Authors Note - I may either shorten this story or discontinue it for the time being unless I get more reviews. I really appreciate and look forward to feedback from my readers and so it makes sense for me to work on a story that has been getting reviews instead of one that hasn't. I haven't given up on this story yet however so carry on reading those people who have been. Also, thanks to the people that have reviewed and those who have added this story or me to their alert/favourites lists. :)
Both Draco and Hermione kept a close eye on both Indigo and Ryan Nott during the rest of the week but they saw neither of them going near each other. The most contact the two students had was when Ryan gave Indigo a nasty look from across the Great Hall, which Indigo merely raised her eyebrows at unconcernedly.
Hermione and Draco had not been doing much teaching as a pair since the first day the school arrived back from the summer holidays. Professor McGonagall had informed them that it would be more useful to the students if they took their classes separately, that way one class of students could be being taught by Draco while at the same time another class could be being taken by Hermione.
Hermione had decided that she liked being a teacher. It gave her much happiness when a student understood something after struggling for a long time or when the class were enthusiastic and she could see they were really enjoying the lesson. She revelled in planning her lessons and did so meticulously. Draco often asked her to help him with his own lesson plans and she was only too happy to help, partly because she liked the work but mainly because they had been getting along so well. They had not argued at all and Hermione had come to realise that most of Draco's sarcastic or
mocking comments were not meant to wound her at all but that it was just Draco's way of speaking to people sometimes. They had laughed and joked and talked together quite comfortably during the evenings and at mealtimes and Hermione was beginning to enjoy his company.
She was starting to realise things about Draco she had never noticed before they had started to spend so much time in one another's company. He was humorous, clever and quick, interesting and pleasant to talk to and he spoke with an eloquence and intelligence that equalled Hermione's own. In Hermione's opinion, they were becoming friends and she was very happy about that.
Draco was mostly finding his new role as a Hogwarts teacher quite tedious. Granger had been assisting him with his lesson plans which made things much easier but teaching could get quite boring, especially when he had to spend so much time grading homework and chasing up the students who didn't hand theirs in on time. The students mostly behaved well during his lessons which was fortunate and he had only been required to hand out two detentions during the entire week so far for late homework. He thought he was doing a pretty good job even if he wasn't particularly enjoying it. Granger seemed to love it which he had expected she would and he had to admit she was doing well. In the few classes they had shared together, he had watched her furtively from behind the teacher's desk while she lectured the students, completely in her element as she spoke to the class or helped the pupils individually with their assignments. The students seemed to genuinely like her and Draco understood why. She was warm and funny, patient and clever.
They had been spending quite a lot of time together in the evenings and sometimes during the day when they were in their separate classrooms, he missed her a bit and found himself counting down the hours until lunchtime or the end of the day when he could see her again. The fact that he felt this way had surprised him but the more time he spent with her the more he realised that she was much more than the know-it-all, bossy little bookworm he had thought her to be. She made him laugh regularly with her witty little remarks and when she was in full flow about a lesson she had planned or a story she was explaining, he found himself quite captivated with her. He had never known anyone quite like her and suddenly had understood why she was so popular with her friends, with her ex-classmates and past teachers. Draco daren't admit any of this to her but he thought sometimes when they were alone together in the Transfiguration office, or talking at mealtimes that she was enjoying his company just as much as he was enjoying hers.
On Friday evening when they were both sitting in silence at their desks in their office, marking homework, the parcel Kestrel had told them about arrived. Two owls came soaring towards the window carrying a squashy looking parcel between them and Draco opened the window to let them in. He took the package to his desk and tore it open. There was a thick file on Nott inside along with two sets of clothing.
"Let me see" said Hermione, putting down her quill and getting up from her chair.
"Hold on a moment, Granger" said Draco and began unwrapping the clothes. He held up a pale blue silk gown with a sequinned trim.
"That would look nice on you" said Hermione, suppressing a giggle "it would look lovely with your eyes!"
"Very funny" replied Draco and threw the dress at her "there's some shoes here too" and he handed her a pair of matching strappy high heels.
"So what has Kestrel chosen for you?" said Hermione, admiring the dress. It really was quite exquisite and looked as though it cost a ridiculous amount of Galleons.
