A/N: I am sure it is a surpise to many that finally I've updated this story. Well, I have and I am as surprised as Hermione is by the end of this chapter. This has been in the works for a long while. I did go through a re-edit with all the earlier chapters and they're up on Hawthorn&Vine if you would like to refresh your memories on what this story is actually about and read from there. Anyway, enjoy, and would love to hear from those who are still reading! xoxo


Shielded by a stack of books, on top of which were further parchments piled, Hermione put down her quill and sighed. It had been a week since her getaway in Tuscany and she still hadn't recovered. Well, whatever recovery she hoped for was a sense of normalcy to her week. But her weekend with Malfoy, which she now referred to as her 'dirty weekend' – and not just for obvious reasons – was taking up a lot of her free thinking time.

Her obsessive thoughts stemmed from the fact that Malfoy had not contacted her and she'd spend the week contemplating what she should be doing about it. So far, she'd just let herself be overthrown by the consuming thoughts of 'what now' and whether there would be a 'next time' which had driven her back to the one thing she had a strong hold on – work. Except that she was working harder than ever.

It wasn't the easiest scenario to unwrap – the isolation of the events in Italy made it even more surreal – but at night, when she lay awake, she let herself play with the idea that maybe he wanted something more. As much as Hermione tried to deny it, even she had toyed with the thought that maybe she did, too. And then she started to picture them together, as a couple. The one thing she feared most.

Except that neither of them had so much as sent an Owl to one another. Was it up to her to initiate? If precedent was anything to go by, if Malfoy wanted something, he wasn't one to hesitate. And yet, a week of silence had passed and she was paralysed with thought.

A knock at the door drew her out of her daydream and Hermione stretched her neck over her mini fortress to see Daria standing in the doorway.

"Do I have a meeting?" Hermione asked absently.

"Nothing scheduled. But there is someone here requesting to see you."

She didn't know why, but for a split haired moment, Hermione's insides clenched at the hope it would be Malfoy. Masking her pause, she replied, "Who is it?"

"A Mr. Parker?" Daria gazed at Hermione over her glasses, waiting for validation that he was someone worth letting in.

Hermione rubbed her forehead to mask her surprise and stood up. "I suppose I need a break." She shrugged, wondering what could bring Sebastian Parker to her office.

"Isn't he a journalist?" Daria asked, unable to conceal her general aversion to his kind. She had concentrated her displeasure in her tightly formed lips.

Hermione nodded. "A recent acquaintance, so I don't want to be rude." Thoughts of Padma's matchmaking attempts came to mind. She hoped this wouldn't be a bad move on her part.

"Very well, I'll send him in."

Hermione moved around her desk, smoothing her skirt – the crease lines in the fabric were deep and telling of a solid morning's work, as she had barely moved from her desk. She adjusted the collar of her blouse, lifting her hair away from her neck to release the errant stands that had crept under her clothes.

Sebastian stepped in just as she let her hair fall. He flashed a warm smile as his intense gaze fell on her. "Hello, Hermione."

"Sebastian."

"I was just over at the Business Licenses department when I noticed Muggle Relations was on the same floor and I remembered you were Head of the Department. Well, how could I forget, really," he admitted.

Hermione smiled. She couldn't help wondering what he was doing over at Lavender's department. "Oh, were you here on business?" she asked.

"Business – you could say that, but I was hoping to end on a social note."

Hermione was confused. It showed.

He smiled. "What I mean to say, is that... well, I was hoping you would say, 'yes', to lunch." He sent her a hopeful glance, one that Hermione knew she would struggle to resist.

Padma had set this up, she just knew it. Hermione glanced at the wall clock. It was almost half-one and she hadn't been out for lunch all week. She supposed it wouldn't hurt.

"Sure, that would be nice," she replied.

"Great!" His eyes lit up. "I know a fantastic little Japanese place. It's run by a Wizard originally from Kyoto and he serves up –" He paused and gave a sheepish grin. "I should probably ask if you like Japanese food, huh?"

The man was nervous. Hermione almost blushed at the thought. "Japanese is fine," she reassured.

He sighed with relief. "Shall we?"

It wasn't that Hermione did not find Sebastian's company enjoyable – she was actually amenable to going to lunch with him. It was the fact that she found herself comparing him to Malfoy rather than just simply being in his company.

The way he ordered his meal, engaged in small talk, drank from his glass, and even chewed his food, for crying out loud. The analysis was constant and overactive – these little nodes alerting her to comparative ticks and crosses. It was awful. For her and for Sebastian, because she hardly knew the guy and here she was, setting him up for competition with her apparent lover. She cringed at the thought as she bit into her rather delicious nori roll.

"You don't like it?" Sebastian asked.

He must have mistaken her frown as judgment of the food. She shook her head. "No, it's delicious – really fresh, actually. I was just... I just remembered something I need to do by the end of the day," she replied.

"Well, then. I guess desert and a walk is out of the question." He shot her a grin from across the table, as he reached for his glass.

Hermione laughed. "I'm afraid so." She watched him tilt his head back more than he needed to and take a gulp. The degree of observation that was currently consuming her irked her into silence.

Hermione took another mouthful. His gaze on her wasn't helping and she struggled to chew her food in fear that she was taking too long. She swallowed hard. "So, what new areas are you covering at the moment?" she asked.

He seemed to light up at her question. "Funny you should ask. A journalist never reveals his – or her – sources, but I am looking into a rumour that's popped up about a stack of licenses that were issued. If I can substantiate it with fact...well, let just say, it won't be something that will disappear overnight."

