Chapter Text
The crowd parts abruptly as she rushes down the corridor, nose in her files for today. Hermoine Granger has yet to lose the habits she developed in Hogwarts. Some things remain the same: her work ethic, intelligence, and fiery ambition. When she’s on a mission, everyone at the Department of Magical Law Reformation knows to stay out of her way - and she’s become one of the fastest, and youngest, rising assistant directors. Hermoine did, in fact, go back and redo the 7th year she missed. During her time finishing her education, she made friends with people from opposing houses, got treatment for the trauma the war provided, and learned to enjoy new things.
Hermoine’s experience in the Department of Magical Beasts and Beings provided her with an understanding of how aged the laws and regulations were in the wizarding world. Her employment didn’t last long afterward; thus Hermoine and Remus Lupin banded together to create the Department of Magical Law Reformation. The department is a subset that has inner workings with multiple other departments within the ministry, its sole purpose being law reform. Their goal is to end the archaic and corrupt laws that are discriminatory in nature. Remus has been named head of the department, and Hermoine is his assistant director. Together, they’ve amassed a large team that works together to begin a change for these sensitive issues within the ministry and go before the Wizengamot.
Sitting in her office deliberating the day's tasks, she notices the time and grabs the ministry’s version of an intercom. “Charlotte, could you have this file sent to the records office? I’m also ready for any memos I might’ve gotten while away. Oh - and a bit of tea would be lovely as well.” She rings through the ministry’s version of an intercom.
Hermoine refuses to allow the flying memos to come into her workspace. Bothersome beasts always distract me from proper hard work, as she always says. As assistant director, she first hated the idea of having her own personal assistant; but as the department has grown, hiring Charlotte has been one of the best decisions she’s made yet.
“Here’s your tea miss Granger, I’ve taken the liberty of adding peppermint for optimum focus today,” Charlotte stated, “you have notes from Ginny double checking that she and the girls are still on to come over this evening, as well as a note from Ron reminding you he will be working late tonight at the Hogsmeade store. You also have a short memo from Harry Potter letting you know he and his team will be on a mission but should be back for the party.”
“Please let Gin know we are still on, a thank you to Ron for reminding me, and thank you about Harry.” Taking a sip of tea, Hermoine added, “and Charlotte? Take the rest of the day for yourself. I have a meeting with the minister and Remus, and it’ll be going late.”
“Are you sure Ms. Granger?”
“Of course, you’ve worked hard this week and every day since I hired you. Have a wonderful weekend, Charlotte.” With a sheepish smile and wave from Charlotte, Hermione heads straightaway to her meeting with Remus and Kingsley.
Hopefully Ginny doesn’t rush over before she has time to change so she can start her tasks for the evening that all the girls are helping get ready for. She waves her wand, straightening up her office and setting her wards for the evening.
She comes home to the townhouse she shares with Ron, Nightwitch, her new half kneazle since Crooks passed shortly after the war sitting waiting to be fed. “Hello luv, yes yes I’m finally here I didn’t forget here's your food” she murmurs to the kitten. She changes clothes and comes back down to the kitchen to get started baking. So glad Ron is predictable in staying late at the shop. She just doesn’t know why he never wants to be home and makes every excuse to not go to any events either. She knows their relationship is falling apart, but she has been doing several things to get them back to a healthy place. The latest is a surprise birthday party for him, which Harry and Daphne are hosting at Grimmauld Place tomorrow; all of their friends and coworkers are coming over. Lost in her thoughts she doesn’t hear the Floo activate.
“Mione! Is my prat of a brother here? Do we get girl time without him bitching at us “ Ginny sneers? Since she came out and announced that she was in a relationship with none other than Pansy Parkinson, her relationship with her closest brother quickly deteriorated.
“You know he’s just tired from the shop in Hogsmeade, it has taken off faster than they thought it would”
“Mione, fuck that bullshit. Why are you still making excuses for him?! He’s been an arse for years with us together. There is no fucking reason for him to be an utter twat constantly about running the shop in Hogsmeade.” Pansy snarls, “Also all the effort you have been going through to stay with him when you both are so miserable. It's not like you're married or engaged. You don’t have to keep this up.”
“Are you seriously harping on Mione while she is currently baking Ron’s birthday cake? Really Parkinson?” Lavender chimes as she walks into the kitchen with Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, and Hannah Abbott.
Hermione is always pleasantly surprised by her group of girlfriends. She and Lavender let go of any differences when they fought Greybeck and killed him during the battle. Then during the repeated 7th year since she branched out to other houses to have made friends with more of them. When Ginny told her that she had developed a relationship with Pansy that brought in more Slytherins to their circle. She is so happy it did. Through the years the house rivalries have gone away, though Ron still has issues with the Slytherins. He still resents them and is prejudiced, the fights they have about her and Harry hanging out and being their friends are exhausting.
Tuning back into the conversation that had flowed around her. Coming back to focus. “Daph, is everything ready for us tomorrow at Grimmauld place?” she inquires.
“Of course, it is! The elves have been cleaning the place from top to bottom and Maisy has started cooking even though she is most put out. But don’t worry Mi, we haven’t let them overwork themselves.” She told her friend sweetly, Knowing how much she has worked to make things better for the elves since she learned that house elves need family bonds to be happy. Now there are laws to prevent abuse towards them and a program to help relocate them and find new families.
