Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and all that stuff that I wish I did own! I own nothing but the plot, and everything else that doesn't look familiar

He was watching her. He didn't know what struck him just then, but there he was, and there she was, Hermione Granger in the middle of Flourish and Blotts peering up a bookshelf balancing precariously on a makeshift stepping stool. It wasn't like he was staring on purpose, but the scene before him looked so picturesque that he could not help but watch. Sooner or later he agreed she would end up tottering over and falling amongst a heap of books. Sure enough, it was the former.

It was as if it was in slow motion. She was on her tips of her toes and she tried to reach just a little higher, her hand reaching as far as she could, grasping for a thick black and dusty book. Right before her fingertips touched the top of it she lost her footing and let out a scream.

"Ahhhh!" Yelped Hermione Granger as she began to fall over. She shut her eyes tight and hoped she wouldn't injure herself too much. It astounded her how she didn't have enough sense to secure her ladder-like stool with magic before climbing on top of it.

Draco Malfoy smirked as he gracefully strode over to the flailing know-it-all and caught her right before she hit the ground. He was actually surprised that she would get so excited about a book and forget to take safety measures; this was after all the brightest witch of the century, Hermione Granger.

Hermione had kept her eyes shut the entire time and was confused when she never felt the impact of hitting the ground. Duh Hermione, someone must have caught you. Slowly she opened one eye, than the other and looked up at the person who probably saved her a trip to St. Mungo's. At once her eyes glowed and a look of anger spread across her face.

"You," she spat.

"Me," he replied and set her on her feet.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" She said vehemently. Apparently she had not forgotten the last seven years at Hogwarts.

"Well… This is a book store, and as your know-it-all self may have guessed, I was looking for a book." He replied with a sarcastic tone.

"Oh." She said sounding small. "Well. Thanks, then, Malfoy." She said and took her wand out to levitate the book down.

"Don't mention it. Really, I may lose reputation points," he said giving a mean smirk. He returned to the darkest corner of the store—the dark arts section, and continued his search for the right book.

"One thousand and one curses and hexes. Definitely not." Draco mumbled and continued thumbing through more books. Lucius wouldn't use a spell from there, for fear of being made fun of. Why am I wasting my time here? He's probably crafted it himself, no use looking in the book store. Is there?

He heard footsteps behind him and didn't bother to turn around.

"What are you looking for?" Came a female voice that sounded oddly like Hermione Grangers.

He turned and saw that it was indeed Hermione Granger.

"Excuse m—"he started

"I owe you one, I guess. I know this store better than anyone, what is it you're looking for?" Hermione interrupted him.

"Get lost, Granger." He growled in frustration. Like she was going to find what he needed. Not likely.

"Oh please, you and I both know you need help. You've been staring at those books for almost two hours now." She replied in her know-it-all voice.

"Taking a liking to me now, have you?" He replied, his face blank.

She sighed. "What are you looking for, Malfoy?"

"Nothing you can help with." He replied in a snarky tone.

Hermione gave him a glare and retreated back to her table she was seated at previously.

After two more hours of half working, half watching Malfoy get frustrated at the books, Hermione left the library and retired to her flat for the night.

Hermione was awoken by the sound of the owl that brought her the Daily Prophet each day. "Sorry, here you go." She said sleepily giving the owl a treat and putting a few knuts into the owls pouch. She took a quick look at the paper before tossing it aside. Rita Skeeter was still writing illogic stories about Harry's disappearance. But of course, Hermione knew where he was, he was on a special assignment for the Ministry. Only she and Ron knew, and they were sworn to secrecy.

After grabbing a cup of coffee from a muggle café called Starbucks, she made her way to St. Mungos after changing into her robes; she found them much more comfortable than jeans.

"Fourth Floor, Ward 20," replied the Welcome Witch.

"Thanks," Draco muttered and hurried to the fourth floor.

Draco pushed back the curtains and took a seat next to one of his only 'friends' throughout his years at Hogwarts.

"Even if you can't respond, I know you can hear me. I'm trying to figure out what spell it was so I can reverse it, I'm trying believe me, but it's not as easy as it looks." Draco said quietly to the comatose form of Blaise Zabini.

He couldn't stare at Blaise's form for long before he felt an extreme amount of guilt enter him. It was his own father who had done this to him.

"I'm sorry Blaise. Against my better judgment I may even have to ask for help from…Granger…" He said dejectedly and sighed.

Draco Malfoy never asked for help, ever. But he was getting no where with these books, and his father wasn't going to talk, especially because it was his son who had got him captured for hexing Blaise. Lucius would rather die in his cell in Azkaban than tell Draco what hex he used.

