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The Affair	By : snowblind12 & Lissa Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 55609 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: This fanfic is based off the Harry Potter books which are owned by JKR. I make no money from this fanfic and these characters as well as the Harry Potter books and world belong to JKR!

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
Once again, I wish to give credit where credit is due. LissaDream is a saint. She is a super skilled writer and beta. Her tweaks, corrections and additions to this chapter are greatly appreciated. She is beyond busy with raising her four children, running a day care, going to school full time, being a wife, writing her own stories and then making time to help me as well. I can't sing her praises enough. Oh, and by the way? Her stories are amazing. Please check them out!
Thanks so much for reading, favoring, following and reviewing. It's the only way I know you wonderful readers are still with me :) I apologize for not responding to reviews individually the last chapter. Please know I appreciate them and they are what motivate me to keep writing. I can't thank you enough!
Thursday

Hermione and Lizzy spent hours fine tuning which pieces of evidence they needed from the files. The deeper they investigated, the more they found. It wasn't necessarily blatant discrimination, but there were patterns. Patterns that, because they were not noticed or addressed, led to what ended up being discrimination. Since Hermione knew she couldn't use stolen files, she would have to find a way to legally obtain the evidence she needed. They would start by interviewing the females whom they were going to use as case studies. Hermione sent an owl to Rita Skeeter arranging to meet that afternoon.
At 11:30, Hermione left her office to meet Draco for lunch at the public restaurant she had designated in the owl she had sent him this morning, simply listing the time and place. His response had come quickly that he would be there. She felt nauseated, sick with grief for what she was about to do, but she knew she didn't have a choice. Meeting him visibly would prevent him from making a scene and would prove to whomever Theo had tailing her that she wasn't meeting him for a tryst.
When she arrived, Draco was already there waiting for her at a table in a back corner of the restaurant. She slowly approached the dimly lit alcove, her heart was pounding and her emotions in utter turmoil. He stood to greet her when she reached him, his expression anticipatory, but suspicious. When they sat, his knowing eyes watched her from across the table, she refused to meet his gaze.
His lovely tenor voice was tense, quiet, and dangerously controlled. "A public restaurant, you won't look at me…" He trailed off, taking a deep breath before continuing. "What's going on, Granger? What's changed? What's Theo done now?"
Hermione swallowed heavily and had just opened her mouth to answer when the waiter approached to review the lunch specials. Hermione didn't order anything other than a cup of tea. Draco ordered a fire whiskey and waved off the waiter impatiently.
His control slipping, he demanded. "Tell me, Granger. What's changed?" The tremor of anger, and maybe a bit of fear, in his voice was noticeable.
Her defeated, golden eyes finally came up to meet his, heartbreak etched into the planes of her face. "I can't do this, Draco. Theo…he knows we spent the afternoon at The Ritz yesterday. He's obviously having me followed." She kept her tone low, her eyes casting discreetly to the tables around them.
Draco watched her, tension seething from him, his jaw muscles flexing as he ground his teeth. "What happened," he growled, his fury becoming increasingly evident even though his voice was deathly quiet.
"He basically threatened me." She looked down at her hands, clenching them into a ball on the table in front of her, willing them not to shake. "I told him I would give him six months and he's holding me to that. I have to keep my word." She looked up, imploring him to understand, eyes glassy with unshed tears of frustration. "Draco, if...if I don't do as I promised, those photos will..."
He interrupted her. "Fuck the photos!" His voice intense and husky; his gaze dark and non-relenting.
Hermione's eyes locked with his in surprise and her mouth fell open. "What?" she asked. It was barely a whisper.
They stared at each for a moment. He let out a slow breath, his eyes suddenly soft, all anger gone and replaced by warmth and reassurance. "I've thought of nothing else since Monday night, Hermione. I…I think you realize I'm in love with you. I'll…that is we'll…tackle this together. I'll have my PR team spin the whole thing. We'll find a way to make you look like the victim. Or we'll just ignore it, and it'll eventually become old news." He reached out to take her hand but she pulled away, trembling, her eyes scanning around them to see if anyone was watching. Her jumpiness unnerved him, he was going to kill Theo. He couldn't even touch her hand?
