Mastering Temptation

CHAPTER SIX: Tormenting the Headmaster





Hermione was sitting at her desk reorganizing the staff records. Apparently the previous assistant had not cared whose documents went into what file. She figured that for awhile her time would be spent trying to set the filing system to rights. It was a shame that the ministry assigned the office management staff, for she was certain that Snape would have sacked the man she had replaced long ago.





Hermione looked up to see Professor Sprout waddling her way from Severus’s office. She didn’t look happy.





“Is everything alright, Professor?” Hermione asked. She had looked through the file and knew that the professor was getting a favorable review.





“Oh everything is fine, dear. I just can’t figure out why it is that praise from that man doesn’t sound like praise at all.” Hermione smiled, knowing exactly what the rotund little woman meant.





“The important thing is that you recognized that it was praise, his delivery can be gruff but he is a fair man.” Hermione said.





“I still can’t believe you are working for him, a pretty young thing like yourself should be home with a handsome husband and little ones, not toiling away for the likes of him.” The professor tilted her head towards Severus’s office.





“He’s not so bad; Professor Sprout, and the handsome husband and little ones are not as easily acquired as one might think.” She laughed.





“Maybe not for other women, but it is actually quite easy for you, darling. Marry me, I’m handsome and rich and will happily keep you round with my progeny for years to come!” Draco swept into the room in a swirl of black robes, looking so much like his father Hermione had to laugh.





“Oh dear heavens it’s you!” Professor Sprout’s eyes widened as she stared at Draco. He hadn’t exactly been a pleasant boy to teach. Despite being quite intelligent he had a certain tendency towards mischief.





“I keep getting that reaction.” He said, looking at Hermione as though he had no idea why his former teachers would be somewhat dismayed at seeing him. “Good day to you Professor Sprout.” He said with a bow, surprising the older woman with his show of manners. She was suspicious however and merely frowned, nodding her head curtly.





“Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy.” She said, eyeing him warily. He smiled mischievously and turned back to Hermione. “So how about it? Are you going to marry me and raise a litter of little blond half bloods?”





“Draco, you are incorrigible.” Hermione laughed, lifting her cheek to accept his kiss.





“What…….no arguing? No hexing or wands drawn?” Professor Sprout stared at them through wide eyes, her mouth agape.





“So sorry to disappoint you Professor, but we have matured with age and no longer engage in such childish behavior. Ms. Granger used to work for me actually and we are good friends.”





“I don’t believe it for one minute, the two of you despised each other. Why we were all worried that you would kill one another before you graduated.” Professor Sprout said.





“Fine then, she used to work for me but left when I sexually harassed her to the point of insanity, so now I follow her about wherever she goes and continue in my pursuit to get into her knickers. Does that sound more along the lines of your expectations?” Draco asked sarcastically, one silver brow arched high.





“Good grief, Draco.” Hermione moaned. “Professor Sprout, he is just kidding. He was telling you the truth, we are indeed dear friends. He has grown up…..for the most part.”





“Well I never thought I would see the day.” The professor said, shaking her head as she walked out the door.





“Draco, could you not torment the staff?” Hermione asked, smiling at him so her chastisement lost all of its potential effect.





“So sorry, darling, I will try to behave better in the future.” He said, grinning wickedly.





“No you won’t, and I told you, I am not your darling.” She said.







“But of course you are, darling. Now are you going to marry me and bear my brats or not?” He asked, perching himself on he corner of her desk.





“Not.” She said.





“Draco, I do not come to your office and proposition your secretary, could you please extend the same courtesy?” Severus drawled from the doorway to his office.





“Feel free to proposition Lester any time you feel like it. But he’s tall and skinny, not your type at all.” Draco said, laughing at Severus’s tight expression.





“I wasn’t aware he had a type.” Hermione mumbled under her breath. Draco turned back over his shoulder and smiled at her.





“Petite and curvy.” Draco said quietly, waggling his eyebrows.





“If the two of you are finished with your little tete a tete, I believe we have business to attend to.” Severus said, frowning as he turned and disappeared back into his office.





“I think I may be in trouble.” Draco said. “I wonder if he will take points from Slytherin?”





“Go tend to your meeting, Draco.” Hermione said, shoving him off of her desk. Draco gathered his things and went into Severus’s office, closing the door behind him.





“You shouldn’t say such things to her, Draco. It isn’t proper.” Severus said before Draco could even sit down.





“If she wasn’t my closest friend I might agree with you, but trust me when I say she is anything but offended, besides, I have said far worse things to her than proposing marriage.” Draco said, placing his attaché case on the desk and withdrawing a bundle of parchment.





“You shouldn’t be so forward with a lady, Draco, it’s unseemly.” Severus said, reaching for the documents.





