A/N: I'd just like to say thank you for everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed the first chapter - it really gave me the encouragement I needed to keep writing! I tried to keep the reviews in mind when writing this chapter, so hopefully you all enjoy!

Approximately thirty minutes after Hermione had left Draco's office, a memo had been delivered to him.

'Meeting tomorrow morning. Does 10-11 a.m sound good to you? Send a note back if not. Informal meeting - I'll be waiting at a coffee cart in the atrium, you might have seen it? Don't worry, I'll have a table organised. H.'

Her sarcasm was evident at the end of the note and it made him snort a quiet laugh. He put it in the top drawer of his desk and stood up, put on his coat and headed out of his office to finally go home. Unlike most workers in the Ministry who apparated or took the floo network home, Draco took the lift at the visitor's entrance and walked. Granted, his home was only a five minute walk from said entrance as he had bought it with his workplace specifically in mind. The first few months he started working at the Ministry, he always apparated into the atrium purely because he hated walking through the mostly busy streets to get to and from work. It had been Astoria and her more adventurous side that suggested they take more walks through Muggle London together and ever since then, he'd never felt the need to take any form of wizarding transport to anywhere that didn't warrant it. Just like when he walked to his breaks during work, when he was heading downstairs to leave, he never met anyone's eye. He wasn't afraid or embarrassed to look at anyone (like it was first assumed when he first started working), he just really hated stopping and talking to someone who assumed they were friends because they worked in the same place and started talking to him about Such-and-Such, or who was going out with who, or their own children. Other people's affairs ranked very low on the list of 'Things Draco Malfoy Cares About'.

At home, his night was as drab as the winter London weather outside. After having a dinner of microwavable pasta, he'd sat on his couch and read a few chapters of his book, then turned on the television that came with his house, and watched the news. As always. When buying his house, he hadn't looked for the fanciest apartment or the biggest townhouse he could find (much to many people's surprise). He'd looked for a home. Somewhere with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Somewhere he could go when he finished work, do what he had to do, sleep and continue on the next day. He wasn't looking to fill it with lavish furniture and decoration like the Manor had; it had been a shock to his mother's system when he'd announced to her at aged twenty he was moving out from their family home to live in central London. He could tell Narcissa had been hesitant over the fact that his new home was in a primarily Muggle area - excluding the Ministry's presence - but he also knew she wouldn't dare say anything against it, even to him.

She often visited and brought along a house elf too, to clean the house and make it presentable. Draco wasn't a messy person as such, but he didn't invest as much time into making his home immaculate as he did with his own self. While he left in the morning after spending time in the bathroom making sure his hair sat just so and that his robes were crisp and free of lint. His shoes were never scuffed or dirty looking and he always wore a tie and cufflinks on the white shirt he wore under his robes. While he spent time in the morning getting presentable, he never left his house immaculate - leaving the toaster out and dishes on the counter until he had to clean them that night. Cleaning those dishes was exactly what he did before retiring to bed for the evening, setting his alarm to six-thirty the next morning to be at work by eight.

And another day was done.

—

Draco was determined to arrive early to his meeting with Hermione just so he could brandish a smug smile to her when she came to claim the table that he would already be sitting on. A smirk already graced his features as he walked through the atrium and looked at his watch. 9:48. Perfectly early. He hadn't expected to look up from his watch and see across the atrium, that she was already sitting at the table with a coffee in hand. His smirk quickly turned to a scowl and when he reached the table he sat down without greeting her.

She had a smug smile of her own, the kind he'd wanted to have in being early. "Great! Now you're here, we can start our meeting early," she told him and passed him some papers which he picked up. He still hadn't responded to her and he started to read over everything she'd written.

"Are you sure an hour is going to be long enough for you to tell me about everything you've written on here?" He asked when he'd finished reading some minutes later.

