Thursday 28th August 2008

Her spine popped in several places as she stretched in the cramped seat of a muggle airplane that just landed at Heathrow airport after too many hours to count. Hermione knew traveling from Melbourne to London like a muggle would be tiring but she was very ready to be on solid ground once more, have a shower and a proper meal. She packed up her book and mobile phone into her crossbody bag and followed everyone else through the passport control and to the luggage claim where she picked up her small, black suitcase. To everyone else around her, she looked like a young tourist, traveling comfortably on a long flight in her black leggings and a long-sleeve sweater. She was wearing no make up and her riotous hair was wrestled into a messy plait to add to her casual traveller look.

She looked around the arrivals lounge for a very familiar head of blond hair, but instead her eye caught another familiar form, leaning casually against the barriers and waiting for her.

"Bongiorno, cara," Blaise leaned down and pecked her cheek, taking the suitcase from her and offering a genuine smile when she wrapped her arm around his biceps to be escorted out.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but where is my other half?" she asked, offering a beaming smile of her own, keeping up the pretence of a happy young couple reuniting for the benefit of the muggles around them.

Blaise led her through the nearest door to the car park where she had parked her inconspicuous dark grey Ford Focus that she liked to use and change number plates on for missions that required cover. "He was having a bit of a clear out and getting rid of some rubbish," he said pointedly as he put her suitcase in the boot and they sat in the car, Hermione taking the wheel.

She was expecting Draco to pick her up but she wouldn't complain about Blaise being the one to do so instead. He was excellent company and they got on like a house on fire the moment they started working together nearly eight years ago now.

They had lost so many in the final battle - Fred, Remus, Tonks, Professor Flitwick, just to name a few. The funerals were exhausting, and so were the trials that followed. She testified at a few and witnessed others in-between helping Poppy in the infirmary and Minerva with rebuilding the ancient castle. While the whole of the Wizarding Britain celebrated, Hermione began a long road of recovery with proper meals, dreamless sleep to help her stave off the nightmares, and some resting in between her responsibilities. It did her a world of good. After a summer of restoration, the castle was ready to admit new students come September. She was neither surprised when Minerva asked her to stay and finish her N.E.W.T.s, nor when Harry and Ron politely declined and headed straight into Auror training instead. Even before the war ended, Hermione knew that if they all survived, the two boys would stick together and do what they've always wanted to do. She didn't even try to date with Ron, and chopped up the kiss in the heat of the battle to the adrenaline. She was in no mind to date, just wanted to finish her education and think about her future.

She ended up taking her N.E.W.T. year with Ginny, and surprisingly both Draco and Blaise. There was no childhood animosity left between them, but they kept a healthy distance from each other and greeted each other with a polite nod in the corridors. That was the extent of their interaction until they met again in September 2000. It was then that Hermione joined the Special Undercover unit at the newly restructured Department of Mysteries, after obtaining a degree in International Relations. At that time, their department was independent and consisted of no more than fifteen agents in the field and in training, with focus on undercover work where Draco and Blaise worked, communications and intel gathering where Hermione started, and IT where surprisingly Dean Thomas joined them the same year as Hermione.

Over the next seven years, they all learned immensely on the job, and their team nearly doubled in numbers and efficiency. With time Hermione began doing undercover and apprehension work, both Blaise and Draco joined her on intel gathering missions, and they began to stand out as team leaders for the different areas of their department. They now settled into a routine of their colleagues and trainees working on medium risk and low priority cases, Blaise mentoring and training the team, and Hermione and Draco managing the operations for the high profile cases. They reported directly to Kingsley who become the most popular Minister of Magic in the past two centuries, and who had the final say in the most politically delicate cases. They worked well together and despite the highly demanding nature of their work, she relished in putting her knowledge and skills to such good use.

Hermione and Blaise stayed silent for a moment as she focused on charming the machine to let them out without paying the exorbitant parking fee, and settling into the traffic heading for her flat in Clapham. It would take approximately an hour this time of the afternoon to get there, so they would have plenty of time to catch up.

"Okay, spill," she looked at the handsome man beside her momentarily as they stopped at a red light.

"It is great to see you after three weeks. I've missed you too, sweetheart," he drawled sarcastically though the charming grin didn't leave his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I just spent 24 hours travelling, I need a shower like it's nobody's business and I am also rather hungry. So either tell me what I need to know or get out of my car, Zabini," she growled as she sped up a bit on the road.

Blaise merely chuckled and leaned back in his seat comfortably. "I like it when you get feisty, cara," he teased, making her tut at his flirting.

She couldn't stay mad at him for long though and it was good to see him after nearly a month away on a mission. "Yes, I am well aware that you are a lover, not a fighter," she teased back before settling into the drive a bit more herself, knowing she won't get home any quicker anyway. "Really, how has everyone been while I was gone?" she asked, glad to be back home.

"Where to begin…" Blaise teased her for a moment before turning serious. "Everyone at the Ministry is nervous about the financial crisis escalating in the muggle world, especially in the U.S., and there is some unrest in the Gaza Strip as well, so things are a bit tense for the Blues. Potter has been busy with the Reds as well, dealing with some of the domestic disturbances, a few targeted murders but it hasn't escalated to us," he summarised briefly.

