When did she get so many damn throw pillows?
She couldn't even remember purchasing half of them and suddenly she has six!—wait, no. Seven! Seven random pillows adorned her lumpy, hand-me-down couch that suddenly felt far too shabby for company.
"Two years?! You've been sleeping with Theodore Nott for two years and you never fucking told me!?" If her neighbors weren't aware of the comings and goings of her love life before, they certainly were now. "Hermione Jean Granger, how dare you! I thought we were friends."
"Yeah!" Harry's booming voice cut over his wife. "Best friends are supposed to tell each other these sorts of things, 'Mione."
"I know—trust me, I know, but can you guys spare me the lecture this one time and just talk me off a ledge?" Hermione grimaced, tossing her phone on the couch cushion to put distance between the boom from her speaker phone as she went to work fluffing the pillows into submission, arranging, and then rearranging them once she determined they were out of order by color.
By her clock, she had less than twenty minutes to get her living room in order before Theo and Draco showed up. Lord only knew she was woefully unprepared for visitors. Her stop at Trader Joe's to grab wine took far longer than anticipated thanks to the tattooed hipster mom who asked far too many questions about the ingredients in their hummus. News flash, it was chickpeas, and no, the underpaid employees could not confirm whether they were organically grown or not.
"Help? Hermione, I'm not certain you need any help. You have two good-looking men showing up to your flat! It sounds like you need an icepack and Motrin more than fucking moral support, my friend." Ginny's snort was punctuated by a loud groan from Harry, who was likely smothering his face with his hands.
While yes, Harry was her best friend, and yes, he stuck by her through all her nonsense, this line seemed hard for him to wrap his head around. Would he support her? She knew he would—unquestionably—but he needed time to mentally (and physically) prepare for the type of moral support she needed.
"Not helpful, Ginn'!" Once the pillows were arranged just so, she walked around the open concept ground floor of her condo, snatching up the various bits of stray clothing that had accumulated in her living room and stuffing them all in a black Ikea storage bin she found sitting beside her couch.
"I'm just saying, this hardly sounds like a problem. Why on earth are you freaking out?"
"Uh… because I, unknowingly, mind you, slept with Theo's boyfriend!"
"Yeah, but you've been shagging Theo! Apparently for two bloody years now!" Theo's sexual proclivities were hardly a secret in their small group of friends. Though Ella-Mae never specifically spelled out the exact reason their relationship was doomed, it was common knowledge that his preference for non-monogamy was one of the numerous differences the once-couple couldn't make things work. "Speaking of which, can I just say I am genuinely surprised that he's bisexual. I would never have pegged him as being interested in blokes."
Hermione paused her frantic cleaning and turned to look at the phone with a deep-set frown, as if Ginny could see how utterly absurd she was through the phone. "Ginn'… What the fuck are you talking about?" Tossing the pair of mismatched socks and bralette in the Ikea bin, she set it all beside the one remaining house plant she hadn't managed to murder this year.
"He just doesn't look bisexual is all."
"And what, pray tell, do bisexual people look like, Ginny?"
Silence.
More specifically, awkward silence.
She knew Ginny didn't mean for the statement to be unkind, but Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly defensive of Theo and Draco. Sure, she was nothing to them, and technically they were nothing to her, but she felt protective over the pair.
"Wow. Did I just turn into my mother?" Ginny let loose a heavy sigh and she could almost guarantee Harry was nodding his head enthusiastically (albeit silently) behind her. "Fuck I didn't mean it like that. You know that right?"
Grabbing the rogue group of Starbucks cups gathered on her end table, she tucked them against her torso, making sure not to spill any remaining coffee on her dress as she hurried across the room to drop them in her trash can. "Yeah… I do. Sorry, it's just—"
"No, no. You're right," Ginny rushed out, clearing her throat. "That was rude of me. Look, Theo's sexuality aside, how do you… How do you feel about this? About him?"
That question felt loaded.
Yes, Ginny was closer to Hermione than the leggy blonde, but this wasn't a fucking friendship competition. Ginny was Ella-Mae's friend. Regardless of how close they were, the fact remained that Ginny obviously enjoyed her company. Now that her and Theo's secret was out, it was going to make their friendly get togethers decidedly more awkward.
