Get Out, Draco

A week later, Draco and Astoria started packing. They lived in a mansion on the outskirts of London and had multiples of everything, so there wasn't a need to discuss who got what. In fact, it was probably one of the cleanest divorces ever.

At the foot of their bed, they had an expensive black and silver, metallic, upholstered bench which was currently being used to hold one of Draco's open suitcases. For the first time in a while, the world was quiet to the point that he could hear one of the light-bulbs buzzing in the ceiling fixture. It needed to be replaced but wasn't so much a big deal anymore for obvious reasons. He was packing up his part of the bedroom and thinking about his messed-up life when Astoria decided to grace him with her presence.

Never wearing the same clothing twice, today her choice was a gold, knee-length pencil-skirt-dress, and crop jacket, along with black and red high heeled shoes. The perfume that was consuming the room was her signature scent, "Armani Privé Bleu Turquoise by Giorgio Armani". Instead of standing on the carpet where it would muffle the sound of her heels, she stayed a step outside in the hallway, where she repetitively tapped the hardwood floor.

Astoria standing at the door like that was starting to annoy Draco, so with a hand still on the white long-sleeve shirt he was folding and a deep inhale through his nose, he turned around.

"Can I help you?"

She huffed, irked at his question. "I want to pack my things now."

"Well, I'm not stopping you. Come on in!" He turned around and refolded the shirt because it was not as tidy as he wanted it to be.

"I want to do it alone," she retorted, dropping her arms to her sides, "without you in here."

The thought of arguing with her was tempting but also exhausting. "I'm familiar with the word 'alone', Astoria."

Zipping up and leaving the half-packed suitcase, he made to leave, right as she walked over to her black crystal-embellished vanity.

A tapping noise came from the direction of their bed, and Draco looked over to see an owl sitting on the window sill by his side of the bed. When he opened the window the owl hopped in and ruffled its feathers, a letter tied to its leg. Draco gently removed it, and something immediately caught his eye: The official stamp from the Ministry of Magic.

Assuming they were divorce papers he opened the letter. Instead, what was inside was a handwritten note. His grey eyes scanned the page, his heart flipping in his chest when they reached the signature at the bottom: Blaise Zabini. Blaise was his old friend from Hogwarts. Not only that but it was a love note addressed to Astoria. It read:

Hey Story,

I hope things are okay with you. The divorce is finally happening, that's good news! Draco doesn't suspect anything, does he? Let's try to meet up after I get off work in a couple of days. Let's say, 5 PM at my place? Esther is out all weekend so we'll have the house to ourselves. If you can't, let me know. Otherwise, I'll assume it's on.

I love you, babe.

Blaise Zabini

Draco felt like he was having an aneurysm. How long had this been going on between Blaise and Astoria, and how had he never noticed? The note took merely five seconds to read, but it may as well have been hours.

Turning around and holding the note up in one hand, he spoke.

"Story?" Never in their marriage had that been a nickname, but it evidently was between Astoria and Blaise.

On Astoria's vanity was an assortment of designer perfumes, and when Draco said the nickname that Blaise gave her she almost dropped her favourite one on the glass top.

"What did you say? Wh-why did you call me that?" She stuttered, staring at the perfume she almost let go of. Even from where he was, the colour leaving her face was visible.

His face was blank as he pointed to the letter in his hand, his voice monotone. "An owl brought this letter from the Ministry. I thought it was divorce papers. It's not."

Strolling across the room to her, he read it aloud.

When he finished reading it and folded it up again, she still hadn't turned to face him.

"It's a good thing we are divorcing, huh? I mean, it'll be so much easier for you to have this affair without me around. Maybe Esther and Blaise will end up divorcing and you'll live happily ever after!" He shoved the letter in her hands. "I wish you the best!"