Auther's note: all right this is it! Stage one, first part of revampment!
Read review tell me what you think~! Caet
Hermione sat at the children's library desk watching the children play with the little toy cars on the floor. The elder children, she noticed, would meander between the teen section and the adult section, until they finally got enough nerve to step over the invisible barrier and go in to the "land that was adult books".
She sighed, "I'd give just about anything to be that age again."
She looked below at her monthly planner.
"Tuesday...Tues- Ah here it is." She looked at it and paled slightly. There in big bold letters: HARRY AND GINNY'S 6TH ANNIVERSERY. It never ceased to amaze her how upset she got just thinking about it. Well, she'd cry over it for the millionth time while she sent them their gift basket.
"Hermione, um, there's someone on the telephone for you," called Anna, the other children's librarian. "This guy has a hot voice!!" she whispered.
Phones, she smiled to herself, I love the muggle world.
"Hello?"
"Er, hello Hermione, you might not remember me, but we went to Hogwarts together. It's Draco Malfoy and I need to see you in person."
"Huh?" She said stupidly. Not remember Draco Malfoy? Not Remember Draco Malfoy!! No one who had ever met Draco Malfoy could ever forget him. He had that kind of talent.
"Yeah, sorry to shock you with the suddenness, but this is very urgent I seriously need to talk to you. Can you go to The Tea Cozy, it's a shop of Main Street, tonight?"
"I-I- Suppose I could go," she said shakily.
"Great I'll see you then."
Click.
***************************************************************************
"Draco Malfoy. What would he want with me; I mean he's like, like famous now. Oh god, what if it has something to do with Voldemort, I mean they say he's really gone this time, but what if- Oh lord now I'm babbling to myself," Hermione turned her music up louder. Hoping it would drown out the nagging voice in her head, that was bombarding her with worries. Her thoughts turned to the uncertainty in Malfoy's voice. He had always been so sure of himself when they had been in school. Soon the Tea Cozy was in sight. She pulled her tiny Volkswagen Bug into the closest parking spot.
"Hermione Granger, I'm believe the reservation should be under Malfoy."
"Dr. Malfoy already arrived. Right this way."
Doctor? She thought, wondering if he was really a doctor. There he sat, she knew before he waved her over. His hair was still blonde; his build still lean, the only difference she noticed now was that he was quite a bit tanner. She took a calming breath, and started towards him.
"Hullo Hermione, how are you?" Hermione instantly thought of Anna's comment about the sexy voice, and despite herself, had to agree.
"Would you like me to bring menus, Dr. Malfoy?"
"That would be splendid. Thank you." Malfoy turned back towards Hermione, and she noticed that his eyes were different than she remembered. She had always thought they were gray. Oh well.
Hermione decided to do the right thing and be cordial to him, "Good. How are you faring these days?"
He got a little nervous for a moment and then quickly banished it, "good. How's your family?"
"I don't see them a lot."
"Busy with very important library business I suppose," his hint of sarcasm put her automatically back on guard. He noticed that and decided to make her even more uncomfortable.
"How's your love life. Married to Potter I suppose?" he asked as if he already knew the answer was no, and was just trying to rub it in.
"What- you rude bastard. Tell me the reason I'm here now, or I leave this instant." She stood up as if to go.
"I will, after we get the niceties out of the way." He wore a teasing grin- one Hermione had never seen on him, and against her will she calmed down.
"Fine. I got a question for you then, are you really a doctor?"
His grin widened, "Nope, but you get seated quicker and better service if you tell them you're a doctor or a reverend. Ok, I answered yours."
"I don't see how it's any of your business, but Harry's been married to Ginny for six years, in fact- Oh shit, today's their anniversary and I forgot to buy them their present!"
"Oh, well, they'll have more. Hopefully." Hermione wasn't listening though. She had pulled out little yellow sticky pad (Librarians always carry one, just in case) and wrote down in bold: SEND PRESENT TO HARRY AND GINNY- SOON!
"I'm really sorry to do this Draco, but this is serious, so, no offence, but can we get to the point?"
"Well," he decided he might as well tell her.
"Do you still keep up with the Daily Prophet?"
"Yes," she answered slowly.
"Then you noticed that lately there have been some mysterious deaths of young women living in muggle towns."
"Yes I did notice, but what does this have to do with me?"
"Well, we think you're the next target"
Hermione looked at him like he was completely insane. Then suddenly got suspicious.
"How would you know, I'm the next target? Unless you're the-" Her voice was steadily getting louder and a couple of people looked over from their conversations.
