Happy New Year!

Hermione almost called out sick this morning because she was so tired and stressed. She didn't have to work this job. She did it more to keep herself busy and interacting with muggles without a badge in the way. Without this job she tended to work and go home, with work to do while she got takeout. She had no human interaction. Granted here, it was with customers but there were a few she had some fun conversations with over the past year. And okay, there was also the fact that she loved her bosses. They were her makeshift parents because she couldn't get hers back and the Bowdens had known hers since before she was born.

The day before had been a very long one that ran late, not surprising given it was New Year's Eve. Thus her being tired and bleary-eyed not due to any alcohol consumption, thinking that she should have told the Bowdens she couldn't work today.

She and Harry were the heads of a task force approved by the Ministry of Magic that worked with a muggle law enforcement agency. Their unit handled cases where magic was suspected of being involved. Some likened her to the brains and Harry to the brawn, but they each contributed some of both. Harry was no dummy and Hermione was no helpless princess waiting to be rescued. She did tend to stay behind a desk, but she was still a law enforcement official and there were times she was needed on the street.

It was experimental with their unit consisting primarily of squibs. A few muggles who those squibs had vouched for had also made the team. Harry oversaw the team as Chief Inspector. Hermione with a dual degree in Social Work and Criminal Justice oversaw the research, the team's mental well-being, and kept abreast of laws and such (magical and muggle) that could affect their jobs. She also carried the rank of Chief Inspector, but was his second in command. It was a rank that she rarely took advantage of in her dealings with the others on the task force. However, any day Harry couldn't work for whatever reason, she was the one in charge. Really, it was ideal. If this worked, having some in the muggle world aware of magic and educated on what to look for, it would free the auror team from being spread incredibly thin by being called to every muggle scene where magic was merely suspected.

A friend of her parents' owned the store and Hermione liked the connection not just to them but her childhood. Their dental practice gave out coupons to this store for kids who got cavity-free checkups to get a free ice cream treat. Originally, she'd agreed to help them on weekends when they told her their part-time employee quit without notice. It was very much a Mom and Pop store, so it would have meant seven days a week for them.

A year later, she was still here working weekends and kind of loving it. Working in law enforcement and seeing some pretty sick cases, it was refreshing to come here twenty hours a week and dole out penny candy (though it no longer cost a penny) and soda to kids who wanted to spend an hour or so of their day in the back playing video games. She knew eventually she'd have to stop, but for now it fulfilled her in a way her regular job didn't.

She was, oddly, a favorite among the neighboring kids. Odd because she'd never been anyone's favorite in her life and had been a pretty awkward child. Whether it was because she was clearly a favorite of the always nice Bowdens or she was a police officer so considered "safe" she accepted it. 

And had more than one child admit things to her over the past year that had made her realize maybe this job was part of her calling. Putting away abusers and ensuring their family was safe was one of her favorite things, truthfully.

No magic involved!

Muggle domestic squabbles weren't typically part of her unit's focus but she'd passed on information to the correct people more than once.

"Hello, Austin," she said to one of her favorites. Actually he was her favorite.

He was around six she'd guess, lived in a flat upstairs, and was as smart as a tack. She'd asked Mr. Bowden about him coming down here by himself, but her boss had assured her that he didn't ever stray from the building. To this point she'd seen no evidence suggesting that wasn't true. It was a pretty safe neighborhood and he wasn't walking blocks to get here, just taking an elevator (presumably).

"Miss Harmony," he said, smiling widely. He couldn't say her name correctly, so Harmony she was. She kind of liked it, truthfully, so she'd stopped trying to correct him months ago now and went with it. Eventually he'd get it right!

"Happy New Year! How are you today?"

"Good."

"That's outstanding to hear. Are you here for pleasure or business today?"

Sometimes his parents (presumably anyway, though she'd never heard Austin mention anyone but his father) sent him down for an emergency item.

"Both. Da needs milk and coffee but he says I can play for an hour."

"How nice of him. He doesn't need anything else today?"

Austin frowned, as if going over the conversation with his father in his head. "No, Ma'am."

"Okay. Pick out what you need and I'll save it for you until you're ready to go."

"I can't," he said with a small pout.

"Why not?"

"The milk would spoil."

"Oh right. Best wait then. Do you need change?"

He nodded. She took the crisp paper money from him to give him coins for the video games in the back in exchange.

"It's my birthday!" He said brightly.

"Is it?" she asked. 

He nodded. "Mrs. Gunderson, my teacher, she gave me a new book before the holidays to open today."

"Did she?"

"Yes. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Have you read it?"

"I did a long time ago. It's a classic."

"That's what she said on the card. I'll probably read some of it tonight."

"No party?"

"No, Ma'am," he said, though he didn't seem upset by that. That was one of the reasons she liked him. He seemed pretty self-sufficient and, like her, a loner. He spoke of friends at school, but he rarely mentioned doing anything with them outside of school.

She handed him his money back, putting her own in the till and handing him the coins he would need for games. "Happy Birthday, Austin. Games are on me today."

He beamed at her. "Thank you so much!" This was the part that swayed him to being her favorite. He was always polite.

"I expect a full rundown of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as you go."

He nodded. He never had a problem discussing books with her and despite his young age Hermione enjoyed their conversations. She'd thought of asking his parents for permission to take him to the local library sometime when she went, but to this point hadn't seen them to ask.

He seemed a little young for the C. S. Lewis book, but she thought back to being his age and realized he was probably like she was and ahead of his class. His teacher obviously recognized it, too, and was encouraging that rather than trying to temper it. Hers had tried to get her to read age appropriate books, which only frustrated not only Hermione but her parents.

It was people like Austin that made her glad she hadn't called in sick today. His smile and innocent enthusiasm was contagious. She watched as he made his way down the short hallway that led to the arcade before returning her attention to her laptop and the few reports from last night that she had to put the finishing touches on before Monday.

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com