Here ya go, dear readers, chapter two! I hope you like it!
Rating: T, for language and because I'm paranoid.
Characters: Hermione G. and Draco M., sometimes mentioning/featuring Astoria Greengrass, Ginny W., Ron W., Harry P., and two (minor) OCs.
Summary: Five years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy gets the shock of his life when Astoria Greengrass ups and leaves him. He needs a good divorce lawyer. That was what he needed and what he expected. But what he didn't expect, however, was a certain bushy-haired brunette in lawyer's clothing, reeling from a break-up with the Weasel King himself. Ignores epilogue. Eventual Dramione.
This story was corrected by several people along the way, you know who you are, and I give you a lot of thanks :)
There is some harsh language in this chapter. Also, I wrote the majority of this chapter on my phone, so please excuse any grammar/spelling/consistency mistakes.
Disclaimer: me no own Harry Potter! :3
Italics: Flashback
Hermione Jean Granger pushed the door to her flat open.
With a click, she dropped her keys into the little bowl that she kept by the door, and walked into her empty flat, closing the door gently behind her.
She was alone.
Ron and her were over now, forever. She had had enough. Hermione remembered the day clearly.
Hermione paused at the door of their flat, catching her breath before unlocking the door. Grinning slightly, she opened the door to their shared home.
She had just received wonderful news today. She had qualified as a wizarding lawyer, with the highest mark in her entire class. She couldn't wait to share the news with Ron.
She walked straight towards their bedroom, about to open the door. But a certain noise made her stop straight in her tracks. Was that what she thought it was?
"Oh, Won-Won!" Hermione almost wanted to bang her head against the door. It couldn't be... but as she got closer to the door of their bedroom, she realized she was right. The moans and screams got louder, and Hermione had to knock on the door three times before it stopped.
"Ron, Lavender?" She called through the door, hoping they could hear her. "I'm giving you three minutes to get dressed. After that, I'm coming in."
She heard Lavender squeal, "But Won-Won, I thought that she wasn't coming home for another hour!" Hermione rolled her eyes. That useless slut.
Hermione looked at her watch, obviously irritated, which really was not surprising considering her live in boyfriend had just cheated on her with the most useless whore in Hogwarts.
"Ron, Lavender? Are you decent?" She was so glad that Ron hadn't had the bright idea to simply apparate out of the room. Maybe stupidity really was good now, or at least for her.
Hearing no answer, she walked into the room and saw a hastily clothed and very embarrassed Ron and Lavender peering back at her.
"I think it's kind of obvious what you were doing just now," Hermione's patience was withering. "So, Lavender, sweetie," she said, putting on her best fake smile. "I advise you to get the hell out of my house before I hex you." Lavender at least had the decency to look ashamed as she apparated out of the room. "And Ron." Hermione's tone was harsher now. " . . ?"
"Hermione, it was a mistake..."
"I loved you! We've been through SO MUCH together-what is your problem?"
"It was just that one time..."
"Are you sure of that, Ron? Are you sure that you have never cheated on me before this?" Hermione's hair seemed to crackle with fierce electricity.
"Well, maybe, that one time..." But Hermione was sick of it. She slapped him across the face, hard, and when Ron recovered, she was already magically packing her bags.
"You know what, Ron? We're over. I've supported you-and it's not okay anymore! You treat me like crap, Ronald, and you know it! You always talk about how you "want to start a family" but then you go off and screw her!"
Hermione's voice took on more venom, but she felt like she was about to cry. "I'm sick of this constant shit, me having to support you while you screw Lavender Brown. I'm leaving. Don't expect to ever hear from me again, you bastard."
"But, Hermione, I-"
And with that, Hermione apparated out of their shared flat and into Harry and Ginny's yard.
They had gotten married the year before, and were happily sharing a home quite close to Hermione's, but not anymore, as Hermione reminded herself, because she no longer lived there.
With a sigh, she knocked on the door, praying they were home. Her prayers were answered-at least something went right on this awful day- and Ginny appeared in the doorstep, immediately taking in Hermione's messy hair and red eyes from crying.
"Hermione, are you alright?"
"N-no..." Hermione sniffed. Now Harry appeared in the doorway.
"Oh my-Hermione, what happened to you?"
"R-ron and I broke up..." Harry and Ginny exchanged glances. "He cheated on me. With L-lavender Brown..."
Harry smacked his hand with his fist. "How dare he? You guys have been through so much together!"
Hermione smiled sadly. "That's what I told him."
Ginny put a comforting arm around her friend. "Well then, come in, Hermione. You can stay here until you find a place to stay."
"T-thanks, guys, I really appreciate it."
"Of course, Hermione."
That had been it. A week later, Hermione found her own flat close to the Ministry, where she worked. It was a great little place, just enough for her and Crookshanks. Harry and Ginny had gone with her to pick up her stuff-and the cat- from Ron's. She hadn't even spoken to him, save for a "goodbye" and "hello."
Now, it was over. She lived in a comfortable flat, had friends, notably Ginny, Harry, and Luna, and enough money for comfortable living. Crookshanks provided her with some degree of comfort, of course.
But she was lonely. Who wouldn't be? Her boyfriend since the year she had left Hogwarts was now with the biggest slut there was. Hermione still had to suppress a shudder whenever she thought of Lavender saying "Won-Won!" Even worse was thinking about how Ron would say, "Lav-Lav!" It was so sickening, even when they were still at Hogwarts. How utterly disgusting it would be. Hermione knew that she could do better, but she couldn't bring herself to forget Ron.
But that was the past, and now Hermione stood, surveying the empty apartment as if it was new to her.
Her job was good. She enjoyed working as a family lawyer, often handling divorces, but also the occasional crime case, as she was well-trained in both fields. It was somehow comforting to her that she and Ron never got married, hell, they weren't even engaged, so they didn't have to go through the same tears and whining that most divorcing couples seemed to go through. Because Hermione really wouldn't have had enough patience for any of that B.S.
Hermione sighed. She had a long night of work ahead of her. She was at the end of a bitter court battle between two feuding exes, both wanting the money at the same time.
"Here, Crookshanks," she called quietly, as the cat bounded towards her, purring as if he knew he would be fed.
Hermione scratched the cat food into the bowl, and Crookshanks meowed happily, purring as he dove into his disgusting concoction of "Marine Madness" kitten food, although, Hermione wryly noted, Crookshanks was no longer a kitten and was getting quite fat. Oh well. At least one of them was happy.
She sat down at her desk and began to work, exhaustion and loneliness clouding her eyes over as she silently reflected on her empty soul.
There it is, chapter two! ^^^^^ :) I hope you guys liked it. Thanks to all of my supermegafoxyawesomeHOT reviewers, I really appreciate the reviews. Also, thanks to all of the favorites/story alerts, it's great to know that I'm being heard.
I know my chapters are short, but these are the introduction/expositions. I have a basic storyline mapped out, and the third chapter is being written. I expect the chapters to get longer, and you can expect a lot of updates. :) Love you!