The interview wasn't as bad as Jade expected it to be. She was questioned by an older and sophisticated man that greeted her warmly, nervous of her arrival. From the way he told her that Draco called to politely remind him that Jade was arriving, Jade figured that, that was the reason why the man was bouncing off the walls.
"In all seriousness Miss Harper, I had the pleasure of reading a few of your articles and I must say the Daily Mail and General Trust will be honored to have a journalist as yourself. Your style of writing is very unique and unlike most journalists, you're quite blunt and unbiased." Mr. Reed told her, placing one of Jade's newspaper article down.
Jade raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, jerking her head towards the newspaper. "What makes you think I've written bitter and harsh truth in there? How do you know I'm not lying?" Jade asked.
Mr. Reed gave Jade a curious expression and straightened in his chair. "My dear, I follow the news. I've also done my research and homework on you as well. You've gotten quite the amount of criticism for some of the articles you have created, but I am in awe of your work my dear. I highly respect the truth and I want nothing but the truth. You are the perfect candidate for this job Miss Harper and I will be more than happy to hand you your appointment letter in any second, whenever you wish to start." Mr. Reed said.
Jade gave him a smile and outstretched her hand. "Congratulations Mr. Reed, you've appointed yourself a worthy journalist that would be more than happy to start the day after." Jade said.
Mr. Reed smiled brightly, his fake huge dentures glaring at Jade.
"I'll give you no bullshit-oops, I didn't mean to cuss, I meant-" Jade was stopped by Mr. Reed's explosive laughter.
Jade walked into Draco's building and nodded at the doorman who held the door for her. She walked into the elevator and met with the liftman.
"7th floor please." Jade told the liftman. As soon as she got to her floor, Jade walked over to Draco's flat and opened the door with the set of keys Draco gave her for their flat. She pushed the door open and saw a large green banner with a silver message. 'Congratulations!' She shook her head, grinning at Draco's overboard preparation to congratulate her and his favorite use of colors. Of course she wanted to be the first one to tell Draco that she had sealed the job with Mr. Reed and asked Mr. Reed quite politely not to tell Draco, but Jade suspected that Draco knew all along that she was going to have the job anyways.
"Surprise!" Draco said appearing behind Jade. Jade smiled and placed a hand on Draco's head, feeling him graze his lips over her neck.
"This is for me? So sweet, I was going to shag you-"
"Whoa, shut up please." Draco said chuckling.
Jade went to scowl but saw Nessie appear from the kitchen and wave towards Jade. "Nessie!" Jade exclaimed. Before Nessie went to reply a child's scream was heard. Jade shot her head to the direction the scream came from and saw a child appear from Draco's guest living room, charging straight at Jade. The small child crashed against Jade's legs and hugged them tightly, screaming in delight.
"Who the fuck is this?" Jade whispered, feeling Draco pinch her lightly.
"For the child's sake don't curse!" Draco whispered back. Jade pulled the child into her arms and smiled at her, looking her over. Braided brown hair and sparkling brown eyes. Jade looked at Draco and shook her head.
"Can't be yours. Have you adopted without my consent?" Jade asked Draco as she pinched the child's cheeks.
"Am I mad? Let me raise you first, then we'll think about a child." Draco joked.
"You fu-"
"Rose! You have to come back to eat your food!" a voice rang out.
Jade turned around to hear the voice she had pegged instantly. Jade's eyes widened and she almost dropped the child when she saw Hermione appear in the main living room, with a bowl in her hands. Hermione looked so fat! Seeing Jade, Hermione smiled politely and gave a small nod towards Jade.
"Hello, you must be Draco's girlfriend." Hermione said from the other side of the room, slowly walking towards Jade.
Draco released Jade from the back and walked off, smiling next to Nessie. He whispered something to her, causing Nessie to roll her eyes, dig into her pocket and slap what seemed like money to Draco.
"My name is Hermione Weasley, Draco and I used to-oh my goodness…Jade is that you?!" Hermione shrilled.
Nessie cackled softly and jabbed Draco, causing Draco to scowl and hand her back the money. 'Bloody gamblers.' Jade thought, but she didn't give them too much importance. Hermione, one of her long lost friends was standing in front of her, looking so round and…oh she was pregnant.
