It'd been sometime since she'd seen the man that used to inspire fear in her. What feelings of anger and malice she once had were replaced with feeling of pity. He had lost much since the war ended, just as she had. That's the thing about war. Both sides believe it's worth fighting for.
So, when she saw Lucius Malfoy walking down the road in the middle of London, her breath caught from disbelief. He was dressed as a muggle, a business man, but muggle clothing with no cloak. He sported an evergreen and black scarf as he picked up a newspaper and paid for it with actual euros. His hair was swept back from his crown in a low ponytail and he even cracked a smile to the man dealing the papers that displayed motionless pictures.
He didn't notice her as he took off across the street, waving to a motorist who waved back. It was like watching a fish climb a tree effortlessly. The most peculiar thing she'd ever seen, and she'd seen plenty of peculiar things. She just sat there with her tea clasped between her hands in the bitter Tuesday morning. She'd seen him on a Tuesday morning in the middle of muggle London buying a newspaper.
"Are you sure, Hermione?" Harry asked over her cell. "You sure it wasn't just someone who looked like him?"
She slammed her reusable mug on her small kitchen table. "Yes, Harry. It was him. What information does the Ministry have on him? Why would he be in London?" She stacked her most recent case files on the edge of her desk to be gone through, "Do you have any information?"
"No, I absolutely have nothing to tell you. And, even if I did, I wouldn't be permitted to share that information with you anyway. I have a duty to the oath I took." He said louder than normal, so that the people within his vicinity could hear him.
"Oh, yes. Terribly sorry, good sir" She smiled, glancing over at the books of information that Harry had floated to her over the years. "I should never put you in such a situation." She paused, "How's Ginny and the kids?"
He paused, and she heard a clink of glass, "They're all great. Miss you like crazy, of course. But, how could they not?" he chuckled, "Albus got the book on transfiguration that you modified for him and he got in trouble for transfiguring the goblets in the Great Hall into miniature ostriches. Mean, tiny ostriches running around pecking everyone. Thank you for that one. McGonagall was not happy."
Hermione smiled sadly and tucked an arm under her elbow. She bit her lip and said quietly, "And how's Ron? Is he doing okay?"
"Hermione…" Harry started, his voice strained. She could see in her mind how he would rub his forehead, trying to play negotiator between two of the most important people in his life.
"I know, Harry. Just tell me he's okay." She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as a weight pressed down on her chest. The feeling of not knowing something had never sat well with Hermione Granger. And that feeling, that could once be filled by checked out books and copious inquiries, only lingered on the edge of her mind, unquenchable.
"He's not okay, Hermione. He's getting better, but he's still a blubbering mess." Harry let out a frustrated growl that sounded like a cornered animal. "Ginny still won't talk about you. I'd be bludgered just for talking to you now."
"I know." She sucked in her breath as if he'd pinched her. "I'm sorry, Harry. For all of this." She pulled on the edge of her red sweater, pulling the sweater pill until all that was left was a frazzled edge.
He set down something heavy before continuing, "Hermione, you could just come home. Did you really have to disappear? Just serving him with divorce papers was kind of wrong." His tone had switched a bit, but she could tell he was just trying to understand.
"Harry…" her voice rasped involuntarily, and she felt the threat stinging her behind her eyes, "I was drowning. I know you can't understand. But, with Ron, I was just drowning, and I couldn't breathe. I was being absorbed into his idea of me and I wasn't myself anymore." She took a deep breath and looked up at the stippled ceiling above her, "If I came back, he'd just pull me back to him. I can't say no to him if he asks me, so I just had to leave." She felt her tears welling back up, "I'm sorry, Harry. I must go! Give my love to everyone. Bye." Her thumb trembled as she hit the end button to his voice trying to stop her.
She curled up into her small yellow wingback chair and gazed out the rain splattered window, visions of laughing and family trailing through her mind. She'd left for the right reasons, even if no one else could see them. She wanted to do more with her life. She had to.