A Swelling Rage
Chapter 4
The first thing Hermione did the morning after the fundraiser was make an appointment at Draco Malfoy's office for twelve thirty. His secretary, an elderly witch named Hazel, had quickly gotten her in, still thinking that she was married to Lucius. She didn't bother to correct her and confuse the witch further.
"Why don't you take that delicious skirt off, make it join your shirt and sinful shoes on the floor and come join me in bed." Theo taunted, leaning back into the pillows with his arm behind his head. The white sheet was barely covering his waist and his muscled torso was very much exposed to her eyes. It was a tempting invitation, but she had other plans and even though it would be nice it wasn't on her agenda. She knew that he wouldn't mind.
"Can't I'm meeting with Draco at noon." She said, walking over and sitting next to him on the bed, offering him a kiss on the cheek instead. "Speaking of, did you order flowers for Astoria yet?"
"I did, they should have been delivered first thing this morning. And before you remind me, I made them promise that there would be no lilies in the arrangement."
She laughed, he knew her so well. It was almost too bad that there couldn't be anything further between them. She knew that if there ever could be, they literally would be perfect for one another as their minds worked along the same frequency. They were both obsessed with details and were perfectionists to their very cores.
"Good. I will stop and pick up a gift for them at Doux Bébé. I checked out their catalogue last night after you went to sleep and there is a gorgeous bedding set that I think they would like."
Hermione could see the concern growing in his eyes as she brought up the store and it touched her deeply. She counted herself lucky to have him in her life in whatever context that might be.
"Will you be alright going there on your own? I can join you if you would like." He offered, slipping his palm around hers and giving it an encouraging and sympathetic squeeze.
"I will be fine, really, I will. I can't live forever ignoring it. It's not healthy and it's most certainly not how I want to live my life. Besides, I know that your first shift is going to start in a few hours and I want you to get some sleep since you didn't let me get any last night." She grinned saucily at him.
"I didn't hear you complaining when I..."
She shushed him up by covering his mouth with the pillow. "Theodore Nott!" She exclaimed. "That's private."
"We are the only one's in this flat." His voice was muffled, but she was able to make that much out. She was sure that he said more, probably something about his trouser snake finding where it wanted to hibernate or some other drivel.
With a small wonder of wandless magic, he conjured up a white flag and started waving it around in a mad surrender. Only after another minute did she pull the pillow up and she was rewarded with his smirk.
"I never said that I would play fair, love and sometimes you make it too easy to wrinkle your feathers." He winked at her and gathered her in his arms, pulling her to lay against him although careful not to wrinkle her fine linen skirt and silk blouse. "Do you think that you will see him today?" He said softly, concerned that the trip to the shop would already be too much for her.
"I don't know. Honestly, Theo, I don't know if I can handle another encounter so soon after last night. He just gets under my skin and wears me down. I need to recharge my batteries for at least a day before going into battle with him again." She admitted, sliding her head under his chin and rubbing her cheek against his chest.
"He was pretty furious last night when I kissed you. I thought he would lose it with the engagement announcement, but I guess it was the kiss that sealed it. Did you see how he stormed out of there?" Theo commented, his fingers dancing across her arm as he spoke.
"I did and I can't believe that I was able to stay there and not chase after him. The old Hermione would have. She would have done anything to ease his pain or anger." She said, not sure if she felt bad for the old her or not. She was silent for a moment while she contemplated the thought. "Do you think he knows just exactly what he lost?" She asked, betraying her new self and allowing a bit of the old her to come through and show her insecurities.
She felt him take a deep breath and knew that he was thinking and formulating his words carefully so as not to hurt her further.
"I think that Malfoy doesn't know." He said truthfully. "If he did, he would have moved heaven and earth to make everything right with you."
"I don't know about that. It was such a difficult time for us at the time, maybe it was my fault. Sometimes I think... I don't know what I think anymore, Theo."
He sat up, pulling her with him to look her straight in the eye. "I don't want to hear you talk like that anymore. You weren't accountable for his actions that night and you weren't accountable for what happened after. He knew what you were going through and instead of being with you every step of the way, he took two steps back. I don't know if he just had a lapse in judgment or something else, but regardless, they were his actions and his sins. Not. Yours."
She wished in that moment that her heart didn't belong so completely to someone else because she would love to give it to this man. He was so good to her. Never asking for more than she could give and always happy with her, no matter which Hermione Granger she was. But, she knew, deep down, that even if she had her love to give, he wouldn't want it. Theodore Nott was even more damaged than her and she knew that he would never get over it. This whole relationship that they had was a convenience to him. Yes, he cared for her, enjoyed their time together and liked the comforts that came with having a woman in his life, but he would never love her, he would never love anyone.
