Previously...
Friday, August 4, 2017
"Oh." Ginny Potter stumbled slightly in shock, caught herself on the edge of the front desk. "It's you."
Astoria Malfoy raised one delicate eyebrow, quirked a sly smile. "So it would seem. I take it you and Potter are having marital difficulties as well?"
"Er, not really."
Astoria quirked a brow, tilting her chin toward the shiny brass letters on the wall over the desk: Granger & Parkinson, Divorce Attorneys Extraordinaire.
"Oh." Ginny flushed. "Well, I mean, yes we're getting a divorce. Have gotten one, I suppose – it's all been signed now. But it was more of a mutual decision. We found that we're... not as compatible as we once thought."
"Oh." Astoria smirked at her. "So you're both gay, then."
Ginny blushed furiously. "Shh! We're not – I'm not ready for that to get out, thanks very much."
"Oh, relax. Who's here to find out? The assistant is taking her lunch break, and 'Mione and Pans are no doubt having a quick snog in the back."
"Oh."
"Anyway," Astoria said with a lazy wave of her hand, "Draco and I are splitting for the same reason. We stayed together for political reasons, and for Scorp. But now that he's off to Hogwarts..."
Ginny smiled despite herself. "Yeah. Same here. Lil's mature enough to deal with it, and the other two will be in school most of the year."
"So..." Astoria's voice softened, became almost hesitant. "...do you have plans for the afternoon?"
"Oh, I, uh, have to pick up Al from the library. Sorry." She was surprised to hear a note of honesty in the apology. From Astoria's face, she'd caught it too, and was just as surprised.
"Scorp's there too – the library, I mean. We could go together? Take them out for ice cream? It would be good for him to make a new friend. He... doesn't have many. I'm a little nervous, honestly, about sending him off alone."
Ginny smiled. "Oh, that sounds lovely. Al's shy too – he doesn't make friends like his brother and sister do. I think... I think it might be good for both of them."
Astoria winked at her. "Of course, it has nothing to do with me wanting to chat with another newly single, interesting – and potentially interested? – lovely woman. Or my ex-husband's eternal crush on yours."
She muttered the last bit, almost to herself, but Ginny heard it anyway. "Oh!" she said, blushing at the insinuation that Astoria wanted to spend time with her. She chose to ignore that part, and focus instead on the intriguing tidbit Astoria had let slip. "You don't mean it's mutual, then?"
Astoria started. "What?"
"Well... Harry's been obsessed with Draco for as long as I've known him. I was hoping he'd grow out of it, but..."
"Well, well. Now that is interesting." Astoria linked her arm through Ginny's, drawing her through the door and into the bright sunlight.
----
They found their sons in the magical creatures section, huddled together, surrounded by towering piles of books, dark head and light bent close, poring over a thick and dusty tome.
Scorpius looked up first. "Mum! Look what we found in these old journals!" His eyes gleamed with excitement, and Ginny recognized it as the expression she often saw in Al's eyes: the delight of discovery. "It's those creatures Luna told us about – the ones no one's seen in a hundred years!"
Astoria bent over, obliging him, squinting at the spidery scrawl. The ink was faded – it was no wonder the boys were bent over it so closely. Scorp had rested his hand on Al's shoulder for balance, when he looked up – she noticed in surprise that he left it there. Neither boy seemed to notice. She looked up at Ginny, shared a surprised and speculative glance. Malfoys and Potters had a magnetic attraction, it seemed.
"Al," Ginny said softly. He looked up, sheepish, and grinned at her.
"Hi, Mum. Sorry I wasn't out front – only Scorp had some ideas about those creatures Charlie told us about last visit, and then there were those plants Nev was going on about, and then we started looking for Luna's creatures, and, well..."
Ginny grinned back at him. She couldn't help it – Al was the least like her, of all her children, but he was also the easiest to love. She reached over and ruffled his hair. "S'alright, Al. I'm glad you've found a friend."
He blushed, startling her. "Oh. Right. This is Scorp – Scorpius Malfoy. He's here as much as me – we've been doing research together, this summer."
Ginny looked up at Astoria and shook her head. It seemed their intervention wouldn't be necessary after all.
Astoria winked at her. "I'd still like to spend time with you," she mouthed.
Ginny blushed. "Right. Er. Let's get these books picked up, boys – are these really all yours? – Astoria and I are taking you out for ice cream."
"Really?" Both boys turned identical grins on their mothers.
Astoria smiled. "Really. We'll take it to the park to eat – it's lovely out today, and summer's nearly over."
Scorpius nudged the other boy, and Al blushed. "Oh. Right. Er... it's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy.
Astoria laughed. "It's good to meet you, too, Al. Please call me Tori – I'm not Mrs. Malfoy any longer." She shot a look at Ginny. "You too, Mrs. Potter."
Ginny felt herself blushing even more. "I – call me Gin," she choked out. "You, too, Scorpius. I'm honored to have the pleasure of meeting a friend of Al's." She stared into Astoria's eyes, for a long moment, and so they both missed the sly look that passed between their boys before they scrambled to put away their books.
----
"Fancy seeing you two again," Hermione said, steepling her fingers in front of her stylish new glasses.
"Indeed," Pansy drawled, draped elegantly across Hermione's lap on the loveseat in their shared back office. "What can we do for you? Your husbands – or should I say, ex-husbands – have been by to sign everything. You're free women, now."
Ginny looked nervously at Astoria, biting her lip. Astoria took her hand and squeezed gently. "Actually," she said, as Ginny drew a calming breath, now that Astoria had taken the lead, "we're here about our ex-husbands."
Pansy raised a manicured brow. "Oh?"
"Yes," Ginny jumped in determinedly. "We've been talking, Tori and I - " She paused as Hermione and Pansy shared a delighted look – "ahem. As I was saying. We've realized that we have a lot more in common than we knew."
"Yes," Pansy drawled, "newly-divorced and newly-out lesbians. And now you want advice on your relationship from the experts?"
Even Astoria blushed that time. "No," she said faintly.
Hermione cuffed Pansy lightly. "Stop it, Pans. You're just being wicked. You know they're not here about themselves."
Pansy sat up, suddenly interested. "Oh. Oh. You know, then. About your husbands."
"No," Ginny said quickly. "Well, we've guessed. There has to be something there – they've been obsessed with each other since they were at Hogwarts..."
"Yes," Pansy agreed, all business now. "Since they were eleven. I know."
"Well why haven't you done something, then?" Astoria burst out.
Hermione was the one to raise her eyebrow, this time. "You were married, Tori – you all were," she said gently. "What were we supposed to do?"
"But now..." Ginny trailed off uncertainly.
Hermione grinned wickedly. "Oh, yes. But now, indeed. Don't worry girls – we have a plan."
"We want in." The words burst out of Ginny, surprising them all.
Astoria quickly nodded. "Yes. Absolutely. They may be loveable idiots..."
"But they're our loveable idiots," Ginny finished fiercely.
Hermione and Pansy shared a speculative look, then nodded. "If you're sure, then yes. We could absolutely use your help. Here's what we're planning..."