"Ehh… I'm not entirely sure how to answer that if I'm being honest."
"Go with your gut reaction." Ginny was just trying to help—trying to be a good friend—because lord knew Harry was still reeling from the bomb she'd dropped on them minutes earlier, but actually admitting her feelings for Theodore Nott wasn't going to fix any of this. On the contrary, it was likely going to make this decidedly more complicated. "Do you like him?"
Right. No allowing things like reason or logic to sway her mind. She could do this. Gut reaction.
"Yes."
The word slipped off her tongue before she could even make the connection herself, and her footfall slowed to a halt, leaving her standing in the middle of her living room with her arms curled around the trash can she'd snagged from the kitchen like some sort of vagabond. "Yes, but…"
It was complicated.
He didn't like her—at least not like that.
They'd been hooking up for two years and he'd never once asked for more! He clearly didn't return the same sort of affections.
"But?"
"But he's… He doesn't…" She struggled, making a plethora of odd noises as she tried to come up with a way to explain why things weren't as fucking simple as Ginny was making them out to be.
Things had always been easy for her. Ginny would never be able to understand the tangled mess Hermione presently found herself in. No, Ginny had been born into a big, loving family. She had literal oodles of siblings to look after her. She had found Harry early on and indulged in that sickeningly sweet dream that was the picture perfect teenage romance—yuck! After graduating, she fell into a rather successful, albeit short lived, soccer career, and was now in the U.S. living like some trophy wife to her successful husband about to pop out their first biological kid.
Ginny never experienced dating in her twenties—let alone in her thirties.
She didn't know the stressors that came with finding the one, nor faced the very public backlash over being a career-driven woman. She never got into fights with Harry because she worked too late or too much. She never had to explain that her career mattered, and no, she wouldn't even think about giving it up if babies ever came along.
But moreover, Ginny never had to experience the sting to her heart that came with being rejected by a man she liked.
Sure, maybe young love's kiss had left her with skinned knees and bruises, but it would never compare to the gaping wounds that Hermione's previous relationships had carved into her very being. She had cuts that were still so raw and red, even all these years later. That didn't even include the emotional scars she still bore from losing her parents so young.
No.
Ginny would never know what it felt like to be broken and beat down. And as much as Hermione wanted to explain—to get her friend to even understand why liking Theodore Nott was not an option—she just couldn't. Not when she still struggled with the explanation herself.
"Hermione?" Ginny's voice cut through the line, dripping with concern for Hermione's sudden silence. "You okay?"
"It just wouldn't work." The lie felt easy. It was one she'd repeated countless times by now. "He's a nice guy, but no."
"Uh-huh… and his boyfriend? You like him?"
Wasn't it evident? She was fairly certain Ginny knew the answer to that question, but if she had to indulge her friend, so be it. "Yes."
"But that won't work either?"
"Obviously."
"So, then... What exactly are you doing? Having them over for a spot of tea? Talking to them about the bloody weather?" This is why she needed Ginny in her life. Where Harry was cautious and kind in his loving support, Ginny was no nonsense and to the point. She didn't mince words or sugarcoat anything. This was precisely what she needed. "Seriously, Hermione? What is your game plan here? Because I think you honestly know the answer to your own dilemma but are refusing to acknowledge it because you're either a. stubborn or b. a bloody idiot."
Setting the trash can down in the middle of her living room, Hermione collapsed back on her mountain of throw pillows on the lumpy couch. Draping an arm dramatically over her eyes, she let out a groan. "I don't fucking know what I'm doing Ginn'! This is why I called you guys!" She knew her time was slipping away, and the frantic energy that had consumed her when she made the desperate call to the Potters seemed worse than before. "I just—Fuck! I don't know!"
"You want my advice?" Ginny waited approximately .02 seconds before continuing, because it was clearly understood that, yes, Hermione wanted her god damn advice—hence the reason for the call! "You obviously care for Theo and before you try to say you don't, it's fairly fucking obvious you do, so shut it. Anyways, you care for Theo. It's also obvious that you're interested in this new bloke, and given what we know about Theo's… What would you even call that? Kinks?"
"No, definitely not." Hermione wrinkled her nose, slowly dragging her arm off of her face to fall listlessly against the cushion. "Relationship preferences? Lifestyle choices?"
