An Office War
A/N: This idea came from a dream I had and I thought it applied to Draco and Hermione, so I tried to write it down asap before I forgot.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, that'll be thanks to J.K. Rowling.
Summary: Draco and Hermione get their wires crossed in a battle to win office space. (Read: they get in a literal fight in the office.)
Friday – Mid-afternoon
"Oooh a fight!"
"Get him Hermione!"
"Go on Draco!"
"Gran-ger! Gran-ger!"
"Mal-foy! Mal-foy!"
Friday – A few hours earlier
It had started out a good day until their boss, Robert Perkins, had called them into his office for a meeting.
"The ministry are budget cutting and it seems we're on the receiving end. Both of you and your teams will have to share one office space." The first blow.
"What?" They said in unison.
"They can't do that, we've both got at least 8 people each to supervise." Hermione started.
"Why us and not the department of magical creatures, something much less important than us?" Draco muttered.
Hermione stopped her rant to glare at him. "Magical creatures are just as important as magical law enforcement, Malfoy."
"Maybe you should transfer then Granger, would save us all a lot of trouble."
Hermione was about to retort when Perkins interrupted them both. "That's enough. You two are supposed to be setting an example, that's part of the reason you were both chosen as leaders. You should be able to discuss this like adults without reverting to arguments." He gave them each a pointed look. "Now, can I trust you will work something out, and soon may I add."
"Yes, sir."
"Certainly."
"Great, glad to hear it. Now I'm sure we all have something to get back to, thank you for your time."
Draco and Hermione made their way to the door. Being the gentleman, Draco walked out first and let Hermione get the door behind her. They walked the small distance back to their own office spaces in relative quiet. Hermione silently fuming and Draco scheming. He would win that office space for his team one way or another.
Things had been going alright up until that fateful point. They'd both informed their teams that they'd soon have to give up some of their space to share with each other. There had been lots of complaining but true to their word, Hermione and Draco had placated their teams. For now - at least.
But the second blow, the one to trigger it all had been a passing comment from Malfoy. As they came to walk past each other he had muttered: "You look happy, considering you're about to go down."
Hermione had had enough. She threw down her files, fists by her side and said, "Bring it then Malfoy, let's fight it out. Would you like another reminder of third year?" She brought her fists up in a boxer's stance.
"Malfoy's don't get into physical fights." He said, despite undoing his shirt cuffs and loosening his tie. This would be interesting. Surely she's just bluffing. Maybe if he played along, she'd back down and declare it all a ruse.
He stood there, a smirk on his face and hands in his pockets, watching her face and waiting to see what she was going to do. She looked good when she was all riled up, it made his smirk wider.
"I'm about to wipe that smirk right off your-," a pause, "- smirky face, Malfoy!"
"Good vocabulary there, Granger. Merlin have mercy on whoever gets in a verbal fight with you."
"Oh, shut up, Malfoy!" And then she lunged for him.
"Merlin's beard Granger. What the fuck. Get off. I didn't think you'd actually fight me."
"Oooh a fight!"
"Get him Hermione!"
"Go on Draco!"
"Gran-ger! Gran-ger!"
"Mal-foy! Mal-foy!"
She had run behind him and jumped on his back, piggy-back style. She started to ruffle his hair all the while trying to stay on him as he attempted to throw her off. Her right arm clung to his chest while her left continued to ruffle him.
"Get the fuck off Granger!" He shouted as he tried to buck her off. He didn't actually want to hurt her.
Meanwhile, their team-members could be heard in the background cheering for their respective leader.
What a fantastic example to set, Draco thought. The witch was crazy. And while he wasn't going to fully fight back, he certainly wasn't going to back down either.
Before he knew it, Hermione had quickly jumped off of him and come to stand in front of him, still ready for a tussle. Her hair had become even wilder and her shirt had become untucked from her trousers. Bloody Gryffindors.
He slowly walked towards her, arms outstretched, as though in surrender. She sceptically eyed him, trying to predict what he was going to do. Then Draco quickly scooped her up – bridal style.
"Right then Granger, let's settle this, shall we? Whoever falls first is the loser."
Hermione stopped her current fist onslaught to his chest, instead to firmly place her arms around his torso, she was practically hugging him. "If I'm going down, you're going down with me," she said as she narrowed her eyes to look at him.
