Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, blah blah blah...
A/N: New Dramione fic, this chapter is short but really it's just an introduction, so without further ado, Chapter 1.
Hermione sighed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slid her papers quickly into a folder, thrusting it to the side of her desk. She ran a hand through her messy curls, releasing them from the bobby pins holding them back. Her eyes were unfocused from the tiny print and her head ached from the long day at work. As the dedicated Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement she frequently worked long hours and insisted on staying long after everyone else. She looked up as she heard the door of her office swing open. Standing there was Draco Malfoy, dressed simply in black robes. He raised his eyebrow and checked his watch.
"Come on Hermione, go home. It's almost eight o'clock." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Nice thought Draco, but I still have the Nicks case to go over. The deadline is Friday and I still have to get it to Harry so he can check it." Draco ran a hand through his hair, striding forward and grabbing her coat from its hook on the wall.
"You're going home. Now." He insisted, pulling her up by her arm and thrusting her coat into her arms. She tried to protest;
"Honestly Draco, I'm just trying to do my job! I'll only be another half an hour I promise, them I'll go home-" He propelled her towards the door, grabbing the file off her desk and tucking it into his inside pocket.
"I'll go through the Nicks file, you go home and put your feet up. It's only Monday, you have four days until it's due and you worked late every day last week, it's ridiculous." Hermione closed her eyes and realised he was right. There was no point arguing with him; he was as stubborn as ever, and Ron had started getting annoyed at her late nights at work.
"Thanks Draco." She smiled weakly and pulled her coat on.
"See you tomorrow Hermione." She nodded and headed towards the fireplace. Taking a handful of green powder she Floo-ed back to the apartment she shared with Ron. After Hogwarts they'd started dating for a little while, but put their relationship on hold as Hermione returned to complete her NEWTs at Hogwarts, while Ron went on to become the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons. Harry had trained to become an Auror for the Ministry. Back at school, Hermione was shocked to see that Draco was one of the few students returning for Hogwarts' temporary 8th year. His father had been sent to Azkaban for life and his mother had been confined to her home at Malfoy Manor by a powerful Binding Curse. Draco himself had been pardoned under the condition that he return to Hogwarts and complete his education. Barely any other Slytherins returned, only Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson. While there were a few of Hermione's old friends returning, a total of only sixteen students came back, and it was decided they would share a separate common room and dormitories to the rest of the school. Due to a number of unfortunate incidents which occurred due to lack of communication between the houses, including an exploding potion and a room full of girls with green hair, a truce was called. The remaining students came to a necessary yet uneasy companionship, and unexpected friendships were formed. Going on to work at the Ministry, Hermione found herself working alongside Blaise and Draco, and after an uncomfortable first few months, they managed to put aside their differences and work together efficiently. A few years of working together had developed their working relationship into a friendship, and they occasionally went out for drinks as friends. Harry and Ron had been shocked at first, but even they had to admit that the two Slytherins had changed and had allowed a sort of friendship to form.
A few years after Hermione started work at the Ministry she and Ron had picked up their relationship again. They had been together for two years now, and were sharing a cosy apartment. Her work had been putting a strain on the relationship, but she still loved Ron and had no reason to believe he felt any differently either.
Appearing in their living room she brushed soot from her robes and stepped into the room, flinging her coat onto the sofa and flopping down on top of it. A minute later, she was asleep.
A/N: please R&R!