The same evening at Malfoy Manor:-
Draco turned his icy glaze to his estranged wife.
"Mother please take Scorpious upstairs" Narcissa rose from her seat to escort her grandson from the room. If he was going to lose his temper with the witch he didn't want his son to bear witness, Merlin knows he had seen plenty of horrendous fights between his parents as a child, he wanted better for his son.
"What are you doing here Tori" Astoria smirked and stood –More ungraceful than his mother had- from the sofa.
"Why darling, I have come home" She outstretched her arms, very much similar to the actions with her son earlier on in the evening.
"No … No, you have been gone five years, in the MOM eyes we are divorced"
"Oh darling, it would have been five years, 14 days from now. I am still your wife and you my husband." Draco grimaced slightly, at lost for words to say to the wretched woman.
"Binky" Binky appeared with a 'pop' and bowed in front of Lucius.
"Please escort Miss Greengrass to the south wing, the red room will do"
"Of course Master" The elf rudely ushered the witch from the room.
"I demand to share Draco's room, they are the best in this place"
"Quiet witch, or it is the dungeons for you" Lucius bellowed as his patience wore thin. Astoria struggled against the elf's persistent to remove her from the room in the end Binky used elf magic and apparated the two away.
"Father, what am I to do?" Draco followed his Father as soon as the door was silently closed, Lucius –with a flick of his hand- opened his alcohol cabinet and poured two shots of fire whiskey.
"I am not quite sure what it is we can do son, we do not have the same power in the ministry to demand a decree absolute in a matter of days" Lucius handed a shot over to his son and watched as he gulped it down. This is was the first time he had heard his father so pessimistic.
"Wait … Angelina Weasley is the Witch that finalizes divorce's at MOM, I heard George boast about a high priority case she had just approved of this afternoon, maybe … just maybe I have made a good enough impression on her that she can help"
A smile of pride swept across Lucius's face at how grown up his son had become.
"Brilliant Son, see if you can arrange a meeting with Mrs Weasley at her office, ask her for a wand oath if you must, but in the meantime you are just going to act the doting father and dare I say it … husband"
"But Hermione …"
"I know son, me and your Mother will visit her during the week, will this satay you?" Draco gave his father a simple nod.
"Where is she residing currently?" Draco 'Accio' a piece of parchment and quill and wrote down her apartment address, -not that he knew it off by heart of course-
"Failing this try Spinner's End… in fact try Severus's first" Lucius gave his son a nod and topped up their drinks.
"Re-invite her to Scorp's party will you Father, he will be crushed to not see her on his Birthday, even if we have to smuggle them into a room together"
"Indeed" His Father drawled, pausing in the middle of his sentence as his wife graced the room with her presence.
"He's fast asleep my darling. Binky has been placed on watch until you go up and strengthen his wards" Draco had become slightly obsessed somebody was going to steal Scorpious as a kid, so put a protective ward on his room, nobody could enter his bedroom unless keyed into the specific wards.
"Why did you let her into the house Mother" Draco slumped down on the sofa, not quite sure who he frustrated at, himself for not looking into a divorce sooner, Astoria for just turning up out of the blue, his parents for demanding she leaves or Hermione for just giving straight up.
"Draco she was sat here when I returned from Rose's grovveling to see Scorpious, I was going to through her out if you hadnt reutnred so soon, she is up to something, I don't know what her motive is but I will use any means necessary to find it, This family is finally back to how I want it and no one, I mean no one is going disturb that ambiance"
Nobody could miss the malice in the matriarchs' voice as she spoke so strongily about her family.
"I'm going to go up" heaving himself out of his chair he gave his Mother a kiss on the cheek before apparating to his son's room, leaving his parents alone in the parlour room both staring absentmindedly at the fireplace.
"What are we going to do?" Lucius wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders and pulled her into him.
"I'm not sure Cissy; let's hope we can sort this out before he turns 30" Narcissa snuggled into her husband's embrace.
"And the curse …?"
