I was curled up on the settee in the study when Harry and Ginny came home. I wasn't what you can call asleep, but I wasn't awake either. I was in a sleep limbo. One caused by the realization that there is no going back. There is no real going forward either. My sleep state mirrored my life at the moment.
"Mione?" Harry caressed my arm bringing me to my senses. "What are you doing here?"
"He knows. Ron knows." Ginny gave me a sympathetic nod and went upstairs, presumably to check on the children.
"How much does he know?"
"Enough. He knows the extent of Draco's and my relationship. He knows enough to ruin both of us."
"We won't let that happen Mione. You know that."
"What now? What do I do? Where do I go?" All my fears come flooding out of me in one tsunami. All the pressure that the dams were holding back became too much wave after wave of pain and tears flowed. "Harry... he blamed me."
"Why did he do that? How in bloody hell..." I can see his green eyes flash in anger. "How does he even conceive that it is your fault?"
"He says I'm not the Hermione he fell in love with. After the war and all. When I was spiraling down to my meltdown."
"I'm talking to him later today. You rest. I'll have Ginny take the kids to Molly's. You can stay here or wherever."
"I think I'm going to go to Draco's. At least for tomorrow."
"We'll keep Scorpius. Tell Draco not to worry. About any of this. We are going to control this. You're Granger, we're Potters and Weasleys and now Malfoys. We have this."
"I'll go in the morning. I need to talk to him."
"Sleep Mione," Harry cooed like the brother he really was to me.
By the time the sun came up and I managed to get a shower in the commonplace chaos that was the Potter residence, it was late morning. Scorpius was scheduled to remain the rest of the day with my nephew, so I went solely to the Malfoy residence.
I wasn't ready for what greeted me. But I wasn't ready for anything so far this week.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY YOU HAVE NO REASON FOR A CLOSET FULL OF WOMEN'S CLOTHES!"
"Pansy shut your trap. It is too early in the morning for your barn owl like screeching."
"Who in bloody hell wears a size 2 petite that you know?"
Shit... that's my size.
I knock on the front door gently. I doubt that I want to get in the middle of this mix, but it better be now before it gets really heated.
"Pansy, I really don't need this. Your husband decided we needed a night out and thank Merlin for the Potters. But now I'm paying the price."
I knock for a second time understanding the situation a little better now.
"Bloody hell who else could be here at this wretched time of the morning? Don't you people sleep?" I hear the grumbling at the other side of the door.
The door starts to open and I can only quietly quip "I didn't sleep much either, but for a different reason altogether."
The look on his face mirrored the words that tumbled out of his mouth, "Fuck no." He didn't even turn around before calling out, "Pansy put on some coffee now." Holding out his hand like the gentleman he is in public, "Madam Minister, what brings you here?" while silently muttering, "at this most ungodly hours no less."
My lone eyebrow shoots up as I try to put on a brave face as I whisper, "Ronald." I can tell he sobered up almost immediately upon opening the door, but now his shoulders and head slack in understanding my meaning.
"Minister Weasley, I didn't know you were on such good terms with Draco? How many years has it been?" Pansy is as good as they get when it comes to fake kindness. If I didn't know her from the many events and charities we both attend, and all the years in school, I would think that she can be the sweetest and most giving person out there. Reality - she's a cold hearted snake that would love to get anything on anybody and use it to her advantage. So her being here is probably the most inopportune timing in my entire life. I watch her eyes give me the once - then twice - over, obviously looking for some kink in my normal stoic armor.
"Well Draco and I have reconnected since our children are dating, you know. I presume you've read about it in the Prophet? I guess they are this year's 'it couple'." I cringe internally as I attempt to be nice to her, and Draco is obviously holding back a smirk.
"So your Rose and my Scorpius really are an item?" she chimes. "I'm his godmother, of course you know that, but I never really saw him as going for a Weasley. And isn't she a Gryffindor?"
Draco is now slumped over the kitchen counter, face scrunched up, watching this painful display while struggling to not laugh - or go to the bathroom - whichever comes first. "Yeah Pans, he has it bad for a red-headed Gryffindor Weasley. Even if she is Hermione's daughter."
"HERMIONE?" The pug-eyed wonder shows obvious shock at Draco's choice in words. "When did that happen?"
"Probably the same night that our kids decided that they wanted to do more than hold hands." I respond. "I told him to call me by a name that I at least had, because his obstinate arse kept calling me Granger."
