Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

Severus watched Hermione choke on her drink and took a drink of his own to hide his smirk. She was surprised, and that was good. Since he'd decided to begin this little... wager, it was best to keep her surprised. He fully intended to win the emerald stirring rod that he'd coveted since he'd first lain eyes on it.

"We'll, you've certainly got her attention, Severus," Lucius observed.

"Mmmm," Severus said noncommittally. He was watching the two women sitting at the bar whisper to one another, gesturing, no doubt debating as to whether or not they were going to come over to their table to thank them for the drinks.

"What do you think they're on about?" Draco wondered. "They're sitting there clucking like two hens!"

"Oh, I'd wager they're trying to decide if they want to come over and thank us. I'd say Granger wants to and Weasley doesn't."

Greg snorted, watching the waitress he was trying to get the nerve to talk to gracefully take drinks and such to customers. "They'll be over directly. Granger is too bossy not to get her way. She was forever bossing Potter and Weasley."

"Too right," Draco agreed. "I don't know how Potter survives now without Granger gabbing in his ear and telling him how to do every little thing."

"Doesn't look like she's winning this argument, however, does it, old man?" Lucius commented, amused.

Severus looked to Lucius and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the least bit concerned, old man. I'll have her eating out of the palm of my hand before the week is out." Severus held up his palm as if to make his point. "I've clearly got the advantage. She's vulnerable right now after that disaster of a wedding, and let's face it. Compared to Weasley? Well, conversations with me alone would be excellent foreplay."

Lucius nodded. "We'll see."

Ginny thumped Hermione on the back. "Are you all right? What is it?"

"Do you see who sent us these drinks?"

"No, your hair's in my way. Who? Is it someone that we know?"

"Professor Snape!"

"You're kidding me!" Ginny gently shoved Hermione to the side so that she could see for herself. "I see that he's here with his usual gang of gits."

"We should go over there and thank him," Hermione said, chewing her lower lip, debating.

"You go on ahead, Hermione. I'm not going anywhere near Lucius Malfoy. Or Draco either, come to think of it."

Hermione turned from staring at her former professor and looked at her friend. "It's the polite thing to do, Ginny."

Ginny shrugged. "Bugger that! Look," she started as Hermione stared at her disapprovingly. "I know that you're right, but I can't stand Malfoy. Either of them, really, and I don't want to be around them. As a matter of fact, I think we should just leave here and go to another bar."

"Ginny!" Hermione admonished. "Regardless of what you think of the Malfoys, we do owe Professor Snape a lot of gratitude for his war efforts and likely things we don't even know about. And since he's made this nice gesture of sending us a drink, we ought to go over there and thank him for it."

Ginny peered around Hermione again to see what the men were doing. "Geez, they're still looking over here at us! What is with them?"

"Probably because they are waiting for us to stop being so rude and show some sort of manners! They're waiting for us to go over and speak to them."

"But don't you think that's a bit odd, Hermione?" Ginny wondered aloud. "The professor never liked either of us, really, so why would he send us a drink? And furthermore, I know those Malfoys hate me and my family. Something's off. I can feel it."

Hermione sighed. "Ginny. We're just familiar faces in a foreign country. We'll go over, politely thank them, and then leave. If they are up to something as you seem to think, then simply thanking them won't give them any opportunity to act on it, will it?"

"I don't know..."

Hermione stood, tired of beating a dead thestral. "Enough! You're being childish. Let's just go!"

Severus watched Granger stand and badger the Weasley girl into coming over. He never let his eyes leave hers as she walked across the room, watching him warily.

He slightly smiled at her and watched her steps falter. This was going to be very interesting.

Once they'd reached the table, Granger smiled politely while Weasley just stood, looking defiant.

"Hello, Professor. We'd like to thank you for the drink. We didn't expect to see you here."

"You're quite welcome," Severus drawled. "Would you care to join us?" he asked.

"NO!" Weasley yelled, finally looking at him.

"For a moment," Granger said at the same time.

There was a battle of wills with Granger winning in the end as they both sat in the two chairs that Goyle had stood to get when Severus had offered them a seat.

Hermione started to speak and then saw the Prophet opened to the headline of her wedding fiasco. She nodded towards the paper. "Have you gentlemen been entertaining yourselves?" she icily asked the table at large.

"I got a kick out of it," Draco said and berated himself as he'd earned a glare from Ginny.

"We can't help what the Prophet prints, now can we, Miss Granger? Though, I dare say, you're much better off," Lucius told her. "The two of you aren't well matched."

Hermione turned her furious eyes to the Sr. Malfoy. "Meaning that Ron was better off finding a pure-blood like he is? Came to his senses and left the Mudblood at the altar?"

Lucius looked shocked. "Nothing of the sort, I assure you! I merely meant that you are far more intelligent than he is, and after a while, you would have bored of him. Besides, according to the paper, it was you who left him."

