*Change of attitude*

People has the capability of changing, or so Hermione thought. She knew everyone was capable of it if they made the effort. She saw it in Ron when he turned from an insensitive prat to a loving father and husband. She saw it in her friends and family, even in her own daughter. But she knew not everyone was capable to change for the better... or so she thought.

When Draco Malfoy walked in the bright white office of the Magical Law Enforcement, he wasn't expecting to be received by, well... no-one. The office seemed to be empty though he could here mumbles coming from one of the offices there. He thought this place would be full on people reading files, reading big volumes of law books, quick quills writing proposals and reports, flying memos all over. Instead, he found four empty desks with quills and books but no people. One of them empty of practically everything. He figured that would be his desk and he was about to go there and wait for Archibal Wislow, head of the solicitors of that department, to walk in and welcome him when he heard a voice coming.

"Hello." the little voice said. He looked around the office, trying to locate the source of the greeting. "My name's Belle. What's yours?" the voice asked, and out popped a bushy red-haired girl from under the desk opposite his. Draco's eyes got big and locked themselves to the brown ones of the little girl. She looked so familiar, but he couldn't think from where. The girl looked at him, curiously, looking for an answer.

"Erm... I'm... I'm Draco Malfoy." said the silver-haired man. The girl giggled. "You think my name's funny, girl?" he asked, annoyed. Belle shook her head.

"I think it's nice. It means Dragon." she said matter-of-factly. Draco looked around, looking for an adult who was around. Maybe someone was looking for that girl. "My uncle Charlie works with dragons, but he's not here. He's in Romania. My mommy says it's dangerous, but maybe we'll go visit him one day." the girl added.

"Where... where IS you mommy?" he asked.

"She's in a meeting with Mr. Wislow." she said, then she looked down at some book she had on her lap... and started reading it. Draco couldn't believe it, and yet... this girl reminded him of someone.

"How old are you?" he asked.

Belle upped her head and looked at him. "I'm four and a half." she said, then went back to her book. It wasn't a kiddy book, Draco noticed. It seemed to be longer. How come a girl of four years old could read a book like that one? And what was she doing in that office? He was about to ask her when Mr Wislow's door opened and the unmistakable voice of someone he knew so well was heard. And then he saw the bushy brown-haired woman walked out of the office followed by the blonde and tall guy and a short woman with black hair and glasses.

"Ah! Here's our new solicitor!" Mr Wislow said approaching Malfoy and reaching out his hand to shake his. "Welcome aboard, Mr Malfoy! It's great to have you here. Mr. Thorton from the Magical Transportation Department told me amazing things about you. Let me introduce you to our secretary, Miss Lucy Ethelheart," he pointed to the woman with glasses. "And here's one of our most promising solicitors, Mrs. Hermione Granger-Weasley." he added, pointing to the bushy-haired woman who now was standing in front of him with a shocked look on his face. "Our other solicitor, Mr. Jared Larue, is in court right now with one of our clients. But Hermione here will fill you in with everything you need to know about our newest case, right Hermione?" he said, looking at Hermione. She faked a smile and nodded.

"Of course, Mr. Wislow." she said. Mr Wislow shook hands with Malfoy again, then explained to him some things, and finally left to his own office. Draco and Hermione stared at each other in disbelief.

"Mommy, his name means Dragon." they heard the little girl say. Hermione turned around and looked at the girl, and that's when Draco realised.

"How do you know, sweetheart?" she asked the girl.

"He told me his name was Draco Malfoy, and Draco means dragon, right?" the girl said. Hermione smiled and nodded. Then she turned to Malfoy. There was something different on him. Somehow, she expected him to look like the jerk he was when they were at Hogwarts. But that wasn't the case. He was serious. He didn't have the snigger he wore all those years ago whenever he saw her in the hallways or in class. He even looked... like he ashamed of something.

"I... erm... look, Granger, I..." he started, then sighed. "Look: I didn't know you worked here. And I really want this job, ok? So, you'll have to get used to." he started. Hermione gasped with indignation.

"You know my mommy?" Belle asked, her eyebrows furrowed. Draco and Hermione looked at her.

"We... we went to Hogwarts together." Hermione answered.

"Were you friends?" the girl asked. Both adults looked at each other.

"Actually, we..." Hermione started.

"I wasn't a really nice person back then. Your mommy and I didn't get along quite well." he answered.

"why not?" Belle asked.

"Because I was an assh-" he started before noticing the little girl looking at him and Hermione's eyes bigger than plates warning him not to curse in front of the child. "... an ash of a person. Your mommy was very smart and nice, but I wasn't. I never said nice things to her or anybody, or did good things for others. And instead of trying to be friends with your mommy, I was mean to her." he explained. Mother and daughter looked at him.

"Oh. That's not kind." the little girl said. Draco laughed a bit.

"No, it wasn't. But I'm trying to fix that now." he said. Then, he looked at Hermione. "I know it doesn't fix things between us, but... I... I'm sorry, ok? I... Truth is, I was... I didn't know better. I was taught about pure families and linage and blah blah blah, and I made poor choices, but I made them for the same reason as you made yours: to survive and protect my family, ok? So... what I mean is... I... I'm sorry, Granger. For everything I put you through. I really am." he said. She looked at him in disbelief. Draco Malfoy was apologizing to her? "I'm well aware that you hate me to guts, and that this lame apologize doesn't erase the past or solve anything, and of course it doesn't justify how I treated you and how you felt because of me, but... I just... I wish I had known better. I just... I just want to start over, ok? I'm tired of people thinking I'm my past, that I'm incapable of changing." he said. Hermione looked at him, and for the first time in years, she could see he was honest. She took a deep breath and reached out her hand to him.

"As Mr Wislow said, I'm Hermione Granger-Weasley. It's nice to meet you." she said. He looked at her, confused, then at her hand, and then back at her. She gave him some sort of smile. He smiled back and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Hermione. I'm Draco Malfoy." he said smiling.

"I told you his name was dragon, mommy." the little girl behind her said. They both laughed.

"You have a lovely and very smart little girl." he told Hermione. She smiled him thanks and filled him in their latest case.

The rest of their work day turned out to be good. In fact, Draco made a breakthrough in their case which helped Hermione come up with a new solution and a possible closure statement for when they went to court. Little by little and as time went on, Hermione realised that Malfoy was more than people gave him credit for, and most importantly, he proved her that everyone COULD change for the better if they made an effort.

Hello! I know it's been so long since I wrote a new chapter, but between my job, moving to a new place and life itself (not to mention a writer's block), I haven't been able to come up with anything new.

This chapter has been popping out in my head for a little while. Hope you like it!