The Marriage Decree

Chapter 13: Divorce

Theo answers in a pair of shorts and t-shirts with his arm around Lisa's waist. She's wearing a very pretty skirt and shirt combination.

"Draco, Hermione, come in." Theo invites them in. "You know, I didn't think you'd come, Hermione." He mentions as he leads them through to their back garden.

"Why wouldn't I? You're Draco's friends, I'd like to get to know you better than Slytherin's." She tells him and he nods.

"Well, when Pansy showed up alone, we kind of just assumed." He shrugs handing them both a bottle of butterbeer.

"That's probably for the best." Draco mumbles.

"Ron's one of my best friends but I have to agree. He wouldn't fit in here. He'd just sulk in the corner." She admits.

"Hermione, come with me." Lisa grabs hold of her hand, pulling her over to the far end of the garden, away from where she now realises most the men were sat and towards where all the women are sat.

"Hermione, you came." Luna pulls her into a large hug, then pulls her into the seat next to her.

"We're just discussing our better halves." Isobel chuckles.

"Unless you're being sarcastic, shut up." Megan sighs. "Look what I got paired with. You know, he's only said four words to me since we got to the estate. 'I'm going to bed'. All he does is eat, drink or sleep." She huffs.

"Gregory's a natural follower. All his life he's followed his father or Draco. You're going to have to be the dominant one in your relationship." Luna explains to which Megan pulls a face.

"Why do you think you got paired with him?" Hermione asks getting started straight away. "I wouldn't have thought you'd have much in common with him." She adds.

"I've been thinking that about Oliver and I," Mandy mentions. "It's all down to that stupid questionnaire, though." She shrugs, making Hermione sit a little taller and listen closely.

"Richard and I sat down and talked about our future yesterday morning and we both like the colour orange and want one child. That's the only thing we have in common. Although we did have fun painting our entire living room orange yesterday." Sue admits with a shy smile.

"Well, William and I want at least four children. We both come from large families and it's what we're used to." Isobel adds to the conversations.

This is better than she expected. They're all just giving her the information she wants.

"I haven't talked to Gregory but I've always wanted three children." Megan blushes.

"What about you Hermione? How's your marriage going so far?" Lisa asks turning the conversation back to her.

"Oh yes. How did we forget about our most surprising couple? I mean, did you hear the gasp that echoed around the room when your name was called?" Isobel says, eyes wide.

"No, I didn't. I was preoccupied with not throwing up." Hermione whispers to the group. A few of them laugh. "I suppose my 'marriage' has been okay so far. We did get into an argument at my parents' house yesterday but he apologised and bought me dinner." She shrugs expecting everybody else's past few days to have been similar.

"Wait, wait, wait. I don't know Draco but... he doesn't exactly hit me as the 'visit the in-laws' kind of man." Isobel interrupts her.

"Or the 'apologising by buying you dinner' kind of man," Mandy adds.

"Or the 'apologising' kind of man." Megan laughs.

"Well, he's changed a lot and we've been able to get on rather civilly. We're going to lunch at the manor tomorrow, then to my family's barbeque on Tuesday. I can actually see myself becoming his friend at some point." Hermione defends him.