Corban had never been one to lie to Hermione. It had been one of his traits she liked best. In the past, especially when she was still heavily in her training and considered untrustworthy by the other Death Eaters, he never bothered to keep the truth from her. Not even when it was ugly or he wanted her to know that he didn't have much use for Harry Potter's best friend. She always appreciated candor. As their lives became more intertwined and they were able to form a tentative friendship that eventually became much warmer, he continued to tell her the truth when it was hard to hear. Even knowing those facts couldn't bring Hermione to actually believe what he was saying about her abandoned husband.