A/N – When I first started writing this story I had intended it to be more of a reunion story. (My regular readers will know the reunion aspect is one of my favourite story plots) However, as the story got going it ended up being something slightly different as the characters took on a life of their own. So while there is still elements of the reunion in the story, it's not a major part like I'd originally planned. In the end this is basically the story of one weekend, and how that weekend affected people's lives.
In this universe there was no war with Voldemort, meaning the school years ran as normal and everyone completed the seven years.
As usual I've already finished this story and it has six chapters in total. I hope you all enjoy it and updates will be fairly frequent.
The sun was barely beginning to rise as Draco Malfoy stood by the window, looking out over the sea. He was currently on a new wizarding island, located exactly half way between England and France. The luxury island had been created by a team from both sides of the channel, and was currently undergoing its grand opening weekend. The island's main attraction was a large hotel, with dozens of top class facilities. Among those facilities was a health spa with adjoining beauty parlour, a concert arena and a world class Quidditch Stadium.
The previous evening the guests started to arrive, and more were due over the course of the morning. Later that afternoon there was to be a big Quidditch match between France and England, followed by a fancy dinner at the island's top class restaurant. The following afternoon The Weird Sisters were performing at the concert arena, for those who wished to attend. Anyone not attending the concert were free to make use of the other facilities.
Draco was on the island as part of the French Quidditch team, in fact he was making his debut as seeker that afternoon. Despite being born in England to English parents, Draco qualified for the French team due to his ancestry. The Malfoy's were originally from France and only moved to England when his great-grandfather made the move many years ago. His grandfather, Abraxas, had been born and raised in England but still visited France often, which was where he'd met and fallen in love with his wife. With Draco's grandmother being French, he had no problem gaining a place on the French Quidditch team.
Of course Draco also played for France since that was his home and had been for just over five years. Draco had moved to France the second he left Hogwarts, in a bid to get away from his life back home. A few months before leaving Hogwarts, Draco's life was great and he knew exactly where his life was heading. He had an offer to join one of the British Quidditch teams and a gorgeous girlfriend in the form of Daphne Greengrass. However all that changed a month before school ended when he walked in on Daphne in bed with his best friend, Blaise Zabini.
A massive argument had broken out between the trio, resulting in Draco ending things with Daphne and walking away from his friendship with Blaise. However things just got worse for Draco when he realised his other friends, Theo Nott and Pansy Parkinson, knew about Blaise and Daphne and were on their side. All of Draco's friends claimed that Daphne and Blaise loved each other, while Draco didn't love Daphne and had no intention of marrying her. Draco couldn't argue with the marriage thing, as at eighteen he didn't have any intention of marrying anyone, but he did argue that Blaise wouldn't marry Daphne, he was just after a bit of fun. He also argued against not loving Daphne, he did love her very much and her betrayal had broken his heart.
So far Draco had been proven right about Blaise, he still hadn't married Daphne. The pair had gotten engaged almost directly after school ended, but five years later they had yet to tie the knot. Draco meanwhile had moved on with his life and had fallen in love with someone else, in fact he was engaged and due to be married in two months' time.
Thinking of his fiancée brought a smile to Draco's face. Turning away from the window, he turned his attention to the large bed. He had expected to find his fiancée still sleeping peacefully, but instead he found her sitting up amid the silk sheets, watching him closely. Draco's eyes automatically fell to the sight of her bare breasts, while her eyes scanned over his naked body.
"How long have you been awake?" He asked, making his way back to the bed.
"Since you got up. Are you okay?"
"I'm just nervous." Draco admitted, hopping back under the covers. "Today's a big day."
"Because of your debut or because you'll see your former friends?"
"Both." Draco answered. "Making my debut is nerve wracking enough, without playing against the wizard who was once my best friend until he stole my girlfriend. Oh, and don't forget the opposition seeker is someone I could never beat at school. With Blaise and Potter on the opposition, I'm screwed."
Shaking his head dejectedly, Draco flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes. A few minutes later he felt soothing fingers running through his hair, and when he opened his eyes he found his fiancée looking down at him.
