I want to merge chapters. I feel that some are rather short. I think I will do that, so some of you may be confused. Try to keep up. Yes, if you sense that I am a little irritated, then you assume correct. I am going to be pissy and whinny. No reviews?...but the traffic through is unbelievable and awesome. Maybe I will just take my sweet time posting chapters. RRR

Chapter 9

"The numbers look good for next quarter. Sales have been steady. If we keep going at this pace, we are sure to break our records."

Blaise nudged the blonde at the head of the long table. Draco was shaken from his daydream. He nodded. He was sure it wasn't anything too important. These monthly meeting were boring. Sure, he liked making money….and he like being rich, but why he attended these meetings always eluded him.

Blaise told him it was the proper thing to do. Proper. What a stupid word. What was so proper about sitting at the head of this table, in this stupid room, filled with ass kissing pricks. He looked around the table. They all looked ridiculous. Fancy suits trying to tell him what to do with his company.

Blaise nudged him again. He nodded again. Stupid Blaise. He could handle these meetings on his own. Draco didn't need to he here. If there was one person he could trust to run his business, it was Zambini. Blaise was the businessman that Draco never could be. These things bore him. Irritated him. He wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.

His mind drifted again to sandy beaches. A curly hair brunette. A small boy-

The doors to the room burst open. A heaving Hermione Granger stood in front of them. If looks could kill, he be dead on sight. It had taken her longer than he expected. Play it cool Draco. He had to stop himself from laughing. She looked horrible. Her nostrils were flaring; hair flying everywhere.

Draco smirked, "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. If isn't the infamous Hermione Granger."

She didn't reply. She simply stared him down.

The room was eerily quiet. No one dared move. The suits pondered whether to stay where they were or go with their instincts and run. Still no one move.

Draco pretended to inspect his nails, "Very few people can make it through my security…in one piece. Congrats Granger. Shall I get you a medal? I'm sure you can find room on your wall ….somewhere."

"Draco." Blaise warned. The sparks flying from Hermione should have been warning enough. "Perhaps you two would like to talk, alone," he suggested.

Draco laughed, "Why? After all, such an entrance deserves an audience." He stood, walking to stand in front of her, "Enlighten me, Granger. What do I owe the pleasure?"

She had caught her breathe and whipped out her wand. "Leave." She was speaking to the suits and they all knew it, but no one moved.

Draco chuckled, "You have no power here, witch. The only voice that matters is mine."

She shot a spell sending papers flying everywhere. The suits flinched and scattered to the walls. Still they stayed.

Draco pushed the hair that fell into his face, back. He smiled and waved, "Give us the room."

Bodies scattered before he even finished the sentence. Blaise smirked, as he past her. "Always a pleasure Hermione." He kissed her cheek as he left.

Draco returned to his seat, leaving her where she stood. He sat back and stared at her. "There are easier ways to get my attention. All you had to do was ask."

How could he be so calm? She just busted into his boardroom and scared the shit out of his employees. And there he was, just staring at her. Calmly. "I don't want your attention. I want-"

"Clean it up."

"What?"

"Clean up the mess you made."

"What?" Was he serious? She was on the brink of choking the life out if him and he wanted her to play maid?

"I'm not discussing anything with you until you've fixed my boardroom."

"I'm not your maid, Malfoy." She sneered at him.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you decide to play Dorothy."

"Who the fuck is Dorothy?"

He laughed at her again, "I thought you were a bookworm. Have you not read The Wizard Of Oz? It's very good. Perhaps you should good pick up a copy."

The Wizard Of Oz? What? Of course she had read it. Who hadn't? Why was he calling her Dorothy? Oh…it finally clicked. She tornadoed his boardroom. So what? Fuck him. She stood her ground.

"Really Granger?" Draco leaned forward, "I don't have time for this. So either you fix it or leave."

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Neither willing to give in. Finally Hermione relented and waved the mess away. "Happy Now?"

Draco smiled triumphantly, "No. Not really. Those documents were classified."

She huffed, "They are gone. No one's gonna see them. I'm sure you have copies."

He shrugged, "Not really the point."

Hermione let out a puff of air, "Malfoy, I don't care about your documents. I don't care about your stupid boardroom. I don't even care about your fucking employees-"

"They aren't my employees. Not technically. They are advisors."

"What?" She shook her head, "I don't care what they are!"

He laughed at her frustration. He missed her fire; the way she would get so riled up that words seem to allude her. He loved being the one to light that fire.

"Do you think this is funny?" She stalked up to him, "Is my life a joke to you?" She got in his face, "Is my son a joke to you?"

Draco's eyes narrowed. His smile faded. He sobered quickly. "My son, Granger. Or did you forget?" He stood, showing off his full height. He towered over her easily. "My son that you almost killed. Mine."

She didn't back down, "You didn't even know he existed until a week ago."

It was his turn to be angry, "And whose fault is that!" Draco turned his back to her, "You have robbed me of the first 4 years of his life. You will pay for that."

"Is that what this is about? Are you trying to punish me?"

He grabbed her shoulders, spinning her and pinning her to the wall. He hissed in her face, "It's not about you, Granger. Not this time."

She didn't fight him. The look in his eyes scared her. She had never seen him like this before.

"I don't want anything from you. I want my son."

Tears ran down her cheeks, "You can't have him. Please…" She pleaded with him. "Don't do this Drake. Don't take him from me. I can't live without him. I can't-"

Draco released her, turning his back on her. He couldn't look at her. He couldn't stand to see her cry. He needed to stay strong. Every fiber in his body ached to wipe her tears away, but he couldn't fold now. Now that he had her exactly where he wanted her.

"Perhaps we could work something out."