Draco unfolded a black suit and tie and a smart cloak "not too bad" he said, looking at the label "it's from Madam Malkin's couture range" he added, sounding impressed.
"Are you sure you're not gay?" asked Hermione teasingly.
"No, I'm deeply in love with Potter I just haven't been able to bring myself to tell him. Will you let him know for me?" replied Draco.
"Try it on" insisted Hermione.
"Only if you try yours on first" answered Draco. He was quite keen to see what she would look like in such a glamorous dress.
"Fine" said Hermione and she snatched up her outfit and went to her room to get changed.
Draco dropped onto the chair by the fireplace and waited for her to emerge. When she did, he found himself quite stunned. The difference between how she looked in her dowdy teachers robes to how she looked in this gown was quite astounding. He had expected her to look nice but as she stood before him, looking a little nervous, with the light from the chandeliers playing on her hair and the soft fabric of the dress he thought she really looked quite extravagant. She gave a twirl and a nervy giggle.
"I'll take it that it looks quite nice due to the fact your mouth is hanging open like a fish" observed Hermione. Draco closed it at once.
"You scrub up well, Granger" Draco told her trying to sound nonchalant. The dress was quite low cut and fell just above her knees. Hermione had a cleavage and legs all of a sudden...a rather nice cleavage and legs and Draco picked up his own outfit to distract himself from the sight of her.
"Your turn now" said Hermione taking the seat Draco had vacated. Well that was amusing, she thought as he closed his bedroom door. She thought Draco had looked positively dumbstruck when she stepped into the office and the look on his face reminded her of when she had gone to the Yule Ball in fourth year and Harry and Ron had gaped at her as she strode into the Great Hall with Viktor Krum.
"You're going to laugh at me, aren't you?" said Draco from behind the door.
"Probably" Hermione admitted.
Draco stepped out of the office and came to a stop in front of the fireplace.
"Take your hands out of your pockets" Hermione instructed.
Draco sighed and removed them.
"There that's better. You look like James Bond" she laughed.
"Who is James Bond?" asked Draco, perplexed.
"Never mind" said Hermione, still laughing "you look very smart, very handsome" she said truthfully and then upon realising what she had just said, cleared her throat and said "I mean, it suits you"
"Of course it does" said Draco with a raised eyebrow. Did she just call him handsome? "It fits well"
Hermione retrieved the file from the torn paper on Draco's desk and opened it up. Two invites fell out, printed on thick, expensive parchment and with embossed gold lettering. Kestrel had included a scrap of paper with the address for the Flutterby Hotel scribbled on it. There was also a map of the hotel, a list of all the staff and several pages with information that Kestrel had complied about Theodore Nott and his family.
"There's not much here that you haven't already told me" said Hermione, flicking through the pages of the file.
Draco, who had taken advantage of this moment to study Hermione and her dress a little more, looked up as she turned her face from the papers.
"Yes" he agreed, not entirely sure what she had just replied to. Why didn't she dress up more often, she looked so much better...
"It seems Kestrel has had a hard time gathering details about Nott" Hermione continued as she turned back to the file, quite unaware of the fact Draco's eyes had been roving from her exposed legs to the small amount of cleavage the dress allowed "he keeps his personal life really private according to this document but it's a completely different story when it comes to his businesses and charity contributions...he likes to publicise those as much as he can, especially the donations he makes to charity"
"We can find out more at the ball" commented Draco, moving his eyes from Hermione's figure and back to what she was talking about "we'll do some digging, as Kestrel advised"
Hermione put the file back on Draco's desk "we had better get changed, we don't want to ruin these clothes before the party" she advised.
Draco would have quite happily watched Hermione spend the remainder of the evening in the blue dress "you're right" he conceded "I'm going to bed, goodnight Granger" and made towards his room.
"Goodnight" said Hermione distractedly. She was still reading Nott's file.
Draco shut the door behind him and loosened his tie, looking forward to the following night when he would be spending the entire evening with Granger in her blue dress.
The next day was a leisurely one. The first Quidditch match of the season was taking place that afternoon and to Draco's great amusement, it was Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Draco had met and taught the members of the current Slytherin team and spied them practicing on the pitch from his classroom window a few times. They were pretty good; he thought and was looking forward to the moment when they beat Gryffindor. The captain, a tall, stocky seventh year had put together a promising team which Draco had been reminding Hermione of for most of the week.
