Harry Potter 1. Recluse

The friendship between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy was an odd one. It wasn't so much of a friendship as it was a mutual tolerance between old enemies that had grown to an appreciation of each other. Malfoy Apothecary worked closely with the Ministry Department of Magical Law Enforcement. There was so much bad magic left in the business that Draco went out of his way to seek help from the Ministry to overturn the business. Now Malfoy Apothecary was a well run, and decent business. With at least most of the dark magic that had been binding people and objects to the business. After the war Draco just wanted things to be right. His father in prison and his mother sickly, it was up to him to turn the Malfoy name into a respectable one once again. And that didn't include the dark arts or any association with the dark side at all. That chapter was over in his life, not that he was ever willingly a part of it to begin with.

This is where Hermione came in, being a higher up in Magical Law. While her friend and fiancé were the ones who went out into the field, she was happy to stay behind with the mountains of paper work and clients to deal with. Draco was trying to be a better person, and she took interest in his case. She ended up being the reason so much success had come from it. It was something she was rather proud of.

Somewhere during this a spark of tolerance and understanding spread through them, engulfing up the past between them and burning it. They treated each other with respect and genuinely enjoyed each others' company. It was slightly complicated, and neither of their groups of friends could understand it, but it worked and it made them happy.

"She's late," Draco muttered in a bored tone, though inside he was sending up red flags. It was so unlike Hermione to be late.

"Sorry sir, I'll call her office and see what I can find out," the voice of his receptionist chirped.

He was nervous. He was launching something big, revolutionary. Something that would turn Malfoy Apothecary on its head. He needed Hermione to be there. But she was late. And that worried him. They only had a week left to get their acts together to present this to the rest of the company and then on to the Ministry.

Draco liked to have a finger in every pie, as the phrase goes. He wanted to be part of anything that could bring him wealth and success. The apothecary had grown to be far more than an assortment of potion equipment, dark magic objects, and their famous red wine. It was now a huge business that had separate locations for different branches. But this new change was something he wasn't sure even he could get away with. There was so much hatred and skewed values in the company's past that he didn't know if he could break it anymore than he already had.

He went back into his office but wasn't waiting long before the receptionist knocked on his door. "Mr. Malfoy? She asked to reschedule. She didn't give me a reason but she seemed pretty upset so I'm guessing it's a personal matter."

He nodded, deciding that he was going to stop by there instead. He needed to talk to her and he was just a bit curious of what was wrong with her. "Thanks Helena. Could you act as though my meeting was happening? I'm going to step out for a bit and take care of a few other things."

"Of course." Helena was rather fond of Hermione, and she knew letting out that small amount of information would get Draco moving. She needed a friend at the moment... and Draco could be that friend.

He gathered his material and flooed to the Ministry. He found her office blinds closed and her door shut tight, but could hear the sounds of slight movement from the other side of the door. So he knocked.

There were a few seconds of silence, before a sniffle and whispered response, "Sorry...I'm busy at the moment."

"What's wrong, Granger?"

She seemed surprised to hear his voice. "N-nothing. Go away Malfoy." He knew she only called him Malfoy when she was upset or teasing him in some manner.

"Helena said you were blatting like a baby. What's wrong?"

"She did not say that!" She knew Helena wouldn't have openly said something like that.

"I read between the lines," he shrugged. "Are we really going to do this through a door? Where anyone could hear when you finally crack and tell me what's wrong?"

Silence.

Then the door opened just a fragment, but enough for Draco to push it open to reveal a darkened room and a ball of a person sitting on a swivel chair. Her legs pulled against her chest and her arms were wrapped tightly around herself as she rested her head on her knees.

"Hi."

"Hi yourself." Draco wasn't a big_ feelings_ person. He liked to ignore emotional problems, they usually went away on their own.

She picked her puffy face up to look at him, "What do you want?"

"To find out why you bailed on me today," he spoke in an attempted light hearted manner.

"It's been a rough day."

"Obviously."

"Yeah."

He watched her as she stared off into the distance of the shadows in her room. "So... are you going to tell me?"

She sighed. "You won't care."

"Try me," slightly annoyed at her comment.

"It's about Ron."

"What'd the idiot do now? Kill your cat?" He noticed how insensitive he sounded, but she was used to his harsh mannerisms.

She sounded horrified with an intake of breath, at the thought of anything happening to poor Crookshanks, but then whispered, "No..."

He waited for her to go on, but she didn't. "So?"

"He cheated on me," the words came rushed and at a low volume.

He didn't know how to react. Of course he hated Weasley, but he knew Hermione was happy with him. "Oh Granger..."

"He's been doing it for years," her voice cracked. "_Years_, Draco." She sniffled, "How could I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid." He didn't know how to comfort her, but everyone knew she wasn't stupid.

"I didn't see any of the signs. They were so obvious. How didn't I see them?"

"They weren't obvious...obviously." Emotional conversation had a way of taking his away his normal and intelligent ways of speaking.

"But it gets worse. He said he still wanted to marry me." She cracked a smile, but not a genuine one. She was smiling at how odd it sounded.

Draco was confused. "You don't want to marry him though, right?"

"Of course not." She seemed almost insulted. "But he wants to marry me. Because...because 'it looks good' is what he said. Can you believe that? He wants to marry me for the publicity that it creates but he wants to be able to sleep with other women too. He told me he wanted an open marriage on his part. He couldn't see anything wrong with that."

_"Hermione," Ron laughed, "take it as a compliment. I still want to marry you."_

_She was in awe of his brash, "How is that a compliment?"_

_"Because you'd still get to marry me."_

_She rolled her watering eyes, "But only if I share."_

_"It'd work out best this way. We'd be married. It would look good to everyone and we would be the perfect couple. But you wouldn't have to be physical with me, I would have others for that. You and I both know that attraction isn't there."_

_"Since when Ron?" She had felt that before, but she didn't care. Their great friendship in their relationship made up for the lack of physical attraction._

_"Since...well forever. I could always tell you weren't feeling it. It's obvious you don't enjoy sex, so now you won't have to even pretend." The way he looked at her told her everything, he didn't find any of this wrong. He found this to be a perfectly reasonable request, like this sort of thing was how most marriages were. But even if that was the case, it wouldn't be _her_ marriage._

_"This is unbelievable. I can't believe you did this to me. How many times? How many girls?"_

He made an unsure facial expression, "I don't know...a few years? There haven't been too many girls, five or six. I stay with one for a while."

"How very thoughtful of you," she spat.

"I don't see what the problem is..."

She sighed, "I don't want to be in a relationship with someone that needs other people. Don't you care about me at all?"

_Ron shrugged, "I do care about you Hermione, but this isn't optional. You're going to have to deal with it. We're getting married in a few months."_

_"No Ron, we aren't."_

"Yes we are. You'll come around," he smiled at her before placing a kiss on the top of her head and walking to the bedroom.

She had moved her stuff out that morning, coming to work late...not that she was getting any work done anyway. She was staying at her parents until she could find a flat to rent.

Draco couldn't believe how incredible dense Weasley was. Why would he ever mess up what he had with Hermione for whatever trash he had on the side? "Well he's a fool."

"Yeah...but he played me for one."

"Is there anyway I can help?"

"No, but you offering is very kind." She smiled at him, "You're getting soft hearted Malfoy." She smirked at him.

* * *

Hermione was doing well three months later. She had moved into a small flat and out of her parents' home. She stayed busy. She was still friends with her friends, though some of the Weasley family felt awkward around her, and she around them. But Harry was still there, caught in the crossfire. But what took up most of her time was working on a big project with Malfoy Apothecary. Their idea from months ago had surpassingly passed. The development of the MWAS, Muggle Wizard Adaptive Services, branch was in place. The Malfoy business was creating ways to make muggle objects work better in the presence of magical communities. As well as making certain magical objects more muggle friendly, some even being able to work by the hand of a muggle. It revolutionized the way muggle borns were able to adapt to magic. The branch also housed classes that were similar to muggle studies classes in Hogwarts, but reverse. It taught the parents and muggle born wizards or witches all about magic. This way the children would go to Hogwarts with some basic knowledge of what was happening to them.

When Draco had brought up the idea to Hermione she was shocked. She didn't know he would ever have this in him. A Malfoy ever branching out to make those of "dirty blood" feel more welcomed into a community that had once shamed them.

News of the project gained the attention of the media, and they were having a field day with it. They used Hermione and Draco as the example of forgiveness after the war. The two were opposite. Dark vs light, pureblood vs muggleborn, Slytherin vs Gryffindor. So different, but they had learned to be friends. Of course some papers pitched them as more than just friends. After all, it would take something, or someone, special change the ways of a Malfoy. They took it in stride, not caring what the papers or people said. They were friends who were taking this new opportunity to create a better world.

But their friendship had gained the attention of more than just the media. It also enraptured the thoughts of a particularly sore man, one who ironically felt cheated. 

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Hello there lovelies, this is something I've been playing with for a while. I'll be writing in an original character that I have been dying to write for a long time, I just couldn't think of what I wanted to write about with them. It was originally going to be titled The Plan, but there are too many aspects to the plan that you'll be introduced to in the next chapter so it reminded me of webs, thus The Webs We Weave. I really don't plan on Ron bashing too much, just enough to show that he is the antagonist in this story (Sorry Ron lovers!) I know many, many, _many_ people had a problem with the Ron bashing in _The Thief_, and I promise it won't be that bad. But hey, I'm a Dramione writer and Ron just has to go. Please don't judge this story on this chapter alone yet, there is so much more this story has to offer.


	2. Wolf

Draco stood at the makeshift podium that Hermione had whipped up. He was practicing a speech, one of the few Hermione didn't have a heavy hand in writing. "The Malfoy Company knows that all lives are significant in the world. Magical or not, blood status aside." He cringed slightly. "Too much?" He wanted his speeches to sound genuine, not like some over rehearsed bullshit that he often heard people from the Ministry spout.

Hermione shrugged, "it seems a bit clumsy, but it should fit in with the rest of the speech. The message is good."

Draco nodded, "this is why I keep you around."

She rolled her eyes at him, a smile playing on her lips. "To proof read your speeches? Why I'm honored."

"Sometimes your company isn't too bad either," he shrugged.

She chuckled, "You're not always that terrible either."

"Gee, thanks Granger."

Hermione looked down at her watch and once she had taken note of the time, stood up from where she was leaning her head on her hands on the table. "I have a meeting at one that I should go prepare for." She was constantly scheduling him in in-between her more pressing matters. She was fully committing to helping the Malfoy name get cleared. She said she did it for the unjust life that Draco had to lead due to his name. She didn't want his future children to live with that burden either. Or she would say how it was for he improvements that the change would make to muggleborns' lives. But she also knew, though wouldn't admit it to anyone without having to kill them immediately after, that she was also doing it because she knew how passionate he was about it and she wanted to help his plans work. He really wanted to fix things. She really wanted to make him happy.

"Of course, see you tomorrow?"

"I'm sure you will," she smiled before slipping out the door.

But he didn't see her the next day. Or the one after that. Or the one after _that_.

"Granger hasn't called has she?" Draco asked Helena as he rounded the corner into the reception area. He was starting to worry. He hated how much he did that about Hermione recently. But she had cancelled their plans and hasn't been around for longer than normal.

She shook her head, "No, sir. I haven't heard from her in about three days. Since she left here."

"She was suppose to come over yesterday to listen to my speech again, but she rescheduled for today. Yet, she's not here...again."

"Peculiar..."

"Very."

She smirked, "You want me to hold your calls?"

"What?"

Blue eyes rolled dramatically, "Obviously you're going to go over there."

"Oh am I?"

"Of course, see you when you get back," she smiled sweetly. She knew him too well. He was a curious person, and exceptionally curious when it came to a certain bushy haired woman. She knew he would need to go over there and figure things out. It was most likely nothing, Hermione was a busy woman, but she knew Draco would worry none the less.

He retreated back to his office to collect his things, when coming back through he muttered to her. "You know, I'm your boss. I'm the one who should be telling you what to do, not the other way around."

She laughed. "Of course, boss. Whatever you say, boss."

He flooed to her building and made his way to her office where he was sure he would find her slaving away at some case and forgetting what time or even day it was. She had a way of doing that. She was so easily enraptured by her work that she didn't notice or remember the things going on around her. When she was done with the case she was often surprised by what she missed. Once she even forgot one of the Weasley boy's birthdays.

He was outside of Hermione's door, just about to knock, when he heard a noise, something falling and breaking. The shattering of glass. Rushed movement and a sharp intake of breath. "Please don't,"she whispered. Draco wasn't sure what was happening inside that room, but he wasn't going to wait to find out.

"Hermione, I need your expertise on thi-" he looked up from the file in his hand, the one he was using as an excuse to break into the room. He saw Ron leaning over her desk as she nearly cowered on the other side of it. This he did not like. "Oh, hello Weasel. How nice of you to stop by." Why was he even here? What business could he have with Hermione now? Hadn't he done enough already? She was doing good without him after weeks of moping and being rightly shattered. He wouldn't let her backtrack because of some idiot with Christmas pudding for brains.

"Draco..." He heard Hermione sigh. Was it in relief? Or was it the chiding she always gave him before when he was aggressive toward the other man? He was unsure. It made him feel better to think of it as relief.

Ron glared at the man in the doorway, "I'm speaking with her right now. Leave."

He took a few more steps into the room, closing the door behind him. His motions slow and taunting, determined to rile up the beast in the room. "I can't imagine about what. How did you two ever have an intelligent conversation?"

Ron ignored the second comment, use to the way Draco talked to him. After years of it he was better about controlling his temper, better but still not great at it. "About our wedding. It's suppose to happen in a month and we have done nothing to prepare. I know how much Hermione likes things to go perfectly, the perfectionist that she is."

"Hmm," Draco smirked at him, "I was under the impression that your relationship was over." His calm exterior was a lie, inside he was imaging ten different ways he could strangle him quick enough that Hermione couldn't react.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." He turned his face toward his supposed fiancée. "Someone is just being difficult."

Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of her desk, "I don't want to marry you Ron." Face flushed in embarrassment. She didn't want Draco to see this. She didn't want him to know that this was the reason she had canceled on him, twice now. She didn't want him to know that Ron was trying to pave his way back into her life. And she didn't want him to know that it was taking all of her will power not to cave in and marry the man who had occupied her life plan and goals since she was about 14 years old.

"Yes you do." If he repeated it enough maybe she would listen.

"No. Ron...I- I don't want to." It had taken her weeks to finalize that answer, nearly a month and a half actually. It was expected that she married him. It was what was right. It was what she had wanted for so long. But she couldn't. She couldn't hold on to a man who was holding some other women each day. She wouldn't allow herself to be the victim of a marriage like that. She _hated_ being a victim. She was intelligent and she was brave. Neither of those qualities would allow her to cave in.

He just shook his head, laughing at her, "We only have a month. I'll be back to talk to you again, just like I have been all week. You'll come around."

"No."

An eye roll, "Stop being stubborn." Little did he know that every time he acted like she was just being silly or childish it only made her desire to never see him again increase.

Draco opened the door of her office, "Leave Weasley." It wasn't a suggestion, but a command.

"And how are you going to make me?" His eyes turned to Draco, no longer laughing. He was challenging him, but Draco wasn't going to take the bait. If he actually did anything to physically harm him, Hermione would get upset. Even if the bastard did hurt her. She was too caring for her own good.

Draco sighed, as if he was having to explain something to a small child for the tenth time. "If I were to give you the list of all the ways I could make you vanish from our presence...well I don't believe your simple mind could keep up with that amount of information." Verbal insults would have to do for now.

Ron's face turned red. "I-"

"Will be leaving now," Hermione was standing now, pointing at the door with a deathly look on her face.

Ron glared at Draco one last time before muttering out a "whatever" and storming from the room.

Draco watched him leave, slamming the door behind him. "What was that?" He turned on Hermione.

She let her body fall back into her chair with a thunk, "Nothing, just...just drop it. Okay?"

"No, not okay."

She sighed, knowing keeping information like this from him was a losing battle. "He just came by to say...hello."

His eyes narrowed at her, "Don't take me as a fool, Granger."

He watched as she looked beyond him, not meeting is eyes, as she chewed on the right side of her bottom lip. " I don't..." She tried to busy herself then, adjusting everything that she could get her hands on that was on her desk. That's when he noticed her wrist.

Crossing the room in three long strides and pushed back the sleeve of her sweater. There he noticed fading purple, yellow, and green marks. Instantly his temper flared. Finger marks that were apparently a few days old. No wonder she canceled their meeting. When that stupid oaf wasn't there, he still left marks on her. Hermione was never good at beauty charms, never seeing the point of most of them, so casting a concealment charm on them may have never crossed her mind.

"Just came by to say hello?" He glared at her, "hello doesn't leave bruises. What happened?"

She pulled her arm away, covering it up with her sleeve. "Nothing! Not what you think anyway."

"Then enlighten me."

"He tried to..." she started, not looking at him, "he tried to kiss me. I didn't want to. I tried to move away and he pulled me back towards him. He didn't mean to hurt me, I'm sure. He's not that kind of man."

"Three months ago you also didn't think he was the kind of man who would cheat on you with some two Knut whores and then ask for an open marriage," he yelled. And immediately regretted it when he saw her face twist in discomfort.

"Get out," she whispered.

"No Granger. I'm sorry. I shouldn't ha-"

"Get out," she repeated slightly louder.

He put his hands out in front on him, "That was wrong of me to say, Hermione. Really I'm sorry."

"Just leave!" He voice cracked and her shoulders shook.

He looked defeated, "Are you sure?"

She moved to the opposite side of the room and wordlessly opened the door. He took that as a yes and walked out and flooed back to his own building.