"Now, I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense. You have your revenge to get on with so that you can pick up the pieces of your life and I need some sleep since some wildly wanton woman decided to use my body to exhaustion last night."
She grinned at him and kissed him one more time before slipping on her shoes and leaving the flat.
She made quick work at the store, picking up the items that she had earmarked in the catalogue as well as a few other things that were just for Astoria. She had them gift wrapped in pale blue paper with black ribbons. On a lark, she also bought a box of fine Romanian cigars for Draco to congratulate him on his virility. Hermione knew that Theo would take him out for an evening of brandies and stogies at their club, but she wanted something special for him that was just from her.
She did fine walking through the store until she came across a small white cradle. There was nothing spectacular about it. There was no fancy carvings or etchings and no extraordinary charms placed on it. It was just a small white cradle, plain in form and design, but it made her chest squeeze in pain. She turned away from it as the images rushed forth again. She took a deep breath and turned her eyes from the cradle and all that it represented. She was thankful that the queue to the till was short and she was out of there quickly.
With the packages shrunk into her black pebbled leather Tory Burch bag she walked to the public apparition site, landing in the foyer at Malfoy Industries less than two minutes later. A few of the employees recognized her from her efforts with the wizarding war and others recognized her as Lucius Malfoy's ex-wife or wife, depending on who you asked. There were of course several well wishes on her engagement as well as she made her way to Draco's office on the top level of the eight story building.
Hazel, Draco's secretary, wrapped her in her thin arms almost as soon as she walked in the door. The poor woman was so old that she could barely see and hear even less. Hermione knew that Draco wouldn't fire her as long as she wished to continue working and was certain that he did most of his administrative tasks himself so as to not put extra strain on his darling secretary.
"It's so wonderful to see you, dear." Hazel said sweetly, offering her a tea while Draco finished his meeting. "I was telling the young Malfoy the other day that I was surprised that you weren't providing us with more little Malfoy's to run around the office and one day take over the reigns of this company."
"Well, Hazel, the thing is that..." She started to explain, but the elderly woman just gave a small dismissive wave of her hand and smiled.
"These things can take time, especially with an older wizard. Now, my husband Tom. Well, before he passed, Merlin rest his soul, he swore by a concoction of frog spawn, poppy snaps, ginseng, bayberry and molted eel to help him keep it up and lasting."
Hermione knew that her cheeks were turning bright red and hoped that Draco would be finished with his meeting soon so that she didn't need to hear anymore about this dear old woman's sexual life. As if Merlin answered her prayers, the door to Draco's office suite opened and he stepped out. He gave her a quick wink to let her know that he knew she was there. He shook hands with the wizards in front of them and wished them a good afternoon as they stepped into the private floo.
"Pompous gits." He said, turning to her as soon as they were all through and gone. "Honestly!"
She chuckled and thanked Hazel for the tea as Draco ushered her into his office. "I was literally about to barge into your office and tell everyone to leave. Hazel was basically asking me if Lucius had problems getting it up and proceeded to tell me a vile potion that would help. The last I knew, your father didn't have any problems getting it up for me or for anyone else."
"Are you taking the mickey out of my sweet old secretary, Hermione Granger?" He asked, ignoring her comment about his father and storing it for later. He gestured to the front of his desk as she sat down into a chair and sat her bag delicately on the ground. He on the other hand simply plopped onto the side of his desk and started swinging his foot and looking at his reflection in his extremely shiny Italian leather shoes. "I have to tell you, I'm quite partial to her."
"Oh, I know. Hazel is a dear, the only woman who will truly love you for you... all that good stuff." He laughed along with her and told her about the time that Hazel had booked him three meetings at the same time because she had kept misplacing his calender.
"Needless to say, my gentle heart just doesn't have it in it to let her go. Besides, I think I keep her young." He whispered conspiratorially. "So, did you tell her the real reason that you weren't popping out Malfoy babies by the year?"
She sighed and shook her head no. "I didn't have the heart and I would hate to dash all of her dreams."
"Apparently my father doesn't have the heart either. He never corrects anyone when they ask him how the little wifey is doing. Why do you think that is?" He raised a pale eyebrow at her, hoping to get a reaction out of her, but he was met with a stony face that brokered no comment. "So, that's how it's going to be, huh? My poor father is all forgotten now that you are engaged to the good doctor, eh?"
"I think that you don't know me very well anymore, Draco Malfoy. Hermione Granger is different now and has plans that your father could never dream of." She smirked while her eyes gleamed wickedly in the afternoon sun.