“Ok, where’s the wine? I need to drink if we're going to sit here while Mi bakes and decorates the prats cake in this asinine attempt to show she cares.” As Pansy is going through cabinets.
“Mi honestly, we are worried about you though. It’s been years and you’ve turned yourself inside out trying for him while still being true to yourself. We love you and want what’s best for everyone, but you can see that you and Ron are not suited anymore.” Hannah says while accepting a glass of wine from Pansy. The others nodded in agreement.
“OK! What is this an ‘intervention?’” She scoffs “Seriously? We've been together five years and all of you are just now saying something? I love him, and you don’t quit when things get hard. Relationships are work and mutual respect. Love is just an emotion that takes daily work.” She can hear herself and sees the reactions on her friend's faces, it even sounds rehearsed to them.
“Oh love. Even you don’t believe that’s what this is anymore. When was the last time Ron did something for you to show he cares? When was the last time you even had a conversation that was more than saying when each other would be home? Or even slept together? How has he shown you that does anything for you?” Hannah throws at her even in her soft voice.
“Yes, Mione, he may be my brother but even I can say he’s not been good for you. As soon as your career took off and he dropped Aurora training all you did was fight, now you’re barely ever in the same house? Isn’t he sleeping in the spare room now? Because and I quote ‘the nightmares just got to be too much and why can't you just be over it’ like who the fuck says that to the person they supposedly love. We are tired of seeing you give give give and not be appreciated for anything.” Ginny is very gentle when she says this.
Hermione just looks at her friends sipping her wine while she charms the icing and details on Rons' Birthday cake. She made a chocolate cake with a Chudley Cannons theme writing ‘Happy 22nd Birthday Ron’ on each tier. They don’t look pityingly at all, just concerned. Lavender helps clean up the wine glasses and charms the dishes to wash.
“I dated him and even though that was more to make you jealous on his part, he still put more effort into that than what he's shown you ever since the battle. He treats you more like a trophy. Just so he can say he's in a relationship with ‘The Hermione Granger’. He treats you like a consolation prize. You are so much more than a prize. Or to be treated as a trophy. Hell, he doesn’t even really do that since he doesn’t even get photo’d with you anymore. Or is seen with you. I've been keeping Rita and Pavarti from writing any speculation or rumors about you both at the Prophet because you don’t deserve to be smeared for your private life.” She adds to everything the girls have told her. The rest of the evening is spent catching up on everyone's lives.
As they were leaving for the evening, each of them gave her a loving hug. Daph is the last to go. “Please just think about things that we have brought up. I know most of us feel the same love, but it is your decision. We just wanted to point some things out. As we said, we want to see you happy. See you tomorrow at Grimmauld.” She gives Hermione a big hug as she steps to the floo.
Her friends have left her with a lot to think about this evening as she starts getting ready for the evening. She decides another glass of wine would be nice in a bubble bath to mull things over. She didn’t realize things had become so obvious to all of their friends. She has been in the bath for a while when she hears things falling then a curse,” bloody fuck when did that table get there? Fuck fuck fuck bloody fuck” Ron mumbles.
She rolls her eyes then checks the time, maybe it's later than she thought, but nope it's only 9 pm. Why is he here and so drunk that he's tripping over furniture? When there's a scrape at the doorway.
“Mioneeee well look at you” he slurs, with a glassy-eyed leer staring at the bubbles by her chest.
“Ron, surprised to see you this early in the evening, are you not supposed to be inventoried at the shop? And since when are you this heavily drunk? Do Fred and George know that you seem to be drinking on the job? By the way, take your leering and just go to bed.” She asserts with her eyes closed
“Fuck luv, see this is why I can only put up with possibly wanting to fuck you when I'm wasted you are such a cold bitch, but the bubbles definitely are doing something here.”
She opens her eyes to see him beside the tub leaning over her.
“Get the fuck out! You aren't going to touch me at all! The Fuck !”
“ What's your problem, Mione? Don’t you want me to relax you?”
“ YOU STILL HAVE HER FUCKING LIPSTICK ON YOUR NECK AND FACE!” She screams, leaning slightly up so her chest is out of the water, her face in his.
He leans forward and grabs a fist full of her hair and pulls her roughly to his face and shoves his mouth on hers. She's slipping as she's trying to push and slap him off. He bites her lip and tightens his hold;
“ You know you fucking want this, or you wouldn't have tempted me by having a bubble bath. But no matter how much you bathe you still will be considered a fucking mudblood only good for one thing,” he growls at her.
He's pulling her out of the bath and grabbing her arms, nails biting into her skin. She finally gets traction on and does a wandless drying charm so that she isn't slippery, he pushes her against the wall and he's moved to sucking and biting her on her neck and chest. She finally gets her wits about her and knees him.
“Fuck! Mione! “ She then grabs her wand, “Flipendo! Petrificus Totalus! Incarsorus! What the fuck do you think you are doing!” She is crying, shaking, and completely enraged. She wraps her bathrobe around her.
Calling forth her patronus.”Harry, I need you here immediately, please. The floo is open.”