"I'm…yes." Jade said softly. She set Rose down and felt her throat tighten, seeing Hermione break into sobs. "Oh fuck Hermione, please don't cry." Jade said seeing Hermione let out a small laugh while she was sobbing. Jade lurched forward, hugging Hermione as tightly as ever.
"Oh my God, Jade, you don't understand what it feels like to see you after all these years." Hermione said in between her cries.
"I think I know how you feel Mione." Jade whispered back, feeling her eyes water.
"Where did you leave me? You left Hogwarts so suddenly! Jade, do you realize it's been 7 years?!" Hermione asked pulling Jade to look her straight in the face.
Jade admired looking at Hermione, who looked so much more beautiful as a mother and as a woman. Those intense and kind eyes that Jade missed so bloody very much and nearly forgot.
"This is actually a very awkward moment to stand here and fill in why I actually left Hogwart's." Jade said seeing Hermione sigh and place a hand on Jade's cheek.
"Will you promise to tell me though?" she asked as Jade nodded. "Will you be leaving anytime soon?" Hermione asked and Jade shook her head.
"I won't, I promise." Jade said seeing Hermione smile brightly and break down into sobs again.
"Look at you!" Hermione squeaked. "I couldn't even recognize you!" Hermione said.
The doorbell rang and Draco left to open it. Hermione and Jade stood, hugging each other, taking their time.
"Malfoy, you owled me about an emergency?" a voice asked. Jade's eyes opened. Her heart quickened its pace. Before she went to say his name, Hermione said it for her.
"Harry! You'll never believe it!" Hermione said looking up from Jade's shoulder. Hermione turned Jade around and Jade looked at the floor, unable to meet Harry's eyes.
"Believe what?" Harry asked.
"Guess who this is!" Hermione said.
Draco snapped his fingers at Nessie. "I'm confident I'll be able to win this one. 500 pounds Nessie, all or nothing." Draco said seeing Nessie nod.
"You're on Draco. But I've only got American dollars." Nessie whispered seeing Draco nod.
"Currency exchange later, right now, it's just the bet." Draco said seeing Nessie nod.
"Um, I was told there was an emergency here. What are you doing here Hermione?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione after looking at the beautiful, tear stricken woman that stood next to Hermione.
"Oh Harry! You can be so unobservant!" Hermione said.
Jade knocked Hermione's arm with hers and signaled her not to tell Harry. "This is Draco's girlfriend…from America." Hermione said.
Harry took another chance to look at the woman and politely nodded, his patience running thin. "Nice to meet you. I'm Harry." Harry said sticking his hand out for Jade to shake.
"Nice to meet you again Mr. Potter." Jade said, shaking his hand.
Harry gave her a questioned look and shook his head. "I don't think we've met…have we?" Harry asked seeing Jade shoot a nervous glance towards Hermione.
She let out a nervous laugh and noticed she was still shaking hands with him. "7 years and you still can't remember Harry? Should have written you a longer letter." Jade said.
Harry froze, staring at Jade. At first, he was looking at her and listening closely to everything she was saying and word by word, his face turned into horror.
"Pansy Parkinson? When did you get so pretty?" Harry joked.
Jade jerked her hand away and made a rude gesture in his face. "Fuck you Potter!" Jade yelled.
"I knew it!" Harry said tackling Jade. He laughed and hugged Jade tightly as Jade hugged him back, feeling a fresh new set of waterworks in the making. "Why did you leave?" Harry asked.
Jade didn't want to answer this question for him. If she told him that she left because she loved Draco, it would make him feel bad, but he was married now right? Did that matter?
"It's a bit complicated." Jade murmured from his chest.
"I think I can keep up." Harry said.
Draco cleared his voice and shot a cold look at Harry, informing him that he had been overriding whatever small right he had to touch Jade; Draco had allowed him for the time being.
"Honestly, I had no idea. You've…changed so much." He said looking at her and Jade nodded, taking a good look over him. He had new glasses, she knew that. They were silver frameless glasses that made his face sharper and accentuated his beautiful emerald eyes.
"So have you. Glasses." Jade said pointing to them and seeing him grin.
"Do you like them?" Harry asked touching them.
