Authors Notes: my first double chapter! Woo! Review it if you read it please! xD.

'Dirty Work'

Planning Something Else

After Ron and Parvati's wedding, many had not wanted to go. The night was not young when the family had announced that the reception was over, and everyone knew that although they would like to stay, it was about time to leave.

Family members escorted guests out of the backyard, while Ron and Parvati were whisked away in a white carriage. They were going to go straight to their hotel and leave for the honey moon the next day. Hermione was sure to give the newly weds her farewell at the end of the wedding, and she did not do so lightly. She was going to miss Ron sorely.

The wedding gave reason for Hermione not to go to work. The partying was enough to make her tired, and miss the day. Draco had, of course, excused her to come to the Ministry, and she thanked him greatfully. Besides, she did not quite want to see him, especially since they had kissed during the wedding. It was already uncomfortable enough owling in sick.

At the moment, Hermione lay on her couch, flipping through radio channels of a wizard radio. She was flicking her wand every now and then to change the station. Nothing much was interesting to her, unless she heard a song she liked. In total honesty, days without Ron and Parvati close by were quite boring.

The window was open, letting in a cool breeze that was hardly large enough to fill the room. Although it was spring, the day was hot, and she hadn't even felt like brewing hot coffee, just because it would only make her feel hotter. Hermione was beginning to be very glad that she did not go into work that day.

Other than the fact that she was insanely tired from the other night's events, as it was before mentioned, she did not want to face Draco. They had danced, and they had kissed, and Hermione simply did not know what to make of it. Were they still just friends? Or were they something like a couple? She had no idea.

The wedding brought upon a whole list of new problems for Hermione, and it was hurting her head everytime she though about them. The problem that she couldn't talk to her best friend about it because he was away on his honeymoon. Her "Draco problem." And of course, Draco himself.

Was she this cowardice to not face him? Surely he wasn't acting the same way Hermione was at the moment? If he had been, Hermione thought, he would have called in sick as well so that he wouldn't see me. But he hadn't. So that must have meant that he wasn't afraid to face Hermione.

She sighed. She didn't like feeling like this. If he wasn't scared, then she shouldn't have to be either. Besides, it's not like Draco was going to completely ignore her if they saw each other. She knew him more than that, and that wasn't like him.

"I guess I know what to do then," Hermione told herself.

Deciding that confronting Draco seemed a better thing to do than sitting around all day listening to the radio, Hermione stood up and went straight to her bedroom to get changed in her work clothes. Looks like she didn't feel so sick after all.

In no less than a second after changing into her work clothes, Hermione apparated right outside of Draco's office, briefcase and all. The Ministry had most probably been filled with many people and Hermione certainly did not feel like walking through a crowd of people and taking elevators that took forever to get onto a certain floor.

Hermione brushed herself off quickly, trying to take out the wrinkles in her clothes. She held up her right hand that was already in a balled fist, about to knock on his door. And then she stopped. Did she really want to see him that day? If she did, then it might add to her list of problems.

Stepping back a little, Hermione put her fist down. But then again, she really did want to see Draco and talk to him. She stepped forward and poised her fist once more. But what if he did not want to see her? Sighing exasperatedly, Hermione stepped back once more and let her fist go limp at her side.

This had continued for a while, stepping back and stepping forward, completely agitating Hermione. All she had to do was knock on the door. She had nothing to lose. All Draco had to say was "Oh, I'm busy right now..." and then she would be off. Right. She had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Ready to knock on his door, Hermione brought her fist up again, and brought it back to knock on his door. But then it swung open.

Draco stepped through with his briefcase in his hands, his head down. Noticing that someone's feet had been right there, he looked up and stepped back, realizing that he almost ran into Hermione. He gasped.

"Hermione!" He exclaimed, fumbling with the doorknob. "What - what are you doing here?" He asked her, as he fully opened the door. Hermione brought her fist down, and put her hands behind her back. She looked down and peered at him just a little bit.

"Oh... well, I decided I wasn't feeling very sick anymore, so I thought I'd come into work. I thought maybe you had some things for me to do, since the ball is coming close and everything..."

"Well, that's very nice of you," he answered, stepping aside for Hermione to come in, once collecting himself. "Er... come in, won't you?" He asked her, a bit uncomfortably. Obediently, Hermione stepped in.

"Have you got work for me to do?" She asked him, taking a few steps inside and turning around to face him. Draco shut the door quietly and strode over to his office desk. "I was thinking that I could maybe go to the ballroom and see how the rearrangment is going. Also, I could check if all the furnishing arrived yet and - "

"Wait, stop, Hermione." Draco said, holding up a hand. "Thank you for offering, but you don't have too." He said, nodding at her politely.