Hermione smiled. "Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, then."

"You can say that again. It's a bloody labyrinth trying to even get in contact with the right people at the Ministry let alone draw out any information."

"Ministry delay tactics. It's what we do best," Hermione tipped. "I don't normally do this, but I have a friend in the licensing department who could point you in the right direction." Why was she offering to help him?

"Really? That would be great."

"From one researcher to another, I completely understand your frustrations. As a Ministry employee, I can't really do much else."

He leaned forward and looked at her with thankful sincerity. "Has anyone ever told you how amazing you are? And I would never ask you to compromise yourself in that way, Hermione."

Oh, how she could feel the blush creep up on her cheeks as warmth spread across her neck. Hermione wanted to cringe at the school yard charm she had just fallen for without a hint of pre-emptive awareness that it was coming. Sebastian had just managed to flatter and charm her while simultaneously gaining a favour. Malfoy had just met his match.

"Not in so many words," she added quickly.

"Well, I insist on reminding you. We should do this again."

"Exchange compliments, or eat?" She was flirting something rotten.

"No harm in doing both," he said, as a telling grin graced his features.

"I suppose I'm well versed in multi-tasking."

"It will give us an opportunity to test how well. I'll Owl you."

It was scary how quickly she had succumbed to the charm of another man and refused to believe it was because she was feeling vulnerable about the situation, or lack thereof, with Malfoy. And to top it all off, Hermione was left with the slight issue of having to ask Lavender for a favour.

ooo

"So how exactly do you know Mr. Parker?" Daria asked when they sat down for their planning meeting the next afternoon.

"I met him recently at a...uh, at a lunch." Hermione tapped her quill against her pile of files in distraction. It was the ninth day since her weekend away and still no contact from Malfoy. "Why?"

"He's handsome." Daria went silent.

"But he's a journalist," Hermione said, knowing that it was what Daria wanted to emphasise.

"Well, he's no Rita Skeeter, but unless there's another Parker in journalism, this one's quite cynical of the Ministry."

Hermione gave Daria a long contemplative look. "It can't always be the case that all journalists are just after a story." Herimone was thinking out loud now.

Daria shrugged. "If one does not want to generalise, then perhaps he isn't."

Hermione smiled. Daria always had the right answers. If only she could ask her advice about Malfoy. She watched her assistant pull out her calendar as they got on with their meeting.

"Well, the good news is we should receive delivery this week of the first issue of Understanding Muggles. I have here that you are due to meet with Malfoy Corporation to plan the launch party. Bad news, I haven't had a response from the Owl I sent to Mr. Malfoy's offices to set up the meeting." She gave Hermione an inquisitive look. "Quite unusual seeing how proactive he was last time."

Hermione pursed her lips. "When did you send the Owl?"

"A week ago."

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as a barrage of scenarios flooded her mind. Could Malfoy have been insulted by the informal Owl notice that she didn't even know had been sent? Surely he would have barged into her office with some snide remark about her standard issue Owl. Maybe he had just given up? Or, maybe he hadn't received it? She knew he had trouble keeping assistants. Perhaps he was out of town.

"Hermione?"

"Hmmm."

"Do you want me to send another Owl?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Do you want me to send Mr. Malfoy – "

"No, that's okay. Leave it with me." She didn't realise how it might have come across until Daria spoke.

"Very well." Daria looked slightly affronted.

Hermione put her quill down and pressed the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, Daria."

"You know Hermione, I'm here to help you – and not just with work. I've noticed you've been doing crazy hours this past week."

The heavy load that had occupied her stomach was rising to her throat. Hermione swallowed, quashing the silly emotions that were building. "How are the preliminary arrangements for the launch party?" she asked.

Daria sighed. "We're all set to host the launch a week from Saturday, which leaves us with a few days to finalise things."

"Good. Well I will make it a priority."

"I think we can leave the rest for tomorrow." Daria said.

Hermione nodded distractedly as Daria stood up to exit. "Daria, I'll be out this afternoon."

ooo

Hermione walked down the now familiar corridor into the open space fronting the offices of Draco Malfoy only to be greeted by a woman with jet black hair who sat behind the desk with a settled comfort. Curiosity took over and Hermione stopped still for a moment.

The girl stood up. "Can I help you Ms...?"

"Granger. And it's Miss Granger." She walked forward.

"Do you have an appointment?" The girl looked at her with critical eyes. She was well aware that Hermione didn't have an appointment. Hermione wished Mac was still here, and not just because he was male but that definitely helped.

"No, I don't. I'm from the Ministry." Not that it meant anything but she wanted to instil in the girl that it did. Hermione walked towards Malfoy's office door.

The girl almost jumped out from behind her desk.

"If you can please take a seat, I will inform Draco of your visit."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the first name reference and then instantly wanted to slap herself for acting so childish. She could easily take control of the situation. "That won't be necessary. I'll tell him myself."

"Miss Granger – " The girl almost yelled as Hermione opened the heavy door, pushing it open and stepping through the threshold.

She was greeted with a scene that not even she could have conjured in her analytical head.

Two tall blond men turned around, both looking at her with surprise – one with more of a familiar astonishment as he shot out of his chair, and the other with intrigued amusement.

Hermione stopped short as her own breath caught in her throat, unable to mask her shock. The black haired assistant almost ran into the back of her. "I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy, I know you said no interruptions but I couldn't stop her."

"It's fine, Raven."

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Draco."

No introductions were necessary.

"Granger, you remember my father, Lucius."


A/N: Draco has some explaining to do!