Chapter 3
Hermione woke up that Wednesday morning feeling refreshed, the flustered feelings that she felt when she faced Draco nowhere to be found at the moment.
After coming home and doing a bit of self care, a lot of self care actually. Which reminded her she had to get new batteries, “magic really needs to catch up to women,” she huffed. But all those randy thoughts involving Draco Malfoy, his body and what it’d feel like against hers, had vanished. Obviously it had just been a while, life got in the way and finding the right partner was not really in the cards for her at the moment. If Ron couldn’t even survive one dinner with her post break up, she imagined he’d need to be committed to the idea of her and someone else. She did not feel like circumventing that obstacle course yet. For the time being she just needed to focus on her work and everything would just fall right back into place.
She had spent Monday and Tuesday buried in scrolls and spell books in preparation for today’s meeting. But she thrived in the attention her work demanded, the thought making her laugh as it reminded her of something her father had always said about her, “there is nothing more dangerous than a focused you, Herm.” The term of endearment always warmed her soul, would he be proud of who she was now? Would her parents see how hard she worked to make up for the wrongs she committed? For the way she had failed them? She’d never regretted obliviating them for their own safety, and to this day they lived a life free of harm and suffering. As far as anyone was concerned they were an older couple who never had children but a life full of love and adventure. Yet she couldn’t help the pain that always accompanied the realization that she would never get them back.
Months after the war ended Hermione found herself in Australia often, keeping tabs on her parents herself, but eventually it became too much. The urge to run up to her mother, basking in the safety of those arms around her, of feeling her father kiss the top of her head, hearing his friendly “Hey hey Herm,” as he held her tight, was too strong. The hope that she would find a way to reverse the obliviating effects slowly dwindled through her fingers, as healer after healer told her it was too much to put someone’s psyche through. The risk was too great that in trying to get them their memories back she’d lose them permanently in a worse way.
She remembered it like it was yesterday, the resignation in her adult mind knowing she had to let them go, warring with the little girl in her heart who just wanted her parents back.
That last day of her visit, she sat a few feet away, diagonally across from the bench they occupied. Every Friday afternoon they would frequent a park to feed pigeons. She held a book nonchalantly so as not to seem suspicious or be caught staring and cause them alarm. But as she watched them, she wanted to commit this moment to memory, forever untouched by time. She observed them like they were a specimen being dissected at a lab, her mother’s smile and easy laugh, the wind softly ruffling through her auburn hair. The way she cheekily tucked the same loose curls Hermione had inherited behind her ear as she smirked at whatever her husband had just said. The way her father’s hand reached out for her mother as he gently but passionately held her face and kissed her cheek. Hermione wanted to bottle their love for each other and preserve it forever, the easy way it sang from their eyes, their body language, the heart warming smiles they gave to each other.
She wondered if that was a love she’d ever experience in her life. Memories of her parents always struck her when she least expected it. The absolute sudden hollowness in her chest, one she’d become accustomed to and her heart had learned to grow around.
Now she received monthly updates from a private investigator on their well being, what they were up to and any issues they were facing. She allowed herself one visit to Australia a year to see them herself, a moment to allow herself to feel their loss fully. Then she would shove those feelings in a neat little box and bury them deep within herself.
Exactly what she did now, sadness had no place in today’s agenda, today she needed to embody fierceness and determination to get through a meeting with the Malfoys. She stretched while getting up, taking a moment to enjoy the early morning sun rays sneaking in through her bedroom windows. The morning breeze gently shifted the curtains, filling the room with a mix of cool morning dew and the scent of the fresh lilies. Hermione enjoyed buying herself fresh flowers at least once a week. She loved how they looked and how their scent reminded her of her parents dancing in the kitchen on cool Saturday mornings.
On the outside of the bathroom door her outfit for today was hung, she decided to go for a more modernized look while appealing to classic ideas, things she felt Narcissa Malfoy would appreciate. After all, today was about appeasing the purebloods. She’d chosen her favorite pencil skirt dress , charmed to a Slytherin green. It hugged her body just right, accentuating her curves elegantly, while the quarter sleeves and boat neckline exuded sexy but business appropriate attire. She wanted to give sophisticated, but sexy vibes, it had been a long time since she’d felt sexy and attractive.