Hermione looked at him blankly. "Oh, alright... why not?" She asked, when really, she had meant to just walk out of his office door. She was surprised her feet didn't listen to her. It was as if they were glued on.

"I'm not planning for the ball today," he said, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "I was... just about to plan something else, really." He told her.

"And what's that?" She continued to ask.

Draco looked away from her. Hermione found this quite odd, and stared at him, wondering why he had suddenly gone abash. He was kicking at the carpet on the floor, and twiddling his fingers around. He was looking at something around his office, which Hermione couldn't seem to see. She followed where his gaze was, and found that it had been on a certain family photo standing on his desk. It was one of him, and his mother and father. He was looking at his dad.

"I... well, you know..." He started vaguely, scratching the back of his head. Hermione peered at him oddly. "Well, since my father's... well... dead and everything," he said rather quickly, "I was just going over to the funeral home to make some arrangements for his funeral..."

Hermione widened her eyes. She had come into work the day that Draco was planning for his father's funeral. She was going to be kicking herself later.

"Anyways, I just came in to work to tell my workers that I wouldn't show up to supervise." He walked over to his desk and picked up his briefcase. He was looking down and Hermione regretted asking him all those questions immediately.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, trying to cover up her self anger, "I had no idea - "

"Oh, it's alright," he said, striding over to the door and holding it open for her. "You can work if you like but I won't be there. Or you could just go back home..."

Hermione, feeling like she was being kicked out, immediately walked over to the door. She stepped through and faced him, giving him a very sad look.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked him.

"Oh yeah," he said, giving her a small smile, "I'm going to be fine." Hermione grinned at this, knowing very well that he was just trying to cover up his small sadness. She wondered whether he would be able to make the final arrangements for his father alone. And if she would make it through the day without being lonely. And then an idea popped inside her head.

"You know, I could always come with you," she suggested, lighting up at the idea. Draco looked at her, completely surprised by the suggestion.

"Would you really want to be there?" He asked, stepping through the door and closing it. Hermione smiled at him sweetly and nodded vigorously.

"I would like to help, really I would. Besides, there's no point going to work without my partner."

Draco smiled at her locked his office door before answering. He seemed hesitant. "Alright, you can come."

"Great," Hermione said, beginning to walk along the hallway with Draco. She was feeling very glad she had offered. Besides, Draco had been feeling just as lonely as she had been, and it seemed right that they should spend the time together. Nothing felt uncomfortable about that.

With a little chit chat and a talk about the wedding, the two were able to clear up many things. Well, not the problems on Hermione's mind, of course, but the final loose ends that had to do with the ball. Hermione had the feeling that he was avoiding what she wanted to talk about, but that he was thinking of doing something that she wouldn't like. Instead of asking about it, she looked straight ahead.

Unexpectedly, Draco looked away and a sudden tint of red flushed around his cheeks. Hermione peered at him, a little confused.

Without notice, he then took her hand. Apparently he did not want to see her reaction when he did this, for he looked away. Hermione, suppressing a gasp, smiled, and squeezed Draco's hand just a little bit, to show that she was okay with it.

Draco looked at her with relief, and turned around a corner. "I don't suppose we would want people seeing this, would we?" He asked her, while the hall was still empty. "Especially since Skeeter's report..."

"Good point," Hermione said, holding up her hand which was still weaved with Draco's. She looked at it and put it back down. Draco looked at her questioningly. "I suppose we should just apparate there, then?" She asked him.

"Yes, we should." He answered her. Hermione nodded as she halted to a stop with Draco and braced herself. She didn't know where the place was, so he would be apparating her there. Side-along apparition was never a good feeling.

Together, the two walked over to the funeral home. They walked hand in hand, hiding it every once in a while when people walked past. With the apparation, there wasn't much hiding neccessary to do, and Hermione liked it that way.

Edging towards a plain white building, almost looking like a home instead of a company, Hermione felt Draco's hand loosen in hers. She looked down, and saw that his fingers weren't completely weaved with hers anymore. Hermione knew it was because they didn't want the organizer to see, for they were nearing with every step, but she didn't like it one bit.

"We're almost there," Draco announced, with little anticipation. He looked at their hands sadly.

Hermione sighed. "I know. Do you want me to come inside with you, or wait out here?" She asked him, as his fingers continued to loosen.

"You can come with me. Besides, it may take a while." Hermione nodded, and continued to walk along with him.

