HELLO AGAIN ALL FAITHFUL READERS! I apologize for not writing in what seems like a millennia - school takes up a gross amount of my time, yet I love everything about it.

Firstly, I have noticed, and quite shamefully might I add, that I can't proofread for my life. Therefore, here's an open call audition for ANYONE who would like to be my beta reader! This will include reading my chapters and being brutally honest. If you are interested please shoot an email to or INBOX me here. I'm more likely to respond to my actual email. All I need in your "audition" is a link to a story you have beta'd AND/OR a story you have written (I would prefer another Dramione but really anything will do). Looking forward to it!

Secondly, I LOVE your reviews especially a recent one from EllenDraper: I will now use their names sparingly. You were too right; the overuse is so evident.

And lastly, this chapter isn't one of my best yet it's a filler that needed to happen to keep the story going. Hopefully the ending will be to your liking.

REVIEW REVIEW if you want MORE! and again - email me if you want to be my BETA!

Hermione shuddered.

Perhaps the Ministry was having another cold flash as an Auror Apparated back from the North Pole.

She took a generous sip of her steaming tea and continued perusing the documents in front of her. Now was the time of year when Hogwarts sent letters to the homes of magical eleven-year-olds across the United Kingdom. She remembered quavering with excitement and apprehension when she received her Hogwarts acceptance letter many years ago. The only thing young Hermione questioned when receiving her letter was whether or not the whole ordeal was a façade.

As Head of Muggle Relations and Protection, Hermione had brought into law the Muggleborn School Relations Act of 2001. As part of this new edict, Aurors and an alumni or professor from Hogwarts were required to visit new muggleborn students and discuss the option of Hogwarts with their parents. The two counterparts were required to retell stories of their Hogwarts days and convey the phenomenal education to the probably confused and doubtful parents and their hyper-excited child.

The law was deemed completely successful as the rate of Muggleborn witches and wizards at Hogwarts and other wizarding schools rose progressively. She prided herself on this law, and took it upon herself to pair the Aurors and alumni/teachers. She knew how ineffective certain duos would be- say, for example, Trelawney and Ron - so she chose to personally pair each group.

She was onto her sixth pairing when there was a knock at her door.

"Come in, doors open!"

One glance at his fiery red hair and Hermione knew Ron was here to apologize. With a sheepish smile on his features, he closed the door with a soft click and took a seat.

"Yes, Ron. Feel free to take a seat," she bit sarcastically.

"Don't be sore, Hermione. You know it was an accident."

His voice was high, pressed even, yet she stubbornly avoided his attempts to catch her eye. They sat in a moment of pregnant silence.

"I'm sorry 'Mione. I shouldn't have said anything about you in bed to Seamus; I was being silly, immature, and jealous. I'm sorry for accidently punching you when Malfoy was around, but he's a sorry git and I won't apologize for socking him in the nuts–"

Hermione made a sound and Ron took this as encouragement.

"I love you, Hermione. You're one of my best friends and I can't stand to have you mad at me all the time. I'm trying to stop the futile comments, but you know me, it's how I'm programmed. I just want my best friend back."

Hermione looked at Ron's eager face. She couldn't help but laugh at his keen nervous self. He was sort of an oxymoron that Ronald Weasley. She smiled.

"Don't worry Ron. It's not a big deal. I still love you – even if you did punch me."

She chuckled at his hurried protests. They smiled comfortably at each other, a sort of ease settling upon them.

Parvati threw open the door, face flushed.

"No way… no way! I refuse to go with fucking Goyle to –"

"Hey Parvati."

Parvati's threaded eyebrow raised at the sight before her. Her eyes narrowed.

"Ron. Hermione."

Hermione glanced from Parvati to Ron and back. The rise in Parvati's voice and Ron's blissful gazing pointed to the obvious; she would declare herself foolish to ignore the undeniable.

Hermione felt a twang of jealousy. It wasn't as though she could help it – she wasn't in the least envious of Ron's crush. She hadn't had feelings for Ron since Merlin knows when…

To Parvati's defense, she looked quite uncomfortable and seemed to be avoiding his ogling, but Hermione detected a creeping blush on the base of her friend's neck.

"Hey Parvati."

"You said that already, Ron," Parvati added curtly.

He colored at her quick tongue.

"Like I was saying, there's no way in Merlin I'm accompanying Goyle to see a prospective student. He may be an Auror, but I'm sure he'll frighten any child away!"

