Hermione Granger woke up on her 21st birthday. She sighed as she lay in bed. She supposed Ron would have forgotten it again and would show up to dinner tonight with a cheap trinket he picked up somewhere on the way. He was a nice guy but it just was not working out with him. He was still a kid attached to his mother's apron strings. He expected to find a woman to take care of the house, have kids and take care of him. Hermione had just begun her career in the ministry and was not even considering having kids for a few more years at least.

Going to the shower she took care of things including a bit of self-gratification for her birthday. Since she wound up doing so even when she had sex with Ron anyhow. Looking at herself in the mirror she considered herself. She had filled out rather nicely, maybe not the full bodied figure Molly kept pushing but still athletic and just curvy enough to get the attention of others when she dressed for it.

Last time Harry had taken her and Ron to dinner to celebrate Ginny she had worn a low cut dress with a push up bra. Harry had about had his glasses fog up she recalled. Even Ginny had said she looked awesome. Ron had grumped about putting things on display only a husband should see. Which when she teased him about being a bit presumptuous caused a fight. Another fight.

It seemed like ever since the war, ever since her and Harry had gone to Australia to get her parents, ever since she had known him, her and Ron were fighting about something. They would fight, go a time without speaking then he would come back and either act like nothing was wrong or look at her with those sheepdog eyes and give a half hearted apology expecting her to take him back. She frowned at her reflection. Thinking back to his reaction when she told him that her and Harry were going to get her parents back. How he had tried to guilt her into ignoring and abandoning them. How he had acted like this was her trying to get some time alone with Harry. Like she needed to make an excuse for that. They saw each other daily at the Ministry, Harry being a fresh Auror that didn't get much field time as Shacklebolt still used Harry for public relations and recruitment. Harry didn't mind though as he said he was rather tired of fighting evil on a daily basis. That and this was a Minister he could support.

What was funny was Ginny had hugged her and said to have fun. She even gave her a few tips for pleasing Harry in the bedroom much to Hermione's chagrin, not that either of them had actually availed themselves of that. Except that one night were they kissed a bit heavily after dinner but she blamed the wine and the airplane trip. Yes that was definitely it.

The knock at the door caused her to pull a bathrobe on and check the wards. A Gobex delivery goblin was standing outside her front door. Chuckling at how the glamours he used made him look like a regular human being that her neighbor was hitting on. She signed for the box and tipped him as he left.

Taking the box into her office she checked it for traps or curses. Even if she recognized the sloppy scrawl across the address label as that of Harry Potter he would have thrown a fit if she hadn't gone through the routine. As a matter of fact there was his charm notifying him that not only had she received the package but that she had performed the proper detection charms. She laughed.

Inside was a small box with another charm for her necklace. She wore it on casual occasions as she had started picking up charms from around to remind herself of things a couple of yeas ago. A Quidditch snitch reminded her of her friends. A little dragon reminded her of Hagrid their fallen friend. A lightning bolt reminded her of Harry. A horned rabbit reminded her of Luna who was seriously vacillating between Neville and some guy named Ralf or Rolph or something. He was related to Newt Scamander though so Neville had his work cut out. Although in Hermione's opinion Rolf was a very drab and unassuming guy compared to Neville who had filled out quite nicely and become quite the figure in both worlds. An oak leaf was his reminder on her necklace.

This charm was an outline of Australia. It had a small diamond chip for Brisbane where her parents had been found. The card inside was addressed to Madame Eventual Minister and was Harry wishing her a Happy Birthday and hoping she liked the charm. She laughed at his optimism with her being the junior most clerk in the Regulation of Magical Creatures office acting like it was just a temporary holding spot. She had almost killed him when he was joking with Kingsley and called her Minister in front of him just to needle the man. Fortunately he laughed and asked her to at least give him a few more years to pad out his retirement account before she took over.

Writing a quick thank you note and saying she looked forward to his and Ginny coming to the party that night. It was going to be a small private affair. Her parents, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Ron. Sigh Ron. Maybe he'll forget about it all together.

