Third Times the Charm

by Breanie

Part 3 of the Kismet Trilogy: Voldemort is dead. And while Harry and his friends turn their attention to the future and their new careers, not everyone is willing to move on. It all comes down to this. The cemetery in Godric's Hollow. Three elusive Death Eaters. One Resurrection Stone. One person from the past. All leading to a choice that just may destroy Harry.

36. The One With Blaise's Epilogue

Author's Note:

For some reason, Blaise's story came to me first. This little novella has been written since 2021 and I had no real plan for how or when to use it before I decided to make it into an epilogue. Hope you enjoy it!

Reviews and Comments: To akshutalankar: Sorry to disappoint but Neville and Hannah don't have a full epilogue, though we will get some glimpses of their future. I do love Harry and Ginny having accident children lol. Thank you very much! To Guest: According to JKR, if a half blood and a Pureblood have a baby, they become Pureblood — doesn't make much sense to me either, but I decided to keep it. Thank you. To scrappy8: Thank you! To minerdude: It was a bit scary, but yes, the boys are okay. No, Ginny wasn't ready to name a baby after her father yet, so Everett Arthur was given that honour. Thank you. To Cassiopeia Anastasia Black: Yes, I love all of the surprise additions to Harry and Ginny's family as well. Thank you for loving Padpa, I just loved that name so much for him. Then Remus and Tonks being Moopa and Mooma was again, too cute to pass up. Of course Harry built his kids a crazy awesome treehouse. I loved showing Jame and Albus help rescue themselves, they are very much Harry's kids. Having Theo come in and check on them was important as well as they all went through a lot. Thank you very much for loving the second Hinny epilogue. Thank you! To KingRajesh: Harry and Ginny will have more peppered throughout the other epilogues, don't worry! Thank you! To the Mandalorian terminator: Thank you! I love showing the "chemistry and deep connection between the two characters" so thank you for noticing. I'm having fun showing glimpses into their future lives. Thank you very much!

To Sets: There will not be a full Neville and Hannah epilogue but we will see glimpses of them. I'm well aware that if a man takes a pregnancy test and it's positive it means he has testicular cancer, but no, I do not plan on writing that for Ron. Thank you. To alix33: Sirius definitely made it a thing. Thanks for enjoying the epilogue! To GreyGrass: It was extremely long. I don't remember what chapter Ron and Hermione do anal in, no. Thank you very much! To Emma Janet: I am one hundred percent agreed that Sirius is the one behind Moopa and Mooma LOL. It does all come back to dadfoot and moomy. Mandy can definitely do better than Anthony and we will see what happens with her later. You think six kids is too much for Hinny? I always loved them with a house full. Yes, Harry did learn his lesson about waiting the full time before they have sex again lol. Robards knows Harry and knew keeping him on the case was the best. Thank you very much! To Finnspa23: Yes, six! Thank you very much! To AnonymousHufflepuffWriter: I'm so sorry to hear you've been going through a hard time and I'm honoured that my weekly updates have helped in any way. Thank you very much! To Bludgerknight: Sirius and Zee do not have a full epilogue, but we will see more of them to come. Thank you! To TW: Thank you!

To MrsHJSnape: It was very long (I did warn the epilogue would be) but I'm happy to make you laugh and cry. Yes, Harry finally called Zee "mama" and it was very much needed. Thank you very much! To Longtime reader: I'm sorry you didn't like the amount of kids I gave Hinny. I'm using the epilogues to show how their life grows and goes on. I do not think I've strayed away from Sirius and Harry's found family because Harry's grown up and has his own family now but Sirius is still a huge part of that. I hope you continue to read the epilogues, but I will understand if you don't. I already knew before posting them that the epilogues would be both loved and hated. Thankfully, you're in the minority, but I write them for myself first. Thank you for reading. To Anonymous: We will see more of Harry and Sirius together, yes. Since this review is almost word-for-word the same as the one by Longtime reader, I'm assuming you're the same person. So I will say again, I'm using the epilogues to show how their life grows and goes on. I do not think I've strayed away from Sirius and Harry's found family because Harry's grown up and has his own family now but Sirius is still a huge part of that. I hope you continue to read the epilogues, but I will understand if you don't. I already knew before posting them that the epilogues would be both loved and hated. Thankfully, you're in the minority, but I write them for myself first. Thank you for reading. To MissKaylee: Yes, Draco's epilogue is chapter 39. Thank you very much!

To briana_t: I did warn the epilogues were going to be long lol. Of course the Weasley boys make bets on Hinny's kids lol. Thank you! I had fun choosing the names (and changing them 500x). Yes, James and Alby are safe! Thank you! To AQuickRead91: Ha, I do have more characters to write about lol. But yes, the story is still coming to an end. Thank you! To Tmr_Potterhead250: Happy to have brightened your day. Thanks for loving my names for Sirius/Zee/Remus/Tonks — I loved them! No, I didn't. You will find out Blaise's wife's name below. Yes, Padma and Yeona are still a couple and very happy. Harry and Ginny will both get help about the kidnapping for sure. Harry is definitely a very supportive husband. We will see more about Neville and Hannah but they don't have their own epilogue. Thank you! To marauders_mowopapr: Sorry to stress you out over James and Albus, but of course they were going to be all right! We will see more of Ginny's future plans yes. Thank you very much! To MotherofKatie: It is definitely a lot of work, but they can totally handle six kids. Nope, not a full Quidditch team lol. We will see some closure for Dean and Seamus, yes, and more of Neville and Sirius and Remus too. Thank you very much!

To Hinny4Always: I needed Harry to call her mama too. Thank you very much! To MABK_Potter_Fan: I'm so glad you loved the extra additions to the Potter family and the surprises lol. Hinny has definitely been through some stuff and yes, someone taking their babies — no one needs that. I love little James being just likes his dad and giving the bad guys hell lol. Thank you so much for saying I've made you love Hinny even more. Thank you! To skyreader_183: Thank you! If you check out the family tree Luna gave to Harry in chapter 32, most of the Potter kid names are off of it but Cedrella is the name of Ginny's grandmother, Arthur's mum. As to godparents, you'll find out later. Thank you! To Chelsea Greenwell: Comic books are definitely way more interesting than birds lol. Ron built her a library because he's wonderful and ha, you caught that Fred and George had boys only days apart and gave them F and G names respectively lol. Happy to provide you with more Hinny kids lol. I love knowing I kept people on edge with the kidnapping. Thank you! To EnigmaticEmperor: Harry and the kids are definitely always wearing Harpy colours! It's true, twins do run in the family and Hinny were so optimistic with their plans to only have four lol. Thank you for loving Padpa and Zeema as my grandparent names. Thank you for saying I described having two kids being exactly like that. Sirius is always cheeky and of course he coined Moopa with pride lol. Augusta Longbottom is just a total badass in my mind and I love her coming round to put Caroline Abbott in her place. Mina is a bit of a mini Sirius in some ways and I know, they are off to Hogwarts! I think Sirius and Zee will tell Mina and Leo when they are older, yes. I love the boys checking in on Lily. Fred is married but Molly is not happy he eloped lol. The treehouse is definitely amazing. Thank you for loving Ella and Everett named after Theo and Arthur! The whole family being there to support Ginny is important and there's no where else they'd rather be. Ha, we'll find out Blaise's wife in this chapter. Jamie is going to protect his brother! James is definitely such a seven year old lol. Thank you so much for loving the Hinny epilogue part two! Thank you!

To BigMackie: Of course they were the ones it didn't work on, but to be fair, they got too excited too early before Harry was fully healed lol. Thank you for loving their names! Ginny is definitely struggling and I loved showing little Jamie trying to protect his little brother. Thank you! To katelyn453: Thank you very much! To Mrs_Norway: Thank you loving these long epilogues. Thank you! To Nuno Neves: Thank you! I'm so happy to hear you loved watching them become parents and still face challenges. I hope you enjoy Blaise's story. Thank you! To Yursraa Ifthikar: Yes, very many kids lol. Thank you for finding my many epilogues so wholesome so far. We will catch up with Sirius and Zee and Remus soon. No, I said I had no plans of Hinny doing anal in ASC because I felt they weren't ready. This seemed like the time for them. Thank you. To George R: Thank you! We are all definitely happy it had a had a good outcome. Thank you very much!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

---

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX:
Kismet Trilogy Epilogues:
The One With Blaise's Epilogue

June 2006…

Blaise Zabini strolled into Norfolk Manor with his hands full of bags and his cloak hung over his arm. He nodded a greeting to Kiki when she appeared in the entrance way before he made his way into the living room to find his best friend. When he found the living room empty, he moved further to check out the library and tried not to roll his eyes when he saw said best friend sitting on the large desk by the window with his legs wrapped tightly around his husband of almost a year as they snogged.

"Really? Still with the excessive snogging?" Blaise exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

Theo reluctantly pulled away from his husband, licking his lips. "You're early."

"Actually, I'm five minutes late," Blaise said. "Hi, Bas."

"Blaise," Sebastian said, kissing Theo's forehead before he stepped back. "What's with all of the bags?"

"He went shoe shopping," Theo said, jumping off of the desk. "Anything for me?"

"That depends."

Theo shook his head in amusement. "No. I still like the shoes I bought in France."

"Then no there's nothing for you," Blaise said. "You may not own beautiful Italian shoes if you're going to insult them like that."

Sebastian chuckled. "I'm sorry I asked."

They headed into the living room and Sebastian opened a bottle of Italian red, passing Blaise a glass while Theo opened the shoes that Blaise had purchased for himself.

"I admit, they're all gorgeous."

"Did you expect anything less?" Blaise asked. "I have impeccable taste."

Theo grinned and took the wine glass from his husband. "Of course not. Now that you're a big-shot international advocatus, it makes sense that your shoe obsession has become even more pronounced."

"Fashion's important," Blaise insisted. "If I don't look my best, people won't trust me. Plus, if I look like money, they'll know I'm good."

"Blaise, you've always looked like money," Theo said, clinking his glass with his friend. "Are you still taking on that big case with the French Ministry?"

Blaise nodded, leaning back in his seat and putting his feet up on the coffee table. "Yes. I was recommended by someone in the Minister's department and they want me to help defend the poor witch who's been accused of falsifying evidence. The Minister is convinced she's innocent and is willing to pay me an exorbitant amount of money to help prove it. I'll be in Paris for at least a month. I'm heading there tomorrow afternoon."

"Maybe you'll meet someone," Theo offered.

"I meet lots of someones," Blaise said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You know what I mean," Theo said, leaning into his husband's shoulder when he draped it over the back of the love seat. "A real someone. Not just a good shag."

Blaise shrugged. "Just because all of you are settling down doesn't mean that I want the same thing."

"Even Draco finally married," Theo insisted. "And we all thought that would never happen."

Sebastian smiled. "It was a lovely wedding. Now he has a baby at home."

That still surprised Blaise.

Draco and Astoria had welcomed a baby boy in January. They'd named him Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy which Blaise thought was an absolutely dreadful name, but the new parents seemed to adore it. The pregnancy had been hard on Astoria and Scorpius had come a month early with Draco's pale skin and pale hair. Theo had been named godfather along with Astoria's older sister Daphne as godmother.

"I'm working my dream job. I have more money than I even know what to do with. I can buy whatever clothes I want, travel wherever I want, and bloody shag whomever I bloody want… why would I want to settle down? Seems boring," Blaise said.

Theo sighed. "One of these days, Blaise Zabini, some witch is going to turn her nose up at you and you won't know what to do about it."

Blaise laughed. "Please. I'm everyone's fantasy."

Sebastian snorted. "His ego's still working just fine, I see."

Blaise grinned. "And you two love me for it."

"Well, instead of your ego, can we talk about our plan for Paris?" Sebastian asked.

Theo pouted. "It's not fair that you both get to go to Paris and I have to stay here."

"You have to work," Sebastian told him.

"And we'll be working," Blaise cut in. "You and your team are taking over all of the investigation, am I right?"

"Yes," Sebastian said. "D, J, and I will keep track of it all and let you know what we find. You're only defending Lavigne, correct?"

"Yes, but from what I've heard, it's causing a rift in the Ministry."

"And then some," Sebastian agreed. "My team is heading there tomorrow afternoon and as soon as we know something, I'll touch base."

"Appreciate it," Blaise told him. "Now, tell me what's new before I head off to Paris to shag my way around the city."

