Deal With The Devil (Dramione)

Prologue

            It wasn't that Hermione disliked her job – it was that she absolutely loathed it. She had dreamed of working for the Ministry for years, and now that she was here, she couldn't stand it. All her coworkers assumed she'd gotten her position because she was Harry Potter's best friend, and they took out their annoyance regularly. It didn't help that her boss, a disgusting old pervert, paid particular attention to her.

And don't even get her started on the bureaucratic red tape that stopped her from doing anything worthwhile.

Hermione sighed and opened the door to her office. She froze just inside the threshold.

Draco Malfoy in the living breathing flesh was sitting in her office chair, his feet propped up on her desk. Hermione was too dumbstruck to say anything. She hadn't seen him since his trial, and that was five years ago now.

Cold silver eyes stared at her, obviously waiting for her to say something. When several long moments went by, he arched an eyebrow and drawled, "What, did my presence render the great Hermione Granger speechless? I know I'm a god, but really."

This snapped Hermione out of her trance. She slammed the door closed behind her. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

"My, my, that's no way to treat a guest, Hermione dear."

He sounded so much like her mother, she snorted and then immediately froze. "Did you just call me 'Hermione'?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "That is your name, is it not?"

"Yes, but..." she trailed off, confused. "Seriously, why are you in my office? And get your feet off my desk, please."

Removing the offending appendages, he reached under the desk and pulled out a briefcase, which he opened. He put a stack of papers on her desk. Inching closer, she saw the heading was for Malfoy Industries.

"What's that?"

Draco sighed dramatically. "An offer."

"What kind of offer?"

"Hermione Granger, Malfoy Industries is formally offering you the position of Director of its Charity division."

She gaped at him.

"Close your mouth before a fly gets in," Draco snapped at her.

"I've never heard of that division before."

"It's new."

Hermione swallowed. "Why me?"

Draco cleared his throat and looked at some spot to the left of her head. "You came highly recommended, and the Board had to agree."

"But why me?"

Draco finally looked at her. "Because I can't think of anyone better equipped to do some good with some money."

Hermione felt off-kilter. Had Draco just complimented her? When she found her voice again, Hermione asked, "Why should I accept the position?"

"Because you'll have more money than you could ever spend at your disposal to do whatever you'd like with. Because the only boss you'd have would be me, and I'm too busy to bother you. Because it's a better job than what you have here, and you know it."

"Having you be my boss is enough of a reason not to take the position," Hermione snapped, approaching her desk and him.

For half a second, something that looked strangely like hurt flashed across Draco's face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, and Hermione wasn't even sure it'd been there in the first place.

"Be that as it may, my other points still stand." He rose from her chair gracefully until he towered over her. Tapping the stack of papers, he said, "Here's the official offer. Read it through and let me know by tomorrow. Just send an owl over." He started out of her office. "The first day is Monday."

"Who said I'd take the job?" she hissed.

"I did," Draco said, smirking, "Bye, Hermione," he said, closing the door behind him.

God, that man was infuriating. But with growing curiosity, Hermione sat down and started reading.

An hour later, when she'd finished, Hermione knew she'd be taking the job, Draco be damned. It was perfect for her, almost like it'd been made with her in mind. She'd be insane to turn it down.