Chapter 6

Hermione relaxed and unpacked. She couldn't get enough of the view out her window. It drew her whether she liked it or not. She wasn't really saved from the oceans mesmerising effect by the setting of the sun either. The moon glittered on the water and the gentle lapping of the ocean was just soothing.

Blaise was out somewhere, having to tend to guests and provisions. Hermione wasn't sure how many people were here. She could hear chatter.

Dinner was a late affair, apparently. Although it made sense as the heat really killed ones appetite. Hermione was a little tired by the time dinner finally came around, but she would make do.

It was held in the courtyard by the pool under the stars and the large trees covering much of the courtyard. The heat had barely abated, but the sea breezes made it pleasant.

Lights made the courtyard look magical. Hermione saw Blaise talking Nott and Flint, and she made her way over to him. He hadn't changed. He was still wearing white, and he looked awesome. Some of the girls had changed. Wore more formal clothing at night.

Blaise put his arm around her and she was content while he finished his conversation. They sat down as the food was being brought out on a serving trolley.

Pansy was sitting across from them. She had this impeccably tailored black little dress on. It was very flattering in the way that expensive tailoring achieved. Dramatic evening make up made Hermione feel a little under dressed, not like she would probably ever do make up like that anyway.

The food looked great, she thought. The smell was reminding her that she was over due for a meal. As everyone was settling, Malfoy joined them along with some girl Hermione had never seen before. An absolutely stunning tall girl in a short lilac dress on top of long tanned legs. Malfoy was back in his usual black. Hermione wondered if he'd been waiting all day for the sun to go down so he could get back in his black.

The leggy, stunning girl sat down next to Malfoy and turned her attention completely to him. It was apparent from their body language that they were involved in some capacity.

"Salad?" Blaise asked, and Hermione tore herself away from further along the table.

"Please." She said with a smile.

"There's lamb later." He said. "Slow cooked for hours. You have to try it."

"I will make sure I do." She said, taking a moment to take stock on how good things were this minute.

"Now, you promised me a ride in that boat of yours, Blaise." Pansy said. "It would be ever so nice to have a little sprint along the coast line."

"I did, didn't I." He said. "There is a proper beach down the coast a bit."

"I adore a beach." Pansy said. "Its settled then."

"What do you think?" He said turning to Hermione. "An hour on the beach tomorrow."

"Sounds perfect." She said, as Pansy smiled and unfolded her napkin in her lap.

Hermione wondered how Pansy felt about Blaise. She certainly like bossing him around, and Blaise seemed very content with putting up with it. Although this could be a dynamic that went back for years for all she knew.

The salad was refreshing and cool. The meat dish came and Blaise was right. It was salty and succulent. It might even be better tomorrow for sandwiches, she thought. A nice picnic on the beach, just her, Blaise … and Pansy.

The stunning girl with Malfoy laughed loudly. Her whole perfect body shook as she laughed.

"That is Justine." Pansy said pointedly. "She's French. Beaubaton girl."

Hermione watched as the girl flicked her long light brown hair over her golden tanned shoulder. Her hair was so silky it seemed to have a mind of its own. Hermione felt a stab of jealousy because no matter what she tried, she would never have hair like that. If she worked hard, she could manage to get it under some semblance of control, but her hair would never be effortlessly silky like that.

"I thought he was with twins." Hermione said.

"He's moved on." Pansy said. "He get's bored easily. He changes his girls more often that he changes his socks, I'm sure. We'll see how long Justine lasts."

They sure looked like the perfect couple. She wondered what kind of person would have a picture perfect coupledom like that and place no value on it. She wondered what he placed value on, and realised probably not much when it came to girls other than novelty. It put a bad taste in her mouth because he probably didn't understand what he was missing out on. She looked at Blaise. The excitement of getting to know someone because you like them, want them and can get close. Malfoy seemingly had no intention of any of that, preferring to be completely at arms lengths other than sex.