"I'm sure she's absolutely dazzled." Draco said heavily sarcastic.
"What's crawled up yours Malfoy?" Harry asked smoothly.
"The same thing that crawled of your panties and died, must burn like hell to be left by a lot of things." Draco shot back.
"Hey, easy." Jade commanded.
"Harry stop it." Hermione said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"You're no different from me Malfoy so I'd hose down some of my burn marks if I were you." Harry said seeing Draco give him a hard look.
"Will you two stop it already?!" Jade asked stepping in between them.
"Call a truce the two of you. Honestly, I've never seen two grown men going at it like they were in Hogwarts again. Shame on you two." Hermione said clicking her teeth.
"Does this happen often?" Nessie asked.
"Worse." Jade and Hermione answered.
"Call a truce." Jade said touching both of their arms.
"Sure. I'm sorry Draco; I shouldn't have acted like a child. We're grown men, I have 3 children and a wife, it was highly inappropriate. By the way I snogged your girlfriend before you ever got to." Harry slipped, shaking Draco's hand who grinned back.
"You know…you're a marvelous individual Potter. I misunderstood you. I'm also very sorry about this whole argument. Shouldn't have argued in the first place so truce? By the way, I fucked your wife's brains out during Hogwarts…explains some of the mental issues she has from time to time." Draco said.
Harry tightened his jaw and the two withdrew from each other, the hostility up another notch.
"Okay!" Nessie sang awkwardly.
Jade scowled at the two, wondering why the hell they hated each other so much and acted like kids. A thought occurred to her and she bit back a laugh. Were people this frustrated when she did something they didn't approve of? Oh bless those poor souls.
"Anyways" Harry said stiffly. "I have to pick up Albus and James from school. Jade." Harry said turning towards Jade who straightened her shoulders. "I wish we could talk." He said placing a hand on her shoulder.
"We will, let's all get together one night and have dinner?" Jade asked looking around to see Hermione's eyes brighten up.
"Yes! Tomorrow night at the Burrow will probably be a really, really great time. They're having a barbeque and you both are more than welcome to come." Hermione said looking at Jade who smiled and nodded excitedly and Draco who shrugged as if he didn't give a damn.
"Nessie, you'll come too won't you?" Hermione asked seeing Nessie's eyes widen because she was caught almost sleeping.
"Er…barbeque? Tomorrow's a critical day for me. Summer Fashion Week in New York you know. Clothes don't design and alter themselves." She said darkly to herself.
"Well it's all right, if you do get a chance to come, please do. So that's set." Hermione said joining her hands together.
"Nothing else. I have to go, goodbye everyone. Goodbye Jade." Harry said hugging Jade again.
"Bye Harry." Jade said hugging him back. They both pulled back and Harry left, giving her a smile. Jade smiled back and waved as he left the doors. Draco happily shut it and turned around playfully glaring at Jade.
"I'll deal with you later." Jade said wagging her finger at him.
"Oh if I only got a Galleon every time you said that to me. Go on, spend some time with Hermione. I have to take a quick trip to New York with Nessie for some business." Draco said. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.
"Don't take so long." Jade said seeing Draco shake his head.
"It won't be long. I'll see you." Draco said with a final kiss to her forehead. He turned to Hermione and nodded towards her. "Goodbye Hermione." Draco said politely.
"Goodbye Draco." Hermione said smiling as he left into the bedroom.
"Goodbye Hermione! Such a sweet creature! Visit New York often! Jade knows where to go. Jade, I'll see you during the fashion week?" Nessie asked kissing Jade's cheek.
"Er…do I have to?" Jade asked hearing Nessie gasp.
"My collection-"
"I was kidding Nessie, jeez, where has your sense of humor gone? I love you and I'll see you in a few days." She said calming the woman down.
"You'll be the death of me one day." Nessie breathed.
"Oh stop that! Don't say that, I don't like it." Jade said seeing Nessie giggle.
"Any day now Nessie." Draco said from the bedroom. Nessie quickly jogged off towards the bedroom and gave one final wave to Jade and Hermione before disappearing into the bedroom to take the Portkey to New York.
