Chapter 17- A Good Intrigue[Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels Bank & Disappear by Inxs]

After their camping trip, Draco proofed Hermione's book for her with only a few corrections. Most surprising to him was her account of him during his last couple of years of Hogwarts and during the war. She wrote him sympathetically, noting his reluctance in siding with Voldemort but doing so because of the threats to his family. Despite the darkness of the times, her work showed warmth and hope. Draco submitted it to a contact he had in the publishing business, unbeknownst to Hermione.

While he awaited the results of the potions competition, Draco worked nonstop at the Ministry trying to quell his longing for her. Occasionally, he saw her during his tutoring duties. Though he wanted to see her more, he didn't feel comfortable just asking her to lunch because he no longer had the pretense of it being for the project. After a little over a week and a half, she sent him a note that she had urgent business to discuss with him that evening. As he stood next to the fireplace, to warm a chill that had crept through him, he sipped some Earl Grey tea. Everything started to turn black as his knees started to buckle causing him to grip the cup so tightly that it broke in his hand. The pain brought him back.

"Draco!" Hermione ran into the library. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. You looked like you were ready to pass out." She took him by his sleeve and made him follow her to the bathroom sink. "I bet you've working nonstop since we went camping. I can tell by the circles under your eyes." She poured antiseptic on his hand and bandaged it. "I worry about you."

They then adjourned to his study where she produced an official looking envelope, their Coeus Award results.

The envelope opened and announced, "Congratulations! You are the winners of the Coeus Award. Presentation of the award will take place at the Renaissance Ballroom this Saturday in London with more details to follow."

"We won!" She threw her arms around him and he bear hugged her.

Bianca walked in. "I knew you were having a tryst." They hastily stood apart. "A scherzo, joke." She smiled and reached her hand out to Hermione. "You must be Hermione. I'm Bianca, pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." She looked at Draco nervously. "Sorry. We just found out we won Coeus Award."

"That is fantastic! Draco told me you were clever." She had Tinkey bring champagne and toasted them on their award. She looked at an uncomfortable Hermione very seriously. "Do not be upset. I sense that there are absolutely no feelings other than friendship between you." She patted her hand. "Not that it would matter to me either way. Draco has been very kind to me by pretending this engagement is real. He saved me from another encouraged marriage to a dreadful wizard." She sat next to Hermione quietly. Then she sniffled.

"Are you alright," Hermione asked gently.

"Not really," Bianca said in a pouty voice. "I will stand up to mi papa if my lover and I are meant to be together, but we're not ready and I don't want to be the first amongst our circle to not go through with an encouraged marriage."

"Draco explained everything to me," she spoke calmly. "He also told me of the favor you had asked. Maybe that will help?"

"I thought about the situation, as well." She dabbed her eyes some more. "I shouldn't have asked such a thing of you. To pretend that you were having an affair with Draco; putting two friends who have no feelings for each other; in an awkward situation, just to make it easier for me and my lover; that was selfish of me." Bianca averted her eyes, looking down at her lap instead. "I'm sorry."

"I'll help you," Hermione offered.

"No, no," Bianca's voice trembled. "I cannot put you into an appalling situation and I do not even know you."

Draco watched as Bianca manipulated away. Thanks a lot Bianca, I so enjoy being called appalling.

"I insist," Hermione firmly stated. "Besides, I love a good intrigue."

"Thank you so much." She hugged Hermione. "You are very kind just as Draco said. From all the nice things he said about you, I visited tonight just so we could meet." She dismissed Draco. "We girls must plan."

"Oh, joy" he muttered as he left. "You're going to be the death of me."

After Hermione left, Bianca explained his part of her plan. For Hermione's sake, on the humane side, this pretend dating would set an example of hope since the wizard world would see a happy relationship between pure-blood royal and a Muggle born; thus alleviating some of the hatred between the two factions. For his sake, however, she would have a chance to see him as something more than a friend, even if pretend and try to make up for his years of tormenting her. Eventually, he could reveal his true feelings. However, she stressed, he battled eight years of animosity and mistrust which made winning her a slow process. At the Coeus Awards, the plan would begin with a public breakup of his and Bianca's engagement while his and Hermione's relationship began. However, one thing bothered Draco which would interfere with those plans and his own that he had to lay to rest before the charade began.

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A couple of days before the award ceremony, Draco invited Hermione over for a quiet dinner. "Do you want to change the plan for the ceremony?"

"No but I want to clarify things before Potter and Weasley try to kill me." Draco took a deep breath bracing himself for a question that may not be any of his business. "Before I knew Mickey was your cousin, I thought that you and he were dating because of all the rumors but now that I know better. However, more reliable sources have said that you and Ron Weasley were very serious after everything that happened." Hoping that Hermione would volunteer something, Draco waited a moment but instead she toyed with her food. "I'm wondering if you and Weasley are still …..well whatever?"

With a clank her silverware dropped to her plate. "We're on hiatus until further notice."

"I'm not sure I understand." Draco passed her the rolls and butter.