He closed his eyes briefly, working to reign in the fury that was threatening to spill over yet again before continuing, his voice laced with emotion. "I should have said these words to you Monday night and I should have said them yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't, but I'm saying them now. Hell, I'm begging you, Hermione. Please. Forget about the photos. Let's just be together, we'll get through this. Together."
Hermione's eyes welled and her throat became tight. She was completely overcome. He was saying what she secretly desired him to all along. Her heart swelled with love for the man sitting across from her, but knowing his true feelings changed nothing for her. She shook her head, minutely. She would not take him down with her. His confession just made her that much more adamant to protect him and his reputation.
Caramel eyes fixed determinedly on steel, her voice was strong and non-wavering. "Draco, no." She swallowed a sob when his face dropped. "You can't. You're just getting the Malfoy reputation restored. You've worked so hard, I won't let you throw that away for me. Your parents...your parents would hate me. More than they already do, and I can't go through that again."
Draco cocked a silver eyebrow, a hint of indignation in his expression and voice. "My parents are nothing like Ezmirelda Nott."
Hermione shook her head adamantly. "No, Draco. It's moot. I don't want the photos spread...period. I have my business to think about as well, you know." She looked down at her hands. She was resolved to her fate. "I'll continue to try to find a way out of this." She looked up, meeting his gaze. "I'll find a way, Draco."
"And if you don't?"
She shrugged. "If I don't, then in six months I'll be a free woman. Theo will handle his mother. I'll come to you and if you still…still want me, we'll be together."
Draco shook his head, frustration and anguish on his face. "How can you even say that? Of course, I'll still want you! I've waited for you, wanted you, since I was fourteen. I think I can wait another six months." He leaned back in his chair, rage brewing beneath the surface, once again. "The thing is, I don't believe for a second he'll keep his promise. Six months from now he'll continue to blackmail you, manipulate you."
Hermione wiped the tear that escaped. She was still overcome by his confession and proposition. Her voice shook as she replied. "If that happens, and I still don't have a way out of his mother's talons, I'll...I'll let you decide the course of action. I'll do what you advise. If you still want me to leave him and ignore the consequences, then that's what I'll do. If you...if you don't want that anymore, for whatever reason, I'll do as you say. But, for now, I want to do it my way."
His tone was bitter. "Because your way is working so well." He rolled his eyes and swallowed the fire whiskey down as soon as it was placed in front of him.
"Please, Draco. Please have faith in me and my choice. I need your support or I'll never get through this." Her hands trembled as she lifted her tea cup to her mouth.
His eyes moved from hers to her mouth as she sipped her tea and back to her eyes again. His hard expression slowly morphed to one of resignation. "Oh, Pet. Of course you have my support." He shifted in his seat, drawing himself upright. His eyes darkening slightly, his voice morphing into a Dominant edge. "But in six months, if he doesn't keep his word, then you're mine. I'm holding you to your promise. You'll do as I say. Understood?"
She nodded and smiled softly. "Yes. Understood."
Hermione felt a familiar flutter in her stomach as his stormy, turbulent, Dominant eyes stayed fixed on hers. The pull to him was almost more than she could take. She wanted nothing more than to crawl across the table into his lap and beg him to do with her what he would.
His jaw tensed as he read her reaction. His hands itched to reach for her, pull her across the table, slam her into the wall and claim her. Right here. Right now. Restaurant full of lunch-goers be damned.
She looked away, her heart tripping over itself, blood rushing to her core. She shifted in her seat, seeking friction. Mother of Merlin what this man does to me! She sucked in a deep calming breath and shook her head, willing herself to be strong. She had to get out of there. She grabbed her bag from beside her. Still not looking at him, knowing she would lose it if she did, the painful words came out choked. "I…I have to go."
