• 1-The First Taste
• 2-Notes and Tables
• 3-3. Another Day Another Note
• 4-Draco Finds Out

Chapter 3

Another Day, Another Note

The fucking bint had done it again.  She was no angel, apparently she hadn't been one all along.  Had she been as pure as he believed she never would have given Draco Malfoy a second chance to use her body.  She was filthy.  Dirty.  Used.  A whore like every other woman he had known.  It was time she faced consequences for her actions.

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Hermione arrived at work Monday morning ready to forget all about Draco Malfoy.  She was still mortified that she had disrespected Master Volfson by having sex in his tent.  Granted he hadn't been anywhere near the tent and had no idea, but that didn't matter did it?  She knew, and that was enough.  She also knew that no matter how much Malfoy could be blamed, in the end she was responsible for her own actions.  If only she knew what it was about Draco that turned her on to the point of shutting out everything else around her. 

Granted, he did have talented hands and a mouth made for sinning but she had to focus on finding the person who had delivered that letter to her office last week, not on how bloody good it had felt when....

Whoa...down, girl.  Time for work and other serious endeavors, put Draco Malfoy at the back of your mind for now.

Wearing navy blue work robes over a matching peencil skirt, white blouse and heels, she made her way to her office door, pleased to see that Herbert had not arrived yet.  Maybe she'd actually get some peace this morning to finish up the details in the Riordan case.  Hermione withdrew her wand from robes and set about bringing down the wards she had set over the weekend.  After careful consideration of the note she had received from the anonymous wizard, she put up her own wards to protect her office and and all the information in it.  So far it seemed to have been undisturbed.

Settling in at her desk, she reached for the box underneath and pulled out the Riordan file.  It was time to get some serious work done.  She was just about to put quill to parchment when her assistant showed up at her door.

"Good morning, Ms. Granger," he said just before raising a handkerchief to his face and blowing his already large, red nose.  Hermione suppressed an involuntary shudder as the sound washed over her.  She supposed it could be compared to the reaction some got when nails where scratched across a chalkboard and nearly gagged when he twisted the used scrap of linen around his hands in nervous manipulation.

"Hinkletrain," she nodded.  Then sat back in her chair as he stood there, fidgeting in her doorway.  She tilted her head and arched an eyebrow in his direction as he didn't seem inclined to leave.

"Is there something else you need, Herbert?  I do have work to complete this morning before my meeting with Byron this afternoon." 

"Yes, well, it seems, Ms. Granger that someone tampered with the Ministry standard security wards on your office this weekend.  Uncle Byron wanted me to come in Saturday and pull some of the files, but I couldn't access your office,"  his nasally whine seemed to increase with every word and Hermione could feel a headache beginning to build.  She needed to find a new assistant, or at least distract the one she had.  His constant mention of his uncle was starting to grate on her usually calm nerves.

"I see," she eyed him with a mix of disdain and suspicion.  "Are you aware what the Ministry rules are pertaining entry into a solicitor's office? No?  Let me refresh your memory.  No one gains entry to a solicitor's office without either the solicitor present or a mandate from the Minister of Magic himself.  I doubt Byron would have asked you to enter my office without me."

As she spoke Hermione watched his face pale considerably then turn three interesting shades of red.  It was clear he was embarrassed at being taken to task for actions he clearly knew were wrong.

"I understand, Ms. Granger," Herbert said and lifted the handkerchief once again to swipe at his nose. 

"Good, I would hate to think that dear Uncle Byron was mistaken when he told me you would be a trustworthy assistant," she sneered.  God, Snape really was a bad influence on her attitude.  She'd have to remember to send him a bottle of Ogden's Finest as thanks for learning how to deal with complete dunderheads like the one in front of her.

"I need you to head down to the archives and dig out a file for me, Hinckletrain." 

He blinked rapidly.  "The archives?  But Ms. Granger, hardly any one goes down there!" 

"I am well aware how often the archives are used, Hinckletrain.  I need this file to complete the needed case comparison in the Riordan trial.  It is Delhauser versus Gringlebean, January 1765.  I expect to see it by lunch time."  Hermione returned her attention to the parchment in front of her, dismissing her assistant. 

"But, but Ms. Granger, use of magic is not allowed int he archives so as to prevent the older parchment from being ruined!" 

Oh, how she would love to replace this imbecile with someone reliable and perhaps easier on the ears and eyes!

