Summary: They experienced just about a dozen significant interactions in their lives, but all of them felt purposeful, intense, and catalytic. Like synchronicities. Meaningful coincidences. Years after the war, they coincidentally meet again. And again. And again. A story about how Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger figured things out with some bickering, snark, wit, and calling out each other's shit. Slow burn. Lots of that good ol' Dramione arguing we all know and love. Alternating Draco/Hermione POV. Post-Hogwarts with flashbacks.
***TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains mentions/descriptions of rape, self-harm, trauma, depression, substance use, and therapy***
a/n: hello! first time posting, kinda nervous. been reading dramione for too many years. it's just me, no beta, and it's my very first time meaningfully trying to follow through with an entire story, so please be gentle as i journey through this ride out of my comfort zone. :) as a warning, i may be going back and editing chapters/format/content a bit!
anyway, this fic primarily focuses on processing post-war emotions/trauma. i wanted to focus on the psychology of it all, but also — this was for fun! as you can deduce from the trigger warning above, this goes through some dark themes, but there's also a fair amount of humor/banter in here.
i really hope anyone who stumbles upon this enjoys!
Chapter 1: Flourish & Blott's & Malkin's
The public hypothesized many potential career paths for Hermione Granger - some said she would continue working for the Ministry, others predicted she'd become a professor, and the more ambitious ones believed she would eventually run for Minister of Magic one day.
But, for whatever reason, she shattered all those predictions and left her job at the Ministry to manage Diagon Alley's acclaimed bookstore, Flourish & Blotts.
After spending her childhood, adolescence, and some of her early adulthood fighting for and picking up the pieces of a broken wizarding country, she settled her burnt out psyche and let herself do something less… demanding. Serving justice was exhausting. Not to mention how cute the bewildered first years who flooded in at the end of August for their textbooks were.
Hermione smiled warmly at a confused customer between the wizarding biographies and magic guides. "Are you finding everything alright?"
The customer in question spun around and stared agape at the image of the Hermione Granger.
Hermione stood before her in autumnal-tinted robes that gave off a fitting air of warmth and professionalism. A muggle pen was tucked behind her ear and her trademark curly hair sat messily at the top of her head.
"Yes!" the customer exclaimed once she recovered from the initial shock. "I need to find this book." She held out a crumpled, tea-stained parchment.
Hermione's face lit up. She led the woman through a series of shelves lined with new and tattered books. The bookstore was alive with covers of novels and spines with moving pictures and illustrations. They walked past school textbooks sporting various textures - rough and smooth, furry and scaly - and academic journals. Clanging swords and the familiar sounds of spells being cast rang briefly through their ears as they walked past the historical fiction shelves until they finally reached a section of best-sellers.
Hermione participated in small talk with the woman about the synopsis of the book, the harrowing issues it acknowledged about power, humanity's weakness to regret, the dangers of time turners, and how the next installment would be released this weekend.
At the end of the conversation, the woman's gaze lingered on Hermione's face, as if trying to muster up the courage to say something.
"Anything else I can do to help?" Hermione asked, tilting her head to the side.
"I—" the woman stammered. "I just wanted to say that you are a wonderful person. What you accomplished when you worked for the Ministry — just amazing."
Hermione felt a pang of sadness, embarrassment, and gratitude. But she smiled and kindly responded, "That's very nice of you to say. Thank you."
"Why did you quit?" the woman asked quickly, seemingly unable to stop herself.
Dozens of people and reporters asked her this question over the years and her answer was always plain and simple:
"I just needed a change."
The woman didn't seem satisfied, but didn't pry further. "Will you eventually go back?"
She ached at the thought. "I'm still figuring that out."
"Oh, alright," the woman responded sheepishly. "Erm, thank you again, Ms. Granger. For the book. And everything. Your work has helped me directly and I appreciate it. You gave me the power to speak."