Her words deflated him, reality crashing down. "Please, Hermione. Please reconsider." He was desperate, and he didn't care that she saw it
She chanced a look at his face, his sorrow written all over it. His plea broke her heart and she lost what little control she had left. She couldn't help the sob that escaped as she whispered. "I love you, Draco." She jumped up and dashed away from the table. Her head down so that no one could see her grief-stricken features.
It took every ounce of Draco's control not to run after her. As he sat alone, recounting and absorbing what had just happened. The reality and finality of what they were facing sunk in. Six months! The longer he sat, the more furious he became. He let it creep over him, welcoming it. Anger was a familiar emotion, an emotion he understood. Heartbreak was not. He was not a man who cried, his days of being a victim were over. He was not a scared teenager anymore. He was a grown man. A grown man who knew what he wanted. A grown man who would not let another man keep him from what he wanted. Never again. The one thing he knew for sure was that Hermione was his. He'd be damned if anyone was going to lay claim to what was his. He'd be damned if he would let anyone hurt her, manipulate her...touch her. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Six months...it was too long.
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Hermione apparated to her office from the restaurant and (after a good cry) pulled herself together. She wasn't doing herself any favors by falling apart. She needed to have a clear head. In order to get through this, she needed to be strong; she needed to be smart and she needed to be cunning. She needed to think and act like a Slytherin. Merlin, now I'm doing it. She huffed a silent laugh at herself.
She freshened up her face and greeted Rita with confidence and determination. She would let no one see the evidence of her inner turmoil. They hashed out more details and Rita agreed to help with the interviews. They needed solid evidence. Evidence other than what the files showed. The experiences the victims had would be a good start. The sooner she could get solid proof and testimony before the review board, the better. They agreed to meet again on Monday afternoon.
Thursday Evening
Theo watched his witch as she despondently picked at her dinner. The private investigator had told him of her lunch with Draco. He had seen the photos. She had finally told the backstabbing bastard. He knew it to be true based on both her behavior and the evidence presented. While a big part of him was seething over the fact she had likely lied about the Ritz encounter, it appeared she had finally kept her word. He would have to find a way to keep her in line. She hadn't taken him seriously. Not until he threatened her, but threatening her worked. She had broken it off. He hated that it had come down to threats. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. It was not who he was, certainly not who he wanted to be.
He slowly chewed and swallowed, still watching her. He smirked to himself as he recalled her reaction to his change of clothes the night before. He was right. She had forgotten. He would be sure to remind her...frequently. I know you so well my little Kitten. You'll be purring underneath me soon enough. He smiled as he picked up his wine glass and took a swallow.
Hermione shuddered when she looked up from her plate to find Theo smiling at her. He wasn't quite smiling because he was with her...more at her, so to speak. Like he had a secret he had no intention of sharing. She pushed her plate away with disgust, having only eaten a few bites.
"Now, Kitten, you know you need to eat more than that. Finish at least half of what's on your plate."
Hermione couldn't help her reaction. Her jaw fell open, her mind reeling with rage. How dare he! How dare he talk to her like this? She didn't crave his Dominance anymore. His was the wrong kind. It felt false, manipulative, and about five years too late! She ignored him, taking a long swallow of her wine instead.
Theo didn't let her defiance bother him, she would come around. After a week or so, she would miss what he could do to her, what Draco had been doing to her. He swallowed that bitter pill heavily. Draco had touched her; he couldn't change that. Before he let himself become too worked up or enraged over this fact, he reminded himself that it was his own damned fault. He did this. He brought it all on. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to reign in the frustration, the anger, the impatience. He had six months. He had six months to make her remember. Six months to make her fall in love with him again. But, God willing, she would give in to his touches and his desires and his Dominance much, much sooner than that
Saturday
Saturday came around quickly and yet so slowly at the same time. She didn't want to it to be Saturday. What if Theo decided to pressure her? She had been sleeping next to him for five nights. He had kept his word and not so much as touched her, but it was Saturday. For the past five years, Saturday had meant sex. To make it all worse, she hadn't seen Draco since Wednesday and she was missing him so much it was painful. The past seventy-two hours had dragged horribly, and her heart was in tatters in its wake.
