Sorry it took so long for an update. Life got in the way, not to mention that Blaise and Rashida weren't quite getting along, and it's still a bit of a struggle, but I'm hoping to wrap this story up in a few more chapters

These next three chapters will take place over the course of one whole day.

Chapter 8: Memory Lane

That night, Rashida paced the floor thinking about how she was going to tell Dean how and why she was going to be spending all of Saturday with her ex-boyfriend. How could she tell him she was trying to get everything out so she could let go of the love she had for another man? The more she thought about it, the more she second, third, and fourth guessed herself. However, she knew it had to be done. Both herself and Blaise had promised not to make any moves to compromise Rashida's relationship, so she figured it would be fine.

A knock came at her door and she opened it to find Dean there with roses in his hand. She inwardly cringed, as she wasn't the biggest fan of roses. The only rose she ever liked, and still had, was the one that Blaise had given her for Valentine's Day all those years ago. It sat on the mantle at her parents house.

"Can I come in?" asked Dean, smiling from ear to ear. His smile faded once he seen Rashida's face. "What's the matter?"

"We need to talk about something." she said slowly, stepping aside so Dean could walk in.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Did something happen?"

"Let's just sit down, okay?"

Dean nodded her and followed her over to her couch, sitting closely beside her and setting the roses in the coffee table.

Rashida took a deep breath and summoned up all her Gryffindor courage. "Okay, so I don't want you to be angry with me...but I've discovered that maybe there are still some unresolved issues and some lingering feelings between Blaise and I."

Dean's face was unreadable. "I could have told you that. I mean, I already knew it on Zabini's end, but I kind of started to sense it with you. You've been so distant lately." he said as he touched her cheek affectionately.

Rashida gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry, hun. I thought that everything was fine, and that I was fine, but I had to admit to myself that there was more to it than what I want it to be. I wanted to tell you, because it wouldn't be fair to marry you while having leftover feelings for another man."

"So...are you saying that you want to break up? Because-"

"No no, nothing like that." said Rashida, as Dean's face fell. "I just want to get my closure and get everything out between Blaise and I so I can move on and be one hundred percent for you. Blaise and I talked about it, and we decided to spend Saturday together for however long to resolve everything, and to talk. He promised not to try anything, nor will he try to convince me not to marry you."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Okay, well, I won't be persuaded not to marry you, how about that?"

Dean grinned. "That I believe. I trust you, I just don't want him to try something barmy."

Rashida ignored him. "I just wanted to let you know. I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing this without you knowing. If you don't want me to however, I can maybe think of something else."

Dean kissed Rashida lovingly on the lips. "I said I trust you, okay? You're a smart woman. I don't have anything to worry about."

Rashida didn't know if she should be impressed he was taking this so well, or a bit offended that he seemed to be so confident about things, but she didn't want to address it. Dean was always easy going, and he was not the type to tell her no. He really had no reason to.

Dean stayed the night with Rashida, talking adamantly and happily about their upcoming wedding. As Rashida slept, he focused his thoughts on Blaise.

Slick ass Slytherin. He had to admit, he didn't see Blaise coming up with something like this, and even more, didn't see Rashida agreeing to it. However, he knew Rashida, and he knew how she wouldn't want to hurt him. He also knew Blaise, and how he would probably just try to sweet talk her into giving him some ass or something.

He wasn't worried. Matter of fact, he was cooking up a plan of his own.

Saturday came, and with it, butterflies. A feeling that Blaise still wanted to find a manlier term to call it.

As he brushed his waves, he couldn't keep Rashida off of his mind. True, he had promised not to do anything to compromise her stupid and dumbass relationship, however, he couldn't help it if she was the one to make a move. Something that he would without a doubt not turn down.

As he finished getting ready, an eagle owl flew through his window. His initial thought was Draco, as he had a few eagle owls in his possession, so why would he be sending him a message through owl, when he was more than likely somewhere in the manor?

He took the roll of parchment off the eagle owl's leg. The huge bird continued to stand on his bed post, so it must have been instructed not to leave without a response.

Blaise unrolled the parchment, started to read, and chuckled in an angry hilarity.

