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Chapter 6Hermione started from the beginning. "You guys know that I went to the Ministry Ball tonight. Harry wasn't there when I arrived, so I waited for him to come."
"Go on," Ginny urged, bracing herself for whatever happened next."
The brunette nodded and continued. "Ma-someone came to talk to me and then Harry finally came. Harry looked a bit nervous so I asked him what was wrong. He..."
Gwen who was listening intently asked. "Yes and?"
Hermione let out a heavy sigh. "He said that he couldn't be my partner for the ball...that he met someone."
"Who?" Gwen and Ginny said at the same time.
"Lavender Brown," Hermione said.
The redhead stood up outraged. "That bimbo? He left you for Lavender?"
"I agree," Gwen said. "That witch is the most arrogant, conniving, and annoying person I know."
Hermione was taken aback. "You know her?"
"Of course I do. I am a journalist you know, I had to interview her," She said the last word in a disgusted tone.
Ginny was unusually quiet and Hermione was starting to get worried. Hermione smiled. "Please don't do anything rash all right? I'll be fine."
Gwen was still angry, but said. "Fine."
Hermione was still skeptical and looked at Ginny and Gwen. "Promise to me right now that you won't do anything."
"We promise," They said, reluctantly.
Hermione grinned. "Good. I'm going to go home and get a few more hours of sleep. Bye."
Ginny waited until Hermione left and said. "I crossed my fingers."
"Me too." Gwen said, laughing. "Didn't think Mione would fall for it."
"Neither did I," Ginny said. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Get back at Lavender? Definitely," Gwen laughed maliciously.
Hermione woke up a few hours later that day at seven. She got out of bed and saw a note lying on her desk. 'It can't be important. I'll open it later.' She calmed herself down before opening the door slowly. After peering out, she saw the coast was clear. She dashed to the bathroom and closed the door.
She scowled at her reflection as she brushed her teeth. 'Why am I so nervous? Besides Malfoy doesn't know that I was awake at the time.' She finished washing up and had one final thought before going out. 'Just be normal, remember you were asleep the entire night.'
Hermione took a deep breath and opened the door. There was no one there, she smiled and walked out boldly.
She sat down on the living room couch, trying to read the Daily Prophet. She couldn't concentrate; her mind kept telling her that it was too quiet.
As she walked upstairs, she kept getting the feeling she was forgetting something. 'Maybe I left something in my office.' She was soon standing in front of Draco's door. 'Only one way to find out.'
She knocked on the door and waited. No answer. She knocked again, but there was still no response. Frustrated she turned the knob and entered the room. "Malfoy, are you in here?"
Hermione stood in the empty room confused. 'Where is h-"
Draco interrupted her thought. "Granger, there you are. I was looking all over for you."
"You were?" Hermione said, trying to look nonchalant. It didn't work. She felt her face growing hot.
Draco gave her a strange look. "Are you feeling ok Granger?"
Hermione snapped at him. "Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Whatever you say," Draco replied.
"Why were you looking for me anyway?" Hermione said, crossing her arms.
Draco smirked. "Because you didn't show up for work."
Hermione looked at him confused. "What are you talking about? It's a Sunday, which means I don't have work today."
"Didn't you get the note?" Draco asked.
"Note?" Hermione said, and then remembered the one that was lying on her desk. "Oh, that note."
"Yes, that note," Draco said, growing impatient. "Why didn't you read it?"
Hermione scowled, not wanting to admit her mistake to Draco. "That's not important right now."
"I guess you're right," Draco said, getting out of the doorway. "Hurry up and get changed. You're already ten minutes late for the meeting."
"You don't mean the new project meeting right?" Hermione said, although she was pretty sure it was.
"Of course it is. Now hurry," Draco said, rushing her to her room. "Me and the others will be waiting for you in the conference room."
Hermione ran to her room, after Draco apparated and changed herself in record time. She brandished her wand and apparated to the Ministry.
She walked into the conference room, slightly out of breath. "I'm sorry that I'm late." She told her fellow staff.
Draco watched amused, as Hermione tried her best not to seem flustered that she was late. After she sat down, Draco said. "Now that everyone is here. We can start our meeting as planned."