She turned her head to Theo's sleeping form, he was laying on his side facing her. Hermione watched him sleep, remembering how she used to pepper his face with kisses, marvel at his long eyelashes – eyelashes that many witches would kill for. She had always found him so attractive. She still did if she was being totally honest with herself. His blue eyes were his best feature. they were stunning and the contrast with his pale skin and dark hair had made him irresistible to her. Had being the key word. His betrayal of her – of them – had made him unattractive to her heart. She flinched when his eyes opened, catching her watching him.
He gave her a soft smile. "Good morning, Kitten," he whispered. His voice groggy with sleep.
She rolled away and out of bed. "Morning," she replied in a distant, impersonal tone, not looking at him. She stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She stripped down and stepped inside, pulling the curtain closed behind her.
She reveled in the sensation of the water running over her hair, her face, her body – caressing her. She closed her eyes as the water ran in rivulets down her face, soaking her hair and eyelashes, and dripping off her chin and the tips of her breasts. She could almost imagine the drum of the water was Draco's hands; his mouth on her breasts, his cock rubbing against her belly. She shivered as her hands mimicked what his would do. His lean, muscular form rubbing up against her, the coarse hairs of his body sending electric currents over her smooth skin, his masculinity towering over her, his hands massaging her tense muscles, his eyes drinking in her femininity. She yearned to feel his soft skin over his hard body, his lips on hers, his tongue dominating her mouth. She imagined the taste of his mouth, his skin. Her hands on his shoulders, his chest, his torso. She leaned her head and back against the shower wall and goose bumps bloomed on her extremities from the cool as her hands continued to add to her imagination. She could picture him so perfectly – pressed against her, preventing her weak knees from letting her collapse. Her back against the wall as his mouth worked her nipples and his fingers teased her slick core. Sensation was everywhere as the powerful jets of the shower hit her nipples in just the right way. Her hands rubbed and stimulated where she needed it most. She spread her legs more as her fingers slid in and out of her wet heat, her other hand massaging her clit.
Just as she felt herself letting go, her release fast approaching, she was jolted out of her fantasy as Theo walked into the bathroom straight to the toilet and proceeded to relieve himself on just the other side of the curtain. Her heart pounding, her arousal completely doused as if someone had turned on frigid water, she slowly caught her breath as she reached for the shampoo, clumsily wiping the water out of her eyes and off her face. She heard him proceed to brush his teeth after the toilet flushed. She just wanted him to get out. What used to be such a normal every morning occurrence now just felt like a massive infringement on her privacy.
When she finally came out of the bathroom (having taken extra time trying to postpone the inevitable – a full day with Theo), she found a cooked breakfast waiting for her on the kitchen table. Damned if it didn't look and smell delicious, too. She had hardly eaten anything all week. Not just because of a loss of appetite, but also her desire to thwart Theo's attempts at nice evening meals together. She knew she needed to stop wearing her feelings on her sleeve. She had promised him to try, and ignoring him, being dismissive and non-engaging was doing nothing to lead him to believe she was trying. These six months needed to count or he could fairly accuse her of not holding up her end of the bargain. Swallowing her bitterness, she smiled begrudgingly at him and sat down to eat.
As they cleared the table, Hermione knew it was time to address what she hoped wouldn't be a huge problem. "Theo," she said as she rinsed the last dish. "I, uhh, adopted a familiar when I left." She put the dish in the cabinet and turned to him.
"Really?" He asked. His expression appearing genuinely curious.
She nodded. "Yep, a cat. A.." She let out a short laugh. "A rather large cat. A Maine Coon." She met his eyes. "I don't want to give her up, but clearly I can't leave her at my…at the apartment. I need to bring her here. Umm, is that going to be a problem?"
A flirtatious smile came over his face. "Well, I don't know." He toyed, pretending he might deny her.
She smiled at him. "Don't be a tease. I'm bringing her and you'll deal with it." With that she walked out of the room leaving a smirking Theo behind. It was a touch – just a taste – of the old Hermione. He welcomed it, basked in it, and drank it in.