On the elevator ride to his floor an idea was hatching in the mind of Draco Malfoy. A, dare he say it, _diabolical_ plan that would ruin the life of that insufferable Weasley. And he knew just the person to help him with that plan. A letter was sent at once, explaining to her that he needed her presence as soon as he could get it.

He didn't have to wait long before his owl returned with a response attached to it. But it wasn't an ordinary letter. It was a howler.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course she bloody would," he muttered to himself before casting a silencing charm around the room.

"You insensitive bastard. I've only just returned to the country a day ago and you have the gull to ask me for a favor? You didn't even offer to take me out for tea. I am insulted Draco Malfoy!" The voice quieted some, "But, you promised something fiendish. And you know how much that excites me. I'll be there in 10." The letter seemed calm at the end and its actions of ripping itself up was rather silly when anger and yelling wasn't a precursor. Draco chuckled as he left his office.

"How was Hermione?"

"Ugh." There were so many thoughts but that noise summarized it.

"Oh?" She was curious.

He could explain his bad mood simply. "If you must know, we got into a fight."

"Oh no..."

On his second pass through the reception area he spoke with a devilish grin on his face, "Hold my calls Helena, an old friend is stopping by today."

She nearly groaned, "Of course."

He went back to his office to wait and plot. Was he going to far? The look on Hermione's face this morning told him no. But knowing her as well as he thought he did told him yes. Her and her stupid morals.

A buzz of the intercom interrupted his thoughts, "Draco your _friend_ is here." She was never shy about letting him know she was disapproving of certain aspects of his lifestyle. Like the nameless women he would bring into his office every so often.

He laughed as he held down the button. "Thank you, send her in." He knew she could hear the smile in his voice. Later he would tell her that the girl was really just a friend, but for now he would let her presuming self suffer with the thoughts of what was happening only a few rooms away.

And in came the small hurricane of a girl who he often referred to as his very best friend, Katherine. Of course, only in her company would he actually admit that. They had met through family. She was the daughter of a (mostly) pureblood family. The two had played together a few times as kids, and as adolescents they, with a few others, were grouped together to learn the ways of pureblood families and later the dark lord. She had gotten out quickly. She couldn't do it. She didn't care about blood status and hated anything to do with the dark arts. She escaped from her pressuring family out of the country with a family member that shared the same views as she. They didn't see each other for years, but she turned up after the defeat of the dark lord. They talk more now than they ever did, but she still was a fleeting person. She didn't like to stay in one place too long.

"Draco!" She bounded over to him, wrapping him into a hug.

"Kitten," he responded with her nickname, though she always preferred "Kat." She was more touchy than he ever was. He had personal bubbles and she liked breaking down barriers. They were use to this and accepted it with no problems. It was how their friendship worked. "Tea?" He asked with a smirk.

"Two sugars."

He waved her off as he set about making tea, "Yeah, yeah, I know what to do."

She waited until he was done and she had a hot cup of tea in her hand. "So what's up?"

"This is going to sound bizarre."

"Most things that come from you do," she winked playfully.

He rolled his eyes. "My friend was suppose to be married to this bumbling idiot in a month's time." He continued on to tell her the story of Ron and Hermione and its seemingly tragic demise. She happily listened, giving all the right responses at the right times. She loved a good story.

At the end of it she simply asked, "So?"

"So now he's harassing her and I want to put it to a stop."

Her face was scrunched up in confusion, trying to connect the dots of what she would be doing to help. "So this is where I come in?"

"Exactly," he nodded, eyes smiling over the rim of his mug.

"But how?"

"Make him fall in love with you."

And she laughed. She laughed hard. To where her eyes were watering as she grabbed at her pinching sides.

He waited for her fit to be over. "I'm serious."

She sobered up fast, "You can't be. I can't do that!"

"And why not. You're his type for sure."

"Hey! What you've said about those other girls does not leave me to believe that that is a compliment."

"It is in your case," he shrugged.

"...Right," her sarcasm was thick.

"Just make him become attached, and then do the same thing he did to Hermione. To a lesser extreme of course. Just leave him when the time is right. I want to make him forget about Hermione. Let her grow without him. "

"What would make you think I would agree to this."

He chuckled, "You're a twisted individual with a fucked up sense of humor...you'd probably get something out of it."

"You're not wrong..." she played with a curl of her hair. "What does this Hermione think of this plan. It seems a bit childish of an ex girlfriend to do."

"She wouldn't like it, and she would think the same. That's why she can't know."

"You really want to go through with this without her knowing?" Kat seemed doubtful. And she had plenty of reason to be. Executing this plan, whether it was successful or not, could really piss Hermione off. She didn't know the woman, but from what Draco had said about her...pissing her off seemed like a horrible idea. But she also worried about this woman getting angry at her. What if Hermione didn't want Ron to move on?

"She'd never agree to it, she's much to..."

Kat cut him off, "Mature?"

"I was going to say 'nice' but thanks..." Draco glared at his smirking friend. "So are you in?"

"What do I get out of this?"

The Malfoy smirk was present as he spoke in a low, hushed tone, "A challenge."


	3. Mouse

"This is such a bad idea," Hermione muttered to herself as she walked up the path to the home she had once felt safest at. The Burrow stood tall and stable for its age, but parts of it were noticeably swaying in the harsh wind. She shivered in her jacket at the cold winter air, or was it the fact that for the first time she was terrified to walk into this house. The house that she spent nearly every summer in, the house that she has thousands of happy memories in. She had been invited to lunch by Mrs. Weasley, whom had no idea that her son and Hermione had officially broken up. Harry and Ginny of course knew, both disgusted by Ron's actions, but they didn't dare tell Mrs. Weasley. The wrath of her was well known. So Hermione was there to set things straight. She only hoped that by some miracle Ron wouldn't show up today.

But as her luck would have it, her hopes were hopeless. She heard the crunching of snow beneath a heavy footed person trying to catch up to her. "Hermione!" Ron shouted as he jogged up the path.

She didn't slow her pace, but stood at the door to collect herself before walking in. Inconvenient but necessary. This gave him the time to catch up with her, walking inside directly after her.

"Hermione!" Ginny greeted her friend as she walked in the door. Only to have her face fall with confusion as the brother who broke said friend's heart walked in behind her. "And Ron?"

"Why the sense of surprise to see me, little sister?" Ron chuckled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she sat back down next to her husband, ducking away from the watchful eyes of her mother.

"Ron, Hermione. It's nice to have you both here," Mrs. Weasley started, training her eyes on Hermione. "It has been terribly long since you've joined us, dear."

"Well actually I was he-" she attempted to tell her that she was only there to set the record straight. She and her son were no longer a couple. But Ron had cut her off, trying to save his skin by never letting his mother find out about the blip in their relationship. If he had it his way there would never be a reason to tell her because Hermione would eventually be his again. Why anger the mother bear?

He pulled her close to him, an arm around her body bring him into his side. "You know how busy 'Mione is."

She nodded in agreement, dismissing it. "Ah yes. You have had an awful lot on your hands recently."

Her husband spoke next, a huge grin on his face and the curiosity of a child in his voice. "If you don't mind, Hermione. I am simply fascinated by what you and Mr. Malfoy are doing. Could you explain how he's making these muggle objects work here?"

Hermione genuinely smiled, fond of the work her and Draco were doing. She was happy that there were so many people out there, like Mr. Weasley, who were intrigued by the idea. So intrigued that they seemed to forgot who he was in the past. "I would love to tell you but I'm honestly not the brains behind the operation."

"Well that's a first," George snorted from the end of the table. He was entertaining his toddler son Fred with something that was fizzing and shooting small sparks, much to the displeasure of his very pregnant wife.

Hermione laughed at him before seriously stating, "It's completely Draco. He's created everything, he's the brains behind it."

"So he's Draco now?" I knew that voice, it was Ron's jealous voice. I'd heard it ten too many times by now.

"He's always been Draco."

"You know what I mean."

"Ronald, we've worked closely for years now. He's been just Draco for a while."

She saw the signs of him getting angry, the bridge of his nose and ears turning red. "Why?"

She sighed, why did she have to explain this to him? They weren't even together anymore. What does it matter what she calls her friends? "Because he's not some snotty boy in school who has some stupid rivalry anymore. He's grown up and he's changed," she laughed at the cliché._ He's different now, I swear._ How classic girl meets bad boy, bad boy is redeemed, happily ever after bullshit that Hermione refused to base her life around. "So yes, now he's Draco. Draco the adult I worked with, Draco my friend, and Draco the mastermind behind MWAS."

His face was more than just red now, it looked like it would be hot to the touch. If this were one of those cartoon that she watched with her father on those childhood saturday mornings, he would have steam pouring from his ears and a whistle would blow. But, this was real life and instead he just looked like he might explode, which Hermione thought would alleviate a few of her problems.

He didn't get the chance to say anything because Harry pipped in, "But how do you know he's changed Hermione?"

She didn't want to get into this, but here she was...getting into this. "I see and talk to him every day. I also see all the hard work he is putting into that the old Draco would never do."

"Are you sure he's doing what he's even saying he's doing? Why would he help muggleborns?" Ron barked out.

Hermione's calm demeanor was breaking, "Because he wants to. I know him better than you think I do, just trust me on this. He just wants to do good."

"But yo-"

"Shut up, Ron." Everyone was surprised to hear Ginny chip in.

Hermione mouthed a silent "thank you" to the other witch.

"I'd rather not discuss Draco here. I know many of you have problems with him and I don't feel like spending this entire afternoon defending him."

Mrs. Weasley nodded in agreement, "Let's just eat, no reason to fret over someone so trivial."

Even though Hermione didn't particularly like the phrasing of that, she knew the woman was right and it was best to drop it."

The lunch went by without too many interruptions. Anytime someone would bring up the wedding Ginny, Ron, or Harry would find a way to change the subject. Hermione was waiting for a chance to say something but quickly learned that during lunch wouldn't work. She would have to get Mrs. Weasley alone.

* * *

And after a rather painful afternoon, that moment finally arrived. The men were outside, attempting to fly against the winds of winter that wanted to bring them back down. Ginny was helping keep the others at bay, firing off question after question to George's wife, Angelina, about babies, as she and Harry were finally talking about having some of their own. Finally it seemed to be right for Hermione to corner Mrs. Weasley alone as she was magically cleaning the kitchen after their lunch. She knew the conversation was going to be rough, but she just wanted this whole ordeal to be over with. "Mrs. Weasley, can I have a word?" She slid into the chair across from where the older woman sat.

She put her wand down, but the pots and pans continued cleaning themselves and the broom had just hung itself back up, "Of course."

She took a deep breath, she just had to get this over with, rip off the bandaid. "I just have a problem that I feel needs to be addressed. I thought it would have by now, but apparently I have to be the one who does..."

"Does this have to do with Ron and you?"

"Yes." How did she know?

"You've seemed rather tense toward him today, I could only assume. Is this about the wedding? Are you pushing the date back?"

"Well in a sense you could say that." Hermione inhaled deeply, letting that air then slowly leave her body. "There's not going to be a wedding."

Mrs. Weasley sat dumbfounding, not saying a single word but just look at Hermione as if she had turned into a basilisk. If anything other than shock, there was slight disgust.

Hermione didn't feel the need to tell her of what her son had actually done, and would rather play it safe. She knew Mrs. Weasley's temper and even though she wasn't fond of Ron at the moment, she didn't think he deserved to be ripped apart. "It just didn't work out. We wanted very different things."

"I see." She was silently seething. How could she sit there and have the woman that her son adored call of the wedding. Everyone had worked to hard for this.

"I just wanted you to know that even though we are both here today, it doesn't mean we are together anymore. We just weren't working ou-"

"Oh Hermione, honestly are you on this bit again?" Ron strolled in the back door. He was strangely calm as he turned to his mother, "Mum, don't worry the wedding is still on. She's just having cold feet is all. She's been stressed lately. I know that Christmas will put her in a better mood and she'll be on board again." His hand had come to rest on Hermione's stiffened shoulder.

Mrs. Weasley was silent for some time. "Yes, do still come to Christmas here. You always have been a big part of this family and I know you always will."

Though this statement could have meant that she was always going to be there for Hermione regardless of the situation, Hermione knew better than to think that. She sensed it was similar to what Ron was saying, "oh, she'll come around" types of statements. But she knew she wouldn't come around, she just needed to convince them of that too.

* * *

"They really want you to spend Christmas there?" Draco question after Hermione finished telling him all about her afternoon. She had looked over his speech, only making minor adjustments, and they were finished with their work for the day.

Hermione cringed, "Yes. I've been spending Christmas there since...well ever since Ron and I became a couple. And there were some even before that. It'd be more odd not to go."

He looked at his friend knowingly, "I'm sensing a 'but' here."

She sighed, he knew her too well by now and her face was giving it all away, "But...it's going to be highly uncomfortable. It will be right before when the wedding was suppose to be. Why did I ever let him talk me into a winter wedding?" She let her had fall against where her arms were folded on his desk.

"Because you love the snow," Draco shrugged.

"How do you know that?" She picked her head up.

He laughed, "Because I see your face light up every time we go outside and the ground is covered in that sparkly, cold, wet stuff." He made a disgusted face.

"And I see you grumble every time you get snow on your boots, honestly if you just wore something a little more practical you wouldn't ha-"

He put up a hand to stop her, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Function before fashion was never the Malfoy way. I mean, did you see my father's wand and cane? Practical for walking sure, not so practical for magic. And don't even get me started on that awful snake head, the teeth were so sharp he'd cut himself if he moved wrong."

Hermione watched in amusement as he went off on his little tangent. "Well there is a lot you do now that isn't exactly_ the Malfoy way_. I think a new pair of boots would be the least offensive."

He pondered that for a minute before smiling, "You're not wrong."

She rolled her eyes at her friend, "Am I ever?"

"Now, now, Miss Granger. Cockiness does not suit you."

She drew back, like she was surprised, "Like you can talk."

That ever present smirk was gracing his face. "Yes, but it fits me like a freshly tailored cloak."

* * *

Hermione had just left when another woman walked into the building and headed straight for Draco's office, not stopping at the front desk like Helena asked.

When he saw her he smirked, "How'd it go?"

"Perfect." She smiled back wickedly, "Did you expect anything less?" 

* * *

-Author's Note-

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this :)

I hope all of you that celebrate it had a Merry Christmas, and any that don't I hope you had a happy holiday season as well. I am home from college until late January so I hope to update more quickly now that Christmas has come and gone. I keep having these cool ideas for stories but I do't want to start any new ones until I finish either this one or Wrong. I'm hoping to update again before the 1st, but if something happens and I can't I hope you all have a very Happy New Year's eve and day! Thanks for reading! -S.


	4. Wandering

"What are you doing here?" The words fell from his mouth as he took in the sight before him. Standing there on his doorstep was a petite brunette in a pretty red dress and a package wrapped in gold. He obviously knew the answer. It was Christmas. Not only was it the first Christmas were she had woken up painfully alone, not able to run to the tree looking for presents like she loved doing, but it was the year that she was aware he was painfully alone as well.

Though he wasn't truly alone since he had the incessant beeping of the machines that were keeping his mother alive in her room upstairs. The room was in the opposite wing of his own, but somehow he always managed to hear that damn beeping. He was sure it was just part of his mind whenever he was in the house. She could no longer speak and he knew it was a matter of time. She loved Christmas, the parties and decorations all called her name, and he believed that she was just holding on long enough to see this last one. Even though he didn't do Christmas in the Malfoy Manor any justice. He had the house elves decorate, but it wasn't the same. In a twisted way he wished she would pass on after the holiday. He knew she must be suffering, he would hear her groan in the night, and the few times she would open her eyes she just looked so defeated and scared. But he knew if she held on he would eventually have to make the decision of when to end it all, and he didn't know if he could do that. Maybe that made him just as bad as a person as people thought he was, but he just didn't know if he could be the one who did it, even if she was better off.

"Happy Christmas!" Hermione shouted, throwing one arm around him. He wasn't fond of affections such as this, but it was Christmas and she would give them anyway.

He stood awkwardly in the doorway as she was wrapped around him. He felt guilty for not returning the hug, but he also knew that she didn't expect him to.

Her face fell and he began to think he was wrong about her expectations. "Are you going to invite me in or?" She knew about his mother and was usually more reserved about coming into the manor. But she had been here plenty of times by now and the holiday gave her a bold streak.

"Oh! Yeah right of course!" He muttered out, leading her inside to the sitting room where a roaring fireplace was warming to her snow covered body.

"I thought I would stop by and tell you Happy Christmas, I hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

He shook his head, "No of course not, I'm alone. Well my mother is upstairs, but that doesn't mean much."

Her face fell and her eyes searched his, "I'm so very sorry Draco. I know how much your mother means to you."

"About the same as anyone's mother I would suppose." He shrugged, never one to willingly show emotional weakness but his eyes giving everything away as he wouldn't tear them from hers.

A small bout of silence ensued before she moved her eyes to her hands."I got you something," she gestured to the small wrapped box.

"Oh, you really shouldn't have. I didn't get you anything...yet." She was hard to buy for. He had all this money to spend but no clue of what to get the witch in front of him, someone who valued material things so little.

"Don't worry about it." But he knew he would. "I'm not even too sure that you will like this. If you don't that's fine and you can throw it away. It's made specifically for you so I can't return it but you know...I'm rambling. Please just open it." She seemed nervous. And she was because she wasn't sure if she had crossed the line with this gift. She knew some may find it offensive. Some would find it offensive eventually if he used it.

