||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 3

"So you met only yesterday?"

"Yes, around dinner time."

"And...he was in a towel?"

"I wish I could forget about that detail."

"And he seemed alright yesterday, but he was off today."

"That's exactly what I narrated to you, Ginny. Why are you making me repeat everything?"

"Just reconfirming."

Their conversation died out when they saw Harry approaching them with a wide smile on his face. Harry made his way through the throngs of people in the hall of the Ministry, all of them looked at him with awe and gratefulness written across every feature of their faces. He gave Ginny a sweet peck on her lips, then embraced Hermione in a warm hug.

"You'll be able to find your way, yeah?" Harry asked as he took Ginny's hand.

"Yes, Harry, I'm not a child," Hermione laughed softly.

"Alright then, well leave you to it," Harry said, "if you get lost, send a patronus."

"Shove off Harry," Hermione tried not to smile or laugh and look scary so that Harry would knock it off. Harry and Ginny waved at her, then disappeared in the crowd. 

Hermione took a deep breath. 

Crowded. Too crowded, to many people. People everywhere.

Hermione stood still for a few seconds, only breathing and trying to calm her jittery nerves. It's going to be fine, it's going to be fine. Breathe in, breathe out. Good.

She took her first step. Then her second. Then her third. Soon, she was walking briskly across the floor to the lifts. She got on one of them which looked a little less crowded than the others.

"DMLE, please," Hermione said kindly to the man seated on a stool at the front of the lift. He nodded and smiled back at her. Then they went rattling off.

Hermione, with several other witches and wizards, got off on level two. Not knowing where exactly to go next, she approached a young witch seated at the reception desk.

"Excuse me, sorry for disturbing you, but could you please direct me as to where I have to go for the records section?" Hermione tried for a smile. The witch looked up, and surveyed Hermione through the overloaded mascara and glitter on her eyes.

"You the new recruit?" 

Hermione nodded. Although slightly frazzled, she was grateful that the witch didn't start squealing on seeing her. Most people did that, and frankly, Hermione found it highly annoying. 

"Down the corridor, left at the cross, at the very end." the witch said offhandedly. Hermione muttered her thanks and headed the way she had been pointed in. She counted her steps and concentrated on looking at the floor for want of something to distract her mind. She made it to her destination without tripping or falling or bumping into anyone, which was a relief. 

She turned the golden door knob and walked in. 

It was a large room, with desks lined along the two opposite walls, six on each side. Seven of them were already occupied, and the occupants turned from their chatter to look at Hermione when she walked in. Ignoring their stares and whispers of awe and mockery, Hermione surveyed the remaining tables, and spotted one sporting a plaque with her name on it. She hurriedly made her way over to it.

Her table was the one farthest from the door on the right side of the room. It had a typewriter, several different colored files stacked up haphazardly, a stand full of various kinds of quills, several pots of ink, and some rolls of empty parchment. Hermione took a whiff. She loved the combined smell of the ink and parchment, and she breathed in deeply. It reminded her of being Hogwarts.