Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its charcters belong to J.K Rowling. The fun is in the plot for me.

A/N: I really should be asleep, I am not going to be a happy chap tommorow morning! Thanks to all who have reviewed!

Chapter 5

Hermione could not recall the last time she had woken up during the week with such a complete lack of enthusiasm that to even consider going for a morning jog drained her. Her daily routine was normally akin to a battery re-charge, yet, on this particular morning, she just wanted to skip through it all. It did not help that she was irritable about the fact that to even endeavour to satisfy her coffee fix would mean contact with Malfoy. Hermione was frustrated and out of sorts. The whole magazine issue, the loss of routine, she was losing her sense of control.

She flood to work to make herself busy, finishing what she had left behind last night in her haste. Her office door suddenly opened, "Oh, you're here! I thought you'd be over at the café by now?" It was her assistant, Daria.

"Not going," Hermione mumbled, not looking up from her parchment. "Don't feel like coffee today." Daria regarded her suspiciously. Since when did her boss not want her morning coffee? She had worked for Hermione for two years, and this had never happened. She didn't want to pry but something was up.

"Well…okay. Do you want your messages?" She was holding a rather large stack of memos. Hermione looked up at the petite blonde, who was in fact five years her senior. Daria was married with a child, and possessed a maternal quality that allowed Hermione to trust her from the beginning. She had a great sense of humour, and was the go to person for inter office venting.

"Sure. Has the Minister responded to my request for a meeting?" Hermione was still seething about the status of her magazine and she was unable to raise it at the monthly meeting earlier that morning.

"Not yet, his assistant is being a prick today. I think he overheard me telling Lavender that he needed to get out more. Percy is a pain." Hermione nodded, she couldn't believe Percy had been able to hold on to his position for so long. But, it didn't surprise her that he hadn't moved on from it. She would have to catch the minister in the hallways.

"Can you get his schedule for the afternoon? I'll try and run into him." She was stubborn after all.

"You know I'm the very person for it!" Daria smiled widely. It appeared she possessed a power over all assistants in the Ministry. Like she was the sovereign of the support staff. Hermione smiled genuinely for the first time that day, and it hurt her muscle cheeks from lack of use.

"So, what other messages?"

"Well, the Director of Law Enforcement wants a meeting, the Prophet wants an interview, Luna Weasley wants to confirm you're coming to lunch on Saturday, and there are a series of rather cryptic messages from one DM. Know who that is?"

Hermione's eyes widened at the mention of the initials. "What do they say?" She frowned.

"The first says, 'I deemed your silence as acquiescence'," she shuffled over to the next note, "Will be here till noon", she shuffled again, readjusting her glasses before reading, "You're on the sixth floor right?" She looked up at Hermione quizzically. "Is someone threatening you?"

Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat at the last message. As if Malfoy would dare. "What? No, it's just an old acquaintance being nosy. Forget about them." She quickly changed the subject and said, "Tell the director of law enforcement I'm not available this week, tell the Prophet I am unavailable this month, and tell Luna that she doesn't have to be so formal with me," She paused reflectively, "Scratch the last, just tell her I will be there." She did not want to re-visit former sentiments. "Come to think of it, I will go have that coffee. What time is it?" She got up and grabbed her handbag heading for the door.

"It's only eleven," she ruefully offered, wishing it would be lunchtime already, as her boss darted out of the office.

Hermione was so irate at Malfoy, threatening to come to her office, her sanctuary. That was the last place she wanted her distractions to contaminate. She apparated to Diagon Alley and made her way through the laneway to her café spot, entering reluctantly.

"Hermione? I was beginning to wonder if something happened to you!" The young waitress chimed. She winced at her name being called out but smiled appreciatively at the concerned girl.

"I thought I would juggle it with a meeting here. I'll just have the usual flat white," Hermione responded, moving toward the back of the café. She knew Malfoy would be sitting in her spot, probably in the seat she liked too. As she approached, she could not miss the distinguishable flaxen hair of its owner's head. She sat down opposite him before speaking, "Don't contact me at the office," she reprimanded, narrowing her eyes at him. Draco looked up, smirking at her complacently.

"Good morning to you too, Granger, glad you got my messages," sarcasm dripping in his tone. He took a sip of his coffee, his eyes resting on her the whole time. She shifted in her seat, crossing her legs, pulling her skirt over her knees. His eyes drifted downward as he placed his coffee cup down, but she didn't notice.

"I don't have much time, so what exactly do you want to discuss?" The waitress brought over her coffee. "Thanks," Hermione smiled at her and proceeded to add sugar, focusing her eyes on the thin foam layer as she stirred it through rhythmically. She looked up to Draco expectantly as he reached into his bag pulling out an A3 folio.

"This," Draco slid it over to her side of the coffee table. He was a man of many words this morning.

"And, what exactly is this," She was not going to satisfy her curiosity until he told her. Draco ran his hand through his hair, it only make it fall back with more volume.

"This is a collection of our products, advertisements and sample ads for other prominent publications. Might help you make a more informative decision. Our offer still stands." He regarded her cooly but his tone was civil, almost melodic.

"Malfoy, as I said yesterday, I'm happy with a quarterly publication," she reminded him, rather feebly. Her true feelings were far from it though. In truth, she considered the magazine a symbol of shifting ideals but she would not be at the gratitude of private enterprise.

"I think, Granger, you're being too narrow minded about your little project." Draco leaned back in his chair crossing his own leg over the other and running his finger down the crease of his black suit pants before folding up the sleeves of his shirt.

"Oh? How so?" Hermione's gaze shifted to his newly revealed forearms. His skin was smooth and fair, the muscles defined, with hands that could work magic. She scolded herself and looked away, downing the rest of her coffee in one gulp.

"A mere overlook of potential, but it's not you're fault, the Ministry does not endorse the bigger picture. You're all confined to your departments," He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling knowingly, but she had not idea about what. "If you follow my advice, which I would be willing to give in business relations, your sideline project could become central to your career, highly influential and big business."

"I am quite content with my career as it is, Malfoy."

"Content, but not satisfied," he remarked.

She searched his eyes for understanding, "I'm sure this isn't the only way to improve your market share Malfoy, why the insistence?"

"I have a vested interest, and I don't let go of a potential great thing when I see it." He waived his hand analogously before running it through his hair again. "Just take a look at the folio, okay? It won't hurt to consider it in a bit more detail." He pushed it further toward her.

"Fine," Hermione sighed. There would be no harm done. "But, I doubt I will change my mind."

He shrugged indifferently. She uncrossed her legs and reached for her hand bag.

"I see you're sticking to flats these days, more practical, I guess," he drawled.

"Malfoy, must you always feel the need to comment on my shoes of late?" She knew he would throw in a personal attack. It was given after all these years. He was still trying to remind her of her drunken escapades.

"Well, Granger, I have developed an insatiable interest in your footwear. Consider it a compliment." He winked. She glared. No one winks at Hermione Granger.

"Leave it Malfoy," she resigned, standing and grabbing the folio. He looked up at her, his smirk making a re-appearance. "This meeting is over," she stated.

"As you wish. I would consider this a record for us anyway." It was Hermione's turn to smirk now.

"Bye, Malfoy," She didn't wait for his response and walked away, figuring he could cover her coffee for disrupting her morning routine.