Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter - this applies to all following chapters!

A/N: Hi guys, as promised my new story. It was actually written before Roadtrip, but it desperately needed a beta. Thanks to TheDaringInferno for the great job!

[Edit 26.02.: I only changed a few mistakes in punctuation. All following chapters will be edited shortly.]

Enough from me - entrance of our heroine...

1. New beginnings

The golden sunset illuminated Hermione's kitchen, bathing it in warm, fiery light. With her tea in one hand, she stood at the window and watched as the sun slowly ascended over the horizon. She was up early, as usual, and therefore had enough time to watch the morning spectacle. It always managed to help her to calm down a bit.

Today was the first day of her new job as Junior Assistant to the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement department. Before that she'd been working in an under department of the Wizengamot, in cooperation with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She was proud of the work she had done there; she had introduced a large amount of reforms, many for house elf rights as well as a few improvements to the Werewolf Acts. Now she would be working in a completely new field, collaborating with the heads of various offices. She was particularly happy to be working closer with Harry, who had been made Head of the Auror Office not two months ago.

She even had her own office now, a place she could floo directly to. Having spent the last four months familiarising herself with the new job, she was now on her own. Bob Singer, the former Junior Assistant, had switched over to the Department of Security.

Motivated, she put her cup down, and moved towards the floo in her home. She grabbed her bag and a handful of floo powder and cried out, "Ministry of Magic, MLE Department, Hermione Granger's office."

In a whirlwind of green and black she landed roughly on the cream carpet of her new office. She had just put her things in order, when the voice of her secretary announced that the Head of the Auror's Office was asking for her. A second later, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in, Harry," she said and stood up. Harry, hair as unruly as ever, stormed in grinning widely.

"Good morning, Hermione. Nice office you got here. Better than mine anyway." She walked around her desk, pulling Harry into a hug.

"It isn't, Harry. It's exactly the same." She laughed and pulled back to look at her friend.

"But you have a cream carpet, 'Mione. Mine's green," he whined, but the twinkling in his eyes told her that he was only joking.

"If you have a problem with green carpets, Potter, then give me the office and you can have my desk in exchange," sneered a familiar voice behind them.

Harry spun around, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Malfoy, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Hermione's gaze moved between the two of them. She didn't really know what kind of professional relationship Harry and Malfoy had. If she had to place it she would say it was a mix of quiet professionalism and a detached sense of appreciation. Still she had never really seen him in her previous department, so she was rather surprised he'd even shown up.

"I wanted to congratulate Granger, of course. Sorry, forgot the flowers. Can I come in?" She realised that he was waiting in the doorframe, he wouldn't enter until she let him.

"Mr. Malfoy, what can I help you with?" She nodded and Malfoy finally stepped into her office.

"Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to say hello." He smiled charmingly. "We'll be working closely now so please, don't call me Mr. Malfoy. I am not my father."

She frowned, confused. "But, aren't you working in the Department of Intoxicating Substances? As far as I remember the Head is –"

"Nancy King. Yes, she is. But I'm her personal assistant and I will be your connection to our department. That's why I stopped by." His eyes flashed towards Harry for a second before going back to her.

"Oh. Thank you," she answered, dumbfounded. He looked just the same as he did at Hogwarts; same platinum blond hair, same ice grey eyes, same (if not more modern) black robes, and the same smirk on his face. But he had been nothing but polite to her and she was fairly certain, he'd changed his old pureblood views after the war.

"Okay, then. I'll leave you be. If you need anything, send a memo to my office–" He nodded, turning to leave.

"I thought you didn't have an office," she interjected.

"Well, you're right, it's only a desk, but still." He smiled, shaking his head. "Anyway, it was nice to see you, Granger. Potter."

Harry nodded politely and Malfoy disappeared out of the door.

"He was…" Hermione started, staring at her friend.

"Different?" he suggested, smiling warmly. "He is. Bit of a womanizer since his break-up with Astoria but… he's a good person."

"I would never have thought I'd hear you say that," she laughed and Harry pouted.

"Well, if you'd told me that, say ten years ago, I would've declared you mad. It's easy working with him. We're not exactly friends, but there's no animosity between us. He actually apologised to me and Ron. I guess he'll do the same to you, now that you're working together."

She looked down at her hands. "How should I react?"

Harry took her hands. "Look at me, Mione. You don't have to worry, he'll be nothing but polite. If not, I'll kick his ass." She smiled slightly and looked up into her friend's eyes. "I know, last year was very hard for you, but, you'll get through this, okay?"

She nodded, still feeling uncertain.

"OKAY?" Harry repeated forcefully.

"Okay!" she answered.

"Good. You know, you can come to me, if something's wrong." She nodded and Harry finally relaxed, letting go of her hands.

"I know," she reassured him. She knew she could trust him, after everything that had happened last year with Viktor there was no way she couldn't. "How's Ginny? Has James recovered from his cold?"

"Yeah, they and Albus are fine. Andromeda's currently taking care of them, 'cause Ginny's investigating for her new article about the Falmouth Falcons. They have a new Chaser and–"

Hermione hold up her hand. "Quidditch, really?"

He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mione, I didn't think…" He sighed. "Sorry."

"No worries. We have to work now. As the Head of your department, you can't stay in my office for twenty minutes, just chatting."

"Well, I just did." He grinned. "Meet you and Ron for lunch at one, kay?" He didn't wait for her to confirm the appointment, but simply strolled out of the office.

Shaking her head, she sat down at her desk and began to sort through her papers. However she didn't really get anything done, since every few minutes one of the Heads of this or that department came into her office to introduce themselves formally and to get her up-to-date with the latest news. She was just about to leave for her lunch break with Harry and Ron, when a memo turned up on her desk. Curiously she opened it.

It was from Draco Malfoy.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Leave me your thoughts, please.
And I feel the need to warn you - I have a predilection for cliffhangers :P