A/N: I love Blaise almost as much as Draco and this little interlude is solely due to that. I apologize in advance.
Hermione's twenty-first birthday had come and gone with no party in sight but with All Hallow's Eve fast approaching she'd decided, after a lively conversation with Ginny, that a get together would be just the thing to take her mind off of Draco and the myriad emotions he constantly aroused. After all, he could not always have his way, spoiled brat that he was, and she was tired of hiding from him, both at work and on the streets of Diagon Alley since he never came to her home uninvited.
So the past few weeks, when she was not at work, had been spent in planning the party as she procured food and drinks (lots of drinks!). Her guest list had been finalized, the invitations sent, and though she had dithered about inviting Theo and Tobias, she finally decided that Theo was acceptable but Tobias was not, due to his close connection with Malfoy. She assumed that her direct boss would not tell his boss about the invite, especially since she forbade him from doing so, but just to be sure, she updated her wards.
The group of eleven (if she included herself in the count) would start at her home and end up at the Burrow for the bonfire after midnight if the weather was not too foul. All in all, she was quite pleased with the way the night would unfold so by the time the last Tuesday of the month rolled around, she found herself more than ready to cut loose and enjoy the night.
The guests started to arrive at eight that evening with Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Susan leading the charge, as per usual, and by nine the last guests had come to join the fray. The dining room table was covered with a veritable cornucopia of late autumn foods as well as bottles of firewhiskey, along with tamer muggle options, and the small roar of noise had necessitated the casting of a Silencio so that her neighbors would not be bothered.
The only thing that threw her was the addition of Blaise Zabini, Theo's plus one. He watched her from his spot at her kitchen island, his warm brown eyes following her incessantly until she felt self-conscious. However, once it neared eleven, he had finally taken it upon himself to capture her against a counter in her kitchen, his milk chocolate frame trapping her there.
"I've been watching you, Hermione." His lightly accented baritone drew a small ripple of gooseflesh along her spine. "I used to watch you in our sixth year as well, but you never noticed. How could that be?"
The slim young woman found herself drawn in, quite against her will, and shook her head as she tried to break away. She could feel her heart as it galloped against her breastbone and she felt as if taking a simple breath was beyond her. He engendered a feeling, one she'd only felt with Draco, and understood, almost implicitly that he was an Alpha male, strong and commanding enough to make her feel warm...and safe. Blaise was not a Wolf though; she would have been able to tell if he had been. He was not any sort of Being, at all, only himself; confident and sexy.
"Why didn't you approach, if you were watching then?" She queried, her voice holding just the tiniest quaver. "It's not like I wouldn't have responded."
"LIke you are responding now, bella? I can feel your heat, your need to escape." He leaned closer. "Do you want to escape, piccolo amore?"
She was torn.
Luckily, Theo chose that moment to intervene, his good humor a pail of cold water over the rising sexual tension.
"Blaise, you just had to catch her, huh?"
Hermione made her escape as soon as the tall, dark and handsome male's attention was taken from her, stopping only to pour herself a double shot of firewhiskey before she settled herself in the living room. Ginny, who had caught the byplay leaned in close to whisper, "Ah, I wondered when he was going to make his move."
"Shush it, you!"
At a quarter to midnight, the group prepared to head to the Burrow, there to watch the fire burn and commune with family and friends that had passed through the Veil. This year, like every other, they would talk to Fred, Tonks, Remus, call them back for the briefest of moments and solemnity had descended to engulf them all. Even so, Hermione counted the evening a resounding success and as each couple used her Floo, she found herself with a gentle smile upon her face.
Luckily (or unluckily as the case may be) she found herself alone with Blaise as Theo had left to go home. She had assumed that Blaise would do the same but he had chosen to stay, with her, and there was no way she was going to tell him no. She was too enamored of his strength, his body, his eyes.
"So, bella, will you introduce me to your second family?" He asked, his voice a velvety rasp.
"Of course."
"Good."
A moment of silence, eyes locked together in a dare, a challenge, before the young woman recalled her purpose and grasped his large hand with her small one before she tossed a handful of powder into the fireplace and called out, "The Burrow."
The fire blazed against the backdrop of stars, and offerings had been placed on a small table just to the left of the bonfire in order to be tossed into the flames before the call was given. A hopeful air surrounded the people who had gathered together and as various timepieces marked midnight, each hand moved to toss something into the blaze and the entreaty was sung.
By half past the hour, the gathering had broken up as people started to drift away, either back to their homes or inside, there to reminisce about those who had gone before. However, Blaise had stayed Hermione from her leave-taking and had settled her close to him, his arm draped across her shoulders in an effort to keep her near and warm. His voice was the merest whisper as he sought for information concerning her love life.
"Are you single? Spoken for? Betrothed? Looking to be?"
The last question had startled a shocked giggle from his companion, even as honey brown orbs darted to his features. The words had all sounded teasing but she felt, more than knew, that he was serious, at least when it came to the first two questions. Yet, she found herself unsure on how to answer him. She was single but she knew that Draco was more than interested in her and until Blaise, she'd been drawn to no one else.
"Well, I'm single but I've been sort of seeing someone," she finally murmured.
"Who," he demanded."I can not have anyone else vying for your attention."