"The Gryffindor team looks equally as capable of winning" Hermione had replied demurely when this subject arose in their conversation "we shall see when the match takes place, Malfoy. Gryffindor had always bested Slytherin at Quidditch when we were at school, you can't deny that"
Draco had planned on going down to the Quidditch stadium alone. He went back to the Transfiguration office after having a late lunch to get his cloak to find Granger already there, tidying her desk.
"Oh, hi" she said, slotting a wad of papers into a drawer.
"Hi" Draco repeated. He grabbed his cloak from the chair behind his own desk and then hesitated. Should he wait for her? They were both going the same way; would it be impolite to leave without her?
"Are you waiting for me, Malfoy?" said Hermione, straightening up and smiling a little smile. He had hung back after picking up his cloak. He was deciding whether to wait for her or not. How funny.
"No" lied Draco unconvincingly "I was just wondering whether I would need my cloak or not..." what a stupid answer. Of course he would need his cloak, it was drizzling outside.
"Well I'm ready to leave now so we can walk to the pitch together" Hermione said decidedly.
"Whatever, fine" said Draco, attempting aloofness "you're ready this moment? Because I'm not waiting around"
"Let's go" said Hermione, pulling on her cloak.
They walked in step with each other through the castle and out into the grounds. It was foggy outside and a light mist hovered above the lake and around the mountains beyond. Hundreds of students were making their way towards the pitch, waving Gryffindor and Slytherin flags, cheering and laughing and talking.
"Indigo" said Hermione, pointing a few feet ahead of them where Indigo was striding ahead with her friend.
"And there's Nott" said Draco, pointing to the left where several metres ahead, Ryan Nott was walking along with his classmates, all of them wearing Slytherin rosettes and whooping and cheering.
"We should make sure we get a seat close to Indigo" said Hermione.
"Nott wouldn't go near her in front of all these people" reasoned Draco.
"There could be more suspicious characters about than Ryan Nott, Malfoy. And you've been telling me that I'm crap at being a spy?" replied Hermione.
"You are" replied Draco swiftly.
Hermione chose to disregard this "look, let's just find a seat" she muttered and lead Draco up the stairs through the stands to a line of chairs a few rows above where Indigo had chosen to sit with her friend.
"We can keep an eye on her from here" said Hermione confidently.
"So when this is over," began Draco as the seats around them were filled by students "are you going to take on more missions?"
"Well as I'm such a crappy spy, maybe I should give it up" Hermione replied, her eyes on the pitch where the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams were getting ready to launch into the air. She wasn't being serious, she had not been offended by Draco's comments on her spying skills but Draco seemed to think it was more than a simple, offhand remark.
"You're not crap, Granger" he said in a soft sort of voice as Madam Hooch blew her whistle to start the game "you're the brains behind this operation"
Hermione turned her eyes away from the Gryffindor seeker who had sped off across the pitch to look into Draco's own "well you were the one who stopped me interrupting Indigo and Ryan. I would have marched over there to sort it out if you hadn't stopped me and we would have never found anything out that way. You're able to keep a cool head and make wise decisions"
"Well it sounds to me as though we make a good team, then" remarked Draco. He said this because he honestly thought it and said it without thinking about it. Hermione seemed to agree.
"Yes, I think we do" she replied, turning her attention back to the match. "It's quite a surprise, really"
"Tell me about it" said Draco casually "that Kestrel bloke obviously knows what he's doing"
Hermione didn't reply, she was watching the Gryffindor seeker streak across the pitch at speed and she saw the snitch flutter near the stands opposite. A second later, it was gone but the seeker was giving chase.
"Oh come on!" yelled Draco as the Slytherin seeker, who had been scouring the opposite side of the stadium, finally noticed the Gryffindor seeker speeding towards the tiny golden snitch which was soaring over the heads of a group of Hufflepuffs in the front row. They giggled and batted at it and it fluttered rapidly away just as the Gryffindor seeker caught up with it, his hand an inch from capturing it. The Gryffindors groaned and the Slytherin's cheered even louder as the snitch zoomed back across the pitch.
