May, 2007

Hermione sat at the bar in the Leaky Cauldron in one of her nicest dresses. She felt awkward to be honest. She felt like she was there to attract a one-night stand when that was far from the case. She had been out on a date one of her coworkers had set her up on but it did not end well. All he did was talk about himself and showed no significant interest in learning anything about her. When she had subtly pointed this out, however, he went on to accuse her of being an attention-seeker and went on bash her and her entire gender. Hermione had gotten up and left him then, right in the middle of dinner. It was all that she could do to avoid saying and doing very unladylike things.

It had been much too early to return to the Burrow where she was currently temporarily staying. Her home had somehow become infested with the wizarding equivalent of termites. They had the same MO, but they worked faster. Her house was being taken care of by the proper maintenance people and she was staying with Ron and his parents. Ron was also there temporarily, just until he could find a place that could properly house both him and his girlfriend upon her return from an extended business trip.

Hermione would be damned if she went back and had to explain to Ron why she had returned so quickly. And so, it was the Leaky Cauldron she had turned to for refuge. Her intentions were to find a secluded booth in a corner, but unfortunately they were all taken. There were a few tables in the middle, but she wouldn't be caught dead sitting out in the open, dressed to death, and looking like a lonely, almost thirty-year-old woman looking for someone to pick her up. Instead she had gone to the bar. At least this way she could keep her eyes away from those that may have been looking in her direction. She read the names of liquor bottles to pass the time.

Shortly before deciding that it was safe to return to the Burrow someone plopped himself down on the barstool next to her. He groaned exasperatedly and whistled to get the bartender's attention. "The strongest brand of firewhiskey you've got back there, would you?"

Hermione knew that Draco hadn't recognized her. He probably hadn't even looked in her direction. She could've gotten up and left without acknowledging him, but a simple hello after a three-year gap couldn't hurt, right?

"Long day?"

Draco huffed. "Like you wouldn't believe. I-" He paused when he turned to look at her. His eyes had fixed on her face and then glided over the rest of her. Once he had settled back onto her face the bartender had placed the drink he had called for in front of him. Draco didn't look away and grasped for it with his hand blindly. When he finally found it, the firewhiskey was down his throat in an instant. "Come here dressed like that often?"

Hermione glanced down at herself and then blushed furiously. Her dress, in her opinion, was modest. A simple black dress with a decently low front and that stopped just below mid-thigh, but came higher when sitting. But seeing as most people never saw her purposefully dressed attractively, it would come as a shock she supposed.

"I had a date."

"Here?"

"Elsewhere," She explained. "It ended early and I wasn't ready to head home just yet."

"Well, word from the wise, coming here in that dress at this time of night isn't a very good idea." Draco chuckled as he signaled the bartender for another.

"I was just leaving anyway. A quick apparation and I'll be safe from the hooligans." Hermione joked poorly. Draco nodded and drained his shot glass just as quickly as the first. He lay more money than necessary on the counter and slid off of his seat.

"I'll leave with you."

"Oh, Malfoy, you don't have to-"

"I insist." Draco said as he readjusted his jacket. "I'll sleep better tonight knowing that I at least walked you to the apparation spot."

Hermione was surprised at his generosity but she took it regardless. They exited the Leaky Cauldron and made a left. It was dark and it was quiet. Even the cats in the passing alleys didn't make a noise. Neither did she nor Draco for that matter. They walked in silence alongside one another; Hermione with her hands cupped in front of her and Draco with his hands in his pockets. It had been a long time since they had seen one another, and the circumstances of their last visit had been none too pretty.

"Well, here you go." Draco said awkwardly as he presented the alley to her. Hermione smiled and thanked him. Just as she was about to disapparate Hermione stared past Draco's head. There was something behind him in the shadows, but she couldn't quite gage what.

"Get down!" Hermione shouted as she ducked and pulled Draco down with her. His arm was nearly wrenched out of its socket by the force of her tug, but the jet of red light that flew over their heads was a good reason not to be angry with her.

"Malfoy!" A voice cried from where the spell came from. "You owe me!"

Still low to the ground, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and they ran. Spells flew around them and garbage cans and old boxes blew up around them. The man attacking them kept calling out, and Draco took out his wand to cast a harmless defensive spell before shoving Hermione and himself into an abandoned storefront.

"What the hell was that about?!" Hermione shouted at him. Draco was staring between the cracks of the boarded up window. The man was still out there, wandering about unsteadily with his wand swishing and swaying. Draco sucked his teeth.

"Damn it, Lenny." Draco said. He huffed and turned to Hermione. "He's just pissed at me because he doesn't know a Grindelwald from a Dumbledore."

