A/N: I wish they were mine. At least leave handsome Draco for me, JKR. That's my only wish.

"Flipendo!"

The incessant chimes of Hermione's alarm clock ceased as it smashed against the wall. She moaned and pulled the covers off her face to let the light dance across her freckles - the first few minutes of the day were always the hardest. After bribing herself out of bed, Hermione slipped into routine: bathroom, hair, clothes. Hermione found herself staring at the mirror minutes later. She sighed at the groggy face staring back at her and cringed at the knots in her hair, just another occurrence in the very ordinary mornings of Hermione Granger.

She checked her watch - seven sharp - as Hermione entered the kitchen to serve breakfast. Ginny had thankfully cleaned up the dross from the messy dinner musical or whatever her two children had performed. Too tiresome to whip up some homemade pancakes with syrup, she poured some cereal and milk and ate quietly on her kitchen island. Her night had consisted of entertaining the kids while Ginny prepared dinner, then surviving their animal-like devouring of the meal, sending the Potter's on their way, and dreaming of Malfoy.

Renege that, the images were more akin to a nightmare than anything. No way would I, Hermione Granger, dream of Malfoy's expert hands roaming down...

She had woken up irritated three times that night; lack of sleep would not service the amount of work she expected today at the Ministry. She stabbed her spoon into the bowl. Malfoy was getting to her. She rolled her head, hands pressing against the pressure points in her neck and finished breakfast quickly. She slipped into her shoes by the fireplace and Flooed into the Ministry of Magic.

"Hermione, there you are."

Hannah Abbott dumped a pile of manila files onto Hermione's assistant's desk.

"These are for you. Arthur sent them down. They need to be signed, sealed and owled to their appropriate addresses."

Hermione however, was busy reading another file near Parvati's desk.

"Yeah," she responded inattentively to the peppy Hannah, "Just leave them here and I'll get right to them."

Hermione missed Hannah's beam and frolic out the office; she would have been relieved to know she'd missed it anyway. Parvati returned, balancing two cups of Ethiopian's Finest, envelopes, and folders Hermione had requested for bookkeeping.

"You are a lifesaver," Hermione thanked while grabbing the envelopes and folders.

"No problem."

Parvati put the two mugs on her desk and groaned, looking Hermione's way.

"More files?"

Hermione frowned, finally letting Hannah's unexpected visit sink in.

"I suppose so. It's fine, we'll get it done by five… six…"

Parvati groaned again and took a sip of her coffee. Hermione put the envelopes and files under her arm, and with Parvati in tow, carried the folders and her coffee. The girls attacked the workload for hours, until it was all complete… at seven. Two vials of Pepper Up potion lay strewn across Hermione's desk and the two women lounged tiredly in their chairs.

"I could sleep right now, Hermione."

Hermione chuckled and rubbed her eyes, thankful Arthur's bookkeeping had been completed. She hated working on a big task for more than a couple days.

"Wingardium leviosa."

The empty vials fell into the trash can with a flick of her wand.

"Want to give me the day off tomorrow?"

"I wish, Parvati, but the Ministry doesn't just let you take leave for working hard," Hermione responded jovially.

"I wish I got paid overtime."

"I hear you."

They cleaned up and set the office properly before turning off the lights and leaving. They were the only few in the building.

"Merlin," Parvati murmured in a hushed tone, "The Ministry is just creepy at night. Sometimes I swear You-Know-Who is going to pop out from behind the decorative ferns."

Hermione tittered nervously.

She said her goodbye to Parvati who Flooed from the fifth floor and pressed the elevator button to the forty-third. As the steel doors slammed shut, someone snaked their way through. One good look at his height and white-blond hair revealed his identity.

"Granger," he drawled upon noticing her, "Didn't expect to see you here so late."

She frowned.

"Didn't expect to see you either. What business do you have at the Ministry?"

"No need to be so formal, Granger," he said boorishly, "We're all friends here."

"Okay?"

"I'm here to see Potter," he snarked, "Not that it's any of your business."

He looked at the illuminated elevator buttons. He smirked.

"I see you are too."

"Doesn't take a genius to deduce that, Malfoy," she quipped.

He tilted his head at her and shook it to confirm she was actually there.

"Why are you going to see your appendage anyway?"

Her scowl was positively menacing.

"Glad you asked, Malfoy. Firstly, he's my friend, not an appendage, and I can visit him anytime I want…"

"Whatever, Granger," he interjected, "You're boring me."

She decidedly took back her changed opinion of Malfoy. He was still such a blasted git after all. Hermione glared at him and then stared straight ahead, counting the number of floors in the Ministry to avert her attention from the fantastical Crucio she was performing on a horrified Malfoy in her daydream.

The doors slid open on one of the many Auror floors and Hermione exited with Malfoy at her side. They both walked over to Harry's room. Hermione felt awkward with Draco so close to her. She wished he would go away and stop making vellicated touches on her arm when they accidently brushed. As if on cue, Harry exited his office with a mug of coffee in his hand and saw them approaching.

