Chapter three

Lonely Hearts club

Notes: Sorry it has been so long. Sorry, this chapter is short, the next is almost ready to go.

Hermione stood with Ginny and Harry waving the children off as they headed to Hogwarts, trying to ignore the jealousy that struck her hotly in the gut. Her children were in their second and fourth year and Hermione desperately didn't want it to end for them.

Still, she smiled and waved and her children did the same though Rose looked a little concerned. She had repeated the offer to stay behind but Hermione had told her that she would be fine. Perhaps they both knew it was not entirely true.

Hermione thought she might head back to work, she had been putting it off for a while now but felt the time was right. Hermione was happy in her work and it consumed a lot of her mind and her time, maybe now that was a good thing.

"You ok?" Harry asked at dinner that night at the Burrow.

Hermione nodded.

"Fine, I think I'm ready for work."

Harry didn't hide his surprise.

"That's great, Hermione, really. I am so glad to hear you say that." He paused.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"Soon?" He asked hopefully and Hermione hid her smile.

"I hope so," Hermione replied and smiled at the rest of the table that had been listening with interest.

"I am sure there are a few things Harry could do, to make the process easier," Ginny said with a pointed look at her husband who shrugged.

"She knows what the job is like, it's a lot of things, easy isn't one of them," Harry said, in his way.

"Oh, Harry…" Mrs Weasley began.

'No he is right." Hermione said. "It is partly the reason it's been so long. I have to be ready."

"Of course you do," Arthur said with a gentle smile, he and Harry exchanged looks that Hermione didn't quite understand and Ginny's expression gave nothing away. Hermione hoped it was nothing, though knew better.

"More potatoes anyone?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"No thank you, but thank you for dinner."

"Oh your welcome, dear, and you know you can stay if you ever get lonely in that house." Mrs Weasley replied.

Hermione nodded. "I know, but I think that peace and quiet will be nice, at least for a little while."

The entire table looked just a tiny bit sceptical.

In her head, she barely registered that it was a warm, bright and beautiful night and that it was the kind of evening that should be enjoyed rather than how she was spending it, in tears hunched over her husband's tombstone. It was hard to remember exactly what had brought her here, a memory or feeling or something from the house that she had discovered, whatever it was it sent her immediately into a state and she left the house in a hurry and ran the distance to Northern Lane. She breathed heavily as she arrived and was unable to control the sobbing that followed and wished she could make it stop. Her therapist said that it was important for her to feel everything, the good and the bad and the ugly.

This was certainly an ugly moment.

She wasn't sure how long she sobbed and sputtered for but it didn't feel like long until she was a bit calmer and a hand went gently on her shoulder and squeezed. She felt herself stiffen, it wasn't Harry as the hand was too tentative and the fingers were too long.

"Sorry," Malfoy said. "I waited for Potter to come, but it's been over an hour."

Hermione wiped her eyes.

"He and Ginny are away, you didn't have to worry, I've been on my own before." Slowly she stood, kissed her hand and placed it gently on the top of the tomb.

Hermione took a few steps back and winced as something pierced her foot.

"No shoes again, huh?" He asked.

She sighed.

"So it would seem, you're visiting rather late." She turned to look, he was in a rather casual Muggle outfit that looked meticulously put together and made him look almost human.

Draco nodded.

"It's our Anniversary." He said with a heaviness that she could relate to.

Hermione swallowed heavily and without thinking she took and squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry." She said and he nodded.

"What did you step on?" He asked.

Hermione looked down and lifted up her foot, it was bloody and dirty.

"I can't really tell, I think Hugo left his old chess set, I'm forever stepping on his toys."

"It's a boy thing, that's what Astoria always said," Malfoy said with a shrug.

"She was right," Hermione replied with a slight smile. "Well I think I'm alright, I should go and you can have peace."

"I appreciate the thought, but I've probably spent enough time here. I can walk you home, make sure you don't do anything else too embarrassing."

"Oh, that's kind of you." She said sarcastically but felt it actually was.

'I don't have to carry you do I?" He asked looking a little horrified at the idea.

"Laugh it up," Hermione replied and she hurried to follow him, her foot ached a little, knowing her luck she'd stepped on a sharp piece that wasn't afraid to fight back a little.

He offered an arm and she took it which felt a little strange. He was Draco Malfoy after all, someone she'd spent a long time trying to hate. In all honesty, she had a hard time hating anyone and school was so long ago and now mixed with so many other memories she'd almost forgotten all the ways he'd tortured her.

"Lonely Hearts Club, huh?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"I think it involves a lot of Firewhisky, least I hope it does," Hermione replied. "But as I said, it was Harry's idea. I think he just wants me to have someone to talk to who's been there."

Draco swallowed.

"I'm not sure I'm in any position to give comfort or advice."

Hermione shrugged.

"How about just a drink then?" She hadn't meant for it to sound like a proposition but then it was out there and she felt herself thinking quickly to correct it.

"In honour of your Anniversary." She added with a slightly apologetic smile.

He raised an eyebrow at her and she knew, she hadn't exactly covered herself but that it was alright, for now.

"I can drink to that."

He didn't stay that long as he did not want to allow enough time for something significant to happen. What exactly he wasn't sure but what he did know was that he was a little intrigued by her. Draco felt she was not the girl he had known at school and found he was interested to find out who she was. She still seemed very hung up on her husband which he could appreciate because he felt very hung up on his wife. They shared a bottle of red wine. They talked about their children at length and their parents, briefly. Draco spoke of his work and Hermione spoke of her intention to return to work and her confusion in her own procrastination to do so.

In truth, it wasn't a bad first meeting of the Lonely Hearts Club and by the end, she almost felt comfortable in his presence.

It was late and they both started to yawn, she offered him the couch and he declined insisting the walk would clear the wine from his head.

It certainly did that but as usual, there was still so much to think about.

He knew he was grateful for a distraction from the emptiness that he had been feeling but then also there was great confusion in everything else that he was feeling.