The two spent the rest of the journey with their hands detached. Hermione didn't quite like it, and it showed by the pout on her face. Draco tried to cheer her up however, with small talk, or, at least, that's what she thought. It may have been a diversion to keep from talking about their kiss.

Sooner than expected, they reached the oaken white doors of the building, and both walked inside, taking in the glum and morose feeling they suddenly had.

It was like walking into a rainy cloud. Everything was saddening, and quite boring from the looks of it. There was a plain white counter, a couple of doors around, and a living room, as it seemed, that had books and pamphlets on the centre table. Hermione couldn't help but have the happiness in holding Draco's hand get sucked right out of her.

Draco walked over to the counter, over which a balding man sat behind on an uneven stool, reading one of the pamphlets that were on the table.

"Hello. I'm Draco Malfoy. I owled in earlier this morning telling someone that I'd be here to make some final arrang - "

"Ah, yes, Mister Malfoy, nice to meet you," said the balding man, cutting Draco short. He stepped around the counter and held out his hand. "My name is Ned Plumm, and it was I who answered your owl." Draco shook his hand quickly and then shoved them back in his pockets. "You said in your owl you would like to make this quick, so shall we...?"

The man pointed to a certain door off to their right. Draco nodded once, and beckoned for Hermione to follow him. She did as she was told, and together they were lead off into an even more drearier room, that had coffins atop every shelf, and covered every inch of the floor.

"Pick whichever one suits you," said the man, showcasing it all, not even realizing Hermione's presence.

Draco turned over to Hermione and gave her a weak smile. "Er... this will just take a minute," he whispered in her ear. Hermione laughed softly.

"Take your time."

Draco walked over to each coffin, and peered inside everyone. It didn't seem like a very hard decision for him, because after his first round of checking, he picked a polished light brown coffin that was plain and simple. It was nothing of the style Hermione pictured Lucius Malfoy to be buried in, but she thought Draco just wanted it over with.

After making sure it was Draco's father's size, he went over to another room, all the while listening to Plumm talking final arrangments. He was polite enough, and didn't seem to mind that Draco wasn't paying attention. His mind was far off, probably dreading to even attend his own father's funeral.

"...and it shall be in a secluded area, like you asked," said the man, to a distracted Draco. Hermione nudged him in the rib lightly, and he snapped his head up. With a nod and a smile, Draco answered the man, and he continued babbling on once more.

"We had your father's body delivered a few days before..." at this, Draco's head shot up, and as did Hermione's, for the thought of Lucius Malfoy's dead body being inside that very place was disturbing, "...and we've already had him suited up and ready with make-up."

Draco said thank you and nodded to Plumm, and began to listen to what the man was saying. "If you like, instead of holding a funeral a few days later, we could have it now." The man suggested, walking Draco over to the counter. This apparently appealed to Draco, for he nodded encouragingly.

"You get a discount, but it must be small. Say... no more than two to five people, including the person who will be giving the eulogy."

Without hesitation, Plumm's suggestion was accepted by the shaking of Draco's hand. Apparently, he really did want to get this over with, and Hermione found this none to surprising. Who would want to hold a funeral for their father, when most probably no one would attend? The thought was probably bothering Draco, and he would have much preferred the small funeral.

"So a small funeral?" Plumm asked, making sure.

"Yes, thank you." Answered Draco, as he stepped over the counter.

"Alright then. If you will, follow me into this room right over here Mister Malfoy... you can pick out the gravestone, and decide the words that will be engraved on it. It should be done rather quickly..."

"Okay, no problem," answered Draco, as he began following him into the room. Hermione stayed rooted in her spot however, when Draco had once again beckoned for her to follow. "Um, excuse me, I'll be there in a second," said he, walking over to Hermione, looking concerned. Plumm nodded and entered the room without Draco.

"Something wrong?" He asked her, with a concerned tone.

"Not really," Hermione said, completely honest. "I just don't think I'd like to walk into a room full of tomb stones... the coffins were bad enough," she added, with a small smile. Draco nodded and chuckled, pointing towards the living room in the funeral home. "That's fine. If you want, you can wait there."

"Alright," said Hermione brightly, taking off before Draco could say anything else. As she looked behind her back, she saw him retreating to where Plumm had entered. When the door had shut, she took a seat on a couch next to a window, that had a nice view of the street.

Straight ahead, across from the street, were nothing but trees. They were moving softly in the light wind, and the sky outside was sunny, but you could see it was a little over cast now. The clouds were somewhat grey, and Hermione began to fear that it would rain on the funeral.

Outside the funeral home was the large "backyard." It had the graves, and tombs, and everything that had to do with a cemetery there, and it was where the funeral would take place. She thought that Draco would have liked something more private or secluded, but seeing as he just really wanted to get it over with, she made no objection, or say one word about it.

