Truth Is

"Truth Is"

Chapter 1

 (Three Years Later)

 Hermione Granger stared into the plate that seemed to be packed with pearly white pasta, she inhaled the redolent smell of the spicy sauce that had been laid perfectly at the peak of the mountain of pasta and decided that she wasn't all that hungry. Her eyes flew to the redheaded woman who sat across from her, who was devouring her own plate of pasta and sauteed shrimp.

 The redhead looked at her and halted her assault on her pasta. "What? Aren't you hungry?"

 "No," Hermione answered simply, pushing the plate away from her, "I ate at my meeting earlier."

 Ginny raised a well-sculpted eyebrow at her older friend. "Is it that or is it the fact that the new Minister of Magic is back in town from his Diplomatic trip to Italy?"

 Hermione took her napkin from her nap, gracefully threw it on the table next to her almost cold plate of pasta, and glared at her young friend. "This has nothing to do with him. I’m just not hungry."

 Ginny smirked, she knew the subject made her friend extremely agitated. "Are you sure? Because for the five years that you've worked at the British office of the International Confederation of Wizards you've never eaten at a single meeting."

 "Ginny," Hermione snapped, her brown eyes widening, "I do not want to talk about him."

 "I didn't say I wanted to talk about him," Ginny replied as she dabbed the sides of her mouth with her napkin, "I only asked a simple question."

 Hermione growled under breath, Ginny could be just as annoying as her older brother's at times. "Well, Ginerva Weasley, I have given you an honest answer, so shut up."

 Ginny smiled at her old friend, deciding with the use of her full name that she would lay off the subject that could rattle her bones and give her heart palpitations. Blaise Zabini was a subject that Hermione would avoid at all costs, the handsome Italian had broken her heart three years prior and she had never made any attempt to forgive him.

 "So where is Ian taking you for your anniversary?" Ginny asked, looking to her friend expectantly.

Hermione gave a dazzling smile at the mention of her current -- and steady -- boyfriend, Ian Knight. "He keeps going on and on about how important our two-year anniversary is. I can't disagree. However, neither of us have committed to any plans."

 Ginny scoffed at Hermione's words. "You make it sound like some kind of business transaction, I'm so glad Ian has some spontaneity to balance you out."

 "Shut up," Hermione chuckled as she looked down into the plate before her. Ian Knight was the oldest son of the Purebred Wizard, Walter Knight, they were the ancestors of the founders of St. Mungo's and the current owners.

"No, seriously, Hermione," Ginny whispered, as she finished off her lunch, "I'm happy that after all these years that you are, finally, living these happy moments."

 "You know," she replied, her voice low and her eyes looking off to the side of the table at some unseen blemish in the white cloth, "I never thought I could feel like this again."

 Ginny's eyes widen as she noticed a tall, dark, smiling, figure enter the restaurant surrounded by hoards of people. She had heard rumors that he'd be attending a luncheon at some restaurant in Wizarding London but she never imagined it would be the very restaurant that she and Hermione frequented once a week. He was dressed formally in a sleek, pinstriped, suit covered by a traditional black robe, his hair was so black that the light was lost in its locks, he didn't look a day older than he did the day that he walked out Hermione's life.

"What?" Hermione asked, confused at the look that had suddenly come over her friends face.

 "The youngest Minister of Magic in a hundred and fifty years has just arrived for his luncheon," Ginny replied, venom lacing her every word, "and at Bawldric's, no less."

 "What?" Hermione hissed as she turned quickly in her chair to see the man that had visited her nightmares on so many occasions, it was the voice that could ruin any intimate moment with Ian.

~*~

 Blaise Zabini stood proudly by the table that the Host had directed him to, not noticing the two ladies watching him with something akin to hatred in their eyes. He laughed at a witless comment a colleague of his made as he pulled out a chair for his fiancÉ, his mind was racing with thoughts as the truth that his political aspirations had finally come true sunk in and he was finally back in London to stay.

 He sat next to his fiancÉ and motioned for his distinguished colleagues to seat themselves among him. Blaise threw a smirk at his best friend, Draco Malfoy, who sat on his right side like always, Draco had taken care of so many obstacles for him that he'd always keep him seated to his right for he was as important to him as his right hand. To his left sat the beautiful, wealthy, and influential daughter of the American Wizard Stock magnate, Lucas Carrington, his fiancÉ, Victoria Carrington.

