Chapter Text
Chapter 1
She's Been Sleeping
“Mione, can you make sure to do the laundry today?” Ron asked as he was heading out the door.
Hermione was always doing the house chores, but she never expected Ron to pick any of them up when they decided to move in together. It was only the logical progression of events, they had been dating for a few years since the war, their friends were already getting married and having kids, so the least she could give him was a joint address. For the past 2 years since they made this move Molly Weasley has become a thorn in Hermione’s side as apparently the grandchildren she had already were just not enough and “how dare they live in sin” .
“Yah, sure, but I may only get to it tomorrow, I’ve been slammed at work and I’ll probably have to stay late.” She apologized. Hermione has been working as a mid-level employee in the legal department of the ministry for magic. The work wasn’t extremely magically challenging but was suited to her strengths in researching and memorizing laws. She honestly didn’t have a lot to do for today, but the prospect of laundry as a fun Friday night activity wasn’t compelling.
They had won the war and then life started happening. Ron joined his brother at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, since they had lost Fred, George hasn’t been the same and Ron being there to manage the store seemed to help. Harry became an auror and now 4 years later is a senior in line to be promoted to be head auror someday. Harry and Ginny got married 5 months ago as the first Potter baby was on the way. Neville and Luna had their wedding right after the war, not inviting anyone and choosing to have a long forgotten ancient bonding ceremony in the forbidden forest. Everyone seemed happy with their post war lives.
Ron has now brought up the subject of marriage 3 times in the past month. Hermione kept finding ways to postpone the conversation. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him or was unhappy in their relationship. She had an idea of what marriage should feel like, of what love would be, and this domestic bliss, wasn’t it.
For the past 3 days Hermione hasn’t been feeling very well and had trouble sleeping, the nightmares had started up again. They were so bad for months after the war she had stayed in the hospital wing, and then Ron was there everyday to sit with her and make her laugh, the nightmares got better and then were gone completely. It’s been at least 3 years since she’s had but one. Hermione couldn’t understand what triggered them now, but had no time to ponder it now. She threw on her older, a bit worn, set of robes on top of the same purple knee length dress she wore the day before, collected her purse and documents she worked on the night before and ran to floo to the ministry.
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“Morning, how was your date? Tell me everything” Hermione welcomed Hannah the moment she entered their small joint office. Hannah Abbott has recently become a pretty good friend as they have been stuck in the same tiny no windows office room by their department head.
“Wasn’t as bad as I expected, however it could have been better.” Hannah put her things down on the desk facing Hermione’s. “He kept constantly talking about his big goals of investing in dragon egg trading. If he had said it a few times I would have let it pass. But the more he went on the more I understood his good looks were honestly all he had.” Hannah motions her finger to her temple in a circle and mouths Crazy .
“How come it wasn’t that bad if he’s a total lunatic?” Hermione wonders at Hannah’s smiling face.
“Well, I did say he was good looking, and while dumb as a hog he may be, his abs definitely made up for it all night. I’d call the overall experience an 8.” She smirked and sat down to start up on the day's work.
Hermione’s workdays were always made better by Hannah’s stories of her, while sometimes promiscuous, but always entertaining dating life. The Hufflepuff had guts she had to admit.
“Have you seen who has an appointment with Mr. Witkins today in the green room?” Hermione lifted her head up and quirked her eyebrow in question of whom, not many interesting legal battles were had in the recent years, not once the war criminals got their sentences. Usually, the cases facing the Wizengamot were quite ordinary simple squabbles. “It’s one tall deliciously looking blond who seems to still wear muggle suits no matter the occasion” Hannah smirked. Hermione’s face blushed and her eyes widened at the prospect. “What could Draco Malfoy need an appointment for with Witkins, couldn’t stay out of the criminal world for long could he?” After the war Draco wasn’t charged with any crimes due to being a minor, however his father got the kiss and his mother passed not long after. Now an orphaned pureblood prince, as the prophet likes to name him, is the sole owner and head of all the Malfoy industries, apparently so busy with running the family empire as to yet have no dating life to be heard of from the papers.
“The appointment only said it’s the Malfoy heir and a whole hour in the afternoon was slotted for it, but since it’s the green room, maybe we’ll be able to glance a sneak of his royal hotness.” Hannah laughed. “Must you do that, he’s not even that good looking.” Hermione blushed further looking down at her desk. That was simply not true, Draco had definitely taken a turn for the better since the war, the photos in Witch Weekly were eye-catching, even if she would never admit to looking. Hermione had to admit, even she would like to confirm the photographs with the real thing. “I guess it would look weird for you to be lurking alone in the corridor trying to catch a glimpse alone. So I will join you for a coffee break in the kitchen by the green room for it.” Hermione grumbled not looking up from her work.
