"You really should settle down now", Her mother's soft voice behind her broke her train of thought.
Hermione paused washing the pile of plates and braced herself for the fight ahead.
Her mother, when marching with an agenda in mind, argued like a general deciding the finer details of strategic enemy takeover. The zeal bursting forth would cinder anyone in path, including daughters.
This one sensitive topic was frequented in the same dining room every few months.
"Mum", she exhaled softly.
"You can't be this choosy, love. You can't get the perfect life, the perfect man. You expect too much from life."
"And why can't I, Mum?", she rounded angrily on her. The attempt to talk calmly gone to the gallows.
"The man I set you up with was good!", her mother's tone rose sharply.
"Did you", she exploded in frustration, gripping the edge of the counter tightly, anger sweeping away coherent thought, "even meet him? He's not someone I imagine spending life with and he was a Muggle, Mum!"
"He's good enough. You barely meet anyone, you don't date, you don't -", her mother sank back on the chair tiredly.
"And he wasn't that bad", her mother snapped.
"We had nothing to talk of, Mum"
"Knowing you, believe me he would've tried"
Hermione snorted loudly.
"Ah, he did while I was discussing quidditch teams I was supporting and -", she quipped sarcastically.
"Quidditch? He would've known more than you."
"I meant the music popping in these days"
"I've heard some of it. Bless him, atleast his ears will remain intact."
"It's not that bad."
"I heard you singing a song about a woman who's lover got lynched while apparating in the shower the other day."
"Ah, alright." She resumed stacking the plates. "Good he's gone then, isn't it?"
"Maybe it is", her mother sighed dramatically. She knew her mother's sighs well enough, after all these years. This one meant the strategic planning was nearing its end.
"I'll find someone better, just you wait."
Her mother laughed, clutching the side of her stomach tightly.
"Gosh, I wonder if I'll pity the man or thank him for marrying you?"
"I'd like to believe the sentiment would lie somewhere in the middle?"
"I think the latter", her mother replied flatly as she walked out the room, leaving her to clean up the dishes with magic.
Hermione ran blindly through the hallway, hands clutching the stack of files desperately to prevent slipping, through the crowded lobby. She managed to skewer last minute from Mallory Regent, from the Artifacts department, who yelped, and dropped her bag, crying indignantly.
"I'm sorry!", she shouted, dodging others who promptly backed up against the black walls.
The innocuous black door stood patiently as she skidded in front of it, the sound of her heavy pants echoing in the chamber. This initial meeting scheduled with Malfoy was important for her department or more specifically, important for her. His cooperation was fundamental to push her her schemes to success and consequently secure a position for her in the law enforcement department. Just one more successful proposal.
She hesitated before knocking on the door, using the moment to regain some semblance.
"Come in", a muffled voice called from the other side.
She pushed the door open to find Malfoy sitting on his dark wooden desk, eyes roving over her quickly before glancing back at the person he was talking to. His room was spacious and well lit but the decorations inside were minimal.
Her breath hitched in her throat as she tore away her gaze to greet the other person in the room only to freeze when she recognized the girl. She was the girl in the ice-cream shop. The girl with the pale blond hair, the one who'd made him laugh.
The girl appeared just as startled but regained her composure quickly.
"Hermione Granger!", she acknowledged, smiling softly, her deep voice in contrast to her soft features.
She reached out a hand to her.
"It's so nice to meet you."
Hermione nodded dumbly as she shook her hand.
"I'm Zoya Devishi. I work in the Unspeakables department." No wonder she hadn't met the woman before, she barely knew anyone in there other than Thomas. Also the accent.. definitely Beauxbatons.
"Pleased to meet you", she replied before glancing at Malfoy who'd risen from his chair, watching their interaction warily.
"Ah, we're childhood friends.", Zoya answered, observing their silent exchange.
"We don't know anyone else here so you see, we need to stick together", she said playfully, winking at Malfoy as he rolled his eyes.
Hermione's heart sank slightly with the realization that Malfoy never looked so at ease in anyone's company. She couldn't help but see how well they looked together, both tall and beautiful.
"Granger?", Malfoy's voice cut in her daze.
