Experiment no. 10 Rita Skeeter

She hated Rita Skeeter, hates Rita Skeeter, forever and ever and ever and ever. How dare she posted that story, War Rivals or Love Rivals? War Heroine's two secret lovers. shown on the paper featuring Harry's leaving her apartment in daylight and Draco moving in her apartment.

"Love, we all know it's not true, why let it bother you." Draco was eating his eggs quietly, knowing she would be furious.

"Doesn't mean she could do this!? Ha, I guess she missed living in a JAR!" Hermione slammed the paper on the table, their milk spilled a little.

"You know how much I love your Slytherin side." He slowly put down the cup while observing her, not wanting to spill his morning coffee, which he brewed himself and is perfect.

"You know what? Maybe I'll pay her a littler visit. I have a extremely fine plan to show her just that." She gave an angry smile, which was a little crooked but still adorable.

"Love, keeping human in jar is illegal, well, there's not a specific law towards jars but false imprisonment is illegal, so…"

"Ha, who says we are keeping her in? Just a little hide and seek, fun was never illegal, to my best memory." She had her elbows against the table and her hands holding up her chin, she was absolutely mischievous, maybe the hat sorted her in the wrong house.

"We?" He wasn't against it, being partner in crime was just new to them.

"Oh, yes, I'll definitely need your help, my darling." Her eyes was now a line, that's not a good smile.

...

Hermione was in Rita Skeeter's office, offering a very genuine smile, a smile that scared Skeeter to death. Of course she knew she was going to be furious, but that's her life, her job, she couldn't stop right now, just because she was a war heroine and he's a ex-death eater, only made the story more exciting and the thought that they were both capable of killing only came after she published the story and the rush of adrenaline was gone. Lovely, wasn't it?

"Ms. Skeeter, I certainly hope you don't mind I come before I could made an appointment, it was simply exciting seeing that article this morning, I was so happy I had a day off, so I wouldn't need to wait for a long day of work to come see you." Meaning, bad day for you Skeeter, normally I would go to work and then forget about all this, but I have a day off and now you're dead.

"That is my pleasure Ms. Granger. You are our number seller, if you're at the front page, no other papers could outrace us, and we've been grateful." Meaning, I only do it for the paper, nothing personal, I swear!

"Oh, is it? You know Ginny and Luna are already thinking about a second child, over that Harry was back in town, oh you already knew that, would you want me to get you an interview?" Meaning, Ginny's working for another paper and Luna runs the Quibbler, and I'm friends with the man who killed Voldemort, do you really want an enemy like that?

"Hush, Ms. Granger, I really do not wish to make your day unpleasant, is there something I could do for you?" Meaning, please don't kill me, please don't kill me, I'll do anything for you.

"How sweet of you Ms. Skeeter, I was hoping you will ask that." Meaning, good you said it first, if you're that stupid, I don't know what can help you.

"Of course, anything, you says it, and it's done." Her heart pounding like a wicked monkey jumping on her heart.

"Well, the thing is, my Draco darling, was opening his business again. Your press was very helpful." She paused, waiting for her to response, and her face went pale, even her makeup could not cover it.

"And all I wanted was something good for him, women do anything for their men, isn't it our only true nature?" She sat comfortably on her chair, she might have a thing for blackmail, or was that just how lawyers do and now she's all adapted?

"Oh, that's a sure thing, most good stories come from it too." She still remembered the war heroine had a lot on her, she just never used it because she wanted something, how that girl was sorted in Griffindor was a muse, maybe she could write a story about it…

"Dear Skeeter, then I believe you should sign this." She gave a lovely smile, the kind of smile she gave to her opponent right before she let the final weapon unleashed.

"Um, what? my dear?" She was a little confused.

"A contract writing, shall we say, a little merriments of the Malfoy industry? You know people love a good comeback story." She laid the paper out, she was a lawyer, she always had a contract with her.

"That was a wonderful opportunities for the Daily Prophet, but we may not have the audiences you need…"

"Oh, Skeeter, you're so humble, Daily Prophet attracts all. And I'm giving you exclusives, I believe you will be a wonderful partner."

"May I ask why do you want to choose us?"

