Chapter 8

Harry Potter was tired, exhausted even. He often wondered why on earth he had ever thought being an Auror was a good idea. But then again, it was something he was good at, it was something that came naturally and at those times he reveled in it. But there was also paperwork - all part of the job really, but a pain nonetheless. One thing paperwork was good for was spotting patterns. If he hadn't done the paperwork after the Haddon case he wouldn't have seen the similarities between that and the Coldston case. It was all about the patterns. So when Hermione told him she was being blackmailed in the same way at multiple others had been over the past couple of years - it didn't feel like a revelation, it felt draining.

Because Harry was no closer to finding out who the blackmailer was.

"So let me get this straight," Harry said, pinching the bridge of his nose trying to lessen the headache. "The blackmailer has subsequently started blackmailing Malfoy, supposedly because he's bored of only blackmailing Hermione?"

"Well we can't know for sure it's because he's bored…" Hermione hedged.

"I'd say it's more because it's all been about me," Malfoy shot in, putting his feet up on Harry's desk which pushed his framed golden snitch off kilter and made a paper or two fall to the ground.

Harry contained himself, because he wanted to say not everything is about you Malfoy… he wanted to say get your dirty feet off my desk Malfoy… He WANTED to tell him to bugger off out of his office because he couldn't stand his smarmy face and attitude. But, sadly, he was at work and he had to be professional. Harry was tired.

"Right, a personal vendetta against Malfoy," Harry repeated, standing up from his chair and walking around to help him think. "I still think this would be someone in your life that has been relatively close to you over the years. Perhaps not a close friend, but I wouldn't rule it out-"

"Actually," Hermione cut in. "There was an incident I forgot to tell you about, well… both of you I guess. I was approached by Theo Nott the other day and he was being extremely creepy, it was like he knew things only the blackmailer would know."

Harry hesitated. "Uhh… right, but I don't think-"

Malfoy laughed. "You think Theo is the blackmailer? That's hilarious Granger, and I thought you were supposed to be smart."

She bristled. "Excuse me? There's no need to insult me-"

"It's not Theo."

"What makes you so sure Malfoy? You could just as easily be blinded by his… I don't know… I guess he might have charm to people that like him."

"Could we maybe-" Harry tried.

"Oh yeah he does have charm Granger, just not for sticks-in-the-mud."

Hermione's face went deep red and she stood slowly from her chair. "Say that again Malfoy and see if you can keep the smirk on your face this time." She held her wand tightly in her hand.

"Enough!" Harry called out before Malfoy could open his mouth again. "Both of you, shut up and Hermione sit down. Malfoy - that was such a rude thing to say I could punch you in the face right now so just know you are on thin ice. Hermione, the blackmailer is definitely not Theo Nott."

"But-"

Harry shook his head and said with conviction. "It's not."

Hermione furrowed her brows. "How can you be so sure? The way he spoke to me…"

"I may have told him what happened between us," Malfoy added with a shrug.

She closed her eyes and seemed to steel herself. "I feel sick."

"Okay, enough of this, we're wasting our time. You said the blackmailer took photos inside your personal library?"

"Yes, the angle of the photos would suggest it is not from the outside," Malfoy said, straightening his jacket and finally taking his feet off Harry's desk.

"Right, lets see them then."

Hermione's face went even paler. "Uh Harry… I don't think I'd be very comfortable with you seeing those photos."

"She's barely comfortable with me seeing them and I was there," Malfoy said with a roll of his eyes.

She glared at him. "And you've been an arse about it, so how could I possibly feel comfortable with it?"

Harry felt the headache move around to the back of his head as if a Hungarian horntail were smacking the inside of his skull. "I don't care anymore - Hermione, I'm sorry but this is my job, I need to see the pictures. Malfoy, I will also need access to your study or library or wherever this was to check the area."

"I've already had a search around, but sure - being an auror and all that I guess you'll be able to find what I couldn't," Malfoy said condescendingly as he fetched photos from his inside jacket pocket and handed them over to Harry.

Hermione was covering her face with her hands as Harry looked at the photos, but he had no interest in what the two of them were doing, what he was looking at was the angle, was where the camera might be placed and how it had managed to take the photos when the blackmailer wasn't in the room. There were multiple options, was the blackmailer a shapeshifter? Uncommon but not impossible. Was he using magic or muggle means as he had shown he cold do both. Harry needed to see for himself.

"Right, lets head off to your study Malfoy."

"Great," he said, standing up and dusting off imaginary dust from his expensive trousers. "After you Granger."

Hermione huffed and left the office first, and as Harry made to follow Malfoy stopped in the doorway to look at him. He lowered his voice.

"You haven't told her?"

Harry stopped and was puzzled for a second before he blushed. "Uhm… no. Not yet."

Malfoy cocked a grin. "Interesting, I would have thought you two shared everything, the best of gal-pals."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Very funny Malfoy."

He shrugged. "I may tease, but I'm actually serious about this. If you're embarrassed of Theo-"

"I'm not," Harry said confidently. "I'm not embarrassed. I just haven't found a good time to tell her."

Hermione came back around the corner. "Are you two coming or what?"

"Good," Malfoy said to Harry before turning and walking towards Hermione. "Yes, yes, keep your knickers on woman."

Harry could hear Hermione groan in annoyance and the beginning of an argument as the two of them ronded the corner. His headache wasn't going to go anywhere anytime soon.

Harry Potter was tired.

Being back inside Malfoy's library was an interesting experience. This time the room was filled with sunlight beaming in from the large window at the back of the desk. Originally Hermione would have guessed that would be the best vantage point for a creepy blackmailer to take a picture through, but Malfoy had squashed that idea right off the bat by saying he had privacy enchantments on the glass.