"I should be leaving you two alone", Zoya interrupted, picking up her bag and walking out the door, leaving them alone.
Malfoy exhaled and sat back in his chair, exhaustion and dark circles visible from the distance.
Last month, news of the heavy loss incurred by the ministry from his latest investment had leaked from Treasury to shake the everyone in the Ministry, from low level employees to the Minister of Magic. It had quickly turned into a topic of heated discussion with everyone voicing their opinion at Ministry carelessness, especially Malfoy's character, loudly. Reasons to sack him were discussed and refined until every single worker knew them and could recite on the drop of a hat should the need of the hour call for it. Even her magical creatures department heads, who rarely bothered to talk abut anything other than creatures or weather, lamented the loss of money and criticized arrogance of young blood.
She could only imagine the hell he'd had to deal with this past month. She felt a tinge of sympathy.
"Bad month?", she asked.
"Could have been better.", he replied drily.
"Better than dealing with haranguing ministry officials?", she teased. For an inexplicable reason, she wanted to ease his worries a bit. He scoffed.
"Definitely", he replied, his shoulders relaxing slightly.
"I came to talk about the latest proposal by our department? Kruger said he'd mentioned it to you." He gave her a sour look.
"Yes, the one that'll steal more hours of my sanity? Do I have you to thank for that, Granger?", he asked wryly.
"You might have to", she smiled innocently. "I'm heading this project though."
"Trying out for the law enforcement department, are you?", he raised one eye brow knowingly.
She nodded, pressing her lips tightly. How did he know? She might as well come clean.
"Bored from your work already? Wouldn't have pegged you for leaving magical creatures on their own, Granger.", his voice was now mocking.
Hermione felt a flicker of irritation at his tone. He'd advised her last time to not attach herself too much to her job and now he questioned her actions.
"Yes, just like you advised." He opened his mouth to retort but she didn't give him a chance.
"In any case, law offers guaranteed upward mobility. Once I have enough power, I'll jump back to helping but right now I just don't have enough."
"Enough what?"
"Power"
"Exactly.", his eyebrows rose triumphantly, satisfied at luring her into his reasoning. She rolled her eyes at the realization.
He was smiling at her as well now, the same unguarded way he'd done almost two months back.
"So will you help?", she continued.
"Of course, Granger. Lord knows we need more people with common sense in there. If not for you, I'll do it just for the sake of humanity."
She laughed and watched as his smile grew further, his pale eyes sparkling in the bright sunlight.
She quickly focused her gaze back to the dark ebony desk in between them.
"How about we discuss this further during lunch? We could set up weekly meetings to finalize the funding? I could answer any questions you might have."
He began collecting the papers in his desk, nodding in agreement.
"Looking forward to it."
She turned and walked out the door, exhaling the breath she'd been holding, bracing herself for the paperwork she'd need to complete to take time off for lunch.
The cramped cafeteria was the epicenter of noise and scorching heat from the glass roof as people horded to eat food in the peak hours. Some hoped to catch a bite before rushing to meetings while others sat with friends lounging in tables with crumbs from their devoured meals as they talked leisurely.
Hermione led Malfoy through the halls, undertaking the duty to be an unofficial guide after learning that he'd never eaten before in the Ministry cafeteria before.
"Do you eat here often?", he asked, stepping away from a woman carrying two plates of lunch about to bump into them.
"Yes", she glanced back at him to check how far behind he was, "but not enough. I've heard only good things about the pasta."
"Pasta in Ministry cafeteria? I clearly have been asking the wrong people"
She laughed as they approached counter, eyes scanning the items in the menu hanging above.
She ordered pasta and helped him to narrow down the choices. The search for an empty table proved difficult in the rush hour as she wandered around while Malfoy hung back at the counter for the food. She placed her bag on an unclean table, cleaning away the dirt with a flick of her wand, snapping her fingers to signal Malfoy.
He returned a few minutes later, balancing their plates precariously amongst people rushing past him. Even in the rushed setting, it wasn't hard to discern him from the crowd, his determined gait in stark contrast to others ambling around. Few, those working in Finance, turned back twice to confirm it was Malfoy as he walked past them.
