Hermione shuffled her bags from one should her to the other as she strode
confidently down Diagon Alley. After three years of arguing with Russia
over the use of the Imperious Curse for spying, she had won. After the not
so unfortunate death of Barty Crouch, Hermione had taken over the
Department of International Magical Cooperation and was said to be one of
the most successful people in the Ministry of Magic except the Minister
himself. She was also known as one of the most dedicated. Hermione was
constantly working and it showed. All she ever talked about was work and
her stress level had caused her to become a grouch. At least, that's what
everyone thought caused it.
She didn't date. Ever since that disaster with Ron, during which he had asked her to marry him, she had secluded herself from society outside of the ministry. She didn't have fun. She didn't celebrate. She didn't even go to the Christmas party held in her office building.
After stopping in Flourish and Bott's, Hermione apparated to her house. She lived on the outside of London in a fairly small town. Her house was average size and completely white. No color adorned it, even on the inside, except maybe off-white and peach. It was sparsely furnished, the most cluttered place being the desk in the corner of her living room. She threw her book onto the desk and sat down on her sofa, prepared to take a small nap before starting on her next project.
A knock snapped her out of her dreamless sleep only ten minutes later and Hermione grumbled before getting up off the white leather cushions. She swung the door open to face an extremely tall man with white hair, brown eyes, and a completely expressionless face.
"Can I help you?" she asked politely even though she was tempted to slam the door in his face and go back to sleep.
"Are you Hermione Granger?" the man took a step into her house and Hermione stepped back, disgusted by the man's lack of manners.
"Yes, why?"
"I was told you were familiar at one time with Draco Malfoy, a wanted criminal, and, being an auror, I came to see if you have any information that may help me."
"Excuse me, but I haven't spoken to Draco Malfoy in five years, why would you think I would know where he was? And if you're an auror, why didn't they send Harry? Isn't the ministry supposed to send out someone you trust? I don't trust people who barge into my house, sorry. Draco? Oh my God. How would I have any idea where he is? If I'm the best lead you have, the ministry better get its act together. I can't help you, so please leave me alone," Hermione pulled the large man's arm back to her door and pushed him out. "Have a nice day."
"Idiots," she muttered and apparated to Harry's house. She stood outside the door a second before rapping loudly on it. Harry immediately answered and Hermione swept into the welcome foyer. "Harry, why did an auror just come to my house looking for Draco Malfoy?"
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry laughed. "Nobody's going to your house today. Today, they're going to Paris. Draco was supposedly spotted there."
"Well then, explain to me who that tall, rude man who just left my house was, because he told me he was one of you," Hermione sat down on a stool in Harry's kitchen and banged her head slowly against the counter.
"I don't know, Hermione. If the ministry was going to send an auror to you, they would've sent me. They already established that with the whole Voldemort thing forever ago," Harry sat next to her and put his hand in the spot where her forehead kept landing. "Stop it, Hermione."
"I need a break, Harry," when Hermione's eyes raised level with Harry's he saw that her eyes were filled with tears.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" he took her hand and led her off the stood and to his couch in the den.
"After all this time, they had to bring him up again. I've been a miserable person to be around all of these years because I've been trying to push the memory of him away and I've been working to hard to keep my mind busy, but now.it's just becoming harder and harder. It's been five years and I still love him! The bastard. After he.he killed a muggle. I can't believe it. Draco wouldn't do that. If he's caught, he goes to Azkaban, Harry."
"Mione, you haven't seen him in five years. If you still care this much about him, I don't know what to tell you. But, you're right. You need a break and I know just the place. Just a second," Harry stood up and ran over to his small, tidy desk and began shuffling through the drawers. "Here it is!" he smiled triumphantly and brought a small slip of paper over to Hermione. "Basel, Switzerland. It's in the mountains and on the edge of the Dark Forest. It's beautiful. There's a bread and breakfast there that's really nice."
"Don't you mean a bed and breakfast?" Hermione chuckled and took the slip of paper from him.
"Whatever, Hermione. I'm don't go around muggles much, give me a break. This is a muggle place though. I think it will be good for you. You get too caught up in work and memories of the D-word in the magical world. And try smiling while you're there. I know it takes effort, but."
"What do you do when the only person who can make you smile is the person who made you cry?"
"I don't know, Hermione. Just try."
"Thanks, Harry. I'll call the office and take next week off. I better go now," Hermione stood up and quickly hugged her friend.
"Hey, Hermione?" Harry called as she backed off.
"Yeah?"
"You might want to make that a week and a half."
