The next day, Hermione nervously entered the Ministry of Magic, her visitor's badge pinned firmly to the front of her blouse. When her wand was weighed, she noticed the guard's eyes lingered for a moment on her badge, widening in surprise at the phrase Vampire Support Conference. Truth be told, she was a bit puzzled over that herself, as the note had mentioned nothing about a conference. But she didn't know what magic was responsible for placing information on the visitors' badges after the required facts were given, so perhaps this was standard, no matter what the occasion.
"Here," the guard said, thrusting her wand back at her.
"Thanks," she started to say, but he'd already turned back to reading his issue of The Quibbler.
After a claustrophobic elevator ride, during which Hermione found herself uncomfortably crammed against the wall by several Ministry workers, she entered the office of the Vampire Support Division. The office was relatively small, only five desks in the area. An aged wizard with scraggly gray hair looked up from his paperwork as she came through the door.
"Hermione Granger?" he asked.
"Yes."
He jerked his head at a doorway at the back of the office. "In there."
"Thank you."
"Miss Granger," said a cool feminine voice as she entered. "We've been expecting you. Please, sit down." She gestured to a seat directly in front of Hermione. "I am Glenda Aurelium. With us today are Mr. Iladrius Hodgebool and Mr. Randel Stykes."
Glenda Aurelium was a middle-aged witch with dirty blonde hair and piercing dark eyes. The 'Mr. Hodgebool and Mr. Stykes' she referred to were two wizards on either side of her, who said nothing and simply stared as Hermione took a seat in the chair the woman indicated.
When Hermione was seated, Mr. Stykes, a short plump fellow with a boyish face, began what would turn into the most grueling half hour of Hermione's adult life.
"Miss Granger," he started, with a raspy voice, "This meeting, as you know, is to determine why you have yet to obtain a professional in either wizarding or Muggle society."
"A witch with your skills should have found a position easily," Miss Aurelium added, glancing at a stack of notes before. "Indeed, it seems you have been offered a position at Hogwarts as a professor, but declined. Care to explain?"
"It's simple, really. If I took a job at Hogwarts this soon after graduation, it'd be seen as a pity appointment, and I would also feel I wasn't able to make it without depending on my former Headmaster."
"I don't understand…how would taking a job at Hogwarts, a very prestigious institution, be seen as a, as you refer to it, 'pity appointment?'"
Hermione almost laughed out loud. Could they really be that stupid? "I'm a vampire. Finding a job, even with the removal of Delores Umbridge's half-human legislations, is difficult to say the least. Also, it's well known that I have a close relationship with Harry Potter, who in turn has a close relationship with Albus Dumbledore. Most former graduates aren't offered a position right after graduation – the invitation comes after they've had a few years to establish themselves elsewhere. People would view my becoming a professor at Hogwarts as a favor from Dumbledore to Harry and me. Hence, a pity appointment."
The three before her didn't look very convinced, but they didn't press further. Instead, Miss Aurelium fixed Hermione with a steely gaze.
"Very well, then, Miss Granger. We can't force you to take the job at Hogwarts. However, we strongly advise you to find a job, and soon. The Ministry regards those who, without reasonable excuses such as retirement, lack of magical ability, etcetera, who do not find positions within three months of graduation to be…well…"
"A dangerous element?" Hermione asked dryly. "Or slackers? Or, perhaps a risk to the secrecy of the wizarding world? After all, a bored witch or wizard is bound to start doing magic just to feel useful again, right? And that might attract Muggle attention? Or," she continued, growing angry, "perhaps this unofficial Ministry speculation only applies to half-humans or non-humans...after all, we're such a subversive element…if you can't keep track of us through our jobs, we might run off and tell Voldemort everything we know, whether he needs the information or not!"
All three members of her audience had flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name. When her little speech had finished, Mr. Hodgebool leaned forward, to stare directly into Hermione's eyes.
