Simple Kind Of Life

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It wasn't that she was upset, because she wasn't. She was just incredibly enraged.

She could feel her blood boiling inside, the way it had been doing for a couple of heated days now. It was an anger coated red, a feeling she hadn't experienced since she was young and war lived inside of her.

"Are you sure about this, 'Mione?"

Hermione Malfoy turned to Pansy Weasley and Ginny Potter, grunting as a response. 

"I think you're exaggerating," said Pansy with an annoyed huff. "I'm not saying none of us don't have the right to be upset that these twats lied to us, but we don't have a right to question why it happened."

"You punched my brother in the gut," Ginny reminded her sister-in-law. "I think you've exhausted your anger. The rest of us haven't gotten there yet."

Pansy shrugged nonchalantly as she inspected her nails. "I taught him a lesson, didn't I? I may have changed my ways for Ron, but I will never let a bloke think he can get away with lying to me. No matter how much I love him."

"Besides, Ginny," continued Pansy after an awkward pause, "you can't act like you didn't almost hex Potter's bits off. The only thing that held you back from murdering him was Teddy vomiting all over my carpet — which you still have to pay me for. That was an imported Persian rug, Ginevra. A muggle, arm-less man made that."

"You never paid me back for the destruction Peyton caused three summers ago. My garden has not been able to grow roses since," returned Ginny as she crossed her arms. "And Teddy had such a severe alcohol poisoning we had to take him to hospital after that. He couldn't control it."

"No, Peyton couldn't control it. My baby was spewing magic. Teddy, a grown adult, chose to go with Zabini to get plastered. Besides, ever since Peyton's mishap you haven't had gnomes visiting your garden."

Hermione tapped her foot furiously against the tiled ground as her friends continued to talk among themselves. Though the three had been shocked about the truth being kept from them, Hermione was the only one who appeared to remain infuriated. Pansy and Ginny had grudgingly forgiven Ron and Harry, but Hermione had not looked her husband in the eye for so long now. 

How could she forgive him, anyway? Draco had lied to her. He had lied about his father's death — of why Malfoy Manor had been attacked, what led to their youngest child's life hanging by a thread.... It was all Hermione's fault and Draco had refrained from letting her deal with that. 

"Brought you your tea, Aunt Hermione." Reeling Hermione away from her thoughts, Teddy extended her a cup with a bright smile. His hair was especially blue and facial features soft like a marshmallow. "I added honey, just how you like it."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.  "Your mother fancies her tea with honey, Teddy Remus. I prefer it alone," she said as she handed the cup off to Ginny.

Teddy groaned, tossing himself down on the chair behind the desk the women were waiting in front of. "I'm trying to earn your forgiveness here, Hermione. Can't you cut me some slack? I'm just a trainee — I wasn't supposed to know about the case in the first place. I could get sacked if the Minister finds out that I let civilians know."

"And not to mention the alcohol poisoning Thomas hushed up," Pansy sneered, this time inspecting the shine to her wedding ring as her casualness started upsetting those around her.

"Somewhere along your sneaking around, Ted, you should've been able to tell me about it," Hermione responded. "Instead you told Blaise."

"—Oi, what's wrong with Blaise?" Down the hall, with the heels of expensive shoes hitting the marbled ground, a dark-skinned man made his way to the gathered group. A tall woman walked beside him, carrying a large folder and a blank expression.  "He's a charming, sexy man."