Theo turned to look at his husband. "Why do we keep inviting him over again?"

"Because you love him, baby."

Theo wrinkled his nose. "It's bloody inconvenient that that's true."

Blaise laughed and clinked his wine glass with Theo's again. "I'll drink to that."

~ KE: Blaise ~

When Blaise arrived in Paris the next afternoon, he headed straight to the Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France. He spent twenty minutes talking to the French Minister, a woman named Simone Richelieu who had been Minister for over a decade. She filled him on the case he was taking on: An Auror named Emily Lavigne was accused of taking bribes from a praetor in order to falsify evidence in a huge case that had caused all sorts of scandal within the French Ministry. The praetor in question had been found guilty, but Lavigne had been one of the names he'd dropped while trying to get the charges dropped against him.

So far, six of the ten names he'd given had all turned out to be guilty.

But Richelieu was positive that Lavigne wasn't a guilty party and she'd called in an ICW advocatus, who wasn't tied to the French Ministry, to help find out the truth along with the Magical Intelligence Agency whose Aurors had taken over handling the case when the French Aurors had come under questioning.

It was a huge kerfuffle and Blaise was pleased for the job and looking forward to diving into the case, but he was also anxious to get out of the country for a while. As an advocatus for the International Confederation of Wizards, Blaise travelled the world. He was able to practice law in every country as one who defended anyone who worked for a government agency. Some days he loved the win and some days, struggling to prove someone innocent when he knew they were guilty ate at him.

But it was his job and he wouldn't trade it for the world.

He still lived in the manor he'd inherited from his father in Sicily which was his main residence, but he also a rented a flat in London for when he spent time in England. He carried a special reusable portkey that allowed him to travel back and forth on a daily basis. Crashing at Theo and Sebastian's place or Draco and Astoria's was different now that they were all paired off, especially now that Draco was a father. He liked his own space and he loved being alone in that space.

His mother, Bellarosa Rossi, and his latest stepfather Joseph, had left England permanently once his mother's probation had ended in '99. They moved into a flat in Rome and to Blaise's surprise, had give him a little sister named Nasira Rosa Rossi. She was three and the spitting image of their mother.

Rossi, after retiring from the Magical Intelligence Agency before Bellarosa was put on parole, had taken up a career as a mystery/crime writer. He was the author of three well known novels about an Auror in the MIA who worked mysterious cases all over the world. They were both thrilling and well written and Blaise had read them cover to cover eagerly as soon as they'd come out. He wrote under the pen name Emilio Mantegna as a homage to his past life as a spy.

Blaise had never seen his mother happier then Joe Rossi made her.

But now Blaise was in France and he had a new case to solve.

He spent three hours talking with Lavigne and when he left the prison, he was pretty sure that Richelieu was right about his client. Based on what he was hearing about Lavigne's character, this would be extremely unlike her which made him think this case wasn't as far-fetched as he had originally suspected. He felt that she was indeed being framed, but that meant he had a lot of work to do if he was going to prove it. It meant that he needed to spend the next few days, if not more, going over the casework and gathering up his own facts.

But tonight, he wanted a drink.

Blaise headed into one of the high end nightclubs in Place Cachée called Briller which meant "Glow Up." It was full of rainbow lights when he entered and he found his friend, Alcide Lyon, waving at him from a high table in the corner. Blaise worked his way through the crowd before he took his seat, squeezing the shoulder of Alcide in lieu of greeting.

"Hey, mate! Thanks for finding time to catch up."

"Well, you said the drinks were on you, so who am I turn that down?"

Blaise snorted as a witch approached them and they each ordered a glass of Italian red. "What have you been up to?"

He'd met Alcide Lyon when he'd been in the Lex Schola. Lyon had been a few years ahead and had guest lectured in some of his classes. Alcide worked as an ICW advocatus as well but he was based out of the French Ministry. The two of them had worked together on a case and they'd immediately become friends. They even had spent some time together in bed, often sharing a witch between them named Ygritte. That witch was now Alcide's wife.

"Nothing. Been busy moving into the new place. You'll have to come for dinner one night before you leave. Ygritte would love to see you. You know how much she loves watching me suck you off."

Blaise snorted. "Her or you?"

Alcide chuckled. They both knew how much he loved sucking cock. "Both. I heard you snagged the Lavigne case."

"I did," Blaise said, drinking his wine. "And from what I gathered from preliminaries, I think the minister's right. Lavigne's being framed."

Alcide frowned. "Well with everything that happened with Étienne Dion, it's not surprising. It's been a constant issue with the French government since he was exposed. The man's been abusing his power for almost five years."

Blaise nodded. "And everyone he's named so far has been guilty?"

"Every single one," Alcide replied. "But when Lavigne's name came up, a lot of people were cautious. He dropped three more names after hers and they don't look much better than him, but Lavigne's name caused a stir. She's well-liked and well-known for being a stickler. This would be very out of character for her. You think you can prove it?"

"Hmm, I'm the best, am I not?"

Alcide grinned. "Well, my load is fairly light right now so if you want a second set of eyes on the files, I'm in."

"I wouldn't turn it down," Blaise told him.

Talk turned more to the case and then to their lives before Alcide told him that he had to head home.

"My wife misses me," he said, standing up.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad I don't have a keeper."

Alcide chuckled. "Forever the bachelor."

"I'm only going to be twenty-seven this year and people seem to think that means I'm old and lonely," Blaise said. "I don't get it."

"As long as you're happy, Zabini, that's all that really matters," Alcide said, tossing some coins on the table for another drink. "But if you feel like having fun, you know where we live. Ygritte would love it if you dropped by and fucked me while I do her."

Blaise chuckled. "I'll keep it in mind, mate. You do have a nice arse."

Alcide grinned. "And I know it. Au revoir, Blaise."

Blaise promised to meet Alcide in the morning and decided to order himself another glass of wine, his eyes roaming the nightclub to see if there was anyone who caught his eye. He was tempted to go home with Alcide, fuck both him and his wife just like old times. Alcide was right, he would be welcomed, but he wasn't in the mood. As much fun as it would be, Blaise felt that little fun had sailed a while ago. Now that the two of them were married it just felt different and he cherished their friendship too much to bring it back into play. But it didn't mean that he wasn't interested in hooking up tonight.

Twenty minutes later, he spotted her.

She stood out amongst her group of friends as they sat the table on his left. Her hair was a soft silver-blonde that shone almost white gold in the coloured lights. It just brushed the tops of her shoulders and was styled in soft waves that framed her face perfectly. Her eyes were bright blue and they sparkled when she threw her slender neck back to laugh at something that one of her friends said.

Blaise finished his wine before he stood up and decided to make his way over to them. He approached the table with a wide smile and the brunette on the left spotted him first, her eyes lighting up as she licked her bottom lip.

"Ladies," he said in French, with a wide smile. "It seems you five are having the best time in the place."

The brunette leaned forward, giving him a generous view of her ample cleavage almost exploding out of the silver dress. "We certainly are now."

Blaise flashed her a charming grin. "What's the occasion?"

The tall, thin blonde flipped her hair over her shoulder. "We are celebrating our friend's birthday. She's twenty-one today."

"Oh?" Blaise asked.

The witch who had first captured his attention blushed, her cheeks turning a bright soft pink that made him wonder if she blushed anywhere else.

"Happy Birthday. I'm Blaise."

The birthday girl's bright blue eyes twinkled. "Charmed."

"Why don't you come out and dance with me, Birthday Girl?"

She blushed deeper and she shook her head. "No, thank you. I've had much too much to drink to dance."

"That's usually when you have the most fun," he teased.

"Oh, go on!" the blonde exclaimed. "You've only had one drink and one shot!"

She hesitated before she shook her head. "No, I really shouldn't."

Blaise thought about pressing her, but she seemed shy so he nodded. "All right. If you change your mind, I'll be right over there."

He left the group, keeping his eye on the beautiful birthday girl as he ordered himself another drink. The brunette came up to flirt with him and he let his eyes drop down to her impressive breasts before he shook his head.

He wasn't in the mood for a sure thing tonight, no, tonight he wanted the shy little wallflower and he had no idea why. He nursed his wine, taking in the energy in the bar. He watched people dance, was tempted to join in and see who he met, but instead he found himself watching the shy silver-blonde in interest. She wore a little black dress that showcased her lean form. He felt drawn to her and he didn't know what it was. He wanted to go over there and brag about himself, tell her something impressive to get her attention. But every time he felt that urge coming, he clamped it down. It was ridiculous, he chided himself — he didn't need to brag like a pompous arse to get a woman into bed.

He had the goods to do that all on his own.

That was one thing Blaise had always been capable of doing. Women. Men. He didn't particularly care where he got his pleasure from. He was attracted to both most days, though he usually favoured women. He didn't label himself. He didn't see the point. Sex was about pleasure and who cared how he got it.

Blaise was just finishing up his wine, deciding to cut his losses for the night when the brunette's voice caught his attention.

"You should just find a bloke tonight and get off."

"Ann! I couldn't," she squeaked, her cheeks heating. "What would I even say to a man?"

Ann rolled her eyes. "How about, hi, today's my birthday and what I want more than anything is to get my clit licked until I come undone?"

The beautiful silvery-blonde's cheeks burned even darker. "It's not that simple! You don't know what it's like being me. Trusting men isn't exactly easy. None of them are… real."

Blaise almost marched over to her to right then, but a tall brunette man beat him to it.

"Bonjour. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on," he said reverently. "I would fly to the moon on a broom and bring you back a moon flower just to prove it to you."

"Um, that's very kind of you," she began before a blond pulled up beside his friend.

"I've invented a broomstick that can fly you around the world in six days," he declared. "I've made millions."

"Not as much as me," the brunette insisted. "I'm the best chef in all of France."

Within minutes, the birthday girl was surrounded by eight men, all telling a tale more tall than the one before him. Blaise watched her friend Ann say something to one of the other girls, but none of them seemed to realize or care that their friend looked extremely uncomfortable with the attention. Before he could question himself or even ask himself why he was doing it, he shoved two of the men out of the way and took her hand, pulling her out from the throng men and out onto the dance floor without a word. It was only when his hands settled on her hips and he led her into a dance did she speak.

"What… why did you do that?"

"You looked like you needed an escape," Blaise said simply. "Forgive me for pulling you into a dance, but it was the only thing that I could think of."

"Merci," she said.

"So, that's not your game then?"

At her look, he gave her a small smile.

"Charming men into making up lies?"

Her lips curved and Blaise thought she was even more breathtaking than he'd thought the first time he'd saw her.

"Non… it's… do you feel drawn to me?"

Blaise frowned. He wanted to shout yes, but at the same time he was well aware of his actions. "Yes, and no. I think you're beautiful, but I'm not going to make up a lie to get you to like me."

She frowned as if she didn't know how to respond to that.

"But I do hope you'll keep dancing with me, Birthday Girl," he admitted. He leaned in closer, catching her scent as his lips brushed her ear. "And if you did want more, I would be more than happy to do as your friend suggested and take you back to my hotel room where I will lick your sweet clit until the morning."

Her eyes widened to saucers and her cheeks flamed. "You heard… that's not… I have to go!"

Blaise tightened his grip and tilted her head up to look at him. "If you want to go, I won't stop you, but if you are interested, even the slightest, I promise it will be a night to remember."

If it was possible, her face turned even redder. "I… I…"

Blaise bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, just soft enough to tease. "If you change your mind, I'm at the Château Magnifique, penthouse suite."

Then he watched her blink at him before she hurried off, her cheeks flaming a hot pink and leaving him wondering what it was that drew him towards her.

He left the club, feeling slightly out of sorts. He was more aroused than he'd been in a while and disappointed that she hadn't been interested, but he needed to call it a night. Alcide had promised to meet him for ten the next morning and he knew that he had a long day ahead of him.

The penthouse suite was massive and extravagant, but Blaise figured if he was going to be working here in Paris for the next four to eight weeks, he wanted a place to stay that was going to be comfortable and close by. He stripped down and enjoyed a long shower in the waterfall bath before he wrapped a towel around his waist and headed back into the bedroom just as a knock sounded on the door.

He walked over to open it and his eyes widened in delighted surprise when he saw the beautiful blonde from the club standing there in her little black dress and heels, clutching her jewelled handbag in front of her.

"Bonjour, Birthday Girl."

