When Hermione walked into the bullpen the next morning, the first thing she noticed was the absence of her desk. In its place, in her cubicle, was another desk. One with files and paperwork which did not belong to her, photos of a family who weren't her family, and a mug of strong smelling coffee, which she hated.

Taking a chance, she meandered into Sirius's office, which had been completely re-outfitted. In the center of the room sat two desks; hers and his. They faced each other, with just enough room between them for someone to walk through. His chair had been replaced with one from the muggle movies which rolled around on wheels. She seemed to have gained one of those chairs as well.

Sitting on the new chair, she found it spun in both directions. Her face split into a wide grin as she kicked the floor, the way she remembered doing in her parent's office at their dental practice when she was a young girl.

When the chair ceased spinning, she looked up at the far wall, positioned behind the other desk. On it was mounted a certified, muggle-grade cork board, equipped with a white board, markers, an eraser and a cup full of thumb tacks.

"We have a lot of work to do today, Granger," she heard Sirius grumble from behind her.

Quickly she stood up and began writing names on the white board.

"You know there's a charm for that," her partner muttered as he discarded his cloak, draping it over the back of his chair.

"Yes, but this helps me think," she answered, listing the names of their missing persons, and creating a table for them to fill out.

She listed columns with information she thought would be important, based on their conversation the day before; marital status, spouse's blood status, children, last seen, profession.

"Anything else we might need?"

Sirius, who sat atop his desk, pondered the table she had made, frowning.

"We need to add Hogwarts extracurriculars."

Surprised, but conceding, Hermione added the column to the board and cast a little charm to tidy it all up.

"Alright Kitten, since you're up there, let's start with Mr. Creevy. He's married to a muggle. No children."

Hermione uncapped her marker and began filling in Dennis's row with the information Sirius read off to her.

"Brother Colin last saw him at The Magic Neep in Hogsmeade. Said he left to purchase a spellcraft, and when he returned Dennis was gone."

"Did anyone speak to the store proprietor," she asked as she filled in the "last seen" section.

Sirius shook his head, flipping through pages. "Doesn't say."

Quickly Hermione charmed another column to the end of her table called "possible sources" and wrote in "Carla Bagely," whom she knew ran The Magic Neep, and Colin Creevy.

"We can ask Colin about Dennis's extracurriculars," she explained, seeing Sirius's raised eyebrow. "I only know he was involved with some secret dueling club, but other than that I've got nothing."

And so the two continued to work like this, filling out pertinent information on their board until Hermione's stomach growled loud enough for Sirius to laugh at her.

"I'm hungry, too, Kitten," he chuckled, ignoring the deep crimson staining her cheeks as he stood and stretched. "I'm going down to the Deli. Want to come?"

Hermione rummaged in her bag and pulled out a glass container.

"The girls packed me lunch last night," she said with a smile.

Sirius eyed the contents as she used her wand to cast a heating charm. He wrinkled his nose.

"What is that?"

"Don't knock it until you try it," she sing-songed, tsking at the look of disgust on his face. Her food had an orange tint to it and a floppy piece of egg over the top. "It's a rice omelet. It's Japanese- hey!"

Sirius had conjured a fork and reached into her container, hoping to try the delicacy which came from her secret cafe. She stubbornly swatted his intruding hand away from her food, and slapped his shoulder for good measure as he retreated.

"You said to try it," he whined, nursing his stinging hand.

"Not mine! Get your own and try it! This is all I brought to eat today!"

Her cheeks were red again, food forgotten on her desk. Sirius nodded and threw on his cloak. With a quick look around the room, he left.

Hermione briefly wondered if she had upset him as she dug back into her lunch.

The cooks really were sweethearts. They were the only truly Japanese girls employed at the Cafe because Violet wanted to ensure she had authentic cultural treats to accompany the experience of a Maid Cafe.

Honako and Misaki were the best cooks Hermione thought she'd ever met. Though she'd never admit it to Mrs. Weasley or to Lily Potter, who would both be put out to hear it.

