Collide

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find
You and I collide

--Howie Day

Blaise made his way into the Leaky Cauldron. Sighing, he thought that only Weasley would have his stag night here. The group of them was huddled at the bar, and with all that red hair in one place, it was hard to miss them. Pushing his way through the crowd, Blaise had to admit that Seamus had done a fine job in classing up the place since he'd taken it over two years ago.

"ZABINI!" Ron shouted. "Where have you been?"

"I just got back to London a few hours ago," Blaise explained.

"And he needed to see his girl, I'm sure," Harry said with a smile.

"Well, there is that," Blaise admitted, flushing slightly. 'If they only knew what else I needed to take care of,' he thought to himself. Shaking his head, he grinned. "Next round's on me. What's everyone drinking?"

Weasley's bachelor party cheered loudly and Seamus started pouring drinks like a madman. Gripping two mugs of something green and oozing smoke, Blaise made his way to the corner in which Harry was standing by himself. He handed one of the mugs to Harry and, gesturing with his own, told him to drink up. They both took one gulp and gagged.

"What is this?" Harry said, coughing.

"Don't know. Seamus said it would put hair on ye chest," Blaise replied, doing a passable Irish accent. "According to everyone I know, you need it," he added in his normal tone. "So drink up."

Harry grimaced but gamely took another gulp. About half-way through, he was feeling a little more relaxed and the two men chatted about the vineyard and Quidditch. Harry had come to stay in Italy in the months followed graduation from Hogwarts and he and Blaise had fallen into an easy friendship, based initially on Millicent. As the months passed and they worked to restart Zabini Vineyards again, they discovered they actually had a lot in common. And although Blaise would never admit it, he missed Harry when the bespectacled wizard had taken a position with Puddlemere.

"So I told Frank that we needed to hire a foreman to oversee operations and he says to me that..."

"Caught ya," Ron said, stumbling over to them. "Leave it to you two to be talking about work."

Blaise shrugged. "Leave it to you to be pissed at..." He checked his watch. "Eight-thirty."

"I can hold my liquor. I think you two need to catch up," the redhead replied, using his wand to summon three shots of Odgen's. They each took a shotglass. "A toast," Ron said, raising his glass.

"You can't toast yourself, Ron," Harry said, exasperation evident in his voice.

"A toast to the two best mates a bloke could have," Ron continued, ignoring Harry's outburst. "Alla salute!" he said, downing his shot in one gulp.

"Alla salute!" the other two men said, joining him.

"Let's have another," Ron suggested immediately as he fought his way back to the bar.

"I don't think I should," Harry said, swaying a little.

"I'll let you in on a secret, mate," Blaise confided. "Hermione made me promise to get you right pissed and find out who you're bringing to the wedding tomorrow." Harry shrugged. "But I told her that a bloke is entitled to a few secrets."

*****************************

Blaise found his favorite Weasley in the opposite corner talking to Charlie. "Bill," he greeted the cursebreaker warmly.

"Blaise, how have you been?" Bill said, extending his hand.

"Fine, fine. What have you been up?" the younger man asked.

"Lezioni di lingua," Bill said smoothly.

"Perche?"

"I Gringotts sta trasmettendolo là."

"What does Fleur have to say about all this?" Blaise asked.

Bill grinned. "Frankly, I think she's more excited than me."

"If you need a place to stay, we've got plenty of room." Dropping his voice, he added, "And they'll be more room there soon."

Bill's eyes lit up. "So you're finally going to do it?" he asked loudly.

"Shh," Blaise hissed. "I don't fancy everyone here knowing that I'm moving back."

"Moving back?" Harry said, interrupting the conversation. "At last! I would have thought you'd have come back ages ago."

Blaise shrugged. "I couldn't until I was sure that the winery would survive."

"That's why you want to hire a foreman," Harry said, snapping his fingers. Blaise just rolled his eyes.

************************************

"Mr. Zabini, if I could have a moment please."

Blaise turned to find Professor McGonagall ('No, not professor,' he corrected himself.) "Headmistress, it's so nice to see you," he said, smiling at his former teacher. Although he had never really liked her, he knew that she was Hermione's favorite and resolved to be extra nice to her.

"Is it true that you're considering moving back to England?" McGonagall demanded.

Blaise looked shocked. "I don't see how that's your concern."

