1Slight Delays

Hermione awoke the next morning with an aching back and pounding head. Somehow she had fallen asleep while laying on the couch the night before. The couch in coincidently wasn't very comfy after ten hours. It had been two days since she had been meaning to go down to the employment agency, but she had never quite gotten around to it. She sighed and rolled over on her stomach not wanting to get up, but knowing she had to she sat up. For approximately five minutes she sat there looking around with a sleepy gaze. She heard some voices coming from the kitchen. Hermione got up and walked out of the living room even though she wanted to know what they were talking about she passed through the kitchen all she did was mutter a small hello. Grabbing her clothes and make-up Hermione went back out and into the bathroom.

She quickly took her shower and got dressed. While she was applying her make-up she started to hear some yelling coming from outside the door.

"We had an agreement"one of the guys yelled. Hermione recognized it as Jake's even though she hadn't heard him talking very much.

"Things change"Hermione heard Draco snarl back at him.

Hermione stood completely still. She knew they were discussing the early departure of the three. Yawning Hermione went back to her make-up. She had to go down to the employment agency to tell them she didn't need a job anymore. Draco and Blaise would also be telling their bosses that they had to leave two weeks earlier than expected. She really hoped they wouldn't act like Jake who was totally flipping out on them and had been all morning. Apparently when Draco and Blaise had begun renting the house earlier that summer they had made a deal that they would leave one week before school started on September 1.

Out in the kitchen the all three boys were at the kitchen table. All of them had a furious look on their faces.

"Oh look slutty beauty decided to stop hogging up the bathroom after two hours"Jake retorted at her.

Hermione froze. What did he just say to her? One she was no slut. Two she had not been hogging the bathroom for two hours and three who was he to make those stupid judgements. Before she knew it Blaise had tried to pounce on him but draco held him back although he too was seething.

"Never ever call Hermione that ever again if you want to live to see the next day"Blaise snarled angrily through clenched teeth.
Hermione walked over and held Blaise back with Draco so he wouldn't do anything stupid and get them in trouble.

"Blaise relax forget about him he's not worth it"Hermione muttered softly holding him back with Draco.
"Yes that's right Zabini listen to your little fuck buddy"Jake retorted unnecessarily.

Unconsciously Hermione let go of him and Draco wasn't enough to hold him so he went flying towards Jake. Knocking Jake to the ground he began punching the living day lights out of him. Draco didn't seem to care anymore and stood there watching. Hermione however ran at them to pull them apart.

"No Blaise come on just leave it"Hermione begged looking up at Draco with a meaningful look on her face.

Draco sighed and stepped over to them and grabbed Blaise's shirt. With the combined efforts of Hermione and Draco they pulled Blaise off of him. Jake was still on the ground and very bloody.

"Your so lucky they were here to save your sorry ass"Blaise spat at Jake.

"Whatever I'm out of here"Jake walked out of the kitchen and over to the fire.

"Good riddance"Draco yelled at him as he flooed away.

"That was very stupid Blaise"Hermione chastised Blaise making him sit down at a chair and hold his nose"What if he goes to the police, huh?"

"He won't trust me it will ruin his reputation"Blaise waved his hand as if it would make the problem go away.

"He could still do it and then you'll get arrested and have to go to a juvenile delinquent center or something"Draco sat down next to him, a worried expression on his face.

Blaise shrugged but kept his head down pinching the bridge of his nose. Hermione came over and handed him a warm wash cloth.

"Here put this on your nose"Blaise took it and held it over his nose.

Hermione looked at her watch"Okay I gotta get over to the employment agency. Hold that on your nose until it stops bleeding. See you later"

Hermione waved good-bye right before she flooed to the Cobbler's Pub. Walking out of the pub and down the street as fat as she could she arrived at the employment agency in five minutes. She walked in and after telling same old lady behind the counter what she was there for she sat down on a chair. The room was empty except for her and very quiet. Hermione hummed softly to herself and tapped her feet lightly on the legs of the chair. The lady finally called her up to go to the back.

"Hermione Granger"her voice sounded odd as it echoed through the empty room"Same room as last time, dear"
Hermione got up and went down the hallway towards the door she had been in only once just recently. Entering the room the same lady sat at the desk with the same stern look on her face.