When Sirius returned, Hermione had finished her lunch and returned to filling out information for their sixth missing muggleborn. True to form, he'd made a scene to steal her attention upon entering, balancing several packages in his arms.

He cleared his throat.

"This is my sandwich. No one is to touch my sandwich. I will be picking at it all day," he announced. Hermione nodded, knowing she wouldn't want to touch his sandwich, which looked questionable, in her humble opinion.

"Second," he continued, gesturing toward the large packages with his wand, now unwrapped and organizing themselves on a small table between their desks. "These are snacks. Please help me eat them."

On that small table was now an assortment of nuts, dried fruits, crackers, summer sausage and candies. Hermione eyed the candied mangoes, before snapping her gaze back to Sirius who had just taken a large bite of his sketchy sandwich.

"Why," she asked.

Chewing slowly and swallowing even slower, he picked at a slice of sausage.

"We'll be spending a lot of time here, working our brains and all that." he said, popping the sausage into his mouth. The bobbing movement of his Adam's apple as he chewed and swallowed the sausage was almost sinful, Hermione thought to herself. She quickly shook the thought away from herself.

"Figured we might need some brain food. I know I always think better when I'm not peckish."

Hermione agreed, grabbing a slice of candied mango.

"Anyway, how much do we have left?"

Hermione eyed the stack of the remaining five case files and stretched, preparing for a long afternoon.

Sirius hummed to himself as he placed stasis charms on all the snacks he purchased that day.

He was immensely proud of his snack table, knowing Hermione would never let him buy her an actual lunch. This way he could make sure she kept up the energy she needed to work two jobs without suspecting what he was actually doing.

The one thing he noticed the night before was how tired she looked. Yes, she'd done a fine job with her makeup, so it didn't show on her face. But he'd known her for a few years now and he could recognize the posture of a tired Hermione.

He'd never had the need to work more than one job in his life. However, thanks to his lovely pureblood family, he more than understood her need for independence.

Lily and James would happily allow her to live with them while she saved money to buy her parent's house. But he also understood feeling like a charity case. And it wasn't a great feeling.

However, he also didn't want her to wear herself out. And the way things were going, he could see her doing just that. Which was the reason he pestered Robbards to change her shifts to days, instead of nights. That would give her better hours to work with at the Cafe and hopefully help her get the rest she needed.

He tried to ask himself, as he mounted his bike and took off toward Blackpool, why he cared. It was obvious.

If Lily ever found out about her having two jobs, and if she found out that he knew and didn't do anything to help the girl at least take care of herself, she'd have his balls.

Hermione was family to the Potters. Having also been taken in by that same family, he knew how protective they were of their surrogates. Hermione was a surrogate Potter just as much as he was.

They were family. It was his job to help her out.

Even when she yelled at him. Even when she accused him of unsavory things. Even when she refused to share her damn rice omelet.

So he landed his bike and ended the disillusionment charm, riding through the streets like a muggle toward the entrance to an alleyway he was starting to grow accustomed to.

Hermione was family, and she needed his help. He also needed her to be alert and ready for anything now that Robbards had the gall to make them partners on this case.

On this case, in particular. They were dealing with blood purists and Hermione was a muggleborn.

He could not swallow the feeling that Robbards was using her as bait. Draw out the Death Eaters with the temptation of a powerful muggleborn witch.

He couldn't very well let her exhaust herself mentally or physically. He needed her ready, able and powerful. These guys were no joke.

As he entered the overly pink and blue Cafe and took a seat at the same table as last night, he asked himself another question. One she had asked him just the night before.

Why are you here?

A tall busty blonde, in the same maid dress as Hermione's, approached his table with a sweet smile. As soon as she reached him, though, the air felt cooler. She locked eyes with him and said in high-pitched, irritating tone,

"Good evening Master! How can I serve you today?"

Sirius cleared his throat and tried to give the woman a polite smile as his eyes roamed the restaurant in search of Hermione.

"Uh, I was actually hoping Miss Mia would be available," he responded.

He felt the blonde's aura turn even colder, but shook it off.

