A/N Hello everyone still reading. Sorry for the long delay again, our six month old was hospitalized for a week. Scariest time of my life. He got home yesterday and is doing much better now. Happy reading and don't forget to review!

Karma

It had been almost two days since Hermione had been home. As Ron got ready to go to bed that Sunday night he wondered if she would be at work the following day. He had spoken to Hugo on the phone briefly that day. Hermione's mother seemed put off at him and he had the feeling she knew what had gone on between him and her daughter. Ron felt worse after that call. He had asked to speak to Hermione but Katherine had just hung the phone up abruptly and he hadn't had the guts to call back.

"How did I ever get myself into this mess?' he sighed as he heated up some leftovers on the stove. As he put his nearly burned food onto a plate he heard the swoosh of the floo being used and ran into the other room.

"Hermione?" he asked. But to his disappointment it was Harry

"Hey." Harry called out. "Heard from Hermione yet?"

Ron shook his head no.

"I'm sure you will see her tomorrow and you can talk." Harry said soothingly.

"You know how she is." Ron groaned. "She'll hold a grudge forever that is if she ever comes home."

"She's going to come home Ron. She's just upset, and with good reason I might add. But you have a family and she will at least try to work it out. I know Hermione; she has a very forgiving heart. Now your sister on the other hand…" Harry growled.

"Oh please Harry. I'm not in the mood to hear my sister's drama. She already screamed at me once."

"She wants to tell your mother, badly." Harry confessed.

"Well that's just what I need. My mum coming to yell at me too. That'll help." Ron moaned.

"You kind of brought this on yourself mate." Harry said. "Have you remembered what happened yet?"

Ron shook his head no.

"I haven't tried. I'm worried what I will remember."

"I could get you some Veritaserum if you fancy." Harry said grinning.

"Uh…no thanks." Ron replied.

"Well you need to think of something to say to Hermione. I'm sure she will be at work tomorrow and you can talk to her privately in her office."

"I have no idea what I can say to make this better." Ron whined. "I can't tell her nothing happened. But I can't give any details because it's a complete blank."

"Ron…I feel for you but you are on your own. I'll tell Ginny to leave Molly out of this. But I can only hold her off for so long so I would make this right…and fast."

"Yeah, right."

"Talk to you tomorrow." Harry said waving as he left the way he came.

Ron placed his fingers on his temples and pressed hard to relieve some pressure.

"I have to remember what happened." he sighed.

Draco took Hermione shopping in the small boutiques in town before they went to the seafood restaurant for dinner. She bought some basic inexpensive pieces and refused to let Draco pay for any of it. They were seated on the balcony overlooking the gulf. The fresh sea air filled Hermione's lungs as Draco held out the seat for her.

"This is beautiful." Hermione said as Draco took his seat across from her.

"It is. I'm starving." he said looking at the menu.

Hermione smiled. She liked seeing him this way. Relaxed and casual. The waiter came over and took their drink order. Hermione ordered iced tea since she had to work early in the morning.

"So you are going in to the office then?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll do some paperwork and have the ministry approve the contract we drew up." she replied.

"What are you going to tell your husband?" he wondered.

"I'm dreading that." she admitted. "I know he will be there in my office waiting for me when I get there. I don't know what I'm going to say. I'm not ready to talk to him yet, but I will have to say something I suppose."

"I could go with you."

"That would not help." she laughed.

"You are probably right; but I hate the idea of him yelling at you."

"Yelling at me?" she asked. "I will be the one yelling at him."

"He's always been such a hot head. He might turn this around on you; because of me."

"He has no idea."

"Maybe I should be in the building. In case you need me." he said as the waiter brought their drinks.

"I'll be fine. Trust me. I can handle myself where Ron is concerned. And if Harry wants to get involved I can handle him too. I've known them for 26 years…they are predictable. Ron will whine and apologize profusely. Harry will guilt me into forgiving him. That will be it."

"Are you going to forgive him?" he asked,

"I don't know."

Draco nodded, looking down at the handcrafted mosaic tile table.

"It won't change how I feel about you whether I forgive him or not."

Draco looked up and met her eyes. She had never mentioned feelings before.

"And how is that?"

"How is what?" Hermione asked dimly.

"You said it wouldn't change how you felt for me. I wondered how that was."

Hermione blushed deeply.

"I…I didn't mean…"

He smiled. She was beautiful when she was flustered.

"I'm only joking. I know this is complicated." he told her.

"You prat." she said hitting him with a napkin. He smiled widely but felt a knot in his stomach. How would he feel if she went back to her husband? He swallowed hard.

Draco managed to finish dinner with her and not mention her husband or feelings again. By the time dessert arrived he felt a little better about things. She hadn't mentioned him either.

"I am stuffed." she said patting her stomach. "That was delicious."

Despite Hermione's protests Draco paid the tab, gathered Hermione's shopping bags and took her hand.

"Thank you for a lovely evening." Hermione blushed.

"You are welcome." he said as they walked along the boardwalk back towards the villa. His hand felt so right inside of his. He couldn't help being happy.

