A/N: Well, we are coming to a close. There will be one more chapter after this. This chapter was a little heavier than I expected it to be, simply because I think there is so much history between the two that it deserved a little more of an angsty treatment. Will be sure to bring back a little more fun in the last one.

I have decided I won't be writing two alternative endings followed by a sequel as there are some other ideas I have floating around that would be fun to write (some of you may have already read the first chapter of Tea for Granger - if you haven't check it out and tell me your thoughts). So I will tie up the story and if I ever feel the inclination to write a sequel, I will be sure to add in the alternative ending before proceeding.

As always, your reviews are incredibly important so please feel free to leave one if you are inclined to do so:)

Chapter 7

Day 13 of 14 - 3 am

Ring…

Ringggg…

Ringgggg….

"Damn it, Granger, pick up!"

Day 14 of 14

Hermione sighed as she packed the last of her things in to a cardboard box. She had spent the previous day moving the things in her apartment to Grimmauld Place. Harry had talked her in to moving in with him and Ginny while she settled in to her new job with a startup firm that focused on Muggle-Wizard relations, particularly for low-income families. She couldn't stay in her apartment and didn't particularly want to move in with her parents in the interim, so Harry's place was a good compromise.

The staff had thrown her a lovely goodbye party that afternoon and many employees had expressed how much they would miss her. Hermione gave a quick thank you speech and refrained from expressing her disdain in current company. Her heart was heavy and it was at that moment that she felt that she was truly walking away from a community that she help build. Despite her misgivings and anger with those that controlled the direction of Malfoy Inc, she thought she had honestly made a difference, and leaving it at this junction made her feel more sad than she had anticipated.

There was a rap at the door and a voice spoke quietly behind her, "Granger, we need to talk."

She didn't bother turning around, "Not now Malfoy, I need finish packing up."

"No, Granger, I've been trying to hunt you down these past two days. Who takes a lieu day on the day before their last day?" the frustration was evident in his voice.

"Well, you encouraged I do nothing since I am almost done here," her voice was hollow as she sorted through some papers.

"Granger…" he started.

She quickly cut him off, "So, what you are you going to do about the Fair Wage legislation?"

He practically growled, "I told you my hands are tied..and…shouldn't we talk about what happened the night of the Gala?"

Her laugh was forced, "There's nothing to talk about Malfoy."

He circled around her until his was facing her, but she kept her head down.

"Well…let me remind you. You stormed in to my rooms in the Manor, and umm…Astoria was there. She was…seducing me. I was..letting myself get seduced. Didn't that bother you at all?"

She looked at him briefly and then back down again, "Why would it bother me, my reputation is no longer attached to the Malfoy reputation. I no longer work for you…what you do in your personal time is your business."

He shook his head, "No Granger, sod the reputation bit…I want to know how did it make you feel?"

She paused.

"What are you going to do about the Fair Wage legislation?" she repeated.

He growled, "Screw the legislation! Granger, I am trying to have a discussion with you about you…and me."

"There is no you and me, Malfoy. This..partnership is dissolved. You go your way and…I go my way," she bit back.

"Merlin, Granger! Always on about work, I can't understand why you can't talk about what happened…" he groaned.

"What I can't understand," she said finally losing patience and her eyes flashing at him, "is how you cannot answer a simple question. Malfoy, did you even try to reason with the Board?"

She stared at him, eyes boring in to his.

He faltered unable to keep eye contact.

"You know…" started Hermione slowly, as if painfully dragging out the words, "I used to hate you when we were kids Malfoy. You were terrible to everyone around you, making people feel so small and unwanted."

Draco flinched.

"As I got older," she continued, "I realized your prejudice was ingrained in you. It came from a place where years of training and possibly even torture moulded you in to a tyrant. And then we came out of the war, and Harry testified on your behalf…and I even recognized you at that moment for who you were…lost, brainwashed, confused…even broken."

Malfoy's hands had clenched, as he tried to keep control of himself.

"I never tried to justify it, but I always thought that to some extent…you had no choice. You were a child, who was expected to be a man, branded against your will…held to saving your mother's life…you weren't equipped to fight Voldemort, and the one man who offered you an ounce of trust, died before your eyes," her voice was heavy with grief as she remembered Dumbledore.

"And then this year happened. You are still arrogant, stubborn and self-stubborn, but I thought…I thought you wanted to change. To be better, to do better. I know the Board has control of the decision making, but…you aren't 16 years old anymore Malfoy. You do have a choice, you can make a difference, and you won't even bloody try," she said turning her back on him full of grief.

"There goes another one of the great Granger's speeches! Yes, we get it, you're perfect and the rest of us mere mortals are nowhere near good enough for you. We don't reach this elevated status of Saint Potter that you have in the back of your mind. You know why Krum and those other blokes left? Because no one could handle being with someone who is so incredibly hell bent on being right about everything all the time. It's tiring keeping up with you…" he trailed off as if not quite meaning to say those last words.

She picked up her box and walked towards the door.

Pausing, she turned over her shoulder and spoke, "I can't discuss you and I, because the moment you gave up on your word to me was the moment you gave up on us."

And she was gone.