"Ah, come on lads you can do better than that!" Draco shouted as a Gryffindor beater launched a Bludger at the Slytherin seeker.
"Apparently they can't" said Hermione lightly as the Slytherin seeker whirled about in midair, rubbing his arm where the Bludger had connected with it. The Gryffindor seeker had seen the snitch again and launched forwards in pursuit.
"Finally!" huffed Draco as a Slytherin chaser managed to aim the Quaffle past the Gryffindor keeper and directly into the middle hoop.
"TEN ZERO TO SLYTHERIN!" boomed the commentator and the Slytherin's around the stadium cheered raucously as the Gryffindors grumbled and booed.
"What do you make of that, Granger?" said Draco smugly as he applauded "the Gryffindor keeper must be short sighted or something that would have been an easy save to make"
"We'll see" said Hermione "the Gryffindor seeker seems much more skilled than the Slytherin one does. Oh look, he's after the snitch again" Hermione pointed toward the pitch and Draco followed the Gryffindor seeker's progress "perhaps the Slytherin seeker is the short sighted one"
"It's over there you useless little cockroach!" Draco bellowed. The Slytherin seeker was flying in the opposite direction to the Gryffindor seeker who had spied the snitch and was zooming towards it.
"Malfoy, be quiet!" Hermione scolded "you're a teacher; you can't call students useless little cockroaches"
But Hermione's voice was drowned out by the whoops and boos of the crowd as Slytherin scored yet another goal.
"TWENTY ZERO TO SLYTHERIN!" shouted the commentator.
"There's plenty of time for Gryffindor to catch up" muttered Hermione as Draco looked at her triumphantly.
The Gryffindor seeker had lost sight of the snitch and he was now circling the pitch trying to catch another glimpse of it.
Hermione was on the edge of her seat. The Slytherin seeker had just seen the snitch and it was hovering near the ground nearby. The Slytherin seeker went into a dive and the Gryffindor seeker sped after him. They were both racing after the snitch and were both so close to catching it that it was impossible to gauge who was going to get it first.
"What are the beaters doing?" yelled Draco "knock the Gryffindor off his broom!"
But it was too late for the beaters to act. The Gryffindor seeker had closed his hand around the tiny golden ball and the Gryffindors in the stands were shouting and cheering in triumph.
"GRYFFINDOR WIN!" bellowed the commentator.
"That was quite a game" commented Hermione happily as the Gryffindor seeker did a lap of the pitch with the caught snitch and the Slytherin team landed on the ground looking sulky.
"Absolutely useless" said Draco sounding deflated.
"As usual" added Hermione.
Draco rolled his eyes but smiled at her, shaking his head "I should coach them, they'd do better if I did" he said. "The Chasers and the Keeper were fine; it was that crap seeker that messed it up"
"You should ask Madam Hooch if you can coach the team then" said Hermione "oh...ow!" she cried. Her heel had slipped on the rain washed ground as she went to stand but Draco had seen it happening and instinctively and swiftly caught her by the hand as she fell.
"Thanks" said Hermione bashfully. Her hand was still clasped in Draco's own. She stared at him.
Draco stared back at her and relinquished it gently, his fingers lingering on hers as they parted.
"I don't have time to coach the Slytherin team" said Draco chattily, shoving his hands in his pockets, not quite able to look Hermione in the face at that moment "what with being a spy and pretending to be a teacher"
"No, I suppose not" said Hermione. She paused, her mind back on the moment Draco had grasped hold of her hand, when his fingers skimmed ever so lightly across it, the way he had seemed reluctant to let go. Was she imagining all that?
"Let's go back to the castle" said Hermione briskly "I need to get ready for tonight. You can mark my fourth year's homework while I do my hair"
"Excuse me?" said Draco as they walked out of the stadium together "mark your own stupid homework, Granger!"
"I won't have the time" Hermione explained "I'll mark some of yours tomorrow, okay?"
Draco mumbled in agreement.
"You seemed to enjoy the match, even though your house lost" said Hermione.
"I haven't seen a match in a very long time, Granger" admitted Draco "it was refreshing to watch one again, even if my house did lose"
They strolled through the castle together, discussing the Quidditch match and entered the Transfiguration office. Tilly Talloak nodded at them in greeting from her painting above the mantelpiece.
