"You have got to fucking kidding me!" Pansy cursed, "What the fuck do you want!?"

Hermione frowned. She usually tuned out from the conversations at the counter, but Pansy's outburst caught her attention, and while Pansy was well known for her delightful use of the English language, it was rare that her temper flared up so badly that she would curse so loudly in the shop.

She stepped out from between the stacks, wondering who it was that had caused Pansy's outburst. She took a few steps to her right, the counter not quite visible from where she was, and she froze. She couldn't see his face, but she didn't have to. She would know him even if she was blind.

Oliver.

Oliver with a baby.

He could not seriously here with a baby.

Hermione took a deep breath, steadying herself. Three and a half years. Three and a half years since he made his choice. Three and a half years since she signed that piece of paper ending the pathetic excuse that was their marriage. Three and a half years and she'd not laid eyes on him. And now when everything was perfect in her life he shows up. And he shows up with a baby. What the fuck was with that? (Although it was probably safer for him. She was less likely to scratch his eyes out if he was holding a baby).

"I wanted to see Hermione," he said, "I was told this is her place. Is she here?"

Before Pansy could answer Hermione said icily, "She is."

He turned to face her, his smile sliding immediately off his face at the glare he was getting. She would have laughed when he took half a step backwards, but it would have ruined the effect.

"Pansy's right. What the fuck you do you want?"

"Oh, um, I was in town and, um..." he stammered, "This is your, um, place?"

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on the counter. She glared at him, but said nothing. She was well aware that the three o'clock mums were all there, the large group taking up most of the tables and sofas and they would all be watching the scene with a great deal of interest.

The entire town knew what he'd done, how he had treated her, why he'd left. And as far as she was aware, they all hated him, (well with exception of his mother and a few of his mates). The news that he was back and that he was in the bookstore would be sure to be texted all over town in a matter of seconds. The women sitting there were ruthless. And right then, she loved each and every one of them. Coffee would be on her next Friday.

"Um, I'm in town for a few days." he continued, as if she had any interest in why he was here, "Selling mum's house-"

"Shut up, you fucking idiot." Pansy sneered, "No one cares why you're here."

"And why did you think it was okay to bring that in here with you? Or was it so you could just show off? Oh look at what my tiny little dick made!" Katie said and both Hermione and Pansy stared at her. Katie was insulting a baby. That wasn't a good sign. Katie rarely got angry, nothing seeming to faze her, but clearly Oliver's presence was upsetting her. To say the least.

"None of you are going to make this easy for me, are you?" Oliver said jokingly, but the ridiculously over exaggerated smile again slid instantly off his face as all three of them glared at him.

"Oh, you're a piece of work," Pansy spat, "Do you think that you'd be welcomed with open arms?"

"He's an idiot," Katie huffed, "Of course he did."

"Oliver, darling," a voice said and they all turned to face it, "Oh, isn't this lovely…Oh."

"I think the actual words you're looking for," Katie sneered, "Are oh and shit."

"Why are you here?" Hermione finally spoke, her voice was cold and emotionless.

"I was told this is the best coffee in town." He said and she shook her head.

"Don't Oliver. Just don't." She told him firmly. "There's no reason for you to come in here. So why did you? The real reason please."

"Mum passed, a few months ago. So Lucia and I are here to sell her house."

Hermione winced internally. For three and a half years she had avoided knowing her name, had avoided even knowing who she was. She hadn't wanted to know anything about her, the lack of knowledge had kept her from going completely bat-crap crazy. And in less than a minute it was all destroyed. She now had a name and a face, and a child with the man who chose her over his marriage and his wife.

"That's not what I asked," she said ignoring his comment. She was well aware that his mother had died and had wasted no more than the twelve and a half seconds it took for one of their regular customers to tell her worrying about it. So if he was looking for sympathy, looking for any kind of reaction from her, he would be sorely mistaken. His mother had known about his philandering ways, had even vouched for him on several occasions when Hermione had called to ask if she'd seen him. So in Hermione's mind, she was as bad as he was.

And while she knew what it was like to no longer have both your parents, she found it hard to feel any emotion towards his loss. She hadn't forgiven him, she never would. But she had moved on, and rarely gave him any thought.

