Headliners.
Part 1 of a potentially multichapted Dramione Fic, written for submission at SugarQuill.
Chapter One: Headliners.
Fic Title: TBD
Chapter Title: Headliners
Summary: A Shocking headline brings an unlikely pair together.
Characters/Pairings: Dramione
Genre: General, Romance, probably a bit fluffy
Rating/Warnings: PG for chapter.
Medium: written
Word Count: 1067
“Hermione, what the hell is this?”
All noise in the office stopped as everyone turned to look at a stunned Hermione Granger at her desk. It wasn't uncommon for Ron to be around, but they'd never seen him like this before. Hermione sighed, setting some papers down, looking up at him with a look of exasperation on her face.
“What are you talking about Ron?”
Angrily, he stormed over, throwing the morning's copy of the Daily Prophet on her desk. Splattered across the front page was a picture of her and Malfoy outside Flourish and Blotts.
She recalled the day it must have been taken. She had run into him after picking up some books. And by run into, she literally meant that she ran into him. She had overestimated her ability to carry the stack of books, and bumping into Malfoy had sent them flying. He helped her pick them up, shrank them, and placed them in her bag for her. Five years had passed since the war, and it was clear the time had had a positive effect on the once prejudiced Slytherin.
In the picture the two of them looked quite happy, and her bag was in his hand, and he was passing it over with a smile. Hermione looked closer...dear Merlin, was she blushing? Rolling her eyes, she looked up at Ron. She could understand what he thought the picture implied, but even if something like that had been true, it would not have been any of his concern. They had split three years ago, deciding a romantic relationship was just not right for the two of them.
“Three things Ronald. One, there is nothing going on between us. Two, even if there was, my personal life is not yours to dictate, and three, get out of my office.”
Hermione had worked hard to get where she was in the Ministry, and she maintained a level of decorum in her office. It was widely known that the other two members of the Golden Trio would frequent the office to see Hermione, but never before had one of them caused a disturbance. With a huff, Ron turned around and left her office, muttering something about ferrets.
Glancing around the office, she saw that all eyes were still on her. She yelled at them to get back to work before closing her personal office completely and pulling the blinds. Falling back into her chair, she gazed at the paper. She saw the headline now, and groaned.
“War Heroine and Malfoy Heir: Could They Be The Next Hot Couple of Wizarding Britain?”
Almost on cue, an owl began pecking at her window. Spinning in her chair to open it, she let the dark eagle owl into the room. It dropped a letter on her desk, turned up its beak and promptly flew back out the window.
Granger,
I've no doubt you've seen this morning's Daily Prophet. The situation needs to be handled. Would you be willing to meet me for lunch to discuss what can be done? Around noon I think, if that will work for you. Enough damage has already been done, don't bother reading the article. Apparently we were star cross'd lovers during the War. As I said, we'll discuss what we need to do about this.
-DM
Hermione smirked reading the letter. Star cross'd lovers? Her and Malfoy? Now that was Rita Skeeter worthy writing. At the thought, Hermione reached for the paper, looking for the by-line. Lo and behold, she was right, a Rita Skeeter masterpiece. Yes, lunch with Draco to discuss this would be just perfect. She sent off an owl, telling him to just come up to her office to meet her.
She didn't realise when noon actually rolled around until she heard a knock at her door. A head of platinum blonde hair peeked in.
“What on earth did you do to your staff? They looked scared to death when I walked in.”
Pushing her papers aside, she gestured for him to come in and close the door. He took a seat across from her, a wide grin on his face.
“Stop it Malfoy, it's really not funny. I found out about the paper this morning because Ron came barging in with it, wanting to know what was going on.”
“So Weasel knows? Oh, I would have paid to see that reaction.”
“Of course you would have...now. I believe someone promised me lunch.” She smiled, picking up her purse.
Malfoy, ever the gentleman, stood and comically took her arm in a gesture of mock chivalry. She laughed as they walked out the door that way, no doubt fueling the rumour mill of the Ministry.
Lunch was a rather simple affair, and once Draco knew that Rita was behind it, they both relaxed, knowing they could take Rita if they needed to. She was still an Unregistered Animagus, and Hermione would gladly continue to blackmail the vile woman. Hermione realised just how at ease she could be with Malfoy, and decided to take a shot in the dark.
“Malfoy, are you seeing anyone right now?”
He looked up at her, his eyebrow quirked.
“No, though Mother wishes I were. She was the one who initially told me about the incident. She saw the Prophet and wanted to know when she could start planning a wedding.”
This made Hermione choke on her drink, and she stared at him in shock.
“You're kidding.”
“I wish...why do you ask though Granger?”
She blushed now, unsure of why she had bothered, but decided to delve into some of her old Gryffindor courage.
“Well, I was thinking...why don't we just let the paper think what they want? They want to see us as a couple...we could give them a show.”
Now it was Draco's turn to choke.
“Are you saying we should pretend to be a couple Granger?”
“Why not?”
“You should have been a Slytherin.”
“I'll take that as a compliment...but seriously. After Ron's reaction this morning, I think it could serve to teach a few people a lesson about privacy.”
“Granger, I like the way you think.”
Raising his glass, a deal was struck. Starting that moment, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were in a relationship. Albeit a fake one...but no one else knew that.
