A/N: Do you really think JK Rowling reads fanfiction, sees they don't have disclaimers and decides to sue? I don't. Regardless-it's not mine.
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Draco was walking by the break room when he heard something that roused his attention.
"It's called Le Chat Noir." The voice was too quiet for Draco to hear the rest, but he was sure he heard Zabini and stag party.
Draco paused in contemplation before deciding he could use some coffee. He entered the break room and walked past Adrian Pucey and Terrence Higgs who eyed him warily. Draco poured himself a cup.
"You paid to watch a muggle dance," Terrence claimed in a lower voice. Adrian seemed unfazed.
"You didn't necessarily have to pay." He clarified. "Draco was there, too. What did you think, Draco?" Adrian asked. Draco turned towards the two and sipped his coffee with a faux nonchalance. He did not expect to be pulled into the conversation.
"It was certainly something I've never seen in the wizarding world." Draco said with disdain. He purposefully ignored a certain dancer who had been plaguing his thoughts.
"Me either. But I think that made it more interesting." Adrian commented. "In any case, I fancied having another go at it—no Stag Party necessary. I'm trying to tell Terrence he should at least experience it once." Terence looked up expectantly at Draco for his input. Draco shrugged with feigned indifference.
"It was enjoyable enough." Draco admitted. Terence looked disbelieving but Adrian looked pleased.
"In that case, you should go with us this Friday." Adrian invited. Draco contemplated it. He wasn't particularly close to either of the fellow Slytherins—Terence had even left Hogwarts the year Draco took his spot as seeker. Yet, the prospect of seeing Rose again was appealing enough to overlook the strangeness of the situation.
"Alright, I'll go." Draco confirmed. "Just mind the Muggle liquor when we get there; it's stronger than it tastes." Adrian winced in sympathy.
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Blaise strolled into the office slightly late per usual with his normal coffee bribe.
"Morning, Hermione." He greeted as he set the café on her desk. Hermione picked it up and took a sip, eyeing Blaise over the lip of her cup.
"You need to tell Claire." Hermione said bluntly, catching Blaise before he even finished sitting down in his chair. He froze hovering above the chair and sighed. He sat down completely before he answered her.
"I'm waiting for the right opportunity." Blaise said resigned. Hermione glared at him.
"You're being a coward. If you really want a life with her you need to tell her this secret." Hermione admonished. "You'll already be in trouble for keeping such a big aspect of your life from her."
"And I will tell her at the most ideal time." Blaise said with an edge to his voice. Hermione, realizing she was being slightly overbearing and bit her tongue.
"Alright." Hermione conceded. "Use your discretion." Blaise nodded. "Are you going to the Muggle Gram this Friday?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.
"I make no guarantees about future grams but for the first one I'll be there." Blaise promised. Hermione smiled excitedly.
"Excellent! We already have three signed up!"
Being a healer meant sporadic moments of drama and emergency followed by lulls of boredom. Some days one outweighed the other. Draco was thankful that the week had been particularly dramatic because he didn't want to acknowledge he was anxious about the weekend. Despite his desire to see that dancer, he was filled with incalculable shame at paying to see a woman. Even worse, he felt ashamed for being attracted to that muggle dancer he was willing to pay to see. Equality was en vogue for polite society and he was adapting as necessary but he was hard wired to think them different. Capable though they may be, as aptly demonstrated by Granger, they were not marriage material and they were not even bedding material.
After his initial acceptance of the invite, he felt shamed by his desires and he nearly backed out of going. He thought about it again when he apparated to the muggle street near the club. He thought about it once more when he met Adrian and Terrence. But by then, he was committed. There were a few other guys that Terrence had managed to convince, which irritated Draco. He did not want there would be so many witnesses to his dereliction.
When they sat down inside of the club he was disappointed to find they were seated in a booth, as opposed to the front rows where he sat for the stag party. Tonight, another stag party had taken that spot. When the waitress came over he ordered water while the others ordered alcohol. Draco did not warn them again and ruefully acknowledged that they would be completely bladdered by the end of the night.
Draco followed the lights from overhead as the curtains began to rise and the music started to play. As the dancers emerged he scanned every face. Though the distance was farther he knew without a doubt that the dancer he had come to see was regrettably not there. He was ashamed at his disappointment.
