Chapter 2
It had been two weeks since she last spoke to Draco, two weeks since she last saw him as well. She can tell by the empty tea cups self washing in the sink and fresh coffee grounds in the muggle coffee pot that he was still there, he just hasn't shown his face. Hermione knew maybe she went a little too far with her last comment but she knew her argument wasn't all together wrong. She just wished they could have a civilized chat and work out whatever is wrong.
She hated the Repopulation Act, she found it oppressive and appalling but after 5 appeals, 3 uses of her ‘I'm the Golden Girl card’, and at least 10 different essays written about government overreach in the prophet, her choice was accept that this was happening or having her wand snapped. And after fighting the majority of her childhood just to be in the wizarding world she chose the former.
The ministry tells everyone that their match is the most magically and romantically compatible for them. She had to fill out a lengthy and invasive questionnaire along with having a blood sample collected. So when it was announced that Draco Malfoy was her match, she thought it could be worse. At least she knew him and they were good friends. They were decent friends all through their 8th year at Hogwarts but they only became close when she was assisting him in creating a fund for children displaced by the war.
The only positive thing that has come for the act is the fact that her career has really taken off. Investors and supporters who had originally brushed off her werewolf legislation proposals suddenly came around. She was getting the backing in funding she needed to do further research and outreach, and she was getting support from bigger figures within the ministry.
After a particularly good meeting with her team in the DRMC and head of the Muggle Relations department she decided to go confide in her best friend about where her husbands dodgy wearabouts.
She knocked on a thick oak door with a gold slated plate reading “Head Auror Harry Potter”.
“You know you don't have to knock, you can just come in right?” She heard Harry yell from behind his door.
“I learned to always knock after I caught Ginny in here with you once. I'll never make that mistake again.” She plopped down onto the comfy chair in front of his desk.
“That only happened once and since then a ward has been added around my office so I'm notified if someone is coming to my office.” He crossed his arms and looked up smugly at Hermione from his paperwork.
“Who did the warding? It couldn't have been you.” Hermione mimicked his movement.
“Wow, I'm truly wounded.” Harry pretended to be hurt. “But you're right, Malfoy did it. Unfortunately he walked into the same situation as you.”
“Speaking of Draco, has he been working more lately? I haven't seen him at home at all these last few weeks.” Hermione uncrossed her arms and began unconsciously picking at her fingers. A terrible habit she picked up while camping in the woods their entire seventh year.
“Stop picking at your fingers ‘Mione. Why are you nervous?”
“I'm not nervous, I'm curious!” She dropped her hands to the top of her thighs
“Oh really? Why are you messing with your fingers again? You only do that when you're anxious or uncomfortable.”
“It's an unconscious habit, I didn't even know I was doing it. I'm just curious about Draco is all. He's gone before I wake up and gets home after I fall asleep.”
“He hasn't been working any more than usual if that's what you're asking. I mean he has a big case load but not more than usual. Why do you care what hours Malfoy works anyway? He told me you hate him.”
Hermione stood up abruptly, almost knocking over her chair.
“He said what?!” She shrieked. “Are you kidding me? He barely acknowledges me!”
“All he told me is that you still think of him as some blood purist.” Harry made air quotations with his hands for ‘blood purist’.
“Which I have to admit is a little cold if you ask me and odd. I mean you helped him with his orphanage and --”
“It's not an orphanage, Harry. It's a center for children who lost their family during the war. Okay well maybe it is an orphanage but that makes it sound cruel.”
“Anyway, you're the only reason I stuck my neck out for him at the auror academy. Now we've almost recaptured all of the escaped death eaters. Mione, he really has changed.”
“You know before all this we used to have lunch every Tuesday? And then we'd have dinner every Friday? Now I can't remember the last time we had a meal together that wasn't a formal appearance for publicity.” Her top lip started to quiver. She really did miss Draco as her friend, more than she would admit to anyone. Draco included.
“He told me that after your wedding you said and I'm quoting him, ‘hate this’ and ‘wish things were different’ so…” Harry trailed off.
“So is that what you guys do? Sit around and talk about me? My marriage? When do you even have time for all of that?” Hermione could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She's mad all over again.
“We have lunch most days when he's not in the field, and we have a guys night with Ron, Neville, and Greg….On fridays”
“Wow and I thought you were MY friend Harry but it's typical of you to choose someone else over me. First Ron, now Draco.” She turned to storm out of the door but paused before her hand grazed the handle.
“Is he here?” She whispered quietly. Not because she was going to cry but if her voice gained anymore volume she would be screaming.
“No, he actually has this afternoon off.” And with that Hermione left with a slam of his door.
She knew what she was going to do. She was going to find Draco and sort this whole thing out. Her first stop after work will be at home. If he's not home she's going to snoop through his room to figure out where he might be. It's her house too so she can go anywhere she pleases.
Unfortunately the rest of the afternoon got away from her. She had more meetings with her team about their upcoming court proceedings about wolfsbane. She didn't even look at a clock again until a little after 7. So she quickly packed up her things and floo’d home mentally preparing for their argument. The nice thing about this flat is she has a floo in her room. So while getting out of her stuffy ministry robes and putting on some bed shorts with Ron's old tshirt, she came up with a bullet pointed list of things she needed to say and bring up. She is specifically wearing Rons old t-shirt because Draco had once mentioned off hand how he didn't like her still having it.
She gave herself a once over in the mirror and left her bedroom in search of her husband. And to no surprise he wasn't in any of the common areas of their home. She stood in front of his bedroom door for exactly 2 minutes and 48 seconds. That's how long it took her to muster up her old gryffindor courage and without knocking she bursted through his door.
She closed her eyes and began her rehearsed speech.
“Okay so here's what's going to happen. We're going to sit down at that kitchen table that's never used, we're going to have a meal together, and we're going to talk because like it or not we're stuck together.” When she was finally done she opened her eyes and her heart sank lower than she knew possible.
She saw her husband, Draco Malfoy, laying back on his bed propped up on his elbows while Astoria Greengrass sat next to him, hand on his thigh.
“Oh um.” She started to slowly back away, Draco sat up completely. “Uh sorry… I uh… Didn't realize you had company. Sorry for interrupting.” She heard him call out to her but she was too quick.
She ran into her room and locked her door. She felt like the walls were crashing around her like unrelenting waves at the beach. Her lungs were constructing like salty water was burning her throat. She quickly threw her hair up into a bun so it wouldn't touch her face and took a breath to remind herself she was not drowning. She needed a drink, or several, so she aparated to a dark alley in muggle London and found the closest bar. Maybe she would call Theo.