Granger's Café

Pairing: Draco/Harry.

Disclaimer: Hermione decides that the drama in the wizarding world is growing too much. She decides to open up a café in the muggle world, so as to enjoy simplicity during the day. Little does she know that one of the applicants for a job there, will cause a whole new circle of drama for her. And how exactly will her little café benefit Harry and Draco's lives, and how will it banish the drama from both worlds they live in? You know what they say, about Granger's café; her food is like magic, that's what they say, because it keeps all your problems and troubles at bay.

Chapter six: HELP WANTED

Three whole weeks. That is how long Draco had been living in the homeless shelter. He had heard back from three of the shops he had applied to for work, even part-time work, and he had had an interview a few days ago. He did not think it had gone too well. However he had been called up the next day and offered a job. It was a lowly position of cleaning the toilets every three hours but he figured money was money and he was not in the position to be picky. On the third day of his second week he had started the job, and came home reeking of bleach and toilet water. He showered compulsively every day. He scrubbed his skin until it gleamed red. It hurt but this was the only way he felt clean.

Day nine of cleaning toilets and washing compulsively at the homeless shelter, and Draco was on a break. He had managed to save up a small amount of money for himself, leaving aside the correct amount for the monthly rent of the shelter. He decided that he wanted to buy himself a new outfit. He needed one badly. He had managed to save up a good fifty pounds fr himself, but considering some of the prices of the clothes in the high street shops, he was sure he would lose that hard-earned money in the blink of an eye. He decided he could last another week or so in the shelter's clothes. Whilst scraping his trainers along the side-walk of one of the numerous high streets of London, he strolled by a warm, welcoming little café that had a massive 'HELP WANTED' sign blazing in the front window. His body froze mid-stride as his eyes glanced at the window. Should he go in and apply? Would they reject him? He decided that he may as well take the risk. Drawing a deep breath he pushed open the door and walked inside, a small tinkling bell signalled his arrival.

Hermione was running through all the business files at her desk in the office at the back of the café when she heard the bell above the bell tinkle. She frowned. Harry was no expected to visit her today. He had told her that he was going to three interviews for the local Universities that afternoon. "I'm in the back!" she called out. If it was Harry, good, they could chatter of tea and biscuits, if it wasn't ... well she would cross that bridge when she came to it. She listened to the soles of trainers squeaking down the new hard wood floors. She ground her teeth. She had just washed them. The footsteps grew louder. She watched her office door squeak open and a tall blonde poked his head through the door, a soft pale grey beanie hat on his head. She dropped the pen in her hand when she managed to recognise the rough looking face. "Malfoy?"

The blonde froze, grey eyes going wide, "Granger? What the hell are you doing here?"

She straightened herself up in her office chair and eyed him up and down, "I own this place. May I enquire as to what you are doing here?"

Draco had the decency to look sheepish, a sight Hermione had never witnessed before. She stole the chance to look over him and felt a little part of her heart melt with sympathy for the blonde; his appearance was shabby, like he had been sleeping rough, his face was unshaven, and he had large bags underneath his eyes. "Well" she focused on his face, "you have a help wanted sign and I was wondering what ... you needed help with"

Hermione rubbed her temples. This was the challenge of the century. "Well, Malfoy, do you know how to clean floors and bathrooms?" Draco cringed at the memory of his current job before nodding stiffly. Hermione seemed impressed already. "What about taking people's orders?"

"Believe you me Granger you will find no one more obedient than me" Draco said gloomily.

Hermione nodded. She could understand that. She had spent seven years with Draco at school and knew how dominating his family could be on him. "Well I would say you could be a care taker, but I don't think you would be able to manage it. Partly because you already smell like a care taker. So I am prepared to allow you apply for the job as a waiter"

Draco was taken aback. "Er... may I sit?" Hermione nodded. Draco sat down stiffly in the chair opposite Hermione at her desk. "Well what does a waiter do, exactly?"

