Hermione met Ron at the pub, his owl sounded urgent. She was a little surprised to see him there so calmly.
"What the hell Ron, you sounded frantic in your owl." Hermione said sitting down across from him. She had been at work when the owl came through, Tuesdays were always hectic with updates on Fudge and the 3rd degree from Nymphadora the last thing she needed was drama from Ron.
"It is urgent Hermione." He said holding up two fingers for menus and beers.
"This doesn't feel urgent Ron and I have a lot of work to do." Hermione said, she was stressing a little about falling behind.
"I just- I need to say this ok and I need you to hear me out and listen."
Hermione sighed and sat back waiting.
"I love you. I have always loved you even when I was a stupid git in school and tried to make you jealous. I want us to try Hermione, we were so good together after the war ended, we were so happy."
Hermione was too surprised to speak.
"I love you Hermione. We can make a go of it. I'm full partner in the shop now and it's making money hand over fist. We can buy a house; we can make a life Hermione. You wouldn't even have to work."
"Ron I-" Hermione shook her head.
"Don't answer me now, just think about it. We could do it Hermione, our own place, kids. We could really have a good life. I would make a good husband. I love you."
"I don't love you Ron." Hermione said finally. There was no other way to say it, there was no way to let him down. "I tried Ron I did but I just- I just don't love you."
Ron looked surprised, this was not the answer he was expecting. He had been expecting Hermione to want to think about it, maybe give some reasons why they couldn't and then he would answer why they could.
"It's her isn't it?" Ron said, his hands in fists, his nostrils flaring.
"Ron-"
"Just tell me Hermione. If you don't want me then I deserve to know why. If you don't love me then who is it?"
Hermione rested her palms on the table, "I won't deny that I have interests elsewhere Ron." She hoped that would suffice.
Realization swept over Ron's face after a few minutes. "SHE'S A MURDERER!" Ron bellowed, everyone in the pub turned to look at their table.
"Would you keep your bloody voice down." Hermione hissed at him. The barkeep walked over to ask if everything was ok.
"Oh yeah everything is fine except my girlfriend here is in love with a woman who is a murderer." Ron spat out in disgust.
The barkeep looked from Ron to Hermione.
"It's fine, really, sorry, he's just having a bad day." Hermione said as the barkeep walked back wiping a glass with is towel.
"You keep your bloody voice down Ronald Weasley or so help me I will curse your stupid mouth off." Hermione said leaning over the table towards him. "You stupid git are you crazy."
Ron took the moment and pulled Hermione's to him, his lips pressed hard against hers, her hand locked behind her head to keep her there. Hermione kept her mouth shut screaming against the kiss. When he finally released her she smacked him soundly across the face.
"DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!" Hermione shouted as she stood, Ron held his face, a perfect handprint formed on his cheek.
The barkeep was over in a second, "I'm sorry but you're going to have to leave."
"No worries, I'm going." Hermione said grabbing her bag and wand.
Hermione stormed from the pub, her hand stung from slapping him, she didn't notice the men walking behind her.
"Ms. Granger." The taller man called. Hermione stopped and looked at him.
"Yes?"
"This way please, the Minister would like a word."
Hermione looked at the ministry car, what the hell did Kingsley want now? Hermione got in the car but it wasn't Kingsley, it was Fudge.
"Afternoon Ms. Granger, care for some tea?"
Hermione declined, she had learned long ago to avoid drinking with enemies.
"Well then I'll get right to the chase, I have a problem Ms. Granger that I was hoping you could help me with."
"What's that Minister?" Hermione asked keeping her cool.
"You're little pet Auror seems to have a taken quite an interest in my goings on and I was wondering if you could tell me why."
Hermione smiled sweetly, "I don't know what you're talking about Minister."
"Don't lie Ms. Granger."
"Sir I work for the Investigation department we don't work with the Aurors."
"Ah but Ms. Granger you do, you see, I have noticed Auror Lupin coming into your office every Tuesday for a month. Now, I also know for a fact that a certain auror has been seen around my home and office for a month. I put two and two together."
Hermione crossed her arms waiting for the Minister to continue. Oh Birch-Lock is going to love this.