She watched as he careful peeled off the shiny paper of a color he found must unappealing, but positively _Hermione_. Inside was a smaller wooden box that held the real present. He opened the wooden case to reveal an object lying on an indented bed of emerald green velvet. A wooden wax seal.

"It's made of Hawthorn, like your wand," she whispered as she bit her lip, trying to judge his reaction to the gift.

He smiled, he didn't know she even knew that.

"Well here, try it so you can see." She took out sealing wax and paper from her bag and held it out to him.

He took the objects and produced a small flame from his wand, letting the hot wax drip onto the paper until there was a puddle of the traditional red wax. Removing the seal from its bedding he pressed the end of it into the warm wax, letting it cool briefly. It was his family crest, which was used for Malfoy Apothecary's logo. The crest was just as detailed as the signs outside of his buildings. But there was a change. On the original the script read _Sanctimonia Vincet Semper_. _Purity Will Always Conquer. _On this the meaning was different. The words now read _Magia pro omnibus._

"Magic for all," Draco spoke the translation.

She nodded, still wary of how he would take that. "Am I overstepping?" She did just change the family crest that had been in his family since...well forever.

He made a mental note to change every sign, every letterhead, anything with the logo on it.

"No," he looked up with wonder, "this is perfect. This is what I want the business to stand for; magic for everyone."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Well wasn't that just the question of the day. Ginny sounded surprised as she opened the door to see Hermione standing on the other side. No, she sounded down right shocked. "I didn't think you were coming..."

It was Hermione's turn to look surprised, "Of course I am, your mother invited me."

She bit the inside of her cheek, unsure of how to advance with her argument. "Yes but with these recent events...I just thought..."

"Hermione?" Harry questioned, in the same tone echoing his wife.

"Yes I'm here. Should I not be?" She pushed through her two friends and into the kitchen. And in there she saw why her friends greeted her with confusion. There, perched on the lap of her ex-fiance, was a laughing woman.

Said woman turned to look when the conversation came to a screeching halt. The woman leaped off of his lap and nearly jogged up to Hermione.

"You must be the famous Hermione!" She thrust her hand out to for Hermione to shake, which didn't happen because she was positively dumbstruck. "I've heard _so_ much about you!" She was all smiles.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked up at Hermione. Mr. Weasley look at the scene unfolding in front of him with great discomfort, sure that the holiday would be ruined. Mrs. Weasley looked agitated.

"I didn't realize you took my invitation seriously."

Hermione didn't understand. She knew that invitation had been sincere. She replayed the scene over in her head, positive that Mrs. Weasley had indeed meant for Hermione to come. "But you-"

She was cut off by Ron, "Mum. We can all behave like adults. Hermione always spends Christmas with us. It will be fine."

Harry cleared his throat, "I don't know about that Ron..."

"I'm confused." Hermione muttered out, unsure of what was happening. Since when did Ron think everyone could act like an adult? Since when wasn't he the childish one?

"Nonsense, sit down Hermione! It's Christmas after all," Ginny spoke through a fake smile. She was uncomfortable, but hell so was everyone else. She wasn't going to have her friend run off by her idiotic git of a brother.

Hermione sat, staying to herself as much as she could but she couldn't help but watch as Ron and his new girl interacted. How was he all of a sudden okay?

The girl noticed, "I'm Kat by the way."

"Kat? Like the animal?" She couldn't help herself.

She laughed, "With a K. It's short for Katherine, but that is much too stuffy of a name for me. I prefer Kat." She smiled. If she thought Katherine was stuffy, Hermione could only imagine what she thought of her own name.

"Katherine is too long of a name for a girl her size anyway," George joked. The girl was rather small, standing possibly at 5'3''.

"So how did this come to be?" Hermione pointed between Ron and Kat with her fork.

Kat visibly perked up. "Oh well Ron and I just met a week ago," she smiled shyly towards him, batting her long eyelashes, "but I think he's something special."

"Uh-huh." Hermione could barely retain herself from rolling her eyes.

"But we met in a pub, oh no that sounds so cliché," she giggled, wrinkling her nose. "We were both alone and I actually approached him because he looked so sad. And then he told me all about how his fianceé had left him. I felt terrible and tried to cheer him up and somehow we just became this."

"Of course he did," she set her jaw. She could only imagine what awful things he had said about her.

"Save for the reason you left him, they were all good things he said about you. I mean coming from an ex, especially an ex-fiancé, that's a good percentage." She was so damn bubbly. And she wasn't bitter or awkward to be having dinner with Hermione. Though slightly annoying, which was seeming to be how Ron liked his latest conquests, she seemed nice. Even Hermione couldn't help but notice that.

But she wondered what bad things he had said. Surely he didn't tell her the real reason she left him. And did this mean that he was finally understanding that she did indeed leave him? Did this mean she wouldn't have to keep explaining to him that she wasn't coming back. That he wouldn't keep showing up, finding her no matter where she was, and attempting to convince her to be with him. She never would have admitted this to Draco, but some of those times he did find her she was actually afraid of him. She knew his temper, and while she knew -or thought- he wouldn't intentionally hurt her, she couldn't be positive. But if this woman here meant what she thought, that all ended. Even though it was too soon for him to be moving on, she thought, him moving on meant she could too. Not with a man per say, but just moving on with her life and leaving Ron and his antics in the past.

She sighed of relief, sets of eyes questioning that. But the rest of their Christmas dinner went decently well. She wasn't spoken to much, which was fine by her, and she could tell a few people were obviously uncomfortable with her being there. Ginny and Harry tried to keep her in the conversation. George spoke to her as well. Mr. Weasley seemed like he wanted to ask about the business again, hinting towards it but it was quickly shot down by his wife.

It wasn't until it was time to open presents that things went haywire.

"You have some nerve coming here," Mrs. Weasley hissed. They had found themselves alone again, Hermione had stepped out into the kitchen and Mrs. Weasley had followed.

Hermione turned around slowly, coming to look at the angry woman in front of her, "I don't understand. You wanted me to be with Ron still? You were still banking on us getting married in a week. What changed?"

"I found out why your relationship ended."

"Okay? That still doesn't explain why you're mad at me. He was the one wh-"

"Don't try to blame this on my son!" Mrs. Weasley raised her voice, well as loud as it could be through her gritted teeth. "You were the one who cheated on him with that...that _repulsive_ man."

Hermione actually took a step back away from the spitting mad (literally) woman. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. _She_ had cheated on _him_? No. No. No. They had it all wrong. But how did they get it so wrong? Ron... "I didn't cheat on him. He cheated on me!"

"Of course you would say that. We all have seen how much time you have been spending with that Malfoy. We thought it was odd from the beginning but to learn that you had slept with him? Honestly we thought we knew you."

She was angry. How could Ron do this? How could he turn this around and make her the bad guy? And how could this family believe that she would ever do that?! She pulled her coat from the wall hook and shoved her arms through the sleeves, getting ready to leave. "Well you're right about one thing at least. Apparently you don't know me at all."

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Hello lovelies! See I told you I would try to update before the new year! Hope you're enjoying the story so far, I feel like it's coming pretty easy for me to write. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Comments would be very, very lovely and would make my day. Writers thrive off of feedback. :)

*****Also: I have recently made a recommendation blog for authors to submit/promote their own stories. Or readers could submit their favorites and check it out to find stories. A lot of it will be Dramione (because that's the crowd I can most easily reach being a Dramione writer myself) but all HP fics are welcomed. The blog is **recyourhpfics** on tumblr. *****

Happy New Year!


	5. Ornamental

"You have no idea how embarrassing that was," Hermione groaned as she slouched further down in her chair at the kitchen table. Draco had come over for brunch, or rather just tea, curious as to how dinner had went the night before. There were a few reasons for this. The most prominent being that he knew she would be uncomfortable and most likely of had a bad time. But the other small part of him was curious on how his plan was working.

Him coming to her flat that early was a new thing, and she had been a little surprised when he owlled that morning asking if he could.

"I would suppose you are right, I don't get embarrassed easily," he shrugged.

"The weirdest part was that everything just seemed to flip. One second I was the one Ron was suppose to marry and no matter what no one was going to let me get away from that. But now no one wants me to marry him." She had been babbling all morning while telling him the story of the _horror_ of Christmas.

Draco chuckled, "_You_ don't want to marry him, remember?"

"Well obviously," She spoke in a huff. "I'm just confused, so confused that I basically let Mrs. Weasley walk all over me." She got up from the table and went to stand by the sink. "I understand why she's acting the way she is, I really do. Ron is the last one to really leave the nest, even Ginny passed him. She wants him to be taken care of. I understand, but it doesn't give her the right to treat me like...well like some whore."

Draco's eyebrows raised at innocent little Granger's vulgarity, he found that he rather liked it. "And why would she treat you as such a...oh what was that again?" He smirked and she knew he was messing with her.

"This is where it might get weird for you," she covered up her face in embarrassment. He waited for her continue and she looked between the space she made with her fingers over her face, her voice muffled. "Somehow she has the idea that I cheated on Ron...with you."

He choked out his questioning reply, "And why would she think that?" His mind went to Kat. No. She wouldn't have caused that much trouble... At least he hoped not.

"Ron probably. He's not great with coming up with complex plans. You were really the easiest to blame. Because you're..." she left the comment unfinished.

He sighed, he knew what she was implying. "Because I'm _me_, a Malfoy. We're usually the easiest to blame when something goes wrong."

She bit her lip, "Yeah..."

His cold look warmed over suddenly. "Well it makes sense," he chuckled, "it would take a Malfoy to corrupt you."

She was shocked by his nonchalant answer and that shock quickly turned into uncontrollable laughter. She smiled at him in a way she hadn't smiled at anyone for a long time. And like he hadn't been smiled at in even longer. "You are insane, a real hatter you are."

He smiled and checked his watch, noticing the time was becoming dangerously close to his appointment. "While I do love to hear you insult me, I have a meeting to attend to."

Still laughing she asked, "What about?"

"Well I have a few normal ones, financial check ups mostly. And then I have one that I'm dreading. Apparently someone in the company isn't very pleased with the way I've been handling the business,"he groaned as he wiped a hand down his face.

Concern washed over her face. "Draco..."

"What?"

"This is the third one who's had a problem. Isn't that the least bit concerning?" They both knew that MWAS would cause problems. It was a controversial step to say the least and had shocked everyone. He'd had people that had been in the company for years talk to him about the mistake he was making. He didn't pay too much attention to them much, not caring if they agreed with his forthcomings or not.

He shrugged.

"Go on," she shook her head, wishing he had been a little more concerned, "On with you then. I have to meet Ginny soon anyway, she owlled me after I got home. I guess we'll have to talk about yesterday." She nearly pouted, not wanting to have to discuss it with any of the Weasley's just yet, even if it was only Ginny. They'd grown to be close friends, them being the two most prominent women in Harry's life. But she was still a Weasley, and Weasleys were fiercely loyal to their family.

"Good luck," he nodded his head to her as he walked toward her front door.

"You too!"

She heard the faint signature Pop of disapparition through the door and knew he was gone.

She wasn't looking forward to her lunch date with Ginny, but figured she owed her friend that much after leaving the night before without saying goodbye. She still had over two hours until she had to leave so she figured she would catch up on some paperwork and possibly read a book in her small self-made library.

The time passed quickly and before she knew it she was preparing to apparate to the pub where she would meet Ginny for lunch. When she got there she sat at the booth Ginny had told her to. This was strange because they usually sat at whatever table was available, but this time Ginny had requested a specific one. Hermione didn't concern herself with that, figuring it was just to find each other easier in the lunch rush.

She was sitting just moments when she saw a flash of red hair, but not quite the person she was expecting. "What are you doing here?"

Ron looked up from the ground and at the source of the voice, confusion flooding his face when he saw the woman sitting at the table he was suppose to be meeting his sister at. "I'm meeting Ginny here. What are you doing here?" He knew Ginny has specified this table for their lunch meeting.

"The same as you." She pinched the bridge of her nose, seeing what the witch had done. "I'm going to kill that woman," she muttered under her breath.

"She did this on purpose then?" He looked around the small pub, hoping to see his sister somewhere in it. Hoping that for once the woman sitting down was wrong.

"Obviously Ron," she shook her head. She blinked slower than normal, breathing in as her eyes closed for that extra second and exhaling as her eyes slowly opened. "Sit."

His eyes grew wide and his hands went up in defense. "It'd really be better if I ju-"

She glared daggers at him, pointing a finger in a downward motion to the chair across from her, "Sit."

He followed her instruction wordlessly. He knew he had gone too far with the Draco thing. He really pushed his luck on that one.

They sat in silence for minutes until she broke it, "What is wrong with you?"

"I don-"

"You know exactly what I mean," she cut him off, knowing already what he was going to say. When he didn't respond, or even meet her eyes, she spoke again. "I know you, Ron. We were together for years. And you were my best friend for even longer than you were my boyfriend. I know you. What happened?"

Ron still didn't look at her, his backbone seeming to give way. It was easy before to tell her she wasn't good enough, to tell her the ways things were going to be. He knew now that he underestimated her, which always proved to be a very dangerous thing. But when he spoke it was full of spite, "Just like your precious Malfoy has apparently, I changed."

She noticed the obvious dig at Draco and herself, but decided to choose her battles wisely. She wanted answers, but she also knew that it wouldn't be unlike him to storm out of the place. "Why?"

He glared, "Why does it matter to you? You're the one who ended us. I tried to get you back!"

She laughed humorlessly, "You ended us. You wanted _us_ to morph into something else and I didn't want to be a part of the new _us_."

He rubbed his hands together, focusing on those, "We could have worked it out."

"No we couldn't have. You know this and that's why you dragged my name through the mud to your family."

"It was easier..."

She glared at him. So many years she left him get away with things. Because little things were okay to overlook every once and a while when you love someone, or so she thought. But those little things just kept getting bigger. And this was just the bomb that ruined everything. At first she was rattled by it, unsure of how to act and acting unlike herself, just wanting it to not be happening. But now she was glad it did. She was glad it happened before she married him. What if it had happened five years and two kids down the road? "It was selfish. I was part of that family, Ron! I don't have much family left, and nearly none in this country, as it is and you just severed the bond I had with yours." She was raising her voice just enough that the few tables around them started to stare. "If they just knew what really happened..."

Ron looked like he had been slapped and she almost wished she had slapped him before. "And then what? I would get my mother on my back? You chose to walk away."

"Do you even hear yourself? Who even are you?"

"I'm not Hermione Granger, Know-It-All, Brightest Witch of our Age's boyfriend anymore. I don't have to listen to you talk about whatever boring thing you find oh so fascinating. I don't have to constantly be compared to you or have my intelligence be seen as lesser than my girlfriend's. I'm just Ron Weasley. For once I'm deciding what I am. And I won't let my name be dragged through the mud." He glared at her, whispering furiously, "You already are, or at least your blood is."

Her voice went murderous, but surprise colored her face, "You didn't just imply what I think you implied."

He smiled, happy to shock her again. He didn't really mean what he was saying, his family had been known as blood traitors for years because of how close they were to those of "lesser" blood. But he wanted her to be shocked by his words, he wanted to get a rise out of her. He wanted to hurt her like she had him when she didn't come back to him. "What, isn't that what your new boyfriend calls you? A mudbl-"

Her wand was in her hand in seconds, pointed at his heart and a red light burst from it as she harshly whispered a jinx, "_Entomorphis!" _She watched as feelers started to sprout from his body and his eyes went wide as he realized he could no longer speak to finish the cruel word he was about to say.

She waved at him with a small, triumphant smiled as she got up from the table and made her way to the door, laughing a little at the fact that she just turned him into a cross between a human and insect. "How perfect of a jinx," she thought to herself humorously.

* * *

Draco was running late for this meeting, he knew he should have been there at least 15 minutes early. But other appointments had run late and he seemed to have other _things_ on his mind as well. He straightened his tie and slowed his walk as he reached his door, trying to make it seem like he hadn't just been hurrying. "Mr. Blythe," Draco nodded as he entered his office.

The older wizard had only been waiting a moment but he didn't let that moment go unnoticed. "You're late," he croaked out, eyes narrowed at Draco.

He looked at his watch, noting the whole minute of tardiness and cruising himself for even allowing that much time, "The elevator was exceptionally slow today." He went for a smile, but knew it looked forced.

"I see," was all he offered to Draco in response to the excuse. The tone of voice he used gave more away to Draco than the words spoken. He spoke in a tone that made him feel like a child being reprimanded.

Draco's eyes narrowed, he hated being treated that way. "So Helena's notes said you wanted to discuss the newest branch of Malfoy Apothecary. What is it that you have to say?"

"You're making a mistake, Draco. You're ruining everything this business has worked for," his rough voice grew harsher, not holding back his intentions for this meeting.

"I'm making decisions to help the business grow. If you haven't noticed we've been on a steady decline since the war. This new department not only brought us back up with advancements but also helped clean up our name. People hated us and what we stood for. So I'm standing for something new."

"You don't actually believe in this blood equality nonsense, do you? You're a Malfoy. Your father would die to hear of such things."

"And what a shame that would be," Draco glared right back at the man, not backing down. He knew what he said, he also knew he didn't care. His father meant nothing to him other than a ruined childhood. "I'm a Malfoy, but I'm not my father. We stand for very different things. But I assure you, Blythe, that I will be the Malfoy standing tall at the end of this game. My father will rot away in Azkaban, paying every day for the wicked things he's done. My mother will soon too pass." His voice only hiccuped slightly at delivering this news. "And I will be the last Malfoy standing. And if you have a problem with the way that this Malfoy runs the Malfoy business, I'm strongly suggesting that you stand down."

The older man pursed his lips, the anger could be felt radiating off of him but he said nothing for a long, painful minute. "Very well Draco," he spat out as he stood to leave. "Good luck with your efforts, though you will soon see they are for nothing."

