It's been a long time. It's hard to write when you're on vacation and can't bring your computer but I'm finally home and was able to get another chapter done! I hope you enjoy reading :)

I do not own any of the Harry Potter franchise

If work had to be summed up in one word, Hermione would never have chosen the word 'fun'. Maybe 'stressful', 'necessity', but there were too many factors that came into play that didn't allow 'fun' to be the overreaching adjective for work. Work had always been something she had to do, and Hermione made the best of it.

Lately however work was not even a necessity, it was simply a distraction. A distraction from Malfoy- correction, Draco- that at the same time happened to pay her money. Whenever those green eyes would invade her mind all she'd have to do was look at the piles of neatly stacked papers in her office, and she would immediately be reverted to her previous line of thought.

At home Hermione was a hopeless cause, one big ball of emotional commotion. She could be pouring coffee, petting Crookshanks, but only be in the moment physically. Mentally she was imagining wild scenarios, things she knew to be foolish daydreams.

Like the time she was imagining laying on the beach, Draco's bare torso leaned against her body, when the sand she was gently laying her hand on was getting really hot. Turns out it wasn't sand, it was the coffee she had been pouring. And this was only one of the numerous instances.

At work she could focus on her job, on the countless pieces of paper that needed to be read or looked over, but at home the only thing she had to distract herself from Draco, was Draco himself. At all times there were countless tabs pulled up on Hermione's computer, tabs for furniture stores, paint colors, etc. Draco was the distraction and Draco had taken over her only distraction.

On one hand Hermione found herself giddy, somewhat like a girl in middle school who has a crush on some unobtainable jock. But on the other she couldn't help but be realistic.

Whenever her phone would ring her heart would race, pounding madly as her eyes and hands searched frantically around the room for her phone, hoping that Malfoy had sent her a new text regarding a meeting of something, a text like before. And when the text turned out to simply be Harry updating her on his exciting day, her brain would kick into adult mode, chastising her for even allowing her mind to wander in those directions. To have any kind of relationship other than professional with a client was a stern rule. That didn't mean it was always necessarily enforced or kept, but Hermione didn't break the rules. She followed them. However, just because Hermione followed the real life rules, didn't mean her brain never wandered in the pretend one.

It had been almost two weeks since Hermione's last meeting with Draco, and in the meantime Hermione had accumulated a large pile of design plans. She was anxious to meet with him, share what she had found, but she knew it wasn't her place. Her job as the designer was to wait for the call of the client. And one night, it came, but this time it was actually a call.

Around 8 o'clock on a Wednesday night Hermione's phone went off, however the usual jig-like dance her heart usually performed when her phone made any activity didn't happen. Wednesday was the day Hermione's mother called to let her in on the gossip of the town, any new happenings in the family's life, and a general 'how are you doing out there in the big city' call. But when she answered the phone with her usual "Hey Mom how's it going?" the voice on the other end of the phone didn't match her mother's.

It was a calm rich one she immediately recognized. She instantly regretted not checking the caller ID on the phone as her face began radiating heat.

"My apologies Mr. Malfoy I was expecting a call from my mother, she usually calls around this time." All she could do was thank the heavens he could not see her face.

"Draco. And I thought all the hi-tech phones these days had called ID." Her face softened and she let out a laugh of relief when she heard his tone; a tone that, if witnessed in person, would be accompanied with a coy smile.

"Yes well it seems I was born in the wrong generation, the idea of caller ID slipped my mind." He chuckled and it made Hermione's heart race. That deep, alluring laugh would be stashed in her memory for later daydreaming. "Anyway, I'm sure you called about something important before I embarrassed myself."

"Yes I was. I want to apologize for calling so late but I would like to meet with you tomorrow afternoon for lunch at my house. It's been a while since we have been able to talk about the design plans and I apologize about that, circumstances has risen up. If you would be available I can have my valet pick you up at 12?" Was jumping up and down appropriate?

"Of course, I would be happy to meet with you, I've acquired a great amount of information for your plans."

"Fabulous. I look forward to meeting with you tomorrow. And whilst we are on the subject, what is your favorite meal?"

The next day Hermione's nerves were just as high as the first meeting date, and the ride was just as long. There were no wrinkles in her black form fitting dress but she managed to find some.

As the car gently rolled past the houses and into the driveway of the Malfoy residence Hermione grasped the handle of her bag tightly and took one final deep breath. At the top of the steps, Dressed in a tailor made suit, stood Draco, as handsome as she had been imagining him. He descended the steps and barely gave the car a chance to come to a complete stop before opening the door and offering Hermione his hand.

"Good afternoon Ms. Granger, I appreciate you meeting with me on such a short notice." Maybe it was her dress or the new brand of perfume she was wearing, but Hermione felt confident. Her heart was beating almost normally and she allowed the shivers to roll down her spine when their hands met. It was like an old movie and she had watched enough to know how to act.

"It's Hermione. And I'm glad you called, I'm getting very excited about the project." She gently offered her a smile, his emerald eyes radiating a warmth she had not noticed at their prior meeting.

When they entered the house Hermione's bag was taken into another room, the room the plans would be discussed she presumed. For now they were going to eat, and Draco's cooks didn't disappoint.

When Draco had asked her what her favorite food was she had blushed slightly before saying chicken and dumplings. It was a guilty pleasure that she expected him to scoff at, but instead he had seemed excited. Something different than the usual up-scale fare he was used to, she was sure.

Conversation flowed effortlessly, perhaps the slightest hint of flirting coming from both sides. It could however have just been Draco being a gentleman, but Hermione desperately hoped for a different alternative.

He seemed overjoyed with her progress on the re-decorating project and she could not have been happier with his reaction. That is until he got suddenly quiet, quiet for the first time that afternoon.

"Is there something missing?" Hermione asked, feeling her heart tremble slightly.

"It's just…. Something's missing. A bit of life maybe?" Her heart sank. "But it is certainly not your fault. If anything it is mine. For us to be on the same page we must be able to draw from the same inspiration. What are your plans for tomorrow night, around 7?"

For the first time in the several hours they had spent together Hermione found herself taken completely captive by Draco's emerald gaze, with the depth she found.

"Nothing that I am aware of." She said quietly, not expecting what was to come out of Draco's mouth.

"Would you be able to accompany me to the ballet tomorrow? It just so happens that one of my favorite shows is in town, actually a show that has inspired my design plans since the first time I thought of remodeling." Her heart stopped. This was like a date. A date. With Draco Malfoy. A date.

"Of course."

Their eyes stayed locked for several moments before Draco abruptly stood up, startling Hermione the faintest bit. After straightening his tie he smiled again and gestured to the door.

"Then we can continue the session tomorrow. How does 4 o'clock sound, at your house, so we have time to eat before the entertainment?" She simply nodded, mind racing as she gathered the papers into somewhat of an order.

She, Hermione Granger, had a date with Draco Malfoy of all people. A date under the pretense of work, but she wasn't focused on that.

Thank you all for reading and keeping with the story :) If you feel so inclined I would love to hear your thoughts on the story so far. Have a lovely day and thank you so much for reading! –Sarah