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The total number of attendees at the muggle grams was five. Most of them were half-muggle and only one was pureblood. Most of them were learning the other side of their heritage while the single pureblood had a much more romantic reason—they had developed a crush on a muggle and wanted to research their culture. Hermione gave them brownie points for that. While the group had been smaller than she had liked, it made it convenient to filter around Muggle London, undetected.
"Thank you all for coming today. The purpose of these muggle grams is to give cultural lessons of non-magical persons. We will be navigating through non-magical London in a non-magical person—or 'a non-map'—bubble. Muggles will not notice us nor here our conversations while we are out there. Everyone should have a map of our walking tour today. Please ask questions as you think of them; this is a no-judgment zone. Are there any questions before we begin?" Hermione looked around at the blank faces. They looked uncomfortable and nervous. Hermione smiled in a way she hoped was disarming. "I'm going to cast the anon-map bubble now." She cast it wordlessly and a shimmery pink but transparent bubble immersed them.
"This is what you've been working on?" Hermione jumped with an undignified squawk.
"Blaise." She whispered harshly. "You scared me!"
"Good." He smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes as Blaise touched the bubble. It flexed with his finger but the bubble was not pierced.
"This bubble has a range. Please stay within it as we proceed through our tour." Hermione said, raising her voice so they all could hear. The bubble was large and spacious enough, shifting as they moved through the threshold of the Leaky Cauldron. The groupd turned and walked down the road to their first destination—The British Museum. Blaise walked next to her and she led. He was still admiring the bubble.
"How did you make it?" He asked.
"Notice-me-not and a spell that covers speech with a buzzing. Though, they were just the basis." She responded.
"It's impressive. Is this the only spell you've made?" Blaise inquired. Hermione thought instantly of her je-ne-sais-quoi spell.
"None that I'll be showing you." Hermione teased. Blaise scoffed petulantly.
"Tease."
They continued to the British Museum and spent only a few hours there. No doubt they could've stayed much longer, especially as the paused to ask questions. None of the attendees had been to the museum before and despite the many half-bloods there, there still seemed to be an amazement and disbelief that the non-magical people had created and developed so many things. Despite saying it was a no-judgment zone, Hermione had to stifle an eye roll at several questions; truly, the magical world was still ignorant to the works of the non-magical man.
They returned to Diagon Alley in the evening and Hermione said her goodbyes, thinking it had gone well and hoping they would spread positive word about the program. Blaise promised to give Hermione's regards to Claire when they met up later that night.
As Hermione returned home, she could not help but think of her lackluster plans for the evening. Truthfully, she was feeling slightly lonely and rather than mope about, she thought about going to Le Chat Noir. She was not scheduled to work tonight but that didn't stop her from wanting to go. Routines could be interchanged as necessary if she should choose to participate. If not, she also enjoyed socializing with the girls behind the curtains and it beat the loneliness brewing in her heart.
Decision made, Hermione began her persona make over. She changed her hair and put on makeup leisurely. It did not take her long to apparate there and she strolled in to the establishment through the back door for dancers.
"Rose! You weren't scheduled tonight!" Nana smiled as she gave air kisses to each of Hermione's cheeks. Hermione gave them back.
"Well, I decided to come hang out and watch anyway." Hermione smiled, grimly realizing that she did not have any real plans for the weekend.
"Well, I don't know if any of the other girls need to be relieved, but I do know that Lottie was looking for you last Saturday—something about your tips?" Hermione nodded in acknowledgement.
"I'll go search her out then." Hermione wandered around the backstage looking for her boss who consolidated the tips and handed them to the dancers. She was a beautiful, tall woman with long, dyed-black hair and very white skin. She danced occasionally but generally was the hostess or made sure the night's production was on schedule and properly managed. Hermione found her beside the stage curtain talking into the headpiece connected to the DJ.
"Lottie?" Hermione asked tentatively when there was a lull in her conversation. Lottie turned and smiled.
"Rose!" Lottie exclaimed, giving Hermione air kisses on each cheek. Hermione returned them and Lottie pulled back to waggle her finger at Hermione. "You naughty thing—you've seduced someone." Hermione laughed.
"What makes you say that?" Hermione asked. Lottie smiled.
"Some handsome man left you a very handsome tip!" Hermione stared at Lottie skeptically.
"And that's a bad thing?" Hermione asked.
"Not at all! But he did tip you about 1000 Pounds." Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock.
"What?" She asked, stunned. Lottie laughed.
