Prologue
The brunette didn't pay much attention to the official's words. Why should she? He was making her nightmare come true. And she couldn't remember what for exactly. They were happy together. They lived a life like a fairy tale. But then something went wrong, and their fairy tale turned into a never-ending nightmare Hermione couldn't wake up from.
They were a rather strange couple to the outside world. She didn't blame anyone, because she had trouble believing it herself at first. She always thought she would end up with Ron. And although she loved Ron, now only as a brother, she was immensely relieved that she never started dating him. Instead, she found love where she would never have expected it. Everyone told her to be careful, and she was overly cautious for a long time before her Slytherin showed her that just as purebloods were prejudiced against muggles, she was prejudiced against Slytherins.
They had first started talking before the war, but at that time she would never have thought she would one day marry him. He and Ginny were constantly bickering, and since Hermione was mostly present for their endless arguments about who was better at Quidditch, he eventually began to turn his attention to her as well. She was very surprised when he actually tried to have a conversation with her and didn't insult her parentage like the other Slytherins. Later, it started to happen that he sought out her company even without Ginny present, and Hermione didn't complain at all. He was different from her other friends. She always laughed so much with him, but at the same time, there was a mystery surrounding him that drew her to him. But even when they became quite good friends, she never once dared to think that there was something more between them. These thoughts only occurred when she left Hogwarts with Harry and Ron. She had to think of him all the time when she was looking for horcruxes. She hated herself for not realizing her feelings for him much sooner. What if it was too late now? What if one of them doesn't survive the war? In these moments when she thought the worst, she thought about writing to him. But she knew she couldn't. It would be unnecessarily risky, and she couldn't jeopardize their mission. She knew her duty. That was all she had to focus on, otherwise, none of them would have a future.
When they finally defeated Voldemort, she was so busy helping others that she didn't have time to make sure he was okay. She kept looking around to see if she could see him, but she never got lucky, and she was starting to panic. Thinking that something must have happened to him, she had to endure for a few hours before Ginny finally told her that he had to go see his mother, who was in danger. The redhead also told her he would get back to her as soon as he could. And so Hermione finally calmed down for a small moment. In the days that followed, she kept helping with something to keep herself busy and not have to think about when she would finally get a message from him.
But the days started disappearing one after another and she didn't get any news. They worked all summer to restore Hogwarts so that the students would have a place to return to in September. Their year was offered to end with a substitute diploma or to repeat the whole year and finish properly with the N.E.W.T.s. Neither Ron nor Harry had returned to school, but of course, she wasn't going to miss this chance. And she was grateful for this decision because, on the way to Hogwarts, her lost Slytherin suddenly appeared in her coupe. On the way, he told her how he had to see his mother because the Death Eaters started attacking their mansion. She, in turn, told him everything she had experienced while searching for the horcruxes and what had happened during the final battle.
Then it didn't take too long. They danced around each other for the first months and were together by Christmas. Their friends all said they were happy for them, but each also expressed their fears that they didn't have a future together. But they didn't listen to them at all. After finishing Hogwarts, she went on to study healing while he focused on wizarding law. They moved in together during their studies, and when they both received their degrees, he proposed to her. And, of course, Hermione agreed. Everything was perfect. Maybe too perfect.
"I'll just ask you both for your signature, and we'll be done for good," the older man informed them, snapping Hermione out of her reverie.
Blaise reached for the papers with the quill and began to sign without hesitation. She watched it with a huge pain in her heart. She tried desperately to hold back the tears. Didn't he love her anymore? She kept trying to understand what had gone wrong, but she couldn't figure anything out. Yes, they had been arguing lately, but that wasn't the reason for the divorce. Didn't he care one bit about what they had been through together? Did he not care about her? Did he really not care about their family? This was not the man she knew and loved so much.
After signing, he handed her the papers, taking great care not to let their hands touch. Hermione swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat and took the papers from him that weighed maybe a ton in her hands. It was all wrong. She kept expecting to wake up from this nightmare, but as it seemed, this was a harsh reality. Therefore, with a shaky hand, she quickly signed, placed the papers with a quill on the table, and quickly left the lawyer's office. She couldn't take it anymore. Her vision blurred, and she quickly disapparated to the Potters, where she collapsed crying into Ginny's arms.
She was a divorced woman. Her fairy tale was over.