"Welcome to Trinkets and Treasures," Draco took Hermione's hand and led her around the shop. The front window was filled with small clay animals and pots, to her left, a little sitting room filled with furniture with interesting patterns on them, and all around her were strange looking clocks and pots and other random little tchotchke items that you would normally not find in most respectable wizards' homes.

Draco's face was glowing as he explained his everyday work. "This is where we store everything, and this is the inventory list. Customers love seeing copies of this, and here's...," Draco droned on and on about his work because he thought at least Hermione would appreciate it, and she did.

She loved seeing that Draco didn't need slags or Death Eaters to be happy. He was pleased with his quiet little life as a shopkeeper. Not to mention that these cheesy little things he kept around, that he loved. And somewhere digging inside her, Hermione wanted to be one of those things...

She was lost in thought when Draco cleared his throat. Hermione shook herself out of her thoughts and noticed that he was looking between her and a green statue expectantly.

The statue was a woman, Artemis, the Greek Goddess of Hunt, to be precise. She was Hermione's favorite Greek Goddess. She admired that she was the first goddess to pledge herself to utter chastity, not partaking in any relationship of any kind with any male. Not even a partnership, unless in drastic situations.

Hermione gawked at the sight of the intricately carved designs. Artemis was posed to be aiming her bow and arrow at some forever unknown foe, her hounds beside her, prepared to attack as well. The dress she wore looked as if it were half-armor. There were shoulder pads made into the dress, which fell respectively at her knee.

Hermione thought it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. But she had barely been able to get this message across to Draco before had continued walking and explaining more things.

As they reached the end of the "tour", Draco was pulling boxes off the shelves in a large room in the back of the shop. Hermione carefully made her way back there, so as to avoid the flying objects Draco was pulling out. She was walking into the room when something came flying at her head. She ducked just in time as Draco whipped around and yelled a victorious "Aha!"

He was holding a long thin box and fiddling with the lid when Hermione got back up and walked over to him. When the lid came off, the contents of the box were then revealed to be a silver chain necklace with a black rose at the bottom.

Draco beckoned for Hermione to come closer and she pulled her hair into a side ponytail that she held together with only her hands as Draco fastened the necklace around her neck.

The second it was fastened, Draco headed back into the storage room and pulled out a small, square mirror so Hermione could see how the necklace matched with her outfit.

She had a pale blue, long-sleeved top on and black skinny jeans. She was also wearing shiny black flats and her hair was left down in gentle waves cascading down her back. The necklace matched perfectly, which Hermione assumed, was why Draco had pulled it out for her.

When Draco emerged with the mirror and held it up in front of her so Hermione could see, she gasped. The necklace was a beautiful black rose, which was, "coincidentally", her favorite flower.

She brought a hand to the cool metal necklace and spoke softly to Draco. "My favorite flower... How'd you know?" She looked into Draco's steely grey eyes through his reflection in the mirror, but he just smiled and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer, backwards, into his chest.

"My mum and I used to plant roses in her garden when I was little. When I was seven, I decided that I wanted to name my daughter Rose because I loved them so much. My mum would laugh at me every time I mentioned it and would say 'I'd love to have a granddaughter, 'Mi, but you can wait a little, right?' and we'd both start laughing."

By time Hermione had finished her story, a few stray tears were falling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away on the sleeve if her shirt, but Draco pulled her into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head.

They stood there in comforting silence before the doorbell buzzed, startling Hermione, who jumped out of Draco's embrace. He set the mirror down on the counter and walked briskly over to the door.

Hermione went around the counter and leaned on it as Draco approached the door. He outstretched his hand, leaning forward to open the door when it suddenly swung open, hitting Draco square in the face. The crack was audible and Hermione screamed and ran over to Draco who was stumbling backwards into the wall.

"I'm heeeeeeeeeeere, Boss! Boss? Where are ya, boss?" The young man who had just burst through the door was holding a key and lanyard in one hand and a very full paper sack in the other. "Boss?"

"Aiden you bloody git! I'll kill you!" Draco snarled murderously as Hermione pushed him back against the wall so she could check his nose.