"Is there a reason for us to be suspicious of you, Miss Granger?" he queried softly. And suddenly, Hermione knew exactly what had happened.
Whether they had intended to provoke her into saying such things or not, by saying them, Hermione had just made matters much worse for herself. Half-humans already had a bad reputation by wizarding standards, and to speak so blatantly about half-humans running to the Dark Lord was bound to create some nervous feelings.
"No," she replied, meeting his gaze steadily. "I can promise you, I have no allegiance with Voldemort" – again, everyone flinched – "nor do I ever intend to engage in one."
"Good…good. Well," said Mr. Hodgebool, suddenly pushing his chair back and rising, "I think we're done here, then. Good luck with the job hunt, Miss Granger. As my colleague stated, we cannot force you to accept the Hogwarts position, but we strongly recommend it."
With that, he and the other two swept past her, leaving her alone in the conference room.
When she arrived home, tossing her badge into the rubbish bin, she found Harry waiting for her.
"How did it go?" he asked softly. Hermione shook her head, not wanting to discuss it with him at the moment. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.
"How about I make us some tea?" he suggested, releasing her after a moment.
"It's so…so…frustrating!" Hermione spat out, following him into the kitchen. Harry said nothing, knowing that venting was what she needed now, and rational discussion later. He simply moved around the kitchen getting everything ready. "They expect me to have gotten a job immediately, despite all the half-human prejudice that's out there! And just because I haven't, they're regarding me as a possible dangerous element! And then I made the stupid mistake of mentioning Voldemort-" For once, Harry was the one to start at the name, dropping the teacup he'd been holding.
"Sorry," he apologized, pulling out his wand. "Reparo. You were saying?" he added, as the pieces of the cup flew back together.
"Harry, everything I do or say around these people makes them regard me with suspicion! I'm a perfectly qualified witch, top of my class at Hogwarts, with years of fighting experience, thanks to all the trouble you and Ron got us into, not to mention our last few years at Hogwarts, but all they can see is that I'm a vampire! They can't get past it, and it automatically means they almost regard me as some sort of wild animal who can't rationalize! You have no idea what it was like to sit there with that woman staring at you like you don't belong, like you're just filth…" she trailed off, and sat down, exhausted. Tears began forming in her eyes as Harry placed a steaming cup of tea before her. "I knew there was discrimination, Harry…Lupin was perfect example of that, but I thought…I honestly thought I could prove that being a vampire didn't mean anything."
"And you will," Harry said. "You will."
Hermione took a sip of her tea, and smiled. Harry had made her favorite, mint tea. "I think…I think I'm going to have to take the Hogwarts job, Harry."
"Are you sure?" He asked gently. "I know how you feel about it."
She nodded. "I'm going to contact Dumbledore. If I haven't found a job by the start of term, I'll become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. If he's already gotten one, I'll work as a co-professor, like the arrangement between Trelawney and Firenze." She laughed bitterly. "Won't that be ironic? A Dark creature, teaching DADA!"
"Hey," Harry said sharply. "Don't do that to yourself. You are not a creature, Hermione. You're a person, a witch. Yes, you might be a vampire. But that doesn't make you evil, nor does it change who you were to begin with, not really."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Well, ok," Harry amended. "You've changed some. But everyone changes when a life-altering event happens. But, Hermione, you're still one of the most brilliant witches of this age, and you still possess all those qualities that made me fall head over heels for you. So never let me hear you call yourself that again, you understand?"
She smiled at him. "Thanks…I think I needed that."
He grinned. "Do I get a thank-you kiss?"
No words were needed for her answer.
A/N: Ok, I apologize for the late update…as I said, new territory, new case of writer's block. Despite what Hermione said, she is NOT going to work at Hogwarts for her first job. No, I meant it when I said I wanted to remove the trio from Hogwarts entirely, to see how they survived. Nor is this whole fic going to be a rant about discrimination, though it does exist quite a bit in the wizarding world and this is not Hermione's last encounter with it.