"I could say the same to you. Good day, Mr. Blythe." He watched at the man left, not sparing a second glance at Draco as he shuffled out the doorway and down the hall.

Though Draco didn't want Hermione to know, he was indeed worried about this. That was the third person in his company to say basically the same thing. And those were just the people who had enough courage to face him about their thoughts, he couldn't imagine how many others felt the same way as those three. He knew he had to do something to weed out these people and make them come around. He wasn't going to run a business filled with people who were opposed to it. Something needed to change.

He was deep in thought when his door opened again, he hadn't heard Helena trying to contact him the four times that she did to alert him of his guest's arrival.

Kat waltz in, a big grin on her face. "I assume that you heard all about yesterday."

Draco nodded, motioning for her to sit in the chair that Blythe had seemly just left, "You've done well."

"You act surprised," Kat laughed, perching on the side of his desk instead.

He smirked at her, "No, but you acceded expectations. How did you do it?" He was surprised when Hermione didn't hate her, he was prepared for her to. But instead she had only mentioned that Ron brought someone to Christmas and she was shocked at how nice she actually was.

She shrugged, biting into the green apple she had swiped from a bowl on Helena's desk on her way in, "Simple. I told him everything he wanted to hear. Hermione was too honest for his fantasy world. She didn't let him delude himself like the others he chased."

"I see." Of course Weasley had a problem with reality.

"I barely met her, but I see why you like her," she spoke just as he was taking a sip of his tea.

He choked on the liquid, scalding him mouth and throat. "What?"

"Oh...you haven't admitted to yourself that you like her?" She looked surprised.

He cleaned up the spilled tea, "I don't...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right." She rolled her eyes. "Why else would you care enough to create this weird plan of yours? And then involve me in it."

"I mean I like her enough," he caught her smiling at him, "but just as a friend. We're only friends. I couldn't like her, she's_ Granger._" He couldn't like her, at least not _like_ her. She was Granger, the girl he tormented as a kid, and who gave it right back to him even slapping him on that one occasion with that stupid bird horse thing. He rolled his eyes at that particular memory. She was the golden girl of Gryffindor and one of Scarhead's best friends. He couldn't _like_ her, that was just...illogical. And improbable. No way could he, Draco Malfoy, ever _like_ Hermione Granger.

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Hello lovelies!  
I feel like I should have had more content of Ron being a prat honestly, but it seems that so many people hate when authors paint him in a bad light that I was reluctant to do that. Is this okay? Is he deserving enough of Draco's messed up plan? Draco to me has always seemed like someone that micromanages so him doing this to punish someone else isn't too weird of an idea to me. Well the idea came from somewhere in the depths of my mind so obviously it can't be that obscure to me. And I've seen this questioned before, but in the movie Hermione punches Draco, while in the books she slaps him. My writing will usually favor the books, so in this case he remembers her slapping him. Hope you enjoyed (and excused this long A/N). If you wanted to leave a nice little review you would make my day! Seriously, you guys rock. Happy reading!

Also: My New Years Resolution is to review other fics more. I've realized that while I'm always hoping for reviews on mine, I don't review often. I usually wait to the end of a story to review instead of pouring out my feels every few chapters or every chapter even. Also if anyone has a good story to recommend, feel free to PM me! (Or you could go to my HP fic rec site, recyourhpfics on tumblr. Just throwing that out there!) Reading always makes me want to write more! Okay bye!


	6. Money

"Mr. Malfoy," Helena's voice broke the silence of his office. He had been lost in thought for over half an hour. Once the new year struck, MWAS would be a fully functioning part of the company. It was big already, but nowhere near what he had in store for it. Right now it was mostly research, but in the new year he will start creating. This idea that sparked so long ago was going to be thrown out into the world for all it was, and he was terrified of the reaction. Controversiality wasn't something he was new to, but it worried him nonetheless. His assistant continued, "Your...err...muggleborns are here."

"Send them into conference room B. I'll be with them momentarily," he replied to the intercom system. The intercom system was one of the most muggle things in the building. And even that had magical properties. The only direct voice system hook up was between his office and Helena's desk. Any other messages sent throughout the building were voice memos carried by a floating orb of misty light, the color of light depicting which branch it was from. He was hoping to change that and introduce muggle inventions into this work place. He loved magic, but he couldn't help but admit that some muggle inventions were just better. That was one of the reasons for the muggleborns he had personally recruited and would be interviewing today.

Pushing away from his desk he gathered the necessary files on each of the men that would be waiting for him in the medium sized conference room. There were eight of them in total. All of various professions and ages. Each file read their name, but nothing else on the outside gave away any information about them.

He met them in the conference room, noticing how their nervous conversation halted immediately as he entered. He took a deep breath in, he was nervous about how this was going to go but he wouldn't let them see that. "Hello gentlemen," he smiled as he placed his files on the table. "I'm Draco Malfoy, the primary owner of Malfoy Apothecary."

One man spoke in a gruff voice, "We know who you are."

"Oh?" Draco's eye sparked. He turned to the youngest looking man in the group, "Even you?"

According to the file on who Draco believed he was, he was just 17, barely a legal adult and had just graduated from Hogwarts the spring prior. He looked nervous to have been spoken to and Draco wasn't surprised. Between his larger build, menacing look, and well known background, he could understand why some people would fear him. Half of him hated it, but another part knew how useful of a trait it was.

"Uh...no sir, not really. I-I know your name and what this company is...I think, but I don't really know who you are." The nervous kid responded back to him.

"Luca, is it?"

His brows came together, puzzled. "Yes. How did you know?"

Draco picked up a file with Luca's name on it. Luca Parsons. "I already like you best," Draco chuckled. When the kid looked surprised he went on, "You aren't pretending to know everything about me."

"Well how could I?"

"Exactly," he winked at him and then turned to look over the entire group, "Many of you probably have ideas of who I am. I can guarantee that many of those ideas are very wrong. You may be associating me with my father, who ran this business before me. Or you may be associating me with the dark side of the war. Both of those things are part of my past, but they were uncontrollable parts on my behalf. If you have read anything about my current plans with this business you would see that I am far different than either of those associations."

"Uncontrollable my arse," he heard a voice mutter.

"Hmm?" Draco locked his eyes on the man who had spoken.

"Nothing," he spoke quickly.

Draco smiled at him, but it wasn't a friendly smile. He was challenging him. "And who are you exactly?" He didn't wait for a response but instead tapped the files again. Each file floated in the air as he raised his half open palm until Draco flipped his closed fingers upward. Then each file whizzed through the air until it landed in front of the correct person with a small smack on the hardwood table. With each person being identified correctly, small wooden name plates popped up from the top of the table as well, allowing Draco to see everyone's name without needing the files as reference. "Do you prefer Mr. Dorsey? Or may I call you Oswald?"

The man looked slightly stunned, "Oswald is fine."

"You don't seem to know me very well, but do I have _your_ information correct?" A quick turn of Draco's wrist opened the man's file in front of him.

Oswald fumbled through the paperwork and Draco gestured for the others to do the same. He finally sat down in the plush chair at the head of the table, bringing his right ankle to rest on his left knee. He leaned back in the chair as his hands rested on the tabletop in a steepled position. If there was one correct thing his father had taught him, it was the importance of body language. His father could command a crowded office of people without even opening his mouth. Draco would not show any nervousness about this meeting. He was in command.

Before too long, and much before Oswald could have possibly read the extensive detail that Draco had personally put into those files, Oswald spoke, "Yes, everything seems to be correct."

Another man, Weldon Burke, spoke, "Do you have one of these? A file on yourself."

A deep chuckle rose from Draco's chest, "Of course, there are many files on me. It would take you all day to read those. I would prefer you drop your prior judgements and create your own if you decide to work for me."

Someone else spoke as well, a tall man by the name of Emmett Hodgson, "And if we don't?"

Draco shrugged, "Then you don't."

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "So nothing will happen if we decline?"

Draco had to stop himself from rolling his eyes or yelling at the man, "No. This is a business opportunity for the both of us. Granted it will be mostly benefiting my company. If you decline you're free to leave and to believe whatever you wish about both myself and my company. There will be no consequences of you declining my offer, that's not how I run my business."

"So why us?" Came the question of a tanned skin man with dark hair, his nameplate reading Edmond Turner.

"You're all muggleborns," Draco watched as fear ran through the group of men in front of him. "Don't fret," Draco laughed,"I mean no harm. Quite the opposite. I'm branching out to make my company more muggle friendly. I have hand selected each of you. Most of you are muggleborns who have reverted to living mostly muggle. Each of your occupations is a muggle one that I am looking into." He gestured to the man closest to him on his right, "Dex Anson. A 32 year old who works as an advanced electrician. Also an artist, creating electrical pieces of work. I'm interested in both aspects of your career." Draco turned to the man sitting next to Dex. "Jude Blackwood, a 43 year old who works with televisions. I'm rather interested in these, I've never had the pleasure of watching one."

"You're not missing much," the man joked, not very fond of his career path or the way his nonmagical 13 year old son wouldn't move away from the telly long enough to do his homework.

Draco smiled, "Still it is something that I hope to use one day, I have a friend who is rather fond of...oh hell, those moving pictures that last hours." He snapped his fingers together as he tried to remember what Hermione had called them.

"Movies, sir," Luca responded. He was next in line to be discussed.

"Ah, movies, right. Thank you," he tipped his head at him, "Which brings me to Luca Parsons. Just 17, recently graduated from Hogwarts."

"I don't see how I can be of much help, I don't really do anything yet. Also, I don't plan on living a muggle lifestyle, I very much like my magic."

"And that's just it. I want to appeal to the 12 year old you, learn how I could have made your experience of transitioning to the magical world easier. But I can't employ 12 year olds. I saw you were a bright student who showed promise in a business aspect. Here you can stand on your own two feet. If you choose to leave once you have gained experience I won't stop you. But I will keep you employed here even after I'm done with what I initially asked you for though. "

Luca looked surprised, "T-thank you!"

"Callum Grant a 24 year old IT whiz, I could learn very much from you. Edmond Turner, a 38 year old muggle middle school teacher. Again, I need to know how muggle children grow up and act at that age. Weldon Burke, 28, another one who isn't exactly living a muggle lifestyle, you're a muggle reporter who helps 'explain' what happened to muggles when they saw something magical. That talent of yours will be very helpful, but in reverse." He turned to the one who had spoken up originally, "Oswald Do-"

"Don't. These people don't need to know what I do, or my age." He didn't want these people to know he was pushing 60, "I stayed out of the magical world for a reason. I don't want to be part of this joke of a company. I know who you are and I don't want any part of it."

His voice was louder than intended, "That is enough, Mr. Dorsey. You may leave."

"I'll be following him out as well. I knew your father in school. I won't make the mistake of trusting a Malfoy again."

Draco grew angry at those words, but with a head held high he spoke through gritted teeth, "As you wish Mr. Hodgson." He knew the two older gentlemen were going to be a stretch, he knew Hodgson had known his father. He was hoping he could change their minds, but the loss wasn't too great.

Both men left the building quickly, not completely believing that they wouldn't be punished for denying Draco Malfoy.

Draco stood from his chair, leaning on his outstretched arms with his palms flat against the table. "If anyone else has doubts or wishes to leave at anytime, they may. I will not hold anyone here. There will be no contracts that bind you to my company, only binding me to pay you for your time. You will not have to produce a certain amount of anything, I'm really only looking for intellectual insight. If any of you wish to help my developers, it would be greatly appreciated and paid extra for. Think it over, over the weekend I will be hoping for a response. Do not feel pressured to accept the position. I want to fill these spots with people who wish to do good work. You may leave now, it was a pleasure to meet you all." He nodded his head as they all rose silently, preparing to leave. "I truly am aiming for a better future and I think you all could help me create that."

Mutters of farewells greeted his ears as he watched them file out. He wasn't sure who would come back, he was hoping at least a few would. He spent the rest of the morning thinking about how the meeting went, though he found several spots he wished he would have executed better, he was decently pleased with how it went.

It was only after lunch when he decided to call it a day, telling Helena he would be at home if he was needed.

He had only just apparated into the manor when he was greeted by his house elf.

"Master Draco, Ipsy informs you Miss Katherine is in your study," the small house elf squeaked out.

"Kat? I didn't know she was coming tonight," he placed his jacket in the elf's outstretched arms and watched as it vanished from sight, it being hung up in the closet. A simple task that Draco could do himself but he knew Ipsy liked to offer as much assistance as she possibly could.

Her eyes grew wide, "Should Ipsy not have let her in? Miss Katherine said you knew. Ipsy is so-"

"Ipsy, that's fine. Kat is always welcome, you may always let her in unless, for some reason, I specifically tell you otherwise. You did nothing wrong." He was always reassuring her of her importance in his life, always assuring her that she was indeed a good elf.

Ipsy had been with him since he was a child, though for many years he had banished her to her quarters of the house along with his mother's house elf, Lalo. Those were the years that Voldemort had spent coming and going as he pleased in the manor. He treated house elfs horribly, killing them for even appearing in the room. But more often than not if he were to kill one it was as punishment to their master, forcing the master to either kill the elf himself or order the elf to do it. Instead Draco made sure Ipsy wasn't present during those years, figuring out a loophole to keep her from coming even when he called her. Thus saving her the time he had called for her in Voldemort's presence. Draco had told him the elf had run off, someone must have set her free like Potter had with his father's house elf, Dobby. When she didn't come, Voldemort took Draco's words as the truth. Even Lucius and Narcissa didn't know the house elves were still in the house at all, believing Draco when he told them the same story.

"Go on Ipsy, would you tell Kat I'll be right there?" He smiled down at the elf.

She brightened, "Of course Master Draco, Ipsy would love to."

A few moments later, just when he reached the bottom of the long staircase, he heard the voice of his friend from the top of the stairs, "Well it's about time you got here, I thought I'd be waiting all night." She smiled down at him before turning on her heels and walking back to his study. He followed her, shaking his head at her ever present dramatics.

"What are you doing here?"

She rolled her eyes and put her feet up on the arm of a plush chair, her head and arms dangling from the other arm. "Can't I just visit? Since being back the only time we've hung out was when we've been talking about Ron."

He hadn't thought about that. It was rather unfair to her. He didn't want to think he was just using their friendship for his personal gain. "I didn't mean for yo-"

"Stop," she flailed a hand in his direction. "I know you're not doing this on purpose." She sat up quickly, "But I was thinking, how about one on one quidditch sometime? Like we use to."

An eyebrow raised to question her request, "It's December..."

She laughed, bouncing into an upright position, "And that stopped us before?"

He smirked, no it hadn't. Though that had been on toy brooms that only hovered a foot, or two if the wind was on their side, off the ground. Falling from that because of a gust of wind never hurt because the snow always padded their fall. It was actually safer in the winter then.

"I mean unless you want to talk more about your girl," she smirked at him, shimmying her body in a suggestive manner.

He groaned, "Would you stop that?"

She answered him with a giggle,

"You've never meddled in my love life before, what's with the sudden interest?" He smirked at her, "Suddenly interested in all of this?" He gestured down his body.

The look she gave him was a mixture of disgusted and amused. With a pained look she quipped, "I'd rather lick a toad than even entertain the idea of dating you."

"Oh Kitten, you wound me so," he chuckled. "But I mean you are pretty close to the toad thing, with Weaslebee I mean."

"He's not _that_ bad," she rolled her eyes.

It was his turn to be disgusted, "Please do not tell me you actually like him? I will pull the plug on this entire thing and send you back to France or something."

She laughed at his reaction, "Calm down _Dad_, I just mean I've done worse. And look who's meddling now."

"Good, it'll teach you to stay out of my love life."

"If going through brainless slags for a one time use thing is considered a love life..."

"At least you stayed out of it!"

An evil smile played on her lips, "Oh, but did I?"

He looked confused, "Yes?"

"Hmm," she tapped her index finger against her cheek, "I seem to recall times where your normal charm didn't cut it and you'd go home without any luck."

"That never happened, no one can resist my charm," another smirk and a crossing of his arms at his chest.

She didn't say anything, just smiled at him. She knew he wouldn't win this. He did too.

His smile dropped, "So that's what happened to Candy..."

Her disgusted but amused face made another appearance, "Ugh, like I would ever allow my friend to sleep with someone named Candy."

He shook his head, "Ipsy!"

A loud crack was heard as the elf appeared, "Master Draco is in need of assistance?"

"Could you fetch us our jackets? And two brooms, my good ones, and my quidditch set?"

She nodded, "Right away!" She disappeared and was back within seconds.

Kat had a grin on her face that lit up the whole room. "Really?" She grabbed her jacket and a broom from Ipsy, muttering a thank you to her. She pushed her arms through the sleeves and took off down the hall, before her friend could change his mind.

He followed and didn't speak until his feet met fresh snow, "I'm going to have to warn you, I've gotten better with my age. I'm not seven anymore."

She mounted the broom and rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, Draco." 

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Surprise, Surprise! I'm not sure where this came from but it did. I read some kind reviews and tried to write something and next thing I know I have 3000+ words all for Draco. This is kinda filler, I suppose. But I like it.  
Also there's nothing going on between Kat and Draco. They're just friends, the closest thing either has to a sibling! I promise!

As always, reviews make me smile and clearly they make me write something! Even if it is kinda sorta filler...

Ps- If your name is Candy...I'm sorry. Please don't hate me.


	7. Cardinal

_Shady pubs seem to be his preferred hang out spot. How deliciously easy it makes this job._ She thinks to herself as she walks into said pub, thick smoke filling the air. Smoke that she will be smelling in her hair for hours later, she's sure. Silently she creeps behind the tall redhead sitting alone at the bar and places a hand at the bottom of his neck, sharp nails gliding upward to the base of his skull, tangling her fingers in his red locks. "Hello," she breathes.

