Three weeks later
Hermione's life was as it had always been. She got up in the morning, showered and threw on her pencil skirt and blouse. Her job involved muggle relations, so she mainly dressed as one. Robes were often too hot anyways; Hermione preferred the familiar muggle clothing. This day had started out just like all those days before. Hermione went to work, and did her job. She worked for the department of Mysteries in muggle relations. Every time there was a possible mystery in the Muggle world, the Department of Mysteries wanted to be the first to confirm or deny it. If they confirmed it they could often bring whatever the object of interest was back to the ministry before other departments even knew about it. And this was Hermione's job.
After a rather boring day of work Hermione walked to her favourite coffee place, not too far from the ministry but far enough she rarely ran into people from work. Hermione liked to come here after work, as Ron wouldn't be home, and this coffee place was comfortable. She would bring a book, order a form of wizard coffee and relax.
Hermione was currently in her favourite coffee place, book in hand. Work had been terribly long today and Hermione looked forward to the familiar escape of a book. She was currently reading a thriller that had taken the wizarding world by storm, it was an biography of Harry's life. Of course it was not very accurate, and Hermione found some points made her quite angry, but she was reading it none the less. She was currently just finishing the chapter on how Harry astounded everyone with his amazing skills at the tri-wizard tournament. Hermione knew that wasn't quite how it happened though, at least that wasn't how she remembered it.
Hermione was just getting into the adventures in the maze when some sat across from here.
"Again, No weasel." Draco Malfoy was sitting across from Hermione with a friendly smile on his face.
Hermione raised an eyebrow, unsure of the awkward smile on Draco's face. "What do you want Malfoy? No Ron is busy at work, and you are interrupting my alone time."
Draco smiled and laughed, but the laughter was fake. "Alone time? That's all I ever see you doing is having alone time. Did the amazing trio break up? Or are Ron and Harry finally a couple leaving you all alone?"
"Go away Malfoy." Hermione tried to shrug off Malfoy.
"You never let me state what I wanted." Malfoy smiled. "You see over there? That's the familiar Rita Skeeter, I'm sure she is writing a story as we speak. It will be good for my image to be seen talking to the goody-good of the golden trio. And from where she is I'm sure this looks like a friendly coffee. I am smiling after all, like we are the best of friends."
Hermione was not terribly surprised. She suspected Malfoy had a motive the second he sat across from her. "Well great, I'm sure she has seen us so now you can go away. Go back to the blonde, or your hand or whatever it is you do in your spare time." Hermione looked down at her book pretending to read to further the hint for Draco to leave her alone.
"No, I don't think it's been quite long enough to convince her that we are truly the best of friends."Hermione rolled her eyes as Malfoy continued to talk. "What you reading there? 'The Amazing Life of Harry Potter.'" Malfoy snickered. "What you didn't pay attention to Harry the first time everything happened? You have to read about it again? Memory gone Granger?"
"I just thought it could be interesting to read someone else's point of view. Even if it is terribly biased. I would offer to borrow the book to you because I'm sure you were too busy prancing around with death eaters to know what is going on but I suspect you can't read." Hermione snapped back and closed her book intending to leave. "As much as I enjoyed your company I really think I'd rather never have to again. Good-bye Malfoy, please stay away from me." Hermione stood up and began to walk away.
Malfoy stood up as Hermione did. "Now Granger, a true gentleman always walks a lady friend out, please allow me." Malfoy smiled and began to walk out the door next to Hermione. When they got to the door, he opened it and they both stepped out.
"That was rather unnecessary. I really can't say I enjoyed this encounter and really hope Rita finds me too boring to publish." Hermione turned around and walked away.
Draco watched Hermione walk away, or rather watcher her ass. The way the skirt hugged her ass made Draco horny. Perhaps he would go over to the blonde's house after all. He was feeling like a quick shag after talking briefly to that cold but fiery woman. What an oxy-moron was she.
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Hermione was restless. She got home and changed into her comfortable sweats and began to make supper. She doubted Ron would be home for supper, but like always she made food for two. Hermione was agitated, she didn't know what it was about the blonde man that made her so angry, so bitter. He was just so cocky, and immature. He hadn't grown up at all. Hermione was all grown up he should have to be grown up too. After all being grown up sucked Hermione thought. Here she was, supposed to be the smartest witch of her age. And all she was doing was making chicken breasts while hoping the "love of her life" decided to show up for it.