The outer robes were black, made of peacoat material that had been charmed to maintain a comfortable temperature. For shoes she chose her favorite pair of black aldo heels, which she charmed with gold accessories for the occasion. They’d also been spelled for comfort and adaptability, reflecting how Hermione felt at the moment. She complimented the rest of her outfit with gold jewelry, a time turner hanging off her neck on a gold chain and a few golden bangles for her wrists. The time turner had been a gift from Dumbledore after her third year. It no longer worked, probably a good thing and not for her lack of trying. On nights when the despair of everything they had suffered threatened to choke her, the idea of going back in time, stopping everything that was to come was always tempting.
She charmed the shower on while she brushed her teeth, Crookshanks jumping on to the counter greeting her with a raspy meow. Yes yes I know, she thought, smiling to herself.
“Yes, absolutely deplorable, how are you expected to live, laugh and love in these conditions?! How dare I prepare myself for the day before feeding you?” She finished washing her face then headed for the kitchen, where the bossy feline’s breakfast awaited preparation. She also set her tea kettle to begin heating water for her morning tea. She prepared a mug with loose leaf earl gray, the scent of bergamot with notes of lemon and grapefruit always soothed her.
When she returned, the bathroom resembled a steamy cave more than a bathroom. Awaiting was her favorite kind of shower, scalding hot with the scent of the eucalyptus oils she had added to it. Stepping under the hot stream Hermione sighed as the hot water warmed her skin and relaxed her already tense muscles. As she enjoyed the waterfall against her neck, she went through yet another mental checklist;
St Mungo’s reps confirmed
Lists of potions done
Test results obtained
Runes and spells for enhancement, Daniel is so smart and a lifesaver, have to remember to thank them for his immense help
Numbers of staff calculated
Cost/benefits analysis, favorable
The list went on and on as she washed her hair with lavender infused shampoo, conditioner, and moisturized her skin with soaps and oils. Today she intended to bring her “A game” more so than any other day. Whatever she lacked in strategy not being familiar to purebloods, she would make up for in Gryffindor adaptability and Ravenclaw wisdom. Sometimes she wondered if the sorting had made a mistake, it took it long enough to sort her into Gryffindor as it was. Either way, maybe it was the Gryffindor in her, maybe not, Hermione didn’t fear any situation as long as she was armed with all the knowledge. With the knowledge of all possible outcomes she could adapt and overcome anything, her bravery was always calculated, never blind.
She stepped out of the shower, magically drying her body and hair, ensuring her curls had the perfect volume and wave to them while staying out of her face. She donned her outfit, and charmed her makeup to highlight her brown eyes while complementing the green of her dress. She enhanced her eyelashes for more volume, cheeks with a subtle classy pink blush to them and her lips with a matte berry shade. The unruly curls that she would normally wear carelessly tied behind her head were put up in a loosely under tucked chignon, with a few perfectly placed curled pieces to frame her face. In her room she stepped into her shoes, watching as the charmed gold snakes twirled around the heel. With one last look she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, her coat on and summoned tea in hand, she disapparated with a click to the Ministry.
The office of the Department of Rights of Magical Creatures was on the first floor of the Ministry, it was an expansive open concept room with offices on the east wall where the everyday business and traffic was mostly concentrated to. Towards the west wall were a variety of fenced off areas to accommodate for protected creatures of the wild life variety that were found during raids, had been confiscated and were awaiting proper placement.
The office for Magical Creatures Legislation Executive Officer, Hermione Granger was in the east most corner of the room, as Hermione walked towards it she appreciated the quiet of the space. Witches and wizards had only just begun trickling in for the day, floo’s firing off intermittently with their arrival. The meeting with Malfoy Trust was in just over an hour, she thought as she walked into her office, placing the steamy mug on the desk.
Her office was not the neat clean organized space others maintained, but more of a chaotic labyrinth that screamed, Hermione Granger. Books took up every possible surface available, some in stacks on the ground, others opened with quills or paper weights serving as space holders. Hermione liked to call it organized madness, and to anyone who inquired or commented, she knew where everything was and Merlin saved them, they should mind their own business. The environment worked for her and the constant moving parts in her brain that allowed her to keep up with the day to day demands of her work.
