Working Relations Take II
Sequel to Working Relations
2470 words
Rating: T
The Wizarding Auctioneering House in London was stifling. The room wasn't even that packed but there were more people than chairs and Hermione was beginning to feel the need to place a cooling charm on her body. Looking around to the left side of the room she saw that no-one else seemed bothered by the heat. Was it only her? Was it because of him?
What in Merlin's name was he doing here?
She had sensed his entrance by the prickling sensation at the back of her neck that always seemed to flare up in his presence. A quick glance around the room, where she had unfortunately caught his eyes, had confirmed his presence.
The spawn.
Since she'd started her new job at MacRieve and Co three weeks ago, she could count the number of times she had seen the spawn on one hand.
Five times to be precise.
But the fact that she was knowingly working for a company that he owned…again.
Hermione gritted her teeth as she clenched her jaw. If she didn't know better, she would think that Malfoy had just bought the company purely to irritate her.
The few times that he'd visited the office and Hermione had caught sight of him, she had tried her best to ignore him. It was difficult when he purposefully stared at her just to get a rise out of her. The second time he had stared for two hours! As if he had nothing better to do.
Draco bloody Malfoy.
Hermione liked her new job. Correction- she loved it. A chance to get stuck into some actual work in Business Law was something she had longed for desperately over the last three years.
And now it was here…but as always, the spawn was an ever present thorn in her side.
Hermione admonished herself for leaving the information on today's auction lying in plain view on her desk. It could hardly be happenstance that Malfoy's fifth visit to stare at her whilst she worked, simply coincided with his presence here tonight.
It was bad enough that she'd wasted three years of her life on him but now he was actually stalking her.
What had happened to all the sluts he'd been parading around the place? Had she actually got through his annoying little head that day at the hospital? Was he actually going to try to act like a mature CEO?
Hermione scoffed. More like he'd already shagged every witch in the Wizarding World and he was too lazy to apparate abroad to begin again.
No…what was it he'd said when she'd told him that? That he hadn't had every witch in the Wizarding World. And then he'd given her that look.
The hairs on Hermione's nape rose again and her eyes betrayed her by flicking slightly to the right. He was standing to the side of the packed room, eyes on her instead of the auctioneer's rapid words, not even bothering to pretend interest in the goings on around him.
Why had he come!
Hermione's fingers itched to untuck her hair from behind her ear so it would cover her face. Only she'd chopped off her curly locks in a new haircut to mark the beginning of her new job. Her new life. A life that wasn't supposed to contain one Draco Malfoy.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione shifted in her wooden seat, resisting the urge to crumple up her auction programme into a makeshift fan in order to stir the warm air around her.
Instead, she focused on breathing in and out deeply and keeping a strong concentration on the auctioneer so she wouldn't miss the lot she wanted.
Three lots until they got to her beloved book. A first edition of Hogwarts, a History. Hermione could hardly keep her eyes off the book from where it stood at the front of the room beside the auctioneer's stand.
She knew Harry and Ron thought she was being ridiculous, spending such an inordinate amount of money on a "mere" book but the bookworm in Hermione couldn't let such an opportunity pass.
She had enough money saved up. Malfoy, while otherwise being a boss from the fiery depths of hell, hadn't been stingy in her salary. And with the little increase in wage she was now receiving at MacRieve and Co, coupled to the fact she had never been a spendthrift, she could comfortably afford to bid on the book.
Hopefully she would have enough to outbid any others that held interest in the book. The edition hadn't been kept in the best condition and that was the only reason why Hermione could potentially afford it.
Just a few more minutes…and then she could apparate away from the muggy heat…and from him.
Hermione was startled when the auctioneer snapped his gavel sharply. She immediately sat up straighter in her seat; all thoughts of Malfoy now completely wiped from her mind as she stared at the book.
"Lot two-four-three, a first edition Hogwarts, a History." The auctioneer announced. "Damage to the spine, cover and a few pages but a priceless treasure none-the less. Two hundred Galleons to start?"
Hermione sucked in a breath. The number was higher than she had anticipated but still well within reach.
