Chapter 2

Later That Day

Draco clenched and unclenched his fists in rapid succession. He'd come to the ministry as soon as he'd read the morning's news. But he'd forgotten that the Office for Marriage and Family was on the 145th floor, and now he'd be riding the elevator for about three hours. The ministry was for the most part closed, apart from a few "essential offices" who didn't have the day off. But for once it was mobbed. He counted at least thirteen other people in this elevator alone who he was sure were going down to the Office for Marriage and Family.

He wasn't exactly sure what he'd do when he got there, but definately something. Probably… yelling or something. Maybe sign a petition. Hell, he wasn't above a little bribery.

"Floor Twenty Three! Department of Magical Law Enforcement!"

Now if only these pencil pushers coming into the office on a Sunday would stop slowing the elevator down, he could be on his way.

All he could hope was that the Prophet had got it wrong, that somehow there was no way the ministry could pass such an invasive and impossible law.

"Floor Thirty Eight! Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects!"

He glanced over to his right, and saw a frightened-looking bloke being clung to by a pinched-face woman that had to be his girlfriend. My brother in arms, Draco thought.

Naturally there had to be a way out of this. The ministry had to be tough after the war, to prove that people could trust them. But this was taking it one step too far. Actually, about ninety steps too far. He'd paid dearly for the war, and it was only through the intervention of Harry Sodding Potter that Draco was able to walk as a free man. Was that humiliation not enough? Now the ministry had to heap one last terrible indignity on him.

" Floor One Hundred! Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects!"

Would this ride never cease? A jolly looking older wizard in violent violet robes exited and the elevator sped on. If one more person, wizard, elf, or even fucking pixie, slowed Draco down, he would hex them to oblivion. He was a man with a mission to end this nonsense.

"Floor One Hundred Forty Two! Offices for the Regulation of Magical Education!"

Of fucking course. Draco stared at the curly haired woman that had entered the elevator with daggers in his eyes.

"Floor One Hundred Forty Five! Office of the Registrar for Marriage and Family!"

He forgot his petty vendetta against the curly haired woman. He had bigger problems. The Office of Marriage and Family was in a state of pandemonium. People were crowded at the windows, where Petty Clerks handed out thick packets. Draco was almost pushed out of the elevator as people rushed into the fray.

He was shoved into a harried clerk carrying a huge stack of files.

"Excuse me, Sir."

"Wait!" He stopped the man, " I need to speak to someone."

The clerk gave him an amused look, " Oh, well you're the only one today."

" Do you know who I am?"

" Do you know who I am? Get in line, sir. The packet on the new law will answer all your questions," The clerk clutched the stack of files to his chest to avoid being knocked over by a group of anxious looking witches, " After that you can make an appointment for your charm, and then you may speak to someone."

" I won't be put off with red tape," Draco lifted his chin and stared the man down. The clerk just rolled his eyes.

"Get in line, Mr. Malfoy."

The clerk pushed past him and briskly bowled right into the curly haired young woman who had come from the Department of Magical Education. She went flying, and landed face-down on the marble floor with a yelp.

Draco knelt down and offered her his hand. She placed a hand in his before looking up with a grateful smile. When their eyes met, the smile promptly disappeared. Of course it was Granger. He hadn't recognized her with her hair pulled back into a curly mop of a bun on top of her head. She was wearing an oversized sweater, leggings, and boots. Weekend clothes, if he had to guess, because the Granger he knew from school and sometimes glimpsed in the lobby of the ministry on his way into work was usually buttoned up to the nines. At first glance, she was a softer, more vulnerable woman. But as her smile disappeared, her guard went up and she turned right back into a Gryffindor lion.

"You!" She said accusingly, and tried to yank her hand from his.

He grinned at her, and held tightly, " Now, now, Granger, if you pull that hard I might go down on top of you. Unless that's what you were aiming for?"

She stayed stubbornly on the floor despite his pulling, her face beet red, " Your bony little ferret body? Not for all the galleons in gringotts."

"Oh, I believe I could arrange for that and more," He said smoothly, enjoying how her blush deepened. He coaxed her to her feet.

" I should have known that on the worst day of my life, I'd have to see your rat face."

" Well that's hardly your most inspired insult. And this is hardly the worst day of your life, Granger. I seem to recall wiping your blood and tears off my ballroom floor a few years ago."

Her eyes opened wide with shock and anger, "Never speak to me about that day ever again, You-"

But she was cut off when Draco almost had to slam into her to avoid being knocked down by a surly looking clerk the size of an ox who ran past. Draco looked down into her wide brown eyes and breathed half a breath of her scent, which was clean and feminine, like a floral soap.

