The arrival of Monday started the work week anew.

Monday

Hermione arrived promptly at half past one in the afternoon. She smiled slightly in greeting and sat in her usual place.

He had looked up briefly when she entered, but was in the process of reading an office memo. When he was finished, he sat back and stared at her, his expression blank. "What have you got for me today, Granger?"

She rolled her eyes. "Good day to you, too."

His expression never wavered. "Do all Gryffindors require such social niceties or are you just extra annoying...?" he asked dully.

Her face flushed and her eyes flashed. "Fine." Her response clipped. She reached inside her jacket pocket. The contents that she was in search of had settled at the bottom of her magically enlarged pocket and the pocket had nearly swallowed her arm up to her elbow before her fingers touched on the items. She brought out a rather thick roll of parchment and large stack of regulation forms. She set aside the roll and divided the stack of forms into three groups.

Holding up the larger of the three, "These are all approved and actually very well written." ("And I'm sure they would really love to hear your opinion, Granger.") She gritted her teeth in frustration. She set the approved stack in front of him and moved on to another group of forms. "These are ill-advised and are definitely not approved. Regulation 2956 itself violated at least sixteen goblin rights." That stack was placed in front of him, also, next to the previous. "I have a third group here that I would consider 'maybe's." She unrolled her list of notes along his desk. "I have a section in my notes specifically for this stack directing you to which passages and sentences that are preventing the regulation from being fully approved. I think, if they can be amended and rewritten, that the Goblin Liaison Office can sign off on them."

He looked slightly incredulous although she couldn't think of a reason for it. "Granger, you went through almost a hundred regulations already?"

She still didn't understand and her expression said as much. "Over one hundred, actually...What's your point?"

"Do you not have a life?"

She felt herself bristle. She imagined that, if she were still in the habit of wearing her hair down, that it, too, would be bristling. As it were, she hoped desperately that it did not explode from the confines of her elegant updo in her anger.

She spoke very calmly focusing on enunciation to keep from losing her temper. "As a Slytherin, I know it's very difficult for you to comprehend that there exist people in this world that have more than two brain cells to rub together, so your ignorance of such matters will be excused this once. As for whether I have a life, I believe that may loosely fall under the category of a 'social nicety' and it's already been established that we would just skip over those." She stood with poise taking satisfaction in his expression transitioning from shock to outrage, but she didn't allow him a moment to respond. She was out the door in seconds.

Tuesday

Half past one arrived far too quickly and Hermione once again found herself entering the office of Draco Malfoy. She didn't smile at him today. She doubted that he noticed, but just the same...

She remembered the previous day and felt her face heat again in anger. How dare he try to criticize her social life! She spent her time as she wished. She had very close friends that she saw often. Okay, so maybe she didn't a boyfriend, but there were plenty of other females her age that didn't have boyfriends. She didn't need a boyfriend to be happy; she was quite independent-and she was quite content.

He looked up from his writings to stare at her as she sat. Neither of them said a word. Without expression, she set her notes and three stacks of forms on his desk. "Approved. Completely rejected. Maybe's," she pointed to each stack, respectively.

He sat back crossing his arms under his chest. When it was clear that he had no comments or questions-or any newly issued forms awaiting approval-she stood to leave. She paused at the door and turned back mouth open as if to begin speaking. She saw his eyebrows raise questioningly and changed her mind, turned and strode from the room.

Wednesday

When she entered his office, she didn't bother to make herself comfortable. She unloaded the items she normally delivered and set them before him on his desk. She looked at him expectantly and he returned the look. She took that to mean that he had nothing new for her.

"This completes the forms that you gave me on that first day. If anything more comes in, I'm assuming you know where to find me." She walked the twelve feet to the door, but paused when she heard him speak. "Good work, Granger." She felt her posture relax; she didn't realize she had been holding herself so rigidly. Without turning to acknowledge his praise (she was still rather peeved with the snake), she crossed the threshold en route back to her office.

Thursday

It was mid-morning and Hermione was engrossed-she was editing an addendum to the goblin rights handbook-and, therefore, didn't hear anyone enter her office. So, when a masculine voice suddenly disturbed her consentration, startled, she jumped a foot in the air. Or rather it felt as if she had jumped that high.

Heart racing, she looked up to see a smirking Malfoy. "I said you have a nice office, Granger."

Finally recovering herself, "Two compliments in as many days...You've outdone yourself, Malfoy." She hadn't really thought he was going to make a trip down to her office, and, yet, he was here. Very surprising.

