A/N: I told you this one would come faster! :) I am now moved into my new flat, and moving onwards to full-time work hours (which also means that I don't have to study for exams anymore), and away from parties :3 This means MORE TIME for writing! Anyone else as excited as I? Please R&R?
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Draco Malfoy...
"Granger?"
"Dar-" Even drunk, Hermione was alert. She paused before continuing, "Darius? The man Helena said knows me?"
Draco nodded. It had been so long... too long. And Granger drinks? The world was definitely full of surprises, "Is Helena here? I wanted to apologize to her about something."
"She... she went out," Hermione said, stumbling back, letting Darius in, "She told me to get papers from Grant for her."
"You also got alcohol from her alcohol stash, I see."
"Make yourself at home, let me just..." Hermione knew she had a stash of Pepper Up potion somewhere... Besides, Darius was definitely a wizard. He wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly sobered up. She finally grabbed hold of the handle to her medicine cabinet. It was rather embarrassing, especially since she had no idea who Darius was. Well, she wasn't supposed to, any way.
Just after she tilted her head back and gulped down the potion, Darius walked up behind her, "Have you been drinking a lot, Granger?"
"This was the first in a while. And pardon me for asking, but how do I know you?"
"Hermione Granger, smartest of all Wizarding World, and possibly Muggle World, as well, hasn't figured out who I am?"
Hermione raised her brow, "...No?"
"Drinking's harmful to the brains, Granger," Darius whipped out his wand, and muttered, "Finite Incantum."
"Oh Merlin... Malfoy? I should have known... is short for Dragonfly... Dragon... Draco... DM... Draco Malfoy..."
"The one and only."
"What are you doing in Muggle London?"
"I should ask you the same."
"It's quite the stupid reason, really."
"Do tell."
"I owe you no explanations, Draco Malfoy. We weren't exactly best of friends, if I remember correctly." In her mind, Hermione panicked. Oh, Merlin, Draco Malfoy and I are in the same boat! It's only a matter of time before he realizes who Helena Greene really is, and -
Hermione was interrupted by the doorbell. Grant.
"Minnie, it's me, open up!"
Hermione opened the door, talking before Grant could let the cat slip out of the bag, "Grant, Helena's out, and asked me to just get the files from you."
"Oh, okay, Hermione," Grant exaggerated. He winced as Hermione stomped on his foot, "Make sure to remind Minnie that the court case is in two days."
"I will, Grant."
"Toodles!" Grant sashayed, yes, sashayed, away.
Hermione definitely needed to drink after Draco Malfoy left her flat.
Draco was ecstatic.
Maybe a tad bit less than that, but he was in quite the chipper mood.
Hermione Granger was right in front of him
As an added bonus, she was acting very much the same as a few years ago.
He wouldn't say that he fancied her. Never.
He admired her.
He would never admit such a thing before the war, of course. But after the war, she disappeared, and eventually, so did he.
In this unfamiliar world, it was nice to know that he knew someone here.
Of course, over the course of the past couple of years, he'd gotten to be familiar with lots of people and things, but to have a witch he'd known for over half his life stand in front of him? That is irreplaceable joy. It was nice to have something familiar.
"Granger, why are you here?"
"I thought I told you that I don't owe you any explanations."
"You're dying to know why I'm here, though, aren't you?" Draco smirked. She couldn't deny that she was a curious one, and wanted to learn everything and anything about everyone and everything. Including him.
Hermione bit her lip, "Why would I want to know?"
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. You don't care to know, you're just curious. I know you better than that."
Her eyebrows shot straight into her hairline, "You don't know me at all, Malfoy."
"Oh? But I do know you enough to know that you have an insatiable curiosity, and I plan to exploit it until you tell me exactly why you're here."
The blasted girl, no, woman, now, bit her lip again. Draco would never admit aloud that it drove him crazy. There was something incredibly sexy about knowing he rendered her speechless. She then sighed and plopped down onto the couch, patting the space next to her to indicate for him to sit as well.
"Well?"
"Let me think of where to begin."
