"Miss Granger, you have a visitor."

"Drat!" While Hermione had made some progress on the backlog caused by her several days of non-Gryffindorish 'hiding out', not the entire world celebrated Christmas and Boxing Day. As a result, even more owl letters increased the height of the pile awaiting her attention. She waved her wand and swept the untidy mess into a decorative box used during unscheduled interruptions and, rising to her feet, opened the door. "Oh!" she exclaimed with pleasure upon recognizing the witch at her secretary's desk.

"Hello, Hermione." Daphne Greengrass inclined her head. "I am gratified that you are able to meet with me upon such short notice."

"Certainly." She waved her to the visitor chair. "How were your holidays?"

"Entertaining, as my younger sister chose to grace us with a monstrous tantrum after the Ministry Ball."

"Sorry about that." She grimaced, recalling that the Greengrass patriarch had dissolved the betrothal agreement between Draco and Astoria after the Malfoy trials. "Otherwise, how have you been, Daph?"

"Perfectly well. Having seen this formerly dreary office before you moved in, I must congratulate you for turning it into a cozy space, much as you did with our room at Hogwarts." The two had shared a dormitory during their eighth year and had become close acquaintances, bonding over their enjoyment of intellectual challenges.

Hermione chuckled. "I do try." She indicated the other's colored collar. "I see that you have become a full-fledged wizarding solicitor. So, is this a professional visit?"

"Regrettably, yes." Daphne handed her a business card. "I am one of the Chudley Cannons' attorneys."

"Ron?"

The other raised an eyebrow, noticing the distaste in her tone. "Yes, this concerns your fiancé."

"Ex-fiancé, please. He has cheated on me for the last time."

"I understand your feelings; infidelity is abhorrent to me. Unfortunately, I have a job to do." She cleared her throat. "While we have been successful in quashing news articles about his most recent behavior, the owner of the Cannons is wondering if you would be willing to provide the public with a perceived reconciliation."

Hermione snorted. "Ron's reputation is tanking that badly?"

"Although I was able to negotiate a lesser charge for his attack at the restaurant, enough people had witnessed his loss of temper for it to spread like wildfire."

"Puns, Daphne?" Hermione grinned at the other's wry expression. "He also had the abysmally poor judgment to perform a hex which endangered all of the business's patrons, not to mention its building and furnishings. If this had happened in the muggle world, he would be facing over a dozen civil lawsuits in addition to criminal charges."

"As you say," Daphne conceded. "Yet this will all blow over if you are agreeable to be at his side for certain professional functions. Your safety should not be at risk, for, while he has not lost wand rights, he has had a restriction placed on his to prevent harmful spells from being cast." She cleared her throat. "If it would help make up your mind, I have been authorized to propose a fee of remuneration."

Hermione took a few moments to phrase her reply. "While I appreciate the generous offer—it was generous, was it not, Solicitor Greengrass?" Daphne nodded, "I find that I am unable to comply. Hermione Granger is not a girlfriend-for-hire. Mr. Weasley is acquainted with enough of those who can step in as an escort."

The blonde woman sighed. "This outcome is what I predicted when given the assignment." She stood and offered a hand to Hermione. "Despite the circumstances, it was delightful to meet up with you again. So, how true are the rumours of my old friend Malfoy being your new arm candy?"

Hermione blushed. "He was with me when Ron attacked, but we are only friends."

"Pull the other one," she laughed. "I was in the Ministry ballroom that night myself."

She closed her eyes briefly before sighing. "I had earlier caught Ron almost in flagrante delecti and had imbibed a little too much before leaving the scene. Malfoy just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You could certainly do worse," she advised her.

"Thanks, but I already have done worse," she corrected dryly. "At least Draco has always been honest with me, even if I frequently didn't care for his vocabulary."

"The darker purebloods have had to change many habits. But, back to business: I shall report your response to my superiors."

"Daphne, wait." Hermione thought rapidly. "I know you are employed by the Cannons, but in your professional opinion, should I get some sort of restraining order against Ron? I'd hate to do so, as we were friends for over a decade, but I cannot live by looking over my shoulder constantly."

"Do not worry. I believe that it will be impressed quite strongly upon Mr. Weasley to keep away from you by a large margin. This is not the first time that we have had to intercede due to one of his indiscretions."

"Damn. That would have been good to know a lot earlier."

"I thought you were going to share my flat, not take the bloody thing over."

Hermione dragged her attention from the humongous tome she had been scanning and blinked at him. "What?"

He gestured at the table. "It's even worse than last week. What did you do, Granger, check out half the Ministry library?"