Treat my fiance right, Zabini. She won't give in, I have way too much influence over her. You're wasting your fucking time. Can't wait to see you at our wedding.

Blaise shooed the bird away, balled the parchment up and was about to throw it into the fire, when a knock came to his door. He walked over and opened the door to fine Rashida standing behind it.

"Hey." she said, putting her arm down as she was about to knock again. "You don't look ready. What's the in your hand?"

Just some scrap parchment." said Blaise as he stuffed the parchment in his pocket. He didn't know if he was going to show her or not. "Come on in, maybe you can help."

Rashida followed him over to the vanity that was in the room, at which Blaise sat in front of.

"My waves are doing their own damn thing. You've always been good about my hair. Can you fix it?" he asked, holding out his brush.

Rashida smirked as she took it out of his hand. Blaise used to wear his hair cut very close to his head. That's how it was when she first met him. After Christmas, he let his hair grow so he would have waves in his hair, and Rashida was good and getting them just right.

Rashida took the brush and started brushing Blaise's hair forward. With every stroke, she smoothed her other hand over his hair, a gesture that made her whole body tingle with excitement at her touch.

"I used to really like when you did this." he slipped and said out loud.

"Me brushing your hair?"

"Yeah. It was always relaxing when you would rub my head. Very soothing." said Blaise as he closed his eyes.

Rashida sighed, but continued to brush his hair. "So I guess we are starting this conversation early then, huh? We have a whole day to do this."

"Well I have a lot to say."

After Rashida brushed his hair, the two of them went downstairs and had breakfast with Draco and Ginny, both of whom were more than happy to provide memories of the pair at Hogwarts.

"I remember when you first came into the Great Hall." said Draco, as if the story was epic. "Blaise's mouth opened so wide, you could have used him as a goal hoop.

Rashida and Ginny, who had no idea of this, laughed loudly.

"I had to close his mouth for him, it was so fucking embarrassing. There was drool dripping all down his-"

"I was not drooling, don't exaggerate."grumbled Blaise.

"You were drooling." said Draco, ignoring Blaise's pouting. "You couldn't even get your words right. Ask Pansy how much of a dumbass you looked."

"Well I wish I could say it was love at first sight when I saw you, but everyone knows that would be a lie." said Rashida, sipping her pumpkin juice.

"Whatever, you wanted me." said Blaise confidently.

"I wanted you? Don't make me laugh. I pegged you from the very beginning."

"You didn't know shit about me." said Blaise, feeling slightly offended.

"I could tell by the first words that of your mouth. And I quote: '"And may I say, you are a vision."'. Remember that?"

"I do actually." said Blaise, amazed that she had indeed repeated exactly what he had said. "I'm shocked you remembered."

"I remember a lot of the asshole things you used to say." said Rashida.

"You wanna talk about asshole things being said? What about you and your passive aggressive words? Like the shit you told me the day you decided to 'be my friend'."

"I wouldn't have called that passive aggressiveness." said Rashida, as she gulped down the rest of her juice. "More like tough love. You needed a dose of reality, and a woman that didn't kiss your ass."

"And boy did I get one." said Blaise appreciatively.

Rashida felt the blush creep onto her cheeks, her somewhat light akin showing off a bit of pink on her cheeks. She shouldn't have been blushing at his words. It wasn't right.

"So where are we going?" asked Rashida, anxious to change the subject.

"Well, I have some business to take care of first if you don't mind tagging along with me." said Blaise, finishing his dish and pushing it away from him.

"I don't mind."

"Alright then, let's not waste any time." said Blaise as he walked over and pulled out Rashida's chair so she could get up.

Rashida took Blaise's hand. Ginny and Draco watched as they disappeared with a pop.

"What is Blaise trying to do? I know you know what it is." said Ginny, warningly to her husband.

"Let's just say that he's off making a fool of himself." said Draco, shaking his head.

When the two touched ground again, Rashida let out a gasp as she took in her surroundings.

"Hogsmeade? What are we doing in Hogsmeade?"she asked as she looked over the shops. The little village hadn't changed much. The only new stores were a Hogsmeade branch of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes and what looked like a new wizard/muggle clothing store. She had only really seen Hogsmeade in the wintertime, where everything was blanketed with snow.