"How the Weasel was a terrible fiancee would be a nice start."
Hermione stifled her laugh, "At least call him Weasley!"
"Yes, Mum."
"But yes, I think that would be a lovely place to start."
"I always knew the problem started with him. What were you thinking, Granger? Being engaged to that oaf?"
Hermione chose to ignore his jabs at her ex-fiancee and began, "As you know very well, I was engaged with Ron at the time. After the war, it became highly publicized. Ron enjoyed basking in the limelight, and I... didn't. I guess he was just glad that Harry Potter only had one front page headline, while he made the next five."
"He was always a bit of an egotistical nitwit, that one."
Hermione couldn't help it, she laughed. The comment was so random that she didn't even have the means to stop the sound escaping her throat, "I guess I have to agree, though I would probably use politer terms."
"That which we call a rose will smell as sweet by any other name, and Ronald Weasley would be as much of an egotistical nitwit regardless of how you sugarcoat it."
"Anyways, I was engaged to him, and I wanted to return to Hogwarts."
"Which you did."
"I did, and Ron wasn't very happy about not seeing me very often."
"And so started the affairs?"
"So started the affairs. I still can't believe I found out through The Prophet!"
"You were in school, how can you not believe it? You didn't see him nor the outside world other than during Hogsmeade weekends!"
"Yes, well, I still imagined he'd be more discreet about it."
"I think he meant to tell you he was breaking it off. Did it break your heart, Granger?" It was in a bit of a mocking tone... a bit playful. He knew Granger wasn't heartbroken by the break up. At most a smidgen disappointed that her best friend would do such a thing, but definitely not completely hurt.
"You know it didn't."
"Do I? Then why did you run off?"
"Because the press wouldn't leave me alone afterwards. That last year of Hogwarts was terrible! By the time I went into Wizarding Law School, the hype had died down, which was nice. However, I couldn't find a job without someone saying, 'Say, aren't you Hermione Granger? Why are you here interviewing with me? YOU should interview ME! You're hired!', or something of the sort. I couldn't find myself a job anywhere based on my own abilities. It also didn't help that the media started badgering me again after Ron got one of his many girlfriends pregnant."
"So you set off for a challenge."
"An adventure."
"And neither Potter nor the Weasley clan knows where you are?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Should I be proud of finding you, then? The entire Wizarding World was in complete chaos trying to find the third member of the Golden Trio when I left."
"Why did you leave?"
"Similar reasons, I suppose. People either worshiped the ground I walked on since I was a spy, or hated my guts for being a Malfoy and spy. I was either hired on the spot or spat at."
"How the mighty have fallen. Muggle London?"
"There's nothing wrong with the Muggle world, Granger. Or have you forgotten?"
"I've known, I just wasn't sure if you knew."
"I was on your side, if you remember correctly."
"It saved your arse."
"And yours, in the long run."
"Touche."
"You're a lot more attractive when you're speechless, Granger."
"I'm assuming you think me attractive even when I'm not, then."
"You are. Then your mouth ruins it."
"I've never heard that complaint."
The sexual innuendo was not lost on Draco who stared at the woman before him. "What exactly do you do, Granger? I don't imagine you'd be a prostitute."
"Me? A prostitute? Surely you know me better than that, as you so claimed earlier."
"I haven't heard of you, and Merlin knows that you would be successful no matter what you are doing, probably including prostitution."
"Being good at sex does not mean I am a prostitute, Malfoy. Do you really think you're the only one with an alias?" Hermione bit her tongue the moment she said it. Now he'll really figure it out. And since when was she one to be so crude to talk about intercourse? She hadn't shagged in... well... ever! How would she, or anyone, know whether she would be good in the sack or not?
"Well, it'd be an improvement on how you use that big mouth of yours."
"You... you... impeccable...you...I have no words for how vile and crude you are!"
"You started it."
"What are you, three?"
"More than that, at least twelve inches."
