The Forgotten Zabini

XXXIV

Hermione was leaning on her sitting room's balcony watching the sun set over the Lake D'Orta, the clear water reflecting the many hued sky when Blaise and Malfoy interrupted her meditative spot. Blaise whistled as he walked in. "I can clearly see who's the favorite here and it's not fair at all. Just wait until you meet my Madrina; she makes the best non-english pudding in the world and then you'll be jealous," he huffed lightheartedly as he nudged his sister's shoulder with his own. 

Draco was awfully quiet, observing the lake contemplatively. His jaw was illuminated by the dying sunlight in a way that made Hermione's brain go fuzzy when Blaise snapped his fingers in her face, bringing her back to their conversation about the plan for the next day, which Hermione had not followed at all. Malfoy smirked when Hermione looked away from him, trying to cover his smile with a brush of his hand.

Blaise was saying something about fittings and visitation when someone called out his name. He ignored it the first time but the second time the person called out his name it was accompanied by a spattering of insults for him to hurry up. "Mannaggia," Blaise cursed out, before dashing to follow Vic's orders, the one who had called for him. Hermione laughed as he almost tripped on the bottom of the doorframe and turned to look at her remaining companion.

They stayed silent until Hermione couldn't bare the lack of conversation. "You're being awfully quiet for someone who usually has something snarky to say, Malfoy. Care to share what's on your mind?" she asked, whilst raising an eyebrow in an imitation of the infuriating way he did. He gave a crooked smile at her expression and pushed his hair out of his face in a way that made her heart beat slightly faster.

"To be honest, I'm trying not to think about my bruised rib, Zabini. You've got an awfully tight grip for someone who's so thin," he said with a chuckle, and Hermione scowled. "I'll let you know that I have a deadly fear of heights and the only darned way to get here is by broom. Thank godric you're a responsible flyer or I might have upended my lunch all over your lap," she replied indignantly. The ferret looked back at the lake with a smile. "You're welcome, I guess." 

Hermione blushed a bit. How could she have forgotten her manners? "Oh, yes, err- sorry, I never thanked you. I appreciate it, truly," she quickly said, not accustomed to being so polite with someone she'd grown up defending herself against. He nodded absentmindedly and seemed to pause for a bit, as if ready to say something. He pinched his mouth and looked down at his hands clasped together where he leaned on the railing.

He took a deep breath as Hermione observed him, waiting for what he had to say. He looked a bit troubled and that made her curious, strangely. "Is there... look, before we left for Italy our conversation got cut off, nevermind the fact that it was more of an argument. I just wish- I know no words can truly make up for the years of verbal abuse I and the members of my house have said against you, but is there any way I can, I don't know... redemption is too much to ask of you but I was just hoping we could maybe go back to being friends like we sort of had been at one point at the Chateau," he breathed out, not making eye contact with her.

Before she could speak, he interrupted and continued. "And if you can't do that then I'll respect your choice and give you space, but I just... it's nice talking to you sometimes. You're really intelligent and at times not even Blaise can follow the topics I'm passionate about but I know you can," he said, and Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. The boy wasn't done yet.

"You know, at Hogwarts I sometimes wished you had been a pureblood so I could get to speak to you about our classes. I used to hope we could get paired as partners in our shared classes so that I had an excuse to speak to you, even if it were for 5 minutes," he admitted, cheeks reddening slightly at his confession. Hermione felt dizzy. This changed... loads. Her impression of him was fluctuating every day but this was a lot.