. . . . . . . . . Preface . . . . . . . . .

The new generation that works for the Ministry of Magic has a different perspective than others before them.

Hermione is leading a new division of Investigations, under the Department of Magical Law Enforcement along side Harry and Ron.

Draco on the other hand, has to prove himself trustworthy after the war, but the Ministry begins to recognize that his talent for potions are becoming a valuable asset. Soon, the Ministry's department of Regulation and Control appoints him the Head of Potions Regulation.

Hermione and Ron chanced a romantic relationship but concluded that they were better off as friends.

THE PROMOTION

Promotion: the action of raising someone to a higher position or rank.

. . .

Draco had just been told that he was being promoted to a newly created position at the Ministry of Magic; Head of Potions Regulation. So his best friend and coworker, Blaise, had decided to take him out to the Dragon's Den Pub to celebrate.

Blaise followed Draco to the bar, "Shots on me mate!"

Draco huffed as he scanned the crowded pub to find a place to sit, "Meaning you pick, I pay?"

Blaise proudly patted Draco on the back and pointed to the bar where there were two open stools, "I wouldn't have it any other way, mate."

Draco rolled his eyes as Blaise leaned over the bar to shout out his order above the clamorous crowd, "Two shots of Firewhiskey please!"

After the shots appeared at the bar, Blaise raised his glass and attempted to shout over the chatter, "To Draco! For slyly moving up the ranks, and, in record time!"

Draco shook his head and downed his shot. Blaise just had to take the piss at the Ministry gossip. For once, Draco did not swindle his way to the top, instead actually working for it, but this was hardly the opinion of his co-workers. They were used to the Draco Malfoy they had gone to school with, using money and connections to climb to the top.

After the shot, they both winced their faces from the sting, "Ooh, nothing like your flesh burning from the inside. Man, it feels like only yesterday you were testing potions on me in that old lab..."

Draco laughed, "Yeah, well you were the only one willing. No one else trusted me!"

"Can't blame them… you still fucked me over!"

Draco grinned as he scanned the room, "Why Blaise, I don't know what you're on about..."

"Right! The worst was the bloody Veritaserum! I couldn't stop running my mouth, for days!"

Draco shrugged, "I had to test the potency!"

"Draco! When my boss asked me how I was, I told her, in fucking detail, about my shag with Pansy! And I mean... details that even Pansy didn't know about!"

Draco burst out laughing at this and Blaise glared, "Find that funny do ya? Bloody wanker, I'll get you back!"

Just then, Blaise noticed Draco's attention was elsewhere and turned to see where he was looking. He appeared distracted by a group of women who had just entered the pub. Blaise openly gawked at them, as they found their way to a reserved table in their skimpy dresses, boas and tiaras, "Looks like a hen do, lucky us!"

Draco absentmindedly nodded, but his heart began to race when he saw that Hermione Granger was amongst the group. She was not in her usual work clothes, she seemed to match the other women in their skimpy party dresses. Blaise noticed too, "Look at Granger! Damn, them legs! You know, I can't ever recall seeing her legs, and her- okay, maybe we should go over."

Draco panicked and grabbed Blaise's arm to stop him and he looked back, "What? Something wrong?"

"No- I uh- " Draco attempted to think quickly, I can't just go over there, I look like crap- I should have changed! How would I know bookworm Granger would be here! Blaise will hit on her, I know it! Maybe I should go to the loo and check my hair. "Blaise, I'll be right back-"

Blaise stared in confusion, ultimately disappointed and settled back on the bar stool to wait for Draco.

When Draco got back, feeling better that his hair was under control, he quickly noticed the series of shots on the bar next to Blaise. "What's all this?"

"Oh well, I thought the 'hens' looked thirsty..." Blaise gave him a 'forgive me look' that went unnoticed, as Draco was preoccupied with the thoughts of the table full of women, "Okay, yeah, good idea..."

Blaise took the lead and used his wand to guide the series of shots over to the women, and Draco followed. The boys approached the table full of lively, already inebriated women who took a moment to notice their presence.

Blaise took that brief moment to impose, "Why hello ladies, thought you'd like to celebrate with drinks, on us!"

Draco turned to Blaise, with a quick glare. Blaise rolled his eyes, "I mean, Draco. Shots are on Draco."

Two women at the end passed them around the table and thanked the wizards for their donation to the event. Draco glanced over at Hermione, and she exchanged a knowing look. Draco raised his hands in defense, "They aren't tainted! Go ask the bar!"