"'Mione!"

He enveloped her into a bear hug.

"Good to see you. Uh, Malfoy?"

The quizzical expression on Potter's face was one noted and savored by the Slytherin Prince.

"Nice to see you too, Potter."

Harry looked momentarily flustered.

"I would invite you both in, but I'm heading home early to spend some quality time with Ginny and the kids."

"She talked to you about it then?" asked Hermione.

"Talked to me?" Harry teased, "Screamed like a Banshee, she did. Molly had to send the poor kids to bed."

Hermione shook her head with a knowing smile.

"That's all fine and dandy, Potter. I'm here to discuss what I mentioned in our letters."

Harry's face deadpanned.

"Right this way into my office, Mr. Malfoy. Hermione, do you mind telling Ginny I won't be able to make it? It's a very imperative and important meeting, I assure you."

"And you want to leave me in the hands of an extremely magically unstable pregnant witch? Thanks Harry, but I'll pass."

"Please, Hermione," he pleaded.

"Fine, fine. You owe me."

"I appreciate it," he thanked quickly before heading after Malfoy into his office.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Gin's going to kill you."

Malfoy suppressed a grin as Harry shut the door – and Harry noticed, much to his own chagrin.

"And what are you so cheery about, Malfoy?"

"Just wondering what it's like living with the She Weasel."

Harry looked at him pointedly and frowned.

"I recall you said in your painfully polite letters you'd stop calling her that."

Malfoy sighed and gave a slight bow of the head.

"But just between you and me, she can be a living nightmare," Harry laughed.

Malfoy arched his eyebrow but remained quiet. His no nonsense look was recognized by Harry immediately, who quickly changed topics.

"The matter at hand…"

"Yes, Potter, the matter at hand is that Granger is fucked."

Harry shuddered at Draco's spiteful and icy tone.

"I was unaware you disliked her so much."

"Hardy har har," Draco sneered, "I don't dislike her. I'd call it more a deep loathing than anything else."

Draco fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I just don't need a reason to prolong my father's stay in Azkaban. He's serving out his sentence, and he's got enough demons to deal with on his own."

"I know that, Malfoy, I just need more to run with."

Draco sighed and ran his hand through his white blonde hair.

"Isn't the mere fact that it's Rodolphus and Rabastan who plan to kidnap her enough for you?"

Harry looked at Draco decidedly, carefully thinking before he spoke.

"Perhaps things were that simple when you were a Death Eater but as an Auror, we run by concrete evidence."

Malfoy's fist clenched by his sides. Clenched and unclenched repeatedly before he slammed his fist on the desk inciting a jump from Harry.

"Look here, Potter," the angry blond spat, "Perhaps you don't care for Hermione's welfare, but I care for my father who'll be dragged into this fucking mess. They'll kidnap my mother and force Lucius to kidnap Hermione – or worse, kill her! I'm not willing to play Wizard chess with their lives, are you?"

Harry just stared at Draco, his mouth agape.

"You'll drool on the desk, Potter."

Harry paused and then proceeded to close his jaw.

"You know you said Hermione, right?"

Had he? He hadn't noticed.

"So maybe I did. Did it get the point across?"

Harry rolled his sea green eyes and shuffled the papers on his desk.

"I can't change protocol Malfoy, but be sure that I'll keep a couple Aurors around Hermione's apartment."

"Well that's settled then, isn't it Potter?"

Malfoy shook hands with a bewildered Harry and turned to leave quickly. His Wizard cloak seemed to drag heavily on his chiseled shoulders as he reached the door.

"Malfoy," Harry asked quietly.

Draco froze.

"Aren't you forgetting protection for your father."

Malfoy's face blanked for a second, but he quickly regained his composure. He would never let Harry know his visit wasn't predominantly for his father's safety.

"Of course I didn't, don't be daft. I'll personally make sure the Lestranges don't touch him."

And with those final words, Draco Lucius Malfoy - thoughts and emotions reeling - hurriedly left the office of a very confused Harry James Potter.

Hermione tucked the young boy into his bed. She sat down next to him and brushed his dark brown curls off his forehead. He was perfect. The day James had been born, the first thing Hermione thought of was how much of Harry she could see in him. The same eyes, the same hair, even the same smile. Not one bit like Ginny, she had thought. But now he had grown into a young strapping five year-old-boy, and the Weasley traits emerged each and everyday. Mischievous and headstrong, earnest yet playful, loyal and compassionate. He was already his own boy wonder in every way his father and grandpa had been. She kissed the boy's forehead and headed down the Burrow's stairs.

Ginny didn't even hear her walking down. She was poised by the window, Firewhiskey in hand. The redheaded young woman gazed out wistfully.

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned around, a bit flustered.

"I'm sorry to have kept you so long," she gushed.

Her eyes were moving rapidly around the room and she gripped Hermione's hand tightly. Hermione winced.

"I mean, with Harry cancelling at the last minute and Bill's girls here. I didn't know what to do and I couldn't have managed– ,"

"Don't even worry about it, Gin. You know he cancelled for a meeting with Malfoy."

