Childhood Games by Luvscharlie
The Ministry had a poltergeist wreaking havoc in the Department of International Cooperation, and Hermione had been given orders to "take care of it."
In the Department of Magical Law Enforcement they usually worked in pairs. She normally worked with Susan Bones, but there had been that incident last week—which was entirely not her fault, though Susan didn't believe it—quite the nasty scandal actually. Rumours of sabotage and—oh, if she thought about it much more, she'd only get angry all over again.
She took a deep breath as the lift door opened, then attempted to stifle a giggle at the sight before her. Draco Malfoy, Department Head, was covered in—was that bubotuber puss? No, couldn't be. He wasn't screaming in agony. She was a bit taken aback by the sight before her. Draco had always seemed a bit scrawny growing up. Or at least that had been Hermione's opinion. But grow up, he clearly had… and well. His hair was in his eyes and his soaked shirt clung to the sharp lines of the muscles beneath.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Hermione asked, taking her time as she leisurely looked him up and down. She received little more than a snarl in reply. "Someone's covered in—well what exactly is it that you're covered in? It's not bubotuber puss, though I think the boils might be an improvement to that face of yours," she lied.
"For your information, Granger," he spat, "it's water. The poltergiest apparently watched some Muggle sprogs throwing water balloons at people yesterday and decided that he liked them. I've been dodging the bloody things all morning."
She hid a smile behind her hand. "Looks like your dodging skills could use some work." About that time, a large balloon splattered against her back, drenching her. Okay, this was less funny now.
There was large cackle, then the singsong sound of, "Run, run, as fast as you can. Can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man."
"The little beasts apparently taught him that as well. Oh, and that run part, he rather means it. Move," Draco said, grabbing her hand and diving into the nearest office, as water balloons exploded all around them, thrown in rapid-fire succession. They huddled under a desk, where there was just room for the two of them to squeeze in together.
"That was pretty quick thinking on your part, Malfoy," she said, admittedly impressed that he hadn't left her to fend for herself against the poltergeist.
"Yes, well, I've had plenty of practice this morning."
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," sounded the voice of the poltergeist from somewhere above their hiding spot.
"I think he believes we're playing hide-n-seek with him," Hermione whispered. "How long did he spend with those Muggle children?"
Several water balloons smacked them in the face in an explosion of water. "Tag! You're it!" shouted the poltergeist.
"Entirely too long," Draco said.
"So it would appear," she agreed.
Fin.
A/N: Originally written for Round 3, Challenge 11 of the Dramione_LDWS (Draco Malfoy-Hermione Granger Last Drabble Writer Standing) Competition on Live Journal. Our prompt was a drabble that must include Draco in a wet shirt, with a theme of mistaken judgment and be under 500 words. This one made it through to the next round and won the award for Mod's choice.