Chapter 11 – I have her.

5 April 2010

The Plaza Hotel

New York City, New York

Draco Malfoy

I don't know what I fucking expected when I arrived in New York, but this isn't fucking it. I'm familiar with a lot of technology in the muggle world. I even own a tele so I can watch movies that Ophelia and Mia introduced me to. I live in Muggle London, but this has been an adjustment. Theo wanted to come to, but the arsehole would have broken every point of the Statute of Secrecy in 5 minutes.

New York is an entirely different experience. There are people everywhere. I still haven't figured out what the fuck that smell is. The whole city has an odor like dirt, urine, food, and something uniquely wretched. It's disgusting!

I arrived here yesterday via portkey. The MACUSA, New York is hidden in Times Square. The magical world in England uses no muggle technology, that is not the case here in New York. The building is so bright, it was hard for my eyes to adjust. They put my wand under a red light and then I was interrogated over the last few spells I cast with my wand. The guard hit a few buttons into a machine. A machine that said ENCHANTEX on the side. I asked about a hotel in the area. The guard told me to go to The Plaza, ask for a manager and tell him I'd like an Enchantex suite.

I finally leave the MACUSA building and the streets are filled with people. London can be crowded, but New York is crowded with skyscrapers everywhere. It's a bit intimidating. After finding a yellow cab, I get to The Plaza and rent my Enchantex suite.

The suite is nice there is a flat handheld screen that controls the temperature, the lighting, the television, the firmness of the bed. I learned very quickly that the room temperature can change instantly and 22 degrees in temperature is completely different in America. There is a small machine that dispenses a variety of hot and cold beverages with a touch of a button, cappuccino, fizzy drinks, and even firewhiskey, there is quite an extensive menu. The chairs adjust to your specific comfort needs. It's quite impressive.

I spent the last few days reading all the articles Ophelia had on Hermione. I had to go to the muggle shopping area to buy an Oxford Dictionary of English so I could understand most of the articles, with little success, I might add. Mia Granger, Kelly Spangle, Mychaelia Murphy, and Sasha Trueblood co-founded Enchantex in 2005. Their combined efforts have put out product after product of items that combine muggle technology and magic. I know Mia was behind most of this. A couple of times she would complain about the lack of simple technology that would make magic easier.

She changed her name to Mia. I recall a time she asked me if anyone had given me a nickname other than Theo. I told her no, and asked if she had a nickname. She said I could call her Mia if I wanted to. I took it because at that point, I just wanted to call her Mine.

17 October 1998

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland

Library

Draco

In the last month and a half there has been some serious tension with The Golden Trio. Since that second day of school when Granger sat in the middle of the Eighth Year table, Granger has been very confrontational with the Weasels. Both of the younger Weasels have been horrible to her. It started on the third of September when Rita Skeeter started making false accusations in The Daily Prophet. Followed by article after article being published about Hermione.

"Hermione Granger Kills her Parents for Being Muggles" Lies. Yaxley and Rowle killed her parents and bragged about it.

"All of Hermione Granger Secret Affairs" They named my father. Hah! I'm about 90% sure Granger is a virgin.

"Hermione Granger next Dark Lady?" She is completely the nicest most compassionate person alive.

"Hermione Granger and her Secret Love Child with Harry Potter." I don't think Potter could find his own dick!

"Hermione Granger Robs Banks" She did verify this story late one night, but Potter and Weasel were with her and they only stole a horcrux of Lord Voldemort.

"Hermione Granger: Murderess" I saw her kill during the battle, but that was war.

The list goes on and on. To make matters worse. Weasel King refuses to talk to her, which makes Potter avoid her too. Scarhead is dating She-Weasel and he is placed in an awkward situation. She-Weasel has confronted Granger several times with accusations of wanting Potter. Who the fuck would want him? Granger who at first tried to placate everyone, started casting Silencio when She-Weasel came up to her. The worst of the lot is Mummy Weasel. She has sent Granger Howler after Howler every time an article is published. Granger Incendios them now, but at first she was inconsolable.

The divide is clear within the Eighth Years now. At the Eighth Year table it's Granger, Luna Lovegood (Is she even an Eighth Year?), Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, the Patil twins, Neville Longbottom, and the Slytherins in the middle and then everyone else in the front. Theo and Daphne are acting as Granger's guard. When they aren't around, it's the Patils. Longbottom punched Seamus Finnegan last week for saying something rude to Granger. Even Theo, was in a muggle fight with Weasel King a couple of weeks ago.

Hermione just keeps withdrawing into herself though. The only time she seems to relax is once everyone goes to bed, she'll be in the Common Room reading or playing CDs. I've met her every night since that first night. She confuses me so much. I find myself attracted to her. I have never noticed her in any way before this year. She was just an insufferable know-it-all Mudblood who hung around Potter and beat me in every class. I don't even use the word mudblood anymore. Phea reamed my arse for it.