He audibly gulps, "Kat?" She was the last person he had expected to see today, especially here.

"In the flesh."

He looked around, "How'd you find me here?" He didn't notice a particular silver eyed man who had been the one to alert her of Ron's whereabouts. But she would never mention Draco, their friendship wasn't something she would ever allow Ron to know about.

She looked at him like he was a kicked puppy, "Oh honey," her voice is sweet, but patronizing, "you think I came looking for you. How cute." She pats him on the top of the head.

He wasn't used to this treatment. She knew that.

"I came here for a drink," she motions for the bartender and smiling, tells him her order, "But great minds think alike, don't they?" Again her attention is Ron's.

She confuses him, but not in the way that Hermione ever did. He had just never met a woman like her, so uncaring about what he thought or how he felt. But at the same time she cared so much. This is how she kept him on his toes. She would be completely riveted by his stories one minute, indulging his fantasy world, but the next she was cold. Ever since the war he had woman throwing themselves at him, with the other war hero married off, he was the one that women flocked to. Even when he had been engaged, especially then actually.

Kat knows that this behavior is new to him, and she knows that this is why he's attracted to it. He's never had to chase before and he's found that he rather enjoys it.

She speaks with her lips against his throat, "So anyone here that I need to kill?" Her eyes flick around the room to see multiple women's eyes on them, she cheekily winks at one such female. A dominating personality was the last thing she thought a man like Ron would like, but it truly thrilled him. His brash personality clashed with hers in all the right ways. She was happy that even though this wasn't a real relationship, at least on her side, he appreciated her for who she was and that she didn't have to fake it to capture his attention.

He oddly liked her possessive streak. It made him feel wanted, even more wanted than any of the women who had come up to him that afternoon. "Not anyone that matters," he tilts his head to the side, groaning blissfully at her display of wanton affection.

She nips the skin covering his adam's apple, "Good, because I'm dreadful at sharing."

She just barley sees the blond man get up and leave, laughing to himself at how vindictive his friend could really be. Ron had been sitting alone before Kat came in. Not only did he arrive alone but he made sure to stay alone. Women that he normally would have more than happily agreed to go home with were turned down by him. This even surprised Draco. Yes he hadn't wanted him to fall for Kat's charm, but even in his wildest dreams did he think it would work this well. By the looks of it, he was falling harder than he had since Hermione. Kat knew exactly what she was doing. _ Yes_, Draco thought to himself, _this couldn't be going any better_.

* * *

Hermione enters Grimmauld Place remembering how long it had been since she was last there, months. She also remembered how it looked once before, when it housed the Order of the Phoenix all those years ago. Those were memories that would never leave her, even after Ginny had redecorated it so nicely. It was no longer dark and eerie, but she swore she could still smell the dust of decades past. She saw the once rickety stairs and thought of the times she would sit there, listening in on conversations she shouldn't have of the Order's. The stairs now were decorated still for the Christmas that had passed, it brightened the place, but Hermione still saw them the way that they had been before.

"Hermione!" Harry calls as he comes down the hall, meeting her at the door. He had invited her for dinner, just the three of them. Since her and Ron's split it had been hard staying in the middle. He was on Hermione's side, and had given Ron a good smack to the back to the head, but Ron was also his best friend too. He split his time between them as much as he could but he knew it wasn't a fair split. He spent more time with Ron, but not going out of his way to like he did for Hermione. He worked with Ron, he was married to his sister, his family had practically adopted him. He had to see Ron more. He just hoped Hermione knew that it didn't mean he was choosing Ron.

"Harry," she smiled as she hugged her friend. Making her way into the elaborate kitchen she greeted Ginny in a similar fashion. They would be eating at the small table in the kitchen today. Ginny always hated how much space there was at the table in the dining room, even if the table did magically change sizes to fit the number of occupants. She was adjusted to being crowded and she liked it that way, so most meals were in the kitchen rather than dining room.

Dinner of course was fabulous, Ginny learning to cook from her mother. They made small talk about things happening in their lives. Hermione even participated, albeit uncomfortably, in the conversation about them trying to conceive.

"Well we did want to ask if you would be a godparent to our future children," Ginny smiled from under her lashes up at Hermione, "but we also were going to ask Ron and we don't know how you would feel about that."

Harry rolled his eyes, "In light of recent events do you really think that's best?"

"He's still my brother, Harry," she sighed and Hermione felt awkward to be there.

"You have five more," he shrugged, biting into a forkful of pie.

"He's your best friend."

Hermione chose to speak then, "I'm sure we could both be adults about it and be godparents."

"You'd be okay with that?" Harry looked up at her, he really didn't want either of them to be uncomfortable with the idea.

Hermione laughed, "Harry, I highly doubt that your children will ever need either of us to step in. You are the Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die, remember?"

Ginny giggled at the statement, but got up from the table when she heard a squawk from an owl tapping on the window from the other room. "I'll be right back," she dismissed herself from the room.

"Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die? You have been spending too much time with Malfoy," Harry rolled his eyes.

"About that... I need to ask you something," she cleared her throat.

"Go for it," he replied stiffly. He didn't like discussing Malfoy with Hermione, especially after Ron's little statements he made to the family.

"You know how...invested I am in the Malfoy company. I really believe that what we, no, what _he_ is working on is a fantastic thing. It will open so many doors for people who came from muggle families. People who didn't have a clue about magic before their letter. People who were just thrown into the water and told to swim, hoping not to drown. People like _us_, Harry."

He drummed his fingers along the tabletop, "I know how fond you are of this, yes. But what do you need from me?"

She smiled uneasily, "Support. We're having a difficult time with people believing that a Malfoy would do something helping those of lesser blood status. But you Harry...you have some pull. People think you were the chosen one."

"I was the chosen one," he chuckled.

"Don't make me hit you again," she rolled her eyes, a fork pointed at him.

He smiled at her, but soon after his face grew concerned. "Can I ask you something now?"

"Of course."

"What Ron told us about you and Malfoy," he grimaced, "that's not true is it?"

She groaned loudly, "Honestly Harry!"

He put up his hands, "I just want to know. I know you didn't cheat on Ron. I know he's just trying to pass the blame onto you, which he won't do by the way. Ginny and I are talking to Molly about that. But did you...er..did you..."

Her face grew warm and she was sure he could see her cheek's coloring, "I didn't sleep with him if that's what you're asking."

He sighed in relief.

She wasn't sure why she asked the next question. "Would it be so horrible if I did?" She regretted it the second it left her mouth. She didn't want anyone to think Ron had any real reason to have picked Draco of all people to tell others that she slept with. They were just friends...good friends. Just good friends who appreciated each other for what they did for a living and the help they offered each other. That's it. Obviously.

Harry was floored. "Well...Hermione. He's...He's _Malfoy_!" He spluttered out. He didn't want to think of anyone sleeping with Malfoy, let alone one of his best friends.

"And I'm Granger," she laughed, "And you're Potter." The surname argument really was getting old. Everyone's surname seemed to dictate how they were suppose to live. It may have once, when they were children in school and the worst they really did about it was hex each other. But they were adults now and it was different. Not everyone wanted to be what their surname suggested. And Draco Malfoy was the perfect example of that.

"It'd be weird. You're not thinking of that are you?" His facial expression was that of being tortured.

She sighed, "No Harry, but Draco and I are good friends. We get along, we understand each other. He...challenges me." Why was she telling him this? Why was she arguing this?

Ginny came walking back into the kitchen at this time. Leaning against the counter she scooped up a bit of pie filling from the side of the plate, when she extracted her finger from her mouth she laughed out a response to Hermione. "Well I for one wouldn't find it that peculiar if you two did end up together." She shrugged and magicked the dishes to clean themselves.

Harry looked at his wife like she had grown horns. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what?' He's charming, attractive, intelligent...and he's fighting for all the causes Hermione is. How would them ever ending up be strange?" She flipped through the letters the owl had brought, handing a few over to Harry. Harry who couldn't believe his wife had just complimented the ferret, especially to call him attractive.

"We're just friends Ginny!"

"Well for now anyway," a mischievous light was sparkling in her eyes.

Harry covered his face, "Gin..."

She flicked her long, red hair over her shoulder. She was loving putting that face on her husband. "Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to have you as a sister, but you and my brother have never been that compatible."

Hermione's brows came together, "We got along well enough..." They did. For a while they were okay. They had a good time together. At least she thought so, but given the circumstances she couldn't be sure anymore. Had she been the only one who believed that they were okay?

She clearly had given this some thought, "Before the war you did. You were both kids then, kids exploring their first love."

"You say first love like it's a bad thing," Harry raised his eyebrow.

Ginny laughed at him, "Well you don't have to worry about that, Michael Corner was my first love."

"Bullocks!"

She didn't answer her husband with anything other than a beaming smile, both of them clearly knowing who Ginny's first and only real love had ever been. "I'm just saying that after the war Ron changed. Not everyone could adjust and he found...alternative methods on helping him. Some people turned to alcohol, some drugs, but Ron... he let everything corrupt him. He turned to money and fame and apparently women. I'm so sorry Hermione." She added the last sentence as a whisper

Her face fell, "I just don't know what I could have done to prevent this? He acts like if I had just done something more all of this could have been avoided..."

Harry reached out, placing a hand on her wrist, "Don't think like that. The war killed many things, and your relationship seems to be one."

She shook her head, "We didn't even begin dating until after the war. We were fine for years!"

His expression grew somber, "Sometimes the aftershocks are just as damaging." 

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Helloooo lovelies! My goal is to reach chapter 10 next week. I go back to college soon and I'll obviously be a lot busier again.  
I haven't the foggiest idea of how long this will be. Originally I figured it would be around the same length as Astoria, which is only 15 chapters. But I have much doubt about that now. I'm notorious for doing sequels, but I think I would rather just make this a longer fic instead of making it two parts (not that I even know if there would be two parts). It really has taken a turn in my mind and got a little more complex than the story it started out as, which isn't a bad thing. We'll just figure this out together now, won't we? :)

Thank you all for reading! You're all fantastic. And to those of you who review, you make my days brighter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


	8. Lace

Draco and Hermione found themselves in his office again, going over paperwork for a meeting he would be having with another sponsor of Malfoy Apothecary. The Malfoy name had been stripped of a lot of money after the war, as most families who had any association with the dark side had for war relief. But he still had more money than most other families, the amount taken had only been enough to fill a small vault, one that was used to get them out of problems like this. The sponsorship wasn't for the money, and he only asked small amounts anyway, but it was to have a name slapped on his company. They were going after people who could help get the new Malfoy name out there. He needed people to see that he was doing something good, that he wasn't like any other Malfoy the public had ever known.

The majority of the morning they had been working had passed with a comfortable silence. It was one reason she liked working with him so much, they didn't feel the need to constantly be talking. It made work much easier. "Harry says he will give a public statement on the good of the company. Something along the lines of how he is pleasantly surprised to see how well you are doing and he likes the changes that are being made in the Malfoy name. It obviously can't be too nice or it won't sound like him."

"Thank you," he sighed. "I'm guessing you wrote the statement?"

She looked up at him slyly, "I may have helped." The written word was something she was great at. She was highly persuasive and could make people believe nearly anything she said. It wasn't the first time she had _helped_ Harry write things. His good grades in school proved that. And it certainly wasn't the first time she had helped Draco either, most of his earlier speeches involving this new branch had been at least previewed by Hermione.

"You know I hate owing Potter something though," he half joked. He could just see the bastard rubbing his face into it. He only hoped Potter could read what Hermione wrote for him and at least look like he meant it. It wouldn't do much good if he read it with a distrusting face, like he often had when he was around Draco. Especially how he was when Hermione was also involved.

She didn't look up from a paper she was reading as she started walking toward his desk, "And you know he's really only doing this so he can have something over you," she rolled her eyes at him, still not looking at him. "You boys need to learn how to play nice."

He looked offended, following her, "I play plenty nice!"

"Yeah, but only with me," she turned quickly, too quickly. She ended up speaking an inch from his jaw and he could feel the puff of her breath as she talked until she noticed the lack of space between them. She let out a shaky breath as she watched his pupils dilate and as the grin fell from his face. When she had spun, her hand had grazed his hip and she retracted that hand as if it had been burnt, pulling it close to her chest. She's close enough where she can see the blue specks in his otherwise gray eyes. Close enough where she can see the indents of laugh lines that hadn't been there while they were in school. Close enough where she can see unruly stray strands of blond hair on his forehead. And she remembers how she likes it better now that he keeps it short, remembering how his father's hair had been long and the meanest he ever was to her was when he had hair like his father. But now when his hair gets too long it doesn't remind her at all of his father, it reminds her of Harry or someone else who's been nothing but kind to her. Maybe that wasn't significant but she can't help but notice how everything about him no longer reminds her of something nefarious, but instead of something she loves.

"Yeah, only with you," his voice croaked out. He watched her as a blush warmed her face.

She backed up a few inches, the back of her thighs hitting his desk, letting out an audible gasp when they did. She's still caught up in her thoughts but she knows he must be staring at her, wondering what the hell she was doing because she had just stopped functioning for a bit. Surely he must have noticed.

He stayed where he was, watching her. Then after a few moments he shook his head and cleared his throat. His own thoughts of their proximity had clouded his mind and left him rather dazed looking. Weirdly enough he had also thought of her hair, thinking of how it looked in school compared to now. He leaned by her and grabbed a file off the desk. "These are the men I believe have an issue with the company's new direction." He attempts to go on about their business.

She was quiet for a moment before she realized he was speaking. She had been watching as his lips moved but not actually hearing the words he was saying. "I'm sorry, what'd you just say?" She felt idiotic. What was she doing?

He nearly laughed but caught himself. "I have a short list of name of people who may have a problem with MWAS. Would you like to see it?"

Again she was delayed in her reaction. "Yes. Yes of course. Though I'm sure I won't know most of these people like you do."

"Well yeah, but I thought you'd like to see it," his voice was still soft, sounding quite unsure of himself.

"I do," she squeaked out in return. She looked over the names, surprising herself with how many she did know. She had gotten to know many pureblood families after the war, her job putting her working closely with them. Sometimes it was uncomfortable, but most of the time she liked it. She liked having the power to help decide what their punishments were going to be. Her, the muggleborn witch that they all despised, had the power to suggest punishments to the minister. And because of who she was, she was often taking into consideration.

"Know any?"

"A few actually," she sighed, "looks like you have a lot to deal with today."

"Yeah I guess," he rubbed the back of his neck. Why was it so awkward between them now?

It was quiet for a moment. She was staring at the floor and he was staring at her. She cleared her throat, "So I should probably be going. Ya know... so you can get ready for those meetings and talk to some of these people."

He didn't want her to leave. He wanted so badly to reach out and tell her just to stay. To tell her that whatever just happened confused him and he wanted to talk about it. He just wanted to keep her from leaving. But he didn't know how so instead he just replied, "Okay."

* * *

"You have the dumbest look on your face," Helena smirked, handing over a file of even more names he would have to deal with. She had knocked three different times, knowing he was in there alone she decided to peek her head around the door. When she did she saw him staring off into space, a quill bobbing up and down in his hand as it bounced off the top of the desk. This was more than unusual for him. He didn't take breaks from work, especially not to just stare at the wall. He thought over problems best when he was active, but here he was...sitting down and just _staring_, deep in thought.

He heard her speak and snapped out of it. When he stopped tapping his quill on the desk, his face was horror struck when he noticed the amount of ink that had been leaked onto the surface of it. Maybe he would have to switch to those pen things that Hermione insisted on writing with. But it just wasn't the same. Looking up he addressed the woman in the room. "Probably not something you should say to your boss."

She rolled her eyes, "Like you'd fire me."

"Oh I wouldn't?" He wouldn't. Everyone knew she was his favorite person in the company, he had hired her personally after the old receptionist refused to see him as anything other than kid Malfoy. Her job was receptionist, but she was also his assistant. He hadn't wanted to hire someone just as an assistant, not needing one that often. He could fetch, print, and copy papers magically. There wasn't too much running around needed to be done. And there wasn't enough of a steady inflow of people coming and going into the building to need just a receptionist. So Helena had gracefully filled both roles.

"Nope," she pops the p sound loudly. "I'm way too good at my job."

"More like you're too good at insulting me or getting in on my business." He took the papers from her, muttering a "Thank you."

"Tomayto, tomahto," she dismissed him with a hand. We he didn't respond she pressed on, "So what is that look for?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," but he smiled.

She smirked at him again, "Does it have anything to do with a certain witch that was just here?" It was obvious that she had paired them together for a long time. But Draco had always insisted that it was just friendship between them. Though lately his arguments had grown weaker as their friendship grew.

Was he that transparent? He had been thinking about that altercation that had left their time following full of awkward silences and being hyper aware of each other. It wasn't anything really. Was it? She had moved too fast and he was just there. She couldn't have thought anything of it? She only moved because they were so close and they didn't need to be so close. Right? She didn't move because she didn't want to be that close to him. Wait...why did that matter to him? It didn't...couldn't. No. He was just concerned about why the work flow was disrupted. Because this was about work. It had to just be about work. Even if they were also friends.

Yes, just friends. He was happy with that. She was happy with that. They couldn't, shouldn't, and wouldn't be anything more.

"Hermione and I are none of your business." But his argument was shallow and his voice was too soft, not paying her much attention.

"I knew it," she whispered, an exited smile on her face.

"Shut up," he growled, he was still deep in thought and her voice had disrupted a particularly interesting idea.

