How did it turn out like this? How did I, Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of my class, end up with a miniscule job working as a secretary for the Minister of Magic? Sure, I'm working for the Ministry but definitely not how I wanted.

She had wanted to be an Auror or a head of any of the departments. But, here she was, answering phones and filing from 9-5, every week, Monday through Friday.

"Thank God that today is Friday and only 10 more minutes and I will be out of here!" She exclaimed while throwing her arms up in the air at the filing cabinet, not knowing that the Minister was right behind her.

"Ahem." The Minister coughed into his hand. She turned around with her face blood red and her hair going in whichever direction it wanted to.

"Oh, sir, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there." She said timidly and quite embarrassed also.

"No worries, Miss Granger. I have felt like that many times over the years. And I can't tell you how many times I have exclaimed the very same words." He said while giving her a smile, "Now, go ahead and gather your things and head on out. I know that a girl like you probably has plenty of plans for a Friday night." And with that, he turned and started to walk back to his office.

Hermione smiled and went to the desk but then saw that there was a 4:55 appointment. "Sir?" She said as he turned around and raised his eyebrows questioningly, "You have a 4:55 appointment and I can't leave until that is finished."

He smiled when he realized how hard of a worker she is and was regretting that he was going to be giving her up so that she could be co-head of the Department of Accidents and Catastrophes with the new guy. Oh, what a surprise she was going to be in for on Monday but she did deserve to be heading up a department and had definitely accomplished this with how hard she had worked for him the past seven years. "Don't worry about it. I can see to the appointment and get out of here before 5:30. Like I said, you probably have plenty of plans so go home and get ready for those instead of sitting around here with basically nothing to do." And with that, he turned and went into his office.

She smiled at his kindness and at the moment loved how her boss was so kind. Even though she did wish she had a job higher on the food chain, so to speak. She gathered her things together and went to the nearest fireplace and took the Floo system back home.

Oh so lovely to be home. Another week of work done and still no process on finding a better job. But, oh well, time to get ready to go out to the pub with Ginny and Pansy.

She shuddered as she was still trying to figure out how Ron and Pansy ended up together a year after the War, another year after that and they were married, and had been for the past five years. She would never understand that one but she was very happy for the two of them. But Ginny and Harry… She smiled as she remembered how in love they were even before the War. And even with the stress of the War affecting their relationship, they managed to stay together and married a year after the Final Battle. They now had a handsome 5-year-old son named after his father, Harry James Potter the II, and a gorgeous 3-year-old daughter named after her grandma and mom, Lily Ginevra Potter. She thought about all of this and how she was 25 years old and was nowhere closer to finding a man to spend the rest of her life with or a better job. She sighed as she walked out of her flat and toward the Leaky Cauldron.

Damn it, I'm late. Well, truthfully not that late. Just a couple of minutes. But still, being late to a job interview is not a good way to impress my new boss. Thank you dear Mother for making me late!

He still couldn't believe that he was going to be working with the Ministry of Magic after seven years of them basically resenting him. Just as he arrived, he saw the green flash as someone was leaving through the Floo system. He couldn't focus too much on that because at the exact same moment, the Minister came out of his office.

"Why, hello there, Mr. Malfoy." The Minister said as he put his hand out for him to shake.

Draco grabbed it and firmly shook it. "So sorry I'm late, sir. I got side-tracked in Diagon Alley after running into my mother."

The Minister smiled, "That is quite alright. It is totally understandable. Now, shall we go into my office and discuss the business at hand?" He said as he gestured toward his office.

Draco nodded and walked into the Minister's office ahead of him. He looked around noting how all of the pictures were glaring down at him. He stopped looking at the pictures and turned to the desk that the Minister was just going behind.

He gestured toward the seats in front of his desk, "Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy. This will only take a few minutes just so that I can tell you the gist of the information that you will need come Monday." Draco nodded and sat down while the Minister continued as he looked down at the papers before him. "As you know, you will be heading up the Department of Accidents and Catastrophes. But some of the other heads and I have talked and you will be heading up this department with another person. You all will be co-heads. She is a very hard worker and deserves to be head of a department even if it is being a co-head. She has worked for me for several years and it is high time that she be promoted. Oh, and by the way, she was in your graduating class from Hogwarts. So, besides knowing that, do you have any questions?"

Draco sat there for a minute taking everything in. Finally, he asked, "Who is the woman that I will be working with?"

The Minister smiled. "That will remain a mystery until Monday morning when you all begin working together. Now, that is it, so if you follow me out I'll show you to the nearest fireplace, unless you would like to take some other form of transportation home." He chuckled to himself.

Draco smiled. "The fireplace would be fine." As he followed the Minister out the door, he glanced toward the secretary's desk and saw a picture of Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson at their wedding. He paused for a minute watching the picture and saw Harry Potter come into the picture and start congratulating them. He started wondering who it was that worked at the desk because they would have to know either Ron or Pansy. But right then before anything else could happen in the picture, the Minister coughed and he looked up and saw the Minister pointing toward a fireplace. He walked over and shook the Minister's hand again before stepping into the fireplace and heading back home.

Hmmm, who can this mystery woman be? Most of the witches in my class had jobs, had moved away, or had been killed during the War.

He shuddered thinking about the War. Every time he did, he thought about how his life could've been different had he betrayed his father and the Dark Side. He couldn't dwell on that now though. He had to get ready to go and meet Blaise at the pub. At least Blaise's wife wouldn't be coming along this time. He loved the woman to death even if it was for the sake of Blaise. But still she was annoying as hell and he still couldn't figure out how Blaise could have married a Hufflepuff…Hannah Abbott of all people!

Still wondering how he pulled that one off without gagging while saying his vows at the altar. I most certainly was trying not to being your best man.

He looked once more into the mirror and smiled.

"Darling, you really should be less conceited. I mean really. You're always looking in here just to see how good you look, mister." The mirror said in her Southern accent. How in the world did he end up with a mirror that came from the States was a mystery to him.

"Yes. Well, I never know who I may run into so you see I have to look here to make sure I look good." He was pretty conceited if he thought about it. He smirked at it before turning and leaving out his front door and heading toward the Leaky Cauldron.