Hermione Granger leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, with the management meeting taking up much of the afternoon. The Heads of the Auror Office and Improper Use of Magic Office did not get along and sent a large part of the meeting bickering about whose department was more important. Hermione was stuck between a rock and a hard place there considering her best friend, Harry, was the Head of the Auror Office.

Their squabbles were a weekly problem that faced Hermione as the Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or DMLE as they called it. Her boss and the head of their department, Nigel Proudfoot was no help. He didn't see it as his job to step into their arguments, and really he was right. It was Hermione's job, after all, to oversee the running of the department.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open when an interdepartmental memo bumped into her head. Cursing inwardly, she snatched the annoying purple paper aeroplane and ripped it open. She sighed, it was an invitation to Kingsley Shacklebolt's annual gala. Normally she would be looking forward to this as it was a highlight on the social calendar for someone in her position. Last year's event had been fantastic, however this year she was husband-less and alone.

Her marriage to Ron Weasley wasn't one that was ever built to last, she had come to realise in the past five years. It was something they both didn't notice for a lot longer than they should have. The after effects of the Battle of Hogwarts and their fledgling careers kept them busy, then there were children after that to distract. But once their youngest, Hugo, was old enough to run around a lot of the differences in opinion and arguments reared their heads again.

She found herself wanting to escape him most of the time and that situation was not helped when she was offered the job of Deputy Head of the DMLE. Their arguments escalated once Ron found himself with not only his best friend as a boss, but with his wife as his superior. It all reached a peak one year ago when they had a yelling match in middle of the Auror bullpen which resulted in Ron quitting. He'd left the building quickly after that and the next time she saw him, he'd accepted a job at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with his brother.

That was the final nail in the coffin for their marriage, their final argument over his non-communication regarding moving from the Ministry to his brother's shop. She left that night, taking Rose and Hugo with her to stay at the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah Longbottom had been happy to offer her a room until she could find a place to stay.

Their divorce was finalised only six months ago, but receiving the owl with the confirmation felt like the best day since she'd received her Hogwarts letter. She was in a far better place now that she had been during her marriage to Ron, she had a nice house and she flattered herself that she was still young enough to attract some attention from the opposite sex.

A knock sounded at her door, pulling her out of her reverie. She looked up and saw a large blond wizard waiting outside the glass door of her office, she motioned for him to enter.

"Ms. Granger, I hope I am not interrupting," Thorfinn Rowle said, shifting his feet slightly. The ex-Death Eater looked extremely nervous in her presence.

"You need not be so formal, please call me Hermione." She gestured to one of the plush seats in front of her desk. "What can I help you with?"

Rowle took his time settling himself into the seat in front of her, still looking like it was taking all his nerve to be in her presence.

"I wanted to ask, no see …" he trailed off. "This was a mistake, please excuse me." He leapt off the seat and started for her door.

"Thorfinn, please, you can talk to me, I am more than willing to help you if I can," Hermione said, alarmed that he couldn't seem to ask her for help.

Thorfinn Rowle was one of the few ex-Death Eaters who had been released from Azkaban after serving for fourteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts. His two year parole period was almost over, meaning that the restriction on his magic which meant he could currently only perform simple spells was coming to an end. She would have thought he would be happy at that prospect, not only that but he'd be able to move into accommodations of his choosing and into another job if he so wished.

"I want to say, I am grateful for my job here, but, I … when my parole is over, I don't think I can work here anymore," he stumbled over his words, looking down as he sat back down in front of her.

"Is this because of Mafalda?" she asked gently. She knew Mafalda Hopkirk, Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office did not want a former Death Eater working in her division and she had been quite vocal about it for the past two years.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, uncharacteristically quiet for a man of such presence. He looked like he could lift her with one arm, but somehow was acting as though he was afraid of her.

"Why don't you tell me what's bothering you," she said kindly, moving around her desk to sit next to him so that he'd feel they were on an even playing field rather than a boss and a subordinate across the desk from one another.

"I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful for the opportunity to work here, but every day I am in this office, I feel worthless," he admitted quietly, looking over his shoulder fearfully.

Hermione looked out the glass walls of her office automatically, following his gaze and saw Mafalda Hopkirk watching her from her assistant's desk. Hermione glared back and flicked her wand, causing the glass walls of her office to darken.