"I am just hoping the Gryffindor in Miss Granger will help us"
"She will, if not for Draco we can always pull the Scorpious card"
"Forever the cunning Slytherin my sweet sweet wife" Lucius tipped his wife's chin backwards to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Scorpious abruptly entered the dining room the next morning, hoping last night's memory was just a dream. Stopping in his tracks, his face fell to see his 'Mother' and Grandmother sat in silence eating their breakfast.
"Come in sweetie"
Astoria moved a chair back -next to her own- for him to sit in. Thankfully Scorpious has his father's intelligence and wit and knew she was up to something, he didn't trust her, he didn't want her, he just wanted his Hermione back.
Moving around the table he sat next to his Grandmother and remained in silence as she buttered him a slice of toast.
"Would you prefer triangles or squares today?" Scorpious took a second to think.
"Squares please Grandmother" Taking a napkin from a glass he shoved a corner down his polo shirt ready to eat his jam covered squares.
"When you have finished maybe we can go up to your room and change your clothes?" His Mother asked, eyeing his muggle clothing across the table with disdain.
"No thank you" He replied as politely as he could, truth be told she was irritating him to no end already and she had only asked him one thing, she wouldn't eat with her mouth closed, she breaths to heavily when eating and not to mention how she slurps her coffee. The list could go on.
"Ok, how about we go to the park then darling?"
"I want to see Teddy and Albus Grandmother" He turned to his Grandmother ignoring the woman across from him.
"We will see, now eat up all you toast sweetie"
"Come here you have made a mess" She leapt over the table to help clean his mouth, but Scorpious didn't like the swift and quick movements so he jumped from his chair and hid behind his Grandma.
"For Merlin's sake Scorpious, I was trying to help" The high rate witch stormed from the dining room leaving Narcissa staring icily at the back of her head and a shaken up Scorpious cowering behind her.
"I want my Hermione back Grandmother" Narcissa picked the little boy up and sat him in her lap.
"Me two sweetie, me two"
Draco came down the stairs as Astoria bounded up them.
"Morning dear" Draco stopped his wife to kiss her cheek in greeting.
"Morning sweetie" A flustered Astoria ducked her head and allowed her hair to cover her face.
"He will get used to you, it take's time is all" Astoria snorted in an un-lady like manner.
"I will take him out for the day and see if I can get through to him, it will allow you to become reacquainted with the manor, I am sure you remember where you are able and unable to go" With a quick nod she practically ran to her room.
Hermione had stayed in her bedroom at Spinner's end, Why did she feel so broken? It wasn't like she loved Draco … was it? No she couldn't love him they had only known each other properly for over a week and before that they hated each other, it must be the strong connection she missed with Scorp, what a sweet child he was. It was the next day in fact that she heard the familiar voices through the floorboards.
Silently opening the door she heard the trio come from the living room.
"Try make her see sense my old friend, if anyone can do it I am sure it is you"
"I will try, Hermione is stubborn though and if she does not want to go I shall not make her, why hurt her more than she is doing?" The front door opened and closed creeking in the process.
"Hermione come downstairs I know you were over hearing our conversation you little chit" Hermione frowned and left the comfort of her room.
"Severus you cannot …" Hermione stopped at his smirking face.
"Oh really mature Sev" He held his hand out for her to take once she came in reach.
"It made you come from your room didn't it?" She blushed and took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the living room.
"We have been re-invited to Scorpious's birthday party, you will be going" Hermione shivered slightly at his intense gaze.
"I will join you later in the afternoon, as the muggle saying goes 'there is no rest for the wicked'" Hermione smiled slightly and accepted a cup of coffee of the floating tea tray. Hermione was just pleased she was able to give him her birthday gift.
"Are you ready to tell me what it is he has done? Surely you know I am not one to read the silly gossip columns magazines"
"Why when i already know Lady Malfoy has filled you in?"
"Humour an old man and fill me in" Hermione smirked and shook her head.