"Of course not," Hermione shook her head. "That's why we'll need to fix more meetings. Regular ones too. With holidays coming up, I'd like to get a move on as when people take their holiday time, I'll have to pick up the slack."

"You don't take time off during the holidays?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's just like any other time of the year," she shrugged. "Right. Back on track. Have you given my proposal any thought?" She asked.

Of course he'd bloody thought about it. It was one of the main things he had been thinking about the night previous. He'd even gone as far to sit at his desk and right notes of what things he wanted to achieve to help her. "You mentioned yesterday in your rambling that none of the parents of students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang—"

"And other Wizarding schools that can join," she added.

He gave her a look and then nodded. "None of the parents knew of any potential exchange programs," he continued. "This is the easiest thing to tackle and something you should think about doing first." He pulled her papers towards him and flicked to the page where she'd written her ideas about giving parents information. "The best and easiest way to let them know, is to write up a letter. One in English and one in either Bulgarian, French, or the native language spoken at any other school you want to incorporate into the program. The letter needs to detail everything in a succinct and precise manner."

Hermione nodded to what he said. "It sounds like a very good idea; a letter is what I'd been planning."

"It can be sent out with the normal school letters to every student at the start of the school year."

"You'll help me write it?"

"No, Granger, I'm here for no reason," he rolled his eyes which made her smile. "I can get a draft to you in around two days. I'll take this, though," he pinched her papers.

"That's fine," she nodded. "We can run it through with Minister Shacklebolt when a final draft is arranged and then propose that along with other ideas."

"It sounds like a plan," he nodded. "Along with letters we'll need to write up documents containing everything at the end of our research that we can send out to the schools you want involved."

"I'm sure that can easily be done," she nodded. She'd pulled back the papers and took a pen out of her robe pocket and jotted down the new notes he'd suggested to her.

"Now, with the insurance policies…"

—

The meeting had been successful upon its conclusion. Instead of only lasting until eleven, neither Draco or Hermione had paid attention to the time and had finished speaking of the proposal closer to one o'clock. More notes were made and ideas thrown around from both parties and when they spoke last of the meeting, it had been ten to one, according to Draco's watch which he'd quickly looked at. Instead of parting to go their separate ways, both stayed and each had a muffin from the coffee cart and took their seats again.

"Are you going to the Christmas ball?" Hermione asked after she'd taken a bite out of her muffin.

Draco nodded and sipped from the coffee he had. "Unfortunately," he answered with a brief chuckle. "My mother is also hosting one. It will be ever so much fun. Are you going to the Ministry one?"

"Mm-hm," she hummed. "I'd rather not but I have obligations as head of my department."

"Oh yes, what a burden that must be. Attending a ball because duty calls," he teased.

"What's your reason for going then, as you look so enthralled at the mention of it."

"Change of scenery," he smirked. "Instead of a dull night at home, I can have a dull night in a lavish ballroom with free drinks after eleven o'clock. It sounds like a good idea to me."

Hermione laughed and had some more muffin. "My, we're such Grinches, aren't we?"

"I'm sorry, such what?"

"Grinches." She continued to laugh at his clueless expression. "It's a Muggle cartoon who hates Christmas."

"Now, now. Hate is a strong word, Granger."

"Mm, I know it is," she said and smiled with an arch of her brow, and then pinched a piece of muffin between her fingers and brought it to her mouth.

"And I don't hate Christmas. I just…tolerate it to a bare extent. Like you said, it's just like any other time of the year, I don't feel the need to celebrate it like everyone else does."

"I agree," she nodded. "All I do is have lunch with my parents, stay the night and work the next morning. I've been doing that since I started working…" She said.

"How have I never seen you around the Ministry during the holiday times?" He asked curiously.

"Maybe you just weren't looking hard enough, Malfoy."

"Why would I be looking for you around the Ministry?"

"Well I—" She began to think of a reason.

"Do you look for me, Granger?" He smirked.

