Not entirely sure that I want to make this a short series or just leave it at this. But I would love feedback, so please do let me know. Also, I had not really looked over it, as I m so exhausted right now, but I hope you all understand. Also; I do not own anything, apart from the plot. Everything I leave as property of the lovely J.K. Rowling.

I took a long breath before I breathed in the distasteful smoke of the cigarette I place to my lips

How had I, Hermione Jean Granger gotten to this point? I had been known as the brightest witch of my age, and some still did. Except somehow, somewhere between the war and the point I am now in my life, I had snapped. It could be because of my regretful ex-fiancé, Ron Weasly.

Ron and I had been better than ever after the war, and after Harry and Ginny had married, Ron decided it was our turn to put a stronger title to our relationship. But the nightmares that had begun to cling to me at night had made me grown more sadder to this day. Eventually Ron had enough of it and one night he begun a fight with me and confessed after he nearly hit me that he was having an affair with the one and only: Lavender Brown.

Of coarse I should have been upset about this, but I had begun to feel less emotion day by day that when he had confessed to his affair, I really wasn't all that surprised.

I looked around at my small but open office I had placed several charms on. One to hide the smell of the cigarette I had now just put out. One silencing charm, and a lock charm.

My job at the Ministry of Magic in the department of forbidden potions and spells, had both been a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because it had given me something to do while I had been getting over Ron, but a curse because I had so much work, that I could barely even sleep at night. Not that it mattered anyway. I could barely sleep because my nightmares kept me up most of my nights.

The nightmares that I had mostly consisted of people I was unable to save in and before the war. Sometimes it was just me dying in their place as they whispered their thanks for saving me, which I didn't really figure as a nightmare, but it was a nightmare to me that it never happened. Another nightmare was just a memory replying in my dreams of Bellatrix Lestrange, as she tortured me.

I shuddered at the thought before I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss. But you told me to remind you when it was three so you could leave to get ready for tonight." I heard Angelic, my secretary shout through the door. I grabbed my work bag, and stuffed in the papers I had been working on. Grabbing my cloak I quickly walked to open the door, and mumbled a thank you to Angelic, before making my way to Floo to my apartment.

How had I forgotten? Tonight was the annual ball in honor of the ones who lost their lives in the war.

I sighed to myself before I said the words in the fireplace, and dropped a handful of floo powder . A second later of head spins and I felt my feet feel the ground beneath me again. I began to make my way to the bedroom before I heard a knock on the door. I ground my teeth at the thought of who it could be, but silently made my way to my door.

I turned the knob and pulled the door and held back a shriek. I stood bewildered as I stared into the eyes of the familiar silver blonde ex-slitherin I had been know to strongly dislike.

'Granger.' Draco Malfoy stated, looking into my eyes, glaring, but I saw no sign of danger in them which made my release the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

'What in the bloody hell are you doing here?' I glared back. The question I just asked the blonde spun in my head. What was he doing here? Surely there isn't anything so important that he ended up on my door step.

'Can I come in? I need to talk to you.' He answered, pulling his stare away from mine to look over my shoulder. I could barely hear any emotion in his tone.

Was he out of his bloody mind! After all that he's done to me in my seven years at Hogwarts, not to mention the four year after that, that I hadn't even seen, nor spoken to him.

'And why would I let you?' I asked, quirking an eyebrow

'Because. There's something both of us want, that we could both help each other out with.'

I moved out of his way, before he began to walk inside my apartment without saying anything. I looked around. I'm sure this wasn't what he was use to seeing on a daily basis. The brown and reds my home carried with it was warm, but also a little chilling to me at the same time. The warn couches and desk. Various Muggle items; such as a television set and a phone. I was almost sure that he wasn't use to this.

The only thing he would be familiar with was how clean, organized and put together it looked. And that was only because I had nothing better to do with my time.

'Now… What is it that you want?' I asked, not trying to sound as cold as I felt towards him.

'You.' He said plain out. Draco Malfoy turned on his heels to stare into my eyes.

'Excuse me?' I almost choked out.

'I mean... Now that I'm on my own, and I rarely see my parents, not like I'd like to.' He paused moment to roll his eyes. 'I want to make a new name for myself. I need a change, and considering you're a muggleborn… I thought that maybe I could start with this.'

'I still don't unders-'

'I want to take you to the ball tonight.' Malfoy said, interrupting me.

I stared at the man I hated for so long and couldn't help but be offended and grateful at the same time for his attitude. Draco was in fact, in a way asking if he could use me. But it was to make a better name for himself, so it almost seemed okay.

