Chapter 11

Hermione slept well that night and her body felt languid the next morning. She had seduced Draco the night before, it was incredibly naughty, but her body still felt the repercussions of it as she stretched in bed.

Now she just had to do it again. There was another event on that night. On one level she could kill for a night in front of the TV. There were no TVs here and they entertained themselves in the evening in a more sociable fashion. There was nothing else to do.

She would go, give Draco a hard time with little touches as she played his charming wife. Then when they got home, they would do the same thing.

Draco looked angry at breakfast. He wasn't saying anything, he wasn't looking at her either. He just looked like he was under a bit of a rain cloud. She was pretty sure that he hadn't planned on the little reunion between him and his wife last night. It wouldn't be so bad if there was a bit of reconciliation. He was going to be the father of her child. She would treat him well. She didn't believe they would ever be good friends, but they could be civil and they could have a well functioning partnership.

She didn't want to hurt him. She wasn't planning on it. She would gain nothing from it and she wasn't interest in retribution. When they had a baby together, they would be family. Odd that that sentiment was.

After breakfast she went to Diagon Alley again to check out what the wizard world had in terms of baby gear. She knew, she'd been here before, but it had been a while now. It still didn't sit right, the fear of being disappointed was too strong to let her enjoy it, maybe she would enjoy it when she was confirmed pregnant.

In the end she spent some time in Flourish and Blotts. There were some new interesting books that she wanted, but she didn't have any money and she didn't want to put books on the Malfoy tab. It would be suspicious. She needed some cash but couldn't think of a way to get it. Ideally she wanted some muggle money but that would he even harder to explain.

Before going home she went into a store and bought some shoes. She checked they were the right size but she didn't try them on. Clothing stores really didn't hold that much appeal unless you really needed something.

She was getting used to the routine of getting dressed to go out. There was quite a large dinner on tonight at some pureblood's house. An engagement celebration apparently of some younger Hogwarts Slytherin girl to a Durmstrang boy.

She made her way down to the entrance hall where Draco and Lucius were waiting. Narcissa was late, which was unusual. She stood by Draco and waited. It felt awkward. They had sex a few metres away last night. Maybe they would again tonight. Hermione's body tightened a bit at the thought.

She could feel that Draco was looking at her, but she knew he'd look away if she turned to face him. She wondered what was going on in his mind.

"There you are, my dear." Lucius said. Hermione wasn't sure if there was any real affection between Narcissa and Lucius. He didn't really show it, but then he wasn't the man to show affection. Draco probably wasn't either. That might be a good thing.

Lucius apparated with Narcissa and Hermione took Draco's arm. He hesitated for a moment like he wanted to say something, but didn't.

It was a large event tonight. There were all sorts there, even some Ravenclaws. Hermione settled into the routine as Draco placed his hand on her back. His hand burned and Hermione was immediately reminded of the evenings planned activities. The ones when were alone. She kind of wished she could skip the next few hours and just go home.

Dinner was soon served and they were directed into a large dining hall. She and Draco weren't seated together. Pansy was seated next to Draco down the table somewhere, while she was stuck with a couple of people she didn't know. Hermione noticed that Daphne and her husband were there, which surprised her. She hadn't seen them at any event before. She noticed Daphne because Daphne was intermittently shooting evil looks at her. Oh the joys of sisterly affection, Hermione thought sarcastically.

Pansy was chatting with Draco exclusively, laughing really loudly every once in a while. Apparently Draco was really funny or Hermione suspected that Pansy was flirting with him. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Dinner dragged on forever. The man next to her was obviously wanting to show off how important he was. Apparently he was under the impression that she would be impressed by how many of his secretaries would sleep with him.

When it was finally over, Hermione had to go to the bathroom. When she came back, she didn't catch sight of Draco, but she saw Pansy and Daphne talking. They were both holding drinks chatting quite avidly. Pansy caught sight of her and the look she got from Pansy was full on scheming. And she was the target. Pansy made no attempt to hide her intentions.