She bit her bottom lip, her eyes falling on his chiseled chest as she followed a drop of water down to the v of his hips and beneath the towel. She licked her lips before she caught herself and her gaze met his amused one clearly.

"I only had two drinks."

"That's good," he said, amusement in his voice.

"And I'm not here to shag you."

"Oh?"

She let out a slow breath before she spoke so quickly and in such rapid French that he needed half a second to catch on.

"I'm twenty-one today and I just want to know what it feels like to let go because I've tried to do it myself, but I'm too shy and it feels strange and I just can't and I don't want to have sex with you like that. I just want to be selfish and coming here and telling you all of this is ridiculous and ludicrous and I don't even know why I'm here and I should go."

Blaise merely opened the door wider. "Or you could come in."

She hesitated half a second before she stormed past him and then stopped and stared at the bed, her eyes wide. When she clutched her handbag again, he knew instantly that this was more than nerves. He was pretty sure this beautiful woman was a virgin.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked, moving to the bar to pour himself a glass of whisky.

She shook her head. "Non, merci."

Blaise sipped the whisky slowly, his eyes on her before he put his glass down and moved to stand in front of her. He gently pried her handbag from her grasp and dropped it on the floor at her feet. Then he took both of her hands in his and brought them to his lips.

"You're a beautiful woman, you know it. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't incredibly attracted to you, Birthday Girl, but it would also be dishonest if I didn't tell you that all I'm looking for is a night of pleasure."

"I don't have time for a boyfriend," she said, her hands trembling in his. "I want that some day. I want… to find love and have a family, but right now I don't have time. My job is very demanding and I…"

Blaise turned her one hand to kiss her palm. "I'm only looking for tonight, Birthday Girl."

"Gabrielle," she whispered. "My name is Gabrielle."

Blaise smiled and kissed her palm again. "Gabrielle, I can give you pleasure tonight. I would be honoured to do so; to taste you."

Her pink cheeks bloomed and her fingers tightened in his hands. "I… I don't want to have… sex. I just want… I'm not making sense…"

Blaise stared down at her pink cheeks, her full lips, and the nervous desire in her eyes. He should tell her to go and he knew that, but the idea of going down on this gorgeous woman just so she could feel how amazing it was… no way was he missing out on that. He didn't need to shag her to enjoy himself.

He kissed her palm again, then her wrist, then the inside of her elbow; she trembled.

"I promise to give you many orgasms tonight, Gabrielle, but with nothing more than my fingers and my mouth if that's what you wish."

His lips brushed her shoulder now and she nodded. "Oui."

Blaise brought his mouth to hers without another thought and one kiss from that sweet mouth sent him reeling. She was shy and sweet and she tasted like expensive champagne and strawberries. He kissed her softly, slowly, licking his way past her lips and when she moaned, he deepened the kiss and her hands clutched his shoulders.

He took his time, kissing his way down her neck, her shoulders and when he plucked up the straps of her little black dress and watched it flutter to the carpet, he took in the vision before him. She wore matching black lace that fit her to perfection and he licked his lips. Then he ordered her to step out of her shoes and he lifted her up onto the bed.

He was visibly aroused now, tenting the towel, but he made no effort to remove it, not wanting to scare her off. Instead he crawled onto the bed after her, kissing every inch of her skin as he slowly worked his way up to her breasts. Kissing and sucking her through the lace until she arched back under his mouth, giving him more.

Blaise took his time, enjoying the sweet taste of her, the smooth feel of her silky skin. When he finally opened the clasp of her bra and her beautiful small breasts were exposed, he sucked a peak into his mouth. The sound she made was pure sin and he let his finger tease the other one while his tongue laved. He paid attention to each one, kissing and nipping, sucking them until they were taut with need and glistening from his mouth.

Then he began to kiss his way down her stomach.

When he reached her black lace knickers, he kissed her over them and when he slowly began to slide them down, he found her staring at him.

"I won't hurt you, Gabrielle," he said, kissing her thigh tenderly. "Do you trust me?"

She closed her eyes, her head falling back onto the pillow. "Oui."

Blaise tossed her knickers behind him and then he began to slowly kiss her core. Soft kisses and brushes of his lips until her legs trembled and fell open, giving him more access. The first lick had her hips arching off of the bed; those blue eyes stared into his full of both surprise and desire.

By the time he had his tongue buried inside of her, she was purring. Her hands were brushing over his shortly cropped hair as there wasn't enough of it for her to grab, nails digging into his head, but he didn't stop. She was gasping and begging and when she came, she screamed so loud that he swore they could hear her on the first floor.

Blaise lifted his head, resting his chin on her stomach as she trembled, her breathing heavy. "You're delicious. Take a moment, catch your breath. Then I'm going to do that again."

Gabrielle placed a hand over her heart. "Non, non, I couldn't."

"You will," he assured her, kissing his way over her stomach again, his fingers teasing her nipples. "You taste like honey."

Then his tongue was on her again and he lost himself in her taste, in her feel. When he added a finger, she moaned and her hips bucked. She was tight and clenching around him and he wanted to give her more. She came again, screaming his name as she burst on his tongue.

Blaise lapped her up happily, adding a second finger. He teased her breasts, using his mouth, dragging his stubble over her skin and making her tremble while two fingers continued to move in and out of her.

"Blay… Blaise… please…"

He didn't give her time to recover this time and when he sucked her clit into his mouth, two fingers deep inside of her, she came a third time, screaming his name.

He removed his fingers, sucking them into his mouth before he kissed his way up her body, kissing her neck.

"You're beautiful. The sounds you make when I'm pleasuring you are incredible. My sweet Elle."

"I feel like I can't move, like my body is heavy," she whispered.

Blaise captured her mouth for a long kiss. "Get some sleep, love. In the morning, I'll eat you for breakfast and make you come for me again."

Her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes widened in surprise.

He rolled over onto his back, his hand stroking his hard cock. When he looked over at her, she was already asleep so he snuck out of the bed and went into the bath. He worked himself over, remembering the feel of his fingers buried inside of her and he pretended it had been his cock. When he came, he cleaned himself up and then returned naked to the bed, setting the charm to wake up. He wanted enough time to eat her out again before he had to shower and head to work.

He definitely wanted more of the delicious Gabrielle.

But when he woke in the morning to the charm, his mysterious woman was nowhere to be found.

~ KE: Blaise ~

Gabrielle Delacour was horrified when she woke up in the penthouse suite of the Chateau Magnifique in the early dawn hours to find herself completely naked next to an equally naked man. Not just any man, but the sexiest man she'd ever seen in her life. Her eyes roamed over him before she could stop herself from looking, taking in his broad shoulders, the lean muscles, and the thick semi-hard cock that was darker than the rest of his golden brown skin and resting against his thigh in a way that caused her to blush from staring.

By the time her eyes fell on his face, the dark day or two worth of stubble surrounding those full lips, the dark eyes and brows, and the short dark hair, she was remembering what those lips had done to her. Her thighs and breasts burned from the stubble, but it wasn't unpleasant. He had been… amazing.

Her friends had teased her all night when it had come out that she was a virgin. When she'd admitted that she'd never so much as even had a self-imposed orgasm, they'd stared at her like she had two heads. The teasing had been relentless and she thanked the alcohol for her courage to have thrown herself at the sexy man lying in the bed next to her.

Not only had she finally experienced an orgasm, but he'd given her three. He hadn't been swayed by her beauty and gone off to spout nonsense at her. No, he'd put his tongue inside of her and done things she'd never even imagined.

And he'd called her his sweet Elle.

Blushing again, she slid carefully out of the bed. She found her bra and her dress but when her knickers were nowhere in sight, she voted against them and grabbed her shoes and handbag. She needed to get home. This had been one of the most incredible nights of her life, but the man had told her, he'd just wanted pleasure. And that was all she wanted to, of course, but when she snuck back to give him one more fleeting look, she couldn't help but wonder that if she crawled back into bed with him would it turn into something more? She shook the silly thoughts from her head and snuck out of the penthouse suite with her hair a mess and wearing last night's clothes. She hurried off to find an Apparition spot and returned to her flat, grateful to have experienced something so lovely with such a handsome man.

The sound of her communication mirror vibrating on her bedside table was what woke her an hour later. She smiled at the sight of her sister's beautiful face in the mirror.

"Bonjour, Fleur."

"Bonjour!" Fleur exclaimed. "How was your birthday?"

"It was wonderful," Gabrielle said. "We went to Briller and had drinks and danced."

"Drinks and dancing is always fun. Was Ann still bothering you?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "A little. She says twenty-one is too old to be a virgin."

Fleur scoffed. "That's ridiculous!"

"You weren't," she said.

"We are not the same. You mustn't let anyone tell you what you want, Gabrielle."

"I know," Gabrielle said. "I, um… met someone."

Fleur's eyes widened in the mirror. "You did? Tell me about them."

Gabrielle shrugged, leaning back against her pillows. "Fleur… he overheard Ann telling me I should ask someone to give me an orgasm."

Fleur said something extremely unladylike and it made Gabrielle laugh at the same time that she heard a masculine voice with a bit of a husky croak to it.

"Merlin, Fleur, do you kiss me with that naughty mouth?"

"Only when you're lucky," Fleur teased.

Gabrielle smiled as she saw a flash of red cover her sister's face to kiss her. "Hi, Bill."

Her brother-in-law turned to offer her a bright smile in the mirror. His bright red hair brushed the tops of his shoulders and his full red beard hid some of the scars on his face and neck. His voice had been injured years ago when his throat had been ripped open by a werewolf attack and even though he'd healed well, his voice would always have that slightly rough sound. Gabrielle knew that it was more pronounced first thing in the morning and when he was tired.

"Bonjour, Gabrielle. Happy Belated Birthday."

"Merci," she said.

"I'll get the girls breakfast," Bill said, kissing Fleur's cheek.

When he disappeared, Fleur turned her attention back to the mirror. "Quick, tell me everything before the girls come find me."

Gabrielle chuckled and did. Despite the age difference between them, Gabrielle had always idolized her big sister. When Fleur had moved to England and married, she'd missed her terribly and loved that Fleur and Bill had opened their home to her and welcomed her whenever she'd needed them. Her sister had always been her best friend and her biggest confidant so not telling her wasn't even something she considered.

She explained how Blaise had approached her and flirted and how she'd been shy before he'd rescued her and led her into a dance.

"He didn't seem too affected," Gabrielle said. "Not like the others were."

Fleur smiled. "There are very few men who are strong enough to resist it, Gabrielle. They're special."

"I went to his hotel room."

"What?" Fleur exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Gabrielle! You'd only just met him! Did you even get his last name?"

"Non," she admitted. "But he did the most wicked things to me, Fleur! They were delicious and wicked and just thinking about them makes me feel all hot and bothered."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"I'm still a virgin, Fleur. I might have had a few too many drinks, but I wasn't drunk enough to not remember the night or to not know what I was doing."

Fleur looked like she wanted to lecture, but instead she nodded. "And?"

Gabrielle blushed. "It was… amazing. He was so handsome, Fleur, and he was kind and… he never pressed me for more. I told him that I didn't want to have intercourse with him, I just wanted him to touch me and… he did. He called me his sweet Elle and the things he did with his mouth were… incredible."

"Are you going to see him again?"

"Goodness, no!" Gabrielle exclaimed, her cheeks heating. "I don't even know his last name or how long he's in Paris for! Besides, it was a one night thing and now I feel a bit more confident about things. I won't be as shy anymore when I'm on a date. I know what to expect from a man now if I let him touch me."

Fleur didn't look convinced but she nodded. "All right. Remember, not all men are kind like that, Gabrielle. This Blaise took his time to offer you pleasure without asking for anything in return. That's very rare."

"I'll be careful," Gabrielle assured her. "Jean asked me out again."

"The Auror?"

She nodded. "Oui. He's handsome and he makes me smile."

"Oui, but you also said that he doesn't give you any butterflies. You deserve passion, too."

"I know," she said. "But he's kind to me."

Fleur made a sound of disapproval, but didn't say anything more on the subject. "Do you have to work today?"

"Oui. I took the morning off, but I have a meeting with the ICW advocatus they hired to defend Lavigne," Gabrielle told her. "Someone named Zabini. Should be a busy day."

"I still cannot believe my little sister is all grown up and working as an advocatus for the French Ministry."

Gabrielle smiled. "Despite my innocence, I've been grown up for a long time now, Fleur."

