CHAPTER 2

Draco Malfoy was exhausted. He was in his hotel room in Japan, having finally and successfully completed a deal with a leading Japanese muggle tech company to work together with Malfoy Industries to develop a range of gadgets compatible with the wizarding world. He was satisfied, because he had been working for a very long time on this deal. Not only was it going to be revolutionary with its impact, it was going to be very lucrative as well. He had actually planned on taking Hermione, or Mia as he liked to call her, on a romantic getaway, just for the two of them.

He had realized that he had been neglecting their relationship for some time now, but he had really needed to complete this deal single-handedly to assure the Board of Directors of Malfoy Enterprises that he was capable of taking over from his father, and was not just riding on his coat-tails. This was the deal which would establish his position in the company as a worthy and hard-working employee.

He had been so lost in the thick of the work that he had hardly kept track of the date. He had let his assistant handle all the appointments and tell him when he needed to be where. Honestly he didn't even know what the date was that day. He was about to get up and check the calendar, but he was just too tired. So he promised himself that he would get back to reality soon, just after a long and well-deserved nap.

-12 hours later-

A bleary eyed Draco woke up to the blaring ringtone of his personal phone. He had finally put it on charge after more than a week. Fumbling to find his phone on the bedside table, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"It's high time you picked up your phone, young man! I have been trying to reach you for three days. Where the hell are you?" shrieked Narcissa Malfoy.

Draco jerked awake. His mother never cursed, so he knew he was in big trouble.

"Sorry mom, I have been really busy finishing up this tech deal in Japan. Why? Is there an emergency back home?" he enquired, a little worried.

"What are you doing in Japan? Do you even know the date? Have you talked to Hermione?" Narcissa questioned rapidly.

"I just told you mom, I was swamped with work, so me and Mia haven't talked much over the past week. Just a couple of texts and short calls. The time zones are completely off, so I didn't want to disturb her in the middle of the night, because I was free for lunch. I'm sorry, I'll spend some quality time with her when I'm back."

Narcissa sighed. She realized that Draco hasn't missed her birthday on purpose, but she wasn't going to let him off easily, since he still hadn't realized that he had missed it.

"Check the date, then call me back," she said, a little frostily, before hanging up.

Draco was utterly confused. His mother was never cold with him, and her tone made him feel like he was on the edge.

As he looked on the screen, he saw a picture of him hugging Hermione, both having carefree smiles on their faces as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. He smiled, the picture invoking some of the most joyful memories of his life, when she had agreed to marry him, the intricate ring with a small pink diamond glistening on her finger.

Jerking himself away from going down memory lane, he focused on the date and time displayed.

4:30 p.m.

Saturday, 21st September

It took a second for it to click.

"Shit! No, no, no, no… How did I miss her birthday! It is always on my calendar. How come no one on my team reminded me?"

Draco was devastated. He was deeply in love with Hermione, and he felt like he had let her down, especially because he knew she wouldn't be upset with him over this. Both he and Hermione cherished their relationship beyond recognizing days and giving gifts, but when he had decided to propose to her, he decided to always treat her like a queen, with the utmost respect and realize the gift he had been given in the form of his relationship with Mia.

He scrambled out of bed, and started pacing around in his room, trying to figure out what to do. He was close to pulling out his hair, when his phone rang again. He was shocked out of his reverie. It was his mother, again. He remembered that he was supposed to call her once he realized his blunder.

"Hey mom…"

Draco's utterly dejected tone melted Narcissa's heart.

"Oh Draco… Did you decide what you want to do? Have you tried calling Hermione?"

"Mom, I don't know how I am going to face her. I mean, everyone must have wished her on her birthday and given her gifts, and here I as her fiancé didn't even bother to wish her!"

"Draco, Hermione hasn't been home this weekend. I only talked to her on the phone on her birthday. Lucius said he knows where she is, and that she told you. Do you remember?"

Draco rummaged through his memories of the last week trying to remember when Mia told him of any events she would be attending. A bulb went off in his head as he remembered that she had asked him about going to the Serpentine resort for the weekend. He just felt worse because he realized that she had hinted at spending the weekend together, and he had just brushed her off.

Narcissa said, "Draco, just fix this OK? She deserves better."

"I will."

Hermione was taking the elevator down to the dining hall for dinner, and checking her outfit in the reflective surface of the elevator. Her burgundy, one-shouldered, knee length dress, dark smokey eye, and deep burgundy lip with her hair pulled up in a high ponytail made her look mature and like someone to be taken seriously.

This dinner was to welcome everyone and for nana, her grandma, to see and greet everyone. It was supposed to be an intimate, joyful affair, but she knew how 'joyful' it would be once all her cousins ganged up on her, and aunts and uncles interrogated her about her career and personal life, hoping to get some scandalous gossip. Usually she had her parents to back her up, but this time, she was alone. She felt the absence of Draco just then, because she knew his hand in hers, and his soothing voice would have calmed her nerves, and keep her temper under control among such obnoxious people.

She had made the choice to look as far removed from the book-loving nerd her family identified as, because her life now entailed much more than just her love of books. Although she loved to lounge around in sweatpants with her novels, she was a also successful businesswoman, marrying into an influential family in both the muggle and magical community. She wanted her family to know that side of her too, and learn that they could not walk all over her for their own validation.

She was mainly here to see her nana, who she loved dearly, and who had taught her to never lose faith in herself. The twinkle in her eyes always reminded her of Dumbledore, and she felt like her nana knew more about her magical side than she let on. She reminded herself to steer clear of magic, because the Statute of Secrecy was still in place, and only immediate family was allowed knowledge of magic.

The elevator doors opened, and a confident Hermione walked out into the lion's den ready to face the awkwardness and snide remarks associated with her extended family.