Hermione woke up the morning after their game of Never Have I Ever, with the world's worst hangover. She hadn't thought of bringing any headache potion, and was glad to discover some Tylenol in the medicine cabinet. Quickly downing the pills, with a handful of cold water, she stumbled out of her bedroom, conjuring a pair of huge dark sunglasses that looked laughable paired with her shorts, tee-shirt and bunny slippers.
"Who turned on the sun so brightly?" she grumbled jokingly to her friends.
Thankfully, Ginny and Harry had gotten up early, and shopped for some food and the refrigerator was filled with juice, cold cuts, cheese, soda, and pretty much all the Muggle snack foods they liked. The two hadn't been able to find the wizarding district, so those purchases would have to wait for later.
Her stomach growling with hunger, surprisingly, despite her hangover, Hermione poured a bowl of frosted flakes. She alternated taking bites of banana, and spoonfuls of cereal, too lazy to slice the fruit.
"So what to you guys feel like doing today? We only have a few days here, and I want them to count," she said after swallowing a mouthful of banana.
"Well, I for one would really like to see the mansions on George Street," Lavender said. "I do know how to read and research," she said in slight affront at everyone's stare.
"Fine, by me," Hermione finally said.
They spent the next few days seeing all the sights, enjoying them all, although there had been one silent moment at Anzac Square and the Shrine of Remembrance. The eternal flame and the subsurface crypts, in honor of Australian soldiers that died in World War I, served to remind them of their own fallen friends that had perished in the war against Voldemort.
Hermione was so enjoying Brisbane, and the time away, that she decided that she was going to stay a bit longer. "My Mum and Dad won't mind if I stay a little longer," she said to Ginny, after speaking with her parents via phone. "Really, it's something about this place that just...I don't know...makes me feel better."
"Then I think that you should stay longer. Take all the time you need," Ginny said.
On the last night all together in Brisbane as a group they decided to go out to club. The club, Katy's, was very hip, with its dark walls and colored lights. They all enjoyed the Muggle music, and sipped cocktails dancing around on the spacious dance floor.
"I can't believe I'm actually in a Muggle club," Lavender had shouted over the thrumming music.
"I know, but it's fun, right?" Hermione shouted back, grinning at the witch. They had gotten to know each other a little more, and Hermione found that she sort of liked the girl. They would never be best friends, but at least now they could joke and hang out without pressure. Lavender had finally gotten over her suspicion that Hermione wanted Ron back, and now they talked with an ease they had never had before.
Hermione was sad to see her friends leave, though she was glad of the quiet that now filled the condo. After they left, she set the condo to rights and spent some time thinking about her next move.
It was too late into the semester to start school, so she thought that she would get a job working until the next semester came about. She had already decided that her move would be on a semi-permanent basis. Her savings were decent, but she reasoned that it would be nice to have that nest egg in case of emergencies and have the job for a steady income.
Also, it would give her a chance to make some local friends. She was going stir crazy just sitting around the condo, watching television. There was only so much Sex and the City that a girl could watch. She did enjoy some of the solitude. She didn't have to make excuses or put on a brave face to make everyone else comfortable, but enough was enough.
It was time to get a job, and she really didn't know where she wanted to start. Wizarding job or Muggle job? She decided that while she would enjoy the anonymity of a Muggle job, a wizarding job would be best. She wasn't looking forward to the expectations she would get when she mentioned her name, but she didn't want to completely cut herself from magic. Sometimes being Hermione Granger, friend of The Boy Who Lived, came with its own share of headaches. Either they treated you like you were the bloody Queen, or they just assumed that you would be stuck up and didn't even bother to be friendly.
After a couple weeks of fruitless searching, Hermione ended up working at a small cafe. The Brava Java was located in the wizarding district, Hecate Village.
