Chapter Four: Round One

Draco surveyed the ladder with caution.

It was a precarious old thing, leaning against bookshelves that were more book than shelf, and he fancied that it was swaying in the tiny currents of air that ran through the shop.

However, he had a job to do, and so he sighed and climbed up the ladder, starting to organize the books from the top down.

The old man, who told Draco to call him Emeritus, was a good boss as taskmasters went. Draco, who had not done much work (retail or otherwise) in his entire life, found that Emeritus was fair and paid him a decent wage, and as a result Draco never found himself clock-watching or eager to go home. Instead, he organized and catalogued and occasionally was fascinated enough by a book to ask Emeritus if he could read it, take it home for the night.

Thus, Draco's days passed, completely inundated with books. He didn't mind so much.

However, on this particular day, he was determined to get his work done, as he had a meeting with Granger to attend, and that was something he would like to have end on time, if possible.

Granger disconcerted him. She always had, he admitted as he pulled out An Astromancer's guide to Constellations. But now that the war was over she disconcerted him even more. With some of the comments that she had made, and the way she held herself, he was certain that she was not pleased with the status quo.

Even more disconcerting, she didn't blame him for what he'd done. He kept expecting her to lash out, to try to hurt him, but all he got from needling her was a polite expression and occasionally a twitch of the lip.

There was something more than politeness there, though. He could feel the tension in their meetings, and he was sure that some day, Granger would snap. He wasn't sure if he would survive the experience, when she did.

She was a worthy opponent, Draco mused as he shelved Knit Your Own Magical Beasts. He wondered if she would be a good ally as well.

…

Finally, the large bookshelf was in alphabetical order by category, and Draco stepped off the ladder with a sense of accomplishment. Then he checked the time, and his blood ran cold.

"Late – Granger – See you tomorrow-" he gasped at Emeritus as he grabbed his things and ran out of the shop, looking for an Apparition point frantically. His heart was pounding, and he took a moment to revel in the feeling. He was a tiny bit apprehensive, but it was good to feel alive, he mused as he ran. Then he laughed at himself.

He really was going crazy.

Finally, he arrived at the nondescript building, running past Luna and Blaise Zabini in the hall and skidding to a halt in front of the usual door. He took a moment to adjust his hair and slow his breathing, replacing his indifferent mask, and then walked into the room, smack into an irate Granger.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" she demanded, obviously incensed. Her hair was going every which way and he thought he could see sparks in it, the result of an untamed magical aura.

It seemed as though today was the day that Granger snapped.

For some odd reason, Draco smiled.

...

The festering, cursed prat was smiling at her, as if he hadn't left her to wait in this tiny room for the blessing of his presence. Hermione bristled, feeling slightly wild, and prepared to give him the tongue-lashing of his life.

Hermione hadn't been having a good day. Firstly, her essay on the properties of bloodstone in conjunction with the phases of the moon had been rejected as being "too theoretical", which was another way to say that she wasn't allowed to write about things that other Potions Masters hadn't already tested.

Then, Ron had come by with a missive from Mrs. Weasley, and left by telling her that she was going to die a frigid old maid. He'd also left sporting a donkey tail, but that had only made her feel a tiny bit vindicated.

The rest of the day had been a series of those tiny, frustrating mishaps – cold tea, stubbed toes, forgetting keys – which only served to make a bad mood worse.

And then Draco sodding Malfoy had the audacity to be late –

It was enough to drive Hermione mad.

Before, however, she could reprimand the cheeky blighter, he said quietly, "I wasn't watching the time, and I was shelving books. Sorry for being late. Won't happen again."

Hermione, who was sure that her hair was standing on end in frustration, was taken aback. She relaxed a bit, eyes wide in shock. Perhaps Draco actually had reformed a bit. Was her influence helping? Perhaps she'd be done with this cursed job sooner than later –

"Now, Granger, if you'd like to tame that bushy mane of yours, we can get this over with?"

The absolute prat.

Hermione shrieked a wordless insult at the accursed ferret, and launched herself at him, ready to do her worst.

…

Later, Hermione would realize that Draco had been deliberately needling her to get that exact reaction. Now, however, all she wanted was his smarmy blonde head on a platter.

Malfoy grinned widely and met her clawed hands with his own, and they tussled briefly back and forth. Hermione felt her hair begin to stand on end again and zapped Malfoy with a jot of electrical charge, causing him to yelp and drop her wrists. The two of them wrestled back and forth until Hermione paused, heart beating near out of her chest, and realized what was going on.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you," she accused, calming down and wrenching her hair from under his arm. "Prat."

The word held no venom in it. The world made sense again. This was Malfoy, and he liked to tease and torment her, and this was normal. Hermione actually felt a bit better, too, though she wouldn't admit it. Getting out her frustration on Malfoy had helped.

"I couldn't resist," Malfoy groaned. "Just like the old days. Has your hair actually gotten bushier?"

This was because it was tickling his nose. Hermione smacked him on the shoulder and rolled away, straightening her robes.

"Don't think you can get away with that all the time," she warned. "I'm supposed to be reforming you, not becoming your personal punching bag."

"Whatever you say, Granger," Malfoy replied coolly. "Whatever you say."

…

A/N:

It's been an obscene amount of time since I've updated. My apologies. University has really gotten in the way.

Hopefully I can update more regularly now that I've remembered!

Comments? Thoughts?

-Isefyr