He surprised her, it wasn't often he took that tone of voice with her. He didn't need to. "I'm sorry..."

"No," he leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." He sat there silently for a while, not moving unless you count the deep breathing he was doing. Helena wasn't sure if she should stay, she felt like she was intruding into a personal moment.

"I-"

He cut her off, taking his head of of his hands he looked at her as he spoke, "I'm sorry. I'm just...confused on the subject."

"It's okay, I understand." She really did. The look on his face proved that he _was_ confused. It wasn't a look he wore often. She left his office with a small smile and nod, shutting the door quietly behind her.

He returned to his earlier position. The quill once again moving in his fingers, the puddle of ink growing as his thoughts did. 

* * *

-Author's Note-  
This is a little shorter than most updates, but hey...this makes two updates in one day.

And look, my dramione story has some dramione finally! What do you think about this? I love to hear your thoughts.


	9. Jumping

_**Golden Trio Breakup; Poor Potter Stuck In The Middle.**_

"You have got to be kidding me," Hermione groaned as she picked up the Daily Prophet from the delivery owl. The headline was one she knew would come eventually. And of course they just had to put in something about Harry. She loved her best friend, but seriously the Daily Prophet brought him into everything. They were a bit obsessed.

_Months ago the Golden Couple split, but no one knew the full story. I am delighted to tell you that I, Rita Skeeter, finally do. I sat down with Ron Weasley to discuss him and his ex-fiancee, Hermione Granger. According to Mr. Weasley, the woman in question has a roving eye. And her eyes landed on none other than of one Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelors, Draco Malfoy. The pair has been working closely for months now, but just how close? Close enough that Weasley left the witch months before their wedding. When asked if he would ever take her back he responded, "Ya know, I actually tried to win her back...but every time she would run straight back to him. She says she was always so busy working, but what have they actually accomplished?" What indeed, Mr. Weasley, what indeed. _

_Some sources believe Malfoy is only seeing Granger to support his new muggle friendly image. One commented, "He's using her to help his company. What other reason would he have for going after someone like her?" A valid question, the two had never been friendly before. He had on many occasions even spoke about his distaste about Granger. Their budding romance does seem a bit fishy._

_Meanwhile Golden Boy Harry Potter has been seen in public with both, seeming to try to stay impartial to the both of them. But eventually he will have to choose. And we all know which one he will, after all he is married into the family._

_Mr. Weasley does have some good in his life during this hard time, in it all he found a new woman who he says has "brightened up my life" and "came in to fix things just as everything in my world was falling apart." He requested that we not share her name for now because he doesn't want to upset Miss Granger with news of his new relationship and that he fears she may do something drastic. Oh Golden Girl, just how far have you have fallen?_

_"Incendio!_" Hermione called, pointing the tip of her wand at the rubbish newspaper in front of her. It burst into flame at once. She watched as the bits of paper were carried up by the flames, then falling in curling crisps to the table top. The flames danced, "now that's _golden_" she thought to herself, mocking Skeeter's overuse of the word. When the flames diminished she saw an ugly black mark left behind on the surface of the table. The bits of paper being destroyed did very little to curb her desire to kill, or at least seriously maim.

This wasn't good.

She needed to take care of this. She would have the heads' of the Daily Prophet workers rolling at her feet if they didn't post an article of their inaccuracy. But first she had to talk to him, the sorry git that had caused all the problems in her life as of late. And by talk she meant hex into oblivion. Apparating to the Burrow she had plans of doing just that.

"What did you do?!" Hermione screeched as she barreled into the room but stopped short when she saw that Ron wasn't there. It was Sunday morning, he was always there on Sunday mornings. Instead she just found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting at the kitchen table.

"If you're looking for my son, he isn't here," Mrs. Weasley muttered. And almost as an afterthought she added, "Not that you have any business looking for him." She set a teacup down on today's Daily Prophet, a knowing smile on her lips.

Hermione glared at the woman who she once considered a second mother. But what kind of mother would throw out her child just because they and another no longer got along. "Where is he?" Her voice was even but it was laced with lethal power.

"He's with Ka," Mr. Weasley supplied, unsure of who to help. He never was one to take sides.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley glared at her husband. "She's a very lovely girl, it's so nice of him to raise his standards."

"Oh please," Hermione rolled her eyes, "You loved me, Mrs. Weasley." When she saw the older woman attempt to argue that she continued at a louder volume. "You did, you loved me. You thought I was perfect for sweet, little, innocent Ronnikins. But the thing is, he's not sweet or innocent. You're his mother, you only see him in certain lights. You started hating me simply because of some lies he's decided to spread so he can save his own arse from the wrath of you."

"He wou-"

"Yes, he would. He said so himself when I confronted him about our little talk at Christmas. But you know what else he told me? Or rather what he called me?" She smiled at the couple sitting at the table, a sadistic smile that lacked all happiness, "He called me a mudblood."

Mr. Weasley gasped at this, "No..."

"Told me that my name could be dragged through the mud since my blood already was." Hermione's chest rose as she took an uneven breath in. "Can you believe that? Because I couldn't. I couldn't believe the man that I've wanted to marry since I was a child called me the one name that I will never be able to forget." Her voice broke as her eyes went down to the scar on her arm. Mudblood. She'd always be a mudblood, but she just couldn't believe that the person who had been most affected by her tortured screams while that filthy word was being _carved_ into her would even be one to call her that.

"Hermione," Mr. Weasley looked at her with all the pity in the world. But that's not what she wanted. She wanted understanding that no matter what any of them said, _she_ was the one who was hurt the most here. Not any of them. She was sick of being painted as the bad guy. Her fiancé had ripped her heart out and rejoiced in her pain. They couldn't help her, she didn't want help from anyone. She didn't need anyone who wasn't there at the start of this darkened time in her life. She knew exactly the person who had helped her the most. And it wasn't any of her so called _family_.

"Sit down Hermione," came the soft words of the woman who had been nothing but cold and mean to her since Ron's lies.

She didn't know what to say, or what to do about the way her eyes were watering. They threatened to spill the collected tears, but she refused to cry over someone as pathetic as Ron ever again. So she pulled out the old wooden chair, its legs scrapping against the floor with a screech.

"Tell us your version." She seemed unsure, like she thought Hermione was still lying. But the tone in Hermione's voice had peaked her interest. Could it be possible that her youngest son had lied to her? She knew he children weren't perfect, but they weren't liars. She hoped Ron wasn't that exception.

"Oh, you mean the truth?" She really tried to keep the edge out of her voice, but she found it impossible. When neither of the elder two spoke she began telling her side, the real side. "Ron told me months ago that he was cheating on me. Well actually I found that out myself...the hard way." She diverted her eyes from them, swallowing hard and continuing with her story. "He still wanted to marry me, he just didn't want monogamy. The way he told me this...it just seemed like he couldn't find anything wrong with that. Cheating is inexcusable, but not understand that it's wrong is even worse. So yes, I _threw myself_ towards Draco. In a professional way. I threw myself into my work. We're working on something that could revolution magic for muggleborns. And that helped me cope with the fact that the man who I wanted to marry told me I alone wasn't good enough to satisfy him."

When Hermione looked up she caught the eye of the older witch, "I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, I'm not looking for anything from you. A 'sorry I misjudged you because my idiot son lied to my face, as well as every Daily Prophet reader' isn't going to fix this." She didn't think she'd ever get that apology anyway, but at least now she was the one saying she didn't want, or need, it.

"So you read that, huh?"

The voice chilled her to the bone, but also ignited something in her. "Yes, I read that you slimy bastard!" She turned quickly to look at the tall man standing in the doorway with a smile on his face. A fucking _smile_.

"Oi, no one cares for version of any story Hermione. Why don't you run along and go play with your ferret?"

"He's twice the man you'll ever be, Ron. He's trying to make up for his mistakes every day of his life, not pushing off those mistakes onto someone else. He doesn't need this sort of drama in it. Why did you have to drag him down with me?" She was livid, murderous. She hated him.

He laughed."What? Do you have trouble to get him to go down with you too? I didn't think he was that picky."

"Ronald Weasley!" His mother's voice rose out above the pair arguing. She did not stand for such language and implications in her presence.

She groaned, her hands gripping the corner of the table so hard that her knuckles went white. "Ron, I'm done." She was done yelling, sick of it. She just wanted the burden that was Ron Weasley out of her life. For good. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Just leave me alone and I'll repay the favor."

His eyes grew dark and he spoke in a low, dangerous voice, "He'll get sick of you too, Hermione. Just wait, he will." She couldn't believe he would dare speak like that to her in front of his parents.

"Draco and I aren't together," her voice was soft. She didn't know why saying those words hurt this time. She knew they weren't anything, but they had moments where she thought maybe they could be. Just...maybe.

"Well then he's got better taste than I'd give him credit for. Who would want you?" He spoke in such a light hearted manner that it was hard to believe he was saying such cruel words, like their meaning were nothing but facts to him. She was confused because there was a time where he, Ronald Weasley, had wanted her so very much. And then all of a sudden he didn't. She hated him. She really hated him.

He took off before she could retort, though if he hadn't she didn't know what she would of said. She was sick of yelling and screaming and sticking up for herself when it got her nowhere with him. She just didn't care, or at least didn't want to care anymore. She had other things to worry about than her deranged ex-fiance who couldn't keep it in his pants. And who couldn't tell the truth if it came and bit him in the arse. She couldn't worry about whether or not his family liked her anymore. She was just done.

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Oh, hello... this update isn't my favorite. But no matter how long I spent attempting to write this, it just didn't want to happen. I promise that the next chapter will be so much better. Seriously, get excited. Hint: it has Dramioneeee (cue the sing-song voice). Expect the update soon, I'll be posting it before the weekend is over. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Seriously, thank you!


	10. Buzzing

"Be calm Hermione, don't let it bother you," she breathed, staring at her reflection in the hallway mirror. She and Draco were having a Question and Answer today about MWAS. It was December 30th, so they only had a few days until the company fully launched the branch. They hoped that this meeting of sorts would answer all questions and put some minds at ease. Preferably their own. But here she was still boiling with pent up anger at her stupid, no good, ex fiancé. She couldn't let him bother her anymore, but it was a work in progress.

A voice full of humor was heard from behind her, "Talking to yourself, Granger?"

She turned quickly to see Draco leaning against a doorway down the hall and to the right. She sniffed indignantly, "It helps me think."

"First sign of going insane, that is," he winked at her.

A roll of her brown eyes and a pointed look made him laugh as she spoke, "Well maybe I should take caution then, since you are the expert on crazy."

He chuckled but didn't answer her statement, instead he looked down the hall where he could hear the crowd in the large room waiting for them. "You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, you?"

He looked uneasy, but smiled at her nonetheless. "Same. Thank you, I don't tell you that enough. But really...thank you."

"For what?"

His smile grew as he gestured to the surrounding area, "Everything."

She didn't get a chance to respond before someone from the company called to them that it was time for them to walk onto the makeshift stage. Giving each other reassuring smiles they walked out together, Hermione following closely to Draco.

He quickly jumped into his rehearsed spiel. It was a little rushed, his nerves showing, but in an almost endearing way. Hermione thought that it may be beneficial for people to see that he too is human and he gets nervous about the things he is passionate about. At the end of the speech he announced that they would be taking questions. Hermione hoped that he would be getting most of them, seeing as she was mostly just there for the legalities of it.

The questions started out innocent enough.

"What possessed you to create such a branch? Especially when the Malfoy name is almost synonymous to blood purist."

He took in a steadying breath before answering, keeping his composure. "That's exactly what started my idea, but not completely why I'm doing it. I don't want the name Malfoy to have such a negative light. I was looking for a way to show the wizarding world that I wasn't like the Malfoys in the past. But then I thought to myself, 'that's just the problem. I'm only looking at the wizarding world.' Miss Granger had helped me in the past and I got to thinking about how hard it must be for muggleborns to adjust to the magical lifestyle. I did my research and realized that there is very little being done to help them at all. Of course you wouldn't know it when you see just how quickly powerful some muggleborns can be," he nodded his head at Hermione who returned his smile. Not only will the Muggle Wizard Adaptive Services branch help muggleborns, but it will help the entire magical community. I genuinely want to help make this world we live in better than it has ever been. And I this MWAS is a step in the right direction."

A hearty round of applause moved through the crowd and both people on the stage were beaming. But of course someone had to ruin that happy moment for them.

A reporter was practically bouncing trying to get their attention, when his eyes met Draco's he screamed, "Mr. Malfoy! Can you tell us about the recent article involving and you Miss Granger? "

Draco's face colored as he sputtered out an "uh..." He froze and Hermione knew she had to rescue her friend. This was her mess.

She stood up from her seat and practically body checked him out of the way. He made an undignified sound as his body was pushed out of the way and Hermione spoke into the small light that worked to amplify their voices. "I can certainly tell you all about that article, seeing as Draco was just dragged into this by my crazy and jealous ex."

The reporter perked instantly, nothing was more informative than a lover scorned."Oh? Do go on."

"I'll go on to tell you that later today I will be paying a visit to the Daily Prophet to discuss their blatant lies that they wrote about me." Her head flicked toward the the two reporters from the paper. "Skeeter will be going down, mark my words."

"But surely she only printed what Ron told her," someone from the group of reporters called out.

She zeroed in on them, laughing darkly, "Clearly you have never worked with Skeeter. She writes more lies than truth in nearly every article she has ever written. Sure, Ron must have told her some of those things, but you all know he wouldn't drag Harry into this. That was all the Prophet's doing. Even what she got from Ron is lies though. He told her I cheated on him, with Draco of all people."

Draco's slightly hurt look didn't go unnoticed.

"You two do look rather chummy."

"That's because we're friends," she glared daggers, "But if we ever so chose to be together, we wouldn't of cared about what any of you had to say about it. But I would have left Ron, not cheated on him. He's the one with the fidelity problem, I'm sure more than one woman would happily come forward to rat him out if they were promised their fifteen minutes of fame by doing so. Surely he lied to them as well."

There were moments of silence, save for the scribbling of quills on scrolls and the click of cameras flashing. Then a lady in the back of the crowd spoke up, "It's true."

Hermione didn't know her, but cast the ball of light toward her, amplifying her words. "I'm not looking for my fifteen minutes," she smiled sympathetically up at Hermione. "But I will rat him out. I think I was number four of the cheating he did on her. He told me that they didn't love each other, they were only getting married because it was expected. '_Practically a bloody arrangement_' is what he said. He said you knew..."

"How long?" Hermione didn't care that everyone could hear her.

"Three months before he found someone new. Then when I found out about this," her hands held up a paper, "I knew he was lying the whole time. A cheater always blames the other for cheating, even if they didn't."

She swallowed hard, nodding in the young woman's direction, "Thank you."

"I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, me too." She looked away from the crowd for a moment. She steeled her expression. "Now, if any of you have any serious questions about business, and not our personal lives, feel free to ask Mr. Malfoy." She sat back down in her seat behind Draco as he moved back to the podium.

The happy buzz of the conversation had died with Hermione's words. She felt awful for it, she should have prepared him for questions like that. Hell! She should have prepared herself for questions like that. There would have been easier ways to defuse the situation other than getting worked up. But slamming Skeeter publicly had felt too damn good. She didn't hear the rest of the hour he spent there answering questions, leaving halfway through it to sit in the hall.

After the session had ended Draco came into the hallway they had been standing in that morning. He found her balled up on an ottoman blankly staring at the floor.

"Hermione?"

She startled slightly at his voice, "I'm sorry about ruining the Q&amp;A," she replied dully.

"Hermione, it's okay," he squatted down so he was eye level with her. His features as soft as his voice.

She flung her head up to meet his eyes. "No! It's not okay!" She replied, her voice tight with emotion. "He shouldn't have brought you into it. It's not fair to you. You shouldn't be paying for my mistakes."

"It was not your mistake..."

"Dating him was a mistake, Draco. I've wasted so much time and effort and him and for what? For him to attempt to ruin every good thing in my life?"

"I'm a good thing in your life?" He wasn't sure if he had taken the implication properly. Surely she just meant the company.

She sighed, "Obviously..."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Well...yeah, you're uh...you're a good thing too. In mine." His voice wavered, lacking confidence.

"I've only brought on more hardship for you, hardship you don't deserve."

"Hermione..." his voice was rough, almost like he was angry at her for speaking this way.

"If anyone deserves the hardship it's me, not you. Maybe you choosing me to work with you was a bad idea."

He held out a hand for her and when she slowly took it he yanked her up from the ottoman until she was on her feet, standing inches in front of him. "No Hermione, you don't deserve what that so called man did to you. You don't deserve the mental torture he put you through when he lied to your face and said you weren't good enough. You don't deserve to be someone's sometimes. Not their one of many. Not their option. You're far too special for that. You deserve to be someones alway's, someone's only, someone's _she's it for me, no one else._"

Hermione just stared at him, she didn't know what she would have said even if she could find her voice.

"You deserve someone who looks at you like something so unique and wonderful. Because you're like...like warm sunshine mixed with blazing inferno. He should have appreciated that instead of dosing water on your flames."

"What are you saying?" She choked out.

He took in a shaky breath, "I'm saying that when I look at you I see fire. You're this beautiful, destructive force that has cleansed this fucked up soul of mine. You've helped me turn into someone I am finally proud to be. And I just don't understand how anyone else couldn't have seen that you do this for people, for everyone and _everything_ that you touch." He gulped in more air, "I'm saying that since you've been in my life you've changed everything for the better. And I don't want you to go anywhere." There he said it, said it in a ridiculously mushy and uncharacteristically unMalfoy way, but he said it. When did he get so poetic? "So don't even think about attempting to 'do me a favor' and stop working with me just because you're one of those weird Gryffindors with a self-sacrificing trait. Don't go anywhere. Please."