"So you see Ms. Granger, having an auror hanging about is bad for business. Might make people hesitant to do business with me. I'm sure you will agree that rumours are a nasty thing once they get started." He handed Hermione an envelope. Merlin where was Birch-Lock when it goes all cop/bribe tv show.
"What's this?" Hermione said not opening it.
"A nasty little rumor Ms. Granger." Fudge smiled. "Go ahead, I'm sure you'll appreciate it."
Hermione opened the envelope, inside were several photographs showing Bellatrix and Hermione in Diagon Alley holding hands, whispering in each other's ears.
"So." Hermione said tossing the envelope with the photographs down. "These show nothing."
"Ah but what they imply Ms. Granger. The headlines, Investigator falls for Black. Nice ring to it don't you think? I imagine the repercussions on your job would be enormous."
"Fodder for the gossip columns." Hermione said still unconcerned.
"Oh there's more Ms. Granger." He showed her the final two photos, the one that hadn't been in the envelope. The kiss, in the floo network. "I don't think they'll need much a headline with this photo." Hermione watched the photograph of herself and Bella kissing and laughing. The next one was Bellatrix and Hermione in the garden. Their kisses and touches, Bella kissing her fingertips.
Hermione held her hand out for the photo and gathered them up with the rest.
"I don't have any control of the aurors office Minister."
"No but you can stop Birch-Lock from poking his nose into my affairs."
The car stopped, they were outside the phone booth for the ministry.
"Good day Ms. Granger. Feel free to keep those I have plenty more."
Hermione threw the pictures down onto Birch-Locks desk. She stopped short when she saw him already looking through his own stack.
"Really Granger? With Black? She's a murderer and your case."
"I know."
"You could have told me Granger; I have to find out like this?" He threw the stack down on top of Hermione's.
"I'm sorry sir." Hermione said not looking at him.
"It's fine Granger, I mean, it's not fine, you can't be on her case but, well legally it's fine."
"But-if I'm not on her case."
"You can't go to her house I know Granger. You've put me in an awful predicament."
Hermione felt herself falling, "I have to."
Birch-Lock looked at her, "You have to what? Go to her house? Yeah you should have thought about that before you fell for her."
Hermione shook her head, "No, no you can't."
Birch-Lock looked sorry. "Rules are rules Granger, it's a conflict of interest."
"Then I'll quit. Keep it so I can go there or I quit." Hermione repeated. "I don't care what you have to do but keep me on her case. I wrote her pardon I- I do her checks. I'm part of her case."
"Which is now compromised because of these pictures Granger. The first few are excusable but this last one. These are intimate moments Granger and not ones that I think you want in the public eye."
Hermione felt as if her heart were being pulled away, "But- no Birch, no. You can't."
"I could fire you for this Granger, I really should. You should have come to me."
"Why so you could have stopped me sooner?"
"No, so someone else could have done the pardon. You wrote it, you excluded visitors."
"So we'll write a new one." Hermione said desperately.
"It's a binding contract for two years Granger."
"No-" Hermione heard herself say again. "What am I going to do?"
Birch-Lock gave Hermione a hug, "I know Granger. I have spent the last hour trying to figure out what to do and I can't find a loop hole. Fudge knew exactly what he was doing."
Hermione broke out of the hug, "He said, he said he won't publish them if you stop. If you stop the investigation."
Birch-Lock looked at Hermione, "You want me to stop an investigation so you can see your girlfriend?"
Hermione sank back into the chair when Birch put it like that it sounded stupid.
"What if Bella gave you new information, would that change her pardon?"
Birch chewed on a toothpick, "She gave us everything."
"But you didn't reveal everything, what if we reveal something that nobody else knows and we rewrite the pardon?"
He shook his head, "It won't work Granger."
"Please, Birch." Hermione said, the words choking her in throat. "I can't- I can't lose her. We- Beltane." Hermione said, the weekend flashing in her mind.
"Beltane?" Birch-Lock asked frowning.
"Beltane Night." Hermione whispered.
Birch-Lock understood. "You were going to have a Beltane Night with Bellatrix." He said looking down at the photos.
Hermione nodded.
