Manhattan
Chapter Seven
Draco stands by his decision to have Granger stay in his guest room until the Weasel is found. He decidedly does not like the idea– in fact, he hates it– but he believes that it is the safest thing for her.
Yes, Granger has multiple ways that she can contact him in the event that Weasley does find her– however, those points almost all become moot if she is silenced or disarmed, and Draco isn't entirely sure what the Weasel is capable of anymore.
In addition to that, with her staying in his flat as opposed to him staying at hers, if there are any changes or breaches to his wards, he'll be able to feel them and will come home immediately.
Furthermore, Draco also knows that his flat is probably the last place on earth that anyone– most of all, Ronald Weasley– would look for Hermione Granger. It just made sense.
It was the best decision. It doesn't matter how Draco feels about it personally, as it is the best professional decision.
Despite not technically wanting the witch to stay in his home, Draco was raised by Narcissa Malfoy, and he will do his damndest to make sure that Granger is comfortable. Draco has enough self-awareness to know that Granger is decidedly not comfortable in his home– understandably so. The last time she was in a place that Draco called 'home' was during the War, and she had been literally tortured during that time.
Draco's discontent with Granger staying in his home is purely due to his history with this particular witch. He knows that there are plenty of people he knows who would discriminate against Granger due to her blood status. That fact is not what makes Draco uncomfortable about the witch sleeping in his guest room.
Draco just knows that he and Granger don't exactly get along, despite his best efforts. He's been trying, but admittedly, he goes to Granger's flat to ward and protect it, not to make nice with the owner of said flat.
In short, Draco hopes that the Weasel is found soon, and far, far away from Manhattan.
"You've seen the kitchen already. As I said, you're welcome to anything– make yourself at home. The television is above the fireplace, as you can see, and the clicker is in the basket on the coffee table," Draco begins his tour after dropping the dishes from dinner into the sink– he'll deal with them later.
Draco guides the curly-haired witch toward the hallway, pointing out a closet and the hall restroom before showing her to what will be her bedroom.
"This is the guest room," Draco states, opening the door and gesturing for the witch to step inside. "The door on the left is your en suite. There's only a shower in there, so if you prefer a bath, you'll have to use mine. The other door, the one by the bed, is a closet. It's empty, so if you want to use it, by all means."
Granger nods in acknowledgement, slinging her beaded bag off of her shoulder and dropping it onto the foot of the bed that will be hers for the foreseeable future.
"The door at the end of the hall is my room, and the one to the right of yours is my office and library, but I would bet an obscene amount of galleons that if I showed you the library tonight that you wouldn't sleep. So, instead, I'll let you explore it tomorrow while I am at work," Draco smirks. "Get some sleep, Granger. You look knackered."
Granger meets Draco's eyes for a moment. She looks almost as if she's going to say something, but in the end, she doesn't. She just nods and averts her eyes again.
Draco takes this as his cue to leave, and if he's being honest, he could absolutely do with a shower right now to wash off the absolute weirdness that has been this day. So, that is where he heads to next.
Draco walks down the hall to his bedroom and shuts the door behind him before he tears his shirt up over his head, dropping it to the floor unceremoniously. As he heads towards his en suite, he works the buttons free on his trousers.
Once in the shower, Draco takes a moment to wonder how exactly he ended up here. Not here as in the shower in his flat, nor the existential here or the here of contemplating the meaning of life, but the here in the sense of how did he end up here, with Hermione Granger staying in his flat, specifically.
He understands the order of events: Run into Granger in the street. Be summoned to Katrina's office and given a floo address and very minimal information about said floo address. Listen to two of his former (current?) enemies explain that the third of his (definitely still current) enemies is even more of an arse than he had originally thought. Agree to help. Instate weekly wardings of Granger's flat. Argue with Granger every week for more than a month over said weekly wardings. Romeo & Juliet. Letter from Potter.
Understanding the order of events doesn't make this feel any less like some sort of parallel universe or horrible dream that Draco would very much like to wake up from. Draco rinses the shampoo out of his hair, pretending for a moment that he is actually rinsing away whatever alternate timeline he has somehow ended up in.
"You look like hell."
Draco eyes his boss with as much disdain as his completely exhausted brain can muster.
"Thanks," Draco grumbles, sarcasm dripping from his words.
