Hermione had heard the doors of Grimmauld Place shut and the tell-tale pops of people apparating outside when there was a soft knock at her door. Her hands were still balled into fists. She felt so exposed.

The door opened and Fleur entered, her face free of its usual cold and arrogant demeanour.

"It wasn't my intention to upset you," Fleur said quietly, cautiously.

"I highly doubt that," Hermione retorted with a frown.

"Its no big deal, Hermione," Fleur continued, "Everyone knows it was my thrall. We all know how you feel about me, that much is clear. Nobody would really think you are interested in me that way."

Hermione bit her lip and turned away to look out the window. She was confused by her continued attraction to Fleur. Fleur who was so infuriating.

"I've never met anybody who has such a knack for getting under my skin before," Hermione said truthfully, her back still to Fleur. She heard Fleur laugh.

"That is exactly how I feel about you," Fleur replied, before lightly stepping out of the room. Hermione sighed and relaxed her shoulders. She highly doubted Fleur felt the same as her.


The next morning Hermione awoke and got ready for work. She had no idea if Fleur had stayed in her room or not that night. She had been deeply asleep before Fleur had even returned to check her room.

She smiled as she straightened her blouse and skirt. It felt good to be returning to work. After a break from the office, she had a renewed passion for her work. She had spent most of her confinement at Grimmauld Place reading up on Magical Creatures and had some great ideas for turning around Hammond's unfair proposal.

When she reached the kitchen, it was already bustling with people. Tonks and Fleur were chatting to each other, looking more relaxed than they had in a while. Even Moody looked calmer.

Lupin and Harry were talking animatedly over their cereal and Ron was shouldering his satchel while heading out the door with Andromeda. He nodded at Hermione good-naturedly before heading in the direction of the fireplace.

Hermione came and sat beside a puffy-eyed Ginny, who was clasping a milky coffee for dear life.

"Nobody told me Ministry jobs started so damn early," she muttered, earning a giggle from Hermione.

Tonks looked at her watch before nodding at Fleur. Fleur swept across the room before leaning across Hermione to select an apple from the fruit bowl on the table. Hermione could feel her toned stomach against her arm and suppressed a shiver. Fleur drew back, an apple in hand, glancing at Hermione.

"Wish me luck out there, Hermione," she said coyly, before rejoining Tonks and heading out of the room.

Hermione turned to watch the mane of silver-blonde swish out of sight.

Ginny snorted, "Can't imagine you wishing Phlegm luck," she commented. Hermione nodded dumbly.

"Y-yeah, she drives me crazy," Hermione replied, trying to push confusingly graphic thoughts of Fleur out of her mind. They were intruding in her mind more and more these days.

As soon as Hermione had finished her breakfast, her and Ginny Flooed to work. Hermione sighed as Ginny laughed at the size of her office.

"Oh my lord," Ginny remarked between giggles, "They certainly don't give you special treatment for being a member of the Golden Trio."

Hermione was thinking of a come-back when Hammond lumbered into the room, ushering her into a meeting.

Ginny followed her and they settled into a seat in the board room. The person at the head of the table had their back to the rest of the room, tall leather chair swivelled to face a standing man nearby who was in deep discussion with them.

"Great, Granger, you're here," Hammond started, "I've passed on to the new Head of Department of Magical Creatures your impressive work progressing our causes. She is very impressed and has been looking forward to meeting with you."

Ginny shot Hermione an encouraging look. Hermione was stunned. She felt like she hadn't done much to help any magical creatures at all in her time in the department.

"Hem, hem."

The chair at the head of the table turned around and Hermione heard Ginny sharply inhale.

The familiar toad-like figure of Dolores Umbridge sat smugly in her chair at the head of the table. She was dressed in a fluffy pink blazer with a pink cotton shirt underneath. Her hair was puffily coiffed with a tacky pink bow wobbling precariously on top.

"I have to say, I did not expect that the star of the Magical Creature department would be Hermione Granger."

"HOW are you the new Head of Magical Creatures?!" Ginny exclaimed, "Your views are so backwards!"

Umbridge smiled smugly, eying Ginny with her beady eyes.

"I can see why you would be confused. But contrary to popular belief, the auror department and the Order of the Phoenix do not have total control over the Ministry and its politics."

