Chapter 2
So it was Granger after all. Of course it was.
His former enemy; his nemesis.
The first girl who had punched him in the face, had physically hurt him.
And he had already heard the wedding bells chiming when he first saw her, ready to go down on one knee.
What was wrong with him? He never got so worked up just because of a good-looking woman before. A picture of Granger popped up in his mind, in Slytherin green lingerie. He had bound her hands with his scarf behind her head.
Where was that thing?
Draco rustled through his hair and let out a sigh while getting back to the point where they apparated.
There wouldn’t be any sexual relations between them. For a moment he was down for it, but that was before he knew that the woman in black was Granger and before he knew that they would be working together for the next …
He didn’t even know.
A long „fuck“ fizzled through the night when he apparated home.
Draco had a strict morning routine:
He did his workout which included a five-mile run and several strength exercises at home right after to stay in shape. After that he proceed to take a shower, style his hair while it was wet, change into his work attire and eat breakfast.
Punctually he took the floo to the ministry. So when he arrived there he was a well-rested, put together citizen who was ready to tackle the day. Until he stopped in front of Shacklebolts office, the new wizarding minister.
The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear two voices speaking, one who belonged to the minister and a female one which sounded familiar.
„I can’t work with him. “
„His sentence is done; he is a free man now and we desperately need him. I know you have history, but I can’t miss out on his expertise, because of a feud between you a long time ago. I am sorry, Hermione. “
Draco froze on the spot. That voice belonged to Granger. He couldn’t detect it first, because it was dulled, but now it was all too clear. She didn’t want to work with him.
Guilt settled over him, followed by understanding.
Why should she want to work with him?
Out of all people, she who was tortured in the drawing room of the Malfoy Mansion by his crazy aunt.
He ground his teeth and realized that he blacked out the rest of the conversation.
Whatever the issue was, they would have to deal with it.
Shacklebolt’s been right. He was one of the best in his department.
It wasn’t necessary that Granger and he talked more than the overlaying parts of their work.
Draco stepped forward and knocked on the door, sticking his head through the open space.
„Good morning, Sir. Draco Malfoy at your service. “
Granger who stood before the desk had put her hands on the table surface between Kingsley and her and looked bewildered over the shoulder. Her hair was bushy, that familiar frizz, though it seemed more tamed than in their school days.
Did she put something in it?
A nice scent came from her with a spicy undertone. Was it cinnamon?
It suited her.
He realized that they stared at him, and he straightened. „I’m sorry, I can come back, if it’s the wrong time. “
Shacklebolt smiled and stood, rounding his desk. „Don’t be silly. Good to see you. How are you Mr. Malfoy? “
Draco stepped forward.
Granger raised a brow behind the minister and Draco averted his gaze to the man in front of him.
They shook hands.
„I’m fine, thank you. “
„You know, Miss Granger, right? “Shacklebolt pointed with his hand behind him.
Draco nodded. „Yes, we … “
… have history?
… are former rivals?
… already came to terms that we are working together, and it looks like she already wants to duck out before their cooperation even started?
„… we know each other “, he said and smiled tight lipped.
Granger walked towards him, hands rubbing over the sides of her pencil skirt before she reached out her hand.
„Malfoy “, she acknowledged.
„Granger.“ His eyes soaked her in. She blushed and it accentuated her freckles. It gave her a cheeky look, clashing with her business attire.
She wore a black turtleneck, and he must admit that she had a nice bosom, he reminded himself not to stare at.
Her gray skirt ended above her knees and to his surprise she wore some high heels, even though the heel was very demure.
Granger looked like the bureau porn fantasy of every schoolboy.
He needed to toss out his brain or to let go of her hand, the skin contact was buzzing. Draco stepped back.
Rules.
Boundaries.
A trash can for his impure thoughts regarding his co-worker.
That was what he needed.
Thinking Hermione Granger was hot wank material while being at work-bad: trash can.
„You know why you are here, Mr. Malfoy. If you need anything, let me know. Miss Granger, please show him around. “ Shacklebolt returned to his seat.
Granger looked around. „Me? I have work to do, important work, that-„
„Sure. “ Shacklebolt raised a hand, so she stopped rambling.
„Just for today. I’m sure Mr. Malfoy would appreciate it and accommodate fast.“ He shot him a piercing glare and Draco wanted to leave. With or without Granger.
