A/N: There is no point in me even putting these here because no one is even reviewing! I'm so sad :-( And what's worse is that I've had 266 hits, but not even 1 review! Come on people!
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Draco entered Hermione's office the next day and sat across from her. The Ministry janitor had enlargened the desk in her room to accommodate both people. She looked up at him fleetingly before continuing to organize the clutter of paper on her desk.
"Are you finished? I'd really like to get started on this job soon," Draco said taking a sip of his tea.
"Well, I don't actually start work for another ten minutes Malfoy, so suck it up," she said without looking at him. He leant back into his chair and studied her. She had definitely developed since school, but still had a scrawny, overworked aura about her. Her hair had settled and waves were now distinguishable among the frizz. But her face. It was unique; Draco had never seen anything like it. There were dark circles under her eyes and a few freckles dotted her nose, but her face was gorgeous. Draco just stared at her expressionless for a few minutes.
"What are you looking at Malfoy!" Hermione demanded. "I'm finished now, so stop thinking ugly thoughts about me at least until lunch." Draco smirked. She had no idea what thoughts were running through his head.
"I think we should start with trying to plot the property, and then think about how to approach it," Hermione stated.
"Uh, Granger, I lived there for nearly my whole life, and you're trying to tell me we need to waste time searching for it?" he scoffed. Hermione grinned smugly.
"I suggest you go and do your homework. The place is unplottable, as you no doubt know, and the last known position now contains a small empty village of nearly 200 cottages. Only one of these cottages leads to the manor, the rest hold dark and painfully fatal magic, which is why it is going to take a long time to search for it," Hermione answered.
"That's preposterous. This is my house we are talking about. Of course, there would be something that will take me there. You just haven't looked hard enough. Get your cloak Granger. We're going," he said standing up and pulling on his long black cloak.
"What! We can't just go. We need to let Harry know and take other aurors."
"Granger I'm not going to sit around waiting for all the paperwork to go through. It is not as though we are on a mission or anything. I just want to have a look" he said smirking and heading out her door. She grabbed her dark blue cloak and ran out after him.
"Malfoy, wait!" Hermione said catching up to him. "We need to wear muggle clothes as it is near a small muggle township." Draco snorted and transfigured his cloak into a coat and did the same to hers. "And we also have to do side by side apparition because I don't know where it is," she said as they left the Ministry building.
Draco flashed her a grin. "The great Hermione Granger doesn't know something and requires my help? Well, well."
"Well Malfoy, I don't often venture down that way. Only people like you do," she said angrily.
Draco glared at her and roughly grabbed her hand before apparating. She closed her fingers around his and felt the familiar displaced feeling before appearing in a small alleyway. Hermione hastily pulled her hand out of Draco's.
They walked into the sunshine and immediately had eyes on them. The people of the town had obviously not seen city civilization for a while. Hermione looked nervously at Draco, but he seemed unfazed and just walked through the street.
"They're all looking at us," Hermione said under her breath.
"So? Oh that's right, you're not used to people looking at you for more than a few seconds before being repulsed," he chortled. Hermione gave him a dirty look.
"And how do we plan on getting there? You should have apparated closer. The village is another three hours away on foot," Hermione said quietly. Draco just shrugged. Hermione growled and entered a small corner store. Draco walked a little further before realising she had disappeared and backtracked into the store.
"Hi. I was wondering how my friend and I would go about with transportation," Hermione kindly asked a portly woman sitting on a chair behind the counter.
"I'll dial you'se up a cab. Be bout hours wait though. Where's you heading?" she asked.
"Oh, up near Paisley village" Hermione said calmly.
"What choo going up there for?" the woman asked Hermione, eyeing her curiously.
"Oh, there's a memorial being held up there for, my cousin who passed away, in a car crash," Hermione lied.
"Oh, so sorry to hear that dear. There's a small luncheon spot across the road. Good food. You'se can sit there and I'll come fetch you'se when the cab gets 'ere," she said kindly. Hermione thanked her and pulled Draco out of the store.
"Car crash?" he said amusedly.
"You think up something better" Hermione said, entering the restaurant. They sat at a small table and began scanning the menu. Draco looked at it in disgust.
"Shouldn't have expected better food in a muggle town," Draco said. The waiter appeared beside the table.
"Can I take your orders?" he asked smiling at particular at Hermione. She blushed a little and opened her mouth to order but Draco cut in.
"Yes, I'd like a butterbeer to begin with."
"What sir?" the waiter asked confused. Hermione laughed nervously.
"Oh, he means a cream soda. They call it something different where he's from. Make it two actually please," Hermione said grinning at the attractive man.
"Cream soda?" Draco asked once the waiter had left. "What the hell is that?"
"Well, butterbeer is not a muggle drink, so you can hardly expect them to sell it here. Decide what else you want. We need to finish up in about an hour." She resumed reading the menu.
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The women from the corner store came bustling in an hour and half later. Hermione looked up from the muggle newspaper and Draco stopped reading the Daily Prophet. Hermione had made sure to enchant it first so the pictures stopped moving.