Hermione frowned; it was quite difficult to pair any of the ex-Slytherin Aurors with alumni. And she knew for a fact most of them were changed men, save Malfoy and Pansy. Goyle, for one, invited Hermione out to dinner with his muggle friends and apologized for jeering and belittling her many a time at Hogwarts. She'd dismissed it with a smile and enjoyed the rest of her evening with Greg. Yes, she figured it appropriate now to call him Greg.

"You will go with Greg, Parvati, and you know he's not going to devour any of the kids. Talk to Luna and she'll verify. She went with him last time, after all."

"She was probably staring into space the entire bloody time," the woman muttered, looking warily at the sickly smile on Ron's lips.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Parvati to hold a vendetta.

"Mustn't you be off Ron?" Parvati chided with a coy smile, "Isn't there an Auror meeting in ten?"

Ron shot out of his seat and attempted to glide past the attractive Indian woman in a smooth sashayed walk. Parvati just rolled her eyes at his awkward movements and departure.

"What was that about?" Parvati asked, her lip curled with distaste.

"Perhaps Ron likes you?"

Parvati laughed with mirth.

"Good joke, Hermione."

Hermione's face deadpanned and Parvati stopped laughing, gaping.

"You're kidding…"

"I'm not the most comical person you know, Parvati."

Parvati bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment. She then shook her head and looked back to an already engrossed Hermione.

"So…" Parvati kicked her feet onto the table and moved some of Hermione's meticulously sorted papers, "How was the date with Theo?"

This time Hermione bit her lip and twisted an unkempt curl around her finger. She was positively glowing, Parvati noted. There was a shine in her cheeks she hadn't seen for months and a twinkle in her eyes that captivated.

Hmm, Theo my boy, what have you done to our Hermione?

"We went on a date at 'One More Knight' and it was nice. He was a perfect gentleman, I suppose. There's nothing more to tell."

She shifted some papers and proceeded to scowl.

"Except Malfoy was there with this naïve big breasted Brazilian bint – and did I mention we sat with them for a good fifteen minutes before I lost my appetite? I could have upchucked my stomach right there, Parvati."

Parvati grinned and cowed with laughter.

"I mean Gissel wasn't all that bad – a bit dumb and the language barrier didn't help in the slightest – but what can I say about Malfoy's choice in women? It's frighteningly horrible! And be my witness, Parvati, when I use those adjectives as an understatement."

Parvati's chortles continued, her eyes tearing up.

"Good Merlin Hermione, you are hilarious. Malfoy riles you up, doesn't he? He's a bloody wanker, he is."

"That ferret," Hermione muttered softly.

There was no spite in her words; they were just words. It was as if she could never hate all the irritating aloofness and haughtiness of her childhood enemy. It was as if he was chipping away at this wall of hate and indifference Hermione's mind and soul had erected. She couldn't understand why he bothered her so much. Perhaps… no, that couldn't possibly be it.

There was a knock at the door. And in walked Hannah Abbot, precariously balancing at least two hundred stacks of Auror profiles. Hannah dropped the stack off next to Hermione's otherwise occupied desk. She smiled at the seated women.

"Hey you two! How has your day been?"

Parvati began,

"Been pre–"

"Mine was just great! You know Seamus asked me out on a date? It's going to be just fabulous. You don't mind do you Hermione? You know, since you went out on a date with him almost three weeks ago."

"It's fi–"

"I knew you'd be fine with it! You're just so kind. Here are some more Auror files to pair, and in alphabetical order just as you like it!"

"That's gr–"

"I must be off! Back to the Minister of Magic, I go! Nice to see you Parvati; we must catch up sometime. Dinner this week? Sounds fantastic."

Hannah trailed out the room and slammed the door theatrically in her departure. Hermione regarded the door for a few seconds before shrugging and returning to her papers. Parvati still frowned in confusion.

"Do you ever feel the need to Confund someone as chipper as Hannah Abbot?"

Hermione chuckled.

The door flung open again.

"Which reminds me, Hermione, why aren't you at Mungo's?"

Hermione looked up, perplexed, and wrinkled her nose questionably at Hannah's voice.

"I should be at the hospital?"

"Well I got an owl from Demetri this morning. He's on the Malfoy Industries board, as you very well know, and he was at Mungo's early this morning."

"Hmm?"

"Well, you see, apparently Malfoy injured himself and passed out. One of the elves found him in the morning and he's be convalescing in St. Mungo's ever since."

Hermione's eyes flashed with emotion. She acted quickly.

