Hope Floats

Hermione woke up bright and early the next morning. Seeing Harry again has inspired her to get her life back in order. She didn't feel as bad now that she knew she had someone so close to get through it with.

She would be going into town today to find a job. She straightened her hair and put half of it up in a decorative clip. She freshened up her face with some light makeup, and livened up her appearance with a new lavender dress she'd bought three weeks prior.

Due to the nature of Hermione's favorite hobby, she ventured to find a job at the publishing company they had in Hogsmead. She walked down the streets of Hogsmead towards 'Spellbound Books', saying hi to people as she went along. Hermione stopped briefly at the 'Three Broomsticks' to pick up a quick breakfast.

She planned to sell 'Spellbound' the rights to her latest children's book in exchange for a job and a good salary. She was confident that there would be no refusal in her offer, considering it was now a bestseller.
They had originally offered her a contract, but she had decided to hold off in the hopes of negotiating a better contract in the future. She made her way confidently into the office and strode up to the receptionist.

"Good morning," she began politely," I wish to speak to Luna Lovegood,"

"One minute, she's ONLY the president of the company," the woman said without looking up at Hermione.

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that," Hermione said teasingly.

The receptionist looked up to smart mouth the client who obviously thought she was entitled to quite a bit, but was stopped short when she realized who she was just about to mouth off to.

"Oh, Mrs.Weasley! I'm terribly sorry! I didn't realize it was you!" the receptionist said in hopes that Hermione would forgive her grievous error.

"That's quite alright," Hermione said with a smile," Although, I would definitely appreciate it if you referred to me as Miss Granger from now on,"

A slight blush of embarrassment crept up Hermione's cheeks. Certainly this witch would know about the infamous way in which her husband conveyed his betrayal.

"Oh, right...Right," the receptionist said with what, at the very least, looked to be sincerity.

"Uh, er, I'll let Miss Lovegood know that you're here to see her," she added, breaking the awkward silence that had ensued after her last comment.

********************************************

A handsome young man was half hid in the shadows of a building. He crept silently, unaware that someone terribly more apt than he, was diligently following his trail. His white-blonde hair shone briefly in the light of the sun that shone through the cracks in the atrophied archway.

The man on his trail followed behind on the graceful feet of a man who definitely knew what he was doing. In spite of his invisibility, he took to the shadows to ensure that he cast no shadow. He followed the young man as he made his way into a seedy store in Knockturn Alley.

Feeling that the need for invisibility was useless in such a place, he removed his cloak and donned a black trench coat and a fedora hat. He had long since removed the distinguishing feature from his face and opted for a temporary occulus spell rather than his wire-rimmed spectacles.

As he followed the young man under the archway he lifted the back of his collar, lest his unruly hair give him away. The young man entered a shop that was rather widely known for it's torture devices.

Harry had been following a lead that had been given to him by one of his many unnamed sources. The thick of the claim basically that Draco Malfoy used child labor in his manufacturing shops. More rumors came in however, that these children were motivated by sheer force and torture. Naturally, that didn't sit well with Harry Potter.

Harry pretended to look around in the store while he listened to the conversation that Malfoy and the seedy shopkeeper were now engaged in.

"Ah, yes! She's a beauty, that one. This whip is cursed to infect the wounds inflicted on the victim. It's definitely not very pleasant, no," the shopkeeper informed him.

"Perfect," Malfoy said in a voice that was barely audible.

'Got him!' Harry thought as he put down the dark artifact he was currently looking at.

When Malfoy left the shop, Harry remained, to cut off suspicion.

"Is there anything I may help you with, sir?" the shopkeeper asked in his gravelly voice.

"As a matter of fact, There is," Harry said as an angry glint twinkled in his eye.

*******************************************************

Hermione had waited for two hours now. 'Any longer and I'd have to go to London to bring my business there. I'd hate to have to commute to work, but if I had to wait any longer I'd explode!!!'

"She's ready for you," the receptionist said, cutting through her reverie.

'Finally,' she thought gratefully.

********************************************************

Harry strode quickly over to the counter and grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt.

