Chapter 7
(December 4, 1:30pm)
Draco looked at Ginny Weasley with a small smile. "Please explain to me why you want this job Ms. Weasley." He had been going through this all morning with people all over the building. It seemed everyone who was anyone wanted Draco's old job. Men and women alike had been flocking to him just to ask if they could get an interview. Ginny was just one of many in the crowed screaming for the job.
"I feel as if I am being over looked do to the fact people think I'm after their jobs. I believe my co-workers and bosses are threatened by my past in the war. They all believe my past deeds will get me their jobs if I so choose." She took a deep breath. "I'd like a fair chance to make it in this field, not because of my past, or my friends, but because I am good at it. I know Ms. Granger would treat me as anyone else and with you being my boss, I get that chance." Draco nodded as she spoke, thinking it over.
That was the best damn reason he had heard all day. Everyone else had just talked about wanting a change and working hard. No one spoke of fairness or of the fact they didn't want there past to hold them back or get them a leg up. Ginny was the only one to say she wanted a job with people she knew wouldn't be threatened by her. He had half a mind to just give her the job right then and there. "May I see you're past job records?" He asked, taking a folder from her and looking it over. He noted some remarks about her 'name dropping' as away to get her way. "You do understand Ms. Weasley I will not give you your way just because of your friends. You will have to work hard and prove to me that you and you alone can do this job."
"Yes of course Malfoy, that's why I want this job…I know it says I name drop to get my way, but that's not true." She said softly. "It's not my fault my family and friends have made names for themselves in the world. I could understand where people might think I am 'name dropping' when really I'm just talking." She sighed, biting her lip some. "I told you I wanted a fair chance and I meant it."
"Good," Draco said, handing her back the folder "You start Monday. Ms. Granger will be your partner as you already know." He heard Ginny take a deep excited breath. "Now, I will be watching your work closely Ms. Weasley and if at anytime I feel you are not pulling your weight, or not doing a good job, I will replace you within an hour. Hermione is not to be given your work load, like she was in school." He could see the girl wanted to snap at him, so he smiled at her.
"Yes of course…Thank you for the opportunity," Ginny said, taking his hand before exiting the room and going to give her notices elsewhere. Draco sent out word that the position had been filled, and when Hermione finally came back to the office after spending the day in the potions lab, she was overjoyed to hear her new partner's name. Draco spent the rest of the night celebrating with her in the bedroom.
(December 10, 3:16pm)
It had been a long ass day for Draco. It turned out Reed had left him a big old mess to clean up. All his paper work was just thrown randomly into drawers. It had taken Draco the better part of the day to get the files into order: first by Alphabet, then by the date. He then had to find out if he needed to fire people that Reed was supposed to fire before he left, but hadn't. That had been fun for him; two of his X employee's stood in his office screaming about his unfair decision to fire them, when he hadn't even had the job for a whole day.
Draco ended up showing them that Reed was suppose to do it. He then explained he was no happier to be firing them than they were to be getting fired. It took him his whole lunch break to get them out of his office. After that wild fun, he talked with other people in the office. He had to find out who was working under him and what kind of job they did. It was only three-ish now and he hadn't even scratched the surface. His eyes looked at the name on the next folder 'Hermione Granger', making Draco lose all track of thought.
Hermione hadn't gotten back to him on taking a trip with him over the holiday and it sort of led them to a big fight. He had asked her if she had even thought about it and when she said she hadn't, he had got upset. He hadn't meant to, it was because December was the hardest time of year for him. Not only because of the lonely holiday season, but because December was when his parents died and on the 22 was his birthday. This made him all the more emotional.
Hermione had been talking about work, when he brought it up. She had said she hadn't given it a thought because she was so busy. He knew this was more than likely true, but in his super emotional state he had gotten mad. In his irrational state he said that the only reason she hadn't was because she was ashamed of them. To prove his point, he had asked when she was going to tell people they were seeing each other, or when she was going to invite him to her place. His closing statement had driven Hermione right out the door. 'You're so damn ashamed of me; you won't even have dinner with me in a restaurant!' After she left, Draco cringed and slumped down in a chair. He then sent her an owl with a huge apology letter, explaining he was sorry for over reacting. Needless to say, Hermione had yet to send him anything back or even come see him to talk about it.