It appeared to be broken, and he was bleeding badly. Threatening Aiden certainly wasn't helping it, so Hermione had to forcefully convince him to stay quiet. Draco winced in pain when his head hit the brick wall, but stayed quiet so Hermione could fix his nose. That, and he was rather enjoying the view.

Hermione had him more or less pinned against the wall with one hand on his shoulder, the other aiming her wand at his face. Her shirt had a scoop neck which showed off a tantalizing bit of cleavage that Draco didn't want to take his eyes off. Or if he got the chance, his hands...

Aiden liked the view as well. It was a great way to start his weekend. A sexy brunette in revealing, skin-tight clothes pinning his boss up against the wall. Aiden ordinarily would have been offended by Draco's death threat, but the only thought running through his mind was "Damn, that ass is so fine! Wonder if I can get my hands on it..." and then scheming ridiculous ideas of how to deflower the girl until he heard Draco cry out in pain.

Hermione had one hand on Draco's shoulder for balance, but that did nothing to stop her other hand from shaking still. Here he was, the man whose bed she had previously spent the night in, the man who had the most perfectly chiseled features, whose hair was so perfectly untamable...

"No! Why are you thinking this way? This is Draco Malfoy, the boy who watched you get tortured, and did some slightly less harmful torturing him self. But he's so damn cute! And his lips..." Hermione remembered the overwhelming tingly feeling that controlled her body whenever those soft lips touched her skin. She wanted them against her lips...

Crack!

Without even noticing it, Hermione had cast an *episky!* spell and Draco was now staggering away from her, shaking his head. Hermione sort of stumbled backwards into Aiden who put a hand on her ass and gently squeezed.

Well, this caught both Hermione and Draco's attention. Hermione, craning her neck to see the man grinning goofily at her, elbowed him in the balls. Draco started towards them, but at the sign that was Aiden's face contorting into pain, Draco stopped to see the full picture.

Hermione walked briskly away from Aiden and put her back to the wall, standing next to Draco, who swiftly put an arm around her waist.

"Aiden. _. You mother fucking asshole. I'm the only one who's allowed to do that!" Draco was shouting at the poor boy, and when Hermione finally registered what he had said, she yelped, not wanting to re-experience it.

"Chillax, boss. I got it! Don't hafta say anything else. It won't happen again," Aiden winked. Draco was more or less fuming, but more interested in the contents of the paper bag that Aiden had been carrying, but now set down on the counter.

"Ahh, Aiden. What have you brought me today?" Draco walked towards the boy, greedily rubbing his hands together. Aiden grinned wickedly and patted the sack gently.

"New store they've been building by Madame Malkins? They're calling it an 'Adult Entertainment' store? Couldn't resist, mate." The boy had a glint of mischief in his eye as he let Draco peer into the bag.

The men's eyes widened, and Hermione was curious as they were to see what was inside the bag Aiden had brought, in that they now understood the wizard definition of "sampler" as it was labelled on the front of the bag.

Draco and Aiden were whispering things to each other about different products they were playing with, but not taking out of the bag. There was one thing that Draco looked utterly perplexed by, but Aiden whispered something in his ear and they both looked over at Hermione. Draco's eyes widened, but he nodded all the same.

As Hermione inched inconspicuously closer, she started picking up bits of their conversations. She heard things like "But why would the go in your mouth?" and "Yeah. No, that one tastes like cherries. Mmhm, chocolate." and other interesting little bits before Aiden saw her and whipped around, pulling the bag behind his back, smiling devilishly.

"Sorry, love. Big boys only." Aiden called with a wink, storing his possessions in the other room, well out of Hermione's reach. She pouted, crossed her arms and went over to stand next to Draco. He smiled and kissed the side of her head, and then transfigured a pink pencil into a rose for her. Hermione was flattered and she was leaning in to kiss him in thanks, when all of a sudden there was a ring at the door, signaling that someone was entering the shop.

Hermione quickly backed away from Draco and started walking towards the back room that Aiden had just left and Draco spun around, leaning across the counter, smiling at whoever was walking into his shop. And then froze, seeing the figure entering the room.

