A/N: This is an un-edited chapter so please forgive my many errors in this one. Alas, enjoy!
Chapter 6: A Day at the Office
'Good bye, Hermione freaking Granger!'
These were Draco's thoughts as he walked the familiar halls toward his office.
He was never going to have to deal with her and her nuisance of a daughter ever again! Their little appearance in his new life was over and never to be repeated. His life was back to normal.
"Hey, handsome," a feminine voice greeted him, breaking him out of his musings.
Draco looked over his shoulder to see his personal secretary, Dominique, wave at him. Draco smiled at his secretary. She was an American who moved to France because of a boy that promised her lies and left her after a few months. She was a beautiful blond but does not follow the 'dumb blond' saying. She had green eyes that always seemed to sparkle with mirth when you look at them. She was one of the smartest people Draco had the privilege to know and work with. Actually, Draco met Dominique at a bar, celebrating his promotion. Draco had just been looking for a casual one-off with some bimbo but got something so much more. She had blown him away with her knowledge, observation and quick wit. Draco knew then that he wanted her. Not as a lover but as a co-worker. Very few people could keep up with him and the ones that could, he either kept them as acquaintances or he hired to work for him.
Draco was a very private person, but even so she knew everything about him, even his dark past. Dominique makes it a point to know everything about everything that happens in their work place. Draco found this very disturbing at first but has grown accustomed to it, because she and Theo were just the same. There were some occasions when Draco didn't find this quiet disturbing. Occasions like his bad days and she knew to hold off all meetings and calls until he cools down or when he needed that slap in the face, not literally though, he had long since sworn to himself that no one got to slap him after what Granger did, to get his head cleared and get the job done. And like Draco, she was much respected and feared by everyone in the firm.
"Good morning, beautiful," Draco answered, as she walked beside him.
"You know it, darling. How was your off day?"Dominique asked.
Draco shrugged casually. "Same, same."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Something happened. What is it?"
God! Am I that easy to read? Draco thought.
He shrugged again, refusing to answer her question.
"You know I'm going to find out one way or another so might as well tell me now," she said as they neared his office and Dominique's work station.
"I'll take my chances," Draco answered.
He was just about to enter his office when she called after him.
"Oh, hey, Mama's looking for you," she informed him.
Draco grimaced. The 'Mama' she was referring to was the firm's managing partner, his boss.
"What's the forecast?" Draco asked, as he tried to make a reasonable argument for her obvious reason of seeking him out.
His secretary thought for a moment and then said, "Well, she came to look for you last Friday, she seemed calm and all she said was, and I quote, "Good morning, Dom. Could you please tell Draco to come to my office when he comes in? Thank you." And she smiled."
"Calm and smiled huh? She must have my punishment all planned out," Draco said with a frown.
"Yup. Now get your ass over there so I can gloat in your face when I say I told you so," the blond ushered him towards 'Mama's' office.
Draco walked the short distance to Madame Claudine Belhumeur. When he arrived he saw her signing some papers and showed no sign of anger or frustration, or any other emotion for that matter. He took a deep breath. Time to face the music.
And apparently, today's choice of music was Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the flowers. This was what greeted him when he entered her office. He let the music finish, knowing full well that his boss would not answer him until the music finished and he would only end up talking to deaf ears and looking stupid.
Luckily the song was nearing its end and he didn't have to wait that long. She looked up at him and smiled. This disconcerted Draco, a lot. It was never a good sign when authorities smiled. Never.
"Good morning, Draco," she greeted him as she put away the papers on her desk and stacked them to one side.
"Good morning, Claudine. You wanted to see me. Whatever for madam?" he asked innocently.
"Well, I just wanted to congratulate you. You settled your case much quicker than I had anticipated. Come now, tell me all about it," she said with a smile.
It was these lines and gestures that got her the name 'Mama' by the associates. She always made them feel like she was the office version of their mothers. It was really weird, not to mention creepy. Who would want two mothers? One is more than enough, thank you.
Draco decided to play along.
