A Second Look - A Dramione Story

Chapter 3

Warning: This is not my story. It is from RiverWriter on Ao3

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They were still sprawled out on the floor, enjoying their wine and keeping an eye on the kids, when there was a scraping at the front door. Not the knock they were expecting to announce the arrival of their food, but the sound of a key being inserted into a lock. A moment later the door swung open and Harry Potter strolled in. Somehow, Hermione had failed to even consider his reaction to Malfoy's presence, or how she was going to explain it.

"Daddy!" James yelled, popping up and running to his father.

"Daaaaaa!" Albus shrieked. Still unsteady on two legs, instead he used all four limbs to power himself over to his dad.

Scorpius, having been abandoned by his playmates, once again set his sights on Hermione. He had just gotten himself settled on her lap when Harry turned his attention to her. His boys were slung over each shoulder, like sacks of potatoes, as he walked fully into the room. Their giggles were a stark contrast to the dark look on their father's face.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked, his voice deceptively calm as he eyed their wine glasses suspiciously.

She wanted to roll her eyes. What exactly was he suggesting? That they were on some kind of date? With two babies and a toddler?

"Of course not," she said. "You're earlier than I expected but that means you're in time for dinner. Good thing we ordered plenty. You can't leave before we've eaten, I've promised James noodles. Did you take the tube here?" She asked conversationally, refusing to act like there was anything unusual about this situation.

"Can I talk to you?" He requested with an odd lilt to his voice.

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"Alone?"

"You're being rude." She gestured with her eyes toward Malfoy.

His returning glance said, 'are you kidding me?' so clearly that he may as well have spoken out loud. She just glared at him.

He sighed. "Hello Malfoy, you don't mind if I speak with Hermione for a moment in private, do you?"

"Of course not," Malfoy answered crisply, turning towards Hermione, "in fact, maybe we should go."

"Nonsense," she insisted. "I asked you to stay and the food hasn't even arrived yet, Harry and I will be just a minute."

She was surprised that he didn't object any further, but didn't dwell on it. She simply handed Scorpius to him and dragged herself up off the floor to make her way over to Harry, who was visibly hesitating. Finally, he put both of his children down.

"Be good for Mal- Mr. Malfoy. Aunt Hermione and I will be right back."

With that she grabbed his wrist and pulled him all the way to the back of her flat and into her bedroom. As soon as the door was shut she hastily erected a silencing charm, and it was none too soon as he rounded on her.

"You let him around my children!" He stepped towards her, his posture menacing. "How dare you put them in that kind of danger!" He accused.

She stood up a little taller, her spine straight, her eyes narrowed. And she marched right into his space, so close their chests were almost brushing. She glared defiantly up at him. She'd brought him back to the bedroom expecting to hear about his surprise at Malfoy's presence in her flat. She even expected him to be a little worried about their old enemy's intentions. She never expected this, and frankly, she resented the hell out of it. She knew Harry was having a terrible week. Halloween had been Tuesday, the divorce yesterday, but that did not excuse this kind of behavior.