Chapter Two
The capillaries in my eyes are bursting
If our love died would that be the worst thing?
When her Department Head, Saul Croaker, told her that she and Theo would be going to Geneva for a week-long conference on experimental magic the following month, Hermione was over the moon with excitement. It meant that she was finally moving up in the department. Only senior staff were considered for opportunities like conferences, and she'd been passed up the last six times. Henrietta Barbage and Luttander Farmsworth had both retired since the last big conference in Venice last year, so that must have been the thing that finally moved her and Theo into the position to bask in the rewards of being a senior Unspeakable.
She left work early and headed straight to Diagon Alley to tell Ron the exceptional news. When the bell rang announcing her arrival, George waved to her from where he was helping an elderly woman get something from a display in the window, while Ron was ringing people out at the counter. Hermione, not wanting to disturb him, stood at the back of the line waiting to tell her boyfriend about the news.
Ron looked up at her with annoyance when she didn't sit something on the counter for him to ring up.
"Oh 'Mione," he said in surprise, his face softening a bit, but not much. "It's you. What are you doing here during the day? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
"I have the most exciting news!" She was nearly bouncing on her toes in her happiness.
"You're pregnant?" The thrilled look on Ron's face surprised her, but she tried not to focus on it as she shared what she was so excited about.
She tilted her head at him in confusion. "What? No! I got selected to go to a conference in Geneva next month, as part of the Department of Mysteries representation." She smiled, but Ron's expression transformed from his grin to a scowl, making it clear that he was anything but happy for her. Hermione felt all the wind leave her sails and everything suddenly felt…flat.
The conference left Hermione more excited about learning than she had been since she'd been a first year at Hogwarts. On the first day she filled an entire journal with notes. She talked Theo's ear off about all her thoughts at lunch and he in turn gave her valuable feedback. At some point she pulled out three different colour highlighters and a half dozen gel pens so that she could colour code their analysis. She was always intellectually stimulated with Theo when they were experimenting at work, but this was even more thrilling.
Draco was leaning against the wall as they left the speaker hall and he was looking at a cell phone, throwing Hermione for a bit of a loop.
"Oh hello there, my favourite swots. I've gotten us a reservation for dinner and night tickets for the Van Gogh experience." Draco tucked his phone into his pocket.
"Have I mentioned how perfect you are?" Theo smiled, kissing his partner. Hermione felt a surge of jealousy. Ron would never do anything like this. He'd never come with her to a conference and he'd never organise an activity for them without her having to do half the planning and most of the work.
"Okay, have fun you two, see you tomorrow, Theo." Hermione pretended that she was digging around in her purse for a lip balm so that the two of them wouldn't see how upset this had made her.
Draco turned to look at her in confusion, "Are you sure? I apologise then, Granger, I shouldn't have assumed you would join us."
"Join you?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"Well I purchased tickets and made dinner reservations for the three of us," Draco clarified.
Hermione's brain short circuited because someone actually thought of her. She wasn't sure that someone had done something like this, not for years certainly. They would sometimes arrange for an extra Quidditch ticket for her, but they did not actually expect her to attend. It was more out of politeness than out of any extra interest in having her go to an event with them, plus she hated Quidditch. She did not hate the work of Vincent Van Gogh. She doubted that Ron even knew who he was.
"I don't want to intrude," Hermione began, feeling awkward.
"Nonsense," Draco replied with a shake of his head. "I'm the one intruding so I'm making up for it by being useful, that way Theo doesn't make me go back home and sit in our empty flat all alone all week."
Theo put his hand over his heart dramatically. "Salazar forbid!" Hermione couldn't help but laugh at his theatricality, and wished not for the first time that they had been friends back at Hogwarts. It would have been nice to have one friend who loved to study and research as much as she did back then. And Theo never failed to make her laugh.
"Okay, but you must let me know how much I owe you for my Van Gogh ticket and of course I'll have my own check at dinner," Hermione began, not wanting them to think her a burden. She did have money after all. Things were a bit tight, but she could certainly afford to eat out and indulge in a special exhibit, couldn't she?
Draco and Theo looked positively scandalised at the thought. Draco put his hand in the air as though bidding her to stop hurting his delicate sensibilities. "Absolutely not Granger, we are gentlemen and will not allow a lady to pay when she has been invited to accompany us. How you managed to pay for yourself at the Thai restaurant is still beyond us but we're not letting that mistake happen again."
Hermione sighed. "If you insist, I still wish you'd let me contribute. You spent the day planning an outing for us and paid for all of it."
Draco's smug smile was jaw-dropping. He was so handsome when he really smiled, it was nothing like the cruel smirk that he'd been known for in school. It lit up the room. Hermione struggled to keep her reaction to it hidden.
"It's one of the benefits of being extremely wealthy, Granger, I actually have nothing else to do while we are here in Geneva except treat my favourite swots to a lovely evening." Draco offered her his arm and she raised an eyebrow, but Theo nodded encouragingly at her.
"I mean besides administering our collective wealth?" Theo laughed, following behind them.
