Author's Note: I do not own any characters or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling.
Hello dear friends! I hope all is well in your worlds. I felt so bad about the last chapter since it was a 'filler' chapter that helped build the story so I wrote you two chapters! I've been in such a writing mood lately so I have a feeling more chapters will be up sooner than you think :)
I love all of your reviews, follows, and favorites. Special thanks to these reviewers: ZoeyOlivia, Geekydork, and sassanech. All of my followers are also so appreciated. I am the luckiest girl alive with these wonderful readers.
Hope you enjoy this chapter!
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Chapter 4: Surrounded by Idiots
Hermione congratulated Harry as best as she could, giving him hugs and words of praise, but a million thoughts were running through her head.
Well, what the bloody hell am I gonna do now? I mean I knew this day would come, it's only natural for Harry to become Head Auror, but we've only been partners for two years. Who is gonna be my partner? Knowing my luck it'll be some recent Hogwarts graduate with no formal dark arts training or even worse, The Ferret.
Hermione shivered at the thought of having Draco Malfoy as her partner. Harry wouldn't be so stupid as to pair her with him; that was something she had complete faith in.
Harry, noticing the crinkle of his friends eyebrows as she gave him her congratulations, cleared his throat, "You know 'Mione, I can always turn them down…"
Hermione fixed her face, "Oh bloody hell Harry don't do that! I'll be okay! I'm just used to being with you on every single mission. It's what we've been doing since we were 11 for crying out loud! I'll be a grown up about this don't worry. This is such a good opportunity for you."
Harry began to relax, "Well, Kingsley, Aiden, and I have determined a partner for you if you're up for the news."
Hermione internally groaned to herself, but put on a cheery face for Harry, "Sure, who is it?"
Harry smiled at her, "It's Lillian Edwards. She just graduated from Hogwarts. She was a Hufflepuff."
Hermione knew it, a fresh Hogwarts graduate, "Does she have any formal dark arts training?"
Harry looked confused, "Well, no 'Mione, but neither did we?"
Hermione sighed, "Harry, while we had the most daft wizards of all time teaching us at Hogwarts, I like to think our time during the war was formal training enough. I mean some of the wizards and creatures we face now are a walk in the park compared to what we have faced."
Harry nodded his head, "I understand 'Mione, but go easy on the girl won't you?"
Hermione threw her hands up so as to show surrender, "Fine Harry, but if we don't work well together I won't continue our partnership for the sake of having a partner. Malfoy doesn't have one and he does just fine."
Harry saluted her as he walked out of her office, "Aye aye captain."
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The door to the Italian styling shop rang as a new customer came in. Blaise walked to the front of the shop, it was 10:30 in the morning and his favorite customer would be stopping by again like clockwork. Before he rounded the corner of his office he heard his voice, deep and smooth, "Hi, I was wondering if Blaise Zabini was here? I am in need of a new dress shirt."
Blaise smiled to himself, how this man needed a new piece of Italian clothing every single day of the week was beyond him. Last week he needed shoes, socks, cuff links, a tie, and a suit jacket, all on different days and none of them matched one another.
Blaise rounded the corner and saw Theodore Nott standing at the counter beaming at him and looking as handsome as ever. Since the war, the darkness that followed Theo had disappeared and here stood a man with soft brown hair styled to look messy, bright hazel eyes, a strong jawline that showed his muscles when he was in thought, and extraordinary taste in clothing (no thanks to his frequent trips to Blaise's shop). Blaise had been in love with the man since before the war and since the war had ended, Theo had only begun to appeal to Blaise more and more.
When Theo noticed Blaise was staring at him, a blush started to creep up on his cheeks. Blaise didn't know it, but Theo was deeply in love with him as well. He barely had any space left in his closet, but he couldn't help coming to see Blaise every single day, just so he could spend time getting to know the funny, sweet, and perfect man.
Blaise shook himself from his appreciation of the young Nott man, "So you're in need of a dress shirt? What color would you like?"
Theo took a shot in the dark, "Hmm, what's your favorite color?"
Taken aback by the sudden change in subject, Blaise had to think a moment, "You'd think it would be Slytherin green wouldn't you? But, it's actually purple. Not just purple though, but violet. Violet to me just screams regal and royal. I love it."