"Auntie Elle!" a tiny voice shrieked as Gabrielle watched her seven-year-old-niece jump behind Fleur and wave madly in the mirror.

"Bonjour, Victoire! Comment ça va?"

Victoire quickly began to speak in French, filling Gabrielle in on everything she could possibly think of. When her other niece, Dominique, who was four joined in, she smiled widely as they chattered. When Victoire had been little, she hadn't been able to say Gabrielle and she'd become Auntie Elle, something of which Dominque had then adopted. Gabrielle loved hearing her nieces call her that.

My sweet Elle, Blaise's deep rumbling voice echoed in her mind and she squeezed her thighs together.

"Girls, let's give Auntie Gabrielle a moment to catch her breath, oui?"

"Oui," they both said as Bill called out that breakfast was ready.

"I have to go," Fleur said. "But you'll tell me if anything else happens?"

"I will," Gabrielle assured her. "I'm really all right, Fleur. Last night was… amazing. I don't regret it."

Fleur gave her a small nod. "All right. I just want you to be happy, Gabrielle."

"I am," she said. "Promise."

When Fleur disappeared from the mirror, Gabrielle tossed it back onto her bed table and then leaned back against her sheets. When she closed her eyes, she remembered the lust shining in Blaise's dark eyes as his tongue swiped over her and she closed her legs as arousal swept through her.

No, she was very happy and despite the way she'd behaved last night, she had no regrets. Blaise had made her feel things that she'd never expected to feel and it had been the perfect birthday.

~ KE: Blaise ~

Blaise was disappointed when he woke up alone, but not surprised. The shy beautiful silver-blonde might have come alive under his tongue, but he'd known what he was getting into. He was a little annoyed she hadn't been interested in getting him off in return, but she was too innocent for him to truly care. He rubbed one out in the shower before he dressed for the day and headed to the French Ministry to meet Alcide and go over the case files.

They spent the morning reviewing everything that Dion had claimed Lavigne was part of and making notes on more files that would need to be viewed and reopened for investigation. It was definitely a shit show and it wasn't going to be an easy fix. It looked like he would be here for the full eight weeks, if not longer. They took lunch at a small bistro before Alcide headed back to work and Blaise checked his watch. He needed to meet with the advocatus in charge of Lavigne before him.

He headed to the Bureau de la Loi Magique and asked for Delacour. The last person he expected to walk up to him was the silver-blonde bombshell from last night. Her hair was all pinned up now in a twist and she wore a deep plum a-line skirt with a matching blazer over a silver silk blouse. The top button was undone revealing her creamy skin and he licked his lips, remembering how incredible she'd tasted.

"You're Advocatus Delacour?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Oui," she said, straightening her spine and jutting her chin out as if she dared him to oppose her.

He let his eyes take in the purple heels she wore with a red heel before he smiled. "Blaise Zabini, mademoiselle, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Gabrielle pursed her lips at him before she gestured him to follow her. They settled down in a small conference room with a tall bald man with a thick white moustache whom Gabrielle introduced as Claude Trudeau, another advocatus.

"So, you were both assigned to Lavigne's case after Dion dropped her name?" Blaise asked.

"Oui," Gabrielle said. "Trudeau thinks she's guilty, but I think she's being framed. It's why it came up that the French Ministry shouldn't be handling the case. Minster Richelieu is worried that it will cause too much scandal therefore having an ICW advocatus working with us will make it more legitimate."

"It's already a scandal, but I agree," Blaise said. "All right. Let's see what you've got."

Six hours later, Blaise didn't feel any closer to coming to a conclusion than he had before he started, but he had a better idea of what he was going into. Emily Lavigne had been a primary Auror on a handful of investigations that had all been judged by the praetor Étienne Dion. It was those investigations that were under the most scrutiny.

"Have you spoken to Lavigne's partner?" Blaise asked. "I think we're going to have to see some of the other cases she worked on. Ones that aren't tainted by Dion's presence and see if there are any discrepancies."

"Oui and there are no discrepancies that we've discovered so far," Gabrielle told him. "This box is full of her case files for the previous two years. I figured we could start on those tomorrow."

Blaise nodded, pleased to see that she was on the same page. "All right. The team from the MIA will be meeting us first thing in the morning to go over what they've uncovered in the Auror Bureau and we might have a better idea of where to start."

Trudeau stood up. "Well, I think Delacour will be able to offer any other additional help you need from here on out. I have other cases to work on, but if you need me, Delacour knows how to get into touch me."

When he left, Blaise lifted an eyebrow. "He seems like a ray of sunshine."

She smiled. "He's good at his job."

Blaise nodded as he reached down to grab his briefcase and his notes. "All right, well why don't we grab a bite to eat?"

Gabrielle looked surprised before she masked it. "No, thank you. I need to be heading home."

"Are you sure?" Blaise asked. "We can talk about the case some more."

Gabrielle began to pack up her own notes as she shook her head. "We can do that tomorrow. Have a good night, Monsieur Zabini."

Blaise watched her walk away and ignored the tug of disappointment. She was right. They were working together now so any hope he might have had of getting a taste of her again was better left alone.

~ KE: Blaise ~

Two weeks later, Blaise wished he could leave it alone. It seemed that the lovely Gabrielle Delacour didn't want to leave his mind. He dreamed of her, woke with his hand wrapped around his cock, and dreamed of another taste of her sweetness. He blamed it on the night they had. He wasn't used to not getting to shag the woman he spent the night with and because it had been unfinished on his end, that was the obvious reason why he couldn't get her out of his mind.

She was beautiful, yes, but it was her intelligence that he found the most appealing. She knew what she was talking about and the passion she exuded when she spoke about Lavigne and her case, had him watching her in admiration.

"You're wrong!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "This attack is purely for personal reasons. Lavigne admitted her relationship with Dion and he's throwing it in her face with this. They had sex, but she didn't know that he was dirty."

"She should have," Blaise said. "The signs were there."

"Whether the signs were there or not, it doesn't mean that she was privy to it and she was clearly good at her job. She wasn't in on this."

"I agree, but it doesn't make it any less suspicious. If Lavigne was so good at her job, she should have seen the signs."

"Emotions sometimes blind us," Gabrielle insisted.

Blaise couldn't argue with that.

They, along with Sebastian, Jin, and Durant, were investigating the Auror Bureau and all of the cases that Lavigne had worked on. So far, everything was coming up clean and by the book by both her and her partner, a man named Jean Vernier. This was a good start in proving that she definitely wasn't doing anything illegal with her job, but it was the five cases that she'd worked on that were prosecuted by Étienne Dion that were the problem.

When the MIA Aurors left, Blaise stood up. "Gabrielle, let's have dinner tonight."

She looked at him in surprise. "I think we spend enough time together with this case, Monsieur Zabini."

"Blaise, please."

"Goodnight, Monsieur Zabini."

He asked her out again the next day and again she turned him down, making him frown.

The third day, he took her hand and caught her before she opened the door to the conference room.

"If you won't have dinner with me, come back to my hotel with me," he said, his lips near her ear. "I want to feast on you until you come again and again and again."

Her cheeks flushed that adorable pink before she stepped back from him. "Monsieur, I feel that you're the type of cad who always gets his way. You have women eating out of the palm of your hand. Despite how we met, I'm not that type of girl. We're colleagues and nothing more. Goodnight, Monsieur Zabini."

When she left him standing there with his mouth hanging open in surprise, he didn't know what to say about it. Instead, he went out and had a drink with Alcide and then went dancing. A good-looking man with blond hair was grinding up against him, but he didn't hold his interest. When he found himself pressed against a beautiful brunette with generous curves, he was even less interested. And he went back to his hotel, hard, confused, and alone.

He stretched out onto the bed and undressed, his hand moving to work his cock and it was Gabrielle he pictured as he came. Not feeling any better about the situation, he cleaned himself up and then grabbed his mirror to call Theo.

His friend answered right away, a smile on his face. "Hi, Blaise!"

"Hi," Blaise said, smiling at the sight of Oliver the cat snuggled in his friend's arms with Arlo the cat lying across his stomach. "How's it going? Where's Armani?"

Theo shrugged. "That cat adores Bas and Bas only. The little prat abandons me the moment my man leaves. I miss my man. When are you letting him come home?"

Blaise chuckled. "Hasn't your totally-not-gay-Auror been coming home every weekend?"

"Your point being… I want him in bed with me every night. I sleep so much better after he shags me into oblivion. How much longer are you keeping him?"

"They should be done in a few days," Blaise said, shaking his head in amusement.

"And you? Alone in your hotel room? Has the world ended?"

"Haha," Blaise said. "I'll have you know that I was out dancing tonight."

"And you didn't bring someone home?" Theo asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

"No one caught my eye. There was a blond bloke who I'm pretty sure would have blown me in the loo if I asked, but I wasn't in the mood and this brunette with great tits was giving me clingy vibes."

Theo blinked at him, his long lashes fluttering. "Excuse me? You turned down sex? Who are you and what did you do with my best mate?"

"Haha. I'm not that bad."

"Um, yes you are," Theo insisted. "Blaise, you sleep with everyone. You're a slut."

Blaise snorted. "Harsh, but kind of true."

Theo rolled his eyes. "You being a total manwhore is what I expect from you. You slept with Soraya at my wedding."

"It's a wedding. You're supposed to have sex with someone and she was good. She does this thing with her tongue that—"

"—La-la-la! She's my sister-in-law, I don't want to know that!"

"You brought it up," Blaise said with a shrug.

"And Colin?"

"He gives great head," Blaise replied. "Catching up with him once or twice a year is fun. Stop judging me. You love sucking cock."

"Yes, my husband's," Theo clarified. "I half expected you to sleep with Alcide and Ygritte again when you told me you were going to Paris."

"Alcide offered, but they're married now. It… feels different. Besides, I don't usually do much sleeping when I'm with people."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Haha. Wait… how long has it been?"

"Three weeks," he admitted, closing his eyes. "My hand hasn't seen this much action since I was in the Lex Schola."

"Three — oh Merlin! Blaise, have you not been with anyone since you slept with that French lawyer?"

Blaise kept his eyes closed and wished he hadn't told his best mate about the woman he'd been with. He hoped he wouldn't have to answer him, but Theo knew him too well for that.

"Did she break you?" he whispered.

Blaise chuckled. "I've been busy and seeing her all the time has made me remember how good she tasted. Not that she's interested in a repeat."

Theo's brown eyes were wide in the mirror. He was still holding Oliver in his arms as he spoke, one hand resting on Arlo's head. "Have you tried maybe asking her to dinner? You know, on an actual date?"

"Yup," he admitted. "She's turns me down flat every time. Calls me Monsieur Zabini and then says goodnight. Meanwhile, my sweet Elle came on my tongue three times and loved every second of it and now she calls me Monsieur Zabini."

Laughter bubbled out from the mirror and Blaise narrowed his eyes.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"I never thought I'd see the day where someone didn't fall for your charms, Blaise. This is great!"

"Glad you're so amused," Blaise grumbled, covering his face with his arm. "I need a good shag."

Theo snorted. "Seems not anyone's going to do though, are they? Better get used to your hand, mate."

"Piss off," Blaise grumbled. "Why did I call you again?"

"Because you miss me and you need my advice on how to get this girl's attention?"

"I didn't call for advice," Blaise insisted. "She'll say yes eventually. I just have to turn on the charm. I've been using the whole friendly colleague thing."

"Uh-huh," Theo teased, not sounding convinced. "Good luck with that. What's her name anyway? Elle?"

"Gabrielle Delacour," Blaise said, scratching his bare chest. "She's twenty-one, brilliant, and gorgeous."

"Gabrie — oh, Merlin, do you mean Fleur's little sister?"

"Um, who?"

"Fleur! You remember, that beautiful blonde from Beauxbatons who was part of the Triwizard Tournament? She's married to Bill Weasley now and they have two beautiful daughters," Theo said.

Blaise vaguely remember the beautiful young woman, but as he wasn't overly close with the Weasleys he couldn't be sure. "Kind of?"

"Blaise! Their grandmother was a Veela!"

Blaise's eyes widened at Theo's declaration. Suddenly it all made sense to him, seeing the men flock towards her. The way they were always one-upping each other on stupid things, telling her how beautiful she was. Merlin, he'd even caught Claude Trudeau along with Lavigne's Auror partner, Jean Vernier, saying things to her that had to make the woman uncomfortable, but she never flinched. She never made complaints. If it had been any other woman, she would have made a sexual harassment complaint, but Gabrielle just ignored it as if accepting it was normal for her.