Hecate Village was more than just a shopping venue for wizards. It seemed almost a city within a city. The entrance was located on a privately owned strawberry orchard on the outskirts of the city. There were shops, restaurants, homes and apartments. Hermione almost wished that her parents didn't already have a condo, because she wouldn't have minded living in the village.
Brava Java wasn't her ideal job, but the pay was decent and she liked the owner. After a few weeks of on-site training, Hermione found that she was a pretty proficient barista. She enjoyed working with the public. The harmless flirting and pleasant chats were a nice distraction. She even liked the finicky espresso machine. It was just brewing of another nature, and Hermione had always been a dab hand at potions.
Lena Greene, the owner, was a small, plump witch with a head full of salt and pepper hair. She sort of reminded Hermione of Professor Sprout. She had opened the cafe with her husband Phillip, and after the man died, she refused to give up working, despite her children's protests.
"What would I have done, eh? Sit in a nursing home rotting, playing backgammon? Not at all. I'll not spend my last days in a pissy hovel," she had scoffed, ignoring the fact that it wasn't a nursing home, but a retirement community. A four star retirement community. Her children had rolled their eyes in exasperation and instead made a point to check on their mother a few times a week.
Hermione even made friends with Lena's granddaughter April.
April was a bubbly girl, her friendship advances quickly overriding Hermione's slight reticence. They went on scores of shopping trips and barbecues, where April made a point to introduce Hermione to her friends. Hermione soon began to feel young again, instead of like a character in a soap opera.
Frank, April's boyfriend, introduced her to one of his friend's Randall Pierce.
Randall, who liked to be called Rand, was a tall, lean, American wizard that was backpacking through the country. He had met Frank after a truly heinous game of poker, in which he had lost all of his money. Being a take it as it comes kind of guy, he rolled with it, crashing at Frank's flat until he could make the money to leave. He had been there for a month. It seemed that the wizard needed to soon make alternate plans.
Rand had blonde hair bleached white by the sun, and deep blue eyes surrounded by lashes that a girl would kill for. Frank was also blond, but that was where the differences between the two wizards ended. Frank had more of a surfer vibe, but Rand was all cowboy. He never went anywhere without his cream colored Stetson. He walked with a lazy gait, as if he had all the time in the world. If Hermione hadn't already been bat-shit crazy in love, she probably would have fallen for the guy, at least for a fling anyway.
Rand was handsome, but he was also a gentleman. He opened doors for her and pulled out her chair if they happened to go to a sit down restaurant. They hadn't gone out on a date by themselves yet, they were always with a group. It seemed to make the outings more casual, which Hermione liked. He knew that she wasn't looking for anything serious, though she didn't go into the details.
He had only asked, "How can a beautiful girl like you be single? The guy that broke your heart is obviously an idiot."
Hermione had smiled, warmed a bit by the compliment.
"So, are you going to come out to the beach with us tonight? I know Rand would like to see you," April said grinning at Hermione.
It was near to closing and they were taking last orders and waiting for a few of the regulars to leave. They were reluctant of course, because it was raining. Not technically a downpour, but nothing that anyone would enjoy walking out into.
Wiping down the bar, Hermione grinned. "Rand's a nice guy, but he knows it not going to be serious. Not that I don't enjoy the flirting...but yeah...I'm not ready for more than that."
"Well, girl that's a shame. I haven't seen Rand act like such an idiot around a girl since...well...I don't remember, but he definitely likes you." April said. "Oh, speak of the devil," she added nodding her head at the door.
Rand was walking into the cafe, pulling off his hat and shaking drops on the floor.
"Hey, careful. I have to mop up that mess," Hermione said jokingly. "Ten minutes to close, if you want something speak now," she called out to the other customers.
A few of them straggled to the counter, intent on getting their last minute caffeine fix before braving the rain.
"Wow, it is really coming down out there," Hermione said after she ushered the last person out, leaving only April and Rand left.
