Jane Doe

Chapter 3

As it happens, it took four days for Granger to break which was longer than he'd predicted.

She slammed her hand on his table causing the ceramic of his cup to rattle against the saucer.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval, enjoying their little game.

Even if the enjoyment was one-sided.

"Can I help you, Miss Granger?"

Granger was only slightly taller than he from where he sat, her eyes looking down at him in burning frustration. She looked... dare he say... cute today in her loose braid while wearing denim dungarees covered sporadically with tiny white daisies.

Utterly innocent and harmless even if the fiery magic in her eyes and static of her curls begged to differ.

"Why are you here - and don't give me some rubbish excuse."

Her jaw was clenched, hands curled into fists at her side but all he could picture was an angry kitten.

"Why do you think I'm here?"

She huffed and he had to bite back a smile. From his observations this week, she did that frequently when frustrated or annoyed. He found her quirks enduring though he made no indication of such.

"You're hiding something about the robbery," he continued cooly, taking a sip of his Earl Gray. Despite her anger towards him, she still made him a decent cuppa.

The fire in her eyes dimmed slightly before she crossed her arms defensively. "Where would you get that idea?"

Draco shrugged. "I've always been good at reading people. Being a legilimens helps with that."

He could see her occulumency walls strengthening behind her eyes as she took a step back. "You're a legilimens?' she clarified quietly.

"I don't enter the mind without permission," he said, tilting his head curiously at her withdrawal.

Did Potter know she was an occulmens?

She began chewing on her bottom lip, an unconscious tick it seemed. "I don't have to talk to you."

He inclined his head in agreement, taking another drink. "True but it would speed these riveting discussions along."

Granger scowled, her moment of nerves vanishing. "I don't trust you."

"But you trust Potter, yes?" he asked innocently, watching her carefully as he finished his tea.

There was that glint in her eyes again... she really was an impeccable liar.

She opened her mouth to perhaps argue or tell him to stop meddling but was distracted by the quiet bell from the door opening. He was still watching her and was fascinated as her eyes widened and lips parted in shock.

Draco looked over to the door and was taken aback to see another wizard from his past, Theodore Nott.

Gone was the skinny boy from his youth. Theo filled the doorway with his broad frame, his biceps pronounced under his tailored grey suit. Curiously, Draco could also see black tendrils of a neck tattoo peeking out from the black collar of his dress shirt.

His smile was wide as he looked over to Granger, running a hand through his dirty blonde curls.

"Granger," he said quietly, blue eyes twinkling akin to the likes of bloody Dumbledore himself.

However if he thought he was surprised before, he was astounded when Granger ran towards the fellow Slytherin and jumped into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck in an embrace.