"Well, starting a business again takes money, especially Draco was doing so much to undo the harm Lucius brought on the family… I was hoping we could cut off where it's not necessary."

"What do you mean…"

At that exact moment, Draco knocked on the door and without getting a response, he came in just as this was Hermione's office. And in his hand, was jar, and in that jar, was a bunch of beetles. If Rita Skeeter did not have the experiences of living in a jar as a beetle, she would find that scene very funny, and would write a short gossip at the end of the page.

"Love, we have to go, lunch with the Longbottoms in 10." Draco gave a dashing smile, as if they were the happy couples, which they were, but this was just for show.

"Oh, I almost forget, Rita, we have to run, would you sign that right now?"

"Be-etles…" Rita actually was trembling.

"Ah, that, Luna told us Alistair was fascinated with beetles somehow, but her neighborhood doesn't really have much, maybe it's the rarity that attracts him, we tried really hard to catch them all."

At that moment, Rita Skeeter quickly signed the contracts and announced that she had an interview coming too and it was nice to meet them.

...

"You told me I was partner in crime, I just held a jar of beetles in the room." Draco pouted a little bit, the days of scheming was very good, even if it's not for a good cause, he always admires his father doing business.

"Well, you did the most important part, don't pout, you're a grown man, remember?"

"I did NOT pout." He put down the jar on the table in a restaurant called Devoted, apparently the owner was a hard worker and Hermione likes it.

"Okay, you did not. But it was fun isn't it?" She was exhilarated, very contented, she always thought keeping Rita Skeeter in a jar was one of the craziest thing she ever did in her life and she had an adventure trying to kill Voldemort. It was exceptionally fun for her.

"We did get a free news reporter, it's Rita Skeeter, but it's something." Draco shrugged, Rita Skeeter had influences on people, not the people he wanted to do business with, but still, a start of a new business, especially when he wanted to use the Malfoy name, all help is needed.

"Ha, I knew I kept her in a jar for a reason." She was so satisfied with her work, she would have a lot to talk to Luna about at lunch.

"So, when are you going to come?" He laid casually while he's talking about something serious, that maybe one of the things that Hermione hated about Draco.

"What?" She knew this day was coming, she promised him that this day was coming.

"I already quit. Gave Collins 3 weeks notice, I will start business next month when I finished all my work. I told you I need you." Draco put his hands at the back of his neck, looking down a little bit on Hermione, he knew she loves that look.

"I knew what I promised you, I kept my promises, it's just that…" Hermione paused, she had so much to offer, she wanted to do this, completely. However, she also knew that this was just the beginning, it would take years, decades even after her death, that the elves would be finally free, she knew she had better to do in the meanwhile. Moreover…

"Janey, you know I need you." Draco wasn't blunt in general, he was a needed-to-be-done kind of blunt.

"I know, Draco. I will come through, in fact, I've, um, planned about it." She twirled her fingers repeatedly, she felt her face redden, "It will take a month, for me to write all the proposals I needed, and then promoted the right people, another month to settle, and then, that's it." He thought he was merely teasing and pushing her a little to make her considered this, never imagined her already doing the actual work.

"What's the matter?" He's a little concerned, he knew Hermione've done enough, but enough was never enough for Hermione.

"It's neither here nor there, I will take care of it, you don't have to worry." Her face reddened and now a little sweaty.

"What's…"

" 'Mione, darling!" Luna waved with excitement, she couldn't wait to here about the Rita-story.

Behind her was Neville, gently holding their son, Alistair was growing quickly. Hermione waved back with a big smile, Luna was always her lifesaver. She then leaned into Draco's ears and said.

"Would you like a boy, or a girl?"

AN: So... I'm still trying to make the line breaker happened, if you see anything weird, that's just me trying. I'm also trying to give Hermione the life she would've wanted, I could see her with Draco, with Harry even with Neville, but not Ron, definitely not Ron. Oh, and also I just discovered the Beta-reader thing! And I think it's genius, so... recruiting here. Anyways, tell me what you think. XOXO

Arrrrrhh, dear HallowRain8587, thanks so much for your help, but it's still not happening, I saw it in the forum that the bottom disappear, thanks for your help anyway. XX