Deciding that just sitting would be too boring, Hermione began to flip through some pamphlets. It wasn't likely that she would have to arrange at one of these places. Harry's funeral, come to think of it, wasn't even arranged by her. It was arranged by the ministry. She never got a say on what his gravestone said, or where he should have been buried. Now that she thought about it, she didn't get to say anything about it.

Finding this a depressing thought, Hermione turned around to look out the window. The billowing trees and the scorching sun yet cloudy skies were all the same to her. The street was empty and boring, and the scenery itself was dull. Everything was in place... until she saw the raven hair again.

It was as if it came out of nowhere. First it was there, in the tree's, and then it was gone. Hermione stood up quickly from the couch, and peered out the window, her palms pressing against the glass of it. That raven hair was so unfamiliar, but it was there, she knew it. But where had it gone?

"Finished," Draco said, as he opened a door, emerging out of it. Hermionie quickly removed her palms and turned around to face him.

"Draco," she said, surprised, "finished so quickly?"

"There wasn't much to choose from," he told her, with a confused look. "Er... why were you up against the window?" He asked her.

"Oh..." she said, realizing that she was still leaning towards it. "I was just... I saw a squirrel." She said lamely. Draco chuckled and shook his head.

"A squirrel," he mumbled to himself through laughter. "Well, I've finished all the arranging. I told Plumm that I would be doing the eulogy myself and that you would be my only guest."

Hermione gaped at him, surprised. "Just me? No other guests?"

"I wouldn't want anyone else to come but you," he told her sweetly, walking over towards her with his hands outstretched. He must have wanted to hold her hand.

"That's nice of you," Hermione said quickly, side-stepping him. Draco seemed taken aback. "Shall we go to the backyard then?" She asked him.

Draco looked at her puzzled, and then shook his head. "Yes, of course. I think it's already been set up, so we can make our way there now."

With a quick smile, Hermione walked right passed him, and out of the room, trying hopelessly to forget what she just saw. It couldn't have been what she thought it was, and it certainly shouldn't be there of all places. Whatever it was, it made her not want to be close to Draco at all, and although it may not have shown, that was what she had wanted, this whole time.

As her and Draco made their way a good distance apart from each other to a far off, secluded area of the backyard/cemetery, the dark clouds began to go away. The sun shone brighter than it had earlier that day, and although this was what Hermione wanted, it did not lighten her mood very much, for her mind was still on what she saw out the window. She had not said anything about it to Draco.

He led the way, his head down, with an unreadable expression, and did not speak a word to Hermione. She found it rude, but remembered it was probably her fault for side stepping his affection. Everytime she tried to talk or take his hand, however, she stopped, thinking it the wrong thing to do for some reason. It felt right, but a feeling told her it was wrong to do just then.

When they had both reached the gravestone that was arranged right under a beautiful aging tree, Hermione took her place in front of it, a few feet apart, with her head bowed. She didn't think it polite to say some encouraging words to Draco right before he was about to say his father's eulogy.

Draco cleared his throat a few times, before beginning his speech. He stood behind the gravestone, beneath the tree, looking like an angel in handsome, dark clothing. He was nervous, she could tell, but he did not let it show.

He cleared his throat once more, and began with a clear start. "My Father... Lucius Wencilis Tinibrion Malfoy... was a very strict yet kind-hearted man." Hermione could tell that he was already struggling to find some honest words. "He was firm and consistent, and never stopped once to wonder if what he was doing was right. He believed in himself." Draco stated honestly.

"Yet... when my Father believed to much in himself, that he could do no wrong, he went to far, and did terrible things... perhaps he thought that what he had done was right, but it was far from it, and it forced him to lead a life of secrecy. He was power hungry... and with power, he thought that maybe he could destroy what he truly hated..."

Hermione peered at Draco, wondering at all if he meant what he said. He looked straight behind her, as if talking to the wind. He did not want to meet her gaze at all.

"Unknowingly, that power he so dearly wanted, was not the destroyer of his loath. It was the destroyer of his life. And his choices... his decisions, and mistakes, are what lead him to this very cemetery. Sad, and full of regret. They are the results of a wasted life, and a wasted man. His body lies here, dead and broken... only but the dirt to accompany him now."

She took a step closer to where he stood, wondering if she should reach out, but stopped. She thought against it. "This man was my Father. And although he had done many wrongs, I loved him," he pointedly turned away from Hermione, and she pretended not to notice, "and nothing will change that. May the wind carry his dust to a safe land, and his broken soul find peace in the Heavens."