"Can you defer all my Floos and owls, Parvati? I need to go."

"Of course, just owl me if you need anything else."

Hannah felt as though she was interrupting and waved a goodbye, leaving the busied Hermione to look around her office for some Malfoy Industries' files.

"Are you going to be okay, Hermione?"

The brown haired witch's head snapped up and her brows furrowed.

"Why would you say that?"

"You look rather worried and dazed is all."

"I'm fine, Parvati, in fact, I'm wonderful. I just forgot that Malfoy needed to sign some papers for me."

"But he's in the hospital. Can't it wait?"

Hermione raised her hand almost regally.

"Unfortunately, these papers need to be signed and mailed by today. It completely slipped my mind; how could I forget?"

Parvati's eyes held a knowing look as she passed the folders to a grateful Hermione. Files in hand, Hermione stepped into the personal office Floo, a slight frown gracing her pinkish lips.

"See you soon."

Hermione always thought there was something so inexplicably eerie about St. Mungo's. Perhaps it was the obsessively whitewashed walls or dark windy corridors that stirred unease in Hermione's stomach.

For now it was the eardrum piercing silence that Hermione disliked. She knew that Mungo's thrived in perpetual chaos, but just standing in the quiet hallways made it impossible to perceive the wizarding hospital in that busy existence. Was the hospital charmed to appear deserted or did Mungo's just have so many floors it was near impossible to find more than ten people?

The hallway ended in the near distant, and Hermione saw the silhouettes of three men. As she neared, it appeared to her two shadows were pacing back and forth and another man sat on the row of seats outside a hospital room. Her steps quickened, and the men looked up to see who was coming. Theo spoke first.

"You came?"

"No bloody thanks to any of you, might I add. Do you know how insulted and embarrassed I felt to have your sister tell me my boss was in the hospital?"

Demetri just sighed as if to dismiss her and the men silenced again. Theo spoke for them all when he looked away from her chilling stare.

"How could you, Theo?"

Theo's lip quivered at Hermione's sullen and disappointed voice. His eyes were downcast.

"I wanted to – believe me, I did. Malfoy expressly forbid any of us to contact you. It was trivial and silly reasoning of course, but we could only obey his wishes. He even individually called me out and said he'd fire me if I owled you."

Fucking Malfoy…

"That git."

"He basically dictated 'Theo if you fucking tell Granger I am here, I will Crucio your cock faster than you can say Voldemort'. I kid you not, Hermione."

She smiled at him but peered worriedly at the window at which Demetri and Adrian watched.

"He's alright. Just a dumb arse."

"What did he do?" she asked sorely, "Shag Gissel so hard his manhood broke?"

Theo's eyes danced at that, then his voice was solemn.

"No."

"Then what?"

"He punched a wall."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

"He, what?"

"You heard me, Hermione. He punched a wall."

"Excuse me if I seem ignorant when I ask this, but why in Merlin's beard would Malfoy punch a wall?"

"Cause he's an idiot. How the fuck should I know? I didn't ask him – he looked about ready to hex me to next Saturday when I arrived here."

Hermione chewed her bottom lip.

"Like I said, he'll be alright. Just passed out from the pain I think."

"Can I talk to him?"

Theo's eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Hermione, considering he doesn't even know you're here."

Theo reached up and squeezed Hermione's hand. She bit her lip at his small knowing smile.

"He's awake though, isn't he?"

"Yes but–"

Before he could respond, Hermione turned away from him and shoved her way past Pucey and Abbot. She opened the door and charmed it sealed as the boys tried fruitlessly to open the door. She cast a quick Silencio.

Hermione's eyes rested upon the statuesque frame of Draco Malfoy. Her breath hitched as she noticed the thin sheet did not hide the defined muscles of his uncovered upper body. His white blond hair fell over his eyelids and he looked like a sleeping angel. He was beautiful. She moved next to him and pulled up a chair.

She gazed at his sleeping form, smilingly inwardly at how Malfoy could be so damn perfect yet so broken. He was this enigma she willed herself to solve, but she could not bring herself to lose anything for him.

As she continued her contemplation, she realized it wasn't just Harry, Ron, and Ginny that kept her from exploring Malfoy. It was herself. She was done with Malfoy toying with her emotions. She was done dreaming of his hot body pressed to hers, his searing lips against her lamb-like prey neck. She was done with him calling her a mudblood and inversely making her yearn for his touch. Hermione was done. Done with him.

"Granger?"