“Unseemly?” Draco started to laugh. “You don’t know Hermione, Uncle Sev. All of her friends are male, the Weasley’s have basically adopted her, and do you really think she bats an eye at a joke marriage proposal?”





“And what if she had accepted your joke marriage proposal? Then what would you have done?” Severus asked as he rifled through the pages of the documents detailing the social events approved by the board of governors as well as the allotted budget for each one.





“I knew she wouldn’t, but just to answer your question I could do worse than having her as a wife.” The corner of Draco’s mouth lifted in a smirk that reminded Severus so much of Lucius he nearly laughed. “I think you were jealous.”





“You think I am jealous that you speak offensively to a young witch and issue proposals of marriage that are turned down without a moment’s consideration?” Severus asked.





“I don’t think you like seeing another man around your little assistant.” Draco said, smiling. “I think there are things you would love to say to her, but you won’t because you are so wrapped up in what’s proper. You will never get her into your bed without getting personal you know.”





“She is my employee, Draco. My only interest is in her ability to do her job; I have no intentions of having her anywhere near my bed. Not that it is any of your business.”





“Could you say that using veritaserum?” Draco asked. “Knowing you there is a vial in your top drawer. Care to test it out?”





“You are here for a reason, Draco, and it is not to harass me about my assistant.” Severus said, changing the subject. “Since when does the board of governors put so much thought and effort into the details of the student events? Normally they just approve or deny. These documents have every detail mapped out from how many chaperones should be present to how much money should be allotted for punch.”





“Well, until a week ago, Hermione worked for my father, she is the one who put the whole dossier together. All of the research, all of the information and estimates were done by her.” Draco said, shrugging slightly.





“She has even detailed the expense of extra toilet paper used by guests from other schools! Where would she come up with figures like these?” Severus asked, looking down in amazement at the budget for the Yule Ball.





“Let’s ask her. Hermione!” Draco called out for her before Severus could say anything. He heard the soft click of her heels on the stone floor just before she pushed through the door.





“Did you need something, sir?” Hermione asked.





“Severus has some questions about your figure….I mean figures.” Draco said, laughing at Severus’s scowl. “He wants to know why you figured in the cost of extra toilet paper.”





Hermione walked over to stand beside Severus. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of black framed glasses and perched them on her nose. Severus held his breath as he stared at her, thinking she looked like a pinup girl posing as a sexy teacher or naughty librarian.





“If you look in the back of the document you will see that I have made comparisons with the last four years budgets.” She said, leaning over to rifle through the pages. Severus swallowed hard as the lapels on her blouse gaped and he was treated to a view of her plump breasts and ample cleavage. “Money was wasted and spent frivolously without taking other factors into account, such as the added strain on Hogwarts resources from the additional students who attend as escorts from other schools. Whoever was in charge of overseeing the planning was irresponsible.”







Draco wondered if Severus heard a word she said. His eyes were glued to her breasts.





“Dillon….Dillon was in charge of the events, as you will be.” Severus said, closing his eyes and shaking his head.





“Oh, well that makes things easy enough since I set up the budget.” She smiled, standing up straight and removing her glasses. “Is there anything else you need from me?”







Draco deliberately dropped some papers onto the floor and watched them scatter around the room.



“Damn!” He cursed, trying to hide his grin.







“Oh, I’ll get them.” Hermione said, coming around Severus’s desk.







“Thanks, darling.” Draco saw her shoot an annoyed look at him over her shoulder as she bent over to retrieve the sheets of paper. Severus would have glared at the boy if he hadn’t been watching Hermione’s bum every time she bent over. “Oh, you missed one!”







Hermione handed the stack of papers back to Draco and excused herself from the room. He immediately turned his smug smile on Severus who was glaring at him.





“You don’t have to thank me, I was happy to do it.” Draco said, shoving the papers back into his briefcase.





“Just what is it I should be thanking you for?” Severus asked.





“For making sure you got a nice view of the goods.” Draco was smiling brightly.





“You claim you care about the girl yet you manipulate the situation in hopes of encouraging me into lustful feelings for her?” Severus said. “I don’t understand your motivation, Draco. Are you attempting to poke fun at me at her expense?”





“Yes, I am attempting to poke fun at you a bit, but never at her expense. I adore her and I would never do anything to hurt her. I think you and Hermione are very much alike in a lot of ways and I think that you both spend too much time alone.” Draco said.







“It will never happen, Draco. She and I have a professional relationship and while I can appreciate her beauty, I will not be a cliché and chase after my secretary.” Severus said.





“Never is an awfully big word, I would think long and hard about using it where she is concerned.” Draco gathered his things and with one last knowing look at his godfather, he let himself out.