Flipped

By Elfspring

Chapter 2

Harry was currently sitting at a desk in the Tactics and Research division of the Auror Department; he was currently being made by his 'new boss' Hermione Granger, to sort through the mail that had arrived at the department that morning. It had been a whole week since Harry had been demoted temporarily; his first job the next day was to unpack all the boxes that had arrived for Hermione into her new office. Of course Harry could've done it with a few swishes of his wand but Hermione had specifically stated that he was to unpack without any magic.

As the days progressed his work got even more appalling. He kept had a fleeting thought that Hermione was doing this on purpose to slowly cut him down and always had a thought at the back of his mind that she was enjoying giving him these lousy jobs.

Harry gave a sigh of relief as he finally reached the bottom of all the letters that he had to sort through. Now the only thing he had to do was deliver them. It took him another hour until he finally delivered all of the letters. He was about to walk towards Hermione's office to ask what other job she required when the phone at his desk started to ring.

Harry groaned before he slowly made his way to his desk. He picked up the phone and once again it was Kingsley Shacklebolt. For the past week he had been phoning Harry every thirty minutes to check-up on him and ask if he was doing everything Hermione was asking him to do. However this time it was different.

"This is Potter," Harry said uninterested.

"Harry this is Kingsley please come into my office," said Kingsley.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Harry said earnestly.

"Who said you did anything wrong? Just come in here, I want to talk to you about something. It's really important so don't take your time getting here!" Kingsley said before putting down the phone before Harry could answer.

This time Harry listened to Kingsley and didn't take his time in getting to his office, if his voice wasn't so urgent Harry would have taken his time like he did every time he got called. As he got to Kingsley's office he heard both Kingsley and Hermione's voice from the office, it sounded as they were having a shouting match in the office. Harry decided to knock on the door in case he was interrupting something that he didn't want to know about. Harry waited a while before finally deciding that they had not heard his knocking, he knocked again but a bit louder. A few seconds later the door swung open and Kingsley was standing in the doorway looking a bit flustered. Harry decided not to ask what had happened and instead sat down on the chair next to Hermione.

There was an awkward silence before Kingsley started to tell Harry why he wanted to see him for.

"Harry… Hermione has just received a death threat from an anonymous person-"

"Kinsley, half the death threats that this department receives are mostly all hoaxes! How do we know this one is for real and are you really going to use this department resource for something which could be a joke?" Harry asked with a note of disbelief in his tone.

"Harry I know for sure this is not a hoax. Hermione has been here for only a week, not many people know she has even started working here." Kingsley said seriously. "I'm sorry Harry but I'm going to take this threat seriously, even if you think this is not."

"May I ask why you are telling me this? I've been relieved of my position temporarily; Gareth is in charge so you should be telling him this not me." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Yes I know, but like you've mentioned you've been temporarily relieved so therefore you are working for Hermione, doing things that she has asked you to do. But I'm going to ask you to watch over her for the next twelve hours." Stated Kingsley. "If you do this you will have your job back by ten o' clock tonight."

Harry took a few seconds to think about this offer, in the end he had no other choice than to agree to Kingsley's proposal. After Harry had nodded Hermione quickly got up from her seat and walked out of the office, Harry had to jog to keep up with her as she walked towards the elevator. She pressed the fortieth floor which could only mean that she was going up to the Minister's office. As the elevators doors opened she quickly walked in, Harry was staring at the highlighted button lost in his thoughts on why she was going up to the office but was quickly brought back down to earth when he heard Hermione's voice snap at him.

"Are you getting in of what? Or are you forbidding me to go up?" Hermione snapped while tapping her foot.

Harry inwardly groaned and shook is head as he walked into the elevator. The elevator ride was cold and quiet for a few seconds until Hermione spoke…

"Potter you know that I don't like you?" Hermione said without looking at him.

Harry merely nodded and continued to stare at the buttons as each number passed but not before being highlighted. Currently they were passing the thirtieth floor. Harry was currently hoping that she wasn't going to say anymore but of course luck wasn't on his side.