Hermione smiled and apparated back to her office, "Arriana," she tapped on her secretary's desk, "I'm taking a next week and half of the one after that off. I'll be in Basel, Switzerland, but I don't want to be disturbed, so only bother me if it's an emergency." With that, she apparated again to her home and picked up the phone to call "Serenity's Home" and book a week and a half.
She didn't date. Ever since that disaster with Ron, during which he had asked her to marry him, she had secluded herself from society outside of the ministry. She didn't have fun. She didn't celebrate. She didn't even go to the Christmas party held in her office building.
After stopping in Flourish and Bott's, Hermione apparated to her house. She lived on the outside of London in a fairly small town. Her house was average size and completely white. No color adorned it, even on the inside, except maybe off-white and peach. It was sparsely furnished, the most cluttered place being the desk in the corner of her living room. She threw her book onto the desk and sat down on her sofa, prepared to take a small nap before starting on her next project.
A knock snapped her out of her dreamless sleep only ten minutes later and Hermione grumbled before getting up off the white leather cushions. She swung the door open to face an extremely tall man with white hair, brown eyes, and a completely expressionless face.
"Can I help you?" she asked politely even though she was tempted to slam the door in his face and go back to sleep.
"Are you Hermione Granger?" the man took a step into her house and Hermione stepped back, disgusted by the man's lack of manners.
"Yes, why?"
"I was told you were familiar at one time with Draco Malfoy, a wanted criminal, and, being an auror, I came to see if you have any information that may help me."
"Excuse me, but I haven't spoken to Draco Malfoy in five years, why would you think I would know where he was? And if you're an auror, why didn't they send Harry? Isn't the ministry supposed to send out someone you trust? I don't trust people who barge into my house, sorry. Draco? Oh my God. How would I have any idea where he is? If I'm the best lead you have, the ministry better get its act together. I can't help you, so please leave me alone," Hermione pulled the large man's arm back to her door and pushed him out. "Have a nice day."
"Idiots," she muttered and apparated to Harry's house. She stood outside the door a second before rapping loudly on it. Harry immediately answered and Hermione swept into the welcome foyer. "Harry, why did an auror just come to my house looking for Draco Malfoy?"
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry laughed. "Nobody's going to your house today. Today, they're going to Paris. Draco was supposedly spotted there."
"Well then, explain to me who that tall, rude man who just left my house was, because he told me he was one of you," Hermione sat down on a stool in Harry's kitchen and banged her head slowly against the counter.
"I don't know, Hermione. If the ministry was going to send an auror to you, they would've sent me. They already established that with the whole Voldemort thing forever ago," Harry sat next to her and put his hand in the spot where her forehead kept landing. "Stop it, Hermione."
"I need a break, Harry," when Hermione's eyes raised level with Harry's he saw that her eyes were filled with tears.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" he took her hand and led her off the stood and to his couch in the den.
"After all this time, they had to bring him up again. I've been a miserable person to be around all of these years because I've been trying to push the memory of him away and I've been working to hard to keep my mind busy, but now.it's just becoming harder and harder. It's been five years and I still love him! The bastard. After he.he killed a muggle. I can't believe it. Draco wouldn't do that. If he's caught, he goes to Azkaban, Harry."
"Mione, you haven't seen him in five years. If you still care this much about him, I don't know what to tell you. But, you're right. You need a break and I know just the place. Just a second," Harry stood up and ran over to his small, tidy desk and began shuffling through the drawers. "Here it is!" he smiled triumphantly and brought a small slip of paper over to Hermione. "Basel, Switzerland. It's in the mountains and on the edge of the Dark Forest. It's beautiful. There's a bread and breakfast there that's really nice."
"Don't you mean a bed and breakfast?" Hermione chuckled and took the slip of paper from him.
"Whatever, Hermione. I'm don't go around muggles much, give me a break. This is a muggle place though. I think it will be good for you. You get too caught up in work and memories of the D-word in the magical world. And try smiling while you're there. I know it takes effort, but."
"What do you do when the only person who can make you smile is the person who made you cry?"
"I don't know, Hermione. Just try."
"Thanks, Harry. I'll call the office and take next week off. I better go now," Hermione stood up and quickly hugged her friend.
"Hey, Hermione?" Harry called as she backed off.
"Yeah?"
"You might want to make that a week and a half."
Hermione smiled and apparated back to her office, "Arriana," she tapped on her secretary's desk, "I'm taking a next week and half of the one after that off. I'll be in Basel, Switzerland, but I don't want to be disturbed, so only bother me if it's an emergency." With that, she apparated again to her home and picked up the phone to call "Serenity's Home" and book a week and a half.