Impossible Reality

Author's Notes: I've sort of, researched some of the things mentioned here in a very comprehensive web site about the HP books. Perhaps, you've heard of it as it's very popular. Further explanations are towards the end of the chapter.

Anyway, thanks to Cherry, Jo, and Kish for guessing the characters right. Yup, must have been that give-away lines... :) So, here's your jellybeans! *tossing one to each*

Lastly, thanks to saj aneri, angkat14, and hydee (you know who you are if you're reading this =D) for pre-reading this and the next chapter. *hugs the three*

Disclaimers: All HP characters are JK Rowling's creation. Not mine… I wish though. ~_^

The Assignment

Sometime in 2001...

"Harry!"

The person summoned, Harry Potter, got his head out of the fridge to yell back, "What?"

"Have you seen my wand?" came the shouted answer, as thumps and crashes were heard from above.

Harry sighed. He pulled out his wand from his back pocket and muttered, "Accio!" Within seconds, something whizzed towards him and he caught it with his hands.

"Got it," he called out, just as someone entered from the back door.

"What's all the racket?" the newcomer asked as he sat on the nearby chair and looked expectantly at Harry, just as a disgruntled looking woman bounded down the stairs. She dropped her papers and bag on the table to retrieve her wand from Harry. However, he lifted it out of her reach.

"What?" she asked irritably.

"Since I've known you, you've never misplaced a thing," Harry pointed out. "Ron, our Hermione here forgot where she placed her wand," he explained to the other person in the room.

"She did what?!" Ronald Weasley, or Ron as Harry had called him, blurted out. "Herm, what's with today that you haven't told us?" he demanded.

Hermione Granger crossed her arms and glared at the two men. "Well, if you must know," she started angrily, "Moody is giving me a special assignment today. And," she paused, her voice growing higher, and sat next to Ron. "He'll be pairing me up with a Hit Wizard!" she finished, banging her head on the table.

"Whoa!" Ron said, grabbing Hermione's shoulders to stop her from getting a bump on the head. "You're hurting yourself banging your head like that."

"And what's wrong with a Hit Wizard?" Harry asked her. He sat down opposite his friends and handed Hermione her wand. "I'm training to be one and..."

"That's not the point," she interrupted. "Most Hit Wizards that I've met are so stuck up in their own little world that makes it hard for me to do work with them!"

"What do you..." Ron began.

"And," she continued, as if she didn't hear her friend speak. "Every new assignment means a new Wizard to deal with!"

"Alright, alright," Harry said.

"Calm down, Herm," Ron muttered, smoothing the woman's back.

"How can I calm down?!" Hermione exclaimed. She stood up and began pacing around the room. "It's a very big and important assignment. The welfare of the whole Wizarding World will depend on the outcome of this job. Even if everyone says I'm the best Auror there is next to Moody, if I can't work with the damn Hit Wizard they're going to give me, I'll..." She stopped with her pacing and endless tirade with a shake of her head. She looked up to see Harry replacing his wand on his pocket. "Thanks," she told him.

"No problem," Harry said. "Remember that it's not permanent so better use it while it lasts and go to work now."

"Alright," Hermione replied as she picked up her things. She pecked each of the men on their cheeks and with a Crack!, she disapparated.

"What did you do?" Ron asked Harry seconds later.

"Calming Charm," was the reply, and with that, they both stood up to resume what they were doing before Hermione got hysterical.

~*~

A tall young man strode on the hallways of a manor, cloak billowing behind him as he swept pass rooms and corridors. He stopped outside an oak door, took and deep breath, and softly opened it.

Inside was a middle-aged woman who sat on a high-backed chair, legs tucked under her dress and a book propped on her lap. She looked up with the click of the closing door.

"Mother," the man said, as he walked towards the woman. "I'll be going to work now," he told her as he kissed her forehead.

The woman smiled at him. "Ah, yes," she said. "You have that new assignment."

He nodded.

"Do you know who you'll be working with?" she asked.

"No, mother," he answered. "They rarely give us details before the start of a job."

His mother nodded.

"I'll go now," he said.

"Be careful, son," she reminded him.

"I will." And he disapparated from her sight.

~*~

Hermione Granger appeared inside her office at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Headquarters in London. She put down her bag and papers on her desk, picked up her Muggle pen and paper, and headed to Alastor Moody's office.

"Miss Granger," Moody greeted her, magical eye focused on her, as the other continued perusing the Daily Prophet in front of him. "Take a seat."

"Thank you," Hermione said as she sat down.

"Your partner will be arriving soon," he continued. "He's here," he suddenly said and stopped reading as both eyes looked expectantly at the door.

Hermione had barely time to turn her head when the door opened and in walked a young wizard. She and Moody stood up to make the formal introductions. However, the "welcome" smile forming on her lips froze as she recognized who she'll have to work with in the next couple of months.

~*~

"I believe no more introductions are necessary between the two of you," Moody started. "Hermione, Draco," he said, nodding at the two of them.

His eyes swiveled to settle at the petite woman glaring at him. He wouldn't have been able to point out who she reminds him of if Moody hadn't spoken. She looks so different now. Her hair now falls in graceful curls. Her body has developed her womanly curves. She stands a little taller than before. But the glare she's giving him is very much the same. It's still very much like Hermione Granger.

"Malfoy," she said curtly and acknowledged him with a stiff nod.

"Granger," he said in return, looking directly in her eyes.

"Why don't we all sit so I can already give you the details of your assignment," Moody announced, breaking the tense air that filled the room as the three of them took a seat. "So..." he began.

Author's Notes: A few explanations and other stuff. First, the setting here is around six years after the last book. So, Moody here would be back in his old "Auror" self, having recuperated from what Crouch Jr. had deduced him to. He's not the same jittery old man that we've read in The Goblet of Fire. Get it?

Second, I think most of you will not remember what Hit Wizards are. They are like, well, the police. They are the ones who chase criminal wizards. They are different from Aurors since the latter chase Dark Wizards. What's the difference, you might ask. From what I understand, criminals are, well, criminals. Dark Wizards, on the other hand, practice the Dark Arts. Let's just say that they're a sort of, in a higher level than normal criminals. Now did you get it? If not, feel free to email me or include your queries in you review... So, do review. =D Also, I don't know much how the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Aurors, and Hit Wizards work like so, I'm making most of the things up. *smiles shyly* Alright?