Theo loved when he opened up like this and shared his thoughts, "Then violet is the color I'd like for my dress shirt."
Just as Blaise handed over a violet dress shirt to Theo an Eagle Owl swept through the store and dropped a letter in Blaise's hands. He recognized the swirled lettering and the wax stamp with the large 'M' crest on it.
Blaise excused himself to his office much to his reluctance, "I'm sorry give me just a moment, I need to answer this then I'll get you checked out."
Blaise made it back to his office and opened the letter quickly, hoping to make it back to the handsome man in his shop.
Blaise,
Have I got some news for you! Guess who got a promotion to Head Auror? The Boy Wonder himself! And guess who doesn't have a partner now? That's right, the Gryffindor Princess. I mean I'm a little ticked that I didn't get Head Auror, I've had so many more good hits than Scarhead, but this gives me the opportunity to have Granger. I know you think I'm just excited by the idea of her, but I guarantee you, she's every bit of a princess as the world makes her out to be.
Any way, she's already been partnered with someone. A recent graduate of Hogwarts. I can almost guarantee it'll go badly and then who will be waiting in the wings? Me.
Hope your boyfriend arrives soon.
Draco
Blaise shook his head at his friend and said out loud, "You're a bloody idiot if you think she's a princess."
Blaise looked up to someone knocking at the door, "Hey! I got the shirt. I need to run to work. I was wondering if you were free this weekend? Maybe we could go to dinner and some drinks?"
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Hermione wanted to gag when she walked out of her office to their main office area and she saw a busty blonde giggling at something Malfoy was saying. Hermione thought to herself, 'Did someone hire a new secretary? Or is that someone from another department?'
Just then Malfoy looked at her with his sparkling eyes ('Sparkling eyes? Really Hermione? Get over it. He's a pretty boy, but he's awful.') and winked. Hermione made a disgusted face, shook her head, and audibly groaned. The blonde turned to look at her at the noise and her face lit up even more, if that was even humanly possible, "Oh! You're Hermione Granger! I'm your new partner, Lillian!"
She stood up and walked towards Hermione. Hermione could tell she was purposely walking weirdly so her hair would bounce and her ass would sway side to side, "Pleased to meet you!" She stuck her hand out waiting for Hermione to shake it.
Hermione just stared at her icily and said, "Yes, I am Hermione Granger. You might want to stay away from that one," she said gesturing to Malfoy, "and you might want to not walk so weird. You might break something if you keep it up."
While Lillian's eyes damn near bulged out of her head, Hermione could hear Malfoy snickering behind Lillian. When Hermione looked past the young girl and cocked her eyebrow at Malfoy, his eyes had a look of fascination and joy she'd never seen before. His face was beginning to turn red from not laughing with every part of his being. Hermione brought her attention back to the young woman and gave her a smug smirk and stormed back off to her office.
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"Okay, I retired and Harry Potter is now the new Head Auror. I've made sure to isolate the Granger girl on my end. Can I please have my family back?" Aiden Thomas was begging on his knees in the dining room of the mansion.
The cloaked figure stood before him and whispered harshly, "Fine. But you will make sure everyone plays their part in getting rid of the filthy Mudblood or you won't have a family to talk about. We are lucky the Weasley boy is an idiot and cheated on her. You may go. Your part in this play is over with...for now."
The doors to the dining room slammed open and a young woman with two children were shoved through and landed on the floor next to the retired Head Auror. Aiden bowed his head to the man who had just spoken, grabbed onto his family and apparated away from the manor.
The cloaked man stood at the head of the table and began speaking, "The Dark Lord may have failed in his task, but we will not. Phase 1 is complete. Phase 2 will begin soon my friends. The most famous Mudblood will fall and will wreak havoc. The Wizarding World will be made new."
Each member of the table lifted their cloaks to show their dark marks and began banging their fists on the table as their leader walked to a portrait of Hermione Granger.
He shouted over the banging as he pointed his wand at the portrait, "INCENDIO!" As her portrait began to melt away the banging turned into roars of whooping and shouting curses at the portrayal of the woman.
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Author's Note: What did y'all think? You didn't think I would give an easy Dramione love did you? I had to add some mystery to it!
Also I've been wanting to ask, what house are y'all? I am a Hufflepuff, one of the most underrated houses if you ask me, but I am biased for sure!