She looked terrified and he looked away. "Draco..." she came closer to him, placing a hand on his wrist. She was breathing heavy, eyes unsure.

"Hermione," he countered.

She smiled up at him, close enough where he could feel the heat radiating off of her body. Her hand moved up his arm to his shoulders and then to the back of his neck. There was a battle of indecision raging in her eyes. Her heart was pounding so fast she feared having an attack. But then she made her choice and pulled his head down, covering his lips with hers. It wasn't perfect, honestly a bit awkward. Her nose bumped into his and her top lip just barely covered his bottom one. But she managed to get a fairly decent kiss out of it. His mouth was warmer than any other skin of his she had ever touched, and even softer than his silky hair. She pulled back slightly, awkwardly giggling at their clumsy kiss. But his eyes had grown dark and his pupils large, pulling her to him by the small of her back he kissed her this time. Soft sweet kisses that hinted to something a little more wild. His hands traveled up her body until they rested on either side of her face, pulling it impossibly closer to his own. Hers had migrated downward to ball into tiny fists, grasping at the sides of his shirt. He kissed her, _oh how he kissed her._ Then she felt the soft flutter of his eyelashes against her face as he pulled away slightly, but she could still feel his soft pants of breath on her own lips. She smiled as her own eyes opened, finding his to be staring at her with a look of wonder on his face. She had just kissed Draco Malfoy...and it had been _brilliant_. 

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Oh, but just a small, sweet taste of Dramione.

Don't worry, Skeeter will get hers! People are going to find out soon why you shouldn't mess with Hermione. (Cue the evil laugher.)

Hope you enjoyed! I'd loveeee to hear your thoughts...but no pressure. :D


	11. Orb

"I told you so," Ginny practically sang as she smiled knowingly. She was flipping through her closet looking for something appropriate for a Malfoy date. The date he had asked Hermione for after their kiss shared the other day. They'd spent the two days since skirting around each other, their actions almost shy as they were unsure of the territory they were in.

Hermione wasn't one for such frivolous things as fancy dresses. She dressed well, but mostly for business, not pleasure. That's where Ginny stepped in."How about this?" She held up a red dress.

"Red?" She was flipping through a book while laying on Ginny's bed. It felt like she was 15 again sitting on Ginny's bed in school listening to her talk, about boys usually.

She looked at Hermione like she couldn't believe she had to ask. "Gryffindor?" Her face broke out in a huge smile, "Oh! I even have gold heels!" She set about digging for them.

Hermione sighed, "We are more than just colors. Besides I've always felt best in blue." House loyalty was something that was hard to break, but for Hermione colors were something that were easy to lose after the war. She didn't like things that separated equal individuals.

Ginny turned around glumly. "I bet you he wears green," Hermione heard her mumble.

"He wears mostly black," Hermione shrugged.

She wiggled her eyebrows, "Yeah but underneath all that black will be something green and probably silky."

Hermione's face grew red. Gee, there was that Gryffindor color Ginny wanted. "And I won't be finding out!"

"Aw," Ginny practically pouted.

Hermione's eyes popped out of her head, "It's the first date!" She couldn't believe what Ginny was saying. Well on second thought, she really could.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "And you're an adult who can do whatever she wants. And if that is shagging Draco Malfoy then more power to you!"

She buried her face into the duvet, "That will not be happening," her voice muffled by the blankets.

An evil glint flashed in her eyes, "I'll have to write to him and tell him to get some strong wine..." She trailed off with a humorous look on her face.

"You will do no such thing!"

She waved her friend off with a hand, "How about this?" She held up a navy blue dress. It was simple but the word elegant popped into her head when Hermione saw it. The dress was knee length and sat off the shoulders, a boat neck made of thick lace. Ginny also pulled out some nude heels, lower than she thought was appropriate for such dress but ones she knew Hermione would like best.

"Thank you," was all Hermione said as she reached out for the dress and shoes.

"Tell me all about it tomorrow!"

Hermione was walking toward the fireplace where she would floo home. "I will. Let's meet for lunch?"

"Of course." Hermione was just about to vanish as she heard Ginny call out, "And don't forget about the green!"

* * *

Hermione looked over the rim of a glass of red wine. For a breif second she wondered if Ginny had owlled him. But quickly she lost that train of thought. Of course he had to take her somewhere lavish. As she mused over the menu she thought of how badly she wanted to take him to some great burger joint, the kind where you have to cut the burger in half unless you want to look like a savage animal eating its kill. She ended up ordering something she had only learned how to say by reading about it before in a book. She couldn't help but be amused at how he was trying to impress her. He'd already done it. She didn't need him to act so...tragically Malfoy about it.

But she knew this was how the man worked, and work it did. She appreciated the fact that he was trying so hard, honestly she found it a bit endearing. He put on the charm a little thicker than normal and she couldn't help but snort when he gave her some ridiculous line that she supposed would have made most girls positively swoon.

"What?" She was met with the confused look shot at her from the other side of the table.

"Draco, while everything you're doing right now surely works for you normally, it's not cutting it for me." She laughed, a broad grin on her face.

He repeated his last question, "What?"

She sighed, a smile still on her face as she leaned in closer to him. "I'm Hermione. We've worked together for a while now. I'm already very impressed by you," she let her voice and eyelids lower slightly at that last sentence.

"You are?"

"I am," she smirked at him. It didn't go unnoticed by him that she had his signature feature matched perfectly. "So stop treating me like some poor bint whose purpose would be over by the end of the night."

She watched as his eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth to say something, but then slowly closed it into his own smirk as he leaned back in his chair. "Who says that isn't your purpose?" His voice was hinting towards a tease, but only she would have been able to guess that.

Her eyebrow shot up, "Well now I said you didn't need to try to hard, not to insult me."

"You're smarter than to think what I said to be true."

"If I hadn't figured out your sense of humor yet we definitely wouldn't be here right now."

He nodded slowly, "You're correct."

"Of course I am," she rolled her eyes.

He laughed as their food was being brought out, "And humble too." He noticed the waiter chuckle at the statement.

"I'm just the total package," she joked.

He smiled at her this time, a true smile. "Yeah, you are."

She rolled her eyes at him, "I told you you didn't have to-"

"No, that was genuine. Just for you." He smiled at her, staring as a silence overtook them, neither touching their food yet. The silence wasn't broken until a waiter came over to ask them if something was wrong with their food. The pair laughed and waved him off, assuring him everything was delicious despite them not tasting it yet. The rest of the date went better, not that it ever was going bad, but now it felt like Draco and Hermione, not Malfoy and some girl. It was them and it was wonderful.

Back at her flat they stood awkwardly at the doorstep. "Do you want to come in?" Hermione asked innocently, finally. She went to unlock her door.

Draco's eyes widened, "are you-"

"No!" She turned quickly, "I didn't mean like that." The date had went well, but not well enough that she'd forget her own personal rules about dating, regardless of who it was with. One date just wasn't enough for her.

He smiled, though a little disappointed, "And there I got my hopes up," he snapped his fingers in mock frustration.

"I'm not that kind of girl," she shook her head, laughing slightly. "You mentioned you had something business related you needed to tell me." She referred back to a conversation she had with him earlier, but they hadn't touched on the subject because they didn't want to use that time to discuss business.

"Yes, of course. I'd love to come in," he seemed unsure of himself.

She led him into her sitting room, stupidly since he had been there countless of times by now. But they were in new territory now. They were something a little more than the friends they had told everyone they were. They were dating, as in seeing each other and no one else. It was definitely a jump.

"I want to make you a partner," he spoke gruffly, unsure of how she would take his offer. He knew she may take it as an insult, as him not respecting the job she had for the ministry. Or she may be flattered by his obvious need of her presence in the company. And need her did he.

She looked dumbly at him, like she wasn't fully grasping what he just said. "You what?"

He shrugged, still not able to read her emotions yet, "I want to make you a partner in my company. At least for this branch. Who better to help run it than you?"

She seemed to play back his words in her head, her eyes actually going back and forth as she went back and forth with her thoughts. "You...you're not wrong."

This surprised him. "What?"

She shrugged, "You're right, who better than me? I helped with this, I'm a muggleborn."

"Please don't take this as an insult," he grimaced. He didn't want to offend her, didn't want her to think he was only asking her to do this because she was a muggleborn. He was asking her because she was a genius when it came to...well everything, but most importantly this type of work. He knew he needed someone like her, and he hoped with every hope that it could just be her.

"I'm not. It's a good idea..."

He sighed, "I'm sensing a 'but' coming after that. And nothing before a but counts."

"But," she smiled at him, "I don't know if I could leave the Ministry."

"Even though your job is boring?"

"It has its moments," she still had a broad smile on her face. "But..." But it was everything she had worked toward. And her life had changed so drastically this past year that she needed something constant in her life to go back to.

"There's that word again," he shook his head, not able to stop the grin from forming on his face. He wanted her to work with him, but he also didn't want to guilt trip her or force her in any way.

"But I could be a silent partner," she shrugged again.

He laughed, hard. "Now when have you ever been silent in your life?"

She glared at him sternly, "What about somewhere in the middle? I want to help, but not so much that I can't do my job at the Ministry."

He thought it over, tapping an index finger to his chin. "Somewhere in the middle huh?"

"Sound good?"

A predatory smile found its way to his face, he knew he had her. He had gotten his way, he had to compromise a bit but he knew that's how Hermione worked. He was happy to get her at all. "You realize this means you'll have to spend a little more time with me."

"Oh whatever shall I do," she fluttered her eyelashes at him and winked.

He placed a large hand on the side of her face, guiding it towards his, "I have some ideas."

The kiss was gentle, sweet. She loved the way this cool exteriored man could be so sweet and warm towards her, and her alone. It made her feel special. And for once it was a good type of special, not the weird "everyone is staring at me" type of way. But when the kiss grew into something a little more brutal, she felt something else. Definitely still special though.

He pushed his luck, testing limits. It had been some time since Helena had the displeasure of buzzing in and announcing the presence of one of Draco's friends. (Even if she thought she was with Kat.) His thoughts had been on one woman for a long time, though he denied them. His interest in these so very good friends of his vanished over time, with the more his feelings for one person grew. He pushed her back onto the couch, pulling her legs from under her and now under his own. He didn't give her a chance to think, not pausing as he leaned into her. He felt a personal victory as he heard her sigh contently.

"Just let me do something quick..." she trailed off as her hands fell to his belt buckle, undoing it with a clink of metal.

His face went red, eyes bulging, "I thought you weren't that kind of girl?" His voice was off as he asked, a small flicker of hope but also uncertainty coloring it. He was a man after all, if she was offering there was no way he would ever say no to her.

She laughed, "No, but you're that kind of man."

"Not entirely true," he started but changed his tune once he saw the look she gave him, "but in this case I am."

"Well don't be, I'm not doing what you think I'm going to do." She would need to explain after, but for now she was having fun watching him panic slightly. She unzipped his fly and spread the two parts of it apart, revealing the material underneath. She smiled up at him at what she found. Blue cotton.

* * *

-Author's Note-  
Oh hello... I know it's been a while longer than I hoped. But I'm back at college and taking a few credits more than I probably should have. Between that and work, it's time consuming. Updates won't be super fast, but I really really will try to post at least once a week.I can't promise, but I'll try! You guys are awesome! Thank you!

Ps- If there's any obvious mistakes that I have missed, I'm so sorry! Please PM me. It's late and I've written this all in basically one go because I finally had time and inspiration.


	12. Pirate

"I still think you should tell her about all of this," Kat shrugged as she broke off a piece of muffin and popped it in her mouth. She was sitting crossed legged on the floor in front of the coffee table in Draco's living room. They were hanging out for the first time in nearly a month. Lately all of his time had been occupied by one specific woman, not that Kat really minded. She loved their relationship...mostly because she felt the sweet victory of helping it along in the first place.

Draco sighed as he reclined back into his plush couch. "Kat...we've talked about this. It's not happening." They've had the discussion a few times now. It just wasn't something he wanted to bring up. Before they were dating was different. Hermione and he were just friends, so keeping the fact that he was _slightly_ sabotaging her ex's happiness wasn't that big of a deal. Okay, so maybe it was but whatever, it made sense in his head not to tell her. But now they _were_ dating. It was different. He shouldn't be keeping something like that from her. But, how would one bring that up. "Oh hey honey, you know how your crazy and annoying ex is dating someone? Yeah that's because I asked her to break his heart. No, I'm not the crazy one I swear!" Yeah, that wasn't going to work. So for now he didn't want to address it.

"And why not?" She mumbled around her bite of food, wiping crumbs from the side of her mouth, ever the lady.

Draco shook his head. "I don't want to. She'd be pissed." A simple, honest answer.

Kat threw him a give-me-a-break look, "She'll be even more pissed when she find out."

"Well then she won't find out." Or so he hoped... He looked up at the ceiling above him, trying to think of just how she would react if she found out. No matter what scenario he thought of, it wasn't working out in his favor.

"She will," she shrugged, completely sure. She didn't know Hermione well, but from what she did there was not a doubt in her mind that she would definitely find out.

He didn't look at her, "And how do you know that?" He was baiting for more scenarios.

Kat shot him a "Are you kidding me" look and rolled her eyes. "Okay, one," she counted on her fingers, pushing them close to his face, "she's a woman. We find out everything. Two: she's like ridiculously smart and three: you're ridiculously stupid."

"Gee thanks," he muttered. He knew she was right. She was indeed a woman, a very smart one. And he was obviously a very, very stupid man. Yup, he was fucked.

"I'm just saying, it will be way worse if she finds out some other way. Honesty is the key to women. Honesty and chocolate. And maybe jewelry. Hey! There's an idea. Give her presents before you tell her."

Draco laughed hard, reverberating in his chest. "I don't think that would work."

"And why not?" She squeaked out. "It would work on me!"

He turned to look at his friend, sitting there with muffin crumbs on his table. "Well of course it would work on you, you're greedy."

She shrugged at him laughing.

He looked at her seriously then. "Okay Kat, I'll tell her eventually. We've only really been dating a month and I don't want to screw things up too bad before they really get started."

She shook her head, "Sooner is better. When will you be seeing her next?"

He looked uneasy as he answered, "Tonight...but I-"

"Tell her tonight then!" She acted as though the answer was too obvious. Which in actuality, it was.

"Maybe..."

"Try?"

"Maybe," he nodded.

"I'll take a maybe. But I'm expecting a yes." She hopped up from the couch, "Well as it is always a pleasure to catch up with the drama that is the life of Draco Malfoy, I must go. I have a date to get ready for."

He raised an eyebrow, "A date?" That could definitely throw a curveball in his master plan.

"Calm down," she smirked at him, "it's with Ron."

"Lucky you," Draco replied dryly, relived that she wasn't going to ruin his plan.

She shrugged again, laughing as she moved to leave. She called out her farewells, leaving him to ponder the idea of telling Hermionr about this plan tonight. Would it work?

* * *

Draco watched her as she settled down onto his couch, she had a book propped open against her raised thighs and a class of wine dangling from one hand off the couch. She looked comfortable, at home. And for some reason that did something for him, and made him feel slightly guilty. He debated on coming out and telling her now. He didn't like keeping something from her, especially since he never thought they would be where they were currently.

"What are you thinking about?" She nearly cringed at the sheer clicheness of the question. A woman asking her pensive looking boyfriend with the unreadable face what he was thinking about.

He searched for an answer, unsure of what to say. So he replied as honestly as he could. "You."

Her face lit up, "What about me?"

"Things," he winked, trying to lighten it.

"Oh?" Her eyebrow raised and she grabbed his hand, tugging him down to her. "What types of things?" She pressed her lips to his, cutting off his train of thought.

He gulped, his mouth drying out as his brain and body fought for control of his actions. But he kissed her again and smiled against her contented sigh she released and the roll of her hips against him when he kissed her again was very telling, she wanted more.

"Tonight?" They'd been officially dating a while now. But Hermione wasn't the type to sleep with someone so quickly, being that Ron was her first and only. This was much to Draco's dismay, but he stuck it out because he genuinely cared for her. And he could tell it would definitely be worth the wait.

She nodded at him and she moved her hips against his, "Yes please."

He liked the way the please sounded falling from her lips a little too much. "But I really needed to-"

"Stop talking," she mumbled as she kissed his lips again, stopping his flow of conversation. She knew him, and she believed he was just being overly cautious with her. She wanted this. And it was very obvious that he wanted this too. With a final huff, he gave up on telling her, figuring he would in the morning. He let her lead him to his bedroom, the couch just wouldn't do for this. She tugged him by the arm and pulled him to her, moving her hands up to grab his face for more kisses.

He let her have control for now, undressing at her own pace. He knew he would regain that control soon enough. Her actions were slow but deliberate. He matched her piece for piece as she undressed. His eye swept hungrily over her. When they were both naked she practically jumped him, pushing herself against him and kissing him, her hands going up to thread through blond locks. That's when he decided that Hermione had to drink more wine, it made her bolder and he definitely liked that. He flipped her over, delighting in the surprised gasp she let out as she hit the mattress. He kissed her again, hard, before pulling away from her and moving down her body, a sly grin on his face.

She bit her lip uncertainly when she felt him settle between her thighs, his grey eyes looking up at her. She was never big on men going down on her, it made her feel self conscious. "Stop," he muttered as he caressed a soft thigh.

She pushed herself up onto her elbows to look down at him, "Stop what?"

"Overthinking," he whispered before his mouth stopped talking and went on to better activities. Activities that definitely made her stop overthinking, her head falling back and her elbows weakening. And made her groan when he added his fingers. And made her whimper when his other hand found a hardened nipple. And made her shake and moan out his name when he pushed her over the edge.