Then there was Malfoy. Malfoy who should be in prison for his crimes. But no Malfoy was out prancing around with beautiful women on his arms always. He didn't have to be serious or smart. No he got by on good looks and good fortune. He was rich, Hermione wasn't even sure how. All he seemed to do was drink and fuck. At least that's what the papers said. How had be become a socialite, this annoying snotty little death eater.
And Ron, oh Hermione had so much to say about Ron. He had been so loving and caring. The would cuddle far into the night, talking about how they couldn't live with each other. They would fool around, they were your normal couple in love. Until Ron discovered he was popular, that people wanted to be with him. He went out more and more. First it was once a week, he and a brother would go out to the pub. But he discovered he could be friends with anyone, because he was Ron Weasley, of the golden trio. Then he was going out two nights, then three, then every night. No that was not true. There were nights Ron worked, a couple nights a week he worked night shifts as an auror, after all the worst things always happened at night. Hermione was probably being to judgemental, she thought. After all Ron was faithful, he did still care. He did work long weeks, long hours. He deserved to be able to go out and have some fun. Hermione just wished he took her with him once and awhile. But she ruined guy night, she supposed.
Hermione looked up as Ron walked in the door.
"Smells good." The redhead said as he took off his shoes and fell onto the couch. "What a day at work it was. We found this pocket of death eaters hiding out, like three of them. I thought we had caught every single one. But I guess not. Oh well. What you cooking." Ron got off the couch and walked up to Hermione kissing her on the cheek.
"Oh you know just supper." Hermione smiled and hugged Ron.
"Okay well I am going to quickly shower, then supper." Ron said as he walked down the hallway into the bedroom.
Hermione set the table and continued with supper until Ron got out of the shower, dressed and back to the kitchen.
"Looks great." Ron said eying up the food and sitting down at the table. "Harry and Ginny want to know if we want to meet for drinks later tonight. I said sure, I thought you would like a night out." Ron smiled at Hermione.
Hermione sat down and began to eat. "Sure, we haven't been out all together in weeks. You are always working, or Harry is. You are all so busy with your important jobs and what not."
"Exactly." Ron agreed shoving food into his face. "Wow this is almost as good as something my mum would make." Hermione glared at Ron. "What I'm just saying it's really good is all. We are meeting Ginny and Harry at the Fox and Hound at eight."
Hermione had never heard of it before. "Fox and Hound?"
"Oh you know that knew trendy place that just opened." Ron said while grabbing more food. "Ginny wanted to try it of course. But you know Harry hated places like that. I wanted to see it for myself though as everyone says it's the best place in the wizarding world right now. Everyone who is everyone is there. So I convinced Harry we had to try it."
Hermione agreed that perhaps they should try it. Everyone who is anyone would be there after all. That sounded like a place Malfoy would be. And she really didn't want to see him again. No she sure did not. Twice a month had been far more then she wanted to see him.
Hermione and Ron finished supper, each lost in their own thoughts. They quietly cleaned up and Hermione went to get ready. For the first time in months she found herself debating what to wear. Why does it matter, she thought. Ron had seen her in everything. But for some reason Hermione wanted to look good. She spent twice her usual time getting ready and thought she looked great.
She walked out of the bedroom and walked in front of Ron.
"Hey now." Ron said. "Why you all dolled up? Not trying to pick up other men are you? Is that make-up? You never wear make-up."
Hermione blushed. "Well you said it's a fancy place..."
Ron nodded. "That's true. It is rather fancy from what I hear. Probably a good choice being all dressed up, what if we are photographed or something. We haven't ever been in the gossip pages but there is always a first."
Hermione rolled her eyes and picked out a pair of shoes. "Well are you ready to go? It's almost nine."
Ron got up and together they left for the Fox and Hound.
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Ron and Hermione arrived together in front of the Fox and Hound. It was incredibly busy, the line to get in stretched around the corner of the building.
"Well come on then." Ron said walking up to the bouncer. "We are meeting Harry Potter inside." The bouncer eyed up Ron, recognizing him and Hermione they were let in, to the dismay of the line of people waiting.
