This Doesn't Change Anything

Draco's eyes doubled as he reread the headline on the cover of the Daily Prophet. He was glad his mother hadn't been the one to read the paper first. There was no way she'd refrain from cackling with glee over the the 'Mudblood's' failed marriage.

Golden Couple Split, Wizarding World Torn

'Ronald Weasley and Hermione Weasley (nee Granger) have called it quits after nearly four years of marriage. An undisclosed source witnessed Mrs. Weasley moving her large trunk into a Muggle apartment complex in the Kensington area.

Neither party would comment, but Ginny Potter (nee Weasley), sister to Ronald, offered this statement. "Hermione knows what she did, and she only has herself to blame." One can only assume Mrs. Weasley must have betrayed her husband. Perhaps she is not as golden as we were all led to believe.

Not everyone places blame on the shoulders of the wife, however. Neville Longbottom, war hero and longtime friend of the Golden Trio, had this to say, "Hermione and Ron are both amazing people and, if they've chosen to end their relationship, there must be a very good reason." That is likely true. The question is, what was that reason?

We wanted a comment from Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione's best friend, but he was not able to be reached. Whenever he does make a comment, we will likely get the answers we are looking for. Until then, the couple wishes to keep the matter private.

A million thoughts buzzed through Draco's head as he read the short article for the third time. She left him. Did Ron know the truth? Would his name be outed next? The horror of that thought was squashed as the considered that Hermione had nothing keeping her from him any longer. No more guilt, or obligation would stop her from being with him.

He felt lighter as he got up from the breakfast table. Perhaps she was still too stubborn to contact him, but he wasn't. At least he'd get to the bottom of what the hell happened between Hermione and Weasley. Then he'd hold her in his arms and make her forget about that git.

Hermione sniffled into her tea cup as she looked at the post in front of her. She'd taken a two week vacation when she left Ron because she knew after that article hit the stands, she'd be swarmed by questions and she just needed a break from all of it.

Sitting here pondering over the post wasn't helping her mood, but she couldn't help it. Next to the divorce papers Ron had sent her, was a howler from Mrs. Weasley and three letters she couldn't help but keep reading even as they sliced a deeper hole in her heart. The first was from Ginny. It has been decidedly angry.

Hermione,

I can't believe you'd do this to my brother. He's been nothing by kind and sweet to you. He loved you. He did everything for you and you slag around on him. You should be ashamed of yourself. I never want to see you again. I don't want to hear your name or talk about you after this. You are nothing but a whore. I hope you and your pathetic excuse for a 'boyfriend' are happy together. Don't worry about Ron, he's better off without you.

Ginny

She deserved that. Nothing she said was wrong. Ron was better off without her. She was the bad guy here. There was no denying that. But having Ginny say those things to her still hurt.

The second letter hurt far worse. It was from Harry.

Hermione,

What the hell is going on? I thought you and Ron loved each other. Even if you didn't, you had no right to cheat on him. That's not you. The Hermione I knew would never betray anyone like that, certainly not her husband.

If you want the truth, I'm completely on Ron's side on this one. You will always be my friend, but I can't even speak to you right now. You ruined everything between us. He will probably never forgive you, and I don't really think you deserve his forgiveness. I know you well enough to know that you already know that.

Look, Hermione, I love you. You're one of my best friends, but it will be a long time until I can look at you. Maybe if you told him who it was, it would make it easier. I'm not trying to pressure you, but I think he has a right to know.

Harry.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, pushing the letter away. His might have been nicer than Ginny's, but it hurt one-hundred times more. She sighed, picking up the last letter. She assumed she'd hear from Draco not long after the Prophetspilled the beans.

Hermione,

I saw the news. I know you are sitting home alone sulking, and you need to stop. Please, let me come over tonight. I want to know what happened. I'm here for you, you know. I always will be. Please let me help you.

Draco

Part of her wanted to tell him to 'fuck off', but part of her needed company, and she couldn't think of anyone else that she might be able to talk to. It was weak, and it was stupid, and it would set her back in her plans to move on, but she itched to have something familiar to hold onto.

Pushing the offending letters out of her sight, she grabbed a Muggle pen and piece of paper, jotting down a note to Draco.

Draco,

Come over if you want. I'll be home all day and night. My address is 3490 E. Campden Hill Road Apt. # 5. It's a Muggle flat, but discretion would be nice. The Prophet has people swarming the place.

Hermione

Happy with the result she sent it off with her owl and returned to her tea.

Hermione looked terrible when she opened the door to greet him. He was carrying a bouquet of wildflowers and offered them to her as he crossed the threshold. It had been quite a production getting there. He had to use a Notice-Me-Not charm so as to not be 'noticed' coming to her flat. The press was dying to catch her with a gentleman caller, and would have a field day if they caught him coming to visit.

Hermione took the flowers and invited him to sit as she put them in a vase. "So, what happened?" Draco asked when she returned to the living room.

"I told him the truth," Hermione said.

"About me?" Draco asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Draco. Your identity has been protected. Don't worry," she scoffed.

"That's not what I meant," he lied. That was actually a concern, but he was also confused as to why she outed herself. "I mean, he knows you cheated?"

