DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!

Normal Life Doesn't Exist

Chapter 3

It had been 3 days since Hermione last encountered Lucius and her nerves were returning to normal. It was a Saturday and Jane and Merope were around a friend's, giving Hermione a day off. She filled the kettle and put it to boil as there was a knock on the door. She walked to the door and saw Kyle standing there.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi." He replied, still a little awkward for their argument a few days previous. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." She said, holding the door back.

He wiped his feet on the welcome mat and then stepped inside. She closed the door behind him and followed him into the kitchen. She walked to the mug cupboard and offered him a cup of tea whilst he leant against the counter. "Sure, I'd love one." She pulled out a mug and put a teabag in it. "Hermione...I'm very sorry about what I said on Tuesday."

"No, it's fine."

"Hermione, I really am."

"It's alright. I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. I insulted you, I insulted the girls' father, in essence insulting the girls. I insulted your entire family, and I'm very sorry."

"Kyle, it's fine." she said, pouring water into their mugs and stirring.

"Let me buy you dinner."

She sighed. "Kyle, I've told you about how I feel dating when I'm still technically married."

"You haven't talked to him in 6 years."

"I'm still married to him, though!"

"Hermione, weren't you the one who told me to 'move on'?"

She groaned. "I hate my own words being used against me." she threw the teabags away and then added 1 sugar to his cup and 2 to hers. She pulled the milk out of the fridge and poured the wanted amount into each cup.

"Hermione, why not? It doesn't have to go anywhere, doesn't even have to be called 'a date'. It can just be 'one parent buying another dinner in a way of apology'."

She put the milk away and then took their cups over to the island. "It's not that I don't want to go, it's...What about the girls?"

"Baby-sitter."

She groaned. "When?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. The girls sleepover at their friend's and then you collect them in the morning."

"...Where and when?"

"Don't sound too enthusiastic. The Restaurant Apollo, tonight at 7."

"Kyle, I don't know..."

"I've already booked a table for two, so don't make me waste my money."

"Apollo does pre-pay reservations?"

"Yes. And it cost a lot. Please." He said.

She looked at him. "Oh, go on then."

--

Hermione dropped the girls' pyjamas, spare clothes and toothbrushes off at their friend's house for the evening and prepared for her date. In the last 6 years, she'd had less than a handful of 'boyfriends' and was quite nervous about the coming evening.

She'd purchased a dress especially for the evening, and even new shoes. The dress was a simple but stylish and sexy black knee length with no straps. It hugged her curves deliciously and hid her remaining baby weight. The shoes were also black with quite a high heel. She pulled her hair up into a bun but a few curls managed to escape. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Oh, my god." She groaned. "Still not lost the baby weight." She said, pinching her sides. "God, I hope he doesn't notice."

7pm soon came and Hermione arrived at the restaurant at 7:03. Kyle was already there, sitting in an armchair, drumming his fingers together, bouncing his leg rhythmically and had a look of slight worry on his face. When the concierge opened the door for her and she thanked him, Kyle heard her voice and jumped up. She smiled at him and walked over to him. He put his arm around her waist smoothly and walked to the Maitre D', who was a middle aged woman with grey hair and deep wrinkles.

"Hello," She said, looking up, "good evening and welcome to the Restaurant Apollo. Table for 2?" she said with small smile.

"Yes. The name of Kyle Graham."

The Maitre D' looked over her list and then nodded. She clicked her fingers and young man in a pinstripe suit with a white rose in his top pocket and a name badge which read 'Carlos' came up behind her. She handed him 2 menus without looking at him and mumbled 'Table 28'.

"If you'd follow me, please." Carlos said politely. They followed him past the kitchens, past the phones, past the lavatories and dodged between dozens and dozens of table to reach their own. Carlos put the menus down on the table and helped Hermione out of her coat before draping it on the back of her chair and then pulled that out for her. When both Kyle and Hermione were sat down, Carlos handed each of them a menu. "Shall I bring you the wine menu?"

"Yes." Kyle said shortly, keeping his gaze on Hermione. She blushed under the intensity of his stare and looked at her menu. "I'm really glad you decided to come out with me, Hermione."

She blushed again, but wasn't fooled by his cheesy lines. "No problem. I'm just glad that tonight, I'll go home pleasantly pissed rather than reading 'Daisy O'Day' for the 1000th time." Kyle chuckled. "What?"

"Sorry. I just can't believe that you're 25 and you're the best mum I know."

"You're saying that." She said.

"I mean it!"

"Sir...?" Carlos said, holding a piece of folded card out for him to take.

"Thank you." Kyle said, taking the wine list and putting it on the table.

"Will you be placing your orders or would you like a moment or two?"

"Give us 3 and a half minutes." He said, his eyes locked with Hermione's and they both crossed their arms and leant on them on the table. They both wore lop-sided grins.

Carlos left. "Why are you always so precise?" Hermione asked.

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"Should I?"

"How come you never answer questions?"

"Is it a problem?"

"Why would it be?"

"Well, why not?"

"Do you ever answer questions?"

"What sort of questions should I be answering?"

Kyle chuckled, looking away and leant back in his chair. Looking back at her smirking face, he said, "Oh, fine, you win."

She copied his posture. "I always win."

"Oh, I bet you do." He said, leaning in his chair and looked at her bare and crossed legs.

"Cheeky as ever."

Again, he chuckled. "Excuse me a moment." He said, standing up. She smiled, nodded and waited on his return. 2 minutes later, a hand slid across her shoulder and a body slid into the chair opposite her.

"Hello, again. So, what do you-?" she trailed off. As the man sitting down across from her wasn't Kyle.

It was her husband.