I havee one more chapter after this, which I think I'll post tomorrow.

Chapter 13

"Hermione, please don't change the subject," Draco asked patiently.

She turned off the faucet and poured herself a cup of coffee. "I don't want to talk about the repeal," she told him. "I don't want to know what you think because I'm scared that I feel differently."

"How do you know I don't feel the same way you do?" he wondered.

Turning her head away, she shrugged. "I don't," she admitted. "And I don't want to know one way or the other."

Sighing, Draco got to his feet and poured a coffee for himself. "That's ridiculous," he told her.

"You asked me once if I could be assigned anyone as a spouse, who would it be," she said. "But you never answered the question yourself. I want to know your answer now."

He took a sip and made a face at the bitter taste. Busying himself with preparing his coffee to his liking, he asked, "My answer now or my answer twelve years ago?"

"Both, either," she replied.

Taking a seat at the kitchen table, he put his mug down and gave the question some thought. It had been years since he had pondered it, and couldn't begin to remember who he had once fancied. "I don't know," he finally said. "Pansy and I were always close, but I don't think I could have married her. Honestly, after growing up with my parents, I figured I'd never get married. I certainly wasn't thinking about kids when I was 18."

Hermione nodded, an unhappy look on her face. "So this - us, Cece, Gabe - it's all just because of the law," she deduced. "You never really wanted any of it."

"No," he said, getting to his feet. "I've wanted a family for a long time, Hermione. You made that possible. I told you a long time ago that I meant it when I said I loved you, and I still mean it."

She placed her hands over his as they rested on her hips. "But it was just because of the law," she whispered.

"Why do you get to decide that?" he wondered. "We've had a great life together. The law didn't tell us we had to. That was all us, Hermione. We could have been miserable like Daphne and Weasley."

"You have to admit there were plenty of times I made you miserable," she said with a small laugh.

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I've done the same thing to you," he replied. "It's part of what makes us work. We fight and swear that we hate each other, and then we say I love you and it's over."

There were tears in her eyes as she looked up at him. "But we don't have to do that anymore," she said. "We don't have to make each other mad. The Ministry can't force us to be together now. You could figure out who it is you really want to be with."

There was worry in his eyes as he let go of her and took a step back. "Is this your way of saying that you want out?" he wondered.

Hermione shook her head. "It's just my way of processing," she replied. "Like, what if I'm the one who thought I loved you because the Ministry made us get married? You were just here and it was easy to do. But then I wonder who I'd be with if it wasn't you. Would Ron and I have gotten married? Would I be happy with him?"

Blond eyebrows rose. "Well?"

Sighing, she reached for his hand. "I know I wouldn't be happy with Ron," she told him. "Twelve years on and he hasn't changed one bit. At least, that's what Harry tells me."

He stared down at their hands, his gaze transfixed on his grandmother's ring. "Are you happy with me?" he asked.

Tucking a finger beneath his chin, Hermione directed him to look at her. "I am," she told him with a small smile.

With a disgruntled sigh, he let go of her hand and sat down. "Then where is this coming from?" he asked. "This idea that I might want out?"

"From something you said the other night," she said. "About wishing you could run away, leave this all behind."

Anger and impatience faded away to understanding and a hint of guilt. "Oh, love," he whispered. "No. You know I didn't mean it. We've both been sleep deprived because of the kids, and I just said that without thinking. Or maybe it's something that I had been thinking about, but you know I'd never act on it."

Once more, she reached for his hand and held it tight. "So, once again, I've overreacted?" she asked.

Chuckling, he nodded. "Maybe just a bit," he agreed. "Besides, you wanted to run off too if I remember correctly. I know my comments about marriages like Weasley's were a bit flippant, but we're not like them, Hermione. Not once have I ever regretted being with you."

"Not even when I broke your finger during labor?" she asked.

He took a moment to think about it before answering. Gabe's birth had been far more difficult than Cece's. There were complications that resulted in Hermione needing an emergency c-section. Scared and worried, she had held Draco's hand so tightly as she cried that she somehow managed to dislocate his finger when the healers wheeled her to the operating room.

"Not even then," he assured her. "After what you went through, a finger injury is nothing."

"Still, I'm sorry I hurt you," she replied, her words having more meaning than an apology for a hurt finger.

Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against her. "Don't be," he murmured. "Are we on the same page though? Can we be friends again instead of you giving me the cold shoulder?" When she nodded, he tugged on her hand, urging her to move closer. When she was settled on his lap, he kissed her again. "I think, tomorrow instead of going to work, you and I should spend the day together like we used to. Mum can watch the kids. She's been begging to see them, and you know Cece loves having the run of the Manor."

Biting her lip, Hermione nodded. "Draco, there's something I want to do. Something I've been thinking about since the repeal," she said hesitantly, knowing he wouldn't approve. "I think we should get divorced."