April pulled out her wand and a dish brush began washing all of the coffee mugs, glasses, silverware, and plates piled in the sink. "Don't just stand there looking cute," She called to Rand. "You wanna stay in here after close, you have to help. And where is Frank? He said that he was going to be here."
"He got caught up at work. A shipment came in and Heather called in sick. Again," Rand said, picking up a broom and beginning to sweep the room.
"What?! I'm so tired of that girl. She is taking advantage of Frank being so nice. I might have to have a word with her," April said frowning. Frank worked at a bookstore that also carried games. Anytime a new game for the Mirage system was released the place turned into a complete mad house.
"Yeah, well, Mirage is having a re-release of The Trials of Hercules. It's supposed to have bonus levels, and a hidden subplot game if you can defeat it. Good Frank works at Brown's, because I was not waiting in the rain for the release party for my copy," Rand said.
"Mirage? What is Mirage?" Hermione said while rolling out the mob bucket. She blew a bit of hair out of her face. She wished she had brought a clip for her fringe. It had been driving her nuts all day.
April and Rand looked at her in shock, mouths open.
Rand continued to look at her strangely, but April was fortunately able to rally much quicker. "Where have you been for the last...I don't know...three years? You really don't know what Mirage is?" April asked in amazement.
Hermione blushed. "Well I have had a lot going on, helping to defeat Voldemort and all," she said huffily.
April rolled her eyes. "Yes, and we are eternally grateful. I'm not trying to trivialize that, but saying you don't know about Mirage is like saying that you don't know what a wheel is. Mirage is only like, one of the best wizarding entertainment devices to come out in the last hundred years."
"That still isn't telling me what it is," Hermione said exasperated. She began to mop the floor, she wanted to be finished. She was dead on her feet and she wanted to get some food, take a shower, and go to sleep. In exactly that order.
Rand, finally out of his shock induced stupor, butted in. "Mirage is a gaming system. Basically, this clear cube with a gold base. You insert these crystal cards; each is spelled with a different adventure. It's not like role playing or just watching something. You really feel like you are in the world. The people seem real. Shit, you can even taste the food you put in your mouth. I mean, the possibilities are endless. I'm not a whiz or anything, but I think its alchemy. What makes it really interesting is that no one knows who invented it. There are no pictures of the owner, nothing. Only a black triangle logo with a stylized M on it. Whoever invented it must be rolling in dough, so I don't blame them wanting to keep it a secret."
Hermione paused. Stylized M? Alchemy? Secret owner? The switches began to click in her mind. A vision of Blaise's flat began to play in her head. The door. The door had had just that symbol that Rand described etched in the glass. A triangle...A triangle was the emblem for fire in alchemical symbology! Fires...flame...Blaze...Blaise! The table in his flat had been filled with crystals, crystals that he must use in his work.
But why would he keep this a secret, Hermione wondered. It was absolutely amazing, probably the most amazing alchemical invention since the Philosopher's Stone. Why would he keep it from me? A small voice in Hermione's voice said. Why the pretending? Hermione had always known that Blaise was smart, but this was bloody brilliant.
"Are you okay, Hermione? You look like you've seen a ghost," April said in concern.
Hermione started. "Um, yes I'm fine," she said mopping across the floor furiously. She didn't see the worried look that Rand and April shared.
Hermione was mentally working herself into a tizzy. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now!
"How could he keep this a secret?" she whispered fiercely under her breath. "And from me of all people. I can understand being involved with study, experimenting, and working until you get something right," she stopped. She gave herself a mental wake up. She wasn't entitled to these feelings. I don't have the right to ask him, she thought sadly.
Propping her mob against the wall, she turned on some music with a flick of her wand. A loud Weird Sisters song began to play. Thankfully, the music became a distraction, and Rand and April continued to clean, singing a bit to the music.
"So I was thinking," April finally said, "Maybe after we finish we can go get some food and take it with us to Brown's. I know Frank has got to be starving, and I don't like my sweetie going hungry."