Severus cleared his throat, taking the paper and putting it in the folds of his robe. Turning back to Granger, he asked, "Are you enjoying your job at the Ministry, Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned to Severus. "I've only been there a month, but yes, I am."

"What do you do at the Ministry?" Greg asked her.

Hermione turned her shocked face to Greg. "Er, I work in the Magical Law Department."

"So, you're one of the ones responsible for this absurd law, then, are you, Granger?" Draco sneered at her. "Causing people to marry before they might be ready or have found someone appropriate."

"No, I'm not. That law was being discussed long before I'd ever been hired, though they did let me sit in on a few of the meetings while it was being discussed and debated."

"What might you do now that Weasley is no longer an option for you?" Lucius politely asked, but the knife had been thrown and had hit bull's eye.

Hermione shrugged nonchalantly, but they could see the misery on her face. "I'm not quite sure yet, but I've time to find someone."

"What about you, Mal...um...Mr. Malfoy? You know, now that your wife is leaving you? Have you chosen one of your mistresses to marry you, then?" Ginny asked, wanting him to feel as bad as he was making her friend feel.

Sharp gray eyes left Hermione's face and landed on Ginny's. "What my wife and I do is not your concern, young lady."

"Oh, I see. Well then, forgive me. I wasn't aware that this was a 'mind your own business' conversation, what with you getting all into Hermione's."

Draco snorted, bringing everyone's attention to him. He lifted his drink and saluted Ginny. "Well done, Weasley."

Severus cleared his throat once more, wanting to take control of the conversation before Lucius lost his temper and ruined everything before he could even get started. "Where are you staying while you're here?" he directed his question to Hermione.

"The Hilton Resort," she answered.

"What a coincidence. We are as well," Severus lied without flinching.

"You are?" Hermione asked disbelievingly, looking at the Malfoys. "You're all staying in a Muggle hotel?"

"It's one of the best, isn't it?" Lucius asked, seeming to have gotten his composure back. He glanced at his son and very slightly nodded, knowing that as soon as this little tête-à-tête was over, Draco would secure them all a room.

"I suppose," Hermione said doubtfully.

"The Harpies seem to have had a great season. Sorry to see it's over. I caught the World Series Game and you diving head-first towards the ground to catch the Snitch. I suppose you're ready for the new season to start, eh?" Draco asked Ginny and had the pleasure of her turning her surprised eyes in his direction.

"Well," she began, "I won't be playing this season. Harry wanted me to quit since the Marriage Law demands a child within the first year that you're married."

"What? Is he mad?" Draco demanded. "You love playing for the Harpies, it shows! Couldn't you have just played this next season and simply gotten pregnant the last month before the deadline?"

Ginny looked down at the table, not wanting to show any emotion to these men. "Harry didn't want to wait," she said. "We discussed that, and he wanted to begin straight away."

"And what King Harry says..."

"Look, Malfoy..."

"Have you discovered the wizarding bookstore here, Miss Granger?" Severus interrupted, trying to think of a way to get her alone. At this rate, she'd never agree to see him again.

"No! I didn't even realize that there was a wizarding book store here! Where is it?"

"I'd be happy to take you myself," he offered. "Why don't we meet in the Hilton's dining room for breakfast, and then after, I'll escort you to the bookstore."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to impose on you. If you'd just tell me where it is?"

"It's no imposition, I assure you. None at all. In fact, I quite insist. Say, nine o'clock?"

"If you're sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all," he reassured her.

"What will you do, Weasley, while they're at the bookstore?" Draco asked, trying to think of something they could do together.

Ginny shrugged, obviously impatient to leave. "I'm sure I can find something to do."

"Draco could show you the Quidditch store they have on the island," Lucius offered, pleased that the girl showed no signs whatsoever of being interested in his son. He wanted Draco to get his foot in the door of Hogwarts. He had big plans for him.

"No, thank you."

"I wouldn't mind," Draco said a little too quickly. "Not at all."

"That's very generous of you," Ginny said, clearly not meaning it. "But the fact is, I would mind. I don't want you to take me there or anywhere. We don't like each other, Malfoy, and I don't trust you or your father."

Ginny stood, picked up her drink, and downed the last swallow. Looking at Professor Snape, she said, "Thank you for the drink." Having done her duty by thanking the professor, Ginny turned to Hermione and said, "Ready to go?"

"Yes," Hermione said and stood quickly.

"I'll see you at nine, Miss Granger."

"Nine, then," she agreed as she followed Ginny out of the bar.

Harry sat in his office in the Auror department, finishing up the paperwork on a case he'd just closed. He couldn't get Ginny off his mind and the way she'd looked at him the day of the 'wedding that wasn't.'

Ron and Romilda had gone to Gretna Green and wed a few days after Hermione had left. Harry supposed that that had been the right thing to do with the baby on the way, and he had to admit, Ron had never looked happier, but he still felt badly for Hermione.

He understood why she went on the honeymoon, and he even understood why Ginny had gone with her, but damnit, he wanted Ginny here so that they could get on with their lives.