"I actually admired you after you had defeated Lord Voldermort, but after discovering that you had got the Head of Field Operations job after just working for the department for two years I knew my first perspective of you was true. Son of one of the most well-known couple in the wizarding world and the chosen-one, it would be obvious that there would be a uproar if you didn't make your way up the career ladder in record time. I despise people who get what-ever they want served to them on a silver platter. You are one of them."

She ended her well planned outburst when the elevator door opened. All Harry could do was stare at her with his mouth agape, both with amusement and shock as she walked out towards the waiting area of the Minister's Office. Harry followed her towards the office that was on the left. Harry now knew exactly why she came up here, the door on the right was the Minister's Senior Secretary the middle door was Mr Weasley's Office and the door she was walking to was The Minister's Junior Assistant, it was the office of her boyfriend, Timothy Simpson.

Harry was dreading having to walk into the office with her. He breathed a sigh of relief when she told him that she would be fine without him for a few minutes as she talked to her boyfriend. Harry watched her walk into the office and as soon as the door closed he started pacing around the waiting room. As he saw a framed article from the Daily Prophet he noticed it was the day he had defeated Voldermort. It was a photo that the whole world recognized; the photo took the whole page and had him standing in the centre of what seemed like a mammoth crater. By his feet was a black cloak, it was worn by Voldermort before he was vanquished.

Harry grinned at the picture, every time he saw the picture he couldn't help but smile to himself, he had done something far beyond his expectations and it was something he cherished and knew that in his entire life he would never be able to do such a mammoth task again.

After what seemed like hours Hermione finally exited the office, she was escorted out by Timothy who was grinning at her. Before they had reached Harry, Timothy whispered something in Hermione's ear which made he grin a little bit broader than a few seconds earlier. Harry inwardly groaned, he wished that if he ever fell in love again he wouldn't act like the two people who were standing in front of him.

Harry was about to turn around and go to the elevator when Timothy called him.

"Hey Potter! Hermione's got a date with me tonight at the Chudley's games! I don't think you would mind if you came to watch!"

Harry looked at him with an expressionless face but inside he was screaming with happiness. Finally, for the first time in that week he had something to look forward to. Today was the final between the Chudley Cannons and Wimbourne Wasps for the Quidditch Cup. Ron had invited him to watch but Harry sadly had to decline.

Harry replied with a toneless, "Cool"

Timothy and Hermione watched Harry as he walked towards the elevator. Timothy made sure Harry was out of earshot before whispering, "I expected him to be a bit happier, he was Quidditch mad when I met him when he first started out at the club. Anyway I'll see you tonight then?"

"Yeah," Hermione replied with a grin before giving him a peck on the cheek and turning around to make her way to the elevator.

The elevator ride back down was a quiet one. Neither Harry nor Hermione looked at each other or attempted to make conversations. Harry thought that if he was to make if through this job without either of them making an attempt on each others life they should make as little conversation possible.

Harry was once again sitting in the Chudley Cannons player's lounge. He was currently in a good mood compared to that of that morning. Chudley Cannons had managed to win the Quidditch Cup even though it was a very tight game. In the end it was Ron's incredible saves that managed to leave the Cannons a chance to win if their seeker caught the snitch. During the game Harry had managed to spot the snitch a lot more times then both of the seekers on the pitch, it was the only part of the game that kept Harry annoyed. The Chudley Cannons seeker Sean Murray managed an average dive (in Harry's eyes) to catch the snitch and earning Chudley Cannons their win, the score was 310- 290.

Harry was actually enjoying himself, something he wasn't expecting in the company of Timothy Simpson, John Simpson, the owner of the club and father to Timothy, and Hermione. Harry was also in the company of Ron which made the gathering even more enjoyable. Harry was drinking his third bottle of butterbeer when he heard a soft metallic sound in the distant. Harry immediately turned around and saw that there weren't many people, a barman, waiters scattered around a few cleaners and a doorman.

"Is anything wrong Harry?" Ron asked seriously even though he was a bit drunk.

"I don't know Ron. I thought I heard a metallic sound somewhere," Harry said while surveying everything around him.

"Harry I think you are currently being a bit paranoid, its probably just the cleaners gathering all the other bottles left here," Ron said while returning his attention back to his drink.

