CHAPTER THIRTY ONE- Happy Birthday, Mr. Malfoy
On the morning of Draco's birthday he had gotten up when it was still dark to avoid speaking to his wife. He slipped out of their bed, quietly got dressed and snuck out the door.
When Hermione awoke with a headache several hours later she found the room filled with gift boxes. The wrappings were professional and shades of grey and green with thick black ribbons.
They were mostly from his mother and father but a few were from Bellatrix Lestrange, as well as various names unfamiliar to Hermione. Tucked away behind the fancy offerings were plain shopping bags bearing Hermione's name.
When she opened the bags she found new maternity robes from Narcissa as well as a new pearl necklace with instructions to wear it for Draco on his birthday. Her new garments repulsed her but her old robes were now a very tight fit.
Draco and Hermione managed to avoid each other the entire day until it was time to get ready for dinner. Hermione chose flowing silver robes that matched her new pearls and did her best to look like she was not exhausted.
"New watch?" Hermione asked as he sat waiting for Draco to finish getting ready. He always took much longer than her to get out the door. "A gift from you for my birthday. Mother picked it out," he said fastening it to his wrist.
"Let's get this over with," Draco said gritting his teeth when they went to the gates. Of course all the students lined up to see them off in the carriage Snape had arranged.
"Those horses are so beautiful," a second year awed. "They are so lucky," her friend replied as Draco, the dutiful husband, helped Hermione into the carriage. "I could smack them," Malfoy muttered under his breath.
"Let's just get out of here," Hermione said hoping the crowd would not grow. "This is entirely pointless. We could have walked without the aid of these reeking animals," Draco said.
Malfoy's complaints continued all the way to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. A special table had been set for them in a tucked away corner with loads of candlelight. "Well isn't this just romantic," Draco said disgusted.
Their false smiles shone brightly in front of the other couples in Madam Puddifot's as well as some of the older Hogwarts students. People smiled at them and fingers were pointed in their direction.
"The next person to point at me is getting cursed in the mouth," Draco said with his foot tapping. "It is not just you they are pointing at, you self centered ass-" Hermione began to say in between a bite of her meal.
Malfoy who was in a foul mood dropped his fork and grabbed her hand from across the table too tightly. "You will not speak to me that way on my birthday. You've ruined enough, haven't you?" Malfoy whispered.
"Let go of my hand, Malfoy." Hermione whispered back while he gripped tighter.
"I could be getting drinks right now with the lads and find some fifth or six year to finish my night off with. But no, I am trapped here with you," he said still gripping onto Hermione.
Fury rose in Hermione and she whispered as loudly as she could, "If you do not let go I will drive this fork into the back of your hand." Hermione clutched her dinner fork tightly in her other hand with determination behind her threat.
He unwillingly let go and checked to see if anyone was watching. "We have two weeks until we graduate and go to Black Landing. You will not keep up this behavior! I will not tolerate it," he said.
"Then let me make a list of all the things I won't tolerate, dear husband. For one-" Hermione started to say until people began to stare at them. Their conversation was getting heated and people had begun to take notice.
"Enough of this. Two more weeks and we never have to speak to each other again," he said pushing his plate away from him.
Hermione thought to herself how they were going to raise the child inside of her without ever speaking to each other.