Hermione tilted her head in suspicion, "Oh, says the wizard who has full access to the potions lab! Congratulations by the way."

Draco gave a faint smile and casually nodded to the sudden chirp of women congratulating him. As the compliments faded, it became awkward as there was no more room at the table, so Draco not wanting to hover, congratulated the soon to be bride and Blaise followed him back to the bar.

As they squeezed past the crowd of people, hoping their spot was still available, Blaise shouted after him, "Damn, Granger does not miss a beat! We didn't even think to do that, we must be off our game!"

Draco laughed at his statement, but then realized something, turning to Blaise, "Hey, I didn't know anyone knew about the promotion yet."

Blaise signaled the bartender for more drinks, and they quickly appeared in front of them. Blaise picked up his drink, "Oh yeah, she was part of the committee who selected you. I heard that she was the deciding vote."

"What?"

Draco unconsciously reached for his drink, in deep thought, She voted for me? She actually had a hand in my promotion? Maybe she doesn't hate me as much as I thought.

"Yeah mate, I heard Ron complaining about it. She apparently went on about how hardworking you were and some second chance banter." Blaise quickly took his shot, wincing, "Ron didn't give much detail. By the way, that bloke has it out for you, mate."

Draco slowly sipped his drink, as the music in the pub gradually became louder. While thoughts sifted through his mind, he attempted to say something to Blaise having to repeat himself more loudly, "You know, Granger-" but he was cut off by Blaise's strange facial expressions, kicking Draco's foot to alert him about something.

Blaise quickly switched to a large smile, "Why Hermione, how can we help you?"

Draco nearly dropped his drink, wondering if she had heard him basically shouting her name. Then as he turned, he could not help but study the full length of her so closely, on her low cut blue dress, stopping at her knees, trailing his gaze to her white heels. He drew his eyes back up to her new look, an updo, with a tiara that matched the rest of the hen do party.

Hermione approached the boys apprehensively and glanced back at her table full of giggling witches that were watching her with intrigue. "Well boys, first we wanted to thank you for the drinks. I think it put some of us over the edge- and… well, there are games at these hen dos… and seeing as I pulled this card…" Hermione lifted a strange looking game card up to show them, "I need to give one of you boys a kiss."

As she began to blush, Blaise and Draco both raised their eyebrows for the proposal. Hermione kept her eye on Blaise only giving a Draco a brief glance. Just as Draco began to take a breath, Blaise abruptly volunteered, "I'll take your kiss, Hermione!"

Hermione quickly smiled and leaned in to give Blaise a kiss on the cheek, though as she did, she peeked up at Draco.

On her glance, his heart began to race quickly. He chastised himself, I should have said something before Blaise! He's so obnoxious, he already has a girlfriend!

When Hermione pulled back from the small peck on Blaise's cheek, she sighed, "Well, I lost money boys, but it was a pleasure."

Draco looked intrigued, "Lost money? How?"

Hermione glanced back her table, "Well, we all made bets on who I would kiss." The witches were clearly riled up, cackling, and passing money back and forth to the winners. Blaise and Draco glance at each other. Blaise tilted his head, "So, you bet on Draco?"

She sheepishly nodded and handed them the card from the game as if she needed to provide more proof that she was not making it all up. "Well, thank you, Blaise! Hope you both have a good night."

She took another glance at Draco, who was already waiting to meet her eyes. After she began to turn away, she paused. Turning back, she placed her hand on Draco's arm, "Really though, congrats. You deserve it."

Draco felt like her hand was there for an eternity, the warmth seemed to heat up his whole body. Draco's heart fluttered and the same feeling trickled down his arms and into his palms, nearly dropping his drink.

Then as she let go, he felt so cold and empty as he watched her walk away. He even kept his eyes on her until she joined the rest of the women. Why didn't I volunteer?

Blaise noticed his trance, "Oy! Draco! Wow… you really like her, don't you?"

Draco snapped out of it and angrily denied Blaise's accusation, "What? No- I just-... get me another shot."

Blaise shook his head, and they continued to take shots at the bar the rest of the night.

. . .

The next day, Blaise and Draco came into the Ministry offices late and completely hungover. Draco grumbled, "Fuck, I wish I had more Alleviation potion at home."

"We need to stock up. I'll just run down to the lab and get some. Be right back."