Draco chuckled. He sure enjoyed seeing her so passionate, even if it was aimed at him. "Have it your way," he replied. He let his arms drop to his sides and heard Hermione's shriek before feeling his body being pulled towards the ground. Damn, Granger. She really never gives up.
Being the chivalrous one, he snorted internally, he should really break her fall.
"Oof." Draco let out as Hermione landed on top of him. Complete silence fell all around before their co-workers started chanting again.
They had a momentary break while each tried to catch their breath. Hermione's face, currently flushed from all her efforts, was mere inches away from Draco's. He could easily lean forward, take her by surprise and kiss her. Or would that go against him?
Before he could act, Hermione whispered in his ear, "Feels like I may have won," as she subtlety grinded down on his arousal. Shivers, that's all he felt. And goose bumps. Merlin, this witch.
"If you can honestly tell me you don't feel the same then fine, I'll concede." He looked straight into her big, brown eyes. They were glossed over, her pupils slightly dilated, surely, she felt the same?
Hermione quickly gathered her thoughts, her team was on the line here, but then so were her feelings, selfish as they may be. Making a final decision, she replied, "I can honestly say that I'm not aroused."
Draco's pride inside shattered, he looked up at her wide-eyed, hurt flashed across his expression before he put his mask in place, he was shocked to say the least, but he wouldn't let her see. He felt sure she would've given in then. He pushed her off him, making sure to get up quickly before anyone witnessed the tent in his trousers.
"I concede." He said to the room at large. Gasps from all over were heard as he swiftly strode away, before she could say anything else to shatter him inside.
His team rushed over to him, some hitting him on the back in sympathy. "I would like to apologise to you all, I'm sorry I didn't win this battle for us. Regards the changes, we'll have to make do," he managed. He could just about make out his group's words of 'don't worry' before he took his leave. At least they weren't angry at him, that would've been another blow.
Hermione's team surrounded her to thank and congratulate her, all happy on their collective win. Meanwhile her attention lay solely on Draco as he made his exit, feeling not at all happy with her win and guilty about how she must've hurt him. Cemented in her mind, the look on his face after she had uttered those words.
Saturday – End of the work day
"Draco," Hermione called out to him.
He picked up his pace as he headed to the lift, the grates closing just before Hermione could get in. He kept his face turned so he couldn't see her. He didn't want to look at her.
Sunday, their day off was a quiet affair. Both of them at home with their thoughts.
Tomorrow, I'll try again tomorrow, Hermione resolved to herself.
Monday – Morning
Hermione made sure to arrive super early, hoping to catch Draco when he floo-ed in as normal. However, Harry managed to intercept inadvertently so she had to abandon that plan.
Tuesday – Afternoon
Hermione knocked gently on his office door.
"Come in." He looked up, saw that it was her and said, "Sorry, I'm busy, can you come back later," before she could get a foot through the door.
He heard the click of his door and sighed.
Wednesday through to Friday were all the same. Hermione tried, several times, to talk to Draco but all attempts were thwarted and he was still ignoring her, well avoiding her as best he could.
By Saturday, Hermione was fed up of it all. After a week of being ignored or brushed off, she decided today she wouldn't take no for an answer.
She watched him like a hawk all day, following him from a distance, under a disillusionment charm, whenever he got up.
Now she thought, this was her chance. He was currently in the toilet, so she was waiting for him to emerge outside. As Draco came out, she quickly grabbed him from behind, making sure to put a full body bind on and then levitating him so he couldn't escape. Luckily the corridor was empty.
"What the fuck are you doing? And what the fuck is going on? Let me go." He protested. He could identify her smell anywhere, so even though he was still on edge, he relaxed a little. Damn he thought, she got me.
She took him into a supply cupboard and locked the door securely before turning to release her charms on Draco. (No pun intended.)
"Let me go."
"No, I want to talk to you, properly."
"What's there to say? You won, now let me go." He refused to look at her face.
"Please Draco, I want us to be how we were before this happened."
"Oh yeah and how was that?"
"Well, you stop ignoring me for one- "
"I'm not ignoring you," he quickly piped in, better to go on the defensive than give in again he thought.
"Yes, you have been, this whole past week I've tried to talk with you but you always say 'can't right now, busy' or 'I'm busy, excuse me', then walk off. Or you're always shut away in your office and I don't even think I've seen you leave for your lunch break and you've been keeping to normal office hours rather than arriving early and staying late with me like you used to."
"Sounds like you've been stalking me."
