Chapter 19: the big bang

Ginny and Blaise finally finished getting their new home together. A few weeks after Draco and Hermione's last visit, Ginny sent out invitations to a house warming party.

Hermione received her and frowned at what the invite said.

Ginny and Blaise Zabini

Would like to invite you to a

House Warming Party

15th of October

7:00 p.m.

At the Zabini Residence

435 Ruthermanor Lane

WestchesterNY

RSVP

If you are of the magical community, then you are reading this! There will be portkeys set up around

America, as well as in England and surrounding areas so

All may attend.

Please owl Ginny and Blaise at your convenience.

There will be muggles present, so all wands must be checked at the door upon arrival.

Hermione shook her head. 'Leave it to Ginny to make a spectacle of her own house warming party. As if her wedding wasn't ostentatious enough! Honestly, the ministry must be charging up the floo for all the wards that need to be put up, not to mention the portkeys!' Walking towards her bedroom, Hermione thought about who to bring to the party. She knew many of her co-workers would be there. And Harry. 'I wonder who Harry will be bringing...'

Draco had received a similar invitation delivered by owl. It was a good thing that his date from the night before was sound asleep, he would not know what to say about an owl arriving at his bed post at 8 in the morning. He scanned the invitation and smirked.

'Hogwarts reunion, no doubt. I absolutely have to bring someone ravishing.' Draco looked over at his bed mate, a young girl in her early twenties, flaxen hair and delicate features. He smiled to himself, 'she'll do.'

October fifteenth arrived, as well as all invited guests at the Zabini residence. The party was in full swing by the time Hermione and her date arrived. She recognized many people she had met over the years, but did not see Harry in the crowd. Lavender ran up to her, blond hair flying behind her, a huge smile on her face.

"Herms! It is absolutely fantastic you're here! I haven't seen you in ages!" Hermione returned Lavender's hug and promptly introduced her date.

"Lav, this is Julian, Julian, this is Lavender, an old friend from London." Julian, a tall brooding man in his forties, gave a small nod of acknowledgement to the bubbly blond. Hermione shot lavender a look of apology as Julian dragged her from the front door. Ginny saw Hermione as she and Julian walked into the living room and brought them over to the crowd by the patio.

Hermione walked over and said hello to several people before she saw Draco and his date. Her best friend was standing next to a girl! A child! Hermione fumed inside at the sight. Draco brought Emily to the party. Emily, whom Hermione thought was far too young for Draco, was attempting to look interested in what a looked like an old Hogwarts friend was saying to both of them. Draco saw Hermione and waved her over.

"Hey! Never thought you'd make it." Draco gave Hermione a hug then nudged her towards Emily. Hermione smiled, "It's great to see you Draco, and Emily, my, you look smashing! I absolutely love your dress!" The blond girl giggled and smiled her thanks. Hermione turned around and rolled her eyes as she walked back towards Julian who was attempting to look interested in what Ginny was babbling about.

Ginny saw Hermione approach and ran over to her. "Hey, will you help me in the kitchen for a bit?" Hermione nodded and excused herself from Julian to join Ginny in the kitchen. Blaise took over for Ginny in entertaining Julian.

"That Hermione sure is a character. Draco tried to set us up once!" Blaise let out a small laugh. Julian just nodded. "She is something. There's something about her though that I can't quite figure out. There are some times when she just locks herself in her room and you hear crashes and booms and what seems like Latin being spoken. I think it's her way of venting, but I really have no idea."

Draco was listening nearby. 'So this is Julian, man extraordinaire! Stupid Granger, doing magic while he's in her home.'

"Blaise!" Blaise and Julian stopped talking to turn and face Draco. Draco smirked at Julian, "You'll have to excuse me for a moment, and I need Blaise to look at something in the garage." Before Blaise could protest, Draco had already dragged him halfway across the room.

Hermione and Ginny were in the kitchen with the door sealed shut. They were magically summoning more food onto huge platters to bring back out to the buffet.

"Gin, don't you think Emily looks a bit young for Draco?" Hermione summoned a few cheeses and had them magically arrange themselves on a platter.

Ginny was eating a hunk of brie, gulping down a glass of wine at the same time. "Oh, well, she is a bit young I suppose, but look at what she's done at her age!" Ginny pointed to a collection of pies and pastries that were arranging themselves on several trays.

"She's amazing because she makes pastries?" Hermione gave Ginny an incredulous look before summoning more items from the refrigerator.

Draco opened the door to the garage and literally shoved Blaise inside. Blaise straightened himself out and looked around. "There's nothing at all wrong in here Draco. What in the world did you drag me in here for?"

"Does Julian seem a bit stuffy to you?"

Blaise just shook his head, "Look, just talk to the guy, get to know him. He's not all that terrible really."

Draco leaned against the garage door, his arms crossed over his chest, bottom lip pouting out. "He's too tall to talk to."

