Enjoy!

Her silhouette could be seen, eternally watching, waiting. The rain rolled down the window relentlessly as the tea in her hands grew colder. Her body stood stiff as her eyes roamed the landscape, willing something to change; willing anything, everything, to happen.

It had been two weeks ago that the sky had blackened and silence swept their world.

New Year's Day had started with an air of anticipation developing in her abdomen. Hermione knew today was different; she could taste it, swelling her tongue and constricting her air supply. She had spent the afternoon preparing for Blaise and Draco's party. She had finally slipped on her dress and was in the process of putting her earrings in when an owl tapped on the window, offering a letter in the brisk wind.

She tore it open.

Her throat became tighter, her breathing burst forward in small pants as she read the letter that congratulated her on her up and coming internship to train as Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Her first thought was of Narcissa. Through all the letters and meetings, she found the woman as the most sincere confidant she had. Narcissa had encouraged her to apply and even offered to write a letter of reference, strongly saying that Hermione didn't even need it.

And that was when she slipped on her shoes and apparated to Malfoy Manor, intent on finding Narcissa.

She stumbled up the drive in her excitement, rocking on her heels while she waited for the door to open. The Malfoy matriarch stood regal in the light of the hall taking in the light in Hermione's eyes and the happiness flushing her cheeks. Without waiting, Hermione took hold of Narcissa's hand, pulling her along to the foremost sitting room. The elder woman offered a giggle in her confusion.

Hermione quickly shut the door whilst holding the woman's hands close to her chest, "You'll never believe it! You're the first person I'm telling! It's absolutely amazing!"

Narcissa's smile grew wider, "Dear, what is it?"

A small squeal left the girl's throat as she took in Narcissa's beaming face, "I've been accepted to intern to become the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"

The two women began slightly jumping together in Hermione's happiness, something Draco and Blaise found quite strange when they happened upon them. Blaise had found himself enraptured with the former Gryffindor lately and had found himself running into her on more than one occasion for the past week.

Blaise had been running some errands for Draco and his last stop was in Flourish and Blott's where he found the famous bookworm. Unable to reel in his habit for annoying others, he approached her immediately.

"Draco already warned me about you, you know. Come on, you bother and infuriate me over breakfast." she had said, laughingly.

And that's when Blaise realized how he had underestimated this brilliant, funny, and sincere woman. They joined for lunch almost every day; becoming great friends in the process. He would have never imagined that he had found such a friend the night of Potter's engagement party. Blaise returned to reality when his best mate approached the women, carefully separating them before inquiring as to what the hell they were doing.

Narcissa scolded her son for such language while Hermione laughed. She turned and noticed Blaise still in the doorway.

"Blaise!"

He took in the girl almost sprinting towards him but did not fail to notice the scowl on Draco's face.

Interesting.

Before he could analyze the situation further, Hermione jumped onto him, embracing him with such force he almost fell backwards.

"I got it, Blaise! The owl came today! I start next week!"

The Italian took in the wild flush on her cheeks and the way her smile was so, so genuine. He hugged her tightly while smugly recalling their conversation where he told her that she would get it.

"Told you so."

A voice interrupted them, saturated in curiosity but with an undeniable agitation, "Well?"

Hermione turned to face Draco and embraced him as well, allowing his scowl to slip away.

Interesting, very interesting, Blaise thought with an air of victory as he noticed that all of Draco's agitation had vanished when Hermione gave all her attention to him. Blaise watched as Hermione told Draco her news and the blonde wrapped her in another hug.

"How about we all get to the party?"

Narcissa retreated from the room and the three followed her. Blaise lagged behind, continuously examining the pair. Draco had offered Hermione his arm and was eagerly asking Hermione all about her new opportunity. Blaise lifted an eyebrow as he noticed that Draco had held onto Hermione the entire walk to the ballroom, his grey eyes alight.

Checkmate.

