"I should have known you were a tease."

The Floating Carafe, while elegant and quite busy this time of the morning, was certainly not the place to make proclamations like that.

Hermione turned in the chair, pulling a face as Theo approached. She had specifically requested a public place in the morning to avoid another...mistake.

He looked her over, his sharply handsome features twisted with scorn. That was stereotypical Pureblood trait number one she noticed, followed closely by the second which was to be well-dressed at all points. His robe was immaculate and snug on from shoulders to waist. There it flared out subtly, the front flaps pulling away at the knees to show the dark trousers legs.

Should she tell him that just because incorporating Muggle style was popular with wizards right now didn't mean it wasn't still Muggle?

"Why don't you take a seat, Nott." She used a bored tone of voice, taking a long sip of her Be-Easy Latte. A somewhat unfortunate choice of words, but it had a liberal dose of Calming Draught. The menu detailed which potion or addition each coffee had, ranging from Pepper-Up to Cheering Cordials.

He inspected the table, running one finger along the stained wood. "Not enough cover for you to climb under."

Hermione took another long drink of her latte. She might have to use the bottomless refill carafe offered to patrons that remained in the cafe just to make it through the conversation. His boorish behavior was going to get tiresome fast. "I asked you here because I have information you might find pertinent."

His dark brown eyes traveled to her face finally. "What must I exchange it for?"

"I'm a Gryffindor, it's bloody free." She wanted to jam him in the seat across from her, but resisted the urge.

He took a seat of his own volition, thankfully. "I suppose I should be relieved you left. You're such an antidote when I'm not pissed."

She thought he sounded like a sulky child after his mum denied him sweets. She should know, she had opportunity to be around several toddlers, thanks to Teddy and the growing Weasley brood. "Merlin, Theo. You should be used to not getting the Quaffle through the hoop."

"It's normally not difficult when the hoop is so large."

Hermione gripped her mug tightly, taking a deep breath. She would not retaliate, she would not force him to the ground to kiss the hem of her robes. He'd certainly be familiar with the position.

Calm down, Hermione.

"Are you looking for employment?" He suddenly grinned, eyes gleaming with interest. "I do need several security wizards."

"I haven't been sacked, you git. I am trying to warn you that-"

"Oh Merlin, do you have a rash?"

Heat suffused her cheeks furiously as her fingers flexed around the mug. Normally she held her own more than adequately when he got offensive, which was about the same amount he spoke at all. He even felt as if he were somewhat puzzled, and it bothered her she could sense him under her skin.

He was making her so very angry though. As if suddenly she were offended he wasn't giving her proper respect. By Circes I demand respect.

That thought was so sudden and strange and foreign she sucked in a shocked breath. "Get out." Her voice was ragged with suppressed fury. "Before I do something I regret."

His eyes lit up with pleasure at her losing her composure. "If you're going to regret anything, regret that hair. Your friends. Your lineage. The way you refuse to stay in your place."

Curls of something burning and nearly tangible leaked from her skin, and he suddenly sat up straighter. Theo breathed in deeply, seeming unaware of what he was doing as his hands shifted restlessly on his thighs.

But she was.

"What place is that, Theo?" she asked, her voice dragging along his name.

He shivered, pupils blown wide as he stared at her.

"Beneath your heel? Under your command? In your bed?" She spun those words under honey before presenting him the coated pieces to suck on.

Theo's chest rose and fell unevenly, fingers digging into the robes riding up on his legs. His mouth worked for a moment, but it only served to pull in the tendrils of magic she could almost feel entering his nostrils and mouth.

"I want none of those things." Hermione smirked as he made a keening sound in the back of his throat, turning his wounded gaze on her. She could almost taste the struggle inside of him, fighting back for control. She had never cast Imperio before, though she had read up on it in fifth year and questioned Harry extensively, but it wasn't like this.

And the look on his face reminded her of the desperation inspired by the Veelas in a certain World Quidditch Cup that ended horribly, and after so much promise.

This was easy as flexing her fingers, and about as unconscious.

"What do you want?" he whined. "I could give you anything you desire. A castle anywhere in the world, precious stones, the very heart from my chest." He almost looked as if he were in pain. "Is that what you want, Hermione? I'll give it to you." He grabbed for the spoon next to her drink and angled it toward himself.

She scrabbled to wrest it from him, cheating by forcing his fingers off and Vanishing it once it was in hers. "I don't want your heart!" she hissed, looking around to see if anyone noticed. "Not figuratively or literally."

He gave her sad puppy eyes that nobody would have ever suspected he was capable of. "What do you want? I'll give you anything."

Hermione stopped, arrested. She tried to fight the way her breath sped up as she leaned closer to him. "Listen very carefully. But first, take off your shirt."


Hermione didn't know why she chose The White Rabbit again. It was far from the nicest pub she had seen, or the cleanest. It had nothing on Hog's Head as far as seedy and filthy, but she did her best to not touch anything in the room she rented.

