A/N: Hello there! Though I don't usually work on two storied at once, this one hit me like a ton of bricks so I just started to type away. This fic thought be too long, I'm guessing 10-ish chapters, and most of it has been planned out.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

As always, enjoy!

Edited: October 16, 2019

Chapter 1

Hermione was agitated. No. She was far more than agitated. She was irritated, pissed, and, most of all, sick of the damn Slytherins randomly interrupting her life. She turned the corner, Blaise Zabini was there. She went to Diagon Alley, Pansy Parkinson was following close behind her. At the Ministry? Theodore Nott bumped into her several times a day on purpose if she went to the loo, Daphne or Astoria Greengrass here not too far behind.

Hermione had no peace, and now, here at a small cafe in Muggle London? Hermione could see a group of 5 wizards and witches, so obviously dressed in robes, sitting not so covertly across the cafe's patio. They were shoving each other, awkwardly arranging themselves to all face her.

Hermione was ready to throw her tea at them.

It's been five months, and they haven't left her alone.

"So… I see that your entourage is still following you around," Harry said, chuckling into his cup. Ron, who sat next to Harry, their backs towards the Slytherins, snorted in amusement.

"It's not funny, Harry," Hermione hissed, "they're everywhere."

Ron rolled his eyes, taking a large bite from his chocolate scone, "Come on, 'Mione, it can't be that bad."

Hermione gawked at Ron, finding it hard to form words for a moment, "They follow me around everywhere. Yesterday Nott was in my office, and he stole my spoon… my used spoon. When I walked in on him, he popped it in his mouth. I don't even know how he got into my office, I know I'm only an undersecretary, but the Minister's entire floor is monitored! They're up to something, and if they're not, they need to leave me alone!"

Hermione let her head drop to the table, her forehead loudly banging onto the glass surface, causing some of the other patrons of the cafe to turn to her. Harry mouthed that he was sorry to the strangers around them then pulled his focus back onto Hermione.

"They're Slytherins, Herms," Ron said around another bite of his scone, "but we can look into what they're up to."

Hermione's shoulders slumped forward, "It's probably nothing, just some racist nonsense…"

Hermione downed the rest of her tea just as Harry finished his own. Ron, on the other hand, started on his second scone. The trio all got ready to leave, the three of them walked down the street, and Hermione distinctly heard Zabini speak up, "do you think she knows it's us?" followed by Parkinson's "Shut up, Blaise."

Hermione sighed heavily; she felt too old to be 25. Harry and Ron tried to lighten her spirits on their way back to work. Harry and Hermione dropped Ron off at Weasley Wizard's Wheezes before trucking off to the Ministry. On Hermione and Harry's lift, Nott decided to slide in the last minute, standing half an arm's length away from Hermione.

Hermione, already being fed up, moved closer to Harry when Nott took a small side step towards her.

"Can I help you, Nott?" Hermione spat, her eyes narrow.

Nott turned to her and sputtered, blinking at her, "What? Me? No!" He rushed out, obviously lying. He awkwardly shuffled away from Hermione, suddenly finding the wall of the lift extremely fascinating.

Hermione turned to Harry in disbelief. The lift door opened to Harry's floor, but he hesitated. "I think I'll ride with you to your floor…" Harry muttered, pressing the button to close the doors.

"Thanks," Hermione muttered.

Another excruciating minute later, the lift doors opened to the Minister's level of the Ministry. Harry stepped out first, then Hermione.

The first thing that Hermione noticed is that Malfoy wasn't standing at her office door, tapping his toe in impatience. He hadn't been around to pester her about legislation in weeks, and even though they had a very fragile friendship growing, she didn't know why he had been missing work. Hermione sighed. She missed the banter; the paperwork was so dull without it.

Just as the doors were about to close, Nott reached out and snatched Hermione's scarf from the crook of her arm, frantically pressing the lift button for its doors to close.

"Hey!" Hermione shrieked, "he stole my favorite scarf!"

"What is wrong with him?" Harry asked, pushing Hermione towards her office.

Hermione walked into her office and collapsed into the chair behind her desk, burying her face in her hands. Harry took the seat across from her, looking at his friend with concern.

"I just wish they would tell me what they want," Hermione said.

"Maybe you should ask them," Harry said unhelpfully.

Hermione looked up to her friend astonished, "You say that like I haven't tried."

Harry looked at Hermione with a sad smile, he leaned back in his chair and caught her looking out the door, clearly expecting Malfoy to show up.

"He's still not around?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione huffed, irritated, "I asked Kingsley if Malfoy is okay, and the only answer I get is 'if you need to know, you'll know.' It's frustrating. I can't make laws involving potion distribution without having the president of the largest potions company in Europe to consult."

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that you fancy him, hm?" Harry laughed, causing Hermione to glare at him, so harry quickly changed the topic, "He's probably just working on something for his company; those things take time."

Hermione nodded, grateful for the change of topic. It was an unspoken rule that no one was about to talk about her wayward feelings towards the blond. The two had gotten close during their 8th year when she was alone, and he was an outcast, they studied together, ate together, and there have been occasions where the two would wake up to find the other one there too. And even though Hermione saw herself falling for Malfoy when she saw past his cold exterior, she knew that nothing would happen between them.

Harry sighed, the silence consuming the room for minutes on end. He looked around her office, his eyes landing on a vase of blue cornflowers.

"Herms," Harry said, "I see the flowers are still coming."

Hermione looked up from her desk, eyeing the flowers with a smile on her face, "Yeah," she said, "it's almost been a year now."

Harry nodded, standing to observe them closer, "Any clue on who's sending them?"

Hermione blushed, it was well known in their circle of Weasley's and Harry that she had a secret admirer for a while now. He would send her flowers, gifts, chocolates, and even first editions once a week for the last ten months, and every delivery came with a short and sweet note.

"No," Hermione said, "I don't know who would either."

Harry scoffed, "anyone would be lucky to have you." he said, "What did the note say this time?"

Hermione crossed her arms, contemplating the flowers, "Cornflower blue looks lovely, but it's not as lovely as you."

Harry touched the small bud of one of the flowers, "Didn't you wear blue at Memorial Gala the last weekend?"

Hermione hummed, "I did."

Harry dropped his hand to his side, "Well, I should get back to the Auror's Office; hopefully, they haven't blown anything up yet. If I hear anything about Nott or the others, I'll let you know. Good luck."

Hermione sighed, picking up a quill, "Thank you, Harry, be safe."

Harry chuckled, "I always am."

Hermine looked down at her paperwork, taking a deep breath before she got to re-writing the current bill.

"Hermione?" her head snapped up to find Harry still standing in her office, "We want you to be happy, you know? And it's okay if you aren't."

Hermione snuggled to put a smile on her face, her stomach twisting, "I am happy, Harry."

The green-eyed man gave a half-hearted nod and left Hermione's office, leaving her alone in the silence to scratch away at proposals for the new legislation cycle. May was almost always busy, and Hermione was sure June would be worse.