"Okay. I don't think I have anything in my fridge besides a jar of jam," Hermione said, laughing a bit.
"Ew...don't look now, but there is a creeper staring at us through the window," April suddenly said in disgust.
Rand walked to the large window, peering out into the rain. "Want me to go out and have a talk with him?" he said cracking his knuckles.
Hermione walked to the window, "Oh, leave him alone, he is probably just some homeless bloke that is...," her voice trailed off. She walked closer to the window, her breath fogging the glass. She knew that bloke! What the hell was Blaise doing here!
Blaise, seeing that she had noticed him, turned to leave. Caught up in emotion he didn't even think to Apparate.
Oh, no. You aren't getting away that easy, Hermione thought. "Guys can you finish up for me? There is something that I forgot to do," she said, pushing the door open and running out into the rain.
"What is bloody going on?" April said in confusion.
Hermione ran after Blaise, her feet pounding into the pavement. The puddles of water splashed up, soaking the bottom of her khaki trousers, while the rain pasted her maroon polo to her body.
"Wait!" she called. Blaise walked faster, ducking into an ally.
"Wait, I said. You owe me that!" Hermione shouted over the rain.
Blaise froze, turning around. The alley was dark, both by shadows and the overcast sky.
Hermione ran a hand over her face, pushing away sodden curls. "What are you doing here?"
Blaise looked at her solemnly. "I just...I wanted to see if you were okay."
Hermione was pissed. "No! You don't get to do this! You don't get to just show up here like this, out of the blue with that lame excuse. After all this time! How did you even know where I was?"
He shuffled his feet. "Ginny...kind of let it slip."
"Ginny? You don't even run in the same circles as Ginny. How in the bloody hell did you learn where I was from her? You know what. I don't even care. You just need to go. You can't do this to me. I was getting better! I was healing, and now you come here to rip it open again? What? Your fiancée not enough for you? Feel like getting a little on the side? Well, tough fucking luck," Hermione said. She was trembling violently.
Blaise reached out to touch her arm, flinching when she jerked back.
"No! Don't touch me!" she shouted. She visibly calmed herself then said in a quieter voice, "Blaise, what do you want from me?"
Blaise's eyes closed. "Merlin, I can't do this anymore!" he said turning to the building on his left and punching the solid wood.
"Stop! You'll hurt yourself," Hermione said, anger being momentarily eclipsed by concern. She said reaching out and touching his bloodied hand. Pulling out her wand, she murmured a soft healing spell. It was not as good as Madame Pomfrey might have done, but it would suffice.
Blaise stilled. She was touching him, and he didn't want to shatter the moment.
"What can't you do anymore," Hermione asked quietly.
"I can't pretend that I don't love you," Blaise said in an emotion choked voice. "I tried...It was for the best...I couldn't let you just..."
Hermione raised a hand to his lips. "Shhh," she said, "You love me?"
Blaise suddenly pulled her to him, burying his face in her neck, oblivious of the rain. "Of course I do! But it's selfish of me. You don't know...You just don't know everything...I was trying to protect you."
Hermione rubbed her face into his chest, breathing in the sandalwood scent that the rain didn't diminish. "Protect me? From what? I'm a big girl, Blaise."
"Hermione, I know that you could handle just about anything, but you shouldn't have to. You shouldn't have to deal with all the shit that comes with my life," Blaise said.
"Shouldn't you let me decide that? I'm a grown woman, Blaise, and I'm far from fragile."
"You don't understand. There is more..." he stopped speaking when Hermione rose and took his lips in a kiss.
Hermione was tired of talking, she knew that there was more to say, but all she wanted was to kiss the wizard that she loved. She pulled him into a sidelong Apparation to her condo.
They popped into the condo, clothes soaking wet, and quickly gathering into a puddle at their feet.
Hermione began to rip at Blaise's jacket, frustrated when the sodden cloth wouldn't obey. He stepped away from her and began to shuck his clothes rapidly leaving them in a heap on the floor.
