Chương 43: One Mistake Goes A Long Way
Hermione walked with a slight reservation in her step as she strode into the office: the paperwork was finally finished, the break that they'd taken for themselves was long gone- two months had passed since Christmas. But lately, she'd been having some reservations about working with Draco. Was it wonderful? Yes. But she didn't quite feel like she'd been doing something she
Alexis greeted Hermione with a smile; Hermione beamed back at her, a routine she'd settled into easily before walking through the open elevator doors. Draco had elected to go in early- to polish up some paperwork that had needed reviewing before noon- and she'd come in later.
She pushed open the opaque glass door and Draco smiled; a genuine smile as she came into the office before a frown creased his face; Hermione realized she must've been so lost in thought it had shown.
"Something wrong, love?"
Hermione shook her head."No, nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure?" Draco's attention was now completely diverted from the papers and the shiny laptop in front of him.
"Yeah. Yeah, don't worry."
Alexis poked her head in. Knocking on the door frame, she said,
"I'm going to the bakery to grab a quick snack. Would you two like anything? Tea? Coffee? Pastries? Or would Mr. Malfoy prefer you were left alone?" She finished with a wink.
Hermione rolled her eyes as Draco nodded an affirmative to the last offer.
"I'll take a cup of coffee, please, Alexis, with milk and just a little bit of sugar."
Alexis smiled. "No problem." She swung the door shut and Hermione sighed.
"You're impossible."
"No, I just want to kiss you to take your mind off things. Off whatever is bothering you." Draco murmured quietly before latching his lips to her jaw, pressing soft butterfly kisses to her skin before she huffed with impatience and pressed her lips to hers, the kiss heating up rather quickly. A knock at the door interrupted them, and the duo jumped apart, Hermione feeling as though fires were burning where Draco had kissed her skin. Blaise, who stood in the doorway, raised an eyebrow at the disheveled couple; Hermione had the sense to blush whereas Draco simply scowled.
"What do you want? I was having a good snog session-"
"Draco,Hermione's voice came out as a hiss as she elbowed him.
Blaise's lips quirked up in a smile. "Well, I've finally gotten a chance to take a look at those muggle contraptions. I thought Hermione might be able to help me figure out how they work."
"You can't steal my fiancée; that's not fair."
"I'm not stealing her."
"Draco,' Hermione interrupted, 'it's fine. I can show Blaise the very basics of using a computer."
"Hmmph."
Hermione retreated to her desk, motioning for Blaise to come over, and she opened up the laptop. He could see her gesturing as she talked, her eyes lighting up the way they did when she explained how muggle devices worked, her smile as she answered Blaise's questions.
It made him smile.
***
Narcissa had invited Draco and Hermione for dinner, something Draco had reluctantly agreed to. Hermione hummed as she got ready; she adjusted the way the skirt of her red dress fell before pulling her hair into a bun. Draco arched a brow.
"You know you don't have to dress up."
"Says the one wearing a black suit and button-down dress shirt." Hermione gestured in his direction.
"Because my mother will this. When I was younger, this was one of the most enforced rules in the house. Most often because we had to entertain the possibility of dinner being rudely interrupted. By people in silver masks."
Hermione smiled faintly."Oh, all right, but imagine if you showed up in that and I showed up in jeans and a blouse. It would look awful."
Draco shook his head with fervour. "You would look beautiful in anything. Hasn't anyone ever told you that?"
Hermione pressed her lips to his as thanks, pulling away as the clock chimed.
"We have to go."
"I wish we didn't."
"Well, we're going now."
She grabbed him and they disappeared.
***
Narcissa laughed gaily at the interaction between her son and her daughter-in-law-to-be.
"Well, Garrison was wrong, I don't care what you say-"
"Then how come his theory works, then? There's no recorded cases that have said his theory was wrong." Hermione countered. They were debating on whether Hendrik Garrison's theory that all Transfiguration was reversible was true or not.
"Because of the case in 1387, where a man turned his neighbour into a pig by accident and couldn't undo it. And then in 1692 when some idiot turned a forest into a pack of wolves. He couldn't undo the Transfiguration." Draco smirked, but Hermione was unfazed.