"Almost." She rearranged the books enough for him to place down his coffee. "Plus, Harry is letting me borrow any books in the Black collection that may be of use."

"So tell me, what has you so engrossed with books that look older than Merlin?"

"It's the censuses that I told you about. There are many magical creatures missing."

Draco nodded as he reminded her, "The war took lives besides humans."

"Yes, but an entire category has disappeared in Britain. Ailuranthropes," she added when he quirked an eyebrow.

"Were-cats?" he inquired.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "The popular name used by writers of supernatural fiction. They differ in many ways to what has been portrayed. For example—"

He raised a hand. "Granger, I understand official terminology is important to you. It's just that if you speak so to non-professionals, your polysyllabic fetish may confuse them."

She returned to scrutinizing her book and muttered, "I like big words and I cannot lie."

"Wait, aren't they primarily human? Why does their condition fall under the oversight of the Beast Division?"

"Yes! That!" She pointed at him. "In many ways the wizarding world is so screwed up. However, I'll set my sights on amending their census designation once I actually find them."

He let her work uninterrupted for several minutes before speaking, "You say it's just Britain?"

Sighing, she lifted her head again. "Yes. I've heard from Asia, Africa and the Americas. Viktor Krum joined the Bulgarian Ministry after that collision at the last World Cup, and he confirmed that none have been seen in mainland Europe for several centuries."

"Is that why your unlamented ex mentioned Krum?"

"He sent flowers along with the response, and Ron was between matches, visiting Harry at work that day. It was sheer poor timing that he showed up at my office right as they were delivered."

"And neither of his brain cells decided to work?"

Hermione snorted. "Something of the sort. He never forgave me for being Viktor's date all those years ago. Just thought I should wait around until he realized no one else would go with him."

"I thought he had a date? One of the female twins, right?"

"Harry arranged it." She snorted again. "Even with Ron included as part of the deal, after the Triwizard dragon task his popularity was at an all-time high. Few teenage girls would have turned down his invitation to the Yule ball."

Draco wondered if the woman in front of him would have been one of those few if she had been whom Harry had asked, but he decided to leave that question unspoken. He returned to the subject which was currently monopolizing his dining room table. "Have you checked the Hogwarts library?"

"Um-hm." She scribbled a note on a piece of parchment in front of her. "It merely had basic information, as the Restricted Section was the hardest hit in the battle." She chuckled. "When I visited, Madam Pince almost fell upon me in tears. It seems that the new runes which allow for electricity and the Internet have some students hounding her for digital books. I had to explain that the wizarding world is not yet that far advanced and probably won't be for some while."

Clearing his throat, Draco admitted, "Malfoy Publishing is putting forth a beta version of a reader in the next six months, with the year one textbooks pre-loaded."

Hermione gaped at him before exclaiming, "I want one!"

"Sure thing," he grinned. "Even if you probably have those memorized."

"This will totally revolutionize the educational system," she muttered. "No more running back to the dorms because you forgot your textbook, and let me tell you, if you lived in Gryffindor tower that was quite a hike. Now if only we could get them to use paper and ink pens instead of parchment and quills because that is a steep learning curve for the muggleborn."

"You might as well tell them to stop wearing robes, Granger."

She sniffed. "During everything but potions, maybe."

"Speaking of clothing, shouldn't you be changing out of sweatpants soon?"

"Why?" she asked, looking down and rubbing at a stain on her top.

"It's New Year's Eve. Don't you need to get ready for a party or something? I understand why you stayed home over Christmas, since you didn't want to risk running into Wingnut Weasley, but don't you have other friends?"

"Sure, but none of them are up for big parties. Harry is visiting the Burrow so that excludes him, and when Neville isn't taking Hogwarts duty, he'll be spending time with Hannah Abbott, his fiancée. She took over the Leaky Cauldron."

"I thought the food had improved some," he commented. "What about the blonde that you used to chum around with? The one with the interesting jewelry choices."

"Luna?" Hermione sighed. "She hasn't wanted to remain in Britain during the holidays ever since her father passed. She went on another search for the crumple-horned snorkack."

"Does that even exist?"

With a raised shoulder she replied, "Does it matter? Besides," she pointed her quill at him, "why aren't you going out tonight?"

Draco sighed. "I don't particularly care for crowded places and loud noises. Plus, I can get better booze here."

"And don't forget, 'Alcohol and Apparation Do Not Mix Well'."

"Corny, Granger."

"Prudent, Malfoy."

He summoned a bottle of wine. "Care to toast in the New Year with me?"

"I believe I will be ready for a break then," she grinned at him.

"And maybe a repeat of that kiss at the Christmas Ball?"

"In your dreams."

"You have no idea," he muttered.