Chapter Four

Draco

The next morning he made some coffee and sat down at the small kitchen table to write to Granger and accept the position at the Ministry. He didn't even know exactly what the job would be, but he knew he wanted it. He went through a few parchments before he thought he had the letter just right. A balance between respectfulness and groveling, between a friendly letter accepting the job and a heartfelt confession of love for her. Yes, to his surprise, that was one of the drafts that had seemed to pour out of his quill, almost on its own, as soon as he had written her name. It was as if the thing was cursed.

He made certain that the correct letter was sealed and addressed to her at the Ministry, and attached it the leg of his owl. It was Saturday, he realized, after he had sent her off. Granger wouldn't get the letter until Monday, then. After the owl left, Draco felt better than he had in years. His head was clear, despite another poor night's sleep and he actually did not have any desire to drink today.

He looked around his small apartment. He had never really furnished or decorated it. Most of the furniture had been left by the previous tenant. All Draco had ever added was the bed. It looks dreary, he thought. He decided to spend the day in Diagon Alley looking for items to add some life into his flat.

When he arrived in Diagon Alley, however, he realized that he had no idea what he wanted or what would look good in his flat. He wandered in and out of a few shops, but couldn't find anything he liked. He needed someone's advice on this. This was a mother's job, helping him decorate his first flat, he thought with a small twinge in his heart. He headed back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hannah, can I use your Floo?" he asked.

Hermione

She was doing what she loved to do on a Saturday morning. Sitting in the sun filled living room of her small apartment, lazily sipping a cup of coffee, stroking the soft fur of her beloved Crookshanks, and turning through the pages of a book. She was completely content.

That was until a figure tumbled out of her fireplace. She jumped from her chair, wand at the ready, scattering books and tumbling an unhappy Crookshanks to the floor. The figure stood up and brushed himself off. Malfoy! she thought, What was he doing here? As soon as her heart moved out of her throat and back into her chest, she shouted those exact words at him.

"I need your help Granger" he said with a grin. She looked at him as if he had spoken a foreign language.

"What?" she asked in a puzzled voice.

"Help. I need your help with something" he replied.

She was confused. What kind of help would Malfoy need from her?

"You've been to my place" he said. "It's atrocious, wouldn't you agree?" he asked.

"Well, it is a bit sparse" she replied, "but I wouldn't say atrocious" she added, diplomatically.

"Yes it is, it's awful" he said, "So I want to decorate it. I went to Diagon Alley, and tried to pick out some things, but I have no idea what I'm doing. So, I came here to ask you to help me decorate my apartment" he finished.

She managed not to openly gape at him. This was probably the second strangest encounter she had had with Malfoy (maybe third, after the spilled coffee/burning elbow thing, as she continued to call it). But it was a nice Saturday, and the thought of shopping and spending someone else's money did appeal to her.

"Give me a couple minutes to get ready" she told him. She took her coffee cup to the kitchen and walked off to her bedroom.

She stared into her closet. This was impossible, she thought. What do I wear for a shopping trip with Malfoy? Realizing that no matter what she chose, it wouldn't feel exactly right, she pulled out a green sweater set and a pair of jeans. She ran a brush through her hair and twisted it up in a loose bun. She slipped on some sandals and headed back out to her living room.

"Ready to go?" she asked Malfoy.

Draco

While she was dressing (he tried not to think too much about that), he browsed around her apartment. Nice, he thought. Maybe a little girly for his taste, but it was cozy. Lots of books. The cat regarded him suspiciously from across the room. They stared each other down for a few seconds, and then Crookshanks jumped down from the chair and padded off in the direction Granger had gone. He settled himself on the sofa. Girls take forever, he thought. Might as well get comfortable.

He was surprised when he heard her enter the living room just a few minutes later.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

He stood up and turned around and saw her. His breath caught in his throat for a second. "Slytherin green looks good on you Granger. Maybe that stupid hat had it all wrong" he said.

She glanced down at her clothes, and realized what he was talking about.

"Oh, yeah, well, um, I…" she stammered.