"Ugh… Look, we know that Theo's into dating multiple people—sharing, if you will. And, well, to be quite blunt about this, Hermione, why not fucking give it a go? You're a consenting adult. If they both like you and are open to the idea, I honestly don't see what the big deal is."
Hermione quirked a brow as her eyes narrowed skeptically on the phone, letting her friend's words wash over her. She was expecting a lot of things out of this conversation, but that was certainly not one of them. She snatched her iPhone off the couch and she took it off speaker phone before pressing the receiver against her ear. "I'm sorry, did you just say I should date both of them?"
"In more words, but yes."
"As in... At the same time?"
"I think that is generally how polyamorous relationships work, but I am far from an expert. You probably ought to discuss the logistics with Theo and his boyfriend."
"And you don't think it would be weird?"
"Being happy isn't weird, Hermione. It's called being human. And news flash, you're definitely not a robot."
The possibility of dating them both hadn't even crossed her mind. She'd never considered the possibility of ending up in a polyamorous relationship. Why would she? But now that Ginny had planted the seed, Hermione was hard pressed to deny her rapidly growing curiosity.
What if that's why her other relationships never worked out?
What if she'd always craved more without being aware of it?
What if this was a real possibility?
Knock, Knock, Knock!
Hermione jumped, a small squeak emanating up her throat and she pressed her hand into the center of her chest as she eyed the front door. Shit. They were here. They were here! "Ginn' I got to go." Rising from the couch, she righted the pillows as best she could and grabbed the trash can. In a hurry, she shoved it back into place in her kitchen and scooped up the large stack of junk mail before tossing it all away.
"They're there?" Excitement replaced the slow, controlled logic from earlier, and Ginny let out a little squeal. "Okay! Since you're going to date them, I demand pictures."
"Ginny."
"I'm serious! I know Theo is a fox, but I've never seen his boyfriend! I demand photographic evidence. It's my right as your female best friend."
Knock, Knock!
"Look, I've really got to go."
"Use a condom, don't get pregnant. Wait—on second thought, if you did, the babies would be—"
Hermione had never jammed the 'end call' button so quickly in her life. Babies? Was she absolutely insane? Clearly her pregnancy was muddling her fucking brain. Hermione could barely figure out the dynamics of her pathetic excuse for a love life, why Ginny would even joke about falling pregnant at a time like this was clearly poor judgement on her part.
Tossing her phone on the entry table, Hermione took one last look around the room, teeth already tugging on her bottom lip as she surveyed the wreckage that still remained. Her condo was modest. She could afford something much nicer on her salary, but it was hard to justify needing extra space when it was just her and Crooks. Her first floor had an open concept living-kitchen area with just enough wall space for four shabby bookshelves that had seen better days and a rarely used washroom. Her second level contained her master bedroom and bath, a loft area that she converted to a reading nook, and a guest room. It was far from fancy, but it had been home for the past two years.
While she loved her little condo, no matter how cramped it was, she couldn't help but the niggling worry that it wasn't enough as. Theo had been here before. In fact, he'd come to her condo several times over, but never under this pretense. And Draco? Well, Draco hadn't seen the state of disrepair her home was in, and truthfully, she had hoped he might never find out.
She lived on coffee and takeout. She only really cleaned when she knew she was going to have guests over, and lord only knew that she purposefully kept that to a minimum because she abhorred cleaning.
Knock, Knock, Knock!
"Fuck, okay!" She quickly flicked over the deadbolt and yanked the door open. "Jesus, give a girl a moment, would ya?"
"I'm fairly certain you had several, Granger."
Theo and Draco stood shoulder to shoulder, looking like some sort of male model collective for hire. Her hand curled around the side of her door, tongue dragging nervously over her lips as she looked between the pair, awe-struck by the picture they painted together. It was weird, seeing them side by side. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever assumed these two very different parts of her life would cross, yet here she was, on what felt like the precipice of insanity.
Cocking a thick brow, Theo removed his hand from his blazer pocket and pointed over her shoulder into her condo. "Are you going to let us in or should we just hang out on your stoop all evening?"
"Oh shit, right. Yeah—come in." Stepping back, she tried to gulp down the rapidly forming lump in her throat as she let the pair slip inside. Pressing the door shut, she turned to watch silently as Theo and Draco moved into her condo.
