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"Hold the door, please!"
I groaned. The lift was already crowded enough, and another person would make this whole ordeal even more uncomfortable.
And then, when Hermione Granger squeezed her way into the small space, I realized just how uncomfortable this whole thing was going to be. Hermione and I hadn't had a kind conversation in months, although I'd spotted her around the ministry. Rather, avoided her. After all, she was a department head, and they were difficult to avoid when you worked as an Auror.
Lost in my thought, I almost didn't notice her slight nod until she acknowledged that I was even in the room, "Y/N. It's been a while."
I gave a half smile, noting the strange change in her demeanor. Unfortunately, she didn't have a mean bone in her body.
The lift stopped at the financial floor, and nearly everybody got out. Most minister workers were getting their vault reforms from Gringotts today. Basically gave everybody the chance to upgrade their vaults, and there was a break-in a couple days ago. Called for a lot of panic.
"Where are you headed?" Hermione asked, looking at the numerous buttons along the wall of the lift.
"Um, Head Auror's office," I stilted.
The button was already lit. I had some paperwork I needed to drop off. Maybe if I'd dropped them off yesterday, I wouldn't be having a conversation with Hermione Granger.
Hermione smiled, "Really? Me too."
This whole thing was wrong. We were not friends. Well, Hermione hadn't seemed to think that lately. She'd done her best to reconnect with me in the past few months. Nothing more than office talk, but it was still conversation.
The lift stopped once more, before elevator emptied into the Department of Mysteries. Not the fondest place for Hermione or I.
Just from the corner of my eye, I could see Hermione turn towards me, and then look away. Just bloody say something if you're going to.
"Say, Y/N," She said. There was some sort of hesitancy within her voice. As though she was nervous.
Hermione continued, "Would you want to get drinks with me? Tonight?"
I looked at her with wide eyes. Was she really asking me—
"I mean with Harry and Ron, too. Of course."
She could sense my reluctance, "It's just been so long...I'd like to catch up. I think we all would."
Years ago, this would have been a dream. Minus Harry and Ron.
I mean, I'd had plenty of conversations with Ron and Harry, we were friends. I was an Auror, and all. It was Hermione I was worried about. I'd avoided talking to her since the war.
