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A Creative Solution	By : cristinstar Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 19001 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it just playing in JKR's sandbox. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Summary: The Ministry of Magic faces an economic crisis of unprecedented proportions after the war, despite seizing the vaults of Death Eaters and their families. Hermione and Draco are university students facing financial difficulties, both because of the post-war crisis, and because Gringotts does not look favorably upon them. Together, they come up with a creative solution that brings its own set of complications and frustrations to their lives.

This story presents a different viewpoint of some of the events in the books, fully compliant with canon until Chapter 23 of DH. Then it diverges slightly from canon, because in this storyline Draco Malfoy engineers the escape from Malfoy Manor. Ignores the Epilogue of DH.

"No, Miss Granger, I'm sorry - I understand your situation, and believe me, I wish there was something I could do. We strive to be fair, and you are hardly the first student to experience financial hardship - most of your compatriots are in similar straits after the last couple of years in Britain. If we were to offer you the student loan you suggest, we would have to offer it to other needy students as well, and the university barely has enough funds as it is. I encourage you to explore other sources of loans or income - a hero such as yourself should not have trouble getting Gringotts to sponsor - "

"Pardon me, Sir," Hermione interrupted, "I have explored several alternatives already. I know the university had to accommodate the influx of students from Britain the last few years, and I would not have approached you if any of the alternatives had panned out. British sources of funding are greatly depleted with the rebuilding efforts, Swiss sources of funding tend to require citizenship, which is not easy to acquire, and Gringotts... well."

"Be that as it may, Miss Granger, my position has to remain the same for the university's sake. Personally, I wish there was more we could do for our best students, such as yourself and Mr. - " the Dean stopped abruptly, coughed, and continued in a slightly different direction. "I don't use the word talented lightly, Miss Granger, but you should be proud of the work you are completing here with us. It is first class, and you, more than most, could use the situation in Britain as an excuse. I don't want this temporary setback to deter you from completing your studies, and I have faith that a bright student such as yourself will come up with a solution. I will delay the bursar's office another week, but I'm afraid that is all I can do. That will be all, Miss Granger."

Thanking the Dean, Hermione left the office quite depressed, and in a daze continued to her next stop. Not Gringotts, as the goblins had yet to forgive her, Harry and Ron for their dragon escapade. Even after confiscating most of the Potter and Black vaults for 'reparations,' the goblins refused to do as much business with the famous trio. She couldn't blame them, really, as the publicity from their dragon escape had badly hurt the bank's reputation and business, not to mention the torture several of the goblins endured at Voldemort's orders. Really, they treated her and the boys worse than they were treating some of the Death Eater families!

She looked both ways and pulled her hood up as she navigated the crooked streets of Zurich's wizarding district. When she reached the discreet entrance with its "Spelled Parenthood" sign, Hermione braced herself and opened the door. Looking quickly inside, she was surprised to see none other than Draco Malfoy in the austere waiting room.

What a strange coincidence, she thought. Malfoy had been meeting with the Dean before Hermione arrived for her appointment, and now he was in the waiting room as well. Draco had helped the Order of the Phoenix during the war, working alongside Professor Snape, and Hermione was happy to count him now as among her closest friends. When they met last week for their usual 'hanging out' time, he had not mentioned any possible reason behind their matching itineraries today. Then again, neither had she, for her own reasons.

"Malfoy! How come you're here too?"

Draco looked up, surprise being quite evident in his face, and quickly shushed her. "Shh, Granger. This is a clinic. Keep your voice down, will you? And, if anything, I should be the one complaining. Did you follow me from the Dean's office here?"

"No, I... why are you here? Are you waiting for a witch? Is the next generation of Malfoys being scanned as we speak?" Hermione asked as she lowered her voice, moving towards Draco's chair.

"No, nothing like that, I'm here on my own - and why are you here? Last week, you were Prof. Equidna's favorite student, considering majoring in both Transfigurations and Charms, and now – Oh, wait..."

His face clouded up as she sat down, and some of his old sneer came through. "Did you get knocked up? Did the guy not want to support you, and you thought you would take care of it here?"

"NO! It’s nothing like that!" she said, horrified at his assumptions. "I just need some paperwork, some medical paperwork, and this is the most affordable place I could think of."

"Well, there you go. My reasons are the same."

"What? I thought the Ministry let you keep the Manor..."

He scoffed. "It was not exactly as a favor that they let us keep the Manor and all its contents -- it is because there would not have been a market for selling them."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, well, not that I want to discuss this with the general public, so please don't repeat it. You know that the Ministry kept most of the contents of the Malfoy vaults for Reparations?"

She nodded, and he continued explaining, his voice bitter. "With how depressed our economy is in Britain right now, who would have enough money to buy Malfoy Manor? And with everything that went on in my there during the war, who would want to buy Malfoy Manor?"

Hermione's mouth opened as she began to understand how being saddled with the Manor may not have been exactly a boon from the Ministry.