Was Granger really an option?

"Oh, sorry! Excuse me!" Hermione said as she made her way past patients in the dining hall of St. Mungos. It was a quicker route than going around the entire building. She went up the stairs to the fourth floor and crossed the hall into the Mediwitch offices.

"'Mione! Over here!" Shouted a girl with long brown hair and deep blue eyes.

Hermione turned around and spotted her friend in the snack room, munching on a giant chocolate frog. "Hey Cass!"

"How've you been, 'Mione?" Asked Cass as she gestured for Hermione to come and sit in the snack room with her.

"Alright, I suppose. Being a researcher for the Ministry of Magic does have its perks." Hermione said and smiled.

"You mean the book discount for any bookstore in the wizarding community?" Cass laughed.

"It's a healthy obsession." Hermione said and joined in laughing.

"So, what brings you here this early?" Cass asked as she poured herself and Hermione another cup of coffee.

"You know me too well," Hermione smiled. "Well, I know this sounds weird coming from me, but my job at the Ministry is getting a bit…well…boring," she said sadly.

"Well you know you can get a job anywhere, so why not apply some places and see what you find?"

"You're absolutely right!"

Draco rushed down the steps and out the door of St. Mungo's. Against his better judgment not to mention morals he was going to have to owl Granger for help.

Stupid know-it-all.

Hermione said her goodbye to Cass and exited St. Mungo's wondering what she would do for the day. She had taken off a few weeks of vacation, she had never used any of her days for two years and she felt like she could use a little time off work.

She stood outside the steps looking around; it had just begun to pour. She conjured an umbrella and put it over her head to keep dry.

A man that she hadn't noticed before turned around and immediately Hermione recognized him.

"Granger." The man said first.

"Malfoy," she replied and nodded her head. She was starting to sound civil. The world had ended.

"I uh," Draco coughed. It wasn't that Draco was nervous, it was the fact that he was about to ask his enemy of 10 years for help.

"Yes?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow.

"Could we talk somewhere more, private? Say, Café Maxime?" He asked gesturing down the street where the café was located.

"Look, Malfoy, do you really think I'm that stupid?" Hermione replied hotly, and turned to walk away.

"Granger." He said in a flat voice that sounded oddly melodious.

"Malfoy." Hermione replied and turned around.

"It's important; it has to do with Blaise Zabini." He stated and hoped she would listen. He hated this just about as much as one could hate something.

"Oh." She said and her tone lightened. If there was anything for sure about Hermione, she couldn't help but help others.

"Lead the way than, Malfoy," she said lightly, preparing for the worst.

"Call me curious, but why do you want to help Blaise? He was spying for the Ministry." Hermione questioned Draco suspiciously and took a sip from her tea.

Although the Ministry hadn't found any evidence proving Draco Malfoy to be a Death Eater, it was common belief amongst witches and wizards.

"Can't I be a loyal friend?" Draco asked with a fake laugh. Why am I asking her? I'll have to tell her everything now.

"No, Malfoy. I wasn't informed you had friends to be loyal to in the first place." She replied with mock surprise.

"Well, maybe if you took your nose out from your abnormally large books you'd see that the world doesn't revolve around Granger and her precious grades." He spat back.

"You mean the world revolves around famous Draco Malfoy, say one nasty thing to him, he'll tell his daddy and soon enough you'll be hexed to death by a whole group of Death Eaters." She snapped.

"Don't. You…ever talk about me and Lucius like we're in a father-son relationship!" Draco spat his fathers name out like it was dirt and focused a mean scowl on his face.

Draco hated his father.

"Ooh? Touched a soft spot have I? Now you know how I felt when you called Mudblood for seven years." She yelled, a glare that could kill marked on her face.

"I don't even know why I bothered asking you." He said with a scowl. He was feeling extremely guilty about Blaise; it was his father who did this to him in the first place.

"Because I'm the brightest witch of the century." She paused and calmed her breathing. "Alright, Alright, Malfoy." She said and sighed. I suppose if Malfoy was genuine about helping Blaise, then there is no reason I should refuse to help. Blaise was in the Order, and was working undercover for the Ministry; the least I can do is try to restore him back to normal.

"I'll help you cure Blaise, it's the least I can do. The Ministry isn't doing the best in regards for finding a cure or figuring out what hex was used." She said after their bickering was over and done with.

A flash of surprise flickered in Draco's eyes.

"How did you know that was what I was going to ask you about?" He questioned, but his voice suggested he already knew.

"Honestly, I'd been hoping." And for the first time, she confided in her enemy. "I've been going mad working for the Ministry. I need something that will keep me on my toes. Researching and studying Blaises' case is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for."

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