Don't own it.

I had trouble uploading the last chapter and apparently this one as well. Sorry, if you received more than one new chapter notification and got excited about two updates when it was just one.


Chapter 11

"Malfoy," Hermione grimaced at the man in front of her. "I am busy with S.P.E.W. today."

Draco couldn't help but smirk at her. It was almost noon and Granger looked like she had just gotten up. She was wearing an old Gryffindor shirt and some shorts that showed off her sexy legs.

"Really? Your hair says differently," he pointed at her hair that resembled the bushy mess from her Hogwarts day. "Unless you're trying to scare people into freeing their elves... Rough night, huh?"

Hermione touched her head realizing she had some hair sticking up at the back of it. She convinced herself it didn't matter, she didn't want to impress Malfoy whatsoever. And she wasn't going to tell him, her 'rough night' was researching ways to break their bond till 4 in the morning.

"So, may I ask why you're here," she didn't mean to sound hostile.

"Well," Draco thought she looked absolutely gorgeous despite the mess her hair was in. "The office is ready for you guys to move in earlier than I thought. You should be able to move in Monday."

"You know, just like yesterday, when you dropped off that paperwork, an owl would have sufficed."

"Well, I thought maybe you didn't like how the wizarding community is treating owls," he smirked. "Didn't want you to start S.P.O.W. as well."

"Hilarious," Hermione snorted."Well, since you're here... You want to come in?"

"How about I make a deal with you," Draco jumped at the opportunity in typical Slytherin fashion. "You, go shower. I am getting us some coffee and scones or whatever you'd like. I don't have much time today but we'll spend the remainder of my lunch together. After all, The Daily Prophet believes we're dating already."

Hermione bit her lip. It did sound tempting and she wasn't thinking about coffee, scones or the shower. Well, unless he was joining her in the shower.

"There is a small coffee shop around the corner," she finally convinced herself she was only in it for the free coffee. "They have the best muffins in this part of London," and the free muffins as well.

After her shower, Draco and her spent a very enjoyable half hour together. He teased her about not having done anything for S.P.E.W. at all that day and the poor elves, that were counting on her. To her very own surprise, Hermione laughed at that and confessed that she had used Fridays to catch up with her reading.

"There isn't really much I can do at the moment," Hermione confessed. "At least not until the Ministry decides on the law. Don't tell anyone, I am enjoying the 3 day weekends I've been having."

Draco pretended to ponder this for a moment before answering. Hermione used the chance to admire his handsome features. She was fighting her feelings but was intrigued by him as well. She liked spending time with him but it scared her at the same time. It didn't make any sense to her and her logical mind, but her heart was telling her to just enjoy the ride.

"Under one condition, Granger," she nodded for him to go ahead. "You'll have lunch with me next Friday, as well. Just you and me."

"Honestly, you're relentless," she finally responded. "I guess, I can't have you reveal my secret. I'll see you next Friday."

"Actually, I am quite sure, I'll see you before that," he winked at her before bidding her goodbye.


"You're telling me, you haven't had sex in almost two weeks," Theodore Nott looked at his friend in disbelief. "Who are you and what have you done with my best mate?"

The two friends were having a long overdue male get-together. Theo was currently suffering through endless debates over bridesmaid's dresses and seating charts with his fiancée. He was in desperate need of getting away. The men decided on staying in and had retired to Draco's office at Malfoy Manor. They were sitting in the most comfortable armchairs in front of a roaring fireplace.

"Funny," Draco retorted dryly chucking down his fire whiskey. "I am not having that much sex, do I? For Merlin's sake, you're making me sound like Zabini."

"Well, you usually spend the weekends looking for fresh meat if you're not otherwise engaged," the other man offered. He was exaggerating slightly. "Getting bored, huh? I can't have that. I live vicariously through you, especially now that I am about to be shackled down for life."

"That's because you chose to marry the first girl who would have you," Draco shot back.

"Now, don't be jealous that I found the perfect girl in fifth year," Theo sipped on his drink. "Speaking of Zabini, he claims he is going to have number 150 by the end of the month."

"That's just foul," Draco cringed in disgust. "How do you know anyway?"

"Astoria decided to be number 146," Theo grimaced. "Daph was pissed when she found out. Apparently he wants something special for the big One-Five-Oh. I don't know how he's going to top having the Patil twins... at the same time."

Draco didn't respond. He could never treat a woman like that. Yes, he had spent a lot of his time chasing after them, both during his time at Hogwarts and after. His reasoning was, that maybe he'll find the one who was hiding from him by dating as many women as possible. Well, at least that's what he told his mother whenever she complained about his latest flame appearing alongside him in the Prophet. It wasn't his fault, that nothing ever lasted long. The women bored and annoyed him and never disagreed with a word he said. After all, bagging a Malfoy came with prestige and money, even after the war and his family's involvement.