“Good morning Ms. Granger,” her assistant Sam greeted her from the door with a smile, “everything is finished, I’ve rehearsed over and over in my head. Goodness these jitters!” she said as she raised her fists in excitement.
“Good morning Sam, you’ve nothing to worry about, we have both worked very hard, you’ve done excellent work and I’m so incredibly grateful for you,” Hermione smiled back, “I could have never done this so thoroughly or quickly without you.” She stood and walked over to her, shaking her shoulders just a little, “but maybe perhaps, no more coffee for you today?” she mused.
Hermione smiled, Sam had been her assistant for the last few years, she was astute, and quick on her feet, eager to learn and master everything thrown at her. There was no project too big or small, if Sam didn’t know the answer she would find it. Hermione enjoyed her vigor, and the way that setbacks never seemed to shatter her spirit. Just like all her other projects, Hermione was passionate about this one, and Sam matched her energy. Once they’d gotten notice that Malfoy Trust was interested, Sam went into overdrive. Volunteering to do all the extra research necessary for the Malfoy Trust inquiries prior to the meeting. She was also always eager to work with Daniel, their point of contact up to this point. Though Hermione suspected, it was more than just work interest that had kept her volunteering for late nights in the office where Douglas was concerned.
“Ms. Granger,” she blushed, “it's going to be great! I’ll be upstairs if you need me,” she shot out before leaving as quickly as she appeared.. Hermione laughed to herself, the contrast in personality between herself and Sam was what made working with her so incredibly great. Hermione never knew what she was getting where Sam was concerned. She studied the meeting bullet points again, then headed to the conference room herself.
Walking into the conference she saw the St. Mungo’s reps, greeting them and thanking them for their time. They were just as eager as her to kick off this project. Minutes before the Malfoy Trust reps were due however, she found herself pacing back and forth in a conference room coffee room, last minute jitters Sam had been talking about were taking the best of her. I’m the brightest witch of my age, she continued to remind herself, she deserved the space she took. She felt confident, but just as quickly self doubt barged in, of course she had the weight of an entire hospital committee on her shoulders, Shacklebolt’s demand, the pressure of failing another initiative brought forward, again. As if on queue Shacklebolt walked in heading towards her interrupting her thoughts with his greeting.
“Ms. Ganger!” he greeted as he placed his arms around her shoulders, “I’ve seen your presentation, everything looks wonderful!” The confident smile on his face washing over Hermione, “thank you Minister,” she replied back. His reassurance, though welcomed, was also adding to the pressure she already felt. As much as she despised the idea of working closely with the Malfoys, she also knew how important this opportunity was. This was the big ticket name that her initiatives needed to be taken seriously at the Wizengamot, she couldn’t let this opportunity slip from her fingers.
Excusing herself quickly, she sidestepped back into the coffee room pulling a calming draught potion from her charmed beaded bag that she quickly swallowed. She stood still waiting for the potion to take effect and slow her frantic heart down before she stepped back into the conference room. Not a minute too soon, as she came face to face with Narcissa Malfoy herself.
“Good morning Ms. Granger,” Narcissa greeted her as Hermione took her in. It had been some time since she’d seen her but time had no effect on the Head of the Malfoy family. Narcissa stood before her the pure image of elegance, her features aged gracefully as she gently smiled at Hermione. Not a hair out of place, as Hermione nervously tucked her loose curls behind her ear.
“Mrs. Malfoy, it's a pleasure to see you! Thank you so much for this opportunity—” Hermione greeted her back with what she hoped was a perfect smile on her face, extending her hands toward Narcissa’s for what she intended to be a firm handshake. But before she knew what was happening Narcissa cut her off as she stepped towards Hermione for a hug.
She stood there eyes frantically looking around as Narcissa's arms wrapped around her, before she stiffly hugged her back. Noticing what she presumed to be other Malfoy reps entering the room, and taking their place at the table. She breathed a sigh of relief as she noted the lack of Draco Malfoy. Hermione’s sigh ironically made Narcissa hold her a bit tighter, and she couldn't help but find comfort in the gentle squeeze for a small moment. Unsure of how to proceed she stood there, simultaneously thinking; she couldn’t remember the last time someone’s hug made her feel like this and also, what the hell do I do with my arms?
