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When Two Broken Hearts Collide	By : LumosNox93 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 7424 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter or any of its characters or details, nor do I make any money from this fanfic.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
The world stopped spinning and her feet met solid ground with a violent jolt, causing her to stumble forward into an empty leaned with her back against a the wall and tried to calm her breathing and she continued to sob quietly.
This wasn't how her life was suppose to go, she had always strived to lead a calm, organised life and did her best to avoid drama and trouble, but for some reason drama and trouble always had a way of finding her. She had given everything to the people she loved, whether they were family, friends or her partner, and in return she now felt completely alone and broken.
She wiped her tears away on her sleeve and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths.
In.
And out.
In.
And out.
She opened her eyes again and started walking aimlessly. She knew she didn't want to go home, there was only silence there and it would end up with her being alone with her thoughts and that always ended up with her anxiety playing up and her trying to calm herself through panic attacks. She would pass on that. She wanted to be around strangers, people who wouldn't ask her about her failed marriage and her drunk former husband.
She continued to walk, heading towards the wizarding part of London. She didn't have the energy to perform glamour charms or change her appearance, in fact she didn't care.
"Let them try" she thought angrily "let them try to start asking me questions, they'd get what they deserved"
And without a second thought she pushed open the door to the Leakey Cauldron and slipped in. It was early evening but there was already quite a crowd of witches and wizards in the small establishment and the sound of chatter filled the air.
She made her way to the bar and a familiar face greeted her.
"Hermione Granger?"
"Hi Hannah…" said Hermione forcing a smile and looking up.
Hannah had aged beautifully, having been a pink-faced girl who constantly wore pigtails and never gave much thought to he appearance she now stood tall, pale and her blond hair cascaded all the way down to her lower back. Her blue eyes gleamed brightly but there was a certain sadness to them that Hermione knew too well was due to her failed relationship with Neville.
"How you been keeping up?" Said Hannah pushing a glass of Ogden's Firewhisky towards Hermione and serving herself one as well.
"You don't have to talk to me" said Hermione quickly "I'm sure you're already very busy and…"
"Hermione please" said Hannah "do you know how many times I've been cornered by people and asked intimate questions about my failed marriage? About why the leader of Dumbledore's Army left me? All these rumours one more revolting than the other?"
Hermione sat there quietly. She didn't know what to say but she knew only too well what Hannah had gone through.
"No one stopped to ask me how I was" continued Hannah taking a gulp of Firewhisky "so I'm going to ask you, how are you Hermione?"
"I'm sorry" said Hermione "I didn't know what had happened until a few days ago or else I would have reached out"
"How would you know" snorted Hannah smiling "the only way you would have found out was if you wasted your time reading those 'wizarding celebrity publications' I know you wouldn't waste your time on those"
Hermione smiled gratefully.
"So how are you" asked Hannah again and this time Hermione knew she couldn't deflect the question a third time.
"I'm exhausted" she answered truthfully "I have spent the last days trying to patch up everything but it seems the more I try, the worse it gets."
"I get it" said Hannah "the truth is sometimes you can't patch everything up straight away. You need to let it all blow up before you start rebuilding. Trust me, it's hard watching your whole world crumble around you as you stand there helpless, but you grow from it and you realise that what you thought was your whole world was just a tiny piece of your life placed there to make you stronger."
"That's a very profound way of looking at it" said Hermione
"Well you would have asked me a few months ago and I would have told you it's not worth trying because life is a pile of dragon dung" she said laughing "but once you get through the worst and realise you're still there, you feel pretty indestructible"
"It seems like you're doing well then" Hermione smiled looking at Hannah
"I'm getting there slowly, truth is I've been studying to become a healer"
"What!? That's incredible Hannah"
"Yeah" she said smiling proudly "The truth is there was a point where I felt like my life was a bit meaningless, I mean working here is fun and all, but it isn't fulfilling. I didn't want to spend my time helping the drunk get drunker, breaking up bar brawls and cleaning up vomit. I wanted to give back and help people - so I decided to become a healer"
"Wow" Hermione was speechless
"Neville and I weren't made to be" she continued "It wasn't his fault or mine, we both wanted different things and we couldn't make each other happy. I wanted a career I could invest my time and energy into and he wanted a family and a wife who would care for them all, and that just wasn't me"
"You didn't have to tell me that" Hermione said quietly
"I know. But I wanted to, because you're one of the only people apart from Ginny and Pansy who have taken the time to ask me about me and my life"
"You're friends with Pansy?!" Said Hermione shocked.