The party had commenced with the unfamiliar air of new beginnings. Glasses clattered in unremembered toasts and dances were never ending. Hermione had been standing with Narcissa when Harry and Ginny entered followed by a hesitant Ron and Lavender. Overcoming her shock, Hermione approached the group.

"I'm so glad you all came."

Hermione tried to not let her disappointment show when Ron, not responding, grabbed Lavender's hand and led her away to the dance floor. Harry rubbed her back gently and said that he and Ginny were going to go to the bar. Ginny kissed Hermione's cheek with an apologetic smile before following her fiancé. She hadn't even been able to begin to tell them her good news.

She turned on her heel to be met with a wicked smirk on Draco's face, "I believe we have yet to dance together."

He took her glass and gently set it on the nearest table before leading her onto the floor. Hermione felt a fire shimmer down her body as he pulled her closer, leaning his mouth to her ear and whispering just how beautiful he thought she looked tonight.

She lost herself in this moment. She hadn't felt so together in a long time. The song was beautiful, ending on a solemn note so unlike the lilting vibrations it had been unleashing. A perfect, morose ending.

She felt her knees tremble and knock together when they broke apart; the force of their parting sending her into spasms of wanting to regain contact. She locked her eyes onto the floor as she spoke, "Would you like to-"

The completion of her question would never be heard because of a well-placed, very powerful Reducto spell that splintered the ballroom's doors into thousands of pieces. When Hermione tried to recall what happened after that, everything became a painting of blurred colors and distorted lines. She remembered Draco running off into the cloud of spell remnants and Draco dragging Blaise by the arm back to her. She couldn't see beyond the smoke.

"Take her to the East wing and stay there."

She had been speechless but Blaise had been screaming, screaming for Draco to come with them or, at least, let him fight alongside him. That's when Draco turned to her, "Go out that door," he pointed to an opening opposite them, "and make two lefts and a right. Blaise knows the rest."

Blaise began pushing Draco, "You're not going out there without me!"

Lights filled the room: red, green, white. She felt herself becoming more and more unwound, disoriented. She felt strong fingers lift her chin as Draco brought his face closer to hers, his breath fluttering along her cheeks.

"Hermione, I need you to go now. Focus, please. Take yourself and Blaise far from here."

A spell ricocheted and narrowly missed Draco's shoulder, effectively breathing life into Hermione. "Where's Harry and everyone?"

He noticed the wild despondency roaring in her demeanor, and quickened his words, "I'll take care of everything, please, just go!" He pushed her towards Blaise and disappeared. She intertwined her fingers with Blaise's and they began to run.

They had been running for an unrelenting amount of time. Her chest was tight and her throat was sore from continuous panting. Her muscles were begging for rest but Blaise held tight. They had taken lefts, rights, and opened doors that revealed hallways full of more lefts and rights. Finally, Blaise opened a door that led to a large study, complete with rows upon rows of books and two couches by an already angry fire.

They had been watching the fire as if it held the world's most innermost secrets, looking for any clue that it would dispose of those words it held close to its chest and let them know what they desired to hear.

A clock from somewhere in the heart of the manor struck twelve and seemed to unveil Blaise from his stupor. He rose to his feet to point his wand with a shaking hand at the unoccupied desk and proceeded to blow it apart.

"Reducto! Reducto! Baubillious!"

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she stood, prying Blaise's wand away and repairing the furniture before sitting him on the couch.

"What's going on, Blaise?" She spoke in a small voice, afraid of the answer, "Where's Draco?"

The man appeared broken as he let his face fall into his hands, "Please understand. There are things I can't tell you, Hermione. But I know that this wasn't supposed to happen. And I think Draco's being targeted."

"But he's an Auror. Surely he can handle this."

Blaise continued speaking muffled words into his shaking palms, "I can't explain. I swore I wouldn't tell anyone. Where do you think he is? Do you think he's alright?"