A man a few seats in front of her lifted his white card.
The auctioneer nodded. "Two hundred with the gentleman. Do I hear Two hundred and fifty?"
A woman at the back must have lifted her hand as for the next few seconds, the two fought it out. Hermione waited on the edge of her seat for the right moment. She knew not to jump in early but the thought of leaving it too late…
The right moment came sooner than expected. At three hundred Galleons, Hermione nodded her head determinedly.
The auctioneer caught sight of her. "Three hundred with the young woman in grey."
The price rose as the male bidder in front lifted his hand with a bid of three hundred and twenty Galleons.
Hermione instantly outbid him. "Three hundred and fifty." She said clearly.
The auctioneer turned back to the man. He shook his head in the negative and Hermione's stomach lurched in excitement.
"Three hundred and fifty Galleons. Going once…Going Twice…"
Hermione willed him on. Oh please, she thought, finish it.
"And s-" the auctioneer stopped with a look of surprise spreading over his features. "You're just in the nick of time sir. Four hundred Galleons?"
Hermione didn't have to turn her head to see who had made the bid. She could tell who it was by direction in which the auctioneer's head had turned and the fact that he seemed to stand up straighter upon addressing the wizard.
This time when Hermione clenched her jaw, it wasn't from impatience, it was from anger. It was also the only thing stopping her from screaming at him in frustration. What in Merlin's beard did he want with a worn copy of Hogwarts, a History?
Hermione would bet her life savings that he hadn't even read the book!
Taking in a deep breath, Hermione resisted the urge to send a hateful glare Malfoy's way. She would handle this with confidence and aloofness. She needed to handle this with aloofness and confidence.
Bloody spawn.
"Four hundred and fifty." She called out.
Excellent, Hermione told herself. Her voice hadn't wavered at all.
Malfoy's response was instant.
"Five hundred Galleons." He called out in his stupidly silky arrogant voice.
Hermione gulped. Five hundred Galleons was her limit. But she could stretch a little further. This time when she spoke, her voice wasn't nearly as confident. "Five ten."
"Six hundred." He replied in a bored voice.
Hermione snapped her head his way. He was staring right at her.
"Miss, do I have six hundred and ten?"
Hermione turned her head stiffly back to the auctioneer before speaking. "Yes."
"Seven hundred." Malfoy said the words almost apologetically but it only caused a wave of anger to wash over her.
"Seven hundred and ten." The words were out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop herself.
"Eight hundred." Now his voice held amusement and Hermione's head snapped back his way again.
At Malfoy's words the room seemed to come alive. People sat up straighter in their chairs and craned their heads around to look at him or her. Malfoy was the only one who seemed unruffled by the sudden attention.
The utter bastard.
As his icy eyes bore into hers, a pale eyebrow lifted in silent question. His top lip began to curl into what Hermione could only think of was victory.
Not on her watch...
"Eight hundred and ten."
The spawn sighed. "Eight hundred and fifty"
"Nine hundred." Hermione had no idea on why she hadn't just responded by announcing her account number at Gringotts. There was no way she could possibly afford to fork out nine hundred Galleons. The words coming out of her mouth were just numbers to her.
"Nine hundred and fifty."
"One thousand!" Hermione announced loudly.
There were cries and gasps from everybody in the room. One thousand Galleons wasn't even a figure anyone would spend on a pristine first edition of Hogwarts, a History.
One thousand Galleons! That was weeks and weeks worth of wages.
Hermione couldn't breathe. Her stomach tightened in panic and the air whooshed out of her lungs. Her mouth opened wordlessly; she desperately wanted to shove the figure back into her mouth.
Only she couldn't do that. Her only chance would be if…
Her head swung back to face Malfoy again.
His arms were no longer crossed at his chest but were deep in his trouser pockets. He still leant against the pillar and he was still staring at her. Only this time his face was blank. There was no arrogance, no amusement and certainly no indication that he was planning on making another bid.
And then his face changed. His eyes sparkled with triumph and Hermione knew…
He wasn't going to bid again. He'd done this to her on purpose.
