word count: 932


Maybe they don't think she can hear them, but Amelia does. Little whispers seem to follow her everywhere she goes within the Ministry. Try as she might to shake them, they never fail to reach her ears, no matter how quiet people think they're being.

No one says it to her face. Once, so many of the people glancing at her with doubt in their eyes, would have come to her about anything. Now, they don't seem to see her as their equal anymore. Her promotion to Head of Magical Law Enforcement means she's become othered from them. No more meeting up at the pub after work to discuss the chaos of the Ministry. No more talking shit just for the sake of it.

It hurts, but she can't tell them that. Especially not when she hears the things they say behind her back. They don't think she's suited for the job. They think she's done something devious to get to where she is. One even reckons she'll quit from the stress within a week.

All Amelia can do is ignore the stabbing in her chest, the sharp pain of betrayal and realizing so many people she thought of as friends aren't really her friends at all. Maybe they never were.

She wants to believe that they're wrong, but Merlin! What if they're right? What if she's made a huge mistake and ought to reconsider everything. Maybe it isn't too late to step down and return to her duties as an Auror.

"You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

Amelia startles, jumping ever so slightly, when she hears Kingsley's voice. She hadn't even noticed him enter her office. "You scared me."

He offers her an apologetic smile and digs in his pocket, pulling out a bar of chocolate. The red wrapper makes her stomach growl; it's so hard to find chili and chocolate in England, and she wonders if Kingsley paid a special visit to Honeydukes for her favorite treat.

"You're my hero," she tells him, accepting the chocolate and peeling away the wrapper. She takes a bite, letting out a happy moan at the bitterness of the dark chocolate mixing perfectly with the heat of the pepper. "How'd you know?"

Kingsley makes a face, and Amelia understands. She suspects he's probably heard more than she has. Surely people are much less careful around him because he just radiates the sort of energy you can't help but trust.

"Ah."

"You know they're wrong, don't you?" he asks.

She wants to tell him that of course she does. Amelia has never lacked confidence; her brother used to tease her, suggesting she was more of a Gryffindor than a Hufflepuff. Now, however, she can't help but buy into the doubts everyone else seems to have about her. So many people expressing the same concerns can't be totally wrong, can they?

"I want to go home," she groans. "Permanently."

"That's not the Amelia I know."

She frowns at that. Maybe he's right. This isn't the way she usually acts. Amelia Bones has never been the type to shy away from a problem, no matter how annoying it may be. Why is this so different? Why does this hurt her in a way that nothing else does? Other people's words so rarely get under her skin.

But this… Maybe there's some insecurities she hasn't addressed. Maybe everything has just happened so fast, and she doesn't know how to adjust.

"You can't just back down because people are idiots," he tells her, his deep voice warm and reassuring, velvety and sinking all the way into her marrow. Kingsley has that effect on people. One word, and it's like everything will be okay. "You are amazing, Amelia. You're perfect for this job."

Perfect. Amelia feels heat rise in her cheeks. She thinks she's many things, but perfect certainly isn't one of them. Still, the way Kingsley says it, Amelia almost believes him. "You really think so?"

"I do. I've never met anyone as authentic as you," he says, offering her a broad grin. "You've got the most impeccable sense of justice, and you've proven again and again that you aren't afraid to do what's right, even when it isn't the popular decision. I wish I could be even half as great as you."

Amelia feels a prickling in her eyes, and she blinks rapidly. She most certainly is not about to start crying. At least, she can't let herself cry. Not here. Not when so many people still doubt her capabilities.

"You're a great man, Kingsley. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up one day to find out you've been promoted to Minister."

He chuckles at that and shakes his head. "You have too much faith in me."

"Yeah, well, I could say the same about you. I guess we'll just believe in each other, even when we don't believe in ourselves."

"Sounds like a plan. Fancy grabbing a few drinks after work today?"

"You really okay being seen hanging out with your boss?" she asks, arching an inquisitive brow.

Kingsley shakes his head and gives her a look that silently says something along the lines of you really are hopeless. "My boss? Don't be ridiculous, Amelia. I'm having drinks with my friends."

There's still a part of Amelia that's hurt, and she knows she will have to work through that on her own. In the meantime, at least she has Kingsley. Having a friend when everything feels like it's falling apart makes it just a little easier to hold her head high and stay strong.