"Any news from Kestrel about anything?" Draco asked her as he took off his cloak.
"Not a word" replied Tilly.
"I'm going to get ready now" said Hermione.
Draco looked at his watch. It was only four o clock and the ball didn't start until seven. Girls will be girls; he thought and set about marking Hermione's homework.
At five o clock, Hermione went to the bathroom. At half past, she scurried back across the office and to her room with her hair and body wrapped in fluffy towels. Draco caught a nice glimpse of her right leg, wet from the shower before the door slammed shut. Draco returned to the homework, grinning.
At six o clock, Draco grew completely bored of going through the fourth year's bad spelling and the inaccuracies in their essays and decided to have a Firewhisky instead. At half past six, he went and got changed. By quarter to seven, Hermione had still not emerged and Draco was starting to get a bit pissed off. He had already knocked on her door twice and been told to go away and that she would be ready soon.
"Granger!" Draco shouted through Hermione's locked door "we're going to be late you stupid girl, hurry up!"
"Shut up!" Hermione yelled back at him "we won't be late"
At ten minutes to seven, Hermione's bedroom door creaked open. Draco was sitting on the comfy chair by the window, swirling his second measure of whisky round the glass impatiently. When Hermione stepped out, he almost dropped it.
Gone was the flyaway, curly hair she had sported three hours previously. Instead, it was shiny and sleek with loose, neat waves falling elegantly around her shoulders. She wore makeup but only enough to highlight the features she already had, a dab of powder and a little blush on her cheeks. The dress somehow looked even better on her than it had yesterday evening, hugging her waist and flowing out from just above her hips to fall in a soft blue cascade around her legs.
"You look wonderful" said Draco quietly, the compliment out of his mouth before he had even thought about it.
"Well don't get used to it" said Hermione wearily "I have neither the patience nor the time to make myself look this nice regularly. This is a one off" then she smiled and the smile seemed to make her look even more radiant in Draco's opinion "but thank you for saying I look wonderful, Malfoy I do appreciate it. Shall we get going, then?"
Hermione draped her cloak around her shoulders and stuffed her wand and the leather bag with the equipment Kestrel had provided her with into her handbag. Draco put his little leather bag in the inside pocket of his jacket with his own wand.
"This is like our first real opportunity to do some proper spying work, don't you think?" said Hermione as they walked out of the office together. She was pleased it was past curfew now because she would not have enjoyed having groups of students gaze at her agog as she passed them. "I mean, looking after Indigo was obviously part of the assignment but we're actually going to this ball to spy on someone...I feel quite nervous, really"
"It'll be fine" insisted Draco reassuringly "there's nothing to worry about"
"You're always so calm about things!" said Hermione.
"You just get wound up too easily" replied Draco "calm down, keep your cool"
They made their way through the castle and out into the grounds where beyond the gates they could Apparate to Oxford Street. Hermione reached into her handbag and brought out the piece of paper with the Flutterby Hotel's address on it to check they knew where they were going.
"Ready?" asked Draco as they walked out of the school gates. Draco realised something. It would be pointless to Apparate separately; they might as well Apparate together, they were going to the same place.
"Hold my arm if you want" he said but Hermione had already held out her hand which was just fine with Draco. He grasped hold of it. Her hand was a little sweaty.
"I'll do the Apparating, shall I?" suggested Draco and they turned and vanished.
They appeared with a sudden "pop" in a grotty little alleyway behind a shop. They let go of each other's hands. Hermione looked around at the overflowing dustbins and dirty paving and said
"Are you sure you brought us to the right place?"
"Yes, Granger" said Draco wearily "of course I did" he glanced around.
"Lumos" Draco muttered and raised his wand to see better around the dark alley. There was a door set into the brickwork of the building opposite them. It was a rather smart looking door of shiny mahogany with a sparkling silver door handle. A little plaque attached to its front read "The Flutterby Hotel – Main Entrance"
"I'm guessing Muggles can't see this" said Draco "well come on then Granger" and Draco tapped the door with his wand.
The door swung inwards and a short, burly wizard in a concierge's uniform eyed them both suspiciously.
"Do you have an invite?" he asked in a gruff voice.