Theo's jaw dropped when Hermione appeared thirty minutes later with the largest cat he had ever seen. The cat looked familiar somehow, but he couldn't place where he'd seen her.
"Her name is Cassiopeia," Hermione instructed, as she put the cat down on the sofa. "But I call her Beauty."
"Umm, you were right…she's big. I mean, she's huge. She's bigger than Mrs. Norris, and that was the biggest cat I had ever seen." Theo watched as the grey monster nuzzled Hermione's hand, compelling her to stroke her head before sliding off the sofa to explore her new home.
Hermione had also brought more clothes and personal items from her apartment and proceeded to walk towards the bedroom, Theo on her heels. "When are you moving out of the other place?" He asked, his tone in no way disguising his intention that this was what he expected her to do. "I mean, there's no need for you to keep the flat."
Hermione proceeded to put clothes away and didn't look at him as she answered. "I signed a one-year lease and it has a no sublet clause. So, I won't be getting rid of it." She turned to him and looked at him dead on, daring him to pick a fight.
Theo sensed the pointless argument ahead and decided to avoid it. "So, what do you want to do today? Do you want to go to muggle London and see a show? Maybe grab dinner in the city? We could invite your friends?"
She shook her head. "Theo, I'm not really up for any of that. Besides, my friends don't know that I'm living with you again. I haven't told them yet."
He swallowed and nodded. In truth, he had no desire to see her friends. He was just trying to be nice.
He sat on the chair next to the sofa. His voice was soft, vulnerable somehow. "Well, what would you like to do? I mean, we could…you know…talk if you want? About what happened, I mean…do you have questions? I promise to be completely honest."
Hermione was shocked he had just offered up this conversation. The truth was she did have questions, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she cared. She studied him silently, not answering as her mind swam with the random questions that had popped into her head over the past weeks.
He looked at her knowingly. "I know you have questions. I know you don't want to care about the answers, but I also know you do care, Hermione. You wouldn't be you if you didn't. So how about I just tell you some things."
Hermione shook her head. Her words abrupt, her response out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "You know what, Theo? It really doesn't matter. You cheated, you lied, you betrayed me. You deceived me and deprived me of the man I married..." She trailed off, giving him what she hoped was a blasé, indifferent shrug and huffed. "That's all that matters. In the end, that's all I need to know."
The wounded look on Theo's face was visceral. Heavy silence permeated the room. He shook it off and met her eyes. "Hermione, either we talk or we go to counseling and talk to a stranger. It's one or the other. I know that in order for you to give us a fair chance, you need all the facts. You need to know what happened. I need to tell you. It will be therapeutic for me as well." He paused. "And I…I want to know how you and Draco came about. I have many questions regarding your relationship with him." The scrutinizing and accusatory look he was giving left her with no doubt he wanted answers.
She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, not caring if she looked like a child being forced into an uncomfortable conversation with a parent. It was exactly how she felt. She had lost free will in this relationship. She may not be sexually submissive to Theo anymore, but the blackmail that was being held over her left her submissive to his will in every way. It was unsettling and unwelcome. She walked to the sofa and sat down. "Fine." She snapped.
He watched her for a minute and when she didn't ask anything he cocked his eyebrow. "Well? You going to ask me anything?"
She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and huffed. "When we went to Hawaii for our two-year anniversary, were you already seeing her?"
Theo shook his head slowly. "No, it didn't start until a couple months after that. You know, when you started working those long hours."
Hermione nodded, a tiny flutter of relief zinged through her. She was grateful that the Hawaii trip wasn't tainted with his betrayal. It had been a wonderful adventure for them; probably the best trip they had ever taken.
She looked down at her hands which were clasped tensely on her lap, her knuckles white with stress. She really didn't want to talk about this.
Theo watched her and when she didn't come forward with another question, he asked. "How did you and Draco happen? Who initiated it?"
