A/N : Just a little-one shot piece to get my fanfiction juices gowing again! Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing in relation to Harry Potter.
Surely magical mechanics aren't supposed to break down suddenly? Surely the ministry wouldn't allow one of its many elevators to become stuck with passengers in it? Surely someone must be alerted to the fact two ministry officials had not turned up for work?
The questions that she would have much rather be statements rattled around in her head over and over again. She looked at the man sitting across from her, no longer looking like the 25 year old he was and more like the 15 year old he used to be. He huffed loudly for what seemed like the millionth time.
"Oh for fucks sake Malfoy put your bottom lip back in and stop huffing and sighing, it's hard enough being in here without you behaving like a three year old." She shot him a derisive look.
"I understand that you must be very anxious being kept from your desk for such a long time but there is no need to swear at me… you know you'll look back on your little "fucking" outburst later on tonight and feel terribly and then subject me to an awkward apology tomorrow. Now unlike you Granger, I have important business to attend to. I am interviewing secretaries today and therefore have every right to be angered… you on the other hand should take this time to enjoy not working and perhaps devise a new battle plan for your hair, it seems the initial "just ignore it" tactics are failing horribly, and after 25 years of "Just ignoring it" you'd think you would have got the hint! I'd quite happily lend you my copy of "the art of war" I'm sure there are some handy tips in there!" He smirked momentarily before his bottom lip emerged again with vengeance.
"SO… that's another secretary left you? Was it sexual harassment again or did she just not like you?" Hermione's nose was scrunched up and her tone was sarcastically concerned.
"Not that it's any of your business… she didn't understand my sense of humour and took everything I said a little too literally. Foolish girl." The last comment was more to himself than Hermione.
"Did you say something vulgar to her?" Hermione smiled knowing fine well he had. She spent most of her free time comforting Draco's constant stream of pretty female secretaries who either fell madly in love with him or were terrified that he was going to attack them.
"I merely noted that her breasts looked larger than usual and asked her if she had purchased a new bra or soaked them in miracle grow over night!" He chuckled at his witty remarks.
"Oh that's just lovely; I don't know how anyone could have taken offence to that. I swear I wish people would make more comments like that to me!" She rolled her eyes and inwardly chuckled at her amazingly brilliant sarcasm. He looked at her and shook his head before turning away and settling himself for a nap.
The entire ministry was convened at the evacuation points, officials with clip boards walked up and down the lines checking names off the list. Harry and Ron tired from a night of heavy drinking stood wearily, repeatedly looking at their watches.
"When will they let us back in?" Ron asked Harry for the 12th time.
"I don't know mate." Harry replied too tired and hug over to hide the annoyance in his voice.
"I was just asking." Ron replied for the 11th time.
"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked having scanned the entire ministry staff and not seeing her.
"She owled me this morning… said she had some research to do at home, said she'd be in for lunch." Ron answered in-between a large drawn out yawn.
A stout man with a clip board and an extremely pissed off look on his face approached the two young men:
"I swear if those burkes in experimental magic don't get their own building soon I'm going to blow them up." He stated leaning on Ron and making his knees buckle.
"They'll blow themselves up first Derek!" Harry chuckled.
"That's the third time in a month they've caused the ministry to be evacuated! And you'll never guess what they've done this time?"
"What have they done this time?" Ron asked knowing they wouldn't get rid of Derek unless they let him have his say.
"They've only gone and destroyed the magical power supply to the whole ministry, apparently one of them saw a Muggle film last night called "Jurassic lark" and tried to build some sort of Giant reptile. I assume it's some sort of cross between a lark and a lizard, anyway the little shit needed more power and decided to try to re rout the main power dispenser and in doing so short circuited the entire thing causing an extreme amount of raw magic to spill everywhere! The be all and end all is we can all go home; we're closing down for the rest of the day while the clean up crew go in. Luckily for us Minister Weasley installed a Muggle back up generator; it'll power the lighting for the night. It'll make the clean up job easier at least, the boys don't have to worry about igniting the raw magic trying to light their way!" He looked down at his clipboard and remembered his purpose in approaching the lads.
"Ah yes, now do you two know where Miss Granger is? I can't seem to find her and I know you're a tight knit little bunch."
"She's at home, she had research to do." Ron stated trying to stretch his painful back.
"Ah good, only one more to find and we're all sorted!"
"Who else is left on the list?" Harry enquired.
"Mr Malfoy, he's the last one and then I can dismiss you all. But until I find him I'm afraid we'll all have to wait."
"Oh I saw him about 10 minutes before the evacuation; he was going out to get coffee. He probably just saw the commotion and decided to go home. You know what Malfoy's like Derek!"