She looked up at him with actual fear which reminded him of her ordeal under his aunt at Malfoy Manor. That had to be the worst day of his life, surely it was hers as well. He still remembered with absolute clarity his aunts cackling echoing through the ballroom along with Granger's bravely stifled screams. Afterwards, it was Draco who'd cleaned her up since the dark lord had taken away all their servants but, in Lucius's words, they couldn't have "dirty blood find it's way into their house." He'd mopped up on his hands and knees while she stared up at him with a depthless fear and hate. He'd recognize that face on her anywhere.

" What are you doing?" She said stiffly.

He stepped back swiftly, " I'm not going to hex you in the damn Department of Marriage and Family, Granger, relax. Just trying not to get trampled in this mess."

" It's going to take hours to speak to someone," She mumbled miserably.

" Well I'm going to get their idiotic packet, see what I'm up against," He said with a sneer, " No use going in like a Gryffindor today Granger. All the bravado in the world won't get you past these geeks. They've got files, and they know how to use them."

She almost laughed at that one, he could see a hint of it in her eyes, " I take it you're not happy about this imbecilic law."

" Who would be. All this tripe about 'soulmate spells'- they're just trying to distract us from the fact they're trying to breed us like animals," He sniffed, " People are still trying to put their lives back together after the war. It's only been five years."

" You're right, they should have just put out an official statement urging people to do their duty. But forcing the issue is just not right," Indignation dripped from her every word as she got in line. Just to rile her up, he got in line right behind her.

" Do my ears deceive me or did Hermione Granger just say I was right?"

" Well even someone as thick headed as you can see when the ministry makes such a colossal mistake. I'd hate to be the member of the wizengamot who pushed this legislation through. They'll be maimed," She looked down the line with a determined stare, almost daring the people in front of her to get in her way.

" Well I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind," He clenched his fists, " It's a violation of our freedoms is what it is. As if it wasn't enough that we had everything taken from us, now the ministry is going to take the choice of who we spend our life with?" The absolute absurdity of it all was making his blood boil.

Granger snorted, " What was taken from you, Malfoy? Your precious reputation?"

" Of course the golden girl war hero can scoff at reputation all she likes. But if you were in my place, you'd see the world a lot fucking differently, now wouldn't you," He growled, " What is it about being a Gryffindor that kills a person's ability to see the world from another's perspective."

" Oh, seeing the world from another's perspective!" She laughed haughtily, "That's rich, coming from Mr. Purity is Power himself Draco Fucking Malfoy!"

" Language Granger," He smirked, " And it's obviously not as black and white as you're making it out to be, or I'd be in Azkaban with my wretched father and not admiring your behind in those skin tight pants."

She blushed beet red, " I wish Harry had let you rot in prison, you-" She was cut off when a large older woman dragging her adult daughter cut through the line and propelled Granger into him. Draco had to grip her shoulders to keep from being knocked over himself. His nose was filled with her clean scent, and a good deal of curly hair to boot.

" Get your hands off me!" She said stiffly.

" Oh Granger, you're so tense. What's that muggle phrase? 'All work and no play means Granger needs to get laid,'" He whispered it into her ear for the pleasure of having her jerk and try to wrench herself away.

She wriggled out of his grip and jerked around, whipping him in the face with her enormous hair.

" That is not the phrase! Alright Mr. New Perspective-" She started.

" You really like calling me Mr. Is that your kink, Granger?" He put on his best grin.

She growled like a baby kitten, and stepped forward to get in his face " This line isn't the right place for you. Isn't there racist bastard line you can go to?"

" Isn't there an uncompromising shrew express lane?" He countered, " I don't know why I even bother talking to you, it's obvious you've made up your mind about me and you won't change it. Classic Gryffindor."

" Yeah, why bother talking to me? Go to another line and leave me in peace."

" Oh I really do rile you up today, don't I Granger? Want to know why I won't change lines?"

She refused to answer, staring up at him with a disdainful frown.

" Because this one comes with a front row view of your lovely arse."

She looked like she was ready to slap him, " Then I'll change lines!"

" We're about ten people from the front, and we're moving quickly. You'd give all that up, and give me the satisfaction of winning? Fat chance, Granger," He revelled in her angry pout. Draco knew was too stubborn and proud to admit defeat, and she just had to hate that he knew it.

She spun on her heel, " You don't deserve my time."

He couldn't resist that one, " And yet I'm getting it, aren't I. I'd love to see what else you'd give me, Granger."

" Pervert," She whispered superciliously.

" I thought I was supposed to be the racist git, not the perverted muggleborn lover. Keep your insults straight, Granger, or I'll put you straight on your back."

She blushed, and he was so distracted by that he didn't see her heel lift and come down squarely on his toe.