The bushy haired woman clad in a formal trousers and shirt entered the old brightly lit shop filled with floor to ceiling bookshelves . It was the closing time for Flourish and Blotts , the famous magical bookstore in Diagon Alley
It was well pass 11 , except the shopkeeper and Hermione , the bookstore was void of anyother living being or so she thought . Even the usually crowded Diagon Alley was quiet except some occasional passerby .
She had been so indulged in her work at the ministry , she didn't even realised that it had been way past her working hours . Hermione was tired and all she wanted to do was go home and sleep in her warm bed . Dinner be damn .
There were slight dark circles around her eyes , her usually tamed hairs were frizzy and sticking at all angle , and her sleak and ironed shirt , now had creases and the top two button opened . In short she looked far away from the 'Golden Girl' or a ministry worker .
But she needed to buy the book . She had been patiently waiting so long for the new exclusive edition of 'Hogwarts : A History' (that also described the second wizarding war and tells more about how the four founders managed the wizarding schools in more detail!! ). And so had most of the magical folks in waizarding world it looked like , as there was only one brown hardcover book with 'Hogwart : A History' etched in golden words lying on the speckless shelve .
The book was published a few days back and she had been so busy with her work , she was working on changing some of the laws for the betterment of centaurs , it had been difficult for her to take even a minute break to apparate to Diagon Alley and buy the book .
But atleast she wasn't late . If she had missed it , she would have to borrow it from someone because only 10,000 copies were publish . There's no fun in it . As Hermione went to pick the hardcover book from the shelve it zoomed out from it resting place . Startled she turned and came face to chest with a man who was holding Her book in his outstretched hand , a very pale hand she noticed .
Hermione was really pissed as she looked up and stared into the silver stormy eyes . She had to admit though , Draco Malfoy had grown well . The before lanky kid was now atleast 6 feet tall , not overly bulky but muscular and that chiseled face which was sporting the infamous smirk . Spoiled git! Hermione thought .
She had hardly seen Malfoy in the last few years . The Young wizard was hardly seen outside of the towering walls of Malfoy Manor that he now owns . Lucius Malfoy died while serving his sentence in Azkaban and soon after that Narcissa Malfoy too .
Draco and Narcissa weren't sent to Azkaban , Harry was somewhat behind it . But most of the artifacts found in the manor were confiscated by the ministry and both of them had to visit the Ministry of Magic once a month like all the other wizards who had fought on the darkside and were not sent to Azkaban , for three years .
Though in the third year , the young Malfoy was left with no blood relative .
Hermione should have felt hate , anger or even disgust while looking at her ex-bully and their ex - arch nemesis .
But she didn't feel anything , sure she was pissed that he had stolen the book , but apart from that there wasn't anything .
The war had surely did a number on her . She had fought in the war as a teenager , that relied more on books than believed in herself unlike her two bestfriends did . But she had survived the war as an lady that was confident in herself , the magic that flowed inside her veins and the knowledge that she had gained from her experiences . And she knew the war had changed Malfoy too , like everybody else .
She could tell that because his smirk was missing the usual malice , his eyes were mocking at her and not filled with disdain . There were dark circles and tired line on his pale face showing that he hadn't gotten a decent sleep in the past days .
But even with those he looked very much like a rich obnoxious handsome hier while she surely looked like a tramp in office clothes . But there wasn't time for comparing her with the person who had seized her book , she had to save her book . She can't let the sleazy cunning slytherin win . But instead of just hexing him and getting the book (she didn't wanted to scared the poor old shopkeeper who was warily looking at both them from the counter) she said ,
"Listen up Malfoy , I am cranky and tired , and you should never mess with a cranky tired woman , the same woman who can hex you to the next century with out even batting an eyelash or even better punch you in the nose ." Outstretching her hand she continued , "Now like a good ferret why don't you hand me the book "
Draco looked down at the small danity fingers which were outstretched in front of him . And than at the witch which reached his chest . Though he was aware that the petite witch was actually a mean little pixie that could pack a punch and was surely capable of hexing his ass .
But he didn't hand her the book . He had waited for a few days , praying to Salazar that the stock wasn't sold out , before coming to buy it late in the night as to not attract unwanted attention towards him . When he had seen Granger in front of the shelve about to pick the last book , he had quickly wandlessly accioed it .
There was no way he was going to give her the book . Instead he raised his pale eyebrow and drawled -
"Granger , I think its physically not possible for you to punch me in my face unless you are carrying a growth portion and about the book , if you so wanted to buy it you should have been quick enough . Now pardon me will you? I need to find out about the new addition made in the book ."
"Malfoy" Hermione said as she took a threatening step towards him , "You better give me the book before I whip out my wand and start hexing you"
Draco rolled his eyes and said in an bored voice , "Don't be ridiculous Granger . There's no way in hell you are getting this book . I am sure your brain wouldn't shriveled and die if you fail to read one book . There's millions of book here just buy another book ."
"Last warning Malfoy" , Hermione almost growled . Forget about Malfoy changing , he was still the same insufferable foul cockroach!!! She thought as she glare towards him .
It was hard to take her seriously with those angry blush on her cheeks , her hair all frazzled and did he mention she only reached his chest ? even though she was wearing a mean scowl . She looked more cute than pissed .
But Draco wasn't a fool . He very well knew the potential of the Wizarding World's Golden Girl . So instead of further arguing with her which would only lead to an all out duel , like a true slytherin he decided to trick her ,
Looking past her shoulder towards the glass wall that showed the dimly lit alley he sneered and with as much disdain he could muster he said - "What are you looking at Pottah!"
The magic word did it trick and sure enough Granger turned to confirm if her bestfriend was actually standing beyond the glass display . But there weren't any emerald green eyes staring back at her .
Realising her mistake , she quickly turned back in time to see the back of his black suit as he dropped an handful of galleons in front of the frozen shopkeeper before stepping out of the door . Angry and pissed at her own self she stepped out of the bookshop , only to find her book thief was standing across the street below the street light holding in one hand Her book and in the other a wand .
Before she could whip her wand out or cross the distance between them , he smirked and in a mocking tone said - "See you some other day Granger . Don't worry I would tell you the gist the next time we meet if you vow to not kill me ."
Not waiting for her response , he apparated into thin air with a crack . Hermione went to bed that night confused and utterly creatfallen over the past event .
The next time they met at an formal ministry event , where after passing a few snide remarks at each other they spended the night just bantering and trying to one up each other . After that they cross path at the ministry and later surprisingly in a muggle Café and on and on it went .
Their journey from enemies to friends to 'we are just friends' to relationship faced several ups and down , but in the end everyone came in termed with the unlikely couples .
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Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other Harry Potter characters . All the credits goes to J.K.Rowling .
Didn't knew this scene would take so long . I actually thought I would be able to complete their first meet and the proposal in one chp . But it looks like you will have to bear me and my boring writing for one more chapter .
This is the scene of how Draco and Hermione came face to face or may be face to chest ? For the first time after the war .
I know its boring and long with less dialogues and more (ridiculous) thoughts and insight but I am not that good with dialogues and well as I told you before I hate incomplete stories and since I have started it I need to complete it too . Bear me for One last Chp .