It's been a month since I broke things off with Draco and things have been strained to say the least. He's not being himself. He doesn't realise he is making things easier for me. He's trying too hard. I try to stay out of his way. I recently found my own place. It's not perfect but I needed to get away from the house. It wasn't just Draco. Harry and Ginny were still in honeymoon world and it was slightly nauseating. I don't know if it was just me. It probably was.

So now I had my freedom at home. It was only in work where we had to work in such close proximity on a day to day basis. He always found a way to touch me even it was just a quick graze of hands. It would send shivers through me and my heart would stutter. Numerous times I had nearly just given in.

Just as I was thinking about how to tell Draco I needed him to back off some more I got a memo from Kingsley asking me to his office. I wonder what this could be about. It's perfect timing too because Draco chose that time to come into my office. He no longer knocks.

"Sorry Draco. Kingsley has just called me to his office. Whatever it is it will have to wait." I pick up a quill and some parchment just in case.

"Oh ok." He says looking slightly put out. "I'll see you when you get back."

"Thanks." I say as I rush out the office door and towards the elevator. I feel his eyes on me but I don't turn around.

As I head to Kingsley's office I wonder what it could be about. Everything has been running smoothly as far as I know. When I reach his office his secretary tells me to go straight in. I knock and push the door open.

"Ah Hermione. Take a seat." He points to an empty chair. "Straight to business I'm afraid. The Bulgarian ministry are not fond of Miss Patil. They would like someone more senior."

"What?" I ask shocked. "Padma is one of my best."

"Yes I told them this but they are still not satisfied." He takes a deep breath. "I think they feel insulted that we sent a mere employee rather than a head or deputy."

"I only spoke to them a few days ago and they seemed happy. What changed their mind?" I ask.

"Possibly that the French sent senior staff members." I slump in my chair.

Then it hits me. Am I a terrible person for thinking this? Probably. "I'll send Draco." I say.

"Will he be ok with that? It is six months."

"He'll have to be." I say. "I have far too much going on that I want to oversee myself to leave now."

"Would you like me to inform him?" He asks.

"No, no." I say. "I'll tell him." It's the least I can do, I think to myself.

I finish my meeting with Kingsley and go back to the office. I'm not going to put this off I'm going to face this head on and deal with it now. Thinking about it though, it's the only solution. I can't leave now and they want a senior member.

As I leave the elevator and start to walk to my office I spot Draco. "Draco can I have a word please?" I don't stop I carry on walking to my office. I go to my desk and he's right behind me. "Can you close the door?"

I see him hesitate as I watch him. I try to hide the slight unease that I feel. I know he won't like this but I don't have another choice. Eventually he closes the door and sits opposite me. I get straight to the point.

"The Russians aren't happy with Padma." A look of confusion crosses his face.

"Didn't you just hear from them saying they liked her?"

"Yes, but the French have sent senior members of staff and now they feel insulted we haven't done the same. We have to send someone more senior." I look him straight I the face and I see his jaw stiffen I know he knows where this is going. "I have to send you Draco. I have no other option."

He stays silent for a moment just looking at me, his jaw still tight. I swallow waiting for his reply. I can't look at him anymore and my eyes move to my hands.

"Are you just trying to get rid of me?" I hear a mixture of hurt and anger in his voice and my eyes dart to his.

"No." I shake my head. "I have no other option. As head I can't leave now you know the work we still have to catch up on."

He's silent again and I know he understands now. While this is a convenient thing for me having my distance, no one but him can do this. I see his face slowly soften.

"When do I have to leave?" His eyes are still on me.

"Not for a couple of days if you want." I look at him he has his chin in his hand. "I'm not sure what the situation is. I only know that the draw happens on Sunday night."

"I'll leave in the morning then." He says. "That way I can catch up on what I need to do."

"Ok." For some reason it hits me how much I don't really want him to leave, but I push it down. "I'll leave Padma with you. At least for now anyway."

"That's a good idea." He stands. "Do you mind if I leave early? I need to pack." He sounds despondent.

"No of course not."

He turns and walks to the door. He puts his hand on the handle but pauses. He turns his head slightly towards me. "I'll miss you."

Tears quickly form in my eyes as I watch him turn the handle. "I'll miss you too." I whisper. The door closes and I don't know if he heard me. Would it be better if he didn't? I quickly wave my wand and lock my door.

Tears run down my face. Even though when I first had the idea I felt relief at the thought I would have distance now I wish I could take it all back. Watching him leave hurt more than I thought it would.

DRACO

Fucking bullshit. The whole thing, that's what this is. Why the Fuck did I have to go and fall for Hermione fucking Granger? I should have known better.

I'm back in the house, in my room. No one else is home. A wave of anger rushes through me and I end up punching the wall. It feels so satisfying I do it a few more times so a small hole is now in the wall. I'm panting when I finally finish and I lean against the wall.