"I'll give you the record amount at the end of the night or tomorrow if you'd like." Lottie turned to speak into the headphones before indicating to another dancer it was her turn. She turned back to Hermione as new music came back on. "I think your dream tipper is actually here tonight. I know that you aren't here for the ridiculous tip, but you should consider asking if any of the girls want to be relieved." Lottie peered out behind the curtains to peer at the crowd. "That's the guy! With the extremely light blonde hair and the dark suit." Lottie said, pointing. Hermione followed her hand, noticing him in the booth almost immediately. It took her while, however, to realize that it was indeed Draco Malfoy again at HER club. Hermione made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a gasp. Lottie looked at her strangely.
"You alright there, Rose?" Lottie teased. Hermione smiled.
"Can you keep a secret?" Hermione whispered. Lottie nodded and leaned in. "That guy was my high school bully—and he doesn't even recognize me!" Lottie gave a similar sound of laughing disbelief.
"Well now you HAVE to dance tonight—and stay for a shift drink! I'm sure that will be entertaining." Lottie commanded. Hermione giggled mischievously before heading towards the dressing room, hoping one of the girls would be willing to trade.
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Draco waited through several dancers but none of them were Rose. He hadn't seen her in the opening number and hadn't seen her perform in anything else so far. He wondered if it would be rude to leave but everyone else was so sloshed he doubted anyone would notice he even left. He looked at Adrian who was laughing at the plastered Terrence Higgs who had become suddenly much more audacious in his inebriated state. While laughable, it only made Draco want to leave more. The music shifted and Draco looked morosely at the stage.
You make it look like it's magic
Cause I see nobody, nobody but you, you, you
Draco followed the direction of the lights. From the shadows emerged a figure who sauntered to the pole. He swallowed as he realized it was her mounting and twirling on the pole with a strength and grace he could not fathom. She would progress with a fluidity he could not understand.
So I love when you call unexpected
Cause I hate when the moment's expected
Draco felt the world close off. All he could see was her. The noises of Terrence and Adrian dulled like he was submerged in water and instead he could only feel the base of the song. He recognized briefly that he should feel embarrassed or ashamed—he had all night. Yet despite his prior sentiments, he was still enthralled with her now.
You know our love would be tragic
So you don't pay it, don't pay it no mind
He still wondered how she managed to hold on with just her legs; her body turning in a controlled spin despite being parallel to the ground.
He watched her transition in a way that allowed him to view her face. Draco was rewarded with a glance of her euphoric face as she reveled in the physicality and sensuality of her dance. Her hair was long again—the same wig—and he found himself tempted to push the hair back to see her face more clearly. She reared back in a way that tossed her hair back and he was again captivated by an unknown quality about her. It was a word on the tip of his tongue or the fleck in the corner of his eye; he could not place her existence in a frame that fit correctly and it bothered him.
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Hermione finished off a second routine before changing into her regular clothes and heading out to the bar. She had replaced a girl who went home to study for her university test. Hermione kept her wig on and headed to the bar where the bar tender, Stan gave her a nod. The club was relatively dim with the exception being the stage. So far Hermione had gone unnoticed by the patrons—though she was looking for one patron in particular.
"Evening, Rose. You're not one to usually stay for a shift drink. What can I get you?" Stan asked with a smile.
"Any white wine should do." Hermione smiled back. Stan took no time at all pouring a drink. Hermione sipped it languidly.
"So what brings you to the bar? On the prowl for some patrons?" Stan inquired. Some of the other girls had been known to poach patrons for rich boyfriend material, though most of the performers were like Hermione and simply enjoyed performing.
"Closer than you'd think, Stan" Hermione smirked. "An old classmate of mine is in attendance and I was wondering if he remembers me." Stan laughed a little.
"Now that is a devious look, young lady. I have a feeling you would relish in lording his forgetfulness over his head" Stan suspected and Hermione gave a small laugh. A waiter came with a list of drinks to fill for one of the private tables and Stan began to work on them. Hermione sipped her drink and she surveyed the crowd. She did not notice a patron stumble up to her until he sat down beside her. Hermione frowned at the brunette before recognizing him as a loaded Terrence Higgs. He stared back at her unabashed.
"You. Are. A. Dancer." The drunken Terrence Higgs announced. Hermione barely suppressed her grimace under a smile.
"Yes, I am." She confirmed politely.
"You did the thing with the pole." Terrence continued and Hermione frowned at the phrasing.
"I specialize in pole dancing, yes." Hermione again confirmed.