"Well, he decided that he couldn't win against me in court. So, they decided to just sign the settlement and get it over with," Draco shrugged.
She was looking at him as he said this and he saw her eyebrow twitch in irritation.
"Ah. Well that's good. But what made them think so? You know, their lawyer is hard to persuade and almost never settles. That big of a pride doesn't get swallowed easily. However, I did hear that he loves doing bets. Especially on Quidditch. You could say it's his weakness. And you just love exploiting their weaknesses, don't you, Draco?" she said this with an angry gleam in her eye but it did not show on her sweet smile.
Draco swallowed. She had that aura of authority that was really intimidating, just like a mother trying to make her child confess to his fault.
He would not yield! He was a grown man for crying out loud! He did not get intimidated by mothers!
He shrugged. "Of course I do. But that doesn't mean I do it on cases that I can win easily."
She frowned and opened a drawer in her desk, took out a piece of paper and placed it in front of her.
"Well then, care to explain why I have a complaint on your un-professional way of handling of a case. You placed the fate of a client's case, which, if you didn't know, paid lots of galleons on our company, on a bet on which Quidditch team will make it to the finals?" she asked.
Busted! Why does everyone have an issue with some stupid bet? His mind said.
He shrugged. "So? I won didn't I? It's not my fault their lawyer's stupid. They played, they lost. That's their problem."
"And what if you didn't win? What then, Draco?"
"We can't dwell on what if's, you told me so yourself. 'What if's' will never happen and we can't dwell on that and focus on what is happening," he said so in a way that made people think that they were wrong.
Luckily, his boss was one of those people.
She sighed. "Your right, we can't dwell on the 'what if's'," Draco thought he would be spared of whatever she was going to make him do, "but that doesn't change the fact that what you did was wrong. And all wrongs have an equivalent punishment." And there goes his chance of escape.
Now, he felt a bit mad. Why does he get to be punished? He didn't initiate it; he merely took the chance to end the stupid ordeal. He saw an opportunity and he took it, what's wrong in that? Nothing, absolutely nothing. And yet here he was being reprimanded for a stupid bet that won them money. Honestly, where's the justice in that?
"I didn't start the bet, you know that. Why should I be punished for their lawyer's stupidity? Opportunities are to be taken, you told me that too. I saw an opportunity to end it quickly and I took it. What's wrong with that?" he defended.
"Yes, I did tell you that, but did I ever tell you to forsake your professionalism for said opportunity? No. Did I tell you to stoop down to their stupidity level? No. Do not use my words against me, Draco," she chastised, and added as an afterthought, "and you're supposed to be the best lawyer in the whole putain de France."
Draco still wanted to argue that the punishment was still unjustified but the look on her face was posed for no argument. Damn women! No one ever wins an argument against them.
He sighed, being 'the best lawyer in the whole putain de France', he knew which battles he could win, and this one wasn't one of them.
"Name it," he said, resigned to his fate. He bit down his inner protests and swallowed the sour pill called 'Pride'.
"Pro-bono," she answered.
And with those two words, rage filled him immediately. Pro-bono! Pro-bono cases were nothing. No money, no notoriety, no nothing! There were rare times when Pro-bono cases would attract attention but most of the time? They're nothing! Her giving him Pro-bono was like insulting his intelligence and quality in their firm. And no one insults Draco Malfoy and gets away with it.
"You can't be serious." he exclaimed. "I think we both know that those cases are hardly worth my energy and time. An associate could win in pro-bono cases."
"Then you'll finish them quickly. And I meant you, not your side-kick," she said sternly.
"I'm not doing it," he retorted.
"I said them, you'll be doing 5."
"What? That's absurd! I'm not doing them. "
"Oh, yes, you will."
"No, I won't."
"Stop being a baby and get it over with, Draco. I don't have the time for your petty unreasonable whining. Now, get out of my office," she said and went back to the stacks of paper she had previously abandoned for the sake of lecturing her junior partner.
She insulted me and got away with it, Draco scornfully thought. Unfortunately, she was one of the people who were not just no one.
Damn it! Pro-bono! Fucking Pro-bono!
