Chapter Text
6 Months Later
“Granger,” he chirps, beaming at her.
She doesn't smile back. He's late— again —and Daddy isn't around to save him any longer.
"You were supposed to be here an hour ago."
"Tube strike," he replies, setting an iced coffee on her desk. "Unfortunately, my girlfriend has banned me from hiring a chauffeur. Something about self-reliance or some other working class rubbish."
She rolls her eyes at him.
"Moody's going to be pissed at you," she warns.
"Moody's always moody," he says, shrugging. "That's a very nice dress, by the way."
He doesn't even try to not ogle her. She feigns annoyance, despite knowing it's his favourite one. It's a sleek black number that she reserves for summer Fridays. They'll leave the office by six. It'll still be sunny out. They'll go to their favourite wine bar and sit by the side of the canal, where he'll scrutinise the shade of his rosé and try to convince her to move in with him. She’ll lie and say that she sees too much of him, that they can't live together and work together. He'll pout about it and then she'll let him take her back to his new flat that's much too big for one person. She'll stay there throughout the weekend. On Sunday night, she'll go home and miss him until Monday morning.
"Where's your other half?" she asks.
As though on cue, a visibly hungover Theo comes round the other side of the cubicle.
"Lovebirds," he says in greeting.
Hermione shakes her head, grabbing a stack of papers with one hand and her coffee with the other.
"Children," she mutters, "Both of you."
"Don't be mean, Granger," Theo says, "It's our first time running a firm."
"Neither of you run a thing. And the person who does is probably going to flay us alive for being late to the morning brief."
"Oh he's going to go on a rampage, that's for sure. But we're the least of his worries right now. Or at least I am."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asks.
Theo pauses, as though he’s said too much. He shoots Draco a disbelieving look.
"Withholding from the Mrs, are you? I never thought I'd see the day."
Hermione blinks at them. What do they know that she doesn't?
"I am doing no such thing," Draco says defensively. "Listen, Grang— Hermione ."
She squints at him, now deeply suspicious.
"My love," he amends.
Theo bursts out laughing, then claps him on the back before proceeding to scurry off to the meeting without them.
"So," he starts again, "About the morning brief."
"Malfoy. "
"Oh, so it's Malfoy now, is it?"
She stares back at him, unyielding.
"I'll come clean for a price," he tries. "A small one, I promise."
"Which is?"
"Quick romp in the copy room—"
"Draco!"
If both her hands weren't full, she'd smack him.
"Just hands?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
Hermione takes a quick glance around, but the floor's empty. Everyone is waiting for them in the conference room. Then she reaches up on her tip toes and presses a quick kiss onto his lips. He tries to deepen it but she pulls back instantly.
"Tell me," she demands.
"So... There seems to be a little game afoot."
"What kind of game?"
"So you see, there's this larger firm with a troublesome appetite for growth. Behemoth of a company. You might have heard of them. It's called... Malfoy Associates."
Hermione stops dead in her tracks.
"You're kidding."
"If Father is anything, he's persistent."
"That's not the word I would use to describe him."
"You know your family isn't warm and cuddly either," he tosses back. "At least mine wants to see more of us."
"By trying to acquire our firm? "
"Well, we have been rejecting their dinner invitations left and right. I suppose they're otherwise out of options."
"When did you find out about this?"
"Just last night. I would have told you, but alas, you live so far away."
"You could have called!"
"And interrupt your sleep? Believe it or not, I'm not heartless, Granger."
"Draco, I need you to be serious about th—"
He silences her with a finger to her lips. She has half a mind to bite it off.
"It's just a silly game he's playing, Granger. What we're doing here isn't. We'll be fine."
"Do you promise?"
He tucks a stray curl behind her ear and leans down to rest his forehead against hers.
"I promise."
They stay there for a moment before Draco takes her chin and tilts her head back. He's halfway to her lips when the sound of someone's throat clearing makes them jump apart. When they look behind, Moody is standing there, an exasperated look on his face.
"You two are almost not worth the chaos you create." He pinches the bridge of his nose, gesturing wildly towards the conference room. "Get in there now. That means you, Malfoy. You wait, Granger."
He waits until Draco is in the conference room before he addresses her.
"He told you?" he asks.
"Yes," she groans. "I don't know why Lucius won't leave us alone."
"You do know why. It's how he is. There's rarely a way around our nature, Granger. Us humans are still wild beasts at the end of the day. But we must not look a gift horse in the mouth."
"A gift horse?"
"We're a boutique firm," he says. "Barely on the map. As are you. Young lawyer, no one knows your name... But they can."
The pieces click into place instantly. She's an expert at Moody's cryptic language now.
"You're going to let me lead this?"
She regrets the questions as soon as it leaves her mouth. But though she fully expects Moody to bark out a dry laugh, he remains serious.
"If you'd like. What do you say? Lucius' web is extensive enough, don't you think?"
It is. And she has no desire to be caught up in it ever again.
"I'm game," she tells him.
"Are you sure?" he asks. He's never not testing her. "It'll likely be a long one," he warns. "I've known Lucius for years. Puts up a nasty fight."
"I'm sure."
He holds her gaze, assessing the determination there. Eventually he nods and turns to hold the door open for her.
"In you go, Granger. We've got spiders to crush, wolves to skin."
"And more ridiculous metaphors to make," Theo mutters as she takes the empty seat between him and Draco. "I hope you know what you're doing, Granger."
"I wasn't the one who bet on Moody in the first place," she says defensively. "That was all Draco."
"Yes, but Draco only bet on Moody because Moody was the only one willing to bet on you."
It's not new information, but it is a good reminder. He bet on her—on them— despite overwhelming odds. She rolls her chair the tiniest bit closer to him, mindful of the way Minerva from HR is pretending not to watch them.
"If we win this," she murmurs to him, "I'll move in with you."
"If we win this," he murmurs back, "We should get engaged."
It takes everything in her to remain composed.
"You might be waiting a while,” she says carefully, “Moody says this will be a long game."
"I'm in this for the long haul, Granger.”
"Good," she replies, taking his hand beneath the table. "Me too."