(Disclaimer: I do now own Harry Potter.)
A/N: This story is written for a competition on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. The challenge was to highlight discrimination and I chose gender discrimination. Enjoy, process, and review? :)
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-Coffee-
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Freshly brewed coffee burned her tongue and throat, so hot it soon became tasteless. It seared away the biting words that threatened to come forth and therefore kept her out of trouble. Harsh criticism of their policies ran through her mind as she simply clutched the mug more tightly. Yes, this was the perfect drink to sip during another department meeting. Not just any department of any agency, mind you, Hermione Granger worked for the Ministry of Magic. To be more specific, she worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hermione was relentlessly pursuing S.P.E.W. but no one seemed to have any altruism in the adult world. No one wanted to give up unpaid servants when the economy was still so wretched after Voldemort.
The stubborn old patriarchs of the political rat race never seemed to give her the time of day. Sure, Hermione was fresh out of Hogwarts and was all too optimistic, but the withered and wrinkled men hadn't even considered her proposals. It really wasn't very fair with their blatant favoritism. Harry Potter had soared the top of the packs, which was to be accepted with him having been the Chosen One and all, but Ron Weasley as well? Hermione wasn't angry or doubtful of her boyfriend's skill, but it was enough to put more than a few thorns in her side every time the matter came up.
Other events didn't make sense at first either, it took the first couple of months to realize just what was going on in the hallowed halls of the ministry. The sexual appeal that Lavender Brown and Pansy Parkinson exuded in the work place was quite unacceptable. Lavender Brown took obvious care with her luxurious blonde curls and not so subtly thrust her not so entirely covered breasts forward for every high ranking male authority. Pansy Parkinson was another tale with her sleek dark hair, sensuous make-up, and a much shorter hemline on her robes. Hermione took note that Pansy Parkinson and different male authorities would disappear at the same times each week. She could only guess why the former Slytherin reapplied her lipstick so self-consciously afterwards.
Hermione had taken this up with Ron one evening before bed, extremely concerned. "-and just because I'm not whoring myself out no one pays any attention to me." Hermione finished with her head in a feather pillow.
Ron had a bemused expression and patted her back sympathetically. "You just have to give it some time 'Mione. They'll see how brilliant you are. And bloody beautiful too." At this, she raised her face and turned to look at him.
"Do you really think so?" Her eyes were pleading for an ego boost, having had such poor self-esteem lately.
He answered her with a kiss and few other deeds that need not be mentioned here.
The next day Hermione was in a much better mood, having been properly cheered up by Ron the night before and also the morning after. Not even seeing Lavender prancing about could bother her. Nor watching Pansy play, and often succeed, at seduction. She had incidentally chosen a brighter outfit to wear to work and her renewed smiles did not go unnoticed. Her day had gotten better by the hour. At noon, to be more exact, a superior called for Hermione Granger to his office. This reserved old man never called any young beginner to his office.
"You called me, sir?"
They spoke of policy, S.P.E.W., Goblin relations, secrecy laws, and many more highly structured thoughts that she dared not bring up during meetings. The older man seemed to be absorbing her ideas with a steadily growing appreciation. Eventually Hermione became less flustered and her brighter personality and intelligence began to show through. You see, Hermione was usually rather dull at the work place, having never gotten the attention she admittedly thought she deserved. Finally, things were changing.
"I see, well, Miss. Granger. You are a Miss- aren't you?" He leaned forward, his chin resting on interlocked fingers. She nodded and he smiled. "Miss. Granger, you have brilliant notions of how this company should be run. You young ladies…Yes, Yes, I'll take these matters up with the board."
He stood and crossed the office to open the door for her, but as she left, she felt a hand squeeze her buttocks. Indignation made her wide-eyed and speechless. She couldn't manage a word, much less a sentence, as she walked back to her cubicle. Sitting in her uncomfortable chair, embarrassment rankled and tears stung behind her eyes. Hermione quit the next day and never told anyone, not even Ron, what had happened. She had found a new passion for her work, G.E.O. Gender Equality in the Office. Besides, now that she was on her own hours, coffee wasn't really necessary anymore.
Fin.