"You can't think like that Draco." She told him. "You're a far better player than when you were at school. You can do this, you can beat Harry to the snitch."
"What makes you so sure?" Draco asked. "You watched me play against him, and you saw him beat me every time."
"I have faith in you." She smiled as she straddled Draco's lap.
"You honestly think I can beat him?" Draco asked. "You're backing me over your best friend?"
On top of him his fiancée, Hermione Granger, shook her head. "Former best friend. We haven't spoken in five years. And yes, I'm backing you over him."
"Why? Other than your complete bias, based on the fact you're madly in love with me and I'm the best lover you've ever had."
Hermione chuckled at Draco, before leaning down and giving him a deep kiss. "As I said, you're a better player now." She told her fiancé. "Back in school when you played Gryffindor all you were bothered about was beating Harry, you let it become personal. You spent all your time watching him, rather than looking for the snitch yourself. You wouldn't do that now, now all you're bothered about is that little golden ball. The opposition is irrelevant, and the same goes for today's match. Forget about playing Harry, forget that Blaise will be in goal, just concentrate on your game and you'll shine and show everyone just how good you really are."
Draco looked up at Hermione in awe, she always knew what to say to make him feel better. He'd lost count of the amount of times she'd soothed his nerves before a big game. Even the few times he'd had a shocker of a game, she'd still managed to be upbeat and stop him from getting too down on himself. For someone who didn't like Quidditch, she certainly made the perfect partner for a player.
"Have I told you that I love you?" Draco asked, brushing a stray curl away from Hermione's forehead.
"Not this morning." Hermione replied with a smile. Draco actually told her he loved her almost every day, something which she was guessing was a result of what had happened with Daphne. She figured that he thought if he told her how much she meant to him she wouldn't stray, not that she would anyway as Draco was her entire world.
"I do you know, I love you more than I ever thought possible."
"I love you too." Hermione whispered, once again leaning down and giving Draco a searing kiss. "Now how about you show me how much you love me, or are you saving your energy for the match?"
"You know that you're my favourite way to warm up." Draco grinned, suddenly flipping them over so Hermione was pinned underneath him. "You always give me such a thorough workout."
"What can I say, I have high expectations." Hermione smirked. "Luckily you can meet them perfectly."
"I try my best." Draco replied with a wicked smirk. "And my best is pretty damn good, even if I do say so myself."
"You're so modest." Hermione playfully rolled her eyes at Draco. "Now how about less talk and more action."
"How about both?" Draco suggested, nipping at Hermione's ear. "We both know you love how dirty I can talk."
Hermione moaned in agreement as Draco's hands caressed her body, while his mouth whispered in her ear. The combination of Draco touching and caressing her, while whispering naughtily in her ear, always got Hermione extremely hot. Now was no different and Hermione was soon writhing in ecstasy underneath her fiancé.
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A few hours later Draco and Hermione had no choice but to finally get up. Draco was almost due to go and meet up with his teammates for a light training session before lunch.
"So are you feeling better about the match now?" Hermione asked as she watched Draco get out of bed.
"I am actually." Draco replied. "I'm going to forget about the opposition and just concentrate on my own game."
"Good." Hermione smiled. "And what about the prospect of seeing your former friends again?"
"I don't see why I'll need to even speak to them." Draco shrugged. "I'm not interested in Blaise and Daphne, or anyone else who might be here." Turning to Hermione, he looked at her curiously. "How about you?" He asked.
"I'm not bothered about your former friends either." Hermione joked.
"You know what I meant." Draco said seriously. "Potter will be here, and if the England team got the same deal as us he'll be able to bring his partner and two guests. If that's the case I'll bet anything that he brought the Weasel along with him."
"I'm not interested in Harry, Ron or anyone else from my past." Hermione answered. "I've moved on with my life. If I see them I'll say hello, but that's about it. They made it clear five years ago I wasn't wanted, and I see no reason why that would have changed."
"What if it has?" Draco questioned. "What if they want to reignite the friendship?"
"I doubt it." Hermione snorted. "If that's what they really wanted they would have looked for me. My parents know where I went, and both Harry and Ron know where my parents live. I may have moved away five years ago, but I was easy to find."