Theo was easily a good three inches taller than Draco. Tall, dark, handsome. He was the epitome of what she typically went for with men. His tanned skin and dark green eyes were enough to make her weak in the knees, but it was a stark contrast to his boyfriend. Draco was… Well, almost fae-like in comparison. Platinum hair, light eyes, milky skin. She knew, intimately, there was not an ounce of body hair on his lithe form and while she normally didn't find that sort of thing appealing, there was this captivating presence about him that made it impossible to ignore the thrum of desire.
The fact of the matter was, the two men could not have felt more opposite, and that wasn't even accounting for anything beyond their physical differences. Draco was all cunning and witty, that much was evident from even their first meeting. And, while Theo was far from dull or dumb, his kindess and boyish charm definitely shined more.
Theo shrugged from his blazer, carefully folding it in hand lengthwise then again in half before he set it on her rickety kitchen table. Turning towards his boyfriend, he held out his hand, already anticipating Draco shedding his coat and he took it without question to fold and set beside his own.
Draco was surveying the room with what she could only hope was a less than critical stare, storm cloud colored eyes flicking from the pictures that adorned her walls, to the books on her shelves, assessing her personal effects with an apathetic gaze that did little to ease the tension in the room.
Hermione's hands smoothed across her abdomen nervously as she began towards the kitchen, but the train of thought that beckoned her to be a proper host and offer them a drink evaporated like a drop of water on a hot plate the moment she watched them touch.
Theo placed a hand on his boyfriend's lower back, fingers hovering just above his beltline, far too low to be anything but intimate. He leaned in, their bodies brushing against one another and he drug his lips across Draco's cheek dangerously close to the corner of his mouth before he whispered something to his partner that she couldn't quite make out from her distance.
All at once, forbidden fantasies she hadn't even begun to acknowledge rushed to the forefront of her mind, muddled with burning questions that flashed like neon signs.
Theo and Draco naked… kissing… their hands, their lips, their tongues.
Was Theo as dominant with his boyfriend as he was with her? Or was that side of him reserved for the fairer sex?
Did Draco make love to his boyfriend just as slow and methodically as he had with her the other night? Or did they like it fast? Rough?
Who topped who? Or was it more of a switch-hitting type of situation?
And, oh god, would she watch?
Would they allow her to catch a glimpse into their private life?
Did she even want to watch or was it strictly her libido launching into unknown territories like an over enthusiastic puppy?
Draco nodded, turning to look up at Theo and his lips lifted, infinitesimally so, in the tiniest hint of a smile before he leaned in to press a quick kiss to Theo's lips.
Hermione was fairly certain she felt several hundred brain cells pop out of existence.
Wine.
She needed a fucking glass—no, scratch that. She needed an entire bottle.
Clearing her throat, she fought back the flush that colored her skin and made a beeline for the kitchen, purposefully avoiding looking at the couple as she snatched the bottle of Two Buck Chuck from the countertop and quickly twisted off the metal cap. "Wine?"
She didn't bother to wait for a reply as she opened her cabinet and pulled down two stemless wine glasses and a Winnie the Pooh mug. She didn't entertain often, and although she definitely drank, she didn't make a habit of drinking at home. Tonight was clearly an exception to that rule.
She gave herself a rather generous pour into the faded mug, the white wine nearly hitting the rim, before she set the bottle down with a loud tink against the granite countertop. Lifting the mug to her lips, she let the dry liquid slip across her tongue, barely allowing herself to taste it before gulping down two large mouthfuls.
"Whoa, slow down." Heavy footsteps vibrated towards her, and before she could even lower the porcelain mug from her lips, she felt the rapid warmth of body heat at her back. Her eyes slammed closed, fingers flexing on the mug. "Christ, you're nearly as pent up at Draco." Theo's breath moved the baby fine curls on the side of her head and she felt the brush of his fingertips over hers as he slowly eased the mug away from her mouth and out of her hand. "Maybe wine isn't such a good idea."
Was he stupid? Of course it was a good idea. Wine was probably the only way she was going to make it through having this sort of conversation without spontaneously combusting.
Hermione's eyes stayed tightly shut, her body practically vibrating with nervous energy as she heard him set the mug down. His hands gripped her hips, slowly spinning her around. She was pliant under his touch, even now, like some sort of doll.
