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Research & Development	By : BooBack Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 13780 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any associated Charaters. I make no money from writing this.

Chapter List
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4.
On a Friday night a couple of weeks later, they were in their usual positions in Granger’s flat. Granger always sat on the sofa facing the television, cross-legged and covered in as many blankets as she could find. Draco always took the other sofa, usually lying down on it with his head on a pillow against the arm so that he was looking straight on at the telly.
The film was paused, and Draco heard Granger ask softly, ‘Can I ask you something?’
He sat up and looked at her, confused by this change from tradition. ‘What’s that, Granger?’ he asked.
‘Charlie is back in town next week, and he’s asked me to go to a friend’s wedding with him. I’ve bought a dress, but I’m really not sure if I like it. If I put it on, would you let me know how it looks?’
Draco’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘I don’t know if I’m really the expert in women’s fashion,’ he said sarcastically.
‘I know that,’ she said. ‘But you’re my…friend?’ she stammered. ‘And I know you’ll be honest and let me know if it looks horrible.’
He took a deep breath. ‘Alright, let’s see it then.’
She smiled a big, happy smile and jumped up from the sofa and through the door into the bedroom. It didn’t take long for her to come back out, wearing a red dress that was made of a silky, shiny material. It wasn’t overly short but it did show off some of her thighs. It had thick straps and a slight v-neck front, but it was when she turned around that he knew what she had been asking about. The back of the dress plunged down almost to her bottom. ‘Be honest,’ she said. ‘Is it…too much?’
He wasn’t sure what to say. It was a nice dress, but it just didn’t really fit her personality. He actually thought that it was quite inappropriate looking on a prudish Gryffindor such as herself. ‘It looks alright,’ he finally said.
‘Alright?’ she asked. ‘Like good alright or bad alright?’
He cleared his throat. ‘I mean it’s a nice dress,’ he said. ‘I’m just not sure it suits you?’ He didn’t know how to say what he was thinking without offending her or hurting her feelings. ‘It’s just, you’re cute, Granger, and that’s not a cute dress.’ The unspoken words were that it was a sexy dress, and she was not a sexy woman.
She frowned. ‘So you think it’s a bit too showy for me? Charlie seems to like when I show a bit of skin.’
‘Like I said, Granger. I’m not an expert in women’s fashions and obviously, I’m not attracted to you, so maybe Weasley will find it more appealing?’
‘Obviously,’ she said offhandedly, repeating his word with distaste.
‘Granger, I didn’t mean it like that. I…we’re friends, and I like you, but I’m not attracted to you. I mean, you can’t honestly say that you would be attracted to me?' Draco could kick himself. Why had she put him in this situation?
She stopped for a moment to consider, and her gaze raked him from head to toe. ‘Objectively speaking, you are a handsome man,’ she finally said. ‘But like you said, I’m not attracted to you.’
‘Right,’ he said. ‘So can we stop talking about this and watch the film?' He noticed that she still seemed put-out. 'If Weasley likes you showing some skin, then show some skin.'
She smiled ruefully. ‘Thanks, Malfoy.’
0000000000
The following week, Hermione was sitting in her office when there was a knock at her door. ‘Come in,’ she said and Finlay Frederickson, the Minister for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, let himself in.
‘Hello, Sir,’ Hermione said, not too surprised as she knew Malfoy had submitted the funding applications for the Dragon Reserve the day before.
‘Miss Granger,’ he said. ‘I’ve just come to see you about these funding requests that have come across my desk.’
‘Yes sir,’ she said. ‘For the Dumfries Dragon Sanctuary.’
He nodded. She led him to the chair across from hers and then sat down back on her side of the desk. ‘I’ve just been reading through the forms, and it just seems too good to be true.’
Hermione nodded. ‘The Research Associate, Draco Malfoy, who came up with the idea, sir, he found that the Wizard up in Dumfries was willing to donate the land if it was for a good cause. We sent in the proposal and it was accepted. There would be no monetary lease or cost for the land, which helps keep the costs down. There will be some construction costs, and of course salaries for those who are hired to work with the dragons themselves, but this can be subsidized by selling dragon’s blood to the apothecaries and potions companies. In a sustainable and humane way, of course.’
Finlay looked over the numbers again and then back at Hermione. ‘And you’re sure this is all you need?’ Hermione had looked over the numbers before Malfoy had sent them away and she thought that it had been a fair estimate. She nodded. ‘Unless you’re willing to give us more?’
He smiled. ‘I think that this is a very worthwhile project and I am wholeheartedly willing to give the funding that is required. I want you and—Malfoy? You said?—to liaise with the legal and procurement teams to get contracts set up for the land and construction and get to work on this as quickly as possible.’
Hermione smiled. ‘Thank you, sir.’
‘I’d also like a weekly update on construction, and a timetable for when it will be finished.’ Hermione nodded, ‘Of course.’
‘This is great work, Miss Granger.’
Hermione shook her head. ‘It was Malfoy’s idea. I just helped with the proposal.’
‘Well done, both of you,’ he said. ‘This will look excellent in the Department’s portfolio.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ she said again and he left, leaving the signed funding papers on her desk.
0000000000
Draco could not believe how quickly everything started moving once he had the funding for the reserve. He had been taken off of his other projects to work solely on this. He was pleased that it had gone through the legal checks and contracts and he was working with procurement on getting to the construction phase – having to decide between multiple bidders for the contract.
Granger stepped in sometimes, but mostly let him take control, which he respected. He was now in a dedicated project room with his research assistant, Norman, along with a witch from legal and a wizard from procurement. They provided weekly updates to Mr Frederickson to show their progress and he always seemed pleased.
Nearly two months had passed working away on the project when an intracompany memo flew into the project room and landed on Draco’s desk. He looked at it in concern.
‘What’s that,’ Norman asked.
‘Well, I haven’t opened it yet, have I?’ Draco drawled sarcastically. He opened it and actually gave a laugh at the ridiculous swirly writing and dramatic confetti which shot forth from the page. ‘I’ve been nominated for one of those silly awards,’ he said.
‘The Gala Awards?’ Norman asked in awe. ‘Those are supposed to be really difficult to get! And you get an extra week’s holiday if you win!’
Draco scoffed. ‘I haven’t got any time for a holiday just now anyways.’ He pushed it aside and got back to work.
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Later that day, Granger came into the room to see how they were getting on with the construction tenders. When he had given her an update, she said, ‘I’ve spoken to Frederickson and he wants the two of us to visit the Romanian Reserve for a week and speak to some of the keepers to get some insight on how to properly create the containment wards and what kind of facilities are available for those that stay on site.’
Draco nodded. 'That's quite a good idea.' He knew that Granger would also be excited to see her boy toy. ‘When does he want us to go?’ he asked.
‘Next week,’ she said. ‘I’ve sorted everything out so we can get a portkey there next Monday morning.’
‘That’s great, Granger. Hopefully it will help me to decide between these contracts. This is doing my head in.'
She gave him a smile that also held a hint of pity and then waved a quick goodbye as she left the room.
A/N: Just want to say thank you to Smile317 for the lovely reviews. 😍
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