What Was and What Is
Disclaimer: Characters taken from JKR's Harry Potter © and used in this fanfiction do not belong to me.
RECAP: From Last chapter
"Yeah I get that a lot, but everyone calls me Les. But I wasn't aware that I would be interviewed by a beautiful nurse." He said as he smiled at her again. Hermione felt herself blush. She hadn't been with another man since Draco in a long time and she had forgotten how it felt to be flattered.
The interview continued in this manner until Hermione was sure she had asked him all she needed to know. After it was over Les led her to her car and kissed her hand once again.
"Until we meet again Ms. Granger. I hope I made a lasting impression." He pulled away and began to walk down the street. Hermione grabbed onto her car door to steady herself. She took three deep breaths and then finally climbed into her car. Not aware that she had been seen being wooed by the one person who it would hurt the most….Draco.
Chapter 10: Surprise
Draco couldn't believe his eyes. Hermione had been having brunch with some good looking man who had had her giggling and laughing through the whole meal. He had seemed completely enthralled with her and she had blushed two times during the whole thing. Draco didn't remember the last time she had blushed when he'd been out with her.
Draco was sure it was just a meeting or something but as he watched that man kiss her hand and Hermione try to catch her breath before she got into the car, Draco wasn't so sure. He was seething as walked up to her and grabbed her arm.
Hermione's smile faded as she turned to see who had grabbed her. It was Draco and he looked horrible. He hadn't really brushed his hair in the past three weeks so it stood up at odd angles, he had bags under his eyes and his face was bushy with a full beard. He looked horrible but also angry. Hermione pulled out of his grip.
"What do you want Draco?" Hermione asked as she crossed her arms. Draco looked down at her in disbelief.
"I just saw you with that guy all over you. Is he my replacement now that we're separated?" Draco asked with a venomous look. Hermione shook her head with disgust.
"Draco just because I have brunch with someone doesn't mean I'm cheating, I'm not you. And anyway its none of your business who I go to any meal of the day with." Hermione turned away but Draco blocked her from getting into the car.
"Yes it is my business. In case you have forgotten, I'm your husband." Draco looked at her as if it was something Hermione didn't know. She moved and looked at him face to face. In her wedges, they were the same height.
"You lost all and any privileges you had as my husband when you slept with that bitch of a witch. You don't have to know my business and I don't have to know yours. And unlike you , I have somewhere to be." Hermione pushed Draco out of the way and got into her car. She started it and gave Draco one more angry look before she sped away, leaving him in her dust.
Draco couldn't believe how Hermione had acted but it was normal. She hadn't really done anything but it had made him insanely jealous when he had seen that guy all over her. It had also added to his hurting heart. He thought that if he'd left her alone she'd cool off and then ask him to come home, but she obviously didn't want that.
Draco sighed. It had been three weeks since he had left home. Every night he'd sleep only for a few hours and then wake up either in tears or clutching the sheets hoping Hermione would be lying there. Every day that he woke up his heart would ache as he realized where he was.
Draco moved into an alley and Apparated to his department. He sat down at his desk, and lay his head down on it. Then Draco heard some rustling in the cubicle next to him. Harry's here Draco thought. He lifted his head. Harry hadn't been talking to him and Draco really needed a friend.
"Harry?" Draco said and the rustling stopped. Draco knew Harry wasn't going to talk to him as Draco sighed again. Just as he was about to lay his head on the desk again, a long pair of legs moved into Draco's line of vision.
Jennifer leaned down and placed a kiss on Draco unexpectedly. Draco moved his head to the side as she looked into his eyes.
"Hello gorgeous." She said as she sat down on his desk. Draco didn't even feel like talking to Jennifer. Everyday since Hermione and himself had separated, Jennifer had been trying to get Draco to spend time with him. Draco didn't like it. He didn't want anymore problems with Hermione and Jennifer was a big one.
"Ms. Tyler would you please get off my desk?" Draco said quietly as to not make a scene. Jennifer smiled and leaned down for another kiss.
