A Wonderful Fortuitous Love

10. Draco's Payback

"When you get to know someone, you'll learn exactly when, where, and just how deep to cut." 

— Unknown

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The next week of work went a lot like the first one. Although, now that Draco realised Granger wasn’t as pure and kind as she made herself out to be, he was much more alert when she set him tasks to do. He now refused to go searching all over the building for particular employees and instead resorted to leaving the messages Granger would send them at their doors. Draco figured it was just his job to deliver them, what happened after he’d set the notes to their destination wasn’t of his concern. Whether or not the recipients got them, he didn’t know, only that Granger hadn’t noticed what he was doing just yet. He also, if he was being perfectly honest with himself, went slightly out of his way to make her tea and lunches wrong as humanly possible without it being too obvious. He was beginning to start looking into tasteless and unrecognisable potions to sneak into her food – he wasn’t a former Death Eater for nothing, and he had some tricks up his sleeve. Not that he intended to kill her of course, because, due to the Unbreakable Vow, that would kill him too, but he also needed the bint. The year wasn’t anywhere near over, much to Draco’s pique. He was really beginning to hate his life. Sure, it had its quirks when he finally got under Granger’s skin, but he was starting to grow tired of seeing that same stupid bushy head everywhere.

She was driving him insane and she didn’t even know it.

What kept him going, he supposed, was that he was slowly gathering background information on her. He paid close attention to what ticked her off, what made her upset, and what made her happy. So far, he’d figured out Potter had no idea he was there and she wanted to tell him on her own. Well, no way was Draco going to let that happen. He had a very good idea what he was going to do Saturday afternoon when she met up with him.

He also knew that she was very protective of her cat. Draco used this to his advantage and often threatened it’s life when he didn’t get what he wanted – this new method allowed him access to the bathroom before her. She probably didn’t think him capable of murder, but she was aware he was almost as good with spells as her, and wasn’t going to take the chance. Whoever said ladies first, had not met Granger. She was a Mudblood and barely classified as one.

And finally, all thanks to eavesdropping that night Potter barged in, Draco had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so to speak, and learned possibly the most important and best advantage he had over her:

Weasley.

Something most definitely had happened between Granger and Weasley, and Draco was making it his business to know. The more information he found out, the better he could use it. She hadn’t snapped yet, and Draco had to admit she had good self-control, Potter would have probably killed him or himself by now, but she would lose control eventually. He was going to verbally abuse her until she was a sobbing, blubbering mess. He was going to drive her insane just as she was unintentionally doing to him. He would regain some of his will to live seeing the composed bookworm lose it.

The rest of the week continued as usual, and soon Saturday did roll around. Draco hurdled down the stairs with a new bounce in his step, highly excited for Granger’s little meet up with Potter he was sure to ruin. Grabbing himself an apple from his side of the fridge – yes that’s right, his side of the fridge – he sat gleefully at the table, for once not even minding he and Granger were sharing it (he’d usually try to eat earlier than her to avoid eating together).

Granger raised an eyebrow, a spoon of yoghurt halfway to her mouth. Still watching him in puzzlement, she settled the spoon back in the little carton.