Tomorrow is another day

Chapter 10

Angela still felt overwhelmed by confusion. When she had run into Draco on platform 9 ¾ she knew he would want to speak with her. In the back of her mind she had known that much. And she wanted to speak to him, she had always wanted to talk to him. Ever since he left her life all those years ago.
But the shock of seeing him, of the idea she would have to deal with her past, was still so real, so enormous. She wasn't sure if she would be able to face him yet. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready to face him. Seeing him brought back so many memories. She had loved him so much. Even when he didn't love her back. And suddenly she wasn't sure if she ever really let go of her love for him. And then there was Cassy to think of. And Scorpius, as Harry had informed her. And not to forget about Astoria. Angela could not imagine what Astoria would be going through now. She could not imagine, but she just hoped that Astoria would not hate her from this moment on.
What she and Draco had, was in the past. Well sort off. Silently she cursed herself for the confusion. How could she not have moved on in all those years? Or was she just thinking of what had been?
She really wasn't ready to face him.

"I do understand. I really do. But you can't deny him some answers. And you need to be able to ask your own questions" practical Hermione had mentioned when they had discussed this. And she had been right, off course. Angela knew that. But knowing she was right and acting upon that knowledge were two different things. If it had been up to Angela she would have avoided meeting him for a very long time. She didn't want to tell him about her life the past eleven years. And something in her told her, she didn't want to know about his life either. She didn't want to hear about his wife, his marriage. His happy family life. Not while she had been alone for so long. It had been only her and Cassy for so long now. She never had anyone to fall back on. And he was partly to blame for that.

Still she didn't want to be angry at him. She didn't want to blame him for anything in her life. After all he had given her Cassy. However, she didn't want or need to hear how his life had been much better than hers, because that would most likely set off the anger and the blaming. She wasn't made of stone, she hurt when he left. She was hurting all the time, only Cassy had been able to lift the pain from her life. Nothing else, no one else. Besides Cassy she hadn't had anyone in her life. Not until she met Hermione and her amazing family.

Still Hermione had managed to talk some sense into her. And together they had thought of a place and time to meet, once Draco had initiated contact. Hermione had been with her that entire evening, waiting for a letter. Angela knew she was leaning in Hermione a little too much. But it was such a relieve to finally have someone in her life again that would catch her as she fell, she couldn't help but lean on her. And Hermione was so patient. She didn't even seem to mind. After Angela got back on stable territory, she would have to start letting Hermione lean on her sometimes. She would have to show she could be a good friend as well. She would do that. She had to, Hermione deserved it.

Hermione had told her that she should meet in a muggle place, to avoid any gossip. Gossip always seemed to reach the school. And their children should be protected from that, at least for now. Until the parents had figured it all out, together.
So here Angela was, sitting in a fancy muggle restaurant in London, trying to figure out what to say and how. Hermione had promised her she would be there in a flash if she was needed. Bless that woman. But Angela hoped it wasn't needed. She hoped Draco would come alone. She really wasn't ready to meet the wife. Angela feared that the amount of tension would be too much to handle if the wife came along. This whole ordeal was tense enough without her.

Angela couldn't imagine how his wife was feeling right about now. She would want to know why Cassy and Scorpius were so close in age of course. Angela would like an explanation about that as well, but to her that wasn't the most pressing matter. Nor was it as much her right to know as it was his wife's right. He didn't owe her anything. He had never made her any promises.
But his wife was another story entirely. She had every right to know.
For Angela, however, the most important thing was establishing a plan. How they were going to tell their children. How they would tell their worlds. And she wanted to know what made him leave her.

Draco really didn't want to come here. It was packed with muggles. And while he really didn't judge by blood anymore, he liked to have magic all around him. Well, and of course he knew the people and the dishes in magical restaurants. He wasn't really comfortable trying out new things. He liked sticking to the old.
However, he also understood that this was probably the best place to have this conversation. Nobody knew him here and gossip wouldn't reach the magical community as quickly. He really didn't need any rumours, true or false. He needed time to figure things out first.
The gossip would devastate his wife, and his son once it reached him. And Angela's child would not bode well either. Whoever that child was. He really wished he could've noticed Angela earlier on at the trainstation. That way he could've gotten a look at her child. He would know if it was a boy or a girl. And perhaps he could even see if there were any similarities.

He walked into the restaurant and spotted Angela almost immediately. Even in her current disposition, on full of fear and anxiety, she radiated. Her hair was pulled up in ponytail and her clothes were simple yet elegant. She had a frown on her face, signalling that she was lost in thought. Draco could imagine what she was thinking about. He could almost hear the thoughts swimming through her mind and it shocked him that he still felt so familiar with her. Quietly he neared the table and he sat down, constantly looking at her.

"Hi" he said softly and she nearly jumped from her seat, making him laugh.

"Hi, I didn't see you there" she apologised and took a few deep breaths.

"I could see that. You were a bit lost in thoughts" he mentioned and looked up as a waiter came their way.

"just a coffee please" Draco said.

"Make that two" Angela added and the waiter just nodded before walking away from them.

Silence ensued and she looked from her hands back to his face, while he was concentrating hard on not looking at her at all.

"I never thought I would see you again" Angela started and Draco nodded in agreement. Neither had expected that.

"I never thought I'd see you at the station" Draco said and Angela chuckled shortly.

"Me neither" Angela told him honestly.

"How did you get there?" Draco asked curiously.

"Cassy got a letter earlier this summer" Angela explained and realised he was far more interested in Cassy, not the letter. It showed on his face. She grabbed her bag and took out a picture of her and Cassy.

"That's her" she said while offering him the picture.

"She looks like…." Draco started and stopped there. He really didn't know what to say.

"like you" Angela finished softly and he just nodded. Surely she had much in common with her mother, but those eyes and that smile weren't like her mother at all.

"She's beautiful" he said in a whisper and she knew the reality of the situation was dawning on him.

"She is. You should meet her, she's got an amazing character." Angela offered a bit shy and Draco smiled.

"Of course she does, you raised her" he said and Angela smiled. The Draco she knew wasn't quick to compliment someone and she didn't really think that changed much, therefore she would cherish this one. "I didn't know. I would've come back" Draco then suddenly exclaimed and Angela smiled kindly at him. "I know. I just had no way of contacting you. I didn't even know if you wanted me too" Angela said honestly once more. This comment was met by a lengthy silence. "It must have been a shock to receive the letter" Draco said after at least ten minutes of silence. "It was, especially because Cassy hid it from me. So eventually it was delivered by Miss McGonagall. That was quite an adjustment."

"She hid it from you?" Draco asked confused.

"she figured it was a joke," Angela explained, " and truth be told, I wasn't sure what to think of it either"

"yes, I can understand that" Draco said.

"Fortunately so did McGonagal. She was very patient and showed us some of her own powers. Afterwards she helped Cassy with some tricks."

"So you started believing her" Draco stated and Angela just chuckled.

"Not really. We didn't really start believing it was all true until we were saying goodbye at the station" she clarified.

"Then why did you go along with it?" Draco asked, still confused by everything.

"I guess Hermione played a huge part in convincing us" Angela said and checked his face to see his reaction the woman's name.

"Yes, she's like that" he simply said, keeping his face in check.

"She's been a great friend" she said.

"I can imagine she has been. I'm glad you've got someone like her. It must be confusing"

"It is. And I know we've got so much to talk about, but I don't really know where to start. What you should know or want to know. I don't really know how to deal with this. What to tell Cassy. Or your son" Angela confessed and Draco smiled ruefully.

"Neither do I" he admitted and silence fell over their conversation once more.