restaurant, then promptly shooed his boyfriend away. Blaise stuffed the blonde's swim trunks and other necessities in a duffle bag and sent him off to the Dungeons. Hermione asked Blaise to change in the Head Boys bedroom while she and the others changed.

Hermione had chosen a few different bathing suits, but Lavender and Ginny had convinced her to wear a red bikini. Hermione had showered and changed in the bathroom, using a spell to remove the hair from her legs, underarms, and bikini line. Looking in the mirror, she felt a bit strange. At least it's not a string bikini, Hermione thought. The top gave some support to her full bust, but Hermione was a bit self-conscious about her stomach. Due to her love of sweets, she had a hint of a tummy which the control top of the bottom that fell just below her belly button hid well.

"I still don't know about this," Hermione said as she walked out of her bathroom. Ginny was wearing a green one-piece bathing suit which had cut outs on the sides. The bathing suit gave the illusion of some curve to her tomboyish shape. Lavender chose a blue bikini in a similar style to Hermione's. Both girls looked up when Hermione re-entered the bedroom. Ginny gave a wolf whistle and Lavender gasped.

"Oh, Merlin, Hermione," Lavender said. "You look beautiful."

"Greg is not going to be able to take his eyes off you," Ginny said, with a naughty glint in her eyes. Lavender eagerly agreed as she slipped into a blue coverup which fell to her mid thighs and had blue tassels which grazed her thighs and arms.

"Oh, stop," Hermione muttered. Honestly a little excited at the possibility at the idea of Greg seeing her in something other than shapeless robes. Ginny slipped into a low cut leopard print coverup. Hermione was about to grab hers when there was a knock at the door.

"All clear?" came Blaise's voice muffled through the door.

"Yes, we're decent," Ginny said, brushing her straight hair into place before grabbing her make up bag. Blaise opened the door in a pair of knee length dark blue swim trunks and a light blue casual button up shirt. Blaise nodded approvingly to Ginny and Lavender, but his eyes paused on Hermione.

"Oh, my, my," Blaise said, looking at Hermione. "You are gorgeous."

Hermione blushed and gave a soft smile, moving to cover her stomach with her arms. It's not like her belly was large or protruding, it was just a little softer than Ginny's flat, athletic stomach.

"Relax," Blaise said, sensing her embarrassment over her midriff. "Nobody's going to be looking at your stomach." Blaise's eyes moved to Hermione's breasts, raising his eyebrows in approval.

"Gay or straight, all men are alike when it comes to boobs," Lavender said, playfully smacking Blaise's arm as Hermione slipped a low cut pink cover up over her head. The dress was light with loose short sleeves and had a few pink buttons which started around her stomach. It also fell to just above her knee and fanned out over her hips. Hermione checked herself in the mirror and had to admit she did look quite beautiful. They all did. The four were silent for a moment until Ginny while putting on her lip gloss broke the silence.

"Blaise, have you ever been with a girl?" Ginny asked, casually. The red head had been a bit curious about Blaise's past, wondering if his experience was similar to Draco's.

"No," Blaise said, seriously. "I've always known who I am and who I'm attracted to. Not all of us feel the need to experiment." Blaise winked at Ginny who blushed a shade darker than her hair.

"Ginny!" Hermione said, eyes wide. The brunette looked at Lavender whose eyes where the size of saucers. "You never told me you've been with girls."

"Girl!" Ginny said, holding up a finger. "One girl. Once. The side effects of fire whiskey, boys and girls." Ginny did a little curtsy.

"Who was it?" Lavender asked. Lavender had never been with a girl but wouldn't object after her troubles with Ron today. Just for fun, Lavender thought.

"Astoria Greengrass," Blaise answered before the redhead could. Both Lavender and Hermione's eyes widened.

"How did you know that?" Ginny asked, surprised.

"We're the only two gay students in Slytherin," Blaise explained. "We talk."

"I thought you said she was trying to get with Draco," Hermione asked, brow furrowed. "And sleeping with Vince…"

"For a little while she was," Blaise explained to Hermione and Ginny. "She told me she thought she could turn herself straight."

"That's so sad," Hermione said as Ginny nodded. Lavender lowered her head before grabbing her wand to style her hair. Blaise gave Ginny a look and Ginny nodded, checking her appearance in the mirror on last time. Blaise convinced she looked beautiful and reached for the red head.

"Alright," Blaise said, grabbing Ginny's hand. "The first guests will be arriving soon we best leave."

"If you're not at the party within an hour," Ginny began, pointing at both Hermione and Lavender, but Ginny did not have the chance to finish her threat as Hermione cut her off.