So Daphne was in and she was out. She must have upset Pansy somehow, or maybe this was about Draco. In a nutshell, she didn't care. It wouldn't worry her a bit of she became a persona non grata, provided she had a baby. Pansy could have Draco. Actually it might work out for the best if that is how it went. She'd have the baby and Draco was otherwise distracted. Maybe that would be enough to then get her out of going to these events, particularly if Draco's mistress was constantly there.

She wasn't so sure Draco was that into Pansy though. She wouldn't be trying so hard if she had him and she obviously didn't. Whatever, their antics was boring her.

If Pansy was declaring war, Astoria probably would too. Hermione had the feeling that Astoria wasn't useless in girl war. Neither a talent nor inclination that Hermione had. Whatever.

She walked around and looked for Draco. A girl came up to her, someone who looked familiar from school, but she couldn't put a name on the face.

"He is waiting for you in the library." The girl said with a sly smile. "He told me to tell you."

"Oh, ok, thanks." Hermione said.

She walked off to find the library wondering what could be so important that he wanted to see her there. Maybe he couldn't wait till they got home, she thought with a sly smile.

It took a couple of attempts but the library was unmistakable. It was pretty impressive, not as impressive as the Malfoy one, but she was still not spoilt enough to not be impressed.

"Draco?" She called. But heard nothing. She closed the door and walked further into the library.

She jumped slightly as she saw a figure leaning against a desk. It wasn't Draco, it was Theo Nott and he had two drinks in his hand. He had set this up. The girl was talking about him and not Draco. How could she have been so stupid.

"Why Miss Astoria, what are you doing here?" He said teasingly.

"Its Mrs. Malfoy actually." She said. "I thought we covered this last time."

"Oh, don't be such a sprig." He said. "Just thought it would be nice to have a little catch up."

"I have to go." Hermione said and turned to leave.

Theo was on her in a second flat. Were all the slytherins this fast, Hermione wondered. He had turned her around and was pulling her towards him by her wrists.

"No seriously Nott, let go." She demanded. "Whatever was going on here, its over."

"I know you don't mean that." He practically cooed.

Her affirmation that she did died on her lips as the door swung open, revealing Draco standing there staring at them.

"No." She said pointing at him. "This is not that."

Draco turned and left.

"Draco!" She called after him. She ran after him, but he was already out of the hall.

"Arrgh." Hermione gave into her frustration. She called after him again but he was gone. She got to the main hall where everyone was but didn't see him anywhere.

Instead she saw Pansy and Daphne looking at her. Pansy put her hand up to her mouth and mouthed an 'Oops'. Pansy didn't look surprised at all. Hermione was pretty sure Pansy had some hand in this. Maybe she even had some hand in Astoria's and Nott relationship. She wouldn't put it past her. Bitch.

Hermione went to the entrance hall and apparated home. Draco wasn't in either his study or his bedroom. A room Hermione had never been in.

She went back to her bed room and sat down. This was not the way it was supposed to go. Draco had looked so angry at the library door. But not surprised. It must have looked so bad her being pulled up close to Nott. Hermione wanted to swear every curse word she knew. She was just getting Draco to come around, mostly unwillingly but allowing her to manipulate him. She knew full well that he has been allowing her to seduce him. But now, things were much worse. Pansy had ruined the tentative steps she had made with him.

Hermione wasn't sure how she could salvage this. Draco wouldn't sleep with her now, or probably for a long time. He probably wouldn't let her near him again.

Hermione felt really bad. She was completely innocent, but she knew Draco had been hurt. He hid it with anger, but there had been disappointment on his face too. How could she have been so stupid?

She waited a couple of hours and then tried to seek him out again. His bedroom door was locked, so he was home.

"Draco." She said as she knocked on the door. "We need to talk. What you saw. It wasn't what you thought." She sounded like every adulterer on the planet.

"I swear." She continued. "I thought it was you. Someone said you were waiting for be in the library, but it wasn't you. Nothing happened."

She was met by complete silence.

"Damn it Draco. Let me explain." She said, but again nothing. She tried to hear him inside but it was completely silent. She realised that he might have put a silencing charm on the door.

