‘He what? What date?’ Hermione nearly slopped her tea over the side of her mug. Draco scourgified the few drops that made it over the edge.
‘Yeah. Leggy-Blonde. Saw them at the coffee shop. MY coffee shop. Laughing away on their little date. I mean, he can date whoever the heck he wants but does he have to pick someone who looks like the female version of me? And in my favourite place as well? Talk about a kick in the teeth.’ Draco mumbled the last bit. Hermione looked dumbfounded.
‘Really? He never mentioned he was dating anyone. Although, I’m so busy these days with being the department head and the kids are a total handful and—oh no, what if he thinks he can’t tell us these things anymore?’
Draco stared at her.
‘Really Granger? You’re going to complain about your relationship with Potter to me?’
Hermione looked at him sheepishly.
‘Right. Sorry. Anyway, aside from that, how are you feeling?’ She asked him seriously.
‘I’m fine, you know how it is.’ He would probably feel like shit for a couple of days but his attacks weren’t anywhere near as bad as they used to be. Hermione nodded.
‘Right. I mean, I wouldn’t normally check up on you, I know how you feel about it. Harry can check for magical signatures interfering with the wards though, so I figured better safe than sorry.’ She explained as she drank the last of her tea.
‘I’m fine Hermione. Go back and spend time with the kids.’ Since Hermione became head of the DMLE, her time with her children had been suffering. She gave him a smile loaded with sympathy and pity. It made his stomach churn.
‘You’re a really great guy Draco. I’m sorry things turned out the way they did.’
Draco stood and pulled her into a hug, he even refrained from making a comment on how her bushy brown hair was getting in his eyes and mouth.
Teddy came out of his room in just enough time for a high-five goodbye, he’s still too cool for hugs, and Draco showed Hermione out through the front door since he didn’t have the magical ability to lift the wards Harry had set. Not that he would ever admit that in a million years.
During the first month of his agreement with Hermione, Draco searched for apartments and jobs near Paris. Not in Paris, because there’s no way he’d be able to afford to live in Paris, but close enough that he could have an inter-city floo connection or to use muggle transport if necessary.
Draco had had a job working for a potion developer for the past two years, but even before he’d decided to move to France, he’d thought his superiors were making a mug of him. Draco’s potions were available in a lot of the top apothecaries, but he never got any credit for his work. He’d supply the firm with all his new formulae and in return the company provided him with a lab and the most up-to-date equipment. Except, they never ever gave him any credit. That’s why he’d kept his greatest achievement secret.
The jobs he’d been looking for in France all appeared to be much of a muchness. So, he’d decided to arrange a meeting at Gringotts to see if he could take out a business loan and set up on his own in France. He hadn’t told anyone about his plan, because he would be far too embarrassed if he was refused.
That Friday he showed up early to Andromeda’s so that he could ask Harry if Teddy could stay with him for the weekend too. Draco really needed to get his finances in order before his Gringotts meeting and he didn’t want Teddy to have to hang around while Draco was sifting through paperwork.
He was just finishing is second cup of tea with his aunt, who was telling him a lot about the various plants she was learning to grow in the garden, when Harry arrived. Draco was actually disappointed as Andromeda had grown up in the Black family and had some very interesting knowledge on some of the rare plants that were no longer available in England.
‘And then my other dad said—’ Teddy stopped talking as soon as he saw Draco sitting with Andromeda.
‘Good evening Edward,’ Andromeda said with a sly smile. Draco simply watched on confused. Teddy blushed profusely and hid behind Harry.
‘Oh, Draco. I didn’t expect you to still be here.’ Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
‘Yes. I needed to ask you if you’d watch Ted this weekend. I have business to attend to.’ Draco was surprised by how formal he sounded. It reminded him of his father, and not in a nice way.
‘But you can’t be busy! Dad has a date with the nice lady with the books!’ Teddy burst out.
‘Edward, I think your father and Draco need to talk without us eavesdropping, don’t you?’ Andromeda led Teddy through to the kitchen.
‘Draco I—’ Harry started, but Draco had heard enough.
‘Don’t Harry. You don’t owe me an explanation. You’re entitled to date whoever you want to. If you can’t take Teddy I’ll see if Luna will. It’s not a problem.’ Ugh. Draco hated how cold he sounded.