"I don't particularly care why you're in town. I asked why you were here in my shop." She watched his throat bob as he swallowed, and she shook her head, "Katie's right, isn't she? There's only one possible reason you would come in here." her eyes dropped pointedly to the baby.

Oliver looked at Katie, then back at Hermione and made a show of looking innocent. He shifted the baby in his arms so it's face was visible, and exactly proved her point. "No, that's not why-"

"Wow, look at that. Nothing's changed at all, has it? You're still lying," Pansy snapped, "That's exactly why you're here, and you know it."

The bell above the door jingled and her heart soared.

Then instantly dropped.

Draco and Scorpius. She didn't need them to walk into the middle of this. She had no idea how Draco would react. Just how serious he was about his threat to break Oliver's face if he ever got the chance was something she truly never wanted to test.

Scorpius bounded over to her, oblivious to the tension, hugging her around her waist. "Hi Hermione." He said looking up at her, "Have you been busy?"

"I have been very busy," she told him and leaned down to kiss his head, "How was your day?"

He started to tell her about his day; how their goldfish that their class had only just bought was floating on top of the tank when they all got to class, and that he and James and their friend Teddy were going to build a rocket for their science project. And how Draco had told him he could get a new book today.

She glanced up at Draco who was eyeing Oliver and she sensed he knew something was up. "Wow. It sounds like you've had a very exciting day. How would you like it if Katie was to help you pick out your new book? She only just put some new ones out today."

Hermione looked at Katie, who gave her a small nod, knowing that she wanted Scorpius as far from the current conversation as possible.

"Is that okay Katie?" Scorpius asked giving her a starry-eyed smile. Hermione was sure that he fallen completely in love with her shop assistant.

"Oh, that would be awesome." Katie gave Scorpius a sweet smile and he grinned back at her.

"How many new books are there?" He asked following Katie across the store.

"Heaps." she told him and proceeded to move him out of sight of the counter.

"Is this him?" Draco asked from his position beside Hermione.

"Yes. This is Oliver." Hermione said staring straight at Oliver, "And this is the woman he cheated on me with." She refused to acknowledge her by her name.

"Oliver, maybe we should leave," the woman, the hussy, the stupid slag, standing behind him said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are we making you uncomfortable?" Hermione snapped, "I'm sure that you cared about just how comfortable I was when my husband was fucking you behind my back. What did you think would happen when you came in here? Did you think that we'd all sit down like long lost friends and laugh over the fun times you had in bed with him while he was lying to my face?"

"We're simply trying to be civil," she said rather haughtily.

"Civil!? Are you kidding me?" Hermione threw up her hands, making them both take a step backwards. Where the hell did she get off think she was the one that was hard done by? "And what the hell are you staring at?"

Oliver was looking at Draco, his mouth slightly agape. Draco was standing beside her, not touching her or indicating in any way that they were together. He clearly didn't want to make a show, claim ownership of her, mark his territory, as it were. Instead, he simply stood beside her and apparently that said enough.

Oliver looked from Hermione to Draco and back, and she could almost see the realisation form inside his head. "You're seeing someone?"

"I'm not sure how that's any of your business." Hermione told him.

Oliver looked over his shoulder towards where Katie and Scorpius were concentrated on finding him a book. "That's his son."

"Also not any of your business," Draco said.

"So you got the child you always wanted?" Oliver asked her, his lip twitching into a cruel sneer, all pretence of this simply being a civil visit disappeared. And Hermione instantly knew they'd all been right. He was here to shove this child in her face.

Pansy rounded the counter with a look of hatred in her eyes so fierce that Draco grabbed her arm to hold her back. Pansy didn't need an assault charge on her record. And he knew that Hermione had this.

Hermione stood glaring at Oliver breathing deeply through her nose. A million things she wanted to say to him ran through her head. How dare he step a foot in her shop. How dare he stand there pretending to be the good guy, when all he was here to do was to show off his child; the child he once said he didn't need to have. And how dare he bring her with him. The woman whose face she didn't want to picture, whose name she didn't want to know. She wanted to slap him, wanted to – as Draco had often told her – break his face. But that stupid baby was in the way, and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

She stared at him as the seconds ticked by, her silence pulling the smug grin slowly from his face. He had to remember her temper, her smart mouth, her inability to hold back a thought. There was no way on earth he could forget any of that, and by the shuffling of his feet she knew he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as her silence continued.

