Like Moths To A Flame

Three: Back To Work

I went back to work the next week feeling stunned. I could not believe that my former Potions teacher was not only alive, but preaching at my church. I have never been one to believe in coincidences. Not since I received my first Hogwarts letter.

I went in to work at the Ministry of Magic, and took the lift to my office, which, of course, used to be Dolores Umbridge's once upon a time. I kept the gold columns and black marble flooring and walls intact, but I exorcised the office entirely of pink, and those god awful porcelain cat plates. I decided to have my office be uniformly elegant, rather than have any artwork adorning the walls. Most visitors to my office called it grim, forboding even, but I felt right at home, and the black and gold colors soothed me as I worked.

I sat down in my black leather office chair, and my tortie Sadie, jumped up in my lap, and proceeded to knit on my lap.

"Well, there you are, you little stinker," I said, petting her under her chin like she liked. "I was beginning to think I was chopped liver to you."

"Meow.."

"Yes, mommy is going to be very busy today it looks like."

I had lots of files to go over, and file, and some deatheater trials to give notes on for Kingsley to look at later when he met with the aurors. I worked until lunch, and stopped off for lunch at a Panera Bread in muggle London, (A.N. I was told the UK doesn't have them, but I have to think it's only a matter of time before they do, like a Starbucks).

Harry Potter was having lunch alone, and he spotted me as I paid for my meal. "Hey, Mione'! Over here!"

I grabbed my things, and made a bee line to his table. I noticed that he wasn't wearing a wedding ring any more. What happened there? Was his marriage with Ginny over? I honestly did not know.

I sat down next to him in his booth, and we ate our soup and sandwiches for a bit. I ordered a Chicken Caesar salad for me to enjoy later in my office. But I sipped my mango pineapple smoothie, loving the cool sweet taste on my tongue.

He raked a hand through his messy black hair, and asked, "So, how are things with you? I know we all kinda lost touch with each other after Hogwarts."

"Well, I'm doing Umbridge's old job," I said, sipping my smoothie. "And while the paperwork is tedious, it pays very well. But the personal stuff..."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I get it, believe me, I get it. You're preaching to the choir there. Ginny and I split up two years ago. Are you and Ron still an item?"

I don't know why I caught a hint of heat in his emerald eyes, but I could certainly feel it. Wow, Harry liked me. Since when? He certainly never told me. Maybe, just maybe, it could be diverting whether or not we should cross that boundary of friendship.

"No," I decided. "He decided to go work with dragons in Romania with Charlie. The last I heard, he's dating some guy."

Harry looked surprised. "He's bi? He never told me. How are you holding up?"

I shrugged my shoulders, finishing up my lunch. "It's been a year, I'm over it. I kinda suck in the love department, actually. It's weird, either most guys can't get past my brain, or they're intimidated by a successful woman."

Again, that flash of heat behind his gaze. "I'm not. I think it's sexy as hell. Listen, Hermione, I know we're best friends or whatever, but have you ever thought if we could," He scratched at his hair nervously, "I don't know, ever be more than that? Sorry, forget I said anything, it's silly."

I took his hand in mine. "No, it's not. You're a handsome guy, Harry. Any girl would be lucky to have you, but are you sure?"

Harry scooted closer to me, and kissed me lightly. "Oh yeah, I'm sure. We can try it, I definitely enjoyed doing that just now."

I blushed. "Yeah, sure, why not? But I can't handle anything serious right now. I just want to see where we go from here. Will that be alright?"

Harry smiled warmly. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you need. Give me your phone, I need to give you my new number. Don't you dare give it to Ginny, alright?"

"I promise." I looked at my digital watch. "Shit, I have to cut this short. I have to be in Courtroom D in twenty minutes. Call me Friday night, I'll be free then."

Harry kissed my cheek, and took our trash to throw it away in the nearest dumpster. I went back to the counter and ordered another smoothie to go. When they got my smoothie, and I paid for it, I found the closest red phone booth, and put in my employee credentials. The booth quickly descended, making my full stomach lurch from the sudden rise in g forces.

I made a quick jog to my office to grab the required files the Minister needed, and hoofed my ass to Courtroom D, making it just in time as I juggled folders in my hands. I left my drink in my office, and cast a stasis charm to keep it cold, and a repellent charm to keep Sadie out of my drink, since she loved to drink or eat my stuff. With that done, I headed to the courtroom, making it just in the knick of time. I took my seat, and soon, the Wizengamot arrived, with Kingsley Shacklebolt leading them.

The hearing began, and the LeStrange brothers were led in as the prisoners. They wore filthy Azkaban gray jump suits that looked shapeless on the two dark wizards. The crimes against them in their files were extensive, but not unusual: rape of minors, and women, and men, all muggles, killing of witches and wizards, and of course, muggles. Things like theft and using Polyjuice potion illegally to impersonate Ministry officers was also thrown in almost as an after thought.

I used a Quick Quotes Quill to take down my notes as I wrote down observances in behavior, and tone of voice for Kingsley to read. I knew that there would be more full scale trials for the most guilty of Voldemort's deatheaters, but in the meantime, having hearings to weed them out solved a lot of time and effort in the long run. Still, the paperwork was horrendous to say the least. But I was no stranger to hard work...

⚡⚡⚡

After my work day, I went home, and relaxed with a glass of wine. I put on some soothing jazz music, and ran a bubble bath. I thought of Severus Snape again for the first time all day. I thought of working my fingers through his black hair, and wondered what it would be like to have that silver tongue of his lick inside the fleshy folds of my pussy as I surrendered to my incoming orgasm.

I trailed a hand to between my legs, and began working my fingers in and out of my cavern. I felt very turned on, so much so that when I thumbed my clit I threw my head back and came, my inner walls squeezing my fingers like a vice. I came down off of my high, and realized that I needed to get laid, and soon. I figured that it might as well be by Harry's hands. I decided to call him, and he gave me some amazing phone sex as I got off later on while I was in bed.

He finished the call by saying, "...I can't wait for Friday night."

"Good. 6PM, don't be late."
"I wasn't planning on it."

I hanged up, and put my phone on its charger. I then got ready for bed, and it took a long time to go to sleep, because I questioned whether or not this was the right course for me at this time. But I would know by Friday, for better or for worse...