"25 points from Slytherin and detention for your impudent behavior, Mr. Zabini." At the look that crossed Blaise's face, McGonagall burst out laughing. "I'm teasing, of course." She rearranged her features into a more serious expression. "As you may have heard, Professor Vector is retiring. And I am looking for a new Arithmancy professor."

"I'd think that Hermione would be better suited..." he stammered out.

"And I think you would be," McGonagall replied. "We know it was you who translated the instructions for Potter."

"Hermione and I translated it."

McGonagall nodded. "Fair enough. It still stands that I need an Arithmancy professor. I'm offering the position to you and not to Miss Granger." Her tone softened. "At least consider it."

"Headmistress, they're ready for you," Charlie said softly, interrupting before Blaise could respond. He nodded once as Charlie and McGonagall headed into the tent. Blaise followed several minutes behind and found a seat in the same row as Seamus and Dean along with their respective dates. He waved to his former classmates absently while pondering the job which McGonagall had just offered to him. Merlin knew, he wanted to move back to the U.K., but he was thinking something a little closer to London, something a little closer to Hermione. She'd taken a position within the Department of Mysteries immediately upon graduation and had quickly risen to deputy in the four years since ('utter chaos,' is how she termed the organization when she'd first begun work there).

Blaise was brought out of his reverie when a female voice said, "Excuse me." He stood up to allow the tall, blond woman to brush by. She looked very familiar to him, but he couldn't place her. Sitting beside her, he smiled.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello," he replied. He snuck one more sideways glance at her. 'Who was this woman?' he wondered.

Before he could engage her in conversation, Ron, Harry, and Peter Bones came through a flap in the front of the tent to join Headmistress McGonagall. Music started soon after that. Ginny glided down the aisle, only the slight bump in her abdomen betraying her pregnancy. As she passed Neville, she smiled widely and he grinned shyly back at her. Hermione came down the aisle next and Blaise's heart stopped for a minute at the sight of her. The blue robes that Susan had chosen looked glorious with Hermione's chestnut hair and tanned skin. Her eyes locked with Blaise's for a second and she graced him with the beautiful smile he'd come to think of as his alone. One corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile.

Finally, Susan walked up the aisle on the arms of her parents. She was looking at Ron as if he were the only person in the tent. No one had imagined that when they'd been paired up as novice Aurors a little over a year ago it would lead to this. Ron initially had a hard time believing that Susan was actually interested in him, but her persistence wore down his resistance. And today, they were being married.

**********************************

Outside, Blaise found himself once again standing next to the tall blonde who'd sat next to him during the ceremony. Just as he'd made up his mind to speak to her, Harry and Hermione traipsed over.

"Hello, love," Hermione said, giving him a quick kiss.

"Blaise," Harry said, shaking his friend's hand. "I see you've met Katie then," he said, gesturing to the blonde.

"K-katie?" Blaise stammered in reply.

Harry took the blonde's hand in his own. "Hermione, you remember Katie, don't you?" he said by way of introduction.

"Katie, it's so nice to see you again," Hermione said, shocked that this was Harry's date. "I didn't know that you and Harry kept in touch."

Katie smiled and squeezed Harry's hand. "We met up last year when we were training for the World Cup. It was nice to see a friendly face."

"Katie Bell!" Blaise blurted out, flushing a deep shade of red when he realized he's said it aloud. "Sorry," he apologized. "I've been trying to place you."

"Forgive him. He's a bit..." Hermione began.

"Of a git," Ginny said, as she and Neville made their way over.

"Hey!" Blaise objected.

"She'll just blame it on hormones," Neville said in a stage whisper. Ginny punched him lightly on the arm.

"So, how long have you and Harry been seeing each other?" Hermione asked bluntly.

"Forgive her. She's a bit nosy," Blaise said, one arm snaking around her shoulders.

"Six months," Harry answered.

***********************************

Hermione was standing near the punch bowl, watching Ron and Susan as well as Harry and Katie take a spin on the dance floor. A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and Blaise dropped a kiss on her neck.

"Knut for your thoughts?" he asked.

"Just happy for everyone," she sighed. "Ron and Harry both look so content."

"And you? Are you content?" he asked softly, fully expecting her to agree. The silence stretched out uncomfortably. "Hermione?"

She pulled out of his embrace. "Look, there's Arthur," she said, moving to the other side of the tent.

"What's going on there?" Katie asked Harry, gesturing toward where Blaise was standing with his mouth open.

