Chapter Text
Hermione leaned against the wall in the empty elevator, a travel thermos of coffee held up to her nose as she inhaled deeply. She had a long night last night and was feeling it today. The headache throbbing between her eyes was nearly enough to make her regret the late night out with Ginny, Angelina, Pansy, and Luna. She took a deep drag of her coffee and pushed herself off the wall as the elevator came to a stop for her office.
As per usual Hermione arrived first at the Department of Magical Patents and Contracts. Hermione is well on her way to becoming the assistant head of department, she still had a few more months as an Advanced Patent Processor before the current assistant head, Magnolia Fizzby, retired. It was widely known throughout the department that the position was hers, Magnolia had taken a liking to Hermione shortly after she started with the DMPC.
Hermione slowly made her way to her desk, nearest to Magnolia's office. As one of the Advanced Patent Processors for the department Hermione's job was to go over patent forms submitted by industrious witches and wizards trying to get an item on the market. The general processors ensured that all of the forms were filled correctly before passing them to the advanced processors to approve or deny the patent. She removed her cloak, placing it on a small hook near her desk before she sits down.
Hermione rolls her neck and breathes deeply, trying to mentally prepare for the day. With one more deep drink from her coffee she sets her thermos aside and leans forward, her chair squeaking slightly beneath her. The arms of her chair press into her wide hips and thighs. She holds her hand out and the top parchment floats over landing in her palm. She quickly opens the seal indicating that general processor, Michael Halladay, confirmed the form was filled in properly.
Hermione dutifully works, keeping her head down and only briefly looking up to acknowledge coworkers that greet her. She has her riotous curls tamed in a bun atop her head today but as the day passes she can feel small amounts of curls springing free to fall around her face and neck. It’s well past lunch when she finally looks up from her work. Setting aside a newly approved patent she pushes out from her desk, grabs her purse and moves out of the department. Most of the desks she passes are already empty, coworkers gone for lunch and due to return soon.
Hermione makes her way to the lift and gets off at the DMLE, smiling towards Parvati, the receptionist. Before continuing to Harry's office. She opens the door without knocking and finds Ron and him in a debate over quidditch. She rolls her eyes as she bumps the door closed with her hip.
“Hiya Hermione, how are you faring after last night?” Harry and Ron both chuckle as she offers a V to them before sitting beside Ron. He hands her a container of take out Italian food, she quickly thanks him before diving into her lasagna.
“How are Ginny and Pansy?” Hermione asks her two friends, Harry had been with Ginny for a few years now. They hadn't got back together right after the war, agreeing they both needed to sort out their mental health first. But had been happily together for three years. Ron and Pansy was a bigger shock to everyone. They had actually gotten reacquainted when they kept running into each other at the lobby of St Mungos while waiting for friends to get out of mind healer appointments. They had been together for five years and were recently engaged.
“Gin was still nonverbal when I left for work. I set a coffee on the side table with a hangover potion.” Harry smirks.
“Pans was how she always is, a little bit mean and a lot a bit lovely.” Ron smiles, joy sparking in his blue eyes. Hermione couldn't be happier for her friends. She sometimes wished that she had found someone to truly connect with like they had. In her head she knew she was still young, not even in her mid-twenties yet, but in her heart she wanted love like her friends had.
Hermione was no stranger to dating, she had dated more than either of her friends but none of them had lasted more than a few months. It nearly always came down to three things: she worked too much, she was best friends with two guys, and she had helped defeat a dark lord. She was so sick of insecure men. She had even tried to date a muggle but it was just too hard hiding such an important part of herself. She constantly felt like she was lying to him.
Hermione finishes lunch at record speed, rushing back to work despite the fact that Magnolia is always telling her to take the full hour even if she starts lunch late. Hermione is back with all of her coworkers, ready to finish the day. She takes a fortifying drink of cold water as she summons the next patent, this one had been inspected by Tracey Davies.
Applicant(s): Draco Lucius Malfoy and Blaise Alonzo Zabbini.
Hermione frowned slightly at the familiar names but shook it off. She knew that they had both been let off fairly easily after the war, both having been children. And it wasn't like she hadn't heard about them since school, Pansy brought them up regularly. She went back to the form.
Business name: D & B Industries
She scoffs, not very original.
Product name: Speculum
“I'm sorry, what?” She knows that must be a mistake. There is no way this is a serious product. A speculum? Truly what nonsense was this. She felt her anger rising as she went back to the form.
Product intended use: a magical device meant to resemble a mirror where one can speak out and discuss different personal problems, debates, questions, etc. The mirror will remember these thoughts so you can get them off your mind and return to Speculate later.
Hermione leaned back in her chair so abruptly that it gave a shrill squeak and crack sound. She ignored it but felt some eyes turn towards her. There is no way these two are serious! What sort of utter nonsense was this. Truly did they think they could name a product after a muggle medical device and just get it through everyone else. Well not on her watch. She would not have witches and wizards talking to Speculums all the time.
“Ridiculous name. Ridiculous men.” Ugh she huffs a huge breath, the curls that escaped previously floating out on the wind she creates. She quickly denies the patent and sets it in her box to return to D & B. Hermione found herself so flustered it was hard to get back into the focus of her work for the rest of the day.