Ginny exhaled and folded her arms, conceding for now, but making a mental note to ask Shacklebolt about this later.

"Granger here has taken on the project for registration and monitoring for part magical creatures. I expect this to be a vehicle for her promotion." Hammond explained earnestly, oblivious to the broiling animosity in the room.

"I hope so, Ms. Granger," Umbridge sneered, "Do well indeed with this project and I can promise you a fast tracked career in the Department. But if you falter, you may be facing the very real prospect of redundancy."

Hermione was silent. All of her worst fears of the department were coming to light. She nodded dumbly before Hammond excused her.

As she squeezed back into her office Ginny looked at her as if she was a complete stranger.

"Bloody hell, 'Mione…" she murmured, "All this time I assumed you and Phlegm weren't getting along because, well, she's Phlegm. But blimey, I'm surprised she hasn't murdered you."

"It… its not that bad…" Hermione said weakly.

"Not that bad?!" Ginny blasted, "Hermione I feel like I don't even know you anymore. You have always been a champion of equal rights. Its your thing. And now you're playing on the same team as Umbridge?!"

"I didn't know she had joined the department," Hermione defended, "I just need to make my way up high enough until I can make a difference,"

"Hermione," Ginny said, gripping Hermione tightly by the shoulders, "We are Gryffindors. For life. We don't back down from a challenge. You know your position is just an excuse."

Hermione sighed and threw her face into her hands.

"I don't know how I got to this point," she murmured from behind her hands.

"'Mione," Ginny sighed, "You know I'm not going to force you to do anything. I just know you're better than this."

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded, making her way to the other side of the desk. Ginny sat herself down in the chair opposite her.


Lunchtime was considerably more upbeat than it had ever been. Harry and Ron were in great spirits at finally being back at work. Lupin and Ginny as new auror guards were definitely adding to that, smiling and joking around with them.

Hermione was grateful that Ginny did not mention their run in with Umbridge that morning. It appeared the youngest Weasley was giving Hermione time to think over her situation in the department.

"Hey!" Ron bellowed out, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts. He was waving at Tonks who was across the café getting a coffee. Tonks brightened and waved back before wandering over to their table to say hi.

"What brings you here?" Harry asked, "I thought you were on intel duty."

"Oh, I am," Tonks answered good naturedly, "Unfortunately the Ministry is a nest of Death Eater undercurrents more and more each day. Speaking of, heard of your new boss, Hermione… tough luck."

Everyone looked at Hermione and she felt her gut wrench tightly with guilt. Everyone else wasn't having trouble keeping their morals straight. Why was she of all people suddenly struggling to stand up in the face of what was wrong?

Hermione suddenly realised that the conversation had continued while she had spaced out. Thankfully it appeared that Tonks had breezed on without mentioning who exactly her new boss was. Tonks waved them off before scampering back off into the bowels of the Ministry.

"So who is your new boss, 'Mione?" Ron asked, stabbing at a potato on his plate.

"Er, its Umbridge."

Harry and Ron dropped their utensils.

"Its WHO?!" Harry yelped, startling an elderly witch at the table behind them.

Hermione nodded glumly.

"Man to be in that meeting room to watch Hermione slap that toad down," Ron said enviously, picking his fork up again.

"I can only imagine," Harry said, regaining his composure.

Ginny flashed Hermione a meaningful look.


Hermione was feeling exhausted by the time Ginny escorted her home. She was relieved when the younger witch left again almost immediately.

Hermione ran a hand through her tangled locks, sloping up the stairs before Ron or Harry could arrive back and ask her more about Umbridge.

She had stared at her paperwork all day blankly, her mind running a million miles a minute.

Hermione entered her room and shut the door, leaning her back against it heavily with a sigh. She had her hands over her face.

"Hermione?"

Hermione dropped her hands and looked up. Fleur was sitting on the bed in a loose tee and underwear. One leg was outstretched and she was in the middle of healing a nasty looking burn on it.

"Shit, sorry, I didn't know you were in here," Hermione babbled, moving to open the door again.

"No, its fine," Fleur said quickly, "Stay. Its your room too."

She lowered her head again and resumed healing her leg, which rapidly returned to its usual blemish-free state.

"Nasty looking burn, that was," Hermione said, walking over to sit in the armchair by the bed.

