Hermione rose from her desk, smoothing her skirt. She was wearing a plain white blouse and a grey pencil skirt. She had paired it with some heels and a colourful necklace.
She had been lost in a thick volume on ancient charms that she had been perusing for a potential modernisation. Her lateness was signalled by a curt knock on her office door.
"Granger!" Draco barked, "We're going to be late for our meeting with the Minister!"
Lack of punctuality was one of Draco's pet peeves. He would probably rather wrestle with a Hungarian Horntail than show up late to a meeting. Hermione dashed across her office to come and join him. They fell into step together, Draco pulling out a small bag of Floo powder as they neared the floor's fireplace.
"Ministry of Magic!" Draco said smartly, and stepped carefully into the fireplace. Hermione followed suit.
She stepped out into the familiar area of the Ministry where the Floo fireplaces all lined up. Draco was looking impatiently at his watch, smoothing his hair down with his other hand. He was impeccable today in a charcoal checked suit. He relaxed as he saw Hermione, before taking off at a quick pace with her.
For all his dramatics, they had arrived at Kingsley Shacklebolt's office ten minutes early. Draco tapped his hand on his thigh impatiently as he sat beside Hermione in the couch outside Shacklebolt's office.
"What do you thinks he wants from us?" Hermione asked.
"God knows," Draco murmured back, "But hopefully an interesting problem to solve."
Kingsley Shacklebolt's office doors swung open and he appeared in the doorway, a large and formidable man. He stepped to the side and a young man with a tidy fade and fashionable dress robes emerged, holding hands with a woman.
"Ah, Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy," Kingsley smiled, "You're early. Allow me to introduce my son, Sebastian, and his fiancée Amy."
Sebastian leapt forward to shake hands with Hermione and Draco, a naturally warm and charming young man with a large smile. Amy held back, a mortified expression on her face as she locked eyes with Hermione.
"Nice to meet you," Sebastian grinned, "We were just trying to rope my father here into some of the wedding planning… But I see your early arrival has thwarted us." He let out an easy chuckle and nodded goodbye to the pair before Amy took his hand and led him away.
Draco was eying Hermione's expression suspiciously, but then threw on his best businessman smile and extended a hand to Kingsley. "So, what can we do for you, Minister?"
The rest of Hermione's day was tediously filled with meetings after the Ministry one. Kingsley Shacklebolt, as well as many others, had been impressed by the work that Malfoy & Granger had been doing and they were being approached for more and more projects. Hermione sat on Draco's office balcony with him that evening, nursing a glass of red wine.
"Well, Granger, bet you're glad you joined up with me after all," Malfoy smirked, sipping at his own glass, "We're going to be filthy rich at this rate."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Please, Draco, I know you enjoy the challenge of the work just as much as I do. The money is only a pleasant bonus."
Draco smiled lightly and they fell into an easy silence, looking out over wizarding London. Hermione drained her wine glass.
"Another one, Granger?" Malfoy asked, idly swirling his own wine in his glass.
"Another time, I'm meeting Ginny for a drink now," Hermione replied, standing up from her seat.
"Send the Weasleys my regards," Draco said with a smile and Hermione rolled her eyes again.
"I long for the day that you lot stop winding each other up," she said, "Anyway, I'll see you."
"Night, Granger."
Hermione pulled on a peacoat over her business attire and headed outside into the bustling street. She was glad Ginny had owled her for a proper catch up drink. They hadn't hung out just the two of them for a while.
Before long, she had reached the cocktail bar and gratefully ducked into its warmth, hanging up her peacoat on a rich wood coatstand. Sure enough, she didn't have to look around for very long before she spotted a mess of bright red hair amongst the crowd. She stopped in at the bar and ordered a nice bottle of wine for the table before approaching Ginny.
"Hey, Gin!" Hermione said brightly, hugging the redhead as she stood up to greet her. They settled into their seats, grinning at each other.
"Merlin, 'Mione, how long since we've had a catch up over drinks?" Ginny said, as the bartender levitated their bottle of wine and glasses to their table.
"Far too long," Hermione conceded, pouring their glasses, "Tell me, what's new with you?"
The two witches excitedly caught up over the bottle of wine. By the time they had caught up on each other's lives, they were wiping tears of laughter from their eyes.
"So then I show up on this blind date," Ginny choked between laughs, "Only to find out that its bloody Crabbe!"
"Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed, descending into a fit of giggles again at one of Ginny's teammates thinking she could possibly want to date Crabbe, let alone a former Death Eater.