Despite her seemingly indifferent attitude towards her former friends, Draco knew their attitude had really stung Hermione. His fiancée had been devastated to lose her friends and despite everything they'd done Draco suspected that there was a time she might have been willing to forgive them. However five years had now passed without them speaking and while Hermione wasn't nasty enough to hold any grudges too much time had passed for her to be able to let them back into her life. Like his friends, hers were firmly in the past and that's where they were going to stay.
"I need to go and have a quick shower, then I have to get going." Draco said, dropping the subject of their former friends. "You will be alright won't you?"
"I'll be fine." Hermione reassured Draco. "I'm going to meet Madison for lunch and she's going to introduce me to the other wives, then we're all heading over to the stadium together."
Madison Perri was the wife of Pascal Perri, the captain of the French Quidditch team. Pascal played for the same domestic club as Draco and the pair were good friends, as were Hermione and Madison. Since Draco was new to the national team, meaning Hermione had never met the other player's wives, Madison had promised to introduce Hermione to the other wives and girlfriends.
Satisfied his fiancée was all sorted for the day, Draco headed off for his shower. When he returned to the bedroom, he quickly got dressed and grabbed his bag. After getting a final good luck kiss off Hermione, he left the hotel suite to go and join up with his teammates.
With Draco gone, Hermione was left alone with her thoughts as she had her own shower and got ready. Their earlier conversation about her friends had stuck in her head and despite herself she couldn't help but mull over what had happened between them. As much as she loved her life and wouldn't change it for anything, she always regretted that things had ended so badly between her and her friends, especially as once upon a time they were such good friends.
Coincidentally like Draco, Hermione's life seemed perfectly on track in her seventh year. She was looking into training to become a Healer and finally she and her best friend, Ron Weasley were together. After years of dancing around each other, and Ron's brief relationship with Lavender Brown in sixth year, the pair had entered into a romantic relationship. The relationship wasn't perfect and she and Ron argued often, but Hermione was content. Unfortunately Ron wasn't as content and soon started pressuring Hermione to move their relationship along. Hermione however, wasn't ready to sleep with Ron, and refused to be pushed into doing something she wasn't comfortable with.
Eventually Ron's patience snapped and one night when Hermione had refused to sleep with him yet again, he cruelly dumped her. Days later he was back with Lavender Brown, telling everyone she was a frigid, uptight tease, who led him on only to refuse to have sex with him. Hermione had been devastated by Ron's callousness as he not only dismissed her so cruelly but he made it clear he didn't want anything more to do with her, he didn't even want to try and salvage their friendship that had started way back in first year.
As if things with Ron wasn't bad enough his sister Ginny, who Hermione considered to be her best female friend, turned on her as well. Even though Ron was her brother, Hermione had hoped to find some support with Ginny. While Ginny had indeed admit Ron was a selfish arsehole for dumping Hermione in such a cruel way, she also blamed Hermione for not giving Ron what he wanted. Ginny openly told Hermione that if she'd really loved Ron she would have slept with him, and they would still be together.
With both Ron and Ginny against her, Hermione wasn't the slightest bit surprised when Harry also started to distance himself from her. Harry never once said anything bad about her, but he never stopped Ron or Ginny either. While Harry's departure from her life saddened Hermione, it wasn't totally unexpected. As close as she liked to think she was to Harry she'd always known that if something happened and he had to choose between her and Ron, Ron would win every time. She honestly couldn't picture any scenario where Harry would put her over Ron and choose to remain friends with her if Ron didn't like it.
With her friends all abandoning her, Hermione decided to make a clean break when she finished Hogwarts. Wizarding Britain was a small place and she knew if she stayed around she would only keep running into her former friends, and she didn't want the constant reminder of how easy they had discarded her. Since French was the only other language she spoke fluently she decided to apply for Healer training in France and make a fresh start.
That was exactly what she did and a few months after finishing school she made the move and never looked back. Now she was a fully qualified Healer, working in the most prestigious hospital in France, and had a gorgeous fiancé who she loved more than anything. So while Hermione regretted how things had ended with Harry and Ron, she didn't regret the life she now had. She wouldn't change her life with Draco for anything.