“Yah sure, you’re doing this all for me not to look silly, I totally believe you Hermione. You know being a girlfriend of Ron’s doesn’t mean the world is closed from options, especially not your eyes.” Hannah gave her a perceptive glance, Hermione pretended to no longer be paying attention to the blond.
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The photos had lied, he didn’t look good, he looked otherworldly. Draco Malfoy was the picture of strength and sophistication. It’s like he oozed power with his steps. Somehow he had lost the look of a scared, pompous boy. Walking past them now was a man, who wouldn’t bow his head to anyone. It was enthralling, the way he commanded the air around him.
“Oh Merlin, I think I might faint. That is one hot man.” Hannah whispered in her ear. Hermione couldn’t answer her friend, she was rooted to her spot and mute looking at the man who was now walking exactly passed them closer to the board room set up for him. She quickly inhales as his eyes meet hers for a small moment. He raises an eyebrow at her, smirks a playful smile and disappears in the doorway.
“Did he just look at you and smile? It was so hot. I’d sell my soul for that man to even look at me, Hermione.” Hannah exclaimed. “I don’t know what just happened.” Hermione said her voice shaky, as she came out of her stupor. “It was nothing, maybe you imagined it. We should go back, if we are lucky Witkins will come after the meeting and request research on the case.” She hurried her colleague back to their desks, coffee now floating behind them.
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They had just both settled into their tasks, when a memo flew into their tiny office room and landed on Hermione’s desk. It was a red one, meaning it was urgent. She quickly touched the tiny paper plane with her wand and it unfurled.
Granger,
Please come to the green room, there is a client and a case that shall require your assistance please not dally.
- Witkins
Her hands started shaking as she stood up. “He wants me in the green room. For the case.” She looks at Hannah with eyes filled with terror.
“I don’t know why you look scared, I would have already removed my knickers and been at the door with the speed of lightning.” Hannah smirked. “You should stop looking like a puffer fish and get a move on. You know how Witkins has zero patience.” Hermione blinks a few times.
“Yah, yah I should go.” She picks up a notepad and a pen she had brought from home, Hermione hated all the parchment rolls and quills, muggle legal pads and pens were so much more convenient. She hurried to the end of the corridor that housed the notorious green room, it was by far their nicest meeting room, usually only for the elite clients. She looked down at herself and remembered how she wore the worst pair of robes for this kind of meeting, but nothing could be done now. She entered the meeting room.
“Hi, you wanted me here for the case Mr. Witkins?” She enquired upon entering.
“Oh yes, Hermione, since you're finally here, please sit and we can continue.” She hurried to the chair closest to the door of the big glass table. The style of the room was opulent, yet modern and sleek, muggle in a sense. Since the war some of the pureblood fashions turned more muggle, probably compensating for their sins in this small way.
She set her supplies down and looked up to find Draco Malfoy looking at her. She tried to shift her gaze away from him, but struggled, he had gray eyes that looked like a winter sea storm. “Lord Malfoy is here with a very interesting case and as you are by far most aware of the muggle laws and technology in our department, you should be able to help him more adequately.” Her boss explained. Draco provided the same small thrilling smirk. “Yes, the Malfoy industries have decided to pursue adapting muggle electronics to be produced for the wizarding public, however we are running into a few patenting issues. Ideally it would be great to prove that since our worlds are separate therefore so are the markets and inventions. But as a business has never before interacted with the muggle world so directly, it’s been troubling.” Hermione tried not to show her surprise. Malfoy doing business with muggles, delving into muggle technology. The little boy who called her a mudblood for so many years. Her brain couldn't comprehend how this was the same man sitting in front of her.
“There could be something helpful I could look up in the archives of any similar circumstance of trade with muggles in the age before our world became so separated.” Hermione volunteered quickly. The meeting continued, discussing contracts and various loopholes in the laws they could take advantage of. The whole time Hermione had trouble looking at Draco. Draco. Even inside her head this man before her was Draco, in no way was he the Malfoy she remembered. She was stuck in her headspace, pondering what had happened to Draco to change him so much. Although she supposed, he never had a chance to explore who he is or his beliefs without the pressure of outside forces in their school days. Maybe this was who he was meant to be the whole time. She noticed Mr. Witkins standing up. The meeting had concluded. She had missed the last few sentences. She glanced at Draco, who was now also moving closer to the door and therefore her. Hermione quickly stood up collecting her notes.
“After you Mrs. Weasley.” Draco nodded his head holding the door open for her. Hermione stuttered in her step and blushed. “Oh I’m not, we’re not. It’s just Granger.” She moved quickly through the doorway, trying to get herself out of sounding like a total idiot.