"Dunno," Harry said. "Maybe Hermione's getting tired of waiting for him." She tilted her head quizzically. "They've been together for..." He did some quick maths in his head. "Over four years now. Since seventh year."

"And he hasn't proposed yet?"

Harry smiled wanly. "He proposed to her once. The day Millie died," he replied softly. Katie leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. Shaking away the bad thoughts, he continued, "But since then, he hasn't."

"Maybe they just need a nudge," she said slyly. Harry knew that look in her eye all too well and leaned closer as she explained.

*********************************

Hermione was talking with Ron and Susan about their honeymoon plans when she noticed Katie leading Blaise out onto the dance floor. Her eyes narrowed as they began to sway to the music, Katie's arms around Blaise's neck and his resting on her hips.

"So what do you do, Mr. Zabini?" Katie asked as they moved about the dance floor.

"I've been running my family's winery," he said. It was odd to be able to look his dance partner in the eye, he thought.

"You're that Zabini?"

"Yes," he said. "Harry helped me get the vineyard back on track four years ago."

Katie nodded. "I know. He told me. Those months meant a lot to him."

"Me, too," he admitted with a smile.

Hermione's jaw tightened when she saw Blaise smile at Katie and then lean closer to catch whatever pearl of wisdom dropped from the blonde's mouth.

"And then we're going to drop into an active volcano," Susan said, sharing a amused smile with Ron.

"Sounds wonderful," Hermione murmured absentmindedly.

"Are you all right then, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Fine, fine," she replied. "Never better." She scowled as Katie ('That bint,' Hermione thought viciously. 'I thought she was here with Harry.') whispered something in Blaise's ear.

"P-propose?" Blaise stammered out, casting a look in Hermione's direction as if he were concerned she'd heard.

"Harry said something about how you proposed to Hermione after the final battle," Katie said.

He laughed nervously. "Oh that."

"What did you think I meant?" Katie paused. "You're not thinking of proposing again, are you?" She sighed. "Merlin, wouldn't that be romantic? Going down to the pond at a wedding and being proposed to."

"Remind me to tell Harry that," Blaise said, desperate to change the subject.

"Please do," she agreed. Smiling, she explained, "I love Harry more than anyone else in the world, but he needs a little help in the romance department sometimes." The music stopped and Katie kissed Blaise on the cheek. "Sometimes I think all men need a little help in the romance department. Thanks for the dance."

Hermione was seeing red as the music ended. Blaise saw her and gave a little wave. With a swish of her robes that would have made Snape proud, she pivoted and strode away, again leaving Blaise gaping after her. Spotting Professor McGonagall speaking with Molly Weasley, he made up his mind.

"I need to speak to you," he said to the older woman. "In private."

******************************

Hermione was sitting in her lovely robes on the small sandy beach at the pond. Her chin was resting on her drawn up knees. Even so often, she flung a small pebble into the pond, watching as the ripples spread out across the surface.

"Hermione."

She didn't have to look up to know it was Blaise. "I'm surprised your girlfriend let you out of her sight."

"It was just a dance." He paused. "Besides which, I wasn't the one who said I was unhappy."

"I never said I was unhappy."

He snorted. "You just didn't say that you were happy."

She stood up, brushed off her robes, and sighed. "I want to fall asleep in your arms each night and I want to wake up next to you each morning. I'm tired of only seeing you a few times each month. I just..." He had reached out to take her hand and she broke off abruptly.

"I'm glad you remember what this means," he said with a smile. "I'm tired of that too. That's why I've accepted a job closer to you."

"A job?" She was stunned.

Blaise nodded. "You're looking at the new Arithmancy professor at Hogwarts."

Hermione's mouth opened and shut in her best impression of a fish. "H-hogwarts?" she finally managed to choke out.

"I know that it's not London, but it's far better than Italy."

"But the vineyard..."

"Hermione, are you looking for reasons for this not to work out?" he asked, frustrated.

"No, I just want to be sure that this is what you want," she replied.

"The vineyards are in good hands. Frank's going to hire a foreman to run the place," he said, tugging her closer. "I want to be with you. I know that we'll still be long-distance for a bit. But I've spoken to Professor McGonagall and, once we're married, I have permission to live in Hogsmeade."

"M-married?" she squeaked out.

He gulped. "Yes, I think four years is a long enough time to wait, don't you?" Pulling a box out of the inside pocket of his robe, he handed it to her. "Well, open it then."

She shook her head. "I don't need to open it," she whispered, kissing him gently. "Of course I'll marry you."