They worked closely with two other departments; the Muggle Relations Bureau whom they called 'the Blues' after their navy blue Ministry robes, and the Auror department that was taken over by Harry as Head Auror last year and was easily recognised by their crimson A-letter patches on their grey robes, hence the nickname 'the Reds'. The Undercover Unit were known as the Blacks after their long black cloaks and their secrecy. They had their own floo access straight in the department so no one really knew what they worked on or who was in charge of their department. This colour coded system allowed them to quickly mark cases based on whose cooperation they required, and anything that was marked for the attention of the Blacks immediately became confidential information.

"I've been following the muggle news and there is definitely more trouble on the horizon," she agreed. "I'll have to catch up with Harry about those murders. The U.S. and Middle East have been widely discussed in the news but Europe seems to be too quiet, I don't like it," she admitted.

"I'm not surprised. The last I heard from mother, Italy is crashing economically, so is Greece," he agreed. "I have Dean looking into both Europe and the U.S. to intercept the worst of it ahead of time if we need to intervene. Other than that we have two new trainees, one started last week and the other is starting next week when you officially return. And as far as I heard, you will be a colleague down in about six months," he added with a grin.

Hermione raised a curious brow, thinking about his wording before it sunk in. "So it's confirmed? Alice is finally pregnant?" she asked excitedly.

Blaise nodded in confirmation, her excitement making him smile. Alice was one of her communications experts and has been trying for a baby with her partner for nearly three years now, so despite it making them a bit short-staffed in the field soon, Hermione couldn't be happier for her colleague. "That is excellent news. We'll have to move her onto desk duty but Rhymela is more than ready to take her place. I'll make sure to get Alice a card from our team," she made a mental note as she went around the roundabout, glad they were making good headway through the city despite the roadworks. They drove in comfortable silence for a while until they were nearly at the Georgian townhouse that housed her flat.

"And how was Australia?" he asked after a moment.

Hermione tutted. "Productive, but I will give full briefing on that once I put the information together," she said before parking in her designated space and looking across at him. "Now will you keep avoiding the elephant in the room or do you want to come in and tell me about it?" she asked.

Blaise knew there was no escaping it so he helped her get her luggage up the stairs to her flat and followed her in. Hermione cast a few dusting charms and opened the windows to let some of the warm air in, smiling at the unmistakeable smell of her flat that signalled she was home. "Can you please put the kettle on? I will be ten minutes," Hermione grabbed her suitcase and watched as he headed for her kitchen, a route he knew by heart, before she headed to the bathroom.

The shower was hot and she could already feel her muscles relaxing as she quickly tamed and conditioned her hair and washed the travel grime off her skin. She joined him in the kitchen much refreshed, after putting on a simple cotton pencil skirt and long-sleeve top against the evening chill. Her large towel turban was heavy but she let it soak up the excess water as she settled down on the sofa next to her friend and colleague and took a sip of her tea.

"Hmmmm I can't even tell you how nice this cup of tea is after that rubbish they make in Australia," she mumbled happily as she took a sip of her favourite brand of tea, from her favourite mug, back home in her comfortable flat. It was the simple things sometimes…

Blaise chuckled at her behaviour, perfectly amused. "How many books did you bring back?" he asked, knowing it would be no less than ten.

Hermione looked a bit sheepish and mumbled something under her breath.

"What was that?" Blaise teased, making her say it out loud despite having heard her the first time.

"I said I brought back thirty books and some photocopies," she said proudly. "I am aware of my biblophillic ways, no need to mock the bookworm," she pouted but allowed herself to be pulled into his side and rested against him, soaking up his comforting warmth.

"I only tease you. You know I will be raiding your collection at some point anyway," he grinned, before his smile dropped somewhat. "I did pick you up for a reason though," he admitted, finally broaching the subject Hermione knew was coming.

She nodded and looked up at him, ready to hear it. "You said he was having a clear out and getting rid of some trash. I am assuming Astoria has moved out?" he asked.

Draco's turbulent marriage was something Hermione was very well aware of, especially as she has been his partner in work, drinking buddy, and the first number on the speed dial of his Blackberry for the past seven years.

"Something like that. He threw her out and sold the house. On the spot, just like that. As you can imagine, a five bedroom townhouse in Kensington that used to belong to a Malfoy sold in one day," he said with vague amusement before he sighed again tiredly. "He's currently in my guest room, silently drinking himself to death and nothing I do or say helps," he admitted quietly.

Hermione squeezed his hand in silent support, knowing it bothered the man to see his best friend broken like this and being unable to help. He's been Draco's friend for a long time, longer than Hermione, and yet there was something about her that comforted Draco more in certain situations. And he understood, a part of him always did and he could tell they were good for each other. But it still stung that there was nothing he could do for his friend right now.

"He knows you love him, and maybe he won't even talk to me. Maybe this is something he needs to get through alone, but we will be there to at least try and help," she promised and sent their empty mugs into the sink.

"I know you're probably exhausted but-" he began but stopped as she shook her head.

"I'm going to see him no matter how tired I am," she said and let herself be swept into his arms for a firm hug.

"It's good to have you home, cara," he kissed the top of her head, a comforting platonic gesture she received and returned many a time over the years.

"It is good to be back," she offered before they stepped through the floo.