The long blonde hair, the perfect figure that his father so frequently spoke of, traumatizing the "Slytherin Sex God" before his well-earned nickname. Her arrogant, superior smirk painted onto her thin lips. She entered the shop with a swift stride and looked around briefly before her eyes fell on Draco.

"My darling!" Narcissa Malfoy cried and hurried towards her only son. Draco took a step back to embrace the woman who gave birth to him. She carefully held her son, her head turning awkwardly, and gently resting against Draco's chest, her arms wrapping around his waist, barely touching him save for a brief pat on the back. Narcissa backed away quickly, and Draco sighed and closed his eyes, to prevent his mother from seeing them roll.

"Oh, dear! This place has become a complete mess! And I was planning on inviting guest to come have tea with me in your sitting room..." Narcissa cooed with a slight hint of sarcastic disappointment in her voice.

Draco sighed.

"Narcissa-"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that!" Narcissa snapped, lividly at him. "I mean, please, darling. Call me Mummy." She placed what she thought to be a loving hand on Draco's arm and looked at him with a spurious pleading in her eyes.

Draco scoffed. "You may be the woman that gave birth to me, but you are not my 'Mummy'."

Narcissa feigned heartbreak and looked genuinely hurt. "My son..." She started towards him, but Draco turned slightly away from her, halting her movement.

"Narcissa," he started again. "I've told you all but too many times. This is not a café. I do not serve tea on things that I am trying to sell. Please respect that."

Narcissa sighed and closed her eyes before she twitched slightly. Draco caught the spasm and looked over at her. She was sniffing and twitching her nose like a rabbit.

"Draco..." Narcissa continued sniffing and fluttered her eyes open. "Are you now selling perfume? Because it smells awfully like this one muggle one I've taken to be quite fond of. You aren't selling it here, are you?"

Draco shook his head slowly, confused. It then hit him. Muggle girl's scent. In his store, right in front of him, where a minute ago, standing in front of him was-

"Hermione Granger! Get that saucy ass of yours over here and help me with these China cups!" Aiden's voice rang out through the store before some shuffling and then murmurs between the two other people in the shop. Draco heard Aiden's hand smack something and then a crash, and then loud cursing and another smack.

"DRACOOOO! HERMIONE SLAPPED ME! Ow! She did it again!" Aiden howled from the other room and Draco chuckled. But Narcissa didn't find it humorous.

"Hermione? Hermione... Granger? That hideous, filthy little Mudblood?" Narcissa spat contemptuously and was shouting by time she was done.

Draco was utterly flabbergasted by his own mother's actions. "Mother!" He gasped as Narcissa put on a sweet old lady act.

Hermione, hearing her name walked into the room. "Sorry, miss. Is there something I can help you with?" Hermione said with an amiable smile. Narcissa smiled sweetly back at her.

"Yes, deary. You can get the hell out of my shop, you useless Mudblood." Narcissa growled, but managed to do so with a face that any deaf man would have thought to be kind and elderly.

Draco, however, was not deaf. And nor was Aiden. So upon hearing Narcissa's remark about Hermione, Aiden swiftly walked over to her and put a comforting and protective arm around her waist, and Draco stood dumbfounded and appalled by Narcissa's words.

Narcissa noticed Draco's gaping mouth and put on a sweet innocent old lady act again. "Draco, dear. Close your mouth. It's impolite," she spoke kindly with a gentle hand that reached up and pushed his jaw up to close his mouth, but Draco shook her away.

"How could you say that! Mother, after everything that we've all been out through you have the audacity to say that this... This... Beautiful, magnanimous, selfless, ingenious, brave, beautiful witch in front of me is useless? She probably could have single-handedly defeated Voldemort and all of his followers on one day! Including you and Fa-"

"Draco, that is enough!"

The entire room fell silent from Narcissa's harsh outburst. Aiden looked like he'd just been walking in a wind tunnel, Draco was fuming, and Hermione was confused.

She was fully aware of the fact that Narcissa Malfoy was a cruel and foul woman, but had always thought that she'd have at least been kind to her own son. Directly after the battle at Hogwarts, the Malfoy's had left the scene and fled to France.

Upon their arrival in France, news had already reached the residents there, and they basically lynched and slaughtered Lucius. Narcissa left with Draco to return home where she had plead not guilty. The Wizengamot had agreed, but Draco never forgave her.