Chapter One: Headliners.
Fic Title: TBD
Chapter Title: Headliners
Summary: A Shocking headline brings an unlikely pair together.
Characters/Pairings: Dramione
Genre: General, Romance, probably a bit fluffy
Rating/Warnings: PG for chapter.
Medium: written
Word Count: 1067
“Hermione, what the hell is this?”
All noise in the office stopped as everyone turned to look at a stunned Hermione Granger at her desk. It wasn't uncommon for Ron to be around, but they'd never seen him like this before. Hermione sighed, setting some papers down, looking up at him with a look of exasperation on her face.
“What are you talking about Ron?”
Angrily, he stormed over, throwing the morning's copy of the Daily Prophet on her desk. Splattered across the front page was a picture of her and Malfoy outside Flourish and Blotts.
She recalled the day it must have been taken. She had run into him after picking up some books. And by run into, she literally meant that she ran into him. She had overestimated her ability to carry the stack of books, and bumping into Malfoy had sent them flying. He helped her pick them up, shrank them, and placed them in her bag for her. Five years had passed since the war, and it was clear the time had had a positive effect on the once prejudiced Slytherin.
In the picture the two of them looked quite happy, and her bag was in his hand, and he was passing it over with a smile. Hermione looked closer...dear Merlin, was she blushing? Rolling her eyes, she looked up at Ron. She could understand what he thought the picture implied, but even if something like that had been true, it would not have been any of his concern. They had split three years ago, deciding a romantic relationship was just not right for the two of them.
“Three things Ronald. One, there is nothing going on between us. Two, even if there was, my personal life is not yours to dictate, and three, get out of my office.”
Hermione had worked hard to get where she was in the Ministry, and she maintained a level of decorum in her office. It was widely known that the other two members of the Golden Trio would frequent the office to see Hermione, but never before had one of them caused a disturbance. With a huff, Ron turned around and left her office, muttering something about ferrets.
Glancing around the office, she saw that all eyes were still on her. She yelled at them to get back to work before closing her personal office completely and pulling the blinds. Falling back into her chair, she gazed at the paper. She saw the headline now, and groaned.
“War Heroine and Malfoy Heir: Could They Be The Next Hot Couple of Wizarding Britain?”
Almost on cue, an owl began pecking at her window. Spinning in her chair to open it, she let the dark eagle owl into the room. It dropped a letter on her desk, turned up its beak and promptly flew back out the window.
Granger,
I've no doubt you've seen this morning's Daily Prophet. The situation needs to be handled. Would you be willing to meet me for lunch to discuss what can be done? Around noon I think, if that will work for you. Enough damage has already been done, don't bother reading the article. Apparently we were star cross'd lovers during the War. As I said, we'll discuss what we need to do about this.
-DM
Hermione smirked reading the letter. Star cross'd lovers? Her and Malfoy? Now that was Rita Skeeter worthy writing. At the thought, Hermione reached for the paper, looking for the by-line. Lo and behold, she was right, a Rita Skeeter masterpiece. Yes, lunch with Draco to discuss this would be just perfect. She sent off an owl, telling him to just come up to her office to meet her.
She didn't realise when noon actually rolled around until she heard a knock at her door. A head of platinum blonde hair peeked in.
“What on earth did you do to your staff? They looked scared to death when I walked in.”
Pushing her papers aside, she gestured for him to come in and close the door. He took a seat across from her, a wide grin on his face.
“Stop it Malfoy, it's really not funny. I found out about the paper this morning because Ron came barging in with it, wanting to know what was going on.”
“So Weasel knows? Oh, I would have paid to see that reaction.”
“Of course you would have...now. I believe someone promised me lunch.” She smiled, picking up her purse.
Malfoy, ever the gentleman, stood and comically took her arm in a gesture of mock chivalry. She laughed as they walked out the door that way, no doubt fueling the rumour mill of the Ministry.
Lunch was a rather simple affair, and once Draco knew that Rita was behind it, they both relaxed, knowing they could take Rita if they needed to. She was still an Unregistered Animagus, and Hermione would gladly continue to blackmail the vile woman. Hermione realised just how at ease she could be with Malfoy, and decided to take a shot in the dark.
“Malfoy, are you seeing anyone right now?”
He looked up at her, his eyebrow quirked.
“No, though Mother wishes I were. She was the one who initially told me about the incident. She saw the Prophet and wanted to know when she could start planning a wedding.”
This made Hermione choke on her drink, and she stared at him in shock.
“You're kidding.”
“I wish...why do you ask though Granger?”
She blushed now, unsure of why she had bothered, but decided to delve into some of her old Gryffindor courage.
“Well, I was thinking...why don't we just let the paper think what they want? They want to see us as a couple...we could give them a show.”
Now it was Draco's turn to choke.
“Are you saying we should pretend to be a couple Granger?”
“Why not?”
“You should have been a Slytherin.”
“I'll take that as a compliment...but seriously. After Ron's reaction this morning, I think it could serve to teach a few people a lesson about privacy.”
“Granger, I like the way you think.”
Raising his glass, a deal was struck. Starting that moment, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were in a relationship. Albeit a fake one...but no one else knew that.