Chapter 4

Hermione woke up in her bed late the next morning. She stretched luxuriously and it felt weird not having to immediately get ready to go to work. She really had the whole day to herself. She had already written out an itinerary last night to keep herself on track while her lab was rebuilt. However, she made sure the itinerary wouldn't kick in until tomorrow. Harry said she deserved a break, so she was going to take the whole day for herself. It honestly felt over indulgent.

The first thing she decided to do this morning was clean up her room. Like her office, it had an air of neglect to it. Dirty clothes, bits of notes and broken quills littered the floor, but with a few flicks of her wand, everything was straightened up. And clothes were in the hamper, ready for the wash. She took a deep breath and looked out the window next to her desk. The view she had was modest, but since she didn't have a window in her office, everything looked spectacular.

She went down the stairs to see Ginny just heading out the door in her Quidditch gear. Right now, she was playing second string Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. Her long ginger hair was pulled tightly into a ponytail. "Hullo 'Mione! Hope I didn't wake you, I was trying to be quiet!" Ginny said.

Hermione giggled, "Honestly, I slept so deeply I probably wouldn't have noticed if you transfigured the dining table into an elephant."

"Good, because my idea of quiet would make Madam Pince shit bricks." Ginny grabbed her cloak from the peg and slung her Firebolt over her shoulder. Harry had bought it for her the moment she signed her player contract. It gleamed with fresh varnish and polish. "I'll be out all day, the captain wants to run drills with our new beater while Tally regrows her femur bone at St. Mungo's." She said this nonchalantly, but Hermione blanched. Quidditch players had to be bloody bonkers to voluntarily put themselves at such grievous risk on a weekly basis.

Ginny pulled her gloves and goggles on before facing back to Hermione. "If I'm not back by supper, let Harry know that I made a shepherd pie and put it in the frimgerader."

"The refrigerator," Hermione corrected automatically. Hermione and Harry had to sit Ginny down when they tried to explain the Muggle contraption to her.

"Whatever." She scoffed, "So what is the Busiest Witch of her Age doing on her day off?" She asked smugly.

"I was planning to take a walk down Diagon Alley. See what's new." Hermione answered. She had usually sent her assistants out shopping for supplies, but the day was too nice to spend it inside.

"You know, there's a new book store," Ginny's eyebrows wiggled. "It's a couple stores down from Ollivanders. I think it's called The Quiet Quill, very snobby and scholarly. I'm sure you'll love it." Ginny grinned and waved. "Well, I'm off. See you!" And she was out the door and the sudden crack let Hermione know she had Disapparated.

Hermione decided to dress herself casually, and put on her favorite muggle trainers, blue jeans and her orange jumper. She decided to just leave her curls alone and let them run wild. If she was getting a break, she thought maybe her scalp did as well.

She was out the door in only a few minutes and apparated right into the Leaky Cauldron. After a quick word with Tom, he came out with a cup of coffee. He had already put a perpetual warming charm on it so it wouldn't get cold as she did her browsing. She left the sickles on the counter.

When she turned around, she had the odd thought that someone was watching her. She flicked her eyes up quickly only to be met with a glow of silver. Draco Malfoy was sitting in the same booth that Hermione and her friends had sat in just a few nights ago. His eyes were like steel, cutting her with his gaze. His mouth twisted like he was biting something back. His long fingers tapped on the wood of the table, a glass of firewhiskey empty in front of him.

Something about his gaze unsettled Hermione, she clutched her coffee tightly in her fingers and wondered if she would have to dump it on him to defend herself. His stare was that menacing. She didn't even contemplate using her wand. A duel against Draco Malfoy would be essentially suicide.

Hermione usually wasn't one to step down from a challenge, but she wasn't The Brightest Witch of Her Age for nothing. She knew when a retreat was necessary. She tried to walk casually out the door towards Diagon Alley, but her steps were unnatural and stiff. She could feel the eyes on her every step out.

When she was finally in the safety of Diagon Alley behind the charmed brick wall, she was able to breathe freely. What could possibly be Draco Malfoy's problem? Then it hit her. It was obvious, and she should've realized it sooner. He obviously blamed her for the death of his father. Malfoy already had a complicated relationship with the Golden Trio, but now whatever tolerance they had balanced for each other was shattered. She was honestly impressed Malfoy hadn't outright hexed her the moment her back was turned. Perhaps he had learned restraint in the years since Hogwarts.

She vowed to herself to keep her head on a swivel and be aware of her surroundings in case Malfoy's discipline snapped.

The first stop on her agenda was to visit Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary and place a bulk order to at least begin to replenish my lost stores. She made her order and sent the bill to the Ministry's supply department. They handled all those kinds of expenses in Hermione's office.

Next, she made a quick stop at Potage's Cauldron Shop. The shopkeeper was surprised to see Hermione Granger in the flesh as he was used to her making her orders by owl. Hermione quickly gave an update on the destruction of her office and said she would need about fifteen standard pewter cauldrons delivered to the Ministry in a few weeks. The shopkeeper made a note in his order catalog, and Hermione left with a tinkle of the bell above the door.

With those important stops out of the way, Hermione was finally able to explore the new bookstore Ginny had told her about. She looked at the shop's signs around her but could not find The Quiet Quill. But she was not deterred. Some of Diagon Alley had to be rebuilt after the war, so many new shops had popped up farther down the road.

