"Granger."
She looked up to see Malfoy leaning against her open doorway, his hands in the pockets of his perfectly tailored trousers. She knew very well how those trousers were tailored to fit his arse. She rarely missed a chance to steal a glance at his backside when their paths crossed within the Ministry.
He smirked when their eyes met.
He gracefully pushed his shoulder off the entryway and moved to take a chair in her office. He continued to smirk at her as he made himself comfortable. He pulled his wand to shut and lock the door, adding a Silencing Charm. He kept his wand out, twirling it around in his fingers.
She frowned slightly at his impudence. At least he didn't put his feet up on her desk, like that twat, Cormac.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione shuffled some papers around, thinking ahead to her next appointment, the last one before the weekend.
His wand stilled and he leaned towards her. She caught a whiff of his cologne. Bergamot. For one crazy moment she imagined he would answer, "You."
"Where is your daughter spending the night tonight?"
"What?"
"Did I stutter, Granger?"
Hermione sighed, "Obviously not, Malfoy."
"So, then tell me, where is your sweet little Rose spending the night?"
"With Lily, while Harry and Ginny are out of town. Why are you asking?"
Draco's brow furrowed and he pursed his lips. He was quiet for long enough she had just opened her mouth to say something more, when he spoke.
"I can't decide if this is a plot put together by one of Potter's spawns, your daughter, or my son," he said thoughtfully.
"What in Circe's name are you talking about Malfoy?" Hermione gave up pretending to move papers around, and fully concentrated on the wizard across from her.
"Ask me where my son is spending the night tonight," he said.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Where is your son spending the night tonight?"
"With Albus Potter, while Harry and Ginny are out of town." He looked at her triumphantly. Or maybe expectantly? She wasn't quite sure what he wanted from his announcement.
"And?"
"Granger! How can you not see that this "sleepover" is a ruse?" he demanded.
Hermione leaned back in her chair, unaware until now she had been perched forward. She relaxed, in opposition to Malfoy's clearly uptight demeanor.
"Maybe because I trust my children? You should try it, Malfoy. It's liberating." It was her turn to smirk.
"Foolhardy Gryffindors," he huffed. "Never trust teenagers alone together."
"I'll have you know that when I was their age…" Hermione began indignantly.
Malfoy waved a hand imperiously. "Yes, yes. You dated Viktor Krum when you were fourteen…"
"Fifteen," she automatically corrected under her breath.
Malfoy went on as if she hadn't interrupted, "...and spent nine months living alone in a tent with two teenage boys. I am sure it was all innocent."
"For the thousandth time, nothing happened in that damn tent!"
"Hmmm… Interesting how you left Krum out of that vehement denial."
Hermione cast her eyes down, blushing. Damn Malfoy.
"Be that as it may, I plan to go by the Potter's house this evening. Care to join me?" he asked her.
"What, join overprotective Daddy Draco and look like a fool too? I think not," she told him, her nose crinkled in distaste.
"You'll thank me when I head off any youthful mistakes."
"Why do you think anything is going on?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Did being married to Weasley all those years dull your brain, Granger? Why wouldn't your daughter be attracted to my son?" he countered.
"Whatever, Malfoy," Hermione wasn't even sure what else to say to that level of arrogance. She shook her head and glanced at her watch, her mind turning again to that afternoon's appointment.
"Don't get me wrong, Granger. He'd be lucky to keep your daughter's attention." Draco quickly added, pulling her thoughts back to him.
Hermione eyed the man in front of her, unsure if he was being sincere.
His sudden smile under her scrutiny was unsettling, in more ways than one.
"How about a bet I am sure to win?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "You come with me, and if nothing untoward is happening, you can announce "I told you so" to the world. But, if I am correct, I get to take you out to dinner after."
Her breath caught as she realized what he was offering.
She slowly smiled in return as she reached out a hand to shake on it.