Author Notes: Thanks Potterheads for reading and reviewing yet again! It has been a bit of back and forth, but maybe a bit of resolve will be coming for our duo soon? Maybe not... A shorter Chapter before things get interesting.
Hermione was out the door early but exhausted. She didn't feel comfortable at home alone, and it wore on her. It made it difficult to stomach her tea in the travel mug as she drove to Malfoy's house. She didn't have time to grab something to eat, so she just weathered the dissatisfaction.
She pulled into the driveway and checked her hair, making positive it was neatly bound behind her head. Narcissa waved as she approached with Draco and the door opened. It was almost amusing to see how professionally dressed the blond was, making Hermione take note of his attire. A gray suit with a muted green tie. Draco found his seat and plopped down.
"Dear, for the road," Narcissa declared as she reached over her son and handed Hermione a bag. "It isn't much, but it might be a bit more than you ate."
"I kindly informed my mother that you likely didn't sleep," Draco grumbled and fixed his suit with the seat belt over him.
"You did, did you? When did you become my personal stalker, Draco Malfoy?" Hermione grumbled and Narcissa tutted. "Thank you for breakfast, Narcissa. My apologies."
"Take care of each other and drive safely," Narcissa said with a soft smile.
"Have a good day," Hermione declared, and the Malfoy matron shut the car door.
The woman started the car and pulled out with a polite wave to the watching mother. They were on the road well before anyone spoke. Hermione was in a bad way. For an odd reason, she couldn't focus on the day ahead. Not distracting her enough not to be able to drive or function, but she just was not feeling the excitement she thought she would about going to the office.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked finally.
Hermione hemmed. "I am just tired." Her hands squeezed the steering wheel a bit.
"Was your home too quiet?"
She waited a moment and debated if she wanted to agree with him. "Yes. Too much happened too quickly."
"You know you can stay with us."
Hermione shook her head. "No, Draco, I cannot. Teddy is at school, and I have no purpose other than convenience to stay."
"Well, you wouldn't be driving back and forth," Draco remarked simple and dug in the bag in her lap after groping for it.
"I don't mind the driving," she responded, slapping his hand in the bag.
Draco yanked out a blueberry muffin and grimaced. "Well, what of company? My mother loves yours."
"Draco, is there a purpose to you asking me to stay with you?" She asked carefully.
The blond man frowned and chewed his lip before speaking. "I miss hearing you in my home."
"I was there until late afternoon yesterday. I spent the night on Saturday. I was there five days a week for months. What are you talking about?"
"I grew used to it. Without you, it seems too quiet too," The Malfoy admitted and exhaled. "Just think about staying tonight? We can stop by your flat on the way back there, and you can pick up things. Come stay with me?"
"Are we going to talk about yesterday?" she questioned as her fingers ran on the wheel.
Draco finished chewing the last bit of the muffin and sounded. "What would you like to talk about?"
"Let me remind you of my bathroom in the guest room," Hermione said pointedly.
"Our kiss? That was very nice sober," He said, licking his fingers before reaching for a napkin in his suit inner pocket.
"Damnit Draco, why are you so passive about this for?" Hermione growled, and he chuckled.
"How else should I be? You just severed ways with your summer boyfriend. I am only going at the pace you set," He declared and rubbed his face.
"My pace? What are we even doing?"
"What are we doing, Hermione? I have clearly admitted my intentions," Draco replied and reached into the bag.
"What are your intentions?" She was growing irritated.
"Well, for starters, I want you to come stay with me. Not because you need to or even want to, but because I need you."
Hermione sighed. "Let's see how this week goes," she responded. "I really need you to focus on work."
"I will make you a deal, I am fond of deals," Draco muttered, pulling out another muffin. "I will relent if you spend this weekend with me. If after this weekend you never want to see me outside of work again, I will never ask." He finished and held the muffin up. "Take a bite," he ordered.
Hermione groaned and bit the muffin swiftly. "Happy?" she retorted after swallowing.
"I will be if you eat. It will do you no good to be weak and tired your first week in the office. Take care of yourself, or I am going to be quite put out, Hermione." He said huskily. She snatched the muffin from him and started to eat after she pulled into the car park. His hand found her shoulder, and he squeezed it. "Thank you," he murmured.
"Alright, I will take your deal," she said finally and grasped his hand in hers.
"Good, then I will focus on work," He replied, shaking her hand.
Hermione finished eating and patted his leg. "Let's go to work, Draco."
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Hermione loved her office. It had a beautiful view and felt very feminine. Whoever helped decorate even chose her house colors to line picture frames for her to fill. Either Regulus was far more sly about his observations and research. She was situating herself when there was a knock.
"Come in," she announced.
Regulus came into the room with Draco following. "It looks very nice in here, Miss Granger." Regulus declared.
"Thank you; I have just been organizing things. Is there something I can do for you?" She inquired, and Regulus smiled.
