A/N: Thank you everyone for your support. We are still dedicated to finishing this story and trying our best. Your reviews mean a lot to us. It's your love that's kept us going. A big shout out to White Bishop for your unwavering support in writing this story.

Weasels and Ferrets, at Otters

Draco Malfoy immerged from an emerald plume stepping into the atrium. As he moved away from the floo almost absentmindedly, his eyes were scanning for a particularly distinct mop of hair. Unfortunately, he was met with nothing but employees bustling to work, or average wizards who had some form of business with one of the Ministry's many departments.

He paid these nameless people little attention because his mind was elsewhere. There wasn't much time left, the Wizengamot awaited, and with it the future of what he and Hermione had spent months working towards. After today's presentation, the Office of Elvish Licensing and Freedom would either become a grand success or a bitter failure. Regardless of events yet to happen, Draco was determined to assure his girlfriend's dream became a reality by whatever means he had at his disposal. If only he could find the blasted witch.

They'd been meticulous in planning for today. Draco knew her schedule like the back of his own hand, yet still no sign of her. He should have caught up with her in the atrium. This had been a long time coming so everything was timed down to the minute, their arrival at the ministry, the last-minute checklist, their attire; everything was chosen to ensure the best outcome. Every step was etched into their brains. Yet now, alone he stood in the large atrium with no Hermione at his side; frustrated and anxious.

This was all Slughorns fault! If not for the special potion the aged Potion Master had suddenly requested, Draco would've met Hermione at her home as planned. Instead, the Malfoy heir had spent his morning brewing an anti-nausea potion for some supposedly influential wizard's wife, or so Horace claimed. Granger had been supportive of the old Slug's request saying she was perfectly capable of handling things on her own, so Draco hadn't given it a second thought; obviously, that was a mistake.

Unable to contain the growing anxiety that started to build within him, Draco strode towards the lifts with his destination clear in his mind. He stepped into the first one that opened and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. He didn't realize he wasn't alone in the lift until someone clears their throat.

He threw a sharp look over his shoulder. "Weasel, brilliant." he sighed frustrated, "Fancy seeing you here. What brings you to the Ministry? Desperate to get your job back after the Aurors fired you?"

"I resigned, Malfoy," Replied Ronald Weasley taking a step closer towards his former nemesis. "Honorably discharged, not that you'd know much about that; honor that is."

Draco ignored the red-headed wizard's retort and proceeded to act as if the former Auror didn't exist. As much as Malfoy enjoyed mocking Ron Weasley, he didn't have the time to deal with this braying idiot; there were more important matters to attend to.

"Listen Malfoy, I don't know what your intentions with Hermione are, but let me tell you one thing."

Draco shot a dirty look at Ron who was now standing in front of him.

"If you sabotage her project or hurt her in any way, you'll wish you'd never been born."

A frustrated sigh escaped from the blond pureblood. Were all Gryffindors really this thick headed? Did Ronald honestly believe threatening a Malfoy was a good idea? If Hermione had overheard Weasley's poorly veiled threat just now, she would've been no doubt visibly cross with the ginger-haired simpleton. Weasley wasn't entirely talentless, but this was just too sloppy.

As if to confirm Draco's musings, he noticed an unnatural orange splotch of color on the other man's face. "If that ever happened, and I'm stretching 'if' here Weasel; Hermione would deal with me before you ever got the chance." Malfoy took a step away before smugly retorting. "Also; your feeble threats would be more intimidating if you ever remembered to wash your face. Is that marmalade or chutney?"

Ron's eyes widened as he hissed and swiped his fingers on his cheek. "Bugger me; Pan..." redhead muttered quietly. "My point, Ferret;" he fired back "Is that unlike you Hermione has people who love her. Us Gryffindors are loyal, so if you step out of line you'll have a bunch of lions coming for your neck. "

"Noted." Draco answered his tone matter-of-fact, "However, aside from Hermione; the only real threat among all of you is Potter's wife."

Ron opened his mouth, as if to challenge the Malfoy heir's statement but paused as if he thought better of it.

"At least with Ginny retired and ready to become a mum, the Cannons have got a good chance at the cup this year."

"Please, if not for your sister; Puddlemere would have had yet another championship under their belt."

The lift stopped with a chime and perfectly punctuated Draco's retort. He smiled inwardly at being able to get the last word, as he stepped out of the lift and started towards Hermione's office. Sensing footsteps behind him, Draco sighed. It seemed their destinations were the same.

"The difference is that I'm going to be at every match cheering for 'em, Malfoy. My girl got us season tickets."

"A fan of lost causes, then? Well, I suppose you deserve each other." Draco mocked,

"Glad to have your blessing, Draco."

Something about the former Gryffindor's tone seemed genuine which was troubling, but Draco ignored it. Deciding to continue to enjoy throwing verbal jabs at the youngest Weasley brother instead, at least until they reached Hermione's office.