"Have you had this alcohol? Oh? You have your own." Terrence rambled before turning towards Stan. "I require more alcohol. The burn is a little different but it's not bad for muggles." Hermione did cringe at the slip as Stan turned towards Terrence disapprovingly.
"He'll have water; he's done for the night." A voice interrupted behind her. Hermione turned around. Draco, in his neat, pressed suit did not look at all intoxicated compared to his previous attendance.
"Good choice." Stan said as he filled a cup of water, passing it to Draco. Terrence had not noticed the interaction at all.
"Here, Terrence, another drink. Why don't you head back to the table." Draco instructed. Terrence took a sip.
"This doesn't taste like firewhiskey." Terrence commented. Draco rolled his eyes.
"It's vodka." Draco stated. Terrence looked at Draco with drunken suspicion but turned around and headed off to the table. Draco watched him go.
"Well handled. What can I get you?" Stan asked and Draco sank into the seat.
"A Moscow Mule." Draco answered.
"My treat, Stan." Hermione added, smirking when Draco looked visibly shocked; he hadn't noticed her.
"I can afford it, I assure you." Draco managed after a pause. When she raised her eyebrow in question Draco remembered his generous tip in embarrassment.
"I assume you can but take it's rather a reward for being my hero." Hermione smiled mischievously. Draco looked unconvinced and Hermione knew a woman buying him a drink was extremely unconventional. "It's a form of appreciation; surely you wouldn't turn down my offer?" She challenged. Draco eyed the drink Stan had placed in from of him and picked it up.
"Against my better judgment I will indulge in your request." Hermione smiled triumphantly and raised her wine in toast.
"To the hero." Hermione joked and Draco mockingly toasted as well before sipping on his drink.
"Your name was Rose, was it not?" Draco continued. His palms felt sweaty and he sincerely hoped she wouldn't notice.
"It is, but I must admit that your name escapes me." Hermione pretended, smiling in a near smirk at her own secret knowledge.
"Draco…Draco Malfoy." He responded. Hermione noticed he was much more sober this visit.
"You were with the bachelor party last time, were you not? Are you here for another?" Hermione said, peering over his shoulder where Terrence Higgs had gone. There were several gentlemen who looked fairly inebriated and Hermione was sure they were probably all wizards. Hermione looked back at Draco when he nodded affirmative.
"This time I'm here with-" Draco paused and contemplated the appropriate term, "-colleagues." Hermione smiled.
"And what do you do, Draco?" She asked. Draco felt suddenly embarrassed at the physical reaction she caused when she had said his name.
"I'm a-"Draco paused to think of Granger's term, "-doctor." He revealed. Hermione was secretly surprised that he had remember the correct word. She felt the rush of excitement from teaching someone something and briefly wondered if she could convince Draco to attend her muggle grams.
"And do you like your job, Dr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked, emphasizing the doctor part.
"Surprisingly, yes." Draco responded.
"Surprisingly?" Hermione inquired, genuinely interested. Draco nodded.
"There are some patients who are irritating-the ones who aren't ill at all. Despite that, it's-" Draco paused unsure of how to describe his stance on his job.
"Fulfilling?" Hermione supplemented.
"Yes," Draco affirmed. "It is fulfilling."
"Are you a good doctor, then?" Hermione challenged. Draco smirked back.
"A rising star." Hermione laughed genuinely. Surprised at the ease and flow of the conversation. "And what of you miss Noir?" Draco asked. "What do you do?" Hermione took another sip of wine before answering.
"Well I dance, that's blatant. But I actually work for the government." She responded.
"And how do you find that?"
"I think it's a very worthy career." Hermione said excitedly. "I feel like I do something that needs to be done and I hope I'll have some noticeable results that my ideas are working soon." Hermione, realizing she was talking animatedly, sipped more wine to try and tamper he excitement. Draco looked at her strangely and Hermione patted the hair of her wig down unnecessarily. She wondered if he was beginning to recognize her. She wasn't entirely sure how long the charm lasted, nor what it would take to break it.
"You remind me of—"Draco began but was cut off when there was the sound of vomiting behind him. Terrence Higgs had vomited on the floor on his way over to Draco. Behind him was Adrian who looked as if he had attempted to stop him. Draco looked disgustedly at Terrence who wiped his faced with his arm sleeve.
