Chapter 27

Two days later, at the Department of Magical Education

Hermione took the paper her boss had just handed her and briskly put it behind her folders, furiously taking notes on the small measure the head of the department of underage magic had sent their way.

" And the last item on the agenda was just brought to me this morning," Mr. Schultz said briskly, " It seems that the minister has been getting some bad press of late with the new marriage law. To show that he is investing in the future of British children, he's personally donating several million galleons towards the refurbishment of Hogwarts, and he would like the department of education to host a gala to invite other wealthy families to donate. I'll pass this off to you, Granger, and hmmm… Greengrass, why don't you help."

Hermione glanced down the table at Daphne Greengrass, who nodded serenely in her direction and pushed her glasses up on her nose.

Hermione didn't remember much about her from school, she'd seemed like a benign presence at most in slytherin. Now she was one of their processors. But of course her background made her an obvious choice for this project.

Hermione smiled back politely.

" I suggest that you begin with reserving the great hall at Hogwarts, so you can settle on a date within the next month," Mr. Schultz said archly, " Alright, meeting dismissed, have a good night, everyone, hope you had a good weekend."

Hermione gathered her papers carefully, her cheeks burning. She'd had a very, very good weekend. After Malfoy had come over Saturday and given her the best orgasm of her life, she'd had the best sleep of her life, sleeping even past eleven, which she hadn't done since before the war.

Then she'd had a wonderful lunch with Harry and Ginny at a cafe near her house, where they'd discussed strategies for the protest. Even though they were now sure that the marriage law had something to do with a prophecy, Harry didn't think it would be right to drop the protest right away. And then she'd had a wonderful evening in with crookshanks and a trieste on Media in the Magical Community.

Although it still slightly irked her that Malfoy had left, if he'd wanted to stay she wasn't quite sure what she would have done. But that was the only dark spot in an otherwise wonderful weekend.

" Granger," Daphne Greengrass stood a respectful length away, " I look forward to working on this project with you."

" Same, Greengrass," Hermione finally got all her folders ordered correctly, and smiled up at the willowy blonde, " Did you have any ideas?"

Greengrass tapped a quill against her perfectly lipstick-ed mauve lips. " A few. I was thinking white tie, a sit down dinner- something elegant and seasonal, like duck perhaps- dancing- of course, perhaps a seasonal theme- something romantic…"

Hermione held up her hand, " Wow, lots of ideas. Why don't we walk and talk. I just need to go to my desk and get my coat and a few things, then we can leave together."

" Right, of course. I'll get my coat and meet you at your desk," Greengrass said coolly, allowing Hermione to go out into the hallway in front of her and splitting off towards the processing room.

Hermione strode past a few conference rooms and into her cozy office, letting down the folders and parchments in her inbox. She turned to get her coat and then turned back, something on her desk catching her eye.

A plain interdepartmental parcel sat in the center of her desk innocently, but as she moved closer she realized what was so unusual about it. The label, reading "Hermione Granger, Assistant to the Head of Magical Education" was filled out in green ink.

Cautiously she unwrapped it, calming the nervous voice in her head that was still on constant alert for sinister plots. Inside however, she found a beautiful bra in a deep rich shade of pink, with white lace trimmings. It was sexy but understated, and utterly perfect. On top sat a sugar quill with a strip of parchment taped to it.

Granger,

You didn't think I was just a heartless bra-vanisher did you?

I want to see you again. How are you fixed for Wednesday night?

Your Horny Soulmate,

DM

" What's that?" Hermione jumped and clutched the note to her chest, staring at Greengrass, resting against the doorframe, " A secret admirer?"

" No," Hermione faltered, but decided to tell as close to the truth as she could, " Just a fling, really."

Greengrass shook her perfectly coiffed head, " Well you're lucky. No fling I've ever had sent me underwear from la perla."

" Where?" Hermione furrowed her brow.

" It's a lingerie store, extremely expensive," Greengrass supplied, " And that is definitely the bra I've been lusting over for months. Maybe you think of it as a fling, but he doesn't."

Hermione laughed, " I just think he's trying to show off."

Hermione looked at the bra lying so beautifully in the plain brown parcel wrapping with a little jolt of fear or glee she couldn't say. Of course, it should please her that the plan seemed to be working so soon. He was remembering little things she said, and even given her an intimate gift, albeit a replacement.

She should be pleased, but instead she was completely terrified.

" Are you ready to go?" Greengrass prompted.

" Yes, just let me…" Hermione awkwardly settled the package on top of her folders and tried to stuff the lot of it into her work back.

" Allow me," Greengrass waved her wand insouciantly and the package folded back together, the crumpled note flying out of her hand to go back inside.

" Thank you," Hermione said awkwardly, zipping her bag and grabbing her coat off the back of her chair.

