I Am Serpent

Chapter 5

***WARNING*** Nothing really happens, it's just talked about, but this chapter and the next might be emotional for people who have trouble conceiving and/or lost a baby ***WARNING***

Hermione put her shoes neatly on the rack next to the backdoor and hung her cloak on the little hook above it, having just apparated into the garden shed as she always did. She walked into the kitchen and was surprised to find Ron sitting at the kitchen table so early in the evening.

"You're home!", she exclaimed happily. He finally went out of his way to come home to her on time. "I thought you had inventory duties all week?"

"Inventory can wait for a day", Ron stated coolly.

"Great", she answered, her smile faltering a bit. "I'll get started on dinner then, or did you want to go out?"

"Yes you love going out, don't you?", he sneered at her.

"What?", she asked a bit dumbly. What the hell was his problem?

"Where have you been my darling wife?", he asked, voice dripping with venom.

That's it, if he wanted a fight, she would indulge him.

"I've been at the Ministry Ronald, working", she barked back at him. "What the bloody hell is your problem?"

"And they say you're supposed to be smart", he hissed, throwing her the evening edition of the Daily Prophet.

She frowned and looked at the front page. There was a picture of Draco and her leaving Accio Crepes, the title reading Romantic lunch for the Minister.

"Ron", she said rolling her eyes, "You know that utter bull. Malfoy and I just had lunch, talking about business and our families."

"Sure", he said sarcastically, "Why is he holding your hand then?"

"Because he had to stop me from attacking the waiter", she snapped, "Did you know a lot of businesses refuse to serve former Death Eaters?"

"Serves them right", he answered maliciously, "But don't you try to change the subject, I'm not blind Hermione!"

She was going to explode, she felt it...

"Oh sure", she seethed, "Now you think I'm having an affair, do you? Let's assume for a moment that you're right, could you blame me?"

"What's that supposed to mean", he barked.

She was going to bring this up when they could talk seriously, calm and collected, but she wouldn't pass up on this opportunity now that it presented itself.

"You're never here, you don't make an effort for me", she told him. "You haven't touched me or told me that you loved me in years Ronald."

"I do say that!", he protested.

"Saying you too when I say I love you is not the same!", she fumed. "And when I dress sexily you don't even look at me, when I try to get some intimacy you reject me, so could you blame me if I actually would cheat on you?"

Now that she'd finally told him everything that had been bugging her for so long, her anger deflated.

"Well, it's not that you make me so happy either", Ron sneered at her, "You couldn't even give me a third child."

Hermione felt like he had slapped her in the face and took a step back. He sensed that he had gone too far.

"Hermione", he breathed, his blue eyes wide with sorrow. "I'm sorry, I..."

She didn't listen. With tears in her eyes she fled into the backyard, Ron calling after her to stop, and apparated away from him.

With a sob she reappeared in the little muggle park down the street. She used to come here often with her parents when she was a child and later she did the same with Rose and Hugo. It was her go to place when she felt sad.

Silent tears streamed down her face as she sat down on a bench. With unseeing eyes she looked at the sleeping ducks near the little pond in the middle of the park, her bare feet fiddling with the grass.

She didn't want to go back home. Not tonight anyway. She searched her pockets, but everything was in her purse back home... Everything but her wand and her mirror. Should she go home anyway? Should she call one of her friends? Absentmindedly she tapped on the back of the mirror, clenching it in her hands.

Almost simultaneously four cracks of apparition sounded and Hermione whipped out her wand. They scanned the area and she realised who they were and what had happened.

"Guys...", she said weakly, "I'm sorry, I..."

"Hermione", Draco interrupted her, "Are you alright?"

He hurried over to her and grabbed her hands. His heart ached for her. He hadn't seen her this sad before. This... lost. Ever.

"Fine", she answered, "I hit the emergency tab by accident, I'm sorry..."

"By Salazar woman", he answered, "You've got to stop scaring me like that."

"I'm sorry", she repeated, wiping the tears of her cheeks.

"You're obviously not fine Princess", Blaise commented, walking up to her. Greg and Theo followed him.

"I just had a fight with Ron", she answered lamely. She felt embarrassed that she'd accidentally called the Order to witness how she'd fled her own home in tears. Draco felt his temper rise.

"Did he hurt you?", Theo asked urgently.

"No no, not physically anyway", she said truthfully.

"That's it", Draco seethed, "I'm going to kill that weasling bastard..."

"No, leave it please", she said, grabbing his cloak. "I... I'm sure he's already sorry. He was calling after me as I apparated away."

A shiver went through her body and they frowned at her.

"Fine", Draco conceded snappily, "But you're coming home with me."

Hermione's eyebrows drew together as she considered her options. She really didn't feel like going home yet, but could she go home with him, the man who caused the whole argument between Ron and her? Sweet Circe, what was she thinking, it was Ron's fault. Draco hadn't done anything wrong and neither had she.

"Okay", she conceded and Draco blinked in surprise. He'd expected a little more resistance, Weasel must have really done a number on her.

"The rest of you should go home though", she added, "I'll be fine, honesty."

"Okay", Blaise conceded, "But if you need us, you call, no exceptions. Once a Serpent, always a Serpent."

Theo nodded in agreement. Hermione kissed them both on the cheek and they disappeared with a pop.

"Tell Tracey I'm sorry I called you away this late Greg", she spoke.

"Are you kidding?", Greg grinned in response, "She was thrilled. Emergency call from the Minister on my first day as your bodyguard, she all but pushed me out the door."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at that, said goodbye and he too left. She was alone with Draco now and suddenly she felt a little self-conscious.

"Come on Sweetheart", Draco mumbled, "Let's go home."

He pulled her against his chest and apparated away.

Home...