Dear Neville
You wouldn't believe what just happened! Malfoy, that insufferable git, just walked in through the front door of my shop and offered me a job.
One would assume he missed the sign on the door saying "Hermione Granger, Second Hand Books and Antiquarian" but then, he may just have been a prick, just as he used to.
I can't quite let it go, though. He was cheesy enough to offer something 'I couldn't refuse' but he never said what (I believe I may have scared him off). I'll admit that I'm curious, but I'd never stoop to working for Malfoy, anyway, so it's pointless.
How are you doing? What's new in the world? Is madam Sprout well? You know you're my only link to Wizarding news, so tell me everything!
Sincerely
Hermione Granger
Hi Hermione
It sounds strange, I haven't seen anything in the news about the Malfoys lately, but they're always up to something, I suppose.
I'm doing well. Mary and I are officially going out now! Madam Sprout was so happy, and she even said I could teach the First Years on my own next week. I don't know if I'll manage. What if they don't listen to me?
Your friend
Neville Longbottom
Whatever it was that blonde prat had wanted her to do, it was useless to think about it. He was nasty and evil. Much better, then, to hope Neville had good luck juggling his new girlfriend and his Herbology apprenticeship.
It was useless, but hard to forget.
Curiousity was a thing Hermione was used to satiating.
Books tended to give answers to the questions they posed, and if not, then there was always another book to look in.
Now, there was no way out and the more she rationalised it, the less it wanted to be kept contained.
Of course, in the end she gave up. Her mind suggested that she wasn't actually accepting his offer, that would be ridiculous when she had her own place to run.
She just wanted to know what he was offering in the first place.
"Mister Malfoy, there's a witch who insists on speaking to you."
Could it be? He'd staged it as best he could, considering he really had nothing on her. Very few spoke to him directly, his secretary was much more pleasant and quite skilled. Most found him intimidating and were fooled by the secretary's perfectly sweet manners into thinking she would be an easier target. It was only marginally true.
But yes, from the moment he entered the room he noticed her frizzy bush of … well not so frizzy anymore, perhaps, but nevertheless hair in dire need of taming.
Hermione Granger, peering at him through the fire.
She'd taken the bait and now he had to reel in very carefully.
"Miss Granger, what can I do for you?"
"I've decided to hear you out. I doubt you really have anything to tempt me, but it's at least worth a few minutes of my time."
She was just bursting with curiousity and trying to convince herself that she wasn't. He'd planted it there, himself. She was on guard for physical and magical means of manipulation, but he was a social creature. She wasn't, but that did not make her immune to the pull of human weakness.
"Very well. Come through, then."
He had to restrain himself from rubbing his hands with glee. It was all going according to plan.