"Ah yes, well that's everyone from my three floors accounted for. I swear I hate being in charge of these evacuation things, it's so very dull." He said before pressing his wand to his throat and magnifying his voice: "All personnel from floors 13 through 15 can now return home, work will commence at the usual time tomorrow unless further notice is given." A cheer resonated from the three large groups of people compiling of aurors and their support staff, the Muggle relations staff and the department of mysteries staff.
"Ron you didn't really see Malfoy." Harry chastised him.
"Well… you know fine well he'll be late, Hermione says he's always late. The big streak of piss is probably tucked up in bed with some blonde who's shoe size is bigger than her IQ!" there was a note of Jealousy in his voice, Harry chose not to point it out.
"Hair of the dog then mate?" Harry smiled and both sauntered off at 11am to start drinking again, if only to stave off the alcohol withdrawals they were both suffering from.
"It's been three hours and not a bloody peep, no alarms, no calls of "we'll get you out soon", not a noise… this place is usually so loud… it's so quiet!" Hermione was beginning to get scared. She didn't like small spaces and she didn't like Draco Malfoy. Her bushy/curly (depending on how it decided to behave) hair was pulled up in a loose pony tail, she was wearing a grey tartan pleated skirt that reached just above her knees and a fitted white blouse covered with a grey v-neck sweater. It was Hermione's set wardrobe the only thing that varied were the colours. She currently had her flat round toed shoes off and was displaying red toenails.
"Well Granger, I would never have taken you for a red nail polish kind of girl!" Draco exclaimed, rather bored and determined to annoy his colleague.
"Don't get your hopes up Malfoy; I don't lead an exciting double life filled with red nail polish and rock and roll." Malfoy inadvertently snorted with laughter, Hermione smirked. "Ginny bought me a pedicure for my birthday and it would have been cruel to tell her that I don't really care what my feet look like. I swear that girls been my friend for more than ten years yet she still hasn't worked out that I'm contented with a book for my birthday. Ron and Harry worked that out in 1st year." She sighed and wiggled the painted toes.
"I really wish I could get out of here… My 12 o'clock has probably gone home." Draco moaned.
"I'm sure she'll come back!" Hermione sighed not wanting to hear the young Malfoy go on.
"He'll come back." He corrected her.
"What?" Hermione furrowed her brow sure that she was missing something.
"He… the person I was interviewing for the secretary job was a he. A man… you know those things that look like women only with no breasts, a better grasp on their emotions and a penis!" he stated impatiently.
"I know what a man is Malfoy, clearly you're not the best example of one… but I know what they are. I'm just surprised that you would hire one." She spat rather more ferociously than she would have liked.
"The ministry are forcing me too, if I'm not being stalked by my administrative staff I'm being accused of sexually harassing them. So the minister thought it best I avoid female employees for a while." He seemed rather perturbed by these facts. "Anyway miss Granger I received a memo stating you'd be out of the office till after lunch, something about home research… could you not keep away?" he raised an eyebrow prepared to irritate Granger with her work obsession now that he had worn out the weak attempt on the colour of her toe nails.
"I needed to get out of the house." She stated bluntly.
"What does that mean? You love your house, if your not here your there. You have no other haunts… oh unless you count that badger den."
"It's called the burrow, and you know that fine well. It would do you good to show some respect for the minister of magic's humble abode." Hermione smirked.
"Don't try and change the subject Granger, there was something in your house that you wanted to get away from… and you gave up a lie in for it, and even a workaholic like you enjoys a good lie in." He looked hard at her waiting for it…. And it came like it always does; the blush crept up her neck and spread round her cheeks. "Oh jackpot Granger, you brought a man home last night and in the harsh light of day you discovered he was vile and so escaped to work." He laughed heartily when she didn't respond, only looking at her legs trying to will the blood to get out of her face and back into her arteries.
"It's not what you think Malfoy, I didn't sleep with him…" she was cut off by Malfoy.
"No need to explain yourself, even bookworms need loving!" he laughed.
"Shut up Malfoy. I didn't bring some man back to my house, I was out last night with Harry and Ron, we met up with Fred and George… well they all had a little too much to drink and Fred decided to walk me home, only to throw himself on me before throwing up on me. I let him sleep on the couch and left home early to save him the embarrassment of having to see me." She tried to explain calmly but found her blushes intensifying.
"A likely story, red nail polish and men in your bed… I think your turning into a slut!" He knew this would piss her off and he loved nothing more than Hermione bating.