"Malfoy, as I am sure you remember."
"Draco? Draco's interested in you?" He sounded shocked.
"No, Lucius," she snapped. "Of course, Draco. Why?"
Blaise shook his head and turned his head so that he could fully capture her gaze. "I should have known from that dinner. He always had a bit of a thing for you in school, you know, even when he shouldn't have. However, he missed the mark by not taking you completely off the market, bella. I am not going to give up without a fight." He paused, his dark orbs studying her. "Not unless you want me to."
Hermione had no answer for him. She couldn't admit that his interest was reciprocated, not when she was unsure of her attachment to the blond male who seemed to be everywhere she went. She had thought that no other man would affect her the way that Draco did but Blaise's appearance had put paid to that notion. Just like the blond, Blaise was smart, urbane, temperamental, hardworking and exceedingly commanding. He also had an earthy sensuality that she could feel. It was different than Draco's overt sexuality yet she felt that either one would burn her alive if given half a chance. That thought was terrifyingly arousing. Regardless, she chose to ignore it for the nonce.
Thinking about it would only make it more powerful.
"I think it's late and I've had a bit too much to drink. Why don't you owl me once you've sobered up if you are still interested." She didn't expect him to be. After all, he was himself and she was just plain Hermione. She understood, kind of, why Draco would be drawn to her. HIs wolf wanted her for his mate and he knew what an Omega was. Blaise's attraction made far less sense to her and she knew he could see her confusion by the lift of his eyebrow.
"Oh, you think I'll forget. I won't though, that I promise you." Without a by your leave, he drew her closer and tilted her chin up so that he could place the softest of kisses upon her lips. She shuddered in reaction but did not back away and soon found herself deepening the kiss. His large hand slid into her hair and cradled her skull as his other hand dropped to her lower back.
The kiss broke when the fire snapped, cracked, something. Hermione rose with alacrity and moved away. "I have to go. It's late. Like I said, owl me if that's your intention." With no further ado, she headed inside to make use of the Weasley's Floo, Blaise following close on her heels and just as she made it to the large fireplace, his hand reached out to stop her headlong flight.
"Run but I will find you. I like the chase, cara, but capturing you will be even better. Draco had better watch out."
Within moments, the frazzled young woman had flung her handful of powder into the flames and called out her destination. There was only so much she could handle and he'd found her limit. She just hoped that Draco wouldn't find out.
Alas, that hope was too late.
"What do you mean you and Blaise went to a party at Granger's and Blaise seems to want her?" Draco paced, his long fingers ruffling his long blond hair. "How do you know? What do you know? Why wasn't I invited?"
Theo laughed. "Well, Hermione seemed to be under the impression that you were attempting to drive her out of her mind, " the young man said as he settled himself on an armchair in Draco's stuffy study. "So she decided not to invite you or Tobias. Blaise was my spur of the moment addition as Daphne wasn't being agreeable. He watched her all night like she was a juicy rabbit and had finally cornered her in the kitchen when I interrupted him."
A low growl ripped into the close confines of the room, prickling the arms of the honey blond young man as his dark blue eyes focused on his friend. "Why are you angry? Hermione hasn't promised herself to you, has she?" Theo enquired, no hint of teasing audible.
"No," Draco responded grumpily. "More's the pity. She's still running from me."
"Well, then she's free to do whoever and whatever she wants, isn't she? You don't have the right to be angry."
"I may not have the right but that doesn't change the fact that I am, Theo. Zabini was neutral during the war and he is almost as well suited to her as I am. He's competition.," Draco groused, his tenor holding more than a hint of petulance as he paced. "What should I do? We both know that Zabini moves fast."
Theo held up his hands. "Don't ask me. You know how he operates and you know your own mind. My advice to you is if you want her, court her properly. You know that Blaise will."
"Shit."
The laughter which followed that one word did not bode well for Draco's future.
At least he didn't think so.
The next day dawned cold and clear and was heralded by an annoying peck at Hermione's bedroom window. With a grumble, slim fingers raked through (and got caught in) her curled mass of treachery as she sat up and moved from her bed to the window. She flung it open with a sigh and reached out for the package the owl held gripped tightly in his long talons.
"You want a snack," she asked.
He seemed to give her a glare before he turned to launch himself away, leaving her speechless. With a shrug, she tossed the small package onto her bed and checked the time; pleased to note that she hadn't been awakened much earlier than usual. Finally, with a sniff, she wandered back to her bed and allowed her fingers to unwrap the curious little package.
A thin rose gold necklace gleamed up from its bed of white satin while a charm (in the shape of a wolf's head) dangled from the delicate chain and glinted at her with emerald eyes. A folded piece of parchment had been placed beneath the pretty little necklace and she opened it, knowing full well who it was from.
Hermione,
It has been brought to my attention that a certain Slytherin has tossed his hat into the ring for your affections after coming to a party you forgot to invite me to. Since I know full well that Zabini will find a way to contact you again, I felt it best to openly state my attraction to you and to warn you that I will not cease and desist in my intention to wed you and bed you, in whichever order you'd prefer.
Please consider this small gift as a token of my esteem...and prepare yourself.
D.M.
"Well, fuck."
Yes, that seemed to encompass the whole thing.
And then? Another owl pecked at her window.