But before he turned to leave, he approached her and put his hand palm up, "I want to see the filed complaint."
Claudine raised an eyebrow. "What filed complaint?"
"The one that you were talking about," Draco said, frustrated.
"Oh, you mean this?" She showed him the piece of paper she had put on her table. And it was blank.
Draco's brows furrowed, to which Claudine smiled.
"I never said it was filed. I said I have a complaint," she said, and he could practically hear the smirk in her voice before it appeared on her lips.
Draco was stunned. He just got played. Women were really starting to become a great nuisance in his life
He turned to leave and was almost at the door when he was stopped by her voice.
"Draco," she called.
He sighed and tuned around to face her once more.
She was holding in her hand a folder.
"Your first case," she said. The joy evident in her voice.
Draco was so ready to lash out at her but stopped himself. No good would come of it. Especially if he wanted to be take her place as Managing Partner. He sighed, took the folder and got out.
Although, instead of heading back toward his office, he went to where the junior associates worked and looked for his personal associate, Eric Baudin.
Being senior partner had its perks and this was one of them. Although personally, Draco thought that having a personal associate to help him with cases was a total waste of time, because he could handle them all himself anyway, Eric was a great help to him. Even if he would never admit it aloud. His ego would not let him.
He found Eric working in a cubicle like any other associate. Draco approached him and unceremoniously dropped the file on top of the papers his associate was working on. Eric looked up at him questioningly.
"Your new case," Draco said casually, whilst fixing the cuffs his suit.
Eric shook his head and handed him the folder. "I can't. Claudine told me I wasn't to work your cases. I can help but it has to have your involvement."
"Who do you work for, Eric?" Draco suddenly asked.
Eric sighed. "You."
"You who?"
"Draco Malfoy."
"That's right. Not Claudine. Now, do this," he said and was handing him the folder.
"But I–" he was interrupted by the arrival of a light pink memo in the shape of a swan. It landed on top of the folder that Draco was handing over to Eric. It unfurled and settled as a piece of paper folded in two.
Draco picked it up the irritatingly familiar memo and was really considering burning it to ashes, but decided against it and read what was inside.
I said you not, your side-kick. He will be assisting and assisting, only. Don't do anything stupid, Draco. You know what happens to un-professional handling of cases.
Draco crumpled the paper and glared at the folder he was holding, willing his stare to burn the accursed papers to dust.
"Told you so," he heard Eric say and his glare turned to the speaker.
Eric merely shrugged at him and Draco threw the ball of paper at his face before he stormed off.
Putain pro-bono!
Hermione was eating lunch in her office as she read her patient's report. Luckily, her diagnosis had been correct, and her patient, Madelyn Theroux, was healing properly. Hermione Jean Granger was the head of Diagnostic Medicine in only wizarding hospital in France. She was even considered the best in her field diagnostics. To other Healers, her patients' sicknesses were medicine enigmas. To her, they were another puzzle to figure out. Another riddle to crack. Another mystery to solve.
She had never really considered being a Healer when she was younger. She had wanted to be a professor in Hogwarts. She wanted to share her knowledge to the younger generation. She had often considered being a Healer a few times but what really made her decision was, guess what? The war. The war had changed every single one of them, and this is what it changed in her.
After the war, there were a lot of curses that the Death Eaters used that involved dark magic. Most of them were unknown to the Healers and a lot of lives were taken. It was then that she decided that she would share her knowledge not in the way that was commonly known such as teaching. No, she would share her knowledge and save people's lives in the process.
She stared at the office folders that were stacked in the shelves on the right wall of her office. These office folders documented all the cases that she had handled. She had made it a point to put down all of them for future references. She wrote all the symptoms, their causes, her ways of healing them and some important notes. However, not all of them had pleasant results. She looked over at the shelf just below, to the two folders that were of the color white.