Hermione's eyes shot up to his, she really didn't want to tell him anything about Draco. It was private and none of his business. Besides, it would probably just make him angry. "Theo, I don't see where it's any of…"
An edge to his voice, he interrupted her. "Hermione, stop right there. You admitted to being with him before you and I broke up…before you knew about…" He looked down, ashamed, his voice softening. "Before you knew about Daphne and me." He looked back up and met her eyes. "You are guilty of adultery as well." His voice was firm but not harsh.
Hermione's eyes were on his, hard in their conviction. "Theo, don't…you…dare." Her voice was low, venomous, deadly. "Don't you dare try to play the victim in all this. I would have never gotten involved with Draco, or any other man for that matter, if I hadn't felt so lost. Lost because you were absent from our marriage in every way. A mannequin could have taken your place at the table, in front of the TV, or laying next to me at night. A dildo could have sufficed for our cold, impersonal Saturday night routine." Theo flinched. Her anger grew with each word spoken. Her outrage at her situation, her disgust with her pathetic husband bloomed with each utterance. "You are despicable, Theo. A manipulative, blackmailing, self-serving, pathetic excuse of a man. I have so much hate for you right now…" Her voice was shaking, goosebumps rippled down her arms, her heart was thudding with anger.
Theo didn't move. He had never seen her like this. He had pushed her too far, too soon. He shouldn't have forced this conversation on her. He swallowed heavily. She was right. He was all those things. However, those things were a means to an end. He was desperate and would do whatever he had to do to make her come around.
After regaining the ability to speak, he spoke softly. He didn't betray any anger or resentment, and attempted to infuse his tone with truthfulness. "I'll take your hate, Hermione. I'll relish in it, because it means you care. It means there's hope. I'm going to make all this up to you. You'll see. I am still the man you married seven years ago. At the end of six months, you'll remember. Then all of this…" He swallowed the lump in throat. "All this will have been worth it."
"You're impossible!" Hermione snapped, heart sinking at his words. She stood up. "And this conversation is over." She walked away and into their bedroom, slamming the door.
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When Hermione emerged an hour later, Theo wasn't there. The apartment was blessedly empty. She poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down. Her thirst having been what drew her out of the bedroom in the first place. She stroked Beauty who had pranced over, anxious for some attention. Hermione looked around, relishing the quiet and the privacy of his absence. "Beauty, I'll never survive six months." She leaned forward and kissed the cat's soft head as she thought about Draco, wondering what he was doing.
Her familiar looked up at her as if to say it would all be ok, and Hermione was convinced the damn thing understood exactly what she was saying.
Theo walked in the front door not much later, relieved to find Hermione sitting on the sofa. The latest edition of Transfiguration Today on her lap. He put the groceries away and walked towards her. His voice soft, his tone conciliatory. "I know you're mad and I shouldn't have forced you into a conversation you weren't ready for. It won't happen again."
Hermione didn't respond and didn't look at him. Her eyes were on the magazine on her lap, her hands aggressively flipping the pages. She resigned herself to ignoring him as much as possible for the rest of the weekend. Apparently, he took the hint. A few cold, silent seconds later, he spoke again.
"I'll just...be in the office," he said as he walked away.
Monday
Hermione exhaled as she sat at her desk. It had been a weekend of awkward silences and tension filled rooms. Theo had left her pretty well alone, and as the weekend progressed her anger had diminished. She still hated him, but by Saturday night she had regained her composure, and by Sunday she was able to at least exchange a few civil words with him.
She desperately needed something to leverage against him. She had even contemplated contacting Daphne to see if the adulteress would help Hermione figure a way out of this nightmare. Maybe Daphne could threaten to out her affair with Theo to the public if the pictures were released. If Hermione could spin it in a way that made it to Daphne's advantage, she'd probably hook the girl to her plan, but for the life of her, Hermione couldn't come up with any advantage for Daphne. Why would Daphne care a thing about those pictures?
Perhaps Daphne's husband could be useful. Did he even know about his wife's infidelity? Maybe he would be angry enough to divorce Daphne? Disclose all to The Daily Prophet? Theo would be outed as an cheater, garnering Hermione public support. Perhaps Adrian would feel the victim and sympathize with Hermione's plight? The two wronged individuals could stand together, he could threaten to out the infidelity unless the pictures were destroyed? Hermione knew she was grasping at nothing. What would Adrian care about her?