The inside was fancy, all glass and lights and beautiful people. Hermione looked around for Harry and noticed him sitting awkwardly in the corner. He really was not very good at this whole in public thing. But Hermione doubted she would be either if people stared at her the way they did Harry. And Hermione felt as if she was being stared at, but a quick look around revealed no one.
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed as he sat next to Harry and they did that man hug thing men tend to do. "Ginny, how are you sis?" Ron asked.
Ginny began to talk about how she had run into some people from her graduating class. Ginny was a year younger, so of course she had only graduated months ago, and had moved straight into Harry's flat. Ginny had gotten a job working in a robe store down town, she really wasn't looking for a serious job and the robe store was decent pay for great hours.
Hermione sat down, conscious of her short skirt rising slightly as she sat. She scanned the bar for anyone familiar. Rita Skeeter, great Hermione thought as she spotted the women sipping on a drink while sitting across from a handsome man. Lavender and her new man were standing in a group by the bar talking loudly and all of them looking gorgeous. Hermione suddenly felt self-conscious. She didn't belong in a place like this, no she was more of an at home with a book in sweats kind of girl. Hermione swept her long hair back and turned back to the conversation at her table.
"And then I said, of course not but you can." Ginny finished and giggled slightly as Ron laughed at her story.
Ginny turned to Hermione. "And what's new at the Ministry of Mysteries these days?" She joked.
Hermione smiled. "Oh you know. Mysteries, nothing too exciting really. Although last week I was sent to France because some people were saying there house was haunted by Napoleon, but of course it was just a ghost from the same time period not Napoleon at all."
Ginny and Hermione decided to walk to the bar to get a drink as the waitress seemed to be missing in action. And then Hermione spotted why. Three tables over was the waitress busy flirting, with a familiar blonde man. Draco was at a table with several other men, some Hermione recognized, some she didn't. Hermione pointed this out to Ginny.
"Well I hope he tips her well." Ginny stated. "I know he is handsome and all but I still couldn't bring myself to flirt with Draco Malfoy, not even for good tips." Ginny giggled.
Hermione agreed. "Oh he is the selfish brat he always was." Hermione began to tell Ginny about her encounter with Draco earlier that day.
"Maybe he is stalking you." Ginny said. "Really running into him twice in one day is rather unusual."
Hermione agreed that it was a terrible coincidence, one she would have preferred didn't happen. Hermione glanced back at Draco's table and he looked up and saw her. He looked surprised to see her as she had to see him. "Well I guess he isn't stalking me after all." Hermione said to Ginny. "He just looked up and saw us and looked shocked and perhaps a little disgusted." Hermione joked with Ginny about Draco and his silly hair back in school, all the while feeling his eyes on her.
And Draco's eyes were on her. He had been busy entertaining the waitress. She was gorgeous and was probably going to be an easy, if forgettable lay. Draco looked up and was stunned to see Hermione Granger. And Hermione Granger was in a tight short black dress. Draco groaned thinking that his new attraction to Hermione Granger was terribly unwanted and inconvenient. Draco excused himself from the waitress and walked over to Hermione and the redhead who he now recognized and Ginny.
"Ladies." Draco began. "Put their drinks on my tab." Draco said to the bartender while giving his big sexy smile.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "We are capable of paying for our own drinks thank you very much."
"What gratitude." Draco raised an eyebrow. "Imagine running into you again today. Following me Granger?"
"Follow you? No I would never follow you. I wouldn't want to end up in hell. The place I'm sure you would lead me." Hermione looked at Draco and grabbed her drink off the bar. "Come on Ginny, let's go back to our table. Thanks Malfoy, I guess." Hermione turned around and walked back to the table with Ginny. And for the second time in one day Draco found himself staring at Hermione Granger's ass and wishing he could have it.
Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione stayed at the bar for awhile before calling it a night and heading home. Hermione and Ron arrived home, got ready for bed and like every night got into bed silently and then said a quick good night.
"Hermione?" Ron said asking if Hermione was still awake.
"Yes?" Hermione answered rolling over to face Ron.
"I love you." Ron said.
"You too." Hermione answered.
They both then went to sleep. Hermione content that she did in face love the redhead.
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