"Are sure there isn't any position at all I can fill?" the young woman pleaded the owner of The Hog's Head in desperation. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized she was at the last shop in Diagon Alley that she hadn't visited and asked for a position yet. Hermione Granger was 24, jobless and back in the Wizarding World. Now before you run shocked as to how this could come to be, let me explain.
After the end of the war, Harry was thrust into the limelight and took on the expected position of head Auror at the ministry. Hermione's other best friend, Ron Weasley, became captain of the Chudley Cannons and excelled in his position and gained a large fan base. Before he got his position, Ron and Hermione had broken off their budding of a relationship due to how they only saw each other as brother and sister, and becoming more was difficult for them and wouldn't work out. They parted on friendly terms, and Ron was currently dating the minister's daughter, and renowned winner of Witch Weekly's hottest model, Angelica Waters. She was beautiful, with sparkling green eyes and brown wavy hair, shining white teeth, and the perfect pink pout, but wasn't like other beautiful girls. She had a kind heart and loved children. Ron had swept her off her feet and they both loved each other a lot, everyone secretly rooting for Ron to pop the question any time soon.
With both of her best friends building lives for themselves, Hermione was at a loss as of what to do with her own. She had stepped away from the fame and money that came with being the famous War Heroine, and wanted to build a life for herself. She didn't have much money, or a nice place to live. To put it simply, she was poor and needed a job. She also had moved after the war to the United States, for some quiet. She had picked up some odd jobs: waitress, clerk, barista, but now after 3 years was ready to return to the Wizarding World, and here she was.
Unbeknownst to her, a certain blonde, attractive, successful young businessman whom she loathed had noticed Hermione's feeble attempts at getting a job. He had been in Diagon Alley to carry out at a transaction at Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank, and also one of the safest places besides Hogwarts. The security there was extremely tight and impressive, consisting of intricate intruder-finding spells and security measures.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but we really don't need help at the moment. However, when we do, I'll be sure to send you an owl." He finished with a pitiful smile.
Hermione sighed, dejectedly. She trudged out the store, with the chime of the door closing ringing behind her. Walking heavily and slowly, she sat on a bench, wrapped up in her thoughts.
Draco Malfoy smirked, watching her. Not everything was perfect in the War Heroine's life was it? He walked smoothly and sat on the bench next to her, however leaving a full foot and a half between him and her mudblood germs. He watched her look up, and her face twisting in annoyance.
"Malfoy! What are you doing here!?" She yelled accusingly.
"Why Granger, I'm sitting on a lovely public bench, enjoying the weather." He responded nonchalantly, smirking inwardly.
Hermione groaned, she really wasn't in the mood for this. Although she admitted he wasn't really doing anything wrong.
"Malfoy leave me alone, I'm not in the mood." She growled feeling frustrated.
"Hmm feisty are we? Having a rough day?" He replied, this time his infamous smirk gracing his features.
"Malfoy you have no idea what my day has been like so far, so please don't make it worse." She sighed dejectedly, rubbing her temples.
"Actually, I do. I've watched your pitiful attempts at acquiring a job. Look at yourself though, what are you wearing?! Is that some new muggle trend? Your hair looks horrendous, probably a muggle thing too. That's not a good first impression for a job, War Heroine or not." He drawled, knowingly provoking her. "You know, I am in the market for a new secretary…. and you're going to work for me." He finished cockily.
She fumed, "Malfoy, I would never work for an egotistical brat like you!"
"I'll give you a big paycheck, and it's pretty obvious you aren't getting any other job offers." He snickered.
She considered his offer. She really did the need the money after refusing every galleon thrust at her after the war. She sort of regretted it now. But working for Malfoy, her supposed "arch-enemy" from when they were children? No. Way. Hermione considered her options between being on the streets or working for Malfoy, both seemed bad enough. However, it didn't look like she would be getting any other job offer sometime soon. Maybe he's changed from the three years after the war she silently hoped. After everything she'd been through Malfoy seemed like a joke.
"Alright" She quietly mumbled, agreeing to his proposal.
He smirked, "What did you say?"
"I said yes!" She exclaimed, knowing Malfoy did that on purpose.
