Sweets, Treats And Candy Coated Chaos Chapter 1

POP!

The bag of cotton candy popped and rainbow fluffs of the sweet treat floated down all over the floor.

Hermione groaned as she dropped her wand on the candy cart and started for the broom and dust pan in the back of the shop.

That's right. Shop.

It had been three years since the end of the war and she had graduated Hogwarts with flying colors.

Life was busy after Hogwarts when she was offered jobs as a Ministry worker and an Auror.

She could've pretty much taken any job that she wanted but nothing felt right after all that had happened.

Harry and Ron had left school after the war and joined the Auror's program where in a few short months they were out and rounding up the few death eaters that still remained.

It seemed that everyone had moved on since the war.

All except George.

George had been broken in two when his twin had died in the battle and had become so depressed that they worried that he would take his life.

The Weasleys were on the mend from the loss of their son and brother and tried their best to help him but to no avail.

All until one day when Hermione and George found themselves in the backyard of the Burrow on a warm summer's eve.

The conversation that they had was long and emotional as they discovered that they both couldn't find a place in the world after the destruction and death of the war.

George had told Hermione that he was going to sell the joke shop that he and Fred had built together which broke Hermione's heart into shattered pieces.

That was when the brightest witch of their age had a brilliant idea.

She said that she would work at the shop with George until he got back on his feet which brightened the grieving man's heart for the first time since the loss of his twin.

Three years had gone by since then, and not only did George get back on his feet and kept the shop up and running; to show his gratitude to the girl who saved him, he bought her the shop next door to his own.

The shop when Hermione and George bought it was old and rundown and pretty much destroyed since the war.

But with a little love and playful magic, it had been turned into the shop of Hermione's dreams.

Now 23, she was the proud owner of the only candy shop left in Diagon Alley.

She and George had named it Candy Hearts in homage to the emotions that they had both overcome in their hearts after the war.

But back to the story.

Hermione returned to the rainbow colored scheme of the crime and started to sweep the ruined fluffs into the dust pan as her mind whizzed and zoomed with thoughts of the new stock shipments that she had to put away.

Ding!

But it seems that the universe had other plans for her today.

Straightening back up and putting the broom aside, she turned to welcome her customer.

Only to find the one person she thought she'd never see again.

There standing before her was Draco Malfoy himself in all his blonde glory.

His hair was longer and was now hanging partly over his eyes and his features were sharp and lean.

She couldn't help but notice that he had become quite handsome after he dropped the death eater act.

Realizing that he was staring at her made her blink once, twice in surprise before he stepped forward and gave her a lazy smile.

"Granger. So it is true. You own the new candy shop now. Didn't find a suitable job at the Ministry with Potter and Weasel? I heard the twin Weasel is working with you too. Is it him that's caught your fancy nowadays?"

He said as his piercing grey eyes studied her with the same cocky look that she remembered.

Hermione finally caught her wits about her and bristled at his mocking tone.

Crossing her arms over her chest she scoffed at him making his eyes widen slightly before going back to a schooled expression.

"What do you want Malfoy? I didn't think you were the sweet type. Did you come here just to torment me like you always did?"

Draco seemed to be caught off guard by her questions and looked to the floor for a moment before tilting his head to the side like a lost puppy.

"What makes you think I can't be the sweet type Granger? You really think you know me but you don't. Not at all. I just came to see if the rumors were true. But since I'm not welcoming I'll be going now."

Hermione blinked at him as she watched him turn to leave.

In an act of fate, she grabbed his arm and gave him a hesitant look as he once again turned towards her.

"You really didn't come to make fun of me? Why does that seem all kinds of suspicious? What are you up to Draco?"

Draco simply stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and pulling his arm out of her grasp as he headed for the door.

"Nothing Granger. Nothing."

As she watched him leave and the door swing closed behind him, Hermione stood in complete shock wonder what on Merlin's green earth had just happened.

Looking around at her shop and then at the mess that still littered the floor, she decided that maybe it was just a one-time thing and Draco wouldn't come knocking at her door anymore.

After all, it was Draco Malfoy. And Malfoy's were never meant to be sweet.