Muggle Marriage Law 51599

In the neighborhood Monday evening

Hermione kissed the child’s head as she pulled the empty pan of eggplant and Italian sausage lasagna they had just eaten for dinner. Jon brought two cups of coffee to the table and the New York style cheesecake that Hermione had baked early before school that morning.

As Hermione began to pour Lois her fruit punch, they heard the doorbell ring. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

Lois’s eyes grew large. “Mommy,” she began softly. “Your visitor’s here.”

Hermione shivered a little, although, she didn’t know why. She gave Lois a reassuring smile. “Honey, I don’t think that’s the repairman. Mommy already took care of the computer.”

“Yeah, kiddo,” Jon said rubbing the child’s back as he raised his eyebrows at Hermione. “It’s probably just Grandma Celia.”

Hermione left the kitchen to answer the door. Another set of goose bumps ran down her arm. She shook off the feeling before opening the door.

Her face nearly blanched as pale as the young man’s standing in front of her. The young man took in a sharp breath as he saw her. He regained his composure before she did hers.

“Granger,” he said nodding at her.

Hermione gulped. “Dra,” she began and then continued softly, “Malfoy, what are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood,” he said as he kept his eyes on hers. “I thought I’d say, ‘hello,’ to my wife.”

Hermione’s knees buckled. Draco took a step forward. She had to lean on the doorjamb to regain her balance.

“Hey, who was it?” Jon asked as he held the door open with one hand and placing his other on Hermione’s back.

Draco colored slightly seeing this other man be so close to his ex-wife. Draco straightened up as he eyed the couple. She had remarried, obviously.

Hermione took in a breath, the gears in her head turning. She turned to Draco and then back to Jon. She took in another deep breath.

“Jonathan Diego this is Draco Malfoy, my ex-husband,” she said. “Malfoy, this is Jon, my husband.”

Both men took in a breath as they shook each other’s hand. ‘Oh, Hermione’s definitely going to pay for that,’ Jon thought to himself. “Please, come in, Draco. We’re just about to have dessert, weren’t we, Hon.”

Jon opened the door further so that their guest could enter. He smiled at Hermione kissing her on the cheek and then whispered so that only she could hear. “Lucy, you’ve got some splaining to do,” he said in an exaggerated Cuban accent.

She gently pushed him off. She looked into his face pleadingly. He nodded, agreeing to go along with whatever she had in mind.

Meanwhile Draco looked around at the modest surroundings. He turned to the kitchen area where a little girl sat watching the three adults intently. She looked at the visitor, studying his face. She breathed in as she noticed the man’s eyes and then quickly looked away.

* * *

The only other available seat at the small round table was between Hermione and Jon. Draco sat across the small child, studying her just as intently as she did him earlier while Jon plated the cheesecake and Hermione poured another cup of coffee. Jon offered the first plate to Draco. He accepted it.

All three adults sat down. Draco ate a forkful of the rich dessert and actually cracked a smile. “This is good,” Draco said as he watched Hermione give a small bite sized serving to the little toddler.

“Hermione’s a great chef,” Jon said as he took a bite of the dessert.

Draco nodded as he ate some more. He took a sip of coffee.

“So, Draco,” Jon said as he too, took a sip. “What brings you to our part of the world?”

“Umm,” Draco began. He turned to Hermione, “Does he know?”

Jon smiled to himself. “Yes, he does. He’s a . . . a muggle born, too,” Hermione bent the truth a little describing her Pureblood squib roommate.

Draco nodded. “Uh,” he said looking at Hermione, “There was a glitch in paperwork with the Ministry.”

“A glitch,” Hermione said.

“According to them, we’re still married,” Draco answered.

Hermione almost choked on her coffee. She coughed. The little girl looked up at her concerned.

“We tore up the certificate and license,” Hermione said.

“Yeah, well, magic isn’t always perfect,” he began as he finished his serving of cheesecake. Jon offered him more. Draco hesitated at first, but then took another helping.

“So you came here to tell me about the glitch?” she asked.

“I came to get you to sign divorce papers,” he said as he took another bite.

Hermione gulped, “Divorce papers?”

“I can’t seem to get married without us getting divorced first. Bigamy laws and all,” he said a little terse.

Hermione looked down. He was remarrying. “Do you have the papers with you?” she asked softly.

“No, we have to sign them on site,” he said as he finished his second helping. “I figured we could go to the Honolulu offices to sign them. Tomorrow, perhaps.”