" Don't mention it," Greengrass replied breezily, " So tomorrow I'll send a proper letter to the headmaster requesting the great hall. I was thinking perhaps Rosine's Day?"

Hermione kept her face bland and simple, noting to herself to look up Rosine's Day later, " Of course."

" It's a little romantic, of course, but it's got a stronger theme than the party's actual theme of 'the Ministry fucked up with the marriage law and now we all have to pretend it's fine,'" Greengrass said in clipped tones, striding up to an open elevator.

" Not a fan?" Hermione grinned. Maybe she would like this woman after all.

" I got matched with my ex boyfriend," Greengrass said stiffly as they stepped into the elevator, " It's humiliating."

" I'm so sorry," Hermione shook her head, " Yes, I'm not sure the use of the Mariarte charm helped matters along. It only seems to have made a mess of things. People matched with death eaters, married people..." Malfoys, she added silently.

" I completely agree," Greengrass smiled, " I knew I liked you, Granger."

Hermione laughed as the elevator doors opened and a slew of people poured in. They shuffled further back to make room for a rowdy bunch from the Office of Improper Use of Magic.

" So, forgive me for asking, but what is Rosine's Day?" Hermione felt a little more comfortable now, or she would, if the man behind her wasn't sticking his briefcase in her lower back.

" Oh, it's sort of like valentines day, but not quite… actually, it's a slytherin holiday, I don't know what I was thinking," Greengrass slapped a hand to her forehead, " It's because my troll of an ex boyfriend keeps bringing it up."

" Do you give gifts?" Hermione restrained herself from turning around and giving the briefcase man a good sock in the jaw.

" No it's more like… See there's this story, about how Salazar Slytherin wooed his wife Rosine. Probably drivel, but part of the legend I guess. Rosine was this beautiful part-veela woman and she thought Salazar was a little… egotistical, shall we say," Greengrass giggled, " When Draco explained it to me he called Salazar 'a pickled prick.'"

Hermione felt the corners of her mouth quirk up, and fought to keep her face neutral.

" But Salazar was so in love with Rosine he wouldn't let up. So he blackmailed her," Greengrass caught the frown on Hermione's face, " Not exactly husband material. He told her he wouldn't tell anyone- it was for something really silly, like he'd seen her with her dress up around her ankles- if she played a game of wizard's chess with him every night for a month. And of course, they talked over the games and fell in love. Rosine's Day celebrates the last day, when they admitted their love for each other."

" So what do Slytherins do on Rosine's Day? Blackmail their crushes?" Hermione smirked.

" If they're so inclined. But really the tradition is to play a chess game with your significant other," Greengrass explained, " I was so used to it I didn't even think about the fact that the other houses didn't do it. Did Gryffindor do anything like that?"

" Ha, we have a party on Godric Gryffindor's birthday. That's about it," Hermione giggled.

The Door opened again, but this time only two people stepped into the elevator, Malfoy and Luna Lovegood. The instant her eyes caught sight of his unmistakable blond hair she must have blushed eight shades of red. They were too far away and the elevator was too crowded for him to have noticed her.

He was wearing a plain dark blue cardigan over a white shirt and tan slacks, and he seemed to be arguing with Luna. Hermione knew, of course, that Luna worked in the Department of Mysteries while she pursued her seers licence. But it hadn't clicked until that moment that Malfoy was the only other junior clerk in that department.

" So were you thinking something like a charity chess match? Or a couple's match or something," Hermione suggested to the nodding Greengrass, " I actually don't think it would be a terrible idea to celebrate a Slytherin holiday, especially one that has to do with a founder. After the war, it must be a hard thing to belong to that house."

Malfoy was whispering something rather intently to Luna's dreamy response, and then she responded and he laughed so hard it filled the elevator. Hermione's mood plummeted and she felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach.

" That's true, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all," Greengrass echoed, astonished, " Who would have thought you'd have sympathy for Slytherins? No offense."

Malfoy pulled something from his bag, and Hermione realized with a jolt it was a Quibbler. He flipped through and gestured to something inside and Luna shyly waved him away.

How idiotic she'd been, thinking that a guy like him wouldn't already have someone who cared about him. Even if he was a pickled prick. He was funny, smart, handsome, and as proved by this morning, actually thoughtful. Luna looked up at him with a little smile, like he'd just done something impossibly fantastic, while he pointed to an article to emphasize some point.

" The war's over," Hermione responded weakly, " The past doesn't mean Slytherins should be ashamed of who they are."

Greengrass pushed her glasses up on her nose, " Well, thank you, Granger. I'll take that as a compliment."

The elevator opened to the lobby and Hermione watched the smiling blondes exit while she waited for the elevator to empty, " You should. And call me Hermione, please."