"Well, the board is going to have a meeting in an hour, and I would like to primp you both," Regulus declared, and she moved to leave. "No, no, let's enjoy your new office, Hermione. It is a bit away from mine, and I don't mind."
Regulus helped Draco find a chair and Hermione sat at her desk. The business started briskly with Regulus mentioning different board members, their traits and who was really who in the industry. Hermione caught on faster than Draco, but only because she was associating names in her head with attributes. He grew flustered, and Regulus was patiently waiting for him to calm.
The meeting itself was more of a routine and business as usual. Hermione had her laptop out and was taking notes for herself. Mostly it was who was speaking up about what. If there was anything she was sure of, it was that she was going to try to make a good impression. Most of the members were older noble codgers with the exception of a few. Macmillian kept smiling over at her; the type of smile you reserve for pubs and dates.
She pretended to not see it as the meeting was wrapping up. Draco ran his fingers over her shoulder and leaned over. "Make me look good, Granger?" he breathed, and she hummed agreement. Hermione was packing up her laptop as the men were bidding each other goodbye.
"Not often the old men let a pretty girl in here," a smooth voice purred.
Hermione glanced up and saw the man named Macmillian smirking. "I promise you; it is for a good reason. I recognize you…" she trailed off and stood up to shake his hand. "Hermione Granger, Mr. Malfoy's EPA," she announced.
"Ernie Macmillian. We went to Hogwarts together. I was a Melis," he responded with a nod.
"Oh, yes, the one who gave Harry a hard time for running against Cedric for class Speaker," Hermione declared, and Draco snorted.
"Hey, Malfoy, what are you doing with a pretty EPA? You can't share her beauty if you haul her away in your manor," Ernie teased, and Draco stood up.
"He doesn't like to share, but everyone already knew that," Hermione said playfully and patted Draco's arm. "You like to keep your secret weapons to yourself, don't you, Draco?"
It eased the Malfoy immensely that he identified what she was doing. "Yes, all to myself. If anyone got word of her intellect or quick wit, I would have to pay her more."
Erie's eyebrow arched. "How much of the Personal in EPA are you?"
Draco leaned toward him and smiled. "Very."
"Draco, don't," Hermione hissed.
"She is too smart for that, however. She makes me work just as hard," Draco continued, and Hermione groaned.
"I really sometimes despise you, Malfoy." She turned to pack up the rest of her laptop bag.
"Don't you have a son, Granger?" Macmillian changed the subject when he noted her blush.
"Yes, he is eight," she said with a smile.
"Very nice, we will have to have a playdate with my nephew over the winter holiday," he murmured, and she gave him a nod.
"Granger, Malfoy," a gruff voice entered the conversation.
Hermione shouldered her back and glanced at the man. "Travers?" she asked, and he nodded holding out his hand.
"Nice to meet you, sir." She announced, and Draco held out his hand as well.
"I would say nice to see you Travers, but well," Draco snickered, and the man snorted.
"I would keep your little EPA close. Most of these wankers heard about her excellent work and might snatch her away from you. Good, hard work is hard to find these days… not to say the package isn't inspiring either," The man finished with a smile.
Draco clenched the other man's hand roughly. "Yes, well, I don't plan on letting anyone convince her to leave, understood?" he said with a clear warning tone.
Regulus had prepared her for this. It wasn't new that sexual harassment was alive and well in the higher bits of companies. Ignoring flirtations and suggestive remarks were easy. Draco's evident distaste for them about her was… enlightening and not easily overlooked. She was under the idea that this next week would go back to how they were last week, but it did not look like it.
"Draco, we have to do some paperwork," Hermione suggested as Travers was glaring at the blind man.
"Mind sitting in my office then? I do love the breezy feel of yours, but I missed my chair," he declared, and Hermione hummed agreement.
She took his arm and was gently leading him back to his area a few doors down. They walked in, and she assisted him to his seat. "Shut the door," he ordered, and she complied.
"Draco," Hermione started.
"No, I never want you alone with any of them, you understand? I heard what several of them were saying under their breath to each other. I didn't like it."
"Draco, if you are going to take Regulus's spot and I am going to take your job, you are going to have to accept that I am going to be objectified. At least they aren't doing so to my face," she sighed and sat in the chair. "I had to work very hard to be taken seriously at my last job. I will just do the same here," she finished, and Draco snorted.
"Well, I still don't feel comfortable with you being alone with them. It's an unsaid rule we have. You are my eyes, and I am your ears and sometimes your mouth. Listen to me, I mean it. Let me look out for you because I don't want you to deal with that, understood?" Draco asked, and she could see his face was scrunched in anguish.
"Alright, Draco, I will have you or Regulus as my escort," she declared and his grimace faded.
"Thank you," he murmured and her lips curved.
Hermione plopped down in the chair opposite of him across the desk. "This is going to be a long week," she sighed, and he chuckled.
"Quite possibly, but I do look forward to the weekend."
Hermione scrubbed her face. "You would, Malfoy."