"I love it when you call me that." She said as she moved to meet Draco's lips but Draco lifted his hand to stop her, so that Jennifer's lips were pressed against his palm. She moved his hand and looked at Draco's frowning face. She sat up and crossed her arms.
"I'd thought you'd be glad that we can show our feelings freely because you and your wife are no more." She looked at him with raised eyebrows. Draco stood up and faced her.
"Well those feelings you think I have for you was me going insane and now that I'm back to my senses I know I don't want to be with you and that you were just a free fuck I don't want to be with you, see you or have sex with you. You've ruined my entire life and you can go and ruin someone else's life now. But just stay away from me." Draco looked at her face, which looked angry.
"You act as though I was the only one there. Remember Mr. Malfoy it takes two to tango and you didn't stop me, so if you want to end us, fine. I don't really care because to me you were a free fuck too, but remember I still have a future with someone who'll love me, while you don't and that, you did all on your own. Its been fun." She got up, blew him a kiss and walked away.
Draco just sat there as he realized she was right, he did sleep with her and hadn't stop her advances. It was his own fault that Hermione was going out with someone new, someone who would love her and not take advantage of her like he did.
Draco sighed and began to do some paper work, when his cell phone rang. He picked it and said hello.
"Daddy? Its Valerie." Draco's face lighted up as he heard his daughter's voice.
"Hey honey. How are you?" Draco was anxious to hear what had been going on in his daughter's life. Draco also wondered about his son but he didn't want to pressure his daughter to tell him everything all at once.
"I'm good, I just wanted to talk to you. I haven't seen or heard from you for a long time and I miss you Daddy." Valerie said into the phone as Hermione walked into the den and sat down in one of the armchairs. She smiled at her daughter and mouthed 'Who are you talking to?'. Valerie hesitated to answer and then mouthed 'Daddy'. Hermione's face hardened and she turned her face away from her daughter.
"Daddy I want you to come to dinner tonight." Valerie continued to look at Hermione as she said this into the phone. Hermione looked up sharply as she heard Valerie. Hermione's lips pursed into a tight line, then she nodded her head. Draco was so happy he automatically said yes but then asked.
"What does your mother think about this? Is she okay with me coming to the house?" Draco hoped with every fiber of his being that Hermione would, because he really missed them all.
"Yes, she said it was alright. I'll be cooking so bring your appetite. I'll see you at 7:30. Don't be late. Bye Daddy." Valerie looked at her mother as she hung up. Her mother just shook her head.
"I won't stop you from seeing your father but I'm going to go out tonight so I won't. I had the pleasure of that this morning." Hermione said with a disgusted look on her face.
"You saw Daddy today? Where, when?" Valerie asked with fascination.
"While I was on my brunch interview with Leslie Hunt, who by the way turned out to be this very handsome young man. Anyway after I left the café, I guess Draco had seen me and Leslie together and assumed that I was dating him. So Draco came over and was acting all jealous, I just told him to control himself because it was none of his business who I had brunch with. We yelled at eachother some more and then I drove away." Hermione looked at her daughter's sad face.
"It was only because he still loves you that he got jealous. And anyway were you attracted to Les? Because you did say he was attractive. Do you think you were acting in a way that would make Daddy jealous?" Hermione thought back to how she had been reacting to Les that morning. She shook her head and stood up. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and turned to leave.
"You don't need to worry about that. You have a lot to do before your father gets here, so get cracking." Hermione walked out as Valerie gave her mother a suspicious look. Her Mom had avoided that question quite easily. Maybe she was attracted to this other guy. Valerie shook her head and made sure she told Damian about it later.
Draco was so happy that he would be able to see Valerie. He didn't know if Damian would want to see him but he was hoping he would. That whole day, Draco worked with a smile on his face. After he finished, he left work and went to his current home to get ready. Draco showered, shaved and actually looked handsome when he got to the door of his house.
Draco stood there for a few minutes before he lifted his hand to knock but as he was about to, Hermione opened the door and crashed into Draco. Hermione fell on her butt as she looked up at who she had collided with.
