I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by the amazing J.K. Rowling. I also don't own any of the other brands or pop culture references I use...I am simply a fan showing my love. This is my first published writing of any kind so please be constructive.

I was listening to a particular song over and over and the idea came to me...what if things didn't work out and Hermione ran away instead of dealing with it all?

We Don't Need to Fix Each Other

Chapter 1

She stood in her bathroom lost in her image in the mirror. This was not a loss of narcissism; this was purely critical and loathing. She disliked her hair, the continual struggle of her life. The dark circles under eyes were bad. She would have time to go to the salon before her portkey but her complexion would have to be faked with make-up. How had ten years passed so quickly? Fuck why did she tell Kingsley she would do this? Nope,… nope, she wasn't going. She can message him in the morning, cancel her portkey, and not go. She sighed deeply, what about her reputation; she looked at herself straight in the eyes now. She had that to uphold. She swallowed the lump in her throat down with the fire whisky from her glass, never breaking eye contact with herself. Fuck all; Hermione Granger always got her man so to speak. She was no quitter, at least not in her career. Her personal life was another story, but to be back in London for at least six months…. gods could she really do this?

"Penny for your thoughts" she heard whispered in her ear. Of course he was here. Even after all these years she still couldn't hear him come in. She broke eye contact with her reflection and glanced to its left. The pale face in the reflection grinned at her with his heartbreaking smile. He took her glass and drained it.

"I knew you couldn't stay away" she grinned, and folded her arms across her body

"Of course I couldn't. My partner is up and leaving me for 6 months, that little bitch. Who will I go out with now"? Philips's mock pouting expression looked back at her "You're the best wingman I have"

She turned and leaned on her bathroom counter, she laughed and said "You're a Vampire, and a damn hot one, you don't need a wingman. Besides you can always just bat your eyelashes and make them come with you"

Philip Ducote has been Hermione's partner since she moved to New Orleans from Salem, Massachusetts seven years ago. He was turned when he was 35 years old, born in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana in 1851, his family were some of the first French to settle the parish. Philip was first generation American; his father came over as a baby, and he was brought up in the Creole culture that is unique to Louisiana. His father was French and his mother Tunica Indian. The 5th son among 12 children left him feeling no place in the family business so he set off for New Orleans at the age of 16. Having a wild child streak he thoroughly sowed his oats there, as many have and still do. Realizing one morning, after a drunken night, he needed to have a proper career he became a Police Officer serving primarily in the French Quarter due to his ability speak French, Spanish, and a few Native American dialects. It was the night of the Carroll County Courthouse Massacre which occurred March 17, 1886, and New Orleans was under a curfew. Philip was on patrol and noticed a man creeping around the shadows of Decater St. Philip followed him when the man attacked him from behind. The Vampire probably needed to feed and had to go out despite the curfew. He left Philip for dead, but others found him and helped him to understand his new life. He left for many years seeing the world, and to learn about his new family, but the curse that makes you long for New Orleans called to the homesick boy in him and he came home in the late 1990's.

"Humph! It's not as much fun that way" he stated walking into her bedroom from the bathroom "I like it when they are willing participants. As you rightly know" a hint of his accent coming through he looked over his shoulder wagging his eyebrows at her.

Hermione waved a hand "That was one time and…."

He cut her off, eyes alight with mischief "You still enjoyed it" he sat down on her bed giving her a sly grin

She absently touched the top of her left breast and felt the two little puncture scars, getting lost in memories.

Philip knew where she had gone and brought her back from that dark memory by changing the subject, "So is the famous Harry Potter meeting you right away?"

"Hmmm…ahh I don't think so. I'm meeting Kingsley right away about the case"

"I'm still not sure about this new partnership between the Ministry and the MC"

Hermione nodded her head "I agree but as I have knowledge of both and understand how Aurors and Agents work I was naturally the pick. Kingsley is hoping I can bring some new tactics and training to the Aurors, while pursuing the case. He's especially interested in the Americans use of magic without wands."

Philip laughed "I bet he is! Man are Brtis's jealous of that one. They still can't get over the fact that their evolution made them reliant on wands"

"Yes well we all have different combat styles; you Americans don't have the reputation of being cowboys for no reason. I believe the phrase is shoot first and ask questions later… I believe you all could use a little more of the British uhm patience shall we say"

He smiled and got off her bed moving close to her. She could see a question in his face and she knew what he was going to ask "No Philip, I'm not going to see them. My dad made it very clear I was to never darken their doorstep again"

"It's been ten years Hermione, he may have softened. I have been on this earth long enough to know what it is like to live without your family and its damn lonely" he gave her that look, he was so many things rolled into one for her, father, brother, best friend, partner...when you've been in the situations they have been together, there is a bond. Plus Philip chose her when no one else wanted to work with the foreign rookie. But she did not want to be parented right now.

"Don't you have a dinner to go to?" she asked sarcastically

He looked at his vintage Piaget realizing it was 1am and bar close was soon. He took her in his arms, and she wrapped her arms around him burying her face in his chest breathing him in, clean and sweet and is that a hint of Tide? Smells were memories for her; she was such akin to it, like that time in potions class with Amortentia. She knew her smells right away. Anyway she would miss him desperately. Trying not to cry she choked "call me, every night"

He chuckled "I will. Think about what I said, and be good"

"I will"

He brushed her cheek softly with his "Come back to me ok"

She nodded her head and silently he was gone.