Okay, one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, how long is a damn hug supposed to last?!? She wondered in her head. Narcissa for the most part seemed perfectly comfortable standing there and Hermione didn’t want to begin their working relationship with another awkward encounter. She closed her eyes in resignation thinking she’d just let time pass, however, before she knew it her body had settled in the surprising comfort of Narcissa’s arms. She basked in the feeling only a mother’s hug provided, even if it wasn’t her own. Narcissa’s hands began to move up and down her back, making Hermione’s body further relax in the woman’s hold. But as she remembered where she was and who she was hugging, her eyes snapped open frantically as if she had fallen asleep by accident in a class, looking around as she gathered herself. She was working up the courage to step away from Narcissa before her eyes landed on none other than Draco Malfoy. Who was standing by the door looking at them with an expression she couldn't quite understand. How can someone look confused, happy and surprised all at the same time? Heat suddenly engulfed Hermione from head to toe, if it was due to embarrassment or something else she wasn’t sure. But his eyes on her had her body quickly feeling like hot coals in a fire.
To make matters worse, she was pretty sure that the infamous Daniel was standing next to him. Sam’s raving about how eloquent he was and smart, and how he always had cheeky ideas ran through her mind. This was not the first impression she wanted to make, to anyone, least of all Draco and his associates.
Narcissa took a step away from Hermione but didn’t release her, keeping her arms around Hermione’s shoulders, “we’re so glad to be here Ms. Granger,” she added as she looked at Hermione with almost pity. Yet her voice felt so soothing and calming to Hermione, she didn’t understand why but she felt like she could listen to Narcissa speak forever.
‘What is wrong with me’ the new theme of my life around Malfoys, Merlin , Hermione thought, wondering how she could be so captivated by yet another member of the family. She needed to get it together, there were bigger beasts to tackle than what her current ailment was around the Malfoys.
As if Hermione needed more flustering, Draco walked up to his mother gently touching her shoulder and kissing her cheek in greeting. He then turned his silver eyes to Hermione, a devilish grin on his face dimple on full display “Granger, nice to see you again.”
Merlin it's that dimple again. WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT IT!?!! She berated herself, before she returned his smile with one of her own, “Hello Malfoy,” Gods she hoped she wasn’t flushing, yet again, in front of Malfoy and now his mother.
“Oh you’ve seen each other?” Narcissa inquired as she grasped Draco’s hand on her shoulder, the act not lost on Hermione making her long for her own mum yet again.
Hermione smiled as she went to reply but Draco beat her to it, “yes, I ran into Granger at Tonk’s place a few days ago,” he answered while maintaining eye contact with her.
“Oh of course Ms. Granger, you also frequent Nymphie’s store!” A statement more than a question. “It’s wonderful the work she has done with it,” Narcissa rejoiced in her niece’s successful business.
“Yes, her book bar has become one of my favorite places in London and a welcoming space for all as well,” Hermione added, the thought of Tonk’s book bar always brought a wholesome smile to her face. Yet the memory of Draco there now added a certain sense of confusion, an eagerness at the possibility of running into him again that she didn’t understand and she would tuck away for later dissecting.
She took a deep breath trying to calm herself, but instead his scent, so close, invaded all of her senses. Oh gods, so good , she thought then immediately proceeded to internally scold herself to focus. His scent of man and musk made her body throb and tingle in ways she wasn’t used to and hadn’t felt in a long time. But, she wasn’t there to smell Malfoy, as delectable and appealing to her senses as he apparently was quickly and without her permission, becoming.
She grabbed Narcissa’s hands from her shoulders, clasping them together in front of her before letting go, “again thank you for your time, please have a seat.” She hoped the gesture came across more courteous then abrupt, as she pointed towards the seating area. Narcissa’s close presence was confusing her and she just needed to get this done and over with. As Hermione turned to take her place, Draco caught her eye, winked then turned towards his seat.
Absolute fire coursed through her veins, from her toes up to the apex of her thighs, a burning she hadn’t felt in a long time. Alright, get it together, focus! Now is not the time to think horny thoughts Hermione Jean Granger! How many times would she need to remind herself?