"Yeah… they really don't know me well enough yet," Ginny said, regaining her composure.
Hermione smiled, pouring them another glass of wine each. The smile on her face froze as she saw Ginny's expression darken.
"Gin?"
"Gods, what are the chances of seeing her yet again?" Ginny muttered, looking at a table nearby.
Hermione followed her gaze to see Fleur sitting regally at a table, her legs crossed. A handsome young wizard with dark hair was fawning over her. The wizard flagged down a waitress.
"Please, miss, what is your most expensive wine?" the wizard asked.
"Its 300 Galleons," the waitress said incredulously, "What's the occasion?"
"I've met an angel," the wizard said dreamily, gesturing to Fleur, "Have you ever seen a woman that looks so beautiful and pure?"
Ginny snorted, and Hermione turned back to her.
"Can you believe her? Using her thrall like that?" Ginny said contemptuously. The waitress had swished the bottle of wine over to Fleur and the young man's table with a flick and they were drinking deeply from their goblets.
"What ever happened… with Bill?" Hermione asked, curious again, "At Shell Cottage in the war, they both seemed so normal and warm." Ginny's face fell.
"Honestly, I don't even really know," she said, sipping at her wine, "Neither of them were the same after the war. Bill still seems like a shadow of herself. And her, well…" Ginny turned to look at Fleur again.
The young wizard was reaching across the table for Fleur's hand. She smirked and moved it away from him.
"Fleur, baby, I know you haven't had many chances to meet up in the last few months," he said, smiling at her, "But I love you."
Fleur laughed coldly. Ginny and Hermione's eyebrows raised as they drank their wine, watching the scene play out.
"I am so sorry," Fleur said, not sounding sorry at all, "I seem to have a habit of getting a bit caught up in these things. This isn't serious for me at all."
Hermione felt like she was watching a car crash in front of her.
"You- you what? I thought you were in love too?" he said weakly, colour draining from his face.
Fleur poured herself another glass of the wine the wizard had bought them, drinking it while watching him over her goblet. There was a cold look of amusement on her face. This seemed to snap the man out of his haze.
"What the hell? Was this just a game for you?" he said, angering.
"If you want to call it that," Fleur said dismissively, now looking bored.
"You can't just fucking play with people's feelings like that!" the wizard exploded, and other tables turned to look now too. Fleur ignored him and kept coolly sipping her wine. "They were right about you! You are a cruel bitch!" the wizard had stood up now, pushing his chair violently back. Fleur raised an eyebrow at him and he gave a loud sob before turning and running from the bar.
"Merlin's balls…" Ginny said, turning back to Hermione, "See what I mean?" Hermione was flummoxed.
"But she acted like that at the Triwizard Tournament and after Harry saved her sister we realised she wasn't actually awful," Hermione said, unsure about this new sub zero ice queen version of Fleur.
"I'm telling you, 'Mione, she's not like that anymore. She's awful." Ginny said, finishing her glass of wine, "Anyway, I have quidditch training tomorrow morning and if I have one more drink I'm going to have mysterious 'motion sickness' trouble at practice."
Ginny hugged her goodbye and disappeared into the night. Hermione approached the bar to settle up her tab.
"Ah, Hermione, I thought that was you with Ginny over there," a melodic voice purred beside her. Hermione turned to see Fleur leaning against the bar beside her, smiling.
"That was pretty cold of you," Hermione said bluntly, putting down some money to cover her bill. Fleur's face resumed its cold demeanour, but Hermione noticed that her eyes looked incredibly pained.
"What else would you expect of me?" Fleur shrugged.
"That's just it though," Hermione said, turning to face her properly, "I don't expect this of you. Anyone who knows you knows this ice queen thing has always been a front."
Fleur didn't reply, drumming her fingers on the bar instead.
"What is bothering you so much that you're acting like this?" Hermione asked, wanting to know the reason for Fleur's coldness and the pain in her eyes.
Fleur looked down at the ground for a moment, biting her lip as if deep in thought. Hermione gazed at her long dark eyelashes and the plump pink lip her teeth bit down on. She willed herself not to be distracted. Fleur looked up, still very much aloof. But Hermione could still see the devastation in her eyes.
"Did you ever think," Fleur said quietly, "That maybe I am just a cruel bitch?"
With that, she kissed Hermione softly on the cheek and breezed out of the bar.
The next day Hermione arrived at work relishing a meeting-free day. Draco may thrive in business meetings, but Hermione was far more in her element when delving into one of their projects.