She took her glass from her bedside table where Philip left it. She walked to the buffet across her studio apartment and filled it again. She was nowhere near drunk enough to sleep a nightmare free sleep. She wandered back to her bathroom and looked at her reflection again. Yes change was needed to go back to her homeland. Maybe if she dyed it a color worthy of Tonks people would focus on that and not see her fear of being back there. She had ghost everywhere there, hopefully most of them would stay in their closet where she had packed them away years ago. That settled it, a haircut before she had to take her portkey.

xox

Draco Malfoy walked down the hall of the Ministry corridor of the MLE offices. He was headed to see Kingsley to shore up the details of their lunch meeting for tomorrow. He read the latest file he had picked up from Theo's office as he walked. Theo wasn't there but he had found it miraculously on his messy desk. Draco became aware of low, whispering voices around him. He stopped and looked up from his file tuning in the chatter.

"Yes in with Potter, right now"

"You actually saw her"

Two older witches gossiped. Draco saw others all around the corridor acting the same way. He moved further down the hall and saw his two best friends standing there in the large open reception area near Potter's office. He could see Theo's features and gesturing animatedly, similar to the way he was in the courtroom. Blaise had his back to Draco; Theo noticed him and gave him a nod.

When Draco reached them, Theo was silent.

Blaise asked "You're sure it was her? Hermione Granger?"

"Yes"

"And how did she look mate?"

"Fucking hot" as if that settled something

Draco rolled his eyes "Theo you say that about all women simply hoping it will get back to them and they may consider fucking you"

"Not this time lads. I'm fucking serious" he nodded his head with a serious look on his face.

Draco looked at Blaise who shrugged his shoulders keeping his arms folded. The three former Slytherin turned to look at Potter's office door.

So she really was here. Draco knew she would be. Kingsley told him during their weekly lunch a few weeks ago.

'So I've asked Hermione to come help with the case. The Magical Congress has agreed to the partnership, and I'm hoping she can share some things she has learned as an Agent with our Aurors.'

Draco set his pint down without drinking. It had been a long time since he had heard her name; he knew Kingsley was watching his reaction carefully.

"Do you think she can track him down? I mean Blaise and Potter are the best Aurors we have, and they have so much time invested'.

'I agree they are the best, but Hermione has something special" he paused "she solves the unsolvable. I'm just sorry we lost her to the Americans'

'Hmmm' was Draco's response, he certainly fared better with her gone. If he was honest with himself she had always been the one in his dreams, since they were kids. She haunted his nightmares for years after the war. But somewhere in time she started haunting his dreams in other ways. So much so he moved his mother's picture to his study. He couldn't roll over and look at her face after dreaming those things. Now he was going to see her in the flesh and have to work with her on Lucius' case. Draco and Theo had an agreement that it was Draco's case, but Theo would prosecute Lucius as Draco was not allowed to per Kingsley's orders.

'I know you two will be spending a lot time together, and because of this I want to make you aware of a few things' he scooped cottage pie into his mouth still cautiously watching Draco's reaction "You two have some things in common" he continued

Draco arched an eyebrow from over his glass as he drank

"She is estranged from her parents and has become reckless in her personal life." Kingsley looked at him gravely 'I hear her drink of choice is firewhisky'

Ahh there it was Draco sighed. This wasn't just a case, this was a rescue mission. That was once Draco's drink of choice too. If it hadn't been for Blaise finding him that morning he would be dead.

Kingsley continued in Draco's silence 'Hermione is very special to me and your mother and I think you could help her.' At Draco's face he held up his hand 'We get it there's a history there, but you two will be working so closely together. Plus Potter doesn't have these demons and Weasley, well….' Kingsley trailed off taking another bite of his lunch

'I'll think about it' Draco replied after some thought

'Thank you'

'Now could you and mother please talk about other things besides me and women, even friends? Anytime mother talks about any women my palms start to sweat. She's forever angry with me for not giving her grandbabies before she died' Draco explained

Kingsley barked his deep laugh and covered his mouth with his napkin 'Draco I have loved your mother since I was fourteen and you still know her better than I do on some things, I feel you may be right on this one'

'Oh I know I'm right' he laughed too

After the war, Draco and his mother were free from Lucius, as he took off and has been on the run ever since, Narcissa was free to pursue her true love Kingsley. They had met at Hogwarts and had planned to be together forever until her family deemed Kingsley from the wrong kind of family and proceeded to arrange a proper marriage for her. Narcissa could never divorce though as Lucius was never pronounced dead, but she also needed to protect Draco and the Malfoy name still carried some weight. She rebuilt the business and ensured Draco would always be financially taken care of. After years of abuse from Lucius though, her body became weak. She and Kingsley had five good, happy years together. Draco would always be grateful she died in the arms of someone who truly loved her. Her paintings were in every room of the house she and Kingsley shared as well as his office so she could always be with him.

Blaise elbowed Draco out of his thoughts and he glanced towards Potter's door it had opened. A pixie headed woman with dark lined eyes and red lips walked out dressed in head to toe black. Even in heels there was nothing delicate about this woman. She was tough, fierce even, and Theo had been dead wrong…she was beyond hot, she was gorgeous. Girls are hot, this was a beautiful woman. Her eyes found Draco's as she left Potter's office. Her face was an emotionless mask, but her eyes burned and never left his as she stalked towards him. Gods she was so confident and clearly a force to be reckoned with. Draco started to sweat as she held his gaze he was unable to look away; she finally released him as she turned on her heel and stalked down the hall to her left. Draco watched as people rushed out of her way and watched in awe with the rest of them.

Blaise whistled low "Damn, I've heard of hell on heels…but I don't think I've ever seen it until now"

"Fuckers, I told you….hot" Theo chimed in

All Draco could do was stand next to his mates as they were all still staring down the hall; they appreciated the sway of her backside. He was so fucked.