Hermione felt tired and a little guilty after this customer and retreated to a hallway of offices and the shipment rooms behind the registers. Entering her office, she sat down at her desk and started sifting through the ever-present paperwork in the "to do" basket at the corner of her desk. She looked at the empty "done" basket at the other corner and sighed.
Astrid Bailey, her second-in-command, lightly knocked on her door and peeked her head in. "Hermione, we just got an owl notifying us that the orders for Code of Yesterday have to be owled by today if you want to have them opening day."
She gasped and frantically started searching her desk for the desired papers she needed to fill out. She almost started to panic until she found them right in front of her. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and laughed at herself.
"Thanks for reminding me. You really saved my life there."
"Oh, my, here comes Ginny… she's coming in fast and she doesn't look happy," Astrid warned her boss as she stepped aside to let the frantic redhead through to Hermione's office.
"I'm so sorry! I practically pushed you out of the way!" Ginny apologized, looking out of breath.
"Not a problem, soon-to-be Mrs. Potter," Astrid said with a smile.
Harry and Ginny began dating almost immediately following the war. They took their relationship slowly and two years into dating, opted in for a two-year engagement. Harry was sure of Ginny the week after they started dating in his sixth year, but for both their sakes, he knew he needed to properly work through an entire lifetime of trauma before fully committing himself to her. Hermione thought they were perfect. If any two people deserved to be married, it was them.
Ginny smiled at Astrid and her eyes widened as she brought her attention to her friend. "Hermione!"
"Yes, Ginny?" she asked while signing a signature spot on one of the parchments she was just frantically looking for.
"This wedding is going to be a pure disaster!" Ginny exclaimed, using her hands to emphasize the gravity of the situation.
Hermione dropped her quill and brought her full attention to the bride-to-be.
"The wedding is in three days and there is only so much a woman could do! And as my Maid of Honor and the intimidating woman you are, I am not only asking, but demanding that you help me. I will not tolerate any of your grumpy 'marriage is stupid' attitude—"
"Okay, I never said it was stupid—"
Yes, she did. Blankly and outright. Several times.
"Don't you lie to me today, Hermione Granger!"
Hermione liked the idea of marriage as a concept for other people who were capable of finding an appropriate match, could function adequately in the presence of emotional vulnerability, and actually go on dates and give people chances. But why was she so resistant anyway? Harry, Ron, and Ginny sought the answer to this question for years, but it was probably due to her commitment issues, stemming from deep feelings of inadequacy and an inherent need to prove others wrong since the tender age of 11 when she enrolled in a Wizarding school as a muggleborn… Or maybe not. She wasn't quite willing to explore that part yet.
"Of course I'll help you. I just need to finish—"
"Oh, Hermione, this is the best part! I worked out a bunch of things you can do for me already. Wait, hear this, since I know that you are more in love with your assortment of quills and their corresponding array of ink viscosities than the idea of being with an actual man—"
Hermione opened her mouth and put a hand on her heart in mock offense. "You know how I feel about my ink viscosities!"
"—I decided to write up an immensely organized list that is color-coded and everything! Look." Ginny put a piece of parchment on Hermione's desk. She looked down at it and raised her eyebrows, impressed.
"You have simply outdone yourself, Ginny. Look at you using those multi-colored inks," she said like a proud mother.
"You don't have to leave your desk until you get near the end of that list. Most of it is sending out angry letters, demanding confrontations, hopefully getting free stuff because of their mess-ups, and a couple other things related to wardrobes and sweets."
"Fantastic, I'll get right on it."
"Thanks, Hermione!" With all being said, Ginny left Hermione's office and hurried out the door.
Hermione put the list aside after scanning over it quickly and finished signing the papers for the upcoming book release. She placed them in her done pile and got to the crucially important task at hand: finishing Ginny's list in two hours before her lunch break.
She sighed and got to work, checking off everything that she completed as she went. If Hermione Granger was good at anything, it was at ranting, complaining, and demanding justice.