"She was real sweet about it too," Ron continued dreamily, "Dressed up, in Cannons colors and everything."

Draco raised an eyebrow at Ron who was now walking very close to him, no thanks to the narrow hallways. Whoever Weasley's new witch was she was certainly going all out. Draco didn't know any self-respecting witch who would willingly put on that hideous shade of orange but apparently, Weasley had found one. Then that splotch on the ginger buffoon must have been lipstick. Wait, season tickets and a witch desperate enough to dress up in Chudley Cannons orange? It seemed familiar...

Draco smirked to himself as the realization hit him. Theo was going to love this revelation; they were going to have so much fun teasing their fellow pureblood. Ron Weasley, of all the wizards she could have been magically matched to she had chosen to dig her claws into him. Sadly, this also meant that Ron Weasley's presence in Draco's social circle was no longer dependant on Draco's success in wooing Hermione, making the prospect of keeping the ginger wizard at arm's length all the more difficult.

He eyed Hermione's closed office and took a backward step towards it. Weasley's confused look only amused him more.

"Tell me Weasley, your 'loyal' friends, do they know about her?" Draco let his question linger a moment before he continued "She was keeping it a secret from us, so I presume she asked the same of you."

Ron's face reddened and Draco couldn't help but snicker as the former Gryffindor's face seemingly couldn't decide on which shade of red to be.

"She's not an easy witch to get along with."

"You keep your bloody mouth shut, ferret. We are not here to discuss my personal life."

Draco calmed and raised his hands in a universal sign of peace.

"Agreed. While we're at it, let's not talk about mine either. Also, we'll both pretend you weren't threatening me back in the lift. Fair?" While Ron continued to look at him with a mix of anger and confusion, Draco shook his head. "Look, Weasley. We're not friends, and I never want us to become friends, but we both care about the witches in our lives so we have a choice to make."

To Draco's surprise, Ron didn't voice any retort and simply looked at Draco with suspicion. Whether the reason was that he had uncovered the redhead's secret or because he had made an appeal for peace, Malfoy didn't know. Regardless, Weasley seemed receptive, which was a good start.

"Like it not, we are likely going to be seeing each other a lot more than we'd like. So I propose you learn to keep certain impulses to yourself and I'll do the same."

Ron seethed at Draco's extended hand.

"You're not making this easy now, are you? Very well," Draco stepped closer and met the gaze of Ronald Weasley. "Allow me to impress upon you a reality, this witch you're involved with, I know her very well. Admittedly, she's not the cleverest girl, but she can be one of the sweetest most loving women you'll ever know. At the same time, she can also be a scheming harpy who will rip you to pieces." Ron's eyes widened and he instinctively took a step back. "Now tell me, how do you think she'd react if your relationship went public before she was ready?"

Malfoy took another step closer and smiled. "You wouldn't want to be responsible for that, now would you?"

It took another moment for Ron to realize that Draco was indeed extending his hand. His glare softened into a smile.

"Git," It was Draco's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Oh, don't you think your little threat is making me do this." Ron continued. "It's because you made a good point. No sense in getting myself hexed for being too stubborn. Besides, you wouldn't have offered to make peace with a filthy blood traitor like me if you weren't serious about Hermione. "Suddenly, the red-haired wizard broke out in a fit of chuckles." Bloody hell, Malfoy! I just realized you're the blood traitor dating a muggle-born and I'm the respectable pureblood keeping to my own kind." Draco winced; the ginger oaf had a point. "Well, suppose that's all the more reason to throw those ideals in the bin where they belong, right?"

Draco sighed deeply. A part of him hoped that Weasley would have refused his offer of peace since it would have been the ideal opportunity to excise the redhead from his and Hermione's life completely. Sadly, Ron Weasley had chosen to be reasonable; which meant that they were going to become permanent fixtures in each others' lives for the foreseeable future.

"Why in the name of Merlin are you two chatting in front of Hermione's office?"

Draco and Ron turned around just in time to notice the newcomers.

"Davis, nice to see you. I was just about to check in on 'Mione, to wish her luck before everything kicks off. Don't know why Malfoy is here." Ron offered cheerily, before stepping towards the door.

Draco took a step back and raised an eyebrow at Tracey's partner. "Nott? Keeping tabs on your wife to be?"

"No, my beloved Tracey managed to pull some strings to let me into Granger's presentation. It's the first time the press was given this kind of opportunity, and The Daily Prophet is getting the exclusive." Theo looked dreamily at Tracey as his fiancée tried her luck with the door.

"It's locked," Tracey announced to the group.

"Not really a problem, is it? Am I the only one who remembers the phrase 'Alohomora'?"

Theo's words met with disapproving looks from all the others.

"Or we could wait." He said sheepishly looking at the notes in his hand.