"I know, how could a Hufflepuff be friends with a Slytherin right" said Hannah laughing "but the truth is she's changed a lot and is seriously misunderstood"
"I wouldn't exactly use the word misunderstood to describe Pansy Parkinson" said Hermione darkly " two-faced snake might be the words I would use"
Hannah observed her thoughtfully and she took a sip of her drink and sighed.
"You know don't you?"
"Know what?" Said Hermione in what she hoped was a clueless manner
"Don't play stupid with me" said Hannah "it doesn't suit you"
"I have no idea…"
"Oh cut the crap" said Hannah briskly "your ex-husband has been sticking it to Pansy and you know it"
"How did you find out?" Said Hermione avoiding answering that she had any prior knowledge of the situation.
"One of the perks of working here" said Hannah pouring them both another drink "people often forget the people who work here are quite observant and might be former classmates"
"But Pansy knows you work here…" said Hermione confused
"Yes. But she forgot you and I are friends and it never crossed her mind that we would have this conversation" said Hannah in a calm voice "you should also know that she didn't do any of this to hurt you. It's not the get back at Gryffindor's princess"
"Gryffindor's what?" Spluttered Hermione almost choking on her Firewhiskey.
"Didn't you know?" Chuckled "that's what everyone called you at Hogwarts!'
Hermione snorted "Regardless I don't think that I crossed Pansy's mind when she was sleeping with my husband"
"Listen" said Hannah "it's not my place to tell you this but she didn't mean for any of this to happen. She's married and the last thing she needed was to fall in love with your husband"
"Love?" Laughed Hermione "lord knows Pansy is incapable of such an emotion"
"Don't judge her before talking to her" said Hannah "she could surprise you"
"I cant imagine any scenario that would end up with me talking to Pansy" said Hermione taking another gulp of her drink "I understand people change, maybe she has, but sometimes there's too much bad blood"
"Well" said Hannah "I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I do know Draco is one of the best lawyer there are and if you're going through a divorce it wouldn't surprise me if you seeked his services"
"So what?" Said Hermione
"So" continued Hannah "my advice to you, as a friend, is if you're going to tell Draco about his wife's infidelity with you husband you should at least give Pansy a warning before"
"And why should I do that" said Hermione sternly "did she warn me before she started sleeping with my husband?"
"No" agreed Hannah "but this is your chance to be the bigger person"
"I don't know if she deserves for me to be the bigger person"
"Just think about it" said Hannah kindly "if not for Pansy, at least for Ron"
"For Ron?"
"If you want any chance of remaining friends with him you should warn him instead of Draco just showing up and hexing him for sleeping with his wife"
The two women sat in silence sipping on their drinks quietly, watching people enter and exit the bar, tuning in and out of various conversations and just taking in their surroundings. After a few minutes Hermione broke the silence.
"Have you managed to move on?"
"From?"
"Neville" said Hermione "He was, I presume, the man you imagined spending the rest of your life with. After the break-up have you managed to move on or imagine another love?"
Hannah held her drink, obviously thinking before answering the question.
"Yes and no" she said finally "At the beginning no, I hooked-up with a lot of men because I was angry. Because I thought there was no point waiting for 'the one' because I was sure he didn't exist. But now, now I think there is someone out there for me, and don't get me wrong if there's an attractive man who's interested in some fun, I'm not going to say no, but I do believe that at one point someone will stand out again, someone will steal my heart and make me feel like I did when I was in love"
"It's just Ginny keeps on telling me to get out there and have some fun but I can't imagine being with anyone else but Ron" said Hermione blushing
"So there's only been Ron then?" Said Hannah raising her eyebrow
"What did you think" said Hermione trying to hide her glowing red face behind her glass
"Well…Don't take this the wrong way" said Hannah "but a lot of people at school thought you and Viktor had, you know…"
"No" said Hermione quickly "I was too young to even think of a serious relationship at that point. He was handsome and a good friend but nothing more"
"And" continued Hannah "I know that I and a lot of other people thought that you had hooked up with Harry"
"WHAT?" Shrieked Hermione
"Keep your voice down" hushed Hannah "I mean you spent a lot of time together and disappeared for almost a year together and…"
"We were trying to destroy Voldemort" snorted Hermione "it didn't exactly leave for a lot of time to get intimate"
"So even when Ron was dating Lavender you two never?"
Hermione smiled "Harry was already in love with Ginny back then. In any case Harry was always like a brother to me, I've never seen him in any other way"
"Fair enough" said Hannah getting them yet another drink and placing one in front of Hermione "well I get it"
"Get what?"