"Can I touch your hair?" Theo hovered next to her as she waited anxiously by the door.

"No."

He stuck out his lower lip in a sulk, but kept his hands to himself. He remembered the Stinging Hex from earlier, obviously.

It had been hours since he sent off an Owl with a fairly enticing message offering to share a stash of 1913 Halliwell wine, a Russian wizarding family prominent in the business of making three dozen bottles a year and parcelling them out like some smuggled narcotic.

It was also made with a different Banned substance every year. She thought the batch chosen was apropos, as 1913 was the year that Veela's blood was added before it aged in barrels.

A sharp knock on the door had her pulling Theo in front of the door. "Get him inside, and get out."

He nodded and opened the door. in a quick move he yanked Malfoy inside.

"Hel-oh for Salazar's sake!" Malfoy scowled as he righted himself after stumbling, one hand quickly raising to smooth down his hair. "Calm down, Theo."

Theo didn't even respond before casting a doleful look at her and slinking out of the room and shutting it behind him. Malfoy looked confused, suspicious, then exasperated as he reached for the door.

"You should have reached for your wand. Constant Vigilance."

Malfoy turned quickly without touching the knob, silver eyes flaring wide before his eyelids dropped halfway. "Granger? What are you doing?" He looked over her, eyebrow raising.

"I just wanted to talk."

"How did you convince Theo?" He averted his gaze toward the door. One careless flick of his hand and the door unlocked.

She locked the door again without looking away from him. "I can be very persuasive. Now, about my work status."

Malfoy let out a humourless bark, shaking his head as he walked further into the room. "Merlin, Granger. You lured me out of the office so we could talk about work. How desperate are you to go back to work?"

The bubbling underneath her skin began to ebb away as she stared at him. He acted like it wasn't important. He acted like she shouldn't be upset that he was withholding her job like a cruel kid dangling her bookbag just out of reach. He acted like she had never dealt with the menial assignments he foisted on her on purpose or placed other bullies above her unfairly.

Baddock most certainly didn't deserve the position of Head Auror. She didn't want it for herself, but nobody even liked him or wanted to take instruction from him. Everyone looked to Harry for instruction and guidance. Baddock's main asset was that he did whatever Malfoy told him. Malfoy still was the same old Malfoy and she rather hated him right now.

"It's my job, and-" Hermione started.

"Don't you have anything else in your life that's important?" He crossed his arms, staring at her as if she had lost her mind and picked up up a rock to replace it.

"Of course I do!" She raised her fist and thrusts them down to her sides, a rumble shaking the floor beneath them.

He started, looking from the floor to her with the look people gave moments before realization dawned.

"But my job is important too. It is to me, and you don't get a say in if it should be or not. I make a change in people's lives with every successful assignment, even the ridiculous ones you send to me." Careful now to not send off another bout of accidental magic, she kept her movements slow as she pointed at him. "I do have other priorities that I schedule into my schedule regularly. I never neglect my family dinners unless I'm on an assignment, and I have a lot of extended family in addition to the Grangers, like the Tonks and the Weasleys. You've been making my life hard for years, so I'll make this real easy for you. Just fire me Malfoy. I won't even fight you."

He stared hard at her, his expression somewhere between scorn and something that struggled to come to the surface.

"Because I know I have other important priorities in my life. Do you?" She threw it out as a challenge.

To her great surprise, Malfoy swallowed. Then he sent her a hateful look. "No."

And when he unlocked the door this time, she let him.

He opened the door and paused in the doorway. "See you tomorrow morning."

Malfoy shut the door behind him when he left, leaving Hermione completely sober.


Author's Notes:

Wow. I never know what they're doing to do sometimes, you know? Okay, I never know all of the time, at least in this bumpy wild mad creature fic!

Please read and review if you want, I always enjoy your thoughts! I loved the suggestion about her making all the previously flirted with wizards strip to see if they had silver marks. I just about died with laughter and delight. It's certainly not off the table, love it!

You know, I was reading and enjoying social media when I saw that a really popular author put down fanfiction super harshly. It kinda made me sad, you know? We adore their world. I know I'd be flattered by the love someone had for my work.

Anywho, I know it's silly but I wanted to say if anyone wants to use any random detail I've used in these fanfics, I think that'd be quite dandy. I'd love a mention of that they came from Erosandpsyche, but it's not necessary AT ALL. But if you let me know about it, I'll mention your work, cause sharing is caring! :D

Here's an easy copy and paste for what I can remember offhand!

Floating Carafe - in Diagon Alley

Menu items with bottomless carafes

Be-Easy Latte - with Calming Draught

Perk-You-Up Coffee - with Pepper Up

? coffee - Cheering Cordial

The Lonely Siren - a travelling inn at the end of Hogsmeade. It has rooms by the HOUR teehee, and warm Butterbeer.

The White Rabbit - random pub in Diagon Alley.

Alcohols - Pepperum, Silver Jinx tequila (ingredient in Unicorn's Blood)