"Mr. Malfoy?" Mrs. Lander said, drawing him out of his thoughts. She smiled at him as she entered his office to look around. "I came to see how your day went" The woman explained as she sat down on his desk.
"I owe Reed a punch in the nose" Draco said, putting Hermione's file down. "That jerk left a mess for me to clean up. I only just barely got to sit down and start to look over the files of people working for me." Lander laughed a little.
"Guess it's a late night at the office for the both of us then." Draco gave her an odd look before the woman showed him it was about five o'clock. "Everyone else went home hours ago." Draco sighed, getting to his feet.
"I guess I should go myself. It's not like I can see my workers at work if their not here" He reached for his jacket. "Unless there something you need me to do…Or did you just stop in to ask about my day?"
(5: 03pm)
Hermione sighed, putting down the letter Draco had sent her the night before. Their fight had been very upsetting for her. She had never once felt her lover thought she was ashamed of him, but with all his defenses and points he had made. 'I'm such a fool…I should have known he was going to get sick of hiding our love life…I'm not ashamed of him…Maybe I was once, but not anymore. I should have told everyone months ago that I was dating him.' She looked down at the letter, wondering why he was sorry. He had every right to be mad and now that she finally had a chance, she was going to tell him so. 'I wonder if he still here?'
She took her things, making her way to his new office as she got closer she heard Draco's voice behind the door. He was asking someone if they need something or if they had just come to see how his day was. She stopped, thinking it was best to wait a few moments before knocking. Mrs. Lander's voice rang clear into the halls. "Oh you could definitely do something for me," the woman said, making Hermione uneasy for some reason. Draco seemed not to notice the tone Lander was using as he asked 'what do you need Mrs. Lander?'
Hermione listened, not willing to leave and hoping she was not about to lose her lover to another woman. "Come now Draco, call me Holly." Hermione could feel it in her bones: that slut had her hands on HER man! "As for what I need from you, well let's just say I could use a man of your caliber to work a little over time under me." Hermione would have burst through the door and hexed the crap out of the woman, but she wanted to hear what Draco said.
"Holly I am flattered really, but I couldn't do that." She heard a long pause. "I'm seeing someone who I care for a great deal and I'm not about to throw that out for a good old shag." There was some laughter from Holly Lander, making Hermione growl.
"Well, if you change your mind Draco, my door and legs are always open for you." She heard Draco make a slight grunt as if he had just been felt up or something. Hermione took that moment to knock on his door. Lander came out to smile at her brightly before leaving. Draco stepped out to see her. He looked a bit uneasy, but she knew why.
"Can we talk?" She asked, taking his hand, Draco nodded, stepping back so she could come in. "Not here, I was thinking maybe we could go out to dinner and then back to my place." She watched as a bright smile appeared over his lips.
"Yes I'd enjoy that." And with that the two took their closet relationship out on the town. They allowed people to see them as they truly were a couple. They held hands as they walked down the street, kissing without thinking about it and simply enjoying each other, all the while, talking about their fight. Draco for the first time in years opened up to someone, telling Hermione of his overly emotional state. He explained how upsetting December was for him and why it had been so important to him she spent the holiday with him.
Where as Hermione did her best to explain that she cared for him deeply, yet she was afraid of what that meant. As the two enjoyed a candlelight dinner under the stars, Hermione told Draco how sorry she was for making him feel like she was ashamed of him. 'I'm not ashamed, scared maybe, but not ashamed.' He had smiled, saying all changes were scary, but as long as you had someone to hold your hand you'd make it through.
"You know Draco, I could really fall madly in love with you." She said and with in a few years she did. Draco had fallen as well, but it wasn't as easy for him to admit it as it was for her. Eventually, he did admit it when he asked her to be his wife. And this time, when Hermione said 'yes' it wasn't because this was what everyone wanted for her, it was because she wanted it (Draco) for herself.
THE END
