Hermione had left immediately after being dismissed by Draco. She couldn't well follow him and demand answers about their continued relationship- or fake-ship. Instead, she ran back to the ornate guest room, located her things, and Apparated home before she could have any more awkward confrontations.

The rest of her week was rather boring. Her life had restored itself back to the dull, humdrum lifestyle she was living before she started plotting with Draco. That was until Friday.

It was a fairly normal Friday in her office at the Ministry. She had just finished lunch at her desk and remnants of her meal were scattered all over along with parchment from the case file she had been working on. She didn't even have time to shove everything in a drawer in a faux clean before Draco Malfoy walked in unannounced.

"Draco! What are you doing here?" Hermione quickly started chucking what was left over from her lunch into the bin. He didn't needs to see here likes this. After seeing how pristine his whole existence is, she didn't want him to think she was a complete mess. Although, she supposed she was a bit.

"I came by to see what our plans were this evening." He took a seat across from her as attempted to speed up the process of cleaning off her desk. Once she got a few things in order, she gave up and decided to take a seat herself. If he was expecting anything more than her impromptu brushed off desk, he was talking to the wrong girl.

"Plans?" Hermione asked looking at her work calendar. She didn't have anything on her docket with his department. Why would he think they had plans?
"Yes," he said leaning forward where only she could hear. "Plans with my girlfriend. On a Friday night. You're not going to get weaselbee's attention by staying at home knitting."

Hermione kicked the basket under her desk full of knitting supplies hoping he hadn't actually noticed it. "Right! Right. I thought after last weekend…"
"We had a deal, as I remember. We've already grabbed young weasel's attention, now I should get to fulfill my end since you cockled it last time."

"Okay," she agreed, delighted he was willing to give things a second chance. She had royally screwed up everything after all. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"How about the ball?"

"What ball?"

"Are you serious, Granger?" He put his hands over his face in mock grief. "You really were going to stay at home knitting, weren't you?"
"No, I wasn't!" She gave her knitting basket another unconscious kick.

"So you were intending to go to the Ministry ball tonight?"

"Of course I was! I already have the perfect gown!"

"Great. I'm sure it will bring unity to our departments. Or whatever the flyer said. I'll pick you up at seven, but expect to travel my way this time."

With no further planning of their night together and no other details mentioned, Draco left her office to go back to whatever dark corner his department was located in.

As soon as he walked out, Hermione scrambled to find the flyer he had spoke of. She sorted through her rubbish bin pulling out page after page of useless information. Flyer. She needed that flyer!

At last she pulled out the advert for the ball from the bottom of her bin. Pulling off a piece of lettuce, she smoothed out the page and read what she had missed.

A ball was being held for all Ministry employees and their guests in order to bring more harmony to the government and bridge the gaps between the departments. What a novel idea, she thought. Although, they didn't really need to bring them together with a ball.

She didn't even have a proper dress. Bollocks. The dress! She had just told Draco she had one and here she was hours before the event, and no gown. Standing from her desk, Hermione decided she would simply have to take the rest of the afternoon off and find a dress. Already ahead in all her work, it hardly mattered if she took one measly afternoon off.

She'd just nip out to the shops in Diagon Alley, find a dress, and be back in time for the ball. No need to stress herself over work she was already caught up on. So, she grabbed her cloak and headed out. Determined to make Draco's mouth simply drop when he saw her at that ball. Ron. She meant she'd make Ron's mouth drop.

And on second thought, she would take just a few case files with her. Just in case she had some down time over the weekend.