A/N: thank you to everyone who read, followed and favoured this story. So as a treat I tried really hard to Finish this chapeter a head of time for you all. once again I do not own the Harry potter Franchise, nor do I own the Brenda Jackson Westmoreland series for which this story and characters are based on… I wished I did but I don't… this is purely for my and your entertainment and I gain no monetary value from this story. Happy Reading and I hope you enjoy this too!
One
Mione I'm sorry I hope one day you can forgive me – Lavender
Hermione Granger lifted a brow after reading a note that appeared on her office desk. Two questions immediately sailed through her mind. Where was Lavender, when she should have been at work over an hour and a half ago and what exactly was she apologizing for? The hairs on the back of Hermione's neck began standing up, and she didn't like that feeling of impending doom at all.
Against her better judgement she had hired Lavender Brown six months ago when Harmony Designs began picking up business, thanks to the huge contract she'd gotten to with Hogwarts and the Ministry to redecorate their libraries. Then Amelia Bones had wanted her mansion redone as a gift to her newly married niece Susan. At last but not least, her new "sister-in-law" Daphne, Harry's wife, hired Hermione for a makeover of her office for her successful magazine Irresistible Wizard.
Hermione had been badly in need of help and Lavender had possessed more clerical and fashion and decorating skills than any other candidates she'd interviewed. She'd given the witch the job; something Harry had warned her against doing due to both witched being an ex-girlfriend of Ron. But she hadn't listened. Hermione figured her and the bubbly and chatty Lavender could work well, despite their minor squabbles during Hogwarts, as even back then Lavender had a more developed sense of Fashion than anyone else in the school. They had, but now, as Hermione quickly scanned her Gringotts Accounts Ledger that automatically updates with every new transaction, she couldn't help but wonder if she should have taken Harry's advice.
Hermione had been best friends with Harry Potter since Hogwarts, and when after the war she went looking for her parents he'd been her rock after the memory reversal of said parents. And now it seemed she should have listened when he'd given advice on how to run her business.
She pulled a sharp breath when she glanced at the balance on her checking account. It was down by 30,000 galleons. Now she knew what Lavender's apology was about. Hermione dropped her face in her arms and felt the need to weep. But she refused to go there, as she had to come up with a plan to replace all the money. Any day now she was expecting invoices to come owling in from fabric shops, arts and craft stores, and her light fixture suppliers, just to name a few. Clearly, she wouldn't have enough to clear all those funds, and now she needed to replace the funds.
As anger consumed her Hermione began to pace her office floor. How could Lavender have done this to her? If she needed the money all she had to do was ask. Although Hermione might not have been able to part with that much money from her personal account, she could have borrowed money from Harry or even George.
Pulling in a big frustrating breath, she decided to file an Auror report. Her friendship and loyalty to Lavender ended the minute her former worker had stolen from her. She should have suspected something as Lavender hadn't been her usual chatty and bubbly self the last few days. Hermione figured it had to do with her trifling live-in boyfriend who barely worked. Had he put Lavender up to this? It didn't matter because Lavender should have known right from and let's face it embezzling from your employer will never be considered a right or smart move.
Sitting back down at her desk, Hermione reached for the ink pot and quill, and then pulled her hand back. Dam! If she filed a report at the Auror Division there was no doubt in her mind that both Harry and Kingsley would hear about it. And these were the last two people she wanted in her business right now. Especially since they had both tried talking her out of opening her interior design shop in the first place, as they felt she had too much potential that could be utilized within the Ministry. However, Hermione felt she'd had her fill of hunting dark and dangerous wizards to last a lifetime. She wanted to do something completely different and unexpected to her modus operandi. Thus interior decorating appeared to be as far from the expected as she could get.
For the past eighteen months, things had worked out really well with her being a one-witch show with her good friends Ginny and Luna helping out if needed. But when the big jobs began coming in she had advertised in the Quibbler for and administrative assistant.
Hermione stood and began pacing again. Ginny was currently out of state playing a friendly quidditch match in another country right now and as she only recently joined the team she wouldn't readily have the money. And just last week Luna mentioned she was saving for a much needed expedition to look for some mythical creature or another. Her parents just left for a world cruise, and George announced at the Weasley dinner last night that he got funding capital to expand the joke shop.
So where was she going to get 30,000 galleons? She really didn't want to ask Harry as hed start asking uncomfortable questions…
Hermione, lost in thought, stood staring out the window for a moment before it hit her that here was an owl pecking at the window. She quickly opened the window to receive the letter hoping beyond hope that it was Lavender, letting her know that she was returning the money, or better yet, that the whole thing was a joke.
Looking at the Malfoy seal on the letter, she wondered why her biggest tormentor during school, more recently Harry's work partner and friend was owling her.
Dear Hermione
I was wandering if there was a chance we could meet today to discuss a business proposition.
Lifting her eyebrow she said out lout, "A business proposition?"
The first thing to cross her mind was that a business proposition was the last thing she was in the mood for today. But then she quickly realized she couldn't let what Lavender did keep her from handling things with her company, as she still had a business to run so she continued reading.
I will be available any time after one o'clock, so how about Lunch at the Italian restaurant Julio's? Please let me know if the time and place is convenient to you.
Sincerely D. Malfoy
While penning a positive response, she wondered if he knew Julio's was her favourite lunch spot. Steering at the window while watching the owl take off with the response Hermione thought of how she recently noticed she enjoyed listening to Malfoy's deep voice during light dinner conversation at Harry and Daphne's house. He always sounded sexy, but then he was definitely one sexy wizard.
That was something she tried not to notice too much, mainly because Malfoy was a complete arse to her throughout their Hogwarts education and he was a close friend to Daphne and becoming a close one to Harry. Also according to Astoria, Daphne's younger sister who had a massive crush on Draco, he had a girlfriend that his mother had introduced him to in the hopes of her becoming the next Mrs. Malfoy and the relationship was serious. Although much to Astoria frustration she couldn't find out just who the mystery girl was and everyone else she'd ask didn't seem to know who is was either.
But what if he was no longer with this mystery girl? What if he was available as he was hot? What if she could forget that he was the biggest prat to her when growing up? After all he was very cordial to her now… what if she could forget that he was a close friend of Daphne? Sighing, she also thought that it wouldn't matter as all his past girlfriends were purebloods statuesque models that probably ran away at the sight of a chocolate bar anyway. But still what if…
Dismissing all such thoughts with a wave of her hand she started to review her account ledger to figure out a way to rob Peter to pay Paul.
