Aconite - Dramione/Blinny

Ch. 7

Ron didn't come by her office at the end of the day to go home together like they normally did. Hermione didn't mind though, since she was still unhappy with him about his attitude earlier, and she was content walking to the fireplaces by herself.

She wasn't excited though about the conversation they would be having that night. She knew Ron was going to probably blow up about her having to work with Draco. He would just have to deal with it though; Draco was her client, and they wouldn't even need to interact for that long.

Hermione was in the middle of her mug of tea when Ron stomped out of the fireplace about an hour and a half after she had gotten home. He was clearly still in a sour mood as he walked past her into the kitchen, not saying a word. She shook her head and returned to her book, waiting for him to come back out. It was usually best not to talk to him when he was angry, and she always waited for him to start the conversation.

He came back out moments later and looked down at her. "Hermione, I really don't want you working with him."

"Well I'm sorry, Ron, but I'm going to have to," She said. "It's my job."

"No, it's your job to work with werewolves."

"People, Ron," She corrected exasperatedly.

"Whatever." He waved her off and sat down on the opposite couch, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it just makes me uncomfortable. I mean, it's Malfoy."

"Yes, but his employee is a client of mine who doesn't want to reveal their identity to protect them and their family," She lied. "I have to work with him, I don't know what you want me to do."

Ron took a deep breath and sighed it out. "Is there a way you can stop him from going into your office?"

"I can try but that seems a bit ridiculous," She said, narrowing her eyes. "It's been five years, Ron; why are you acting like this? He's been nothing but professional."

"Because I still don't trust him and I never will trust him," Ron said angrily. "He's one of them, a Death Eater. He may not actively be one but he hasn't given me a single reason to trust him."

"Ron, he's helping fund my decision by paying the wizard who owns the wolfsbane garden we will be using," Hermione explained. "He's really helping me with this."

Ron's eyebrows went up in surprise for a moment but then he shook his head. "I still don't trust him, Hermione."

"Well regardless of that fact, I still have to work with him," Hermione said in a frustrated tone. "I'm not doing this to spite you; I'm doing this because his employee needs my help, as do all of the other people afflicted with lycanthropy."

"I understand that, but I don't want something to happen to you," Ron said.

"He hasn't given any indication that he wants to do anything to me," She said. "He's an annoying prat still but that is the extent of it. And after the potion has been brewed and distributed to his employee, I will not need to interact with him anymore except maybe twice a month to make sure the employee has taken the potions before the full moon and then to make sure they're alright after the full moon."

Ron's mouth formed a thin line as he sat silently, looking down at their floor. After a few moments he finally nodded. "Alright. And you're not interacting with him outside of work?"

"Of course not," She said quickly. "It's Malfoy, I have no interest in spending any sort of time with him."

He nodded again and let out a sigh. "I just don't want anything happening to you."

She laughed at that. "Ron, it's me. Do you really think he could beat me in any sort of duel?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He gave her a small grin and stood up to give her a kiss. "I'm sorry, 'Mione."