"He couldn't undo the Transfiguration Hermione announced smugly."Tests have reenacted that particular situation in a controlled environment and the Transfiguration to put it back worked. And just because the person can't undo what they've done doesn't mean the is irreversible; we both know turning something into a pig is reversible. We saw McGonagall do it." Hermione leaned back in her chair, an expression in her face that suggested she was rather satisfied with herself.
"I hate it when you're right."
"Well, get used to it." Hermione smirked.
One of the portraits on the far wall- obviously a Malfoy, with silver eyes, pale skin, and white-blonde hair drawled, "You'd better get used to accepting you're wrong, boy. When women are right, there's no way for you to get out of admitting it."
The portrait next to him, a woman of similar colouring colouring, smirked at his words. "I find it takes one to know one, Julius."
The man scowled. "Shut up, Magdalene."
"You wouldn't be telling that to him if you didn't know that firsthand." She turned to Draco.
"Draco Malfoy, it must be?"
Draco nodded, shocked that she knew his name. After all, he had no idea who she was.
"And the lovely woman with you is..?"
"Hermione Granger." Hermione's eyes flashed cold, her voice firm and unwavering, obviously expecting some type of negative reaction to her name. Magdalene smiled kindly.
"It's quite alright; I understand that you're quite the brilliant witch, and considering your trials and tribulations you've more than earned a rewarding spot in the wizarding world."
Hermione had to restrain herself from snarling, settling for stiffly excusing herself before stalking away, heels clacking on the marble. Magdalene looked after her in surprise.
"What did I say?"
Narcissa sighed. Draco scowled at the portrait before hurrying after Hermione. Magdalene seemed genuinely bewildered. "What was it?"
"You said she'd more earned her way into a rewarding position. To her, that's unfair in two ways. She has been born into this world, and has the same right as any other witch or wizard to be here. Second, you implied that because she was a heroine that she oughtn't have to work to get a position in, say, the Ministry. Hermione views that as derogatory because if she is not the best candidate for the job, better it go to someone more skilled rather than because she is a heroine, and because she would rather earn her way to the top by learning that trade or skill rather than buy her way to the top." Narcissa said softly.
Magdalene shook her head. "Narcissa, my apologies. I didn't mean to offend her-"
But the blonde woman in the chair shook her head.
"It's not me you have to apologize to."
***
Hermione stormed outside to the rosebushes; they calmed her down as she strode through them, fingers lingering on some flowers while skipping right over others. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco's hair glint in the dimming sunlight. He caught up to her easily, longer legs overtaking her stride without difficulty.
"Sorry about Magdalene."
Hermione's fingers brushed over the roses.
"You don't have to apologize."
"I know, but I'm doing it anyway." Draco brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"It's just- I know she meant well, but the way she said it- as if it was all I deserved. I hate being treated that way. I hate it." She spat out the words as though they were poison.
"Is that what was on your mind this morning?" Draco's eyebrows furrowed.
"No." Hermione sighed, looking up at the darkening sky. "That was something else."
"Well, I'm sorry you-"
"Draco. Please don't apologize. It's- it makes me feel like I'm unable to do anything for myself."
"Okay. I'll stop." Hermione looked at him, a little surprised. Draco's expression was wry.
"Did you really think I would risk your wrath?"
"I dunno. I thought you'd refuse." He put a hand to his heart in mock hurt. "You don't believe in me?"
Hermione grinned. " 'Course I do."
"Do you want to tell me what you were thinking about, this morning?" His expression turned sombre. Hermione sighed, casting her glance away.
"I don't want you to take this the wrong way."
"Try me." He grinned.
"Well- it's that- I love working with you, and I appreciate the efforts you've made for me, but I don't feel I'm making a difference. That's what I want to do, what I've always wanted to do. I want to keep surprising people, keep telling people I can do this, that I'm not finished, that people are going to remember me for what I did and how I changed things, not because I was a war heroine."
Draco took a breath.
***
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