"Well, Emily is more than just a pastry maker! I mean, she makes over thirty six hundred chocolate mousse pies a week, not to mention the cakes, the petit fours, the tarts…"

Hermione dropped her wand on the counter, "Emily is the baker Aunt Emily! The Aunt Emily?"

"You know, Julian is really great come to think of it. I mean, he did take us out to see La Traviata last week come to think of it."

Draco uncrossed his arms, "You all went out together? To the opera!"

Blaise shifted uncomfortably, "Well, it was a bit last minute, which was a little inconvenient, but he did have extra tickets and asked Hermione if we wanted to come along…"

"But Hermione hates the opera!"

Hermione finished the last platter and put a lightening spell on all the trays so they could carry more out at one time.

"You know, Draco isn't a very big fan of sweet pastries."

Ginny ignored her, "Julian is such a great guy for you Herms."

Hermione smiled, "I know Gin, he's a grown up."

Draco finally opened the garage door that led back into the house. Blaise followed him back to the party. "You know Dra, Emily is a terrific catch."

"I know. I have wines older than she is, but she's great."

Draco and Hermione for the most part tried to ignore each other the rest of the party. As Draco and Emily were leaving, Draco noticed that Hermione was talking to Harry Potter in the front parlour. Hermione looked a bit upset. On the way back to the city, Draco dropped Emily off, stating he was tired. He had the urge to call her as soon as he got home.

Draco reached his apartment a short while after dropping Emily off. He stripped down to his boxers and scanned the bookshelf in his bedroom for something to read. He found a book and flipped to the last page to read the ending when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Draco? It's Hermione. I just got in. Are you there by yourself?" Draco sat up. He could hear Hermione crying on the phone.

"I'm by myself, yes."

"Oh Draco, come over! "

Draco was already getting his pants on while he cradled the phone on his shoulder. "What's the matter?"

"He's getting married!"

"Who?"

"Harry!"

Draco buttoned the last button on his shirt, "I'll be right there."

BAM! BAM! BAM!

A visibly distraught Hermione answered the door, hair disheveled, and a box of tissues under one arm. Draco stepped inside her apartment. The first thing he noticed was the numerous piles of used tissues all over. He pulled out his wand and discreetly cleaned up as he followed Hermione.

Sniff. "Sorry to call on you so late." Draco gave her a quick hug, "It's alright." They walked into Hermione's bedroom and flopped down on her bed. Draco sat on the edge handing Hermione a new tissue every thirty seconds.

"He came up to me at Ginny's and wanted to see how I was. So I told him I was fine and all, and I asked how he was and yadi yadi yada. He told me his secretary is on holiday, everything is backed up. The whole time he's talking to me I kept chanting to myself, 'I am over him…I am over him.' Then he started talking about that Patil girl he's been seeing." Hermione let out a big sob. After a few seconds, she began to talk again. "She works for the ministry. She's an assistant to the Minister of Magic. He just met her! I mean, he's only been with this Patil woman for less than a year! Oh Draco, she's supposed to be his transitional person, she's not suppose to be the one! All this time I've been saying that he didn't want to get married, but the truth is, he just didn't want to marry me! He never loved me." Hermione sobbed even harder, sitting up and leaning against Draco's chest. He patted her back, and then lifted her chin so she was looking right at him.

"If you could take Harry back right now, would you?"

Hermione sat up straight and dried her tears, "Well, no, but that's not the point! Why didn't he want to marry me! What's the matter with me?"

"Aww, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you."

"I'm difficult, that's the problem!"

Draco cleared his throat, and paused for a moment to search for the right words. "No, you're challenging."

Hermione just shook her head at his comment, "I'm too structured, too…closed off!"

"But in a good way!"

"No, no! I drove him away Draco! And look at me! I'm going to hit forty soon and I have no one!" Hermione sobbed even harder.

"When?" Hermione stopped and blew her nose. "Someday."

"Don't be daft; you have eight years before forty hits"

"But it's there. It's just….sitting there like this big dead end. And it's not the same for me. Charlie Chaplin had babies when he was seventy three!"

"Hey, but he was too old to pick them up!" Draco smiled, but got no response from Hermione. "Come here. It's going to be okay. It's all going to be fine." Hermione sobbed even harder and wiped her nose on Draco's sweater.

"Go right ahead, it's not one of my favorite sweaters. Ha, look, it's going to be fine." He kissed Hermione on the forehead. "Look, I'll go make us some tea."

Hermione just snuggled closer, "Can you hold me just a bit longer Draco?" Hermione looked up at Draco and met his gaze. Next thing they knew, they were on her bed in a kissing frenzy. Draco held onto Hermione with such fervor it scared him that he was feeling this way right now. He laid her down gently on the bed and began to plant kisses on her collarbone as she struggled to get him out of his sweater.

They never made tea.