"Hermione, be a dear, and shut up before you draw attention to us. I am not the psycho killer, promise," He whispered forcefully. She stopped talking but still looked warily at him. She fingered the wand in her pocket, ready to use it at a moment's notice.
Draco could tell she didn't believe any of it. He'd have to tell her everything.
"If only we weren't in such a easy place to be spotted," he thought, looking round at all the faces.
"Listen here, and listen well. Do you know what I am?"
"A man?"
"Be serious, I mean, what my profession is?"
"No, I heard your famous in the wizarding world for leading the Order of the Phoenix- but then you dropped out of sight. But can you please tell me why I'm here- I'm starting to get immensely aggravated.
"I'm getting there, don't get your bloomers in a wad," he looked around, then whispered in a barely audible voice,
" I'm in Black Operations- in the department of Mysteries."
"What are Black Operations?"
"Say it a little louder, I think the family next door didn't catch that."
"Tell me."
"We're the people no one ever knows about. We do the dirty work the Ministry doesn't want to be pinned on them, but is needed to be safe."
"Then why are you on a case like this?"
His eyes clouded, "Because my superiors thought I was getting to big for my britches, and put me on a protection assignment."
"Gee- golly, that makes me feel great! I'm a punishment, tell the Ministry I feel the same way 'bout them."
"Will you please cut out the sarcasm; you seem to forget your life is in jeopardy. Now will just sit tight and listen?"
"Yes sir, Malfoy, sir!"
Rolling his eyes, he continued, "We have a device which when you put in the case of a serial killer, it will pop up with possible future victims. Well when we put this case in, it came up with one person, you. So I was assigned to be your body guard for as long as you need it, or until the Ministry thinks I've learned my lesson."
"Are saying that you are going to be hanging around me for god knows how long?"
"Get used to it honey, most women would be flattered." The uncertainty he had heard on the phone was gone. This was the Malfoy she knew and hated.
"I have a name sugar lumpkins and I'm not like the women I'm sure your used to dealing with- I'm a brunette."
"I'm insulted," Draco said, not sounding insulted at all.
"Well, then you won't be mad when I leave right now."
"Sure thing sweet heart."
Hermione picked up her purse and left, thinking, "He brings something out in me- I feel like I'm 11 again, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. For either of us."
Hermione sat at the children's library desk watching the children play with the little toy cars on the floor. The elder children, she noticed, would meander between the teen section and the adult section, until they finally got enough nerve to step over the invisible barrier and go in to the "land that was adult books".
She sighed, "I'd give just about anything to be that age again."
She looked below at her monthly planner.
"Tuesday...Tues- Ah here it is." She looked at it and paled slightly. There in big bold letters: HARRY AND GINNY'S 6TH ANNIVERSERY. It never ceased to amaze her how upset she got just thinking about it. Well, she'd cry over it for the millionth time while she sent them their gift basket.
"Hermione, um, there's someone on the telephone for you," called Anna, the other children's librarian. "This guy has a hot voice!!" she whispered.
Phones, she smiled to herself, I love the muggle world.
"Hello?"
"Er, hello Hermione, you might not remember me, but we went to Hogwarts together. It's Draco Malfoy and I need to see you in person."
"Huh?" She said stupidly. Not remember Draco Malfoy? Not Remember Draco Malfoy!! No one who had ever met Draco Malfoy could ever forget him. He had that kind of talent.
"Yeah, sorry to shock you with the suddenness, but this is very urgent I seriously need to talk to you. Can you go to The Tea Cozy, it's a shop of Main Street, tonight?"
"I-I- Suppose I could go," she said shakily.
"Great I'll see you then."
Click.
***************************************************************************
"Draco Malfoy. What would he want with me; I mean he's like, like famous now. Oh god, what if it has something to do with Voldemort, I mean they say he's really gone this time, but what if- Oh lord now I'm babbling to myself," Hermione turned her music up louder. Hoping it would drown out the nagging voice in her head, that was bombarding her with worries. Her thoughts turned to the uncertainty in Malfoy's voice. He had always been so sure of himself when they had been in school. Soon the Tea Cozy was in sight. She pulled her tiny Volkswagen Bug into the closest parking spot.
"Hermione Granger, I'm believe the reservation should be under Malfoy."
"Dr. Malfoy already arrived. Right this way."
Doctor? She thought, wondering if he was really a doctor. There he sat, she knew before he waved her over. His hair was still blonde; his build still lean, the only difference she noticed now was that he was quite a bit tanner. She took a calming breath, and started towards him.
