For The Tabloids

Chapter Three

Third Person POV:

Hermione gazed out of the window on the Hogwarts express. She hadn't been on that train since she had left the school at the end of her supplementary eight year at Hogwarts. After the battle of Hogwarts all of the seventh year students had been invited back to finalize their education. Hermione went, Harry and Ron went straight into Auror work. Hermione had, without her two best friends, thrown herself into her work. McGonagall had voiced concern over Hermione's insistence to work, noticing that the girl would rarely sleep or take care of herself in favor of good grades.

It was often wondered by many of the professors at Hogwarts why Hermione worked so hard, harder than necessary. It was stated by many that she was a naturally intelligent girl, destined for greatness just by doing the base work. But Hermione did not care about succeeding at a regular rate, she wanted to be the best. Her work distracted her from whatever was going on. Whether it was the harsh and cruel words from Draco Malfoy, or the tabloids claiming she had slept or bought her way to her position, or even the general torments she received both in her teenage and adult years about her appearance. Working towards something bigger than herself, something better than herself, always eased her mental anguish. These habits may have prevented her from starting a family, like Ron and Harry had, at a young age. Which was something that slowly picked away at her. Being one of the few witches and wizards her age who were unmarried thanks to the far more traditionalist views of the wizarding world compared to the muggle world.

But none of that mattered now. Because now she was in the most powerful position in the United Kingdoms Wizarding world because of her hard work.

"Mione we're almost there" the voice of the man who she could have married broke through her thoughts, animated and frantic like a schoolboy who had just received a new toy.

Her eyes shifted upward to glance at the two men sitting across from her. Both still had the charm of a young man, but the experience and rank of older gentlemen. "Remind me why I agreed to you two accompanying me?" she wanted to fain annoyance but even she, who had a difficult time reading emotions, could tell that her voice was laced with the real thing. Harry and Ron didn't seem to react negatively to her comment. "Well Miss Minister" Hermione hated the use of the word Miss. All men, even omegas, had the privilege of their prefix not stating their marital status. And the journalist in the wizarding world, especially those for the daily prophet, banked on this fact whenever they needed filler material to get the masses thinking about why they had elected her. "We're your protection, can't have you being killed or kidnapped" Ron finished Harrys explanation, not giving the other the chance to explain it in official terms. "What Ron means is that we're here to make sure nothing bad happens to you" "or that no one you don't want to talk to gets too close, like Malfoy."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the mention of his name. The man who had made her life, and the lives of all of her friends and classmates, hell over their time at Hogwarts. The word 'mudblood' constantly repeating itself in her head whenever their time at Hogwarts was brought up. It was what made her want to put laws in place to help muggle born witches and wizards, so that they could be held at the same level as Halfblood and Pureblood witches and wizards.

"And I can't thank either of you enough for coming" Hermione smiled slightly at them, attempting to convince them that her previous burst of annoyance was simply nerves. "Especially you Ron, I can only imagine how difficult today is for Lavender" the battle of Hogwarts had completely upturned the life of Lavender Brown. The attack she had gone through at the hands of Fenrir Greyback, which had ended up turning her into a werewolf, had completely altered how she saw and experienced life. Luckily for Lavender she had found Ron who, fresh off the coat tails of his breakup with Hermione, provided her comfort.