"The service is pretty fast", he remarked, sitting down, sliding a plate towards her along with a fork and napkin.
She hummed in agreement.
"How's your food?", she asked, watching him take a small bite hesitatingly.
"Surprisingly good. Not sure what that says much about my taste.", he replied drily.
"You're a Ministry employee. This should've been a rite of passage for you."
He let out an undignified snort.
"I read your proposal", he dabbed his mouth with a napkin before continuing, "its got weight but not enough to get approved from Kruger." She'd expected that. That's why she'd approached him.
"Any suggestions?", she questioned.
He nodded before taking another bite.
"The policy focuses on integrating werewolves with society, right? You're asking for too much from the ministry when you propose we fund their housing, scholarships in the initial years."
He nodded towards the posters painted along the ministry walls advertising various weekly activities, workshops and events.
"Most of the werewolves are educated so for them, finding an unbiased unemployment is enough. The Warlock association in Asia just released a workshop to teach muggle children some skills for controlling magic before entering schools. You could send some werewolves there."
His fingers drummed the table counter, eyes scanning other faces in the cafeteria, mind racing.
"The Australians just opened positions in the trading and people census where you could send some. Prejudices there run really low compared to here. The Americans also inaugurated a medical center for training young healers where you could send some interested in the medical field."
His eyes glanced back at her, alighting in some unsaid idea, begging to burst through.
"Talk to St. Mungo's, Daily Prophet to take in more trainees and open programs for them."
"We did", Hermione interrupted. "St. Mungo's is fine with that but Daily prophet...", she left her sentence hanging.
"You can't get done anything without some pressure. You need to press them, they won't move an inch.", he said determinedly.
"I'll- try", she replied, sounding unconvinced.
"Where is it you need the most money?"
"Grants for research in their potions for werewolves.", she replied quickly.
"Done. I'll get that while you talk to the people I just named."
She nodded, mind scrambling at the sudden ingestion of information. His work synched him with workings of all international departments, exposing him to valuable information few were privy to. Her mind began devising a plan, jotting down everything he'd mentioned with consequences she'd need to tackle to set it in motion.
The ends of his pale white hair now stuck to the sides of his face in sweat, forehead lined with tiny drops.
The sharp angles of his face shone prominently while his pale blond hair looked almost silver in the Sunlight, catching the discreet glances of others around them.
"It'll be a slow process but we'll get there.", he said softly, in assurance.
Hermione smiled back, feeling a flicker of hope at his optimism. Warmth spread in her heart at the feeling that he was on her side now. The nervousness of the previous days ebbing slowly, replaced by his subtle confidence in her. His presence, his help beside her felt enough.
If he was with her in this, they'd get it done.
The cramped cafeteria, with the hustle and bustle of people, was an unlikeliest of places to strike a friendship with Malfoy, a boy she'd forgotten along with the other characters in war. But eating with him in the heart of loud voices, blaring Sun, bland food and rush of people eased their interaction gently. His striking grey eyes remained on her as he listened to her talk about her plans with the new proposal, the amalgamation of different shades of grey sparkling with interest and humor, in a way she'd never experienced before. The thinly veiled hostility and arrogance she half expected to witness replaced by friendliness and kindness. He easily drew her into conversations about work; lulling her into security as their past faded over the mutual interest. She felt relaxed as she leant back on her chair, laughing in his company.
Ove the next three weeks, lunches with him became routine as they argued over the next steps, discussed plans with the treasury and ate the daily specials at the overcrowded cafeteria. He never complained about the heat or food and she wondered whether he was just as thankful for her company and her friendship as her. Even arrogant people fell and the fall only heightened the loneliness.
Each lunch chipped away her cautiousness and isolation, every day bringing an excitement of meeting him. The emptiness left from the distance of all her friends filling slowly with their conversations.
Authors Note: Hello, hope those who're reading enjoyed this chapter. I'm not really sure if I should be continuing as I'm not sure if anyone is reading this but ah, this chapter was written only because the image of Hermione and Malfoy conversing in a cramped glass cafeteria among others refused to leave my mind.
Please, please don't hesitate a review if you do like it, any line you liked or didn't, or have something to say! If no one's interested, then I guess I'll move on to something else :)