Chapter 7
Abraxans and Revelations
Hermione prides herself on being able to keep a cool head, but with her twenty feet long check list she most certainly feels the intense pressure. She can't believe there's only thirty six hours until the press gala. The team and herself has put in extra hours in the past two weeks but she felt like it still wasn't enough. Like why hasn't someone from Magical Enforcement visited yet to double check all the protection spells? When are the printers going to deliver the final collateral? Are the interns going to put out all the chairs in time?
"Hermione, your plus one ticket." Justin appeared and handed over an envelope.
"My plus one?" She was confused. Nobody discussed this when they were going over the guest list.
"Of course! You could bring Harry or another friend." He walked away, he also had plenty to do today.
It really hadn't of occurred to Hermione to invite someone because she assumed that it's a work event. She may try to owl Ginny or Harry to see if they were free. She looked down at her list, there's just too much to do than to ponder who she can invite last minute. It's best to leave it be. If she's going to be busy that evening, she may leave one of her poor friends by themselves the whole night. In her neat handwriting at the top of the list, it read "Draco's introduction." Great, she has to go over that blonde's speech for tomorrow, which means she has to find him. They haven't spoken about the Three Broomsticks incident and avoided it like the elephant in the room. Most of their interaction has purely been work-related but it seems like they have been pushing each other's buttons more as the final day draws closer. She can't imagine how much snappier he could be today. She sighed as she reminisced back how he was a much better companion only last week.
She was at her desk putting rolls of checklists and documents in her handbag, which thankfully had an undetectable extension charm to accommodate everything. It's her last visit to the Brecon Beacons before the whole team moves there to prepare for the launch gala. She was about to pack some dragonhide safety gloves and an extra cloak when the man she least expected walked in to the office.
"What are you doing here?" She was surprised to see Draco in the small room, it was only Wednesday. He wasn't supposed to be here.
"Good morning to you too, Granger. I see you've left your manners at home today." He replied curtly. "I'm coming with you to supervise; I want to make sure everything is running properly – from a commercial perspective."
She noted how he looked immaculate in a well-tailored robe as always and wore pristine boots to match. Not that she wanted to check him out, it's just an observation that nothing much escapes his attention to detail, including his appearance. Perhaps he would be of use today.
"Well let's go get that portkey then." They walked to the department of transportation and she was grateful for the lack of conversation. The witch responsible for distributing portkeys today handed over a small bright pink and sparkly toy the shape of a Pegasus, which Hermione recognized from her childhood.
"Of all portkeys, what is this nonsense?" The witch giggled at Draco's response, Hermione noted how her eyes kept darting over to him as she filled out all the necessary paperwork.
"It's a popular muggle children's toy. I thought it was appropriate for where you are going. Although I didn't know the two of you were together…"
"No, we're not together. I also have a lot of business there too." Draco was so quick off the mark in protestation, it made Hermione feel uncomfortable. The witch looked uncomfortably embarrassed, as she readjusted her robes.
"Sorry, of course I didn't mean that. Well take care Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger." Hermione pursed her lips into a tight line as she snatched the paperwork from her grasp and all but stormed out of the office. Watching people fawn over Draco is unbearable and she has no intention for allowing it to continue.
Draco holds out the toy in his palm in the main foyer and offers her his hand. Due to the size of it being no bigger than her thumb, she had no choice but to clasp her hand in his larger warm one. The familiar pull in her belly and spinning nausea through a tight tube came to her until she finds her feet planted down onto squelchy wet mud. Draco yelped in protest over the muck.
"This is not suitable for any of our guests to land in. My boots are practically ruined!" She could barely contain her laughter at the once gleaming boots now caked in thick brown sludge.
"Get over your boots. You're rich enough to buy a new pair each week." But she did secretly agree that the landing spot for portkey travel needs fixing – something dryer. She looked around and they landed just on the riverbank facing a waterfall. There were stepping stones running across the stream, right in front of it.
"Come on, Malfoy." As she guided him over to the stepping stones, she still held his hand. Malfoy made no mention of it nor did he make any move to let go. There were seven large stepping stones across the stream, each one big enough for two adults to stand on. They hopped over to the fourth stone and were faced only an arm's length away from the cascading water.
"Where's the entrance?" He asked her.
"This is where you take a leap of faith in me." Hermione leapt off the stone and into the water. Not a single drop fell on her, nor did she fall into the stream. Instead she landed in a wide and deep slate cave, lit by lanterns. Draco came through next to land next to her.
"That's quite an entrance."
"You've seen nothing yet." They walked down the corridor and the sound of their feet echoed down.