These two folders held the details of the two patients that she had failed to help. She felt her stomach drop as she remembered the faces of the loved ones that were present at her patient's last moments. She too shed tears. She had blamed herself for not being able to save them. She had blamed herself for her stupidity and incapability to save their lives. After the first loss of her patients, she had closed herself off. She had refused to go to work, feeling incapable and inadequate for her job. If it wasn't for Emily and her diagnostics team, she would have still been depressed. They had reminded her of all the other people that she had helped, that moping about won't do anything and won't help anyone. They reminded her about Sophie and how she needed her mummy.
She had managed to pull herself back together and got back to her job and life. She needn't dwell on the past; she had to learn from it. She would not wallow on self-pity. That was not her. That was not Hermione Granger! So, she learned. She continued her job to help people with a renewed passion. However, that didn't lessen the trauma of losing her second patient. She still got depressed but she recovered quickly. Since the loss of her second patient, she was more careful in diagnosing and prescribing of medicine. She didn't want to have another white folder.
Aside from diagnosing patients, she also does check-ups for people with odd symptoms. There she would bump into Healer Etienne. Ok, more than bump into. He would seek her to ask her to have lunch with him or go on a date with him.
He was a Healer specializing in Spell Damage and he too would conduct regular check-ups. He had black hair and ocean blue eyes. He was a tall with some muscles to show off. He was truly a handsome man but Hermione just didn't feel anything toward him except co-worker feelings. Not even platonic, friendly feelings, just co-worker feelings. He was also a boastful with his work, being that Spell Damage were one of the hardest fields of Medicine. He also wears nothing that isn't 'worthy of his physique', a.k.a. 'designer clothes, shoes and accessories'. Honestly, he was so brand conscious that if it wasn't for his overly muscled build and the hoardes of women trailing him, one would think he was gay. He also has a big fortune with him that he likes, no, loves, to brag about it.
Hermione shook her head. Her ears would sometimes hurt because of all of the talking that he does about himself. About how he's done this, how he's bought that, how he's already been there and blah, blah, blah. Whoever said that women were talkative should get burned alive.
Her thoughts involuntarily turned to that of her ex-boyfriend. She couldn't help but compare them both. Whereas Etienne was like a Prince, Ron was more of a Jester. He never bore her with his chattering but made her laugh with his humor. He never not shut his mouth about himself but listened to her talk about her day. He never bragged about his part in the war and his new Quidditch career but simply did what he loved. He was everything Etienne was not, and everything Hermione loved about him. But unfortunately, he simply loved what he did more than he loved her.
Hermione felt her wand vibrate and shoot out tiny red sparks that read 1:00. Her lunch break was over and it was time for her daily round of check-ups. She groaned. It's not that she didn't like doing check-ups, even though most of them are just paranoid, she just didn't like the one person she saw there every day.
She cleared the remainders of her lunch and made sure that her papers were in order, before she proceeded to the lift. Whilst her original office is in the fourth floor, she conducted her check-ups in a standard room in the second floor. The second floor was where the cafeteria was and where all the check-ups were conducted. From minor to major, so long as it was just a check-up it was at the second floor. The first floor were for emergencies and patients under observation, the third was the children's and minor illnesses floor, the fourth was for the serious ailments and operating rooms. Fifth floor was where all the business part of running the hospital took place. Offices, registration, payments and charities. The fifth floor also held the laboratories.
She reached her room and was greeted by her personal receptionist. A perky young girl named Madison.
"Bonjour, Doc!" Madison greeted. She too was a Muggle-born, so she was familiar with the Muggle term for 'Healer'.
"Bonjour, Madi. Do we have many visitors today?" Hermione asked. Usually, there were already at least two to three people in waiting area, but today there were none.
"Not many, just around four. Your first one will be arriving at two' o clock," she answered as she checked her clipboard.
Hermione nodded and was about to enter her office when Madison spoke again.
"Oh, and your last one is the regular," Madison sighed, "You'd think that having a regular is a good thing."
Hermione smiled at this.
"Doesn't she bring you those delicious cookies you can't get enough of?" Hermione asked.
"That's it!" Madison exclaimed, "That's exactly it! I can't get enough of those cookies and that's why I'm fat!"
