Secrets From Beneath
Notes:
Hafthand - Thanks for your comment :). I'm waiting for the next chapter on your story!!
Black Vampire Mistress - lol funny. Thanks for reviewing :)
Chapter 2
It was quite interesting if one remained quiet for a moment and listened only to the sounds surrounding them, especially if it was in a workplace setting. Bits of gossip can be heard from a few of the women, the voices of businessmen negotiating contracts and deals can be heard throughout the room, and of course, the scratching of quill against parchment.
The best sound of all was, obviously, the mumbled curses that were coming of Granger's mouth. She was very irritated with the loads of work she was given, and the fact that she hadn't accomplished much of it was due to, well, me. You see, for the past few hours, I have managed to make her very frustrated by saying or doing anything that may distract her from her work, and my plan had worked marvelously. The reason for my nonsense? The fact that I was bored out of my mind with my own load of work may have contributed to me finding some sort of entertainment; and besides, I love the look on Granger's face when she gets mad.
"Malfoy!!"
"What?" I asked innocently. "Something the matter?"
"You! And everything you do!" she hissed through gritted teeth. She would never want to get in trouble with the boss for yelling at a colleague, so whenever she was infuriated, she would try to put on a straight face. However, I knew that inside, she wanted to explode; I've made it one of my life goals to see that very moment when she does.
"What did I do?" I could practically see steam coming out of her ears now.
"Would you please stop being so disruptive?! There are other people here besides you, you know," Granger scolded.
"I don't quite know what you're talking about. I'm just sitting here doing my work, minding my own business. Perhaps you should keep that temper of yours down," I suggested in my usual calm manner.
"Shut up, you stupid git," she mumbled, turning her attention back on the papers in front of her. I chuckled to myself at how I caused such a reaction from Granger. It was quite amusing, and I wished I could continue distracting her, but the boss was coming our way.
Great, it's time to work. Now, where's some blank piece of parchment when you need it?
"Hermione!" The boss, who was a goblin by the name of Olenair, called out. He had always viewed Granger as his most dependable and responsible employee; so much so that he was on a first-name basis with her. However, it wasn't the same with the rest of his staff.
I quickly shuffled through my pile of papers, pretending to look busy, as he came closer and closer. I could hear Granger quietly snickering to herself at my actions, but I only gave her a scowl back in response. That should silence her for a moment or two.
"Yes, sir?" she asked, giving Olenair her full attention.
"It's getting quite late now, are you almost done your paperwork?" he asked politely.
"No, I haven't, sir. I've only finished almost half of it due to some... disturbances." Once she said the last word, she gave me a quick glance, to which the boss followed Granger's gaze onto me.
I reckon I'm going to work late tonight. And it's all because of her.
"I see," Olenair said, knowing fully what she was saying. "You seem awfully tense after today. Why don't you go home and rest, and I'll take care of this paperwork for you?"
I could sense that Granger was bursting in happiness. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped; her expression seemed to have matched that of a child who had gotten the latest model of the Nimbus broomsticks. Actually, that reminded me of well, me.
"Oh, thank you, sir! I appreciate your generosity very much, thank you!" she exclaimed happily. I knew she was on the verge of embracing her boss, but thought better of it.
She turned back to me with an expression of total dislike on her face. She knew I loathed the fact that she was better than me, and how our boss seemed to have placed his full trust on her only. Oh, how I hate her so.
Once she finished cleaning up her workplace and was now exiting the floor to return home, Olenair turned to me with the same look of dislike as Granger gave me moments before.
"As for you, Mr. Malfoy," he said with a sneer. "You better get working, or you'll be here for a long time."
With that, he placed the rest of Granger's unfinished work on top of my own and left, leaving me shocked. I knew I would be staying late tonight.
I hate Granger.
No, I hate her very much. Yes, I do.
I must remind myself to kill her when I see her tomorrow morning. Hopefully, the workload won't kill me first.
2:00am...
Finally finishing the last of the paperwork, I quickly exited my department floor. I didn't want to stay in there for too long and decided to just leave all my papers and documents in messy piles, so that I could sort it out later. After all, I DO need some of my precious sleep in order to function. I just hope the boss doesn't complain about it.