"Old habits die hard Granger," he smirked. "I probably should get Scorp soon Pansy. It was nice of you to come by, but next time can you do it on a night that Theo doesn't keep us out until the sun rises?" He ushers me to the couch in the living area while retrieving some mugs of coffee.
"I was just checking on my precious boy." She is still looking at me, sizing me up, "Minister, praytell, what size dress do you wear? I know of a wonderful little boutique outside Bregenz Austria, and I would love to have them pull some items you might like."
Yeah, she was literally sizing me up.
"I wear between a 2 and a 4, depending on the attire. More formal items"
"Run weird, I know. I think that designers do that to give us women body issues. You're a petite too from your frame." She looks at Draco with the most evil of smirks as her tone turns deadly. "You had better start talking Malfoy once you get your sorry arse back with my boy."
"Um if I may, I just came from the Potters. He looked very comfortable and they said he's welcome to stay the day, which is what he requested."
"Oh good," her eyes are still boring holes into Draco's skull. "Let me get a cup also and we can talk Draco" she drags his name out.
"There's not enough coffee or hangover droughts to deal with the two of you this early in the morning," he says slyly rubbing his temples. He looks down and softly says, "it's not you, it's her. She's a bloody banshee in the morning. Has since," he doesn't even look up, "Pans when did you hit puberty? I swear you became a screaming siren then."
"Malfoy, Merlin help me. If you and she are screwing, and I know you're screwing someone it's written all over your face and you've been way too happy recently, I swear I am going to hoist you up in the atrium of the Ministry by your boxers for all to see."
"Pans, don't even go there."
"I think she already did," I chuckle. Merlin she's almost as bad as me. "I think I would have to get Magical Law Enforcement involved if that were the case Mrs Nott."
"Please, call me Pansy, Minister. Mrs Nott I am not."
"Pans that was terrible on your wedding day when you were so sloshed you made out with Daphne."
I am obviously uncomfortable and taken back with the frankness that these two show in my presence, so I look for an easy out. "Draco, I just stopped by to relay the Potters message. I probably should take my leave."
"Oh no Minister," Pansy interrupts, "please stay. I believe we have some catching up to do. Isn't that right Draco?"
"Bloody witch..." he grumbles into the palms of his hands.
Three hours later Draco and I had finally explained everything - well almost everything - to the Slytherin house gossip. I give it 3 days before the reporters are knocking down our doors for quotes, interviews, and ridiculous pictures.
"Why did it have to be Pansy? Why couldn't it be that bloody sister in law of mine?" Draco lamented, still in his boxer shorts and nursing his hangover. Pansy refused to give him anything to relieve the pain, saying he should wear it as a badge of honor. In reality, she wanted him to suffer for not telling her about our relationship earlier I wholeheartedly believe. Plus I think she still relishes in the sadistic pleasure of watching Draco suffer needlessly.
"You would prefer Daphne over Pansy?" I say softly, understanding his immeasurable pain - both present and future. "And what was that bit about the two kissing at Pansy's wedding?"
"Oh I have that in a picture in my office. It was priceless. I wonder if I should have that slip to the Prophet? I have been keeping it for this long as my ace in the hole. But yeah, Daphne is a gossip but she knows who not to talk to. Pansy can't keep her mouth quiet to anyone." He paused deep in thought, "But I think you made an impression on her. Being cheated on and all. She hates cheaters. And she hates Weasleys. So have a cheating Weasley... It might work in our favor."
"Oh so it looks like I'm the weak wife who can't keep her husband? This is the worst time for me to be seen as weak. I have Death Eaters that are out and terrorizing our world again."
"What we need, right now, is some time for the two of us," he cooed, "just some quiet time to think all this mess through. Then in a couple hours, I'll talk to Theo and have him reign in his wife before any damage can be done." He brought me over to the couch in front of the telly. "Let's just relax, watch a movie, clear our heads, maybe something more," he starts to rub my shoulders trying to relax me while implying that he was interested more than just watching a movie - the more that I look forward to regularly - and that he was eternally grateful that I packed a small bag and decided that I would be staying with him during this crisis time. "And then start a full frontal attack. Attack the Death Eater issue. Attack you husband. Attack Pansy's big banshee blabber mouth."
"Like we say - we're Grangers, Weasleys and Potters; we've got this. Harry recently changed it to we're Grangers, Weasleys, Potters and Malfoys; we've got this."
"I owe Harry a beer of the month club subscription."