"Bloody hell, that makes so much more sense," he admitted. "It must be why I'm so drawn to her. It's the bloody pheromones."

Theo licked his bottom lip. "I don't know, mate, from what you've been saying, it sounds like the Veela charm isn't really blinding you."

"Shut up," Blaise said. "It's definitely the Veela thing."

Theo gave him an amused look. "Whatever you say, Blaise. I'm going to let you go, I have to be at work early in the morning and I still need to call my husband so we can have mirror sex."

"Merlin, do you two ever stop?"

Theo grinned, his eyes alight. "Not if I have anything to say about it. Um also… I think I might be ready to have a baby."

"Wow. Really?" Blaise exclaimed, surprised at the shift in conversation.

Theo nodded, biting his bottom lip. "Yeah… I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I haven't brought it up to Bas yet so please don't say anything, but… I think I might be ready."

"Wow, that's… amazing," Blaise admitted. "You and Bas would be great dads, Theo."

Theo beamed. "You know, I went to see Harry and Ginny yesterday and I held little Alby and Merlin, he's the spitting image of Harry. Mark my words, he's going to have his eye colour too. But he's so precious and little and… when Jamie said Dad to Harry, my heart just about burst. I want that, you know?"

Blaise smiled. "You'll have it, Theo. You and Bas will be great parents. I know it."

"I hope so," he said. "But, I should go. I need to see my man in the mirror so he can dirty talk me into a wicked orgasm. Have fun with your hand."

Blaise made a rude hand gesture and Theo chuckled.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, you arsehole," Blaise said, closing the mirror on Theo's laughter.

The thought of Theo and Sebastian starting a family made him smile. It seemed as if all of his old friends were starting families now. Draco and Astoria had six-month-old Scorpius. Harry and Ginny had two boys, two-year-old James and six-week-old Albus (that was another name he didn't care for, but he wasn't the parent). Even Goyle and Pansy were still together. They were the biggest surprise of course.

Pansy and Greg had been forced to marry during Voldemort's pureblood breeding plan. They'd married in December of '96 and since then had five children. It still surprised him to think about it. Grayson was going to be nine in September. He couldn't believe that he even knew someone with a nine-year-old. After Grayson, they had Gabriel who was going to be eight, then six-year-old Gavin, followed by four-year-old Grant, and just last year they'd finally had a daughter, Giselle, who would be one next week. Pansy claimed that she had a girl so they were definitely done and last Blaise heard, she'd forced Greg off to get fixed.

Yeah, it seemed like everyone was moving on and here he was in Paris, itching for another taste of the beautiful shy Elle. Maybe Theo had a point, maybe it was only psychological. He'd had a taste of her and she didn't want more, it wasn't a big deal. He could get over that. After all, he was sure someone hadn't been interested in him before.

Tomorrow he'd find a hot body and have a proper shag and everything would be back to normal.

~ KE: Blaise ~

July 2006…

It wasn't back to normal.

In fact, it had been almost five weeks now since he'd first met Gabrielle Delacour in a bar and she haunted his dreams. It was why that Friday, he was determined to get her to come out to dinner with him. When they made a positive breakthrough in the case, determining that Lavigne's cases were in fact all clean, they were grinning at each other.

"Come out for dinner with me," he said as he began to close the files in front of them. "This was a good day and we should celebrate this win."

Gabrielle hesitated and he gave her a wide smile.

"Please, Elle? We're doing something good here. We have more evidence that Lavigne's been clean in her work; that's a good sign towards proving her innocence. We're on the right track with the trial starting in two weeks."

"Oui," she whispered before she nodded. "All right, one drink to celebrate."

Blaise's grin was quick. A drink was a start. "Deal."

Twenty minutes later they were in the restaurant of Blaise's hotel sharing a bottle of very expensive champagne and an appetizer of smoked salmon canapés and delicious cheese bread. The third time the waiter came around to flatter Gabrielle, Blaise moved his chair closer and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Everything is delicious, Monsieur."

The waiter seemed to catch himself and Blaise wondered if his closeness had somehow masked Gabrielle's Veela charm because he wandered off, looking confused and embarrassed.

"Sorry," Blaise said, quickly, removing his arm. "You looked uncomfortable and it was the quickest way that I could think of to help."

Gabrielle picked up a ball of cheese bread before her blue eyes met his. "You're not affected like the other men."

It wasn't a question, but he nodded anyway. "You're beautiful. Gorgeous, really. Probably one of the most breathtaking women I've ever seen in my life — I've noticed. But no, I'm not… enchanted by you," he said. "I mean, I am enchanted by you but not enchanted by you. I rather like your mind. Watching you sift through the details of this case, arguing for Lavigne, arguing with me and against me… it's been thrilling to see someone as passionate as myself about the job."

"I love my job."

"So do I," Blaise told her. "But I would be lying if I also didn't tell you that when you do get passionate, when you fight back and you show me that fire, that I do picture you spread out on my bed, coming apart on my tongue."

She blushed.

"Legs spread wide open, that gorgeous pink fanny all wet for me, waiting for my tongue to lick it."

"Monsieur Zabini!" she exclaimed, her cheeks heating.

Blaise licked his lips. "Just being honest, Mademoiselle Delacour."

Gabrielle took a long sip of her champagne. "We work together. It would not be wise."

Blaise placed his fingertip on the pulse of her wrist and slowly danced it up her arm. "But it would be so much fun, Elle, would it not?"

She took another sip of her champagne. "I'm not that kind of witch. That night was… I had too much to drink."

"You had two drinks and you knew exactly what you were asking for," he said.

Her tongue darted out to touch her bottom lip. "I…"

Blaise ran his thumb along the pulse point of her wrist. "Will you let me please you again, Elle?"

Gabrielle stared into his eyes before she slowly leaned in and brushed her lips against his. It was an explosion. There was no other way to describe it. When her lips met his, it was like everything he'd been wishing for over the last five weeks had finally come to head. She was so sweet and soft and the sound she made when his tongue met hers made him instantly hard. The kiss went on and on, her small fingers gripping his tie as if to pull him closer, had his own hands sliding up her back.

The waiter cleared his throat and interrupted them and Gabrielle blushed a deep shade of pink when she pulled away. Blaise told the waiter to charge his room for the drinks and food and then he took her hand in his and led her towards the lifts. They were kissing again, barely able to walk as their lips met again and again until Blaise finally fumbled with the key to his suite and dragged her inside.

Gabrielle gasped when he pinned her against the wall and when his mouth began to kiss his way down her throat she shook her head.

"Non, non, we can't!"

"We can," Blaise insisted, kissing the pulse in her throat. "You want me."

"Oui," she admitted. "Oui, but non."

Blaise slid her jacket over her shoulders and watched it fall to the floor, taking in her flowing skirt and soft blouse. Merlin, she was gorgeous and she tasted every bit as much like honey as he remembered.

"Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head as he urged her to step out of her heels and then he was picking her up in his arms and carrying her across the room to the large bed. He kissed her softly, his dark eyes on hers.

"Gabrielle, you're in control here. If you don't want this, truly, you must tell me."

Gabrielle gripped his tie and tugged him closer. "I want you, Monsieur Zabini. I want you to kiss me like you did last time; to make me see the stars."

"It would be my pleasure," he assured her. "But not if you call me Monsieur Zabini."

"Blaise," she whispered.

"Elle," he said back, capturing her mouth again.

Gabrielle placed a hand to his chest to stop him from coming closer. "Blaise, but that's all it would be, n'est pas?"

"What?" he asked, startled by her question.

Gabrielle licked her lips, her eyes on his and she spoke in heavy accented English, surprising him as they rarely spoke in anything but French to each other. "I am not zis girl to just sleep around. I want… I want more zen zat."

Blaise kissed her throat, his fingers unbuttoning her blouse. "Oh, love, I'll give you whatever you want for another taste of that sweet nectar."

"I want love," she whispered. "I want to fall in love and get married and have babies. I don't want to just sleep around."

He froze, one hand on her breast at her words. They were like a bucket of ice water over his aching body and he closed his eyes. Fuck! She deserved all of those things, he could see that. She deserved all of it and more, but he wasn't that guy. He'd never even considered marriage. He certainly hadn't thought about kids.

All he wanted was her.

"You do not want zis?" she asked, again speaking in English.

Blaise carefully moved away, his hand on her thigh. "Gabrielle, I'm not the bloke for that. I'm… I'm a lover and nothing more."

"You only want my body?"

"Oui," he said. "You're intelligent and kind and bloody gorgeous, but I'm not boyfriend material. I'm the bloke who's here to give you some truly amazing orgasms and nothing more. If you're looking for more than that… you won't find it here. Just let me please you, Elle."

She stared at him for a long moment and his cock ached, waiting for her to get up and move. But to his surprise, she gripped his tie again and pulled him closer.

"You're only in Paris until the trial is over?"

"Oui," he said.

"Zat's three more weeks?" she clarified, this time in English.

"Oui."

Gabrielle pushed his jacket off of his shoulders. "Zat should be long enough for you to show me what sex is all about, should it not?"

His eyes darkened. "Gabrielle…"

"Non," she whispered. "If three weeks is all you can give me, Blaise, show me. Show me everything."

When his lips met hers again, he was softer, slower.

And he let her take the lead.

Gabrielle was amazed at how gentle he was. They undressed each other slowly and then he urged her to touch him, to explore his body with any curiosity she might have. She'd eagerly touched his bronzed-brown skin, exploring the muscles there in awe. Touching him everywhere except where he was big and hard between his legs. It was he who finally took her hand and placed it there, urging her to grip him firmly and she'd gasped.

"Is that all right?"

She nodded. She'd been imagining this moment with him since the first time they'd touched. She'd been lying to herself, pretending that she could stay away from him. She'd known that he wasn't the man to want more, she'd seen it, and yet she'd still hoped for it. Instead he was promising her three weeks of unlimited pleasure; three weeks to show her what sex was about. She knew her sister would be horrified that she was putting herself out there like this, but she wanted him.

No man had ever made her want him like he did.

Blaise took his time, undressing her and stroking her body. He kissed her everywhere and when his tongue melted against her folds, she made a soft moan of pleasure that made him determined to make this perfect. He worked her with his tongue and then one finger, marvelling at how tight she was. He brought her over the edge once, adding a second finger and then a third as he worked her, watching her gasp and moan, thrashing about as she begged for more.

When he finally performed the contraception charm and then slowly slid into her, her big blue eyes were blown wide.

"Relax," he whispered. "It will only hurt for a moment, I promise."

But Gabrielle's nails were sliding down his back as she clung to him, urging her hips up to meet him and taking him deeper. She gasped in pain and he kissed away her tears, holding her close before he slowly began to move. Then that pain turned to something more and she held him, her eyes wide as he gripped her hips and together they moved as one.

Afterwards, Blaise held her against him, stroking her silvery blonde hair away from her face and kissing her eyelids.

"How do you feel?"

"Lovely," she said, snuggling into his arms. "Sore."

Blaise smiled, his fingers running down her arm. "Too sore?"

Her eyes widened before she ducked her head, taking in the growing erection against her stomach. "You… again?"

He chuckled. "Only if you want to? I promise it will be better the more you do it."

Gabrielle pressed her lips to his as his hands slid down to cup her bottom. "Show me. Show me everything."

And he did.

~ KE: Blaise ~

When Blaise answered his mirror two weeks later, he was still grinning. The Lavigne case was going very well. Not only was the trial going strongly in their favour, but they had also managed to get two more arrests on actual guilty parties. Watching Gabrielle in the courtroom was a sight to behold and taking her back to his hotel room each night and watching her seduce him in his bed was an even better one.

"Blaise! Haven't heard from you in a while. How's Paris?" Draco asked, his face bright in the mirror as he held Scorpius on his lap.

Blaise took in the chubby cheeked cherub baby who was the spitting image of Astoria, but with Draco's pale hair. "Paris is great. Should be home next week if everything wraps up like we plan. How's Scorp?"

"Scorpius," Draco corrected. "And he's great. We're trying him out on some new foods."

"Wicked," Blaise said.

"Tori and I decided to spend some time at the winery," Draco said. "You should detour here before you head back to England. You can try the newest red."