"Astoria returned yesterday, she wants the boys back … Severus what am I to do? I don't want to let them go nor do I want to be known as his mistress"
She deflated into the chair as Severus patted his young friends hand in a comforting manner.
"Hermione, I believe, if she has returned after all this time there is an alternative motive behind it. In fact Cissy is sure of it. She does not share Draco's rooms or interact well with Scorpious"
"How is this helping?" Hermione half snapped.
"All I am saying is, be patient my child; we do not know the whole story. There still might be time for you yet sweetie, go about your daily activities, have tea with your girlfriends just don't let the media think your reacting badly, if asked comment on how she couldn't of come back at a better time."
"But she came at a worst time Sev, am I the only one to see this? She just came back out of the blue, right when I found a little bit of happiness after …"
"Now … there is no need to be thinking of that right now my darling, what happened wasn't your fault"
"Of course it was, I should have been more careful, this is something Draco want's and … " Severus silenced her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in tight.
Draco entered the floor Anglina was in charge of and sought out the reception desk.
"I need to see Mrs Weasley please" The receptionist looked over her round spectacles at the platinum boys in disgust.
"You will have to make an appointment, Mrs Weasley is really busy at the moment, it will take up to 14 working days for your appointment to be addressed." Draco grinded his teeth at the lying witch.
"Aunty Angelina" Scorpious shouted at top of his lungs, he wasn't quite sure why he called her Aunty but it got the desired reaction.
"Dear me what is all this shouting … Scorpious, Draco" Anglina frowned slightly.
"It is a surprise to see you on my floor; would you like to step through to my office?" In all honestly she had no idea what to say to the two without Hermione or George being there.
"I need your help" Draco finally addressed the witch staring at him interestingly from her seat.
"Is this about your estranged wife coming back …" Draco nodded his head swiftly
"I'm not quite sure what it is I can do, both parties have to willingly sign for a divorce before it is presented to me, I take it Mrs Malfoy doesn't want a divorce?" Draco groaned inwardly and slunk in his sit.
"Ms Greengrass does not know I am here, I want to keep it that way"
"Draco, the only way I can help you get a divorce without her consent is if she were hurting you or Scorpious physically" Scorpious's heart fell. It seemed a step further from his Hermione.
"But I want my Hermione back" A tear fell down his cheek as he stared at Angelina.
"Come here pumpkin" She opened her arms out for the little boy to be embraced into.
"I will try my best to get her back for you, ok? Merlin knows she was happier with the two of you" She kissed the boys head and allowed him to return next to his father.
"Sorry for such an intimate and private question but have you slept with her?" Draco shook his head.
"Good, don't. She may have got herself in a spot of trouble and has returned to you for help. She may also be running away from the law. Both Magical law enforcements and muggle, you will need to phone around the authorities, get as much information about her little trip away. By law you are legally allowed access to all her records in the Wizarding world, muggle I am not quite sure if it works the same way you would have to find out.
I will have a private investigator assigned to watch her for the next few days, see who she visits, what shop's she chooses to visit, whom her friends are both muggle and magical and more importantly where her money is going. We can discuss the findings once the kids are all in bed on Friday, is this ok?" Draco nodded his head enthusiastically, happy to receive any kind of help from the witch.
"But Draco" Ang stopped the Malfoy's as Draco's hand was on the doorknob.
"Try and act the perfect pure blooded husband, I need you to speak of this with no one, and for heaven's sake please inform Hermione, I'l try my best but I cannot promise anything" Draco and Scorpious left the office and immediatly returned to the Manor.
"So what did she say son?" Lucius abruptly entered the floo room with Narcissa casting a silent charm around the room behind them.
"She's going to try and help … but we have Scorp to thank for all this, He isn't even five and he knows how to wrap a girl around his fingers"
"Of course he does, he is a Malfoy after all isn't he?"
"How did your meeting with Hermione go?"
"Severus refused for us to see her but promised she will be here on Friday"
Scorpious face light up at the prospect of his Hermione returning, if just for a short period of time.