“I can’t do that tomorrow,” she said.

“Okay, why not?” Draco asked.

“I’ve got a classroom to finish cleaning before we break for the summer,” she said as she saw in the corner of her eye the amused look her pretend husband had as he followed the banter back and forth.

“Oh, Hermione,” Jon quipped, “You could probably have that done by midday.”

Hermione glared at Jon. Draco nodded as he swallowed the rest of his coffee.

“It will have to be after lunch tomorrow,” she began slowly. “Why can’t this wait?”

“I’m getting married on Saturday. It took a hell of a time trying to find you the last three months,” Draco said wiping his mouth.

“How did you find me?” she asked softly as Lois yawned.

“Tracking system,” he said as he looked at her face. “Your wand’s serial number and two very gifted Gryffindor Ministry workers. You used your wand for the first time in at least six months; we were able to track it.”

Hermione remembered the repairing spell she had used on the computer the night before. She took a deep breath.

“Wow, well,” Jon said getting up. “Maybe Draco can come in with you to help with the clean up? The sooner the room gets done, the faster you can get to the Ministry building to sign those papers. Besides, you two have a lot of things to catch up on.”

Hermione flushed noticeably. She looked at Draco as she stood up.

“Yes, that sounds like a plan,” Draco said standing as well.

“Really, I’m sure you’d rather spend your morning getting in some site seeing or something. I can always meet up with you at the Ministry,” she said as she placed the dirty dishes in the sink.

“No. I think your husband’s right,” he said not noticing that Hermione cringed at the mention of her fake marriage. “The sooner we get things done at your muggle school the sooner we can get those papers signed.
The sooner I can leave you in peace.”

“So, Draco, have you a place to stay tonight?” Jon asked as Hermione pulled Lois out of her booster seat.

“I’ll probably check into a Wizarding hotel,” Draco said.

“It’s nearly ten, Draco,” Jon said. “We have an extra room. Why don’t you bed here?”

Draco nodded, “That does make things convenient.”

“Then it’s settled,” Jon said triumphantly.

“Honey,” Hermione said as she gripped Jon’s elbow. “I’ll need your help to get the linen for Malfoy’s room.”

Jon smiled at his roommate as she led him to her room. She closed the door behind her, placed Lois on the bed and quickly went to the nightstand. She placed her index finger on her mouth signaling for Jon to be quiet. She took hold of her wand and said a silencing spell.

“What the hell was that about?” she almost roared.

“Hermione, calm down,” Jon said amused. “It was the right thing to do and you know it.”

She threw her hands up in the air. He was right. She turned to her daughter.

“Kiddo, you’re gonna have to sleep in my room for a few more nights okay.”

She nodded before heading for the bathroom to brush her teeth. The older witch picked up the wand again and uttered the ending spell, finite incantatum. She stood up, grabbed an extra blanket and followed Jon out.

Draco sat on the couch opposite the large box. Jon turned it on. Noise and picture flashed on the screen. It was ESPN Sportscenter relaying the sports happenings of the day. “Television,” Jon said as he watched. “A.K.A. boob tube. Great muggle device.”

Draco nodded as they watched the highlights of English football. Hermione was trying her best to make the room that Lois was going to move into decent looking for the likes of Draco Malfoy. She placed the blanket on the twin-sized bed and sighed. ‘This is only for one night,’ she thought.

They all watched as the young footballer bent the ball into the back of the goal. Even Draco was impressed at the muggle athlete.

“Room’s ready,” she said. The two young wizards turned to face her. “It’s far smaller than the rooms at Malfoy manor, but it’s livable.”

Draco stood up. “I’m sure it will be fine,” he said walking past her into the smallish room. “What time should I be up and ready to go?”

“I’m leaving the house at around 7 a.m. Breakfast is between 6 and 6:30 if you’re hungry,” she said leaving the two men.

“She loves to get up early, doesn’t she,” Draco said aloud.

“Yup,” Jon said as he turned toward his room before stopping and then headed in the direction of Hermione’s room. “See you tomorrow, Draco.”

Draco watched as Jon entered the master bedroom. He narrowed his eyes thinking about the two of them in the next room in the same bed. He shut the door behind him. He sighed as he removed his robe, shirt, pants, socks and shoes leaving him only in his boxers. He ran his hand through his hair as he lay in the small bed, welcoming the end to a long day.