"It won't be as good as any Italian red."

Draco rolled his eyes. "One day I'm going to show you that French wine is better."

"Yeah, that will never happen," Blaise said. "How's the Wizengamot?"

Draco shrugged, letting his son play with his fingers. "Same old. They're expanding on some of the changes, opening up more jobs. Things are going good. Jones is going to elected as minister again. He's been great for the government and rumour is that he's planning some major gala this year for the Wizard's Ball."

"What do you mean by major?"

"Not sure yet," he admitted. "But if rumours are to believed, it could be arrival by portkey and Theo heard it might even be in a Merman palace."

"Bloody hell," Blaise exclaimed. "That would be… hardly anyone's ever been invited into those places."

"Times are a changing," Draco said. "So, what's this I hear about you having a girlfriend in France?"

"Not a girlfriend," Blaise said. "I don't date."

"Been a few weeks though."

"Convenient," Blaise corrected. "After this week, it will be over. Elle's great and the sex is phenomenal, but you know me, I'm not the long-term kind of bloke."

Draco gave him a pointed look before he wrinkled his nose. "Oh, fuck! Ugh, I have to go, Scorpius just dropped a bomb in his nappy. Pretty sure it's toxic."

Blaise laughed. "Have fun with that, Daddy."

"Yeah, yeah. You can tell me more about Elle later."

"There's nothing to tell."

"That's not what Theo says."

"You two gossip like old ladies."

"I have to go deal with this, but this conversation isn't over."

Draco disappeared from the mirror and Blaise leaned back in his seat.

Draco and Theo were wrong. Gabrielle was great and he enjoyed spending time with her. The sex was… amazing. In fact, he would go as far as to say it was the best sex he'd ever had. She was an eager student and he adored teaching her new ways to find pleasure along with him.

The last two weeks had been incredible. Blaise had taken incredible joy in teaching her everything he could about carnal pleasures. They made love in his bed every night, usually once in the shower or in the jacuzzi tub, and he ate her out every morning before and after breakfast. That wasn't even including her interest in putting her mouth on him. Then last night, she'd almost destroyed him with one question.

"Is it true that you can sometimes fuck a woman in the ass?"

His jaw had literally dropped open. "Who told you that, Elle?"

"Is it true?"

Blaise nodded, his hand automatically moving to stroke her behind. "Yeah, it's true."

Gabrielle leaned forward to nip at his mouth. "Will you show me?"

"Oui," he promised. "This weekend. When we have time to prep you properly, my naughty Elle."

She kissed him in response and he'd been thinking about it all day. They had this weekend, then three more days in court and if everything went as it should, a verdict would be released on Thursday which meant, his job would be done and he would return to England.

He was surprised to realize that he wasn't all that excited by that prospect.

The last few weeks had been fun. More than fun, they'd been… exciting. They ate meals together and laughed, talked and shared stories from their past. He learned all about her nieces in England and he told her about his little sister from his mother's newest marriage. Gabrielle had teased him that he was old enough to be Nasira's father and they'd gotten into a tickle fight that had ended with her impaling herself on his cock and riding him until they both came.

They went to the ballet one night when Gabrielle told him that she'd never been before and he'd gone down on her during the intermission in the private box and made her come, keeping her knickers in his pocket for the second act. She was so much more than he'd expected and he was surprised to realize that he was going to miss her.

They spent their last weekend together in bed, laughing and shagging. As promised, he spent time prepping her for him. He licked and fingered her arse, taking his time to stretch her slowly and when he finally slid into her, his fingers buried in her folds while he took her, her head fell back in ecstasy.

"Fuck, look at you, taking me so bloody good," he whispered, kissing her throat. "I knew you could do it, pretty girl."

Gabrielle captured his mouth for a kiss as he worked her and when she came, he followed, both of them crying out as they collapsed on the bed. Gabrielle's breathing was heavy as she stroked a finger over his chest.

"Are you still leaving on Friday?"

"Unless something goes wrong, that's when my portkey is scheduled."

She nodded. "Blaise… these last few weeks have just been… merci."

He kissed her forehead. "Elle, it's been my absolute pleasure. Come on, let's go clean up and then we'll order in some food before round two."

When the praetor announced that Emily Lavigne was innocent of all charges at Thursday's verdict, Blaise and Gabrielle hugged in glee. Blaise finished up all of the paperwork needed and passed it off to the French Ministry with a smile. He had a drink with Alcide and Ygritte and promised he'd visit next time that he was in Paris. Then he went to find Gabrielle to celebrate.

He found her in the conference room organizing all of the files from the case into the different departmental sections. She was talking to a tall blond wizard dressed in the robes of a French Auror and he was making her laugh. He recognized the man as Jean Vernier, Emily Lavigne's partner. He'd noticed the man had been coming around more and more to flirt with Gabrielle and it annoyed him.

Blaise cleared his throat. "Are you ready for that celebratory dinner?"

Gabrielle smiled warmly at him. "Oui. Auror Vernier was just coming to collect the old case files from his department."

Vernier gave Blaise a wide smile of perfect white teeth. "You and Gabrielle did a fantastic job here at proving Lavigne to be innocent. We appreciate all of your hard work."

"Well, it's easy when it's the truth," Blaise replied.

Vernier smiled. "Oui." He turned back to Gabrielle, taking the file from her with a wink. "Think about it."

When he left, Blaise lifted an eyebrow. "What was that about?"

"Oh," Gabrielle said, shaking her head. "Nothing. He just asked me to go to an art opening with him next weekend."

"He asked you out on a date?"

"Oui," Gabrielle said, grabbing her purse. "Shall we go?"

Blaise nodded and took her arm, leading her out of the French Ministry. Of course there would be men to ask her on dates. She was a beautiful woman and she wanted to get married one day and have kids. He understood that.

The fact that it irritated him was something else entirely.

After all, after tonight, he wasn't going to see her again.

His Elle could date whomever she wanted.

~ KE: Blaise ~

August 2006…

Returning to England and going back to work at the Ministry of Magic was the back to normal that Blaise needed. The fact that he kept thinking about Gabrielle was only because they'd spent more time together than he usually did with his lovers. He woke up every morning with her name on his lips and his hand wrapped around his cock, but that was normal.

The sex had been incredible.

When a beautiful brunette flirted with him outside of Serendipity Sweets and Blooms, he barely gave her a second glance and when a red head with the biggest tits he'd ever seen basically offered herself up to him, he didn't even hesitate before he turned her down. He found himself going home to his empty flat night after night so that he could use his hand to thoughts of Gabrielle without hesitation.

He was starting to think something was seriously wrong with him. Draco kept asking him if something was wrong and when he denied it, he got this look on his face like he knew Blaise was lying and Theo wanted to know how things had ended up with Gabrielle.

"We shagged," Blaise said simply. "I gave her the time of her life, like I always do. She'll dream of me and my beautiful cock for years to come."

Theo rolled his eyes. "You're such an arsehole."

He did his best to smirk and be his regular self, but he felt off. After being home for three weeks, he still felt a bit lost like something hadn't quite clicked back when he'd returned. He was trying not to think about it. It was why when he was coming out of Gringotts just before five one day and he spotted the bright blond curls of Colin Creevey coming out of his photography shop, he made a beeline straight towards him.

Blaise picked up his pace to catch up with him and slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Hi, Gorgeous."

Colin blushed. "Blaise."

"Where are you off to?"

"Home. Layla and I just finished the for the day," Colin said, shrugging Blaise's arm off of his shoulders.

"Excellent. Grab a drink with me."

Colin frowned. "I'm not blowing you."

"Didn't ask you too. Grab a drink with me."

"You're not shagging me either."

"Again, didn't ask you too."

Colin stopped in his tracks, turning to give Blaise a weird look. "Why?"

"What? It's just a drink."

"Which you and I have never once done in the history of ever."

Blaise scoffed. "That's not true. We've had drinks together plenty of times."

"Sure. At your flat. Before or after sex."

Blaise started to protest before he realized that Colin was right and he shut his mouth. He painted an indifferent look on his face. "Fine. It was just a thought. See you around, Creevey."

He'd taken two steps before he heard Colin swear behind him.

"Bloody hell, fine! One drink!"

Blaise gave him a wide smile. "One drink."

Ten minutes later they were seated in the back corner of the Leaky Cauldron each with a drink in front of them. Colin had a beer while Blaise was examining his red wine with trepidation.

"We could have at least went somewhere with an actual wine list," Blaise complained.

"This was closest," Colin replied, taking a sip of his beer.

Blaise sniffed his glass before taking a cautious sip and scrunched up his face. "Bloody hell. Nope, that's not even good enough to toss in the rubbish bin."

Colin snorted. "Told you to order a beer."

Blaise shot him an annoyed look before he went to the bar to do just that. When he came back, Colin was staring at him. "What?"

"What is exactly my question," Colin began. "Why did you want to grab a drink with me?"

"I saw you and figured why not."

Colin's brow furrowed. "Yeah that doesn't sound like you."

Blaise's lips twitched. "Am I that much of an arsehole?"

"Yes."

"Ouch. Don't hold back on my account."

Colin stared at him. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

"I'm not sleeping with you again. We put that to bed the last time and I'm done with it."

"As gorgeous as you are and as wonderful as your mouth is, I heard you," Blaise said in annoyance. "I don't always just want to fuck, all right?"

Colin lifted an eyebrow. "Since when?"

Blaise swore under his breath. "Fine. This was stupid. You're right. Come home with me tonight."

Colin took a slow sip of his beer, his eyes examining Blaise critically over his glass before he put it on the table. "You're lonely."

Blaise scoffed. "Fuck off. I don't get lonely."

"Everyone gets lonely," Colin replied. "It's human nature."

"I'm not human. I'm a god."

Colin rolled his eyes. "Your cock's incredible, but it's hardly god-like."

Blaise took a sip of his beer. "Does that mean you're reconsidering?"

"No," Colin said. "You're convenient and we both know it, but there's a reason we haven't done anything more than hookup."

"Why's that?"

"Because you're a manwhore."

"Again with the insults. There's nothing wrong with loving sex."

"No," Colin admitted. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with loving sex, but I want something more than that. I look at Ginny with Harry or Theo with Sebastian or Luna with Rolf and I want that."

"Love? It's not worth the heartache."

"How do you know? Have you ever in love?"

"No because I'm smart enough to not let it happen."

Colin frowned. "That's incredibly sad."

"Like you've been so lucky?"

"Unfortunately, no, but that doesn't meant I'm not trying. I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life, Blaise."

"There's nothing wrong with being alone. You can have as much sex as you want with as many people as you want. Sounds like heaven."

"Then why do you look so lonely?"

Blaise started to deny it before he shut his mouth and drank his beer.

Colin leaned forward in his seat. "You don't even really want to shag me."

"You give incredible head. I figured you were an easy lay. I didn't want to make an effort tonight."

"See, arsehole," Colin said, his lips twitching. "But I'm serious. You wanted to grab a drink with me not fuck me. You want more than just a shag."

Blaise leaned back in his seat. "Of course not. I've just spent almost two months in Paris working on this case and am a bit off being back, that's all. Sometimes I get itchy feet."

"Paris, huh?" Colin said, his lips curving. "I heard you were seeing someone there."

"Merlin, Theo is a bloody gossip," Blaise muttered. "I wasn't 'seeing someone,' we were just fooling around. She was a virgin and I was more than willing to spend a few weeks showing her a good time."

"Theo said you took her to the ballet."

"That was… we were just bloody shagging."

"Sounds like dating to me."

"I don't date."

"Well maybe you should," Colin said. "Actually get to know people for once instead of just sticking your cock in them and taking off when it's over. This witch is probably glad to see the end of you if that's all it was."

"It wasn't just that," Blaise said defensively. "And I did get to know her and she's brilliant and beautiful and kind. She loves dogs, but has never had one. She's one of the best advocatus' in her department and she's sweet and shy, unless you get on her bad side, then she has a fire in her that's so incredibly sexy. She fights for what she believes in and she's curious and generous and the most beautiful fucking woman I've ever seen in my life."

Colin gave him an amused look. "Ah, so you did date her then."

"We weren't dating. We worked together and… whatever, it's over and it was never even a thing," Blaise said.

Colin reached across the table to touch Blaise's arm. "You miss her."

"Of course not," Blaise said, finishing his beer. "Well, if you're not going to blow me, this was a wasted drink. Have a good night, Colin."