I furrowed my eyebrows together and looked at him, still questioningly as I had before while pondering my thoughts deeply.

'And what would be in it for me? What did I want?' I asked after a few moments of them staring at each other. Before he said anything, I pulled the packet of cancer sticks from my pocked and pulled out a cigarette, my lips held it, and I lit the end with a match. Grateful for the feeling of pleasure rushed to my head.

'Well for one…' Draco started, staring at the cigarette I held in my mouth. 'I haven't heard you were going with anyone. Second, Ron will be there with Lavender. And I have no doubt that you want to get back at him. Maybe make him jealous.' Draco pressed, still eyeballing the smoke I held in my hand.

I sighed to myself. He had been right about something about me for once. 'I was just going to go there for the speeches.' I mumbled, staring awkwardly at my feet once his eyes had found me again. 'And who's to say that you're not just trying to make a fool of me.' I said, realizing that the thought hadn't yet gone through my head. I clenched my teeth as I realized the strong possibility of it.

'I've changed, Hermione.' I swallowed at the sound of my first name coming from Draco Malfoy. 'The war really changed me, and I can see that it had for you too… If there's anything I can do to make you trust me…" Draco frowned almost. It was as if he had expected this from the beginning.

'If you try or do anything. I swear to Merlin Draco Malfoy.' I glared hard so that he would understand properly, but Draco only looked at me smiling a smile I had never seen come from him, it almost made me happy.

'So you'll go?' He grinned.

'Fine.' I said quietly. 'I have to get ready though, did you want to meet up there, or?'

'I hope you get ready fast, Granger, because I'm taking you for dinner first.' He extended his arm to show a clearly expensive watch. He tapped it dramatically.

'I haven't even picked out what I was to wear first.' I frowned, glaring simultaneously at the watch he seemed to be showing off.

'it's all taken care of. Go upstairs, and owl will be there to meet you. Hurry!' He said, clearly proud of himself.
I would of ran up the stairs if I hadn't felt his eyes on my back. I grimaced. Draco bloody Malfoy was in my house, not to mention the fact that he was taking me out to dinner and a ball wizards and witches we both knew were attending. I rolled my eyes to myself, as I tried to keep the reminder that I needed to give him a chance.

I strolled into my bedroom, to find the owl I had been promised, sitting on my bed with a small package tied onto it's leg. I patted the owl, and she pecked politely at my hand. I smiled to myself and untied the much too small package.

As I opened it, I noticed that it was a dress, but it looked like a dress for a doll. I studied it before realizing it must have been shrunk so the owl was able to carry it in flight.

I pointed my want at it, and casted a nonverbal spell, to which the dress began to grow in size. Once it had finished growing, I fully took in how amazing stunning it looked. It was a floor length, gold color, that was sure to show off her curved. The low neck line, was sure to show much cleavage. But the bead embodiment on the waist of the dress and the fact that it shimmered in the light was what really caught my eyes. It tied up in the back, and no doubt she would of needed help with that, but non the less, it was more beautiful than any dress I had ever seen.

I hurried to the bathroom to take a shower, and once I had finished, I opened up a book of beauty spells and flipped to the hair spells. 'Hotortasinio' I whispered, pointing my wand to myself, and my hair did itself in a matter of seconds. My hair almost straightened out, but still had a few waves to it. It was smooth, not bushy as it had always been. And the color of my natural hair seemed to glow, as it hadn't before.

'Refrantso' I said, quietly again, and my face glowed in the mirror before me. The natural smokey eye, and bright red lipstick had caught me off guard. I did not look like myself, I looked so much better even f it was hard to admit.

I walked quickly out of the bathroom, and to my closet, where I put on a pair of four inch heels, that matched the lipstick from the spell. I took off my robe, and slipped on the gorgeous gold dress that I previously draped across my bed. Just as I suspected, the back of the dress needed to be laced up, so I quickly made my way down the stairs to find Draco who had clearly made himself comfortable.

I walked around the couch so that I was facing him, but he was looking down at a muggle book called Cinderella. I chuckled slightly and he shot his glance at me, but his eyes locked. As he looked me up and down, he seemed speechless. I saw that he ground his teeth.

'I uh… Need help with the back..' I said, spinning around so that he understood. Which he did, and nodded before standing up from my couch.

'You look… Stunning Hermione.' He breathed close into my ear. I felt his hands pick pick up the ribbon from the small of my back, and I shivered at his touch.