"Well maybe I have been, because I missed you," she said as she slid down the door, letting out a sad sigh. Hugging her legs to her and resting her head on them, her shoulders drooped. Maybe she should give up, he wasn't going to budge.
Draco looked at her then, after a whole week of actively avoiding her, he looked at her and his feelings overwhelmed him, they'd been there all along but he'd tried to suppress them. He decided then to stop giving her a hard time, he sat down on her right side. However, he faced straight ahead as he felt her stare on him, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction that he was desperate to take her in with his eyes.
She broke the silence, "I've been wanting to talk to you about that day and what was said," more silence as she gathered her thoughts. "I wasn't completely honest with you. To be truthful, you had me fully aroused, I was soaking."
Now he looked at her, the same wide-eyed look as before, but without any hurt this time. "What?"
Hermione quickly went on, "But hear me out, it was either tell you the truth and have my whole team suffer, or lie to you and let them have something. So, I chose the latter, but I was also determined that I would make it up to you."
"Do you know how embarrassing that was, not only did I have to let my team down, but for you to reject me like that? Could you, the brightest witch, not tell that I liked you at all? And not just liked you as a co-worker or a friend, but something more. Afterwards, thinking over it all, I felt so stupid. I can't believe I thought you might like me in return but to then have you tell me in person you feel nothing…" He trailed off.
"Draco, I am so sorry. Truly. I really want to make it up to you. Please let me. I know I've said and done a lot to hurt you but that was never my intention. I've felt the same way towards you. I really like you and I felt guilty the moment I lied to you and I've felt even worse knowing I could've ruined our friendship before anything good could've happened."
He looked at her now, could see the pleading in her eyes, could almost feel her anguish. Then he held out a hand.
Hermione's eyes opened wide and firmly took the offering. He tugged her onto his lap where she straddled him, almost similar to how their fight had started.
Still holding his hand, tightly, as though he may up and leave, she whispered, "Feel," as she put his hand over her racing heart. "I really, really like you Draco, and would appreciate if we could try again."
He entwined their fingers, nodded and said, "I would like that also."
Hermione smiled at him, looked into his eyes and professed, "I'm Hermione and I really like you."
He grinned back. "Come here."
His lips met hers, tentative at first, her eyes slid shut and her hands reached up to run through his hair, gently this time. One of his hands tucked around her waist to pull her tightly against him, while the other cupped her face. She started to nip at his bottom lip before his tongue unfalteringly invaded her mouth and the kiss turned hot and fiery. Their mouths in a battle of their own. Draco let out a groan as he moved both arms around her waist to pull her as close to him as possible. She whimpered at the feel of being surrounded by him, one of her hands stationary at the nape of his neck while the other wrapped around his shoulders.
Breaking apart, both gasping for breath, she rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. He looked down at her and placed chaste kisses over her face, her forehead, her cute button nose, her lips, her chin.
They were both startled as they heard the turn of the door handle, thankful Hermione's locking charm was strong enough. He squeezed her once more affectionately, then made a move to get up. They straightened out their clothes and flattened each other's hair out, stealing another kiss before they returned to normality.
Hermione unlocked the door, checking there was no one about and signalled the all clear to Draco. He shut the door behind him and they made their way back to their shared working space.
"I'd be willing to compromise regards our teams and office space; we could swap on alternate days?" Hermione suggested.
"Actually, that doesn't sound too bad. Starting from Monday next week, your lot can go first, then us. Consider it a deal Granger."
They were seen shaking hands as they walked back into the office.
Splitting off, they gathered their teams, letting them know about the new development. After the briefing, some of the co-workers were heard whispering:
"Finally!"
"About time they made up!"
"Hopefully Malfoy will be in a better mood!"
"I know, the sexual tension between them has been palpable!"
Draco and Hermione smiled to themselves and chanced a look back at each other as they walked back to their own offices.
Saturday – End of the work day
Everyone else had already packed up and left. Draco and Hermione were also leaving on time today, considering what a tiring day it had been, not to mention the fact it was the end of the work week. They thought to treat themselves for a change.
Being the leaders, they were the last two to leave. They met in the middle of the office and strolled leisurely to the lifts together.
"Say Granger, how would you like to go on a date with me, tonight?"
"Love to."
She beamed up at him and he smirked back.
As they walked through the ministry, they were heard to be lightly bickering about who was getting what come next Monday.