A Better Man, A Better Life

Chapter 3

Azkaban had not been kind to Draco, not that he had expected it to be. It was one thing to hear the stories of the island prison, but a completely different thing to experience them oneself. No one came to visit him; he had no one that could visit him. For 5 years Draco sat alone in his cell with only his thoughts to keep him company and time to heal his wounds.

Upon his release, the Wizengamot held a final hearing where he was sentenced to a year's probation. Draco expected a probation sentence but was surprised by the short length of time. Good behavior was the reasoning the court used to explain their decision. Among the other stipulations of his probation, the Wizengamot required Draco to work in the Auror Department for a year. They claimed it was to help him earn a living since his vault was still suspended, however Draco knew it was simply another, and easier way, to keep tabs on him.

A week later Draco found himself riding the lift to the Second Floor of the Ministry of Magic. Stepping out from behind the doors Draco's stomach twisted. Azkaban was extremely difficult to endure, but he had a feeling today was gong to be worse and far more trying than any day he had spent locked up. Draco steeled his nerves and walked to the reception desk. He cleared his throat and the woman at the desk looked up at him.

"Draco Malfoy here to..." he started to say but he was cut off by the wave of the woman's hand. The woman looked up at him. Her face wasn't disgusted or frightened as Draco had prepared himself for it to be, rather it held no expression at all. I'd probably look just as dead inside if I worked here Draco thought. The thought was quickly dismissed when he remembered that he did now work there and a frown formed at the corners of his mouth.

"Down the hall, last room on the right," the woman said. Draco gave a slight nod and turned down the hallway. Upon reaching the last door on the right Draco came face with a plaque on the door that read Assistant Director. He knocked on the door and a muffled "Come in" was heard from the other side. His palms were cold and sweating as his hand closed on the door handle.

As Draco stepped through the door his eyes fell on the desk and he froze upon seeing the person sitting behind it. He had expected to see a familiar face but he hadn't thought it would be hers. The blood rushed to his ears and he could feel his pulse in his toes. He was not ready to face her yet.

For a few moments he stood in the doorway, every memory of Hogwarts and the war flashing before his eyes. His hexing her teeth, tormenting her and her friends, calling her a Mu.. He couldn't even say the world anymore. Draco was pulled out of his trance when he heard his name.

"Draco?"

"Hmm. Yes?" said Draco as his eyes refocused on the woman in front of him.

"I said how are you?" she replied. Unsure of what to say, Draco stood silent, his right hand still holding on to the doorknob.

Seeing she more than likely wouldn't get a reply, Hermione chuckled to herself. "Right then. Let's get started. We have a lot to do today."

The day seemed to pass in a haze. From meetings to piles of never ending paperwork, Hermione kept Draco busy. He had taken his scheduled lunch break at 12:30 and upon his return to the office her found Hermione sitting in the exact same position she had been sitting in when he left 30 minutes ago. Not wanting to disturb her and that big brain in her head Draco quietly closed the door and sat at his desk in the corner. He went to pull a file from the pile on the desk, when out of the corner of his eye he caught Hermione watching him.

"What?" he asked.

"You're definitely not the Draco Malfoy I expected to encounter this morning." There was silence. Hermione must have noticed the confusion that glinted across his face because she didn't wait for him to speak.

"When I was told you were being assigned to serve out your probation as my assistant I wasn't sure what to feel. I wasn't thrilled, but I wasn't angry either. More like indifferent, if that makes sense."

Draco smirked. Indifferent; she felt indifferent. Leave it to Hermione Granger to sum up such a complicated situation with such simplicity. His smirk hadn't gone unnoticed by the brunette which.

"There's the Malfoy I know," she laughed. "Well it's almost 4:30, I should be going. You can finish the paperwork tomorrow. Have a good night."

Shortly after Hermione's departure Draco walked down the hall, nodding as he passed the receptionist. Draco took the lift down to the main floor and walked to the fireplaces.

"Malfoy Manor," said Draco.

Upon arriving home, the day's events hit Draco like a bludger. The emotions and thoughts that passed through his brain were foreign to him. Too tired to process the day, Draco loosened his tie and flopped down onto the couch in the manor's sitting room and promptly fell asleep.