Hermione had supposed that they had never truly gotten along, and intended to ask him later that day, but never got the chance to.

Draco had been so furious that he ordered his mother to leave the shop, despite all her pleads. He hadn't spoken a word to either her nor Aiden since, unless he truly couldn't find something or needed one of them to get the door.

At five-thirty that night, Draco decided it was time to go home.

"Hermione? Come on. We're going home now." Draco had strode up to her and was putting his jacket on, expecting her to meet his request.

Hermione obliged and took her coat from the back room and bid Aiden goodbye. The two of them apparated home and Draco immediately plopped down on a chair in front of the fireplace.

"Draco," Hermione carefully made her way over to the sofa beside him. "Are you alright? After Narcissa's visit you seemed a little... Well, a little out of it. Did you..."

"Did I want to talk about it? No, Granger, I didn't," Draco rose and headed for the staircase. "And if you don't mind, I've got a date to get ready for." He had reached the top of the stairs and slammed the bathroom door behind him.

Hermione still sat on the couch, taken aback by his abruptness. Ordinarily she would have thought this to be normal for Malfoy, but after sharing a bed with him the night prior, Hermione had at least had concluded that he really wasn't such a bad guy.

But after seeing his behaviour today she was beginning to think that nothing had changed. But the last thing Hermione remembered before nodding off into a gentle sleep was thinking who in the world did Draco have a date with?

—•—•—•—•—

"Snork! I wasn't sleeping!" Hermione woke some three hours later, feeling cruelly unrested.

She rolled her head and moaned. Her neck felt funny. Her muscles were sore, and she was tired from running around with and from Aiden for eight hours. "I need a bath... I hope Draco won't mind if I just do it here..." Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden realisation of a pink package and scrap of parchment on the coffee table before.

Hermione,

I'm story for snapping at you earlier. Clean up, take a bath, there are clothes for you on top of the dresser. When you start to run a bath, make sure you check first, then put this is with it. I should be back before midnight. If I'm not, I hope you enjoy yourself.

Love,

Draco

Hermione smiled. And then noticed all the flower petals around her. The rose petals.

"Of course," she smiled. Roses. She picked up the small package and decided to head off to take a bath.

She knew where it was, right next to Draco's room, and found the clothes he had mentioned on the dresser, as promised. Though the small pink lacy lingerie he had laid out for her was less than acceptable compared to her normal sleepwear.

"Never worn anything like this for Ron..." she thought fleetingly of her soon-to-be ex-husband. Cheating on her with... With...

Hermione couldn't even bring herself to think about the woman who she had walked in on sleeping with her husband. The memory was too painful. And speaking of pain...

"Ouch!" Hermione yelped, realising that she had subconsciously walked into the bathroom and began running the hot water with her hand in the tub that was now filled with scalding water.

"Well. Let's find out what this little package-" Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when she thought back to the scrap of parchment.

When you start to run a bath, make sure you check first...

Hermione looked down into the tub and saw it filled with rose petals as well. She shook her head and smiled once more. And then looked back over at the sink, where she had placed the small package.

She picked it up and undressed quickly, and then stepped into the bath. Laying there for a minute or so, she opened the package and saw a bright pink something explode from it and a piece of paper come fluttering down from where it had exploded from the package.

Covered in thick, pink bubbles, Hermione grabbed the paper. In Draco's irritatingly neat scrawl it read:

P.S. Open it away from you to avoid getting covered in suds.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Wonderful message, to have slipped into the package that she had to open to read. Wonderful.

She had a calm, and soothing bath, that lasted a little over an hour, and Hermione felt good and ready for bed by time she had decided to drain the tub.

Finding nothing else to put on, she slipped into the thin, pink, spaghetti-strapped mini-dress that was somehow nightwear that Draco had left out for her, and padded back into his room.

After slipping under the covers, and just before drifting off to sleep, Hermione thought of something.

Draco really was a nice guy now. Between everything he did for his shop, the way he kept his house, and now, the little things he did for Hermione. Letting her go to work with him, comforting her, letting her in when she had no one else to go to.

She thought of that, and how much she really loved roses.