DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!

Normal Life Doesn't Exist

Chapter 12

She and Abraxas were walking through the gardens later that day. She held her coat tightly around her due to the cold breeze and Abraxas wore a thick black cloak and had the trademark Malfoy cane.

"I take it you saw the newspaper this morning?" he asked politely.

She just gave a huff in response. "I can't believe he said that. After everything he's done to me. Not just the abortion but everything. There were so many times in Hogwarts where I just wanted to..." she made a strangling gesture with her hands and imitated a gagging sound. Abraxas chuckled again, put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She leant in close to him, draping her arm around his waist. "Got to ask, what's with the cane? I mean, you and Lucius have one - why not Draco?"

"The whelp doesn't have one because he hasn't been married nor sired heirs. A Malfoy cane is a privilege." He explained haughtily.

"Ah, family tradition and all that. Has Draco got a contract with anyone?" Abraxas looked at her amazed. They stopped walking and looked at each other. "Yes, I know about contracts. So, has he?"

"Myself and Lucius have been trying to organise something between him and Pansy Parkinson but he is not...Co-operating."

"He wants someone else." She said. Abraxas looked at her again. "I grew up with 2 boys who were just like Draco." He was about to argue but she put her finger to his lips. "Let me finish. They were brave, arrogant, dominant...I know Draco better than he thinks. He isn't co-operating because he wants someone else." She explained.

Abraxas took her hand in his and held it against his cheek. "Really? And does 'someone else' mean you?" he asked.

"What?!" she demanded. "What did you just say?!" she snapped but with a smile on her face, pulling her hand out of his.

"Calm down, love. Draco came home yesterday, barged into the sitting room and started to rant about how much you have...Grown." he eyed her curves and chest. "And then demanded on how 'we could try to organise something with Parkinson when you are so close by'."

She blushed to the colour of beetroot. "Really?"

"Yes. During your Hogwarts years, whenever he was home, he spoke of nothing but you."

She was blushing even harder and awkwardly brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Okay, stop it now." He went to go on but she pushed him away gently. "Really, stop it! Draco Malfoy does not fancy me!" she insisted, stomping her foot.

"Oh, yes, he does, love. You know; I imagine that soon enough, you may have all the Malfoy's at your disposal." He cheeked, giving her a wink. "I'll see you later, love." He said, kissing her cheek.

She watched him leave, a smile on her face. All the Malfoys? She couldn't deny that it sounded interesting.

----------

The next night, Hermione and Lucius were stargazing on the roof of the castle. They lay on a blanket with an open and half drunk bottle of champagne next to them.

"Oh! What about that one? You see it?" Hermione asked, pointing to a cluster of stars above them.

"Where?" Lucius asked, looking around the sky. "Where am I supposed to be looking?" Even though he was still 'grieving' for Narcissa, he had heartedly agreed to spend time with Hermione whilst Tom looked after the girls.

"There. Right there! Next to the tip of The Saucepan."

"Saucepan? Where's that?"

"You're no good at stargazing, babe." She said, shaking her head for emphasis as they looked at each other.

"Stargazing isn't exactly one of my top interests."

She rolled her eyes, turned onto her stomach and leant over to her champagne glass, taking a sip. "Then why'd you come with me tonight?"

"I wanted to spend time with you." he answered simply.

She smiled at him, scooted closer and leant in. Their lips brushed together lightly but it rapidly became passionate. Their tongues danced and Hermione had to put her glass down as Lucius rolled them over. Just as their hands were about to start exploring each others' forms, a throat cleared excessively loudly behind them. They looked over to where the intrusion came from and saw Draco leaning against the doorframe for the roof access.

"I hope there's a good reason for this, Draco." Lucius growled warningly.

"Yes, father. Grandfather needs to talk to you immediately. And after that, Snape does."

Lucius groaned and let his head flop against Hermione's shoulder. "Can't they wait?" he asked, looking up.

"Apparently not." Draco answered simply, shrugging his shoulders.

Lucius sighed again, looking down at her. "I'm very sorry, darling."

"It's alright." She answered simply, sitting up and drinking her champagne again.

"We'll do this again soon?" he asked, gathering his cane and cloak.

"Sure." She said, smiling and watched him leave. She began to pack things away when Draco asked her what she doing. "I'm packing away." she said simply, corking the bottle of champagne and putting it in the basket nearby.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because I don't want to stay out here on my own." She answered as if talking to a completely thick person.

"You're not on your own. I'm here." He said, walking over to her and sitting down next to her. She smiled briefly at him before lying back down on the blanket. He joined her a moment later. "You see The Saucepan?" he asked, pointing to it.

"Yeah."

"Just to the left of it - if you have a telescope that can magnify up to 100 million times - is the Crab Nebula." He said, grinning at the sky.

"How do you know all this? You aren't like your father at all. He doesn't even know where The Angel is."

"Where is our lovely Angel tonight?" he asked, scanning to stars.

"Just there." she said, pointing to a cluster of stars that looked like an angel praying. "And there's Scorpio."

"Ah, yes." He sniffed a little and then turned his head to her. "Grandfather tells me that you have two children." He said, trying to spark conversation.

"Oh, yeah." She confirmed, not really in a talking mood.

"How old are they?"

"5."

"You aren't really in a mood for talking, are you?"

"No."

"What do you want to do then?"

"Watch the stars." She said simply, shrugging.

Draco sighed but seemed to accept it, for he lay back as well. After a bit of watching nothing happen and not quite sure what to say, he simply said, "Where've you been?"

"What?"

"The past 6 years. Where were you?"

"Living. With the girls in a small muggle town not too far from London." She answered, looking around the sky for a few more star signs she would recognise.

"Why did you leave?"

She didn't say anything for a few moments. "I don't remember."

He looked at her sceptically but let it slide. "What were you and Father getting up to as I walked in on you?"

"You walked in on us, you should know." She snapped.

He chuckled and rested his head on his hands which lay behind his head. "Father says he saw you in Diagon Alley. Did you have fun?"

"Ever heard of 'Mind Your Own Business'?"

"Ever heard of sarcasm?"

"Ever heard of how to use it?"

Draco was speechless. "You know, I remember in our teenager years when Hermione Granger was just a mousy mudblood. Now look at her; bitch incarnate. You should have been Slytherin."

"Oh, I was."

"What?" he perked up, lifting his head in disbelief.

"For my 7th year, I went back to-"

"1945 where you met my Grandfather and Voldemort met you for the first time, yes, I know that."

"And I was in Slytherin."

He scoffed. "You lie."

"Would I?" she asked with feign innocence. "You can ask Abraxas and Tom, they'll tell you. I was a right bitch in 7th year."

"Nothing's changed then." he murmured.

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up. "What did you just say?"

"I just said that you're still a bitch. You were a bitch at Hogwarts with us; you were a bitch in 1945; you're a bitch now and you'll be a bitch your entire life." He said casually, not even opening his eyes as he insulted her. "Sometimes I wonder what Father, Grandfather and Voldemort see in you."

"Well, how about I show you?" she demanded out of anger and straddled him, ripping open his shirt.