Here it is my lovelies. Chapter 2! Please leave reviews and tell me what you think xoxo
CHAPTER 2
Hermione woke up feeling awful. She knew that if she opened her eyes that the reality of yesterday would hit her, so she was perfectly content with staying in that place halfway between asleep and awake. She swaddled herself amongst the soft sheets, wishing herself back to sleep.
As she wriggled around, Hermione realised that she was feeling out of place, something was wrong with her sheets but she couldn't figure out what. She opened her eyes and was met with a room darkened by thick curtains and walls pained with cream and dark blue. This wasn't her house. Hermione started to panic at not knowing her whereabouts when she noticed a note on the bedside table in unfamiliar handwriting.
Hermione,
There is an ensuite attached to your room if you feel like taking a shower.
The Potters' will be over at about eleven but there's no rush.
I'll be downstairs when you're ready.
Draco
Draco. Draco Malfoy. As Hermione scanned the room she noticed her wedding dress was hanging up over the wardrobe door and she was wearing men's pyjamas shrunken down. She pulled back the blankets and swung her legs out of bed, her toes sinking into the plush cream coloured carpet. She looked at the clock and saw it read one thirty, putting her face into her hands. Of course, Draco Malfoy. What she did last night was coming back to her, damn whiskey.
"Well Hermione," she said to herself, "it doesn't seem like your life can get any worse."
Hermione got up and walked into the ensuite and ran a shower. The hot water felt wonderful on her skin. As she washed her hair she thought about yesterday. Ron cheated on her. Ron cheated on her with Lavender Brown. Hermione gagged at the thought. What did Lavender Brown have that she didn't, besides a questionable attitude towards men.
Hermione didn't know how long she had been in the shower, but when she saw that her fingers had begun to prune, she decided that it has been long enough. She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and went to get changed. She didn't have any clothes though. When she got to the end of the bed, she saw that there was a pile of her clothes at the end of the bed.
Once she was dressed, Hermione went out of the bedroom and walked out onto the landing. She could hear Draco's and Harry's voice. Hermione took a deep breath and walked down the stairs, not sure of what sight she'd see when she got there.
"What do you mean he's done a runner?"
"Exactly that." Harry said, taking a sip of coffee. "Ron has done a runner. I heard from someone that he's gone across Europe."
"So he ruined Grangers life and the left her to clean up the mess he caused. Typical." Draco scoffed. Harry just nodded in agreement.
"He might be my brother, but if he knows what's good for him, he'll stay away for a long time." Ginny said, putting her son on the floor so he could walk over to his father.
"Uh hello." Hermione said quietly from the doorway.
"Hermione!" Ginny cried, practically running over and giving her friend a hug. "I am so sorry about yesterday. How are you?"
"I'm fine, hungover, but fine." Hermione said with a small smile.
"Draco was telling me you're reasoning for not coming to us last night." Harry said, looking at Hermione over the top of his glasses.
"Oh did he?" Hermione said, shooting Draco a menacing look, which made him squirm a little. "Well he had no right to."
"No right to?" Harry asked.
"No. It's my business. And if I wanted it broadcasted I would have." She snapped, looking directly at Draco. "And I distinctly remember telling him not to tell you that I was here."
"Oh yeah because you suddenly dictate who I talk to." Draco said, rolling his eyes.
"Since he's not your friend, yes. I do." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well he is as a matter of fact." Draco bit back. "And since you refused to tell him where you were, someone had to be the responsible adult and make sure people knew you were safe."
Hermione bit back her retort when she felt a small set of hands pull at her jeans.
"Aunt Hermione!" James said impatiently, he had been trying to get her attention as soon as she walked into the kitchen.
"James!" Hermione said, picking him up and giving him a big hug.
"I missed you!" James told her, flinging his arms around her neck.
Draco looked at Harry who smiled. Thank Merlin his son knew how to diffuse a situation.
"Look Granger," Draco said, "how about a coffee?"
"Why?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Because that's what people do in the morning." Ginny interrupted, turning away to make her some coffee.
Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down, still holding James.
"I need to find somewhere to live." She said, looking at Harry. "I miss living in London."
"You can stay with us if you like." Harry offered.
"Thanks for the offer Harry, but it doesn't look like you'll have room." Hermione laughed, motioning towards Ginny who was heavily pregnant.
"Stay with Draco." Ginny said, passing Hermione her coffee and sitting down, rubbing her belly.
"What?" Draco and Hermione said in unison.
"It makes sense." Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "It's in London and you're already here plus it's a ten minute walk to our house. Plus it will make Ron absolutely furious."
Draco thought about it. Although it didn't make sense to him, Ginny had obviously thought it through and he had enough sense to not argue with the pregnant Potter. It would be nice to have the company around the house, and any chance to wind up his former school nemesis was something that he couldn't pass up.
"I'm not opposed to it." Draco said, trying to be nonchalant. "It's up to you Granger. The offer is there if you want it."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Everybody had gone mad. Saying no was on the tip of her tongue when a little voice in her head told her that if she said that Ginny was right about living with Draco, Ron would be extremely angry. That was good enough for her.
"Ok." She said, taking a sip of coffee and staring at Draco.
"Excellent." Draco said, staring back.
Silence filled the kitchen before Harry spoke, breaking the tension. "Well, Hermione. How about we go and get your things then?"
"Will he be there?" Hermione asked, suddenly looking panicked.
"No," Harry reassured her, "but if he is, I'll get rid of him."
