How to Play Nice by WeasleyForMe

Bill finds out that his new work assignment has him paired with Hermione. Can he learn how to play nice with her? Bill/Hermione

Thanks to Clover Bay for helping out with this chapter, again!

Bill cleared his throat loudly, trying to gain Hermione's attention over the rock music. Startled, she glanced up and immediately dropped the wand and quill, both of which rolled onto the floor in front of her desk. "Bill, you're really early!" she squealed, jumping up to turn the song off.

Bill bent to pick up her lost items and froze as Hermione reached up toward the wireless; the creamy flesh of her lower back was exposed as she raised her arm, causing him to swallow guiltily. He just couldn't convince himself to stop looking at her like he would other attractive women, and it was going to get him into trouble. The last thing he needed or wanted was an attachment to another female.

Once the music had been silenced, Hermione spun around and smiled apologetically. "Some mornings I like to come in early and work with the wireless on. It helps me concentrate."

As he set her quill down and handed the wand to her, he nodded. "It also looks like you could tour with the Weird Sisters. Actually, I think I heard that the Shaggy Hags are looking for a new drummer," he said sarcastically.

Hermione glared at him. "Oh right, like you don't sing and act like a rock star when you're alone or taking a shower." Her eyes grew wide as she realized she was picturing him under a spray of steamy hot water singing into a pretend microphone.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked with a wink, and her cheeks turned pink from embarrassment rather than anger. He couldn't decide which version he liked better.

"Anyway," she mumbled, shuffling papers around on her desk, trying to change the subject. "We need to go to Crawley today, and I've also written up a schedule for the next week or so." She thrust a piece of parchment at him and they both sat. Dennis arrived and greeted them, and Hermione sent him for a tea tray.

Bill skimmed the list of locations they would be visiting to take care of Muggle related issues. "There are quite a few jobs listed here," he noted out loud.

"Yes, and I get more each day. Dennis has his hands full writing up press notices for the Muggle Prime Minister to release to control hysteria. You would have thought that after the war, hatred against others would have ended," she said quietly, aware that because of her upbringing, her very own parents were unable to preotect themselves the way she could. "But apparently there are still small groups of dark followers who think it's amusing to hide in the Muggle world and cause havoc."

Bill absorbed her words. "So what exactly are we going to be doing today?"

Hermione sighed as Dennis returned with tea and cookies. "We will be trying to put an end to a series of exploding post boxes," she told Bill. "Thank you, Dennis. Why don't you sit and have a cup with us?"

"I have far too much to get done today," he replied with a half smile, snatching a few cookies and heading back to his desk.

"Wait, exploding post boxes?" Bill asked. Was she serious? This sounded worse than the worst case scenario he had come up with. "We're travelling all the way out to Crawley for a bloody issue with Muggle mail?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and poured herself a cup of strong tea. "We are talking about a matter of safety! They think the post boxes have bombs attached to them, but I believe someone has charmed them with a time release spell. Five Muggles are currently hospitalized as a result of these antics, and I refuse to be responsible for a death because I didn't respond quickly enough."

Bill sat very still, not wanting to argue with her before they had even reached their destination. "And what exactly am I supposed to help you with?"

"That's what I need you to figure out. Now are you ready?" she asked, excitement in her eyes. Bill downed his tea and tucked some cookies into his pocket.

"Ready," he confirmed, following Hermione toward the official Ministry of Magic Apparition point. She chattered about this and that while he grunted responses. He was too distracted by alternately admiring her swaying hips and chastising himself for looking at her at all.

"She's a nuisance," he reminded himself, rolling his eyes as she informed him of his upcoming schedule. She would probably have him working weekends too, not that he would even be able to do anything about it.

Just as he felt his sour expression returning, they had reached the Apparition port, and Hermione grabbed his hand without warning. His breath hitched in his throat, and before he had a chance to question her, she had pulled him snugly against her

A look of completely undisguised shock came over his face as she held onto his biceps. "Why are you looking at me that way?" she asked. "You just grunted what I thought was an affirmative answer when I asked if I could Apparate both of us there."

Bill swallowed hard, her warm little hands making it hard for him to think. "Uh, yeah, that's fine."

Hermione shook her head at him, and they spun away from the Ministry. They arrived in an alley in Crawley, and she immediately released him. Although he was finally able to breathe again, he missed the feel of her fingers clutching his arms.

"Now, if we follow this map that I've made of the post boxes in the area, we should be able to find the ones that have already been cursed." She was already getting down to work, but Bill couldn't concentrate. What the hell was wrong with him?

Trying to gain the lay of the land, he asked, "What are we going to do to the ones that have been cursed?"

"That's for you to figure out," she told him with a coy smile.

"Ok, but what about the ones that haven't been touched by a dark spell?"

Hermione's smile brightened further. "I've come up with a Charm to secure the untouched post boxes that should keep them safe. I can't wait to try it out!"

Bill eyed her amusedly. "Ok, smarty pants, let's get started."

She rolled her eyes at him and led the way out of the alley toward the first post box. She waited until there were no Muggles in the immediate vicinity and discreetly cast a notice-me-not spell around them. They watched as men and women walked right past them but didn't seem to see them there. "I think we're all set then," Hermione said, pulling her wand fully out of her pocket and unloading a dark detector from her small purse.

She sat down on the sidewalk and leaned forward. Bill tapped his toe in annoyance as she gently set the detector on the underside of the post box and set it to run a series of diagnostic spells. "You don't have to do it that way, you know."

Hermione glared up at him from where she sat. "Oh, and I suppose you have a better way?"

"Of course I do. You might be the Gryffindor know-it-all, but this is actually what my career has been based on," he boasted with cocky smile.

Hermione was on her feet instantly. "Fine, if you're so smart then go right ahead. Just be aware that these could blow up at any second!" she hissed, prodding the side of the post box with her wand.

"Let the master do his job," Bill said, pulling out his own wand and stepping in front of Hermione. If he had to work with her on these humdrum assignments, at least he could enjoy showing her up.

Uh oh, Bill is getting a little cocky! Neither one of them has any patience for dealing with the other. The next chapter should be a fun one!

Please review! :)