Tuesday, May 6th, 2003.

Hermione Granger woke up feeling determined. She'd move her arse and get back together that very day. She apparated to work, right on time – meaning not at least an hour early - only to find the apparition point crowded to the point where no one could move without walking on someone's feet, and the atrium thick with the loud hubbub she was so familiar with. She had to refrain herself from scowling and she hadn't even taken two steps in. It would be easier said than done.

She elbowed her way to the lift, and was greeted with the startled face of Martin. Obviously he hadn't expected his boss to find him chatting in front of the lifts doors with another official, instead of in his office as he'd been on call for an hour already. She passed him without a word but didn't miss the widening of his eyes as he must certainly expected to be warned later.

She found herself scowling in the lift. She'd given up on watching the people that worked for her for too long apparently. She'd have to correct that. Entering her department floor she was also quite surprised to find Judith carelessly rocking back and forth on her chair, her nose buried in what looked like some sort of mushy romance novel.

Hermione cleared her throat loudly, making the brown-haired witch jump as her chair landed back on the ground with a large thud.

"Hello Judith. Do I have any appointments this morning?" She asked, as if she hadn't seen a thing. The witch started fidgeting as a dark pink patch spread on her entire face. Obviously she'd thought Hermione was already in her office.

"Err … Yes miss Granger … Here …" She started through her desk with trembling hands and finally found her book where she read the two appointments she had that morning.

Hermione strode off without another word and to her own bewilderment, found herself smirking her face off until she reached her desk. She wiped that wicked thing off her mouth as soon as she realised though. It wasn't like her to relish in catching employees missing at their work. Though she had to admit that Judith had deserved the predicament.

She realised after a few thoughts that she'd been secluded in her office for months, and that even if some people had claimed being worried, they'd mostly enjoyed the lack of pressure from the boss. They'd even taken advantage of it and there was no way in hell Hermione was going to let that go.

Draco had planned on going to the Ministry on his way to work, first thing. His plans got delayed as his receptionist floo-called, pretexting an emergency. He'd had to explain to her three times that when clients called and that he wasn't at the offices, all she had to do was to book them an appointment. That morning's client had been a bit to insistent and the stupid blond bint had felt threatened. Apparently requesting an appointment multiple times was frightening.

When she'd finally poked her head out of his home office he was so edgy that he prepared the paperwork to fire her once he'd be there. He could only blame himself though, hiring assistants on their looks was the only thing he'd always done that could have come bite him right the arse afterwards. All they had to do was to answer visitors and put names on a very simple schedule. They could be pretty! He'd obviously been wrong and would have to remedy that.

It was ten thirty when he arrived at the Ministry and, of course, Granger's receptionist's desk was empty. It was definitely not his day. This time he didn't bother sitting down, and took a look at the corridor. By chance, the brown-haired witch in crisp tailor was going out of Granger's office at that very moment.

She strode angrily to her desk, mumbling, or more growling under her breath.

"What is it?" She snapped at him, letting herself fall on her chair. Very rude little thing. He'd put her at her place.

"Good morning." He hissed. "I believe greeting visitors is in order." She only cocked an eyebrow, making him fume a bit, so he added: "Mr Malfoy. I have been granted access to your department's records by Ms Granger." She remained unimpressed and droned:

"Over here." She stood and led him to the first room to the right in the corridor. She opened the door to what obviously was the archives room, retrieved her wand and waved it at one of the multiple drawers that covered the walls. About a dozen files flew from it and landed on a table that sat at the centre of the room. What came grumbled out of her mouth as she went away would have made him laugh if only he'd expected it:

"Bitch gave me a warning. Can't believe that tight arse's got the nerves … "

Damn. He'd missed the argument and yelling. All that because of his own stupid receptionist! Draco could agree with her on the tight arse calling all he wanted, he didn't believe the bint had gotten herself a warning without earning it though. Granger was all but unfair. Another receptionist that deserved to take the door. Especially seeing the way she was talking about her boss with someone to hear. If his receptionist dared speak of him like that she'd be shown to the door crying and with his foot kicking her pretentious arse.

He'd just settled at the table, after leaving the door wide open not to miss another potential fun argument, when Granger's voice resounded:

"Martin, right on time. Come in please." Oh that tone didn't sound good for Martin. Whoever that was. It was a warning tone Draco had used himself a fair amount of times over the years. Martin was about to get his arse kicked too. Smirking his face off, Draco congratulated himself for choosing that day to come. He stood and went at the door to try and pry.

He didn't hear anything though, but it didn't mean that things were going well. Quite the opposite actually, if Granger was anything like him, the more calm the tone of voice, the most threat was under it.

Hermione sent a trembling Martin away. She had made herself clear for sure. There would be no second warning for these two lazy carpetbaggers. When she'd started running the department, Kingsley had always told Hermione to cut'em some slack. She'd never listened and she'd been right. Few months without close attention and they just started relaxing at work. What was work for? Reading mushy crap with ice cream or to actually do some bloody work?

A flying note came distracting her from her half-berating of herself, half-wanting to slap her staff.

Hermione,

I've received the last report on the potion testing case from the auror's department just the instant. What do you say we review it together at an early lunch? 11:30? I have to work on it this afternoon and can't afford lending it to you.

Astoria.

The note oddly gave her a smile. She answered right away with a single word: agreed. Then she realised it was already 11:15. She had papers to send to regulation and control anyway, she could just stop there on her way down the cafeteria.