She shook any thought of him and what he did behind closed doors out of her head. Not somewhere she wanted to go.

Desert was a silky and rich tiramisu. And more wine. Hermione was starting to feel the wine take effect, relaxing her. Blaise told her a little about the history of the place. The food was cleared away and replaced by more wine and spirits. Sometimes Hermione couldn't keep up with what he was saying, she was just watching his lips move. And they were going to go upstairs later, she reminded herself and rubbed her calves together in anticipation.

"They're so disgustingly in love." Pansy said, as she pulled Malfoy down in the seat that Adrian Pucey had vacated. "Stuck in their own little bubble. Its revolting. You have to rescue me."

"Oh, you know what Blaise is like." Malfoy said as he fell back in the seat. "Looses all sense of perspective when he meets a girl he likes."

Hermione picked up on what might have been a warning. She felt Malfoy's full attention on her. Something that always proceeded events that were painful and embarrassing in her experience. She didn't like having his attention, in the past it usually mean that things were going to go sideways fast.

Pansy put her hand on his arm and his gaze rested on Hermione a second more than it needed to before he turned his attention back to Pansy. She was talking to him about her birthday or something. Hermione felt relief as his attention moved elsewhere. She couldn't help but to analyse what he'd said, which could be interpreted as Blaise loosing perspective enough to be with her, or even that Blaise fell into 'like' a lot and it passed.

No, she refused to listen to their judgement of her relationship. It was contrary to what she saw and felt. And they were certainly not trusted sources.

Daphne Greengrass was desperately trying to get Malfoy's attention. It certainly didn't do his ego any good having these girls fawn all over him. Sadly, it seemed to be a fact of life, and just reinforced the idea that he was the uber cool guy that all the girls wanted to be with.

Hermione wanted to throw up in her mouth. She really needed to get her focus back on the good things, which was the gorgeous guy sitting next to her.

But Malfoy practically ignored Daphne. "First time in Italy?" He asked Hermione directly.

"No, I've been with my parents a couple of times."

"To muggle Italy." Malfoy pointed out.

Hermione didn't answer, as his point had been made.

"The wizard Italy is of course an entirely different world. You should enjoy it."

His statement had that undercurrent that said he wasn't hoping for her to have a good time, more that she should enjoy it while it lasts because she likely won't get a chance to see it again once Blaise is through with her. Although she wasn't sure, maybe she was reading things into his statements due to their rather difficult past. Considering she wouldn't trust him with a well meaning statement if her life depended on it.

"I will, thanks." She said with a tight smile. It was followed by a second of awkward silence and Hermione was going to suggest that Blaise shown her some more of the property. Actually, she wanted to be away from their immediate company.

"You're working in the Ministry, I think Blaise was saying." Malfoy continued with the conversation she had completely dismissed as over. And she wasn't happy about the fact that Blaise had been talking about her to Malfoy. They were close friends, so it wasn't surprising, but she didn't have to like it.

"I work predominantly with the Wizengamot." She said.

"How thrilling." Pansy said with distinct lack of enthusiasm.

"Hermione has a very important and underappreciated role." Blaise said.

Hermione smiled as she turned to him. She was upmost impressed that he defended her, and that he thought her work was important.

"Guess you achieved a position where you had influence over things." Malfoy said. Hermione's heckled automatically went up whenever he opened his mouth, she recognised.

"It doesn't hurt to be in a position where you can draw attention to some of the injustices in this world." She said with her head held high.

She had his full attention again and she didn't like it. He wasn't particularly expressing anything on his features, which was perhaps even worse. Like a predator not wanting to alert its prey before striking. Hermione shook the feeling off.

"It pays the bills and its work that I enjoy." Hermione said. "And sometimes I get to mingle with the most interesting people. Can't complain." She said and rested her hand on Blaise's forearm.

She wasn't sure whether she still had Malfoy's full attention. She had decided she wasn't going to look. He certainly was the antidote to the relaxing effect of wine.