When the three arrived at the Ministry, it was even more packed than usual. Harry and Ron said goodbye and went off to a briefing for the new lead. Hermione worriedly checked her watch and almost screamed when she saw she was late. She rushed down the hall to get back to her office. Her lunch break was over already, and she was supposed to have been back twenty minutes prior. In her hurry, she catapulted into a tall man walking the opposite direction. He let out a small groan in pain, as Hermione had knocked the wind out of him.
“Sorry,” she apologized hastily. ”I was in a hurry and – “
She stopped when she looked up and saw who it was. Staring back at her with a pair of cold, steel grey eyes was none other than Draco Malfoy, her Hogwarts tormentor. He looked just as shocked as she did, his white- blonde hair fluffed out from his spill. He immediately stood up, the surprised look draining from his face. His expression turned sour quickly.
“Watch where you’re going, Granger.” He said coldly.
“Watch where YOU’RE going, Malfoy.” She said back, acidity leaking into her words.
Malfoy’s face expression grew so hard, it resembled stone.
“I believe YOU are the one who knocked me over.”
He then stalked in the other direction, cursing under his breath. Hermione watched his retreating figure as she felt her face grow hot and flustered. Her good mood had managed to disappear within a whole two minutes of being back at work. Leave it to Malfoy to ruin something as small as a good day for her. She felt anger flood through her as she raced to her office.
“Stupid pure-blood.” She said as she threw herself into a chair.
When she glanced at the remaining stack of papers, she grew even angrier. She was mad about the fact that he could still get under her skin after all of the stuff she put up with. She flung her papers onto the desk so rapidly, she ripped an entire paper and gave herself a paper cut.
“Episkey.” She muttered dejectedly as she pointed her wand at the small injury.
It healed completely, leaving a bit of blood behind.
“Tergeo.”
The blood vanished just as the cut had.
Hermione grabbed a quill and worked until she couldn’t feel her hands anymore. She just didn’t want another thought of Draco Malfoy in her head.
