"Okay, so one more time. This assignment is extremely important. Meeting with the Werewolf Packs of Great Britain is a huge undertaking. We must be calm and NOT judgmental. These are good witches and wizards that have been infected. They are doing their best to keep up on their Wolfsbane potions, but seeing as it is an expensive and difficult potion to brew, supply is running short of the high demand. With any luck though, we should be hiring a new Head Potioneer soon."
Hermione had been trying for over six months to find a new head potioneer. The last Wizard quit because he was not getting far in trying to find a less expensive suppressant for Lycanthropy. She wondered if Narcissa Malfoy had sent over Malfoy's paperwork. Hermione hadn't seen him in years. She knew he'd been on house arrest for a year, completing his N.E.W.T.S. via correspondence, then the last she heard was that he'd gone overseas.
"Jensen and Smythe? Any word on the Centaur colony relocation from last week's forest fire?" She waited while the two former Hufflepuff's shuffled through their notes.
"Um, uh, oh! Here it is!" Julia Smythe held up a piece of parchment in victory. "I'm meeting with a Centaur named Bane on Thursday about a possible location about 20 miles south of the fire zone. It would be a temporary home until the area is regrown. There is a small clan of twenty in that location currently. They are willing to help out as long as the head of the Centaur herd, Bane, agrees to stay civil with Turvis, the head of the herd in the temporary location." Hermione nodded.
"Okay, great. You and Jensen let me know Thursday after the meeting. In the meantime, be sure that Bane's herd is well fed and the area set up outside of Hogwarts is okay for now. Classes start in three weeks, so we need the new location sooner rather than later, got it?" Jensen and Smythe nodded. "Great! Okay, well, get back to it then. Meeting adjourned." Hermione gathered her meeting notes and checked her watch. 'Hmm, quarter to eleven. Lunch is in one hour. Then the Floo call with Luna at two.'
As she talked to herself in her head, she was lost in thought and ran into someone, her papers flying out of her hands. "Oh, goodness! Oh, my apologies! Are you alright?" Hermione's stomach flipped at the sight of the man before her. He looked almost the same as she'd remembered him, just some stubble of a beard which made him seem quite debonair. She gathered her papers with a flick of her wand and waited for him to speak.
Draco Malfoy forgot how to speak. He stood there with a dumbstruck look on his face and forgot how to fucking talk. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered. Why did he come here, again? Oh! Yes! "Granger, I, um," he cleared his throat, "I came to possibly get a meeting with you. Since none of my Owls have been answered, I thought I'd try in person." He carded a hand through his hair, and it was most becoming.
Speak, Hermione! Speak damn it! She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Actually, yes, I have about," she looked down at her watch, "fifty minutes before my lunch hour. My office is right over there if you'll follow me." Her heart was pounding out of her chest. I mean, it had been years and the years,? They had been verrrry good to Draco Malfoy.
He walk behind her as he followed. She was in a tight pencil skirt that hugged her in all the right places. The deep purple blouse she wore was very becoming. He was so caught up in watching her, he almost tripped over a potted plant next to her doorframe.
They entered her office and Hermione motioned for him to take a seat. "Okay, Malfoy. What can I help you with?" She smiled at him in a friendly way that made him almost stutter his words.
"Well, I came because I wanted to know why you've been ignoring my Owls. I have been trying to get in to interview for the Potioneer position, but I have received not even one response." He tried not to sneer at her. He was just tired of the hate he saw directed at him every time he was out in public.
"I was actually only made aware of your attempts this morning by an anonymous source. I have launched an investigation to figure out who has been destroying your requests for an interview." Draco looked shocked and pleased at the same time. She made him feel human again. "Since you're here, let's start. Do you have any experience?"
Draco sat up and pulled papers from his inner robe. "Yes, I actually became certified in Barcelona under the tutelage of Señor Mondalves of the Royal Wizarding Academy in Terrassa. I worked for two years under him before moving back to Wiltshire when my father became ill right before his release from Azkaban." Draco watched as Hermione scratched some notes on the parchment in front of her.
"That sounds absolutely fascinating, Malfoy! I remember that Potions was your best subject. I was absolute bollocks at it. Of course, I can make basic potions, and if I go by the book for anything more complicated, it can take me a bit longer. I have some cognitive issues from the war which you will need to forgive me for. It's why I always have a quill and parchment on hand or I'll forget." She shrugged as if it was nothing. Draco wanted to reach out to her or say something but he didn't. He only nodded in understanding.
"Anywho, have you any experience in creating new potions? Sometimes we need to figure out inexpensive ways to produce similar results of well-known potions that are already marketed. For example, we are currently trying to find a new, less expensive type of Wolfsbane potion. Since the end of the war, there has been an increase in the Lycanthropy population. We cannot keep up with supply and demand, and most of the affected cannot afford Wolfsbane. This is what you will first be assigned when you are hired." Draco raised an arched eyebrow.
