To Woo a Minister

Hermione woke with a jolt and a headache the next morning. Thankful that she hadn't woken up late, she rushed to the bathroom to clean herself up and clear her mind. The hot water of her shower relaxed her nerves. Leaning against the shower wall and knocking back the hangover potion she had grabbed from her potion cabinet, she took a moment to think back on how Draco and herself had grown close after returning to Hogwarts. feels like so long ago now... He had been so broken after the final battle. She recalled the image of Draco and Narcissa sitting alone, after Lucius was carted off by Kingsley, and looking around as if waiting to be dragged away themselves. Of course, the two of them were never charged, just tracked, everyone knew they had been loyal to Lucius not Lord Voldemort himself. Even Lucius made a deal to keep himself out of Azkaban. Hermione had considered speaking with them the day of their "family trial" as it were but after they spoke with Harry and a few other order members they left quickly, heads hung low. Hermione had returned the next year to Hogwarts with Ginny and a handful of other students their age, while Ron and Harry went right into Auror training. The first night back she had been wandering around the castle to keep the nightmares at bay and heard whimpering in a corner.

"Malfoy?" Hermione all but whispered. Draco jumped up but she could see the blood dripping down his arm. His left arm where his dark mark had been, or still was – she didn't know. The way he moved was frantic and his eyes were a bit grazed but not in anger. His right hand was dripping as well and she deduced he had been trying to scratch the mark off. He had made to leave but she stopped him. They had spoken a few times since the final battle. Mostly at the ministry along with Harry. She knew they couldn't consider the other a friend but clearly Draco needed someone. She looked him in the eye and whispered "its okay." She squeezed his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. She tried to pour as much care into him as she had. She hated to see so many of her friends and fellow students hurting. She knew that if they were to heal they'd need to do it together. She felt him shudder under her and knew that the dam broke. He let out a sob and she held him tighter trying desperately to stop imagining the heavy guilt he must be feeling. She found it wasn't difficult to forgive him for his childish behavior in the past as she quietly healed his arm, swallowing her own grief for the moment.

Hemione's heart was heavy with the memory of that night as she went through the rest of her morning routine without paying attention to what she was doing. It was after that first night back that her and Draco had begun to study together and to meet by the lake. One would send a note to the other and they'd meet. Sometimes just as a distraction. Sometimes she'd wake from her night terrors and he'd remind her that it's over. Other times they'd meet for fun or to work on projects together. She had gotten to know Blaise as well. She enjoyed getting to know the "snakes" as Ronald had called them and McGonagall had been so happy to see such inter-house cooperation. The three of them ended up paired in quite a few classes together. Showing the entire school how to heal and move on - together. Something that was so necessary for success in this new world.. Seeing him last night had brought these memories back fresher than they had been in years. How could she have let them drift so far to the back of her mind? He was still the same charming, silly gentleman she had befriended before but he seemed much more of a man now. She blushed remembering her thoughts from last night.. Time had done him justice.

She sighed as her positively ancient cat Crookshanks mewed at her. "of course old man" she mumbled as she put some food in his bowl and proceeded to floo to Harry and Ginny's house for a quick cup of tea. Arriving in the Potters fireplace she was startled to find both Harry and Ginny standing directly in front of her staring her down. Both with knowing smirks on their faces.

Nearly falling backwards back into the green flames she did her best to look innocently back at them. "What?"

Hermione could tell Ginny was trying not to laugh as Harry cleared his throat. "Ginny tells me your girls night was cut short by a ferret." At that Ginny bust out laughing and fell onto the sofa.

Hermione rolled her eyes and went to their kitchen to get her tea while Harry stared her down waiting for a response.

She sighed and took a sip. Closing her eyes she said "Yes, I had a few drinks with Draco and he walked me home.." She trailed off wondering if she should tell them about Ron. "We.. We also saw your brother" She said looking at Ginny. The smiles both fell off of their faces. Knew that would shut them up "Did you guys know he was seeing someone?"

