Something Different (A Completed Dramione Fanfic)

c h a p t e r 4

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It was strange, the case, for it wasn't like anything that has happened. They all disappeared right before the term was due to start at Hogwarts, and their houses were completely empty of their belongings as well.

And as embarrassed as she was, she needed help. Badly. She didn't even know where to send the investigators looking, and she did desperately  needed someone to bounce ideas off of since she was getting nothing done.

She looked at the clock and saw that it was past eleven at night, and she had work the next day. Blimey, she thought, she wasn't even supposed to work today.

She scrawled a note to Malfoy, telling him to meet her at eight the next morning in her office to discuss their case. She needed the help, and he was the only one who could help. She stood up and stretched, contemplating the events of this past day. With Ron and Draco, too much was going on in her head.

She quickly apparated home, walked two steps to her couch, and plopped down. She was out before her head even hit the pillow.

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The next day, she woke with a start, ten to six. She was running late, and she frantically changed into some random clothes from the dryer, threw her hair up in a messy bun, and brushed her  teeth. Shivering at the fact that her random outfit made her look like she was a slutty librarian, she rushed and changed once more, delaying her even further.

Hermione didn't even have enough time to read the Daily Prophet on the table, figuring she would  spell up some quick coffee rather than read the paper. She threw it in her briefcase, got her coffee, and went over to the fireplace, still in her rushed-morning daze.

She used the floo network to get to work, too tired to apparate. Hermione trudged up to her office and shut the door, determined to look into the case before Malfoy was to come in two hours.

She looked at her owl as well, expecting a note from Ron by now, yet there was nothing. How weird, given that Ron always sends an apology by this point.

She almost forgot about their little lovers quarrel, mostly because the bouncing ferret came back into her life suddenly  to take her mind of everything, she did what she always did- immersed herself in her work.

The time flew, as she got all the background information on the previous professors, as well as information on their family, friends, and even a few foes throughout schooling. But there was nothing. Nothing! That tied them together. Their disappearances seemed completely separate, yet they all went missing at the same time, and all left nothing at their homes.

She hung her head in shame, just as she heard a knock on the door. "Come in" she half-heartedly answered, too tired and flabbergasted to care.

Her office door opened and then remembered the note she sent to Malfoy the day before. She looked at her muggle wristwatch at saw it was 7:54, and she quickly spelled a chair to sit across her desk for him.

Then she actually saw Malfoy walk in, and blimey, his light blue work shirt looked amazing on him, setting his eyes off, as she stared. She shook out of her daze before he could notice her staring, and looked down ashamed. But wow his eyes. With the grey shirt, they were storm clouds, but now the blue hue of the shirt intensified the blue specks.

She was overthinking the whole thing, she thought, and quickly lowered her head to hide the blush rising to the surface of her cheeks.

"Good morning, Granger. How are you feeling about... You know..." He trailed off, seemingly embarrassed, even though she had no idea way. His blue-speckled eyes had on an even more pitying look than the other day.

"Well, I don't really know what I'm doing. I have found no similarities e-" she started before she was rudely cut off.

"Not that, Granger, what happened with..." he met her blank look with his thoughtful one, "Oh just never mind, what have you found on the case?" He changed the subject as fast as he could to avoid a very awkward conversation.

He decided to finish, given she didn't really seem to know what was going on in the Daily Prophet. And he really didn't want to be the one to tell her. She hated him enough.

"Well, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, I have found no similarities to the exception to the fact that they all went missing with no trace, no witnesses, and all of their stuff went with them. Also the time, I found, was similar, when people finally tried to find them."

He just looked at her distressed state, and decided he needed to help her a lot, to make up for all of those "torturous" years, in her words.

"Wow, Granger, you seem to be at a loss of knowledge. Is that even possible for you?" He didn't know why he said it, but he did. And the moment he was done he regretted it.

"You know what Malfoy, you try working on this case. There is nothing--Nothing!--to start leads off of. I called you in here to help, not make fun of me." She was livid and nothing could stop her now. Even though his eyes screamed angle, his heart was still that of a devil.

"I put up with you, Malfoy, after years of pure hatred towards me and my blood status. But it seems that you really haven't changed at all. You are still that pompous jerk that can't put down his pride for one second for the sake of others. So if you want to continue saying these things towards me, the door is behind you. I can work by this on myself without a ferret like you."

"Granger, I didn't know what I was saying and I just..." he didn't know how to end it.

"Malfoy, get out of my office before I make you." She was in no mood to talk to him anymore after his snide comments.

Hermione didn't even want to look at him, and instead went back to the file and the information. After a moment of silence she raised her wand and looked up, prepared to hex him for not leaving.

Instead, he leaned over and put his hand on hers, stoping her from possibly hexing him.

Stunned, she yanked her hand away and stared at Malfoy. Blimey, he looked terrible. But that doesn't give him a reason to touch her. She tried her best to ignore the jolt from her fingertips, and the hot spot on her hand where he had touched her.

Stunned into silence, she looked at Malfoy with her glowing brown eyes, wide from the surprise of his sudden touch.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I don't know what I'm doing," he started, not wanting to upset her, so he talked slowly and with thought. "I want to help you, and frankly, you look completely out of it today." He said that with a smile so she would know he was only teasing.

He didn't want to upset her anymore than she had.

Oh his smirk. That smirk that he always wears, because of his ignorance for other people's feelings. Yet he was right, she was tired, and even after all of her work she has had little progress. And he actually used her first name, has that ever happened before?

And despite that he randomly grabbed her hand and offered help, she couldn't stop that random, giddy feeling in her stomach that had been caused by him using her first name. It just sounded...right.

"I suppose you are right. But I need some time to myself, so you take the file back to your office area, and I'm going out for some fresh air to think. I'll see you later, now get out of my office."

She stood up and opened the door so he would understand that she didn't want him there.

With one last look, he stared at her with pity written on his face. She tried hard to keep a straight face and not let him make her feel weak. She stood straighter, even, as he finally walked out.