She shook her head subtly, Alright, you can do this , she pumped herself up as she moved towards the front of the room. She discreetly shook her fingers out, feeling tingles on her skin as she thought of all the things that could go wrong. All the things that should go right, with a mix of dirty Malfoy thoughts which wasn’t helping. She took a deep breath and wondered where the hell her calming draught had done. Nonetheless, everything would go fine, their entire team had worked hours on end, this meeting was a formality at most. Right?
With the rush of overlooking details one last time and then greeting Narcissa and Draco, Hermione realized she still had her outer robes on. Looking to the wall for a hook she headed over, hanging the robes then swiping her hands down her body to fix her dress. Suddenly she felt like she was being watched, turning around her eyes scanned the room until she found the source. Draco sat in the front row, eyes focused solely on her.His body was leaning forward forearms on the table, coat off, sleeves rolled up, fingers interlocked together. His focus was like a predator observing, if she didn’t know any better she would say he was devouring her with his eyes like a prey.
Hermione attempted to return the stare as she continued to walk until she reached the podium. With a deep breath she gave him a smirk of her own, raising an eyebrow before she looked down at her scrolls.
With a deep breath she raised her head, quickly winked at Draco then addressed the room, show time , she thought. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ministry of Magic. The Department of Rights of Magical Creatures thanks you for your time and your generosity. In front of you,” a flick of her wand opening everyone’s scrolls, “you will find the goals of this meeting. It is our hope that today will shed clarity on not only the needs of the wizarding community but the many ways that together, we can better serve them now, and for future generations to come.” She went on, hoping the passion in her seeped into every word, explaining the needs discovered, how they could and why they should be addressed before she introduced Sam.
“The floor is yours,” she quietly instructed her assistant with what she hoped was a warm encouraging smile. She clasped her hands together in front of her as she oversaw the presentation, Sam’s voice sounded muffled as her mind went elsewhere when she saw Draco. Where she stood she was giving him an unobstructed view of herself. She watched him from the corner of her eye, as his gaze swept her body from head to toe. A smirk on his lips when he noticed her shoes, he lingered on her hips on the way down, and up, before finally looking at her face again. She chose that moment to make eye contact with him, hoping her eyes conveyed that she knew what he was doing. She felt like at that moment, he was in the palm of her hand, his focus solely on her, and that felt so good . The thrill of knowing that maybe, nothing else mattered in the room to him but her, how she moved, and how he’d move with her. A sharp contrast from the boy who teased her in school, called her names, and took every opportunity to steal her joy.
She averted her eyes to the ground abruptly ending their eye contact. Gods , clearly I’ve lost the plot, she was insane, there was no way Draco Malfoy was looking at her with anything resembling lust in his eyes. Of course she was feeling eyes on her, the whole room was staring at her and Sam. She shifted the weight on her feet, and looked at Draco again, who was still staring at her. Hermione shifted her eyes as she brushed a hand against the side of her neck, readjusting her necklace. She could see a nonchalant smile on his face, which both excited her and infuriated her.
As the meeting progressed she kept sneaking peeks in Draco’s direction, and with the exception of Narcissa speaking to him, his eyes solely remained on her. It was starting to make her feel, giggly? The sort of giggly she experienced years ago writing silly nothings in a notebook for no one to read. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had made her feel that way, certainly not Ron in their recent years.
Once it was all said and done, Narcissa walked up to Hermione, “that was very enlightening Ms. Granger,” a very serious look on her face, “we are pleased with the efforts you and your team have made, we are ready to move forward, with your guidance.”
Hermione stared at her, she hadn’t expected to be given the green light so quickly, she surely thought they’d play hard to get. That they’d have to wait the rest of the week walking on eggshells until they received a response.
“But I’ve got to run dear,” Narcissa extended her arms towards Hermione again, “it does not pay to make high society wait, am I right?” she winked. Hermione nodded and smiled.
“Draco, would you please bring Hermione and her colleagues up to speed on our plans?” Narcissa said before she squeezed Draco’s cheek and Hermione’s shoulder simultaneously, smiled once more and left.
