"Hermy! Hermy, I'm over here!" waved a frantic Ron towards a very embarrassed Hermione Granger, in the middle of the busiest street in Diagon Alley. Obviously her attempts to hide and run away were extremely unsuccessful as the person she had tried to escape from had just caught up with her.

She knew Ron was her friend, and yes she also knew that lying to him and avoiding him was not the best way to deal with the situation at hand, but she just couldn't bring herself to be around Ron ever since….well, ever since Harry told her his intentions with Hermione went far beyond best friends. And that, to Hermione, was like torture. She returned no such feelings for Ron and being around him now just made her feel uncomfortable and sick to the stomach.

It was very wrong of her not to say something, you know, before he got his hopes up. But avoiding him and talking to him were two completely different things and Hermione very rarely saw much of Ron nowadays to get into such a deep, heart-breaking conversation as that.

He finally pushed through the crowds to meet up with her. Her arms were crossed across her chest and she felt that pool of guilt in her stomach every time she saw him.

"Hi Ron" She grimaced, forcing a smile "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing much – just came to get a new twig trimmer for my broom. Can't have the Puddlemere United's newest Keeper having a sloppy looking broom, now can we?"

She faked a laugh. It was a definite advantage to her avoiding schemes that Ron was now Puddlemere United's Keeper. He was always travelling around for practice and games.

"W-would you like to come for a coffee? I have a few hours before practice…" he glanced at his watch " I mean I thought we could catch up and there is that new café that just opened up down the street and-" He would have continued to stumble over his words, but to save him the trouble Hermione just cut him off.

"Listen Ron I, I would really love to but….I have to get back to the Ministry and besides, I have just eaten. Maybe some other time?" She really hated doing this to him but she just couldn't be around him. He was probably having fantasies about her right now, it was just too much.

"Right…" he said, looking hurt "Well, I'll write you then. Bye" And before she could say anything he had already been consumed by the increasing crowd.

Never had she felt like such a traitor.

She finally returned to work, stepping into her office. Her secretary was seated neatly outside the door – typing away furiously at her typewriter.

"Oh Mistress, a Mr. Draco Malfoy arrived to see you, he said he needed to speak to you urgently when you returned. He's waiting in your office."

"Right, well, thankyou Doreen"

"Welcome Ma'am."

Becoming the Mistress for Magic was an honour, a dream, an experience that Hermione had dreamt of since her first year at Hogwarts. Although it was a fantastic job it came with not only a load of influential power, but also a load of unwanted problems, complaints and especially visitors.

She walked through the wooden doors, into her office. She noticed Draco Malfoy sitting rather comfortably in her high backed Dragon leather chair, with a smug look on his face. What an arrogant, attractive jerk!

"Why if I hadn't known any better, I would say that Draco Malfoy was jealous of me"

He scoffed and swirled around in her chair, Hermione grinded her teeth slowly. Yes, this man – this annoying but very attractive man did fight for the good side. And yes, he did declare where his true loyalties lay and it seemed him and Harry had actually become friends, but she herself had never forgiven him for calling her the names he'd had over the years. Although if he actually did apologise for it she may reconsider but for now, she still hated him with as much passion as she had.

"Jealous? Of what? Your job? Yes, I am jealous of that I do admit. But that will be the only thing you ever hold over Draco Malfoy's head!"

"Ha! You're jealous of me! So, what brings you to my office and I would really appreciate you moving from my chair, thankyou"

"Whatever" He grumbled as he scrambled out of her chair. He knew that Hermione was a very powerful woman and could have him thrown out of her office and put into Azkaban with a blink of an eye. So there was no way he was getting on her wrong side, although he was by no means afraid of her. He made himself equally comfortable leaning against the wall of her office.

"Ahem, your business?" She asked, sounding like a beautiful woman of power and an equally intimidating woman. Yes, he had to admit, she was one gorgeous woman these days. And the funny thing was that it was only a few years out of Hogwarts, how had he never noticed it before? But nevertheless, he still despised her. Her and her perfectness.

"My business is this, I want to be your Vice Minister."

"Never!" she screamed, pounding her fist onto the table "I would rather employ Snape!"

He feigned someone stabbing him in the heart "Ow that hurt Granger, come on? What do you say? I have vaults stuffed with money I could bring to the Ministry and I –"

She cut him off "Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Why Granger I didn't know you were still such a bright spark!"

"Draco Malfoy get out of my office now!"

"Give me the position"

"NO!"

"Fine then…" He rushed towards her, forcing his lips onto hers. She was too shocked to do anything except stand there like a pole.

His kiss was hard and bruising, he bit down hard on her lips and tougne, making her cry out with the pain. She pushed him back hard against the desk.

"What the hell was that for?"

"It's a little thing called blackmail…" he smirked

"Doreen! Doreen! Get this man out of here!"

Doreen rushed into the room, her wand aimed. She was an elderly woman, not much older than seventy years old but her age would never get the better of her. Her short white curls were bouncing on her head as she panted from running so fast. She almost looked as scary as Hermione, no wonder she liked her so much.

Before anyone could do anything Draco apparated knowing that his welcome in the Mistress for Magic's office was well and truly out lived. He had given Hermione a glare just as he popped out of sight and she knew full well what it meant. He was being deadly serious about being Vice Minister and she knew he would even resort to blackmail. Draco Malfoy was a very rich, powerful, hateful and scornful person, who knew what he was capable of? Was that horrible, painful kiss just another part of her memory she wanted to erase? Or was it just a taste of the kind of 'blackmail' that was to come?

Never had she been more scared in her life.