The fricking…fracking…bloody spawn. As soon as she got back from Gringotts to withdraw a cauldronful of money she was going to quit. And then she would move to another country where she would never have to face Malfoy again.
Australia maybe? Her parents would be happy she was going home to them. And there was no way Malfoy's hold on her, his stalking, could extend across the world.
"One thousand Galleons…Going once…Going twice."
Oh Merlin, Hermione thought she was going to faint.
The auctioneer raised his hand, getting ready to bang his gavel and seal her fate. His hand lowered in slow motion and if Hermione was in a Muggle movie, she would be screaming out a prolonged "Nooooooo."
But she wasn't in a movie. This was real life. The auctioneer's hand was now descending at an alarmingly rapid pace and there would be no-one to save her from her own stupidity.
"One thousand and ten Galleons."
Hermione gulped in a wild breath of air. Numbly she turned her head back to stare at Malfoy. He was staring at her once again and Hermione couldn't seem to break his gaze.
She didn't hear the auctioneer calling out her name to see if she was going to make a counter bid, or when he called out the price Malfoy had spoken, or the gavel banging down, thus signaling the most incomprehensible fifteen minutes of Hermione's life.
She was in a daze until Malfoy simply turned away from her and walked out of the room like nothing had happened. She quickly scrambled up from her own chair and to the curious looks of the fellow bidders in the room, she flew after him.
She managed to catch up with him outside the auctioneer house. He was standing in the glorious sunshine with a brown package tucked carelessly under his arm.
The sight caused Hermione to fly towards him in all her ire. Her finger came out to form a point which jabbed him in the chest as she spoke.
"What in Merlin's bollocks was that Malfoy!" she spat out angrily. "What were you even doing here?"
Malfoy opened his mouth to answer but Hermione pressed on, leaving him no chance to speak. "You don't give a damn about the book. The only reason you placed your bids was because you knew I wanted it. How childish can you possibly get?"
Malfoy looked at her as if she were a child. A child experiencing a temper tantrum.
"If you wanted the book Granger then you should have bid on it." He said as he lazily took the book from under his arm and tossed it in the air before catching it by the spine.
Hermione kept her words of fury on how he was treating such a precious book tightly in her throat.
"What were you even doing here!" she asked again.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow and looked down at her uninterestedly. "And why shouldn't I be here Granger?"
Hermione spluttered. "You only came because you knew that I would be coming today and you wanted to annoy me. Well let me tell you something Draco Malfoy, I have had enough! You've spent the last three years causing me to live in misery but not anymore. I thought that a job at MacRieve and Co would mean I could finally get away from you but you couldn't even allow me that could you? Well I quit!" she stated dramatically before spinning on her heel and flouncing away from him.
Shoes are meant to be worn… The heel is there to make gravitationally challenged witches taller… It is not there to stab the spawn in his non existing heart…
Oh Merlin she needed to apparate away or the heels on her shoes would find themselves embedded not in Malfoy's chest…but elsewhere where they could do much more damage.
ooo
Draco Malfoy watched Hermione walk away from him. This was the second time in just over a month that she'd said she wanted to get him out of her life.
Was he really that bad? He scoffed in the negative before he'd even finished asking the question mentally.
Of course he wasn't. He was Draco Malfoy. The witch simply didn't know what she was missing out on.
As he heard a pop of apparation, Draco frowned. He'd have to figure out some other way to make her see how much better her life would be with him in it. Lucius's plan of making her aware of just how rich he was and showering her with expensive gifts certainly hadn't done him any favours.
He looked down at the packaged book in his hands. Maybe he'd save it and give it to the stubborn witch on their first anniversary.
Whenever that would be…
Author's Note: Last chapter I stupidly forgot to thank everyone who reviewed Pick You Up and made it one of the highest reviewed chapters in this collection! You guys are all amazing! Thank you so much! And to show you how much I appreciate you all- I wrote this! It only took five months and seventeen chapters for the idea to force it's way into my head! Wow, I can't believe I'm about to upload chapter forty-five! Five chapters to go! I hope you enjoyed reading this oneshot and until next time, Curiositykils!
