Shades of Grey

Chapter 9

"Hello, Astoria," said Hermione warmly, standing to shake her hand.

"Hermione," she said softly, taking a seat across from her. "I'm sorry again for not being up front about my personal life."

Some notice would've been nice.

"You're not obligated to tell me anything you're not comfortable with," Hermione assured. "But we might need to discuss a change in Mind Healers."

Astoria's brows rose. "Oh?"

Hermione nodded, feeling guilty at the double standards with her ex-husband. Though, she was going to eventually have the same conversation with him.

"I see," Astoria said quietly after Hermione explained further about the ethics around dual relationships.

"We don't need to make the change right away," she said, chewing the inside of her cheek nervously. "But it's something we should keep in mind for the next few appointments."

"I heard Scorpius took his first steps while with you," Astoria said suddenly, eyeing her critically.

Fuck, not the direction she wanted to go.

"Er - yes. Would you want to continue to explore your relationship with your son today?"

Astoria pursed her lips. "I think I'd like to talk about my ex-husband."

Hermione merely blinked, but internally she was cringing and wishing to run from the room.

"Oh?"

Astoria nodded, linking her fingers together over her crossed knee. "Draco was... everything I had hoped for in a modern pureblood era. He wasn't as... close-minded... as his father, and his name still held power and wealth. Both parties were satisfied with the betrothal and we finally felt unburdened with familial expectations."

"He was an excellent and attentive lover -" Hermione did her best not to blush or react. "-but I always felt something was missing in our physical relationship. He has a large cock so that wasn't the problem-"

The last thing Hermione needed was imagining Malfoy's cock while with his ex-wife.

"It wasn't until we added a third person did things make more sense."

Hermione had nothing against sex and exploration, in fact she encouraged this with clients, but hearing about Malfoy's sexcapades wasn't something she'd been prepared for on a Friday morning.

"Her name is Pansy Parkinson, you might remember her from school."

Bloody hell, just avada herself now.

Hermione only nodded, shifting to cross her other leg.

"Draco had been hesitant but it was something I wanted so he eventually agreed. I supposed it would be improper to go into the details," she laughed lightly to which Hermione only smiled politely. "But it was afterwards when we agreed to the divorce."

The discomfort in her chest which she was recognizing as jealousy (ridiculous to have, honestly) as Astoria talked, quickly moved to the back of her mind.

"I don't understand," Hermione said slowly. "Could you... say more on how this led to your divorce?"

"I -" Astoria bit her lip, smoothing the wrinkles in her expensive robes. "I enjoyed the attentions from Pansy far more than I thought I would. I didn't know I could feel like - like I was satisfied and... this wasn't something I knew much about..."

"You started questioning your sexuality," Hermione stated gently. "That sounds like an important discovery for yourself. And Mal- Draco... what were his thoughts?"