I have discovered she is the most timid, brave person I have ever encountered. She is so reserved and she calculates everything she says before she says it. I know her mind is always working. She's very sad, but doesn't talk about what seems to be eating her up inside. I have to work for every smile I receive and half the time it doesn't seem to reach her eyes. She's not frivolous like Daphne. She doesn't seem to know much about fashion or beauty charms, though she doesn't need them. She has let Daphne make her over a couple of times, and she looked beautiful, but she seemed supremely uncomfortable. About a week ago she finally stopped apologizing to me after every sentence. She is still afraid of eye contact, and when we do make eye contact she looks away and blushes. When I try to flirt with her, she changes the subject or she'll answer in a completely swotty way that has nothing to do with what I just said. Innuendos are useless, she doesn't respond to them at all.

I'm starting to wonder if she might be into girls, but she will comment when one of the girls says something about a bloke during meals. She hardly ever mentions blokes herself. She mentioned to Hannah Abbott about a kiss she and Weasel King shared during the final battle. She said if that was all it's about she'd be good not to try it again. Was that her only kiss? One of the Patils asked her about Krum and all Granger would say is he was a good friend. Luna asked her one day what it was like on the run and she said, "Smelly socks and a bunch of household charms." Daphne was drooling and panting over a Witch Weekly spread of Oliver Wood with his shirt off, and Granger just said he was always nice while he attended Hogwarts.

Ugh…she has me wrapped tight around her, but I have no idea what to do. I never had to work this hard for any girl. Pansy was convinced she would be Lady Malfoy until Sixth Year when I finally told her to get lost. She was mad a me for a week, and then we were friends again. I had about seven girls last year offering anything I wanted. It was fun, but I didn't have to do anything to get them. In the end I found them either insipid or boring. Granger is not boring. She's brilliant and offers intelligent conversation on any subject. She just knows so much about magic and the muggle world. She constantly offers a different perspective on everything. She's confident with magic, she smart, but blokes seem to allude her.

In Potions class, Granger, was assigned my partner. She stands as far away from me as she can, but when we are brewing a potion she'll get closer. Every time she accidentally bumps into me she apologizes and then blushes. Tuesday this week I got the nerve to put my hand on the small of her back and she excused herself from the room for 10 minutes. Is she afraid of me or revolted? I don't understand.

She's not that way with all blokes though. Theo and Blaise are much less subtle than I am, but she just laughs at them and goes back to whatever conversation she was having. They both gave up the third week of school. Maybe Potter and Weasel King messed with her psyche. They always seemed immune to her. She said once they treated her like one of the guys. Maybe she's use to blokes overlooking her, or thinks they only want friendship with her. Doesn't she know half of the male population watches her every move?

Today we are sitting in the library. I am seated across from her and I purposely kept bumping my feet with hers. She apologized a few minutes ago and turned to put her feet in the chair next to her. She frustrates me like no other! Why is this girl shaking my confidence so much? I want nothing more than to corner her and snog the fuck out of her. I can't lose her though. She's become my friend, a good friend really. At least, I think she is. After I apologized to her, we never made a declaration of friendship, we just stopped saying all the shite we did in the past to each other.

She asks me random shit sometimes. Like my favorite color, favorite food, or favorite quidditch team. She calls me names like poncy git or ferret-face, but never out of malice. She smirks when she says it, and it's the hottest smirk I've ever seen!

She looks up from her book and I meet her eyes. "Malfoy, does anyone call you by a nickname other than Theo?" she asks then bites her bottom lip. Fuck! If she keeps biting her lip, my cock is going to rupture.

My mother calls me 'my dragon', but I'll never admit it to her. I simply say, "No, do you?"

She huffs and says, "Harry and Ron, well I guess just Harry now calls me 'Mione, and I always hated it. My dad used to call me Mia. Like Her-MY-A-knee. It always was just his, but now that he is gone, I miss it. If you ever decide to call me anything other than Granger, will you call me Mia?"

I smirk and the say, "Sure, Granger."

She bites her lip again and then smiles and goes back to her Calculus book. She has been studying non-stop for this A-Level test. She studies for it constantly. She does her homework for courses here, but she's stopped actively answering every question during class. When she is called on she knows the answer, but it's as if she doesn't care.

She suddenly gets up and goes to the stacks. She's reaching for a book on the top shelf. She's so petite. I get up and I stand behind her and press myself to her and grab it for her. She turns around and I'm holding the book in my right hand and I place my left elbow above her head and get closer to her. Her cheeks are pink. Fuck if I don't want to know if she turns this pink everywhere. She's breathing heavily and she's looking into my eyes. Then she bites her bottom lip and licks her top lip. I see her look at my mouth and fuck I have her! Salazar Slytherin, I fucking have her! I lean in slightly and she takes a deep breath. I whisper, "Here's your book, Mia." Then I back up and hand her the book. She looks down and takes the book and makes a quick exit back to the table. I smirk all the way to the table. I know she's not ready for me yet, but I definitely made her think about it. She adamantly refused to look at me the rest of the time we are in the library that day, but later that night instead of sitting in the chair she always does, she takes a seat on the couch next to where I usually sit.

