A/N Happy New Year everybody! I hope this will brighten your week. Enjoy...happy reading and don't forget to hit that review button.

A working relationship

"Have we met?" Draco asked studying her face and trying hard to remember. Hermione stared right back, not believing that he didn't remember. She noticed the faint scars on his face from the chandelier that fell that night so long ago.

"Try hard Malfoy." she said, folding her arms over her chest. "Maybe this will help." she walked closer and whispered 'Mudblood.'

He looked startled at this choice of words; civilized people didn't use that word anymore. He looked at her again. He had bouts of memory loss and severe headaches ever since the accident. Suddenly it came back to him.

"Granger?" he asked softly.

She nodded.

He didn't know what to say.

"I saw you at King's cross when we were dropping our daughter off. You married Asteria Greengrass then?"

He nodded.

"And you married Weasley then?"

She nodded as well.

"How many kids?"

"Two." She answered. "Rose and Hugo."

Draco wrinkled his nose at the son's name.

"I don't think you are anyone to talk about names." she replied somewhat offended. "Scorpius, really." she scoffed.

"Well, it was tradition." he said in his defense.

"So, like I said before…what can I help you with?"

"This." he replied setting a box on her desk and sitting across from her. "It's a new Quidditch glove for seekers. Very cutting edge. Bonus gripping patches on every fingertip and palm. Protects from hot and cold and lots of other things that I won't mention. Every other Quidditch supplier has been trying to come up with something like this for years. I have it on good word that I have a spy in my company willing to sell to them. I want the highest security charms the ministry can come up with to protect it. It could be worth millions of galleons in the professional Quidditch circuit."

"I see." she said looking over the very plain looking brown leather gloves. "And you think the ministry has time just to watch over your products when there are more serious crimes to attend to?"

"Come off it Granger…"

"Weasley. Hermione Weasley." she corrected.

"I've discussed it with the minister. He's assured me that you will cooperate and give this matter the highest attention. Besides, I know that there is very little going on with this department these days. Hasn't been for years from what I've heard."

Hermione looked at him with a blank expression. She knew he was right. This department was a real bore anymore. Still it was a pair of gloves. Hardly something for the ministry to get involved in.

"I will do my best Mr. Malfoy." she said standing up. "Would you like me to lock these up here for now?" she reached for the gloves.

"Oh no. I keep them with me as much as possible. I told the minister that I would require someone with me anytime I leave my home or office. I want the best."

"I am the best, but I'm not going to be your personal guard." she said.

"If you are the best, and I don't doubt that you are. I want you. Meet me at my office in Diagon alley tomorrow morning. 9am sharp. We can go over arrangements then."

He stood up, picked up the gloves and headed for the door. Hermione walked towards him, grabbing her coat and bag.

"Can I walk you to the floo?" he asked.

Hermione eyed him suspiciously, but seeing how late it was she agreed.

They walked the deserted corridors hearing their footsteps echo off the walls.

She bit her tongue several times to keep from saying what she had been dying to for nineteen years. Finally she couldn't hold it any more.

"Since we are working together can I ask you something?"

He nodded, looking straight ahead and not at her.

"All those years ago…at your house…"

His body tensed up. He had never spoken of the events of that night. Not to his family, not to his wife, and certainly not to the ministry.

"I need to know why you did it. It's weighed on my mind a lot."

"Let's not visit that." he replied.

"You saved my life and I'm not supposed to wonder why?" she asked.

"I didn't save your life."

"You did! If it wasn't for that spell…I would have screamed when she was torturing me again. She would have kept it up instead of leaving me on the floor. I would have died."

"You were strong. You would have survived."

"No…" she said holding back tears. "I was about to give up. I didn't think I could take anymore pain, and I heard Ron screaming for me. I just wanted to die…" tears rolled down her face.

Draco felt very uncomfortable.

"Look…" he said stopping in his tracks and turning towards her. Hermione sniffed and looked at him. She noticed more of the scarring on his face, and his once full head of hair had receded slightly. He was still the same Draco Malfoy in the eyes though. She looked directly in them.

"I don't know why I did it." he admitted. "Those weeks at home while they occupied it were the most unbearable of my life. I never wanted any of the things that happened. I thought I had to do it to keep all of my family alive. He threatened my mum. My dad was nearly killed when he tortured him for screwing up. I watched them torture and eventually kill innocent people. I listened to my schoolmates cries from the cellar. By the time you, Potter and Weasley showed up I just couldn't take anymore killing. I hoped Potter would just end it all. Even if I died in the process it would be worth it. I still wake up hearing screams sometimes…" he said trailing off.

"Oh." she replied. "Well I've always wanted to say thank you."

