She walked into the lift and held her breath. He was wearing a golden tie.
Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were the newest acquisitions at the ministry. Freshly graduated from Hogwarts and having the best ranks in their year, the Ministry Departments practically fought over them.
Hermione was Junior Researcher at the Department of Mysteries hoping to become an Unspeakable and Draco was second assistant to the Head Auror becoming one within a year of training. They never saw each other at work except for that one lift that they took early in the morning, every day for three months now.
"Beautiful Morning, Granger." he sang, aristocratic as ever. He smiled to her and she nodded looking down at her feet. Her sandals were gold too just like her hair tie. She wore a white dress with navy blue dots. Ha! What are the odds? They were matching.
He hid his face in front of a file and she turned her head to take a good look at him.
His navy blue suit was the perfect shade of blue to match with a golden tie. His suit even had tiny little threads of gold at the sleeves.
He lift his hand and tucked it into his pocket revealing a golden watch.
A golden watch and navy blue suit.
Right. What are the odds?
"Can I help you with anything?" She heard him say behind the file. She blushed and looked at away, breathing slowly.
"Did you happen to notice..." She mumbled.
"Notice what, Granger?" He put down the file and she met his eyes.
Something had happened over the summer. Or maybe during eight year. His factions had become lovely. His grey eyes were warm and his smile was... he wasn't mocking her. He was actually smiling at her.
"Uhm... Never mind, Malfoy, not a big deal."
An then he sneered. There he was.
"Whatever you were going to say, it's most certainly a big deal. You're blushing so hard you could be a remembrall."
She rolled her eyes and was about to snap at him but they arrived at his floor and in seconds he was gone.
The next morning she was already on the lift trying to get the crumbs off her green blazer when Draco walked in, carrying a bloody green tie around his annoying self.
What was this, some kind of psychological warfare? Was he trying to distract her so he could rank higher at work? How low of him.
She checked the rest of their outfits. His suit was a Dark grey, like her purse and heels and his suit was just as black as her A shaped dress.
What are the bloody odds?
"Good day, dear Granger" she huffed and then blushed. Maybe they just matched accidentally. Two days in a row.
"Good day, Draco." She whispered and stepped away from him. She looked down at their feet.
His black shoes bad green details, the same color as her blazer. This must be some kind of joke. Or maybe not. Green is his house color anyways. Maybe he just liked green. Of course he did.
"Granger?"
She looked up and found a blushing Malfoy. He held out a cup of coffee.
"I got you one too."
She grabbed the cup and was rendered speechless. She looked at the cup and at his tie, at his shoes and at her cup.
But when she looked up again to see his face, he was gone. They were in his floor. What did he mean by that? He was just holding one cup!
The next day, she wore a periwinkle ribbon attempting to hold her curls in place, same color as her flats. Her shirt was white and the khaki pencil skirt made her feel very grown up.
She walked into the lift to find out that Draco's tie was the exact same color as her ribbon. It even had the same glossy texture. He wore khaki pants and a blue jacket.
She huffed and he didn't even look at her as he was reading a book and holding a coffee cup. A coffee cup for her? She crossed her arms and started tapping her feet.
People had lots of expectations of them both. She ranked first in Astronomy, Charms, Ancient Runes and Transfiguration while he ranked first in Herbology, Potions, Arithmancy and; surprise! Muggle Studies.
But they had the same rank in Defence Against the Dark Arts. And that really had put them in a competitive spree since last year. This was surely part of it.
"Alright, what are you trying to do?" She said.
"Hm?" He didn't even look up as she spoke to her. He was very focused in whatever he was reading. The pulled her wand out and THEN he looked at her.
"Finite" she said. Nothing happened. She conjured another anti transfiguration charm. The tie was real. He had actually chosen a periwinkle tie to wear at work. He let out a laugh and closed his book.
"What are you doing?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"Don't pretend, Malfoy. You're doing it on purpose!" She cried.
"Doing what?" He looked quite amused. "Do say."
"You and I matched outfits yesterday, and today!" She accused him.
"Granger, we have been matching outfits since we started working in here."
She held her breath.
"What?"
"We're been matching."
"How?" She was so shocked.
"Potter. He's been telling me all this time."
Her eyes open wide and she looked around, processing. What did that mean? Was Harry trying to ruin her work life? Why would he want to bloody match?
"Why?" She whispered.
She stopped looking at anywhere but him. She turned, her face warm maybe as blushed as he was. His eyes were warm yet scared, or anxious.
"I wanted you to notice me. Like I've noticed you for a long time."
He has been trying to get her attention for three months. Now she remembers. Once she had commented on his suit being of a color she wore a lot and a month ago, they had matching shoes, from the same shop, same color. She had smiled politely and commented on the funny coincidence and resumed sipping her tea without meeting his eyes.
"I notice you alright." She whispered.
Draco smiled a honest smile and let out a breath. Relieved.
"Finally." He whispered, and stepped closer. She blushed and stepped a little closer too. He held out a cup of coffee for her. As she took it, their fingers touched. Neither removed their hands.
"Do you notice me enough for me to walk you home tomorrow?"
She smiled.