She let out a heavy sigh as she started flipping through the morning posts. She felt a lump in her throat when she recognized the spikey script of Draco Malfoy. She was just about to open it when she heard loud voices outside her closed office door.
"I'll tell her you're here. Please just have a seat…"
The haughty witch's response was clearly none other than Ezmirelda Nott and Hermione's stomach tightened uncomfortably. "I don't have time to wait, I have my morning tea with the First Wizarding Families of Britain in less than thirty minutes."
Hermione's door was tossed open as the towering witch stalked in. Lizzy's look was apologetic as she walked in behind the old bat.
Hermione smiled softly at her secretary. "It's ok Lizzy, just shut the door behind you."
Lizzy nodded, her expression flustered as she scampered out, gently closing the door.
Ezmirelda glanced around Hermione's office, not sitting and not touching anything. Her silk, grey robes were exquisite and probably cost more than Hermione's entire wardrobe combined. The snooty witch's gaze landed on Hermione after slowly taking in the entire room. Perhaps it was a touch of insanity, but Hermione almost burst out laughing. She felt the wretched woman could give Lucius Malfoy a run for his money in the contemptuous expressions department. Fortunately, she controlled her need to laugh maniacally and braced herself for the unknown.
"I've just come from a quick visit with my son. Care to explain why he isn't himself? Why he is still unhappy?" She paced to Hermione's window. "He tried to disguise it, but I could tell." She turned back towards Hermione. "A mother knows her son." She pursed her lips. "Was I not clear? Here I thought you were supposed to be so smart. What is it they say? 'The brightest witch of her age?'" She rolled her eyes. "Clearly you fooled them, because even the most stupid witch would have understood what I required."
Hermione was about to speak when the older witch quickly stepped up to Hermione's desk to tower over her threateningly. "I didn't simply want you to return to him, I want him to be happy. I shouldn't have to spell out what that means."
Hermione stood up in a huff of indignation. "Your son cheated on me for five years, Ezmilrelda. Five years!"
Ezmirelda let out a "Hmpf!" and then continued. "Then obviously you weren't meeting his needs now were you." She took a deep breath. "I warned him. I warned him you weren't witch enough to make him happy." Another sigh as she looked Hermione up and down. "But for some reason he desires you and thinks he loves you. Unfortunately, the fact is he married you, so he is stuck with you. Divorce will never be an option, even if he were to regain his senses." She started to walk towards the door. "Do your wifely duties, Hermione."
She stopped before opening the door and looked back at her. "Those photos clearly show you know how the parts work." She turned towards the door and then abruptly turned back again. "Oh, which reminds me. Grandsons. I need grandsons to carry on the House of Nott. Don't make me wait too long." She smiled evilly at her. "The next time I see my son, I'll expect to see that twinkle in his eye and a genuine smile on his face." With that she flung open the door and paraded out, not bothering to close it behind her.
Hermione collapsed back into her chair. Her fists in her hair. The gall of that woman! She had to come to terms with the fact that she would have to sleep with her husband. She swallowed heavily, preventing the bile that was threatening to come up into her mouth. Perhaps she could talk to Harry, he was an Auror after all. Maybe it was time to get the authorities involved. The thought of him seeing the photos made her ill, though. Who else would he have to show them to? It was so incredibly private. She couldn't bear him or anyone else seeing her like that. Besides, it wasn't like she had never slept with Theo. She could close her eyes and imagine she was somewhere else, yeah? It's not like she hadn't done that a hundred times before. She would not let herself get pregnant, though, that was for sure.
She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Draco was right. Conceivably this was a winless battle and she should just let the photos be released. Or maybe it was all a bluff? The reality was Ezmirelda was never going to let Theo get a divorce. She wouldn't put it past the bitch to blackmail her own son to prevent a divorce tarnishing the Nott name. If that was the case, why was Hermione even bothering with Theo? She was having serious doubts he would be able to convince Ezmirelda to destroy those photos when the time came. Ezmirelda Nott was Hermione's personal hell.