"Hullo Hermione, how are you?" Hermione instantly thought of Anna's comment about the sexy voice, and despite herself, had to agree.
"Would you like me to bring menus, Dr. Malfoy?"
"That would be splendid. Thank you." Malfoy turned back towards Hermione, and she noticed that his eyes were different than she remembered. She had always thought they were gray. Oh well.
Hermione decided to do the right thing and be cordial to him, "Good. How are you faring these days?"
He got a little nervous for a moment and then quickly banished it, "good. How's your family?"
"I don't see them a lot."
"Busy with very important library business I suppose," his hint of sarcasm put her automatically back on guard. He noticed that and decided to make her even more uncomfortable.
"How's your love life. Married to Potter I suppose?" he asked as if he already knew the answer was no, and was just trying to rub it in.
"What- you rude bastard. Tell me the reason I'm here now, or I leave this instant." She stood up as if to go.
"I will, after we get the niceties out of the way." He wore a teasing grin- one Hermione had never seen on him, and against her will she calmed down.
"Fine. I got a question for you then, are you really a doctor?"
His grin widened, "Nope, but you get seated quicker and better service if you tell them you're a doctor or a reverend. Ok, I answered yours."
"I don't see how it's any of your business, but Harry's been married to Ginny for six years, in fact- Oh shit, today's their anniversary and I forgot to buy them their present!"
"Oh, well, they'll have more. Hopefully." Hermione wasn't listening though. She had pulled out little yellow sticky pad (Librarians always carry one, just in case) and wrote down in bold: SEND PRESENT TO HARRY AND GINNY- SOON!
"I'm really sorry to do this Draco, but this is serious, so, no offence, but can we get to the point?"
"Well," he decided he might as well tell her.
"Do you still keep up with the Daily Prophet?"
"Yes," she answered slowly.
"Then you noticed that lately there have been some mysterious deaths of young women living in muggle towns."
"Yes I did notice, but what does this have to do with me?"
"Well, we think you're the next target"
Hermione looked at him like he was completely insane. Then suddenly got suspicious.
"How would you know, I'm the next target? Unless you're the-" Her voice was steadily getting louder and a couple of people looked over from their conversations.
"Hermione, be a dear, and shut up before you draw attention to us. I am not the psycho killer, promise," He whispered forcefully. She stopped talking but still looked warily at him. She fingered the wand in her pocket, ready to use it at a moment's notice.
Draco could tell she didn't believe any of it. He'd have to tell her everything.
"If only we weren't in such a easy place to be spotted," he thought, looking round at all the faces.
"Listen here, and listen well. Do you know what I am?"
"A man?"
"Be serious, I mean, what my profession is?"
"No, I heard your famous in the wizarding world for leading the Order of the Phoenix- but then you dropped out of sight. But can you please tell me why I'm here- I'm starting to get immensely aggravated.
"I'm getting there, don't get your bloomers in a wad," he looked around, then whispered in a barely audible voice,
" I'm in Black Operations- in the department of Mysteries."
"What are Black Operations?"
"Say it a little louder, I think the family next door didn't catch that."
"Tell me."
"We're the people no one ever knows about. We do the dirty work the Ministry doesn't want to be pinned on them, but is needed to be safe."
"Then why are you on a case like this?"
His eyes clouded, "Because my superiors thought I was getting to big for my britches, and put me on a protection assignment."
"Gee- golly, that makes me feel great! I'm a punishment, tell the Ministry I feel the same way 'bout them."
"Will you please cut out the sarcasm; you seem to forget your life is in jeopardy. Now will just sit tight and listen?"
"Yes sir, Malfoy, sir!"
Rolling his eyes, he continued, "We have a device which when you put in the case of a serial killer, it will pop up with possible future victims. Well when we put this case in, it came up with one person, you. So I was assigned to be your body guard for as long as you need it, or until the Ministry thinks I've learned my lesson."
"Are saying that you are going to be hanging around me for god knows how long?"
"Get used to it honey, most women would be flattered." The uncertainty he had heard on the phone was gone. This was the Malfoy she knew and hated.
"I have a name sugar lumpkins and I'm not like the women I'm sure your used to dealing with- I'm a brunette."
"I'm insulted," Draco said, not sounding insulted at all.
"Well, then you won't be mad when I leave right now."
"Sure thing sweet heart."
Hermione picked up her purse and left, thinking, "He brings something out in me- I feel like I'm 11 again, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. For either of us."