The Silver Envelope

Midgen and Millie's

Hermione jumped when a knock sounded at her office door, startling out of the deep, focused trance she'd cultivated to get herself through work.
It was a Wednesday. She was always extra nervous on Wednesdays
"Ron," Hermione said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Ron sheepishly walked in, holding up a bag of takeaway.
"Ginny said you've been forgetting to eat lately," he said with an apologetic smile.
Hermione blinked, then looked at the clock. She sighed. It was much later than she'd realized.
"Erm, thanks," she said.
Ron shuffled forward and began to unload boxes of food on top of her work. She sighed, levitating the food with her wand and safely clearing away her work before allowing the food back down onto her desk.
"Mum says hi," Ron said.
"Yes. Arthur said that this morning in the lift," Hermione responded.
Ron stiffly nodded, waiting for her to tuck in before he took some food for himself. It was from the same Chinese place that Ginny had gone to last time she came here. Hermione wondered why Ginny had sent Ron this time. Maybe she was coming around to the engagement plan.
As if Ron knew what she was thinking, he said, "Er, some reporters saw me come in. I mentioned I was bringing you dinner."
Ah. So it was for the press.
"Good," Hermione said faintly, absently poking a pair of chopsticks around a box of noodles.
"Hermione," Ron said hesitantly. He swallowed a bite of chicken before saying, "Are you really alright with this? Y'know, the engagement?"
He nodded at the ring on her finger.
Hermione's noodles turned to glue in her throat. She swallowed hard, not meeting Ron's eyes.
"It doesn't matter if I'm alright with it," she said. "It's the best way to deal with the situation." Before Ron could respond, she asked, "Do you know when the article about Johanna will be running?"
"Tomorrow morning," Ron said. "Since her next show is tonight, we're hoping that whatever she says will seem like petty jealousy by morning.
Hermione nodded into her food. After Ron had gone silent for another moment, she glanced up to
find him staring at the ring on her finger, an odd look on his face.
"What?" she said.
Ron swallowed and looked down, appearing to reconsider what he'd been about to say. But when he opened his mouth to answer her, he was interrupted by another knock on her office door.
Draco Malfoy was standing in her doorway, a thunderous expression marring his severe face. His long, black robes made him look as tall and terrifying as a Dementor.
Hermione dropped her chopsticks.
Ron stood up.
"Malfoy? What are y-"
Draco stepped around him, shoving him aside with the air of someone waving away a fly.
"Granger," he said quietly. "I need your help."
The sound of his voice seemed to wake her from a trance. Hermione felt air rush into her lungs, and a strange sort of fog lifted from her mind. Raw reality crashed over her, lighting her nerves on fire. She hadn't even realized how numb she'd been until the feeling abruptly left.
"What is it?" she asked quickly.

Something was wrong. She could tell just by his eyes alone.
"Ignoma is missing," Draco said.
Hermione's stomach dropped. She jumped up, reaching for the stack of parchment she'd shoved aside, flipping through to find her notes on the other missing elves. In one sweeping motion, she vanished the food from her desk and summoned a quill
"Thanks for the food, Ron," Hermione said by way of dismissal.
He didn't leave.
"Hermione, what-"
*When did you last see Ignoma?" Hermione asked Draco, ignoring Ron completely.
Draco's lips tightened.
"Friday, I think," he said.
Hermione furrowed her brows.
"You think?"
Draco closed his eyes, his jaw clamping shut.
"I.. I haven't been in my right mind lately, so I'm not entirely certain," he admitted quietly.
Hermione's heart sank. Draco didn't want to say it, but she knew what he meant anyway: he had been using. That must be why he looked so drawn and pale. The shadows under his eyes gave him the look of someone who hadn't slept soundly in far too long. Knowing he wouldn't want to
discuss it, she lowered her eyes back to her notes.
"She came to work all last week," Draco recalled. "I was away on Monday, so if she showed up, I wouldn't have seen her. Yesterday, I thought she was off shopping or something. But when she didn't turn up for work this morning, I started to get worried. Usually, she pops in when I call for her, unless it's her day off."
*Where does she live?" Hermione asked, scribbling furiously.
Absently, she noticed Ron storming out of her office. Good. He would only be a distraction.
"She has a flat in my building," Draco said. "I checked there yesterday and this morning.
"Does she have any relatives? Friends you could talk to?" she asked.
Draco swiped at the back of his neck, looking unsure.
"I think most of her friends are involved with S.P.E.W.," he said. "So you'd know them. And I don't know about any relatives."
Hermione nodded, writing down a few names she might contact.
"When she's not working, where does she normally go?" Hermione asked.
Draco sighed, looking at the ceiling while he thought. His Adam's apple bobbed deeply when he
swallowed
"She likes to shop," he said, sounding uncertain. "She enjoys fashion."
"That's good," Hermione said, nodding as she noted it down. "That gives us a few places to check for her. See if anyone else has seen her more recently."
Draco nodded, but looked less than hopeful. His eyes focused on the stack of papers on her desk.
"What's all this?" he asked, looking closer at the pages. "Are there others who've gone missing?"
"Ignoma is the eighth one that's been reported, all within the last month," Hermione said gravely.
"T've been working on tracking them down and raising the alarm, but it's been nearly impossible, what with all the other.
..stuff happening lately.
Draco noticed her bitter expression with interest. His eyes flicked to her ring, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he flipped through the leaflet she'd put together for the head of her department, scanning through the information with quick eyes.