Draco stepped around his father's grave and knelt down one knee. Hermione followed suit, but knelt down on both of hers. She saw Draco take a small flower out of his pocket, press it against his lips, and place it gently on the ground. Realizing she had no token of grievance, she brought up her index and middle finger, kissed them lightly, and pressed them on the grave.

"I miss you, Father." Draco ended, with a small sigh. Hermione turned to look at him, and patted him on the back.

"Well done, Draco," she said softly. He nodded. He continued to stare absent-mindedly at the gravestone, and she did not try to get him out of his reverie. Instead, she rubbed his back, and stared at the gravestone as well, trying to find words to say that would comfort him.

As she looked down at it, she realized the words Draco had told Plumm to put were already engraved. It read, 'Loved always. Forever Remembered.' No words could have hit her deeper.

Draco coughed loudly, after what seemed like hours, and turned to smile at Hermione. "Thank you for being here with me," he said with gratitude.

"I'll always be here for you." She answered. And it was true. "I'm glad you were strong enough to do this."

"I couldn't have done it without you, really." He told her kindly. Without knowing it, he took a strand of her hair that was blowing in the wind and tucked it behind her ear. The action was not surprising to Hermione. It felt quite normal.

"I..." Hermione said, not quite knowing how to answer. She smiled and said nothing, only staring into his baby blue orbs.

And suddenly, Draco leaned in to Hermione. Within the moment, they kissed, a most passionate kiss, that was enough to break Hermione out of her reverie. They kissed, knowing that they needed each other right now, and neither cared what others would say.

When the kiss broke, Draco being the one to pull away, he leaned in to Hermione's ear. "I think I love you, Hermione Granger," he told her. Hermione smiled. "Is that okay with you?" He asked her.

"It's more than okay," she told him, pulling away and kissing him on the cheek. He grinned at her, and then smiled sadly at his father's grave. It would seem normal for him to feel lonely, yet happy at this moment.

Out of no where, a dark, tawny owl came swooping down on them, dropping a letter in between Hermione and Draco, and flew back up, soaring away without so much as stopping for a break. Without surprise, he picked it up, and Hermione realized it was a Ministry owl. What a wonderful way to ruin the moment. They were calling him in.

"I have to go now," he told her, with an obvious sadness in his voice. "It says to report to Hanks... your Department Head, for some reason." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sorry about this. I'll see you later."

Before Hermione could get in another word, like ask him to stay a little longer, or to not go, she felt Draco move beside her, and stand up, and press a kiss to her forehead. She wanted to stand up and walk away with him, but her knees were glued to the ground. He left sadly, and Hermione watched him retreat, with glum eyes. She had not wanted him to leave at all. Curse the Ministry.

Sighing, she turned to stare at the grave. How odd was it that she would find out she may have come to love her enemy at his father's funeral? How odd was it that when she was with Draco, an image of Harry did not pop into her mind, like it usually did when she was near him? Could this mean that she indeed, really did love him? She sighed again.

What would Harry say if he knew somehow that Hermione was falling fast and deeply in love with his enemy? It wasn't like it should have been. She was never supposed to fall in love with him on the job, and neither was he. Nothing like this was ever to have happened, yet for some reason it did. This just confused Hermione more than anything else had.

Giving up on her thoughts, Hermione turned around and stood up. She had expected to see the wind blowing the trees, the sun high up in the clouds... maybe even Draco, watching her as she was about to go. But no. She saw something much, much more different.

A pair of green eyes, eyes that she thought she would never come to see again, were right there, less than five feet away. The hair, the so noticeably messy hair, were before her, tousled and messy in the wind. Could the owner of all these features be the person she thought she was seeeing at this moment?

It was right there. And she blinked. The image did not go away. It was smiling at her. A large, handsome smile. Hermione had dreamt and visioned of this, but never had she expected it to happen. Was this really happening?

She took a step forward, but the figure never moved. It continued to stand there, confusing Hermione. Was this something out of a dream? Had she been dreaming this? There was no other way to explain it. This could not have been happening to her, and at a cemetary of all places.

Hermione tried to erase it. But it was there. Could it be? She blinked again.

"...Harry?"

He smiled at her.

"Hello, Hermione."

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TBC.

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A/N: Woooot! Harry's back, Harry's back, Harry's back! My apologies if his appearance was so out of nowhere and very quick. I wanted him back SO much! And I'm SO sorry for the cliffy... don't murder me, you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter, I promise!

Review if you've read it! Thanks a million! xD.

Yours truly,
Sevengee/Lina.