"I am not a slut… You're a Slut… You're the Biggest Slut OF ALL THE SLUTS!" she was standing and shouting. He always did this to her, he always wound her up. He knew where her metaphorical sensitive points were and he spent all day just prodding them. Working her up into a tizzy, the worse thing was he always managed to work out what was going on in her personal life and hit the nerve that corresponded to it.
"Chill Granger, Merlin… you think after defeating a dark overlord, becoming the smartest witch in history probably and getting a prestigious job in the ministry at a very young age, you'd be able to cope with my teasing you. I really do wind you up don't I?" It was more a statement of pride rather than a question.
"Oh shut your fucking ferret face before I shut it for you!" She boldly said the F word again… he just made her feel like shouting it all the time.
"Granger are you floating 3 feet in the air because I'm annoying you or is this a new thing?" she realised he was looking up at her, which was odd as both of them were sitting on the ground. The looked at each other for a second before a look of fear and dawning realisation spread across both of their faces.
"Raw Magic Leak!" they shouted in unison.
"Quick Malfoy, before anymore gets in seal the lift off!" she yelled still floating.
"I might ignite it!" he shouted back.
"We might end up being mutated or worse dead if you don't seal this room off." She was getting angrier and floating higher, unaware that her esteemed colleague was getting a very good view up her skirt, far better than Paris Hiltons.
Quickly Draco decided a sudden death due to the ignition of raw magic was better than a life spent with two heads and a rabbit's body. He cast the charm around the small elevator, screwing up his face as if in preparation for his imminent death. It did not come; instead Hermione fell from the ceiling of the lift where she was pressed flat and landed on her work rival and verbal sparring partner.
Surprisingly he didn't complain or say anything cruel; instead he lay beneath her with one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face. Hermione's chest was flat against his, her legs either side of his hips and her face only inches away from his. She didn't move or speak either, whether it was the shock from the fall, the leak of magic or just that she didn't want to move she didn't know. She just hovered there, her eyes locked on his.
"Are you alright?" he tried to ask tentatively but sounding rather stunted.
"I think so." She answered though still not moving.
"As pleasant as this is… I think you'd really rather dismount… though I'm rather happy in this position." He smirked again and to Hermione's shock placed his hands on her thighs. Before she had another second to think he raised his head and pressed his lips against hers. She leapt from him as if he had burned her; if it was possible her eyes had become even wider.
"Thought that would do the trick!" he stated before smacking that irritating smirk on his face, standing up and brushing himself off.
Hermione gathered her wit's best she could, she didn't want to seem phased, she had to act cool but deep inside she knew there wasn't a cool bone in her body.
"Why hasn't anyone come to find us, if there's a magical leak the ministry's been evacuated… why hasn't Derek realised we're not there?" She was looking around wildly.
"Well you aren't supposed to be in until later… I have no idea why they haven't come to find me though!" he was looking worried now.
"They think you're just late again! You're always late and you never answer your phone, they think you're in your bed!" Hermione's breathing was becoming laboured she hated small spaces and this already small space seemed to be closing in around her.
"Well… It's nice to know you're cared for by your colleagues. I guess we'll just have to sit it out Granger… Your wish has come true, you and me alone for a whole night!" before he could smirk again Hermione fainted.
When she woke up she felt something soft and warm beneath her head, she smiled unaware of where or really who she was. She looked left and realised her head was resting on a chest clad in a white shirt; her legs were tangled in what appeared to be the owner of the chests legs. She suddenly remembered who she was, where she was and most importantly who she was with.
She cleared her throat lightly not quite sure why she hadn't just kicked him in the groin. He merely groaned lightly and raised his right arm over her holding her tightly. She cleared her throat again a little louder this time.
"shhh… we'll tell the boss we had to research into something… just stay in bed for a little while longer Hermione." He mumbled sleepily. The use of her first name sent a jolt through her, she opened her left eye and was relieved to find she was still in the elevator and had not somehow ended up in Malfoy's bed. Gently she tried to push away from him hoping she could get out of his embrace before he was fully conscious and aware of the bizarre situation they were in; her gentle struggle only resulted in him holding her closer.
"Malfoy you have to let go of me!" she shout whispered, not being able to decide which to do. The use of his surname seemed to do the trick as his eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright sending Hermione flying to the opposite wall, which was a very short distance as they were in a room with an area no larger than…. Than… than an elevator she thought.
"Hello to you too." She sighed trying to look dignified why she shut her legs and straightened her sweater.
"I dreamt… I dreamt…" for the first time ever Hermione saw confusion and perhaps fright in Draco's face.
"You dreamt we were in bed together and you wanted to stay in bed and not get up for work?" Hermione questioned innocently.