Unbeknownst to the two of them Asteria had returned to the villa while they were at dinner. She began throwing her things into an empty bag and swearing at Draco under her breath. Lucius Malfoy had tracked her down in France and offered her an ultimatum. She can leave this marriage quietly, with a substantial sum of money or she can leave with nothing and try to sue in a wizard court for more. Her iron clad prenuptial agreement made the decision easily. She would be required to sign over full custody of Scorpius for the deal; she had no problem with this. It would be a relief to her. As she grabbed the last of her things a brown leather case caught her eye. It was stowed in the back of the dresser. She picked it up gingerly and opened it. Inside of it were Draco's seeker gloves. Her eyes lit up.

"Well, well my dear…" she said. "These aught to bring in a bit more in my settlement." She took the case and shoved it into her suitcase before apparating hastily from the villa.

When they arrived back at the villa it was nearly pitch black outside. Strong, white moonlight shone in from the balcony. Hermione set her things down and went out to look at the water again.

"This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been." she sighed. The moon reflected on the turbulent waters. Draco turned on the wizard radio that was on one of the many bookshelves in the sitting room before joining her on the balcony. The song was classical. Mozart or Tchaikovsky for sure.

"It's the Romeo and Juliet overture." he noted when he saw that she was trying to figure out the song.

"Oh, of course. I knew it was Tchaikovsky." she blushed. "I love his music."

He held out his hand to her and took a half bow.

"Draco…" she blushed. She loved dancing; unfortunately the last time she was able to dance was at her wedding. Ron hated it. Yet another thing they didn't have in common. He pressed against her body holding her hand with his right and her waist with his left hand. She placed her head on his chest and danced slowly along with him. It was strange. A month ago she would have never imagined being with any other man, especially not Draco Malfoy. And now she was having a hard time thinking of being with anyone but him. But how far could she take this? She would have to eventually go back to Ron wouldn't she? What would happen if she didn't? Would Harry and Ginny forgive her? Would her parents? And if she did go back to live with him would she carry on this affair with Draco? Or would he want more now that his marriage was over? And could she suppress the feelings she was starting to have for him? All these things raced through her mind as they danced slowly on the moonlit balcony. He laid his head on top of hers and inhaled the flowery scent that was Hermione.

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing that her heart beat had increased.

"I'm fine." she sighed.

"You don't seem fine." he said stopping and looking at her face.

"I am. Please…" she said resting her head on his chest again. She didn't want to burden him with all of her feelings and drama. Being with him was like being on a vacation from reality. And she wasn't ready to return just yet.

He pulled her back into his arms and took a moment to just enjoy her. He knew she was having a hard time with all of this. He promised himself that he would make no demands on her. If she went back to her husband he would accept it. And if she wanted to continue seeing him he would be alright with that as well. He was just grateful to have her in any capacity. Draco leaned down and pulled her face up towards his. The pure white moonlight lit up her face.

"You are so beautiful. I don't know how I ever missed it." he told her. She blushed and looked away.

"I can't believe I'm hearing those words from you." she giggled.

"Remember how you asked me before if I thought things could have been like this for us from the start?" he asked her.

"Yes…" she replied.

"I was thinking about that. And I think the answer is no. I think we both needed to do what we did to get to this point in our lives. Every time I was alone in the library at Hogwarts, and I saw you there reading book after book I would ask myself what really made you any different than I was. You were smarter than I was. And you had real friends. But then my father, or my friends would make a comment about muggleborns and I would go along with it. My heart was never in it completely."

"So why did you go along with it all?" Hermione asked. If they were going to be honest with each other she wanted to know it all.

"I wanted my family to be safe. They were all I really had. I know people thought my father was cruel to me. That he beat me into wanting this life that he had. But he didn't. I did it thinking that I would bring my family honor. By the time you arrived I had endured enough."

"You looked so lost when I saw you. Not even yourself." she told him.

"I was lost. You only just found the real me."

"I don't understand why you are bringing this all up now." she asked soulfully.

"I just wanted you to know that whatever choice you make I will be behind you. I will be there for you. I can't say I would take back anything that happened in the last 26 years because it has brought me to this point. To you."

Hermione was nearly in tears. His words were so beautiful and spoken from the heart. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him intensely. Her mouth found his responding with such passion and fervor that he literally lifted her off of her feet as she wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself.

He walked backwards and maneuvered around furniture until they reached the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and she pulled him down on top of her. She kissed him for what seemed like a very long time, until she couldn't wait any longer. Her lips felt bruised from the pressure. Her right hand snaked inside his button up shirt and tore it open hearing the buttons pop off and fly onto the hardwood floor. His bare chest shone in the moonlit room. He wrestled with it and tossed it onto the other side of the bed while he worked on the buttons of her blouse. Soon her white silk bra was exposed and he kissed the top of her breasts. They took turns removing each others clothing one piece at a time until nothing was left. Her body pressed against him and intertwined her legs in his. The light streaming in from the large windows made everything glow with an iridescent light. Her hands ran along his back and he twitched away from her touch.

"Don't do that." she whispered.

"They bother me." he said between kissing her lips and her collar bone.

"Why?"

"They make me feel disgusting. They remind me of what I did." he admitted.

"Why not get rid of them?" she asked.

"I can't."

"Curse scars?' she asked.

"No."

"Then why?"

"I don't want to. Do you find them offensive?" he asked, propping himself up on one arm and looking her in the eyes.

"No. I find them beautiful." she said running her finger over one of the deeper ones. He shuddered to her touch before leaning down and kissing her once more. It would probably be considered karma to find someone who could love him completely, scars and all and end up losing her. But she was there now and he would make the most of it.