An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Hermione sat a bit taller and met Prudence’s gaze, unblinking. “I’ll snap my wand before I allow you to force me into some foul wizard’s bed. Fortunately that won’t be necessary, since I know you don’t have the votes to pass your legislation. You haven’t realized it yet, but the pureblood faction has no intention of voting for your bill. You’re simply a useful idiot, too blinded by your own cause and your political aspirations to see the truth.”
So excited to finally publish Hermione's big moment! Marriage law? Forced births? Not in this fic.
Astoria was a pragmatic witch. The war had toughened her up and shook her world so hard that she decided to take control of her story for once hand for all. Her seventh year at Hogwarts would be the perfect opportunity. The life she desired was at the grasp of her and, and she wasn’t going to let anything stop her from achieving it.
But first, she had to take an obstacle out of the way. All 6 feet of him.
For her entire life, Astoria was aware that she was expected to marry Draco Malfoy. And for the most part, she had been satisfied with that. But, everything had changed. Marriage was not in her future plans, and the Malfoys' vaults weren’t nearly as full as they once were. To add insult to injury, Draco was already in love with someone else.
Over her dead body, would that marriage happen. Even if it meant she had to pull a few strings.
For the first time in years she was well fed, well rested, and engaged in something that made full use of her talents for the wider benefit of wizarding society. He was taking better care of her than she’d ever managed herself and he didn’t even have the decency to gloat—it was utterly infuriating.
Just getting some tropes out of my system. Coworkers AGAIN? 306 words.
“How’s your work wife, Draco?”
“My what now?”
Theo daintily picks at his muffin. Puts a crumb into his mouth with a suspicious smile. “Your work wife.”
Draco notices her perfume before she rounds the corner into his office. “Granger.”
“Speak of the devil,” Theo mumbles.
“Hey.” She throws a stack of papers in front of Draco. “I need your help. Desperately.”
“Do you now?” Theo teases, which earns him a blinking look of confusion from Granger. He gets to his feet and plucks the muffin from Draco’s desk. “I’ll leave you two to it then.”
Strolling from the room, he turns just before leaving, sing-songing: “Have fun!”
“This oaf.” Draco sighs and turns to Granger, whose blushing cheeks are stirring something in his chest. “What’s a work wife, Granger?”
“Er–” she stammers. “Well, it means a colleague that you treat a bit like a spouse, someone you work well with or can vent to, without – of course – you know. It’s platonic.”
“I see.” Draco rises. Granger is still standing beside his desk, staring at her hands.
He perches next to her, knees brushing her legs, first by accident, then again on purpose, to make her look at him.
She’s so flustered she can barely look him in the eye.
What a daft fool he’s been. “You’re not my work wife then.”
She shakes her head, curls bouncing.
He puts a hand on her hip. Now her eyes fly open as she looks at him in surprise.
“I can’t kiss my work wife,” he says.
She gnaws at her bottom lip. “Nope.”
He leans forward while tugging her closer. A small gasp escapes her mouth.
Draco exhales and lets his lips brush hers – and she melts into him as if to say, what took you so bloody long.
What's a Dramione fic w/o a Crookshanks scene? From my WIP (sigh).
Malfoy’s head pops around the door. “Granger?”
“Yes?”
“There’s a furry creature in your bathtub.”
“That’s my cat.”
He steps into the bedroom, still naked and not at all shy about it. She tries to, but can’t resist a quick glance up and down – from his broad shoulders to the muscular curve of his legs.
Should she start exercising more?
He raises a blonde brow and smirks. “How come I’ve never seen this so-called cat? I’ve been here at least three times.”
“Four.”
The smirk grows feral. “Keeping count?”
She huffs, throwing back the sheets. “He doesn’t like you.”
“Are you sure? He seems very eager to have a bath with me.”
She shimmies back into her knickers, pulls a tee over her head, then glides past him into the bathroom.
The first thing she notices is the neat stack of clothes on the toilet seat. A rush of fondness catches her completely by surprise.
She shakes it off and focuses on the task at hand.
“Come here, Crooks.”
The fluffy ball that is Crookshanks unfolds and raises his squashed head at her voice. She picks him from the bath. “There,” she tells Malfoy. “All yours.”
Chapter 4 out now! Nearly there until we start earning that fast burn tag (hint chapter 5, which comes out on 13th Jan!)
I loved writing their conversations in this chapter - I just love them so much to be honest ❤️
Excerpt from chapter 4:
“Granger, this is getting ridiculous. I’m sorry, but why are you letting him take advantage of you like this?” He gestured vaguely at her desk, covered in files. She thought his tone was slightly aggressive as he said this.
Her quill paused mid-sentence. “Excuse me?”
Draco gestured to the pile of parchment again, his expression irascible. “This. All of this nonsense that gets dumped on you on a daily basis. It’s not your job to carry the department, Granger.”
She frowned, brushing a curl behind her ear. She was still a bit taken aback by his concern over her. “Honestly, it’s fine. I’m ok, I can handle it.”
“That’s not the point,” he said, shaking his head slowly. “You shouldn’t have to.”
•
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
"Draco was a Seeker. He was a spy. He was a Malfoy.
Which is to say, when an interesting opportunity— no matter how unlikely — presented itself, he didn’t waste time deliberating. He took it, and made it his. His hands went straight for the maddeningly smooth skin at her back and the escaping tendrils of her upswept hair.
Draco Malfoy bent Hermione Granger over one arm and kissed her like a man who’d just learned he wasn’t going to die."
Black Eyes, Spies, and Ugly Christmas Ties 🎄🌙
Banter, slow burn, fake date, Christmas fluff - now complete on AO3