"Yes, of course we do" said Hermione and handed the concierge their invitations. He studied them for a moment and then said
"Welcome to the Flutterby Hotel, Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy" and stepped aside to allow them to walk inside.
The hotel lobby was so spacious, so glamorous, so expensively decorated and opulent that Hermione came to a halt in the middle of a huge, thick, lilac rug and stared around her. The walls were papered in a shimmering bronze, the floors a cream coloured marble. In the centre of the ceiling, a magnificent chandelier hung, each crystal drop glittering and shining in the light from the candles burning upon it and casting a golden light around the room. A silver fountain was standing in front of the right wall and the sound from the gentle trickling of water mingled with the music coming from nearby, where a group of smartly dressed wizards and witches were upon a slightly raised platform draped with deep blue velvet. One of them was playing a white grand piano while the others played violins.
In the corner there was a group of comfortable looking leather chairs and sofas and opposite was a bar where a barman was serving drinks to the impeccably well dressed guests. Waiters in suits were roaming around the lobby with trays of champagne while people milled about, chatting and laughing with each other.
Draco seemed completely unimpressed by the grandeur.
"I've never seen anywhere quite like this" said Hermione "this is incredible"
"I've seen plenty of places like this and they're all owned by ridiculous show-off's with more money than sense" Draco replied "you wait here and keep a lookout for Nott; I'm going to get us some drinks"
Hermione stood in the middle of the lobby and waited for Draco's return, feeling rather out of place and unsure what to do with herself. Draco looked completely at ease and fitted in perfectly with all the handsome men in their expensive robes and suits. Hermione looked at what the other women were wearing, at their beautiful floor length gowns and perfectly styled hair and the precious jewels they wore around their necks and on their ears and she suddenly felt quite inadequate in her simple blue frock and hairstyle.
Draco went to the bar, picked up a cocktail menu and idly glanced at it. He pointed at a drink on the list and the waiter hastened to make it. He turned his back on the bar and looked over at Hermione. She looked completely lost, he thought, standing there like a twit in the middle of the room while the other guests mingled with each other. However, she did look rather pretty and he thought then as he looked at her that all the other women in this room paled in comparison to her simple, natural beauty.
"Good evening" said a voice to his right and Draco turned to find a slim, dark haired woman of around his own age standing beside him. She was wearing a low cut, emerald green dress and a beautiful necklace that looked as though it cost a fortune. She was good looking, Draco observed but was wearing much too much makeup and she looked arrogant and pompous. Draco had met very many women like her in his life and could tell what was coming next.
"Would you care for a drink?" she asked, placing a manicured hand on Draco's cuff. He looked down at it and moved his hand away.
"I've already ordered one but thank you" replied Draco.
The woman looked a little surprised at Draco's reaction. She was probably used to men fawning over her, he thought.
"Have you seen that poor girl over by the fountain?" drawled the woman, leaning a little closer "see how uncomfortable she looks? I wonder if she is here alone"
"No" replied Draco with a hint of indignation "she's with me"
"Oh" said the woman, widening her eyes in surprise "really?"
"Yes" said Draco bluntly "really" he turned to the waiter "where are those drinks?" he demanded.
"Coming up, sir" replied the barman hastily.
The woman was looking at Draco closely "did you attend Hogwarts?"
"Yes" said Draco "I'm guessing you did" he did not recognise her.
"I did, yes" replied the woman smoothly "I recognise you. You fought for the Order of the Phoenix five years ago"
"Well spotted" said Draco sarcastically. The woman didn't seem to be bothered by Draco's dismissive manner.
"So are you an Auror now, like Harry Potter?" she asked.
"No" replied Draco "I'm not"
The barman had finally made the drinks and Draco took them and went to walk away.
"My name is Astoria, by the way" said the woman "Astoria Greengrass. Perhaps I will see you later?"
Draco recognised her surname. "Perhaps" said Draco disinterestedly over his shoulder and strode back over to Hermione.
"What did that woman want?" asked Hermione in a much sharper tone than she had intended.
"She was trying to chat me up" admitted Draco. He looked at Hermione who interestingly looked a tiny bit disappointed and Draco added "she failed. Here, take this" he pushed one of the glasses into Hermione's hand.
