The Web Of Love

She ended up staying with Draco longer than she intended, so she had to send a patron to Blaise to tell him they would meet at the park on the playground. Yesterday, he stayed with Charlie at his mother's while she went home, and after a day spent with so many people, she enjoyed some time alone. 

She was now sitting on the bench with a cup of coffee, because she was addicted to this magical drink, even if she refused to admit it, and she was waiting for her two Zabinis to appear. And since she had nothing better to do, of course, she lost herself in her thoughts, as was her wont. She thought about how her life was different from the one she always thought she would live. How strange it was that she was quite at peace with everything that was going on when only a month ago, the thought of Blaise had hurt her so much. It was strange mainly because she still loved him the same. And even so, she finally managed to come to terms with their divorce.

And then the situation with Draco. She didn't really get it. She cursed herself. If she could, she would go back in time and forbid herself to see him at all that day. But she knew that some things were inevitable, and this might be one of them. When she and Blaise divorced, she was surprised at how supportive Draco was of her. Sure, they were friends, but she never expected that from him. And the more time she spent with him, the more she began to notice how handsome he was. That void in her longed to be filled. She wanted to forget about Blaise for at least one evening, even though she knew how bad it was. Unfortunately for her, Draco had a large supply of wine that evening, and with each glass, her rational thinking slipped away.

Yes, she knew it was wrong, but she never thought that the one who would be hurt by it would be Draco. It was just meant to be tentative. It was for her. Why it wasn't the same for him, she still couldn't understand, even though they had finally talked about it quite sensibly today.

"I can hear you thinking a mile away," Blaise suddenly spoke up next to her.

"That's all me," Hermione laughed, moving slightly to allow her ex-husband to sit down as she looked for Charlie, who was already playing in the sand.

Blaise just nodded because it was true and he had nothing to add. "So, I should inform you that although Charlie thoroughly enjoyed his celebration yesterday, he was a little sad in the evening because he didn't get the present, he wanted the most," he informed her, trying not to laugh. He thought it was cute, even though it put a thought in his head, and he even had a dream about it! It was such a beautiful dream that he didn't want to wake up from it.

"And what should it be?" asked the brunette, slightly confused. She knew Charlie's list of gifts by heart, and since it wasn't a long list, because he was modest, he got everything he wanted.

"Little brother or sister," he answered, and this time he couldn't stop laughing.

"What?" Hermione blurted out in surprise. "You just made that up," she accused him, as Charlie never mentioned it, and Blaise looked rather amused by the situation.

"On Merlin's honor, I didn't do such a thing," he swore as the laughter slowly left him. "Come on, why aren't you laughing?"

"Because I don't find it funny? You shouldn't be laughing either, this is a serious matter," she said sternly, erasing the last hint of a smile from Blaise. However, she could tell by his posture that he was still amused by the situation.

He shrugged. "I find it quite cute," he breathed, giving her a look. "And he got that from his mother," he smirked.

Hermione ignored the way her heart skipped a beat at his words. "Blaise..." she admonished him. Sometimes she seriously felt like she had two children instead of one.

"Don't worry, soon he will have a cousin and forget about siblings," he tried to reassure her.

The brunette sighed. She found it sad because they hadn't planned it that way. Although Charlie surprised them, and they both doubted whether they were ready, shortly after his birth, they agreed that they wanted more children. Neither of them ever had siblings. They agreed that they didn't want Charlie to be alone. But that kind of fell by the wayside now that they were no longer married.

They just sat there in silence for a while, which they didn't mind, because they were both happy to be able to spend time together like this again. Hermione watched Charlie play with a small smile, which didn't last long as her attention was caught by a blonde woman looking in their direction.

She was taken aback at first, but when she turned to Blaise to tell him, she quickly understood what it was all about. Her heart sank uncomfortably this time. She swallowed hard. Over the past year, she'd been drowning in the sea of pain he'd left behind so much that she hadn't even thought about whether he was seeing anyone.

"Looks like you have an admirer," she commented with a smile that she was appropriately proud of because she didn't feel like smiling at all. She didn't even know why she was so surprised. Blaise always had followers all over the place. 

Blaise gave a small frown before looking around the park to see what he was talking about. His gaze fell on the blonde he knew. She gave him a smile before turning away. "That's Betty, she works at the Ministry," he explained confusedly.

"Hmm, she probably likes you."

His frown only deepened. He honestly almost didn't know her. He didn't know if Hermione was right or not. And he didn't really care because the only woman who had his attention was now sitting next to him.

“Will you promise me one thing?” she asked when he remained silent.

"Anything," he answered without thinking.

"Before you decide to bring another woman into Charlie's life, will you tell me?" she asked him. It was only now that she realized that if Blaise found someone, it would affect Charlie just as it would if she did. And she definitely didn't want some strange woman she knew nothing about hovering around her son, "I promise I'll do the same."

Blaise nodded. "I wouldn't want it any other way," he assured her. He didn't plan on looking for anyone, but she didn't need to know that. What was important was that they were on the same page. "So, are you going to tell me about Tom?" he blurted out before he could think it through.

The brunette had to roll her eyes at that. "Believe it or not, a woman and a man can only be friends," she said slightly annoyed.

"I believe so," he agreed quickly and surely. As always, he regretted saying it in the first place, so he knew how to act now so as not to upset her. She had probably been asked this question many times before, which was why she was so irritated, which he could understand. Never he didn't believe there was anything between them, but his mind was playing tricks on him, and he needed to make sure.

Shortly after that, he said goodbye to them because he had to start devoting himself a little more to work. He had a tough week ahead of him and he couldn't afford any mistakes.

"You have a very nice family," Betty said as he walked past her, making him stop.

"Thank you," he said almost absently as he looked back at Hermione who was now playing with Charlie in the sandbox.

"Unfortunately, they are not mine anymore," he muttered to himself as he left for home.