It was all he deserved. No, actually, it was less than he deserved. He deserved her wrath, he deserved to have his face broken. But this was her place, her home, her sanctuary and she'd be damned if he would ruin it.

"I did. And he's so much more than I could have ever hoped for," she finally said taking a step forward, "And believe me when I say, I thank the stars every day that it wasn't possible to have that with you."

"You were the arsehole, Oliver, not me." Hermione had lowered her voice to a tone that was more terrifying than any of them had ever heard. "You left me remember? You were the one who had to prove his manhood and plant his spawn in another woman. You were the one who told me I was broken and worthless, and that it was pointless being with me since I wasn't able to give you the child that you wanted. You did that Oliver. Not me.

"So don't you dare come into my shop and act like a kicked puppy, when all you are is a lying, cheating, spineless piece of crap." She sneered at the woman standing behind him whose look of horror made Hermione wonder exactly what he had told her. Clearly his version was different than the actual truth. "I certainly hope that you keep producing children for him. Because who knows how many other whores he'll fuck to get what he wants if you don't."

She looked at Hermione and then at Oliver, "You said she didn't want-" she covered her mouth with her hand, and she at least had the decency to suddenly look guilty, "Oh, god!"

Oliver's face drained of all its colour as he realised his mistake; the child she had always wanted, he had said and Hermione smirked, "Oh, did she not know the truth? Did you tell her a pack of lies too?"

Oliver looked fit to burst, "I hope you're pleased with yourself." he snarled.

"Oh, Oliver, look at you. Still blaming everyone else for your faults." She turned to Draco, and smiled up at him, "And believe me when I say, you have no idea just how pleased I am." She dragged his mouth to hers, kissing him a long, slow kiss.

The wolf whistles and applause from the three o'clock mums broke them apart. Hermione looked up at him, searching his face hoping she hadn't made him feel like he was being used as a display to piss off her ex-husband, but she needn't have worried. Draco was grinning down at her like an idiot.

He glanced towards Oliver, who was headed for the door. "Wait," Draco called striding towards him, his hand outstretched, "We never were properly introduced. I'm Draco. And I would love to shake the hand of the man who was stupid enough to leave her."

Oliver looked down at his hand, and then back up at him. His jaw clenched as Draco leaned forward, "You're lucky you're holding him, because I also promised to break your face if I ever had the chance. But since I neither wish to bring harm to a child nor have an assault charge levelled at me, I strongly suggest you leave and never come back."

Oliver glanced over at Hermione who simply smiled and waved at him. He sucked in breath, but Draco held his hand up, "Just leave, before you embarrass yourself any further."

"That was brilliant, Hermione," one of the twins said - Padma? Pavarti? - She never knew which was which they were so identical. And they both had a set of their own identical twins each, which made for a whole other recognition nightmare.

"Thanks," she said giving her a tight smile. She was glad to have their support, but was furious that he'd shown up. Furious that they'd all witnessed what had just happened.

"What a nerve!" Luna, the eccentric mum in the group said. "He'll be most unwelcome wherever he goes while he's here."

"Thank you, Luna," she said, "I'm just sorry you all had to see that."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Millicent told her, "We always knew he wasn't good enough for you. And he just proved it beyond any doubt."

"This one, Dad." Scorpius said interrupting them and handing the book he had chosen across the counter to Pansy.

"No," Hermione said, "No payment necessary today."

Scorpius gave her a wide eyed stare, "Really? But we always pay."

"Well, today it's my treat." She smiled down at him.

He hugged her tightly, "Thank you Hermione."

"You're welcome sweetheart." She looked up at Draco, "Take him upstairs?"

Draco nodded, sensing she needed to calm down before she joined them, not wanting Scorpius to be witness to her rage. "You'll be up soon?" She nodded and he kissed her quickly before smiling at the group of mums, "Ladies. It was good to see you all again."

Hermione almost laughed. The group of mums all stood with their heads tilted, wistful looks on their faces, watching him walk away.

"And now you have him," Penny sighed, "I wouldn't be concerned about that other arse at when you get to go upstairs to that."

