Overture {Dramione}

Angel of Music

Here in this room, he calls me softly
Somewhere inside, hiding
Somehow I know he's always with me
He, the unseen genius

Ron had been gone before she even awoke the next morning. There was a hastily scrawled note about early practice and be back next week. But Hermione couldn't bring herself to care.

She knew she should feel guilty for not making dinner reservations the previous night. For all his faults, Ron had always kept his promises. If he said he'd be back on Saturday at 3:15, she knew to expect him no later. He was reliable in that way.

Hermione, not so much. This wouldn't be the first time the couple fought over Hermione working late or missing events because of her job. It certainly wouldn't be the last. But she had always been this way, hadn't she? How many Quidditch games did she miss in Hogwarts in favor of turning in an early assignment?

It was something that Ron didn't, couldn't, and would never understand. He loved his job. He loved traveling and playing and the recognition it brought him beyond being Harry Potter's friend. But when he came home, he expected Hermione to drop her assignments, to reschedule her meetings, to cancel investor lunches and instead spend what little time he had home attending to him. And when she couldn't, it was always a fight.

"Would you miss our child's recital or game if your boss asked you to?" He would throw in her face.

And honestly, yes. Which is exactly why she had been putting off marriage and child bearing for the past few years. It was important that she be where she needed to be in her career so that she didn't have to miss games and recitals.

It was not without convincing from Ron either. Unlike Hermione, Ron had grown up with many siblings and mother who stayed at home to care for them. To Ron, that was the quintessential family dynamics. Not to say women who did choose that path was wrong, as Ginny found her happiness in being a homemaker as well, but it just wasn't Hermione's path. And why couldn't Ron accept that?

She wanted a family. Just not yet. Not until she wasn't so... stuck.

Hermione rubbed a hand over her face and sighed.

"Alright, Miss. Granger?"

Hermione blinked away the spots in her eyes from the excessive rubbing. "Hello, Dennis. I'm okay, just a long night."

Dennis nodded and deposited a stack of envelopes on her desk. "Scotty, he's my friend in maintenance, said he didn't see you leave until past 12. What had you so late?"

Hermione licked her lips, shuffling the new documents off to the side. "Just a lot of work that needed to be done before the quarter is up."

Dennis gave her a soft smile. "Okay. Jus' wanted to make sure you're not overworking yourself... again."

Dennis moved to turn away and finish his rounds of delivering mail when Hermione stopped him.

"Dennis," he turned to face her again. "Sorry, I was just... did anyone give you a note yesterday for me?"

Dennis blinked and ran a hand through his hair in thought. "Not that I recall. Why, are you missing something?"

Hermione furrowed her brow and bit the side of her lip. "No, I... thanks anyway, Dennis."

How odd, Hermione thought.

If Dennis hadn't left the note with the morning mail, that would mean someone would have to deliver it themselves. Perhaps it was Mr.Burk and Hermione's first instincts were correct. She glanced at the clock and sighed. It was already past 10 and there was no sign of Burk.