CHAPTER 12

A/N: Wow! I honestly can't believe how fast I have been able to update this! I absolutely love this pairing and this idea. I hope you all are enjoying it as much as I am. the dragon and the rose: you are right and so was Ginny. Don't you worry, there will be plenty Hermione/Draco interaction coming up! Kermit 304: Thank you! And I hope the reunion between Draco and Hermione meets your expectations! XxMoonlitShadowxX: Thank you for understanding my need for the slow build. I am considering editing the beginning chapters to make them move faster, we will see. shreeparna: Hope this update was soon enough for you! And now on to the chapter!

Draco was plum excited. He was making great head way in the family company. He had found a great property that he would be living in, and he felt a stronger bond with his mother than he had in years. The company had needed a lot of work. He had cut entire sections that had been buying and selling dark objects. He had personally interviewed every single worker. Nearly half of which had been fired. He had personally hired back just as many, plus a few new positions. He felt more proud of himself than he had in a very long time. He had learned that most of the company dealt in investments. Each branch focused on a different area. There was a branch that focused on potions, a branch on enchantments, a branch on starter businesses, and so on. The business was bringing in more profits than it had in the last 50 years.

Currently, Draco was taking a much needed day off from work and putting the finishing touches on his new home. He had chosen to do a lot of the work the Muggle way. This had frustrated the one house elf that took care of the property. Minnie, was the one and only house elf in the small house. He had chosen the property because of its size and location. It was located overlooking a beautiful park and on a street that was far less busy than most of the other properties in the area. He also wanted something that was modestly sized. Someday he might way to move into one of the bigger properties, but after living in such a confined flat for the last two years, he felt overwhelmed living someplace too large.

It had taken him a few months to get everything the way he liked it and to get it all done while he had extra time. Which he hadn't had much of lately. He had been working so hard at turning around the family business.

His mother had been delighted. He had stayed at the Manor until the property had been ready and this meant that he had spent much more time with her than he had been able to in the past years. She had been over the moon to have him home again, and had continued to nag him to stay. He had explained many times that he needed a place of his own, but she was still trying to convince. He was sure that she could continue to do this for quite some time.

"I'm going out for bit, Minnie."

The house elf popped up in front of him holding a light cloak for him to slip on. Draco was grateful. The sun was only an hour or so from setting, he was sure the air would get chilly after it did. Outside the air was fresh and clean smelling. He smiled and made his way to the park across the street. He had taken to walking in the park in the evenings to let go of any stress from the day. It was a beautiful park with a pond in the very middle. He often walked by the pond, but did not linger. There was only one bench on the side where he walked, and it was often occupied by a young woman reading. He never wanted to disturb her, so if she noticed her reading he would walk on the other side of the park.

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Hermione rolled her eyes. She had only been back from Romania for a few days, but she felt like she needed a serious vacation. The Ministry was fighting her at every turn on her proposals for the Dragon reserve. They had left her with their final proposal. Half the money needed to get the reserve up and running. They had informed her that she needed to somehow cut it down the half the price. Hermione knew there was just no way. There was absolutely no way! She had not added any extras or frills to the original report. There was just no way that there was enough she could cut out in order to bring down the price to what the ministry wanted.

At this point, Hermione decided it was time for her to head home. She had been in the office far too long, and needed break; even if said break was only for a night. Gathering her things, she turned to leave her office. A departmental memo flitted in just as she was getting ready to exit. She glared at the thing, considering just leaving and looking at it in the morning. But it might be important, she reasoned with herself.

She shot her hand out and grabbed at the fluttering paper. Confusion lit her face as she read the memo from her boss. Her mood swung quickly. Someone had anonymously funded the second half of the dragon reserve? Was it the same person who had funded the orphanage? Who was this person?

Hermione felt somewhat suspicious, but it was impossible to stop the smile that started to spread over her face. It seemed she had a guardian angel looking over her, or at least someone with a whole lot of money. She looked around as if expecting to see someone watching her, watching her reaction, but no one was there. She was completely alone in the office. Walking back over to her desk, she plunked her stuff down and grabbed for ink, quill, and parchment. She had to send a letter to Charlie. He would be so please to hear she finally got it all sorted out. She considered owling Harry also, but she was going to see him tomorrow night for their weekly dinner. She would just tell him then.

Charlie,

I am owling to let you know that I got all the money that I need to break ground on the new reserve. I guess I will be seeing you every once and a while, as I will need to be there physically a few times during the building process! I hope that we can get together when I am there. It was really nice to spend so much time with you this last visit. Thank you again for letting me crash with you.

Your Friend,

Hermione Granger

Hermione rolled the parchment neatly and tucked it into her bag, she would have to stop and send it before she left. She still had not broken down and gotten her own owl, but she was steadily feeling like she might need to soon. She was just worried about how Crookshanks would react. The cat seemed like the jealous type.

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"Harry, all I am saying is that it is just kind of strange. I am not saying that I am not grateful! I am really, really grateful; I just think it is strange. I mean I don't know anyone well enough that has the kind of money to fund these two projects. And I figure that it has to be someone who knows me."

Harry sat across from her in the nice restaurant. It was much nicer than most of the places they had their weekly dinners, but Harry had wanted to treat her in honor of her receiving the funding she needed to kick start the reserve. Plus he wanted to take her somewhere nice. She was still a bit down about what had happened with Sam, and he knew she wasn't seeing anyone new. He knew she was lonely.

"I agree, I think that it has to be someone who knows you, but I can't think of anyone who would do that. Or who has that kind of money to just throw around. However, I don't think you should be worried about it. Just be happy."

Hermione nodded her head and tried to do what Harry had suggested. "Anyway! Enough about me. How is married life?"

Harry and Ginny had tied the knot the week before, and Hermione had not had a chance to see how these were going. The ceremony had been beautiful. A nice small one, in the back yard of the Burrow. Hermione had been so happy for the two of them. Ginny had been so happy, and Harry had looked like…she didn't even know. It was like he was seeing his future, and he was liking it. Hermione had felt jealous, but happy for her friends.

"It is great. We have our honeymoon planned for a few months out; it was the only time we could get work off at the same time."

"That's great Harry. Where are the two of you going?" Hermione asked.

"I think that Ginny wants to go to France. So I guess that is where we will be going." Harry answered with humor in his voice.

"Ahhh, the wife has spoken, huh?"

Harry laughed, "Yeah, something like that."

Hermione started to laugh along, but quickly noticed that Harry had stopped and was looking surprised at something over her shoulder.

"Malfoy, we have to stop meeting like this." Harry droned, no humor in his voice. Hermione's eyes widened and she whipped her head around. Sure enough Draco Malfoy was standing a few feet behind her, frozen in place. She could see his mother standing quietly behind him. The hostess was looking quietly between the two sets of wizard and witch. The first thing that Hermione noticed was how grown up Draco had gotten. He looked taller, stronger, and…happier? She couldn't be sure, but he definitely looked healthier than the last time she saw him.

"Granger?"

A/N: please drop me a review to let me know what you think so far! Love to all my readers!