Hermione and Jade sat down together and began their wholesome conversation from the time Jade left to the second she entered the doors. Jade explained in great detail, something she thought she wouldn't be able to do with Hermione during Hogwarts years. She opened up to Hermione and confessed what she went through and told her that it wasn't easy trying to be happy when she wasn't at all. Nothing could have kept her there, unless Draco had left Ginny of course.
"Love, if you would have told me-"
"I don't think it would have helped if I told anyone. There was nothing anyone could do about it. I mean, I thought Weasley was pregnant with Draco's child and I was doomed. I knew I didn't have a future with him and I was definitely not going to stand watching his kid from by another woman walk around in front of me if we had gotten together. I guess it makes me less of a woman or less of a person to think that I would hate a child-"
"Jade. People have different preferences and compassions. Some people sacrifice and others don't, but that doesn't mean that they're less of a woman or less of a human being. We all want to posses the person we love and I would find it incredibly unbearable if I were to see one of Ron's child from another woman in front of me. Ough, the thought sends shivers down my spine." Hermione said shuddering.
"You had to marry that fruitcake in the end didn't you?" Jade asked seeing Hermione giggle.
"He's a great husband, friend and father." Hermione said seeing Jade shrug.
"Whatever you say Hermione." Jade said. Hermione poked Jade and asked her about life in New York.
Jade then dived back into her memories and told Hermione about how she had met Nessie and how Nessie played a very important role in her life. She reluctantly got into how she met Daniel and tried to compress the last 4 years with him down to a millisecond, but since she was speaking to Hermione, Jade was dragged back and asked a million detailed questions, expected to give a million detailed explanations.
"Your first serious relationship with an American? How was that like?" Hermione asked seeing Jade smirk.
"He makes American men look bad, but I could have had worse. It's not like he beat me like most men would. American men are quite cute actually and not as bad as I thought they were. I just ended up with some fucked up prick that couldn't satisfy the storm in his pants." Jade spat.
Hermione flinched and placed a hand on Jades. "He cheated on you?" Hermione asked seeing Jade grunt a yes and wave the topic off. "But you're with Draco now. How did that happen?" Hermione asked.
Jade smiled broadly and took Hermione's hands. "It's like being stuck in a rut in life. You have no idea how you're going to get out of it and start moving again, so you just wait there, waiting. I managed myself, knowing in my heart that I was not supposed to be in that relationship and that Daniel wasn't the one for me, but I couldn't do anything about it. I walked out one day after having an argument with Daniel and went into a bookstore to look for a few books. I turn around and bump into, out of all the people and creatures in the world, Draco. Can you fucking believe it? It turned out that he was there for a business meeting or partnership with a man in New York and they were in the same hotel I was living in. It's pretty crazy to tell you the truth." Jade said seeing Hermione grin.
"How did Draco react to you?" Hermione asked.
"He didn't know it was me actually. He saw me once in the hotel and didn't recognize me. He told me that when I was standing directly in front of him, he noticed then…idiot." Jade said.
"Hey! I couldn't even recognize you either! Harry couldn't as well. You really did change a lot Jade. Your hair is beautiful; your clothes are actually fitted, clean, feminine and doesn't reek of smoke or alcohol! I could go on and on but you understand what I mean." Hermione said seeing Jade nod.
Jade rested her head on Hermione's lap and curled into her, feeling Hermione run her hands through her hair. Jade closed her eyes reminiscing about the times Hermione would do that during Hogwarts. Other than alcohol, drugs or cigarettes, this was another high for Jade, to be able to be with someone she loved and enjoy a moment with them.
"I missed you so much Hermione." Jade whispered.
Hermione moved Jade's hair from her face and kissed her cheek. "And I missed you as well. Don't leave me again." Hermione said hugging Jade.
Jade woke up and found herself in Draco's dark bedroom. She turned to see Draco sleeping next to her. Jade checked the clock and wondered when it was 1:30 in the morning. She remembered falling asleep on Hermione's lap a few hours ago. Jade sighed and draped her leg over Draco, seeing him shift in his sleep and bring himself closer to Jade. Jade closed her eyes and rested her head under Draco's chin and wondered about how good it felt to be with him. She didn't feel deprived of anything and absolutely loved him. She was finally at the right place, the place where she belonged. She closed her eyes to sleep off the rest of the night.