Word count: .Thanks to all my reviewers, especially SnapeSeraphin. Everyone go read her one shot "Extraordinarily convenient". Good stuff. grin

"Hermione, why in the bloody hell are you going to that man's house?" Harry hissed.

"Harry, it's my job. There's more papers for him to sign and I have to get a signature to transfer the rest of Narcissa's settlement." Hermione answered wearily.

"I don't like it. Why can't Evan go?"

"First of all, Evan is my assistant. He's not exactly certified, second, he's on holiday in Bermuda for a week."

"Evan gets a holiday?" Harry asked, momentarily distracted, "That bugger doesn't even work when he's at the office!"

"Even assistants get holidays, Harry." Hermione muttered.

"Hermione, you cannot go to Malfoy's house!"

Hermione slammed her briefcase shut, glaring angrily at her husband of a few short months. "I can, and I will."

She stomped out of the house and down the path, outside the fence, and Apparated to the employee entrance of the Ministry. Upon reaching her office, Hermione threw some green powder into the flames. She crouched onto the hard stone of the hearth, thinking absently that she needed to do something about the level of discomfort.

"Mr. Malfoy?" she called into the flames when a well furnished room came into view. Portraits aligned the walls, men with shockingly blonde hair and steel gray eyes stared down at her, as if judging her parentage by her very appearance. A small pop sounded, and a House Elf appeared before her.

"Is Master Malfoy expecting Miss?" she squeaked fearfully.

"Ah…well, we didn't have an exact date set, but yes he did know I was coming at some point-"

"Blinky?" a familiar voice called, "What are you doing?"

"Master, there is a girl in the fire." Blinky answered frightfully. Hermione bristled slightly, she was twenty-three years old, thank you very much!

"A girl?" Lucius muttered, Hermione watched as the man came further into the room and knelt in front of the fire. "Ah, Miss Granger, always a pleasure." he nodded.

"Do you mind if I come through, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Not at all."

Hermione stood then, crouched, and stepped through the flickering poisonous green flames. She stumbled as her body spun out of the grate, and Lucius put steady hands on her shoulders to right her. He gestured for her to have a seat as she magically cleaned the soot from her robes.

"What can I do for you, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked politely.

"Well, there are still a few papers to be signed, "Hermione answered, ruffling through her briefcase and supplying the required parchments, "And there's the matter of transferring thirty percent of your Gringotts account to Miss Narcissa Black's new vault."

"Ah, yes that." Lucius Malfoy snapped his fingers once, and instantly a House Elf appeared at his heels. This one was different than the first, but appeared just as terrified. Hermione bristled slightly. "Donnie, please fetch me my traveling cloak." Lucius commanded, "Miss Granger will be accompanying me on an errand." The elf disappeared and then popped back into existence with a thick cloak folded in its arms. Lucius threw it around his shoulders while Hermione stood and made her way to the fireplace.

------At Gringotts------

"How may I help you?" a pinched looking goblin asked snobbishly.

"I want to transfer funds from my account to that of my former wife's." Lucius Malfoy answered confidently. The goblin looked up, meeting the eyes of Lucius, and his countenance improved greatly, showing much more respect to this esteemed customer.

"And what amount would you like to transfer?"

"Thirty percent."

The goblin looked up curiously, but said nothing. He slipped off the high stool he was seated on, and disappeared from sight. A few moments later the goblin returned with a slip of paper, and Lucius' vault key. He returned both to the customer and looked expectantly at the next person in line. Lucius put a strong hand on Hermione's arm and lead her from the bank, back down the cobbled street and into the Leaky Cauldron, where they Flooed back to his sitting room.

"The papers, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked politely, as if a jaunt to the bank was nothing out of the ordinary with the particular company he was entertaining.

"Er…right." Hermione handed him the parchments and he signed them, then looked at her expectantly.

"That's it, then." Hermione said as she stood up.

"Well, it was a pleasure, Miss Granger." Lucius said, "I trust I'll see you again?"

Hermione merely looked at him suspiciously, but said nothing. She threw shimmering green powder into the ornate fireplace and left without a word.