"Yes but you were nak…. How did you know that? What did you do to me?" he shot in an accusatory tone at Hermione.
"You were talking, quite the chatter aren't you?" she shot back snidely. "I should be the one asking what you did to me! Last thing I remember is the magic leak, then you kissed me… then after a while it just all went black…" she was looking around the elevator wondering how much time had passed. The magical leak had ensured nothing mechanical she owned such as a watch worked.
"You've found me out… I'm in love with you… I saw you lying there and I just had to hold you." He said with a bizarre amount of sincerity, Hermione remained sceptical.
"Really?"
"No not really, you fainted yes but then you woke up. You were babbling like a mad woman. I think you banged your head when you did the typical female thing of blacking out. You were drowsy and I feared you would start passing out all over the place so I let you sit with your head on my shoulder. An act that I thought was not only selfless but also uncharacteristically charming, I think the leaks been messing with my brain. Anyway we must have dosed… the result being us tangled on the floor in a rather disturbing way. I blame myself for that though… I'm quite the snuggler when I sleep apparently." He would have preferred it if he had digested a little more caffeine before he had made that statement, then perhaps he would have had the presence of mind to omit the snuggling bit.
"I could be concussed, you're not supposed to let concussed people sleep, I could have gone into a coma!" she chastised.
"That's wishful thinking." He mumbled.
"This isn't a joke, it's serious… I could be in a coma right now." She shouted angrily.
"But your not are you, your shouting at me is a testament to that! Do you really think I'd let something like that happen to you?" he was shouting now and still not editing his thoughts before they spilled out of his mouth.
"Emm… Yes, I think it's within the bounds of reason to accept that you would quite happily let me go into a coma!" she shouted wildly.
"Well that's just lovely; we've worked together for two whole years! I thought we were a team…clearly I was mistaken; I was under the impression that the past was exactly that… THE PAST!" He was standing now, as was she.
"Oh that must be my female brain again MAKING ME EMOTIONAL! Excuse me for assuming that the person who repeatedly tortured me as a child and perhaps plotted to kill me wouldn't really care if I were I functioning human being!" She strode towards him in three steps and had her finger pressed against his heaving angry chest.
"WELL ITS ALL CLEAR NOW, ISN'T IT? There was me thinking you had grown up and that we had become… friends… of a sort. BUT I WAS WRONG CLEARLY, TRUST LITTLE MISS SMART ARSE TO CORRECT ME!" Pushing her back roughly he turned to face the wall, sat down and remained silent.
What seemed like hours, but could just have well been minutes passed, Hermione pulled a large bottle of Water from her tiny bag which was magically connected to a special cupboard at home stocked for exactly this purpose. All she had to do was reach into that bag and her hands were in her magical cupboard stocked with food, water, potions, paper, books, quills, tampons, hair bobbles and everything else she might need but would likely not have in her bag.
"Drink something Malfoy." She mumbled throwing a second bottle a little too vehemently at Draco hitting him on the leg. He turned to face her again and did not complain when he opened the bottle and guzzled the water greedily. The tiny room was getting warmer; owing to the fact raw magic was pressing in around the charms he had casted creating friction and further more heat.
"Do you want something to eat?" she asked not making eye contact with him.
He didn't answer, merely shrugging, not looking at her. Seeing his movement she sighed and through a bag of crisps in his vague direction. For a long time all that could be heard was their crunching of the snacks and slurping of water at indiscriminate intervals.
As the warmth seemed to cling to every part of her Hermione made a very difficult decision, she reached down and started to pull off her sweater. No one at work apart from Ron and Harry had ever seen her in her standard sweater and skirt. Finally tugging it over her head she let out an audible sigh of relief making Draco look up at her. Her arms and legs glistened with sweat; she used her sweater to wipe the gathering beads from her forehead before pouring a generous amount of water onto the jumper and rubbing it over her burning limbs. He smirked inwardly and would have raised a suggestive eyebrow had he been sure she wouldn't punch him.
"I really need to toilet." She admitted hoping it would make Draco talk to her.
"Do that charm that's stops you needing then." He stated bluntly.
"Em… I don't know it. You do it." She lied giving him an opportunity to feel superior. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Sure you don't, stand up then and lift your shirt up." He said in a voice remnant of a parent whose child was relatively stupid. Hermione smiled inwardly, she knew fine that no shirt lifting was necessary for this charm but admitting that would be admitting she lied.
As she stood she realised how much hotter the air was in the higher regions of the elevator. She rubbed her face on the back of her arm trying to stop the sweat from burning her eyes. She bared her slim stomach and looked at him expectantly, his shirt was soaked through and his usually neat hair was sticking to his forehead in wet strands.
