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Denying the Obvious	By : saritat9 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 6393 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I don't make any money with this. No copyright infrigment intended.

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Denying the Obvious

Chapter 2: The Rooster
Draco Malfoy. What was he doing here? Of all the firewhiskey joints he had to walk into this one ...and so on.

Hermione supposed she shouldn't be surprised as this was Knockturn Alley, and he was definitely a dark wizard, but somehow Augusto's establishment didn't seem fit for a Malfoy. Malfoys were nothing if particular about their reputation. At least Lucius had been, and with him gone Hermione assumed Draco was the head of the family. Hermione had never seen Malfoy here before, and she had worked at Augusto's for over a month. She knew the regular faces well. Too well, even.

"Hermione, another firewhiskey for the blonde man !"

Hermione hid her grimace and took another waitress by the arm as she came walking by, attempting to return a tray full of empty glasses and bottles.

"Anne! See that man with white blonde hair? Would you take him this firewhiskey? I think he might be looking for something more than a drink."

A lie, but a believable one. Hermione had often told the other girls about blokes who seemed to be seeking.

"Oh? Thanks, Hermione!"

"No problem. Make haste!"

"Oh, I like him!" Anne grinned as she looked at the handsome man.

"Wait �til he opens his mouth." Hermione retorted, but Anne was already walking towards him. Just as well, Hermione would rather not explain that remark. She didn't want anyone here to know that knew him.

Anne was sitting down next to him now, taking a healthy gulp of his drink. Not an expression passed on her face. She could drink a thestral under the table, that one.

"Granger, I don't pay you well for loitering; wizards need their drinks! Get going!" Augusto interrupted her observing.

"Yes, sir!" she said. Augusto missed the sarcasm of her reply, which was most probably a blessing.

The next time Hermione had the chance to look at Draco's table he was gone. And so was Anne.

"Hey, Lily, did Anne get lucky with that blond?" Hermione whispered to a passing waitress.

"Yes, they went upstairs maybe 15 minutes ago. I envy her. What a gorgeous piece of wizarding a - -"

"Lily!" Hermione chastised, but not too seriously.

Lily laughed, but wondered to herself once again, how could such a decent, idealistic sort of girl like Hermione be working for a man like Augusto. She would have warned Hermione if she could have. Half of Augusto's flock had started off as just waitresses. Augusto often helped girls out of some kind of trouble, thus getting himself workers who were either loyal or indebted to him or both. Lily liked Hermione Granger and hoped she could get away before she would become one of them.

Hermione was seething and absolutely disgusted! Malfoy had actually taken Anne up for it! She wouldn't have pegged Anne for his type. Of all the girls there, Hermione liked Anne the least. They had nothing in common, and Anne was a bit too loud and...vulgar for her taste. Not the soundest reasons for dislike, but Hermione trusted her intuition.

So, Malfoy had not turned over a new leaf after Lucius' death. Typical! A rich, good looking wizard...even intelligent, she begrudgingly admitted, and this was how he used his fortune and good standing? He should be improving the wizarding world, financing research and such.

Hermione sighed. Who was she to talk? How did serving drinks and having her ass grabbed at Augusto's help the wizarding world? It didn't, that's how!

Had Hermione noticed how soon Draco came back, she might have gloated. Perhaps the reputation of the sex god that was Draco Malfoy was exaggerated. Twenty minutes? Tsk tsk!!

= = =

Augusto Gallo, the proprietor of The Rooster, was forty-eight years old, medium height and bulky. He had a bit of stomach that came from enjoying his food and the occasional drink, but Augusto knew that to be a successful bar keeper you couldn't afford to enjoy your own drink too much. He knew the line and never crossed it.

His father had been an Italian ladies' man and his mother a sensible English girl. He had not seen his father in over forty years, as he had fled the scene soon after his fifth birthday and Augusto's mother had had to raise him alone. To do that she had to keep some "gentlemen callers" who helped her pay the bills; working as a minor secretary in the Ministry did not pay much, after all. His mother had been lucky, or maybe just a good judge of character, as the gentlemen visiting her never used violence, were always nothing but polite to her and her son and paid very handsomely.

Augusto was very grateful to his mother for all that she had done. Right after �The Rooster' took off he bought her a small house in Hogsmeade where she retired and lived happily alone. They never discussed such things but Augusto knew that she still had a few gentlemen callers. A couple of them were the same she had had when Augusto was a boy. Old habits died hard, and after twenty or thirty years she surely nursed some warm feelings for the men.

Like his mother, Augusto had never been married, nor had he any inclination to ever marry. He was content with his prospering business and lucky enough to work in a trade where he could use his people skills. On the rare occasion that he wanted to feel the warmth of another body next to-or under him-he could go to one of his girls. Secretly, he thought of them as his hens.

Now Augusto had two days to get Hermione Granger to give in and sign a binding magical contract. This required a fair amount of cunning.

He had no disillusions about the identity of the blond young man. Augusto wasn't stupid or ignorant. One could not run a successful business in Knockturn Alley for twenty years without knowing the who's-who and knowing not to use their proper names and titles.

Draco Malfoy. The only surviving member of the infamous Malfoy family. Richer than Merlin himself and almost as powerful.

