A Discordant Life

Chapter 3

This story doesn't belong to me, it's everythursday work

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"Confidential."

"Purchases?"

"Yes."

Hermione stared at the man, his shorter height giving her full view of his best attempts at combing over a thin section of hair to hide his balding head. She wondered why he didn't just use a potion or spell, but maybe that was more damaging to pride than combing sideways.

She sat forward, folding her hands in her lap, and held his eyes until he was unsettled. She had learned it best from the person who brought her here – the more anxious you make a person, the more they concern themselves with doing what it takes to make you leave.

"We have proof that Runson has sold something to a man who has used it in the creation of illegal potions, that are being distributed throughout Britain—"

"If that's true, it is not the responsibility of the company. We sell ingredients and potions, all legal, and cannot—"

"But it is the responsibility of the company to cooperate with the Ministry when informed of such a situation. Unless you support such illegal use, and wish to interfere with our investigation. In which case, I—"

"I assure you that we do not support use of our ingredients for any illegal activity, and wish we could help. However, we have confidentiality contracts—"

"Which are invalid when information is requested by the Ministry because it relates directly to a case where the person is participating in illegal activities that are harmful to other people. Then it's a matter of company choice, and in the best interest of the company to cooperate." Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Is it your choice to not cooperate?"

The man pushed his seat back, his face pinched as he stood. "Harrison Black, you said?"

"Yes. And I'll need all the information, including lists of purchases, and address."

(March, 1999)

Draco stepped out, as deep into Granger's personal space as he'd ever been, and pulled the door shut behind him on the manor, or the ghosts, or whatever she might be thinking. He looked down from the snowflakes melting on her cheeks, to the deep red of her robes. She cleared her throat, glaring at him when he met her eyes.

He barely restrained a smirk, raising an eyebrow as he let her simmer in her assumptions until her cheeks were red. There was something in the flash of anger in Granger's eyes that made him feel alive. Ready, alert, prepared for whatever battle she was about to declare.

He was slightly disappointed when she dodged. "Ron is at Harry's." "You're an Auror?"

Her mouth clicked shut, and she looked down at the crest on her robes. She was quicker than he thought she would be at accepting that he hadn't been looking at her breasts.

"Oh...yes. For now." There was a beat of silence, and then she was talking again before he stood a chance to. "In a year or so, I think I'll either go more into the law than enforcement, or the Magical Creatures Department. Making sure the right laws are in place is important, but there are people starting to do good things – though I think I can probably do some a bit faster, and more--"

"Of course you do."

"--creatures really need help now, and no one is doing anything for them. It's a good time, too, since...simpler laws, or less involved laws, are being passed to make the public feel the Ministry is being active in getting things done, when harder laws that the majority of people would be--"