"Occupational hazard," Fleur said dismissively, putting down her wand again.

The two of them sat in a comfortable silence for a while before Hermione began to speak her mind.

"Fleur, my job is terrible," Hermione blurted. Fleur cocked an eyebrow and smiled coldly.

"Well you do have the smallest office I have ever seen," Fleur said with a smirk.

"No," Hermione replied seriously, "You were right. I was going against my morals and now I feel I am too far in and its just getting worse."

Fleur cocked her head to one side, surprised by Hermione's admission.

"It is never too late to be true to your morals," Fleur answered simply before getting up and leaving the room.

Hermione skipped dinner that night, her stomach in knots over her job and what Ginny had said to her.

She was lying on her side in the dark in bed when the door opened quietly.

Fleur entered and walked about the room, apparently preparing herself for bed. Hermione pretended to be asleep. She knew from visiting the boys' rooms that their rooms had been changed to twin bed arrangements to allow for the aurors in their room. Clearly Fleur wasn't bothered enough by sharing a bed to alter the room's arrangement.

'Although its not exactly like Fleur hasn't shared her bed with a woman before…' Hermione thought suddenly, a pang of arousal at the thought of Fleur's bisexual dating history.

"Are you awake, Hermione?" Fleur asked softly as she climbed into the bed next to her. Hermione sighed and rolled over.

"Yeah," she answered shortly, "Can't get to sleep."

She could only see Fleur's face slightly in the dark of the room so she couldn't tell what her expression was.

"I am not surprised," Fleur commented, "I imagine working with Umbridge would be unpleasant for a patient witch, let alone you."

This riled Hermione.

"I'm not—" she spluttered, "I just—God, Fleur, you are so infuriating."

There was a tense silence before Hermione found herself jerking forward and pressing her lips against Fleur's. They were so much softer than she had even imagined. Fleur let out a slight hum of surprise and Hermione jerked back, horrified.

"Erm, don't read into that," Hermione blurted. Fleur exhaled.

"Don't read into you kissing me?" Fleur asked, incredulity evident in her voice.

"I, erm, I was upset." Hermione said awkwardly. She was glad it was dark so Fleur couldn't see the look on her face. She was blushing terribly and looking mortified.

"Do you like me, Hermione?" Fleur asked. Something about the smirk Hermione could hear in Fleur's voice grated her again.

"Of course not. I like men. Intelligent, practical men. Not air-headed, vain women." Hermione snapped. Fleur cleared her throat, irritated.

"Yes, of course," Fleur said snarkily, "Umbridge would hardly want her star employee cavorting with a half-breed after all."

"Fuck off, Fleur, I'm not like that," Hermione barked, rolling over to face her back to the blonde.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Fleur drawled, shuffling as she turned her back to Hermione too.


The next morning Hermione awoke after Fleur had already got up and left for work. She got ready and headed downstairs to where a yawning Ginny was waiting.

"Seriously, I will never get used to these morning starts," Ginny complained, biting into a pastry. Hermione pushed a plate of offered pastries away from her. Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"What's up? Still upset about work?" Ginny remarked.

"Fleur gave me a bit of a bad time for being Umbridge's up and coming employee," Hermione said darkly. Ginny frowned.

"Classic Phlegm," Ginny snorted, "While I can see why she would be motivated to suffocate you with a pillow over your current career choices, the woman really is insufferable."

"Completely insufferable," Hermione agreed, her mind drifting to how soft Fleur's lips had been on her own last night.

Ginny finished wolfing down her breakfast and they headed off to work. Hermione settled in to her work, flipping through the proposed registration and monitoring of part magical creatures.

Her eyebrows raised as she looked at how extensive the department wanted the registration to be. They wanted to know everything about those that would be registered. Her eyebrows raised even further when she saw the options she would have to select from for monitoring. Micro-chipping, mandatory bracelets, magical tagging? Hermione's mind turned to Fleur and her her arrogant confidence. Her freedom would be completely clipped by this. Her lithe body would be marked and monitored for all-time. All of her secrets would have to be laid bare in Ministry documentation that would be public record. The reality of that horrified Hermione, no matter how much Fleur could annoy her.

"Is Tonks working around the Ministry again today?" Hermione asked. She knew Ginny had had a morning check in with the auror's office before coming to collect her for work.