"You've had one man" she said "and you thought that would be it, giving yourself to someone else is going to be scary at first but also so fun"
"Fun?"
"Oh come on!" Laughed Hannah "I know you have a reputation of being prude but…"
"Prude!?" Squeaked Hermione
"Aren't you?" Said Hannah raising her eyebrow again and smirking
"No" said Hermione blushing again and taking another gulp of her drink and feeling herself lose control of her senses
"So you're telling me" said Hannah grinning wickedly "you're not miss-missionary and granny pants?"
"You're as bad as Ginny" laughed Hermione "I enjoy comfortable underwear and I am not flexible"
"Excuses, excuses" tutted Hannah "you don't need to be flexible to get down and dirty"
"Hannah!" exclaimed Hermione "I didn't know you were so…."
"Fun?" Finished Hannah winking "listen when I was with Neville I was like you"
"Like me?" Hermione said confused
"Yeah. I was boring" she said flat out "and I saw nothing wrong with it, I was all about work, and to be honest at lot of times when I got home I was tired and wasn't in the mood for anything. I didn't make an effort and I was beyond horrified at the thought of spicing things up"
"Nothing wrong with being work driven" said Hermione defensively
"Of course not" smiled Hannah "but there's more to life than work, and the moment you balance it, take risks and go a little wild, you might discover another side to yourself"
"Maybe I should bring you lingerie shopping" sniggered Hermione
"Don't joke about that" said Hannah "We are doing that"
"I'm not letting you pick out my sex clothes" yelped Hermione
"Yes I am!" Laughed Hannah and both girls fell into a fit of giggles.
"You know" said Hermione "I didn't want to talk to anyone today but I'm glad I bumped into you. I really think I needed this"
"Glad to be of service" said Hannah bowing comically "here give me your cellphone number"
"You have a cellphone?" Said Hermione surprised
"There are some perks to muggle technology" said Hannah "texting is one of them, much more effective than owl post and less messy"
The two girls exchanged numbers and Hannah got up "right I think I need to get back to work and make sure the new employees haven't made a mess of everything"
Hermione made to get up and stumbled
"Are you going to be ok?" Said Hannah "do you need a potion to sober up?"
"I'm fine" said Hermione quickly "I just need some fresh air, like you said it's good to be a bit wild sometimes"
Hannah watched as Hermione grabbed her bag and shrugged on her coat.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Said Hannah
"Yeah" slurred Hermione waving her off "I'm just off home"
"Message me you got home ok" said Hannah giving her a hug "don't be a stranger and don't forget lingerie shopping - I'll message you a date and time"
"Yeah, perfect" said Hermione not really listening, her eyes darting and making out the easiest route towards to exit
"Ok see you soon"
"Bye!"
Hermione made her way with every ounce of grace she could muster outside. Once the door closed behind her she breathed out and leaned against the wall grinning stupidly to herself
"Hermione?" came a voice behind her
Hermione whirled around and toppled over onto the floor
"Hermione are you ok?!"
FeelIng her face burning red Hermione quickly got to her feet and said "I'm fine I'm…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she saw the man standing in front of her, he was tall, with dark blonde hair and a muscular body that was outlined underneath his shirt.
"Neville?!" She gasped
"Long time no see" said Neville, his kind eyes twinkling "how are you doing?"
"I'm ok" said Hermione trying very hard to not slur her words "take it you heard about Ron and I?"
"Yeah word gets out quick" said Neville "sorry about that"
"Don't be" said Hermione quickly "I'm more than over it"
Neville chuckled "ok then!"
Hermione blushed and said "I'm sorry about you and Hannah though"
"Is she in there?" Said Neville looking towards the entrance to the Leakey Cauldron
"Yeah" said Hermione "she told me about what happened"
"No need to apologise" said Neville "she's moved on, and so have I?"
"So you're seeing someone?" Said Hermione curiously
"Not at the moment" said Neville "but I can see a life beyond Hannah now"
"That's good" said Hermione "well I won't keep you any longer" and she started walking
"Hey Hermione"
"Yes?" Said Hermione
"Fancy a quick drink with me?"
