Chapter 7 - Blast
"Oh, bugger! There's Skeeter!" hissed Hermione as she and Neville made their way through the first check point at the Ministry.
"It's okay," reassured Neville. "She won't have the credentials to get through the next station. Just keep moving and we'll try to avoid her."
The pair weaved through the busy atrium and had almost made it to their destination when the annoying, garishly dressed journalist blocked their path and began battering Hermione with a barrage of intrusive questions about the current legislation, her love life and the prior night's attack, ending with, "Most importantly, how does it feel to know there's an assailant out there who may try and kill you at any moment?"
Before Hermione could tell the woman where she could stick her quill, her questions and her comments, Neville leaned over and said, "Actually, at the moment she's perfectly fine. You see, logistically speaking, the best point of attack is that way," He pointed over the reporter's shoulder. "...Which means you're currently standing in the line of fire. Seeing as how you're taller than Hermione, as long as you don't move she's safe as houses."
A terrified Rita Skeeter whipped around so fast that she almost lost her bejeweled spectacles and Neville used the opportunity to whisk Hermione through the next security point.
She gave him a grateful look. "Once again, I owe you Neville Longbottom."
"What? For turning that old bat's hair on end? Nothing to owe." He rested his hand briefly on the small of her back and guided her into the lift. "Consider that a gift."
Hermione once again marveled at his ability to calm her nerves and keep her mind off her current predicament. Unfortunately the sight that greeted her when she entered her office extinguished any feeling of contentment she'd previously enjoyed.
"Harry James Potter! What have you done?!"
Harry snapped to attention and approached her cautiously. "Hermione...calm down."
"Calm down!" She clenched her fists and Harry readied himself to duck if necessary. "What have you done to my files?!"
"In light of recent events I sent a team to go through your office looking for booby traps, listening devices and the like. I might have mentioned looking at some of your correspondence to gather handwriting comparisons to the recent letters. Apparently they were a little more...aggressive than I anticipated."
"Aggressive?! Look at this mess!" She flung her arms about to indicate the stacks of papers strewn over the desk, the window ledge and a good portion of the floor. "How I am supposed to find anything in THIS?!"
"Yes, well, preserving your life has temporarily superseded preserving your organizational system."
She gritted her teeth and he quickly reversed course. "H-however, I'm sure Margaret is more than capable of restoring order and providing me with all the information you need in a timely manner - aren't you Margaret?"
He cast a pleading look to the young secretary standing in the doorway, who gave him a polite nod.
"Yes, Mr. Potter. I'd be happy to help."
"See? All sorted. Nothing to worry about" said Harry, nervously adjusting his collar.
"You best hope so, Harry Potter, or rogue assassins are going to be the least of your worries," Hermione growled. She summoned a parchment and quill and jotted down a list of items that she handed to her secretary.
"Here you go, Margaret. I'm terribly sorry you have to deal with this. Once you're done, please take the rest of the day off, with pay, for your trouble." She scowled at Harry and added, "And if that one shows up again and gives you any problems, I give you my express permission to hex him. Vigorously."
The young girl smiled warmly. "No worries, Miss Granger. We'll get it all sorted. Please keep safe. I don't want to lose the best boss I've ever had."
"Thank you, Margaret. Don't worry. I'm sure we'll have everything back to whatever passes for normal around here in no time." Hermione gave the girl a brief hug then marched out of the office, leaving both Harry and Neville racing to catch up with her.
"Hermione, where are you going?" Harry panted.
She wheeled around and snapped. "I'm going home so I can pack some things - unless you're going to tell me you've released a demolition crew in there as well?"
Harry looked offended. "Even I'm not that stupid, 'Mione. I was just going to suggest that you floo there directly from my office. The number of people living in your building means your address isn't really a secret. I know you've got the place warded but..."
Hermione's expression softened. "Sorry. You're probably right. I know you're doing your best but this has all been very frustrating."
"I know," Harry said. "I promise, Hermione, we're going to find whoever this is and get your life back to whatever passes for normal in our world very soon. I swear it."
Hermione couldn't help but smile at his attempt at humor. "Thank you, Harry. I appreciate that."
Minutes later she and Neville were in Harry's office, stepping through the floo into her flat. Neville had her wait by the fireplace while he verified the place was empty and everything looked safe. Once he was convinced the coast was clear Hermione packed the items she required while Neville prowled around, keeping a close eye on all possible entrance points. She was just heading back into the living room when there was a tremendous bang and the entire building shook violently.
In a flash, Neville was by her side, one arm wrapped firmly about her, the other casting a shield charm around them. Within seconds an entire team of Aurors came rushing from the floo, wands drawn, Harry at the lead.
"Hermione?! Nev?! Everybody okay?"
"We're good!" called Neville. "What the hell happened?"
Seamus Finnegan was already kneeling on the floor, feeling for vibrations as he cast a series of detection spells. "Explosion downstairs. Big one. I'll have to get a full ordnance squad in there but the initial readings make it pretty clear this were no accident. If ya weren't so good at spell casting, Hermione, this coulda been ugly."
"You're certain somebody did this on purpose?" asked Hermione.
"No question." The little Irishman looked at his friend with concern. "Sorry, lass, but I'm thinking whoever's upset with ya tried to get around yer wards by blowing up the flat beneath ya."
Hermione let that information sink in then looked at Harry. "How'd you all get here so quickly?"
"Don't be angry but when Ginny and I were here for dinner last week we cast a few wards of our own that would cause alarms to sound both in my office and at our home if something like this happened. I know. Invasion of privacy. You can yell at me later. Right now give me a second to let her know you're okay."
Harry went to contact his wife and for the first time Hermione noticed that Neville was still holding on to her. She didn't complain. Instead she tipped her head back onto his chest and whispered, "Someone really doesn't like me, Nev."
He leaned over and spoke quietly in her ear, "Doesn't matter because they're never going to get close enough to do anything about it, okay?"
She closed her eyes and adjusted her wand. "I need to tell you that I'm dangerously close to becoming very, very angry with this person."
"Good," he said, tightening his grip on her waist. "Welcome to the club."