"She cannot see in here now, and she most definitely cannot hear you, Thorfinn," she said reassuringly. "You are not worthless, I have kept a close eye on your work while you've been here and I can tell you that your work is very valued. If Mafalda is allowing her prejudices to cloud that, then I will take that up with her. But, you are not worthless to me."

He said nothing, he only blinked furiously, refusing to meet her eye. "Thank you, Hermione," he managed, turning away from her and wiping his eyes quickly.

"May I ask, what interests you the most? What kind of job would you love to do?" she asked once he had composed himself.

"Quidditch, I used to play professionally before I became a Death Eater," he told her. "It was the best moments of my life, but I'm too old now."

"Your parole is over in two weeks, I'd be happy to speak to Oliver Wood on your behalf, he's Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," she smiled, reaching over to snatch a folder on her desk before opening it up. "They have an opening in the British and Irish Quidditch League, the position is Scheduling Operations Coordinator. So, you'd be organising the matches and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"

Thorfinn stared at her for a full minute after she'd finished speaking. She grinned while he processed what she'd said.

"Are you joking?" he said, looking like he didn't dare hope.

"I rarely joke, Mr. Rowle." She rolled her eyes and handed him the folder. All the Heads and Deputy Heads had received the dossiers for upcoming jobs within the Ministry. Kingsley's mantra was growing personnel within the Ministry and he actively encouraged managers to promote workers who were ready for a change.

"I would be very interested in that, Hermione." He beamed at her. She was suddenly taken by how handsome he was when he smiled. She blushed slightly when he caught her staring.

"Good, um, sorry I'm staring at you like some kind of idiot." She shook her head and laughed. "Awkward."

"I'm used to the staring, everyone half expects me to whip out my wand and murder every one, I think," he confessed, giving her a half smile that made butterflies spring to life in her stomach.

"I don't think that's why they stare, I mean I'm sure that's part of it, but not the whole reason," she admitted, patting her hot cheek.

"Why else would they stare?" he asked, looking perplexed.

"Have you had an occasion to look in the mirror since your release from Azkaban?" she laughed. The man seemed unaware of his fortunate good looks. He was tall, muscled and his face was aesthetically pleasing.

"Of course I have, I look the same as always!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad I make you laugh though, you've seemed so sad this past year, and it's nice to see a smile on your face."

"You're making me laugh, you and your innocent expression, pretending you don't realise that you're hot." She laughed again and ran her fingers through her curly hair, shaking it out.

"You think I'm hot?" he asked incredulously. "I am shocked, have you forgotten I'm the same bloke who was ordered to kill you in that café all those years ago?"

"Do you want to kill me now?" she asked, raising both of her eyebrows.

"No!" he exclaimed quickly. "I never killed anyone because I particularly wanted to, it was only orders. Please, Hermione, I'd not do that to you."

"Thorfinn, I know, if I thought that for a moment you'd be back in Azkaban," she explained.

"I can't believe you think I'm hot," he said, quickly recovering and gifting her with a smirk.

"Sorry that was totally unprofessional of me, you're going to think I have some kind of crush on you like Mafalda does." She giggled.

"Ms. Hopkirk has a crush on me?!" he exclaimed, looking shocked.

"How have you not noticed?"

"She asked me out once, but I said no," he explained. "Since then, she's treated me like a cockroach that needs to be squashed."

"I will need to have a word with her about that." She said emphatically, standing and moving back to the other side of her desk. "Why don't you head home early, I'm sure Ms. Snyde would be happy to see you return early."

"How is it that I thought you didn't know I existed, yet you know the name of one of my friends and you've kept an eye on my work?"

"I don't like to micro manage my division heads, so that's why you will have thought I don't know who you are," she told him. "But, I know every single worker in the DMLE. It's my job to know, and that's why I'm very glad that you had to courage to tell me you're not happy."

"I've wanted to say something to you for a while, but I find you intimidating," he admitted, pulling his blond hair in his nervousness. "You're one of the golden trio, so beautiful and good, I didn't think you'd take a former Death Eater seriously."