"It was the only way we could get to Hogwarts, doll." said Blaise as he began to walk up the path that led to the school. "McGonagall contacted me and said that she had been looking for a new Charms teacher, as ol Flitwick has retired. I told her I would come and see what's what."

Rashida couldn't help the way her heart both fluttered and dropped at the same time. "So you're not moving back to England?" she asked timidly, as they continued their ascent.

"Why? Are you trying to give me a reason?" asked Blaise with a wink.

Rashida blushed but chose not to answer.

"I really don't know what I want to do, to be honest." said Blaise. "I wasn't doing shit in Italy but spending Ma's money. I came to England expecting something and ending up horribly disappointed..."

"Blaise..."

"I have always been good with Charms, and I like to tell people what to do. So maybe this will give my life some purpose. Or at least give me something to do." said Blaise as they reached the gate.

Rashida decided not to address the fact that Blaise was about to bring up their situation. She simply nodded and followed him to the big double doors, pushing them open.

The entrance hall was completely empty, something that never happened while they were at school. When they walked into the Great Hall, Rashida couldn't help but take in the enchanted ceiling in all its glory, without the distraction of people chatting around her. The ceiling sky depicted a day that was even sunnier than the actual outside. She could almost feel the warmth.

McGonagall had approached them and spoke on the conditions of what Blaise would be doing if he took the post. Rashida was impressed listening to Blaise speak on the charms that she didn't know he knew, and how he was willing to put in the hard work of being a professor. McGonagall decided to hire him after only ten minutes of an interview.

After having a nice lunch with their old professor, McGonagall allowed Blaise and Rashida to visit Blaise's old dorm. When they walked down to it, they were surprised to see the wall that he and Draco had put up was still there.

Rashida suddenly felt as if she had traveled back in time as she looked out of the old "window" and watched the fish and other lake inhabitants pass by. Her mind drifted back to long nights of her and Blaise tangled up in his bed watching merpeople swim by, having long talks about things that weren't even that important.

Sne looked over at the bed. The sheets were indeed very different from Blaise's black satin ones that he used to keep on his bed, ones that she remembered vividly.

"Being here brings back a lot of memories." she found herself saying.

Blaise nodded. "It does. I remember your birthday when you let me tie you up on the-"

"Stop it." laughed Rashida. "I don't want to think about that right now."

Blaise gave Rashida a sly look. "Why? You liked it, didn't you?"

"Well yes, but-"

"So why can't we talk about it?"

"You know why, Zabini." warned Rashida.

"Fine. Maybe we can talk about other things then." said Blaise, sitting down on the bed and patting the space that was beside him.

Rashida hesitated at first, but decided to sit anyways. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"Ask me something."said Blaise.

Rashida thought for a minute. Then, a question she had wondered for years popped into her head.

"What is it with you and this little obsession with my back?" she asked coyly.

Blaise chuckled. He didn't expect that.

"You have a beautiful back." he said in a low, husky voice. "It's smooth, soft, inviting. Probably one of my favorite body parts of yours."

She regretted asking the question now. His voice, the way he was looking at her as if he would take her right then and there, sent a delightfully forbidden rush to her neither regions.

"Remember that day that you let me massage it for the first time? It took everything in me not to kiss all the way up your spine."

"If I recall, you did kiss up my spine, liar."

"Oh. So you didn't forget." smirked Blaise. "I would have thought you would have blocked that moment out of your thoughts."

"I remember everything, Blaise. Why do you think I would forget events of my life?"

I would have thought you would block them out so you wouldn't think about it, you know?"

Rashida started to feel uncomfortable. The setting that they were in was way too convenient for something to occur. She could feel the familiar sexual tension that she would try desperately to suppress when she was around him tugging at her like she was connected to a rope.

She got up off the bed and approached the door. "So, what else are we doing today?" she asked hastily.

Blaise felt disappointed, but he didn't let it show. He knew he was starting to chip away at the wall she had built up. He got up off the bed and walked towards her.

"I thought you would like to let me see your parents." he said with a cheesy grin on his face.