"He knows everything but your identity," Hermione muttered.

"Why did you tell him?" Draco asked. He was elated, but still didn't understand it. He didn't suspect her, so why make things harder on herself.

"I was sick of lying," Hermione sniffled. "I thought I was pregnant, and I wasn't happy. I knew I couldn't lie to myself or him anymore."

"You're...you're not are you?" Draco asked, suddenly terrified at the prospect that she might be having Weasley's child and he'd ruined any chance that the baby had of a normal family.

"No," Hermione sighed. He breathed a sigh of relief, but looking over at her, he could tell she was far from being relieved about anything.

"Come here," he said, quietly as he pulled her into his arms. She willingly went with him and nestled her head in his chest as he ran his fingers, lovingly, though her hair. "I take it 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and the Weasleys didn't take the news well," he said, stating the obvious.

"You could say that." Hermione sighed. "I'm certainly not welcome to the Burrow anymore. Harry doesn't want to speak to me, and Ginny's choice of words are a little more colorful than I want to hear right now," she snorted.

"They are idiots," Draco said.

"No they aren't, Draco," Hermione said. "I cheated on him, repeatedly. Just because they don't know it was with you, doesn't make it any better. I told him I didn't want to make our marriage work, and I walked out. How do you expect them to react? Now, here I am, alone, with no one. And I deserve all of it because I did this to myself. But it hurts. I can't even call my parents because they are on some expedition in Africa." She sighed in frustration.

"You aren't alone," Draco murmured, kissing her temple. "I'm right here." Hermione knew it was a bad idea, but she clung to that, letting it comfort her as she looked up into his eyes.

"Take me to bed?" she said, hoping he wouldn't want to talk anymore. She was talked out, and didn't want to rehash what they'd already been over a hundred times. She just needed to feel the comfort of the man she loved in her arms even for just a moment.

Draco knew she was covering her pain, but he'd missed her too much to deny her. Taking her hand in his, he let her lead the way to her bedroom, and for the first time since the days of Hogwarts, they spent the night together, not in some seedy hotel, but in her home, on her bed.

Hermione woke up late the next morning, deliciously sore in all the right places. They'd barely slept until dawn was breaking, and she hadn't had a workout like that in a long time.

She frowned when she noticed the half of the bed that he'd occupied was empty. Stretching, she moved out of bed and pulled her dressing gown around her. The smell of bacon hit her nose the minute she exited her bedroom and she knew he was still there. "Draco?" she called. He couldn't possibly be cooking, could he?

"In here," he called, and she followed his voice into the kitchen where he was, in fact, cooking.

"Where the hell did you learn to cook?" she asked with a chuckle.

"There are many things I know, Miss Granger." He grinned at her.

"Still Weasley, until I sign there," Hermione said, indicating the divorce papers on her kitchen table.

"So, sign them," he said with a shrug.

"You're right. I really should." Hermione sighed, there was really no use putting it off. It was her idea after all. Taking up the pen next to the stack of papers she took a deep breath and signed her name at the bottom of the sheet, officially cutting the ties of her marriage in a few short strokes.

Draco was more than elated that Hermione was free from her marriage, and intended to show her that by pampering her as he always should have. "Here's breakfast," he said, setting a plate before her before piling food on one for himself. He sat across from her and wondered if life could always be like this. He missed waking up next to her in the morning, and having chats, and being a normal couple.

"So, about last night," Hermione started, taking a bite of her eggs.

"It was amazing. And it's just the beginning," Draco said, his eyes shining brightly. "I can take care of the rent here, as I plan to stay quite often. We can do everything like we planned to do in the beginning. I know I was stupid, but I have a lot more latitude now..."

"Wait," Hermione stopped him, looking at him like he'd grown another head. "This is why we need to talk about last night."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"I mean, last night was great, but it can't happen again," Hermione said seriously.

"Not this again," Draco said with a roll of the eyes. "You don't have a husband anymore. What's stopping us?"

"You," Hermione replied. When he looked at her confused, she explained. "The problem with us was not just that I was married. It was that you wanted me to be your dirty little secret. You still want that. You want to pay for my apartment and keep me on the side while you pretend you care nothing for me to the rest of the world. I'm not your whore, and I won't be your mistress. I'm worth more than that, Draco."

"I know, but..." Draco started, but she cut him off again.

"No, you never listen to me about this, and I'm going to make myself very clear. I invited you over last night because I was sad and lonely, and I really missed you. It wasn't right, because I knew that nothing had changed between us," Hermione said, looking into his eyes. "I want a family. I want a husband I can take out into public and who can give me children, and who loves me more than anything or anyone else. You cannot give me those things. Just as I didn't deserve Ron, you don't deserve me," she finished forcefully.

"But, love..." Draco started, panicking. This was not how this morning was supposed to go. She was free now. How could she still not be his?

"Let's finish breakfast, and then you need to go," Hermione finally said. Draco wasn't hungry anymore. He just got up and magically cleaned the kitchen before turning to Hermione.

"I love you," he said, knowing that, right now, he wasn't going to change her mind.

"And I love you. But I have to love myself more, right now," she said, choking on her words as he left her apartment.