Author's Note: These characters are the sole ownership of JK Rowling
Chapter Two
Hermione apparated right in the middle of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop, and smiled faintly at the memories of meeting Harry and Ron here, while busy shopping for school supplies.
"Hello Miss Granger." Florean said beaming at her.
"Hi Mr. Fortescue, I'll be back later for a hot fudge sundae!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly in a good mood. She turned around and left the shop. She strolled down the street looking for Quality Quidditch Supplies and purchased the broom servicing kit for Harry. She moved onto the Apothecary shop to purchase potion supplies, she then went into Madame Malkin's to purchase extra robes for work, and then she headed over to Flourish & Blotts to see what new and interesting books had been recently published.
All and all, Hermione was enjoying herself and the small amount of free time from her children. She loved them, but sometimes they could be a handful. After purchasing several books for light reading, she headed off to see George and Fred. They carried most of the candies that the children loved at their joke shop, and she also wanted to remind them about dinner on Sunday.
"Hermione!" George exclaimed as she walked in the door.
"Hi George, Fred, how are you two?" She asked smiling while being engulfed in a hug from both Weasleys at once.
"We're smashing!" Fred replied, at the same time a small explosion from the back room sounded.
"I hope what ever it is, it's legal." Hermione stated, looking a little stern at the two handsome men.
"Whatever do you mean?" George asked looking the very picture of innocence.
"I rest my case." Hermione grunted, while heading over to the candies lined along one side of the shop. She was picking up a bag of Bertie Botts Beans, when she dropped her money sack. She kneeled down to the floor to pick up the bag and the money that had rolled out when the door of the shop opened. She couldn't see who had entered, but she sensed the mood change in the twins.
"Good afternoon," Said an all too familiar voice. Hermione's heart dropped to her intestines. She took a chance and peeked over the barrier she was currently behind. Her heart slammed in her chest. If it was possible, Draco Malfoy was even more devastatingly handsome then he was seven years ago.
"How can we help you?' Fred was suddenly very serious.
"I've come to see how my investments are coming along,"
"We have continued success, why are you here really, Draco?" This time, George did the talking.
"I'm looking for Hermione, do you know where she lives, or where I could find her." It wasn't a question. George glanced in her direction, before Fred answered.
"Draco, she doesn't want to see you." Fred answered in a voice that Hermione couldn't really place.
"I realize that, but I have to see her. If you know of any place where I could find her, please let me know." She could hear that he was turning to leave, when George spoke up. Hermione silently screamed for George not to betray her hiding spot.
"Contact Ginny, she's your best bet to you getting to Hermione." Draco nodded his head at the statement, and then turned and left the shop. Hermione was now hopping mad.
"George Weasley! How could you?!" She screamed once she realized the Draco was well out and away from the shop.
"Hermione, you have to understand, you are going to have to talk to him. He's not our favorite person, but you need to talk to him. He has a right to know what's going on. You hiding from him is ridiculous." George replied.
"He's right you know, plus even though the war is over, the Malfoy name still carries a lot of weight, and there is a lot of money backing that name also. We're all still in pain Hermione, you should go to him, before he finds you." Fred told Hermione.
She said nothing, she just purchased the chocolate frogs she promised Molly and disapparated back to the Willows, Harry and Ginny's home.
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"That didn't take long at all." Ginny said when she realized it was Hermione standing in her living room. Hermione turned to speak, but just crumbled and burst into tears. Ginny rushed over, placing a repelling curse over the living room so the children wouldn't come in.
" 'Mione, what's the matter?" She asked softly.
"He was at the joke shop, I hid from him, but he was there, asking Fred and George about me." This was choked out in between sobs. Ginny just shook her head.
"I knew this would happen. You know he's going to find you, and when he finds out, he's going to be hurt and upset, not to mention enraged. You have to go to him first, please it's the best way." Ginny said encouragingly to Hermione.
"I just can't! The humiliation he's put me through."
"But he's trying now, he has always been trying. You just refuse to give him a chance."
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Draco continued walking around Diagon Alley for a little while longer. He stopped by the jewelers to see if he could find any of his mother's old jewelry. He didn't find anything, but he noticed a beautiful black pearl necklace.
"Please have this packed up and delivered to Malfoy Manor. Have the money taken out of my account." Draco said to the attendant standing behind the glass cases. He knew what he would do with the necklace. He would put it with all the other gifts and baubles he had purchased for her over the past five years. His travels had taken him far and wide, and no matter where he went, there was always something to remind him of Hermione.
He watched as the attendant took the necklace out of the case and had it wrapped up. He then walked out the shop, and went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, he hadn't been there since his days at Hogwarts, before the war. In the window was the new Firebolt 3000. Without another thought, Draco went in to have one sent to Malfoy Manor. Diagon Alley brought back so many memories. He decided to return home to think out his next course of action.
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"You can't do that! I'm telling!" Rory screeched at Harry
"I can too!" Harry yelled back.
"Give the ball back to Molly, it's her turn!" Rory yelled, his face was getting red.
"Children, what is going on here?" Ginny asked, running out into the back yard.
"Harry took the ball away from Molly." Evangeline said to Ginny. Ginny looked over at Molly's tear stained face and messy black hair. Without a word, Ginny looked at Harry with a gimlet eye. Harry looked frightened, straightened his glasses and quickly returned the ball to his sister.
Hermione came out after Ginny to gather the twins together to go home.
"Mommy, can we stay longer, please?" Evangeline wailed.
"No, its time to go." Hermione still was unnerved by her twins. Evangeline's hair was a bushy mass of platinum blond curls, with a light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were large and brown, full of sparkle and life. Her pale skin sometimes made Hermione nervous, as she was prone to think her daughter was sick at times. Other than the paleness of her skin and the blondness of her hair, Hermione felt like she was looking at her own face whenever she looked at her daughter. At five Evangeline was turning out to be a very clever girl, and had showed magical abilities quite early on.
Rory was just as frightening to Hermione, he had thick curly chestnut hair, with those strange silver gray eyes that had flecks of blue, so his like father's. Rory had a tendency to tan beautifully like Hermione, but other than his coloring and chestnut hair, Rory was Draco's son. He had his father's face, period, end of discussion. It was no use, she couldn't even escape Draco in her children, there was no doubt about who their father was. Evangeline's hair and Rory's face were testimony. The only similarities the twins had with each other were, the freckles and "That Freaky Twin Thing" as Ron called it.
Hermione's twins were very in tune with each other, and Rory was not to be left behind in the intelligence department. He and his sister competed constantly, but they were also very close.
"Mommy, were you talking about Daddy again?" Evangeline asked, noticing Hermione's puffy red eyes.
"What," Hermione was stirred from her thoughts.
"You always cry when talking about Daddy. When is he coming to see us? You said we could see him one day." Rory said matter-of-factly. This was not the first time Hermione wished her kids had not inherited her sense of perception.
"Soon, you will meet him soon." She replied distractedly. She knew it would be soon, because Draco was back in England, and she had a gut feeling he was back to stay.