Harry's eyebrows knitted and Ginny shook her head. "No, He hasn't said anything about you or anything.." Harry's voice trailed off. "all he wants to talk about to me is the shop."

She took a deep breath. "Well, while Draco and I were talking he all but fell down the stairs with some girl on his arm. They left after that. They didn't see us"

Harry gave her a concerned look but she held up her hand to stop him. "It's fine Harry. It was a surprise, that's all. I had a few drinks to blow off steam and was over it by the time I woke up this morning."

Harry and Ginny raised their eyebrows at that. It's scary when they do that at the same time Hermione thought. "Wouldn't have anything to do with a handsome man taking you home would it? I'm sure he made it easy for you to forget Ron." Harry suggested. Ginny smirked clearly thinking the same thing.

Hermione raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Honestly you too. He was perfectly sweet. He let me drink down my emotions a bit and took me home. He made sure I was okay and left." She smiled and looked down "he even sealed the front door" she said shaking her head. "As if I don't have perfectly good wards on my house, honestly." She said with a slight huff.

Harry had raised his eyebrows for a moment as she mentioned his having sealed the door but returned his face to a passive expression. "Well, That was nice of him. You ready to get to work?" he asked as she put her now empty tea cup down. She just nodded and followed him to the fireplace she had just come out of. They walked in comfortable silence to the lifts and parted at Harry's floor. Once she was walking down the hall to her office she heard her secretaries muttering in an excited frenzy. She walked closer and looked at them all with a quirked brow and a smile. Lately she had been met with apprehension so this emotion from her team was contagious. They parted for her to make her way to her office but she stopped short. Her office door was open which was not uncommon. They had an open-door policy and any important documents were sealed by magic. That wasn't what made her stop in her tracks. On her desk was the most beautiful and luscious bouquet she had ever seen in her life. How so many flowers fit in one vase she had no clue. She tried to hide her blush as she walked into her office and pulled out the card in the middle.

Attached to the card was what she recognized as a hangover potion. She laughed and set it on the desk. 

H,

Thought you may have a headache today. Hope this helps. The flowers are just to put a smile on your beautiful face.

Forever yours, 

D.M

She put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile and placed the flowers off to the side so she could access her desk. She gave her secretaries a look that said, no, I'm not telling you and they all giggled and went back to their desks. She quickly wrote a response to Draco.

She handed the letter to her owl who swooped off gracefully. She smiled again looking at her flowers. She sighed and dug into her "in" pile.

🖤 

Draco had gone into work early to be sure that Hermione's flowers had arrived before she did. A few hours after he arrived a beautiful tawny owl tapped at his office window. He beamed, knowing he was a ministry owl. The owl dropped the letter from its talons, nodded at Draco in a regal matter and swooped off. He opened the note.

D,

I certainly have a smile as big as these flowers on my face, now. I've never seen such a big bouquet. I surely don't deserve it. Thank you for the hangover cure as well. Although perhaps had I not acted so immature last night I wouldn't need it. I don't usually drink away my problems and I apologize you had to witness the one time I did.

Thank you for being there and for cheering me up. It has worked.

Hoping your head is not pounding as hard as mine.

H

He laughed. Wishing the owl had stuck around for his response he sat down and penned her a note back not sure when his own smile would go away.

 🖤 

Not long after Hermione had sent off her note she received a response.

H,

Nothing to apologize for. I'm glad I was there. And don't be ridiculous. You deserve those flowers and so much more. I won't ever let you believe otherwise.

Let me take you to lunch and you can thank me in person. I know the café across from the ministry is quite good.

Forever yours, 

D.M

She felt a rush of giddiness bubble up inside her but didn't dare let out a sound given that her door was still open. She quickly wrote for him to pick her up around 1 when she would usually eat and tried to ignore her fluttering heart as she worked through the rest of the morning. Glancing at the clock every other second wondering why it seemed to be moving so slow and trying to place what it was she was feeling.

🖤 

Draco walked down the level 1 hallway with a spring in his step. Never had he been so excited to take a witch to lunch but she was the Minister of Magic after all. He smirked to himself Your taking the bloody minister to lunch he thought just as he ran right into a black haired man.

