Forced Together After Love

Chapter 10

Hermione frowned as she walked through the halls of the Ministry. She couldn't believe this, she had been summoned. "This is ridiculous." Her heels tapped on the marble floor.

People moved out of her way, apart from on tall red haired man who was walking towards her. "Hermione. There you are." He caught her arm. "I've been looking for you."

She glared at him. "Let go of me Ron."

"I just want..."

"I know what you want." She jerked her arm free and took a step away from him. She didn't have time for this. "And you're not getting it from me, I can promise you that."

"Come on Hermione..."

"No Ron." She glared up at her one time best friend. Her feeling for him had died for him long ago and now all she felt was irritation and annoyance. "Now excuse me I have a meeting with the Minister to get too."

"Stop blowing me off!"

"Then take a hint!"

He stared at her. " We are meant to be together."

"No!"

"You can't tell me you didn't feel anything down in the Chamber of Secrets, that that kiss didn't mean anything."

"That was four years ago!"

"So?" He gave her the same puppy dog eye that he did when he wanted her to do his homework for him, but now it brought back all the painful memories.

"You've kissed how many women since then? How was that kiss any different?"

"I was just waiting for you to realise..."

"Well you can stop waiting."

"You'll..."

"Never be with you." She said fighting back the tears.

"The kiss in the chamber proves that we are meant to be together."

"The kiss in the chamber was a mistake!"

Ron just stared at her. "A... Mistake? How can you say that?"

"I thought I was going to die!" Her hands shook. "We were in the middle of a battle field, fighting a war we had next to no chance of winning. I'd been tortured and nearly got Harry killed..." She shook her head trying to banish the memories, her stomach clenched.

"How do you know that? It's not like you've dated anyone since it. Everyone knows you still want me."

"How would you know who I've been dating?" She shock her head. "Unlike some I don't broadcast my love life to the whole world."

"Hermione you can stop playing hard to get..."

"I'm not! I never have played hard to get! I don't like you like that Ron get hat in to your head."

"But everyone says..."

"Stop listening to everyone else and listen to me!" Hermione backed away then moved past him and hurried down the hall, leaving Ron staring after her.

She ran in to another red haired man, who had an arm full of files. "Oh Percy I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going."

"You ran in to Ron?"

She nodded, her shoulder's sagging.

"I tried to tell him you're not interested but... mother isn't helping." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "She doesn't see why any women wouldn't want her little War Hero."

"I didn't realise I was stringing him alone..."

"You haven't been." Percy said softly. "You've been telling him for years. He's just not listening. It's not your fault."

She gave him a smile. "Thanks for understanding."

He nodded. "Sorry for how I reacted at the trail... I was out of line."

"You were surprised, I can hardly blame you." He shifted the files. "But you seem good for each other... You are happy right?"

"Not with how Kingsley is treating me but with Draco, I am."

"I heard you quit... so why are you here?"

"I got summoned."

"Oh dear... well I better let you go so you can rip him a new one."

Hermione laughed. "Bye Percy."

He smiled and walked off with a quick wave.

A smile flitted against her lips, then her face hardened and she stormed in to Kingsley's offices. His receptionist looked up and blanched.

"Miss Granger the minister is waitin..."

"Out of my way." Hermione walked past the simpering women and marched into Kingsley's private office.

"Ahh Hermione there you are." He smiled at her.

"What do you want Kingsley?"

"I was checking to see if you had calmed down and where ready to come back to work."

"Back to work?" Hermione stared at him. "I quit Kingsley I can't just come back."

"Your a department head Hermione. You can't just quit."

"And why not?"

"Like I said you are a department head, if you wish to leave you need to stay, choose someone to take over then train them until they can take over seamlessly then you can leave."

Her nail's cut in to her palm. "And how long will that take?"

"At least three years."

"Three years!" Hermione stared at him in shock.

"Of course." Kingsley looked down at his paperwork.

"I quit Kingsley. I don't work here any more that is your problem no mine."

He sighed and put down his quill and looked at her disappointment written all over his face. "Don't be unreasonable Miss Granger."

"Malfoy! My last name is Malfoy!"

"You still haven't got married your still..."

"I don't think so!" She jabbed her hip. "This means I am his wife! I don't care what you say! In the eyes of Magic I'm his wife!"

"Enough Hermione!" Kingsley watched her. "Your being ridiculous."

"Oh am I? Well I'm sorry if that's what you think but you can't force me to come back to work, you can't force me to marry Draco. I'm marrying him because I want to and it's nothing to do with you." She shook her head. "

"You have to come back to work... we need you."

"You should of thought about that before you tried to dictate my life. Never contact me again or I'll sue you for harassment."

"You can't do that!"

"I'm a Malfoy." She folded her arms, her ring flashing on her finger. "And Malfoy men do anything to keep their wives safe and happy and right now your becoming a threat."

He stared at her as she turned and stormed out of his office. Slamming his door so hard the photo's on the wall's rattled in their frames. The portrait of the new Order stared at Kingsley.

"I warned you not to mess with her." Albus commented.

"And she's right about the Malfoys." Sirius butted in. "Narcissa has never wanted for anything since she married Lucius... Everything he ever did was to protect her and their son because his father went a bit..." He twirled his finger by his temple.

"Mental?" Remus asked, from his place by his friend causing his wife to snigger and wrap her arms around the two of them.

"You've made a powerful enemy there Kingsley." Andromida said disapprovingly. "You can't say we didn't warn you."

Hermione exited the floo.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well." Lucius said with out looking up from his book.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're growling like an angry bear again." Hermione chuckled.

"Kingsley wanted me to go back... Said I couldn't quit because I needed to train a new head of department."

Lucius looked up and raise one blonde eyebrow. "And how long will that take?"

"Three years."

"What did you say?" His knuckles tightened so much they when white, and his nail's lengthened in to talons.

"I told him he couldn't make me."

His grip loosened a little. "Good. Anything else?"

"I also threatened to sue him if he didn't leave me alone." She flushed.

He chuckled. "That is a threat I can back."

The door banged open and a frazzled Draco rushed in. "Are you all right?"

She smiled at her mate. "I'm fine."

He hurried over and began inspecting her, then pulled her close and buried his face in her hair, the soothing growl rumbling through his chest.

She cuddled close. "I sorted Ron and Kingsley."

"Weasley's beginning to annoy me." Draco grumbled.

"I know. But I'm yours."

He purred.

"So..." The pair looked at Lucius. "When shall we announce the engagement?"