Deal With The Devil (Dramione)

Chapter One: Telling Your Friends

            "You did WHAT?" Ron yelled, slamming his hand down on the table and making the dishes shake.

"Ronald, if you spill even one drop of my wine, I am hexing you into oblivion," Ginny threatened.

Harry sighed deeply. "Ginny, what did we discuss just the other day?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's impolite to hex people at dinner, even if the git is a brother."

"Thank you." Harry turned to Hermione and echoed Ron. "Now, you did what Hermione? Because I don't believe I heard you correctly the first time."

Hermione set down her silverware and put her hands in her lap. "I quit my job. And I start my new one at Malfoy Industries on Monday."

Everyone at the table stared at her in horror. "But... why?" Ginny asked. "Were things really that bad at work?"

"Things were bad at work?" Harry asked, looking between his wife and best friend.

"They weren't... great," Hermione admitted.

"Why didn't you say anything? I could have gotten you transferred!" Harry sounded hurt by her exclusion.

"That would have only fueled the fire, Harry. Everyone already thought I got such a high position because I'm friends with you, and you put in a good word for me. And they're right to some degree. But it was more than that. There's so much I wanted to do to help but couldn't. And I won't have that issue anymore."

"But you'll be working for Malfoy!" Ron spat in disgust. "That slimy git!"

"That slimy git is the richest man in wizarding society and has been voted the most eligible bachelor in Europe for the last three years," Ginny put it. At the look shot her way by Harry, she added, "Not that I'm counting."

"I still don't understand how that happened. He was a bloody Death Eater," Ron growled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Once we, as a group, cleared his name, and he only got parole, it made him acceptable again. He's still a git, though."

"Have you seen him?" Harry asked.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek before admitting, "He hand-delivered the offer, actually. Answered some of my questions as well."

Those sitting at the table stared back at her. "Malfoy hand-delivered your offer when he could have sent literally anyone else, or a bloody owl?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Hermione hadn't thought about how odd his actions were until this moment, but now that it was mentioned, why had he brought the papers over himself? His secretary could have done so if he was scared of them getting lost by owl.

"And how was he? Beautiful as always?" Ginny asked.

"Hey!"

"Don't worry Harry, I only have eyes for you." She batted her eyelashes at him. "I'm just asking for a friend."

Harry rolled his eyes, but a smile was playing on his lips.

Hermione thought back to her time in the office with him. "He's taller than I remember. And if you're into his type of look, he looked nice. But he insisted on calling me Hermione..."

The boys frowned. "That's weird."

"I know I don't understand. And when I asked him why he just said it's my name."

"Hermione," Ginny started, "maybe he was just trying to be polite."

Ron snorted. "Malfoy? Polite? Never."

"You don't understand, Ginny, you didn't have the same rivalry that we had with him. He would never be cordial to us."

"Then why did he ask you to work for him? The position hasn't even gone public yet – that means they decided on you before they gave anyone else a chance." Ginny's logic was sound, and it bothered Hermione.

"I don't know. But I start tomorrow."

"Be safe, Hermione," Harry said. They moved on to other topics, and dinner finished in a less serious vein.

Hermione had only been home ten minutes when an owl tapped on her window. Opening up the window, the great eagle owl hopped inside. Hermione recognized it but couldn't place from where. It had a letter tied to its leg, and Hermione gingerly removed it. Once removed, the owl didn't immediately fly off; instead gently headbutting her for pets. She obliged lovingly. She adored animals of all shapes and sizes.

Opening the letter, she read:

Hermione,

Thank you for accepting the position. I look forward to working closely with you. A car will be by at 7 am to pick you up – don't argue with me. Directors each get their own car service.

Sincerely,

Draco

Hermione stared down at the letter, then began to chuckle. She had no idea how he knew she'd reject a car, yet here they were. She had also never considered a world in which he thanked her. Finding a pen, she scrawled back,

Malfoy,

Thank you. See you tomorrow.

Granger

She attached her reply to the owl and sent it on her way, lying the note she'd received on her desk.