"I think the accounts will keep for a few days," Draco rolled his eyes.
At Hermione's confused look, Theo responded, "The Nott vaults aren't quite as overwhelming as the Malfoy ones, but I don't actually have to work. I could sit at home and discover the exact best ratio of chocolate to caramel, but no, instead I get to come to work and see you each day." Theo laughed and squeezed her hand.
"You'd be bored to tears if you didn't work or potentially turn the spare dining room into a lab," Draco laughed. "Our house is only big enough for one house husband."
"Besides, who would keep Hermione in line?" Theo laughed, easily dodging Hermione's hand as she reached out to smack his shoulder.
"Hey," Hermione said, pretending to be insulted, "I only almost destroyed the space time continuum that one time!"
The three of them laughed, but Hermione didn't miss Draco's measuring look.
Every evening out in Geneva, Draco had something planned for the three of them to do. They ate at restaurants with food from all over the world and visited all the historic landmarks. Draco listened in interest as they discussed the theories and research that they'd be bringing back to their department, after Theo cast a muffliato at least. Hermione felt so envious of the rapt attention that Draco gave to Theo whenever he spoke, it was clear that they were madly and passionately in love.
Hermione didn't think her relationship had ever been particularly passionate and the realisation made her morose. The following day was the last day of the conference, maybe she'd try to get an early portkey instead of staying one more night.
"Are you certain that you won't stay another night?" Theo asked, his eyes looking sad.
"I miss my bed and I'm just ready to be back home." Hermione adjusted her shoulder bag that only had her bottomless purse inside, but Kingsley had begged her last year to be a bit more discreet about it. So she also had a suitcase on rollers that she'd mostly filled with small gifts for her nieces and nephews.
"I hope it's nothing we did." Theo fidgeted with his hands and worried at his perfect pink bottom lip. Hermione shook off the thought. He was her co-worker. He was in a relationship with someone she also found painfully attractive. She was in a relationship as well.
She dismissed his concerns with a shake of her head. "Of course not."
Except for being so in love that you make my relationship look miserable in comparison. Maybe she was exaggerating how bad it was, she and Ron loved each other…right? He'd be happy to see her home. He hadn't wanted her to go in the first place. It was going to be fine, Hermione wasn't sure if she was being honest with herself or trying to convince herself.
"I'll see you back at the office in a couple days." She smiled and waved, as she wheeled her luggage towards the apparition point so that she could go to the Swiss Ministry of Magic's portkey office.
She'd managed to catch a port-key almost immediately after arriving at the Ministry and within less than an hour, she was approaching her and Ron's flat. It was early in the evening and she'd picked up some things to cook. She was hoping to have a nice dinner at home with Ron.
But the moment that she walked in the door, it was clear that he was getting ready to go out. He was buttoning up the dress shirt she'd gotten him for his birthday last year, and had obviously just washed and gelled his hair.
He looked at her in surprise. "You weren't supposed to be home until tomorrow."
Hermione couldn't hide her annoyance at the reception, and bit out, "I've been gone for a week Ron, I thought you'd be pleased to see me," as she dropped the groceries on the table in the foyer.
"Well, how was I supposed to know that you were coming back early? I've already made plans with the lads and I'm going to be late."
"The lads? Seriously?" Hermione stared at him in disgust. Her anger was fanned by the fact that she could have been having a lovely dinner in Geneva right then with Theo and Draco, chatting about intellectual pursuits and their plans for the next week before going to the ballet at the Grand Théâtre de Geneva. She'd given up something she enjoyed because she knew she wasn't supposed to like it as much as she did, so that she could be at home with the person that she was actually supposed to be with. And this was how she was greeted. "The lads are more important than me?"
"'Mione, I'm not gonna cancel plans that I've made to sit at home with you." He looked at the groceries. "You've been off doing Merlin knows what for a week and now you come home and expect me to keep you company at home. Well I've been working long hours all week and I'm gonna go watch a game and have some pints with the lads." Ron's nostrils flared.
Hermione started to point out that she'd been working all week too. The conference sessions had gone from eight in the morning till nearly six at night every day. But suddenly the fight just went out of her, she wasn't going to force him to spend time with her when he obviously didn't want to.
Hermione sighed, frustrated. "You know what Ron, just do whatever you want. I'm going to bed." Leaving the groceries on the table, she stormed into the bedroom and threw herself onto the bed. She managed to keep her tears from overflowing until she heard the front door slam behind Ron as he left.
After having a wonderful week with Draco and Theo, coming home to being treated as though she was interrupting Ron's life hurt. Her tears soaked the pillow and she wished that she'd let Theo convince her to stay in Geneva like she had planned.
Laying there unhappily, Hermione started to realise that her life was not what she thought it would be.
She didn't feel as angry as she used to, just numb, empty.
Why was she fighting so hard for a relationship that her boyfriend didn't seem to care much about at all?
The question echoed in the empty flat and in her mind, until she finally fell asleep with her work clothes still on.