What she found after taking three steps out of her office completely startled her. The door to the archives room was wide open and a tall ashen blond ferret was pricking his ears from the door frame. His was frowning and scowling at the same time, his arms crossed above his tie, his expression one of strong disapproval. She heard voices too but her surprise made her take a moment to recognise who was talking at the receptionist's desk. Judith, Martin and probably Caroline. She couldn't see them though. She took another step to go see what was going on but stopped in her tracks as when Malfoy spotted her, his scowling became a gigantic smirk and he signed her with a finger over it not to say a thing. She frowned. What was there to listen?

When she didn't react he rolled his eyes and waved a hand for her to join him at the door and stay hidden.

Draco couldn't believe the lack of luck of the sombre idiots. Caroline, from what he'd heard, had come to deposit some papers and asked how things were going with the, and he quoted: "uptight gloomy bitch."

The misplaced pity Granger had yelled about days prior had been the century's understatement. It went far beyond that. Judith, who had been joined in her whining and complaining about their boss, by Martin, had taken to herself to explain to Caroline how Granger had obviously lost it for good.

Draco had been listening, and instantly siding with Granger, as odd as it was. The bint was so petty it reminded him of Pansy. She'd been creatively insulting for the sole purpose of it. She had also proved being the most stupid girl he'd ever encountered when she'd explained having received a warning because she'd only been reading instead of doing her bloody job.

She was actually lucky that Granger was fair and had only given her a warning. It would have been different if it'd been him for sure. Martin had agreed vividly and even added his own bout of insulting babble and the conversation had started running in circles.

Draco had been about to go back to his work, promising himself to tell Granger what he thought of her staff by letter, when she came out of her office.

He had to push for her to, but she finally joined him at the door and started pricking her ears as well to listen to the conversation. Incredulity first took her face but only to morph into fury. Granger was the epitome of boiling anger.

Seeing her face discompose, then turn red with rage, was the most pleasant thing he'd seen in years. She was probably seeing red too. Smoke could have fumed out of her nostrils. It was so reminiscent of their school years that Draco wasn't even smirking any more but more refraining a childish anticipatory giggle. He was beyond pleased. First because the book-worm was so angry that she'd probably yell her face off, and second, because she'd yell at those infuriating little pieces of scum that thought themselves so smart.

What she did though, was even worse. Well, for them, for Draco it was so much better to watch. First, she waited patiently for the conversation to end. Patiently wasn't the right word though, fuming was more appropriate. Then, she went to the desk and called:

"Oh Caroline wait!" Her tone was almost sweet, it was frightening. Draco followed without even thinking.

"Oh, Miss Granger, what …"

"I just wanted to warn you that your head of department will be receiving a report on your last conversation. Judith, Martin, you'll receive your lay-off notices this afternoon." Draco couldn't repress an impressed chuckle but then she smiled. No, she smirked. It was so alien that he had to blink a few times. He surely looked stupid as hell.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I actually have a business lunch to attend to. Mr Malfoy you can come back later. I'm sorry your work has been perturbed." The last bit could have been said with a wink. Draco was sure she was somehow thanking him. Which didn't help with his fly catching. Once he realised his mouth was wide open though, she'd taken the lift already, leaving three stunned idiots standing there, well, four.

He decided that he'd seen enough for the day. It was only fortunate that he'd planned a lunch with Blaise the next day, he'd have a lot to tell him.

Maybe, just maybe, Hermione had been a bit harsh and reckless with those decisions. But hearing herself being called a tight arse, a depressed and probably suicidal ball of nerves, a pretentious and bossy woman that played with her fame, among other monstrous things, had woke something within her she had never suspected she'd possessed. How she'd managed to remain calm and falsely friendly she had no idea. What she knew for sure was that it had felt good as hell to get back at them this way. No matter how wrong it'd been.

When she entered the cafeteria she caught sight of Astoria's raven hair right away and wasn't surprised to see her look at her watch with a frown. The witch's head snapped up when she finally sat at her table with a poor sandwich grabbed quickly.

"Extended meeting?" She asked as a greeting.

"Err … not really, I'm sorry you had to wait." Hermione apologised.

"No trouble." Astoria was giving her a puzzled look. She didn't ask though, she probably thought it had nothing to do with work. Against all odds, and since the news would spread quickly anyway, Hermione decided to explain herself:

"I just fired my receptionist and one of my assistants."

"Judith?"

"Yes, and Martin." Astoria only lowered her face to her plate, chuckling. Hermione frowned: "What?"

"Well it was beyond time you did in my opinion."

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"Well, I always figured you dealt with them your own way but have you ever noticed how I send my notes personally to you?"

Now that she thought of it, all notes Hermione received always arrived in the afternoon, and always sent by Judith. Astoria's had always been the exception.

"Now I do." She answered. "Why do you?"

"Because your receptionist always delivers them too late."

"Oh. Well, she won't any longer. Do you happen to know an unemployed receptionist?"

Astoria seemed to think about it a moment.

"I know a secretary who hates her job." She then shrugged.

"Might do. Who is it?"

"Tracey Davis. She was in your year."

"Oh, right, Slytherin I remember."

"She's nice and hard working. Do you want me to call her for you?"

"Yes, I could set up an interview."

"Good. Now, let's start on those or I'll be late." Astoria said, opening one of the files sitting next to her own poor lunch. Thing they did without further ado.

The rest of the day passed on quickly, as Hermione had double the amount of work, thanks to lay-off notices she had to justify for and the lack of two employees. But at the end of the day she felt the best she had in months.

She felt strangely relived as she apparated in a corner of her crappy street. She'd never imagined that being sneering could actually help with intentionally well-buried anger issues. This evening she wouldn't need a drink.