She sent the note with her magnificent owl that Harry had given her for Christmas. When she complained about it Ginny showed her the Firebolt 650 that Harry had bought her. He declared he was loaded and with the investments in the wizarding and muggle worlds he had he was making more money than he could spend. So for her to shut up and like it. Especially as she would need a way to contact the office or her friends still in the wizarding world. She raised her eyebrow and laughed. The motorbike Harry had bought Ron to match his own lasted a few weeks before Ron wrecked it. It was sitting in Arthur's Garage being rebuilt. Hermione laughed as she remembered when Harry found out Arthur had Sirius' old bike and with its enchantments. He had let Arthur keep it and they would go riding sometimes.

=====xxxxxx=====

Work was the usual mess. People complaining about the new regulations, old regulations, regulations that did not even exist. About their elves not wanting to work. About having to get a permit just because its a Jarvil in Brighton. Another store owner complaining about someone bringing a niffler into their store. Hermione was the one who got to deal with the front desk since she was the junior. She had to sting an older guy who got a bit handsy asking how she got such a nice bottom.

At lunch Harry strolled into the office in full uniform. His grin causing the older witches in line to suddenly flit their eyes at him and grin. With not quite the full allotment of teeth. Harry was still polite and shook many hands.

"Alright folks I need you to all step out for a smoke or snack or something. This is official Auror business and I'll have to close the office."
Since it was Harry Potter saying that everyone moved out, only a couple of the more grumpier folks hesitated but he turned the charm on and they left. Her boss stood in his door looking out with a laugh hidden under his huge bushy mustache. A scar on his jaw marring the beard he had to match.

"Potter you know you can get into trouble misusing Ministerial Authority."

"Sir I'm not misusing anything. I'm in the middle of an investigation and need Miss Granger's help determining several facts in the case." Harry said so earnestly that her boss actually laughed that time as did some of the others in the office behind him.

"Okay have a nice lunch." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Hermione gathered her thinks trying to be angry but Harry had his innocent puppy expression on. He led her through the back routes and out the special secret Auror entrance before apparating them to Caponelli's Italian Restaurant. A restaurant his grandparents had apparently invested in back in the fifties. The current owners great grandparents had fled Fascist Italy and established it in the thirties. After the war it had been bombed and needed to be rebuilt while Fleamont Potter had wanted to diversify his holdings and do something to help the muggles rebuild. So Harry actually owned an eighth of the place.

The manager took them to the booth in the back and asked Harry if he wanted his usual and what Hermione wanted then left them.

"You know people are going to think we're having an affair."

"I thought you took care of Rita?"

Rolling her eyes "you know what I mean."

"Yeah Ron thinks we're having an affair if we stand closer than six feet or look at each other too long. Its your birthday and I needed to get out of the office. So here we are."

She sighed, "So whats wrong Harry I recognize that tone. Everything okay with you and Gin?"

"Yeah she's at a team meeting today. Things are good. No I was talking with Shack and I'm thinking of quitting the force."

"Quitting why? You're great at it."

"Yeah I know but Minerva was looking for a defense teacher. They got rid of the curse when they rebuilt the castle but the guy they had only came out of retirement because there wasn't anyone else. He was always going to be a temporary fix."

"So you're thinking of being a Professor?" She said with a smile.

"Yeah Shack said that the sooner we can get them trained the better off it'll be and maybe I can help prevent some of the kids like Draco going bad."

"Yeah maybe if he'd had better positive role models he'd have not stayed on the other side."

"I dunno. But Minerva has been sending me so many letters I know how Vernon felt." he said laughing together with her at the memory.

"So go for it Professor Potter." She said popping her P's.

"Very well Madam Minister. I just wanted to run it by my brains before I made any final decision."

Sighing she shook her head at him as their food showed up. They chatted a bit more over the curriculum and if he was going to be doing any live fire exercises. To keep up their constant vigilance. He took her back to the office and said he was going to go talk to Shack and Minerva not necessarily in that order.

