During the next few days, life returned to normal. Ron returned to the shop. Hermione returned to the Ministry, and in the evenings, they discussed possible dates and locations for a proper holiday. They hadn't settled on anything, but the conversations were fun.

Hermione was in the Ministry library looking for anything she could find on law pertaining to any species of fairy when Purdy appeared. Hermione let out a startled cry, but since she was alone on the floor no one minded.

"Sorry, Miss, Purdy didn't mean to startle you."

"That's alright," Hermione said, holding a hand to her chest. "I've just been up here for hours and it's been dead quiet."

Purdy looked around at the dusty shelves. "Miss is still looking for fairy laws?"

"Yes," Hermione pointed to stack of books on the floor. "I'm finding things but it's a bit tricky crafting the right location spell for what I want."

"What about the librarians Miss?"

"They've offered suggestions but they're busy with other research and I'm junior in the pecking order."

Purdy scowled. "Miss fought with Harry Potter. She should not be junior."

Hermione smiled at Purdy's loyalty. "I appreciate that, but access to staff resources is largely based on seniority unless someone like the Minister of Magic intervenes. It's alright though. I'm fine on my own. Did you need something?"

"Mr. Ron would like Miss to meet him at the Leaky Cauldron at 6:30."

Hermione looked at her watch. "Oh, alright. I should check out those books and get going then."

"I can do that Miss," Purdy said.

"But I have to use my wand to check out books."

"Miss is not a house elf."

"Yes, but…" Hermione stopped. Purdy stood their blinking. "Oh, go on then." She had no idea if Purdy would magically check out the books or if she could just remove them without setting off any alarms due to elf magic, but she'd learned it was best not to ask. Everyone in the magical world seemed to just accept that elves could do these things without questioning all the complicating factors. She sighed as Purdy disappeared with the stack of books. Yawning she walked back to the elevator. She'd spent most of the last two days combing the vast stacks of the ministry library and while she loved libraries, what she really loved were the reading rooms. The stacks lacked all the warmth and beauty of the reading rooms. The bookshelves were ominously high and seemed to go forever in the cavernous dim room. Deciding she needed a bit of fresh air, and afforded some extra time by Purdy's help, Hermione skipped the Floo network and took the lift to the old red telephone box and then took that up to Whitehall. Then she Apparated to Flourish and Blotts, so she could enjoy the stroll down the alley to the pub.

The walk down Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron was just what she needed to clear her head of fairy law and fill her lungs with fresh air. She was enjoying window shopping and just starting to relax when a familiar voice said, "Granger?"

She looked up to see Draco in front of her carrying a couple of shopping bags. "Draco."

He stopped and the two of them stood in the afternoon sun unsure of how to proceed. They'd never been friends, quite the opposite, in fact, so they lacked any sort of chit chat.

Draco cleared his throat. He opened his mouth to say something, but didn't.

"How's your health? You look better than the last time I saw you," Hermione said, because it was true and the only thing she could think of.

"I'm well. Gimshine was able to help me figure out what triggered the condition and I just avoid those things and I'm good. I assume it's the same for you."

"Yes."

"Good. Good." He seemed to want to say something else, but didn't.

"Well, then," Hermione said, smiling awkwardly. "Have a goodnight." She started to walk around him.

"Hermione, I need to speak to you, in your professional capacity."

She stopped and looked back at him, knowing that he was likely going to request access to another house elf for his parents or maybe himself. "Make an appointment." She continued on her way, fuming at his audacity.

She was still irritated when she walked into the Leaky Cauldron a couple of minutes later.

Ron was at the bar chatting with Neville. He smiled when she walked up, but then it faded. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I just ran into Draco and he said he needed to speak to me in my professional capacity."

"About what?"

"I assume he's after another elf."

"Bloody hell," Ron grumbled. "Why would he bother? He knows you're not going to send another elf their way after what they did to Dobby."

She shrugged. "Who knows? Probably his mother pestered him into it."

"Well, that'll be a fun chat," Ron said sympathetically.

"At least it will be a short one. It doesn't take but a second to say no."

Ron chuckled and kissed her forehead. "That's my girl. Let's get you a drink."

xXx

For the next two days, Hermione read the research she'd pulled and worked on the report for the Wizengamot, that she would have to send to them, so the members could read it before they heard testimony. She didn't hear anymore from Draco, so she assumed he got the point from their brief encounter.

She was surprised the next morning, when Dan, the receptionist for her department stopped her.

"You've got an appointment this morning."

Hermione frowned at him. "Since when?"

Dan looked at his watch. "Since about ten minutes ago."

"You know I don't take walk-ins about elves. Some of these people are crazy. I can't just—"

"This isn't about an elf. It's about," he looked down at a note on his desk. "Comports."

"What?"

Dan shrugged. "That's what he said. I put him in the Goblin conference room. He seemed too posh for the Werewolf room."