Blaise looked around the room, his dark blue eyes landing approvingly over most at the table, and as he reached the end of his table he noticed a redhead and a brunette on the other side of the restaurant staring at him and his associates. His breath caught in his throat, it couldn't be? He thoughts were confirmed as the brunette caught his eye and turned around quickly, her curly hair protecting her from his gaze.

 Blaise allowed his thoughts to linger on her a few moments before returning to the group of men that surrounded him. Still, in the back of his mind he could hear her voice, it had really been three years.

~*~

 "I cannot believe he is here," Hermione whispered, running her thin fingers over her face with a sigh, "and with her, at that."

 "Are you saying that she is the same woman?" Ginny asked as she glances over Hermione's shoulder at the blond next to Blaise.

 "I'll never forget her," Hermione replied shaking her head at the scene running through her head, a scene that tormented her for months on end.

 Before either of them could whisper another word, about the sudden appearance of the past, a tall, dark-haired, wizard approached their table, completely oblivious to the tension that enveloped the air around the two witches. "Good afternoon, ladies."

 "Ian," greeted Ginny with a smile as Ian took a seat next to Hermione and nodded his greeting to her.

 "Liebe," Ian whispered his German nickname for Hermione as he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

 "How was the Hospital Budget meeting?" Hermione asked, trying to shake the image of her ex in bed with Victoria Carrington.

 "Hell," Ian smiled, his honey brown eyes flashing charmingly, "but I made it without many casualties."

 Hermione nodded, she understood how hard it was to negotiate with everyone having an agenda of their own. "Well, I'm glad you made it."

 "Was there any leeway made this morning with the Confederation?" Ian asked, speaking of the long talks that the British Confederation had been having with the French Confederation on an alliance of sorts.

 "None," Hermione replied, as Ian reached up to push a piece of hair behind her ear, "there are two many enemies sitting amongst us to aid our cause."

 "That's to be expected with all the old Death Eaters still functioning in society, five years later," Ginny remarked, while she examined the man who sat beside her friend, looking as if he could love her no more than he did at that moment, and her friend, who looked as if she had seen a ghost and was struggling not to follow it into the darkness.

Ian looked around the little eatery before turning to his girlfriend with a whisper, "Is that Blaise Zabini sitting over there?"

 "Yea," Hermione replied looking at Ginny with a worried glance, they both knew how Ian felt about the Italian wizard.

 Ian looked at his girlfriend closely, his voice hard and determined, "Ginny, I think we will be leaving now."

 Hermione nodded as they stood, she knew that Ian's hostility toward Blaise came from the emotional pain that stemmed from Blaise's treatment of her. Ginny nodded in agreement, saying, "I think that's best."

 Hermione grabbed her bag and said, "I need to go to the ladies room first, I'll be right back."

 Hermione took a deep breath as she walked away from the two, she couldn't leave the building with Ian until she could clear her head. Three years of never being in the same room with the man had suddenly come to a startling end and her emotions were in a state of constant confusion because of it. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the tall figure walking toward her until she ran into it.

 "Excuse me," she said quickly as she looked up into two familiar blue eyes.

 "No," the figure replied as he steadied her one her feet, "excuse me, Hermione."

 "Minister Zabini," Hermione remarked as her countenance hardened.

 "No need to be so formal," Blaise smiled, noticing the way she placed a wall between them quicker than she could fly a broom.

 "We aren't acquaintances, we aren't friends, we are both going to be working together. That is the extent of our relationship so there is more than enough need to be formal," Hermione snapped, in her best McGonagall voice.

 "It's been three years since I've seen you," he said looking over her petite frame in such a way that Hermione had a mind to blush, "you look good."

 "Well," she began, in an indifferent tone, "Ian says that often, I don't need you to reassure me."

 "Ian?" he questioned. "Is that the man who kissed you? Surprising, I thought it'd be Harry or Ron once I left."

 "I'd prefer if you didn't make comments about my personal life," Hermione sneered, as she turned and decided she didn't want to go to the ladies room, "and I won't make comments on the filth you keep company with."

 "Victoria is far from filth," Blaise growled as he grabbed her arm to stop her.

 "Ian Knight is more than man enough never to lay his hand on me nor lay with another woman in our bed, regardless of her station in life," Hermione replied, venomously as he released his hold on her.