The brush of knuckles against her cheek sent a shiver trickling down her spine, but it wasn't until he whispered something, that she finally dared to open her eyes. "Can I kiss you?"
"No." Her head shook, lips trembling as she pressed them into a line. He was close—really fucking close—and his mere presence was literally fogging up her mind. She needed space, lots of space, and fresh air. "No, I don't think that's a good idea."
She could make out just a glimpse of hurt in his beautiful dark, green eyes. But, ever the gentleman, Theo gave a solemn nod before dropping his hand from her face and taking a step back. "Probably right." He still wore his tie, the knot loose around his collar, and the first couple buttons of his shirt were opened to reveal just the hint of hair that covered his chest.
Fuck, it should be illegal to look that good in a suit.
How people managed to get through negotiations without needing new underwear was beyond her. Even now, she was practically ready to throw caution to the wind and allow him to do whatever he wanted to her.
"Should we take a seat?" Draco was already in front of her couch, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jeans. He didn't seem to mind her and Theo's less than platonic encounter. On the contrary, he looked about as unperturbed by Theo's proximity to her as one would be seeing two strangers shaking hands.
Gulping, Hermione nodded. Her shoulder brushed against Theo's as she moved away from his orbit and towards the safety of the old wingback armchair she'd rescued from some curb years ago. It was shabby, the velvet covering riddled with bald spots from years of use, yet despite being broken and worn, it was her most favorite piece. Orange cat hair clung to the fibers, nearly impossible to get off, and she knew the wooden feet that held the chair aloft were scratched and marred beyond repair. Even with its obvious imperfections, she loved it. It was cozy and fit her perfectly when she'd curl into a ball on its cushion. Could she afford a new one? Sure. But there was something so beautiful about its flaws that she couldn't bring herself to part with it.
Claiming the chair, she pulled the black throw blanket that was draped over the arm into her lap, fingers winding into the woven fibers to twist and curl, trying to conceal her anxiety.
Theo claimed the far right cushion on her couch, per usual, while Draco took the left, both looking at her expectantly. She'd invited them over. Clearly they expected her to lead this train wreck of a conversation.
Oh, how utterly wrong they were.
She could barely breathe right now. All of her mental power was focused on reminding her lungs to expand and contract. She was fighting the primitive panic that begged her to flee from what she was certain would not only be the most awkward conversation of her life, but also likely the end of her short lived romance with Draco and secret love affair with his boyfriend.
Silence lingered, filling the space between them until it felt like it stretched for miles—wide, deep, gaping. She could almost see the tension fill the room. Burrowing her fingers into the black fabric, she curled her hands into fists, trying desperately to relieve some of the nervous tension that was steadily building and building and building until it was all she could do not to either burst out with laughter or break down in tears.
Today was supposed to be fun.
She was supposed to have met Draco's son, have a fun little date at the park, and gotten dinner.
She was supposed to have kissed him goodnight and sent him filthy text messages later.
To say this was not what she had planned was one colossal understatement.
"Did you want to start us—"
"Look, maybe it's best if I—"
Both men spoke in unison, their voices mixing into one slow delicious drip of British accent goodness for a single moment before they bashfully stopped talking. They gave each other a small smile to accompany their flub.
Fuck. Even now, in what was shaping up to be a rather terse turn of events, they were fucking adorable. Theo looked at Draco with that soft lopsided grin, and Draco seemed to simper under the subtle affection. She was a bitch, an utterly royal bitch for being so heartbroken about this.
Why she'd even let Ginny's absurd notion about joining in on their love-fest grace her consciousness was laughable. Yes, they were poly. Yes, they'd both slept with her, but only one of them had actually taken her on a date. And even then, she'd hardly count the one and a half encounters as anything valid on the scale of what these two so clearly shared with one another.
Theo leaned back into her sofa, his elbow sinking into the arm of her couch so he could prop his fist under his chin as he gave his boyfriend a sweeping gesture to continue. His arm fell gracefully over the back of her couch like he owned the goddamn thing. Bastard. He was always so effortlessly elegant.
Clearing his throat, Draco perched forward, letting his elbows rest against his knees as he pressed his fingertips together, gray eyes narrowing in on Hermione. "I feel like I owe you an apology." He said the words slowly, as if trying to leave zero room for interpretation, though Hermione would be lying if she didn't admit his opening statement already confused the hell out of her.
