Hermione laughed and shook her curly haired head at the card she held in her hands. She'd been taken aback when a post owl had interrupted her at work, impatiently hopping up and down on her paperwork. Typically her post went straight to her house, where it sat on the kitchen counter waiting when she got home. Not that she particularly minded; the card was from Harry. Hermione had been wondering how Harry was fairing since he'd left the country to travel, something he'd previously said he'd never be able to do. It had been two months and she hadn't gotten anything from him, and frankly she'd begun to worry some time ago. Now, however, she knew she'd had no reason to worry.
It seemed Harry didn't, either, she thought as she looked closely at the photo of Malfoy and her best friend, arms wrapped tightly around each other's waists, standing before a waterfall and waving cheerfully. The view behind the couple was simply incredible, and Hermione felt a stab of envy in her chest as she read Harry's messy handwriting at the bottom of the photo. It read, 'San Rafael Falls, Ecuador.' So that's where they'd wound up. Flipping the card over, Hermione discovered a short message.
Hermione, Harry wrote, we're in Ecuador! It's brilliant, and you really should take some time off work to see it. Ron would love it, but he'd probably get sun burned rather quickly, knowing him.
We're safe, we're happy, we're not done traveling yet. We will be soon, though, because I've finally managed to convince Draco it's time to start up his potions business, and I'm going to be helping him with it. Not, you know, the brewing part, or the company would go under quicker than you could say 'eye of newt.' I'll be the PR man, so that Draco doesn't have to deal with the public in any way. At least, not yet. That means I won't have as much time to help everyone else, but maybe that's for the best.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I haven't fallen off a mountain or had a bad run in with a jaguar, or something. We'll be back within the month, I expect, with souvenirs for everyone.
Love, Harry.
Hermione was reluctant to admit it, but she had been wrong; it hadn't turned out to be a complete disaster, Harry writing to Narcissa Malfoy. Not that she would ever say so to Harry. It was pretty clear he knew already, Hermione thought as she flipped the card over again and set it upright on her desk. That stab of envy jabbed sharply in Hermione's chest once more, as Harry and Malfoy's sun kissed faces beamed happily at her. That postcard was the most colourful, life-filled thing in her entire office, something that was now painfully obvious.
Shoving her chair away from the desk forcefully, Hermione crossed the room to her fireplace and tossed in a pinch of Floo powder.
"Mrs. Granger-Weasley," Kingsley said pleasantly from behind his desk. He stood, crossing his own office to kneel before his hearth. Seeing the look on Hermione's face he worriedly asked, "Is something the matter?"
"Something does seem to be the matter, Minister," Hermione said, not really caring that her tone was fiercer than intended.
"What's going on? If there's anything I can do to help, I'd like to."
Hermione held back a smile, keeping her expression solemn; that was just what she'd been hoping to hear. "I appreciate that, Minister," she said gratefully. "As you know, requesting extended time off requires a week's notice, and I'm afraid I can't give that notice. You see, Harry's had a bad run in with a jaguar in Ecuador and I'm afraid I'll be away from the office for two weeks helping him recover. Oh, and so will Ron."