"I've never asked but who approached you about this project?" It interested Hermione to know how she ended working with Draco. Perhaps if they weren't thrusted into this situation, things could have been different. Perhaps there would have been a polite distance between them.
"Richardson at the Ministry mentioned it when Justin had a meeting with him. I caught wind of it and jumped at the opportunity."
"Even with me on board?" She felt nervous as he stiffened up at her question.
"I wasn't aware of your full involvement at first. But I know that any project would always benefit with your bossy brain behind it." It was a backhanded compliment if she's ever heard one, but given the way he has behaved recently, she knew it was better than what could be expected. As they drew closer to the daylight at the end of the tunnel, they could begin to hear the roars and huffs of dragons.
"Just so you know Malfoy, your input has been valuable to this too. Also I'll warn you now – try not to faint when you see this place."
They were almost at the end of the tunnel and Hermione felt a ray of sunshine peep through the clouds and bask her face in its warmth. She turned and couldn't help but grin like a Cheshire Cat at the dumbstruck look on Malfoy's handsome face. It was the expression that really made her day.
Hermione shook her head, there's no time for daydreams. She apparated from the bottom of the valley to the top cave, the long corridor which would lead back to the waterfall entrance. It was there she found Draco, next to a lantern, holding his reading glasses and a parchment, muttering to himself. He noticed the clicking of her boots echo down the corridor and he didn't bother to look up as he focused on the words in front of him. Being a company president these days required a certain amount of charisma and memorizing speeches. He's proud that he made the job look effortless but truthfully he tries to work whenever he can cram it in.
"Do you have any amendments on that speech? McColl wants it approved by the Ministry before tomorrow night." He rolled up the parchment and handed it to her.
"You can give him a copy, I've not made any major changes. Just some personal word choice and moving things around." She swished her wand and Draco's parchment split into two. She took the second copy of his speech.
"Thank you. There's also the issue with the press packages. Can you come down and check with our interns?" He nodded to her request, noticing how she wore a loose bun today and gave him a lovely view of the soft skin usually under that hair. In many ways, he's excited to see the results of their work together.
This project could help in turning the Malfoy fortunes but in some ways he's relieved that this will all end soon. Being in close proximity to Hermione Granger has led him to think of her in a new light, but he's at a crossroad where he's confused on what to believe is the authentic Hermione Granger. Was it the bossy know-it-all who works at the Ministry, matron of virtue, his antagonist? Or was it the witty, sensual and passionate woman he met in Japan?
They strolled down the corridor and a crescent lush valley opened up to them, the jagged ridges acted as menacing walls for three unmistakable Welsh green dragons. Huge slabs of slate formed steps leading down to the bottom of the valley where the greenery gave way to grey slate sheets and the caves were the dragons could go. Draco has been impressed by the scenery all week but it was the view next to him that really took his breath away. "I love my job." He heard her whisper.
He would be hard-pressed to ever forget that infectious smile and the sparkle in those brown eyes. Whatever confusion he had earlier about Hermione Granger, it was all so clear now. Bossy Hermione and Jean were one and the same person. It's just not many people got to deeply understand her. Like the papers and gossip placed her on a pedestal as the goddess of virtue and justice. He got to feel what underpins all of that virtue – passion. It made his heart swell and he couldn't help but feel some level of gratitude for her passion. It reminded him to take awe of the incredible magical world he lived in.
They passed Mrs Khan on the long stairway, who has coaxed the fairies to stay among the twisting vines for tomorrow. Artemis was in the middle of decorating the cresent-shaped stage with banners, hedgerow and more fairies. The chairs are placed around the stage by a team of Hogwarts interns. The press packages are currently being packed by another group of Hogwarts interns. These iridescent navy boxes were to be filled with leaflets, animated soft toys of Nifflers (which won't destroy the home), fiery chilli chocolate dragons, Kappa-shaped fizzes, Hippogriff sugar quills and Ashwinder frozen eggs. All of these were set on a bed of petals and vines and the whole box was tied with a thick black ribbon.
Draco laid eyes on the assembly line and immediately saw the sloppy handiwork. He made everyone stop what they were doing with a stern shout, like the way his late godfather used to.
"These are unacceptable for our guests. I will demonstrate how to do this one more time so watch carefully before I send you back to Hogwarts with no reference letter." He waved his wand and unwrapped a completed box. "Do not push down the petals or vines. You will make a crushed mess. Next the toys need to upright like so." More souvenirs flew and landed perfectly into the box. "Tuck the leaflets and sugar quill into the gaps here and don't bend a corner in the leaflet. Redo all these boxes precisely or you will be back at Hogwarts before you utter the word 'internship'." He walked away with a swish of his robes as the group of students looked horrified at the already made hundreds of boxes. He expects nothing but perfection.