‘No, Draco, it’s not what you thi-’
‘I don’t think anything,’ he said abruptly. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I need to find some childcare.’ With that, Draco strode swiftly out of the room, leaving Harry standing there with his mouth working like a fish. Draco knew he wasn’t justified in being so angry, but he couldn’t help himself. The sooner he got away from the stupid idiot the better.
Thankfully, Luna was happy to have Teddy for a couple of days and Teddy was more than happy to have a sleepover. It gave Draco the time he needed to get his affairs in order. Unfortunately for him, the day of his bank meeting started badly.
He was in his favourite coffee shop near Mayfair and for once he had decided to read the Prophet, to make sure he was up-to-date with the wizard stock market. It wasn’t strictly relevant to him, but Goblins were notorious for undermining wizards’ intelligence with their quips. Draco was no fool, his father had taught him well when it came to negotiations.
Before he made it to the stocks, the frontpage headline caught his eye.
Saviour of the Wizarding World in Whirlwind Romance with Mystery Muggle
Draco’s heart dropped. There were photographs of Harry and Leggy-Blonde walking through London with coffee cups in hand. In one Harry was laughing, his smile bright and his cheeks flushed. In another, Leggy-Blonde was gripping his elbow tightly and pointing at something off in the distance that was out of shot.
He didn’t read the words, he could already feel his bloody boiling. He did however, flick through to see how long the article was. Harry had landed himself a three-page spread. Or at least, Draco thought he had. As it turned out, the final page was a delight all on its own.
Where is Draco Malfoy now?
Now that caught Draco’s attention.
Harry Potter was seen out with a mystery woman yesterday in London’s Soho. It seems that our hero has finally moved on from his marriage with ex Death Eater, Draco Malfoy.
It comes as no surprise to us at the Prophet that the Saviour has turned to pastures greener. In fact, we were surprised the unconventional marriage lasted as long as it had at all.
But, the real question is, where is Draco Malfoy now? We all know that following the war, our favourite Death Eater was a touch camera shy, but Draco Malfoy has taken incognito to a whole new level.
Our trainee reporters managed to catch Mr. Malfoy in Knockturn Alley last week. Surprise, surprise. You know what they say about bad habits. What is Mr. Malfoy up to? Is he returning to his roots and engaging once again in the Dark Arts? It certainly seems so. Malfoy was spotted buying an unusual mix of potions ingredients, some of which we know as ingredients of the deadly potion, Draft of the Living Death. Perhaps Mr. Malfoy is more jealous of his ex-husband than he’s willing to let on.
We’re still waiting for an official statement from either party on the divorce so please, if either of you are reading this, we’re more than happy to schedule an…
Draco had heard enough. There were pictures all over the page of him, looking suspicious as all hell. Of course, they managed to catch him on the one day he forgot to use either Polyjuice or a disillusionment charm.
He was furious. Apparently, the agreement that the Prophet wouldn’t report on Draco dissolved along with his marriage. His head fell into his hands as he realised that the goblins would absolutely have heard about this and Draco was absolutely not getting his loan.
He trudged his way to Gringotts anyway. His father told him that the only things goblins hate more than wizards, it’s fear. As he reached the doors of the lopsided old building, he paused, straightened his spine, held his head high, and stepped inside.
Draco Malfoy officially has no dignity left. His meeting was absolutely abysmal. “Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, you’ll be hearing from us soon.” Bullshit. In all his years with dealing with Gringotts, he’d never come away without a deal. His father would be completely and utterly ashamed of him.
As soon as he was back at his flat he took off his expensive robes and changed into the joggers Harry had bought him. It always made him laugh at how much he had protested when Harry had bought him them. He was sure he’d called them an insult to fashion and the trousers of peasants. Oh, to look at him now.
Really, he should’ve gone back to work, but he didn’t feel like it and it wasn’t as if they could fire him. Without his potions genius, the business would’ve folded a long time ago. He was surprised to get a floo call from the Ministry though.
‘Minister.’ Draco greeted formerly whilst trying to disguise his current attire.
‘Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy, I do apologise for interrupting your afternoon.’ Kingsley had been one of the few people to support Draco and Harry’s relationship when the first came out and Draco would be eternally grateful.
‘Not at all, Minister, I have the afternoon off after a big meeting.’ It wasn’t strictly true, but it wasn’t quite lying either. ‘How can I help you?’
