Important A/N: Hello everyone! First of all I'm sorry I'm a few hours late posting this chapter, I've had a couple of real life set backs who didn't work in my favour and couldn't get online anytime sooner! That being said, this is another super special chapter, as it was guest written by my awesome friend and fellow author Dramione84 specifically for this project (and if you never read her works go and check her profile, you won't be disappointed!)

I'm so happy this project of mine was able to inspire such awesome stories, and talking with Dramione84 and xxDustnight88 I thought it would be nice to add guest chapters here and there, so now I'm talking to you! Interested in writing a guest chapter for this story? Contact me in private and let's discuss this!

For the time being though, enjoy this awesome one shot and please read and review!

Day 10

Song: I'm not okay (I promise) - My Chemical Romance

Rating: T

16th May 2003

2:13pm

MLE Department

Office of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy

"Well, Granger, if you wanted honest, that is all you had to say!" Draco gruffed, slamming his file down on his desk.

Hermione held her head in her hands and groaned.

"Of course I want honesty, it's just….."

Draco glared at her. "It's better off this way."

She stood up, hands on hips and started pacing the room. "I don't see what the problem is. You don't need Harry to transfer you."

"Yes, I do. We can't go on like this," he sighed, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

"We are a team!" she cried, watching as he paused at the door

"Remember that time you jumped out the second floor window and broke your foot?" he began, not looking at her, a small smile playing out on his lips.

"You always have my back and I yours," she whispered, silently pleading for him to turn around and face her.

"I never wanted to let you down, or have you go…. But it is better off this way, Granger."

Hermione closed her eyes, opening her mouth to speak.

He was gone before she could work out what she wanted to say.

16th May 2003

5:58pm

MLE Department

Office of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy

Sitting at her desk, her head in her hands, she was unaware of how much time had passed since he had left the room. His briefcase remained next to his desk but he had not come back to the office. Vaguely aware from the growing silence from the offices adjacent to the one she shared with her partner that the working day was over, she remained, trying to calm her increasing anxiety.

"I'm not okay. I'm not okay. I'm not okay. Draco, you wear me out," she murmured to herself like a mantra.

A knock at the door made her jump. "Go away, Harry," she called, not wanting to speak to her best friend right at that moment. The door opened anyway and she rolled her eyes before looking up to see a red head pop round the door, grinning.

"I'm not Harry!" she chuckled before holding out a bottle of tequila like a prize. "I come bearing this!"

"Why?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "Harry told me; besides, I saw Malfoy downstairs, and he looks like shit"

Hermione stared at Ginny for a moment before the two girls broke into laughter. Harry might be her best friend but Ginny was the one who understood how her mind over analysed everything to death. And Ginny, despite her closeness to her brother, was the only one who understood Hermione's complex relationships with her boyfriend, Ron, and her partner, Draco Malfoy.

16th May 2003

7:32pm

127 Richmond Avenue London

Pausing halfway up the steps, he frowned as he listened to the sound that had caught his attention. Muggle music. Muggle music blasting very loud. Muggle music blasting very loud from his home.

Turning the key in the lock, he glowered. This could only mean one thing.

Taking off his robes, he slung his briefcase down and stomped into the room.

Standing on the coffee table was his girlfriend and his sister. His very drunk girlfriend and equally inebriated sister.

"For fuck sake, Hermione!" he cried as the two girls shouted the lyrics to the song they were singing along to while dancing on the coffee table. Neither girl paid him any attention.

17th May 2003

9:22am

MLE Department

Office of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy

Sipping her morning coffee, she walked into her office, absentmindedly glancing over the headlines of the morning edition of The Prophet. Sensing something very wrong, she paused, looking up.

"What the…..why are you clearing your desk?" she cried, eyes wide.

Chucking the photograph he was holding into the box on the desk, he turned to face her.

"You know why," he told her gently.

Hermione felt her pulse quicken as the anxiety rose in her chest.

I'm not ok.

"What will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems?" he asked her.

She looked at him confused, watching as he sighed, before giving her a sad smile.

"I've told you, time and time again. You stay in this routine but you don't know what it means anymore," he continued.

I'm not ok.

"We share a joke, a look, you bait me with your hook. But then you go back to him. Our last mission, Moscow, I held you close as we both shook, and still, you go back to him. Take a good hard look at this life, Hermione. You don't know what it's like. For me. To watch you each time, go back to him."

I'm not ok.

Hermione stepped over to her desk, avoiding Malfoy's gaze. "You wear me out," she whispered, before taking one of the photos from her desk and scrutinizing it carefully.

Malfoy sighed heavily. "Forget about the dirty looks."

"How can I?" she whispered. "You know first-hand how this office talks!"

He lost his temper "Forget about the photographs your boyfriend took. You said you read me like a book, but the pages all are torn and frayed, by you!"

She turned to answer him, but once again, he was gone.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, suddenly everything seemed a little clearer. She placed the photograph down on her desk and walked over to the box he'd left behind. Reaching in, she carefully picked out the photograph he'd been looking at before she came in. It was of her. All this time, he had a photograph on his desk of her and she hadn't known.

Summoning up all her Gryffindor courage, she rushed from the room, out through the maze of offices within the bowels of the Ministry where the law enforcement division was ensconced, searching with her eyes. Catching sight of his unmistakable platinum locks, she surged forward, throwing herself into the lift and glaring forcefully at the young intern clutching files to her chest until she scurried out, tears bursting forth.

"Granger...what the?" Malfoy began.

"I've been such an idiot," she cried

"Water under the bridge, it's been dealt with Granger, Harry…."

She cut him off, "..But you really need to listen to me."

Dejected, he sighed, slumping against the wall of the lift. "Why?"

"Because I'm telling you the truth, I mean this, I'm okay!" she cried, laughing through tears she had been unaware she was crying.

He looked at her, puzzled.

"With you, I'm okay. It took until now for me to realise, but I am. With Ron I'm not. I never have been actually. I am no longer frightened to admit it. With you, Draco, I am okay."

Two strides and she was in his arms, his lips crashing down onto hers, all her fears melting, all the tension between them subsiding. After years of denying themselves, they poured everything they had into that one kiss. Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. They stood apart as the doors of the lift opened up onto the atrium.

"I have to go," she whispered, open-palm pressed against his chest.

He furrowed his brow, his eyes searching her face for answers.

"In order to kiss you the way I want to kiss you, I have to go tell him it's over."

He watched, fingertips pressed to his lips that still tasted of her cherry lip balm, as she rushed off towards the Floo, knowing the next time he saw his partner she would be his.

THE END

A/N: Thanks for reading! And I'll give you a hint for what concerns Day 11! Song will be Everybody wants to be a cat by Damie Cat!