"Draco, I need to speak to you now about another issue." He looked at Hermione who he has ignored while he was outraged by the teenagers' shoddy workmanship. She indicated towards the newly built hut which is now the sanctuary's new visitor centre. An approved extension charm has been cast so that it's a much larger place inside than it looks from the outside. She opened the door to the medical room and locked it after Draco went inside. The unmistakable smell of her wrapped around him in the small room. He watched her turn towards him with her arms crossed, her brows knitted close together in a frown. Was there a need to discuss whatever's important in such a private space?
"I know you are under pressure but you need to stop behaving like a total arse towards the interns." He almost laughed at her.
"Bit hypocritical, coming from such an infamous perfectionist. Also they are Hogwarts students who need to learn what the real workplace is like."
"Just because I'm an overachiever doesn't mean I treat my staff like crap. And like you said they're students, cut them some slack. We all made mistakes as teenagers."
This conversation didn't feel like it's about the work, but a personal attack. He stepped closer to her, towering her as she craned her neck to stare up at him with a determined and soft mouth.
"What is honestly your problem Granger? You pretend to be a concerned team player but you take every opportunity to undermine my authority."
They stood there, daring each other to speak. It was a war of wills, who will lay their heart out first. It started to dawn on Draco that whatever feelings he had was for Hermione, he had clung to them hopelessly. She doesn't respect him as the person he has become, she doesn't see him as a potential lover or maybe boyfriend. She still sees the bullying teenager of her youth. She still judges him as the former death eater, who one should be cautious with. There's no hope that she will return any fondness that he felt for her.
"If you'll excuse me, I don't have all day to stand around. We have a lot of work to do." He snapped.
"You're right Draco." He was so surprised. Did the most stubborn and opinionated woman he knows just agree with him?
"I haven't treated you fairly since we've started working together. It wasn't easy knowing who you are after… the dates we went on." He could see a slight blush has crept up Hermione's graceful neck.
This is the first time that they are having a conversation about their dates, about them. Why is the collar of his robes suddenly so tight?
"Hermione," he paused, was he ready to tell her that he tried to keep his distance since he figured out they slept with each other? Was he ready to say he was and still is attracted to everything about her? Can he say he's almost ready to give up holding a candle to her?
"I've not been fair to you too." This was all he could muster to say. His hands were clasped behind his back, afraid he might grab her stiff shoulders or snap her rigid posture as he pull her into his arms. She's often tense in his presence, especially when he wasn't Orion in her eyes.
"You seemed so much more relaxed when you thought I was somebody else."
Her soft lips opened as she was about to respond, when a knock interrupted and someone shouted through the door.
"Hermione. Are you in there? The abraxans and their trainers are here."
When Draco looked into her lovely chocolate eyes, her mouth became a thin grin line. "Well Draco Malfoy, I'm glad we can settle this like professional colleagues." Hermione rebuffed as she stepped past him, before she unlocked the door and left the medical room.
"Have you shown them to the stables? We can keep them there until the end of the gala." Her voice fell into the distance.
Draco followed them out and Justin had just sent Hermione off across the sanctuary. The classy boy looked at him inquisitively, before he whipped an envelope out of his breast pocket and offered it to Draco.
"What's this?"
"A chance to bring a nice date tomorrow evening. Find someone who would look good on the front page or something." Justin's quill magically ticked off a line on his long checklist. Usually Draco keeps small talk with his subordinates to a minimum, but despite the incredibly long list, Justin looked around them to see if anyone was around to overhear, before he whispered.
"The best way to move on from someone is to move on." Justin dashed off as soon as he rendered Draco speechless and before he finds himself hexed by his boss. Were his feelings for Hermione that obvious? Or was Justin a nosy snooper? He glanced at the envelope with his name carefully written on it. Once this is all over, he will eventually learn to treat Hermione Granger as a distant acquaintance. He can start practicing with a date tomorrow.
A/N:
Thank you to everyone who's still reading and has left a review. I read them like they are precious sparklets of inspiration.
The My Little Pony toy is an homage to my best friend's daughter who loves them and is the only thing that I can think of that's tiny but significant enough to be a portkey. I also remember when an old boss of mine made my colleagues and I repack some 200 boxes for a press event the night before an event. It's the sort of wretched thing I would imagine Draco would make someone do.
Hope you all enjoyed it, I'm working on future chapters and will have something to post in 2 weeks. Let me know what you thought. :-)