Her shining example of this was her work on what she called Dobby's Law. For years, she made up a sound and well-researched argument and plan regarding elfish labor rights. The law, should it have passed, would require house elves to be compensated. It mandated elves to participate in classes about a historical analysis of elfish labor rights to acknowledge and challenge the deep-seated belief that the elvish race are deserving of punishment.
Hermione made sure to outline in Dobby's Law — what seemed like — every possible stipulation that could come in its way. Wizarding families wanting to foster house elves to work in their homes were required to attend a six-week program, educating them on the history of the elvish race and their enslavement, and learn how to ease their house elves into the idea of freedom. Elves and the owner were also required to consult with a caseworker from the Department of Magical Creatures periodically.
Hermione, of course, thought of it all. She pushed for laws, research, and ideas and put together a sound program — a catalyst for the shifting views of house elves in Wizarding history.
But the law didn't pass. She needed more funding to pursue more research and lead a case study. She needed to show that this was possible, but she didn't have the resources. She kept fighting anyway – until she couldn't anymore.
She walked swiftly to Astrid's office, appointing her as the point person as she took her lunch.
Hermione rushed out of Flourish and Blotts, putting on her cloak as she ran out the door. Something had to go wrong with that, out of all things, and she found herself putting her arm through the wrong sleeve. This caused her to stop in the middle of the busy street in order to properly put on her cloak. Damn, six seconds lost. Six seconds she'd never get back. What a disaster.
Seconds behind schedule, she Apparated. After feeling that uncomfortable pull, she found herself in front of Malkin's Bride and Groom — a standalone extension of the Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. She entered the store, sounding a little bell by the door. Hermione soon stood before a tall and overwhelming wall of ties to complete one more item off the list: choose ties for Harry and Ron to wear for the wedding. Apparently, the boys had terrible taste in ties and Ginny trusted her, for absolutely no reason, to choose for them.
Hermione simply stared. How in the world was she supposed to choose? They had every color in 18 different shades! She sighed, bringing a hand to her chin deep in thought. She very quickly concluded that this was an impossible task — possibly seven times harder than any of Harry's Triwizard tasks.
"She's the one who's picky about the tie he wears. Why should I pick it out?" she mumbled.
Their colors for Harry and Ron were red, but "not that obnoxiously bright Gryffindor red, for goodness sake," Ginny had said in the past. "Just because we're all Gryffindors doesn't mean everything we own needs to be that cherry red!"
So Hermione concluded she was looking for a darker red — perhaps a deep maroon? Well, good thing the wall had a dozen different choices with "maroon" in the name!
As she continued to overthink the tie choices, an arm stretched out in front of her and grabbed a tie from the wall, very well almost hitting her in the face. Already frustrated from her indecisiveness, Hermione refrained from groaning childishly.
"Excuse me," she fumed, looking at the person who had the nerve. Her insides twisted and eyes widened when she saw him.
"Interesting seeing you here, Granger," he drawled. That familiar trademark smirk crossed his face and she saw early Hogwarts days flash before her eyes.
Oh, wonderful.
The public hypothesized only two pitiful paths for the young Draco Malfoy: get locked up in Azkaban or live a cursed life as an outsider. Doomed to forever be known as the cowardly boy who brought Death Eaters into Hogwarts and just couldn't kill Albus Dumbledore. The coward of both the light and dark.
He absentmindedly waved his wand at two different pans over his stove as he skimmed the front page of the Daily Prophet. The spices mingled in the air above one of the stovetops and dispersed into the hashbrowns that were quickly browning.
HARRY POTTER AND GINNY WEASLEY TO BE MARRIED THIS FRIDAY
The day has come — The Boy Who Lived and his long-time girlfriend and fiancée will be tying the knot this Friday! The couple were spotted walking out of Diagon Alley into Muggle London, presumably to their wedding venue. The whereabouts have been revealed only to guests and the venue's employees.
Draco skipped past the mini biographies of each of their lives until his eyes gravitated toward another name.
Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were chosen to be the Best Man and Maid of Honor for the famous couple. Weasley currently works in the Auror Department with Potter. Granger, who previously worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, is currently managing Flourish & Blotts as their manager. The pair, once known as the fated lovers from Hogwarts, separated three years ago. Reports have revealed that Weasley and Granger remain to be very close. Will walking down the aisle bring back those old sparks these ex-lovers had?
It was a wonder that they didn't work out. Their names were in the papers for weeks — gossips and reporters sought out any details and overdramatized the breakup to be a sensation. Weasley would be standing next to a random woman from another department at the Ministry and an entire exposé was written the next day about him being unfaithful with The Woman From Accounting.
Draco heavily enjoyed the show that played out in the papers each day. It was terrible for them, yes, but god was it entertaining. Much better than the coverage of him. He remembered a piece that was written about him just a year ago by a complete shit reporter.
MALFOY HEIR ALLEGEDLY SENDS THOUSANDS OF GALLEONS TO U.S.A.
A trusted source reports that Draco Malfoy has been illegally sending several thousand galleons to the United States each month. To who? What for? It seems the pureblood family is seeking to keep this information secret.
In the 1940s, Abraxas Malfoy, the young Malfoy's grandfather, conspired with a business partner in the States to advance pureblood supremacy. Abraxas contributed to several causes that oppressed muggleborns and joined together with other purebloods to create an 'anti-mudblood movement' that was quickly thwarted by the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA).
Is Malfoy trying to start an uprising and finish what his grandfather started decades ago? Are his contributions to charities meant to cover what he's really doing with the fortune he inherited?
The sheer amount of misinformation in that article triggered a fit that poor Astoria had to witness.
Astoria.
He couldn't believe they had the courage to finally do it.
With a start, he remembered the hashbrowns he was on the brink of burning and conjured his completed skillet breakfast to the plate in front of him.
He scanned the rest of the paper for anything important or interesting. His eyes gravitated once again to her name in a small corner within the entertainment pages. There was a picture of her inside the bookstore with the view of the vast Flourish & Blotts shelves behind her.
HERMIONE GRANGER PREPARES STORE FOR BOOK RELEASE OF A LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL
He ate his breakfast as he read the rest of the article. He mentally took note of this highly acclaimed book to read for later. And then he looked at the picture again. She wore a pin-striped blouse tucked into an A-line skirt, smiling with one hand on the display the books would be piled on opening day and her other hand at her side. She looked happy, but she didn't… seem happy. Her shoulders were slightly tense, the muscles at the ends of her smile looked strained, and her eyes — she was faking it. He wondered if anybody knew.
"Draco, hon, don't forget to sign those papers on the coffee table!"
He jumped. He didn't even realize Astoria had come through the floo. She rushed into the kitchen and swiftly walked the perimeter of the room, her eyes intent on finding something.
"Astoria, what—"
"Aha!" She fastened something to her ear. "I knew I lost my left earring somewhere here. Anyway, what are you doing? Are those your hashbrowns? God, Draco, you know how much I love your hashbrowns. The crisp — just a work of art!"
He rolled his eyes and pushed his half-eaten plate in her direction. "I suppose you can have the rest."
"Great, because I wasn't going to ask." She giddily pulled the plate in front of her and started eating. "Mmm, this is exquisite, Draco. You've outdone yourself. The crisp is especially divine today."
"That's called me being distracted and almost burning it."
"Nobody has to know that."
"Right you are."
She thoughtfully eyed the paper in front of him.
"You're reading the entertainment pages? Since when?"
"In case there's something interesting."
"Has Celestia Warbeck died yet? If I hear another song out of that woman-"
"Still alive."
Astoria groaned as she stuffed a concerningly large bite of hashbrowns into her mouth. Draco scowled.
