"For fucks sake! Granger, what the hell is this?" Draco snapped, swatting a star out of his face and narrowing his eyes at the girl in question. Hermione grinned, leaning back in her chair and gesturing around them.
"Christmas decorations," she said, her voice filled with excitement. Draco shook his head and sat down at his desk, scowling at the plastic snowman on his desk. He it up and raised his eyebrows.
"This is what you class as Christmas decorations? Bloody hell the standards you have really are shit," he muttered. Hermione scowled at him and he shook his head.
"Don't look at me like that! We both know that you could enchant something better!" He snapped. Hermione glanced around the office and smiled.
"Tacky decorations are half the fun in Christmas Malfoy," she insisted. Draco sighed heavily and shook his head.
"The Christmas jumpers aren't tacky enough?" He asked. Hermione narrowed her eyes and held up her pen threateningly.
"Molly Weasley made me this and I think it is wonderful," she said shortly. Draco rolled his eyes and nodded.
"That explains it, no accounting for taste," he muttered. Hermione leaned across the desk and jabbed him with the pen making him gasp in pain.
"You little bi-" he began, they heard someone clear their throat and they looking up to see Harry staring at them both in amusement, his eyebrows raised. Draco nodded in acknowledgement
"Potter," he said, rubbing his arm and glaring accusingly at Hermione who was smirking back at him.
"Harry, what do you think?" She asked brightly, gesturing around the room. Harry glanced around the room and then glanced at Hermione.
"They are…" He trailed off and cleared his throat nervously. "…fine,"
Draco let out a triumphant hoot and turned to face Hermione.
"I told you! Even Potter can't say they look good," he said smugly. Hermione scowled and looked at Harry who held up his hands in defence.
"You know how I feel about these type of decorations. Your flat looks so much better," he pointed out. Hermione scowled and looked at both boys sharply. Harry shook his head and handed them a file.
"As much as I'd love to stay here and watch this riveting glaring contest, you have a case," he said. Hermione let out an excited gasp and snatched it from Draco's hand. The blonde shared a look with Harry who sniggered and shook his head as he left the room. Draco turned to face Hermione and sighed.
"Where are we off to today?" He asked. Hermione scanned the papers and tapped the top.
"Checking the conditions of a registered elf at this address," she said, passing it to Draco who nodded and sighed.
"Fuck. Do you need me on this one? I might stay behind" he muttered, tapping the name. Hermione glanced at the paper and sighed.
"Do you want to?" She asked. Draco shook his head and sighed.
"No I'll come," he muttered, grabbing his jacket. Hermione grabbed her own duffle coat and shrugged.
"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," she said flashing a grin and Draco who rolled his eyes and followed after her.
x-x-x
"Granger, I swear to Salazar if you don't stop chuckling I am going to bloody murder you," he snapped. Hermione pursed her lips but couldn't help let another giggle slip out her mouth as they walked up to the townhouse. The door flew open before they had even made it up the path and Hermione sniggered at the wide grin on the woman's face.
"Mrs Malfoy, we've got a summons to check the conditions of Tiddles," Hermione said, passing Narcissa the forms. Narcissa grinned and took the form.
"Of course, of course. Come in," she said brightly. Hermione walked into the house and glanced around. The place was far homelier than the manor would have ever been and there were adorable pictures of Narcissa and Teddy dotted along the wall. Hermione glanced at a picture of Narcissa and Andromeda and felt her heart clench. The sisters had been so happy after they reconciled their differences and regardless of what some people thought, the Malfoys had changed. Narcissa let out a small sigh and turned to face them both.
"Draco you look so grown up with your work clothes on," she gushed, placing a hand over her chest. Hermione tried not to laugh at the older woman's watery eyes.
"Mother, I'm working," Draco seethed. Hermione turned to face Draco who was scowling at his mother and giving Hermione a look, daring her to laugh. Narcissa smiled and glanced at Hermione.
"So Miss Granger, I hope you'll find everything is in order. Can I get you a drink? Draco love?" she asked. Draco shook his head and muttered no. Hermione smirked and glanced at him.