„I will do my best to not be in the way.“
The minister nodded. „I thought so.“
Granger gave in. „Fine, I’ll do it.“
„Please close the door behind you, Miss Granger. I don’t want people to eavesdrop on my confidential conversations.“
She gave him an irritated look and walked out of the office.
As soon as the lock clicked, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. „Malfoy, listen. In disregard to Shacklebolt’s opinion I have a lot of work to do. Important work.“
„You already said that“, he interrupted her with a long exhale.
„What?“
„Your work. It’s a lot and it’s important. I’m not deaf.“
„Okay …“ She eyed him up.
„Listen“, he wet his lips, „I’m not interested in disturbing you. Just show me around. Your office, my office, the smoke corner-“
„You smoke?“ Her forehead wrinkled.
„No, but that’s where the gossip is exchanged.“
„I knew you were a drama queen.“ She rolled her eyes.
„I need all the information I can get. People spill their secrets once they feel safe.“
Granger narrowed her eyes. „Good.“
He looked up.
„I mean that you don’t smoke. It’s unhealthy.“ She began walking down the corridor.
„I know“, he countered and followed her through the hallway.
„And it doesn’t really suit you.“
He paused. „What was that?“
Granger looked over her shoulder. „The smell. You are giving off clean perfume vibes. Smoking would ruin that.“ She averted her roaming gaze over his body.
Was she blushing?
He caught himself smiling and hurried to walk next to her, so he didn’t have to look at her backside.
She had a nice backside, he had to admit.
Bad thought-Trash can.
„So, where is your office?“
Her heels clicked over the floor once they arrived at the elevators.
They waited.
„Muggle regulations.“ She answered absently.
„I know, but you know what I mean.“
The elevator arrived and they entered.
Thank God they were alone.
„I show you. Then I’ll show you your office.“
„What about the cafeteria? We could meet there for lunch.“
Was he brain dead? His mouth had his own agenda.
She seemed confused. „I don’t eat.“
Draco looked at her suspiciously.
„I do eat, but not at work. Not with co-workers“, she clarified.
„Right, sorry. I didn’t want to-“
„It’s okay. We just have to get used to“
Each other
„the fact that you don’t know the ways around here.“
Reality settled in.
Right, because he wasn’t here for a very long time. As if he could forget the British art of coming across other people lingering and chatting to avoid work while drinking your weight in tea.
He didn’t answer.
It was enough said.
Silently they walked to her office in a lifeless hallway with very few offices. At least she had a sign that said:
Hermione Granger
Head of Muggle Regulations
„This is it.“ She opened the door and he stepped inside.
Granger made herself busy, cleaning up the crammed up space on her desk.
It was exactly as he pictured it, if someone would’ve asked him how her office would look like.
A desk in the middle, overfilled with books and a small area to actually work. Abandoned tea mugs standing here and there. One of the two chairs in front of the desk was occupied with another stack of books and a beige trench coat.
A farn peaked his interest, standing in the shelf on the wall, filled with more books, utensils he never saw before and decoration like photos of her friends and a miniature stature of the Big Ben.
„You like London?“, he raised his chin pointing toward the souvenir.
„Mhm?“ She was already lost in one of the folders laying on the desk.
Suddenly he felt dumb for trying to make casual conversation.
This was her workplace.
Her work was important to her, god forbid she said it several times.
Draco shouldn’t disturb her and wind her up with his presence.
„Never mind. Can you show me my office, so I can set everything up?“
„Ah, sure.“ She looked up and seemed less annoyed.
He stepped out of her office and she followed, but not without locking it.
Then they proceeded to go back to the elevators. This time other wizards and witches waited, and Granger nodded politely when they arrived.
The doors of the elevator opened, and they hurried inside. The space was limited so they were forced to the back.
Once the elevator went backwards Granger stumbled into him.
He held her on her arms with a firm grip so she could come to her feet.
„Thanks“, she mumbled, stroking a loose curl behind her ear.
Draco went silent a while ago.
Her hair was in his face when she had stumbled and he inhaled the scent of her shampoo. It smelled like the waft of milk chai with honey.
Was that her preferred drink?
The elevator came to a halt and most of the wizards and witches left.
„This is us“, she said, so they lined up in the stream.
He scanned the people around them, but no one looked familiar.
„This way“, Granger pointed.