The last word came out with bile. The way he'd treated her in the Ministry elevator, and she'd even had enough decency to say Malfoy was a changed man. Hermione wanted to laugh ruefully. Even she knew men like Malfoy never changed.

To bring her out of thought, the fireplace went aflame with green powder. Harry emerged from the fireplace, dusting the green soot off his Auror robes. He smiled at Ginny, who momentarily met his smile, before scowling and stomping up the stairs. He looked back up the stairs worriedly, and then to Hermione.

"She's going to be mad for quite some time, isn't she?"

Hermione placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed. He was her best friend after all.

"Gin's fine. She loves you, that's all. I'll see you around."

She popped into the fireplace and smiled warmly at the boy who'd survived it all: the dreadful Dursleys, Hogwarts, Snape's horrid potions class, and a war that changed everything. A boy who'd defeated Voldemort countless times, and sent him to his grave. A boy who never truly knew a mother or a father. A boy who'd lost everything, and gained even more.

Hermione raised her head at the loud knock on her office door. She glanced at her wristwatch; it was only seven. Who'd be here this early?

"Come in."

Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief. You've got to be fucking kidding me, and this early in the morning? Merlin, are you trying to kill me?

"Granger," came the familiar drawl.

"What do you want so god damn early in the morning, Malfoy?"

"Ouch. Why do you hurt me so, Granger?" he jibed.

Hermione groaned and her quill began attacking the mountain of work in front of her. She swore the piles grew into Everests as the hours went by. Well, you couldn't be Head of Muggle Relations and Protection and not work as hard as she did.

She was proud of her title, and she'd earned it. All O's on her OWLs hadn't gone to waste. She watched him scrupulously as he casually itched at his neck. His perfectly creamy white neck.

Oh my God, you have gone positively mad.

"You look as though you're in pain, Granger."

"I'm always in pain when you're in the room," she snapped back.

Leaning against the door frame, his eyes danced playfully.

"Do I inflame that much raw emotion in you, Granger?"

She paused, thrown off for a second, before meeting his eyes.

"Hardly."

"I've never taken you for a liar," he commented snidely.

"Better than a subordinate and pliant Pansy," she retorted snippily.

She saw him twitch. Pansy Parkinson, the bane of his existence was always a soft spot for Draco. As much as he loved her – and how could he not, they'd known each other for years – Pansy Parkinson was an annoying pug-faced attention-seeking bitch.

At least there was one opinion Draco shared with the rest of the world.

"I am not with Pansy anymore, for your information."

"I don't even care."

He huffed and crossed his arms like a young boy.

"My feelings towards Ms. Parkinson are not fortuitous, Granger. My ex-fiancé cheated on me."

Hermione did a sharp intake at his carefully chosen words.

"What?"

Draco was smirking at her again. He bothered her, he really did. One minute he was playing the pitied and the next an arrogant prat.

"How one could cheat and risk losing a Malfoy, even I don't know the answer to that, Granger."

She merely snorted in response.

"But to answer your question, she had been sneaking around with Flint behind drawn curtains. And it wasn't long until I returned early from work one day and caught the two lovers shagging on my work desk no less. Needless to say, it was burned that very evening."

"Oh."

What a pathetic response, Hermione. You can do better.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"No one fucking died, Granger. It was more a blessing actually. I got rid of her easily and now my predilection for Pansy only matches that of my liking for Buckbeak."

The corners of his lips curled and Hermione matched his smile.

"You hate Buckbeak."

"Now I knew there was a reason everyone keeps referring to you as the smartest witch of our age."

Malfoy sat down in one of the two chairs facing her. She couldn't even hide her grimace; the thought of what would come next truly scared her.

"Don't look so panicked, Granger."

Her lips were pulled into a thin line.

"There must be something you want, Malfoy, so out with it."

Draco was about to continue, but then paused. He hadn't noticed how the light from her open window accented the curve of her cheekbone and the flecks of green in her otherwise brown eyes.

Her doe eyes.

He even noticed her hair was no longer that tangly bush he'd once called the nest of death, they were deep rich brown curls. She chewed her lip in apprehension. Her rosy bottom lip...

What the fuck is wrong with me.

"Excuse that momentary digression, Granger."

"Uh–,"

"As I'd discussed with you earlier, Malfoy Industries is pursuing the mergence of muggle technologies and wizarding alike. I came here to ask you if you'd join the discussions regarding muggle relations at the next Malfoy Industries board meeting?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Purely business related, Granger. You deal and talk with the muggles and provide them with whatever muggle things they need and–,"

"Muggle things?" she repeated, aghast, "They don't need muggle things, Malfoy. All anyone needs is a bit of positive reassurance."

"Right well, you can tell them that now can't you. Until next time."

He nodded and left before she could even respond to his request… if she'd even call it one. She knew that Malfoy needed her there, after all he knew as much about muggles as most Pureblooded wizards.

She had to go.

She wanted to go.

Reviews are always welcomed.