When Draco Met Hermione

Chapter 17: Ex-wives and People in Love

Four months later Draco and Hermione were out shopping for a wedding present for Ginny and Blaise. It was a hot day in July and Hermione dragged Draco into a novelty shop to cool off and see if there was anything goofy they could get their best friends. Draco took one look at the place and began to play around with a miniature basketball, pretending to slam dunk the ball into the pint sized net.

"Hermione, this thing is brilliant! I have to get this for my place!"

Shaking her head, Hermione pulled Draco away from the basketball. "We are going to look around and see if there is anything interesting or funny that we can get Ginny and Blaise as a novelty present. Come on."

Draco pulled free from Hermione's grip and ran around the store like a child. "This place is great! Look! Look at this!" Draco ran over to Hermione and placed a helmet on her head.

"I knew we should have cooled off in the plant store. You're being ridiculous. What is this thing on my head?"

"Well, according to this label," Draco pulled the helmet off her head and read out loud what it said on the side, "It is a battery operated pitching helmet with a fan attached." Draco put the helmet down and his gaze fell on something behind Hermione. "Oh wow, look at this!" Draco spun Hermione around and she was face to face with a Muggle karaoke machine. Before she knew it a microphone was thrust into her hand and music began to play.....

Draco began to sing along, reading the words off the lyric sheet that was set out. Hermione was right next to him dancing along.....

"You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht..." Hermione giggled a bit at the sound of Draco singing. She looked at the lyric sheet and turned on her mike. "Your hat strategically dipped below one eye, your scarf it was apricot..." Draco and Hermione put their mikes together and sang as loud as possible.....

"You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte. And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner.....They'd be your partner, and...You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you....You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you....Don't you? Don't You?"

Hermione began to sing the next part when she realized that Draco was no longer singing along. He was staring at the far side of the store.

"Malfoy? Are you alright? It's not my voice is it? I mean, I hate my voice, it's quite awful....."

"It's Helen." Hermione followed his gaze and it landed on a tall, regal looking woman with a balding man next to her.

"Helen?!" Just then, Hermione realized that she was still talking into the mic that was turned up to the highest volume. Draco grabbed the mic and turned it off. "She's coming right towards us! crap, what am I---"Draco pulled himself together immediately before his ex-wife approached him and Hermione.

The dark haired woman gave a small smile to her ex-husband. "How are you Draco?"

Draco resisted the urge to lash out at her and tell her that he felt like he was worthless because of what she did to him. Instead, he returned her smile, "Fine, I'm quite alright thanks."

Helen cleared her throat and took the arm of the man she was with. "Draco, I would like you to meet Ira Burns. Ira, this is Draco Malfoy." Draco and Ira shook hands. Draco held on for a moment, taking in the face of the man who took his wife. A small nudge from Hermione brought him back to reality. Draco looked back at Hermione who was nodding towards the other couple, waiting for him to introduce her.

"Oh, damn, where are my manners. I am so sorry. Hermione Granger, this is Helen Hillson, and Ira Burns."

Hermione stepped forward, smile plastered on her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." The four of them stood in a circle in silence until Helen cleared her throat again.

"Well, it was nice to see you Draco, and it was a pleasure to meet you Hermione." And with that Helen and Ira were out of the store leaving Draco and Hermione. Hermione turned towards Draco who was looking paler than normal.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Draco looked up and saw the concerned look in Hermione's eyes. He didn't want to deal with anything concerned with Helen, so he knew he had to drop the subject...fast. "OH, well, I'm perfect really, I thought Helen looked a bit odd, don't you think?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders and picked up her purse that she had set down on the ground.

"Well, I wouldn't really know Draco, seeing as I just met her today."

"Trust me; she was looking a bit off. Her legs looked heavy. Perhaps she was retaining water or something...."

Hermione shook her head, "Let's go." She led him to the exit.

Draco followed, mumbling to himself, "Trust me, that woman saved everything." They walked out of the shop and saw a farmers market nearby. Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and dragged him to a flower vendor. She picked a few out to make a nice bouquet, making small talk here and there. She realized that Draco hadn't spoken in almost five minutes. She turned to look at him and saw him with a distant look in his eyes. She gently touched his arm to bring him back to normal, "Are you sure you're ok?"

Draco shrugged, "Sure, absolutely fantastic really. I mean, it had to happen eventually at some point. In a city of eight million people, you're bound to run into you ex-wife. It happened and now I'm fine." Draco smirked and walked away, leaving Hermione to pay for her flowers and to catch up.