"She never locks her office," Tracey said biting her lip. "If it's locked, that means she's not in there. It's strange; she's never late to work and today is such an important day. If anything she should've been here first thing in the morning." Tracey met Draco's eyes, an unspoken question in her questioning gaze. "Explain, now!"

"Where is she, Malfoy? The session's going to start in an hour and there were a few last-minute changes that I have to discuss with her."

"Well, she's not at home. I sent Tinky to make her breakfast this morning, so I know she's not there." Draco pondered. This was very unlike his lioness. Hermione was religious about these sorts of things. When he didn't run into her in the atrium, he was sure he would find her here immersed in piles of parchments.

His brain began going through various scenarios. Foul play was unlikely; Granger was too talented and vigilant for that. Nor was it likely that his witch would be affected by the news that some unsympathetic members of the Wizengamot would be in attendance for today's meeting. In fact, that only supported Davis' belief that Granger should already be in her office. Something regarding her parents? Not impossible, so probably worth a look. Potter! She often sought out Potter's advice; maybe she went to see him.

"Let's try Potter's office." Draco started towards the lifts, his mind racing faster than his feet.

"Harry's on a mission, Malfoy." Ron chimed halting them. "Why do you think I came here this morning? Harry didn't have time to tell her he couldn't be here today. He tried his best, but being an Auror means you can be called in at any time."

Draco met Theo's gaze and unspoken understanding came to both of them. Gryffindors may not be well-versed in politics, but they were good for optics. Some still considered Harry Potter the savior of their world and he could sway opinions just by being there. His absence might be seen as a lack of support for the project, which was not a very good sign.

As if understanding their unspoken discussion, Ron spoke up. "I might not understand everything about it, but even I know Hermione's got a solid case. This E.L.F. project is a good idea, and it'll help elves in ways that S.P.E.W. couldn't. She might've already got Malfoy's financial support, but I'm here to show them that Harry and I are still with her and she isn't fighting alone."

Draco rolled his eyes at the former Gryffindor's antics. Of course, no one would be foolish enough to doubt the friendship between the golden trio but sometimes people needed the visual. Although, Weasel's presence would definitely add a sense of solidarity to her appeal, Ron Weasley wasn't Harry Potter.

"It's great that you're here Ron, but that's not going to help us if Hermione isn't. Does anyone else have any ideas about where she might be?" Tracey looked at both the redhead and blond wizards expectantly.

"If Potter isn't around then what about his wife? Hermione might be visiting his home anyway." Theo tried to offer.

"Gin's staying at Burrow. Something about sickness, I suppose. Besides, she'd send 'Mione here anyway." Ron mumbled, quelling their next actions.

While Ron and Draco mentally calculated the most probable locations they could find Hermione, Theo and Tracey started discussing plans for the worst-case scenario.

Frustrated with the nature of his friend's conversation, Draco yelled. "For Salazar's sake, Nott. Why don't you and Davis take that discussion someplace else?. You're not helping."

Tracey started to argue but Theo stopped her. "Come on, love. Malfoy seems to have forgotten his morning coffee and manners."

As the pair retreated with Tracey throwing glares at the blond, Ron let out a bemused chuckle. "I thought Nott was your best mate?" Ron snorted when Draco sneered at him. "You Slytherins are bloody cold-blooded."

"Save it for later, Weasel. You might have time to spare but I've better things to do." Draco stormed out.

"Oi! Ferret." Ron came running after him. "I might have an idea, but it's a bit of a long shot."

Draco stood in front of the lifts and raised an eyebrow at his old school rival. "I'm waiting Weasley."

"Don't get your bloody knickers in a knot." Ron shoved Draco and made his way into the newly arrived lift. When Draco didn't make any motion, Ron smirked. "Waiting for an invitation?"

If it was any other day, Draco wouldn't have minded hexing that smug look from Ronald Weasley's face. Unfortunately, this ginger idiot was his best chance at finding his wayward lioness before they ran out of time. With a grudging nod, he took the lift.

"So where?"

After a few minutes, they were standing in front of the Hogwarts gate.

"I'm torn. A part of me wants you to be wrong, Weasley. At the same time, I just want to find Granger."

"I'm not promising anything, but that library was her answer for every bloody problem. If she's anywhere, it'll probably be here."

Draco knew that and he seemed to understand Ron's logic. Hermione's absence might be due to a simple reason; her need to check everything one last time. Since Malfoy library was likely out of question and Grimmauld place was currently unreachable, her best option was indeed Hogwarts' library.

He hurried towards the library with Weasley on his tail. The fact that Weasely was able to guess where Hermione was while he had to tag along was gnawing at him. Draco knew he was being petty but he couldn't help his feelings. All those hours spent with Granger, on top of being magically compatible and it's still Weasley who knew her best.

