So here's a new story for you. Please review and tell me if I should just stop whilst I'm ahead or if you want me to continue.
"Who's the best person to go to for advice about investing in a company?"
Hermione plonked herself onto a seat opposite Lavender Brown. Her friend laughed and said,
"That would be Draco Malfoy, my friend. Have fun with that."
Hermione stared at her for one second before saying hysterically,
"What? I can't go talk to Draco Malfoy. He and I are sworn enemies. Have been so since the first year of Hogwarts. I can't even speak to him for this because most likely he'll give me bad advice just to spite me!"
Lavender laughed.
"You're still both enemies. Honestly I really think you guys should get over it. I mean Hermione he is quite hot you know."
Hermione rolled her eyes at her shallow friend and said,
"Well there's also my boyfriend, Ron, who would literally murder me if I went to Malfoy for advice not to mention my best friend Harry. Plus I think I would kill myself as well. I'm not going to go to Malfoy for advice."
"Then you can make a bad investment. And is it that hard to swallow your pride to make that much money?
"It's not just my pride. It's sense of self-preservation. I don't really want to expose myself to the sort of ridicule that Malfoy will heap on me. 'Hermione Granger is too dumb to make an investment. She has to come to me, Draco Malfoy?'"
Lavender sighed.
"Yeah, that's the swallowing the pride part and then the making bucketloads of money part comes right after it."
"There must be another way of making my bucketloads of money! Malfoy can't be my only option!" Hermione cried desperately.
"Nope. Malfoy is the only one who won't lose your Galleons. Have fun!" Lavender cheerfully replied before skipping away. Hermione sighed despairingly before taking a piece of parchment and a quill.
'Dear Mr Malfoy,
My client has expressed a wish to make an investment and she has specifically requested that advice should be asked from you. Would it be possible to make time for a meeting?
Yours sincerely,
Hermione Granger'
Hermione smiled at the parchment as she rolled it up. The letter would send the impression that she didn't want to meet him, but was being forced to, which was the truth. She carefully attached it to her owl and sent it off. She didn't have to wait long for a reply. Soon the same owl swooped in, dropping a letter on her lap. She opened it quickly,
'Dear Miss Granger,
It would be a pleasure to discuss your client's investment idea. Would tomorrow at 4.00pm suit you at the Leaky Cauldron?
Yours sincerely,
Draco Malfoy'
Hermione quickly tied an affirmative to the owl's leg before leaning back and thinking, 'Well this should be interesting. Meeting my archenemy for business.'
Later that night, when Ron came home from work she said nonchalantly,
"I'm meeting with Malfoy for an investment idea for a friend."
Her boyfriend's jaw dropped.
"What? Do you mean you're planning to do business with that git?"
When Hermione merely replied,
"No, for a friend," he exploded,
"Hermione! You can't! we must be talking about different people here!"
She smiled ruefully.
"No, Ron. I'm afraid we are talking about the same person. Peroxide blonde hair, smug insolent face, idiotic git. But I have to do this and if there was another way then I would definitely take it. Darling, I'm sorry, but I really have no choice!"
"Fine, but I don't like it. And if he tries to pull anything I swear that I will murder him!"
Hermione laughed and kissed him, amused at his childishness, but like him, she didn't like having to meet Draco Malfoy, the boy who had made so many days in her life at Hogwarts so horrible.
GROWING UP GROWING UP
Hermione waited in the Leaky Cauldron for the blond man who she hated so much. She had arrived early in the hope that he would also arrive early and they could get this meeting over and done with, but no such luck. He arrived at 4.00 sharp and made his way majestically to the table. Hermione rose to meet him and took his outstretched hand, surprised that he would voluntarily touch her. He said breezily,
"Miss Granger, it is nice to see you."
"The same to you, Mr Malfoy," replied Hermione a little unsurely. After all this was completely unlike the stuck-up arrogant pig that she used to know. Draco said,
"Now, shall we get down to business? What is this investment idea of your client's may I ask?"
Hermione pulled out a file and handed it to him, saying,
"It is a company called Patil Dresses. You'll remember the Patil twins?"
He nodded and said,
"I'm guessing that they want to start a clothing store?"
Hermione nodded and added,
"Not just a clothing store though. A Muggle clothing store. It would be great for all those witches and wizards who have no clue about Muggle clothing."
Draco nodded and said,
"Well, I would need to look into this further, but I will get back to your client about this. By the way, may I enquire as to who your client is?"
Hermione froze and making up a lie quickly said,
"She uh would prefer not to be revealed."
Draco raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, leaving Hermione feeling very embarrassed. As he rose though she detained him asking,
"Malfoy, why are you acting like this? You hate me! And you're freaking me out."
Draco said simply,
"This is business. I can't let personal vendettas affect the way I do business. Now excuse me, but I have a very urgent appointment. I will get back to you about your investment proposal as soon as possible."
"It's my client's investment proposal," Hermione mumbled. He merely smiled cynically, but assented.
"Of course. Your client's investment proposal. I beg your pardon."
He departed, leaving Hermione fuming.