"Just sign this contract and your first paycheck for the month will be automatically transferred to your bank account." He said business-like, pulling a yellow colored piece of rolled paper from what seemed like nowhere. A heavy stainless-steel engraved quill floated in the air beside the contract. Hermione picked it up and signed her name carefully in precise cursive. The contract then disappeared and Malfoy smiled.
What has she gotten her self in to?
Hermione was interrupted while making her breakfast the next morning by a brown great horned owl. It nipped her fingers affectionately and Hermione gave it a treat after she untied the letter around its ankle. The letter was from Draco who insisted she update her "disgusting wardrobe" and asked her to meet him in Diagon Alley at 10am that day. Rolling her eyes, she wrote back an agreement and quickly went to get ready, her mind occupied with thoughts of her new job.
Her boss, Draco Malfoy, was head of his billion-dollar company and was running it solely on his own, something she admired greatly. He worked hard for everything he had and wasn't modest about it. He was smart, successful, attractive, and he knew it, seducing women and dumping them like you'd go through napkins. But how would he treat her? He did give her a handsome paycheck, but what were the responsibilities that came with that?
After quickly going to her kitchen, toasting a bagel and pouring herself a glass of orange juice she went to her room to choose an outfit. She smiled coming up with an idea. She pulled on her ugliest, baggiest pair of sweatpants and the biggest t-shirt she could find to irk Malfoy. 'That would show him' she thought to herself in a very Slytherin-like manner.
After making sure a hair brush didn't touch her bushy head of hair, she went to the fireplace in her apartment, grabbed a handful of floo powder and whooshed away to Diagon Alley. She arrived in the middle of a fairly empty street, probably because it was barely 10am on a Sunday. After taking in her surroundings, she decided to make a little stop in her favorite store, Flourish and Blotts. As soon as she pushed open the heavy, groaning door the familiar scent of parchment and dust filled her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. A scent of heaven it was to her. Hermione strolled down what seemed hundreds of shelves of books, both new and hundreds of years old. Just as she was about to reach for a particularly interesting looking book, something blocked her vision. A male chest to be exact, and she could only guess who's.
"I knew this is where I'd find you!" The blonde man exclaimed amused while Hermione wasn't.
"Haha, very funny." Hermione sarcastically retorted, trying to push past him to where her interested really lied. However, he was surprisingly strong and wouldn't budge.
"I hate to ruin your...fun," Draco began, hiding a smile, "but I believe we have a previous arrangement that doesn't involve dusty, old, boring objects."
Hermione sighed. It was going to be an extremely long, agonizingly slow, day.
"Alright, where would you like to go first?" She questioned hesitantly.
"Let's start with Twilfitt and Tatting's, but you can't possibly go in there looking like that." He explained, pulling something out of his pocket. Before Hermione knew what was happening, Malfoy was combing and doing her hair for her. This was not part of her plan! He was surprisingly gentle and quick, and didn't snag her hair once.
"Malfoy what are you doing?! And why do you have a comb?" She whispered curiously, escaping from his grasp and turning to face him with a hand on her hip.
"I'm fixing the new hobo trend you're on, I can't go shopping with you looking like that." He explained shaking his head at her, trying to reach for her hair with the comb again.
"You avoided the important question about why you have a comb." She smirked.
"I have to look good for the ladies." He smiled, throwing her a wink. Hermione quickly turned away, her cheeks tinted with a slight flush. What was wrong with her? He's Malfoy she thought to herself. While she was occupied with reprimanding herself in her thoughts, she didn't notice Malfoy reach forward and continue combing her hair. Hermione tried to swat his arms and hands away but he was persistent.
"There." He said with an accomplished smile.
Hermione ran her fingers through her hair, and to her surprise it was smooth and absolutely untangled. He did a better job than she probably could've.
"Do you spend all your free time combing your hair and making it look perfectly sleek?" Hermione asked amazed.
"You think my hair is perfectly sleek?" He smirked at her, only choosing to comment on the compliment she gave him.
"Ugh! Self-centered brat." She insulted, annoyed at his response.
"At least I'm not a bookworm with a stick up her arse." He taunted in response.
She rolled her eyes and chose not to fall for his insult and argue further.
Author's Note:
Hi guys! I'm a new author so any and all feedback would really really be appreciated please. Take a minute out of your day to review:) Let me know if I should continue and what to improve on! Thanks so much!