=====xxxxx=====

Turning to the other lady in the office, "Did I miss anything Abigail?"

"No. seems like you got all your buttons back in place."
"Harry and I do not have that kind of relationship." She hissed at the older woman.

"Pity. If I was 50 years younger I know I'd be going for it."
Hermione shook her head as the older lady gave her a few messages and went back to her work. None of the messages were from Ron though. She frowned but dealt with things.

=====xxxxx=====

That afternoon she ran a bubble bath to relax for the hour before she had to great her guests only just as she had settled in and gotten comfortable the doorbell rang. She sighed and using her wand pulled up the wards alert. Seeing it was Ginny she smiled and let her come in.

"You know I could be a rogue death eater under Poly-juice she said when she finally came into the bathroom."

"If so just kill me quietly and go." She said leaning back.

Ginny sat on the floor by the tub laughing, "Yeah and then have Harry hunt me to the ends of the earth and beyond sure."
"True. So you wanna although you do remember I have this place warded as much as Grimmould right?"

"Yeah I know. Makes my teeth tingle every time I cross the threshold." she said as she casually draped her hand in the water to play with Hermione's leg.

"Hey careful that tickles." She said as Ginny's hand went up her thigh.

"Sorry. God you have nice legs though. They go alllll the way up as Ron likes to say."

"Well I hope they go all the way up. It might make it difficult to walk." She giggled.

"Yeah." Ginny sighed. Still rubbing Hermione's thigh.

"Uh Ginny you're getting rather higher on my leg there. You know I like you but I don't do girls."

"I know you were like one of the few in the dorm that didn't play around."

"Yeah well there is nothing wrong with that I just don't find it very stimulating."

Ginny giggled, "From what you've said you don't find Ron very stimulating."

Hermione started to argue that when she leaned back in the water and frowned. In the 3 years they had been sexually active he had finished her off zero times. Exactly zero. That was not a good ratio.

"Mia? Did I say something wrong."
"No I've just been doing a lot of thinking today. You know your stupid brother hasn't said anything to me at all today?"

"Really? I thought he would at least send you a note at lunch. Mom said he stopped by the Burrow this morning. She says hi by the way."

"Great well he'll probably show up late if at all." She said.

"Harry said he'll be here on time when I told him I would meet him here."

"Harry is always trustworthy. Your brother will be late to our own wedding."

"If you have one and don't kill him first."
"I have not used any lethal hexes on him. Yet." She admitted with a sly grin after Ginny gave her a look.

"So I bet Harry could be stimulating enough for you."

Hermione looked at Ginny, "Yeah maybe. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well I mean you guys have known each other for so long and gone through so much. So much more than I did. I'd understand if you two enjoyed each other's company."

Sitting up Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh no. Now don't you start in on that we're having an affair crap like Ron."

"Mia Mom asked me if I minded you and Harry having sex. Everyone that knows you two sees how you look at each other. And it makes me happy and. And. I'm glad he'll have you to pick him up when I leave him."
Hermione started to rebut her comment when it processed through her skull. "Leave him? Why are you leaving him?"

"Because I met someone else. She's a really wonderful girl and we're so compatible and the sex is great. She's a muggle-born like you are only she's from Belgium."

Hermione sat in the tub staring at Ginny processing her words. Ginny had froze when Hermione moved as her hand was holding her ankle. Hermione looked down at it then back at Ginny as a dawning realization spread across her frontal lobe. "You're a lesbian?"
Ginny shrugged, "Something like that. I guess. I like Annie. I think you're hot. I love Harry but he's like a brother and sex has just been awkward. I've tried to make him happy but I just can't do it anymore. I really do care about him and I hope we can stay friends but I know I'm not first in his heart anyhow." She rambled quickly blushing and looking at the sink, the toilet anywhere but Hermione.

"Well let me have my leg back and I'll get dried off and dressed. This bath just isn't cutting it we need wine."
=====xxxxxx======

Hermione and Ginny drank some wine and talked about the situation. Hermione didn't think Harry would take it badly. He always cared about others so much. As for Ginny's idea to get Hermione to leave Ron and start dating Harry she felt uncertain.

