Invisible City

Hermione sat at the children's library desk watching the children play with the little toy cars on the floor. The elder children, she noticed, would meander between the teen section and the adult section, until they finally got enough nerve to step over the invisible barrier and go in to the "Land that was adult books".

She sighed, "I'd give just about anything to be that age again."

She looked below at her monthly planner.

"Tuesday...Tues- Ah here it is." She looked at it and paled slightly. There in big bold letters: HARRY AND GINNY'S 6TH ANNIVERSERY. It never ceased to amaze her how upset she got just thinking about it, nobody was supposed to be as happy as them. It wasn't that she wanted Harry, not really, but there was this whole 'how come Ginny gets a perfect husband and I only get asked out on icky dates with men who give me the willies?'

It was hard to believe it'd been six years since the wedding, a rushed affair if there ever was one. Harry about to go and face the dark lord for the final time knowing he would either come back a murder or not come back at all. Ginny still reeling from the shock of Charlie's death. The two of them all bruised and cut up to pieces, Hermione shook her head, remembering the tears in everyone's eyes.

"Hermione, um, there's someone on the telephone for you," called Anna, the other children's librarian. "This guy has a hot voice!!" she whispered.

Phones, she smiled to herself, I love the muggle world.

"Hello?"

"Listen Granger, You will be at the tea cozy in two hours. No questions now, and reserve your complaints for someone who cares. Just be there, or I'll have to come and make a scene at your library."

"Huh?" She said stupidly. The voice sounded like...Draco Malfoy's voice wha- what- the.?

Hermione realized how idiotic she must look her mouth hanging open stupidly; she shut it with a snap.

"Always did catch on fast," he said sarcastically, oddly she heard an "Ooof" from his line of the phone.

"What trip on your own cleverness Malfoy?" She said recovering slightly from her shock.

With noticeably forced friendliness he replied, "Would you be ever so kind as to join me please, so that we might discuss a matter of utmost importance."

"And if I say I won't? Still going to make a scene here at my work?"

"Or just show up at your home when you're laying about in your knickers eating ice cream with your cat and watching some weepy female movie," he said a hint of nastiness seeping through the friendly façade.

"Fine, but this is going to be a very short meeting."

Click.

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"Draco Malfoy," Hermione said the word allowing it run over her tongue. It was a fun name even if it brought up old bad memories. What in the world could he possibly feel the need to talk to me about? Obviously he is still an evil bastard Malfoy, but...is he an evil bastard Malfoy I can trust?
Hermione remembered when he had "switched sides" she had been one of the few who knew, as Malfoy had busted into a meeting she had been having with Dumbledore. Dumbledore had said something like "A man has many paths he might take and let us hope Draco has chosen his well" or some other vague deep statement when she had asked about it. She also remembered the story that had been written after Voldemort's defeat commending Malfoy for all the "good work done in the face of adversity". Harry and Ron never believed he really switched sides, but then again he felt the same about Snape until the day Snape was killed in action.

Hermione turned her music up louder. Hoping it would drown out the nagging voice in her head, that was bombarding her with worries. Her thoughts turned to the strange forced friendliness. All of this was very peculiar.

"Hermione Granger, I'm believe the reservation should be under Malfoy."

"Dr. Malfoy already arrived. Right this way."

Doctor? She thought, wondering if he was really a doctor. There he sat, she knew it was him from the second she rounded the corner. His hair was not slicked back anymore; instead it fell longish into his eyes, which were anywhere but on her. He oozed relaxation as he lounged languidly in the booth. It wasn't fair at all, as Hermione felt her fingers fluttering nervously at her sides.

"Hullo Hermione, how are you?" She could here his teeth grinding at using her real name, and the smile on his face was definitely phony.

"That would be splendid. Thank you," Malfoy turned back towards Hermione, and she noticed his eyes were grayer than she remembered, not that I had ever looked at them at Hogwarts, it was just the Lavender was always talking about how blue they were so I naturally assumed they would be bluer. I'm rambling now...

Hermione decided to do the right thing and be cordial to him, "Good. How are you faring these days?" Her smile was just as forged.

"Lovely. And your family?"

"I don't see them a lot."

"Busy with very important library business I suppose," his hint of sarcasm put her automatically back on guard. He noticed that and decided to make her even more uncomfortable.

"How's your love life. Married to Potter I suppose?" he asked as if he already knew the answer was no, and was just trying to rub it in.

"What- you rude bastard. Tell me the reason I'm here now, or I leave this instant." She stood up as if to go.

"I will, after we get the niceties out of the way," he looked up eyes boring into her, and said in a slightly threatening voice, "Now sit down and enjoy some tea with me."

Unwillingly she found her butt firmly in the booth, and a cup of tea in her hand. "Fine, if were going to keep up this charade of friendliness. However did you come across the title of Dr. Malfoy, sir?"

