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Hermione watched them in fascination. He watched her, trying to gauge her reaction. She turned and looked up at him. "Your house elf is dressed like a ballerina." |
"She's free. She wears what she wants." |
"You...have a free house elf," she said incredulously. |
"I am not my father, Hermione. She also eats at the table with us as part of the family. She's family. I wouldn't have been able to manage the house and raise Scorpius after Astoria died without her help." |
"That's very progressive of you. I heard about your wife. I'm sorry for your loss." |
"Thank you. It was a very, long time ago. Come let's get some lunch and you can pepper me with all those questions I can see swimming around in that brain of yours." |
"I don't pepper.." |
"You do. You're not the brightest witch of our age because you waited around for people to volunteer information. Questions aren't a bad thing." |
They grabbed plates and filled them with salad and sandwiches. He held out a chair for her to the right of the head of the table. He sat down in his customary seat at the head. They ate in silence, listening to Rose and Tansy further down the table. |
"Why do you live here and not at the Manor?" she asked after a few bites. |
"Would you want to live there?" he asked. She shuddered at the question. "My mother has done a lot to redo the place over the years, but I had a hard time being there right after the war. All the atrocities committed there. I just couldn't do it. I inherited this from Professor Snape and decided that I would rather live here." |
"Snape left you a house?" |
"He was my godfather. I think he wanted me to have a place I could go to if I ever needed a home." |
"You're a Malfoy. Why would you ever need a home?" |
"If I hadn't been forced to save my mother, I would have become a disinherited, blood-traitor." he stared at Hermione as he said this, daring her to call him a liar. |
She chose to change the subject. "You have a free house elf. How did that happen?" |
"Tansy came to the door right after I moved in here. Astoria and I were engaged, the house was barely livable, and I didn't have the time or knowledge to get the house in order. I hired her on the spot. When Astoria died, she helped me take care of Scorpius." |
"Mummy, can Tansy and I go play ballerinas?" Rose asked them as she came up to where they were sitting. |
"I don't know honey, maybe..." |
"She'll be fine with her," Draco said quietly. |
"Okay, go ahead and play," Hermione relented. |
"Are you done eating? Let's go to the study. You'll be more comfortable there." |
He took her arm and led her out of the dining room across the foyer into his study. Double walnut doors opened into a room with floor to ceiling bookshelves on one side of the room. Across from the wall of books was a cheery fireplace with bookshelves surrounding it. A comfortable, sapphire blue couch with matching armchairs were set in front of the fireplace. Draco's large desk was near the large bay windows at the back of the room. The walls that weren't covered by bookshelves were sapphire and silver leaf print. |
"Is every room in your house blue?" Hermione asked as she gazed around. |
"Yes. Did you expect Slytherin green?" |
He grabbed the decanter of scotch from the table and two glasses and guided her over to the couch and sat next to her. He filled the glasses halfway and handed her one. "It's scotch, drink up." |
"I don't drink scotch." |
"You just found out your husband has a mistress and pack of kids. I think now's a good time to start and it's very good scotch." |
"Good point." She took a sip, made a face, then took another. She had turned her face away from him to stare around the room. |
"You can let go of that Gryffindor courage now. You've been holding it in a long time. It's time to let it out." He reached over and touched her shoulder, gently massaging her. She turned to face him, tears running down her face. |
"Why? I don't understand why he would do something like this? He had a whole secret family that none of us knew anything about. How could he do that to me? How could he do that to our daughters? How is it I had no idea? They had 4 kids together. I guess one is the same age as Minerva since they were at the Hogwarts train platform. How am I supposed to tell my girls about this?" she said, crying softly. |
"I don't have the answers for you, Hermione. I don't know why he would go and create a whole other life when he had a beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters to come home to. As for how you had no idea, did he give you any reason to believe that he was capable of this? That there was something going on?" |
"I'm not beautiful, especially right now. I'm all blotchy and blubbery. Why are you flattering me?" |
He cupped her face in both hands and wiped away the tears streaming down her face with his thumbs. He held her face so that she was forced to look in his eyes. "It's not flattery to tell a beautiful woman that she is beautiful. It's just speaking the truth. Don't let anyone ever make you think that you are anything other than beautiful. Even when you've been crying, you're still beautiful. You've had something terrible happen to you that's shattered everything you thought you knew, and it may take you some time to pull the pieces back together, but that doesn't change who you are. You are still a beautiful, smart, and courageous witch, who is an amazing mother. Other things may change in your life, but those things will not." |
Hermione started crying in earnest, deep, grief-stricken sobs. Draco pulled on her shoulders and Hermione launched herself into Draco's chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and sobbed into his chest. Draco picked her up and settled her more comfortably on his lap. He wrapped an arm tight around her waist, rested his chin on the top of her head, and stroked her hair with his other hand. |