Hermione could not help the small smile that crawled onto her pink lips. "Well basically they take people's order's for food and drink, give them to the chef, and once the order is complete, you take them to the person who has ordered it"

Draco nodded whilst frowning. "So if ... you asked for a coffee and three cupcakes, and someone else ordered the same thing with a tea, how will I remember which order belong to which person if I do not know who they are?"

Hermione grinned. "There would be numbers on each table so when you take someone's order you write down the table number and then the order underneath it. Then so as not to confused anything you can cross a line or an 'x' over the order once it has been served" Draco nodded and felt a little proud of himself for understanding the information he was being given. Hermione cocked an eyebrow, "do you think you are up for the challenge?"

Draco rubbed the hair at the nape of his neck, "well you can always fire me if you don't like me so I guess I can take the risk"

Hermione nodded. "Well ... as an extra way of earning money and keeping the staff happy I have a few apartments upstairs. There are two floors and four rooms. If you work out well you can move in within a week or two. Sound good?"

Draco licked his lips, "thank you for your time Miss. Granger. I hope I do not disappoint you. Here is my address if you want to contact me for anything" he slid a sheaf of paper across the desk. Giving a weak smile he inclined his head and left the office. Hermione turned the piece of paper to view the address the right way up. She frowned. "Wait! Malfoy this is a-" she looked up and sighed as she heard the bell tinkle, signalling he had left, "-a homeless shelter" she finished under her breath. She collapsed into her chair and ran a hand through her straightened hair. "Welcome to the family, Draco" she muttered as she resumed filing her numerous documents.

That evening Draco was walking into the shelter after his late shift at the wonderful 'toilets' of his, when Lisa reached through her little window and grabbed his sleeve. He whirled around, a sudden flare of anger sparking up. "What do you want?" he snarled.

She flinched back into her window, her face falling at his harsh exclamation. "I ... I just ... there was a woman on the phone for you. She left a message for you. About a job"

Draco frowned, searching his brain for who this mystery woman could be. Then it clicked. Granger. "What was her name?"

Lisa jumped back into action, shifting through pages of notes and messages. She was so un-organised. Draco scowled. He could never work like this woman did, he was a complete neat-freak. Lisa grabbed one of the pages and scanned it before handing it over to Draco through her window, "Her name was Granger, Hermione Granger. She sounded like she was asking for someone named Draco. I told her we had no 'Draco's' but we had a Daniel. She apologised for the mistake though" beaming brightly Lisa forced her fingertips forward slightly so that they brushed against Draco's. He flinched away from her touch. He stared at Lisa, looking like a dear caught in headlights, before turning on his heel and tearing up the stairs to his bedroom.

Dropping down heavily onto his bed her unfolded the small note and scanned the curled writing with his quick grey eyes. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed running a hand down his jaw.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

I am pleased to inform you that we have a position for you to work at 'Granger's Café'. I hope you will be here for the opening day and preparation week starting on the 30th of September. I hope you will be able to attend preparation week, as it is crucial.

Your Sincerely,

Mrs. H. J. Granger-Weasley.

Draco was stunned. He felt as though he had been hit with a paralysis jinx. She wanted him to work at her place? She was offering him a well-paid job? He could barely believe the words on the letter. He ran a hand through his blonde hair. He knew he had to get out of here. His magical signature was everywhere and it would not be long before his father managed to trace him. He sighed. He wondered if he would be able to keep the clothes the shelter gave him. He knew Hermione was only doing it out of pity. Licking his lips he eyes the small land-line that was plugged into his bedside table. He had managed to convince Lisa that he had been in an accident and suffered from memory lapses. This is how he came to learn how to use the telephone. There was a number scribbled down in the corner of the paper. He assumed it was Hermione's number and so he picked up the phone, waited for the dial tone, before jabbing in the numbers. It rang three times before someone picked up. "Hello?" the line on the other end of the phone was soft and inquiring.