As she walked farther and farther from the main stretch of shops, she saw less and less witches and wizards on the sidewalks. Soon, she was surprised to see that she was the only one on the street. Checking her watch, she was surprised to see that it was just past noon. She assumed that much of the morning crowd had gone off or stopped into The Leaky Cauldron for a spot of lunch.

But Hermione was not a bit hungry, and decided that she would much rather explore the Quiet Quill when no one was about to bother her. Her mind drifted to all of the new books and volumes that have been released since her recent experiment had taken all of her free time. She was frightfully behind on her reading lists. She was already compiling an order in her head of the books she was most interested in purchasing this afternoon when a white hand shot out from an alleyway and grasped her wrist tightly.

Before she could pull her wand, or even scream, she felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed and heard a distant pop as she and her attacker disapparated.

Once the squeezing had ceased, she felt a chill wind scatter her curls. She reacted instantly and whipped her wand free from her pocket and aimed it towards the person who was still gripping her wrist. However, she heard a quick, Expelliarmus! And her wand was wrenched from her fingers. Before she had a moment to regain her composure, she was pushed roughly against a stone wall with a strong hand against her mouth.

"Granger," whispered a hoarse voice. Her eyes snapped open and she realized that the man who had attacked her was Draco Malfoy. In her daydreaming of books, she had not been paying attention to her surroundings. Malfoy must've snuck up on her. Oh, god, Hermione thought, he's taken me somewhere to kill me! But her thoughts were dashed when she saw the pleading look in Malfoy's eyes. "Granger, listen to me. I'm really sorry I scared you, but I'm desperate and I can't have anyone overhearing me." His voice came out so rushed and airy, that it took a few moments for Hermione's mind to catch up and actually hear his words.

"Humph." Her voice came out muffled as Draco's fingers still covered her mouth.

"Just let me explain. I heard you talking to Potter and Weasel at The Leaky Cauldron. You said that you were working on a way to get rid of ghosts." His teeth were clenched and he was so close that their noses were basically touching. His breath caressed her face. "Just nod if this is true."

Hermione managed a nod with her head against the stone wall. The smell of firewhiskey on Draco was so strong it was almost gagging her, but his eyes seemed clear and focused. She had never noticed that his silver eyes seemed to shine, even in the shade of the wall.

What am I even talking about? Hermione thought to herself. Malfoy has basically kidnapped her and taken her wand and now she was lapsing about his eyes? How ridiculous, she thought.

"Ok," Malfoy pushed off her so that her mouth was finally free, but before she could start fighting him for her wand back he already had it handed out towards her. She should've apparated back to Diagon Alley right there, but a desperate pleading look flashed across Malfoy's face. "Please, I know I know I didn't do this the right way. I never do, really. I'm always going about problems the wrong way. I guess I haven't really learned anything in the years since the war." He lapsed for a moment in silence, rubbing his face. Even though it looked as though he hadn't slept, there wasn't even a shadow of stubble on his face. He looked as though he had just come from a salon, with his hair and skin perfect. The only mar on his appearance being the dark purple half circles under his eyes.

"A few days ago, my father died." His words stumbled on the last bit as if they choked him. "However, for some god forsaken reason he has decided to stay." His teeth flashed in anger. "He is now a completely unwanted guest in the Manor, even my mother grows tired of his offhand remarks. Even without a physical body, he still manages to be a horrible bully and a nuisance. And because of the ancient magic on the Manor's Inheritance Laws, since he is still technically 'living' there," more like existing, he added under his breath. "He is still the master and therefore controls the Manor's magic and inheritance. My mother and I are basically prisoners in our own home." He pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing. Hermione could barely believe what she was hearing.

"So, I needed you, Granger. You're the only one I've ever heard who has made headway in banishing ghosts to the other side. If we just banished my father from the Manor, made him haunt another hall, the magic would still be tied to him." He stepped forward until she could feel his body heat through her jumper. His chest was heaving like he had just run a marathon.

"I need you Granger. I need you to send my father on. You will have anything and everything you could need at your call. My House-Elves will assist you and provide you with all your supplies. The library will be yours to research and I will make sure no one will disturb you. No one knows about my father's return, and I need to keep it that way. So the Manor will be closed from the outside world until he is gone. My mother has already told her confidants and connections that she will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. She spun a story about a sick aunt." He was talking very quickly now, and it was getting hard for Hermione to keep up.

"Please, Granger. I know that we have a bad history, but if you could put it past you and help me with this, I would be eternally grateful. If you do this, and make sure no one finds out, the Malfoys will be your number one benefactor towards whatever you decide to do in your career. Be it for research or passing laws, I will make sure that you succeed. I just need your help. Please." That was multiple times in a single breath that Draco Malfoy had used the words please. The word jolted her. It sounded foreign to be coming from his lips.

But the fact that Malfoy was willing to fund her research. That would be huge for her career. No more fighting the council for funds. The Malfoys had enough to fund her research with still plenty left over to not make Hermione feel as though she was taking advantage. No more attending parties and galas and attempting to woo new investors towards her side. Also, the Malfoys had a huge pull in the Ministry. Her bills and acts would have a much easier time being approved with their support. It was almost too good to be true.

"I-" Hermione began, but a gray form was suddenly beside Draco Malfoy.

"Well, good afternoon, Miss Granger, welcome back to Malfoy Manor." There beside their little group floated the spectral form of Lucius Malfoy.