"Oh, my dears. The cab is waiting outside. You'se better hurry up. That driver ain't too happy bout coming so far out," she said anxiously. Hermione got up and drank the last bit of her coffee. Draco took his time getting out of his seat and looked at Hermione and then the bill.
"I only have our money. I don't have that sort," he said under his breath. Hermione rolled her eyes and left a few bills of muggle money on the table.
"You really didn't think before you ran out of the office today, did you?" Hermione asked. He shrugged and followed her out to the cab.
The journey took a little over an hour. They all sat in silence the whole trip. Hermione craned her neck and saw the faint outline of the village rising ahead. Suddenly the car stopped.
"The fare will be…" the driver began before Hermione interrupted.
"Beg your pardon, but we wish to go to Paisley Village," she said.
"This is far as I'll take you. I've already taken you further than anyone else would. No one goes up there anymore." Hermione looked at Draco.
"I don't have enough muggle money left to pay," Hermione whispered in his ear. Draco winked at her and then performed the oblivious charm on the driver.
"Malfoy! You know we aren't supposed to do that without authorisation," Hermione scolded.
"Could you just stop being so goody-two-shoes for a moment? It's really wearing thin on my nerves now," Draco said rubbing his temples.
"Have a good time. I don't know how you're going to get back though, unless you have one of them cell phones with really good reception" the driver said turning around and smiling toothlessly at them. Hermione cringed and stepped out of the vehicle, as did Draco.
They began the walk uphill to the village. It was surrounded by a thick low mist. The whole place looked as if it had never been inhabited before. It was still and silent, not even a breath of wind passed through the place. Hermione shivered even with her coat on and the sun shining above. Draco walked around the village, inspecting everything. This didn't even nearly resemble the land his property sat on. That land had healthy green lawns and beautifully kept gardens. There was cold compacted dirt under his feet and the only plant life were the long thick weeds curled around the small dwellings. Draco turned around to find the area empty.
"Granger!" he called. There was no answer. "You stupid mudblood, get back here! I'm not going to be held falsely responsible if you get hurt!" he shouted. "For when I do hurt you, I want full credit," he added in an undertone a dark sneer haunting his face.
"What was that Malfoy?" Hermione added rounding a corner. He looked at her, a hint of fear in his face. "Did I hear some concern in your voice?" she said. Draco relaxed.
"Don't flatter yourself Granger," he said as she walked up to him.
"I think we should head back now," she said wrapping her arms around her and looking sceptically around the ghostly surroundings.
"Why Granger. Not scared are we?" he asked edging closer toward her. Hermione started backing up as he walked toward her with a seductive smirk.
"Of course not," she replied without any sign of fear.
"Then why are you backing away from me?" he asked, moving quicker toward her.
"Because I don't want you to touch me you arrogant fool," Hermione said as her back connected with one of the houses and Draco's stood a hairs breath from her.
Before anything else could happen, Hermione was flung away from the house into Draco. They flew about 20 metres and hit the ground. Hermione lay on top of Draco, winded from the impact. She struggled to breathe and felt Draco do the same under her.
"Fuck," Draco breathed out. Hermione nodded into Draco's chest trying to recover. She slowly rolled off him and lay next to him. They lay like that for ten minutes.
"That's some powerful shit," Draco said at last.
"Next time, we are going to find out more before coming here again," Hermione said. She sat up and blinked out the stars. Draco did the same and winced, holding his chest.
"Bloody hell. I think I broke my ribs," he said, the pain obvious on his face. Hermione sat opposite him and pulled his hand away from his chest. She then began to unbutton his shirt.
"What the fuck are you doing mudblood?" Draco cried pushing her away and then wincing again with the pain.
"I was going to do a healing charm, but have it your way. We still have to walk out of this place," she said smugly.
He sighed and motioned for her to continue. She finished unbuttoning his shirt and pushed it open. His torso was pale, but not sickeningly so, and faintly built. Hermione made sure to clear her face of any emotion before running her cold slender fingers over the red and blue mark near his ribs. She pulled out her wand and muttered a series of incantations. When she was finished she touched the still red and blue mark and poked lightly. Draco didn't react. She looked up into his eyes. His face was inches from hers, and he was looking at her oddly.
"That should hold up until we get back. You'll still need to go to St Mungo's to get it healed properly," she said quietly, never breaking eye contact.
He put his hand on her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. Hermione was too shocked to move. His eyes were trained on hers, and they were burning with desire. When she didn't push him away, he leant in and kissed her softly, trying to coax her to kiss him back. Within a flash she pushed him away and leapt up, walking a few steps away from him.
"What the hell are you thinking ferret?" she shrieked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. His clear eyes clouded over in anger as he stood up and walked out of the village wordlessly.
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A/N: Ok, I know this story may be a little confusing right now as Draco hates Hermione, but at the same time wants her. But that's the way it's supposed to be. It'll all make sense later on.