He thought about Hermione. His mother was right, he has always been somewhat obsessed with her. She had never acted like any of the girls he dated. She was smart, had principles and passion. The thing he admired most about her- though he thought of it as a weakness as a teenager - was her compassion for others. He remembered how she had been helping Longbottom with his toad on the Hogwarts Express in their first year. She fought for house-elves and half-breeds, even gave up a possible career to help orphans. And of course, he would never forget her defense of the hippogriff, the one that attacked him in his third year.

Draco absentmindedly touched the cheek she had slapped all those years ago. He should have known, but he was consumed with a hatred that was based on misplaced prejudice and lies. Ironically, he had hated her for her blood, blood that turned out as pure as his own. Yet, he didn't know this until he stopped caring about blood status altogether. Maybe it was a good thing, she had avoided him for so long. Hermione Granger wouldn't be able to love the Draco Malfoy from just a few years ago. He had changed, turned from the boy eager to please his father to the man who stepped out of his father's shadow and restored the family name.

He had also become restless recently, wanting some real companionship just like Theo, not just another fling with a woman who wanted fame and fortune. He wanted something, someone real, someone like Hermione Granger.

"I found Alexandra," he answered quietly looking at his empty glass in the dim light of the fireplace. "Well, mother did actually."

"That's great news," Theo exclaimed. "Maybe we can have a double wedding, you and Alexandra, Daphne and I. I would love if Daph had someone to talk about colors and themes besides myself."

"You're just full of witty remarks tonight, aren't you," Draco huffed impatiently as he refilled his glass. "And this whole Alexandra thing... it's fucking complicated."

"Is she hot? How does she look? She's ugly, isn't she," Theo kept digging. "Wait, why is it complicated?"

"It's Granger," Draco hissed. "Alexandra is Granger. Or is it 'Granger is Alexandra'? Fuck, I don't even care."

"Wait, the Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's brain and the muggle-born you've bullied for years? Shit, you are fucked," Theo ran his hand through his hair breathing out heavily. "Granger is never going to conform to this shit. You may be able to claim her. She'll never let you touch her if you do that, though and slap you, if you try. You remember that slap, don't you," he paused to mock his friend before continuing. "What are you going to do? Shit, she'll probably give you a hard time just out of spite."

"Thanks for the motivational speech. I needed that," Draco drawled sarcastically. "Anyway, mother has come up with a plan. She's not letting me know the details, though. She seems to think it's better I know as little as possible. Just in case her plan comes out... Granger doesn't know I know. Not sure why she trusts mother. Gryffindors are just too trusting... I am supposed to work my natural charm to slowly win her over," he sighed rubbing his forehead. "She isn't like any of the girls we grew up with."

"So , how is she different," Theo asked curiously. "Merlin, you must have been pissed to find out it's her."

"She's fucking stubborn, argumentative and maddening," Draco responded before adding, "And the sexiest thing I've seen in my live. I can't wait to have her. Shit, I was pissed when I found out she's it. Not because of her, but because of how I used to act toward her. But I always knew things weren't going to be smooth sailing when we find Alexandra. This complicates things a bit, though," Draco refilled his glass with fire whiskey. "It doesn't matter. She'll be my wife soon enough, and a great mother to our children."

It was odd, that a girl he has known since he was 11 years old and teased, bullied and tormented, was going to be his wife. However, what surprised him the most after finding out who Alexandra was, was that he didn't mind it was Hermione Granger at all. She was the whole package. He had noticed this at the groundbreaking and hasn't been able to stop thinking about her since. In fact, it was refreshing to be around a woman who he was physically and mentally attracted to. He spent years mad and frustrated about his betrothed. He thought there couldn't possibly be a woman that was his perfect match. However, after only a few meetings with Hermione, he was slowly convinced she was indeed perfect for him.

"You know, Drake," Theo interrupted the silence. "I have no problem with Granger. But given your history, you're taking all this very well."

"Honestly, thank Merlin mother was there to prevent me doing anything rash after I got over my initial shock," Draco mused. "I don't care it's her. I mean, I grew up knowing this girl is supposed to be perfect for me. Why fight it? And she's hot. This stupid bond has me thinking of all kinds of things I want to do to her, at least I think it's the bond because otherwise I am going crazy. Shit, I probably am going crazy considering I am fancying a woman who has hated my guts for the past decade."

