Move, Countermove

Hermione felt like strangling herself. Why had she let herself give in like that. She had pretty much told him without words that he could walk back into her life when it suited him and have what he wanted.



She began regretting her final words to him on the train. She was a young girl and suffering the effects of her first satisfying connection with a man being severed. She had wanted him to contact her, to let him know that she didn’t want to leave him thinking it was easy for her to do so. It wasn’t. She wanted Draco badly, and she readily admitted it then. She could admit it now, but she had matured in their years apart. She had given up on him.



She went about the typical motions of a Sunday which for her meant rest, relaxation and reading, but she was disturbed by an owl. It was from Draco inviting her to tea. She felt a depression sink into her again. She went to her spare bedroom where she had placed her desk. Pulling out a parchment she thought carefully what to say.



Last night it took her a few moments to regain the ability to think. She had risen on her knees and hung her head in shame. Draco had tried to get her to talk to him, but she said nothing and just held the door open. Before he left he said he would owl her, and tried to kiss her, but she turned her head giving him a face full of her now disheveled hair.



His invitation to tea was not unexpected, but Hermione knew she couldn’t let herself get caught up in this again. The woman she was now was very different from the girl she used to be. Focusing on the blank parchment she wrote to him.



‘Draco, I know you were not expecting me to write a response, but I am sorry, I must decline your invitation. I let myself get carried away with a wonderful feeling that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I did wait after Hogwarts. For a little over a year I watched the skies for anything from you, hoping that I was still someplace in your thoughts. But I waited in vein, then thought you had dismissed my words as the romantic ramblings of a young girl. I have spent the last five years coming to terms with you living your own life. It has been very difficult at times, and I now realize that I have been comparing every man I became involved with to you, and they have all been found wanting in one way or another. I don’t want to hold my life now in the shadows of what my dreams used to be. We have grown up Draco and now we have to move on. I am so sorry for my lack of restraint last night. I should have been able to stop myself but I couldn’t, the past belongs in the past and I intend to let it stay there. Hermione”



She thought it might be a little too strong, but she had to make her point known. She sealed the letter along with his queen chess piece and sent it off with an owl telling the animal to return immediately without waiting for a reply.



Hermione returned to the front room where she awaited the owls return. She let her tears fall, thinking that being with Draco had made her feel complete. She brushed away her tears and banished the thought from her mind. She was an adult now, a woman with pride and the time for games and one-up-manship was over.







The next morning Hermione’s assistant approached her as she was leaving her office. “Miss Granger, there’s a gentleman here saying he needs a legal consult.”



“Thank you Chloe, show him to my office, I’ll be right back.” She dropped off the parchments and went back to her office.



“I’m sorry for the wait Mr??...” She said moving behind her desk, and dropping into her seat.



“Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.” He told her. She stayed quiet for some time before she spoke.



“Draco, what are you doing here?” She asked, not rising from her seat.



“I needed some legal advice.” Her said as if it was obvious.



“I happen to have it on good authority that both you and your father each have legal counsel of your own. And I am a prosecutor not a private advisor.”



“Do you regret it?” He asked without preamble.



“No I don’t.” She said just as firmly. It would be pointless to say otherwise. “It did feel amazing to be with you again. But I had you in this standard and I can’t do that anymore. It’s unfair. I have settled my past and learned a long time ago that you weren’t going to write.”



“I did write.” He countered.



“Six years later Draco? Did you expect me to wait forever while you decided what to do?”



He sighed. “No I wouldn’t, but I’m here now.”



She went to close the door and then stood in front of his chair. For a long moment he just looked up at her, then gasped as she grabbed his shirt front and pulled him upright in front of her. “Draco, the time for games is over, we are no kids anymore.” She released his shirt.



“I know we aren’t and there is nothing stopping us now. Nothing to hold us back and nothing to threaten either of us.”



“Yes, but it still took you six years to come up with a reason to owl me and it was because you made your life what you want it to be. I was never ashamed of what we had. I was never afraid to be known. I did that for you, because it would have made life at Hogwarts hard for you.”



“You can’t use my past against me.” He said, hurt that she brought that up.



“I know,” she said softly, “the point is that the past is the past and it should stay there. We can’t go back to that.”



“Why not?” He asked.



“I don’t want games anymore Draco. The girl I used to be is gone. I have pride now. Too much pride, and that pride won’t let me hide this time. I can’t hide anymore Draco. Don’t ask me to be a secret again.”



“Why do you think you will be a secret?” He asked.



“You invited me to a dinner where nobody saw us. You asked me to tea in secluded café where no one goes. You weren’t planning on telling anyone about me were you?” When he said nothing, she looked away. “I need something more then fun this time around. I’m sorry Draco, but I won’t settle for being hidden away.”



She turned away from him and didn’t look at the door until she heard it open then shut again. Alone in her office she sat at her desk, staring off into nothingness.







Draco walked with deliberate slowness back to the manor again cursing himself for allowing his mother to talk him into staying there until he married. What he wouldn’t give for his own house.



“Draco is everything alright?” He looked up at his mother across the dinner table. She was concerned, he saw it in her face. She never hid her concern when it came to her son.



“Yes mother, everything is fine, I’m just thinking that’s all.” He said, still not touching his plate.



“About what, son?” His father asked. Draco looked at the older man, with humor. He and his father got along very well nowadays since Draco had asserted himself about marriage. He still longed for unconditional approval, and that his father would keep his opinions to himself at times, but what boy didn’t want that.



“What would you two say if I thought about publicly dating again?” He watched as both his parents lit up.



“It’s about time you thought about become serious with a young woman.” His father said.



“Oh yes, Draco, you would do any woman proud. Have you a certain woman in mind?” The mischievous twinkle in his mothers eyes brought a smile to his face.



“You know mother, I think I just might.” He said.



As he walked along the gardens, he passed under the study’s bay window. It was open and he heard his parents speaking.



“Lucius no. I mean it.” His mother said with firmness.



“You heard him, he is going to start dating again, it wouldn’t hurt to introduce him to some fine young ladies.”



“Of pureblood lineage right?” She asked.



“Of course, you don’t honestly think I could stand by…….”



“Lucius, enough! The last time you tried this Draco told you outright he didn’t like your choice. He said he would marry for love, and I will support him. If you try to force your will on him, Lucius Malfoy so help me to Merlin and his mother in law, I will make your life very, very miserable.”



Draco smiled to himself. His mother was the only one who could make his father stand down and to see his parents at each other was always entertaining. Dating Hermione publicly would have more benefits then he thought.





The next morning, he walked into the ministry of magic legal department carrying a dozen red roses. Hermione was speaking with several people but everyone’s body language implied it was a casual conversation.



He walked up to her as the group silence, took her in a kiss among the whistles and wolfs howls, then winked. “Game set.” Handing her the roses he turned and walked away.