"Yeah, she is. Why?" Ginny answered, not looking up from the Quidditch magazine she was reading. Hermione didn't answer, scribbling a memo furiously before folding it up and sending it to flit through the building.

It took about an hour, but Tonks came by Hermione's office, knocking on the open door before leaning on the doorway.

"Cor, your office really is as small as everyone says," Tonks remarked.

Ginny laughed and Hermione threw a wad of paper at the redhead.

"Gin, do you mind stepping outside for a minute while I chat to Tonks?" Hermione asked. Ginny stretched and stood up.

"Course not, Merlin knows I need a coffee to ease the pain of these early mornings," she answered before sauntering off. Tonks entered the office, shutting the door behind her and taking Ginny's seat.

"So, what's on your mind, Granger?" she said, kicking her feet up to rest on Hermione's desk. Hermione irritably pulled some clean paperwork away from the auror's boots.

"You once said that you thought the Prophet was riddled with Death Eaters," Hermione said.

"Yes," Tonks replied, lacing her hands behind her neck and leaning back in her chair, "That's my theory anyway."

"Riddled enough that I couldn't get something published if I wanted to?" Hermione pried further.

"Well, you could still get something published if you knew a reporter ballsy enough to put their name to it, who had sway with the editors," Tonks said, lazily considering the concept, "Whys that?"

There was a knock at the door, indicating that Ginny was back already. Hermione hastily shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, just curious," Hermione said. Tonks nodded, apparently placated by the answer, and got up to leave.

As Ginny re-entered the office, Hermione was already scooping the proposal into a thick envelope. She pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment to pen the accompanying letter.

"Dear Rita Skeeter,

I think it is about time I call in a favour…"


The next morning, Ginny came to collect Hermione for work. She looked surprised when Hermione came down the stairs in her dressing gown.

"I'm not feeling too well today, Gin," Hermione said with a smirk, "Reckon we should stay back from the office today."

"Okay…" Ginny said, confused, "Do you mind telling me what is going on?"

There was an insistent tapping at the window as an owl arrived, brandishing the morning paper.

"I guess we will find out now," Hermione remarked, opening the window to let the owl in.

Ginny unfurled the paper as soon as it was dropped, her face cracking into a wide smile as she saw the contents of the front page.

"You leaked their hideous proposal?!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yes," Hermione replied simply with a smile.

"You know you're probably gonna lose your job, right?"

"Yes,"

"You know Umbridge is gonna kill you for this, right?"

"Yes,"

"You know you're bloody brilliant, right?"

Hermione let out a loud peal of laughter. Relaxed laughter. She felt good for the first time in a long time.

"Gin, you were right, it feels good standing up to them."

Ginny smiled up at Hermione before continuing to read the article.

"Wow, Skeeter really did a real hatchet job on Umbridge and the department. If she wasn't such a cow I would probably respect her for this."


Hermione spent the rest of the day at Grimmauld Place with Ginny, ignoring several Howlers from Hammond and one scathing letter from Umbridge full of barely veiled threats.

"I guess the one downside is that at it won't be as easy to piss off Phlegm now," Ginny said, catching another Howler and stuffing it under a pot lid.

"She asked me if I was interested in her last night," Hermione said darkly, ignoring the part of the story where she had kissed Fleur. Ginny cackled, almost dropping the pot containing the muffled Howler.

"Merlin, she is full of herself," Ginny gasped between giggles, "Can you imagine? You and Phlegm?! Cripes."

"Yeah, she is such a bloody nightmare," Hermione agreed, although she was finding it harder and harder to ignore the tugging attraction to Fleur, as infuriating as she was.

There was a crack as someone apparated outside and Fleur herself came in through the door.

She started beaming as she saw Hermione and drew close to her.

"I suppose I was wrong about you," Fleur murmured. Hermione struggled not to get lost in her deep sapphire eyes and tried to focus on what the blonde witch was saying. "We are even now, Hermione. I protected you, and you protected me."

Hermione, to her horror, felt a blush creep up her cheeks, "I did what was right," she said. Thankfully, Fleur simply nodded, before moving away from her again and sweeping up the stairs.

Hermione exhaled slowly, shakily. Her mind was so full of conflicting thoughts of Fleur she didn't even notice her redheaded companion observing her with a suspicious look.