A/N: I'm not sure why but I've been struck with the urge to write a lot lately. This is going to be a slowburn fic. All Characters belong to the great JK and all mistakes are mine.
Hermione was sitting at her desk, scribbling furiously on one of the many stacks of parchment on her desk. Charmed paper airplanes were near constantly coming in her office and landing in her in box when she heard a tentative knock at her door.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed as she stood up from her desk. "What brings you here? You never visit me here since I cut the funding to the Auror department." Hermione chuckled.
"You know I need to play politics carefully, since my husband is my boss and you are his boss Hermione." Ginny jested back as Hermione laughed heartily as they settled into the chairs near the fireplace in Hermione's office. "How've you been 'Mione?" Ginny asked, her eyes full of concern for her friend.
"You know the usual, Ginny- stressed, but the usual kind of stress", Hermione replied with a slight grin.
"You really should be getting more sleep and rely less on potions and coffee to keep you awake." Ginny stated plainly, in reference to the muggle coffee cup sitting next to a goblet on her desk.
"Oh, Ginny you know I'll be fine sleep is for the dead. Now let's skip the small talk and tell me what brings you here, I thought I was meeting you and Harry for drinks this evening?" Hermione asked.
"Oh I hope you'll still meet us tonight, but Hermione, I was wondering if you could tell me who has your heart these days?" Ginny said with a smirk.
"Oh Gin, you know the Minister for Magic doesn't have time for a love life." Hermione smiled easily.
"But you're not getting any younger, you've got to charm a witch into your heart soon" Ginny teased.
"Well Ginevra, first the rest of the Wizarding World would have to know that I fancy witches." Hermione smiled back easily.
"Well we need to work on that, but if I told you something, promise not to shoot the messenger?" Ginny asked eyes twinkling.
"Ugh" Hermione took a big breath steadying herself for bad news from the Aurors, thinking Harry had sent her to deliver it. "Hit me Gin"
"Have you picked up a copy of Witch Weekly lately?"
"You know I don't have time to read that rubbish" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Well Hermione Granger, I'm pleased to let you know that you are one step closer to meeting the witch of your life because for the second year running Witch Weekly has named you London's most eligible bachelorette!" Ginny announced as she reached into her bag for a copy of the magazine.
Hermione's face fell "You're joking." She stated as she ripped the magazine from Ginny's hands that had a picture of Hermione plastered on the front. "Damn that oaf Rita Skeeter" She fumed as she looked at the cover of the magazine that sported a collection of pictures of herself smiling and waving at various Ministry functions throughout the past year.
"They did choose lovely pictures of you Hermione." Ginny teased.
"Gods I hate you sometimes Ginevera Potter." Hermione yelled back as she tossed the magazine into the fireplace.
"Hey, I wasn't finished reading that! I wanted to read the article about if our Lovely Minister is lonely and will the esteemed member of the Golden Trio find someone to love?" Ginny continued laughing at her best friend.
"You're lucky I love you Gin or I would have already hexed you out of my office."
"Hey! Hermione you should be thanking me for letting you know first before you leave this office and have to face the hordes of people". Ginny stated.
"I do appreciate it Gin it's just –god- How can I keep a professional front with Skeeter continuously printing rubbish about me?" Hermione whined.
"You always find a way Hermione, you'll do it calmly and professionally in the way that only Hermione Granger, Minister for Magic can." Ginny said as she put a comforting hand on Hermione's arm.
"Thanks for that Ginny, I truly appreciate it and even if you were a jerk I'm glad it was you to let me know about the article first but I must get back to work if I'm going to meet you guys for dinner and drinks tonight." Hermione said as she stood.
"Ah, I know the Minister's job never ends." Ginny said as she stood up and gave her friend a hug and quickly exited the office.
"Hermione! I thought you were never going to show up!" Ron exclaimed as Hermione plopped down in the corner booth full of some of her closest friends.
"Well if Ginny hadn't wasted my time this morning, maybe I could have gotten out on time." Hermione teased.
"Let me get you a drink Hermione" Harry cut in before the girls could begin arguing.
"Thank you Harry."
"So are we not gonna talk about it? Because I want to talk about it-."
"Ronald" Padma scolded her husband before he could finish his sentence.
"Oh come on love, I just want to know what my best friend thinks about being Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelorette." Ron finished before laughing hysterically as Harry came back to the table with another round of drinks.
"So judging from Ron's howling, he's talking about the thing we told him not to?" Harry asked with a grin as he passed out the drinks.
"You've guessed right." Hermione replied.
"Well 'Mione, since he brought it up, we're all dying to know what you think of it." Harry asked.
"I think that someone needs to fire that oaf of a writer Rita Skeeter, since she fails to ever report on any real news." Hermione began, "That being said, I can't say I'm surprised that the media is picking up on the fact that all of my friends are married and I'm still single, but I've decided to not let it bother me."
"You know Hermione it would all be easier if you just let people know you fancy Witches over Wizards." Ginny said carefully.
"I know Gin, and I know that it's not a problem in the wizarding world to be openly gay. But first female, and youngest Minister for Magic have stirred enough buzz then to announce that I'm also the first openly gay Minister for Magic? While I won't deny it would be a wonderful influence on our world, at least for now it's too much for me." Hermione sighed.
"And we respect that don't we Ginny?" Harry asked his wife as he stretched an arm around her shoulders.
"You know I do Harry, it's just that I think we'd all kill for Hermione to find that special someone." Ginny replied.
"Well you know how exciting I find work to be! And that's satisfaction enough-for now anyways." Hermione added.
"Right we all know how much Hermione Granger loves learning and knowledge" Ron added sarcastically.
"Ronald!" Padma scolded her husband again, "This is exactly why she's Minister of Magic and you never will be."
"oooooo, she told youuu." Neville said cheekily.
"Hush Longbottom"
"Anyways, enough about my pathetic nonexistent love life please catch me up on you guys this is my only chance each week to not think about Ministry business." Hermione pleaded.
Much much later that evening (or was early the next morning?) Hermione made her way back to her flat in London. As she keyed in a large snowy owl dropped a letter on her doorstep and flew away.
"Well that's strange, it's got a Hogwarts seal on it. Bloody owl must've came here instead of to my office at the Ministry." Hermione mumbled to herself as she dropped the letter on her kitchen table to bring to work the next morning.
A/N: Reviews please! Helps keep me motivated-or gives me ideas!