May 14, 1999
A sharp knocking on Hermione's door interrupted her thoughts.
They were self-pitying anyway. She had been doing that a lot the last few days.
The past year, if she were honest with herself.
She magically unlocked the door, which shut down the pleasant little voice which informed those knocking on her door that she was unavailable.
Implementing an open door policy had nearly destroyed her during the first month of being an assistant to the Director. The issue had been "solved" when she came storming out of her office and had the epic Halloween Meltdown, as it was still referred to to this day.
The door opened, and she nearly recoiled. Hermione did not need Draco Malfoy today.
He was still pale as ivory, his platinum hair and silver eyes giving the impression she had found the polar opposite of Dementors. But instead of sucking up others' pain, he caused it with his presence.
"What can I do for you, Malfoy?" She could be civil if she tried.
Malfoy closed the door behind him, smiling nastily. Or maybe it was his pleasant smile' she'd just never seen it on his face before.
"Granger. I have a proposition."
No preamble then.
She would return the favor.
"No." Hermione picked up a sheath of parchment to shuffle in it. She wasn't pretending to work, everything on her desk was priority at this point.
"You asked what you can do for me," he sounded annoyed; she refused to look up.
"A rhetorical question at best, Malfoy. You can see yourself out." Bestowing a polite smile at him, she waited.
Malfoy stared at her, fingers pausing on the latch.