He looked about at her furnishings: pictures and photographs on the wall, the books on her bookshelf, candles she had placed about the room, etc. "I think you may need to use a reinforcement charm on your bookshelf; it looks about ready to collapse." She followed his gaze, and her bookshelf did, indeed, look as if it was supporting too much weight. Books were shelved normally, but the space the shelf allowed wasn't enough and she had books stuffed in any remaining crevice available.

She looked sheepish. "I already did."

He looked at her in amusement. "Of course you did."

They must have realized at the same time that they were having a normal conversation because both of their expressions turned serious.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Was there something that you needed?"

"Ah, yes," he replied and pulled a folder from behind him. "New regulations issued."

She took the folder from him. "How is it that they suddenly have so many of these? Where do they come up with these regulations?"

Malfoy plopped down into one of her guest chairs. "The economy changes and the Treasury has to keep up and adapt. Plus, they discover loopholes in older regulations that they have to close. One day, they might not have anything to issue and, the next, could have as many as fifty." He shrugged.

She was about to respond when he interrupted her. "Look, Granger, I know we haven't been getting along so well this week, but I think we should make more of an effort." He rolled his eyes and sighed. "For the sake of our jobs, at least, and having to see other so often."

She frowned in consternation and made a sound in the back of her throat that could only be construed as disbelief. "I was trying to get along with you! I made an attempt and you said I was being annoying!" He was the most frustrating man that she ever had the misfortune of working with! She had the sudden urge to growl out her frustration; it would have made her feel better.

His eyes twinkled back at her, tauntingly. "Now, now, Granger, you obviously weren't trying that hard. You didn't even talk to me two days this week. I wouldn't call that trying." He smirked. Jerk!

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "It has to go both ways, Malfoy. It can't just be me; you have to work at it, too."

He held up his hands in surrender. "I wasn't suggesting otherwise." She relaxed slightly. "Truce, then?" And held out a hand. She eyed his hand curiously. This was the second such time that he had offered his hand for her to shake.

She leaned forward and reached for his hand tentatively. He noticed the direction of her gaze and must have figured out her thoughts. Hard, grey eyes looked upon her. "Let's clear this up, shall we? This muggle-born and pureblood business," he gestured between the two of them, "I. Don't. Care." She stared at him in amazement. "Not anymore." He said it with such fervor that she had no choice but to believe him. She knew that, once in the real world, people changed, but she had no idea to what extent. She was simply amazed and pleasantly surprised.

She wasn't entirely sure what to say in response, so settled with "Okay".

His expression lightened. "Maybe I'll get you an office warming present to symbolize our new truce. Maybe a potted plant?" He stood to leave and she stood with him not wanting him to tower over her.

She quirked a brow. "As long as it's not devil's snare," she replied dryly and he actually laughed. A surprise once again. She had not once ever heard him laugh. Certainly, not like this. It was rich and masculine and she could feel it vibrating within her. She suddenly felt very proud that she was the cause and she couldn't help but smile.

"A Gryffindor with a sense of humor! A rare find, indeed!" Her only response was to shake her head, good humor still intact.

Friday

Most departments of the Ministry didn't normally schedule workers on Fridays, and, those that did work, usually only worked a half day. This made lines to the lifts nonexistent and one could easily walk from the Apparition area to the lifts without pause.

Hermione spotted a lift that was loading and hurried to catch it. "Hold the lift, please!" She was mere feet away, but it didn't seem as anyone had heard her and the doors shut.

Out of breath, she was about to press the button to summon another lift, when the doors reopened. On the other side, pressing the 'Doors Open' button was Draco Malfoy. He held the doors for her. It was unexplainable, but, at that moment, it seemed like the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her and she beamed in delight.

She stepped in next to him. "Thank you!" Still sounding overly pleased.

He took in her expression, his own expression inscrutable. The corner of his mouth quirked. "Well, you always hold the door for me, might as well reciprocate."

She shot him a look in mock surprise. "And I thought you never noticed..."

Suddenly, he was looking quite intense. Grey met brown as his eyes focused directly on hers. "You'd be surprised at what I notice, Granger." His tone and expression made her shiver. She was completely flustered and could manage only to blink in response. She wondered idly if he understood Morse code.

His face smoothed into neutral lines and turned his eyes to stare at his reflection in the lift doors. "I'll be leaving early today, so there will be no need to meet." And, inexplicably, she was disappointed.

She had arrived at her level, so stepped out and bid him a good weekend. She wondered at her disappointment and told herself to get over it. Another Monday would be upon them soon enough, anyway