"What?"
"I should have been more forthcoming with my relationship status. Had I, this"—his index finger dragged an invisible triangle with the three of them acting as anchor points—"would have likely felt like less of a shock." He laced his fingers together, the soft jingle of his wristwatch accompanying his movement. "Though, to be fair, our respective relationships statuses never came up so I'd just assumed you were single."
Hermione's brow drew down in confusion. Assumed she was—that was an odd way to phrase that. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I said that I just assumed you were—"
"No, no. I got that part. What exactly do you mean by that?" Shifting, she lifted her legs from the floor and let them curl beneath her in the armchair. "I am single… I wasn't dating Theo."
"You… weren't dating?"
Draco paused, his mouth opening and closing before he turned to look at Theo, who had suddenly taken a great interest in examining the stitching on the top of the sofa cushion. "You like her though."
Picking at the sofa cushion, Theo's shoulders lifted in a small shrug, and she watched as he looked between her and Draco three separate times before he let out a small sigh. "I do but—"
"What?!" Pushing the blanket to the side, Hermione practically jumped to the edge of her seat. Leaning forward, her knees knocked as she tried to get as close as possible to make sure she heard Theo correctly. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you to repeat that last part."
Theo stiffened under her question, his fingers still picking at the sofa cushion, letting loose the slightest bit of energy under her watchful eye. His tongue swept across his lips once, twice before he lifted his fingers to turn his palms up toward her ceiling. "What? I fancy you. Sue me."
A laugh—harsh and tinny—bubbled up her throat and into the atmosphere, and Hermione clapped a hand over her lips to prevent it from turning into a roar.
He liked her—no, no, fancied her.
He liked her?!
When?
How?
Better yet, why had he never fucking said anything?
A million unanswered questions burst to life and it was all Hermione could do to stem the incredulous laughter from stealing all of the oxygen in her lungs.
"Seriously Granger?" His eyes darkened, a hand smoothing over his face in a truly exasperated fashion. "Don't fucking laugh."
"I'm sorry—I'm sorry!" She lifted a finger toward him, lips pressing together tightly and she took several slow deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. "Okay… sorry. It's just—"
"Look, I get it. You weren't interested in me, but I'd say it's hardly fair to laugh because I have feelings for you—" Just like that, the profound lunacy that was her current state of affairs no longer felt ironically joyus. "—I just… Fuck! I've liked you for two bloody years and I guess I hoped you might even feel remotely the same."
Moments in their past suddenly felt more poignant. Times she'd dismissed his sentiments as Theo just being a nice guy suddenly felt like something else entirely and well… Hindsight is always 20/20, right?
Detangling the knot that her limbs had woven themselves into, Hermione moved without any preamble of hesitation, crawling over her water stained coffee table to claim a spot directly in front of Theo who was still mid-ramble, trying to defend feelings that she had zero knowledge of prior to ten seconds ago.
"Theo."
"—I know it isn't that big of a deal. I'm fucking capable of shagging without feelings, but bugger, Granger… I don't—"
Draco, as if suddenly clued in on how fucking foolish they both were, tried his best to help her efforts. "Theodore, I think Hermione has something to say."
"—I just took what I could get, and I don't know, if shagging you was all you were—"
"Theo!" Reaching out, she set her hand on his knee, stubbed fingernails digging into his soft slacks and she felt him stiffen as his eyes suddenly sharpened back from the haze he'd lost himself in. "I didn't know."
His hands were still frozen mid-air in the weird gesticulation that he'd given when she brought him back to this plane of reality. His adam's apple traveled the length of his throat with an audible gulp, and for the first time since she'd known him, Theo looked to be at a loss for words.
Shifting closed so their knees brushed, she gently tucked her hands into his lap, covering his much larger set with her own. "I had no idea… I just assumed you only wanted to... Well, you know..."
"Shag?" Draco supplied, leaning back on the arm of the couch so he could get a better look at the pair. His lips were lifted in what she was already beginning to realize was his trademark smirk, and as much as it annoyed her at the moment, it also made her want to reach across the sofa and kiss it from his sinfully plush mouth.