"Thanks Penny," Hermione nodded as they all began to file out of the shop, "See you all next week."

"Hope next week's show is as good as this one was!" Helena called over her shoulder and laughed.

"Are we closing early today?" Katie asked when they'd left.

Hermione looked around the shop, noting there were several people still milling around, "No, it's fine."

Pansy touched her arm, "Go upstairs. We'll close up." Hermione shook her head, but Pansy would have none of it, "Go. I mean it."

"I can't go up there yet," Hermione said.

Pansy watched her jaw tighten and pulled her into a hug, "Okay. But don't let the fucker mess with your head," she pulled back and looked Hermione in the eye, "You're better than him. You have Draco and Scorpius now, and he knows that, knows how happy you are and he hates you for it."

Hermione looked sceptical, "Do you think so?"

"Oh, honey. I'd bet my left breast that he's sorry he left you now," Katie laughed, "He was so jealous he wanted to throw you on the floor and fuck your brains out."

Pansy burst out laughing and Hermione shot her a tight-lipped scowl. She didn't need that image in her head. "I think Cedric has been a bad influence on you."

She walked towards the back of the shop, a small smile curving at her mouth at Katie's suggestion. That Oliver would be jealous was something she had never considered. In actual fact she hadn't given him any thought in quite some time now. She didn't want to dwell on it, but if Oliver was jealous of her and everything she now had, she was glad she had to chance to twist that knife into his stomach just a little harder.

Draco found Hermione pacing the bedroom floor. She was muttering to herself, one hand pressed against her forehead. He stood quietly, watching her, waiting for her to look up and see him. She'd been quiet since she come upstairs, distracted, and he couldn't blame her.

She'd done her best to laugh with Scorp and join in their conversation at dinner, but it had been somewhat forced. His son hadn't noticed, but he knew that bastard was bubbling away under her skin, which Draco knew was exactly what he wanted. And even though her ex would be mostly likely be grovelling his arse off right at that minute, he gotten his desired effect.

He'd cooked dinner and insisted that he both clean up and read to Scorpius, telling her that she needed to soak in the bath and that he'd be most upset if she didn't. She'd given him a grateful nod and headed towards the bedroom, closing the door quietly.

Scorpius had been concerned when she had agreed, knowing that it wasn't something she would normally do, but Draco had explained that Hermione had had a bad day and it would be best if they gave her some time to herself. That she'd be better tomorrow.

In the two months that they'd been living together, they had settled into an easy routine. The three of them fitting together perfectly. He and Hermione alternated the mornings they would run so the other would be home with Scorpius and taking turns to make breakfast with him. And evenings were just as easy. Homework, dinner, reading and a crazy kitten that had taken over the flat and had taken to only sleeping on Scorpius' bed, much to the delight of his son.

And Scorpius loved being in the shop before school, quickly becoming a favourite with the morning customers; and as much as Scorpius liked to tease her about her cooking, she was easily as good as Draco was. It all seemed like rainbows and unicorns and crazy kittens, but the reality of it was, that's exactly how their lives were.

She finally stopped pacing and looked up.

He smiled and held his hand up in a small wave from the door way. She stood looking at him, hands on her hips a blank expression on her face. He closed the door and crossed the room, gently grasping her shoulders and bent at the knees so his eyes were at the same level as hers. "Tell me," he said.

"I hate him," she whispered and Draco nodded, "I hate that he was here." She leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Draco rested his chin on the top of her head and held her close, "I know."

"I hate that everyone saw that," her voice was hushed, muffled against his chest. "And I hate that I now know her name, that I now know who she is. She used to be nothing, just a she. And now…"

"I know," Draco said again.

"Why did he do this?"

"You know why," he said gently, "He did it to get this exact reaction from you. He wanted to get inside your head and mess with you. He wanted to make you feel like a failure."

She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Are you saying he won?"

"No, not at all," he brushed his thumbs across her cheeks, "Because the last thing he was expecting was all this. He expected you to still be working at your old job. He expected you to be miserable, and I'm sure he hoped you were pining away for him. What he didn't expect was for you to be successful and happy, and least of all, he didn't expect you to have a family."

"Is that what we are?"

Draco pressed his lips to hers, "You know that's what we are."