"How long has Draco Malfoy been buying from you?" he asked with no preamble.

"I'm not at liberty to say!" the shopkeeper maintained.

Harry slammed his head into the counter.

"How about now?" Harry asked.

"I plead the fifth!"

"That's only in America, asshole!" Harry said before slamming his head into the counter again.

"Fine, fine I'll tell you!" he screamed before Harry slammed him, yet again, into the counter.

Harry looked at him expectantly.

"I can't really say when he started...." the shopkeeper said with an air of uncertainty.

Harry slammed him into the counter a bit harder now.

"Can you remember now?" Harry asked.

"Okay, it was about...TEN YEARS AGO!" the shop keeper said.

Satisfied with that answer, he went on to his next question....

*************************************************************

"Good afternoon, Luna," Hermione said stiffly.

"Good afternoon," she replied with the same stiffness.

"I assume you came to discuss your contract with 'Spellbound', no?" Luna inquired.

"Well, yes," Hermione began, "See, I've moved into Hogsmead and I-"

"Look, personally, I can't say that we have the money to begin a new account just now," Luna cut her off.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly, and fiddled with her handbag.

"Listen, Luna...I know that in our past we didn't get along all that great. In Hogwarts I'm sure I treated you with some contempt, and I'm sure that me marrying Ronald only made it that much worse. But, I really need this job, I need to get my life back on track," Hermione pleaded.

Luna gave her an appraising look, and remained seated (in her rather large office chair) to think about the pros and cons of the situation. Finally, deciding that Hermione was too valuable a client to loose, she prepared herself to speak.

"Alright, In that case... What do you want?" she said as she opened up negotiations.

"Well...." Hermione began.

*****************************************************************

"What does he use your products for?" Harry asked.

"Personal uses," the greasy man responded.

"Errr, wrong," Harry said as he slammed the man in the face again.

The man made a motion to grab for his wand, but Harry was faster.

"You even reach for that wand and you'll be wishing I hadn't let some body parts remain attached," Harry said menacingly.

"Now," he added," What did he use them for?"

The man remained silent. Harry released his grip on the man's shirt, and gripped his hair instead.

"Come on now, this is not the time for loyalty. Scum like you? Who do you have that's worthy of loyalty? Draco Malfoy would out you at his first chance of self-preservation," Harry told him with malice.

Finding truth in Harry's words, the shopkeeper gave in.

"He runs a sweatshop... It's manned by kidnapped muggle children," the shopkeeper confessed.

"Thank you. Have a nice day!" Harry said with a cheerful smile as he used the mans shirt to wipe off his hand.

******************************************************

"Well, I want an office and a job, as well as monetary compensation for the sales of my book," Hermione said.

"What kind of job?" Luna asked.

"I wouldn't mind being an editor, or an agent. As long as you pay me well," Hermione said.

"Done," Luna said without further ado.

***************************************************************
Harry stormed out of the shop, angry yet triumphant.

Harry manipulated one of his directional spells to find his intended criminal. He slid inbetween a couple of buildings once he was back in Diagon alley, and pulled out his wand.

"Point me," He said as he laid his wand flat on his palm.

His wand finally settled on the apothecary across the street. He had all the evidence he needed, all he had left to do was to capture the culprit. He walked across he street as normally as he could, hoping he didn't gain any unnecessary attention. He slid into the crevice between the apothecary and 'Madam Malkin's'. When Malfoy walked passed a few minutes later, Harry summoned him into the crevice and proceeded to beat the crap out of him.

Caught off guard, Malfoy dropped all his things, including his wand. Harry Picked it up and leveled both wands at the blonde man. Malfoy's face was still upturned into a sneer, despite the fear that ran through his veins like liquid ice. Harry tied every inch of him with conjured ropes and Covered his wand with a potion that he had in his coat. Harry picked up Malfoy's bags and set them neatly aside him. He then set Malfoy's wand to hover in mid-air, a good four feet above his head. Harry then set a sound barrier all around Malfoy, then immediately after disllusioned him.

Harry left the dark alley and walked across the cobble-stoned street towards the owlry. He quickly took a quill and parchment out of his jacket to write to the ministry.