"What is it?" asked Hermione, peering at the drink suspiciously.
"Not sure" replied Draco and sipped it "tastes like fruit juice and Firewhisky"
"So it's alcoholic?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, Granger its alcoholic" replied Draco with exasperation "just drink the thing, will you? It might help you relax a little bit"
Hermione took a little sip of the drink. It was very nice.
"We need to blend in" Draco decided "we can't stand here all night"
"Do you know any of these people?" Hermione asked as they headed further across the lobby.
"I recognise a few faces" said Draco "nobody I care to speak with, however. Do you see anyone you know?"
"No" said Hermione "I can't see anyone I know"
The band stopped playing then and the double doors at the far end of the lobby were opened. A tall wizard in a suit stepped out.
"If you would all care to follow me into the ballroom please" he said to the guests "Mr Nott would like to make a speech prior to the start of the ball"
Hermione and Draco followed the crowd through the doors and into the ballroom which was equally as magnificent as the lobby. The walls here were silver and the floor a light oak and there were many hundreds of circular tables around the perimeter of the room covered in crisp white tablecloths with silver trims. There were several more chandeliers in here and at the front of the room was a stage where a tall wizard with light brown hair was standing, holding a glass of Firewhisky and talking to a couple of other older men.
"That's Theodore Nott" Draco said to Hermione "we should get a table"
Draco took her over to a secluded table in the shadows. A waiter scurried up to them and Draco ordered two more Firewhiskies, one neat for him and one of them with juice in for Hermione.
The guests were choosing their places around the tables and the ballroom was full of chatter. Theodore Nott was rifling through sheets of parchment which Hermione suspected must contain his speech. The waiter reappeared with their drinks. Hermione had not even finished her first glass but Draco downed the last dregs of his own and started on the fresh glassful the waiter placed in front of him.
"May I help you with anything else, sir, madam?" said the waiter courteously.
"Yes" said Draco. He reached into his pocket and brought out a handful of Galleons "find out for me which room Mr Nott is staying in tonight, I am an old friend of his and wish to send a gift to his suite"
The waiter, probably badly paid, looked longingly at the gold in Draco's hand "very well sir, I will see what I can do"
Draco handed the waiter the Galleons and he pocketed them furtively before hurrying away again.
"We're going to search his room" Draco whispered in reply to Hermione's questioning glance "to look for clues"
Draco was sitting close to Hermione and she could smell a mixture of pricey aftershave and Firewhisky. She took a deep breath of it, feeling a little woozy from the alcohol she had consumed.
"Is it therefore wise for us to be drunk?" she remarked.
Draco raised his eyebrows at her and chuckled "drunk? Speak for yourself, Granger"
"I am not drunk" said Hermione firmly with the slightest slur. Draco laughed at her again.
Draco was evidently used to drinking strong liquor. Hermione was not but the alcohol was making her feel pleasantly relaxed. Draco was right; she needed to unwind a little.
"I will drink this" she said, reaching for the drink the waiter had brought her "but then I'll be on the pumpkin juice"
"Whatever you like, Granger" said Draco who was finding a slightly tipsy Hermione quite amusing.
"Did you like that woman?" asked Hermione, the Firewhisky cocktail giving her courage.
"She was attractive" replied Draco and a small frown appeared on Hermione's face. Was that a hint of jealousy in Granger's eyes? "But everything about her was contrived, from her makeup to her dress. There was nothing effortless about her which made her uninteresting and not worth my time"
"She seemed to me like your type" continued Hermione "immaculate and wealthy"
Draco looked at her over the rim of his glass "you like to think you know me now, don't you Granger?"
"No" replied Hermione steadily "I feel like I have only just started to get to know you. There's more to unravel"
"Is there now?" said Draco, pleased that Hermione was letting loose and speaking her mind, saying what she really thought.
"I think we will probably know each other quite well by the end of this mission" Hermione commented. The Firewhisky had made her talkative and subdued some of her inhibitions. She did not care at that moment what Draco thought of her observations and opinions. It was liberating to speak freely.
Draco was aware she was being more open with him because of the drink and so then he decided to ask her something that he had wondered about a few times since the end of the war because he thought that now might be the only time he was in with a chance of getting an honest answer from her.