She knew, all too well, the tone his voice had taken. The voice of someone so afraid, so hopeless that they have no idea what to do. The same tone her voice had.

They weren't on the verge of hysteria. They weren't standing on that ledge of despair.

They had already fallen, already collapsed.

She was close to tears and didn't know how to help him.

"Happy New Years, Blaise." She gently kissed him on the cheek before tucking herself into his side.

And today, two weeks later, she still stood in this study. Remaining here for Draco's return, only coming and going when work was inescapable. The excitement of her new career had been completely overshadowed by her anxiety and depression.

It had been raining since Draco, Harry, and Ron had disappeared. Ginny and Lavender had opened the study door the morning after the explosion and laid on the couch, every day until nighttime, unseeing.

Ginny was monotone, "Harry and Ron said to wait here."

Narcissa sat with them while Hermione sat near Blaise. He didn't say anything after that night; no one did.

They just remained there, watching, waiting.

She was worried for Narcissa and the girls but all her attention really focused on Blaise. He had become a completely different person after Draco left. No longer humorous, no longer annoying. No longer anything. A week ago, Narcissa had pulled Hermione aside.

"The poor boy has no one else. Draco always did say he hid in his humor."

Hermione turned to the woman in curiosity. The woman had become paler; bags forming underneath her lifeless eyes. Narcissa just turned her head in Blaise's direction, "Draco is all he has. His parents were killed by Voldemort and he has no extended family. He's always felt extremely alone. During the battle, they melded to each other's sides. Draco had turned to the light and his only supporter was Blaise. In turn, Draco is the only family Blaise has."

Understanding flitted over Hermione's features. She nodded in gratitude before reclaiming her spot next to the silent man. She took his hand in hers and held it there, unmoving, unwavering. And with his gaze, an understanding passed.

Blaise's despair deepened to unimaginable depths each day. And each day, she still held his hand. And so today, she stood at the window, Blaise's hand firmly grasped in her own.

"You'll always have me," she whispered as bullets of rain pelted the window. She didn't need an answer, everything was clear when his grip tightened.

And they remained there, watching, waiting.

And then she saw it.

A flash at the gates, a movement so swift she was lucky to catch it. Three heads were there and then they were gone.

"Blaise-"

Before she could say anything more, the distinct sound of apparition exploded in the room. It was a sight so magical, so impossibly blissful that she was overcome with emotion.

Ginny and Lavender began shouting as they ran into their other halves' arms. Narcissa approached Draco, lightly moving a lock of hair off his forehead as she began to cry before pulling him into her arms.

Hermione pulled Blaise over to the group. She timidly stood in front of Ron.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I'm," she stammered over what to say but was relieved when he nodded his head. And in that second, she saw him. The Ron she had loved. The Ron she would have given anything for: her Ron. And in that second, she was happy.

Harry quickly pulled Hermione to him, hiding his face in her hair, "I'm so sorry. We were gone for so long and I missed you so much."

Hermione gripped him tighter as he pulled his head back, "And what's this Malfoy said about you becoming Head of a Ministry Department?"

She nodded and they held each other tighter. She looked into Draco's eyes over Harry's shoulder.

And that was when Draco paced his way slowly to her and she collapsed into his arms, letting the worry wash off of her.

Blaise never let go of her hand.

She lifted her mouth to Draco's ear, "Please, be kind. He's been wasting away."

It might have come out more stern than she meant in her protectiveness.

Draco pulled away gently before focusing his attention on the man standing before him. He opened his arms, indicating that it was alright for Blaise to come to him. Hermione watched, her heart warming, as Blaise shuffled forward, eyes downcast.

As she watched, waited, for Blaise to speak, to laugh, to finally be happy; he surprised her.

Blaise Zabini did not walk into Draco's embrace, did not make a joke and laugh along, or smile in relief.

He shoved his forehead onto Draco's shoulder, his arms hanging limply at his sides, and Blaise Zabini burst into tears.