Perfectly in Pieces

Epilogue: 2

"Are you fucking kidding me? You promised not just me but also the bride. No work tonight."

She sighs in annoyance and tries to yank her hand out of his grip. He holds on for a moment, turning the movement into an apparent struggle before he looks over to the photographers again and releases swiftly.

Hermione winces at the fear she sees travel over his face. But no flash goes off. Thankfully.

The newspapers and magazines had enough scrutiny about their relationship and Draco in general. They didn't need more.

"She will understand. I have been trying to get a meeting with him to fact-check some of my source material for the Scandinavian numbers for weeks, Draco. This is a special case. I have to..."

"No Granger, no work. 24 hours of no work. That is what you promised us all. Don't make me tell Red." He grabs her bag and places it behind him. His grey eyes search through the large crowd that Molly had not informed them would be in attendance, looking for an exit. When he spots it, he holds out his hand to her. "Let's get some air. Check on Theo."

Hermione readjusts her dress strap that was falling once again. The dress had fit her a month ago when she bought it, but now, it felt like she was swimming in it. As they walk, she glances back to see Ginny trying to tie her dress into a knot to give her the ability to ride the new broom she received as a wedding present from Ron and Padma. Molly is in the middle of yelling at her daughter as she jumps onto the broom and takes off through the crowd, almost knocking over the large cake.

Draco pulls her out of the tent as Hermione massages her temple to extinguish the ache that has set in after her episode.

Another new anomaly.

"Shit, did you have a switch?"

Hermione sees Theo leaning against one of the trees furthest from the wedding tent, yet giving him the best view inside.

"Yes, she did. 1 minute and 23 seconds this time."

She glares up at the blonde next to her. Of course, he counted.

Theo's eyes widen as he pulls out the notebook he always carries from his formal robes and writes the numbers down. "That is the longest one yet. They are increasing in length every time, it seems. Are you still going to deny it, Hermione?"

She opens her mouth to do just that but stops herself. Lying wouldn't help. Trying to be strong would only hurt his research. And what Theo was trying to do at work was more significant than her. Could help more people than her. Could change how magic works for everyone.

"No. It was long," she resigns.

Theo nods as he taps the end of his quill against the parchment. Looking over the numbers and data he has been collecting on her condition for months.

"I still think it is advancing at this rate due to your increase in stress lately."

Here we go again...

She scoffs and steals his cigarette for a quick drag. "I work the same hours as you, Theo."

"Yeah, but I don't have damage from the Dark Lord living in my head."

Hermione huffs and turns her back on both of them. Neither of them understood. They couldn't. She needed to complete the first historical archive and have it verified. They all needed it. The sooner it was public knowledge of how the war actually went, the sooner people would stop looking at them like they were the enemy.

The sooner Draco wouldn't be attacked at almost every pardon-mandated event he had to attend, or function he had to financially support.

The only things that got him out of their warded house.