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Outside her office window, flakes of snow were swirling in a light wind. The weekend promised to be white and Hermione began to daydream about her plans for the following day. She and Lavender were going shopping for the remainder of their Christmas gifts. She wondered if she should buy some small gifts for Percy, nothing expensive or personal, but a little something.

The intercom buzzed commandingly. 'Miss Granger,' Draco Malfoy's voice sounded crisply over the speaker, 'bring me in those figures left with you on the Danville hospital.'

'Yes sir,' Hermione responded promptly, flicking off the intercom switch as she rose from her desk.

She was nearly to the filing cabinet when the buzz of the intercom called her back. 'Get Neville Longbottom in here. The figures on this hospital bid don't look right. I want to go over them with him before we submit it.' (Sorry, couldn't think of any other names!)

An error was found and now every item was being double checked.

'I doubt if they know what time it is. Bring me a sandwich,' Hermione asked Lavender when it was lunch-time.

'I bet they haven't looked outside either,' Lavender smiled. It's turning into a regular blizzard. You'd better put a bird on the boss's shoulder so someone will tell him that he'd better let us go home early.' With a cheery wave, Lavender closed the door.

The practical side of Hermione refused to leap to conclusions as she picked up the telephone and dialed the weather bureau. Heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions were forecast. Another phone call confirmed that some of the side streets were becoming impassable and the city government was recommending that business should be closed early.

Rapping once on the inner office, Hermione entered the private office. Draco Malfoy was bent over his desk, his gray suit coat thrown across a side chair, his tie loosened. The top buttons of his white shirt were unbuttoned and the cuffs of his long sleeves were rolled back. The fingers of one hand continued their race over the keys of the portable calculator while he ambidextrously entered the results with his left hand.

'What is it, Miss Granger?' the blonde head didn't look up as he made his inquiry.

'I'm afraid we're in the middle of a blizzard, sir. They're recommending that all non-essential business close,' Hermione replied.

Neville Longbottom was sitting at the small draughting table in front of the window. His head rose at Hermione's words to look outside.

'Fuck!' he exclaimed as he stared at the snow-storm beyond the window panes. Immediately, he glanced at Hermione. 'Sorry. I forgot there was a lady around,' he apologized then sighed heavily. 'It's a first-class snow- storm, Draco. Hope this isn't a sign of what the rest of the winter is going to be like.

Draco Malfoy swiveled his chair to confirm their statements for himself. The strong fingers of one hand rubbed his chin and mouth as Draco turned towards her. The blue of his eyes was intensified by the thickness of his silver lashes and the remains of his summer tan, otherwise pale skin.

'Send everyone home, Miss Granger.' He ordered. 'We should be finished in about an hour or so.'

'Right away,' she nodded, and turned to leave.

'Miss Granger,' he called her back. One corner of his mouth was lifted in a rueful apology. 'I'm afraid that I need you to retype this bid when we're done and supply me with folders from that puzzle cabinet of yours.'

'You go home by bus, don't you?' Draco asked.

'Yes.'

'Don't worry about getting home. I'll give you a lift when we are through,' he stated and leaned forward to resume his work.

Hermione nodded her thanks and left the room.

The building emptied quickly. At one thirty, Draco sent Neville Longbottom home. It was going on three o'clock when Hermione finished her typing.

Draco affixed his signature and slipped it into an envelope.

'Its worse isn't it?' she murmured as she saw Draco staring out of the window.

Over his shoulder, he saw her tie her scarf around her neck and gave no response to her question.

Walking swiftly, they covered the distance of the corridors from his private office to the front door. The blast of the wind nearly knocked Hermione off her feet as they stepped outside. His arm circled around her waist in support and guided her in the direction of the parking lot. Visibility had been reduced by the driving snow to about a few feet and Hermione knew Draco was guiding her to his car on instincts alone.

'This is ridiculous!' he snapped suddenly, and stopped.

In the span of a few seconds, he had turned her around and was leading her back to the building. Her teeth were already chattering from the sub-zero temperature when the door closed behind them. Almost unwillingly, she met his penetrating gaze.

'We're better off staying here' he said. 'At least taking the risk of being stranded in the car'.

'Excuse me while I call my room-mate so that she won't be worried'.

Hermione could feel his gaze on her as she walked down the corridor. Why can't her boss be married, paunchy or even balding instead of being so compellingly magnetic?

'Hermione, where are you?' Lavender demanded frantically. 'I'm at work' she answered. 'Isn't the boss going to bring you back home?' 'In this blizzard? We'd end up in a snowdrift!' 'Do you mean.... That the two of you are stranded there at the office.. alone?' 'Oh Lavender! Will you please not dramatize the situation?' 'It just the two of you there, isn't it?' Laughter could be heard at the other line. 'Thrown together by the elements!' 'Will you stop it?' Hermione demanded. 'Mr Malfoy is my boss!' 'I bet you won't be calling him Mr Malfoy by tomorrow morning!' 'For heaven's sake! For all the notice that Mr Malfoy pays to me, I doubt he's even aware that I'm the opposite sex. I'm his efficient and practical secretary. Having my company forced on him for a day isn't going to make him notice that I'm an alluring female.' 'I'll be home as soon as the roads are cleared'.

Without waiting for a response, Hermione hung up. Tension pulled down the corners of her mouth as she turned in her chair. Her downcast eyes caught sight of gray trousers standing in front of her desk, and waves of crimson red swept into her face as she looked into Draco Malfoy's amused face and realized he had been listening. A muscle twitched near his mouth as if concealing a smile.

'It's comforting to discover you are human, Miss Granger' he said quietly and walked into his office.