Draco didn't reply. He didn't want to be thanked. Hermione felt uncomfortable at his silence.

"Well here we are." she said indicating the two rows of fireplaces.

He nodded at her.

"9 Am. Diagon alley." he told her. "Don't be late."

"I won't." she replied before catching the floo home.

Ron was waiting for her when she came in.

"You haven't worked this late in ages!" he told her. Hugo came running up.

"Hi mum!" he said "Daddy and I made you dinner."

"You did?" she asked picking him up.

"Yes. Come and eat with us."

Hermione smiled.

"Alright. You know daddy is a much better cook than I am." she joked.

"Too right I am." Ron replied. Hermione was not known for her cooking abilities.

They ate a lovely dinner and Hermione explained what her new assignment would be.

"Has the minister gone mental?" he shouted. "You and Malfoy have history. And not a pleasant one. I still think charges should have been filed against him. He watched as innocent people were tortured and died. And he walked away."

"I think that would be punishment enough." she replied. Hermione had not told anyone of what Draco had done either.

"Well you are just going to tell Kingsley that you cannot do it." Ron said shoving potatoes into his mouth angrily.

"I can do it. It was nineteen years ago. I'm over it." she said firmly.

"I still don't think it's a good idea Hermione. Who says he has given up the old ways?"

"The minister does. And I'm inclined to agree."

"Fudge thought Lucius Malfoy was on the up and up as well, I'm just saying."

"Ron, I appreciate your concern, but I'm more than qualified."

Ron nodded, but kept his mouth tight. He knew better than to tell Hermione what she could and could not do.

Hermione put Hugo to bed, reading him 'The fountain of fair fortune' before he fell asleep. She kept her copy of 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' close to her heart. Then she began to ready herself for bed, taking a long bath and washing her hair before brushing it until if fell in damp waves. She put on a peachy colored satin nightgown that fell to her ankles. Ron was asleep before she got into the room. His constant, even snoring echoing off the bedroom walls. She stared at the ceiling trying to fall asleep; but it eluded her. She just kept thinking of Draco and what he had done for her. And more than anything how what he witnessed affected the rest of his life. She couldn't imagine being forced to do things you didn't believe in with all of your heart and soul. She tossed onto her side and closed her eyes. Visions of the events of Malfoy manor kept running in her mind until she fell asleep exhausted.

She awoke the next morning, got dressed and fed Hugo breakfast. Ron said nothing again as he watched her get ready to leave. He knew that she was going to meet Malfoy, and while he was worried he also knew that she was more than capable. Ron had the day off so he was going to stay with Hugo. Hermione leaned over Ron at the table and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I hope I won't be late. But if I am, heat up the casserole that is in the fridge. Love you." she smiled before turning to Hugo. "See you later sweetheart." He barely looked up from what he was doing

"Bye mum."

She stepped outside and apparated to Diagon Alley. Hermione had a vague idea where Draco's shop was so she headed off in that direction. The streets were crowded for being that early in the day. She said 'hello' to many an acquaintance before arriving at Malfoy's Quidditch innovations. The sign out front boasted that they had the largest and most unique selection of Quidditch supplies anywhere in the UK. The store was not open yet, all the doors were locked and she couldn't see anyone inside. She tapped her foot impatiently. It was almost 9 o'clock. She hated it when people were late. Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley." he said pleasantly.

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy. You were almost late." she smirked.

"Streets are hectic this morning." he replied taking out his keys and opening the door. He held it open for her.

"Thank you."

"We don't open until noon. So we will have 3 hours to work undisturbed. My staff comes in at 11:30."

"Great, let's get started. I assume you have already filed the proper paperwork with the ministry to patent your invention."

"Of course. But the month of waiting until it is approved is what I'm concerned about. I have a feeling that one of my staff has tipped off another company."

"Do you think that one of them is spying for that company?" she asked, writing in her tiny notebook.

"It's possible."

"Have you given them any Veritaserum?"

"No. You know I need the ministry's approval before I do that to my employees."

"Yes, but sometimes people forget about that little rule."

"Well I'm not one of them." Draco snapped. "I am completely on the up and up now."

"I didn't mean to imply…"

"Let's just move on then."

"Agreed. Did you put on the usual protective enchantments on the seeker gloves?"

"Yes, and on the plans."

"Then, Mr. Malfoy, I really don't see what you need from me. You are more than capable of doing basic spell work."

"What I need from you is to come up with a new spell. Something that will protect the enchantments on these gloves forever. So that they can never be duplicated, even after production."

"That has never been done." Hermione replied.

"I know this." Draco said. "That is why I need you. Now can you do it?"

"I will try my best."