Harry continued to look around the lounge to see if anyone was looking suspicious or didn't seem to look vaguely familiar. After a few minutes Harry went back to the conversation he was having with Ron.

An hour had passed since he heard the sound and shrugged it off but it didn't mean he wasn't still aware of his surrounding and the safety of Hermione. Hermione and Timothy were currently looking out the glass wall towards the pitch where fireworks were being put on because of the victory.

Harry kept a constant watch on the surroundings when he heard the sound again. This time the sound was much closer, Harry's eyes darted around the room until he laid his eyes on a cleaner who was by the entrance and had a menacing look in his eyes. He gave Harry a sadistic smirk and was playing with something in his hands, his eyes kept glancing at Hermione and Timothy.

Harry in this specific time had no other thought in his mind than try to get Hermione and Timothy out of the line of fire. What happened in the next few seconds seemed to be in slow motion. The man flung the object which was in his hand towards the direction of Hermione; Harry had less then a few seconds to push them both out of the way. Without another thought Harry took a few steps towards them and lunged over ad pushed them out of the way. Harry fell to the ground and felt something pierce his arm; he looked at his arm and saw blood dripping from a knife which was embedded in his arm.

"What the hell are you doing Harry?" asked John Simpson while trying to help his son and Hermione up onto their feet.

"Harry… you're bleeding!" Ron said while pointing at his arm.

"Yeah I know. Hermione are you alright?" Harry asked while attempting to pull out the knife in his arm.

"Yeah I'm fine Harry, what just happened?" Hermione asked slowly obviously in shock.

Harry just remembered that the man who flung the knife could still be in the building and immediately took after him.

"John, please alert the security in the stadium to put up wards against apparition and to watch out for a man who happens to be running." Harry shouted while running out of the lounge.

Harry ran down the stairs which was the only way to get into the lounge. As he ran down the stairs he found that the pain in his arm was nearly unbearable, without any other choice he grabbed the handle and pulled the knife out of his arm. He bit his bottom lip to try and dull the pain; he quickly flung the knife to one side while he continued to run. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he saw that the man had two directions to go down. He looked to the left and saw nothing that aroused his suspicion; he looked to the right and saw the man jogging down the corridor. Harry couldn't believe his luck that the man was still in the building. It seemed the man thought that there wouldn't be anybody trying to pursue to him.

"Hey!" Harry shouted while running towards him. The man turned around and eyes grew wide before dashing down the corridors towards the exit. The man was faster then Harry had anticipated him to be, in no time he was nearing the exit and Harry knew he wouldn't be able to catch him, he decided that he should use his brain instead of his brawn. Harry took out his wand and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!"

The man immediately got frozen on the spot and within the second fell to the floor with a great thump. Harry made his way towards the man and smirked at him before grabbing his arm and apparating him back to the player's lounge. When he arrived he saw that Kingsley had arrived while bringing five other aurors and the department's healer.

"Harry! How did you manage to catch this man so quickly?" Kingsley asked while staring at the man who was by one of Harry's foot.

Harry who was tired due to the fact that he had just lost a lot of blood just gave an unhelpful grunt.

"Well anyway Harry I'm going to take this man for questioning. I suggest you get your arm looked at by Rachel," Kingsley said before disapparating.

Harry looked around the room and saw that the staff were all being questioned and that Hermione and Timothy were currently getting the attention of Rachel who was currently giving them towels to wrap themselves in and gave them both a potion to calm them down.

"Hey Harry! You alright? Looks like a nasty cut, fancy a butterbeer?" Ron asked still obviously drunk and a bit oblivious to what had just happened.

"Yeah Ron that would be great," was all Harry could manage before dropping himself into the single couch chair.

"You know Harry; you shouldn't take your job so seriously! I'm starting to get why Ginny left you for Malfoy, if I was your girlfriend and you came home everyday looking like you ran through sewage pipes I would dump you to!" Ron said absentmindedly while handing the butterbeer over to Harry.