"Miss Mia has the night off, Master. I would be happy to serve you while she's away," her rehearsed voice said sweetly, a great contrast to the vibe she was sending in his direction.

Looking around quickly, he found the other girl. The one who fed him and pet him as Padfoot last weekend The one he had encountered several times during Potter family get-togethers.

Luna Lovegod. The fairy of a witch was pouring tea for a small party of little princesses across the room.

"How about her?"

The maid at his side huffed and replied, "Yes master. Miss Lulu will see to you in a minute."

Sirius felt relief as she walked away, feeling warmth in his bones once again.

When Luna arrived at his table and gave her rehearsed lines, he couldn't help but chuckle at how little she altered her voice to deliver the performance.

"Miss Lulu," he said, flashing her a large grin. "I would like to try the yummy yummy rice omelet."

"One yummy yummy rice omelet for Sirius Black," she winked and skipped back to the kitchen.

As he took a bite of the rice omelet Luna placed before him he had a thought.

I have to tell James.

Hermione, who hadn't warned Sirius she didn't work that evening, spent the rest of her day at Potter Cottage.

Ginny had invited her and Tonks over to Lily's dining room to go through colors and styles for bridesmaid's dresses as Lily served them a spread of cheese, crackers and a smoky salmon dip.

"Hermione looks great in this pink, as does Luna, but I'm afraid I look like Babe the pig," Tonks said, sounding glum.

"It's okay," Ginny assured her. "The plum one looks marv on everyone!"

"I prefer the plum, actually," Hermione said, reaching out to gently take Tonks's arm. "Pink is overdone at weddings, anyway."

"But what about Luna, she loves the pink ones," Tonks argued.

"It's not her wedding and she's out voted," Ginny stated, her jaw set with finality. Tonks stared down at her lap.

Hermione and Ginny shared a look, Hermione silently asking what had gotten into the metamorphagus. Ginny simply shrugged, expression verging on panic.

Hermione rose and quietly barged into Lily's kitchen. She stood by the door until the red head turned to face her.

"What's wrong with her," Hermione asked without preamble, using her head to gesture out to where Tonks sat.

"I have no idea. I've just owled Remus," Lily said, wiping her hands on her apron and sitting heavily on a stool. "This isn't like her. And she won't talk to me."

Hermione peered out the door to see where the morose woman sat, glumly flicking through catalog pages as Ginny tried to ask her about flowers.

"Is it work?"

"I've no idea," Lily replied.

"Did she and Remus fight?"

Lily shrugged.

"Is Teddy teething?"

"He's three. He has all his teeth, Hermione."

"Right."

The two sat there in silence until they heard someone stumble through the floo.

"That'll be Remus," Lily muttered.

However, just at that moment an unexpected voice called out instead.

"JAMES! WE HAVE A SITUATION!"

"Sirius," Lily and Hermione asked simultaneously. Curiosity winning out in both women, they pushed through into the dining room where Ginny and Tonks were still seated. All four women stared expectantly at the frazzled man currently patting floo dust and ashes off his cloak.

Tonks rose from her seat to inspect her cousin, smirking as she helped him out of his coat.

"Finally telling James, are you then? About the Granger situation," she teased.

"What Granger situation," Hermione asked, offended.

Seeing her for the first time, Sirius sent her a quick glare and returned his attention to Tonks.

"Yes. He needs to know."

"James needs to know what about Hermione," asked Lily.

"That Sirius is in -"

"That Hermione is in danger and Robbards is a scoundrel," Sirius cut over his cousin's voice.

Everyone went silent.

"This? Again," Hermione said, incredulously. "I thought we got past this?"

Everyone turned to look at Hermione, who was slowly building up to a rage.

"We worked well today, right? I'm competent,"

"Kitten, it's not that you're not competent," he nearly yelled. "I'm just, it doesn't sit right."

James chose that moment to appear. Taking in the scene before him, however, he heaved a great sigh and took a seat at the Head of the table. He pinched the bridge of his nose before gesturing to the rest of the table.

"Okay. Family meeting, now. Sit."

