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Part 3: Happy Wife Happy Life

That night after she got home from the pub, Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Draco.

He seemed different.

He seemed more calm and happy.

He certainly looked like he was a completely different person.

But it bothered her.

It bothered her that he is more or less alone in this big world- despite what he says. It bothers her that he isn't involved in magic like one would assume a wizard would be. And it bothers her that he seems to care very little about all these things.

She sat and listened to his music he wrote. All of it reflected on their past and all the stories within them were heartbreaking and yet poetically loved.

He's talented. She can't deny it.

And his business is by far the busiest it seems.

But she can't stop thinking about the boy who was so troubled their last year and compare him to the man she met tonight.

Both lost in pain in one way or another.

Both hiding their thoughts and feelings.

And both silently suffering to make their world seem not so dark.

Draco is beyond misunderstood and Hermione doesn't understand why he resigns himself to being lonely and broken...even if he does see it that way.

"Hey, Darling. I missed you." Gavin says as she enters the living room of their apartment. She moved in with him five months ago and is still getting used to the space itself. It's rather spacious and sort of overstuffed with furniture and odds and ends of things Gavin had collected over the years and couldn't part with as he aged.

"I missed you too. What are you watching?" She asks as she kisses his temple and climbs over the back of the couch to sit beside him. He pulls her into his strong arms and kisses her neck gingerly.

"Oh, contest show. Big Brother, it's called. People join and do these different challenges to beat each other and eventually be the last one standing after so many weeks."

"Ah...sounds interesting. How was work?"

"Had a little boy come in with a broken arm. Fell from his treehouse ladder after a rung broke."

"Ouch. Is he okay."

"Yeah- I believe so. Damn parents should've made sure the steps weren't rotting." He scratches his fingers through his growing beard and she sits on his lap, facing him- her legs resting against his outside. "What are you up too?"

"You're going to shave this before the wedding right?" Pushing her fingers through it, she makes a disgusted face and he smirks.

"Don't like a hair man still?"

"It's just weird."  She says and he kisses her face- his beard tickling her face. "I like you shaven."

"Then I look like a school boy...and I'm almost 28. I'm not looking like a school boy again. Been there- done that."

"Then I guess you're honeymoon's going to lackluster." She pulls away and he grabs her hips.

"Alright, I'll shave it tomorrow..."

"You know what they say."

"A hairless man is a sad man?"

"No! Happy Wife, Happy Life."

"Preparing already?" He pulls at her shirt and removes it- tossing it to the floor leaving her exposed.

"Yes." Pulling her closer, he sucks at the top of her breasts and her hands find the bottom of his shirt. "Now...why don't you continue making me happy and maybe I'll find something that makes you just as happy."