"Oof" The man said and Draco looked up steadying himself.

"Potter" He stated "Sorry, didn't see you there. Was a bit distracted"

Harry was surprised to see him for a moment but then a knowing smirk graced his face and he raised an eyebrow at his former enemy.

"Whatcha up to at the Ministry, Draco?" Harry asked, still smirking even though he knew exactly why Draco was making his way to the Ministers office.

Draco stared at him for a moment somewhat horrified to see his facial expression and took a breath "uh...I'm..."

Harry motioned for Draco to follow him and lead him to a corner away from prying ears.

"What exactly are your intentions with my friend" Harry asked, arms crossed now going for a more menacing approach. He did look quite intimidating in his Auror uniform.

Draco took a deep breath. "Intentions? Well, I'm taking her to lunch..?" Draco stated quietly, not sure where this conversation was going.

"And I'm assuming you know what she's been through recently" Harry asked.

Draco nodded. "She didn't really tell me the whole story but yes." He said curtly.

"And after lunch..?" Harry asked.

Draco was confused. "Uh.. I'll bring her back..?" he stated, unsure if that's what Harry wanted to hear.

Harry relaxed slightly, chuckling and rolled his eyes. "What I mean is.. are you just trying to be her friend or more?" Harry asked.

Draco considered him for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed. Deciding to be honest with Harry and himself he said, "More." 

Harry nodded. "Well I'm not sure how she feels but .. " His voice trailed off and Harry clapped Draco on the back. "Good luck"

Draco was confused with the exchange but let Harry lead him back to the main hallway and to Hermione's office. They walked through the door side by side and Hermione beamed at both of them blushing as Harry caught sight of the flowers on her desk and whistled.

She looked at Harry as if to say "shut up" and asked "What's up Harry. I'm about to go to lunch." She glanced at Draco and he caught her blush and smiled at her.

"I know" Harry said. "I ran into my boy Draco here in the hall"

Hermione looked at Harry as if he had grown fur and an extra two heads.

"I was going to ask you to lunch myself but.." He handed her a stack of paperwork "either way here are the reports you were asking for"

She took the papers and set them on her desk. "You could come with" she said looking to Draco questioningly.

"Ooohh no, noooo no no." Harry said quickly before Draco could even react. "You kids run along and have fun." He said with a smirk and a wiggling eyebrow.

Well he's acting weird Hermione thought.

Draco appeared to be thinking the same thing as he was staring at Harry as if he suggested a blast-ended scrut was cuddly.

Hermione laughed at Draco's expression and he looked at her and smiled brightly. She blushed and said "Alrighty then Harry. See you later?"

He nodded and made his way back to his office.

Hermione shook her head as if to forget that interaction. "Ready?" she asked Draco.

"Absolutely" he nodded and took her hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow. They both smiled and ignored the looks they were attracting making their way out of the ministry. They didn't seem to care.

Once outside a gust of wind blew from the right and Draco caught a whiff of strawberries and Vanilla. He fought the urge to groan. She smelled so lovely. He had wanted to kiss her so badly last night and that urge came flooding back to him. But he just smiled down at her and checked both sides before crossing the street in front of them. There was a small café directly across from the main ministry exit and they made their way to a small table. Draco pulled out the chair for Hermione and was glad to see her smile shyly at the gesture. He wondered if Ron did these things for her. Pft, of course he wouldn't have He told himself.

He sat down across from her and they both ordered a drink and a sandwich from the waitress who was blatantly eyeing Draco. Hermione had noticed but waited until she walked away to say "Does that happen to you a lot?" she was clearly trying not to laugh.

He sighed dramatically. "I can hardly help being so handsome"

She burst out laughing at that and he smiled at her. He liked hearing her laugh and vowed to himself to make her do it more often.

She sighed. "I suppose not."

It was his turn to laugh. "So you don't deny that I'm irresistibly handsome?"

She rolled her eyes but the smile had not yet left her face. "Irresistibly?" she shrugged "nah"

He smirked, "But regular handsome?"