Draco felt that he should stop him from always sampling potions freely from the lab, especially in his new position, but he was also not in a great position to argue. He tried to appear clear-headed as he attempted to find his new office. Finally, when he found his name on the door he stepped in to take a look around.

The office was a decent sized room with a window and desk, but he became distracted by the swivel chair, needing somewhere to sit. As he eased back into the chair he noted, it's actually quite comfortable. He leaned back further, closing his eyes to try to shake his headache.

Draco could hear the distant chatter of co-workers past his open office door, not bothered to sit up until he heard one in particular. He sat up and looked out into the hall, and sure enough, Hermione Granger passed briskly by. Though, she happened to pause and turn back toward his door, peeking inside, "Oh, Malfoy, moved in already?"

Draco attempted to clear his throat to appear less hungover, "No, er, not quite yet, just got here." He scanned her so-called work attire, though it appeared to be the same blue party dress from the night before, which made him curious, but tried not to make a spectacle as he continued, "What are you doing down this way?"

"Oh! Someone should have told you" She stepped inside his office, and he noticed that she was wearing the same white heels as well, "Now that you're a department head, you should know that we have weekly meetings in this room, right over here."

Draco raised his eyebrows from the new information, nice that it's close I guess, and, seeing her once a week, if not more...

Hermione took a glance behind her and stepped further into his office, closing the door. She suddenly seemed to talk to Draco as if he was some new Ministry employee, politely giving a superficial confession, "I'm actually early- well I'm always early..."

Of course she was, everyone knew that, why was she talking like they had never met? He went along with it, maybe she wanted a new start, "Why does that not surprise me, Granger?"

There was a pause of silence as she appeared embarrassed suddenly, "You know, I wasn't just betting last night, more like, hoping."

Draco tilted his head, in his state, he was not actually sure if she had just admitted to the hope of kissing him at the bar. She's certainly sober now, is this real?

Hermione fiddled with her hands nervously, "I know, you don't believe it right? Well, let's just say, Blaise got a kiss on the cheek, but if it had been you..."

Draco slowly stood up and walked in front of his new desk, leaning against it, "Well, it's never too late, Granger. We don't need to get all liquored up for that."

Draco gazed into her soft brown eyes, but she appeared anxious as if needing to concede, she stepped closer to him, "Draco, your promotion, it was me who, well not completely me-"

Draco nodded cutting her off, "I know."

Hermione's eyes widened, "You do?"

"Yes. Though, I hope you didn't do it for, you know, other reasons." Draco smirked and she blushed, "You mean like, wanting to kiss you?"

Draco tried to read her expression not expecting her to be so open, Is this why she did it, really? Please tell me Hermione didn't pimp me to the top.

"Draco, you've changed, we all have- but, I know you're a hard worker." She stepped closer, brushing her hand on his arm. "I just happen to notice because, well… I happened to be interested anyway."

Draco looked down to where her hand was grazing the sleeve of his work shirt, "That's good to hear, Granger, I'd rather not be here because you want to entertain yourself."

Her hand glided up higher, taking another step closer to him, "Would you not do the same for me, Malfoy?"

He grinned, playing along with whatever was happening, "Granger, that situation would never happen. Besides, I've come to accept that you will always be on top, over me."

Appearing flustered by his crude suggestion, she changed the subject, "We should order you some chairs, there's nowhere for your guests to-"

Draco grabbed her waist quickly and leaned in to kiss her. She made a small noise of surprise, but then reciprocated. He continued hard against her lips while he leaned his body into hers.

There was a small swish from Hermione dropping the folders, intended for the meeting and brought her arms around his neck. After what was the most sensual kiss Draco could ever remember, they both edged back to look at each other. Does she want more, I want more, does she like this? Do something!

Draco abruptly lifted her up, causing her to gasp, then turning her, placing her on the edge of his new desk. "This seat okay?"

They urgently went back to kissing again, as her legs parted to cling tightly around his waist. In response, he moaned and grabbed her bum to gain leverage. She was now on the edge of his desk, but he held her tight, her center pressed against his arousal.

Their breathing rose between each sensual kiss as Hermione managed to break away to whisper, "I wanted this for so long, you have no idea."

Draco paused as she forcefully kissed his jaw and down to his neck, trying to think, this whole time, she wanted me? Why didn't she let on? I had no idea, I thought it was all in my head! Merlin she feels so good, I don't know how long I can hold out, aren't we supposed to be in a meeting soon? Fuck it.