"Then you best run along and get started, yes?"  She didn't even glance up and therefore missed the scowl that formed on Herbert's face and the hardened glint that entered his eyes.  Without another word he left to find the file he knew she really didn't need anyway.

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Hours later Hermione returned to her office after her meeting with Byron.  Now that work on the Riordan case was done she could focus on other matters.  As she walked past Herbert's desk she noticed a pile of parchment on the corner where her mail usually went.  She grabbed it up and began rifling through it as she went in to sit down behind her desk.  Immediately a plain white envelope slipped out of the pile and into her lap.

Hermione stared at the offending piece of mail, not wanting to open but curious as to what it said.  Before she reached for it she did have the presence of mind to cast a few spells to ensure no harmful charms, hexes, or curses had been attached to it.  Once she was assured it was clear she opened it and pulled out the parchment inside.

Whore! Slag! Tart!

X

She gasped at the malevolent feelings that seem to blast off the page and stood abrubtly, the rest of mail sliding from her lap onto the floor.  She had to do something but the fear, the disgust roiling in her belly seemed to keep her feet frozen in place.

It was like this that Marcus and Blaise found her.

"Mione, my love, it has been a hellacious Monday and we wanted to take you..." Blaise had walked into her office unannounced, Marcus behind him.  Both were dressed in business robes having spent the day making Galleons hand over fist in their various pursuits.  He halted his words when she glanced up at them, fear and something else shining in her eyes. 

"Cara," he said walking to stand next to her, "What is it?  What has upset you so?"  He put one arm around her and held out his hand for the parchment she was holding.  Without a word she gave it to him and Marcus came around to stand at Blaise's side to read over his shoulder.

"Shit, Mione, what is this?"  Marcus removed his wand from his robes, prepared for any attack that might come. 

Blaise didn't speak,  Instead he placed the parchment down on Hermione's desk and led her over to sit on the small leather couch she kept in her office.  He motioned for Marcus to grab the witch a glass of the Firewhiskey she kept in the bottom drawer of her desk for when they visited her.  Marcus hurried to do so.

Once she had taken a drink of the Firewhiskey, Hermione began to speak. 

"I'm not sure who or what this is."

"Is this the first letter you received?" asked Marcus and he exchanged a concerned glance with Blaise when she shook her head.

"Where is the other letter, Cara?"

"Top left hand drawer of the desk," she responded and Blaise got up to fetch the letter so they could look at both of them.

"Why didn't you mention this to us, Hermione?  There is something so wrong about them and its quite obvious you are in some sort of danger.  Aurors should be brought in to this!  You need to speak to Harry about getting a security detail and they need to track down this threat to you immediately.  Also, who is the wizard in question?  It would seem his life is in danger too."  Marcus was incensed that the witch who had become like a sister to him was in danger.

"Perhaps I will get Potter in here myself," he said and stood just to do that.

"No," she spoke softly.  "No Aurors.  They will just complicate things."

Blaise's eyes widened.  This was not acceptable, she couldn't handle this situation on her own.  Potter and Weasley were top Aurors, granted they weren't as close to Hermione as they once were but he knew they would still protect her at all costs. 

"Hermione, why would you say no?  Your safety is our main concern," Blaise reached out to grasp her chin in his hand and turned her face up to his.  "Tell me, who is the wizard mentioned in the letters?" 

Hermione sighed.  It was bound to come out anyway, better to these two wizards than Harry and Ron.  "Draco."

Both wizards felt extremely protective over this witch, but both knew if they made any comments over her decision to sleep with a man she claimed she couldn't stand they would find themselves at the wrong end of her wand.  She had always made it clear that her choices were her own and she did not answer to anyone.  It was with great difficulty that Marcus and Blaise swallowed back the remarks that had come to mind regarding Draco's history of sleeping around.

"Alright, then, we need to atleast go see him,"  said Blaise.  Hermione shook her head, she had decided earlier in the day that it was best to stay away from him. 

"Cara, he is involved whether you want him to be or not.  He needs to know what kind of threat is out there.  And he needs to hear it from you."  Blaise stood  and offered her his hand.

"Come on, love, we will go with you." 

Hermione sighed.  This was not how she expected her evening to progress.  She slipped her hand into Blaise's and then all three made their way out to the Ministry's Floo network.

Thank you all for the lovely reviews you have left in my absence.  Its been a long four years, and real life has certainly kicked my butt in that time.  I'm happy to make a little return here and finish up this story that I had left undone.  Chapter 5 is already halfway written and we know what happens when Draco and Hermione get together in this story. ;-)  Enjoy!!