Genuine amusement flashed across his features, "Oh I'm not a doctor, but you get seated quicker and better service if you tell them you're a doctor or a reverend. Now back to my original question. "

"I don't see how it's any of your business, but Harry's been married to Ginny for six years, in fact- Oh damnit! Today's their anniversary and I forgot to buy them their present!"

"Oh, well, they'll have more, undoubtedly" Hermione chose to ignore Malfoy's little comments. She had pulled out little yellow sticky pad (Librarians always carry one, just in case) and wrote down in bold: SEND PRESENT TO HARRY AND GINNY- SOON!

"So how is your love life, Dr. Malfoy?" Hermione said, hoping he'd say something along the lines of how pathetic it was and how no woman wanted him due to his appalling attitude...and hygiene...or...something else completely untrue...

"Quite well, most women find me quite attractive apparently..." he said as a waitress came over smiling and gentling biting her lip. He winked and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Awww, and here I was thinking you'd turn out gay all those years," She said spitefully.

"Well I know Weasley was certainly rooting for me to play for the other team, what with his mad fascination with me," he quirked his head as if considering something, "Not that I blame him naturally, I am irresistible..."

This was too much for Hermione, "Alright, have we gotten the niceties out of way yet? Can we move on the reason I'm sitting here with you instead of-"

"Out on some hot date?" Hermione was getting very tired of his sarcasm. It was all she could do to refrain from tossing the vase that sat on the table at his attractive features.

"I really don't have to put up with this you know-"

"Fine, fine. Do you still keep up with the Daily Proet?"

"Yes," she answered slowly.

"Then you noticed that lately there have been some mysterious deaths of young witches living in muggle towns."

"Yes I did notice, but what does this have to do with me?"

"Well, we think you're the next target."

Hermione looked at him like he was completely insane. Then suddenly got suspicious.

"How would you know, I'm the next target? Unless you-" Her voice was steadily getting louder and a couple of people looked over from their conversations.

"Hermione, be a dear, and shut up before you draw attention to us. I am not a psycho killer, though I might make an exception if you don't shut up now," He whispered forcefully. She stopped talking but still looked warily at him. She fingered the wand in her pocket, ready to use it at a moment's notice.

Malfoy could tell she didn't believe any of it, Of course she doesn't she is a clever girl, he admitted to himself grudgingly. "Listen here, and listen well. Do you know what I am?" he turned to Hermione, and tried to seem as sincere as possible.

"A git?" She really isn't helping.

"Be serious, I mean, what my profession is?" His voice was scathing.

"I know you were the creator of the Order of the Augury, which is an odd thing to have an order of if you ask me. That you were awarded for the insider information you provided, Dumbledore said you reminded him of Sirius. You were second to only me at most of your studies, though you claimed it was just your father's high connections that got you good grades so your friends wouldn't tease you about being a nerd. You got a higher NEWT in Arithmacy, which I don't think I'll ever forgive you for. And that you are generally horrible to me just because I was born a muggle."

Oh dear, I really hadn't meant to say all that...

Draco looked at her, a wrinkle in his forehead. They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Hermione burst out, "What does all this have to bloody do with me!"

And the moment was over, the wrinkle in Draco's forehead disappeared, "I'm getting there; don't get your bloomers in a wad."

My job has to do with a certain sec of the department of mysteries, sort of like a "Black Operations" thingy."

Hermione suppressed giggle, Draco Malfoy says the word thingy? How completely absurd!

"What are Black Operations?" she asked instead.

"Say it a little louder, I think the family next door didn't catch that," Draco hunkered down lower in his seat. This is never going to work; he thought mentally cursing the ministry.

"Tell me."

"We're the people no one ever knows about. We do the dirty work the Ministry doesn't want to be pinned on them, but is needed to be safe."

"Then why are you on a case like this?"

His eyes clouded, "Because my superiors thought I was getting to big for my britches, and put me on a protection assignment."

"For some reason I'm not surprised. A little egotistical are you, hmmm, some people never change. "

"I don't like you, you don't like me, but I do my job and I do my job well whatever it may be. So you will hav to put up with it, whether you want to or not, got it?

"Are saying that you are going to be hanging around me for god knows how long?" Hermione felt her nostrils flair with indignation.

"Get used to it honey, most women would be flattered," Hermione felt another bubble of violence fill up her being, every time she was around him she wanted to curse him into an oblivion, or at least give him a good spanking...oh dear I really hadn't meant to think that...

"I have a name sugar lumpkins and I'm not like the women I'm sure your used to dealing with- I'm a brunette," she said sourly.

"I'm insulted," Malfoy said, not sounding insulted at all.

"Well, then you won't be mad when I leave right now."

"Sure thing sweet heart," amazing how the term of endearment became an insult when said by him.

Hermione picked up her purse and left, he makes me soooo...URG! I just want kill him, or stick out my tongue like I'm eleven or something- this is not good. Not good at all...