Hermione raised a brow at her. Madison had a petite form and was very conscious about her figure. She always jogged ten minutes per day and only ate healthy foods but occasionally had some sweets. And Hermione, for the life of her, could not see a single fat cell in her assistant's perfectly healthy body.
"Your right, Madi. You're really fat," Hermione said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.
"I hate it when you do that," Madison said, pouting her pink lips.
"Do what?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Say that my bathroom scale's wrong," Madison answered, still with her pout.
Hermione laughed and went over to hug her lively little assistant.
"You're beautiful, Madi. And no bathroom scale can say otherwise," Hermione said when she pulled away.
Hermione entered her office and spotted some papers underneath a pen which was apparently used as paperweight, in the middle of her organized desk. She settled down in her chair and picked up the first of the two papers. It was an announcement of a seminar that was to be held on Thursday. They had invited someone to talk to them about something about new ingredients for medicine. It didn't say who though. It must be just someone local, Hermione thought and put the paper down. She picked up the second one and saw that it was an announcement about a formal gathering, in other words, a party, on Friday. There was to be a formal gathering in honor of a new member of the Royaume-Guérisseurs Medical Center (United Healers Medical Center) and all Healers were to attend. Hermione sighed. Their hospital always gave a welcome party to a new member of their staff, may it be a Healer or a receptionist, there was always a welcome party.
Hermione remembered her own welcome party. It had been awkward for her because she didn't know anyone there. But everyone had been nice and always smiling that Hermione found herself enjoying her party as well. The wine also helped.
A knock on the door brought Hermione out of her reminiscing and back to the present. She put away the announcement papers.
"Entrez," she called and sure enough her first patient of the day was the one to enter.
"Prendre soin," Hermione said as her third patient went out of her office.
She took out her notepad and was writing the some details about her last patient when another there was knock on her door.
"Entrez," Hermione absently called out.
The door opened and the person came in quietly. She seated herself on one of the chairs in front of Hermione's desk. She then placed a pouch of biscuits on top of the desk. Hermione smelt the aroma of the sweet treats and looked up from her notes. Hermione smiled.
"Hello, Narcissa. It's lovely to see you again," Hermione said.
Narcissa Malfoy returned her smile and answered, "And it's always to see you, dear."
"Let's get started, shall we?" Hermione said and motioned to the standard white reclining chair for the check-up.
Narcissa left her small handbag on her seat, followed Hermione and sat on the white chair. Hermione pulled out her wand and started her tests.
"Thank you for the cookies, Narcissa. Sophie will surely love them," Hermione said.
"No need to thank me, dear. It gives me great satisfaction to know that the people I give my cookies to are immensely enjoying them," Narcissa replied with a smile, and a small hint of pride.
"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this but I think Madi is having a bit of a problem with them," Hermione said, a small smile on her face.
"What?! Why?" Narcissa asked, scandalized that someone didn't like her cookies.
"Well, she said, and I quote, "I can't get enough of those cookies and that's why I'm fat!" "
Narcissa merely raised an eyebrow at her. She then summoned her bag and pulled out her glasses.
"Here," Narcissa handed the glasses to Hermione, to which she only gave a confused look.
"If that skinny little girl out there thinks she's fat, then she needs this more than I do," Narcissa said matter-of-factly.
The two women laughed. The check-up was finished and they moved back to their original seats, Hermione behind her desk and Narcissa at the chair at the front of her desk.
"Are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked.
"Perfectly fine, dear," Narcissa answered. Hermione caught a hint of tiredness in her voice and the dark circles underneath her eyes.
"Are you sure? You're not having trouble sleeping?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing ever misses you, does it, Healer Granger?" Narcissa answered with a smile.
"That's my job," Hermione said and smiled in return.
But truth be told, it was glaringly hard to miss the black bags on her pale porcelain skin.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" Hermione questioned.
Narcissa sighed and her shoulders slumped a bit when she answered, "Yes, but just last night and the night before. I didn't want to take any sleeping potion because when I wake up I feel like I didn't rest at all the night before and it makes me irritable."