Everyone immediately took a seat around the table, including Harry who had thought he snuck into the house unnoticed. Instead, his mother caught his elbow and indicated for him to sit between herself and Hermione.

"Merlin," he whined, shooting a glare at his friend and godfather. "What did they do this time?"

James cleared his throat, bringing the meeting to order.

"Hermione, Sirius, what are you fighting about this time?"

Both blanched, shaking their heads profusely and muttering words along the lines of "we're not fighting!"

"Yeah right," Tonks chuckled. James shut her down.

"Sirius?"

Sirius sighed, flexing his fingers to try to expel his agitation. Quickly he looked James square in the eye and stated his case.

"Robbards put Hermione on the Death Eater case."

Two separate people choked, Hermione couldn't tell who, but she saw the color clearly drain from James's face

"Fuck- ow," Harry exclaimed, rubbing his leg where his mother pinched him for swearing. "No, I mean it! I requested that case!"

Harry looked once again between Sirius and Hermione, in inter displeasure.

"So did I," said Tonks. "I requested the case to Robbards personally. Weeks ago!"

"I didn't know this was a case you could request," Hermione said, genuinely surprised.

"You didn't even apply for it," Tonks yelled in agitation. "Shit!"

"Hermione," James started calmly. "Did you accept the assignment?"

"I did."

"Do you feel prepared?"

"I-" but she was unable to complete her sentence when Sirius interrupted.

"Robbards assigned us both to the case."

If it was possible to go any paler, James managed. Harry shot another expletive and Tonks shook her head in bewilderment.

"One thing you got right then," James said, "is that Robbards is a cretin."

The chaos around the table had Hermione's cheeks burning crimson yet again. She was embarrassed and furious that her family would disregard her ability so blatantly.

Yes, she felt bad over having been picked over Harry and Tonks for the position, but she was not sorry enough to give in to their disbelief in her.

"Harry, Tonks," she said, "I'm sorry. I really am. But do you all think so little of me?"

"It's not you, Hermione," Harry said in exasperation. "I wanted the case because I didn't want Sirius to get it."

"Huh," she said inelegantly.

Sirius spat out his pumpkin coffee, and nearly shouted, "Excuse me?"

"Exactly," Tonks added. "Yeah, I'm miffed he gave it to you, Mione, it's like he wasn't thinking. No matter how much training you have or how good you are, you are a muggleborn witch and a PRIME target. But Sirius? He's too close!"

"We don't want him anywhere near this case. They almost killed him last time," Harry said, leveling his godfather with a hard look, as if daring him to fight.

"You have too much resentment for these bastards, Sirius," Tonks was saying. "And they know you. You can bet your ass they're going to make sure you're in the actual fucking ground next time."

This conversation was not going how Hermione expected. At all. Sirius had his jaw locked, a sure-tell that he was angry and holding himself back from yelling.

Lily and Ginny sat, looking between the four Aurors helplessly. James slumped in his seat, defeated.

"Hold on a minute," Hermione interjected. "Robbards may have actually been on to something in picking us."

"Doesn't make it right, Hermione," James said calmly. "He's using the two of you as pawns in this."

"I don't care," she snapped. "He picked Sirius because Sirius is the only active Auror who knows what we're up against! He has knowledge none of the rest of us have, making him invaluable to the case!"

Everyone was quiet. Sirius was staring at the wall behind Harry's head. Hermione continued.

"Yes, he's rash. But that's where I come in! You all know me. I won't let him get himself into a position where they can even attempt to kill him. And me? Honestly, using me as bait is brilliant. I'm young, no one really knows me that well, so they'll underestimate me. And really? Do any of you really think Sirius would let anything happen to me?"

Tonks snickered, but was quickly quieted by someone stomping on her foot.

"What was your intention tonight, Sirius? Were you going to beg James to make me resign from the case? What were you hoping to accomplish?"

Sirius muttered something unintelligible.

"What was that," asked Lily. Sirius looked at Lily.

"It was supposed to be a private conversation," he said.

"Private my arse," Hermione quipped. "You can't just decide what to do with me behind closed doors! Without my input!"