Today she was delving deep into some dusty old tomes that Shacklebolt had delivered to her for her consulting project for the Ministry. She was several blissful hours into her work when there was a nervous knock on her door. She sighed. She never enjoyed being interrupted when she was on a roll. She looked up to see a young intern standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Yes, Evangeline?" Hermione asked, trying to hide the exasperation from her voice.
"Mr. Malfoy wants you to come to his office," Evangeline said nervously. Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco's office was only two over. It would have taken him less time to just walk over.
"Very well," Hermione said, waving for Evangeline to leave. Hermione got up and ambled over to Draco's office, planting herself in the chair across from his desk. He was scribbling on a long piece of parchment, ink staining his delicate fingers. It was a bad habit that Hermione shared.
"Ah, Granger," he said as he looked up, "I'm planning a company party, I'm just organising the guest list."
Hermione looked at the long list of names he had already scrawled in his careful cursive writing, "I see you've made good progress so far…" she said, a wry smile playing at her lips.
Draco looked up and tutted before looking back down at his list, "Yes… a careful mix for the perfect party: notable businesswizards, cultural icons…" he said running an elegant finger along the list, pausing beside Weird Sisters "and of course a healthy dose of wizarding socialites."
Hermione looked at the portion of the list he was running his finger down now, noting a Fleur Delacour in the list.
"So why did you drag me in here if you're pretty much done?" Hermione said, leaning back in her chair. Draco looked up with a smirk.
"I was going to ask you who you wanted to invite. I'm assuming Ginny. But the rest of the Weasleys and Potter?" Draco said, with a hint of distaste.
"Yes, Draco. Yes, I would like my friends at our party." Hermione sighed, Draco really did like to wind her up.
Draco sighed dramatically, "Fine, I'll add them…" he joked, diligently writing their names on the list.
"So… Fleur is coming?" Hermione asked cautiously. Draco paused in his scrawling and looked up, a curious look on his face.
"Oh, you don't want her to come? Things still dicey between her and the Weasleys?" Draco asked, cocking his head to one side.
"No… I mean, things are still dicey, I just mean, I want her to come… I mean not that I want her to, I just wouldn't mind if she came…" Hermione trailed off awkwardly. Draco looked intrigued, raising one eyebrow.
"Hermione Granger," Draco said scandalously, "Do you have a thing for the Ice Queen?"
Hermione blushed a dark red, "I mean, she is interesting…"
Draco laughed a little, leaning back in his chair, "I was beginning to wonder if the great Hermione Granger even suffered crushes like us mere mortals!"
Hermione threw a scrunched up piece of parchment at him and Draco laughed harder before straightening up.
"But seriously, Granger. She has a reputation for being a bit… cruel. Everywhere she goes she leaves a trail of destruction." Draco said seriously, before brightening, "Just be careful, Granger."
Hermione laughed before standing up and striding towards the doorway, "Careful, Malfoy, people will think you have a heart!"
Harry walked into the office building, wide eyed. He had never actually visited Hermione and Draco's office building before. It was… luxurious. The whole building had a very modern, industrial feel to it. Ron ambled beside him as they strolled into an elevator and pressed the button for the floor that the party was on.
"Bloody hell, I knew they were doing well, but Merlin!" Ron said as the doors closed.
Within a few minutes the elevator opened up to an open plan office space. The desks and equipment had been magicked away to make room for more space and small tables. There was a bar set up in a corner with a young waiter using his wand to spin and juggle bottles in the air.
Hermione lit up as the two boys sloped over to join her and Ginny by the bar. "You guys came!" she chirped.
"Yeah, well we've never seen your work before!" Harry said, "And hey, any chance to hang out with the elusive workaholic Hermione Granger."
The night went well, with lots of socialising and Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys catching up over many drinks. George was even up to his old hijinks, irritating Draco by giving him chewing gum that turned his hair bright blue.
"I mean, Merlin, Weasley, the Minister's son is here!" Draco snapped irritably, smoothing two hands over his hair and disappearing off to his office. Harry and Ron roared with laughter.
"You have to admit, 'Mione, he is still really fun to mess with," Ron giggled, wiping a tear from his eye. Hermione laughed, "This is true."
At this moment, the Minister's son himself, Sebastian, approached the group.
"The Golden Trio in the flesh!" Sebastian boomed, reaching out a hand to shake with them all. Ron began to puff his chest out to show off when Harry took the moment to seize his hand and divert his attention back to the bar before his ego got out of control. Harry raised his eyebrows at Ginny and Hermione as he wheeled Ron off for a drink.
"So this is my fiancée, Amy" Sebastian said, smiling warmly, "She is the love of my life and my rock."