Theo nodded deep in thought. As he hadn't been magically betrothed to anyone, he didn't know too much about the bond. However, he was sure that the way his friend was reacting was beyond the scope of the bond. He wasn't going to point this out to Draco, but he was sure his friend could finally be falling for someone. Granger wasn't going to take crap from Draco and keep him on his toes for life. He chuckled at the thought that Draco Malfoy has truly met his match.

"I am worried though," Draco mused. "She is a Lestrange and her father is still at large. And then there is always Lucius. He's that unknown factor in this whole mess. Who knows what he'll do when he gets out? He could go either way."

"Well, you'll have to protect her then," Theo retorted confidentially. "And why would your father care? He has looked for her for years, he should be pleased. Plus, he still has got a year of his sentence left. He'll be safely tugged away at Azkaban until you convince the bookworm to marry you."

"Believe it or not," Draco chuckled. "Even though father's sentence ends next May, 11 months from now, they're considering letting him out sooner. Apparently, he has been the model inmate. Mother worries about him getting involved and fucking things up when he gets out. Although Hermione is a pure-blood, he may still resent her and consider her a blood traitor, being Harry Potter's friend and all that," he paused. "Anyway, Lucius is a low level inmate. He's bound to get the paper and recognize Hermione just like mother did. I am surprised we haven't gotten any owls from him yet. He probably considers her unworthy of the Malfoy name. Well, she is his only chance of having legitimate grandchildren, so he better get used to it."

Theo nodded. His own father had been incarcerated as well, but he was far from model inmate. Just recently, he had been released from solitary confinement for attacking a guard. Theo didn't care that his father was going to rot in Azkaban for life. Unlike Lucius, who was kept on a short leash by Voldemort, his father had been fully involved in the Second Wizarding War and was held responsible for killing countless muggles and a few wizards. He was glad his father would never be able to meddle in his life again. Theo and Daphne had realized that pure-blood ideologies were nonsense after Dumbledore's death. However, they had stayed neutral until the end of the war. It would have been too dangerous to declare themselves 'bloods traitors' before that. He was proud of his friend, who had taken longer to change but now fully embraced a more modern view on the wizarding world.

Not everyone was happy, that the former Slytherins had changed. Many of their former housemates ignored them, called them blood traitors and muggle lovers. Neither of the two men cared. They had become closer in the process and formed a genuine friendship along the way.


Somewhere in Eastern Europe...

"An owl," a rather thin man frowned at the brown tawny owl tapping on the dingy window of the small cottage. "We never receive owls."

He turned to his companion with a puzzled look on his features.

"Open the damn window," another, thick looking man growled angrily as he threw an empty bottle of fire whiskey in the trash. "This thing is making too much of a racket. And I want to know who found us here so I can find and kill them."

The first man got up quickly, knocking his chair over in the process, and opened the filthy window. It was creaking noisily in the otherwise silent night. The owl stretched out the leg with a letter attached to it. After untying the letter, the man expected the owl to take off again. However, it settled itself on the small table in the middle of the gloomy room and picked on the scraps left over from a late dinner. He slowly opened the letter by a small lantern, which was the only light source in the small room. Inside, he discovered a short note attached to two articles hurriedly cut out of The Daily Prophet.

We have a common interest. The owl will be able to find me once you return to Britain.

Let me know when you're back,

A Friend.

He turned over the note expecting more. However, that was it. He frowned again trying to understand the meaning of the note when he remembered the articles. A lopsided smirk appeared on his face as he studied them briefly.

"Look at this, dear brother," he snarled triumphantly as he handed over the message and the articles.

"Who is A Friend," his brother frowned as he read the note.

"I don't know, but look at the articles. The pictures are very interesting."

The second man studied the pictures. The first was a photo of two women posing with spades for the camera. The article was a cheesy fluff piece about the groundbreaking pictured in the moving photo. He quickly moved on to the second photo. It showed his deceased wife's nephew sitting with one the women at a restaurant, clearly besotted with her.

"My, my," he growled. "Turns out, Harry Potter's mudblood is really your blood-traitor daughter. Turns out my late wife wasn't as crazy as we thought, may she rest in hell," he spat on the grungy floor. " After years of waiting, your chance to get even with that bitch Jeanette has finally presented itself. And, it's our chance to get a little revenge on the ones responsible for the Dark Lords demise."

"I like the way you think, Rodolphus," Rabastan agreed smirking evilly. "I think it's time to make arrangements to return to Britain and settle some old debts. We'll just have to be careful. I can't wait to get my hands on the little blood traitor or my beloved Jeanette."


So, this chapter originally had no interaction between Hermione and Draco, but I decided to add a short scene between them at the beginning. I know I made you wait long enough for them to get closer, but things are moving forward now. I just want to be careful not to rush it too much.