Hermione smiled and set James down so she could get up. She watched him walk over to Draco who immediately picked him up and started to tickle him, making James laugh hysterically .
"We'll see you in about an hour." Harry said, giving his wife a kiss goodbye.
Once they left Draco could feel Ginny staring at him. "What?" He asked, still feeling a little uncomfortable.
"You're a good man Draco Malfoy." Ginny said smiling. "And I speak for Harry too when I say that I'm glad she bumped into you last night."
Draco felt himself go red at her words, distracting himself with James so he didn't have to look at her when he spoke.
"It didn't feel right to leave her there." Draco explained. "What Weasel did to her was bad enough and I didn't feel like adding to her already shit day. Plus it'll be nice to have some attractive company."
If Ginny noticed what he said, she didn't say anything and he was grateful for that, it still didn't change that he meant what he said.
"I can't believe your wife suggested I live with Draco." Hermione said, waving her wand so all of her books would go into the magically extended bag.
"I can't believe you said yes." Harry retorted, placing other bits of Hermione's belongings into the bag. "He's not a bad guy anymore"
"I know that." Hermione said, "I just don't trust him."
"I do." Harry stated. "He's actually been a great friend. Ginny likes him and so does James. James has certainly seen more of Draco than you and Ron."
Hermione felt sad by what Harry was saying. Her and Ron certainly hadn't seen Harry or his family enough, when she thought about it, they hadn't seen them in nearly eighteen months. Living in Scotland was nice, but it wasn't London. Hermione got a job in a wizard library, restoring books that had been damaged during the war and Ron was always between jobs. Looking back, Hermione realised that Ron was probably keeping her out of the way so he could be with Lavender or some other woman.
Hermione hadn't realised that she started to cry until Harry put an arm around her.
"He never deserved you, you know." Harry said, giving her arm a gentle squeeze.
"I failed." Hermione sobbed.
"Hey." Harry said, turning her so she was facing him. "You did not fail, do you hear me? He failed you. You're going to have a happy life and he's going to live knowing that he let the best thing that could have happened to him slip away."
Hermione smiled at Harry. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. Looking around the house, she noticed how empty it was without her things in it. It didn't even really look like Ron lived here.
"Ready?" Harry asked, holding his hand out to her.
"Just a second." Hermione told her, writing a note. She set it down on the kitchen table, placing her engagement ring on top of it, before walking out of the door with Harry.
Goodbye
"Uncle Draco?" James asked, climbing into the sofa next to him.
"Yeah buddy?" Draco said, ruffling his hair.
"Why is Aunt Hermione sad?"
"Uhhhh..." Draco looked at Ginny, not really sure how to answer his question, Ginny didn't look like she knew either.
"Well, see your Uncle Ron was very mean to her." Draco explained.
"And now she is going to live with you?" James asked.
"Yes. Until she feels better." Draco told him.
"I think that if you kiss her, she'll feel better." James said, rather matter of factly.
Ginny started laughing at Draco as he started at James with an open mouth. "How on earth do you figure that?" He asked, trying to compose himself.
"Well when Mummy is upset, Daddy kisses her and she stops being upset. I think Aunt Hermione would like that." James said, getting down off the seat and walking over to his mum who was still laughing.
Before Draco could ask any more questions, Harry and Hermione walked into the room.
"Where would you like my stuff?" Hermione asked Draco.
"Uhh just in the bedroom where you stayed last night." Draco told her. Hermione turned around and walked away up the stairs without saying anything.
Hermione walked up the stairs and into what was now her bedroom. She unloaded her clothes into the empty draws. When she was all done, the only thing left was her wedding dress. She just looked at it, wondering what to do with it. Then she had an idea, so she grabbed the dress and marched back downstairs with it.
Harry and Ginny were sitting on the sofa while Draco was cooking dinner with "help" from James when Hermione came back into the room.
"Is it alright if I go outside?" Hermione asked, motioning to the door.
"Uhh sure." Draco said, furrowing his brows when he saw what she was holding.
Hermione marched over to the door and flung it open. Harry, Ginny and Draco all looked at each other before going outside. Hermione had magically suspended her dress in midair and was looking at them as they barged through the door. Without saying a word, Hermione took her wand and set fire to her wedding dress.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Ginny screeched at her.
"I'm getting rid of this dress." Hermione told them. "Fire purifies things and I need to purify my life of Ronald Weasley."
Draco smiled at her. He had to give her credit, she had just been through probably the most humiliating experience of her life, yet here she was choosing not to let it destroy her. Draco suddenly had an idea, he ran back into the kitchen and grabbed a packet of marshmallows from the cupboard and some fondue skewers and ran back out.
"What do you think James?" Draco asked him, showing him what he had.
"Uncle Draco!" James exclaimed, clapping his hands in excitement. "It's like you could read my mind!"
James took Draco's hand and led him down towards Hermione's burning dress. Draco sat on the grass with James sitting on his lap as Harry and Ginny joined them.
"Here Aunt Hermione." James said, offering her a marshmallow.
Hermione smiled at took it from him, sitting down opposite Draco. She watched as they interacted with one another. Draco had changed, that much was obvious, but Hermione still had reservations about him. Whether or not she was holding onto their old school rivals was something she hadn't worked out yet, but she promised herself that she would give him a chance.
Draco saw that Hermione was staring at him, he smiled at her and she looked away. Draco promised himself that he would make an effort to get along with her. How difficult could getting along with Hermione Granger be?