When I finally arrived at my Manor, I was much too tired so I was practically stumbling my way around, trying to change into my nightclothes and managing to take a quick shower, all the while feeling very miserable. I wanted to satisfy my hunger also, but since it would only be a few hours before I have to return to work, I decided I would have to sacrifice food for some sleep.
Once I had reached my bedroom, I collapsed on top of my bed right away. Immediately, I felt a sense of warmth and comfort, as I pulled my comforter over my head, hoping to get some goodnight's sleep.
And I did. I was dreaming that I was the rich boss, replacing Olenair in managing Gringotts, and also torturing Granger by forcing her to do endless amounts of paperwork and other things that needed all the intelligence that she could muster. Ah, how I wish that dream would never end.
4:13am...
"Malfoy."
"Malfoy!"
"MALFOY!!!"
I woke up with a start. I had dreamt that Granger was begging me on her knees to spare her a day off or two, and that she was calling my name repeatedly. I was about to say a particularly nasty remark when I was rudely interrupted. I looked around my bedroom, wondering if I did indeed imagine my name being called out, when I saw a horrible sight in my fireplace.
It was her face.
"Holy shit, Granger! Do you really want to scare me to death with that face of yours?" I yelled out, breathing heavily and clutching my chest.
"Oh, so I have scared the Great Draco Malfoy, have I now?" she ridiculed.
"Me, the Great Draco Malfoy," I echoed, trying out the name. "I like the sound of that. Why Granger, I never knew you thought of me that way."
"I-I-" she was at a lost for words. "I would never!"
Even if it was dark, and her face was in the fireplace, I could tell she was blushing madly. She was so easily gullible.
"I really need some sleep, Granger, so if you came here for a reason, tell me now. Unless you disrupted me for other particular reasons," I said, waggling my eyebrows and giving her a suggestive wink.
She looked at me, astonished, and blushed even more. This was definitely a lot of fun on my part.
"You have a very distorted mind," she stated, looking disgusted. "But yes, I did come here for a reason."
I raised an eyebrow. "Go on, I don't have all night, you know."
"I'm quite aware of that. However, I come bearing news," she paused. "Bad news."
"What is it?" I asked, becoming more interested in what she had to say.
"Olenair"-here, I gave a shudder. I truly hate that name-"told me that you were working late tonight. Have you seen anything unusual?"
I contemplated that question for a while. I haven't really seen anything that was out of the ordinary, well, except for that one moment when I was taking a quick break and I discovered a green hair in my usual blonde. Oh, and there was that time when I was taking another break, and I noticed that when I did my well-known smirk in front of a mirror, it just didn't seem quite right – which reminds me, I must practice my smirk more. I wonder if those bizarre incidences were what Granger wanted to know?
"By unusual, what do you exactly mean?"
She sighed heavily. "There was an attack just right outside of Gringotts a few hours ago. You were working late, so you should have been aware of it."
I was utterly shocked. "No, I haven't. I was probably too tired from completing YOUR work that I hadn't noticed anything else."
Even in the strangest of times, I still managed to throw insults. It must be one of my natural skills.
"Well, you probably would have avoided the situation if you hadn't spent all your time disrupting me from my work! Sometimes, I wonder how you even got this job!" Granger yelled out.
"I do have the skills and intelligence for this job, you know! More than you have yourself, I'm sure!" I retorted.
"Is that so? Then I must ask why you've been so negligent to your work ever since you've been employed at Gringotts? Why Olenair respects me more than you? Why I'm the top employee and am currently being considered for a promotion?"
I knew she was gloating, but I couldn't say anything since I knew that what she had said was all true. Did I say how much I hated her?
"Anyway," she said, interrupting my thoughts. "We're getting way off-topic here. I need you to come down to Gringotts immediately."
"Maybe I don't want to. I'm not going to take any instructions from you."
"Malfoy, shut up, please. I'm not even the one giving out these instructions, so go complain elsewhere. I really don't have time for this. Just get your arse down here, or you'll be doing even more work than you did tonight," she stated, before her face disappeared from the fireplace.
I let out a loud sigh, and reluctantly got out of bed. I should make another life goal to spend more time sleeping in it. Yes, I should do that soon.
I unhurriedly changed my clothes in a groggy manner in order to stall for some time, and then finally apparated to my workplace. Now, let's see what all the fuss was about.
TBC.
please R&R.