Hermione's breath left her lungs at the sight of him completely nude. There was no mask this time, nothing to impede her view of his sublime physique. His dark curls were flattened by water, but it did nothing to detract from his beauty. She wanted to lick a line down his chiseled chest, and trace her fingers across his hard stomach. She wanted to grasp his biceps, and wait for his strong arms to close around her once again.
Hermione moved to remove her clothes, but his hand reached out to stop her. "No, love. Let me do that."
She smiled a bit. He pulled the wet polo shirt over her head, and threw it where it smacked against the wall, trails of water following in its wake.
Her trousers, socks, and shoes followed soon after, leaving her in an icy pink lace bra and matching knickers.
Blaise stopped to stare. "Beautiful," he breathed.
Hermione blushed, resisting the slight urge to cover herself. She believed him, when he said that she was beautiful. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, and more to point, he made her feel beautiful. She felt lovelier here and now than she had ever felt; more so than at the Triwizard tournament ball, and even more than the night of the masquerade.
"Come here," Blaise said huskily.
She captured his hand, after taking the time to fetch her wand. "My bedroom is just there," she said motioning down the hall.
He followed her silently, barely taking in his surroundings.
The room was darkened by the drawn shades and the overcast sky. Hermione tried the light switch, but found that the storm had knocked out the power. Moving away from Blaise, she stopped at her bedside table, and used her wand to light the candles that rested there. Soon a sweet vanilla scent accompanied the mellow firelight.
She turned back to Blaise, startled to find him directly behind her. He swung her into his arms, lying her down on the bed. He took her mouth in a soft kiss, a gentle pressure, pausing to nibble a bit on her lips.
Hermione moaned, drawing his lower lip in between hers and sucking gently.
Blaise moved from her lips, and down to her neck laying soft kisses against her satiny, jasmine scented skin. His hand, reaching behind her to unsnap her bra clasp, and he drew the garment from her.
Hermione closed her eyes, as she felt his tongue lap at her breast, then blow lightly across it causing the nipple to stiffen. His kissed his way down her stomach to the edge of her knickers. She raised her hips, and he pulled the scrap of lace down her legs. He raised one of her legs, kissing the soft skin on the inside of her leg by the knee.
"I'm going to use your wand, okay?" Blaise whispered. "I left mine on your living room floor," he said with a low chuckle, reaching toward the bedside table for the wand.
Opening her eyes, Hermione's locked with Blaise's and she nodded, watching as he performed the necessary anti-conception and STD spells.
Hermione rose to her knees, pulling the wand from his hand and throwing it on the floor before wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing him. His lips were so soft, and he tasted wonderful. Hermione felt completely insatiable. They fell to the bed, Blaise landing on top.
"I want you inside me now," Hermione said softly, staring into his dark eyes.
Blaise shook his head slowly, smiling. "Not yet. I've wanted this for far too long not to indulge myself. Just relax, and let me make you feel good."
Hermione was slightly miffed for a split second, until he touched her center, his hand stroking softly. She screamed softly when his mouth soon followed. Her hand fisted into the comforter, as his tongue swirled around her yearning nub, lashing against it relentlessly. Two of his fingers entered her slick channel, and began to slide in a driving rhythm.
Hermione panted in gasps, a hand moving to run through his dark curls, the other hand flexing and unflexing against the bed. Her back bowed when she came, her vision blurring around the edges. She watched, eyes half mast, as he rose to his knees, his tongue licking his bottom lip, his teeth scraping against it.
"Now you can have what you want," he said, huskily, grasping her hips before driving inside her in a fierce rhythm.
Hermione was glad that the condo next door was currently empty; because she was sure her neighbors would have complaints the next day. She pushed a fist against her mouth trying to muffle her screams of pleasure.
