Chapter 4

Draco sat on his couch, reading a book. But he wasn't really reading. The text just entered his mind, and then evaporated. He was thinking about a certain auror.

"Just answer the damn question Malfoy."

Ha! Granger was still as feisty as ever. Her hair had calmed down considerably. She had a nice body, any fool could see that, but she had something more. There was a certain air about her. It made her sort of…

"Hey Dad, can we have cake for dinner? I'll make my bed if we do."

Just a kid, and already bargaining. He was such a Malfoy. "You'll make your bed no matter what we eat. Even if we have brussel sprouts for dinner!" Patrick clutched his throat and pretended to drop dead. Draco smiled to himself.

"Get up you goofball! Don't worry, we're having mac n' cheese."

Patrick popped up into the air and shouted at the top of his little lungs, the most joyful "HOORAY!" Draco had ever heard in his life.

oOo

Hermione sat at her desk doing paperwork. This was the only part of her job that she hated. Sign this, initial that, any moron could do that. Paperwork made her feel that her intelligence was being wasted. Eventually she got so sick of writing, she bewitched he pen to do it for her. She sat back and pulled out a book to read, but she couldn't concentrate. She picked up the phone, one of her favorite muggle tools, and dialed Ginny's number.

"HELLO?" Ginny shouted.

"Ginny, I told you that you don't have to yell when you use a telephone!"

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I keep forgetting. Hey, how was your meeting with the Ferret?"

"That's what I can't stop thinking about. I mean, he's so different than he was at school. He hasn't once called me a mud-blood, he's ashamed of his dark mark, he loves his son unconditionally, and he's very attractive. Merlin! Did I just say that?"

"Malfoy's been attractive this whole time! Anyone with eyes could see that. But I bet he's still a git. I should hope so, to prevent you falling in love with him. Imagine that!"

"Yeah, um, how are you and Harry?"

"We're fine. But Harry has this strange idea that I like poetry. He probably read it in Ron's stupid book on how to charm witches. Well I for one have too much dignity to think, "Roses are Red, but not the same beautiful red as your hair Ginny, honest!" is romantic. I wish Harry didn't have to work so much. We're due for a dinner date. Well, my throat is dry from talking so much, what about your love life?"

"There isn't one. I've been so caught up in work. Ever since Ron and I broke up, most men are repulsive to me. Maybe I should become a nun. What do you think?"

"Your hair wouldn't fit into the hat!"

"Thanks, Gin."

"No problem. Crap! I gotta go, some kid has cucumbers growing out of his ears and now he's sneezing pickles! Bye Hermione!"

Hermione listened to the dial tone for a few seconds. Her job was pretty hectic, but not as bad as Ginny's job. She was a healer at St. Mungo's in the children's wing. Cucumber kid was the least of her problems. Hermione knew that being jealous of Ginny would be totally immoral. I mean, look at her! She's got her pen to do all the work. But she was very bored. Bored enough to think of Draco Malfoy every second she got.

oOo

Hermione and Harry walked down the long corridor to Ron's office. Much to Hermione's dismay, Harry wanted to invite Ron to lunch with them, she was still mad at him. When they got to his office he was playing "Exploding Snap" all by himself. Being a hypocrite, Hermione yelled, "Ron, how can you waste time on the Ministry's Galleons?"

"Aw, be quiet Hermione. I have nothing important to do anyway." He turned to Harry. "Charlotte's taking a sick day today so I've got nothing to do!" He and Harry both grinned.

"You two are pigs." Hermione said flatly.

"Not Harry! He only looks at Charlotte's forehead."

"That's because I'm in love with Ginny… and I respect women, that's all." Said Harry, still smiling. "Anyway, we're not here to argue, we wanted to know if you'd want to go to lunch with us. Well?"

"Er, alright. But only if Hermione promises not to yell at me every five seconds."

"I'll promise no such thing!"

"Fine, I'll go. I have the taste for some pie. Want to go to Albert's café?"

"Sure, let's go."

Hermione was in no mood at all for pie, but it was two against one. And she certainly didn't want to go eat alone, out of fear that she would stop and think about Malfoy again.