"For lack of a better term, yes." Hermione nodded, patting Theo's hand lightly before she pulled back. "You never asked me on a date."
Draco laughed, because evidently this epic miscommunication was either hysterical to everyone else or a character trait of Theo's.
"No, no—that's not true." Theo cleared his throat, spine straightening. "I did! I asked you out more than once."
Hermione lifted a brow. "Bullshit. When?"
"I invited you to Napa after Eli's third birthday."
"For Netflix's company picnic?" Hermione wrinkled her nose, giving him a firm shake of her head as Draco literally sputtered with laughter. "That's not a date."
"Well what about when I asked you to Carmel last Thanksgiving?"
"You were going with to meet up with E.M. and her fucking family! You also invited Harry and Ginn, so excuse me for one: not wanting to go to Carmel with the mother of your child and two: assuming it wasn't a date because you invited all of our friends!" Hermione tossed her hands in the air, eyes widening at Theo as the errors of his past attempts began to settle in. "Beyond that, I was already resigned to just sex with you by that point! You went over an entire year without… without asking me out. How the hell else was I supposed to interpret that?"
"I had a two-year-old when we met. Life was… complicated! It's not easy to just get away." His hand was back in his hair, ruffling the dark locks into chaos once again. "Jesus, are you fucking telling me if I'd—if I'd made my intentions clear that—"
"Yes!"
Draco, no longer even attempting to keep it together at this point, let out a loud snort, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "You two are bloody helpless. I can't even fathom the amount of idiocy that has occurred in my absence."
"Don't even get me started on you!" Hermione turned, her knees smacking sharply against Theo's as she angled herself to point a finger at the blond. "You lied to me."
"What? I did no such thing." His hand dropped from his face, perfectly shaped brow lifting. "I have made my intentions rather clear since our first date. I will admit to not being open about my relationship status, but that is it."
"Oh? Is it?"
"Yes. Everything else was transparent."
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"So Eli is your son then?"
Draco bristled, his eyes narrowing just slightly and he shot a quick glance to Theo, who had placed his hand across his mouth to cover what appeared to be a widening shit-eatting grin. Theo lifted his hand toward Draco, pairing the motion with a soft, hmm as if he, too, was awaiting the answer.
"Biologically, no. Elijah is not mine, but absolutely, he is my son."
Fuck.
He was good.
Too good.
Hermione could feel her heartstrings tug, and like some sort of inflatable life preserver, the notion that Draco was so close to not just his forever boyfriend, but also Eli, made even the most sarcastic parts of her quiver.
She couldn't help but laugh at her inability to find a single way to retort his claim. His sentiment was utterly heartwarming.
Theo reached across the sofa, fingers outstretched to Draco as he took ahold of his boyfriend's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She knew, without words, that he had absolutely given the right answer.
Lacing their fingers together, Draco leaned over to press a quick kiss on the back of Theo's hand in yet another small display of affection that left her reeling. Then he turned his attention back to her with a sharp smirk lifting the corner of his lips.
Cocky fuck.
"I suppose that settles that confusion then? Theodore is interested in more than shagging, and I've been more than clear with my interest." He let his hand fall to the middle couch cushion, fingers still entwined with Theo's, evidently not intent on giving up the support the hand hold provided. "So…"
"So… what?" Her head cocked to the side. "You want to make me your—what's the term? Unicorn or something?" It was laughable to even remotely entertain the possibility of that being his implication. On what fucking planet would two people so clearly in love want to add another to their relationship—let alone her?
"I mean, if you're open to the idea, I'd say it's worth exploring." Draco lifted his shoulder in a shrug, casting a quick glance to Theo. When his boyfriend nodded in agreement, he turned the full force of those hopeful gray eyes back on her.
"Wait… I was—really?"
"Jesus, Granger, you're utterly hopeless." Theo rolled his eyes, tongue pushing against his canine tooth as his crooked smile fell into place. It was that look—that charming, boyishly handsome lift to his lips, that sucked her in so long ago. It even managed to give birth to those pesky butterflies once more. "Yes. Absolutely yes. Don't get me wrong, what we have is nice—really nice, but I wouldn't mind taking you on a proper date."
"And I wouldn't mind getting to know you more," Draco tacked on for good measure.
Ginny was right.