To whom it may concern:

Draco Malfoy has been caught and is currently between the apothecary and the robe's shop. I have left him bound, silenced, and disillusioned for your disposal. His wand is coated in bubbotubber puss, so I suggest you handle that with care. All the evidence you will require is contained in the conversation recorded on the extra sheaf of parchment that will accompany this one. It, is a full account, of my conversation with Andre Mulciber of Knockturn Alley. Further evidence will be found in the bags that are settled neatly next to the very uncomfortable Mr. Malfoy.

Harry signed the note with the scribble of a lightning bolt. He never gave his name. That was beside his purpose. The people at the ministry were far to daft to figure out who it would be, no matter how obvious the lightning bolt made it. Or at least, he believed it so.
****************************************************************

"It was a pleasure doing business with you," Hermione said as she extended her hand to Luna.

"Likewise,"Luna said before she shook Hermione's hand.

With one last smile, Hermione left the building. She walked down the streets of Hogsmead much happier than she'd been in weeks.

*******************************************

Hermione freshened up and then headed down the stairs for dinner. She was nearly done towel-drying her hair as she stepped on the bottom landing of the staircase. She was dressed causually in a pair of sweats and a camisole. She was about to speak when she turned to the dinning room, but she realized a very unruly head of inky black hair seated where she normally sat. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and she gasped involuntarily.

Damn you, Ginny.

Harry's head turned at the sound of her Gasp and he smiled pleasantly at her.

"Why don't you sit down and have some dinner?" Ginny asked in her fake pleasantry.

"Sure, I'll just go change,"Hermione said as she turned to go up the stairs.

"You're fine, don't change on my account," Harry said with a grin.

Hermione chanced a grin back at him. She put her towel on the railing of the stairs and headed off towards the seat next to him.

"Hi pumpkin, how have you been?" Hermione said to Diana.

"Well, I've been okay," Harry said cutely.

Hermione smacked him in the arm teasingly and looked over at her daughter, who said nothing.

Hermione brightened visibly and decided to share her news with all the people who mattered to her most first.

"I got a job today!" she said excitedly.

"Oooh Really?" Ginny asked.

"Where?" Harry asked.

"Right here in hogsmead, with 'Spellbound Books'," She informed them.

Little Diana suddenly got up from the table and ran upstairs.

"What's eating her?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, she doesn't usually do things like that," Hermione admitted.

"Maybe she's scared," Ginny said absent-mindedly.

"Scared? Scared of what?" Hermione asked.

"A permanent change. Now that you've got a job, she knows she's gonna stay here and that her family life will forever stay the way it currently is," Ginny informed her.

Hermione got up and ran after her daughter.

"Sorry about this, Harry," Ginny began, "I didn't expect any of this to happen,"

"It's quite alright, I understand," Harry said with a smile.

"I think I should go, though," He said a few moments later when Hermione didn't return downstairs.

*****************************************
"Di, honey, what's wrong?" Hermione asked her crying daughter.

"We're going to stay here, aren't we?" Diana asked her mother.

"Yes, honey. This is our life now," Hermione told her.

"What about Daddy?" Diana inquired.

"Well, Daddy has a new life now, too. He has Connie now. He will always love you, but he won't always be here," Hermione informed her.

"Is Harry my new daddy then?" Diana asked.

Hermione smiled inspite of herself, "No honey, Harry is not your new daddy. What made you think that he was?"

"He just looks at you like daddy used to," Diana replied innocently.

"Ah, you've been listening to your aunt Ginny for faaar too long," Hermione said as she tucked her daughter in.

**********************************************
"In any case," Ginny continued,"We'll be at the 'Shrieking Shack' tomorrow night,"

"You're welcome to join us," she said discreetly.

"I just might do that," Harry said as he put on his hat and left their home.

Hermione came down the stairs just as Harry left.

"He just might do WHAT?" Hermione asked.

"Uh, er - He just might come to put primer on that swing he made for us," Ginny fumbled through her reply.

"Okay," Hermione said doubtingly.

She headed back to the dinning room to finish her meal.