5 April 2010

Enchantex, Inc. Headquarters

New York City, New York

I arrived at Enchantex earlier today to see if I could get time to speak to Mia. I was very charming to the receptionist, apparently if you have an accent you can accomplish the impossible with American women. The receptionist said she could get me in at 2pm to speak with her for 10 minutes.

I've just arrived, I'm 15 minutes early. Above the reception desk is a sign that says Enchantex in a modern cursive script with an emblem that strangely resembles a time-turner. The room is all white marble and silver. The reception area has three white circular sofas and silver tables. The very elaborate chandelier is modern and silver design that again resembles a time-turner. I'm lead to the top floor and asked to wait inside Mia's office. Mia's assistant stated she would be back from Paris any moment now. So I have a seat.

The office continues the white and silver theme. There is nothing personal in the office. This can't be her office, there isn't a single book. There are no pictures only generic abstract paintings, not one thing in this office space would tell anyone it is Mia's office. The same white furniture with the silver tables. The desk is made of silver and glass. Huh…it's not silver, what did Theo call it…Chrome. That's it. There is no personality in the room. I thought being in her office would give me a since of who she is now.

I haven't figured out what I'm going to say to her. I keep running it though my head. I imagine her still determined, with her hair piled on her head and clothes too big on her tiny frame. Her being so unsure of herself and still trying to appear smaller than she is. Like she is afraid of her own shadow at times. She never slept Eighth Year. She took that replenishing sleep potion every night. I asked her why once and she just said her day dreams are safer than her nightmares. I understood that. I couldn't keep her screaming on my drawing room floor out of my dreams either. Those nights we shared when no one was around when she was relaxed and happy, are the most precious memories I possess.

I was lost in my thoughts when I hear a *WHOOSH*. Suddenly she's here and standing behind her desk. She's is wearing what looks to be a bodice only covering her torso with a shear dress over the bodice. The shear dress covers her arms and there are fringes and netting throughout the dress. It fits her perfectly, every curve is accentuated. Her hair is down and a bit wild with glossy loose curls. She has on full make-up and red lipstick. She's stands there frozen for a moment. Then she smirks.

"When my receptionist texted me about someone requesting a meeting earlier today, I never would have expected you, Mr. Malfoy. I have a meeting in a few minutes. How may I be of assistance to you?"

She takes a seat at her desk. She's gorgeous and elegant. I'm completely floored by the woman in front of me. She is nothing like the girl I fell in love with all those years ago. The girl I knew was insecure, and shy about her body. This woman is sexy and confident and she knows it. She screams sex with every movement. How can this be? I smirk and say, "It's lovely to see you as well Miss Granger. I was hoping I could take some of your time and meet with you about Ophelia Dagworth-Granger. There are some things we should discuss in reference to the portion of the business she left you."

She looks me in the eyes for a moment and says, "I assumed I might hear from you eventually about this issue. What are these stipulations before I sell my portion of the business? I clearly have no desire to run two businesses at this time. The location is quite inconvenient for me as well."

Is she fucking toying with me? "Yes, the stipulations must be met. You must come to DG Potions and Holdings. She instructed you to go through the file cabinets in her office yourself before you decide to sell your portion of the company. Of course if you decide to sell, I would be interested in purchasing the properties from you."

She checks her nails, red nails. Fuck me! Then looks up, "This is highly inconvenient. How many file cabinets are in her office? Surely they could be shipped here."

"Miss Granger, Ophelia Dagworth-Granger would never simply allow them to be shipped. They seem to be blood warded and have a permanent sticking charm on them. There are nothing but dates noted on the front of the cabinets. She left you journals in one of her vaults. My knowledge of her suggests she has left you no choice but to go to England to sort them out in person."

She smirks, "Very Slytherin of her, however, I have no use for it. In 14 years when James Potter becomes of age he can have it all."

She is so fucking infuriating! "Mia, she sent me her with at least forty vials of memories she wanted you to see. She asked me to show them to you and I think you should really see them. Please."

She lifts her chin. That's her tell. She's going to be stubborn. "I apologize, Mr. Malfoy I do believe our time is up. Thank you for meeting with me today. I have a staff meeting I must attend. Good day."

She gets up to leave the office and gestures for me to follow her and I gently grab her wrist to get her attention. "Mia please. Allow me an hour to speak to you."

She takes in a deep breath, and for the first time really makes eye contact. "Mr. Malfoy there is nothing else for you and I to discuss. I appreciate you taking the time away from your busy schedule to come all the way here to speak with me, but I'm afraid there is simply nothing to discuss. Good-bye."

"Mia, please. I'll be at The Plaza the rest of the week. Please, consider talking to me, it's important."

She looks in my eyes again, and steps back. She shakes her head slightly and says. "Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy." She disapparates away. FUUUUUUCK!!!!