Hermione bit back a comment about the elves not even having a room. That wasn't Dan's fault. "Fine. Take him a cup of tea and tell him I'll be there in a few minutes." She was pretty sure who it was, but she thought she better be sure. "The name?"

Dan looked at his note again. "Mr. Draco Malfoy. Hey, wait a minute wasn't he—"

"Yes."

"Right. Should I get security?"

"No. It's fine." She started to walk toward her office, but then stopped and turned around. "Send Harry a note though. Just to let him know Draco is here."

"Yes, ma'am," Dan said grimly as though she'd tasked him with a vital mission.

"Thanks," she said awkwardly and went to her office.

She set her bag down on her desk and looked at the stack of books she still had to go through. Sighing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Dealing with Draco was always tricky. She wanted to be the sort of person who could accept that he'd had a life altering experience during that war and that he'd changed because of it. Unfortunately, she couldn't forget all the horrible things he'd done. She blew out a slow breath and walked down the hall to the Goblin conference room.

She hadn't been in the room since the incident with Greyback's cousin. At the time, she'd been too freaked out to notice her surroundings much, but as she walked into the room this time, she got an eyeful of oxblood leather chairs, a large mahogany conference table, and cream-colored walls with mahogany wainscotting. There was an elaborately framed painting of Gringott's but no portraits to eavesdrop. Draco was sitting at one of end of the table with an untouched cup of tea in front of him.

"Good morning," Hermione said without sitting.

Draco stood. "Hello."

An awkward silence descended.

Pressed for time, Hermione said, "What did you need, Draco?"

He let out a sort of uncomfortable sigh. "I'm not exactly sure. I suppose I'm on a fact-finding mission."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"It's rather complicated. I'm not sure where to start."

"I find the beginning is usually best."

"Right. Can we sit? This might take a minute."

Hermione thought about the stack of books on her desk and the unfinished report, but she sat down anyway.

Draco cleared his throat. "Do you remember Daphne Greengrass?"

"Of course. We took our O.W.L.s together."

"Right, well, I've been spending time with her and her sister lately. They've come to a lot of the same conclusions I have since the war."

"Okay," Hermione said, confused as to what this had to do with her.

"Anyway, they have a cousin, Cassia, who has a little boy."

Hermione glanced at her watch.

"He's almost three and hasn't shown any signs of…"

Hermione looked up at him. "Magic?"

"Right."

Suddenly more interested, Hermione gave him her full attention.

Anyway, Daphne is friends with Justin who's good friends with Penny who works at the Leaky Cauldron."

"I know Penny," Hermione said.

"Right, so Penny told Justin that she'd been to a party at your house and that you said that the Ministry is trying to keep Squibs in the community, because Muggles have comports, and we can't use them, but Squibs can. Cassia asked me to find out if it was true, because believe it or not, in my world, they think we're friends."

Hermione couldn't hold back a snorted laugh.

Draco sighed. "I just need to know if it's true about the comports."

"Oh," Hermione said. "Comports. You're talking about computers."

"All right," Draco said. "But is it true?"

"Yes."

"Then she can keep him, her son, she doesn't have to give him away?"

"No."

Draco fell back into his chair and sighed. "That's…wonderful." He let out a relieved sigh, but then sat up straight again. "So how does it work?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how does she do it? How does she raise a Muggle in our world? She doesn't want him to end up like Filch."

"Oh." Hermione cleared her throat. "We're still working on that bit."

"Working on it? But she needs to know now."

"Right. Well, there's two sides to this issue. What to do with Muggleborns—"

"What are you talking about? Muggleborns are fine. Look at you."

"Uh, okay, no. It's really hard to be Muggleborn and come into the magical world. Trust me on that and not everyone gets the kind of help I got. Anyway, we've addressed that with new enrichment classes at Hogwarts."

"Bully for them. What about Cassia's son? I told you he's almost three. There isn't much time. The family has been pushing this since he was two. I have to have real answers."

"I understand that," Hermione said, trying not to get irritated at his insistence. "Leave this with me. I'll get back to you in a few days."

"You'll really get back to me? You're not just fobbing me off?"

"Draco, I'm in charge of House Elf relocation, not Squib babies. I need a minute. Believe me, this is an incredibly important issue, not just to me, but to the Ministry and the Goblins at Gringott's."

"Really? Why do they care about human children?"

"Because Muggles use computers for banking but Goblins can't use them any better than you or I can."

"And these computes are really that important?"

"Computers and yes they are."

"Alright then." He stood. "You'll send me an owl?"

Hermione stood too. "As soon as I know something."

He moved his hand as if to shake on it, but he stopped before extending it. "I'm guessing you don't want to shake my hand."

"Not at all."

He nodded. "Fair."

When Draco left the conference room. Hermione waited a moment. "Purdy?" she called.

Purdy appeared on the table. "Yes Miss?"

"I need an urgent appointment with the Minister. Can you make that happen?"

"Yes Miss."

"Thank you."

Purdy disappeared.

Hermione blew out a long slow breath. Her plate just got a lot fuller, which didn't bode well for a proper holiday.