She blushed furiously the color creeping from her face to her chest but rolled her eyes. "Oh Draco, wipe that smirk off your face. We all know you are handsome. No need to gloat."

He smiled brightly at the victory as their food came. Hermione who had been hungry already dug into her Panini as Draco studied her for a moment. She was so beautiful and suddenly he wondered how he forgot that. She looked radiant in her pencil skirt and simple blouse. He tried to fight, imagining her without it. Her kindness had changed him - everyone he knew had changed due to her kindness, actually - as they grew close all those years ago and he had forgotten how much he missed her after graduation. He had spent so long shoving down any sort of feelings regarding her. She looked adorable enjoying her sandwich. He smirked as a bit of sauce caught on the side of her lip, bringing him out of his thoughts.

She looked up, finally taking a break from inhaling her lunch. "Sorry, I skipped breakfast" she laughed.

He shrugged in return. "I'm glad you came with me then but you have some.." his voice trailed off and he pointed to the side of his own mouth.

She blushed again and wiped her mouth with the napkin that was resting on her lap. She took a deep breath. "Thank you for last night Draco. I'm sure when you bought me a drink you weren't expecting me to have so many. I appreciate you getting me home safe." She smiled shyly and looked down. "and the flowers. They're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

He flashed her his smirk "You haven't seen anything yet" He winked and dug into his own lunch. He wasn't sure when he had decided but he wasn't letting her slip through his fingers again. 

"Is this how you woo the ladies, Draco?"

He nearly choked. He was caught but wouldn't deny it. Once he swallowed his mouthful he said "No, Just you" he winked again and took another bite.

Hermione scoffed playfully. "I'm serious," He said. "I haven't had anyone to woo in a while" he paused, "anyone worth wooing anyway."

She looked at him. "I'm worth wooing?" She asked quietly.

Draco looked at her seriously. "Hermione... of course. How could you even ask that?"

She shrugged rather like a child whos being asked why they've done something naughty. He frowned at her. "Can I ask.. What happened with you and the weasel?"

She sighed. "We just drifted apart I guess." She put her napkin on the table. He considered taking her hand over the table but decided against it given their topic of conversation. "He left his job as an auror shortly after I was promoted two years ago and just became so... " She looked out the window searching for the words "needy. Among other things. He'd be angry at me for working too late or on the weekends. He'd get furious if I ever had to cancel plans and finally about three months ago we had this big row. He said some… things about me and then said he was ready to get a divorce... that .. that we weren't working. That he didn't want to be a minister's husband. He left that night and that was it.. I couldn't fight anymore." She sighed and nervously fingered the tablecloth. "I don't know what he expected from me but.." She said quietly, letting her voice trail off.

He couldn't resist any longer. The sad, lost look on her face prompted him to grab her hand over the table and squeeze it. "It's okay. You deserve so much more than that Hermione." She stared at his hand for a moment and then looked up at him. She still looked lost but there was something else there he couldn't discern. She squeezed his hand back and he smiled warmly at her. He took his hand back and sighed. "Sorry I brought it up but I had to ask"

"It's okay. Oh, I wanted to ask you last night, How is your Mother?"

"She's well. She's moved up to Upper Flagley and seems to be enjoying herself. She's like a different person, now. Bubble of happiness other than her lack of grandchildren."

He took a few more bites and asked "so, reading anything good Granger?"

She laughed. "The opposite, I’m actually reading some of the original wizengamot manuscripts. There is a series of 8 and I'm missing the 6th. It's been driving me around the bend. I'm trying to find the very first restrictions put on magical creatures and they must be listed in that 6th manuscript. I've re-read the other 7 and have found nothing on the restriction of magical creatures which I know for sure was decided in the 4th ever wizengamot meeting.." she rolled her eyes and took a breath. "you'd think they'd publish the manuscripts in the order of the meetings" she huffed. "and who on earth lost the 6th manuscript?"

Draco just laughed. "I see it has been driving you mad. What kind of ministry loses their own manuscript?"

"My ministry apparently" She scoffed, rolling her eyes again and they laughed together. 