She looked down again to see him wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and moving back up her body, leaving kisses here and there. When he kissed her lips she could taste herself on him. It wasn't something she was ever fond of before, finding it a bit strange, but with the taste of herself and Draco's mouth...well that was different.

He lined himself up with her, his eyes hard but soft at the same time. A hand coming up to push hair from her face and kissing her softly. Seeking permission he'd already asked for. She rolled her hips against him, drawing him closer and silently begging him to continue. He entered her slowly, inhaling deeply as his eyes rolled back. Her face was that of similar contort. He gained a steady pace as he rocked his hips into hers, causing her to make sounds she would surly be embarrassed of later that night.

Her lips were red and puffy from his kisses when her head fell to the side and her mouth fell open as she tensed a final time. She stayed in that lulled state as he quickened his pace and finished. He let out a hiss and a series of sloppy kisses against her neck.

He stayed still for a moment before he slipped out of her and rolled into his back, pulling her with him.

She nuzzled against him, a sleepy tone taking her voice and appearance. "Oh gods, I think I love you," she whispered as her eyes fluttered closed.

He was startled, the first time she had ever said the L word. It did wondrous things for his ego, it being after making her orgasm. But it also made him wonder if she meant it or if it was just pillow talk. It had only been a month. It was a question for tomorrow. He would just have to add that to his to do list for tomorrow, right after telling him about Kat and his stupid, stupid plan. 

* * *

-Author's Note-

There it is.

I'm an adult with full knowledge of the mechanics of sex. I also enjoy reading smut. But whenever I try to write smut all of a sudden I'm a preteen again who's confused and embarrassed about everything concerning the topic It's kinda pathetic really. So if it's completely terrible, cliché, and a little stupid...I do apologize. I'm working on it.

I also apologize for not updating. College is demanding. :(


	13. Stone

On a bright and cheerful Wednesday afternoon Draco sat down back in his office chair with a grin on his face after another successful business meeting. Finally it seemed he had weeded out most of the bad apples. His company was, for the majority, 100% behind all of the new changes he had made. Of course some people were still cautious, they weren't outright against it. It was a new age, one Draco hoped that his company could be welcomed into with a fresh outlook and output.

Hermione was working one of her own cases, still stubborn on not fully committing to his company. He understood why she did it, why she wanted to stay with the Ministry, but he really wished she wouldn't. She was independent, not wanting anyone to think she got the job with him because of who she was to him now. And also because she had worked hard to get the job she now held, she couldn't just throw that all away. And though he wished she would, he knew better than to ask that of her.

But he still needed to do something. Tell her about the plan. Oh how he wished he didn't have to, but he knew he did. He sat there at his desk, the smug look gone from his face, pondering how he could tackle this problem. The toughest problem he would have for the next few minutes until he was interrupted.

"Draco," a voice called from the doorway, too soft and timid to bring anything but poor news. Standing only half in the doorway was Helena. She looked like she had seen an unfriendly ghost. She never just showed up to his office unless it was something terrible, so he braced himself for the impact of the news of one of his recently unemployed's attempts at suing or some nonsense. But nothing could have braced him for what came next. "You need to go home...to see your mother. She's doing quite poorly and-" her voice cut off. "You just need to go."

What happened next all seemed to blur together. One minute his desk chair was crashing to the floor, papers scattering everywhere in the haste he created. The next minute he was on the front steps of the manor, panicking and breathing so shallowly he thought he might pass out. He knew once he opened that door that everything changed. Right now he was living the Schrodinger's Cat experiment. If he didn't go in, nothing changed, he wouldn't truly know what was happening. He could go on believing that nothing had changed. His mother would still be there in just barely stable condition, living in such a way that he hated himself for allowing her to keep on living. But she was his mother, the only thing that ever stood for his safety against all the evil that was brought into his life. But once he opened the door and walked to her room, he would know and she would be there...dying. And he wasn't sure if he could face that.

He knew if he stood there too long he could miss it. He might not be there for his mother's last moments. He hated himself for being this weak. He pressed his forehead to the door, leaning against it. He was there only moments when the door opened and sent him falling forward. He caught himself with a surprised jerk, only to see the face of a concerned nurse. "Your mother needs you," was all she said as she held open the door for him. An older nurse she had probably seen this before. A mother dying and a child wanting to ignore the problem all together, wishing it away.

He went into his home and thoughtlessly found his way to his mother's room. The beeping that he hated so much was quieter, slower. And now he found himself wishing that he could complain about being annoyed by the beeping he had known. He knocked awkwardly on the door, which was a center meter open. "Mother?"

He knew she couldn't respond, her ability to talk had left her long ago. But he knew he was welcomed, she was waiting for him. When he pushed opened the door he inhaled sharply. He visited his mother less often then he wanted, it was hard on him and now he felt guilty about it. He had been so focused on how well he was doing in the business that he neglected his family, he had never felt more like his father.

"Mother, the nurse tells me you are not doing well," he spoke softly, unsure of what to say. She looked terrible, nothing like the woman he knew. Her once two toned hair was all grey, falling out in pieces and the skin of her pale skull poking through. Her blue eyes looking more like his own grey ones as the color had drained from hers. She had always had prominent features, but now the skin was tightened and sunken around and the angled bones of her face. She didn't look anything like his mother, but he knew she was there. Even if she couldn't talk to him. She was only partially lucid.

He pulled up a chair next to her bed, her hooded eyes watching his every move though she barely turned her head. He moved closer to her, pulling one of her frail hands into his. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better son," he choked. "And I know this isn't something we say often, but I love you Mother. Thank you for everything."

She squeezed his hand lightly, enough that it told him what she meant. She was assuring him that he was a good son, and that she loved him as well. She closed her eyes with the ghost of a smile on her face and he counted her breaths.

There were only twelve more.

* * *

Draco returned to his office hours later only to find a light on. He had left the manor in a daze, a rush of nurses and medics and then finally the rush stopped and everything was calm. But he had to leave. He couldn't sit there in that house that they shared and watch as they removed her body from it for the last time.

His office had been cleaned up, either by Helena or the woman who had turned on the light. Sitting in his chair reading a book was his rather sleepy looking girlfriend. She didn't notice his entrance at first, engrossed in the thick, worn book she had propped in front of her, or maybe just falling asleep. When he dropped his briefcase full of paperwork, she looked up startled. "Draco..."

"How did you know I would come here?"

She smiled softly at him, "Just a hunch. I know you Draco." She got up from where she sat and rounded the desk, walking slowly as she moved toward him. She knew he wasn't the touchy-feely type and she didn't want to make him anymore uncomfortable, but she only paused a moment before deeming it acceptable to wrap her arms around his torso. She didn't count on his arms coming around her and a whispered "thank you" to fall wetly in her hair, droplets of tears she pretended not to see hitting her shoulders.

They stood that way for a while before she pulled away, "Do you want to stay here? Or would you rather spend the night at my place?" She asked knowing that he wouldn't be returning to the empty manor tonight.

"Yours."

She gave him a reassuring squeezing of her hand on his before she spoke, "I'll meet you there," and disappeared. She only had to wait a moment before she was joined by the gloomy looking man, the one who always looked so pristine now looking worn down. She guided him to the couch in the living room, where she sat and he ended up laying down, resting his head on her thighs.

"She's gone," he stated blankly. She didn't respond verbally, but ran her hand through his hair and stroked his back. "I just can't believe it. I mean, I knew this was coming, it should have came a long time ago...but still."

"I understand," she whispered to him.

He spoke softly, kind words of his mother and fond memories they shared. He talked a good portion of the night, his head still resting on Hermione's thighs. Hermione learned of the few happy memories he had from his childhood. Most of them were overshadowed by the dark arts, but his mother tried to keep him a normal child as much as she could. While she loved her husband, she didn't agree with everything he did, and would always stand between him and their son. She'd taken the wrath of Lucius Malfoy for Draco on numerous occasions. But it wasn't just protecting him that he spoke of. It was the bedtime stories, the way she would chase him around the house pretending not to see him when he hid behind the curtains with his toes poking out, the way she didn't just push him off on a house elf whenever he awoke in the night with a fever. Narcissa Malfoy did questionable things in her lifetime, but one thing that stood true was her love for her son.

Somewhere in between stories they had both fallen asleep, neither of them sure who fell asleep first when the awoke in the morning. It was late in the morning, something neither of them were accustomed to, but they both called off work. Instead deciding to spend the day together. Draco needed to get some affairs in order, much of which he would have to do alone, but Hermione wanted to be there for him when he was done. She knew he tried to show the world he didn't need anyone, but she knew him better than that.

She worked on some paperwork, despite not going in for work, while he was making phone calls and popping in and out of her flat. Finally he came into the kitchen where she was working, he cleared his throat interrupting her. "I made plans for the funeral, it's on Friday. But I have to tell you..."

She waited for him to continue, prompting him with a "hmm?"

He looked uncomfortable for about the hundred and fifth time that day. "Hermione...my family is...well they're not exactly the nicest of people."

Her eyes flicked unconsciously to her arm and the scar that was formed there, "I'm aware..." She hoped he didn't notice that unintentional motion.

"And while I would love for you to come to the funeral...I don't know if it is the best idea. It will be a time of raised emotions and I would hate for someone to say something awful," he drummed his fingers on the back of a wooden chair, pretending he didn't see her eyes flick over to her raised skin in the shape of a foul word.

She gave him a reassuring smile, "I understand, and I would hate for you to have to worry about me while you should be mourning your mother."

He had known he had hit the jackpot with her before, but her understanding and patience with him still amazed him. "Thank you," he all but whispered in reply.

She placed a hand on his arm, "I could come over afterwards?" She would have offered him to come back there, but knew he needed to go back to his home. The manor had been in his name for some time now, but now it was truly his.

"Please do," his smile nearly touched his eyes this time.

* * *

-Author's Note-  
I have many excuses about why this is so late, but I'm going to settle with I'm sorry, forgive me, and I hope you have stuck around.


	14. Widow

The funeral was a lavish affair, set in another Yorkshire mansion, nothing but the best for a Malfoy of good standing. Draco stood coldly to the side, nursing a glass of firewhisky on the rocks and an annoyed glare. He watched the crowd as people smiled, as they joked and laughed. He hated them all. The anger was simmering just below the surface, but the tension of it would be cut any second.

"Draco, my boy, Herald here has told me the funniest joke about you," a wheezing man in his late 60s clapped Draco on the back. He knew he had met the man before, but hasn't seen hide or hair of him since his father's death, like many others he saw. The other man standing next to him wasn't as chummy, but rather was as serious as Draco.

Draco wore a grim face, "I'd appreciate not being the butt of your jokes today. It hardly seems the appropriate time." He had a feeling it wasn't a joke at all that dear old Herald had told him, but rather a fact of how he was living now, either his personal life of business affairs. He was in no mood to deal with these people today, and he wasn't afraid to let them know. But unfortunately they persisted.

"Nonsense," the man didn't seem to understand, "This is a good one! It'll cheer you up." Somehow he must of misread Draco's murderous glare for curiosity, or maybe he was just that stupid, for he continued on, laughing and making a show of himself. "Herald tells me that you've-" he paused to silently laugh, his large stomach moving in such a way that his laughter seemed jolly. Jolly at a funeral, how touching. "That you've shacked up with some mudblood bint!" He shook his head, the laughter no longer containable to silence.

He stopped his atrocious display, a small crowd had been staring by this point, when he saw that Draco looked even more deadly than before. Draco's voice was like ice, "I don't think 'shacked up' in the proper wording, but yes, I am dating a muggleborn witch. I fail to see how that could be misunderstood for a joke." He didn't lose the edge even when he saw the seriousness that the other man had taken. "I'd also appreciate it if you wouldn't use such foul language here. This is not the time nor place." He then turned on his heels and walked away from the loathsome man that was making his day even worse.

"No wonder why your mother finally decided to die. I would too if my son ever betrayed me that way," the voice stopped Draco in his tracks. He breathed heavily for a moment, knowing that he would fly off the handle if he didn't take a second before reacting. Currently thoughts of using at least one unforgivable were running through his head.

"Don't pretend you knew my mother," he ground out between gritted teeth. His hands were balled so tightly that his knuckles were white. He wouldn't stand here and let her memory be trashed by the very people who ruined her living days.

"I-" the other man started but couldn't finish for Draco cut him off.

"That goes for all of you," his eyes swept the room. He saw mostly faces that he hadn't seen since Voldemort was vanquished. "Don't pretend you know her as anything other than my father's wife. Don't pretend you knew her for who she was. Don't any of you dare harm the memory of her by only remembering the worst quality she had, my father. She didn't want to be part of your savage little band of death eaters. She did everything in her power to protect me from you all...and for that I am eternally grateful. I couldn't imagine my life if I had wound up like any of you." He glared, the room going quiet, but angry.

He stormed from the room. His departure causing a strong buzzing of voices, mostly angry at him.

But Draco wasn't the only one who had to deal with such people this night. For across the room a girl was seeing her father for the first time in many years. And neither party was particularly happy about it. They had seen each other from across the room and tried their best to avoid each other but one small shove from a stranger left her staggering on her feet in front of him. The stare down continued once she regained her footing, but soon he broke the silence.

"Katherine," clipped the voice of her father in a poorly disguised disgusted tone. He was a big man who looked like he hated the very air his daughter breathed.

"Father," she narrowed her eyes. When had he ever been a father to her anyway?

It was quiet for a moment before he smirked at her, "How daring for you to be here. I know how my kind make you uncomfortable." He was so proud of being a death eater, it was disgusting.

She stood a little taller, "Well I'm here to support my friend. Better than your lot can say." Her voice was low and dangerous, daring her father to continue. He took the dare, "We are here to support our friend, Lucius Malfoy," a smirk played on his face.

"He's dead."

"And poor little Draco Malfoy is left all alone now that his mother finally died," a dark chuckle erupted from his chest.

"He's not alone," Kat growled, "Good people are never alone."

"And yet," he mused, "you are constantly." A smiled danced, a haunting laugh and gleam in his eye showed her that he was setting her up, hitting her where he knew it would hurt the most. "You try so hard to be good, little one, and still you are always left alone, always running. The truly good don't need to run in ways you do."

"You know nothing," she hissed before turning on her heels and following the way Draco had left minutes ago. But a spell was aimed at her back, catching her dress on fire. She turned quickly, causing the fire to spread to a curtain. But from beside her father stood a cackling woman with a wand out, the sibling she refused to admit she ever had. Not thinking about the consequences of her actions, or where she was, she set a charm back. One that made tentacles sprout from the other woman's face. She gasped and clawed at her face, crying to her father to make them go away. The father recoiled from the woman, sending a light green light towards Kat's face, "Diffindo." A cut appeared down her cheek. She raised her wand again only to have her arm grabbed by a man. Draco. Who pulled her behind him.

"I think," his voice commanded the room once more, "that it is time for everyone to leave. It has been such an eventful night, and I'm sure you all have busy lives." He nearly rolled his eyes.

After a few more drinks and a lot of biting his tongue, Draco finally got everyone to leave. There after he settled his bill, which had unsurprisingly increased after his episode, the dark supporting owner not taking too keenly to his display. Add in the fact of the small shoot out, the bill increased. But today was over, and he somehow survived.

* * *

"I'm sorry for my father," Kat started, not looking Draco in the eye but instead focusing on a loose string on the rug under her feet. Absentmindedly moving her wand and muttering to weave the rug back together. She pulled her feet up under her on the couch she was sitting on. "And my sister." She was ashamed for the way people had acted at a funeral, but most importantly and predominantly ashamed of the chaos that occurred due to her run in with her father. "And I'm so sorry for my own actions," her stomach felt like it had been twisted, crushed, and squashed all at once. A deep pain seemed to radiate from her temples and her eyes felt too heavy to keep them properly open without tears. "I shouldn't have acted like that...he just gets under my skin."

"I know the feeling," he sighed. They were on his couch in front of the fire. She was playing with her hands, pretending to be more curious in her nails than ever. And he was swirling the contents of his one to many glasses of alcohol, the buzzing in his head had turned into a painful ache by now and he knew the morning would bring nothing good for him.

"So...you're not mad?"

"Of course not," he tried for a smile. "Today was testing for us all."

She sighed, "I'm tired, Draco."

"It's been a long day," he nodded, feeling exhausted himself.

Kat gave him a placated smile, "No, I'm tired of this. Of running away from him. From trying so hard to keep these people out of my life. Of trying so damn hard to be good and failing because of the deranged family I was born into. I'm just tired."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew her feelings exactly, the words she had spoken could have been from his own mouth. The glaze over his eyes and the dark bags under them didn't begin to cover how painfully exhausted he was on the inside. He thought when his father died he would stop having to fight so much, but little did he know it would only get worse. Then his last remaining support system, in the form of his mother, was gone. He clenched his jaw and he watched his best friend from childhood shake silently as her emotions poured from her the best that they could against her wishes.

He wasn't one for emotion, or for being there for other's emotions, but he tried. He moved down the lengthy couch to be by her side and placed an arm around her. She responded instantly, throwing her arms around his head and practically crawling into his lab, sobs wracking her body as the reality of what she had let her life become sunk in. She was sick of fighting these same demons every day. Her face was pressed against his neck and tears left trails down it, soaking in at the collar of his shirt. They stayed that way for a moment, he let her work it out of her system. He wasn't good at being there for people, but he could just simply _be_ _there_. She rested her head on his shoulder, but still clung to him.

They stayed that way until he froze suddenly in the compromising position, the echo of a clearing of a throat reaching his ears.


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama