Getting Over It
Thank you to –
Angryteabag – I know I went a little over board but I just wanted to make it completely clear that he was a shit-head, don't worry I'm not about to make Hermione weak and helpless but she wouldn't have done much when she was in front of all her friends. They'll be arguments later in the fic where she gives as good as she gets. Thanks for your options.
FlamezBlaze1,
illyria-light,
yellowrosesinateacup,
Morena-Forever,
RandomSmirf13
Chapter 4
Over
Hermione returned home to find the baby sitter stood in the middle of the living room with a look of pure panic about her face.
"Oh Mrs Walker! Thank goodness!" She exclaimed upon seeing Hermione enter the room. "I didn't know what to do he just came in and started throwing things around. He looked so angry and then he just left again without saying a word."
"Don't worry about it, here's your money, and half again for the fright you had, I'm sorry about that." Hermione said quickly handing it over and watching the girl disappear through the fireplace.
She then raced up the stairs, remembering to tread lightly along the landing so not to wake Sam or Millie, and threw open the door to her bedroom. The scene inside brought her to her knees. The whole room was ransacked; wardrobe and draws pulled open clothes flung about the place although it was obvious that half had gone. She looked about in horror before bursting into tears that she had held back for so long. Hermione cried for so long that by the time she stopped she didn't realise what it was she was actually crying about.
As morning dawned Hermione stumbled into the bathroom, still partially blinded by tears, on stood underneath the strong blast of the shower, trying to wash away the red puffiness from around her eyes. Looking into the bathroom mirror she opened a cabinet and unscrewed the cap to the painkillers.
"I'm not going to be able to do this one on my own." She muttered and swallowed a couple of pills.
--
Although she and Mark had fought before, this time was different. No matter what the situation had been Mark had always stayed quiet, silently brooding until they were alone to talk, or shout rather, things through. This was the first time he had been so angry to confront her in front of anyone, much less her close friends. Never in all their time together had Mark been comfortable discussing his private life with other people, he would much rather hide it all; this included any arguments.
Another thing that was different was the fact that he had actually packed a bag, he would usually leave with just his wand and whatever had been in his pockets. He's not coming back for quite a while, Hermione realised, this time he actually has a plan.
It was when she went downstairs that the final, hardest blow was served. It was something Hermione had not noticed before, in her panic the previous night. Sat on the jet-black coaster, upon the clear glass table, was Mark's wedding ring. A simple golden band, thick, shiny with I love you carved on into it. This was something that Mark had never done before, had never considered doing, or so she thought, she had never seen him take of his wedding band.
--
In reality Mark had taken off his ring every single morning as he walked through the door of the office complex where he worked. He had been doing so for the past two years. This had started when a woman got transferred into his department. From the moment he had seen her, even though she was four years his senior, he wanted her.
It had taken them a year of shameless flirting before they started a romance, in secret of course, as Mark had Hermione and she had her boyfriend. But a few months earlier she had ended things with her boyfriend and had given Mark an ultimatum: Hermione or Me. She wanted a real relationship or nothing at all. Mark had to make a decision.
--
At eight o' clock that morning Hermione ushered her two children into the fireplace, along with a hastily packed suitcase and took them to the only person she could think of: her mother
As she stepped into the house that she had grown up in the mum greeted her with a hug, Ginny had owled her the previous night so she was up to speed on what was going on.
"You take all the time you need and come and see Millie and Sam whenever you want." She told her daughter and took the case from her hand. "Would you like a cup of tea?"
Hermione nodded sadly and watched as her mother took charge of the situation. The children were told to go and play in the guest bedroom and the kettle was put on.
"Now darling tell me what's on your mind." She said as she handed Hermione a steaming mug of sweet tea.
"Mark and I had a huge argument at the Weasley's on my birthday, he said that I had been flirting with Harry and that if I was going to carry on doing it that he'd find someone he could trust. When I got home he had packed a bag and left and his ring was on the coffee table." Hermione told her sadly as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I know that we've always fought but it's never been like this, I'm scared mum."
Her mother pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "You need to be talking to him, he'll have calmed down by now, you go home and find him, the children can stay here for now while you get things sorted out."
"Thanks mum." Hermione whispered and went to say goodbye to Mille and Sam before apperating home.
--
The first thing she did when returning to the house was go to the liquor cabinet and pour herself a drink. Once she had downed it she went into Mark's study and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill. She quickly penned a letter to her husband.
Mark,
I don't know where you are, whom you're with or when you expect to be home but we really need to talk things through.
I wasn't flirting with Harry and I'm sorry if that is what it looked like but I assure you that it's you and you alone that I love. Please come home to your family, the children are asking where you are; I took them to my mother's this morning so if you want to talk today would be the best time to do so.
Please let me know that you are, at least, safe.
With all my heart,
Your loving wife,
Hermione.
She gave this to the family owl and told it to find Mark, she watched as it swooped through the sky until it was no longer visible. She was trying to be positive.
He walks out a lot, but he always comes back, this time will be no different. She insisted with herself as she settled down on the sofa to wait for her husband or the owl to come home, whichever would come first.
It ended up being Mark, a couple of hours later he apperated into the living room holding a large bag.
"Mark!" Hermione exclaimed and jumped up to hug him but he pushed her off.
"I'm not coming back Hermione, this time you went to far." He told her coldly and started climbing the stairs.
"What do you mean?" She asked, following him up.
"I mean that you draping yourself over Harry last night was shameful and I want a divorce." He said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why? I didn't cheat on you! I did nothing wrong!" Hermione cried.
"That's not the point." He sighed and opened the bag, which was empty, and began to place the clothes that he had left behind into it. "The point is that you were gagging for it and I don't want to think that if the chance arouse you would be unfaithful."
Hermione could tell that this was not the point; she had always known when Mark was holding back the truth.
"You're lying." She said, eyeing him suspiciously.
He sighed again and looked up at her as though the discussion was as average as what they were going to be eating for dinner that evening. "OK you're right. I've met someone and I'm leaving you for them."
"Y-you're cheating on me?" Hermione croaked, feeling the same bowled over feeling that she had felt that morning when she had discovered his ring on the table.
"Yes I am." He said simply, with no regret of sympathy for her.
"With who?" Hermione asked.
"That's hardly the point." He muttered and brushed aside the question.
"WITH WHO?" Hermione demanded.
"A woman at my office, she a few years older than us."
"Older? When you have a affair it's for a younger version of the one you have at home." Hermione said in wonder, as though this made it all even worse, and in her mind it did.
"Well she's different, more mature and I know I can trust her." He hissed, knowing it would hurt her feelings.
"Trust? How can you trust a woman who would sleep with another woman's husband?" Hermione shrieked.
"I knew you wouldn't understand." Mark tutted, "I'm sorry but there's nothing you can say to change things, I'm leaving you and I'll be contacting the lawyers in the morning. You can keep everything but you'll have to buy me out with the house."
"What? You know that I can't afford that! I haven't got a job!" Hermione wailed.
"Then we'll sell the house and spilt the profit, you can have all the furniture, it's not like I'll need it I'll be moving in with -"
"Yes you've said." Hermione interrupted feeling her whole world crash down around her shoulders.
"Well that's it then, I've got everything I need just about. I'll get the lawyers to contact you soon and I'll put the house on the market tomorrow morning."
"That's not fair you can't do this!" Hermione yelled.
"You'll find I can, if you don't go along with it I'll claim custody on the children, I'd be the better parent, I have a house, a partner to help care for them and steady income. You're jobless, on your own and are looking for a new house. Who are they going to favour?" He smirked at Hermione. "So if I hear any retaliation on your part I'm taking you to court. You'll find a new house you'll let the kids see me every other weekend and you'll shut your mouth about it. I'll pay you benefits and nothing more. Is that clear?"
"You bastard." Hermione whispered, knowing that she should not lash out, as much as she wanted to, as he had this to bribe her with.
--
As soon as he had gone Hermione went crazy, she picked up the pile of clothes he had thrown on the floor, the ones that he had not wanted and ripped them to shreds, she went round finding all pictures containing him and tore him out of them. She went round erasing all memories of him until she had no energy left. She then collapsed to the floor and sobbed.