A man with brown hair spoke. "I have a new idea for our next project. I think we should bind all our alliances into one with every magical Ministry of Magic in the world."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," One woman said. "But how do you intend to make the other nations agree?"
Noticing that the man was stumped, Hermione added her bit. "Why don't we offer to add them to a worldwide portkey system?"
She knew that this might be a dangerous venture. Permanent portkeys cost large sums of money to keep up and the Ministry here and in other countries might not want to invest in it. She held her breath, waiting for the criticism that was bound to come.
"I think it's brilliant," Said the woman who had spoken only moments before.
Hermione let out her breath in one sigh, and smiled at the woman politely. She watched, waiting for what Draco had to say. 'No doubt to humiliate me on my idea.' She thought bitterly.
Draco nodded. "I agree. Although, it will take a bit of work to get the funds, this project will definitely pay of in the end. Anyone disagree with my thoughts?"
The other employees shook their heads no.
"Then it's decided. We will start our next project: Worldwide Portkey System tomorrow," Draco said, getting out of his seat.
Hermione was still in her seat as everyone else got up to leave. She couldn't believe what had happened, but it did. She thought that she could faint from happiness right then.
"You can get up now," Draco said. "Or are you incapable of that, after your one moment of brilliance."
Hermione shot a death glare at him and huffed to her office. As she left, she half expected Draco to follow her back to her office, but when he didn't she was a bit surprised.
She slumped into her chair and eyed a note on her desk warily. 'Guess I'd better read it, no use in waiting until later.' She unfolded the parchment, it read:
Hermione
You are cordially invited to me and Gwens party this Sunday evening, to celebrate my moving to my new home. The party will be at six tonight, and will be held at our house. See you then.
-Ginny
Hermione stared at the letter confused, Ginny never mentioned a party earlier. Shrugging, she wrote a reply saying that she will be there and sent it off with the office owl.
She leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh of relief. Her portkey idea has been accepted at the meeting. The information was finally sinking in. She closed her eyes for a moment, but abruptly opened them when Draco's face loomed in her mind.
Hermione chewed on her lip, as she pondered over the mixed feelings she was having. On one hand, she was happy that things were still normal between them. On the other, she felt disappointed.
'Why am I disappointed that he didn't mention anything about last night?' Hermione blew a strand of hair out of her face. 'I'm going to forget about the incident too. No use worrying about it now, when obviously it meant nothing to Malfoy.'
She got out a piece of parchment and started to write down ideas on how to set up the portkeys. Hermione was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice that she was called down to her boss' office, until a fellow staff member personally came and told her.
Hermione knocked on the hard oak door. Draco answered from inside. "Come in."
She walked inside the office, somewhat surprised. The entire interior of it was redesigned, and added an air of elegance to the room.
"Quite nice isn't it." Draco said, casually. "Something you aren't used to."
She quickly put her mind back on track and turned to Draco. She glared at him, angry "What did you call me in here for?"
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Draco said smirking.
Hermione wasn't in a mood for an argument. "If you don't have anything to say to me about work, then I'm leaving." She made a move towards the door.
"Ok, you win. I still have something to tell you," He said, stopping Hermione.
"What is it?" Hermione said, crossing her arms.
Draco grinned. "What would you say, if I told you I wanted you to be the head of this new project with me."
Although she didn't especially like working with Draco, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She had worked on this idea for so long that she really wanted to take him up on the offer.
"Granger, are you still there?" Draco said, snapping her out of her reverie.
"Yes, and my answer it I'd love to," She said.
Draco nodded, handing her a piece of paper, with an address scrawled in minute handwriting. "Come here tomorrow at eight to discuss the project thoroughly."
"I'll be there," Hermione said enthusiastically. She left for her office, restraining herself from skipping the entire way there, but she couldn't help beaming at everyone who came by.
A/N: That concludes chapter six of Harry's Favor. Also, when I get my hundredth reviewer, whoever she of he is will get to be a cameo in the next fic I will be writing. One more thing, I'm going back to school this Thursday. I'm going to try to update every Sunday. As always don't forget to read and review.