Hermione pulled out Narcissa's folder and noted in her insomnia. She then looked over at her history of check-ups to see if she had ever had this trouble before but there was none.
"Have you done anything new this week?" Hermione asked as she took down notes on her folder, much like in Hogwarts.
"Well, I have been planning a party," Narcissa simply sheepishly.
Hermione waited for Narcissa to continue but when she didn't, Hermione decided not to push.
"That must be the reason for your insomnia. You must be stressing over every detail of it," Hermione commented. Narcissa was nothing if not a perfectionist.
Narcissa shrugged her shoulders, "well, it has to be perfect. My son will only turn 26 once and I want to make it special."
Hermione smiled and remembered all the trouble the elder mother went through last year for his son's 25th.
"I'm sure you'll make it perfect," Hermione assured Narcissa.
"Speaking of my son, he was at Sophie's birthday, was he not?" Narcissa said.
Hermione, who had been busy scribbling down notes on Narcissa's patient folder, looked up and saw the curious look that her visitor was giving her. Hermione sighed. It's wasn't that she didn't want to tell Narcissa, it was just that she wanted to forget about it already and move on.
"Yes. Yes, he was," Hermione said simply.
"And?" Narcissa prompted.
"He, um, he was there. He gave Sophie a very lovely gift and he gave me your flowers, which were very lovely. Did you arrange them yourselves? " Hermione said, trying to subtly divert the direction of the conversation.
"Of course they were lovely, I grew them myself. Was he nice to the little celebrant?"
Hermione internally groaned. If Narcissa wanted it, she would find a way to get it her way. No use in trying to divert it, she just had to get it over with.
"Yes, he was very nice and patient with Sophie," Hermione said.
"How did he ever get invited at Sophie's party in the first place? I want you to tell me every bit!" Narcissa all but squealed.
Hermione said and gave her what she had asked. After explaining everything, from his saving of Sophie to his attendance at the party, Narcissa had a look on her face that Hermione couldn't place. It was a mixture of concern and pride and, was that a hint of mischief she saw?
"He saved Sophie," Narcissa finally said flatly.
"Yes, he did," Hermione answered, remembering the incident. She had almost hugged Malfoy when Sophie said that it was he who had saved her. Almost.
"And he went to your party," Narcissa continued.
"Yes, he did," Hermione repeated, and couldn't help but smile at the memory of Malfoy being dragged around her backyard by her daughter, and introduced to people he surely didn't care to know.
Narcissa caught Hermione's smile and the elder woman's lips twitched in amusement. She would have a hard time questioning Draco about this, and she knew she was going to enjoy it.
"Why didn't you come to her party?" Narcissa heard Hermione ask.
Narcissa shrugged her shoulders and said, "I thought it best to let Draco be there in my place. Which reminds me."
Narcissa took out a small box from her bag. It was wrapped in glossy pink paper and had a pretty pink ribbon in top. Narcissa handed the gift to Hermione and said, "For darling, little Sophie."
Hermione accepted the gift and put it away in a drawer in her table. Then Hermione's eyes narrowed at her, "He doesn't know I'm your Healer doesn't he?"
Fortunately, before Narcissa could answer a knock on the door interrupted them. Hermione's pretty assistant poked her head inside.
"Hey ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt your chat but it's almost time for the clinic to close," Madison said.
Hermione glanced at the clock on her wall and sure enough her assistant was right. It was time to head home.
"It was truly wonderful to see you again, Hermione, dear," Narcissa said, and leaned over to kiss Hermione on the cheek.
"And it is always a pleasure to see you as well, Narcissa," Hermione answered.
As Narcissa went out the door, Hermione put all of her files in order and gathered all of her things, took of her white coat and replaced it with her blazer. As she stepped outside of her office, she saw that Narcissa and Madison were still talking.
"But that's preposterous!" she heard Narcissa exclaim.
"No, it's not. I swear it's your cookies," Madison said.
Ah, so it's about her cookie fats again, Hermione thought.
"So you mean to say that you do not want any more of my cookies?" Narcissa asked, bitterness lacing her tone.