"Come on Draco I'm sure we can spare five minutes of our working day to get a cup of tea with your mother," Hermione said brightly. "Besides, I can have a chat with Tiddles,"
Draco ran his tongue over his teeth and glared at Hermione. Hard. Narcissa clapped her hands in delight and began leading them towards the kitchen.
Draco grabbed Hermione's arm and glared at her.
"I. Hate. You," he muttered. Hermione smirked and nudged him forward into the kitchen. Hermione walked into the kitchen and scanned their surroundings.
"It smells amazing in here," she blurted out. Narcissa turned to face the girl and grinned.
"Teddy and I were baking today. Draco used to love to bake. Didn't you, son?" she asked. Hermione turned to face Draco in surprise and he scowled defensively back at her.
"Mother, you make it so hard to be professional," he muttered. Narcissa laughed and waved her hand.
"I'm sure Miss Granger doesn't mind. You'll still get to do all your checks," she said, placing down the tea set in front of them. Hermione nodded and glanced at Draco.
"Don't worry. I don't mind at all," she said, grinning at Draco who let out a groan. Hermione glanced around the room and turned to Narcissa.
"I must say that I do prefer this place to your last," she noted. Narcissa smiled and glanced at her cup.
"Yes, me too. I have a wonderful little garden," she said, gesturing outside. Hermione smiled, taking a sip of her tea before standing up.
"I'll leave you two alone and go talk to Tiddles," she said, standing up and smiling at them both. She glanced at Narcissa who pointed into the next room. Hermione nodded and made her way into the room. Narcissa grinned and turned to face Draco and gave him a watery eyed smile.
"I'm so proud of you Draco. You look so smart in your work clothes," she said, a few tears spilling over her eyes. Draco rolled his eyes and glanced at his mother.
"Mother. Calling in an inspection just to embarrass me at work? Really?" he hissed. Narcissa pursed her lips and shrugged.
"I wanted to see you work. Besides with all these regulations you and your partner keep bringing in I need to make sure I am on the right side of the law," she said smugly. Draco nodded and looked at her.
"Yes, there is no way I could have possibly have checked this tomorrow night at dinner," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Narcissa smirked and tilted her head to the side.
"Are you implying that I set you up?" she asked, eyebrows raised. Draco met his mother's eyes and laughed.
"I'm not implying anything; I know you did," he said pointedly. Narcissa smirked and shrugged her shoulder.
"Well, I was having lunch with Pansy and her mother the other day and Pansy happened to remark how…riled you get each other. I simply had to see it for myself," she said. Draco glanced at his mother.
"And what is your hypothesis then mother?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.
Narcissa smiled and stirred her tea as she looked at her son.
"My hypothesis is that you like her," she told him, taking a sip from her tea. Draco scoffed and looked at his mother incredulously.
"Don't be ridiculous," He snapped. Narcissa raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of Draco," she said. Draco sighed and glared at his mother.
"She certainly does like making you squirm doesn't she?" She asked, gesturing in Hermione's direction. Draco snorted and looked at her.
"You could say that," he muttered, staring at the other room. Narcissa smirked and sipped her tea, grinning when Tiddles appeared beside her.
"Miss is just checking the rooms," Tiddles said clasping her hand in front of her shirt. Narcissa nodded and glanced at her son.
"You better go and help the girl before she gets lost," she said, picking up her tea. Draco sighed and looked at his mother.
"Whatever you're planning, don't," he said pointedly. Narcissa laughed and turned to face her son.
"I don't know what you could mean," she said innocently. Draco eyed her suspiciously and made his way up the stairs.
"Granger are you up here?" He called, making a beeline for the open door. When he walked into the room Hermione was standing in the middle of the room, looking around in awe. Draco smirked and rested against the wall.
"I told you enchanted is always better," he said smugly, gesturing around the room at his mother's enchanted nativity and Santa circling the tree. Hermione gave him a sharp look and shook her head.
