Learning to let go

by Hufflepuffmama824

The last person widower and reformed Death Eater Draco Malfoy expects to see at his usual muggle bar is Hermione Granger. Weasley now, ever since just after the war ended. He needs a distraction from his own loss and scotch and one night stands wasn't cutting it anymore. Maybe a blast from the past is just what he needs to process his loss. Maybe she is finally able to move on.

5. Chapter 5

A/N thank you all for continuing on this journey with me. I am almost caught up to what was pre-written so updates are going to slow down.

This chapter is dedicated to BellaStoria who may have called it. I guess I was a bit more obvious than I thought I was lol. To those who didn't see this coming what were some theories you might have had to explain everything? Or was it glaringly obvious to everyone?

Ch 5

"You might want to be careful, one of these days your going to run into Harry here. He joins me sometimes you know." Hermione says as she walks up to her table. This was a first. Usually she got to the pub first. He came early tonight. He was sitting in her spot dressed in his signature all black. "And sitting at my table? You might make people think your actually waiting for me!"

"I know for a fact you always come alone." He replies casually looking up at her as she sat down.

She paused a moment before asking, "and how would you know that?"

Malfoy pointed his hand at the bar, "Sean"

"Have you been checking up on me? Want to make sure you have my undivided attention?" She smirked. She had gotten a lot better at smirking since she had been spending time with the Slytherin.

"He mentioned it in passing the first night I came over. He actually warned me that you had a bit of a reputation and to not waste my time."

Hermione smiled and murmured, "I knew I liked him for some reason."

"You mean other than the fact that he looks like a Weasley?" Malfoy had started out antagonizing her as always but as always she's flipped it back on him. Hes gotten to where he looks forward to these nights with her, even though he would never admit it to anyone.

"I always was a sucker for a ginger." Hermione replied. How they were able to joke back and forth like this she didn't know but she found she enjoyed it.

Soon the conversation shifted to Astoria as it always does. However tonight Malfoy seemed to be in a bad mood. Hermione didn't know what caused the shift. Usually his voice was almost wistful when he spoke if her but tonight his tone was harsh. "For the first time in my life I had something good in my life and I lost her. I'm used to life not being fair but I finally thought I had half a chance at happiness." He said bitterly.

"Loss of a loved one is always hard, especially when you thought you had more time." Hermione said trying to comfort the clearly upset Malfoy heir. Obviously it was the wrong thing to say because he blew up at her.

"Loss, what do you know of loss? You got to marry your school sweetheart and have the perfect little life, you don't get to tell to me about loss." Malfoy throws back the rest of his scotch and goes to stand up but something inside of Hermione snapped.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his seat, " You don't get to talk to me like that Malfoy! You have no clue the losses I have faced. I had to fight in a war, I had to do whatever it took to protect my family. Even if that meant losing them forever. The moment it looks like it's all over, we finally won and I turn around to find the man I love dead." Hermione paused to fight back the tears, her magic crackling in the air around them, "We were finally going to get to be a family and instead I had to bury him. He had just one day of knowing he was going to be a father. He never got to hold his daughter. He never got to help pick out names. I never got to see his eyes light up when he saw her the first time. I don't even have something as simple as a family portrait." Now she was looking him dead in the eyes, still clutching his arm to the table, "You got to marry her, you had years with her, she got to name your son. You didn't have to do it alone. It might not seem like much and it still isn't fair but you got a hell of a lot more than I did. Don't you dare tell me I don't know about losing someone. "

Malfoy is taken aback, shocked. He had never seen her fall apart like this. It was disconcerting to say the least. Perfect Gryffindor princess, was pregnant at the battle? Weasley isn't the dad from what she's saying. However hes seen pictures of the child, its definitely a Weasley. Finally he says the only thing he can think of, "Fred?"