Fuck, Ginny was right.
The woman would never let her live this moment down, and, well, Hermione couldn't very well have that, now could she? No. Absolutely not.
This new development might also end up giving Harry a heart attack. As fun as it was to watch him flounder, she highly doubted a stint at the Kaiser Medical Center would really be ideal so close to the birth of his child.
Despite the little devil on her shoulder that was practically yanking on her curls to tell them yes, that stupid, moronic, dark cloud made her hesistate.
Not because of Ginny.
Not because of Harry.
Because of her own self doubts. Because of her own fears.
They were happy together. Yes, they claimed to want more than the comforts that each other could provide, but at what cost? Would she get even more attached to them before they realised how foolish it was? Had they shared a girlfriend before? She knew it wasn't common—even in the poly circles.
Shifting nervously on the coffee table, she pressed her knees against her clasped hands, fingers digging into the softness of her thighs. It wasn't that she wasn't interested. Clearly the idea was more than appealing, but she would be hard pressed to admit to wanting to jump into the new and unfamiliar dynamic of polyamory without at least sleeping on the idea.
"I think… I need some time." The words were slow leaving her lips, carefully selected in her whirling mind. "This is just a lot to process and… I just want to make sure I'm prepared for what this is before committing—if I'm being honest."
Smart.
She knew she was being smart, but the brief flash of disappointment on Theo's face was nearly enough to break her resolve to wait.
"Okay… I understand." Theo was the first to speak. He forced what she now knew was his fake smile and squeezed Draco's hand as he turned to look at his boyfriend. "You ready?"
"If you are." Draco unwound their fingers, sliding his hand through his blonde fringe to slick it back into place before he pushed up from the couch.
"Uh… what are you doing?" Hermione leaned back, letting her hands rest on the coffee table behind her to get a better view of both men as they towered over her sitting frame.
"Giving you space." Theo's hand slipped into his trouser pockets, a section of his dark hair draping across his forehead in an almost James Dean-esque fashion. "So you can think."
She really didn't deserve either of them. If they knew the dark thoughts that plagued her mind, and just how utterly haphazard her life was, they'd likely run away screaming. Asking for time wasn't a means of delaying a declined offer. It was what she knew she was supposed to do.
One of them had to be an adult about this whole thing, right?
"I didn't say you had to leave." Pushing up off the table, she pressed a hand on either of their shoulders and pushed them back down to the couch before spinning around so she could fall onto the middle cushion between them. "It's rush hour anyway and… I cleaned my condo. So really, you're obligated to stay."
Draco craned a look over his shoulder, the corner of his lips twitching. "This is clean?"
"Woooow. Okay, so Theo's clearly getting the best potential boyfriend award for the night," Hermione murmured under her breath, brows lifting playfully as she looked down.
"Ha!" Theo settled back into the couch, his arm draping over the back of the sofa as he crossed his legs.
"What? Totally unfair." Draco reached over, index and middle finger poking her in her side, causing her to squeak and lean into The to escape the tickling prode. "I didn't realise this was a competition."
"Well, it's not because Theo is clearly winning."
"What if I buy take away?"
Hermione tapped her index finger against her chin, eyes flicking between each man before she lifted her shoulders in an innocent shrug. "Then you might have a fighting chance for today's standings… as long as it's pizza." Before she could even bat an eye, Draco was pulling his phone from his front pocket, thumbs hastily punching in his passcode.
She smiled, leaning into Theo's embrace as she watched Draco open up Postmates in search of a local pizzeria. She felt the slow ebb of warmth form, dissipating that lingering dark cloud. Maybe dating them wouldn't be a bad idea?
"What should I order?"
Theo's chest vibrated with a silent laugh. "Well, I'd say it's safe to go with a Meat Lover's…."
Scratch that.
They were clearly going to be the end of her.
Author's Note:
Hey ya'll! Sorry this update is behind. My beta was fantastic and had it on time, but unfortunately, my life has kinda hit the fan.
I work in healthcare and as you can imagine with the current state of the world this is a bit difficult to manage. That being said, be a bit patient with updates. They're coming! It just might be off schedule for a hot minute. I have about six chapters pre-written so I shouldn't fall behind.
That being said: Wash your hands, stay out of the public if you can avoid it & stay healthy!
Until next time.