This is it then she's figured out how to win, how to push me out. She's sending me to fucking Bulgaria for six months. In the back of my head I know there wasn't much of a choice. We need to keep the Bulgarians happy and who's more senior then me apart from Hermione herself? I also know work is not her only reason for not wanting to go to Bulgaria. If she went there she would probably have to work with Viktor Krum. My anger at the moment won't let me see that logic though. All I see is her wanting to get rid of me and now here was her perfect opportunity.

I don't know if it was my imagination or if it was real when I heard her say she would miss me too. I'm going to go with my imagination. It hurts less.

It will take me seconds to pack with magic so I head downstairs to where I know the fire whiskey is. I'm on my third glass when I hear the floo go. I look up to find Harry coming into the kitchen.

"Bad day at work?" Harry asks grabbing a glass to join me.

"I have to go to Bulgaria for six months tomorrow morning." I down the rest of my glass.

"What?" The shock shows on Harrys face.

"They want someone more senior." I wave my hands at myself indicating that I'm the senior member.

"Fuck." He shakes off the shock and pours his drink and refills mine. "I hope you didn't damage my wall too much." He nods at my hand where my knuckles are scraped and bleeding.

"Just a small hole." I say.

Harry downs his whiskey. "Right I'm changing and were going out for a drink. If you're leaving for six months we need a proper knees up."

Before I can object he's running up the stairs. To be honest though I don't want to object. I need this.

An hour later and were sitting in The Leaky Cauldron our second fire whiskey sitting in front of us.

"I can't believe your leaving for six months. It's bullshit." Harry says.

"I know." I look into my glass swirling the amber liquid around. I need to talk to someone and who better than Harry? "The worst thing is I don't know if Hermione is doing this because of work or because of what happened between us."

"Hold up." Harry puts his hand up for me to stop. "You and Hermione?" I nod. "What happened?"

"You can't tell Ginny, Harry. Hermione would kill me even more." Harry pretends to lock his mouth and I roll my eyes. "We fooled around a lot while you were on honeymoon. Well it started before then."

"You were together before the wedding?" Harrys face is filled with genuine shock.

"I wouldn't say we were together but we'd slept together." I shrug. Why am I finding this hard to talk about? "She never wanted a relationship."

"Just with you?" Harry asks. Harry must see how uncomfortable I am. "Sorry, man. I'm just curious. I can't believe I missed this."

I shake my head. "You know her better than I do. She doesn't seem to want a relationship with anyone. I tried to change her mind, but I don't know why she won't at least try." I finish my fire whisky and I can feel the effects start to relax me.

"Hermione is a mystery sometimes. When she doesn't want you to know something it's hard to get it out of her." Harry leans back obviously feeling it too. "But if you look at her two serious relationships, I don't think they went well."

"I don't know much about that to be honest." I silently beg for Harry to spill the beans. He looks like he's about to just that when Hannah interrupts.

"Another boys?" She asks picking up our empty glasses.

"Please Hannah." Harry says digging in his pockets for money.

She walks away and I look back at Harry. He looks like he's thinking something over but before I can ask what's wrong Hannah is back with our drinks. She puts them down collecting the money and heads back to the bar.

"Ok." Harry says as I'm lifting my drink. "If Hermione finds out I told you any of this she'll kill me and then I'll kill you. Got it?" I nod relived I could be getting some answers. "Her relationship with Ron was a weird one from the start. I never thought they were matched but she was in love with him, or she thought she was. She waited and waited for him while he fooled around with other girls. Then they kissed during the battle of Hogwarts and she thought everything was slotting into place." Harry stopped taking a sip of his drink. "Then everything settled down and Ron never made another move. Hermione wasn't one to make the move so things just stagnated. Then she boiled over and asked him what he wanted and he just ran away." Idiot, I think. "We didn't know about his drink problem then. It's got to be said though when we did find out, a lot of people blamed Hermione."

I opened my mouth to argue for her, but Harry stopped me putting his hand up. "I know it's illogical but people wanted someone to blame and at that point we didn't know when the drinking had started. I have to add neither I nor Ginny blamed Hermione." He sighed. "She came home and she hasn't spoken about it but I know she could feel the blame pouring out of people."

"Fuck." I said drinking again. That must have been hard on Hermione. "So she thinks her leaving Weasley drove him to drink?"

"Strike against relationships number one." Harry says.

"What's number two?" I ask I need to know more.

"Krum." He says simply. "She knows she broke his heart by leaving him to pursue her own wants and dreams. He didn't hide the fact from her either. Well this is from Ginny she hasn't actually spoke to me about her time in Bulgaria."

It all slots into place now. Her two serious relationships probably her only two the men have been hurt. She blames herself. I understand it all now she thinks somehow it would all fall apart and me, if not both of us would be hurt.

"How do you feel about her Draco?" I can see the curiosity all over his face.

I take deep breath. "I love her." I say.

Harry just nods before taking a sip of his fire whiskey.

"How do I help? How do I make her see it's not all like that?" I ask Harry.

"I have no Idea."

Sorry for the late update. Kids off school. J