A faint red blush appeared high on her cheeks and she sat up straighter in her chair. "No, of course not! I was merely insinuating that—"

Draco chuckled quietly and held up his hand to get her to stop talking. "Now, now. No need to get your lacies in a twist."

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Don't say that, it's vile."

"How is it vile?" He challenged.

"Because you're talking about…" She paused and then leaned across the table and hissed a whisper, "About my knickers!"

Draco gasped mockingly and placed a hand on his chest. "Merlin, I shouldn't be talking about such unholy things!"

"Oh, shut up," Hermione glared at him and took a drink of her coffee. Draco tipped his head back slightly and laughed genuinely at her expression, but missed the faint curve of her own lips as she smiled whilst watching him.

—

It had been two days since Draco's meeting with Hermione regarding the start of their planning to implement an exchange program. The day following the meeting, they had sat together during their coffee break and their interaction had been brief. Just as Hermione had sat down, five minutes after Draco had, she took practically one sip of her coffee before having to leave again. Michael, the young man Draco assumed to be her assistant, had rushed up to her.

"Miss Granger, I've just received an owl from Mister Harry Potter."

The speed at which Hermione stood up from her chair was astonishing to Draco and like the last time she'd had to leave her break early, she left her coffee sitting on the table. "Harry sent an owl?" She asked and she grinned. "Was it about…"

Michael smiled back and nodded. "Please send my congratulations to him and his wife. Do you need me to tell the Minister of your absence?"

"Oh yes please, Michael!" Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face. Draco was still sitting in his chair looking up at the two smiling fools wondering what in Merlin's name was going on and why Potter had to be congratulated. Just as quick as she had arrived at the table, she left, heading to the fireplaces to floo somewhere, obviously, and Michael headed back to the elevators, leaving a very confused Draco drinking his coffee.

The morning after that incident, he read the newspaper as he ate two slices of toast and the front page news explained to him Hermione's sudden departure the day before. The headline read 'Harry Potter and wife Ginny Potter, welcome second son to the world'. He couldn't believe he hadn't put two and two together as he did know that Ginny had been pregnant as it had been in the newspaper also. Then again, that had been some nine months ago and he had more important things to concern himself with other than Potter's newest child.

After a mediocre morning at work, Draco headed down to the atrium to have his coffee. He was surprised to see Hermione already sitting down and he sat with her after he'd ordered his drink. "Potter's really getting busy populating the world, isn't he?" He said as he sat down.

At the mention of her best friend, Hermione smiled. "I'm a godmother now," she said proudly.

"Congratulations," he said off-handedly and drank some coffee.

"Albus Severus Potter."

Draco didn't look at her as she mentioned those names. Even though he had moved on from the past, those two names strung together brought back the vivid memory of the night in the Astronomy Tower. He felt like he had better say something, and settled with, "Unusual name choice."

"Both men meant a lot to Harry," Hermione explained and she could clearly see that the name had brought back some memories for him. "The baby is gorgeous, though," she said. "No hair though, which surprised me, because when James was born he had so much!"

Draco looked over to her. "Granger, look. Babies are close to being my least favourite thing to talk about. I'd really rather not hear about how much hair the thing came out with and you can spare me any other details." She looked quite affronted at what he'd said but he wouldn't apologise.

Her features softened though. "I was just excited to be named his godmother," she said.

"Congratulations, once again," he said and drank without looking at her.

He didn't expect her to stand up though. "I think we should schedule a meeting soon, do you have any idea when?" She asked him.

"The draft of the letter is almost done. I'll send you a memo when it is, we can meet then."

She nodded. "Malfoy." She took her coffee and left the table.

"Granger," he murmured after she'd gone, and he spent the rest of his break alone and wondered why the hell he enjoyed it more with her company.

—

"I thought a meeting was going to accompany this letter," Hermione announced as she strode into Draco's office without so much as a knock on the door.

"Hello to you too. Please, come take a seat," he drawled and stood up from his chair as she came to stand right in front of his desk.

