Chapter 2

Draco stumbled as he landed outside the run-down shack, he was calling home while here on assignment.

"Fuck"

He hadn't needed to Occlude like that in years. Snatchers. Abducted. Just those bloody words and he was seventeen and watching Greyback and his cronies drag Granger into his drawing room. He walked into the house and smashed the closest object.

"Fuck"

He could have just approached her in the café pretended to flirt and asked her if she wanted to sit with him then silenced the table and talked to her but no. Creep in the alley well played Malfoy that's how we greet women we bullied as a child then drunkenly snogged at your best mate's wedding. Smashing success.

Silently he repaired the lamp he had violently thrown. He took several bracing breaths then carried on with his mission. His actions against Granger were unfortunate, but he had too much to do. The buyers he had been tracking were going to ground, getting suspicious. He had been following them for the last two months across half of Europe. His contact at INTERPOL had finally sited them and were just updating Draco today when Granger saw him in that café.

Why was she even here? Thinking now, this town was full of book shops. That sounds exactly like the swotty thing Granger would consider a vacation, visiting French bookstores.

Focus.

He was so close to finally catching these arseholes who frankly pissed him off with their evasion. These idiots were so sloppy, like they didn't even care, but then were able to allude him at every turn.

It was maddening.

Honestly, they were small time and not the usual baddies that Draco tracked.

However, his mother was at him again the last time he was home about his age and the need to find a wife. That woman was insufferable. She had profiles waiting for his review when he walked in the door to his flat. Draco threatened to remove her signature from the wards if she didn't stop showing up unannounced with marriage proposals.

Naturally, when Potter offered him this option, he jumped on it.

Narcissa sent him a howler. He Incendio'd it without listening.

Now two months into this man hunt and he felt more confused than when he started. He was missing something in this case. Draco started to arrange a timeline of evidence on the wall like he saw in Muggle detective shows. Maybe they were on to something. Three hours and much swearing later and he was still frustrated, but now with new wall décor.

Deciding he just needed a change of space and a night off he donned his disguise again and went in search of food. He Apparated to an alley in town before turning to walk down the street. This city was quaint and charming he supposed. Not his usual tastes but it was better than some places missions had taken him. He had the worst luck of any man alive clearly though as Granger ploughed into him while exiting a bookshop dropping every parcel in her hands.

"Oh, excuse me I am so sorry."

Draco was already stooping to pick up her things. As he rose up to his full height again to hand her things back, she momentarily froze before swallowing and breezily thanking him. She moved to continue past, when Draco, because he is a stupid masochist, turned to follow and catch her.

"Hey, aren't you the woman I saw earlier in the café? Did you attend Uni in Paris I feel like I remember you, it was such a small campus," Draco says hoping she will catch his undertone and respond.

Granger glances at him with apprehension before responding.

"I did...I believe I remember you too."

Her answer is tentative, and she looks on the verge of flight.

Welcome to the club woman, awkward and uncomfortable table for two.

She is playing along though and its more than Draco anticipated.

"I was just about to grab a bite to eat would you care to join me?"

That gleam of wanting to punch him in the face was in her eyes again, but she answered in a bashful giggle and blushed that sure she would love to.

That giggle and blush did weird things to his insides. Nope.

Draco offered his arm and she looked at him like he was a particularly nasty Blast-Ended Skrewt. However, she mastered her face and took his arm allowing him to lead her to a nearby eatery.

Thusly seated and table silenced.

"What is bloody wrong with you!"

Granger's face was pleasant as can be while she berated him. Most unsettling.

"Look I am sorry I.."

But the waiter showed up, Draco dismissed the charm. They ordered and dithered over the menu with the waiter pleasantly. He took his leave. No sooner and Granger was on him again.

"You sn…take me off the street then tell me to bugger off while Occluding into oblivion and now we are at dinner. What the hell Malfoy?"

She had changed her words and noticed his Occlusion.

Great she was observant and being swotty about it.

"I shouldn't…."

But the waiter was back with their drinks. Vague thanks was given. Granger launched another attack.

"No, you shouldn't have that was entirely uncalled for. Harry constantly talks about how different you are how great an Auror. Hell, even Ron has nice things to say. I have no idea what they see because you are still an entitled prick who…"

"Granger, enough. I made a bad call today. I panicked at being recognized by a person I never expected to see, and I reacted poorly. It is honestly humiliating that I did such a rookie thing. I will quite literally relive and berate myself for that horrible decision for many months, I am sure."

Granger seemed to settle a bit; Draco passingly noticed her hair didn't do that stand on end thing anymore when she was in a tizzy. Must have learned some better charms since school. They sat in silence for a few minutes and food arrived.

Eating commenced with more silence.

This was going swell, great idea Draco. Force a woman you bullied as a child, snogged drunkenly at wedding, and abducted this afternoon to have dinner with you. Honestly, this sounded like the plot to a horrible novel. He however had no hopes of ever getting the girl as they say.

"Malfoy," Granger started quietly, "I didn't mean what I said, I know you are much more than an entitled prick. I know what you have done for the Auror's office over the years. I am just confused why the hell you acted so crazy when all you would have had to do was pretend I wasn't anyone but a woman not so subtly spying on an attractive man in a café."

"So, you think I'm attractive?"

Why just why? But he continues.

"Is it the dark and mysterious air I give off with this look or just that I am fit and any woman with eyes can see that I would be an excellent shag?"

Please Avada me now.

"I see you have recovered and are now a complete nit wit again," Granger says dryly, "Besides this dark hair makes you look somehow more ghost like, seriously are you a secret vampire? Get some sun once and a while."

Granger he casually noticed was rather nicely sun kissed in her flowy dress that hugged and flared in all the nice places. He also may have observed that he had not been at a table for a meal with a woman in a long time and this was quite nice even though his dinner companion still looked like she may hex his bollocks under the table. He decided to try a new tactic.

"We have not seen each other in eight years though I hardly would count the drunk fools we were at Theo and Luna's wedding as seeing one another. I also learned later you were under the influence of a lust potion; I will have you know that sober me punched Theo for that nasty trick on you. I am sorry I took advantage of you, but I hardly think either of us could give true consent considering how smashed we both were. Additionally, please do not hold what I am sure was terrible snogging against me I woke the next morning with a full memory of that evening and wanted to Avada myself on the spot. What I am trying to say with the wind bag explanation is I would like to just start here," extending his hand across the table, "Hi, I am Draco Malfoy nice to meet you."