"Putting up decorations is part of Christmas," she muttered. Draco nodded.
"Yes, but only the tree," he said. He stepped beside her and gestured at the snowman which was building a small scene around it under a mini snow cloud.
"Tell me this doesn't top the 'magic of Christmas,' that muggles always go on about," he said smugly. Hermione laughed and shrugged.
"Yeah okay, it's beautiful but my tradition is tacky muggle decorations," she said. Draco laughed and glanced down at her.
"Then make new traditions," he said pointedly. Hermione turned to face him and laughed.
"Like you and your mother baking?" She teased. Draco took a step toward her, the scowl evident on his face.
"Listen Granger-," he trailed off when he felt a static run down his spine. He glanced up in shock and let out a curse when he saw what was above him. Hermione looked up and then glared at Draco.
"You did this on purpose didn't you?" She hissed. Draco rolled his eyes and glared at her.
"Yes love. This was my plan all along. Set the whole thing up to get you under a bit of mistletoe. You've got it in one," he sneered. Hermione narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're an arse," She muttered, pushing her hair from her eyes. Draco exhaled heavily and took a step back. Hermione let out a small gasp and put up her hands to stop her falling against Draco's chest. The pair looked up at the mistletoe and immediately stepped as far apart as the mistletoe would allow. Draco ground his teeth together and turned to face the door.
"Mother!" he yelled, staring at the door impatiently. It took a few minutes but eventually Narcissa appeared at the door and she laughed, staring at the pair who were both glaring at her. She rested her hand on her cheek and met her son's eyes.
"Why Draco it appears you've got some mistletoe attached to you," she said, smirking at the pair. Hermione cleared her throat and glanced at Narcissa.
"Could you get this off of us?" she asked. Narcissa shook her head and glanced at them both letting out an awkward laugh.
"I wish I could but it is Vischio di attrazione which I bought in Venice last year. Very temperamental stuff… I'll just wait down stairs," she said brightly. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This could not be happening. She risked a glance at Draco who was smirking at her. Hermione exhaled heavily and glared at him.
"What?" she snapped. Draco grinned and put his hands in his pockets.
"This is Vischio di attrazione," he said smugly. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at him.
"Yes, I did hear that you know," she muttered. Draco raised his eyebrows and rocked on the balls of his feet.
"Which means you like me," he said smugly. Hermione let out a heavy sigh and looked at him.
"No, I really don't," she muttered. Draco grinned and nudged her.
"You at least find me attractive," he said smugly. Hermione ground her teeth together and glowered up at him.
"So? You obviously find me attractive too or we wouldn't be stuck in this bloody mistletoe," she snapped. Draco let out a sardonic laugh and glanced down at her.
"Great deductive skills there, Granger. Really why aren't you an auror?" Draco drawled. Hermione clenched her jaws and took a step towards him before stopping mid step and staring at him in shock. Draco smirked and titled his head to the side.
"Can't work out whether to be flattered or annoyed?" he asked smugly. Hermione pursed her lips and scowled at him. Draco's smirk widened and he took a step forward.
"May I?" he whispered. Hermione frowned and glanced up at him, nodding slightly. Draco licked his lower lip and pulled Hermione against him, gently pressing his lips against hers. Hermione was surprised when his hands didn't even wander slightly. Instead it was a highly considerate kiss…a kiss that she hadn't imagined Draco Malfoy was capable of. Not even in her wildest fantasies. Draco pulled back and grinned, biting his lower lip and taking a step back. Hermione glanced at him, watching as he stepped fully out of the line of the mistletoe before launching herself back into his arms. Draco let out a small groan and stumbled backwards, tightening his grip on Hermione's grip.
"Jesus Christ Granger, no need to throw yourself at me," he teased. Hermione let out a frustrated growl and crushed her mouth against his, her hand gripping his hair as she pressed herself against him.
"Shut up and kiss me," she muttered and Draco happily obliged. They heard someone clearing their throat.
"So…tea anyone?" Narcissa asked, staring at the pair in front of her.