He stood up to go and Colin grabbed his hand. "Blaise, for once in your life actually think about what you just said."

"That I wasted a drink on you?"

"No," Colin said, frowning. "I'm not sucking you off and you don't want me to. You miss this woman. You like her."

Blaise stared at Colin for a long moment before he spoke. "Doesn't matter. I would never be good enough for her."

Then he turned and walked away, the words sitting in his gut. That was the crux of the matter, wasn't it, he thought. Gabrielle Delacour was a beautiful ray of sunshine and he could never be the man she deserved.

The fact that it hurt him to admit it was something he was just going to have to deal with himself.

~ KE: Blaise ~

September 2006…

Arlo, the grey and black striped cat, sat curled up on Blaise's lap, purring in contentment as Blaise stroked his belly. His other hand held his wine glass as he watched Theo greet his husband as he came in. Theo and Sebastian had been together for eight years now, married for one, and yet the two of them were still so drawn to each other.

Blaise watched as Sebastian kissed his husband rather deeply and Theo whispered something in his ear that made him laugh. Sebastian's hand squeezed his husband's arse before he pecked Theo on the lips and they moved apart.

"Hi, Blaise, good to see you," Sebastian said, taking a seat on the chesterfield.

Theo sat next to him, beaming when Sebastian's arm draped over his shoulders. Blaise loved seeing him so bloody happy. If anyone deserved it, it was Theo.

"Hard to turn down an invitation to dinner, especially when I hear Draco might be coming."

"Draco has arrived," Draco said from the doorway.

Blaise took in the sight of his other best friend. He was sporting a golden tan from having spent his summer in the south of France. His white blond hair was tousled and he had two or three days worth of blond stubble on his face. His blue-grey eyes were happy as he held the hand of the beautiful woman next to him.

Astoria, his wife of almost two years, had dark black hair that tumbled down her back in thick waves. Her hair was so dark, it almost looked blue in some lights, making those big blue eyes of hers pop even more. She was holding their nine-month-old-son in her arms, his chubby cheeks and white blond curls looking more and more like a mix of his parents every day.

Theo immediately jumped up to take Scorpius, covering the baby's cheeks in kisses. "How's my darling godson?"

Scorpius squealed in delight.

Once everyone was seated, wine was poured and Blaise tapped his fingers on the chair as he listened to his friends talk.

Draco worked with the Wizengamot, taking on his role as his father had always intended him to as Lord Wiltshire. Astoria was an astronomer and spent her time studying the skies and the stars when they weren't caring for their son. Blaise knew that Scorpius was a blessing to both of them as Astoria had undergone a very difficult pregnancy. Thankfully, after being forced on bedrest for the final four months, he had arrived healthy and happy. But healers had advised them that they shouldn't attempt to have any more children.

This meant that Scorpius was most definitely spoiled. He was a very happy child and every time Draco looked at him, Blaise saw this light in his eyes as if he couldn't quite believe he was this lucky. His friends deserved their happiness.

"Blaise? Are you in there?" Draco asked.

Blaise shook his thoughts from his head. "Sorry, I was daydreaming."

"We noticed," Theo teased. "He's thinking about his Elle."

"She's not my Elle," Blaise insisted.

Astoria smiled warmly. "Draco's told me how stubborn you are. It seems silly to me that you won't reach out to her when she makes you so happy."

"I don't date," Blaise said. "Elle and I had some good times and now it's over, simple as that."

"Not when you can't stop thinking about her," Theo corrected. "You've been back in England for over a month and all you've done is mope around."

"I don't mope."

"I ran into you at Gringotts the other day and you were staring at Fleur Weasley like you'd seen a ghost," Sebastian said.

"She looks like her sister at first glance," Blaise said. "It surprised me."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Was he always this stubborn?"

"Yes," Draco said. "You know, I heard that the French Ministry is putting on an autumn gala next week."

"I heard."

Astoria reached for her husband's hand as Theo put Scorpius on the carpet and found his little toy chest that he kept for Scorpius, James, and Albus so that they could play when they came to visit. "I'm sure she'll be there."

Blaise gave them all a look of annoyance. "Do you all just think I'm pining over her or something?"

"Yes," they all said in unison.

"Well, I'm not," Blaise exclaimed. "Gabrielle is… amazing, all right? She's beautiful and intelligent and yes, the sex was bloody fantastic and yes, I loved spending time with her. But it was three weeks, that's what we agreed upon. She wants to get married and have kids and that's… not me."

Draco's intense gaze met his from across the room. "You're not your mother, Blaise."

He wanted to shrug off the words, but his friends knew him too well.

"You think marriage is ridiculous and a charade and granted, given how many times your mother has married, I can see that," Theo said. "But look at her now. She's happy and in love — truly in love. They have a daughter together. If Bellarosa Brambilla Zabini Beauchamp Barkley Sanders Stanford Mantegna Rossi can find true love and be happy, so can her son."

"It has nothing to do with Mamma."

Sebastian put his arm around Theo again when he took a seat next to him. "Then what are you afraid of?"

Blaise scowled. "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"I think you're afraid to admit that you've fallen in love," Astoria said.

Blaise's gaze darkened. "Look, just because you four are all lovey-dovey and everything is grand doesn't mean that love is for everyone."

"No, it doesn't," Astoria agreed. "But you love Gabrielle, Blaise. You've talked of nothing but her since the moment you met her. There's been no one else since you've returned to England and you haven't even looked."

"You haven't flirted with anyone at work," Theo said. "When we had lunch the other day, the waitress was flirting wildly with you and you didn't even give her a smidge of attention. You keep wandering off into these daydreams and you look sad."

"I'm not bloody sad!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Stubborn," Draco said. "That's what you are is a stubborn, stupid git who is going to lose the best thing that's ever happened to him because you're too bloody cowardly to admit that you fell in love."

"It was one summer!" Blaise exclaimed. "Not even one bloody summer, it was barely two months! I can't be in love with her! I'm not!"

Sebastian pursed his lips. "I was in love with Theo in moments. Maybe not real true love, that came later, but from the moment he kissed me, I knew it was something more."

Theo kissed his husband's cheek. "Love doesn't come with a time limit, Blaise. It doesn't follow a certain path. You love her."

Arlo moved off of his lap and Blaise licked his bottom lip. "It doesn't matter. I left, it's over."

"So that's it?" Theo demanded. "You're just going to watch her date that Auror and not try to win her back."

"What Auror? Vernier?"

Theo's lips twitched. "Oh? Have you heard of him? Bill mentioned him the other day. Apparently he's Gabrielle's boyfriend and she's attending this autumn gala with him next week."

Blaise's teeth ground together. "He's a prat! He's only interested in her for her looks."

"If you don't care about her, then why does it matter?" Astoria asked.

Blaise scowled at them.

Theo waved his wand and an envelope came sailing towards Blaise. "Good thing we got you an invitation, isn't it?"

"I…"

Draco grinned. "Go make a fool out of yourself in the name of love."

"I'll help you find the perfect dress robes," Theo insisted.

"What if… what if I'm too late?" he whispered, surprised at the words leaving his mouth.

Astoria's blue eyes met his. "Tell her how you feel, Blaise."

Blaise stared at his friends for a long moment, his heart racing in his chest. "I'm not husband material."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Blaise, stop being a bloody coward. It's not that you don't want to get married and have a family, it's that you're afraid of it."

"I'm not."

"You are," Draco insisted. "We all had fucked up childhoods but yours… there was never any consistency after your father died. Your mother was a serial bride and that left an impact on you. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve your own happiness if you want it."

"Do you want Gabrielle Delacour?" Theo asked.

Blaise swallowed, a vision of her swimming before his eyes, the sound of her laughter echoing in his mind. "Yes," he whispered.

And he realized his friends were right. He was being stubborn and stupid and cowardly. He wanted Gabrielle. He wanted to be the one to make her laugh, to make her smile. It was his name she was going to scream in pleasure and no one else's. She was his Elle and he was going to get her back.

"I need to get a portkey to Paris."

His friends cheered and he stood up: He had a portkey to catch.

~ KE: Blaise ~

Blaise went to Rome first.

The door opened and he was greeted by Joseph Rossi holding his half-sister Nasira on his shoulders. His face broke out into a smile at the sight of him.

"Blaise! Come in, come in."

"Blay!" Nasira exclaimed, her arms out for him.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. "Hi, Nasira. Did you miss me?"

"Come see dress!"

Blaise chuckled as he put her on the ground and his little sister dragged him off to her room to look at what he learned was her new dress. When he finally managed to escape her bedroom, his mother pulled him close and kissed both of his cheeks.

"Caro ragazzo," Bellarosa said. "This is a lovely surprise."

Blaise shrugged. "I'm headed to a autumn gala in Paris this weekend and had to get my dress robes, figured if I was in Italy…"

"Come sit. Tell me everything."

He stayed for dinner, surprised to see how domestic his mother and Joe looked. He read Nasira a bedtime story and tucked her in and when he returned to the living room, Bellarosa was staring at him.

"What?"

She shook her head, a smile on her beautiful lips. "I'm very proud of you, caro ragazzo. You are a very good man and I wish that I could take more credit."

"You raised me, Mamma."

"Did I?" she whispered. "I wasn't as good of a mamma as you needed."

Blaise shrugged. "You weren't so bad."

Rossi leaned back in his seat, his arm around Bellarosa's shoulders. "So, what's really on your mind?"

"Can't I just pop in for a visit to see my mother?"

"Absolutely. Any time you wish. Our home is your home," Rossi said. "But something's obviously on your mind."

"Your observation skills are incredibly annoying, has anyone ever told you that?"

Rossi grinned. "Perks of being an Auror."

"Retired."

Rossi shrugged. "True. Well, I'll leave you two to talk. I want to get some words written tonight or my publisher is going to have my head." He turned and kissed Bellarosa softly, whispering something to her that made her smile before he stood up. He squeezed Blaise's shoulder when he walked by and the simple gesture was full of support in a way that made Blaise grateful.

He'd never expected to have a father later in life and yet somehow Joe had fallen into that role without either of them realizing. He respected and liked him. It still surprised him.

Bellarosa waited until Rossi disappeared into his office down the hall before she patted the sofa next to her. "Come sit, mio figlio."

Blaise sighed and moved to sit next to his mother.

"Tell me what's on your mind."

"You're happy."

Bellarosa gave him a baffled look. "Sì. Very. Your new sister or brother is proof of that."

Blaise nodded, looking down at her flat stomach. She'd only told him a week ago that she was expecting again and he'd been surprised but pleased for her.

"No, I mean, you're really happy. Like you've been married a hundred times and no one has ever made you as happy as Joe. You live in a three bedroom flat in Rome. No mansion. No lounging by the pool in diamonds. Instead you have a three-year-old-daughter and you're pregnant again and… why him, Mamma?"

Bellarosa stared at him for a long time before she took both of his hands in hers. "I loved your father very much. He was my first love. But first loves can be very fickle, Blaise, especially when you're young. They tend to be all-consuming and either last for eternity or fizzle out. I like to think that Antonio and I would have made it, but we never got the chance to find out. I loved him. I loved him with everything a young girl can love with. I wanted to have more children with him. I wanted a family and then it was all taken away. I wanted to give you that family and yet… sometimes beauty is a curse, Blaise. Men see me and they love me and want me, but it wasn't real. I let myself think it was real because I so desperately wanted to feel that way again. I so desperately didn't want to be alone."

"It sounds lonely," Blaise admitted.

She cupped his cheek. "It was. You are the best thing I have ever done in my life, mio figlio. I tried to keep you away from the darkness of the war. I played my part, urged you to join the Death Eaters because I knew you would be strong enough to resist. We know each other well, do we not?"

"Sì," Blaise whispered.

"I never expected you to take the Dark Mark on to save Draco and I should have," she replied. "You're an amazing young man and I am so proud of everything you've become. But I failed you in many ways and the biggest one is in making you think that marriage is something to be ashamed of."

"I don't think marriage is something to be ashamed of," he began. "I just… I don't get how you could keep doing it when it kept failing?"

Bellarosa smiled. "Because I hoped every time that this time it would be real. Joe is the only man who showed me that my hopes weren't for naught. Even when he was spying on me and on everyone, he showed me how much he loved me. He talked to me, with me. He listened. He asked my advice, my opinion. He cared about me and for me and… when he walked into a room, I just felt safe. Even when I learned it had all been a lie, I knew his feelings had been real. Love is worth waiting for and if I had to go through a thousand men to find Joe, I would do it all over again if I knew what my reward would be." She kissed Blaise's cheek. "What's her name, caro ragazzo?"