"While Lucius is serving his sentence, Mother and I are struggling with the upkeep of the Manor. Maintaining that behemoth requires more funds than we have, even though we are living in the cottage instead of the main building. And Gringotts does not look upon me kindly either, what with the mess Bellatrix made when you, Potty, and the Weasel broke into her vault." He paused, then asked, "Why aren't your parents sending you money? Since they are Muggles, Gringotts cannot have confiscated their funds too, right?"

"My parents are trying to reestablish themselves after their time in Australia... which really is my fault. Between the international moving company and the expenses of starting a new practice, they're already pressed for time and cash. I don't want to bother them with requests for money when they're already going through so much because of me."

There was silence for a few moments, while they each contemplated the situation. Hermione got up and moved to the empty receptionist window. She wrote her name on the paper, per the instructions on the wall, and pushed it through the slot.

As she was returning to her seat, he spoke again: "Not to be rude, then, but how are you affording university? Potty finally owned up to the fact that he'd be dead without you, and ponied up the money to make up for all the years he's been a prat?"

"Harry doesn't exactly have a lot these days," she started, and he made a disbelieving noise. "Wait, let me explain. Yes, he got the Order of Merlin First Class, but all of the award money went into the war orphans charity we started."

"What a grand gesture. I suppose that your award money also went to charity, then. Or," he smiled, "did you use it to buy house elves, give them clothing, and start SPEW all over again?"

"Oh, shut up! After all the teasing you gave me in Grimmauld Place about it, you put a sock in it! You know I stopped trying to make other creatures conform to my belief system years ago. My award went to the orphanage too - I just couldn't let Harry be the only one..."

"There you go," he interrupted, gesturing grandly with his arms. "Following and saving his sorry behind once again. You really have to stop bailing Potty out of trouble already, you know? I thought Mother and I had managed to instill some sense of self-preservation in you after those months in Grimmauld Place." He teased her. "Loyalty is fine, but look where it has gotten you, coming to a third-rate medical center for destitute..."

"Hey, don't knock it! You're here too - where did your sense of self-preservation get you?"

"Touché, Granger. So what medical note do you need, anyways?"

"It's private. I'd rather not talk about it," she said, blushing.

"How bad can it be, if you're not up the duff? And don't try to lie now - I know all your tells, remember? That's what you get from teaching me poker," he smiled. Then he asked, "Did you get one of those Muggle sexual diseases that Pomfrey kept threatening us with?"

"NO! It’s nothing like that. Don't be crass, Malfoy. I just don't want to discuss it. It's private, I'm telling you."

"Oh, come on, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?" He smiled beguilingly. "Believe me, it can't be worse than mine, which guarantees you that I'll keep it secret, because I don't want this getting out, either."

"You really must be curious, if you are willing to give me leverage over you, and willing to explain it to me. Wait. Did you get a sexually transmitted infection?"

"No - in fact, that's what I'm coming here for."

"You want to get one of those diseases?" she puzzled out loud.

"No, don't be an idiot," he said, and she bristled. "It doesn't suit you. Think about it - if I have to spell it out, then you're obligated to tell me why you're here." His tone turned cajoling: "Come on, tell me, Granger. What is it that had you talking with the Dean, and then coming here?"

"Curiosity killed the cat, Malfoy. Haven't you heard that - and why were you meeting with the Dean too? Hmmm?" She paused. "So let's say you're here to get the clean bill of health certificate, then. Who are you trying to impress with it? Who's the pretty witch that is going to give Narcissa headaches this month?"

"There isn't one. I'm very careful to keep my liaisons away from Mother, since she keeps trying to marry me off to any passable candidate. She wants me to 'settle down.'" As he spoke, he made air quotes with his fingers, irritating Hermione.

"Well, Mr. Don Juan Casanova, you can't blame her. If you were a girl, there would be quite a number of nasty comments going around about your reputation. Talk about a double standard! You're considered quite the catch for all that tomcatting you're doing!"

"Easy, Granger, don't get riled up." He smiled patronizingly, which increased her annoyance at his dismissal of her arguments. "We're not here to discuss my prowess, my expertise, or my experience," he winked suggestively before continuing, "at sexual matters. You know what I'm here for, and since you've figured it out, you'd better come clean now and tell me what it is you're up to."

Pretending to still be annoyed, she huffed as she looked around for a convenient diversion. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the bare-bones room. "Why haven't they called us yet? I swear, we've been here for more than half an hour!"

"Don't try to change the topic, Granger, that's twice now, and you're really awful at it." She blushed as he patted her hand."Patience was never your strong suit, I know. They must be busy with whatever emergency drives people to come to these clinics. Neither of our cases is that urgent, anyhow, and I'm really curious. So sit down, and start talking."

Many thanks to catcachoo for Beta-ing this chapter, and the H&V validators for their help!
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A Creative Solution