"It's a wonder you were raised in pureblood society and passed your etiquette classes."
She sneered at him and dramatically shoved another mound of hashbrowns into her mouth. She had the decency to swallow before she spoke again.
"Good etiquette is for the public, Draco. This is all for you, honey." She heavily emphasized the term of endearment.
"You think you'll ever stop referring to me so lovingly like the married couple we will be no longer?"
She shrugged. "I guess I'll just annoy the hell out of your future girlfriend."
"And I'll be sure to scare off anyone who attempts to be your boyfriend, dear." He smirked as he raised the cup of tea to his lips.
Astoria and Draco married four years ago, only months after the Battle of Hogwarts.
Astoria was smart, elegant, well-spoken, beautiful and — most importantly — a pureblood. Both were in a strange place when the war ended battling with different emotions and struggles, but with each other, they were okay. They could have fun. It was possible to be happy with somebody else after a war that directly included them.
The Malfoys and Greengrasses pushed for their marriage in efforts to keep the pureblood legacy alive as there weren't many of them left. Combined with the societal pressure and the the friendly-maybe-more-than-friendly feelings they grappled with for one another, they complied. They married four months after the war.
After two years, they simply realized they could be happier without one another. They brought the possibility of separation up to their families. It did not go well.
"The pureblood legacy must live on," the Greengrasses had said. "Don't disappoint us, Astoria."
"Don't disgrace the Malfoy name, Draco," Lucius had told him. "There is no one but her who will accept a coward like you. She is our only choice."
After a year of trying to make it work, they concluded that they were incompatible as lovers and made much better friends. For another year, they mustered up the courage to separate. And now, they were finally doing it.
"Very strange, that Granger girl," Astoria said, looking at the article he had just been reading. "A bookstore? Really? After everything she's done at the Ministry?"
Draco shrugged. "Said she needed a change."
"I didn't realize you've spoken to her since the war."
"Haven't. That's just what she said in interviews," he said nonchalantly.
He sipped at his tea, ignoring Astoria's curious gaze. She stood from her chair, wiping at her mouth with a napkin and throwing it on her empty plate. Draco walked with her to the fireplace.
"Anyway, don't forget about our long-awaited Four-Course Divorce after we sign the final papers for our divorce on Friday. Brunch at Magic Fries and Pies! All of our dearest Slytherin friends will be in attendance."
They had a sick sense of humor. They and all their friends had been craving this divorce for a long time now and everybody was elated by the news. Pansy screamed when he told her, Theo bought them multiple rounds of drinks in jubilation, and Blaise gave a nauseatingly heartfelt speech of how proud he was of the both of them.
"Look sharp, dear," she said, walking to him and pinching his cheek as if he were a child. He swatted her hand away. "The papers will be seeing this. Get excited to be a pureblooded disappointment!"
"Oh, joy."
She giggled and kissed his cheek before disappearing through the floo.
Look sharp.
He had just gotten some new robes fitted that were ready to be picked up. Maybe he also needed a new tie. Yes, a new tie. A new tie for a new life.
There was some sick humor in the fact that his "Four-Course Divorce" and the Potter wedding were happening on the same day.
Minutes later, Draco ironically walked into Malkin's Bride and Groom to pick up his robes and find a new tie for his divorce. Right when he entered the store and sounded the bell, the hairs at the back of his neck stood up, as if there was dangerous energy in the store — something he needed to brace himself for. What the fuck?
He looked around for whatever his body felt he needed to be this hyper aware of and spotted her staring before the very wall he would be browsing as well.
Damn it, he just needed to pick up some robes and choose a new tie for his new life and he ran into her here? During this very symbolic moment?
What was she doing looking for a tie anyway? Was she looking for one for her date to the wedding? He never saw anything in the papers about that…
Anyway, he would not walk away from her like a damn coward and let her ruin this for him. New tie, new life, for fuck's sake!
a/n: follows and reviews appreciated if you feel so inclined!