Summary: Ron cheated on HER with Lavender.
Meanwhile HE was marrying Astoria.
He was resigned.
She was furious.
Yet - although they had given up caring; they found each other.
A story of Draco and Hermione.
Forgetting their pasts; forgetting their past-selves.
Moving on.
And getting Entangled.
[EWE. Post-Hogwarts.]
Authoress' Note : My first Dramione! *Claps hands in glee* I've read so many great stories out here, thought I'd contribute too! Yes, I'm VERY modest :3 And I realise the summary is pretty awful and confusing... I can't exactly help that but provide a key - HE is Draco and SHE is Hermione.
... Oh well - I guess I have a knack for stating the obvious too along with being undeniably annoying... So I won't keep you from the story any longer! READ! [And tell me how it was? :) ]
OoO
Chapter 1:
It was nearing evening. The London air was warm, wet and grey. Most wizards and witches walking around looked grey too. Even their cloaks, coats and dresses in muted shades of black and grey. Forlorn, melancholy and with all their black umbrellas open- shielding them from the light, pattering drizzle. One man walked without an umbrella, head bent to hide his face but the platinum blond hair a dead giveaway.
Draco Malfoy walked purposefully down the street; aiming to keep along the edge of the road, away from the mass throng of people and their large umbrellas. His quick, long strides propelled him fast through the crowd, most of which would turn and stare at him. Whether they looked with pity, contempt, envy or emotionlessly- He didn't care. After all, there were more pressing matters to attend to. And more important things on his mind. His hands burned too- idly he thought of getting a salve after he finished his job for tonight.
Inevitably he stumbled across a shallow puddle and grunted. The eye-patch they made him wear was nothing but trouble. He didn't believe the claims that it would help his eye regrow. He still felt half blind- with absolutely no depth perception. Even his groping hands didn't land on the pavement to break his fall. Damned eye-patch, he cursed aloud. Eventually picking himself up and trying not to think of his hands as they took his fall a little too hard, he started walking away. Resuming his original posture of head bent low over his breast, hands stuffed deep into his warm pockets and eyes firmly fixed on the ground below.
The day hadn't been all too eventful, but that was out of the question anyway. He was out of commission for a while. Work would start again only tomorrow. And it would have definitely doubled from the last time. He was also required to assist his father in his own business, even though it wasn't in any way related to him- he still had to. It was the Family business after all. Small but it led to their wealth and generations upon generations of Malfoys had worked in it. He didn't have much choice. Neither did he have much choice in what he was about to do now. Although originally it had been his own choice. Now he felt it more as a responsibility than an act of choice. He was bound to it come what may, it didn't matter if it was just an act of charity and friendship on his part. Other people might not think of it as such. The tabloids and glossies had already done enough to mar his reputation beyond salvation… maybe; just maybe, they wouldn't skew this piece of news too. Maybe they'd think he was trying to mend his ways? But then again – maybe they would think he was doing it for his own personal gain… whatever that might be. He sighed. All that was out of his hands. Let Rita Skeeter write what she wanted to. The people who knew him knew him. The ones who didn't – he didn't care. Still, after all the pains he had taken for this - the repercussions of just this small job of his today would be sending multiple lives into wholly different parts. Almost as if a tornado had hit them. He smiled wryly. Did it matter? Did it matter that much? It was for the best, what he did.
Briefly his mind flitted towards his vault in the bank. He certainly was born rich. And then there was his inheritance to add to it too, not to forget the fixed flow of income he had now. And his shares and stocks, and the bonds in his company. Quite enough. More than enough. It was a fortune. They could continue to live comfortably if all went through according to plan.
Narrowly sidestepping a young girl out with her parents obviously shopping for her first year at Hogwarts, he smiled. School was a bittersweet memory for him. More bitter than sweet to be true. He shook the raindrops out from his hair and nodded in greeting to a former colleague as they passed each other. And bent his head down again.
The limp in his step was not hard to notice and yet it did not bother him. He continued walking briskly. His wet trousers getting even wetter in the sloshy puddles. It only made him walk faster- to get out of the street, get to his destination and finish his work there. His head was bent low for the same reason- avoid all eye contact with others and to keep his eye patch dry. He hated the eye-patch with all the vengeance he could muster but could barely afford to miss any more days from work to go to the hospital. Work - ah, another reason to hurry. He had to go visit the hospital again to get a health certificate. Only then would they reinstate him. They refused otherwise- well, naturally. He didn't look capable of even opening a door for himself never mind all the brutal work he'd be assigned on later.
Stuffing his pale and bandaged hands deeper into his pockets he pushed into the crowd at an even faster pace.
Suddenly he felt something push back against him roughly. He looked up to see a small brown haired woman crumpled against him and struggling to right herself again.
He lent her a hand and fetched her purse from where it had fallen. Turning to apologise he saw her whip around to face him. Her visage alive with contempt.
"Granger?" His expression was stunned.
"Malfoy!" She narrowed her eyes at him and pursed her thin lips, the fury still clearly evident.
"I'm sorry." He looked away, "I wasn't paying attention."
Her gaze on him sharpened- "What are you doing here?" She paused fixing him with an even meaner stare, "What do you want?"
"Uh… Came to get an engagement ring." He still didn't meet her eyes.
"An engagement ring?" Her brow rose in disbelief.
This time he turned to her, disappointment laced in his tone "Don't tell me. You read the gossip tabloids too?"
She winced, "No... But Ginerva does."
"Ginerva?" He repeated impassively.
"Ginny. Weaslette?" She answered helpfully.
"Ah. Potter's girlfriend." His tone didn't change, evenly he looked away again.
"So who is the ring for?" She enquired, the earlier anger she possessed now slightly abated, curiosity, on the other hand, and very naturally, piqued.
"Astoria."
"Wow. I didn't know you two were serious." Her eyes were wide and mouth slightly open. Mentally, though, she quipped it would be obvious. Pure bloods, fellow Slytherins, same classes, rich daddies. Obvious really.
He laughed mirthlessly, "Neither did I."
"What?" she iterated stupidly.
"We're getting married."
"I know. You just said that." She enunciated haltingly, confusion rife in her voice.
"Astoria is pregnant."
She laughed obnoxiously, "Trust you to jump the gun, Malfoy! You knocked her up; it's only fair that you pay the price too."
"No."
"Of course it is. You should have thought before doing something so rash an-"
"No Granger. You don't get it." He cut her off.
"Don't get what?" She challenged with her natural air of superiority.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
"Look, I got what's important. Which is that you-" she got cut off again.
"I'm a virgin."
Authoress' Note (part II) : Not proofread entirely, typed on my phone -.- So in case you find any mistakes do point them out, I shall be much obliged :)
Oh and some feedback wouldn't hurt much too... First HP fanfic, first Dramione and what-not :3 So you could drop me a PM or a review, though I'll be honest and admit - I don't log on to FF much too often, just to upload new chapters and that too intermittently :/
Still, I hope you enjoyed reading this and will add me to your Alerts List? Yes? yes? Pweeze? :)
And just for the fact that you actually got far enough to read this unimportant little note at the bottom - you deserve a BIG. FAT. Thank you! ^^