Her guests showed up and joked with them about the wine starting to flow early. Her mom and dad pleased to see her again. It had taken a bit of effort but they had worked things out so they could be a family again.

Neville and Luna showed up and got greeted with hugs. Luna proudly sporting an engagement ring with Neville's huge grin making no doubt who was going to be having kids first.

Harry showed up and greeted everyone. Getting a hug from Luna as she showed him her ring and declared that Neville and her wanted Harry to be the godfather of their first born like he was Teddy Lupin in a few months. Harry just shook his head at her excitement.

They were halfway through dinner when the door opened and Ron staggered in. He was still wearing his work clothes from the joke shop and had red ink on the pocket. He was carrying a bundle of daisies and had his cheesy grin on his face. "Sorry I'm late. Today was an amazing load at the shop. You wouldn't believe it. That and when I went to apparate here the line at the apparate point was long. You really need to get a floor Herms."
Hermione closed her eyes and counted to ten. "You forgot didn't you?"

"Uh no. No I didn't bae. It was murder. Crazy I tell you."

"You forgot." She flatly stated staring at him with her glare of doom. The same one Harry had seen her use on Death Eaters.

He looked at the floor and rubbed his toe on her carpet. "I forgot."

"And you thought showing up almost an hour late, with daisies would be perfectly acceptable behavior?"

"Well when I was talking to Seamus at the local he mentioned him and Lavender was getting engaged and we had to raise a couple for that you know. It was polite and all. I kinda lost track of time talking to him, catching up on old times."

Harry wandlessly cast a silent sobriety detection charm under the table only to see Ron was lying again. He must have raised a few more than a couple.

"You and Seamus barely talked in school Ron. What old times could you have to catch up on?"

"Well a few things. And classes and who survived and what they're doing you know."

Hermione wandlessly cast a flame spell burning the flowers to stems.

Ron threw the flaming flowers on the floor causing Harry to have to cast an extinguishing spell on the fire. Everyone else sat silently like deer during hunting season watching carefully in case they needed to dodge.

"Blimey what the hell was that for?"

"I warned you Ron. You show up drunk. You show up late. You show up lying to me one. More. Time and you were gone. You have done all three tonight. We are through. Go away now."

"Herm baby. Look can't we work it out." He said smiling at her holding his arms out like he was going to hug her.

"Stop calling me Herm. I HATE that name. Its not cute, its not funny. You stopped being cute months ago. You are just an overgrown loser who has not cut the apron strings yet and needs to grow up. Go do it someplace else because we are through. We are done. You are banned from here and I will be changing the locks, the wards, the passwords everything. You are gone Ron. I hope you find someone willing to put up with your childish antics because I'm through."

"Well I guess your affair with Harry will soothe your broken heart then." Ron sneered.

Ginny laughed at him. "They aren't having an affair. Trust me I've been trying to get them to have one and they are both too damn noble to do so."
Both Harry and Hermione blushed at the table when she said that. Her mom and dad looked confused but Luna was paying very close attention.

"You've what!" Ron said rounding on his sister.

"I've pushed and hinted and outright told Harry to go fuck Hermione when you screwed up and made her cry. When you left her in the lurch one night too often. Dammit I know as much about your sex life with her as you do I bet. And you have never once gotten her off."
Hermione had started to try and stop Ginny but the Weasley tempers had both been activated. Ginny had jumped up and was shouting in her brother's face. "I have had to hold her and let her cry on my shoulder when you have been a heartless, thoughtless jerk when I so desperately wanted to kiss her tears away and take her to my bed and do your job for you. You stupid idiot. You had no idea how good you had it with her."

"What the hell are you talking about. I've treated Hermione great. And I am great in bed. If you weren't my sister I'd freaking show you."

"I wouldn't even shag you under the Imperious you numb skull. You're a two pump charlie and done. I'd not even get my broom in the air and you're already heading for the locker room."

