Chapter 2: Ministry of Magic
The next day at the Ministry of Magic, Hermione Granger kissed her husband and son goodbye but she felt rather anxious. One could say she had a premonition, or was it the day before's events? She told herself not to think of anything besides work. There's a right time and place for everything. Maybe if she forgot about it, it would disappear from her memory. Why was she getting so worked up over a small smile?
She took a left turn to the External Affairs department and continued down the long hallway.
"Morning, Ms. Granger!" She was greeted by her young secretary, Bertha Blumenkind.
Hermione received the espresso from Bertha, took a sip and thanked her. Bertha was a small and skinny blonde with exceptionally big bug-eyes which were magnified ten times more by her hot pink glasses. Her usual "attire" was a collared chiffon blouse and a pencil skirt and a beige cardigan. She was a talkative individual and was always enthusiastic about everything. Hermione enjoyed her company most of the time.
"Here are the new cases for today! We have received new data of about 243 muggles sighting the entrance of Hogwarts students yesterday, were those wizards and witches not careful enough? We didn't have much of that last year, but now they're writing in queries. Are you sure we can't just Obliviate everyone? That'll be much easier, given how many Aurors, plus our workers here in the Ministry, we can easily…"
Hermione watched Bertha rattle on incessantly with arched eyebrows. She glanced up from her mug, "And…?"
"Oh uh, heh. But that's not the main thing today, Ms. Granger. We just have received news from several organisations questioning a certain "Immortality Potion"? I don't know what it is, but a government head has written to us, claiming costs for its use in hospitals."
Hermione almost choked on her drink, "What? An Immortality Potion?"
"I don't really know either, it just came through owl mail this morning. I don't think the other ministries have heard of such a thing though."
"What are the side effects of consuming that potion? Damage done? Or not?"
"I really don't know Ms. Granger, it was an urgent letter, but he seems to think we know full well of what it is and can do. I will give you the other information once I have my hands on them!" Bertha was bouncing on the spot, wiggling her fingers, and staring intensely at Hermione, "What shall we do, Ms. Granger?" She managed a squeak.
"This may evolve into a pandemic. I think the rest of the ministries don't have a reason to know of it yet, since it came just this morning. We need to keep it confidential for the time being, and find out who's responsible for this."
Bertha Blumenkind gave a quick little bow and proceeded out of the office of the Minister of Muggle Affairs.
Hermione slumped into her seat. She was at a loss. First, there was so much to do. Second, she didn't know what to do, there's not anywhere to start at all! She rubbed her eyes and rested her chin on her palm, staring ahead at her mug and the pile of paper next to it. This was the start of a long week.
Glancing at the top most sheet of paper, she decided to handle the easier task first, while waiting for Bertha's findings. She scrambled to her computer and typed out a reply, assuring the ministers in the muggle world that they won't be dealing with more cries of unusual alien sightings, with the new and improved "Invisibility Barrier" which would be functioning for the first time the following year.
"Ms. Granger! I have the information here, would you like me to enlighten you now, or are you in the middle of something?" Bertha practically smashed the door open, causing Hermione to snap her head up.
"I think I can help you with that." A cool and calm male voice reverberated through the office as footsteps neared. A hand swiftly took the file of printed documents in Bertha's arms in one fluid motion as the intruder sauntered in, clinking his exquisite shoes on the glass floor.
"Mr… Mr. Malfoy?" Bertha stammered, obviously taken aback by his rude entrance.
"Just a cup of hot water will do, thank you, Bertha. I have matters to discuss with Ms. Granger."
"Ms. Granger is busy now, if you'd like to meet her, you have to book an appointment through me first," Bertha said rather timidly.
"I know more than you do, Miss Blumenkind. A cup of hot water will do, thank you," Malfoy, serious and smug at the same, had already made himself comfortable at the armchair by Hermione's table.
"Look, I really have to finish these, so I'll talk to you later near lunch, all right?" Hermione continued browsing through the files Bertha handed her to keep herself looking busy, while he sat there patiently waiting for her, fingers interlocked and resting on his knee.
Silence settled as Bertha arrived with a teacup of hot water and hesitantly headed out of the office, as if afraid of leaving her superior in the hands of the infamous Minister of Finance. Draco Malfoy fished out a tea sachet from his breast pocket and quietly immersed it in the water, the smell of expensive tea filling the room. He stirred it lightly, took a sip and watched her fuss over the files.
"I came here first thing in the morning, didn't know you were that early," he started, wearing a warm smile. When she didn't seem to acknowledge his presence, his eyes narrowed, "I know more about this than you or your secretary do."