"No," Sirius snapped. "Not what to do about you, you silly girl. I was going to ask what I can do. What I should do to ensure you stay safe while on assignment! I've never worked with a partner before! Especially not one everyone cares so much about."

The room went quiet again. Hermione plopped herself back down on the seat.

It made sense. James was his best friend and James had plenty of experience working with a partner. One of the most important things stressed at the field academy was to always look out for your partner's safety.

Through all the arguments she'd had with Sirius throughout the time she's known him, she never stopped to acknowledge exactly how seriously he took his job. He always seemed cavalier about it, which if she was honest, was mostly the reason she got so irritated at him.

It's why he frustrated her. She worked her ass off to get where she was. To her, it seemed he woke up from a four year nap just to have everything handed to him at work.

She never even stopped to think about all the hard work he must have put in to prove himself before the nap of 1993.

He'd also had to prove himself. And then he lost four years.

Yes, Hermione was embarrassed. She was insecure and she'd lashed out at her new partner in front of his family. After he'd been kind enough to buy her snacks. Of course the snacks were for her. He knew she had two jobs and minimal time to eat between shifts.

Besides, she'd never seen Sirius eat a dried or candied fruit.

Sirius and James left the table to have a private conversation elsewhere in the house.

Tonks, Harry, Ginny and Lily sat at the table still with Hermione. Lily broke the silence.

"I won't pick favorites between my children. But Hermione, darling, congratulations. You deserve to have such an important case."

She turned her attention to Harry. "I'm sorry you weren't chosen for this one," she said diplomatically, "but I'm also relieved because Death Eaters aren't regular thugs. Harry, you are skilled and well practiced, but there is a reason you weren't chosen. Just remember. There's a reason for everything."

Under the table, Lily squeezed Ginny's hand. Ginny, who looked both uncomfortable and frightened nodded at her future mother-in-law's words. Harry, though visibly upset, smiled at his mother and nudged Hermione with his shoulder. Gently, his action let her know he wasn't upset at her either.

Tonks was grumbling.

"Is this why you've been down today, Dora," Lily asked. The metamorphagus nodded. Quickly she addressed Hermione.

"I'm not mad at you either, Mione. I know you didn't try to undercut me. I just didn't know who Robbards had chosen, and I had felt so certain that I'd had it in the bag."

Hermione smiled at her friends in understanding.

"I really didn't even know about this case. I was too busy double checking everyone's field reports. It wasn't until Robbards called me in yesterday and told me I was on it that I even knew."

Ginny picked up the catalog after a moment.

"Did we choose plum, then?"

When Hermione left for the night, the topic of her new assignment persisted.

"You know, strategically, Robbards created the right team for this," Tonks said. Lily and Harry simply nodded their agreement. "What he doesn't know is how badly this could go."

Harry snorted. "You mean that they'll kill each other before a Death Eater can even take a crack at them?"

Lily frowned, but Tonks and Ginny both giggled.

"That," Tonks conceded. "And the fact that if anything happens to her, we'll have lost them both."

The table sobered as Ginny nodded resolutely. Lily sighed.

"Do you think he'll ever admit it," she asked.

"Who, Robbards," Harry asked. All three women looked at him like he'd dribbled on himself. "Who then?"

"Sirius," Ginny chided. "Will Sirius ever admit it?"

"Admit what," the bespectacled man asked his fiancé.

Lily patted his head in pity.

"Think she'll ever figure it out," asked Ginny.

"Not until he admits it," Tonks answered.

"We'll, It's a good thing they'll have plenty of time to spend together, then," said Lily.

After yet another short while they heard the floo and James entered the dining room alone. He slumped himself into one of the seats and looked around the table before finally locking eyes with his wife.

He grinned softly but smugly.

"He's so far gone on her," James laughed. Lily smiled widely while Ginny and Tonks snorted.

"The best part is," Tonks said, "he has no idea any of us know!"

Everyone laughed except for Harry, who appeared for all the world like something had just dawned on him.

"Sirius likes Hermione," he asked the room.

"Oh honey," Ginny said giggling. "He's absolutely besotted with her."