"Did I do something to offend you?" She asked and put the draft copy of the letter down on the desk between them. He'd finished it the day after her 'I'm a godmother' announcement, and he'd just only sent the letter, via an intern, to her office.

He scoffed at her question. "Offend me? With what?"

"You know," Hermione said and pushed her hair back and let out an exasperated sigh, seeming to not know how to answer. "With…the baby name."

"I'm not a sensitive flower, Granger," Draco said seriously. "Just because I had some less than pretty experiences with both the men Potter's kid is named after, doesn't mean that I went home and cried about it."

"I'm not saying that, Malfoy. Why are you getting so defensive all of a sudden?"

"Because you're accusing me of being offended over something ridiculous! It happened over ten years ago, I'm over that shit now. And I'm terribly sorry I didn't hand deliver that letter," he said sardonically and looked down at the letter on his desk. He didn't sit back down, but took his gaze back up to hers as they stood across from each other.

Hermione sighed again and pushed her hair back again even though it was tied back in a tight bun. "It's a valid question for me to ask," she said. "And obviously, by asking you it did offend you right then. And what else was I meant to assume? Yesterday on our break, you shut yourself off as soon as I spoke Alb—the baby's name," she corrected herself.

"Give it a break, Granger. The kid's called Albus, I'm not going to have a breakdown."

"You give it a break, Malfoy!" She finally snapped. "You have every reason to be uncomfortable with the idea and with talking about it, you don't need to be so bloody closed off about it. We're all uncomfortable with things that remind us of the past and like I said, you have every right to be—"

"Drop it, Granger," Draco said, his statement sounding final.

She stared at him with a hard-set jaw and picked up the letter from his desk. "I'll show the Minister and other members of the department who are interested in the proposal."

"Let me know how it goes."

Both of their tones were lacking of the sharpness and almost malice they'd had before. She stared at him for a few seconds and he clenched the back of his teeth. Without another word, she turned with the letter and left his office, closing the door quietly behind her, leaving Draco to sink back down into his chair and think.

—

That night sitting at home, Draco really believed that a few glasses of firewhiskey were in order. He was standing in his kitchen pouring his second glass when he heard tapping at his window and turned to see a tawny owl perched on his windowsill with a note attached to its leg. Leaving his drink on the counter, he pulled the window up and let the bird hop down onto the kitchen counter and it waited patiently while he unrolled the note.

Malfoy,

I'm very much hoping that Archie (the owl in front of you) gets to you in a reasonable time so you can reply; if you would like to, that is.

I briefly met with the Minister and he said that the letter was a great start and gave a few side-notes that should be incorporated into it. Maybe we can work on that soon. Tomorrow? I'm not technically working but we could still meet up if you would like to. Let me know a time and a place.

I feel like I need to address what happened between us in your office. It's been plaguing my mind since it happened. Looking back I think my words were wrong and I was quick to speak without thinking. What I'm trying to tell you, Malfoy, is that what happened between us shouldn't have over something like that. Over ten years may have passed since then, but time doesn't heal all wounds — unfortunately, that's something I know.

Hope your night is pleasant.

H.

The next day was Sunday and Draco wasn't meant to work and neither was Hermione according to the letter. His only plan for the day was his usual Sunday morning breakfast with his mother at the Manor, so meeting with Hermione didn't seem like such a bad idea. He didn't have any sense of trepidation in meeting with her after their incident in his office. He wasn't as immature to be unable to look her in the eye after they'd had a brief tiff. Over the years, fights between them were few and far between and the both of them were more civil to each other than bitter and rude. Their conversations were mainly based around teasing comments and sardonic remarks, but that was how they worked now days. To him, she was not a Mudblood, unworthy to be in his presence, and to her, he was not a Death Eater or prejudiced git — perhaps just a git some days.