Draco Malfoy gave her a small smile, lifting the one eyebrow once again. “Well, just Granger, would you mind grabbing a drink with me at the golden rose this evening, to go over some case points. Since there’s no husband to go cater to.” He was looking into her eyes intently, towering over her. Hermione’s breath hitched. “I’d love to, for the case. It’s one of a kind, we don’t get anything this interesting, and as a specialist not a senior, this is a first for me.” She blushed deeper at her stuttering and tried to calm her breath. Draco full out smirked at her now walking with her towards her office as it was close to the elevators. “I’ll meet you in the atrium at 6, don’t be late Granger.” He gave her one last glance and walked to the elevator.
Hermione let out a breath and walked towards the office door. She couldn’t understand why she had just agreed. Mind reeling, she just implied to a very hot sinful looking man, that she was single and agreed to see him. Shock went through her spine. What if someone saw what she had just agreed to. Hermione tried to reel her running brain back in. It was a work appointment, to discuss a case. This could lead to a promotion she has been waiting for a chance like this for a year. Nothing more, just a work dinner. She walked into the office.
“He, they, he.. Um It’s about muggle electronics, there’s a lawsuit.” She stuttered to Hannah. “He thinks I’m single and invited me to dinner at 6, I’m supposed to meet him in the atrium to go to the Golden Rose Hannah! He said it’s to discuss the case, but I said I’m just Granger and he looked at me and he has the eyes and that body and I just blanked and I said yes. What am I going to do?” She looked at her friend's face pale and eyes wide.
Hannah laughed a roaring laugh. “Well for a second seeing your face, I thought he would have confessed to murder.” She proceeded to look Hermione up and down. “Hon, I love you, but there is no way you are wearing that while going to dinner with Draco fucking Malfoy. And the fucking here implies you should.” Hannah smiled, already going to her drawers where she always had a few things tucked away in case she had a date right after work.
Hannah has never outright said anything bad about her relationship with Ron. However, overtime it has become clear in Hannah’s opinion Hermione should be doing better. Small comments about hotter sex, flowers she should have gotten on her birthdays, Valentine’s days Hermione chose to work on. Hannah didn’t like the way Ron treated Hermione.
“Oh here we go, you could change into my little black dress, it never fails. And maybe the red coat I wore today?” Hannah questioned her. Hermione still shell shocked looked at Hannah now coming to her with the dress she had taken out of a drawer and refreshed with a charm for no wrinkles. It was a cute little ice skater inspired black dress. “Um sure, I guess, yah my robes are too old, I’d stick out in the Golden Rose with this. Do you maybe have something more work appropriate? Something longer?” Hermione enquired. The Golden Rose was a very private exclusive and expensive restaurant that has opened 2 years ago in Diagon Alley. Hermione has wanted to go there since it opened, however there never seemed to be a fitting enough occasion and Ron preferred a less posh food choice. “Nope, that’s all I have, sadly it’s your only choice. Now change please as it’s now 30 minutes to six and your meeting ran long.” Hannah smiled at her.
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Hermione looked at herself in the Ministry’s legal department’s bathroom mirror. She had put her hair up in a low bun with some pins she had and put on some red lipstick at Hannah’s insistence to match the long red wool coat she lent her. Under the coat the black skater dress was hugging her chest and then flared out into a circle skirt that ended right at her upper thigh. There was a war ragging in her head, but she looked at her watch and she had 3 minutes to get downstairs. No time to dally. She wouldn’t be late and wouldn’t look like a moron. After all this could help her job and she could assist and win a case.
She quickly walked to the elevator not looking up from the floor and pressed the button from the atrium. Since it was a Friday night most Ministry employees seemed to have left work early and the atrium was quite empty when she exited the elevator. She couldn’t see him right away and panic shook through Hermione’s spine. What if this was all some way to make fun of her, all a big elaborate prank?
“Well that’s definitely a change. Granger. Did you dress up all for me?” She hears his strong sultry voice behind her. Well the voice didn’t do anything to be sultry she was sure, it was just her hormones and imagination. She turned around. “Definitely not. I just didn’t want to stick out at the Golden Rose, it’s supposed to be upper class.” She looked at his eyes and started to get lost in them momentarily. “You would stick out no matter what you wore. The great Hermione Granger. You couldn’t be unnoticed.” He gave her a small smile. Hermione laughed internally, if only he knew how well she went under the radar for the past years. The world seemed to be not interested in the little overachieving bookworm in their eyes. “You’d be surprised.” She replied with a smile.
“We should get going.” He whispered, took her hand and started walking towards the apparition point.