The memory of being pushed up against the bookshelves was unwelcome while Harry was scouring the area for spells, because all Hermione could think about were Malfoy's hands. She glanced to the side to look at his hand that hung loosely by his side. Malfoy was doing nothing, just standing almost bored as Harry did his job - so why did it affect Hermione so? Why was she looking at his hand like she wanted it back on her?

Maybe she needed to see a therapist.

"No magical traces," Harry said and put his wand down.

"Thank Potter, for telling me what I already knew."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's procedure Malfoy. My first instinct tells me it's a muggle method, this guy wants to outsmart you but also humiliate you."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"You're aware that I work with muggle technology almost every day in my company? It's not like I'm averse to it these days."

"Maybe not, but are you fully knowledgable about it all?" Harry asked, kneeling down in front of the desk to inspect it.

Hermione tuned out of their musings, crossing her arms over her chest as she felt the anger rise. He had called her a stick-in-the-mud… that asshole. How could she stand there and think about being attracted to a man that had not only insulted her but reminded her of what he had always thought of her and her kind - dirty, belonging in the mud, in the filth. God what was wrong with her? She definitely needed a therapist.

"Malfoy?" Harry said, bringing Hermione back from her thoughts. "What purpose does this serve?"

Harry was looking at a trophy like object on Malfoy's desk. It was inconspicuous, but gaudy, as if it was of high value but not valued at all. It had some dust on it, not very well cared for or loved, but it seemed slightly out of place on the desk.

Malfoy shrugs. "It's a paperweight."

Harry raises an eyebrow at him, then examines it better. He stands and moves around, leaning over the desk to see from the angle of the paperweight. "Can you two get back into the position you were in when the photo was taken?"

"What?" Hermione gaped at him, feeling the blush creep up her cheeks.

"Not like," Harry began then sighed. "Just the position, you don't have to recreate it, I just want to see if the angle is correct that's all."

"Right," Hermione said uncertainly. She walked towards the bookcase uncertain exactly where she had been as her back was pressed up against it.

"Here," Malfoy said softly in her ear and she jumped. "Your head was next to this red book." He pointed at one to her right, she moved closer to it. He stepped into her personal space and pointed at a book next to her arm. "And this blue one I recall seeing when I had my head bent at your-"

"Okay," Hermione cut in, swallowing around the lump in her throat. "You don't need to uhm, yeah talk about it."

He smirked and Hermione tried to not look at his face, very aware that Harry was in the room with them.

"It's not like he'll hear what we're talking about," Malfoy continued in a whisper, his breath tickling her ear. "I'm sure you'd be surprised, maybe you have a thing for voyuerism Granger, how would you know until you tried? The adrenaline, the excitement, of will they notice? Will the people see what we're doing?"

Malfoy touched her side gently and Hermione couldn't hold back the shiver. She glanced over his shoulder at Harry who was focused on the trophy shaped thing on Malfoy's desk. She thought about it for a second and she could tell this was exciting to her, but she had many reasons to take pause.

She looked bravely into Malfoy's silvery grey eyes, doing her best not to get swallowed up by them as she steeled herself to reject him. "You enjoy seducing dirty sticks-in-the-mud then?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I guess I could have phrased it better…"

"Yeah, you could have. But I suppose the mud is never far from your mind where I'm concerned."

"That's not-"

"Aha!" Harry called from the desk and Hermione used the opportunity to get away from Malfoy. She went over to where he was lying on his stomach on the desk, both hands around what used to be the trophy paperweight on Malfoy's desk and was now a jumble of semi broken pieces and wiring.

"What… did you do?" Hermione asked, kneeling to get a better look at it.

"It was a hidden camera," Harry said, obviously very proud of himself. "I'm actually impressed, this technology is definitely not easy to find or install - whoever did this has done it before and many times if I had to guess."

"Right… but that means the blackmailer has been inside this room," Hermione pointed out, turning around to look at Malfoy who was still standing by the bookcase. His face was closed off now, his arms crossed.

"How long has that paperweight been in your office?" Harry asked.

Malfoy shrugged. "Could be years, I don't know."

"Do a lot of people have access to this room?"

He shook his head. "No, this is a private room of mine, I rarely let anyone in here."

As he said it he locked eyes with Hermione, and she blushed and looked away, not sure what to make of that statement.

"Right," Harry said uncomfortably. "Well, I'll take this with me to the auror headquarters and try to see if I can access any information on it. I'll keep you posted Malfoy, and please if you receive any more blackmail letters let me know."

"Sure thing," Malfoy said, sounding bored. Harry left and Hermione was about to when she was stopped short by a hand on her upper arm. "When I look at you," Malfoy said, making eye contact with her to show his sincerity, and intensity. She didn't know how she managed to hold his gaze, but she did. "Trust me when I say I don't see anything dirty or muddy. That was bad wording on my part and… I'm sorry."

Hermione's mouth opened on it's own accord and it seemed to amuse him. She quickly closed it and swallowed, trying to wet her throat against the sudden dryness that overtook her. "Right uh, yes, thank you."

His smirk grew. "You're welcome." He let go of her and as she was about to leave the room he said, "Oh and Granger, feel free to come back anytime you want to explore some of your more… repressed interests."

Hermione left to her apartment and was ashamed at how quickly she gave in to touching herself to the thought of all the repressed things Draco Malfoy might do to her.

Author's note: Special thanks to Mar99 for leaving me a review and motivating me to write the next chapter. I don't know how your review did it as I haven't written in almost a year! But it did! I'm really happy that I wrote something, even if it isn't the best thing to ever be written haha - thank you for reading 3