"Elle," he whispered. "But I think I fucked it all up and I'm too late."

He told his mother everything: How they met, what happened, and how he left.

Bellarosa pursed her lips. "I don't know if I support you taking her virginity, but I see the gentleness you provided. You were courting her."

"I wasn't. We were just… it was different."

"You were courting her," Bellarosa said. "And now she's seeing this Auror."

"He's not good enough for her," Blaise said. "But she's amazing, Mamma. She's much too good for me and I'm worried she knows it."

Bellarosa smiled and patted his cheek. "Oh, caro ragazzo. Most women are too good for men, but the right man knows how to show her why he's worth it."

Blaise frowned. "What does that mean?"

"Speak with your heart," Bellarosa told him. "As someone who let men buy her with material things for many years before I knew what real love was, trust me."

"I think I'm in love with her," he whispered.

Bellarosa gave him a knowing look. "Oh, caro. You are in love with her. There's no thinking about it. Now go win back your witch."

"And if she won't have me?" he asked.

"Then she's very stupid," Bellarosa said with a smile. "Show her why you're worth a second chance."

Blaise hugged his mother tightly and when he headed out, he poked his head in Rossi's office to thank him. Rossi hugged him goodbye.

"I don't know a lot about love," Rossi said. "I know you're too old to need a dad and hell, I'm not looking for the job, but I love your mother. Your mother was as much a surprise to me as anything and I don't want to step on your toes or impose my wisdom on you, but I do know one thing. When love comes knocking, only a tosser lets it walk away without a fight. Don't let your image of your mother's failed marriages stand in your way. Trust me, sometimes you have to hit a few bumps to make it worth it."

Blaise pulled Rossi close for another hug. "You're the best bloody thing to happen to her, you know that, right?"

Rossi smiled. "I think you have that the other way around, but thank you."

"No, thank you, Joe. For everything."

Rossi patted his back and when Blaise said goodbye, he left Rome with a swing in his step. Maybe Gabrielle would turn him away and she had every right to do so, but Joe and his mother were right; Theo and Draco were right.

He needed to take a fucking chance.

~ KE: Blaise ~

September had seemed to drag on since Blaise had left Paris and in that month and a half since he'd been gone, Gabrielle had been on six dates with Auror Jean Vernier. He was kind and he made her laugh. His kisses were sweet and he made her feel beautiful. She knew that he wanted to do more, but she couldn't bring herself to take that step with him; not when she went home at night and dreamed of Blaise's lips on hers, or the feel of his beautiful dark skin rubbing against hers. It felt dishonest.

But she put on a red dress and had her hair styled all fancy for the big Ministry Gala that was being thrown. When Jean picked her up, she smiled and wished that she felt more than fondness for the sweet man who kissed her hand.

They arrived at the gala and soon she had a glass of champagne as she made small talk with people from the Ministry and from the International Confederation of Wizards who were in attendance. She let Jean lead her out onto the dance floor and she smiled at him as he led her around in a waltz, talking about something or other that she couldn't focus on until another hand touched her waist and she was suddenly spun around into a different set of arms.

"May I cut in?" Blaise asked.

"Oui," she whispered, surprised at the sight of him. Then he was leading her around the dance floor and she stared up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited since I work for the ICW."

"Oh."

"So," he said, his mouth so close to her ear that she felt his lips brush the lobe. "The Auror, eh?"

"What about him?"

"You're with him now."

Gabrielle pulled back to look into his dark eyes. "He's a nice man and he asked me out."

"Seems like a prat."

She scowled. "You don't know him."

"But I know you," he said, dipping her into a low tip that made someone clap. He pulled her back up, his lips by her ear again. "Does he make you cry out his name like I did?"

"You have no right," she hissed. "No right to be here and to judge me for who I date."

"I do when he's wrong for you."

Gabrielle made to move out of his arms, but he held on tighter.

"He is wrong for you, Gabrielle," he whispered. "Leave with me. Let me make you call out my name like you deserve."

Her eyes darkened. "I won't be your whore, Blaise Zabini."

Then she turned and stormed off, leaving him staring after her.

She made it almost to the exit of the ballroom before he caught up with her.

"Leave me!" Gabrielle ordered. "I do not want to talk to you."

Blaise hesitated before he reached for her hand. "I'm sorry."

Gabrielle spun around to glare at him. "You're sorry? You have no right to come here and act like a jealous boyfriend. We are not together!"

Blaise looked like he wanted to protest but he shut his mouth.

"You said three weeks!" Gabrielle insisted. "Three weeks, that would be all and then you would leave and you did! Jean is nice. He makes me smile and he wants a family some day. He's not just trying to get into my panties."

Blaise bit his bottom lip. "I miss you."

"What? Can't find any English girls to fuck?"

He snorted. "No, I can. A few interested blokes as well, but none of them are you."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "How flattering."

"Gabrielle…"

"What do you want?" she demanded. "To come here and remind me of what we had? Well, you did. Now you can go again."

"I came here to ask you to go on a date with me."

"What?"

"I said: Will you go on a date with me?"

Gabrielle stared at him, shaking her head. "What is wrong with you? I'm here with another man and you come and you make me dance and now you are trying to ask me out while I am here with him? You should be ashamed!"

He grabbed her arm when she tried to storm off and pulled her close to him. "I am ashamed! I knew that you were different from the moment I kissed you and yet I told myself it was just sex. I told myself that it was nothing more, nothing less than sex and every day since I've left you, I haven't been able to stop bloody thinking about you! You're the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of when I go to sleep at night. You haunt my dreams, Elle. I think of you with my hand wrapped around my cock and I smell your perfume in the air. I should never have left, Gabrielle. I should never have walked away from you."

She pulled her arm out of his grasp. "But you did."

"Am I too late?" he asked, his eyes on hers. "Do you not want me anymore? Is Jean who you truly want?"

Gabrielle turned to look over her shoulder at him, her heart racing. No, Jean didn't make her feel a fraction of what Blaise made her feel. "Non."

His lips curved, but any dawning smile was halted as she continued.

"But just because he is not right for me, doesn't mean you are either."

"Gabrielle. Please, I —"

"Non. You don't get to do this to me, Blaise. You told me yourself. You were the one who said it. You don't date. You don't do serious."

"I WANT SERIOUS!" he exclaimed rather suddenly, making her eyes widen. "I want it with you, Elle. I am standing here before you telling you that I want it all. I am so fucking in love with you and I don't know how not to be."

"You…?"

"I love you," he repeated. "What I said was true, I've never dated. I told you about my mother and how she… maybe part of me was always worried I'd end up like her so if I didn't let anyone in, I couldn't get hurt. But that was stupid because I never let anyone in and I never… you make me want things I never thought I deserved before. You make me want everything. With you. I want everything with you, Elle. I just need you to give me a second chance. Please."

Gabrielle stared at him for a long moment. "What kind of chance?"

Blaise took a step towards her and put his hands on her hips. "Whatever you'll give me."

Gabrielle tipped her head back to look up at him. "I want all of you, Blaise Zabini."

"You'll have it," he promised.

"If we're to do this, I will be your only lover."

"Yes," he whispered.

"You'll take me on dates and introduce me as your girlfriend."

"Yes. A thousand yeses."

"I want it all," she repeated. "I won't settle for anything less."

He swallowed, leaning towards her to rest her forehead against hers. "I can't promise the future. I don't know what it will bring, but I do know that right here, right now, I want my future to involve you, Elle. I'm in love with you and I promise that if you give me a chance, you won't regret it."

She smiled, her blue eyes dancing. "All right."

"All right?" he repeated, his heart racing in his chest.

"All right," she replied, her blue eyes on his. "I will give you another chance, Blaise Zabini."

His dark eyes brightened as he bent his head to capture her mouth for a soft kiss before he rested his forehead against hers once more. "I love you, Elle."

Gabrielle smiled, her hands linked around his neck. "I love you, too. Now, come back into the ball with me. I need to speak with an Auror."

Blaise growled. "Can I just go over and tell him I win?"

Gabrielle's cheeks heated. "Certainly not."

But when he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again, he knew that whatever the future might bring, it would be worth the wait.

And he definitely felt like he'd won the greatest prize of his life. He just had no idea how truly great it was going to be.

~ KE: Blaise ~

They were married two years later in a large ceremony on the grounds of Blaise's mansion in Sicily. Her whole family was present. Her nieces Victoire and Dominique stood as flower girls along with Blaise's five-year-old-sister Nasira. Her new nephew, Louis, at just over a year old was the ring bearer. Fleur had walked him down the aisle in his sweet little tux, the rings on a pillow, followed by Blaise's stepfather, Joseph Rossi, who held the second ring bearer, one-year-old Luca, Blaise's newest little brother.

Her mother cried and Blaise's mother had kissed her cheeks and welcomed her warmly to the family. It had been everything Blaise had never dared to want and more. When they'd gotten engaged, only six months after dating, Gabrielle had left her job at the French Ministry to join Blaise in the England's ICW. It allowed her to travel more with her fiancé and for the two of them to make a home in Blaise's Italian mansion as well as his flat in England while also bringing her closer to her sister.

The moment Blaise had kissed her outside of the gala, he hadn't looked back. She was the one for him and he knew it.

He'd been even more sure when they'd gone to meet her sister and her husband and Bill Weasley had stared him down.

"If you hurt her, I can promise you that you will regret it. I have six brothers who will help me kick your arse if you do," Bill threatened.

"Noted," Blaise replied. "But you should know I don't scare easily."

"Pompous prick," Bill muttered.

Blaise smiled. "Takes one to know one."

Needless to say, family events had definitely been interesting after that.

In 2010, they welcomed their first child, a beautiful baby girl whom they named Maddalena Appolline Zabini. They called her Maddie for short. Four years later, they welcomed a second daughter, Nicoletta Francesca. Maddie loved Nicki with everything she had and both girls had their father wrapped around their finger. By the time Daniella Bellarosa arrived in 2018, Blaise was a professional girl dad and not afraid to admit it. Whenever one of his girls turned their gaze upon him, Blaise's eyes softened.

Gabrielle leaned over to kiss her husband's cheek on Dani's first birthday. "I love you, Blaise."

"I love you, Elle," Blaise said. "Thank you for giving me a second chance and thank you for our daughters."

And they lived happily ever after…

---

End Author's Notes:

(Italian) caro = dear
(Italian) Sì = yes
(Italian) mio figlio = my son
(Italian) caro ragazzo = darling boy

Family trees mentioned in this chapter!

Bellarosa Brambilla m. Antonio Zabini (1979):
Blaise Antonio Zabini (18 December 1979)

Bellarosa Zabini m. Joseph Rossi (1999):
Blaise Antonio Zabini (18 December 1979)
Nasira Giovanna Rossi (14 July 2003)
Luca Joseph Rossi (10 April 2007)

Louis Delacour m. Appolline (1974):
Fleur Isabelle Delacour (14 March 1976)
Gabrielle Appolline Delacour (1 June 1985)

Fleur Delacour m. Bill Weasley (1997):
Victoire Gabrielle Weasley (2 May 1999)
Dominique Rose Weasley (16 March 2002)
Louis William Weasley (9 March 2007)

Blaise Zabini m. Gabrielle Delacour (2008):
Maddalena "Maddie" Apolline Zabini (29 September 2010)
Nicoletta "Nicki" Francesca Zabini (14 March 2014)
Daniella "Dani" Bellarosa Zabini (7 July 2018)

Draco Malfoy m. Astoria Greengrass (2004):
Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy (6 January 2005)

Theodore Nott m. Sebastian Kane (2005):

Gregory Goyle Jr m. Pansy Parkinson (1996):
Grayson Gregory Goyle (28 September 1997)
Gabriel Gregory Goyle (28 August 1998)
Gavin Gregory Goyle (28 April 2000)
Grant Gregory Goyle (28 January 2002)
Giselle Galilea Goyle (30 June 2005)

Harry Potter m. Ginny Weasley (2000):
James Sirius Potter (4 April 2004)
Albus Fleamont Potter (21 June 2006)
Lily Luna Potter (3 November 2007)

Thank you for reading and please review!