She swallowed nervously at his words, pushing away from him and began pacing again. "It's been too easy between us, something like this was bound to happen."

"Like what?" Draco asked, "Like him showing up?"

Hermione nodded, "Yeah. Just when everything is perfect, he shows up and ruins it."

"He didn't ruin anything. Nothing's changed, everything is still perfect. Listen to me." Draco took her hands in his, bringing her back to him, "Why do things have to be complicated? Is that what you expect, for everything to be difficult and joyless?" Draco had seen several different versions of her; feisty and angry, playful and sarcastic, girly and giggling, quiet and thoughtful, but this was new. She simply looked lost, her eyes searching his for an answer. "We don't have to analyse everything we do, or question why things are easy. They're easy because they are. We work because we do. That's it."

She still didn't look convinced.

"What was life like with him?" Draco asked, "When you were married."

She was surprised at the question, "Um, normal, I guess." She shrugged a shoulder, "Different than this."

"Different how?"

"I don't know, just different."

Draco sat on the edge of the bed, his hands still holding hers, "Did you fight a lot? Argue about nothing or everything?"

She frowned at him, "I don't understand what-"

"Just tell me." He said and tugged her gently to sit beside him.

"It was fine at first. And then all it ever seemed to be was disagreements and anger and the both of us ignoring each other for days. And every time we fought, I always thought it was all my fault. I always thought that I was the reason he didn't want to come home, and I guess in a way, I was. But also it was her. She," Hermione sighed and shook her head. "She didn't know the truth. I always thought she did, but it turns out that while he was lying to me, he was doing the same to her."

"Did you ever suspect that he was cheating?" Draco's hand was gently caressing her thigh. He was watching her face calm, her breathing slowing and her shoulders relaxing. She needed to get out all the hatred and frustrations of Oliver being there today. Of him surprising her, of trying to make her look like a fool in public. She hadn't yet realised that his plan had backfired.

Instead the surprise was on him. If her book shop was a shock, Draco and Scorpius were certainly more so. He clearly hadn't expected her to be with someone else. And for that someone else to have a child. Draco knew the minute Oliver had realised that Draco was with her, he was stunned. The picture that he had clearly built up in his head of her being miserable and alone, that she would be a complete failure and that no one would want to be with her, was so far beyond incorrect that he was genuinely shocked. Her success, her family, her happiness, had not been what he was expecting, and his own insecurities had surfaced and instead of being an adult, being polite and civil, he turned nasty. Of course, that had backfired as well, and Draco was sure that for the next few days Oliver's life in this town would be a living hell.

"I hoped he wasn't." She admitted, "But right before it ended, I knew something was off. We hadn't had sex in weeks because apparently he was too exhausted from work, and if he wasn't at work he was out with the boys. And on the rare occasions he was home, he could barely say more than a few words to me. And when I found out about her, I wondered if she was the first, or if there had been others. I hated myself for being so stupid that I didn't see what was happening. And I hated his mother and his mates for hiding it."

"And when he left?"

"He just left." She said in a quiet voice, "Packed up his belongings and left. No conversation, no yelling, no crying, not even a good-bye, nothing. He just left."

"And you were heartbroken?"

"For a while." She said, "I wished all sorts of atrocities on him and the stupid slag he'd been shagging. But like everyone said, I was wasting too much time being upset over him."

Draco lifted an eyebrow and made a single nodding gesture with his head, "Ah, but that was easy for them to tell you that since they're all happily married and there's not a single divorce in sight."

Hermione smiled, "Exactly. But they were right. I had to let him, and the anger, go."

"So that's how you remember living with someone to be," Draco said nodding, "But you know that it's not always like that. You're parents were happy, right?"

She smiled at the memory of them, "Yeah, they were."

"And even if they argued, they worked it out?"

"They did," she agreed.

"So, you'd agree that this thing we've got is pretty good, yeah?"

She covered his hand with hers, "It is. I was telling the truth when I said that he was the best thing that had happened to me. You too."

"And that's how we both feel about you." He reassured her. "Hermione, I don't want you to compare him and me. But you have to see that we're different. Everything you're telling me about him, about you and him, makes me wonder how you even ended up together." She raised her eyebrows at him and he held up his hand, "I don't say that to sound hurtful, or to make myself sound superior to him, but from what I saw today I can't see you and him together."