At that Hermione stared in disbelief and crossed her arms over her chest. "Cards? That's why he nearly took our heads off? He's mad because you bested him in cards?"

"He'll get over it. By rights I'd go out there and handle him but a wise man once said never duel a fool."

Hermione frowned. "There's no reason to call him a fool."

"He's drunk. He's a fool." Draco replied flatly. He sighed then and pocketed his wand. "He'll be gone in a bit. Either that or he'll pass out. Sorry for this, Granger."

"No, no, it's okay." Hermione resigned herself to say. "Serves me right going to the Leaky Cauldron of all places at this time of night."

Draco smirked, remembering his words. Silence fell over them again as Lenny could still be heard. He was becoming more belligerent now. At this rate he'd black out and drop to the ground before actually leaving on his own.

"I heard you got married." Hermione said suddenly. Draco had been so lost within his thoughts that her sudden talking had surprised him. He nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, almost two years now." Draco coughed and gestured to her. "And you, you're…obviously not."

Hermione laughed nervously. "No, no I'm not. As my friends put it I work too hard, too much, and enjoy it. To be honest I never saw myself as the marrying type. And if I did marry I always thought I'd be thirty-five the earliest when it happened so I guess… I guess I'm right on track."

Nervous laughter left her lips again and Draco smiled at it. Lenny couldn't be heard anymore and Draco peered out of the window again. It was just as he thought. Lenny was sprawled out on the cobblestone ground and his wand had rolled away from him.

"We can go now."

Hermione nodded. The two of them left their hiding spot and went back to where they were just before Lenny had surprised them. "Well…" She began.

"Well…" Draco continued. They both stood there, eyes averted, words failing. "I guess I'll see you in another three years then."

"Likewise," Hermione answered. With that she disapparated and Draco stared at the spot where she had just been. With an internal groan he stood where she had and disapparated. He found himself at Malfoy Manor's front door, the very place he had run away from just under an hour ago. He and the Misses had had an argument. All because she wanted to go to Milan for their upcoming anniversary and Draco told her that the hotel where she had wanted to stay was a financial scam and he wanted to stay somewhere else. She threw a hissy fit and he had left because he had wanted to talk to his wife, not have a screaming match with a child.

Draco slowly made his way throughout the Manor and to the West Wing. He had abandoned his bachelorhood of the East Wing when he had gotten married and moved into the twice as massive area of the Manor designed for two people. It was as he grew closer that Draco stopped. Now it wasn't that he was unaccustomed to the sounds that were coming from his bedroom, but he was usually involved in making them. His eyes narrowed to slits as he calmly walked towards the tall mahogany doors that opened into his bedroom.

When he walked inside the noises stopped. The look on Astoria's face was of utter horror. The face of her unknown lover's was ten times worse. Draco didn't yell. He didn't move. He didn't even snarl. He merely stood there, arms at his sides, and his eyes on the naked pair.

"I suggest you leave on your own before a coroner takes you out." Draco said to the man. He didn't need to be told twice. He literally fled from the bed and gathered his clothes from the floor. He ran past Draco, but once he had addressed him, his eyes had remained on Astoria. She continued to stay in the bed, the blankets pulled up and over her chest.

"So this is what you do when you don't get your way?" He chided her. "Over a hotel?"

"…You're not usually back so soon when we fight." Astoria answered softly. Draco's eyes flickered dangerously as he clenched his fists.

"You've done this before, have you?" Draco accused more than asked. When she didn't answer Draco inappropriately laughed. It seemed to have scared her when he did, but he could care less at this point. "Get out."

"W-what?"

"Get out." He repeated. "Go to your father's. Live with your sister. I don't care. But you're not staying here."

Draco didn't stay behind to see her leave. More than likely she was still sitting in bed, a hand over her mouth, ashamed of what she had done. Draco on the other hand walked away from the West Wing and made the long journey to his long-forgotten home. The East Wing had been dormant since he had gotten married, but thanks to the hired help the bedroom suite looked like he had only stepped away from it for part of the day. As he gazed upon it, he could do nothing but sigh and admit to himself how much he had missed it.

Author's note: Usually I'm a once a week type updater, but I was in the mood and wanted to THANK EVERYONE for the amazing response to this story so far. So, you're welcome :)

So as for the story, no, this was not the alcohol-induced moment in which Alex comes into the world haha. Something told me that some of you might have been thinking this. Draco got married, but after the little spectacle his wife put on, he definitely won't be staying married much longer.

This chapter was somewhat of a filler, albeit a necessary one. After this the terrible future that Draco and Hermione starts to plague them yet again…

-WP