"Higher!" he stated indicating her shirt.
"My bladders down here, why do I need to lift it higher?" she asked indignantly.
"You don't know the spell or how it works apparently, so if you don't want to piss yourself I'd do as I say!" he stated bluntly. She shook her head resigning to her error in lying to him she raised her shirt to just under her bra and looked at him coolly, if that was possible in the heat they were facing.
He walked towards her, his wand pointed at her chest. He pressed it lightly at the centre of her torso just under the rim of her shirt and grazed it slowly down; circling her belly button twice for good measure making her shiver slightly. He then let it rest on her lower abdomen uttering the spell.
"You really hate me don't you?" he asked keeping the wand pressed lightly against her.
"Of course I don't." she replied.
"You don't trust me though?" He continued stepping forward making her step back.
"I don't trust many people Malfoy, I wouldn't take that as an insult." She reasoned, very aware that he had her at wand point.
"Get the wand out of my gut Malfoy!" She stated, he dropped it to the floor.
"What, did you think I was going to attack you?" He was annoyed again.
"Excuse me for being a little apprehensive when you've got a wand pressed against my stomach!" She snapped.
"YOU REALLY THINK I'M GOING TO HURT YOU!" He shouted at her.
"NO… I JUST DON'T LIKE BEING QUESTIONED AT WAND POINT!" She shouted back at him.
"WHAT IS IT EXACTLY I HAVE TO DO TO PROVE TO YOU THAT I'M NOT EVIL? I WILL NOT, WILL NEVER HURT YOU GRANGER." He continued shouting, walking forward. Her back was pressed up against the wall and she pushed her face close to his defiantly.
She expected him to shove her again or storm off; instead he did the last thing she had expected. He pushed his face forward smashing his lips into hers, kissing her with passion which she could only be attributed to the current temperature. More surprising to Hermione was the fact that she wasn't pushing him off of her.
They kissed with the passion of people who had very little time left, the heat from the metal wall burned Hermione's exposed skin slightly but this did not stop her. Whether it was years of pent up sexual tension exploding or the heat neither knew, the only thing she was aware of was the intensity and the fact that she did not want it to end.
He stopped suddenly and buried his head in the crook of her neck whispering "I'll never hurt you Hermione." She sighed with confusion, lust and exhaustion "I know."
He began kissing her neck making her knees weak, she groaned and he grinned into her neck. And then Hermione shocked herself thoroughly, she lifted her leg…. without looking he grabbed it running his hand up her thigh. He began kissing down her collar bone bending slightly his free hand searching the floor for something. Hermione assumed he'd found it at as he began to make his way up again, his lips pressed against hers he pushed hard against her. She squealed slightly as he poured a bottle of water over them both, soaking her and making her skin erupt in goose pimples. She giggled with delight in his mouth making him smile, they felt like 17 year olds, the only thing different was that they didn't hate each other any more.
He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist; she balanced her bum on the rail which circled the entire elevator offering support to the daily riders. His hands free to wander started unbuttoning her white blouse and he lowered his head kissing her breasts making her throw her head back with delight.
At that very moment the doors of the elevator slid open silently, two men in full dragon hide suites stood smiling looking at the pair.
"Malfoy…" Hermione said weakly trying to get his attention.
"Call me Draco." A muffled voice came from somewhere between her boobs.
"Em Draco… we've been rescued." She said quietly trying not to look at the men standing politely at the doorway.
"See Stan, I told you there was banging coming from inside this room!" the younger man said to the older man, who just looked at him trying not to laugh…. "Oh I meant banging…. As in the noise… not the thing…. You know!"
"Yes I think they know what you mean John!" Stan replied.
Draco had lowered Hermione to the floor; she was now trying to button her shirt with as much dignity as possible. He on the other hand was looking at the men with a blatant smile on his face daring them to say anything.
"It's safe to come out, this floors been sealed off, We were told the entire building had been evacuated, if we'd known you were in here we would have come and got you sooner." Stan said repressing a grin.
"Just as well you didn't!" Draco replied, looking down at the soaked Hermione and taking her hand.
"We'll be off then!" he said pulling Hermione out of the elevator and towards a fireplace, Stan and John looking after them both eager to find the other Raw Magic support team to tell them what they had found in the elevator.
When she woke up she felt something soft and warm beneath her head, she smiled completely aware of where and who she was. She grinned into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her back: "We need to get up!" she stated.
"Shhh… we'll tell the boss we had to research into something… just stay in bed for a little while longer Hermione." He said before kissing the top of her head.
"OK Draco!"