"No hidden meaning there Granger, you just look nice" he said as he walked to her. "Let's go"

He grabbed her hand and before she could say anything else, and they disapperated to the Cauldron.

They shopped the entire morning and past the lunch hour. Draco would make a selection and Granger would approve or disapprove the item, depending on where it would go in the apartment, if it was functional, or if it was in good taste. By early afternoon, they had amassed a stack of packages and they were struggling to carry them all. They paid a messenger to take them all back to Draco's apartment.

"Are you hungry?" he asked Granger.

"Starved!" she replied. He suggested the Leaky Cauldron for a late lunch.

"You go ahead" she told him. "I wanted to check Obscurus' for a book I need to help me with some translations at work. Order me a butterbeer, please" and she turned back to the bookshop.

Draco watched her walk away for a second, shook his slightly and turned back to walk to the Cauldron. Once inside, he sat at the bar and waited for Hannah. She saw him, poured a glass of fire whiskey and set it in front of him.

"Uh, no thanks Hannah. Not today." He pushed the glass across the bar back to her.

"Oh" she sounded surprised, and he supposed she should be. "What can I get you then?"

"Two cold butterbeers please" he requested.

She gave him a long look. "Coming right up" she said.

He took the drinks and found a small table. Not his usual table huddled in a dark corner, but a window table, in the bright sunlight. He sipped his butterbeer and waited for her. She came in the back door of the Cauldron, cheeks pink and eyes bright. She glanced around and found their table.

"Oh my" she exclaimed as she sat down, "I could just spend hours in that bookshop!" she seemed to glow.

"Find what you were looking for?" he asked.

"Oh yes, they had exactly what I needed. I can't wait to get to work on Monday!" she glowed a little brighter in her excitement.

He cleared his throat. "Speaking of Monday" he began, "you'll find a letter on your desk. I decided to accept your job offer."

Hannah approached them to take their lunch orders and brought more butterbeers. After she left, Granger reached across the table and squeezed his hand. Slightly shocked from her touch, he drew it back a little.

"Malfoy, that's great!" she said "It's a job in the new History department. I hope you like it."

Hannah returned with their lunches and they made small talk about the Ministry, news from the Daily Prophet, even the weather.

Hermione

After they had finished eating, they remained at their table, finishing their drinks. A small red-haired witch approached.

"Hermione!" she chirped. "How are you!" she sat down at the table beside Draco.

"Great, thanks. Draco this is Calypso Horton. I worked with her in the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry."

"Yes" said Calypso pouting slightly "and you haven't even so much as come back to say hello since you left!" She threw a teasing little grin at Hermione.

Malfoy stood. "I'll go get another round of drinks and let you ladies catch up a little" he turned and left the table.

"So, do tell" Calypso whispered furiously, "Who is he?" she almost purred.

"Malfoy?" Hermione said, "Someone I knew at school" was all she could think to say.

"Really?" said Calypso. "He's gorgeous, don't you think?"

Was he? she wondered. Hermione studied Malfoy over Calypso's shoulder. Standing at the bar, he seemed taller than she had realized. He still had the lean physique of the Quiddich player he had once been. He had stopped slicking his white blond hair back in the severe style he had favored in school. It now waved softly around his head. The permanent sneer was gone from his mouth, and she saw that it actually had a rather sensual Cupid's bow shape.

"Hermione?" Calypso repeated.

"Hmm?" her attention snapped back to her friend.

"Is he with anyone, I asked" she said.

"Uh, no I don't think so" Hermione responded slowly.

"Good" Calypso drawled. Hermione looked at her pointedly.

"Oh, not for me!" she exclaimed. "You know I have practically been engaged to Thaddeus for ages. My friend, Stacia is looking for a new guy, though."

Suddenly Hermione felt a small prick of hatred for anyone named Stacia.

Authors note

So, it's finished in my head, and I love the ending. And I have a pretty good idea of how I'm going to get everyone there, now I just need to flesh it out. I hope you are enjoying reading it; I am really enjoying writing it! Reviews and feedback are appreciated!