Hermione Granger said sharply, as she set down her nearly finished hamburger. "What, exactly was that about with Nott?"

Dropping a chip on his plate, Draco Malfoy looked up sharply his seemingly startled expression charmingly open, while he internally started cursing. He knew that tone of voice, and it never meant anything good.

Draco leaned back carefully, saying with a casual smile, "Oh, he just doesn't know you as well as I do..."

"Hermione Granger - the girl you just said was almost as good as a Muggle?" Hermione's voice was low, more a growl than a purr, the fury leashed, but only just.

"Yeah, that one." Draco said, his smile unwavering as he played for three shakes of time. Well, when all else fails, go for flattery. "That smart and capable person who's really more than the goody-two-shoes that Nott thinks you are." Draco let his eyes brighten, the intrigue making them sparkle - he hoped it would pass for infatuation, or perhaps even love.

"Are you two being bad boys? Is there something I should run to schoolmarm McGonagall and tell her about?" Granger's eyes sparkled back with amusement, and Draco fought himself briefly, enforcing a studied casualness that was very different than the ice coursing through his veins. That amusement was only layered over the anger, concealing it just a bit.

"Oh, I assure you, it's not that serious." Draco paused dramatically, "Of course, you could always make it that serious... simply by speaking up..." Which she could, and Draco fervently hoped she wouldn't. He was nearly certain she wouldn't.

"I begin to suspect you of plotting..." Hermione said with a significantly more cheerful - and inquisitive - grin. If Draco wasn't careful, he'd wind up hexed for trying her patience, instead of for insulting her.

Draco leaned back, a grand gesture where he rested both hands behind his head, and said in the most casual and uncaring voice he owned, "After the war, it would seem that the Ministry decided that Slytherins - and suspected DE's in particular" he said, mindful to watch his language, "were going to pay more in taxes than the rest of you lot. Some sort of disincentive to ..." Draco trailed off, looking into the distance, as if he was really trying to understand. Draco instead shrugged, and said, "I'm not really sure what. Maybe keep us living off estates, instead of working like decent people?"

Granger's eyes were wide, her lips parted, but she asked simply, "How much?"

"Half our earnings on any income that's not real estate." Draco stretched his arms above his head, "I don't have to worry about it much - the Malfoy wealth is good for something, at any rate."

"Half?! But - that's outrageous!" Granger's eyes sparkled, as her body settled into a far more determined state, that obscurely reminded Malfoy of house elves.

"It's why Nott's shop is here. He does pay taxes, you know - to the proper Department of Revenue." Draco said coldly.

"But... the Ministry couldn't have wanted you to - not on a Muggle business!"

"I'm not so sure they would care. The law certainly makes no such distinction."

"They don't know, do they?"

"You won't tell them, will you." Draco said, the words a question, but the tone iron with certainty.

"But! They shouldn't get away with this!"

"It got a few politicians a few more votes. They haven't budgeted for money they don't know about. And to all experiences, we all make modest incomes. "

Hermione gave a snort-giggle at that.

"Oh, fine, everyone except me. But everyone knows how fabulously wealthy the Malfoys are. And I'm not the one with my neck on the line."

"How can you be okay with the subjugation? the prejudice?"

"I'm not. Neither is Nott, to tell the truth. However, they can't steal from us if they don't know what we're doing, and the goblins are notoriously quiet about gold. There's little real injustice to be found." Draco paused, letting the moment build up a trace of drama. "I would have thought you of all people would appreciate the irony, that suspected DEs are forced to trades in the muggle world."

Hermione gave a sharp nod, "No wonder why you were saying that I was as good as a Muggle." She looked around them, took one last slurp of her soda, and then stood up. "Since your ideas have completely failed, may we try one of mine?"

"The lady is always right..." Draco said, his mind spinning to figure out what she was going to do. He always hated being in the dark.

"Then cards it is, then!" Hermione Granger nodded firmly. "Find Nott. Drag him out if necessary."

Draco merely reclined, raising an eyebrow.

"Tell him he will come if he knows what's good for him." Hermione Granger's eye had started with that unpleasant glint that meant she was busy envisioning different methods of enforcing and demanding Nott's participation. "And then we'll decide on a fourth."

[Because Cards! Also, because this date is getting even weirder.

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