He left the kitchen to go to his small office which was advertised as a second bedroom with the house. For him, it held a large desk, a few filing cabinets, two large bookcases and an armchair. It all filled the room nicely and it was his favourite area of his house. He got out a spare piece of parchment and dipped his quill in the inkwell on his desk and quickly penned a reply.

Granger,

I'm able to meet tomorrow after noon. Let's meet at the Willow Grove Cafe at around one o'clock. I'm sure you're familiar with it, it is in Diagon Alley. Will see you then.

D.

He rolled the parchment and took it back out to the owl that was still standing patiently on the kitchen counter. After tying the paper to its leg, Draco then rummaged around in his cupboard and found an old packet of owl treats he'd had when he'd owned his own bird. The owl nipped the treat from his hand then hopped out to the windowsill and took off, heading back to its owner. Draco stood at the kitchen window for a few more minutes before closing it and then remembered what he'd been doing before he'd been interrupted by the message. He walked back over to where his half filled cup of firewhiskey was sitting next to the glass bottle. He stared at them both for a while before deciding to finish what was already in the cup, and then put the bottle away. Even though he had many sobering up potions in the medicine cabinet above his bathroom sink, surprisingly he wasn't in the mood to get sloshed. He looked at the clock on his wall. Nine-thirty and he was already considering retiring to bed; not because he was tired, but because he had nothing else to do with his night now that he'd put the firewhiskey away.

Twenty minutes later he was lying atop his bed covers with a book in hand, spending less time reading and more time thinking about the meeting he'd be having the next day. Not once had he ever met up with a colleague outside the walls of the Ministry and he would never have thought that the first time he'd do just that would be with Hermione. Thinking more about it though, he came to realise that she was the only person over the course of his working there, that he actually had normal conversations with that weren't about work. The realisation shocked him and what made him close his book and put it on his side table was when he realised that he enjoyed talking to her even when it wasn't about work and even more buried inside him, was the anticipation for their meeting to come.

—

Draco apparated directly from Malfoy Manor to the Leaky Cauldron at ten to one the next day, preferring to be early rather than late. It had been raining when he'd woken up this morning and hadn't ceased as the time wore on. He could hear the sound of the rain outside because of the subdued and quiet environment in the pub due to it being early afternoon. He'd come prepared with an umbrella and after tapping his wand on the brick wall outside and gaining access to the alley, he opened it up and held it above his head. The weather was miserable and typical of a London December and he tried to avoid puddles as he headed to the cafe which was built towards the end of the street. Just as he passed Flourish and Blotts, he looked up from the cobbled ground and saw a familiar person walking in the direction he was going.

Over the years he'd come to recognise the way Hermione walked — the straight posture she held, the slight sway of her hips and how her head always stayed up and looking ahead. This time however, had been the first time he'd seen her casually dressed. At the Ministry she always opted for wearing a work blouse and pencil skirt or pants, but now she was wearing a cream jumper, jeans and ankle boots. After he briefly looked her appearance over, he came to realise that she didn't have an umbrella and her hair (which wasn't tied into a bun, much to his surprise) was getting wet despite her efforts to cover it with her hands.

Draco quickened his pace and caught up to her easily. "Who comes out in the rain without an umbrella?" He asked as he put his palm against her back and moved the umbrella to cover the both of them.

She'd jumped slightly under his touch but when she looked up and realised it was him and that there were obviously no hard feelings between them, she smiled. His lips quirked up slightly in return. "Me it seems," she replied. "Thank you." The both of them walked to the cafe in silence and it wasn't until he had to pull his umbrella back in, that they both realised his hand hadn't left the small of her back the entire time.

A/N: I tried to keep this chapter the same length (4000+ words) as the first chapter which is why it took me a while to get this one uploaded. I'd just like an opinion, please leave it in the reviews, but do you guys prefer smaller chapters with more regular updates, or longer chapters like this with slightly more time between updates? Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, please leave reviews and, like before, constructive criticism is welcome!