"I should really be on my way home Neville, sorry"
"Come on" said Neville "one drink for old time's sake and you can tell me how over Ron you are"
"Just one then" said Hermione very reluctantly and wishing she had accepted Hannah's potion
"Let's avoid the Cauldron" said Neville "I know Hannah and I are fine but I'd rather not drink with her around and especially with you and…"
"Ok" said "it's always awkward between ex's"
Neville nodded "I know this quiet place around the corner, come on" he held out his arms and Hermione very reluctantly took it. More in hopes that he would prevent her from falling over again than anything else. A few minutes later they were sat in a cozy booth in a wizarding pub with a glass in front of each other.
"So" said Neville "what have you been up to?"
"Well" Hermione started "I found out my husband was cheating on me, left him and now am trying to rebuild my life"
She instantly regretted her blunt manor, her filter seemed non existent now she was drunk and was sure she was going to regret it the next morning.
"Wow" said Neville "Ron cheated. Cheated on you?"
"That's the gist of it" said Hermione cheerfully "but there's not bad blood, we are different people who just aren't compatible"
"Hannah and I weren't compatible but we had the curtesy of breaking up before seeing other people" said Neville "what an idiot"
"Who?"
"Ron" said Neville laughing "come on Hermione, I know you were very invested in your studies but most boys at Hogwarts fancied you"
"Me?" Laughed Hermione "Neville you're very sweet but…"
"No Hermione" laughed Neville "with the exception of Harry who saw you as his sister, all Gryffindor boys fancied you at one point, trust me, boys talk too"
"Well" said Hermione blushing "that's very flattering"
"So if Ron decided to throw away your relationship then he's an idiot" and he petted her hand that was on the table
Hermione continued blushing and felt herself losing all her senses. Neville had grown up, and he had become very handsome.
"No!" Thought Hermione "you were just talking to his ex-wife, your friend… It's Neville!" But her stomach did a summersault at the thought of his arms around her…
"You ok?" Said Neville "I'm sorry if I creeped you out"
"No, no!" Said Hermione "I just got lost in my thoughts"
"A penny for them?" Said Neville
"Just thinking about life after Ron" said Hermione vaguely
"I'm sure it'll be great" he said reassuringly and squeezed her hand "everything you do is"
"You're too kind" she laughed "but I'm not that great or my husband would still be with me"
"Some people just aren't made to be" said Neville seriously "and that doesn't make either of you less great, it just means that happiness can't be found with each other. And that's ok too"
"That's true" said Hermione "but I always wonder if I could have done more you know"
"You should also wonder if he could have done more" reasoned Neville "at times you both stop trying and it's just a result of a lot of things"
"That's also true" smiled Hermione "thanks Neville!"
They spent the next hour drinking, reminiscing about their school years and catching up on what their lives had become. Hermione enjoyed the conversation and felt comfortable talking to Neville and she could feel a growing affection and desire for him. This could of course just be the alcohol or the cumulation of the last few days and her conversation she had just had with Hannah. She kept on telling herself that Neville was out of bounds, he was a friend and nothing more. It was forbidden territory.
After another hour Neville glanced down at his watch and gasped "is that the time?"
Hermione glanced at her cellphone. It was half past one in the morning and there was a message from Hannah
'Did you get home ok?'
Hermione felt her stomach drop and messaged quickly
'Sorry just seen this, ran into an old friend and had a catch up. Home now' she pressed send.
She hadn't completely lied. She had indeed ran into an old friend. S
"I best be off" said Neville "sorry"
"Me too" said Hermione and gingerly got to her feet and they made their way out together.
"You going to be ok getting home? You drank quite a lot" said Neville worriedly "I can walk you home if you want"
"That would be really nice" said Hermione without thinking and they made their way through London, taking in the quiet streets, the dim lights and chatting about meeting up soon again.
In what seemed like minutes they were outside Hermione's apartment block.
"Well this is me" said Hermione
"I'm sorry this was such a short catch up but I'm sure we'll have another one soon" said Neville hugging her.
Hermione didn't know what took over her. Maybe it was the drinks, maybe it was the anger and sadness or Neville's intoxicating cologne. In fact she was sure she was possessed because normal, rational Hermione would never have done this but she turned around and whispered
"It doesn't have to end now" and kissed him passionately, running her hands through his hair and pressing her body against his. She expected him to push her away, but he wrapped her arms around her and kissed her back, lifting her slightly off the ground.
They both broke off and looked at each other bewildered. Hermione grabbed his hand and lead him inside her apartment.
"Even Eve took a bite of the forbidden fruit" Hermione told herself as she locked the door behind her and started shedding off her clothes and making her way towards Neville.
What she had forgotten was that Eve had paid the price for her actions…
- 7
- 8
- 9
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When Two Broken Hearts Collide