"Essentially, we've broken up but with a possibility of getting back together." Viciously, Hermione sliced her pork chop.

"Why did you break-up?"

"It's because I'm not a wow witch." Aside from this charade they were about to embark on, Hermione wondered if she were some sort of standby until Draco decided on the witch he wanted to marry. What's wrong with me?

Draco looked at her quizzically. "Wow witch? I don't understand."

"I'm not the witch that a wizards looks at and …..thinks: Wow." Now, she really did revisit that pain. "I'm the witch a wizard settles for once the wow witch turns him down." Once Ron returns, he and everyone will expect that of me. What else can I do? "Excuse me."

From behind, Draco grabbed her as she bolted towards the door. "Yes, you are a wow witch."

"You're just saying that." To her horror, she sobbed uncontrollably and weakened at the knees. As she crumbled, Draco picked her up and carried her to the couch. Why does the thought of going back to the way things were horrify me? I want Ron to return, don't I?

"No, I'm not just saying that. I mean it." Hearing her hiccupping sobs against his chest tore Draco apart. "When I saw you on the train, I thought: Wow."

"You're lying. You acted like a complete prat."

"That's because your cousin sets me on edge and I don't know why." Delicately, he brushed her hair back. "If you weren't a wow which, would Victor Krum who could've had any witch he wanted, choose you?" After another hiccup, she shrugged. "What about Cormac?" Another sniffle followed. "Well, we can agree that I'm a master of insults, can't we?" She nodded. "And that I can always find excellent material to work with." She nodded again. "Don't you think that if you were unattractive or possessed any other negative qualities that I would have used them against you …and would have?"

"I guess," she replied meekly.

"I would've. But as it stood, I could only insult your heritage because it was the only thing I had to work with."

She shrugged. "You know during my fourth year, I thought I was pretty for awhile….but some of my friends." Hermione buried her face in his chest. "I heard some of the ghosts talking…my friends thought I was pathetic and no one would be interested in me and no one would ask me to the Yule ball."

"At that Yule Ball, I noticed you." While he continued to hold her, he tilted her head and smiled. "You're beautiful, clever, kind and so compassionate. Often I wished I had someone like that during the rough years." I wish you were truly mine now. "Anyone who would give you up is an idiot. Don't forget that."

"Thank you." She dabbed her eyes. "Draco, you have a unique gift. You can insult someone to the point they feel lower than dirt or compliment them until they feel that they are on top of the world."

"To make up for my past, I owe you a lot of well-deserved compliments." Draco escorted her back to the dinner table.

"You have the most disarming smile." Hermione kissed his cheek. "I wish you would smile more often."

"I will."

Once they resumed their meal, Hermione thought about what charmer Draco could be when he wanted to be, his writing of the pure-blood law and the way he pretty much led Slytherin House. "You should be a politician."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that since you know I wouldn't be pristine."

"Oh please, I'm not so naïve to think that politicians don't need to be manipulative but charming at the same time."

Draco smiled slyly. "Traditionally, we Malfoys work behind the scenes but I'm glad you have confidence in me." Her words made him think his career just might happen.

Over a dessert of sticky toffee pudding, they discussed more about the ruse they were about to partake in before ending the evening early for a fresh start.

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The following morning Draco proceeded to interview personnel in the ministry to find out why Adam's suggestions for streamlining various departments had been denied. First he interviewed Ariock Pendergrass, a tall, salt and pepper haired man, with a long face and fidgety air. "So what brings you here, Draco?"

"I'm here on behalf of Adam Ocrolfy." He leaned back, completely relaxing. "He was wondering why you vetoed his ideas."

"His ideas wouldn't work. They were impossible to follow through due to budgetary constraints," he explained.

Draco sensed that bold-faced lie without any doubt at all. "That explains it. So, it wasn't because it froze your pay for two years and that of your old school friends, who are in positions of power, but do very little in your department? At the same time, that plan redeployed them so that actual have responsibilities which they will be held accountable for."

"Young whelp," he spat. "How dare you!"

Calmly, Draco met his gaze. "My father raised his son to be a very dark wizard capable of many ghastly things." He smiled wickedly. "However, everything will be fine if you simply vote your conscience and not your greed." Ariock just sat there, mouth agape while Draco paused at the door. "I enjoyed our chat. I'll be in touch."

For the most part, that reflected the rest of his interviews that day. With reluctance, they acknowledged the ideas were good. However, they wanted nothing to interfere with their paychecks and they were comfortable to do what little they were doing or they simply feared change. However, Draco planned to help them change their minds through charm and if needed a little intimidation as a last resort as he planned a major house cleaning.

Then Adam had a visitor that thoroughly shocked him, Arthur Weasley, who, Mrs. McCaffrey reported, requested that Adam look into the delay of the reimbursement of his medical expenses and lost pay from when he had been attacked by Voldemort's snake. Apparently, Adam now had a reputation for getting things done. Though not a Weasley fan, Draco ensured he received his due, with interest, for the unacceptable delay. Draco outlined a new system to ensure there wouldn't be more instances like it.