To his surprise, Hermione led his hands to pull up her dress. Weirdly enough, he did not remember her dress being red before, wasn't it blue? Is this some sort of spell he had never heard of?

He tried to shake the thought, sure that his headache was distracting him from details. Draco followed her lead obediently, sliding his hands up her dress, higher and higher in search of her knickers.

He was taken aback when he found a garter belt holding her stockings but, no knickers. Slightly muddled but not at all disappointed, he looked up at her curiously, they were at work after all. Noting his surprise, she grinned in response, "Well, every time I thought of you, they just got, soaking, wet. So I figured, why bother?"

Draco's mouth must have been hanging open, awestruck, because she tapped his chin to close it. He was frozen, his thoughts swirling about who this person was, I never knew Granger was like this, she's so- sexual! A garter belt too? That's so fucking hot-

Worried that he would somehow lose this change in her character, he kissed her, slathering his tongue against hers. He was not ready for her to make a bold move such as unbuckling his trouser belt or reaching down to grip his arousal. He groaned, trying to contain himself. She mewled, leaning into his ear as she stroked him, "Oh Draco, I knew you'd be a handful."

He looked down, trying to take in how she eased her head lower and lower still. Before he knew it, her lips were on the tip of his arousal, then he had fully disappeared into the depths of her mouth. "Fuck, Granger."

Merlin's beard, did someone polyjuice into Granger? There's no way this is real. Draco could not hold back his moans, trying not to attract anyone into his office. Then Hermione popped him out of her mouth, stood up and grabbed the collar of his shirt, sensually sweeping her lips across his ear, "Now, we're both wet."

Draco's body shivered in delight, in all of his fantasies, he could never actually imagine Granger doing this in real life. He grabbed his arousal, thrusting her against the desk, pulling one of her legs high against his hips. She hastily scrunched up the skirt of her dress, past her thighs, as she eagerly spread her legs to make room for him. As he slid himself into her, she whimpered, her head falling back against his desk, arching her back and grinding her hips against him.

He had never felt so undone in his life, at work, thrusting into this erotic image of Granger on his new desk. Draco was about to explode with pleasure as she begged, "Yes! Fill me up, Draco! I want to feel your hot co-"

"DRACO!"

There was a ringing in his ears and he paused abruptly. He blinked and winced his face from the noise that appeared to be in the same room as them. Then he lost his balance, falling back out of his new swivel chair, and thumped onto the scratchy carpet of his office floor.

"Draco, you twit. You already fell asleep? You just started mate, and I was only gone for like, ten, maybe 15 minutes!"

Draco looked around, everything was hazy as he tried to stand up, though with his arousal pressed against his trousers, maybe it was best not to. He tried to casually climb back up into his office chair, clearing his throat, thinking, damn! That was just a fucking dream? Felt so real, except for Granger was, well, not Granger. Shit, my head hurts!

Blaise watched Draco, arms crossed shaking his head, "So, dreaming about Granger?"

Draco glanced up at him, "Uh? Why would you say that?"

Blaise crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow, "Cause', you were mumbling her name."

All the blood drained from Draco's face, looking around to make sure no one had been at the office door, "Shit, was I?"

Blaise burst into a hearty laugh, "No! But now I know you were! Man, you have it hard for her!" He reached into his robes and handed him a small vial of potion, "Here, take this, you'll feel better."

Draco grabbed it out of his hand, annoyed by his friend's ridicule. He desperately needed to get rid of the throbbing in his head. After a sip, and Blaise watching him intensely, it took him a moment to notice that the potion tasted different than what he had expected. Then it hit him. This isn't Alleviation potion, this tastes like… what is it?... damn it, Blaise! Veritaserum!

Draco tried not to glare at his impending grin allowing Blaise the satisfaction of a win. Okay, Don't let on that you know… I can just avoid everyone and get something to counter it from the lab. Prat didn't know I made a counter-potion. I won't let him win this one.

Just then, there was the sound of voices outside of his office, it was Hermione discussing something with a colleague. Blaise's face lit with intrigue, and Draco's heart raced. He tried to stand as if it would stop him from calling her over, but it was too late,

"Hey Hermione, come in here! I was just about to ask Draco about you..."

* Beta credit goes to AlexandraO, thank you so much for taking the time on my oneshots!