He was tired of worrying about everyone else. For a change, he wanted to worry about himself. He wanted a home, a wife and children. He wanted Ginny. "When is she coming home?"

"Who?" Dean Thomas asked, working on his own paperwork.

Harry sighed. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Ginny."

"Ah, right. How is Hermione doing?" Dean asked with genuine concern.

"Honestly, I don't know. She hasn't spoken to me yet. The whole situation has gone arse up."

Dean chuckled. "As it should when a man tries to juggle two women at the same time, no matter how fun it seems. Ron seems fine now, though, I say."

"Yeah, he does. I sincerely believe he loves Romilda in a way that he never loved Hermione, and I can't believe I never saw it."

Dean shrugged. "Why would you? They had always been together, even before they were together, if you know what I mean. It just seemed natural that they'd get married."

"I know," Harry agreed. "I think that was the problem. Ron was just marrying her because that is what everyone expected of him. But I wonder if it was the same for Hermione?"

Before Dean could answer, a huge owl dropped an unaddressed letter in front of Harry. "I wonder what this could be."

"I don't know. Open it and see."

Harry opened the letter after performing various spells to make sure there was nothing untoward about the letter. As he read, his mouth dropped open in shock.

"What is it?" Dean asked. "Are you all right?"

Harry shook his head and read the one sentence aloud to Dean. "Narcissa Black requests the honor of your presence immediately."

"Who's Narcissa Black? I only know of one Narcissa, and her last name is Malfoy."

"It's the same one, though it's curious she's using her maiden name. But now that I think on it," Harry said, scratching his chin as he thought, "it seems like she did file for divorce. Could be that she's using Black rather than Malfoy now."

"What do you think she wants?" Dean wondered.

"There's only one way to find out," Harry said as he rose.

"Depending on how long this meeting lasts, I might be back before heading home," he said as he grabbed his cape and walked out.

Narcissa sat, delicately sipping wine, waiting for Potter to come to her. She had no doubt that he would; his curiosity alone would bring him there.

She scowled as she thought of her husband. Blast that man for ruining everything!

He hadn't started out cheating and lying to her. When they'd first married, she couldn't have asked for a better husband. And Merlin, he hadn't been able get enough of her!

No, it was after he'd gotten mixed up with the Dark Lord that he'd begun to change. And she could blame herself there, as well, for encouraging him to join the cause, wanting only pure-bloods allowed in Hogwarts for the sake of their future children and such.

Well, she'd learned the hard way and paid for her sins a dozen times over. The children that they were going to have had become child, as her husband had kept telling her it wasn't the right time. Supposedly, he'd wanted to wait until the Dark Lord had come into his full power.

She'd waited all right. And the more involved Lucius had become with the cause, the less he'd become her husband. It hadn't been long before women were being provided to the most faithful followers with Lucius trying to convince her that he was only using them so that he wouldn't anger the Dark Lord.

It was after Potter had ended that reign of terror that she realized that her husband was still continuing with that specific past time and that he had several mistresses. She had confronted him, and although he'd denied it, she'd known better.

But the breaking point for her had been when she'd come home from a trip early and walked in on her husband and some woman in her own bed. The first words out of his mouth had been, "You're home early."

She'd wanted to kill them both, but instead she had kicked them out and changed the wards. Lucius Malfoy could no longer darken her doorstep.

She had gone directly to the barrister and gotten papers drawn up. Now all she had to do was wait for him to sign them, and then he could have as many women as he wanted. Narcissa Black was tired of playing the fool, and she was not going to do so any longer.

Narcissa jumped when she heard the knock on the door. She took a big drink of her wine, trying to quickly get her composure back.

When Harry walked into the room, she stood and smiled. "Mr. Potter, so kind of you to join me so promptly."

Harry nodded. "Your note said immediately. What can I do for you, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"I prefer Black," she informed him. "Have a seat, and I'll pour you a drink. What can I get you?"

"Nothing really," he told her as he sat down. "Just take care of my curiosity by telling me what you need."

"Do you remember your confrontation with the Dark Lord in the forest, Mr. Potter?"

Harry stared at her long and hard before answering her. "It's not likely that I'll ever forget that. Why do you mention it?"

"Do you recall me saving your life there?"

"I do."

"Then, it would seem that you... owe me, I say."

"Ah, I wondered when you were going to get to that. What is it that you want, Ms. Black?"

"You've heard, I'm sure, through the Ministry's grapevine that I'm divorcing Lucius."

"Yes, I've heard something to that effect. Do you need me to testify against him?"

She smiled as she stood and walked over to pour Harry a shot of firewhisky. "Not exactly," she said as she handed him his drink.

Harry looked at the shot she'd handed him. Shrugging, he drank it all in one gulp.

As he knocked the drink back, Narcissa continued, "No, what I want is for you to marry me."

Harry spewed the drink everywhere and coughed a little. "What? What did you just say?"

"I said that I want you to repay the debt you owe me by marrying me, Mr. Potter."