He followed her again until they arrived in a busy corridor and came to stop before an office without a sign on the door.
„This must be yours.“ She opened the door with an „Alohomora“.
Where did she hide her wand?
Granger walked inside once the lock clicked and stopped in the middle, bracing her hands on her hips.
„This is it, I guess.“ She turned and he realized that he had once again stared at her backside.
He needed to get a grip of himself.
„Right. Thanks for showing me.“ He tried to smile and she mirrored the expression over her shoulder.
„Good.“ She rubbed her hands together. „If you need information, you can contact me.“
„Thanks.“
Granger walked towards him. „You should lock your door with a better charm, keys are too easy to recreate.“
„I will do so“, he saluted her with two fingers on his brow in her direction.
She paused at the door. „Welcome back, Malfoy.“ She tapped against the door frame and left.
Draco looked around. He stood in an almost empty office, besides of the desk and the two chairs, a bookshelf with only a handful of books.
He sighed and got to work.
~
Hermione had a lot of work to do.
Important work.
And there she was, sitting in her chair, spinning her writing feather between her thumb and index finger.
She couldn’t brush off his touch when she had bumped into him in the elevator. For a second she felt his strong build through his clothes and his hands had held her until he was sure she could stand on her own. She had been weak in the knees.
How embarrassing.
What was wrong with her?
Hermione put the feather down with a forceful slap.
This was ridiculous.
She didn’t even know him, it was impossible that she was attracted to him.
Worse: She knew him!
Well, the teenage boy version when his frontal cortex wasn’t fully developed.
Could you even judge a person before that?
She needed to get him out of her mind and to start working instead of thinking about the whereabouts and changes of Draco L. Malfoy.
So she did until lunchtime when her stomach was grumbling and she poured herself her third cup of tea, when Ginny stormed into her office.
„It’s official: Slytherins are amazing in bed.“
Hermione choked on her tea and hit herself against the chest.
„Hello, Gin“, she said with watering eyes.
Ginny threw her hair over the shoulder and placed a paper bag on the desk. „Eat with me“, she declared and took the only empty seat.
Before Hermione could answer, Ginny took the containers with food out of the bag and she raised her chin. „I could’ve been in an important meeting, you know?“
Ginny looked around. „Is the important meeting in the room with us?“
Hermione pursed her lips.
Ginny put food in front of her friend. „Eat. I know you hadn’t anything yet and probably hadn‘t a proper breakfast either.“
„I had a banana.“
„From whom?“
Hermione’s forehead wrinkled.
„You need a boyfriend“, Ginny stated.
„You are disgusting“, Hermione answered when she realized what Ginny implied.
She rolled her eyes and ate.
„This isn’t the reason you’re here, right? Something with Blaise?“ Hermione knew that she needed to change the attention from her to Ginny, who smiled broadly.
„He was the best lay I’ve ever had“, she said between two bites.
„My congratulations“, she pierced a tomato forcefully and chewed it aggressively.
Sometimes Hermione envied her friend for her social life. Ginny knew a lot of people, because of her status in Quidditch.
„Are you dating now?“ She knew better than to ask and did it anyway.
Ginny laughed. „Oh God, no. You know I’m not looking for anything serious.“
„The thirties are coming your way“, Hermione reminded.
„I don’t care. I’m not interested in settling down, getting married and all that stuff.“
„Kids?“
„Yes. My mom brought enough into this world, the Weasleys have done their deed.“
Hermione laughed. Molly wouldn’t be amused hearing her only daughter talking like that.
„You forget, that you have siblings.“
„Fleur and Bill already have two and I know that Ron will start soon, now he’s married to Lavender.“
Hermione paused chewing.
„Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to talk about them.“ Ginny’s face turned compassionate.
„It’s okay“, Hermione poked in her salad, „but you know what’s funny-“
„Oh boy, here it comes“, interrupted Ginny.
„He knew what he wanted and I told him I wasn’t ready and he still tried to rush me.“
„Hermione, Ron is a man. He doesn’t think about the complexity of being a woman. He wants a wife and kids and doesn’t care that it means you’ll be carried back in your career and that your body will go through major changes during pregnancy. They can’t fathom the sacrifices a woman must make to „have it all“, because women can’t if we are completely honest. It’s just a nice way to lay the responsibility of unpaid labor in their hands, how it always was. Men are the ones who win, and you didn’t let him. His ego couldn’t handle it. He was always a bad loser.“
„I think you do not do him justice, Gin. He had his moments of bravery and kindness.“
„Love, he’s my brother. You might think you were close, because you fucked, but I know him since I was born.“
„Eww, don’t say that.“
„What? Fuck?“
Hermione tilted her head and her lips turned into a straight line.