This would be good for the business, but only if he succeeded in getting Granger. He would not sell her cheap. He had an inkling that being possessive as any and all Malfoys, Draco Malfoy would want total access to her, exclusively. Mighty expensive at The Rooster. When Malfoy would eventually tire of her as he surely would, she would still make him good money as a famous war hero whom half the wizards despised and the other half admired. Stocking up on healing potions before that would probably come in handy as well.

Augusto had nothing against Hermione; it wasn't personal. In his own misguided way, he was fond of all of his hens. He didn't like what the customers did to them, especially to Rose and Kenya, but that never came ahead of profit. And that never stopped him from using every trick in the book, dirty and even dirtier, to get them sign.

Hermione was a hard one. Not only was she intelligent, but she was also smart. She would never sign a contract for him, especially one that would stipulate her to work for Augusto Gallo for the next fifteen years wherever and however he saw fit. She was not the most trusting person either, which, of course, wasn't any wonder after her involvement in the war. But there was one word above any other that described her -

Helpful.

She was helpful. Always willing and eager to do something for a friend or a co-worker. She didn't think anything of it; she hardly noticed the little things she did for them daily. And her thoughtless, spontaneous helpfulness was the key.

"Don't worry, Mr. Malfoy. I'll have her soon, and then she's all yours. For a price." he muttered and smiled widely, showing his chipped front tooth.

This was going to work, he just knew it. He could feel it.

He already had a plan.

= = =

Draco always wanted to get an edge on the people he was dealing with, so the next morning he went out to find anything and everything about the owner of The Rooster.

He didn't find out very much. The keeper had a living mother who led a humble lifestyle in Hogsmeade after having retired from being a secretary at The Ministry. There were some cautious rumours about her being in the trade as well, but no one was sure and because she was so well-liked, people took them as just that: rumours. The rest of the information was just tidbits, nothing too useful, but he memorized everything all the same. After this rather useless hunt he dropped by Gringotts and obtained an obscene sum of galleons for Anne.

It was already getting dark as he approached The Rooster. Draco had not realized how much time the investigation had taken. He hoped Anne would be of more help.

= = =

Great.

Hermione had been lucky enough to be free of Malfoy for a couple of years, and now he was here for the 2nd night in a row. Probably just to see her suffer. And to see Anne again. He should develop some taste, she huffed to herself. Even for a Malfoy he sure had made a poor choice! You couldn't buy taste, that's for sure!

Yes, yes. There he was, already climbing up the stairs...euch!

Hermione shrugged off all the unwelcome thoughts of Draco sodding Malfoy and went back to work. One regular wizard was being difficult and acting obnoxiously again. If he would utter one more harsh syllable to her tonight or grab at her tits again, she would go to Augusto and let him handle it for a change.

= = =

"Did you get the money?"

"Yes. It's here. " Draco showed her a pouch of galleons, and then tucked it back inside his robe.

"I trust it's all there."

"Don't insult my intelligence and I won't insult yours. Let's get down to business. How long has Hermione Granger been here, and what does her work entail? Tell me everything."

Anne explained everything. Hermione had been there for a bit over a month. So far, she had only been a waitress, but according to Anne, Augusto would be glad to see her working more...hands on. Hermione lived on the 2nd floor. To Draco's disappointment Anne couldn't really explain why she had come here in the first place-some trouble at home was all that the girls had gotten out of her.

For the second time that day Draco was disappointed at the pathetic amount of information to be bought. He considered refusing to pay her, at least the whole sum, but could not be bothered with such a scene that would cause. Besides, it was probably best to keep Anne happy.

"Okay. Here's your money. Don't spend it all at once."

Anne took the pouch from him, face lit up in a greedy grin.

"Not bloody likely. I still have five years left of my �sentence'. But after that, I can do what I want, maybe move abroad." she said dreamily.

"Sentence?" Draco marvelled.

"Contract."

Draco had a disturbing feeling but wasn't sure why.

"How long a contract?"

"Augusto usually does 15 year contracts. He's quite humane for a...hmmm, you know. Fifteen years is the top in this line of work...after that the pickings start to get slim and you have to go for anything, for any price. So, five years more and I'm free."

"Can't you buy yourself out?"

"It's possible Augusto would accept the sum you've just given me, but I'm not stupid! I want to quit this business, not change my employer to someone who is probably worse! This is all I know how to do! Too bad actually that you didn't let me prove it to you and let me earn this money in the usual way..."

Draco wasn't in the mood for flirting with a prostitute.

"So the contract is quite binding? Why did you sign it in the first place?"

"As binding as they come. Nothing except death would end it. I'm not sure if Augusto himself could break it and give me my freedom."

"Why did you sign?" Draco pressed on, not at all sure why he should care and keep on asking these things.

"He tricked me." Anne shrugged.

= = =

Hermione looked at the time. Malfoy had been up there for an awfully long time. Bastard!

"Hey, Hermione!" Augusto yelled from behind the counter to get her attention.

"What?"

"There seems to be a delivery at the back door. Would you go get it? I'm stuck here."

"Okay." Hermione readily agreed.

There indeed was a wizard with two crates of Ogden's and other fine drinks at the back.

"Hey. Augusto told me I could take the delivery. Do you need me to sign?"

"Yes. Sign here." The wizard said, pointing her the line at the bottom of the long parchment.

Hermione scribbled her name down, and a small blast of pink light burst around her and the delivery sheet.
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Denying the Obvious