Madison shook her head, "of course not, I'm just saying that maybe you could make them sugar less."
Narcissa raised her left brow, "Sugar less? But that would make them taste like ordinary tasteless cookies."
Hermione shook her head and decided to leave them to their discussion. She bade her goodbyes and made her way toward the exit of the hospital. She would have floo'ed to Emily's bakeshop but Emily didn't have a fireplace in her store. Emily had said that she didn't like her guests entering her shop covered in soot and contaminate her precious pastries. Hermione had almost made it when an unmistakable male voice called to her. She groaned knowing perfectly well who it was and what her ears would have to endure. She turned around and saw the muscled form of Etienne. Hermione forced a smile on her face as her co-worker caught up with her.
"Bonjour, Hermione," Etienne said, his was voice deep and masculine, and would have made any girl melt except it only managed to irritate Hermione.
"Bonjour, Etienne, Je suis désolé, Je ne peux pas discuter avec vous en ce moment. Je suis sur le point d'aller chercher Sophie (Hello, Etienne, I am sorry, I cannot chat with you right now. I am about to go and pick up Sophie.)," Hermione said and started to walk away.
Persistent as ever, Etienne caught up to her easily with his long strides.
"Je voulais juste vous demander si vous voulez que j'aille avec vous à la fête ce jeudi? (I just wanted to ask if you would like me to go with you to the party this Thursday?), Etienne asked.
Finally! Hermione thought as she reached the apparition point outside of the hospital. She turned to Etienne and said, "Sorry I already have someone," without even thinking about it. And then she was gone.
With a small pop, Hermione stood outside Emily's Bakeshop. She breathed a sigh of relief. She really wasn't in a good mood to listen to Mr. Blah blah blah today.
The bells chimed as Hermione entered the shop.
"Bienvenue sur le Bakeshop d'Emily!" two voices greeted from behind the shop's counter.
The two voices belonged to Sophie and Adrien, and when they saw who it was that entered, the two children dashed toward her. Hermione bent down and accepted the big hug Sophie and Adrien gave her.
"Hello, darlings. Did you have fun at school today?" Hermione asked as she pulled away.
"Yes, Mummy! I had lots and lots of fun! Ms. Summers taught me and Adrien new rhymes!" Sophie said excitedly.
"Yeah, like flower and shower, and said and maid and, uhmm, and lots more!" Adrien said with much enthusiasm.
"That's very nice," Hermione said, and turned to see Emily come out from the kitchen area in the back of the store and approach them.
"Hey ," Hermione greeted and then saw that Emily had some flour in her hair, Hermione pointed to the spot in her own head. Emily understood and removed it with a few swipes of the hand.
"Those two have cost me a lot of cupcakes," Emily said, crossing her arms and mock scowling at the two children.
Hermione laughed and saw the two children look sheepishly at the floor.
"But it was really yummy, Auntie Emily!" Sophie said, hoping to justify her appetite with her statement.
"Oui, maman. Très délicieux," Adrien added.
Hermione looked over to Emily with a smile and said, "Well then, there you go. You can't fault the two for enjoying your cupcakes."
Emily laughed and pinched the two rascals' cheeks. "Oh, I can never be mad at these two. Especially when they think that my cupcakes are très délicieux."
The two rubbed their red cheeks and smiled mischievously at the each other. Très délicieux eh.
"Well, we best get going before these two think to eat another sweet before dinner," Hermione said to Emily.
Sophie scurried of to get her bag and gave Adrien a hug good bye and a kiss on the cheek for Auntie Emily.
As the two walked home, Sophie talked in lightning speed about everything that happened at school and at the shop and Hermione listened to every word of it. Hermione smiled lovingly down at her daughter. She was Hermione's special little girl. Even after a long, hard day at work, her daughter's ramblings and laugher would make her forget all about it.
When they reached their home, they were greeted by Sebastian and his little barks. Sophie scooped up the little dog and stroked him affectionately on the head. Sophie and her dog ran off to her room to undoubtedly play as much as they can before dinner was ready. Hermione shook her head, even if she was a distinguished Healer, she could never fathom how a little child like Sophie could have so much energy in her.