Ginny rolled her eyes a little at the cheesiness while Sebastian wasn't looking and Hermione suppressed the urge to giggle.
A familiar sheet of silver-blonde hair fluttered past and Hermione found herself catching a toned arm before she could even think. Fleur whirled reluctantly round, Hermione taking in the stylish dress and heels she was wearing.
"Fleur… Hi…" Hermione breathed as sapphire eyes locked with hers. Fleur frowned at being stopped by Hermione.
"Bonsoir, Hermione," Fleur drawled. Hermione sighed. Fleur was still being defensive. But she knew that inside that cold exterior was the warm and kind witch who had nursed her back to health in Shell Cottage. Who had stayed up reading to her when she was afraid of night terrors. Who had cooked for her and fed her when she was too weak.
"How are you, Fleur? Are you having a good time?" Hermione asked cheerfully. Ginny gawked at Hermione like she was losing her mind.
"Oui." Fleur said coldly. Hermione suppressed the urge to grab the beautiful blonde by the shoulders and shake her.
"Come on, Fleur, chat to us," Hermione said, widening her smile encouragingly, "What's on your mind?"
Ginny folded her arms and Fleur's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Actually I was meaning to come and talk to you," Fleur suddenly said, a sweet smile growing on her face as she looked around at the group of Hermione, Ginny, Sebastian and Amy.
"Really?" Hermione said, inwardly beaming that she had got through to the French witch so fast.
"Oui. Amy, I wanted to let you know that while I appreciate your love letters, I do not feel anything for you. I will not be sleeping with you again."
A horrible silence fell over the group. The colour drained from Sebastian's face and Ginny's mouth fell open. Amy's face turned a horrible shade of purple.
Fleur laughed, a beautifully melodic laugh, before turning on her heel and sweeping away to another corner of the room. Hermione awkwardly cleared her throat as they stood in horrified silence.
A moment passed before a door opened nearby and Draco strode out, smoothing his now platinum blonde hair back down.
"Bloody George Weasley," he mumbled as he walked up to the group. He plastered a smile on his face as he reached them. "Ah, Sebastian, Amy! Having a good night, I trust?"
He paused as he digested the expressions in the group. With a loud sob, Sebastian pushed past Draco and ran from the room, followed closely by Amy.
"Granger…?" Draco said slowly, turning to look at Hermione. Hermione winced. Draco grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her into a nearby office, closing the door behind them.
"Granger," Draco hissed, "We're supposed to be working with the Minister closely on that big project, we can't very well be going around making his son cry at our parties!"
"It was Fleur," Hermione said weakly, "I was trying to get her to open up and chat."
Draco threw his hands in the air, "Granger!" he said with exasperation.
"Sorry, Draco. I was just trying to get her to warm up a bit." Hermione said awkwardly. Draco frowned a little before flashing a sympathetic smile.
"You owe me a drink," he said, opening the office door and ushering her through back to the party.
Draco swept over to a sharply dressed Blaise Zabini, excited to see a rare Slytherin friend from school that he was still friends with.
Hermione strode over to the bar, in strong need of a stiff Firewhisky. She reached the bar and waved for the bartender at the same time as a notorious silver-blonde Veela.
"Hello again, Hermione," Fleur smirked.
Hermione sighed, frustrated. "Why did you do that, Fleur?"
The bartender moved over to them and Fleur ordered two Firewhiskies.
"They think I'm like some pretty, innocent angel," Fleur said with disgust, leaning against the bar.
"Nobody is innocent, Fleur," Hermione said, a little annoyed, "It doesn't mean we should all go around hurting people for fun."
Fleur's face stayed neutral but that familiar look of pain was present in her eyes again. "Its just my nature," Fleur said airily, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
The bartender delivered their shot glasses of firewhiskey and Fleur picked hers up, holding it up towards Hermione. Hermione begrudgingly picked up hers and clinked it against Fleur's. They threw back the shots in unison.
"Fleur, I know more than most that its not your nature to hurt people," Hermione said seriously, looking into those deep, melancholy blue eyes.
"Its been a long time since Shell Cottage, Hermione," Fleur said, her voice betraying some sadness and hurt. But in an instant she had resumed her aloof and cold exterior.
"Have a good night, Hermione," she said quietly, leaning forward to kiss Hermione gently on the cheek, "It is always nice to see you."
Fleur turned and glided away into the crowd. Hermione felt her stomach flip as she watched the sway of Fleur's hips and flutter of her silver-blonde hair behind her. She exhaled heavily.