Ok so I guess people were getting mad at my OOC Hermione, there's a reason I am not J.k. Rowling lol. I am trying to mix in the real Hermione in slowly with this chapter.

I like Wednesdays ok? Some people like Saturday, some like Friday, well I like Wednesday. Why is that you ask? Well Wednesday is my day off, the one day every week that I can just relax…well my version of relax. That means, cleaning my flat, going over my Hogwarts: A History collection, and reading case files. Call me crazy, but I enjoy it, sue me. So when I got a call from Harry this morning about going into the office, you can imagine my reaction. I'll spare you the details; let's just say I was far from chipper. I cursed from the time I got dressed until I apparated into the office that we shared.

"This better be good Harry, I was just starting to organize my junk drawer" he looked at me confused,

"You do know that the entire point of a junk drawer is that there is no pattern as to what goes in it right?" he asked chuckling

"It doesn't hurt to be organized Harry" I answered blushing slightly at his insinuation, "Anyway, did you only call me down here to make fun of me and how I live?" I asked after a short pause

"Oh yeah, well Kingsley got a hold of me this morning and handed me this file. He said we would, you especially, enjoy catching the bastards behind this." He motioned for me to join him on the small love seat next to the fire place, "I told him you'd want to get started right away."

"Well I'm here now so what's the case?" Harry handed me the file without anymore explanation.

Inside I was expecting to see pictures of witches and wizards, but instead I was slapped in the face with ones of house elves, which made me livid from the very start.

Victim number 1; Lenix

Status; Free Elf

Found dead in Nocturn Alley 1 month after being set free from his previous owners, the Bones family.

Spell traced were, stupefy, flagrate, and impedimenta

Cause of death; Stab wound to the heart

Victim number 2; Tikker

Status; Free Elf

Found dead outside of the Leaky Caldron in London 2 weeks after being set free from her previous owners, the Ekcovon family.

Spells traced were, stupefy, relashio, impedimenta, and langlock

Cause of death; Stab wound to the heart

Victim number 3; Battie

Status; Owned

Found dead in a Gringotts bathroom. The perpetrator stole her master's money as well, owned by the Seguri family.

Spells traced were, stupefy, relashio. Most trauma was caused with a broken off water pipe.

Cause of death; Undetermined

My brain was working a million miles a minute, going over every detail, studying the horrifying images of their mangled little bodies. In fourth year it made me angry when the house elves were just doing their jobs, but this…words could not describe what I was feeling. The only thing I knew was whoever did this was going to be hurt, badly.

"Hermione" I was brought out of my anger induced black out by his soft voice and his warm hand on my leg. I turned my head fast to see him gazing at me intensely his green eyes burrowing into mine,

"What? W-why are you st-staring at me?" I muttered in my best impression of Professor Quirrel. I never stuttered before, I don't know why I had started it now. I suppose it was because Harry's hand was getting dangerously close to the hem of my skirt,

"It's nothing; I just-like how you get so…passionate about what you believe in." his voice was barely at a whisper. Now I could have sworn he started to move in closer to me, and the weirdest part was that I wasn't pulling back. There was no hitting or protest from my end at all, if I was doing anything I am pretty sure that I was also leaning in, our eye contact never breaking. This was a strange feeling, but not too foreign, the first time I felt it was during third year. We were both in such close proximity wearing the time-turner, and the last time I felt it was in the tent so many years ago. The dance started out as a joke but grew very serious very quickly.

Now he was so close that I could smell his peppermint gum, all I could think at the moment was how I quite liked the aroma. Just before we reached the point of no return, Harry's cell phone rang breaking us apart. I could only hear his half of the phone call,

"Potter, yeah Kingsley she's here, yeah she read it…ok bye" Harry turned to me smiling, "I swear he doesn't trust me to do anything. The only reason he called was to make sure I talked to you. I'm not that forgetful am I?" he asked feigning a hurtful tone

"Yes, yes you are" I answered quickly, before he could retort I changed the subject "So let's get started on the case shall we?"

Harry pouted for a moment before finally getting back to work, always the procrastinator,

"Alright, what connects the cases? Besides the obvious?" he asked whilst spreading out each picture on the coffee table

"Well, they are all connected to wealthy and influential families." I answered immediately

"True, but what does that have to do with the elves?" he asked with his brows knitted together in a confused line,

"…I'm not sure, I just said the first thing that popped into my head" I confessed rubbing my eyes, Harry thought that was funny but suppressed his smile for my sake, "Well I would say that they are all free elves but it says right here that the 3rd victim was still owned…wait, what's that written at the bottom?"

"Oh I didn't even see that. What's it say?" Harry asked

Below the actual report of Battie the House Elf in small sloppy handwriting was a statement from one Ms. Seguri;

"It says, 'She had been my elf since I was a baby and was getting older. I felt that this time in her life should be spent spoiling herself not me. The only reason she was at the bank was so I could set up for her release party, the clothes were to be presented that afternoon.'" At this point I was grinning very wide, I love putting the pieces of a case together. "So she was a free elf, just like the other victims!" I exclaimed

"You. Are. Brilliant Hermione, truly." He answered taking my hand, ignoring the jolt I felt go through it I continued,

"So tomorrow we are going to have go and interview the Seguri's, they were throwing a surprise party. Only someone in on the surprise would know of where they sent Battie." I stood up to leave but Harry stopped me before I could,

"Hermione wait," he said following me to the door, "Ron's party has been moved to Friday"

"Damn, I have to go shopping so I look presentable" I joked, and the raven haired wizard began shaking his head,

"Honestly, you could show up wearing pajamas and look better than over half of the other guests" he said looking away

"Thank you Harry. I only wish we could say the same about you," I said jokingly, to which I got an over exaggerated sad face,

"That just isn't right Hermione. After everything we've been through"

"Oh calm down, I was only joking. You always look cute." He was speechless in the middle of the room, so I kissed the corner of his gaping mouth and left silently, laughing to myself at how flushed his face was.

When I got back to my flat Crookshanks immediately greeted me,

"Well, it looks like we're going shopping" I said scratching behind his ear.

Author's Note: I used an app on my phone for some of the spells, they sounded legit lol. I really hope you guys like where I am taking this. Review and do your thing :)