Suddenly, he flipped them over, his strong arms flexing, and Hermione found herself on top looking down into his face. He pushed her back gently until she was upright. The feeling of him inside her was intense at this angle and she moved with an experimental wiggle. She reveled in the power she felt, as she watched his face transfix in pleasure, and a groan rip from his throat.
She teased him a bit, hips moving in a slow circle, giggling at his groan of frustration.
"Come on, baby," he said softly.
"Turnabout is fair play," Hermione said just as softly, whimpering when his hand rose to her breast, tweaking her nipple softly. His other hand reached between them to flick at her clit.
"Should I tell you how good you taste, Hermione? I could taste you all night and never tire," Blaise said rubbing softly, trying to break her control.
"Oh, Merlin. Okay, I'm done teasing," Hermione said, both hands rising to grasp the headboard. She began to move back and forth in a rapid motion, loving the look on his face as his pleasure mounted.
He grew harder inside her, beginning to breathe her name in a low chant. She had never heard her name sound more lovely. She tightened her muscles around him, watching him as he came. It was so beautiful, and she came soon after, collapsing on his chest, both breathing hard, enjoying the slight aftershocks of pleasure.
She slowly moved away from him, and they found themselves under the covers, spooned together.
Blaise buried his face in her sweet smelling hair. "I love you, Hermione."
"I love you, too."
"There are some things that we need to discuss," Blaise said reluctantly. "I'm not going to marry Jacqueline. I don't care what it will cost me."
"Cost you? What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
Blaise paused for a beat. "I'm being blackmailed into marrying her."
Hermione drew away, turning in his arms so she could look into his eyes. "By whom? Is it Jacqueline? I'll kill that bitch!"
Blaise chuckled a bit. He loved his fierce woman. "If only it were that simple," he said. "No, it's my own bloody mother."
"Ophelia? You know I've never met your mother, but from what I'm hearing I don't know if I want to," Hermione said.
"It's not just me, if it was I'd just tell her to bloody fuck off. It's the people that work for me...Hermione I own-"
"I know," Hermone said.
Blaise was shocked. "You do? How long have you known?"
"Give me a little credit, Love. I do admit that it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure it out, but there were just too many clues. How exactly is she blackmailing you?"
"She is threatening to expose me as owner to my stockholders. They are a prejudiced pureblood lot, who don't think that a teenager can run a multi-billion Galleon business. I've been a coward."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, baby. I'm so proud of you. You haven't been a coward, you have been selfless. I'm sorry now that I was so angry with you. I have to say though, Mirage is brilliant. You invented at around fifteen or sixteen, right?"
"Yeah, Mirage basically saved my life. It gave me a reason to not bow to pressure and become a Death Eater or something, and I was afraid. Afraid that it would all disappear and I'd be left with nothing."
"I understand. I just wish that you could have told me this before."
"I wanted to, but, I didn't want you to have to deal with this. You need some peace after everything. Merlin, just the things that you dealt with during the war is enough to drive a person mad. You are such a strong woman. I don't deserve you."
Hermione kissed him softly. "I love you, Blaise. I don't like that you suffered with this for so long. Don't ever keep something like this a secret from me. I can help you deal with this," she said snuggling into his arms.
Blaise brushed a curl from her face. "Merlin, Hermione. If you ever stop loving me...I think I'd die."
"You don't ever have to worry about that, because it will never happen. I think I have a plan to deal with this, but we can talk more about it tomorrow," she said sleepily.
She burrowed into the covers, almost asleep when she heard his voice.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you marry me?" he asked quietly.
Hermione stilled, her eyes popping open. She thought of her grand plans of marrying at twenty-three and all that followed. Her mind raced for a minute before stopping. She would never love any man like she loved Blaise. Sometimes life didn't follow your exact plans, but that didn't mean that you shouldn't take chances. She smiled. "Of course."
Blaise's breath left in a rush. She had been silent for a while, and he thought that she was going to say no. He grinned, before sobering. They were going to have to deal with a lot, but he didn't care as long as he had his beautiful witch beside him.