"What's it like ruling the world, Minister?"

She nearly choked on her drink. "I don't rule the world, just ours."

He laughed again. "Really, though, what's it like? You must have people asking you questions and stumbling over themselves every day. Not to mention the youngest minister ever elected, the first woman in how many years.. You should be proud of yourself.”

She smiled and sat up a bit taller. "I am. I do forget sometimes how important I am. Harry enjoys reminding me.. It is a bit stressful when I think about how many people depend on me but I have good staff around me and my work load is manageable so I try to tell myself It's just any other job." She smiled and shrugged. "I'm just being myself for now and that seems to be enough." She sighed. "I'm not sure how I'll manage as time goes on.. or how I'd ever raise a family this way.." her voice trailed off and it was obvious to Draco she realized that perhaps that wasn't in her future given her recent divorce

"That's why you need a supportive partner, Kitten" He said softly.

Her heart fluttered. Down girl, that doesn't mean he's referring to himself "Why do you call me that?" She asked softly.

Draco, looking at her critically said "Well, back at Hogwarts when you had that fluffy cat – He reminded me of your hair from when we were kids.. Plus you kind of act.. kitten like"

She was puzzled but decided not to dissect the meaning of his pet name for her further and said "I still have Crooks"

Draco's eyes widened "What are you feeding him?! That Cat must be a million years old now."

Laughing Hermione said "Maybe. But he's a good cat." She sighed contentedly looking at their now empty plates and drink glasses. Catching up with Malfoy, sans alcohol, had been so easy. Just as easy as it had been with alcohol. They had gotten to know one another so well that last year at Hogwarts and it felt as if no time had passed at all. No rocky marriage, no election, no ministry. She felt like a kid again in the best way. Glancing at her watch she frowned seeing that they had spent a good hour at the café. Knowing she needed to get back to the office to finish her afternoon, she said "Well, Draco I best be getting back." She made to grab her wallet but he had beat her to it leaving the payment and a generous tip on the table. She smiled at him.

"I can't very well take a lady to lunch and make her pay." He said with a smirk. She took his arm and they walked back to her office. Most everyone had finished their lunch and were back to their work by this time so they garnered less stairs walking back up to level 1. Hermione caught her head secretary watching as Draco lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. Oh my. She felt as if she'd float away that very moment but his words weighed her down. "Till next time kitten" he said softly and he walked away leaving her uncharacteristically speechless. She heard giggles far off and turned towards her office to find they were coming from her head secretary. Janice pointed to Hermione's open office door where another bouquet of flowers just as big were sitting next to the other ones. She looked at Janice, down the hall where she could just barely see a flash of white hair at the end of the hall near the lifts, and back to her office, vaguely aware her mouth was open and shook her head. Once composed she walked into her office. Shut the door and read the note.

Dinner Sunday?

Forever Yours, 

D.M

She decided to wait until the end of the day to respond and quickly got to work finishing her work for the day. Her endless paperwork seemed to take years to complete but about 4:30 she penned him a note.

D,

Dinner anytime. I'll cook. Let me know when

H

Truly she would have made him dinner that night or every night but didn't dare suggest it outright. She had spent the evening with him the day before and now lunch. Surely he hadn't intended on spending so much time with her all of a sudden. She wouldn't however, deny to herself, that she wanted to see more of Draco Malfoy. See more of him naked she thought as she was entering the lift to leave for the day. She was immensely grateful no one could read her mind as they'd see many lewd images of her and Draco tangled together in various ways. She arrived home before she knew where she was. Hmm, imagination makes time go faster, whoda thunk it? She dropped her bag at the door and kicked off her shoes. Perhaps I'm just hormonal and that's what's making me think this way but deep down she knew that she enjoyed their time together today just talking just as much as she'd like those fantasies to come to life. She sighed and changed into a jumper and loose joggers deciding to curl up with a book on the couch.

About an hour later she heard a knock at her door. Puzzled, she got up to open the door to see none other than Draco Malfoy standing before her.

Smirking he said "You said anytime"