28 Days Later

A Draco/Hermione Collection

iPod Challenge

Day One

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And the world will know, and the world will learn

And the world will wonder how we made the tables turn

And the world will see that we had to choose

And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news

And the old will fall, and the young stand tall

And the time is now, and our ranks will grow

And the world will feel the fire and finally know

-"The World Will Know" from The Newsies

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Rita Seeker knew what sold papers. Enticing headlines, crafty slogans and pull quotes, she knew how to wield and deal in the gossip-hungry streets, leaving her readers satisfied with her work, yet at the same time begging for me (regardless if her information had been fabricated or not). Her version of the muggle tabloid was so much juicer; they were only enhanced by moving images.

The walls of her office we lined with framed copies of her exposés, her prized possessions, her babies. Seeker had tackled the fierce, the proud, and the popular into conforming to societal standards… to her standards. And she liked it that way.

Glaring at the two defiant looking, freshly graduated students from Hogwarts, Rita had to restrain herself not to sneer in their faces. There was no way Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were going to rip apart all that she had worked for.

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"Ms. Seeker, I am quite sick of being exploited in your articles as a woman out to marry for a shot at the wealthy lifestyle. Even if you must document Mr. Malfoy and my relationship, it is not appropriate for you, or in your place, to make such accusations about me. These accusations which in turn reflect my overall success whilst looking for a steady job, I do not like being turned down because of false preconceptions. Surely you could understand that."

"Now Ms. Granger, I do not see how publishing the truth is doing the greater community and injustice. I am sorry if your private life provides an unfortunate discourse with your public life. One would think that since you are in the apple of society's eye, you would pay a tad more attention to yourself."

"It's hard to control reality, much less the lies you fabricate."

"Would I ever tell a lie?"

Draco Malfoy coughed, "Perhaps it is time to leave for today. We will be back to finish this meeting, Ms. Seeker, hopefully under better, more accommodating circumstances."

"That has yet to be seen, Mr. Malfoy. Good day to you both."

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"Draco, I don't think you quite understand how much I want to wring her neck."

Hermione Granger was past the point of frustration. Truly, in her heart of hearts, she was flabbergasted that the wizarding community was so entranced by a simple relationship between a man and a woman that had happened to be from different (read opposing) houses in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Although she expected the drama while she was attending, Hermione was shocked that grown adults fed off the mean spirited tabloids Rita Seeker wrote about relationships of the big time war heroes. Draco and she had become a favorite, as Slytherins and Gryffindors tended to have their differences.

But honestly, as grown adults, shouldn't everyone be past this already? Apparently not. And Hermione Granger would not stand idly by and watch her perfect reputation be plummeted to the ground by some bloody woman who was most definitely off her rocker.

She had had it up to here, and it was time to get dirty with the dirt spreader.

And don't think she wouldn't.

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Rita Seeker was aghast, way past insulted.

In Granger's hand was her demise in the journalistic field. Although she had read a copy earlier this morning when the Prophet's daily Quibbler had come in (one had to keep up on their competition, you know), seeing her face plastered on the cover with alluring words trying to pull the audience into reading the exposé on the one and only Rita Seeker herself was enough to through her into a screaming fit.

She had somehow managed to control herself. "How did you get that published unauthorized?"

"Draco and I have connections to the Quibbler." Hermione was the epitomized smugness, "And it's a tabloid piece, a piece of gossip, it doesn't have to be run past the subject of the article. You would know all about that wouldn't you."

Nothing would have pleasured Rita more than ripping the little girl's eyeballs out with her magic quill, "What do you want from me."

"Be a nicer person when writing your gossip sections. I have plenty of more ammo where this came from, Ms. Seeker."

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"Is Marriage in the Works For Granger and Malfoy?" – An Article by Rita Seeker

Because opposing Hogwarts Houses doesn't mean the end of true love!

Pick up your latest copy of the Daily Prophet to get the full story

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Author's Note.

Here I am again! Some of you might know, my new year's resolution is to write 2 updates and/or stories a month (once every two weeks). I barely passed in January, which worried me. So, to get back in the swing of things, I'm making myself write a drabble in this collection 28 Days Later for ever day in February!

Here's my challenge for myself:

I turned on my iTunes shuffle (or iTunesDJ or whatever they're calling it now…), and had it generate the first 28 songs. I copied them down, in that order! There was no repeat of songs, but there are repeats of artists (I know right, out of like 1,500 songs, there was repeats in artists. Weird).

So get excited because another drabble is going to be on its way tomorrow!

Next song by The Backstreet Boys

(personally really excited about that one)