"It wasn't always bad," she said, "At first it was great."

Draco nodded, "I know. It almost always is. But I just think that we've both been given a second chance here, and since both our first times at this were miserable, we should embrace just how easy this is."

"I don't think your first time at this was miserable." Hermione pointed out.

"No, not until the end, I guess," Draco shrugged, "And Astoria was amazing through it, but nonetheless it was still miserable."

Hermione looked down at their hands, linking their fingers and squeezing, "It's easy because it is?"

"Yes," he turned towards her folding one leg under the other, "It's easy because it is. I'm not saying it always will be, but there's something that just feels different with you. Something that is just right."

Hermione considered what he was saying. Things were easy between them, but instead of finding it odd or weird, he thought it perfectly normal. And he was right, something was different with them and none of it in a bad way. Everything had felt perfectly natural with him from the start. He had no expectations of her, he didn't want anything from her, he simply wanted to be with her and nothing more. No matter how many times she had told herself that, it had taken Oliver's reappearance to make it clear in her head just how much she loved the two new boys in her life. And just how little her ex-husband truly meant to her, which was less than nothing.

She sighed, "You're right. This is different and it's perfect and I love you both more than anything. I don't care that he saw us, but I don't want to use you and Scorpius to prove anything."

"And you didn't." He reassured her, "All you proved was that all the assumptions he made since he left he left were wrong."

"I just hate that he was here, is all."

He brushed her hair behind her ear, "And you should hate that. He was way out of line doing what he did. But I can guarantee you made his life a little difficult for a while. He'll certainly have some explaining to do."

"Thank you," she said.

He looked surprised, "For what?"

"For making me talk about this." Her face was finally calm. She reached out and stroked her hand across his thigh, "You took a shitty day and turned it into something entirely different."

"You're welcome." He said.

She lifted their linked hands to her mouth, "Do you mind if I read for a bit? Pretend like today didn't happen?"

"Of course not," He said watching her as she stood and plucked her iPod from her nightstand. "I still don't understand how you find that screaming relaxing."

Hermione held up the device and smiled, "Just because you find a different kind of screaming in your ears relaxing, doesn't mean this isn't."

He stood and grinned at her, "Ah, but my name being screamed in your voice is music to my ears."

She laughed, "Well, this has the same effect on me."

He raised his eyebrows," Really? Is it wise then that you listen to it out there?"

"I don't mean it like that," She rolled her eyes.

"I know, I'm just teasing." He pressed his lips to her forehead, "Don't read all night, okay?"

She nodded, "I promise."

Draco woke to an empty bed. He glanced at the clock, the glowing numbers telling him it was 2.01am. He reached his arm out and realised the bed had not been slept in and sat up in a panic. The bathroom was dark, but a tiny slither of light was creeping under the bedroom door. He frowned and wondered why she was up.

He wandered out seeing the dim light on across the room and smiled. She was sound asleep, curled up on the small sofa in her reading nook, the thin blanket pulled over her. Her book was still open in her hand. He sat on the edge of the sofa beside her hip and took it gently from her, causing her to stir.

"Draco?" she said sleepily.

"Hey," he said quietly, "I guess you fell asleep out here."

"Sorry. I guess I did." She smiled at him. He was naked except for the tight boxer briefs and was absently scratching his belly. His hair was mussed up and he looked half asleep himself. "What time is it?"

"It's two in the morning."

Her eyes went wide, "What?"

He nodded, "Two a-m." He leaned down and kissed her. "Did you want to stay out here?"

She ran her hand across his stomach, "No. Why would I when I have you in my bed?"

He reached his hand out and she allowed him to pull her from the couch, "And yet, you're sleeping out here at an ungodly hour and I'm all alone and neglected."

She sniggered, "Most men would love to be as neglected as you are."

"You feel better?"

She sighed and smiled at him, "Much better. Thank you."

"You feel like thanking me in another way?" he asked her leading them back to the bedroom.

"At this hour?" she said stripping off and pulling the covers back on her unslept in side of the bed, "You're completely insane."

Draco pulled her close, tucking his chin over her shoulder, "You're really okay?"

She snuggled closer to him and nodded in the dark, "I really am."