THE MALFOY MARRIAGE MEMOIR

Chapter 4

Rewind, Repeat

19th January, 2005

You know how I've always complained about not doing exciting things? I mean, just being spontaneous, letting loose, going with the flow?

Well, suffice it to say, that today, I did just that.

At about noon, I walked in to Hermione's store, nodded to her till manager William, signifying that the "plan" – as we'd been calling it for the past two days- was still very much being called to order, lied to Granger about an emergency in my store, conveniently asked her to grab her purse while she was at it, which she did not, anyway, and rushed her over to the opposite side of the street, right where our getaway portkey awaited.

She was a bit confused at the sight of the entire luggage, but took one look at the toothbrush gleaming proudly in the middle of it all, like the eye of the storm, and understood. Before she could protest, however, my hand was on hers, then on the portkey, and then we were in Spain.

Don't you love a good surprise? My girlfriend sure does. Would she have liked to have known about it earlier so she could obsess over every obscure detail and worry herself sick? Absolutely. But was the look of utter joy on her face when she came to, and breathlessly drank in the private beach by which we'd landed worth it? Yes. A million times, yes.

When she exclaimed about the cottage and the beach and the entire damn thing, I told her that Malfoys did nothing if not in style, and she rolled her eyes at that.

The rest of the day passed us by in a blur. Swimming in lukewarm water, splashing up a storm, kissing for hours on end – it was magic.

No, I haven't gone all sappy. Yet.

God, I'm so glad I decided to do this. It's a much needed vacation. And now we're off for a taste of the local cuisine.

Draco groaned as he stretched himself out, snapping the journal shut. He remembered that vacation quite vividly. He'd bought a really nice bikini for Hermione that she'd liked the colour of, but had transfigured into a one piece before putting on. He snorted at that memory. It was so typical of her. He hadn't been offended at the least, and had spent the entire day with an amused look on his face.

'Boss, I'm packing up for the day,' Alisha called out from the front of the store.

'You go ahead, I'll lock up.'

'You sure?'

He nodded again and put the diary back in his bag, switching off the lights with a flick of his wand, and closing the store behind him, setting up the necessary wards in place. Someone had tried to break in once, but had been caught by the sweeper who did the rounds every night, and had done no more harm than a broken window, but after that incident, Draco and Hermione had made sure to take extra precaution.

He slung his satchel over his shoulder, shoved his hands into the pockets of his robe, and started walking. He usually apparated, but something about tonight made him want to walk.

He wandered around aimlessly till a little counter operated by a balding man in his sixties caught his fancy, and, before he could stop himself, he had stepped up.

-X-X-X-

'Oh, hello, Hermione, it's a pleasure to see you.'

'Likewise, Pansy,' Hermione smiled, tucking a wayward strand behind her ear. Though she'd gotten pretty comfortable with Blaise, she hadn't really become "friends" with Pansy. They were just very different women. They were acquaintances, yes, their husbands were best friends, yes, but that was about as far as it went. Pansy liked to spend her time pouring over Witch Weeklies, researching ways to make her hair look shinier, and Hermione, well, Hermione read The Modern Wizard's Guide to Ancient Arithmancy when she was bored. Enough said.

'How's Leo doing?'

'Oh, he's asleep. He and Delilah wore each other out. Those kids will be the death of me.'

Hermione smiled. 'Thank you, though,' she added. 'Thanks for putting up with him on such short notice. Draco and I were in a real fix.'

'Ugh, I can imagine,' Pansy snorted. 'Don't even get me started on the days I've to hunt for people to leave the kids with. And to top it all off, Daffodil says she'd old enough to not need a sitter anymore. Which is utter crap, obviously, but who's to make these kids see sense?'

Hermione smiled again, and picked up Leo gingerly, careful to not wake him up.

'Well, I'd best be going, now. Thanks again for taking care of him.'

'Hermione?' Pansy interrupted just as she was about to leave.

'Yeah?'

'Okay, I know that the two of us aren't exactly close, but, there's just something I've been meaning to ask you. Is everything okay between Draco and you?'

Hermione narrowed her eyes. 'Did he put you up to this?'

'No, sweetheart, I can see for myself, I have eyes. I do notice something's amiss when my friend barges in here in the morning in the foulest of moods with a toddler in his hands.'

Hermione sighed. 'It's really no big deal, Pansy, but it's just hard to put up with him sometimes. You know how he can get. And even if it's his fault, he doesn't want to admit it! It's like living with another kid.'

Pansy snorted. 'Tell me about it. It's literally the same with me and Blaise.'

'Really?' Hermione asked, surprised. 'But the both of you seem…I don't know…so in love?'

'We are,' she said, pursing her lips and pondering for a moment. 'But he's still unbearable most mornings. Though, that being said, I'm not an angel either. So it's a little bit of give, a little bit of take, and that's the magic of marriage!'

Hermione chuckled. 'Amen.'

'You do know that Draco and I used to date, right?'

'I'm aware, yes. Why?'

'Well, he was a real douche.'

Hermione laughed at all – a loud, belly-rumbling guffaw that almost woke the sleeping toddler in her arms.

'He was fourteen, Pansy, cut him some slack.'

'That being said, I've known Draco my whole life – since we were babies. He was a real ass. He got a bit better after Hogwarts, I'd say, but he was still a major prick. You know, he tried to convince Blaise against marrying me?'

Hermione raised her eyebrows. 'You're still holding that against him?'

'Of course not, don't be silly. All I'm saying is that he often did stuff without thinking of others, or of their consequences. I mean, I guess he still does, a bit, at least, but you know when he really changed? I mean, he's still the same person, but a different version of himself. A better version of himself. He became that version when he met you. Now, he thinks about others – most of the times, at least – and, I don't know, he's just a better person. And you made him discover that part of himself.'

'Pansy, I don't know what to say, I –'

'Don't say anything,' she interrupted. 'Don't say it isn't true. Because I remember that day you and Draco were at Narcissa's for her annual spring soiree. That's when I first found out you two were dating. And I remember telling Blaise, "Now, there's a couple who's in love." And I wasn't wrong. I usually never am. So, just, you know, remember that.'

-X-X-X-

'HERMIONE!' Draco exclaimed as he entered their home. 'HERMIONE!'

'Leo is asleep in the other room, you idiot!' she harshly whispered, running out of their room. 'What's the matter?'

Draco let out a deep breath, panting. He'd run up the stairs in his excitement, but now that he was there, he didn't know how to say it.

'What is it? Oh, my God, are you hurt?' she asked worriedly, rushing over to him, examining him for bruises. 'No? What is it?'

He just held up two tickets. 'We're going to Spain!'

'What?'

'I know it's sudden but I was thinking how we never do things spontaneously anymore, so I saw this little counter in Diagon Alley today, an advertisement for a travel agency, and I know we've been there already, but the only thing that's available on such short notice is my cottage, and we leave day-after, and…why aren't you saying anything?'

Hermione sighed. 'When do we leave?'

'Day-after? What's the matter? Are you mad?'

She sighed again, reaching over to cup his cheek in his hands and peck him on the lips. 'This is so sweet, Draco, really, but…I can't…I'm going to Japan.'

-X-X-X-

A/N – This is a horribly late update, my apologies, but in my defense, my laptop was out of order, so I really couldn't help it. WHY IS HERMIONE GOING TO JAPAN? You'll find out in the next chapter, I suppose.

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