Harry was looking at Hermione with his eyebrow raised as she smiled at him apologetically.

Ron was looking at his sister like he wanted to strangle her , "Look you stupid little bint. You may be my sister but you have no clue what you're talking about. You and Harry love each other. ME and Hermione love each other. We're destined to be together."

"Yeah right my girlfriend might have a problem with that."

"Your girlfriend. What the hell Gin. You throw the Quaffle sideways?"

"What does that even mean? You're too drunk to even insult me properly. You smell like you crawled in the keg."

"Yeah well I have to get mellow to come over and deal with her nagging and going on about how fucked up I am and how lazy I am. Now you're jumping in on her side. Maybe she had the affair with you not Harry."

Harry pulled his Comm-mirror out of his pocket and called the local Auror office. He was off duty and the way things were going he did not want to be the one to do the paperwork tonight. Hermione saw him but said nothing. Last time they had a fight she had begged him not to report it. Even though Ron had been drunk enough to swing on Hermione. Harry had managed to control himself as Ron hadn't touched her and left but it was close.

Ron saw him and snarled, "So you're making this official Potter!"

"So we''re back to last names Weasley?" he calmly asked. "Last time was what the Tri-wizard."
"You fucker. You wanted her clear back in school even. That damn Rita Skeeter was telling the truth after all. Stand up and deny it. Stand up and deny it so I can ram your teeth through the back of your skull Potter."

"Ron you've had too much to drink. I won't fight you. It wouldn't be fair."
"Yeah right. Ron's too pitiful to fight. Too weak eh?"

"I'll show you." He said pulling his wand out. Ginny who was standing in his face grabbed it and they wrestled over it before there was a flash of light between them and a bang. Ginny was flung off him and Ron gave out a pained yelp before laying there grasping his severely burned middle groaning in pain. Ginny was doing the same a few feet away up against Hermione's couch. Hermione and Harry both ran over and helped check on her then Ron. Both of them seemed to be alright just suffering some bruising and burns. With Ron getting the worst of it.

"I am going to kill my brother." Ginny whispered as Hermione worked to clean and heal her.

"At that point a knock on the door which sounded very official occurred."

Hermione checked the wards and seeing it was aurors opened the door.

"Uh Mr Potter?"

"Yes your idents?"
"Uh AP Nick Angel this is AP Butterman."
"Okay. Mr Weasley the redhead on the floor is be given some medical care and taken into custody. Drunkenness, assault, and disturbing the peace. Just hold him overnight and I'll deal with him in the morning."
"Right O. As you say man."
"C'mon buddy we got a nice warm cot for you." They picked Ron up and hauled him off.

Luna smiled, "Well this has been an interesting dinner. Will there be pudding afterwards?"

=====xxxxx====

A few days later Ron finally got the hint when Hermione's wards blocked him from even knowing where she lived. Ginny and even Molly had some choice words for him.

Ginny had brought her girlfriend over for Harry to meet and he agreed they looked much happier together. He was happy Ginny found someone she loved. They appreciated his understanding and blessing.

=====xxxxx=====

At Capanelli's for their daily lunch break Harry was grinning at Hermione.

"So what are you grinning at?"

"You know next year will be ten years since we first met."

"Yeah asking about Neville's toad."

"Ron wasn't wrong about something."

"Oh and what exactly wasn't he wrong about?"

"How I feel about you. You walked into the compartment and I thought you were brilliant. I still do."

"I wasn't some bossy know-it-all?"

"Oh yeah you were that. But I needed you more than ever you know. Without you I'd be dead ten times over."

"Well you were entirely too brash and foolhardy."

"So if saying that we could maybe count the last ten years as dating we could skip ahead to the Engagement?"
"You want to get engaged?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"So when are you taking over at Hogwarts?"
"Well I'll be the new DADA professor after Yule Break."

"Okay. Ask me then. I find Professors hot."

Harry grinned at her. "You got it Madam Minister."