It broke his heart to hear her cry like this. He would have given all the money out of his vaults in Gringotts to keep her from ever having to cry again. He hated that she was crying over Weasley. He was furious that Weasley had betrayed her like this. He regretted not fighting for her years ago. She wouldn't be going through all this if he had. |
Hermione pulled back to look at him once she had calmed down. Draco tenderly wiped away her tears. Hermione looked at the large wet spot on his dark gray shirt and cringed. "I'm sorry. I think I've rather soaked your shirt." |
"Don't worry about it. It's just a shirt." Draco waved his hand and cast a quick, wandless Scourgify on the wet spot so Hermione wouldn't be uncomfortable leaning against him. He gently pressed her back down so that she lay against his chest again. |
"What am I supposed to do now? Where are Rose and I supposed to go? I can't be near Ron right now." She said against his chest. |
"You can stay here for as long as you want." |
She reared up off his chest to look at him. "You can't be serious. I can't stay here. What will people say? I don't want to impose on you and your life. We're not even friends." Hermione interrupted him. |
"I don't give a damn what people say," he said vehemently, "and I'd like for you to consider me a friend." |
"I'm sorry, that was rude. You've been so kind to both of us." |
"Don't apologize. Please, say you'll stay." |
"Why? Why should I stay with you?" |
"You'll be safe here. Harry is the only one who knows where you are. There's no one here who's going to pressure you to do anything before you're ready or coerce you into making decisions while you're vulnerable. Your presence could never be an imposition. Say you'll stay, please. Say you'll stay and let me take care of you." He hoped he hadn't pushed her too far by asking that she stay. |
"I can take care of myself. I'm not some damsel in distress." |
"I know you can take care of yourself. You're the most capable witch I know. That doesn't mean that you should have to right now. Letting others care for you doesn't make you weak. Say you'll stay, please." |
"I'll stay and thank you. Thank you for saving me on the platform and taking care of us and letting me soak your shirt." |
They ate dinner together that night. He got to know Rose better. She really was an adorable child. She climbed up into his lap after dinner and politely demanded that he read her a story. Hermione tried telling him that he didn't have to but he waved her off. |
He took them to his study and had Rose pick out a book of Scorpius's. They read together on the couch until Rose fell asleep. He carried her up to Scorpius's room and they tucked her into his bed. |
"Are you tired or would you like to go back down and have another drink with me?" he asked. |
"I don't think I can sleep yet. Let's go get sloshed." |
He laughed at her answer. "Let's see what we can do about that." |
They sat watching the flames dance in the fireplace, not talking. Draco had given her more scotch. He refilled her glass when she emptied it and refilled his own as much as he refilled hers. They were both a little drunk. Hermione was chewing on her lip, deep in thought. |
"Tell me what you're thinking," Draco finally said. |
"My marriage is over. I'm not going to take him back. I don't care what his explanation is. Explanation! Oh, let me explain away cheating on you for at least twelve years and siring four children. I don't need a bloody explanation," raged Hermione. |
Good, the anger was coming. Draco remained silent and let her rage. Hermione had grabbed one of his silver throw pillows and was beating it with her fists. He had a feeling that it would never be the same after she was done mauling it. He didn't care. She could rip the entire room to shreds if it made her feel better, though he doubted it would come to that. Hermione would sooner rip her own arms off before she damaged a book. |
"That bastard! Thirteen years of marriage. Thirteen years of me supporting his stupid Quidditch dreams after he decided that being an Auror "wasn't for him'. I practically raised our daughters by myself while he was touring with the team. I guess now I know that he wasn't touring and practicing as much as I thought. I never once suspected that he would be out screwing around. Gah, how could I have been so stupid and blind!" |
Draco spoke now. He wasn't going to let her blame or disparage herself for this. Best to stop it now before it got worse. "You're not stupid. Quite the opposite. He was your husband. You trusted him. You trusted him to be true to you. He violated that trust. It doesn't make you stupid for trusting him. You should be able to trust your spouse with everything." |
"I'm going to hex his balls off the next time I see him and anyone else who gets in my way," she glared at him, knowing he had stopped her before from doing just as she threatened. |
"Provided there are no children present this time, I may just help you. How about a nice Slugulus Eructo hex? I'm sure he'll have a fun time vomiting up slugs again," Draco replied. |
"Don't make fun of me. I mean it." |
"So do I. He deserves whatever punishment you decide to throw at him and I plan on throwing a few myself while you're not looking." |
She smiled at that. "That's quite Slytherin of you." |
"Once a snake, always a snake," he laughed. |
Draco took the drink from Hermione's hand and set it back down on the table and his with it. "It's late and has been a long day. I think it's time for bed. Do you need a Calming Draught or are you drunk enough to sleep okay tonight?" he asked. |
"I'm probably drunk enough to sleep through a parade right now. Thanks for that. I'm gonna have one hell of a hangover tomorrow." |
He walked over to his desk, pulled two green vials out of a drawer, and handed her one. "Here. It's Hangover Cure. Drink it now and you won't have a hangover tomorrow." |
Draco drank his vial down and Hermione followed. He set the vials down next to the glasses. Tansy would clean it up in the morning. |