 "I'm sorry, Hermione," Blaise apologized as her brown eyes glared at him, "you know you always could infuriate me."

 "Well, if I can infuriate you in less than a minute I do hope you can hold your temper when we meet in the office," she retorted as she began walking back toward the dining area.

 Blaise stood there, leaning on the wall, watching her walk away from him and sighed loudly. For some odd reason he thought things would be different when he came around the back way to meet her on her way to the restroom but it wasn't different, she treated him better than he had actually expected. He knew that he did not deserve the attention that she did give him.

~*~

 "How's that headache, Liebe?" Ian asked as he sat next Hermione on her couch.

 Hermione shrugged, something she didn't do often. "It's better. I didn't realize migraines could come so fast."

 "Well," Ian began as she laid her head on his chest, "I'm here until your bushy head stops pounding."

 "Hey," she chuckled indignantly. Ian had met Draco Malfoy at one of his many investors’ meetings, after they had begun dating, and hung onto every story that Draco had to tell of his girlfriend. Draco and Ian's families had both circuited the same Purebred circles when they were growing up so they were no strangers, their association had ended after Ian had gone to Durmstrang and Draco to Hogwarts.

 Ian, like Draco, had come from all the right circles. His father, Walter, was part of a family that owned 75 percent of the Wizarding Hospitals in Britain and his mother, Liesel, was the daughter of a German diplomat giving him prestige that spanned two countries. His status in the Wizarding world was one reason his relationship with Hermione had caused such a big stir with High society. Yet, Ian, nor did his family, pay any attention to the bigots that populated this Wizarding world.

 Ian took a deep breath before speaking, "Is this headache an aftereffect of the return of our Minister?"

 Hermione shook her head, the pounding in her temple increasing as the blood rushed to head. "No, I just feel ill so suddenly."

 Ian kissed the top of her head with a sigh as he tightened his arms around her torso. "I guess we'll just sit here and nurse it together."

~*~

 "No, you tell him that I am not going to allow his beliefs to dictate my administration, either he can take it or he can leave it," Blaise remarked decisively, before turning away from the fire place with a loud sigh.

 Blaise had been in a horrible mood ever since his run-in with Hermione earlier and he had been taking out on everyone around him, he looked around his spacious office, put his hand in pocket and sat his coffee mug down loudly. He looked at the collection of books he had acquired over the years and wondered at it all; sometimes he wondered about himself and his ethics, sometimes he wondered why he did what he did, sometimes he just wondered if it was worth it.

"Oh, Blaise," Victoria cooed, with a dazzling smile, as she entered his office, "you've been in here ever since we arrived. Oh, do come out and spend a moment entertaining me."

 They had arrived at Blaise's penthouse two hours ago and Blaise had yet to stop to spend a moment with his fiancÉ. She realized why moments after she saw the look in his eye while they were at lunch. It happened a lot over the course of three years, he would get that look in his eye and she would lose him for hours on end she had just learned to deal with it.

 "I'm sorry, Victoria," he answered as he turned to look at the beautiful blond, "I have so much to do with the Brazilian elections coming up, it's important that an ally wins, you know how that goes."

 Victoria nodded as she looked down at the gleaming hardwood floor and looked for her next words. "Is it going to be like this for now on?"

 Blaise sighed, almost guiltily. "I can't help it, Victoria, I've become who you've always wanted me to be and now I'm busy, there's nothing I can do about it."

 Victoria pursed her lips angrily. "Blaise, I do not mean your job. I meant your attitude now that you've seen her, it's like we're having an affair all over again!"

 Blaise gave a sarcastic chuckle as he shook his head. "Don't worry, Victoria, nothing will change, you will still be the Minister's wife in a matter of months!"

 "Blaise, don't be so rude," she scolded in a motherly tone, "I just don't want to lose you. You know that I do love you, Blaise, with all my heart."

 He gave a smile as he looked into her blue eyes, not actually connecting her words with her heart. "I know and I'm sorry I'm being so moody I've just been so busy."

 "Yea," she replied, softly as she turned to walk out the door.

 "Victoria," Blaise called before she disappeared behind the door, "I know you don't want to lose me and don't worry, you won't."

 "Goodnight, Blaise," Victoria whispered before shutting the door softly behind her.

 "Goodnight, Victoria," he replied softly, as he leaned back on his desk with a heavy sigh.

 Victoria would never understand how his heart worked, and truthfully, neither would he.