It was still early hours, but there were already a few students seated at the tables. Draco couldn't help but lament the idea that if his bookworm girlfriend was here, he wasted time sending Slughorn that bloody potion by owl when it could have been delivered by hand. He eyed the librarian who was managing some books on the shelves.

"Come on, let's check with her." Ron moved forward gesturing Draco to follow him.

"We don't need her help."

"Of course. Now, you know everything." Ron scowled. "And here I was stupid enough to expect a bloody thank you."

"You said it. Not me." Draco smirked as they headed off towards the restricted section.

"Not here." Ron kept saying every time they passed an empty aisle. Draco tuned him out after the first few times.

"For heaven's sake, this is a library. Keep your voice down." The voice brought Draco's feet to a halt and he took a relaxed breath for the first time since he woke up that day.

They found her in the last aisle hunched over a pile of books, furiously scribbling something over a parchment. Looking at her intensity, Draco was sure she was poking holes into the thing.

"Herm…." Ron began loudly, but Draco immediately shushed him.

"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed. "She won't hesitate to hex us if we disturb her in that state."

Ron surprised Draco with an affirming nod. He also appeared a little bit skittish, making Draco wonder if this wasn't his first experience.

Gesturing to Ron to wait at the entrance, which he seemed to do rather happily, Draco took cautious steps towards her. He made sure he wasn't making any loud noise and approached as if he was approaching a cornered animal.

"Hermione, love, what are you doing here?"

He wasn't wrong in his guess. He was now standing in front of her, with her wand in his face. Her hair looked frazzled and her eyes were bloodshot. In the dim lantern light, he could also see she'd gnawed her lower lip raw. It was clear she hadn't slept well, if at all, before coming here.

Her expression softened as soon as she met his gaze. "Draco, it's you."

"And me." Ron waved from the entrance of the aisle.

"Ron?!" Hermione's gaze wandered between the pair of them. "What are you doing here?" Before either of them spoke, her eyes widened. "Oh my! It's time already. I thought we had a few more hours."

"Unfortunately, not," Draco said soothingly. "But, I'm here now. So what do you need?" He knew he was acting uncharacteristically sweet, but he couldn't let Weasley steal his thunder again. "If we work together we can get anything done with time to spare."

"She doesn't need your help with that," Ron said with a guffaw earning a glare from his ex. "She can bloody well manage quite a few hours on her own. In fact, she can make extra time and doesn't need a tosser like you slowing her down."

"Weasley, can you for once stop talking," Draco said trying to reach for the books that were littered on the floor, as Hermione started to pack her things.

"Ron. Listen to Draco or I won't be responsible for what happens next." Hermione said smiling at Draco. She took the books from his hands and put them in her bag. She then took his face into her hands and pressed a loving kiss to his lips. "Thank you for coming to get me."

"Always, Granger." Draco reciprocated her smile and he felt his tension melt away. At the end of the day, he was the winner, not bloody Weasley. "Now, let's ditch the Weasel and go save some house-elves."

Ron rolled his eyes at the pair of them and backed away. "Bloody ridiculous," he mumbled to himself. "If not for me, everything would've gone pear-shaped, but what do I get, not even a single thank….mmm."

Ron's musings were cut short as a pair of arms surrounded him from behind; one hand covering his mouth the other wrapped around his mid-section. He felt a familiar scent assault him and he couldn't help but smile. It was so nostalgic and comforting. He turned around and let Hermione hug him properly. Ignoring the tug in his heart, he returned her greeting.

"Thank you, Ron."

"Just because you're with Malfoy that doesn't mean you're going to be rid of me." He said throwing a glare in Draco's direction.

"Of course not. I'd need to marry him for that to happen." Hermione said with a wink. When Ron scowled, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Ugh! What's that smell? Citrus perfume?"

"It's nothing, probably just my breakfast." He said stepping out of her embrace. He gave a nod to the pair and backed away. "I'll see you at the ministry."

It was Hermione's turn to think until a different pair of arms encircled her. "A knut for your thoughts."

She looked back at him and shook her head with a small smile. Draco could see a sheen in her eyes. He didn't want to guess.

"Dare I ask, what made you come here?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she glowered in anger. "I needed to check something."

"Cryptic, but you've found an answer?"

She nodded but said nothing and he didn't push her. By her actions, it was clear something didn't add up and that's what drove her to the Library. He just hoped she found what she needed. He was confident in her ability and that her presentation would be a success. Still, as a Slytherin, it wasn't in his nature to leave things completely to chance; so he had a harmless contingency prepared just in case. With any luck, it wouldn't be needed and Hermione need never know it existed at all.

"Shall we be on our way, then?" He offered her his arm. "Davis was frantic. We need to get there soon."

Hermione's expression schooled and she now looked like a warrior. She looked like she was ready for the battle and looking at the expression in her eyes; he knew she was ready and prepared to strike a fierce blow.