There Draco stood, looking quite suave and handsome. He had shaved and combed his hair wearing a suit that made him look very handsome. He gave his hand to Hermione to help her up. Hermione smiled and took his hand as he helped her up.
As he held her hand and handed her the clutch she had dropped in the collision, they looked into each other's eyes for a few precious seconds before Hermione shook it off and took the purse and let go of Draco's hand. She walked around him and went to her car. As she stepped into her car she took one last look at Draco before she drove away.
Draco had noticed the moment that Hermione and he had had, but she had left so quickly he hadn't gotten a chance to comment on it. That moment told Draco that there were still sparks between them, and Draco vowed if it was the last thing he did, he'd get Hermione to take him back.
But as he stepped into the house and looked at his smiling daughter thoughts of getting Hermione left his head. Valerie smiled and ran into her Dad's arms. He hugged her and kissed her on her hair as he held her.
"Dad I missed you so much. I didn't know for these past few weeks if Mom would let me call you but I'm really glad you're here." She said as she pulled out of his arms and led him to the kitchen. Draco looked around the house that used to be his home and smiled. As he was pulled into the kitchen, Draco looked at the table.
The table was covered in delectable food and it smelled wonderful. Everything looked cooked to perfection and Draco hadn't realized that Valerie was so talented in the culinary arts. He looked at his daughter in astonishment and smiled.
"You did a great job. It looks great but I was also hoping your brother would be joining us." Draco said with a hopeful look at Valerie. She smiled and looked away from her father. Draco sighed as he knew that would be too much to ask.
"Dad?" Said a voice from behind Draco. Draco turned to see Damian standing there, looking shy but unsure at the same time. Draco looked at his son.
"Damian I am truly sorry for everything I did. And I really wish that you would give me another chance to be a good father to you." Draco gulped as he looked at his son thinking it over and then Damian nodded. Draco opened his arms as he hugged his son. Draco was so happy that his son was giving him a second chance. Valerie moved to stand next to her brother as they let go of eachother. Damian let go and smiled.
"I'm starving and I've been watching Mom and Valerie cooking for the last three hours so lets eat. " Valerie hit Damian with her elbow and smiled at her dad. Draco walked to the table and sat down as Valerie and Damian followed.
"You weren't supposed to tell him Mom helped. She didn't want him to know." Valerie whispered. Draco looked kind of shocked that Hermione had helped as they sat down.
"Your mother helped?….. Oh." Draco moved and sat down to eat with his children. They talked and had a really good time together. After they had finished eating, they moved into the den to watch a movie. By the end of the movie, both Damian and Valerie were asleep.
Soon Draco heard the door opening as Hermione got in. Draco got up to meet her. She smiled at him as he went to the door.
"The kids are asleep. Its getting late so I guess I'll leave." Draco smiled and walked to the door.
"Wait. Its actually really late and I don't think its safe if your driving really late at night so, why don't you just stay the night?" Draco looked at her with a surprised look.
"Alright. I'll stay. But I'll leave first thing in the morning." He turned back to the kids and turned off the television. Both Hermione and Draco used their wands to lift the kids up to their beds. As they put them to bed, they both kissed each one of the kids and then met up in the hallway.
"Looks like we haven't lost our touch at being a great tuck in team." Hermione smiled at his words.
"Yeah. I guess we haven't. Anyway the guest bedroom is ready for you." Hermione waved her wand toward the guest bedroom to clean it quickly. And smiled at Draco again as he looked at the door and then looked back at Hermione.
"Well, I'm going to the guest bedroom. Goodnight." And as Draco looked at Hermione looking at him with a smile on her face, Draco kissed Hermione on the cheek and moved to his room. For a few seconds Hermione stood in one place and put her hand to her cheek where Draco had kissed her.
"Goodnight." She whispered and walked to her bedroom.
A/N: Hey people, Hope you like this chapter. It can go anywhere from here so give me ideas for the next chapter through review. Later.