Draco escorted Hermione up to her room and opened the door for her. Hermione hugged him goodnight as they stood just inside the doorway. |
"Thanks for rescuing me today," she said against his chest. |
"No thanks are necessary. I'm glad I was able to be of service to you. Goodnight Hermione." he ran his hands over her hair. |
"Goodnight Draco." |
He went to bed and lay there staring up at the ceiling. She was here in his house. Just across the hall from him. She was leaving that lying, cheating bastard of a husband. |
The Daily Prophet |
Monday, September 2, 2013 |
Draco sat down to breakfast the next morning. Hermione and Rose hadn't made an appearance yet. A copy of The Daily Prophet was waiting for him beside his plate along with the day's morning post delivery. Tansy had the paper on top and Draco took this to mean that she believed that the paper was the most important thing to start his day with. |
Draco unfolded the paper and groaned as he got a good look at the headline and photo on the front page. A collage of photos covered the most of the front page. It seemed they chose to rely on the old cliché, a photo tells a thousand words. The central photo was of him with his arm around Hermione's waist, keeping her from attacking Weasley. Arranged around it were other photos, a photo of him talking to her with his hands on her shoulders, a photo of him in Weasley's face, a photo with his hands on Hermione's and Rose's shoulders right before they left. |
Smaller photos of what must have happened after they left were circled around the one's of Hermione and him. It looked like Harry had yelled at Weasley after they left and another with Weasley leaving the platform with Lavender and their children. The article below read: |
Trouble in Paradise By Rita Skeeter |
There are rumors that there may be trouble in paradise between Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, the two best friends of Harry Potter. Some incident occurred between the two after the Hogwarts" train left yesterday morning. A frighteningly, angry Hermione Granger was led away from the platform by interestingly enough, Draco Malfoy, with her youngest daughter in tow. Harry and Ginny Potter left shortly thereafter. A guilty-looking Ronald Weasley and an unknown woman left shortly after the Potters with 3 curiously, red-haired children. It is unknown what occurred between the two or the fate of their relationship. Neither party has been available for comment. |
The article went on to detail the interesting facts about the couple's relationship and their respective careers. There was also speculation about his involvement in the whole incident since Hermione was seen leaving with him. |
Great! This scandal was all she needed to deal with right now. He set the paper aside, disgusted and picked up the next bit of mail which, surprisingly enough, was from his mother. He opened the note and read: |
Draco, I will be coming over for tea today at two. No excuses will be allowed so you might as well resign yourself to the fact that I will be coming. I have already let Tansy know. ~Your loving mother. |
Draco was setting the letter down just as Hermione walked in, grabbed a plate, and filled it with the food that was sitting at the sideboard. |
"Good morning," Draco greeted Hermione. |
"Good morning," Hermione responded glumly. |
"Where's Rose at this morning?" Draco asked. |
"Apparently, she and Tansy have already had their breakfast this morning and are playing princess ballerinas right now," she said as she sat down in the chair he pulled out for her. |
"Ah, I hope you don't mind. Tansy would do that with Scorpius most mornings. She probably did it on purpose this morning though." |
"I don't mind. She really is a sweet elf. Why would she do it on purpose though?" Hermione asked. |
"Check out this morning's Prophet." Draco handed the paper over to Hermione and watched her closely as she read the article. The blood drained from her face then flooded back as she read the article. The longer she read the redder she became. Draco blessed Tansy's foresight in keeping Rose occupied. He had just enough time to lock the door to the dining room and cast a silencing charm before she exploded. |
"I'm so glad that my marriage has become the topic for salacious gossip. Does no one have any decency? How did they manage to get so many pictures? Frighteningly angry! I'll show her frighteningly angry. At least that insect managed to get her suppositions mostly correct. But then to act like you had something to do with any of what happened. The nerve of the woman. How dare she even try to allude that you had anything to do with what happened! I noticed she didn't try to say Lavender had anything to do with the revelations on the platform, didn't even mention her by name. Why not make it a little more accurate and attention grabbing and make the headline "Ronald Weasley: Lying, Cheating Scum." I'm going to trap her in a jar and leave her there this time." |
Draco was a little surprised that she was so mad for his sake and somewhat confused about the jar. He reached over and placed his hand on hers to get her attention. |
"Don't be mad for my sake. This isn't the worst thing that's ever been printed about me. It will blow over in a few days and people will find something else to gossip about. And I told you, I don't give a damn what people say...or print about me. You shouldn't either. Don't waste your time getting mad at the press." |
"You really don't care what they say?" |
"I wouldn't care if they said we went and had sex on the platform bench right after. They can say what they want. The people who believe that rubbish just don't matter to me. If the people I care about want to know what's going on, they'll ask me about it." |
"Like anyone would believe you would have sex with me." |
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" |
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