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The following days passed swiftly. Things picked up in the Auror offices at the ministry, keeping Draco and Hermione both busy. Outside of Draco’s patronus charm practice, they saw very little of each other.

But by the end of the week his training was beginning to pay off. The beam of light at the tip of his wand had widened significantly. He credited any progress to switching to a stronger, rather recent memory. Not that he would ever let his tutor know. Hermione praised his progress, which challenged him to push himself further.

Early Friday morning, Draco found Hermione waiting for him in his office.

“Morning Granger,” he greeted.

“Hello. I’m glad you’re early; I thought we could practice.”

Draco’s stomach flipped. “In my office?” He asked.

Hermione gazed around the spacious room.
“I think it will do just fine. I already cast a silencing charm and…there,” she flourished her wand, “is a locking ward.”

She noticed his bewildered look and apologized.
“I’m sorry, am I being crazy? It’s just that we haven’t seen each other apart from your training, since the last ‘practice’ that is, and I just thought we have the time before the workday starts.”

Draco took in a long breath. “I did say name the time and place.”

He set down his briefcase and loosened his tie.

“Good,” she said, “Sit here.” She gestured to his large office chair.

He sat.

“I just want to try something,” she whispered, sending a shiver down his spine.

She stepped between his legs, her eyes never leaving his.

Draco’s heart beat so loudly in his chest, he was sure she could hear it. But he forced his features to appear calm.

She trailed her fingers up the length of his forearm, letting her hand rest on his shoulder. She brought her knee up to rest on his leg and her hand slipped firmly down the front of his torso, brushing the buttons of his shirt, until she found his abs.

Draco swallowed; his throat clicked.

Hermione leaned towards him, lips parted, when-

BRRRRRRRNG!

The sound of Draco’s office phone separated the two with a jolt.

BRRRRRRRNG!

Draco scrambled to answer it.
“Hello? Draco Malfoy speaking.”

He began talking with whoever was on the end of the line. Hermione turned to leave, when Draco paused his conversation.

“Give me just one moment,” he said into the phone. And to Hermione, “Please don’t leave yet.”

Something in his voice made her want to stay. She took a seat in one of the extra chairs.

Hermione watched Draco as he worked, not listening to what was being said, but just observing him in office mode. It was something she had not seen before. Sure, they had gone on a few auror missions before, and often trained together. But this was different. His tie was still loose from their almost-kiss. He had put on his reading glasses to look through his werewolf case file that was now in his hand. He nodded along to whatever the caller was saying, authority etched across his features. Draco flipped through the file and jotted down a few notes in the margins.

Something about the scene in front of her warmed her insides. On noticing it, she chided herself for letting her emotions run away with her. It was natural, of course, to feel this kind of response after being intimate with someone – even if it was just one kiss.

But that kiss…

She couldn’t get it out of her mind. Of all the men she had kissed, muggle or magical, this had by far been the best. Whether in spite of the fact that she’d never expected it to come from him, or because of it, she didn’t know. But it was all she could think about since it had happened. And it was starting to ruin her once-logical plan.

I have to remember this is all fake to him.

Draco Malfoy didn’t date. Not for real, anyway. It was a sobering thought, but one she felt she must cling to.

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked, cutting into her thoughts.

He had finished his call and must have been watching her for a moment.

She smiled, but not with her eyes. “I’m not sure yet.”

He approached her and kissed her temple, causing her heart to stutter.

“I’m sorry our ‘practice’ got interrupted.”

 “I’ll see you after work for your training,” she said in a strained voice.

She quickly lifted the spells from his office and let herself out, leaving a confused Draco at the door. 

------------------------

With how they left things, Draco didn’t bring up the idea of “practicing” again. And neither did she. For the next five days they trained from after work until nightfall, but the entire focus was the Patronus Charm.

On the fifth day, Hermione threw him a curve ball.

Draco stared the dementor in the eyes. Or rather, where its eyes should be. The decaying face was mostly covered by its tattered cloak. Luckily, the thing was far enough away from him he had a moment to get a breath.

Yes, Hermione had gotten the approval from Harry to have an actual dementor in the training room today. And so far, he’d had no luck with it.

“It’s no wonder Potter kept fainting back in third year,” Draco grumbled.

At his eighth attempt for the day, the lack of progress was starting to wear on him. After the ninth time, he threw Hermione a wary look.

“Keep trying,” she encouraged, “You’re so close, I can tell.”

Though he could see his breath in front of him, he ignored the chill he felt. He took his practiced stance, and edged closer to the soulless creature.

Draco allowed the memory of kissing Hermione in the bookshop to fill up his mind, just like it had every time he’d practiced since it had happened. He smelled peonies, sugar, and books. He imagined her soft, pillowy lips on his. The feeling of her pulling him to her washed over him.

“Expecto Patronum!” He shouted.

A wispy mist flowed from his wand and swirled in front of him like a shield. No, it wasn’t a corporeal Patronus, but it was strong enough to keep the dementor at bay.

“Well done!” Hermione cried, “Brilliant Draco! Now, guide it to the corner.”

A corner of the room had housed the dementor prior to the start of their training. Draco inched closer to the dementor, his patronus going before him.

Bit by bit, Draco coaxed the dementor into its corner where precautionary wards kept it in place.

“Draco you’ve done it!” Hermione praised. “Really well done!”

She ran to him, but paused before they could touch.

Instead of reaching for him, she awkwardly handed him a block of chocolate and instructed him to eat. She sat by him as he nibbled, talking excitedly about his improvement.

“I told you today was the day. I could feel it.”

“Took me, what, three weeks?”

Hermione prattled on, but comprehension dawned on Draco as he added up his training days.

“Oh no,” he groaned.

“What?” She asked, lifting her drink to her lips.

“You have to come over to meet my mom.”

Water sprayed from Hermione’s mouth all over the floor in front of them.

“WHAT?”