The croaked voice came from the man lying before her.

"Are you an angel?"

"No, Malfoy, I'm a figment of your fucking imagination. Why are you at Mungo's? Why did you punch the wall?"

"Granger," his cracked voice interjected, "I'm in physical and emotional pain right now, and your irritatingly sanctimonious mudblood voice is not helping one bit."

"Well too bad."

"Sod off, Granger."

"No, you sod off."

"I'm in a hospital bed."

"You could be in a hospice for all I care."

Then she was silent.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

He inhaled her worrisome and quiet voice. He fed off her vulnerable state. She was the only thing keeping him living; he needed her. Malfoy closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

"I'm fine, Granger. I was just trying to punch this bogart of your filthy mudblood face, okay?"

He saw her flinch and felt her pain.

Granger, can't you see that you are making me this way? You are this bewildering medley of colors. Did you see that – would Draco Malfoy ever say that? No, you're turning me into a sorry pathetic arse.

"Well then, I'm sorry I came."

She arose with indifference and raised her wand to take down the charm. Then, ironically Draco thought, the lights went out. St. Mungo's was now pitch black.

"What the hell?"

"Watch your tone, Granger. Also, what is hell?"

"Watch your horridly pale excuse for a face. Where's the light switch?"

"Lumos, Granger. You do own a wand don't you? Or are you, rightly might I add, a muggle now?"

"Shut it, Malfoy."

When Hermione's wand did not illuminate, she glowered at Malfoy.

"My magic doesn't work in here."

"Fantastic observation, Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor!"

She threw up her arms, infuriated.

"It's all your fault I'm here in the first place, Malfoy. If you hadn't punched the fucking wall…"

"Calm down, Granger. Really, you just overreact sometimes."

Hermione shot him a look of malice. She heard the sheets rustle as he moved, and she sat back down in the seat across from him.

"You're such a bloody hypocritical idiotic sadistic-"

"Granger, is that know-it-all brain of yours running out of adjectives?"

Hermione clenched her fists.

"You mean running out of adjectives that poor Malfoy understands?"

She smiled at the note of clear annoyance in his tone.

"And you, Granger, are the bane of my existence."

"Always jumping to insult me, aren't you?"

"Only because it pleases me. You're an easy target – not in the sense that you're subservient but because of your sharp tongue and wit."

Could that have been a compliment?

"I know what you're doing, Granger, and don't flatter yourself. You won't be getting anymore of my niceties when I'm done with Mungo's."

"Because I'm so chary of you, Malfoy," Hermione retorted sweetly.

"Your sarcasm is unbecoming, Granger."

"As is your complexion."

He scoffed and the sheets sounded again as he turned to face her.

"Always up for a battle of the wits, I see?"

"Only if my opponent's intellect is weaker by ten-fold."

"Frightened that you'll be outwitted by, what was that again, a bloody hypocritical idiotic sadistic prick?"

"If you recall I never said prick, Malfoy, you supplied that one. I was thinking more along the lines of bigot or cretin..."

"Low blow, dear Granger."

She laughed quietly, and for a moment, she thought she could see the twinkle in his brooding grey eyes. He stirred again and Hermione looked at him from under her lashes. She felt a yearning feeling in the pit of her stomach and called his name lowly and impulsively.

"Draco…"

She immediately drew her hand to her mouth as Malfoy moaned softly. He arose from the bed and Hermione responded by launching to her feet and backing silently against the door. He moved languidly towards her, enclosing his smooth hand around her drawn wand. He brushed his slender fingers against her warm skin and felt her tremble under his soft and almost nonexistent touches. He made a deep guttural sound as her body pressed back against his own.

He was in pain, not from the impact of the blow, but from her sheer closeness. He could hear her shallow breathing, and it was all he needed to lean towards Hermione with audacity, his hot breath against her neck.

He cupped her chin and in the dark, Hermione thought she could see his soul-filled eyes. For the first time, she was seeing him without his facade; there he was, emotionally naked and begging her to forget everything and just kiss him.

"Or we can enjoy our time in here, mudblood."

And then it was as if Hermione lost all thought and inhibitions as his lips collapsed against hers for the first time.

*runs and hides*

I know exactly what you're thinking but don't be mad. All will be revealed in the next chapter which, might I add, is already under way. And of course my lucky beta will have the glorified position of reading it before its submission.

REVIEW because I'm a sadistic young girl who feeds off my reviewers obsequious flattery. JOKES! Critique would be very much appreciated. Much love.