Like a little child throwing a tantrum, Hermione harrumphed and shifted a bit away from Malfoy. Malfoy is still just the same. Not as prejudice, but still just as arrogant and as much of a prat as during the Hogwarts years, if not more so. Then again, my sex life has never been... anything to talk about back then. A thought struck Hermione then, as she silently complained to herself about Malfoy, "You're camera shy!"
"I assure you, Granger, I'm not."
"At least terrible with the press! Helena said she had to save you!"
"After Rita Skeeter, I'm sure anyone would be!"
"You should know, you insect-befriending, lonesome, terrible, vile, boy! You set her off on Harry!"
"I gave her access to Potter, I didn't 'set her off'. Anyone in the business was 'set off on' Potter!"
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you fancied him! You are a pouf, aren't you? You and all alleged twelve inches of your genitals are craving for a man, aren't you?"
"Granger, you're barmy! You do know better. Otherwise, I wouldn't have an ex girlfriend that I am currently trying to sue!"
"Or she found out you are a pouf, and wanted money to keep quiet, and you wrote her a check, and now, you're trying to -" Hermione was cut off suddenly by lips. Very... very... very soft lips.
Draco pulled back and admired her wide eyes, "Granger, do shut up before I do something else you want me to do."
"I.. I do- I do not want your slimy lips on mine!"
"So sue me. Your friend is the best lawyer the world's got to offer."
"I... I-"
"You won't. You wouldn't, because you're on the same boat as I am. I'm the only who knows you're in Muggle London."
Hermione bit her tongue from giving any more information that may show herself as Helena Greene. Lying was never her forte, even though she has been doing so about her magical abilities for... the past many, many years. Besides, what he was saying wasn't untrue. Though she had Grant, it was still nice to know that someone else knew that she was there. It would be so much more... convenient. In case of an emergency that needed use of magic, she could get a-hold of Draco, and not just rely on Grant.
"Do you ever miss the Wizarding world?"
Draco's question caught Hermione off guard, "No, I suppose not. I mean, I'm still using magic here and there, and I do miss some people, but all in all, I am just fine with being here. What about you? I at least had a Muggle childhood, but you... you..."
"Hated Muggles with a passion."
"I wouldn't say that."
"No, but you'd think of a politer terms to say it," Draco mocked. Hermione didn't argue. "For the record, I didn't hate Muggles. I felt they were inferior, but at the same time, I was fascinated. It's rather like a handicapped person. You know you're more fortunate, and some may even think themselves superior, but you're still fascinated with how they live. I don't think the same way now, but...," he trailed off.
"So how was it for you to get used to living here?"
"It was hard to get used to, but it's really the only place I fit in anymore. I use magic to create what I sell, of course, but I do design and choose materials by hand."
"Of course." In the back of her mind, Hermione was contemplating how her second alias should look like. She knew it was a matter of time before Malfoy asked to see how she looked, and-
"I'm curious, Granger. How does your alternate ego look like?"
"I'm... blonde."
"Trying for the dumb-blonde jokes you would never get as Hermione Granger? Do go on."
Hermione cursed herself for not thinking through her plan, and spontaneously transformed herself. Within the matter of moments, she was blonde with extremely fair skin and large green eyes. A breast enhancement spell completed off her look, and she stared at Malfoy for a response.
"Blimey, you're almost like Looney Lovegood with a dash of Potter and bimbo!"
"Thank you, I think. I work as a secretary. It was the easiest way to get a job without any documents, prior experience, and schooling degree." She changed herself back with a simple Finite Incantum, uncomfortable with the "bimbo" look.
"You're a witch, Granger, you couldn't think of a way to duplicate documents and snag a better job better suited for your brains?"
"I managed to snag a job that suited a look I imagined with my brain."
"And now that brain is wasting away filing papers! You should be... a lawyer! You would be perfect for the job, and I know you love a banter!"
Hermione almost laughed at the irony, "Malfoy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you cared about my future."
"Ah, but you know better."