"Oh really?" He asked, intrigued by the woman that his friend had become, but he worried about what she would do to his father. He had the feeling that she was out for one thing and it didn't involve and immediate reconciliation with his father. He wondered momentarily if somehow, this was all his fault. "Do tell."
"It wouldn't be very Slytherin of me to tell, now would it? I've learned a lot since I've been gone and I intend to use everything I have learned."
"Look, Granger, I know that you are all on this super witch, or bitch, kind of thing, but I really don't want to see my father hurt." At her questioning glance, he continued. "I don't know what he did to you and I'm sure that you have every reason to get back at him, but please, for me, don't damage him too much. I need him to be a grandfather."
"I have no intention of causing permanent harm to him Draco. Honestly, the only thing that I had planned was seeing his face last night when we announced our engagement. That was enough for me." She told him, putting on her most angelic face.
"Oh, you're good." He laughed, seeing through her lie. "You're going to have to do a little bit better than that if you want to fool my father with your lies. But really, that was a good try. So, do you want to tell me why you're really here? Not that I don't love having you visit, but I do have a mountain of work to do since my sweet secretary isn't really up to it."
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about and bring you these." She said, reaching into her purse and pulling out the gifts she had brought, enlarging them to their natural size. "For Astoria," she said, handing him the packages and then handing him the cigars. "And these are for you. From. Me. Don't believe Theo if you tell him about them and he tries to take credit for them."
"Thank you." He took the packages from her and set them on the coffee table in front of his sofa. The box of cigars though, went on the opposite corner of his desk.
"How do you plan on managing your position when Astoria has the baby?" She asked him bluntly, crossing her legs and leaning forward a bit, her business mask firmly in place.
"I can't even think that far ahead. We are so busy right now and I've got about a million contracts and acquisitions to go through." He admitted, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache. "Astoria wants me to be home everyday by six and she hates it when I bring work home. It's a mess and I haven't found anyone qualified to take over for me when the baby comes. I would like to take a couple months off to bond with my daughter, but I don't see how I can do that with this mountain of a mess in front of me."
"How would you feel if I came to work with you?" She asked, offering her assistance, knowing that there was no way he could refuse.
"You would do that?" He asked, clearly surprised but then his logical brain started working causing him to narrow his gaze at her, sure that there was more to it than that. "What's the catch?"
"No catch." She promised, although mentally she had her fingers crossed. "I'm tired of not working and with Theo just taking over at the hospital he will be working a lot of hours. I don't want to walk in circles around the flat all day long by myself. Plus, I need a challenge. You know that you aren't going to tell me no." She said confidently.
She had him there and they both knew it. There wasn't anyone better to fill his shoes than her. She knew all the ins and outs of Malfoy Industries, along with several of their clients.
"You know that you will have to work with my father on a daily basis, don't you?" At her nod, he continued. "That's not going to be a problem for you, is it?"
"I'm over your father," she lied. "I simply need something to do that pays well and will keep my brain working. Besides, your father and I are adults. I'm sure that we can find a way to work together."
He was skeptical, she could tell, but he was going to relent.
"I'm telling you now that my father is still in love with you. And I can also tell you that I know your engagement is a load of flubberworm dung. You could get married fifty times over the next twenty years and none of your husbands will hold a candle to what I'm wagering you still feel for my father."
"I fail to see how this has anything to do with you giving me the job, Draco." She responded coldly.
"It has nothing to do with the job, I'm just letting you know that I know and you have just confirmed it for me." He winked at her, probably feeling quite superior with his twisted logic. "You can start right now."
With that, he threw a manilla folder at her and walked around his desk and lit one of the fine cigars she had brought him.
"Draco," she admonished him while waving her hand at the smoke.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized and then extended his lighter and the box to her. "It's terribly bad form of me to not offer."
"I really don't know what Astoria see's in you." She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes while tossing the folder back at him to land square on his chest. "Where will my office be? You can't expect me to really work in your office, do you?"
"Oh no, Granger dear. I'm just keeping you hidden until the right moment. I can't wait to see the look on my father's face when he realizes that you're going to be here everyday, just out of his reach." He waxed, apparently pleased with his genius. "I'm thinking that you should have the office right next to his."
"Perfect!" She exclaimed, throwing the folder back at him. "I will start first thing in the morning. Owl me my private floo address and I'll bring donuts with me and stop in and give you first choice."
She gathered up her bag and walked over to his floo, but he stopped her just as she put the powder in her hand.
"I meant what I said, Hermione. Don't make choices that you can't come back from." He said, his tone serious and not joking in the least.
His words should have struck a note with her, but they didn't. She wondered briefly though, as she called out to her address, if it was possible that she was losing everything that was her in her quest for revenge.