"For Merlin's sake, Gin" Hermione shouted as she stood before the mirror fixing her dress. "We'll be there!"

"Come along, darling," Blaise said to Ginny as he pulled her out of the bedroom. Hermione shook her head as she rolled her eyes. Lavender couldn't suppress a giggle as she pointed her wand at her blonde curls muttering a spell to make them look soft and wavy.

"How about your hair, Hermione?" Lavender asked. "Do you want mermaid waves?"

Hermione nodded unsure what mermaid waves would look like, but trusted Lavender to not make her look like a fool. Lavender had Hermione sit at the vanity and pointed her wand at different sections of Hermione's hair creating the soft, loose waves. The softer waves made Hermione's hair look longer, falling below the middle of her back, than the normally tighter curl pattern would allow.

"Oh, I love it, Lavender," Hermione said, touching her soft hair as Lavender smiled the first true smile that day. "Thank you." Hermione stood and gave Lavender a hug. "You must teach me that spell," Hermione added, bending to look in the mirror.

"Absolutely," Lavender smiled. "I'd like to open a shop, like the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes but with hair and beauty products."

"Oh, you definitely should," Hermione smiled. Before Lavender could respond, there was a tapping at the window from a white snowy owl that Hermione did not recognize. Hermione took the letter from the owl and gave it a few treats before it flew off.

"Who's it from?" Lavender asked as Hermione opened the letter quickly reading:

Dearest Miss Granger,

It is so exciting to be writing to a member of the Golden Trio. I am writing to thank you for tutoring my Gregory. I am so pleased to hear that you have been helping my son raise his marks. We are both enormously grateful to your services. From what Gregory has told me you seem like such a kind young woman and it would be an honor to meet you. I'd like to personally invite you to stay at our manor for a portion of the Christmas holidays. We'd both be so pleased to have your company.

Awaiting your reply,

Evelyn Goyle

"It's from Greg's mother. She's invited me to stay for the Christmas holidays," Hermione said, somewhat stunned. Hermione had heard so much about Evelyn Goyle but was more anxious to know what Greg had told his mum about her. Mrs. Goyle wrote in such a way that led Hermione to believe that Greg had referred to her as a tutor and nothing more.

Now that Hermione thought of it, she'd been so caught up in her own attraction to Greg, she'd never focused on whether he was attracted to her or not. Hermione began laying out the evidence in her mind, listing ways that showed he cared for her as more than just a tutor. Yesterday, he said she made him feel less lonely and then there was the way he inspected her after she hexed Theo; how he always walked her back to the Heads Dorms; how he had pulled her tight against him in Potions the other day; rescuing her from the draught of living death; the way he held her on the broom during the flying lesson. Merlin, they'd almost kissed that day. Had all of that meant nothing to him? Was he just using her for to achieve good marks? Merlin, Hermione had partnered with him in every class to help him. Had she made it too easy for him to use her? Blaise and Ginny had seemed to think that Greg cared for her, but were they biased? Don't jump to conclusions, Hermione thought and took a deep breath. Greg always seems so sincere after all.

"Is everything alright, Hermione?" Lavender asked, noticing Hermione's puzzled and somewhat sad expression. Hermione sat down on her bed, staring at the letter, analyzing Mrs. Goyle's words again.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said. Hermione wished Ginny were here, she wasn't sure if she could confide in Lavender, their friendship still so tentative.

"What is it?" Lavender asked, moving from the vanity to sit beside Hermione. "You don't want to go to Goyle Manor?"

"I just I'm unsure how I feel," Hermione said, folding the letter and placing it in a drawer in her desk before sitting back down next to Lavender. Lavender, like everyone else, had noticed the blossoming romance between Hermione and Greg. The blonde girl assumed that maybe Hermione felt things were moving too fast.

"Well you don't have to reply right away," Lavender said, bending over to put on her new sandals. Hermione also put on her new wedge sandals. Looking at her muggle alarm clock, it was nearly 8:30pm. If they weren't there by 9, Ginny's brain might explode. Lavender saw Hermione look at the clock with trepidation.

"We can sit here for a little while longer, if you'd like," Lavender said. "As long as we're there before 9."

"No, let's go," Hermione smiled, determined to not let her doubts stop her from having a good time. When she saw Greg, she'd just be calm and cool.

"Well, before we go," Lavender said, a gleam of rebellion in her eyes as she pulled a small bottle of fire whiskey out of her bag and two shot glasses. The brunette never cared for the strong taste of fire whiskey, but Hermione decided to make an exception tonight.

"One shot," Hermione smiled. Just to take the edge off, the brunette thought.

"Maybe two," Lavender said with a squeal as she poured the amber liquid. Tonight was going to be interesting.

…