Draco hardly slept a wink last night– the first night that Granger spent in his flat. He's not entirely sure why he couldn't sleep. He thinks, perhaps, that it was a combination of knowing that she was there, just two doors down from him, as well as listening for any noise or indication that he might need to spring into action.
Draco knows logically that there is absolutely zero chance that Ron Weasley would be able to get into his flat– nor would the red-headed buffoon even try because why would Hermione Granger be in Draco Malfoy's flat? However, Draco also knows that it is his job to keep Granger safe, as well as the fact that probably all of Wizarding Britain would burn him at the stake if he failed to keep one of the heroes of the Second War safe and alive.
In any case, Draco is exhausted– and a wee bit grumpy.
"So, what's got you so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed today?" Katrina laughs, returning Draco's sarcasm as she kicks her feet up on her desk as she is wont to do.
Draco relaxes back against the chair he's sitting in and resists the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep.
"That's why I'm here actually," Draco begins. He realized shortly after receiving Potter's letter that he would have to give Katrina the heads-up that his availability for standard cases may be changing, in light of his increased presence required for the Granger case. "The case for the Ministry."
Katrina raises an eyebrow. She still doesn't have a lot of information regarding the case Draco is working for the Ministry, but she knows that it has been an on-going addition to Draco's workload for a handful of months now.
"There's been a development in the case, and my charge is no longer considered to be entirely safe. I will need a bit of leeway for the foreseeable future in order to be available for her."
Katrina purses her lips, folding her hands in her lap.
"Do you need reinforcements? I'll give you leeway, although I do still need you. We're still down an Auror with Frankie out, but Mona could give you a hand if you need it."
Draco appreciates the thought, and he trusts Mona, but there's no way that Potter would sign off on adding another person to this equation, nor does Draco want that either. Granger is safe enough in his flat, and apart from work, he'll be there with her.
"No, that's not necessary. My charge and I have done some restructuring in light of the new circumstances. She's quite safe, but only insofar as my ability to be with her."
Katrina nods in understanding.
"I trust you, Draco. I know that you can manage your duties," Katrina states, meeting Draco's eye. "Obviously, I don't know the particulars of your case, but you said yourself that something has happened. Just be careful."
Draco wants to say that he's absolutely positive that he could take Ron Weasley down with his dominant left hand tied behind his back and blindfolded, but he refrains. At the end of the day, Draco isn't sure what the Weasel is capable of anymore. Alcohol, injury to one's pride– like the breaking off of an engagement– and unruly emotions are not a good combination and could cause even the most docile of situations to become volatile.
"I always am, Kat."
Draco arrives home fairly early, and though he probably shouldn't be, he is surprised when he's met with a bushy-haired witch.
Granger is sitting with her legs crossed at the knee on the dragonhide sofa positioned across from the hearth, wearing Muggle jeans, a tight, white top and the same hooded gray sweatshirt from the first time he saw her. Draco also notices that she's wearing a dirty pair of white Muggle trainers and crossed over her shoulder is her beaded bag.
Draco has many questions about that particular beaded bag. It's the only thing that she brought with her to Draco's flat. This leads Draco to believe that she has some sort of undetectable extension charm on the bag. Technically speaking, those charms are illegal, however, that isn't what intrigues Draco. What intrigues him is how undetectable it is. To all the world, that bag would look just like any normal women's handbag. If Draco were on better terms with the owner of the bag, he might be inclined to ask about it.
"I have to go to the library to return my books," Granger states, eyeing Draco from her spot on the sofa.
Draco dusts soot off of his shoulders before stepping out of the fireplace.
"Returning library books is not an emergency, Granger."
Granger stands, crossing her arms over her chest.
"If I don't return them, I'll have to pay a fine."
Draco scoffs.
"I'll pay the fine, Granger. You're not going anywhere," Draco states, attempting to leave no room for argument– however, he also knows that Hermione Granger is unlikely to concede to him.
"Someone else shouldn't lose the ability to read Romeo & Juliet this week just because you won't accompany me to the library."
Draco rolls his eyes as he unhooks his Auror robe and takes it over to the coat rack.
"We can also go to the shops considering the only things you have in your pantry are half of a box of toaster pastries and mismatched ingredients for different meals."
Draco breathes in and out deeply for a minute. Fine.