"When?" he asked with a smirked. Hermione smiled brightly at him causing his stomach to clench.
"Welcome to the team, Malfoy. Let's head up to HR and complete your paperwork." They both stood and Draco held open the door for her, then followed her to the lift. Hermione admired his aristocratic profile. His features were softer than when he was in school. He still held a confident stance and his hair was a bit longer. He no longer sneered at her either. Draco Malfoy. Hermione actually felt comfortable around him which confused her.
Draco could feel her eyes on him in the lift. He had to fight the urge to look. Gods, he wanted to look at her. She was gorgeous. She was brilliant. He still wanted her. He'd wanted her since the first time he saw her eagerly raising her hand on the first day of Potions in first year.
The witch in Human Resources looked vaguely familiar as they walked up. She must've known him to because she scowled at him. She actually fucking scowled and it took everything he had NOT to scowl back. "Good morning, Romilda. I need the New Employee processing packet for Mr. Malfoy here. He's the new Head Potioneer for my department." The dumb look on the witch's face caused Hermione to flush.
"Him? Why him?" The snooty witch asked indignantly. Hermione came to the offensive.
"Not that it's any of your business, but he's the most qualified man for the job and brilliant at potions, so get your ass up and get what I need, Miss Vane." The witch scrambled to her feet and rush into a backroom. Draco smirked as he looked over at Hermione.
"Stupid little chit. I swear. I cannot stand bigoted people that cannot see that the bloody war is over. Sorry about that, Malfoy." Draco was stunned. He couldn't get over how kind and incredibly sweet she was being. He wanted to hug her. The only people that ever showed him or his parents kindness was Harry Potter and Minerva Mcgonagal. "Please, call me Draco." Hermione smiled and her heart leapt at the soft way he spoke his request.
They completed his paperwork and headed back to the lift. That's when both of their stomachs growled simultaneously causing them both to chuckle. "Would you, um, well that is to say, would you be interested in going out to lunch with me? There's a small cafe in Muggle London I really enjoy. I would love to talk more about your first assignment. Give you more background into what projects we are currently working on. If not, I will just see you tomorrow morning. Start time is 9:00am, then we have a daily meeting at 9:30. I am usually here early so we could even discuss it then if you come in a bit earlier than nine." She was rambling and he found it endearing as fuck.
"Granger, I would love to have lunch with you. Thank you." He allowed her to go ahead of him as the doors to the lift opened. She stopped and turned smiling at him.
"Draco," his heart stopped, his brain exploded, and he wanted to melt at the sound of his name falling from her lips. "If we are going to be working together, please call me Hermione." He smiled and they continued their voyage to the Ministry Floo Network.
"Alright then, Hermione." He smiled over at her and noticed she was blushing slightly. "Lead the way " She nodded then reached for some Floo powder. "The Leaky Cauldron!" she shouted then disappeared in a flash of green flames. Draco followed moments later and saw her waiting for him patiently.
"We can get to Muggle London through here, Draco." Hermione walked through the door and he followed. Draco was nervous. He had never been to the Muggle world before and it was with the most famous Muggleborn in history in his and many others opinions. She surprised him even more when she offered her arm. "Take my arm. The street is pretty crowded and I don't want to lose my new Head Potioneer before he even starts."
The smile she gave him could melt the hardest of hearts. He felt a heat between them as they made contact for the first time. Being on her arm, made Draco feel important and unstoppable. She wasn't kidding either. It was as if every Muggle in England was on the street. It made sense since it was most people's lunch hour. They walked a few blocks then came to a cafe with the Ursa Major constellation on the front window and The Big Dipper written in script underneath it.
"The have the best soups here. I hope this is okay." She saw him falter. "Draco?"
He looked up at her sheepishly, "I, well, I have never had Muggle food. And, I don't have Muggle coin either." Hermione smiled sweetly at him.
"My treat, Draco, and don't worry. It's just food. You're going to love it, I swear." She lead him to a back table and showed him the menu. In the end, she ordered a grilled cheese and tomato soup combo for them both. After the food arrived, she told him to "Tuck in." and watched as he had his first bite of the sandwich. His eyes lit up and he smiled widely.
"That's bloody fantastic!" Hermione giggled and it caused him to pause. "Thank you. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I know I probably wasn't anyone's first choice for the job, but still. Thanks, Hermione." She looked up at him and noticed for the first time that day that he wasn't as confident as he pretended to be.
"I didn't hire you to take a chance, Draco. I hired you because you are the only qualified person that's come through my office. Don't you ever forget that you are an amazing wizard. You are not your past. Your past is what made you into the determined and able-bodied man you are today." She reached across the table and patted his hand. "This is a new beginning."
It was then in that moment that Draco Malfoy decided. He would be happy. No longer would he dwell on his past mistakes. And, by God, he would make Hermione Granger his.
A/N: Gosh! I cannot believe how many of you favorited this story so far! Continue to review as well. You guys are awesome! Love this community! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!