"H-hi ... Granger?"

"Draco? Is that you?"

"Y-yeah it's me. I was wondering ... um ... I ..."

"Draco? Is everything okay?"

Draco felt the hand holding the phone tremor with nerves. "Would I be able to ... um ... come in and help ... things at the café next week?"

"Well it's not when we open-"

"I know" he continued hurriedly, "but I really would like to feel useful. Plus with the extra help ... you can ... um ... get the place ready ahead of schedule. That way you will have time to double-check everything"

The other end of the line was silent. He could practically hear the cogs in her mind grinding away at this thought. He gnawed on his bottom lip. He needed this, this small inkling of salvation. "I suppose it couldn't hurt" he heard her breathe steadily, "okay come in at seven o'clock on Monday morning and you can help start decorating the apartments above the café"

Draco nodded and then realised Hermione would not be able to see him. "Um, yeah sure, that sounds great. Thank you, Granger, so much" he put the phone down, grinning widely.

On the other end of the phone, Hermione was paralysed in her office chair in a mild state of shock. Draco Malfoy had just been vulnerable and civil to her at the same time on the phone. She had no idea he was able to use a phone let alone be polite to her and sound desperate for any form of work. She bit on her bottom lip. Something must have gone wrong. Very wrong. By nine o'clock that evening she had manage to finish all of her filing and documenting. She was proud of herself. She tidied her office up, locked the door and left the building out into the chill evening. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, clutched her keys and wand in her pocket and apparated home. As soon as she opened the door to her house she was greeted by the sweet smell of a roast dinner and little Hugo bounding up to her, arms open wide for a cuddle and a plushy hat on his head in the shape of a roaring lion, like the little Gryffindor he was bound to be. "Ron? Are you home?"

"Of course I'm home!" came the beaming reply from the kitchen, "and I cooked us dinner, I hope you don't mind, but I felt you would need it after a hard day at your little dream" he smiled kissing her tenderly on the mouth.

Hermione looked at the beautiful spread her husband had whipped up, "oh wow Ron" she unwound her scarf, "this looks delicious. This is so sweet darling thank you do much" she hugged him tightly before draping her scarf and coat over the top of the dining room chair she was to occupy.

"Mummy we went to the zoo today" Hugo chimed brightly as they all settled down to eat the dinner Ron had prepared.

"Did you now?" Hermione smiled, "was it fun?"

"YES!" Hugo grinned, "we saw loads of magical animals and then daddy bought me this awesome hat!" Ron chuckled and ruffled his son's hair.

Hermione smiled. She loved her children and husband so much, that it pained her to see people in so much pain, especially Harry and now that she thought about it, Draco. "So you two will come to my opening day, won't you?" she asked looking between the two men she loved.

"Opening? For what mummy?"

"For my new little café. I'll be making cakes and sandwiches and other cooked and cold foods. And some lovely hot chocolate"

"HOT CHOCOLATE?" Ron and Hugo chorused in delight. Hermione smiled. That was their weak points, their undying love for her secret recipe hot chocolate. She smiled with a swift nod before returning her attention to her dinner.

Dinner for Draco that night was a morbid affair; cold cucumber soup accompanied with a cut of baguette and butter. It was vile but food was food and he was beginning to decrease in weight, so he figured he might as well eat the drivel they served. After his compulsive shower he returned to the bedroom wrapped in scratchy pyjamas. Upon opening the door he found yet another letter nestled on his pillow. It had an official stamp on it so it must have been sent by an owl. He growled realising that he had left the window open. "Damn owls always finding me" he tore open the letter and read it rolling his eyes as he did so. Another letter from his father declaring his vengeance. He screwed the letter up into a tight ball before tossing into the wire-frame bin beneath the desk. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?" he whimpered as he fell on top of his covers and buried his face within his hands.

A/N: Read and review. I would appreciate reviews as getting story alerts only does so much for the motivations.