"Hermione? Sorry to interrupt. I thought you could use some tea."
"Thanks," Hermione said softly as she took the cup from Lizzy.
"Are you ok? I, uhh, couldn't help but overhear. It's not my business and I'll say nothing...of course, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."
Hermione looked into the soft green eyes of the woman who was not only her assistant, but who had become like a mother to her. The stress of the impossibly situation she was in weighed down her and caused the tears started to fall. Lizzy dashed around the desk and took Hermione in her arms. "That's it, Hermione. You have a good cry. Get it all out."
An hour later, Hermione had divulged it all to Lizzy. The older woman sat quietly, not interrupting, but listening and absorbing. When Hermione finished, Lizzy made a fresh pot of tea and handed Hermione her cup. "Dear, you cannot do this to yourself. You will be miserable if you stay with Theo. Draco loves you, and I think he's got the right of it. Call her bluff. If she releases the photos, well… It will be unpleasant, certainly, but in time it will be old news."
She smiled at Hermione, a twinkle in her eye. "And Hermione, you do realize that most couples have experimented with various sex games, scenarios...fetishes and the like, right? You might find you have a whole new audience interested in what you have to say if those photos get released. It's the twenty-first century. So you like a little kink! More power to you, I say. Your autobiography would sell out in a heartbeat. The public is already very interested in everything you do, and as a perk, you could expose Ezmirelda Nott for her blackmail. She could wind up in some serious legal trouble. Don't let it slip your notice that she has a lot to lose by releasing those pictures."
Hermione sipped her tea and listened carefully to Lizzy's advice. While she knew her assistant was most likely right, she just couldn't bear the thought of those photos getting out. It's all well and good to give that kind of advice when it's not your naked body on display. Her body…in all kinds of angles and all kinds of positions. Hermione shivered at the thought of those blasted photos of her giving Theo head getting released, pictures of her spread open, pictures of her getting spanked, being bound. The photographs were color and graphic and, as they were wizarding photos, there was movement. It was crude, it was unfathomable, and no matter what, Hermione did not want them released. Not until every other option had been exhausted. She smiled warmly at Lizzy. "Thank you, I'm going to think about what you've said. You're a wonderful friend."
Lizzy took her hand and told her warmly. "I never had a daughter, Hermione, but if I did, I would want her to be just like you. The truth is, I consider you like my daughter. If you were mine, Ezmirelda Nott would be one sorry witch right now. I would go after her with everything I have."
"Thank you, Lizzy. I feel the same about you. I adore you and appreciate you more than you could ever realize." She leaned forward and hugged the woman tightly.
Lizzy smiled as they pulled apart. "Well, on that note, I have work to do. I'll leave you to your posts. Let me know if I can do anything for you."
"Thank you," Hermione said again, watching her step out of the office and back to her own desk. Hermione went into the bathroom and cleared her face with her wand before coming back to her desk and reading her posts. She picked up the post from earlier with Draco's elegant, spikey writing and ripped it open.
H,
I can't take this. I'm going out of my mind! Any update? Have you found anything? I've hired two PI's. One is following Theo and one is following Ezmirelda. Please, can I see you? Somehow? I can't stand not knowing if you're ok. Please...
D
Hermione clutched the note to her chest, fighting back overwhelming emotion. She grabbed a quill and parchment to reply.
D,
Missing you so much I can hardly breath. I am fine. I am safe...untouched. Brilliant idea to hire the PI's. Hopefully, they'll discover something useful. It's too risky to see each other, but I'm yours in every way. You are constantly in my thoughts: when I wake up, when I'm eating, when I'm bathing, when I'm at work, when I'm sitting across the table from my awful husband, when I go to bed... It's always you on my mind. I'm yours.. Love you...
H
She re-read the note. There was no point on telling him about Ezmirelda's visit. She would tell him eventually. She sealed it and tucked it in her bag to send when she left work.
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The Affair