Disclaimer: It all belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for the twisted, crazy plot.
A/N: This is a considerably early update from me and I realise how incredibly annoying waiting for updates can be, especially when they're spaced months apart and you forget the storyline in the intervening times.
I HAVE EXCITING NEWS...PLEASE CHECK THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER!
Enjoy...
During the intervening days when Malfoy was supposedly away on business, Hermione exchanged several more owls with Dimitri. Her S.P.E.W. movement was gaining momentum with many of the most powerful society wives who thought her cause to be the new 'it' thing for over-dressed, under-educated trophies with too much time on their hands.
And these trophy wives, in turn, passed this trend onto the less influential society wives who aimed to become a member of the most vapid creatures to exist.
Hermione had received several minor and major donations already. Things were going well.
At least…they were progressing well career wise. Her personal life on the other hand, well, wasn't that just a happy little tangle? Groaning, Hermione rubbed her eyes, willing the blurred parchment to come back into focus so that she could return to adjusting the careful wording of the bill which would void the legalised slave trade of house elves. It didn't work but Hermione figured that considering it was midnight, she deserved to clock out for now and go home to her…
…nice empty house.
A flash of muted grief moved through her as Hermione remembered Crookshanks. The part-kneazle cat had finally succumbed to old age and Hermione had buried her loyal companion on a remote part of the Hogwarts grounds which he had so enjoyed stalking. Harry and Pansy along with Luna and Charlie had attended her ridiculous little ceremony and held her while she shed a few tears and choked back her dry sobs.
Shaking her head, Hermione smiled and carefully cleared her mind of the negative thoughts. Instead, she began clearing her desk, meticulously filing away her papers and stacking her precariously scribbled notes to the side so that she could review them tomorrow when she was more clear headed.
With a tap, Hermione switched off her desk lamp and allowed the muted light of the corridor to guide her towards her office door. The frosted glass window which boasted her name showed the white fluorescent light just beyond, the usually cheery looking hallway was almost sinister at the witching hour.
Bending, Hermione snatched up her hand bag and pulled her jacket from its hook, swinging it across her shoulders and struggling into sleeves while she pulled her wild curls from the collar. Taking one last look at her office to ensure everything was in the right place, Hermione spun and slammed straight into a tall man.
"Oof." Her breath burst from between her pursed lips and Hermione reeled backwards, flailing her arms and hitting out at the solid object before her. Just as she drew breath to scream, a cool, smooth hand closed over her mouth, sealing in the air and the building panic as another hand locked around her wrists while he forced her backwards until her legs hit the edge of the desk.
"Easy now, darling." A familiar voice whispered and the silhouette of a man leant forward to nuzzle her trembling cheek. "Easy."
Hermione shook the hand away from her face and stared at the halo of golden hair which shone even in the dim light.
"Draco?" She murmured quietly.
"Yes darling?"
The tension instantly drained from her body and Hermione allowed herself to lean into him, willing her erratic heartbeat to calm down. When at last, she had steadied her breathing; Hermione stood and raised her newly freed hand to his face.