"I think he's had enough, gentlemen. Perhaps you should be taking this young fellow home?" Stan said behind the bar, glaring fiercely at the three. Adrian immediately came over to Terrence to help him. Draco moved towards the vomit, intent to just magic it away. He was stopped when Hermione laid a hand on his arm.
"Don't worry about cleaning that—we have employees who can mop it up." She said, glad she had stopped his near mistake. Draco nodded, perhaps not even realizing what his instincts had been. He moved to follow Adrian and Terrence instead. Before he left he looked at Rose.
"Thanks for the drink, Miss Noir. I owe you one." Draco said before leaving to follow the others. Hermione didn't realize she had watched him leave until Stan called her out.
"He's a bit of a dish, isn't he?" He commented, amused. Hermione huffed.
"Be good, Stan. He's actually a classmate." Stan looked at her questioningly.
"Is that how you treat all your classmates, then?" He teased.
"Be good, Stan!" She said before finishing her wine and laying down some money for Draco's drink.
"Have a good night, Rose!" Stan called sweetly as she left. Hermione scrunched her nose before going off to hunt for Lottie.
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Draco was a mix of emotions as he left the establishment. The walk to the apparition spot consisted of elation from talking to Rose and fury at Terrence for ending the conversation. He had felt surprisingly at ease when he had talked to her and he hadn't minded being more open than usual. Then again, he was still feeling compelled to figure out who the person resembled. He was vaguely reminded of Hermione Granger at one point; but, he quickly dismissed the idea when he realized Hermione Granger was a stiff-backed swot. Any similarities were only indicative of how people act when they genuinely care for the job and feel they are making a difference. If there was one thing that was known, it was Hermione Granger loved books and championing the rights of others.
Despite having never talked to her while he picked up Blaise, he had observed her. It wasn't that he was particularly interested in watching her; it was just that Blaise would often dawdle and Draco would get terribly bored. From what he casually observed of Hermione Granger was that she had tiny little papers with a sticking charm applied all over her cabinet. They had a semblance and order, Draco imagined, as they shown different colors depending on the day and once he saw one positively glowing. Each one of them looked like a reminder or an item on her agenda—he once saw her take one down and triumphantly banish it.
There was also a large book shelf in the corner that housed several pro-muggle, squib, and magical being books and a few that Draco did not recognize. He assumed they were muggle literature. From the door frame where Draco hovered in wait, he could make out only the titles of "Why We Can't Wait" and "Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama". Draco didn't recognize either of those titles.
But it was not the literature that made Hermione Granger passionate. Everything was personal to her. She kept pictures of her friends on her desk. Draco had to stare at the group of them jostling each other playfully in the biggest picture frame on her desk every time he met Blaise, Potter's and Weasley's stupid faces staring at him as they wrapped their arms around Granger's shorter stature.
Above her desk, the dead were remembered—Draco even saw a newspaper clipping of the formerly detested Severus Snape. A neat line of space separated the departed from the pictures of beings, wizards, and squibs on the other half of the wall. Draco assumed each and every one was a reminder to Hermione Granger of why she worked.
Draco wondered if it was the same for Rose; he wondered if her wall was lined with the reasons she went to work in the morning. Draco, thinking of the way Rose spoke of her government job, thought she and Granger would probably be the best of friends if they had ever met. Draco startled realizing that Rose was a muggle—and he had forgotten it. Realistically, wasn't it completely possible that they were friends? Granger was muggle born so they surely could know each other. He wasn't entirely sure what a government job constituted in the muggle government but he assumed it was something similar to Granger. In fact, she could even be the muggle representative of the government to the wizarding world. Maybe Granger and Rose talked all the time and worked on projects together. They might even discuss the books in Granger's office and talk about their mysterious contents.
Draco snapped out of his stupor when he heard a cat calling in the distance. Realizing he had been at an apparition point for a few minutes, Draco focused on his apartment and apparated back. Within the minute, he was stripped and showering, relaxing in the hot stream. He realized then that he was being paranoid; there were millions of muggles in London and not all of them knew Hermione Granger. He changed his thought process to instead think of Rose and the slow beats of her song as she danced. He thought of the way her body conveyed emotion from her arched, pointed feet to her outstretched hands. As he wondered what other emotions her body could convey, he wondered whether or not his hot shower would need to turn dreadfully, dreadfully cold.
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A/N: An update is shocking, I know. Don't be alarmed.
The song featured in this chapter was "Earned It" by the Weeknd who has the voice of an angel and the mouth of a sailor.