Harry wasn't really listening to Ron while he continued to speak. The only thing that was going through his mind was that Rachel was currently treating two people with shock while he was here nearly bleeding to death. But there wasn't anything else for him to do but to sit there and wait for her to come along and heal him. It took her another five minutes until she was finished with Hermione and Timothy and finally made her way to Harry.

"Aah, you again Harry! You seem to get yourself into a spot of trouble these days. Oooh… this knife cut doesn't look too good, I suspect the knife was magical… most likely dark magic…"

"Oh great! So you are telling me that you won't be able to heal me and that the reward a get for saving someone is a week of pain?" Harry asked while shaking his head.

"Make that two Harry, it seems that your arm will need to be bandaged and you will need a sling too, so you don't move your arm excessively. I'm going to dab something in the wound so all the bacteria will be killed… it might hurt a bit," Rachel said while dipping a cotton bud into a blue bottle.

Rachel was right the something she dabbed into his wound did hurt, Harry wasn't counting on this much pain as he went through more then his fair share of disinfectants, Harry was absentmindedly taking a sip of his butterbeer when she dabbed the wound, the sudden surge of pain caused Harry to choke on his butterbeer in shock.

"Hey! I told you it would be sore, next time please refrain from drinking or eating something when I tell you something is going to hurt, I wish to have my naught percent mortality rate still intact." Rachel said while she started to bandage his arm.

A couple minutes past before she finished bandaging his arm, after several pleas from Harry she finally gave in and decided not to give him a sling if he promised that he wouldn't do anything to hurt his arm further. "By the way Harry, Kingsley wants you back at the department, wants to talk to you about something,"

Harry just nodded and said a quick a goodbye to Ron before apparating to the Ministry.

When Harry arrived in the department it was reasonably busy even though it was already quite late. Perhaps it was because they caught a suspect and they all got dragged back, Harry thought to himself. Harry made his way across the department, dodging Gareth who seemed like wanting to know the full story by Harry himself.

Harry sat by himself in Kingsley's office for nearly half an hour before Kingsley walked into his office clearly a bit angry.

"How was the questioning?" Harry asked immediately.

"A bloody waste of time! The man's a squib, that's why he was so easy to catch! He was also paid to do this…" Kingsley shouted but steadily calming down.

"Didn't he tell you who paid him?" Harry questioned.

Kingsley gave Harry an odd look before replying.

"Harry, you've been at this job long enough that the masterminds never give their names to people who work for them. The man you caught name is Damien Taylor, he's thirty years old and in the muggle world he works as an assassin. He was doing quite well before he got this job, probably got paid a ton to be dragged back into the wizarding world and kill someone the muggle way." Kingsley said thoughtfully before turning his attention back to why he had asked Harry to come to the department.

"Harry… Angela and I agree that you should take a break of about a week… this is not a recommendation but an order," said Kingsley.

Harry for the first time in his auror career, Harry didn't feel like objecting to having a break.

Harry merely nodded and started to get up from his chair.

"By the way Harry, well done, I'm sorry I had to make you stay with Hermione for a week but at least in the long run you listen to orders a bit better." Kingsley said while grinning at him.

Harry nodded again before walking out of the office and back to his desk.

Harry started to pack a few of the files that he wanted to work on while he had a bit of break when he noticed Hermione was walking towards him. Harry pretended he didn't notice her as he couldn't of bet that she was here to annoy him and tell him that he didn't do a very good job blah, blah blah.

However she did something unexpected.

"Harry… I just wanted to say thanks… for saving my life," Hermione said without meeting his eye.

"Yeah whatever, I was just doing my job," Harry said with a shrug.

An awkward moment past before she turned around and headed towards Kingsley's office.

Harry thought that was by far the most awkward moment in his life, it was also their first conversation (if you could call it that) that they didn't try to annoy each other. As Harry walked out of the department, a folder full of files under his apartment he smiled as the elevator doors closed. There wasn't another time during the past year where he felt happier to leave the department for more than six days.

A/N: Hey me again! Just wanted to say thanks or reading! Really appreciate it! But I would appreciate it even more if you left a review! By the way it might take about six chapters until Hermione and Harry get together! If you spot any mistakes or anything you can e-mail me at should be posting new chapters about once a month. By the way i'm still looking for a BETA!