Again, that line. It hurt more than it should have, and it shouldn't have effected her. Not even one bit. Hermione kept her smile, albeit fake by now, and said, "Oh, really?" She shouldn't do this; it wasn't right. She was flirting. She was flirting with the one boy who made her childhood a living Hell, and... he could never feel the same about her. He had turned out to be a good man, but that was exactly it: good men treat all women the same. Falling for one was like falling because you thought he treated you better, when in fact, all other women were the same to him.
"Really." Malfoy raised an eyebrow, as though to challenge her to point out otherwise.
"Good, because I wouldn't know how to reject you." The familiar feeling of blocking out everyone came about her again. It had been so long... She had never let her walls crash down this hard. Not since Ron.
She never fell for John. She liked him enough, but he could never say something that hurt her. Not that he would try, of course, but she just... couldn't fall for him. John was a pleasant man. He was a bit dull, but a pleasant man, nonetheless. One that grew lovesick and drowned in it. He would spend days and months and years doing everything he could for that one woman he loved. Hermione liked that. Except for the fact that his love suffocated her and made her feel guilty. John made her feel like she had to settle down with him and become a housewife. He wouldn't force it on her, but he was so endearing that she felt as though she was constantly being passively persuaded to. She would never ever quit work to pop out children. She would possibly take maternity leave and pop out a child, and hire a maid, but even that was undesired for her near future.
Draco Malfoy was a different story. She re-met him as Helena Greene, and he was Darius Mead. Darius was kind in his own quirky way, and just as much of a workaholic as she was. When he revealed himself as Draco Malfoy, she realized just how much he had changed from that obnoxious arsehole from Hogwarts. He was still challenging her in ways no other bloke could. It was almost like within a matter of about a month, she had fallen for the same man twice. Helena Greene fell for Darius Mead, then Hermione Granger fell for Draco Malfoy.
Draco felt stung at Hermione's confession of not being able to figure out how to reject him. He didn't like the chit, but a bloke still has his pride, right? Perhaps this was the hurt that Helena felt when he had rejected her in the restaurant. He felt a smidgen of guilt, thinking about what Helena might be doing, wondering if she was hurt much by his actions. Sometimes, words escape his mouth without his thinking. "That hurt, Granger."
"I hoped so!" Draco mistook her hopeful look as one of defiance.
"Was that for Helena?"
"What?"
"What I said to her, she must've told you."
"Told me what? She tells me little about you; not everyone has to have you on their mind all the time, Malfoy!"
"Well, I was quite out of line today, and I wanted to apologize to her."
"When aren't you out of line?"
"I'd like to be in line when I'm with her."
Hermione's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline (well, figuratively speaking, anyways). "You want to be whipped?"
"I-Oh, Merlin, that didn't come out right, did it?" Draco laughed a nervous laugh, "I meant that I don't want to be terrible around her. She is my lawyer and pretend girlfriend; I would like a friendly relationship with her."
"Your relationship is anything but friendly. More so complicated, wouldn't you say?"
"You know, you talk almost exactly like her, but she has a lot more charm."
"You mean to say that she talks exactly like me. I came first."
"She's less obnoxious."
Draco almost laughed out loud when Hermione Granger, the Brightest Witch of [Their] Age, suddenly giggled and sang, "Draco Malfoy's got a crush, Malfoy's got a cruuushhh-"
"Merlin, you must be about four!"
"I'm not sure if you're complimenting me on my figure, or insulting my lack thereof, but I am larger than that, I assure you. I'm a 32. C-cup, to be exact," she cheekily replied, throwing his previous retort back at him with a mocking and flirtatious wink.
"And impossible," he added.
When Draco Malfoy finally left her flat a few hours later, Hermione laid down on her couch. She had a lot to do, and she knew it. She couldn't concentrate, though. Not with these new-found feelings and revelations and... him on her mind. Of all the people in the world... Draco Malfoy? And to add on to it all, he was Darius Mead, her client and pretend boyfriend. Topping it off? The fact that despite all odds, they had fun simply bantering and arguing and... being themselves. Literally. Hermione groaned into her hands and let sleep take her. Just an hour until I clear my mind, she thought as she drifted off.