"The only thing I heard then was that you think I'm beautiful, so I'm happy about that." She beamed. She didn't know how he kept doing it, but she'd smiled more in the last ten minutes than she had in the last month. "I was the one who decided that some Death Eaters could be paroled and I personally chose each one who was released based on reports that I had the Auror Office complete for each of you.

"I know who Merula Snyde is and I know what her connection to you is, it's part of the reason she was released. I know if I were in that situation, I'd be wanting a friend on the outside."

"I've known her since we were at Hogwarts together, she was a year ahead of me. She left Hogwarts the year before you started."

"I'm surprised you know that we were at Hogwarts at the same time, however briefly," she commented, leaning forwards on her desk.

"The Dark Lord was very interested in both you and Ron Weasley. He spoke to any of us who might give him further information and since I was in seventh year when you were in first, he asked me," Thorfinn explained. "I couldn't give him any information, other than that Draco Malfoy was obsessed with a know-it-all Gryffindor called Granger."

He winked at her and gave her a half smile that made her heart lurch. She burst out laughing again.

"Forget going to the B&I Quidditch League, you're moving in here to keep me entertained."

"Anything for you, Hermione," he said warmly. She found herself blushing again. What was it about this man that had her all flustered?

"Likewise, now I'm sorry but I have to meet with the Minister in …" she looked at her watch and gasped loudly. "Three minutes, oh Thorfinn, I'm so sorry I really have to run!"

She waved her wand quickly at the windows so that they became clear again before showing Thorfinn out of her office. She warded her office in a trice before turning back to Thorfinn.

"It was good to speak to you, Mr. Rowle," she said formally, extending her hand. He took her hand and gently shook it. His large hand enveloped hers, the feeling of his skin on hers making her feel like she had missed a step while walking.

"You too, Ms. Granger," he smiled. As soon as their handshake was over, she dashed towards the lifts on level two.

#

Hermione dashed past Percy Weasley's office waving as she launched herself into Kingsley's office, taking a leap onto his settee and sliding along.

"I'm here, I'm here!" she announced, looking up at Kingsley, who was laughing at her not so graceful entrance. She was shocked to see that he wasn't alone in his office.

A rather austere looking witch was laughing behind her hand next to him. Rowan Khanna was a tall dark skinned woman with winged glassed perched on her nose. Her robes were fashionably cut and dark mauve in colour.

"Professor Khanna, I was not expecting you, how is Hogwarts?" Hermione asked politely.

"We are preparing for the examination season, Ms. Granger," Professor Khanna replied in French accented English. Professor Khanna hadn't lost her French accent gained from living in France for seven years where she worked as Charms teacher at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Hermione strongly suspected that she hung onto the accent because she liked it as the professor was born and bred in the UK and had been back at Hogwarts for fourteen years now.

"My favourite time of year, I recall!" Hermione exclaimed heartily.

"Mine, too," Rowan laughed. "Kingsley has told me stories of you, and you sound so similar to what I was like at Hogwarts, the only difference I can find is that I was in Slytherin and you, Gryffindor."

"It's all lies, I promise you," she said, gesturing for the other two to sit on the settee.

"Based on your latest report regarding Merula Snyde, Professor Khanna and I have been discussing the possibility of moving her to Hogwarts to teach Potions." Kingsley explained.

"Ah, yes, I spoke to Dean and he relayed that she's not happy at St. Mungo's." Hermione nodded. "The healers say she's a dab hand at potions though."

"She always was, but hopefully she's stopped using her ability to sabotage other students work, I won't stand for the type of bullying I witnessed in Professor Snape."

"I suggest that she have an interview, then," Hermione said, smiling. "Speaking of moving Death Eaters, I'd like to put Thorfinn Rowle forward for the role in the B&I Quidditch League."

Kingsley looked at her appraisingly and nodded slowly. "I will have a word with Oliver about it and let you know. Rowan, let's set up an interview with Ms. Snyde."

"Was that all you needed me for?" Hermione asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes, I'll need you to sign off on both Snyde and Rowle's re-placements and their general release paperwork too."

Hermione inclined her head and scooted off the settee. "I look forward to that," she said before bouncing out of his office. She didn't know how Thorfinn was going to react when he found out that his girlfriend was being shipped off to Hogwarts while he stayed in London.