Hermione had thought it was better to not be anywhere close this suspicious character, even though he was fully redeemed and even celebrated by many in the Ministry as an elite Minister of Finance, so she shook her head and continued pouring over the documents, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"The Immortality Potion. Heard anything about it lately? Or just this morning?" he peered over her paper with a slight sneer at her unwillingness to speak with him. "Something you're totally clueless about, I know all about it. You need me to finish the job."
That made her stop dead in her tracks, not that she didn't know where it was going, but it did. She looked at him dead in the eyes, "If so, why would you want to help me?"
He mentally blinked for about two seconds, and relaxed back into the armchair, smirking while stretching his arms behind his head, "I have a favour to ask of you, and also, because I'm a hero who helps others."
Hermione almost choked on her espresso a second time.
She had agreed to see him for lunch if he would give her some time to finish the trivial matters. He took the teacup and strolled out of the office, handing the cup back to Bertha. He turned back and mouthed through the glass doors, "My office, when you finish."
Draco Malfoy was the same rank as her, being Minister Heads of Department. Both were only short of a higher spot because of their age, which many considered to be evidence of seniority, but to him, was just bullshit. Many admired his ambition, efficiency, professionalism and charisma, while staff liked Hermione's consistency and hard work.
She sighed. It was the adult work-life, a totally different ball game from the simple times at Hogwarts. A ball game that he was better than good in.
She looked at the clock, and looked at her sent letters. Quarter to 12. Perhaps she could scan through Bertha's short notes before going. At least she won't seem completely clueless in front of that man.
"Okay," she huffed. "The Immortality Potion… Silver in nature, showing streaks of plum and emerald when swirled… A muggle invention… Tested on lab rats… Even after severe body harm, not dead… Pain threshold reduced… Meaning to say, the rats could feel the pain but cannot die…" Hermione stopped reading. Glancing at her clock, she saw it was still early, but she knew she had to talk to Malfoy immediately.
Clicking her heels, she made her way to the other side of the wing, to the Finance Department, and brisk-walked to the end of the passage.
"Cynthia. I have a meeting with Mr. Malfoy," she politely greeted the secretary in front of the office.
"It's at 12. Make yourself comfortable here as Mr. Malfoy finishes with what he's currently doing." Hermione could almost hear a snort. She heard Bertha talk about her before, they used to be great friends until she goes "cray-cray for Malfoy" when she got placed under him and "basically changed her outlook in life".
"Thanks Cynthia, I will be back by 3," Draco Malfoy exited his office and smiled at her and Hermione almost threw up at the change in expression on her face.
"Malfoy, so what do you know about the Immortality Potion?" Hermione needed to get it out of her head.
"Come, it's just ahead after a turn left," he gently led. Hermione realized she didn't know where they were heading for lunch and she had been following him all this while, preoccupied with her thoughts.
It was at the end of a beautifully quaint and quiet street, bright enough for patrons to know it's there, but dark enough to create a peaceful dream-like atmosphere. Its windows were dotted with little pink rosettes, and they were old, yet not dusty. The paint on the opened wooden doors was peeling, as if intentionally made by an artist who was drawing it. The restaurant had a mild smell of wine and bread, and a strong but not overbearing scent of posh.
"Welcome to Buona Gavroche! Mr. Malfoy, how come you haven't visit us since last month? Our waitresses—they always asking for news of you, my friend!" The head chef and Gavroche himself (as observed on his name tag) grabbed Draco Malfoy's hand and patted him on his back, as if reunited with an old friend.
"Very nice to see you again, Gavroche. Things aren't the same as they were, but no—today I'm a merry man. Bring me your specials, Gavroche, we have a guest."
"This is my favourite restaurant, albeit in the muggle world. I always come here alone when I need to think. I thought of showing it to you." Draco Malfoy grinned, looking around at the surroundings.
"I… didn't expect you to be… this accepting of muggles, to be honest," Hermione glanced at him with an unsure yet pleasant emotion written on her features. "You don't come here with your wife?" She didn't know, she just had to ask.
"Astoria doesn't accept muggles as much as I do… I prefer not to talk about her," Draco Malfoy's expression turned grim. But his face lit up once again when he saw the large platter of seafood approaching the table, "Ah, here's the Plateau de fruits de mer."
"Gavroche's numéro un! Try it, my fair lady!" The bounding chef beamed excitedly at Hermione, "Mr. Malfoy, you haven't tell me her name yet!"
A/N: So the last time, I stopped here. I wanted to continue but I was too excited to upload it and now it's kinda awkward to continue hehe. I just felt that it would be so much cooler to show the development of this ship post-Hogwarts, because let's face it, there are zillions of bad-boy-good-girl stories already heh ;)
See you soon! Leave a comment so I can say hi! :D Love and happy new year (I just typed yeah instead of year ahaha).