„I guess it just hurts, because the breakup caught me by surprise. Everything after that happened so fast, you know?“
Ginny paused her eating. „You two have grown apart from each other long time before the breakup, hun.“
Hermione sighed. „You might be right.“
„Might, mhm?“
Hermione laughed. „Fine, you’re right. Now tell me about your amazing night.“
Ginny smiled. „Okay, so …
Her friend talked in detail about all the things she did without shame, while Hermione was getting lost in space.
The relationship with Ron had never been exciting like the night Ginny told her about, but she mourned what they had.
After the war Ron and Harry became aurors while she went back to school. Ron wanted to marry and kids in the foreseen future, but Hermione wanted to establish a career without the benefit of being the golden girl.
When they broke up after eight years together, he dated Lavender and they were engaged within a year.
She had asked him if he had cheated on her with Lavender before the breakup, but he swore that he didn’t.
Hermione wanted to believe him for her own sake. After that she came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter. They both had what they wanted. He was married to a woman who would be joyous to bear his children and she had a career to be proud of.
But still it felt like something was missing.
„He’s a great kisser, Hermione. You need someone who can snog you senseless.“
Hermione looked up. „I don’t know. It would complicate things.“
Ginny stilled. „Complicate things? Do you have someone in mind?“ Her eyebrows wiggled. „Maybe a blonde bloke, who escorted you home on Friday night like a gentleman?“
She blushed. „I dare you to say his name. He’s not a gentleman.“
„Why? Did he assault you? What happened after you left? Oh please tell me it was scandalous. Did you two have sex?“ Her friend leaned over the table and Hermione hid her face in her hands.
„You are a manic, you know that. Not everybody is obsessed with physical interaction like you.“
Ginny shrugged. „You sound like an old spinster.“
„Maybe.“
„You need to get that out of your system or it will consume you. Whatever it is.“
It unnerved her that Ginny always could lay her finger upon what was going on with Hermione.
„I’m not risking my work to be intimate with a co-worker.“
„So we are talking about Malfoy, I knew it!“ Ginny slammed her free hand on the table, rattling the tea cup and Hermione winced.
Ginny pointed her fork at her. „Call, I want to see your cards. Now tell me, what’s going on in your beautiful brain?“
„Well, you said I should consider a one night stand, so I did.“
„Oh my god. You asked him and he refused? That’s harsh.“ Ginny put her hands before her mouth.
„No, listen. I did not ask him, I chickened out. But I’m glad I did. Our work is somehow related. The new project I told you about?“
Ginny opened a can of soda. „New project? Are we talking about the surviving guide for wizards and witches in the muggle world?“
Hermione starred at her. „Yes, I do.“
„I’m listening, honey. I might not be fully invested, because my father always talked about the ministry, so it’s like kind of a bummer, but I know what you do. So how is that related to what he’s doing?“
Hermione blinked several times. She had no idea.
„I have no idea.“
Ginny looked her up. „Shouldn’t you know?“
„Yes, I mean, I … I haven’t asked him yet.“
„Oh, girl.“ Ginny slammed her face with her palm and leaned back in her seat.
Hermione was so occupied with Shacklebolt’s response that she forgot to exchange information with Malfoy.
„We can’t afford to mess this up. Malfoy is the best we could’ve gotten. It might not be your dream collaboration, but I am not in the position to prioritize your feelings over this.“, was what the minister had told her.
She had felt dumb for asking to not work with Malfoy, like a schoolgirl that ran to the teacher to snitch on her bully.
„Tomorrow is another day.“ Hermione said, knowing that she would think about her mistake all day long.
„Okay, you’ll figure it out. You are grown-ups.“ Ginny packed up her stuff. „I need to go. See you at the pub on Friday?“
Hermione nodded. „Sure.“
„Perfect. We’ll see each other there.“
Her friend smiled while standing up and leaving the office.
Her thoughts wandered back to Malfoy when she realized the hidden statement Ginny made.
Figuring it out?
What?
Godric, she wished she knew how.