How the fuck was she going to fix this? She sat down and leaned on the door. She felt so bad for him. According to him he got screwed over again. This was her fault, she was stupid. Her stupidity had let this happen. Draco would probably retreat more into his hard shell now. The chances of him being intimate with her now where probably nil.

Sitting here at his door wasn't achieving anything. She went back to her room. She would have to talk to him in the morning.

He wasn't there in the morning. She looked for him at breakfast, which was a really tense affair. Obviously the older Malfoys were aware of the previous night's happenings. Draco wasn't in his study or his bedroom. She would just have to wait for him. She waited in his study.

It was very quiet without him there. A very dark room, with dark furniture. Very tidy. This room filled with the things he treasured. There were some Quidditch things in one of the bookcases and some Hogwarts things. She had the feeling he really liked Hogwarts. Probably quite exciting after living in this large and lonely house all his life.

She wondered what it was like to know every aspect of your life. He would live and die in this house. Go to parties every other night for the rest of his life. Hogwarts was probably the only time he had away from here and the restraining expectations on him. And then he ended up in an atrocious marriage.

She groaned again at the awfulness of the situation.

After looking around the study some more, she noticed that copy of the Daily Prophet, the one with her picture on it from the day after she died. It was back on the same position on the desk, from before Pansy had thrown it away. Why in the world would he be holding onto that?

Hermione didn't have a chance to consider it anymore, because someone came into the room. Hermione prepared herself for what was about to come, but it wasn't Draco. It was some older man in business robes.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked without thinking.

"I am Sanderson." He said looking at her suspiciously. "Horatio Sanderson. The Malfoys' solicitor. We have met on several occasions."

"Head injury." Hermione said in a way of explaining her odd behaviour. "I have some memory loss."

"Oh." The man said and put his bag down on the desk carefully as if trying not to scare her.

"Draco isn't here." She said.

"I came to speak to you." He said with a careful smile.

"Oh?" Hermione said with surprise.

"It seems that Mr. Malfoy has decided that it is time for a separation."

"Separation?" She asked.

"Between the two of you." The man carefully explained. "He feels there are some differences that are making it impossible for you to live together."

Hermione gasped, but closed her mouth. She couldn't blame him really. It ruined things for her, but she couldn't blame him.

"Perhaps we can work on improving the situation." She said.

The solicitor looked down, "Mr. Malfoy doesn't seem to want to do that."

This was not what she wanted. It sounded awful, but it would ruin her plan. She knew she could make things better for Malfoy, but he had to let her.

"There are a number of properties that you could take up residence in." He continued. "He is making a generous allowance."

Hermione felt her hand up to try to stop him. She had to think, this was happening too fast.

"I.." She started.

"He would like to you vacate Malfoy Manor by this afternoon." The solicitor said. "All your things will be forwarded to whichever residence you choose."

"I don't want to go." Hermione said, her mind still reeling from the sudden change in her circumstances.

"He is quite insistent." The man said.

Hermione accepted that she would have to leave. She couldn't see a way around it.

"I need some cash." She said. She hated saying it, but she did.

"I will send some over this shortly." The man said. "In the meantime, a vault will be set up at Gringotts for your use."

Hermione didn't care. She didn't want Malfoy's money. If they were separating, she didn't want anything from him. But she couldn't get by without some cash.

"I am sorry to be a bearer of such bad tidings." The man said with another smile. He was a good solicitor, kind, Hermione thought. She just nodded and he was gone.

Hermione sat down stunned for a while. It had all gone sideways too fast. But she guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised. The eventually that she had a life with Draco Malfoy was absurd. He would never be with the likes of her, wittingly or not, it just fundamentally was an impossibility. Maybe the fabric of the universe was objecting.

Hermione waited back in her room until she got a pouch full of cash. He hated taking it but she didn't have a choice. There was nothing of Astoria's stuff she wanted.

Hermione floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron. It seemed to always be a point of safety when lost. And she was completely lost. She had lost her life, she had lost Astoria's life. She had lost her chance of a baby unless there was an off chance that she was already pregnant. But she doubted it. She had nothing but her wand, the clothes on her back and a pouch full of galleons she didn't want.