Chapter 2
Hermione couldn’t contain the smile that was plastered to her face. Not only did she just get engaged to the man of her dreams but she also just saw her long lost Slytherin friend, Blaise Zabini.
While Hermione had made the decision to go back for her 7th year at Hogwarts after the war, Harry and Ron had gone straight into Auror training. They couldn’t understand why Hermione would want to go back and not go straight into work and Hermione could not get them to understand and she needed normal in her life to go on. She felt like she had no right to be depressed after the war as technically she hadn’t lost any family, they just didn’t remember her. But that didn’t help the funk that she fell into, and school honestly didn’t help at first. While she was happy to be back it was hard without the boys. Also Ginny had taken to hanging out with the original 7th years and not Hermione so she was practically alone.
She spent even more time in the library than the past 6 years but that was her safe space, no one expected anything from her there. One random day in October while she was working on an essay for Transfiguration, Blaise Zabini decided to sit across from her. He didn’t say anything, didn’t even acknowledge her. Just did his essay and then left. She thought it was quite weird but didn’t say anything against it. It happened every school day for two weeks before she finally asked him why he was sitting with her. He didn’t even look up from his book when he said “no one deserves to be alone” and Hermione felt a rush of gratitude for the snake. No one from her house seemed to notice how she was struggling, but he did. November continued the same way and by the first week of December Theodore Nott joined their group. He was much more talkative than Blaise was and the three often found themselves discussing random topics rather than doing any homework.
Hermione had spent Christmas break at the Burrow but was actually missing the company of the two snakes. Ron seemed to want to take their relationship to the next level but she just wasn’t ready and he couldn’t understand it. Harry and Ginny were no help as they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other the entire Christmas holiday. She was beyond excited to head back to Hogwarts by the time break was over and hoped Blaise and Theo would still study with her.
Hermione was more than shocked the first day back when Blaise, Theo, Pansy and Draco Malfoy all joined her at their usual table. The regular three continued their normal discussions and Pansy occasionally added her opinion but Draco never spoke up. Finally by March Pansy and Hermione had formed a friendship that had most of the castle confused and Hermione could understand why. Pansy was known for bullying muggleborns and deliberately making their lives hell at Hogwarts, but after the war once her father was locked in Azkaban and given the Dementors kiss she began to open up. She had apologized to Hermione and from there their friendship grew. Most nights the two would be seen sitting in one or the other room, talking about anything. Finally around May Draco had apologized to Hermione, though he kept it rather short she had forgiven him and moved on.
When she graduated she was sad to say goodbye to her new friends. She had promised to write to them and tell them all about her adventures after school but life had gotten away from her.
As she stood in front of Blaise she felt a pang of regret for not keeping in touch with them.
“So it’s been two years and we hear nothing from you, and yet you end up in my restaurant.” He looked more hurt than mad and she could understand why.
“Blaise, I know I’ve been a terrible friend but I can honestly say I have missed you so much!” She couldn’t help but take a step towards him and wrap her arms around his waist. She felt his arms wrap around her and envelope her in a tight hug. She couldn’t help but giggle as he lifted her off the ground. He put her down and loosened his hold on her.
“Pansy is going to give you an earful I hope you know. At least once a week she talks about you. She’s going to be very pleased with how beautiful you’ve become. Don’t get me wrong you were always hot Granger” he winked at her “but now, damn Mione you are absolutely breathtaking.”
“Blaise always the sweet talker you are. Oh I’ve been rude! Please meet my boyf- fiancé now, Matteo De Luca, Matteo this is my good friend from Hogwarts Blaise Zabini.” She couldn’t help the smile that was plastered across her face, she knew she had to look like the cat who got the cream.
Matteo held his hand out for the other dark wizard to shake and wrapped his free arm around Hermione’s waist. He knew he had nothing to worry about with Hermione, he just got a little possessive sometimes. And Hermione found it to be incredibly hot. “Nice to meet you Blaise Zabini, I have to say this restaurant of yours is brilliant.”
“Ah thank you Mr. De Luca, it has been a dream of mine to open my own restaurant and no better place than Paris.”
“Too right you are. As lovely as this has been it seems like it’s time I get us home, but expect us to be back Mr. Zabini.”
“Please, just Blaise. Any friend of Hermione’s is a friend of mine, and it seems that friend is an understatement here.” He winked at Hermione and brought her in for one last hug. “It has truly been amazing to see you again Hermione, please promise me we won’t go another two years again.”
“I promise Blaise, I’ll owl you sometime next week and I would love to have you and Pansy over for dinner, I have become quite the chef myself these days.” She said proudly.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world. Just tell us the date and time and we will be there. It was nice to meet you Matteo, can’t wait to see the two of you again.”
“It was nice to meet you as well Blaise.” With that the newly engaged couple took their leave. As soon as they appeared in Hermione’s living room it took no time at all for Matteo to get her out of the little green dress that had been teasing him all night.
“Take me to bed and make love to your fiancé” Hermione said in a seductive tone and Matteo did just that.