The Right Thing To Do

Chapter 19

Merlin, she hated him!

~*~

DRACO MALFOY: ENTREPRENEUR
by Rita Skeeter

You know the name. You know the face. You know the hair! What you don't know about Draco Malfoy is what he plans to do next.

But I do!

Draco Malfoy, son of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and socialite Narcissa Malfoy, was pardoned by the Wizengamot just eight weeks ago and has been working for the Ministry on probation since. But once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, and his ambitious spirit could not be satisfied at the Ministry.

"I've had a dream of owning my own business. It's not something new, it's something that kept me sane in Azkaban, and it's motivating me forward."

Draco Malfoy sat down with yours truly for an exclusive interview about this new business venture and what it means to him. Continues on page 7!

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when she flipped open the paper Monday morning. She was tense all day Sunday – even before visiting her childhood home – thinking that someone had photographed her leaving Azkaban the day before. When no pictures or stories could be found in the Sunday paper, she knew there was only one more day that she needed to stay off the radar so Draco could announce. Opening the paper and finding Draco's face smirking back at her with Skeeter's title, she knew she was in the clear.

Skeeter continued on page seven, detailing the consulting firm and listing the services Malfoy Consulting Group would offer. Draco was very candid with her, opening up about how important it was to him to separate himself from his father's reputation. She also surprised him in the interview with the news that he had been chosen for the cover of the December issue of Witch Weekly, winning the Most Charming Smile award. Skeeter described his gracious acceptance.

Good. Good for him. This was how it was supposed to be. She may not understand why he was at her house, why his blood was on her walls, but she did know that she'd practically made a deal with Lucius Malfoy that she wouldn't get in the way of Draco's business moving forward. An article in the paper regarding Draco's unlimited potential and future that did not mention her name once was good news.

She sighed. Ginny would be home tonight and she would have to tell her that she went to her home yesterday, alone.

The image of the red lettering ran through her mind, and Hermione shook her head to clear it. Sometime during the war, Draco Malfoy's blood was put on her living room walls. His pure blood. She frowned. She couldn't imagine him spilling his beloved blood for any reason. But the phrasing sounded like him. Like Draco Malfoy at Hogwarts.

She tossed the paper in the rubbish bin and headed out to work abominably early. Taking two days off of Cornerstone had really upset her schedule, and she was itching for the consistency of work.

She wove her way through the already bustling Atrium, took the lifts to the fourth floor, and happily strolled through an empty Magical Creatures office. Once she arrived at her desk, she found a reminder from herself. She had a Wizengamot hearing today. Oh, wonderful.

Jonathan Jugson was appealing his life-sentencing today, claiming that he had been placed under the Imperius curse, forcing him to participate in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

Nice try, Jugson. Hermione smiled.

When she heard Mathilda's shoes clicking towards her corner office ten minutes later, Hermione took a breath and met her there.

"Mathilda," she said from the doorway.

"Granger! Good morning!" Mathilda's blouse was one button off, and her hair was sticking out at odd angles. Hermione would almost think she'd just come from a tryst if she didn't already know that this was Mathilda's daily look. Mathilda plopped the files in her arms down on the desk. "You're in early."