"Ms.Granger?"she asked stiffly.

Hermione merely nodded.

"Just as I thought. Now I have a very important question for you so pay close attention"she told Hermione as if she was speaking to a small child"Did you ever really want a job or did you think it funny to make me do all of that work to find you a job and then have it all go to waste To think I thought you were a responsible girl"the woman raged angrily.

"Something unexpected.."Hermione began but was interrupted.

"I have no time for people who have no consideration or thought of other people who work hard every day and have actual things they need to get done Now please kindly remove yourself from my office until you have become responsible enough to earn yourself a job"In this short time period she had stood up and was pointing towards the door.

A bit shocked Hermione stood up and stalked out of the room. She walked back down the hall and out of the lobby thinking "What a rude woman". Hermione sighed and wondered how Draco and Blaise were doing with their own bosses. At the Cobbler's Pub she flooed back to the apartment still annoyed at the woman's atrocious behavior.

At the apartment Blaise was sitting in the kitchen playing with some type of drink. Still swishing it around in circles he looked up and smiled at Hermione. He was obviously in a good mood again.

"Hello Hermione"

"Hello Blaise"Hermione smiled back"Stop playing with your drink your gonna spill it"

"Yes mother"he said sarcastically making an odd face.

Hermione, torn between amusement and annoyance gave him a sad half smile.

"Don't be too happy now"

"I won't"Hermione got up to get herself some pop from the refrigerator.

"So how did you fare with the wicked witch of west down at the employment agency?"Blaise asked her.

"The wicked with of the west?"Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him sitting back down.

"Yeah me and Draco had her help us get jobs , too"Blaise nodded eagerly.
"She gave me a kinda short but loud lecture about how irresponsible I am"Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well that sounds pleasant"Blaise commented.

"Must you always be so sarcastic?"Hermione frowned
sadly.

"Must you always be so serious?"Blaise countered with her.

"You impossible"Hermione scowled.

"Thank you"Hermione glared but didn't say anything.

Blaise smirked and leaned back in his chair. They sat in silence until Draco came in through the door with an angry scowl on his face. Hermione smiled sympathetically as he sat down at the table. The trio sat for a moment in an uncomfortable pause while Hermione and Blaise waited for Draco to tell them what had happened.

"Well"Blaise was becoming impatient.

"Well what?"Draco snapped peevishly.

"What happened at your bosses office"Hermione explained exasperatedly.

"Oh nothing much he just wants me to stay for another week"Draco snarled before muttering to himself "ass"

Hermione groaned"Did you explain to him what an emergency it was that we go back to London"

"No I just forget that completely"Draco rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"You don't have to be rude"Hermione chastised.

"I'm not being rude"he countered angrily.
"Yes you are, you can be such an insufferable brat"Hermione yelled stomping out into the living room.

She threw herself on the couch and stared furiously into the fire determined not look up when one of the boys sat down next to her.

"Mood swings"Blaise said a bit incoherently between some coughs.

"Shut up Blaise"Hermione sneered.

"You know we're gonna find out the truth eventually"he sighed running a hand through his hair.

Hermione didn't answer. She knew what he said was true but she wanted to postpone that moment for as long as she could.

Blaise sighed again "Just remember we'll be here to talk when you need us"he patted her shoulder lightly getting up and walking back into the kitchen.

Hermione sat there thinking about what he had just told her. Would he still mean that after he found out? Everybody else had told her the exact same thing and everybody else had left her in the dust without a second thought. Then with every insult and ignorance she had been cut just a little deeper. Then she had to leave, she had had to just get away. Now she was left to wonder if it would have been better in Sweden. Of course if she had gone to Sweden she wouldn't be going back to Hogwarts. She would have transferred to a small private school and stayed there. Of course she had never been able to make it to the boat.

Hermione furrowed her brow not really remembering that night. She really wished she could. All she remembered was a cold, icy, hollow voice. Hermione shivered at the thought of the voice that still haunted her dreams.

Hermione settled back in the couch a bit farther. Sleep slowly began to rush over her and before she knew it Hermione had fallen fast asleep.