Draco unbuckles his over-the-shoulder wand holster and hangs it up, taking his wand out of it and tucking it into his pocket.
"Which library?"
Granger spends far too much time chatting with the librarian. All she was supposed to do was return the books and leave– not spend the entire evening talking to an elderly woman.
"Did you enjoy your books this week, dear?" the woman asks, a motherly smile on her face as she takes the books from Granger.
"Oh, I did, thank you," Granger smiles in return. "Has Macbeth been returned yet? It wasn't here when I was in last week."
The elderly woman hums and tilts her head, as if thinking.
"Let me check my computer," the woman, whom Draco now notices is wearing a nametag with the name 'Margie' on it, responds.
Draco steps up closer behind Granger, silently reminding the witch that he's still here and that she's not supposed to be just out and about. She's supposed to be keeping a low-profile so that her deranged ex-fiance will not find her.
Granger tosses a look over her shoulder– narrowed eyes, slightly pinched lips. Draco takes this to mean, 'Back off.'
Draco decidedly does not back off. He doesn't have time to wait around for Margie the librarian to titter away on her computer for hours.
"Yes, dear, it looks like Macbeth was returned yesterday. It should be on the shelf by now."
Granger smiles, thanks the elderly woman, and without looking back at Draco, heads off further into the library, presumably to find the copy of Macbeth that she's so interested in.
Draco sighs and follows her. It's not like he can just grab her around her waist, throw her over his shoulder and apparate them back to his flat from the middle of the library– as much as he wishes he could do so in this moment.
"Granger, we're supposed to be returning your books– not searching for new ones," Draco whispers, harshly, coming up behind the little witch again.
Granger spins around so she's facing Draco and eyes him with contempt.
"I just want the copy of Macbeth. You don't have it in your library– I checked."
Draco frowns, and pinches the bridge of his nose.
Granger seems to find the book that she's looking for and grips it tight to her chest as if someone is going to steal it from her as she walks back over to Margie's desk.
"Did you find it, dear?" Margie asks as Granger approaches.
Granger nods, her smile stretching across her entire face, as she hands the book over to the librarian.
"Do you have your library card, dear?" Margie asks, and smiles in thanks when Granger hands the small plastic card over.
Margie scans the card, as well as the book, and then her eyes light up.
"Ah, I see why you're such a Shakespeare fan, Hermione," Margie laughs, and Draco isn't sure why.
He assumes that it has to be some sort of Shakespearean inside joke, though, admittedly, Draco has only read Romeo & Juliet, as well as A Midsummer Night's Dream. He has a few more on his to-read list, however, time is limited– especially now with the witch in front of him taking up so much of his time.
"Yes," Granger laughs in return. "It was predestined, I figure."
Finally, Granger takes her book and starts towards the front doors, without waiting or checking that Draco is behind her.
"What was that about?" Draco asks once he catches up and falls into step beside the witch.
Granger scrunches her eyebrows together, as if confused.
"What was what about?" Granger responds, her voice harsh, as if expecting some sort of insult.
"What did the woman mean about you being a Shakespeare fan?"
Admittedly, this matters not in the grand scheme of what concerns Draco in regards to Hermione Granger. Her being a fan of William Shakespeare is nearly irrelevant, but it piqued his curiosity.
"Oh," Granger seems surprised, but a small, almost sad, smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. "My name– Hermione. It's from The Winter's Tale."
Draco nods in understanding, unsure of how to verbally respond to such a statement. He does, however, file the title of this particular work under his 'absolutely will not read' list. He doesn't think he could stomach reading an entire play with a character named Hermione and not want to bang his head against a wall.
Hello, friends! I hope you all had a great week! (:
I had a great week, and ON TOP of that... Y'ALL. We now have almost ONE HUNDRED FOLLOWERS! I literally cannot believe that so many of you are here with me on this ride! I am so incredibly grateful to each and every one of you and I cannot thank you enough for being here. Thank you so so much.
I really like this chapter. I wanted to get a glimpse into Draco's thoughts on the idea of Hermione staying with him, and I loved writing the library scene. The next couple of chapters, also, are some of my favorites in this fic. :P (Dramione is coming, I promise. Sort of. :P)
Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and once again, thank you so much for reading! Please, if you feel so inclined, review. I love reading y'alls reviews. (:
See you all next week!