Hermione sat down in front of her dresser and picked up the comb to brush her hair before going to bed. It was a little past 10 now and she was beat. Sophie had drained all of the energy she had left. Note to self: find a better hiding place for cookies. Sophie had found the cookies that Narcissa had given and had eaten all of them and it gave her a sugar rush Hermione paid for.
Hermione's thought drifted off to the person that had given the cookies, to Narcissa Malfoy. It had been a real shock when the Malfoy Matriarch entered her office. At first Narcissa hadn't recognized her but Hermione's skittish behavior had obviously baffled the elder woman. Hermione remembered the flash of recognition in her eyes and the color drained from her already pale face. Narcissa took her hand and held it firmly with both hands. She had then looked Hermione straight in the eye and said the words Hermione thought she would never hear from a Malfoy. She had said 'I'm sorry.'
Hermione's surprise had prevented her from fully comprehending what Narcissa had said and for a few moments Hermione had just stared at her. Even though her brain recovered, she couldn't make her mouth form any words, so, she placed her hand on top of Narcissa's, gave it a small squeeze and then she smiled at her.
She saw the look of guilt in the elder woman's eyes had been real and heard the sincerity of her apology in her voice. Some tears had formed in Narcissa's eyes after Hermione accepted her apology, and before Hermione knew it Narcissa had her arms around her and was embracing her. She hesitated but put her arms around the other woman as well. When they pulled back, Narcissa gave a small laugh and wiped at her eyes and smiled at Hermione.
From then on, during her visits, Narcissa and Hermione became increasingly close to one another. Narcissa's charm and company had Hermione relaxing around her faster than she would have thought. Although they never talked about their pasts, she found that she could freely talk to Narcissa about anything, especially about her worries about motherhood. Aside from Emily, Narcissa had helped Hermione with raising Sophie. And Hermione found comfort in having someone that she could look up to as a mother.
She and her own mother were very close and had grown somewhat distant ever since she returned their memories. They had been upset at what their daughter did do them. They understood her reason but it didn't mean they accepted it. Hermione and her parents write to each other and she and Sophie would visit them during special occasions.
They had been baffled and surprised to find out that Hermione had been pregnant and that she would be raising her child alone without a father. They loathed Ron for doing leaving their daughter all alone and they loved Sophie very much. Her parents had offered Hermione to stay with them while she was pregnant but Hermione had refused. Aside from the fact that she and her parents had still been awkward at the time, she didn't want to depend on her parents anymore, pregnant or not. She had decided that she wanted to stand on her own two feet and not rely on anyone.
Hermione put down her brush and settled herself in bed. She was really happy Narcissa had re-entered her life but under much pleasant circumstances. She was still smiling when an unwanted thought, or rather thought of a person, entered her mind. Narcissa's son, Draco Malfoy. She sometimes wondered if Narcissa and her son were alike in terms of personality. They never talked about him in Narcissa's visits. An image of Malfoy formed in her head. The pale blond hair, the proud way in which he held himself, the pink lips that formed an annoying smirk and the deep, captivating molten silver of his eyes. He really was something, something Hermione couldn't describe. She found herself smiling at the thought of him and shocked by it. Hermione pulled the covers over her head and swore to never think of Draco Malfoy again.
A/N: IMPORTANT!
I got the inspiration for Draco's work and workplace from the famous TV series "Suits".
Draco = Harvey Spectre
Dominique = Donna Paulsen
Eric = Mike Ross (without the photographic memory)
Claudine = Jessica Pearson
For Hermione's work and workplace I chose "House".
Hermione = House (Job not the asshole-y attitude)
They're both really great shows and I implore you to watch atleast the pilot episode to have a better understand of their jobs and what their office's look like.
Anyway, I hope you this helps.
Review! Review! Review!
Etienne is based from Gaston in the Beauty and the Beast. I'm sure all of you know the famous Disney Movie. It's also my fave. :)
