Project 137.43.M.D.

XVIII. | CAUTELA ABUNDANS NON NOCET

XVIII.
CAUTELA ABUNDANS NON NOCET
(extreme caution does no harm)

As a matter of fact, Malfoy's check-ups at St. Mungo's, which had taken place three times a week ever since his release, no longer needed to be continued.

"Your results are top notch," the young healer had announced in the brief final conversation Hermione had accompanied Malfoy to.

He had been advised to continue exercising, maintaining his diet, and doing whatever he felt comfortable with. He only had to return to the hospital if acute problems arose. And Hermione doubted that would happen.

She should have been relieved that those regular meetings were finally over and, with that, she theoretically had to see Malfoy less often than she had previously, but for some reason it even made her a little angry.

It was almost outrageous how quickly he had fought his way back to life while it had taken her years to recover from her wartime trauma. Up to this day, she still struggled with it every now and then. He, however, had recovered splendidly within mere weeks, although unlike her he had spent ten bloody years in Azkaban.

Basically, it was a shabby way of looking at things, Hermione knew. After all, Malfoy had been Obliviated and it had been the aim of the Wizengamot that the Rehabilitation Phase would be more successful with it than it most likely would have been without the Memory Charm. So actually, as a Mentor, Hermione should be happy that Malfoy had developed so well. Yet, it annoyed her.

After escorting Malfoy back to his apartment, she had made her way straight to the OSAR office to prepare the interim report she was due to submit to the Wizengamot at the end of the week. Thank Merlin, Malfoy hadn't let show that morning that he'd kissed her the night before. Likewise, Hermione had tried to be neutral and professional towards him. But while she might had been able to convince him that it didn't affect her at all and that, with a reasonable distance, she could dismiss the evening's incident as a one-off, deep down inside her things looked very different.

In fact, she thought about it almost non-stop.

Whenever her thoughts wandered (and unfortunately they did so all the time) she felt his lips on hers again. She remembered his hand on the back of her neck and how he had jerked her towards him while kissing her nearly urgently. It gave her goosebumps just thinking about how his touch had felt; how fittingly their bodies had pressed against each other for a few seconds.

Hermione groaned softly and put down the quill she had unconsciously clutched so tightly that it was now all ruffled.

It drove her mad. Why the hell was she reacting to Malfoy like that? He was her project. Her hate-object since her first year at Hogwarts. He was a former Death Eater and a war criminal. He was arrogant, annoying and self-righteous. And he was bloody attractive.

Fuck.

She stood up abruptly, gathered her things and left her cubicle with energetic steps. Time to say goodbye to the interim report for today. Malfoy not only made her mentally swear more than she had in the last ten years, but was also responsible for the fact that her concentration had reached an infinitesimal level. Aside from that, a slight headache was still pounding behind her temples and slowly but surely she felt like she was going insane about it.

Maybe she needed the headache potion after all.

***

Apparently Hermione didn't learn from her mistakes lately, because she had another glass of white wine in her hand when there was an unexpected knock on her apartment door.

She frowned. She didn't expected a visitor. Nevertheless, she stood up, crossed the hallway and opened the door.

"Harry," she stated in surprise and let him enter.