A Second Look - A Dramione Story

Chapter 16

Warning: This is not my story. It is from RiverWriter on ao3.

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When Draco arrived home late Saturday afternoon he was greeted by Effie who had a note from Hermione informing him that they had gone to her flat. He wasn't surprised. He hadn't expected her to hang around Malfoy Manor all day.

"They left to do some shopping," Effie informed him, clearly pleased beyond measure at this development. Draco felt a certain amount of guilt that he hadn't thought to warn his girlfriend that his elf would report everything to him, because this seemed like spying, and it wasn't that he didn't trust Hermione, Effie just considered this to be her duty because Hermione wasn't actually her mistress. "Miss Hermione is good for my Master and Little Master." She added, unintentionally adding to his guilt.

Effie's ears twitched hopefully at her pronouncement. He knew how much she wanted a proper family. Her reticence with Astoria should have been a major red flag from the beginning.

"She was okay when she left?"

Effie nodded eagerly. "I brought her breakfast. She is well."

"That was well done of you," he praised with a gentle hand on top of his beloved elf's head. "Please take the evening to do with as you wish, I will be out."

Effie narrowed her eyes at him, but nodded. She'd probably take the opportunity to give an extra polishing to the silver that absolutely didn't need it. He was very happy to soon be giving her, her own household. She would be thrilled, there simply wasn't enough for her to do at the Manor.

And with that he flooed into his girlfriend's flat expecting his son and girlfriend, but immediately did a double take. Because there was a woman who looked like an older, straight-haired version of said girlfriend seated on the floor with his son. Scorpius let out a happy sound when he appeared, but didn't move away from the blocks he was playing with. And for a split second he was worried about the stranger playing with his son, but then the woman smiled up at him and he knew immediately that she was no danger to either of therm.

"You must be Draco!" She stood up and extended her hand for him to shake.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," he responded, though he was fairly certain he knew with whom he was speaking, he was unwilling to make a stupid assumption.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm Helen Granger, Hermione's mother."

Which was what he'd thought. He took her hand but instead of shaking it turned it over and kissed her knuckles, as he would any woman of his acquaintance. "It's a pleasure. Draco Malfoy, but I believe you already knew that."

She chuckled. It was an easy, gentle sound; not the tittering he was used to when he was introduced to a witch, even a witch old enough to be his mother.

"Yes, and now I see how you produced such a beautiful child," her smile was genuine but her eyes- blue as opposed to her daughter's brown- were playful.

"I could say the same about you," he immediately quipped in return.

She let out another laugh. "Well, thank you. But I don't believe you're here to see me. Hermione was just making us some tea, so she's in the kitchen if you wanted to speak with her," she explained, eyeing him knowingly. "Scorpius and I are fine here, if you are comfortable leaving him."

"Thank you," he said with a nod, and with a glance at Scorpius to make sure he was still okay he went off in search of his witch.

When he entered the kitchen her back was to him but instead of preparing tea she was scribbling furiously on a bit of parchment. She was wearing jeans- an item of clothing he was becoming increasingly fond of, which clung to the curves of her bum and hips, and a cranberry colored jumper with a wide neck which exposed one slender shoulder. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She startled.