"Why aren't you with Weasley?"
Hermione looked disarmed by this but then recovered and said "what happened to you and Pansy?"
Draco chuckled "I asked you first"
"Very well" said Hermione, taking another mouthful of her drink "Ron asked me to marry him"
"So?"
"So...I said yes. Then I called it off because I wasn't prepared to lead a boring life as a housewife. Not yet anyway"
Draco was quite astonished by this. He would have thought that was what Granger would have wanted, a simple, stable, quiet life. It just goes to show, he thought, how much more there was to learn about her.
"I imagine Weasley didn't take that rejection too well" said Draco.
"No" said Hermione, holding her glass in her hands and staring at its contents "he did not take it well" she inhaled deeply and then sighed "so we broke up. End of story"
"Is that why you joined the Elite Aurors, because you were bored?" pressed Draco.
"Yes, it was" said Hermione quietly "I was tired of my life and it's certainly become more interesting since I came on this mission"
"I'm with you on that one" replied Draco.
"Now tell me about Pansy" Hermione demanded.
Draco hesitated. He could tell her no, he could tell her that it was none of her business and that he didn't want to talk about it but she had just confided in him so he decided to be truthful with her.
"Pansy is Pansy" said Draco slowly "she isn't the sort of girl who remains loyal to one person" it was Draco now who was staring into his drink.
"She cheated on you" said Hermione quietly.
"More than once" replied Draco. The memory of it made him feel sick even now, a year later. Pansy had been involved with a string of other men during their relationship but the evening when Draco had returned unexpectedly early from work and found Pansy and Blaise alone together in the living room had been the last straw. He had yelled and swore at her, he had been close to drawing his wand. He threw them both out of his flat and that was the last he had seen of either of them.
"She seemed promiscuous" said Hermione, nodding "girls like that aren't worth it"
"I found that out the hard way" replied Draco. He drew his eyes away from his glass and looked into Hermione's "you would say you're worth more than her, then"
Hermione considered this for a moment "I make a perfectly lovely girlfriend" she said "I don't cheat"
"I believe that" said Draco honestly.
Draco took another gulp of his own drink and watched Theodore Nott step forwards on the platform as the men he had previously been talking to went to find a table. The chatter died down and Theodore looked at the crowd assembled in front of him.
"Welcome, to the second annual charity ball for the Squib Advice Bureau, I am very pleased you all came" said Theodore loudly "I would like to begin by explaining what the Squib Advice Bureau does and the role it plays in helping Squibs to live happily and peacefully in the magical community. The charity aims to raise awareness of the many problems Squibs face in their day to day lives. They suffer prejudice and discrimination from the people with whom they share a community. Many employers would choose a wizard or witch over a Squib candidate even if the Squib was more qualified. Some employers refuse to offer jobs to Squibs at all and as a result, many thousands of Squibs are out of work and poor. It is this sort of prejudice we here at the charity strive to change, we want better equal rights and opportunities for Squibs who simply want to be accepted and given a chance. The vice chairman of the Squib Advisory Bureau who is also a close friend of mine is here tonight as my guest of honour and so I would like you all to welcome my very charming Squib friend, Mr Brian Bridge"
The ballroom was filled with polite applause as Brian Bridge, a short, plump man with a cheerful, friendly face climbed the stairs to the stage. He went to shake hands with Theodore who waved away his hand and pulled him into a hug instead. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Draco who shook his head cynically. The applause grew louder and the guests looked on at this display admiringly.
"Brian here will be taking donations towards the Squib Advice Bureau all evening so please give generously as every Knut you donate will go directly to helping Squibs around the United Kingdom" Theodore told the crowd with his arm companionably draped around Brian's shoulders "enjoy the drinks and food I have provided and please have a wonderful evening"
There was more clapping as Theodore and Brian climbed down from the stage and a babble of chatter broke out again. The band who had been in the lobby assembled themselves on the stage and struck up a tune and most of the guests left their seats to talk to each other or dance.
"What a load of crap" said Hermione.
"I agree" said Draco.
The waiter who had served them earlier reappeared to take away their empty glasses and as he replaced them with more drinks, he slid a scrap of parchment onto the table.
"Finish your drink, Granger we're going to do some spying" said Draco.