Hermione stood there, shocked, not entirely sure of what had just occurred. They said yes, just like that, no fighting, no bargaining, no teeth pulling, they simply said yes , she kept repeating in her mind over and over.
Followed by, so much squeezing , as she stared off into space perplexed by the morning events. Draco’s hand at her elbow brought her back to the present, “Granger, are you ok?” he asked. Is that what worry looks like on Malfoy’s face? She pondered as she tilted her head, staring into his eyes. Oh those silver eyes, they should be illegal.
“Yes, I’m sorry, did you say something?” she blinked away the daydream, folding her arms to her chest, looking up at Draco.
“Um, our offices are in Hogsmeade, by the castle, would you be available to come by sometime this week. So we could get started?”
“Oh yes, what days did you have in mind?” she asked. Shacklebolt had informed them the day prior that as long as all went well with Malfoy Trust “this initiative will take all of your attention Hermione.”
“Very well, how does next week work for you? Any day after 8 am I'm in the office” he said, as he put his hands in his pockets. Hermione couldn’t help but notice his stature, his form, the way he stood and took up space in the room. He wasn’t the meek boy she grew up with chasing away from her friends, and defending herself against at every turn. This was a man sure of himself, confident in his abilities, and despite his past he exuded loudly he didn’t owe the world anything. It was refreshing to see that the war hadn’t completely eradicated Malfoy’s future, even if he had been a wanker and a no good git with his friends as kids. The choices he made as a child, in a war that they had no business in, had been just that, poor short sighted decisions made by a child who didn’t know any better. It was nice to see that someone escaped, battered and bruised but eventually better.
Hermione cleared her throat, that line of thinking not something she wanted to dive into ever, how she coped hadn’t exactly been conventional but it worked she reminded herself. “Yes I’ll see you Monday then?” she asked. He smiled at her, a full yet seductive smile of teeth and pulled lips and that one cursed dimple on full display smile. It made her laugh, “I look forward to it Granger, great job, you are truly amazing, I hope you know that.” The compliment rolled off his lips as if that’s something he said to her every day, he gathered his belongings and left the conference room.
As if coming out of a daze, she looked around and realized she was alone, Sam had disapparated back to the offices and reset the room for the next meeting. At that Hermione began laughing, pure giggles emanated from deep within her, dancing with excitement, they had done it. They had finally procured a pureblood endorsement on an initiative, and if executed properly this could only be the beginning of much needed change.
As she continued her victory dance she thought of her father, and what he always told her when she felt like she couldn’t go on. You are right dad , I don’t know when I forgot, but there is nothing more dangerous than a focused me , she thought as she replayed the conversation with Narcissa in her head. “We’re ready to move forward, with your guidance” she had said, Hermione still couldn’t believe it. She was still bouncing on the spot squealing with joy, when she heard it. They weren’t taking this from her, they were working with her.
Someone cleared their throat, interrupting her victorious dancing Hermione turned. Malfoy was walking back into the room “my apologies, I seem to have forgotten my overcoat.” He pointed to it as Hermione saw it, hung on the back of the seat, a black coat with silvered snake accents. With what Hermione deduced was a smug and amused expression on his face as he tried to suppress his laughter as he walked towards it. Once back in his possession, she hoped he’d leave and never return, or maybe the very earth underneath her feet would open up and suck her into another dimension. The depths of hell would be perfect right about now she thought, she wasn’t picky.
But Draco came closer until they were face to face, Hermione looking up at him clearing her throat out of pure nervousness. Her body was suddenly filled with anxious energy; she hadn’t known where it came from or what to do with it. She bounced on the ball of her feet back and forth, for what subjectively felt like days but was objectively probably seconds. The only sound in the room was their breathing and in her head a perpetual scream.
“Well, I wish yo—” his hand moved towards her swiftly ending whatever she’d been wishing for him. She followed it with her eyes, body frozen still, unsure of what he was doing or what she would or should do next.
Draco’s fingers neared her face where he slowly tucked a loose curl behind her ear. The brief skin to skin contact set off fireworks inside her body. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he lowered his head to her, and in a low seductive tone he whispered, “I like the sounds you make Granger,” before turning around and walking away.