Vagary

{Eight}

Hermione had a decent weekend all-considering. Any of her miss-haps she blamed on muggle baby-brain, and Severus, who was actually a decent spouse in all things, remained gracious through it all. He was considerate, did as much as he could for her, but did have some over-bearing tendencies that she would slowly need to fade out of his behavior.

Having to keep the secret that their child was a girl felt slightly conniving, but she couldn't just randomly change her mind, it would alert suspicion. Really, it was a secret that wouldn't hurt anyone if kept close to her breast, so she tried not to think about it that Monday, readying to meet Harry at the Ministry.

By a stroke of luck, they flooed in at the same time, meaning they could attempt to find their offices together. She doubted he'd had the foresight to ask Draco where they were. Taking one look at him proved he might not have talked to Draco at all.

"You look awful," she stated. "What happened? I left you lot alone for barely a day."

"Draco happened," he muttered lowly, looking about the Ministry and its differences. Instead of the war destroying that ruddy statue in the middle, righteousness had, though it seemed to be the only change. "We got into a row last night."

"What did you do?" She shrieked, feeling and looking offended Harry had caused so much turmoil. Well, maybe she shouldn't assume he caused it, especially considering this was Draco Malfoy they were talking about.

"Quiet, will you?" Harry huffed, looking around the place suspiciously, hoping no one noticed they weren't... themselves.

Even the wonderful and joyous fact of having his parents back didn't negate the fact he was suddenly a stranger in his own world, and it wasn't going very well for him.

"We just... don't get along, Hermione. How are you doing it?"

"The same way I persevered through yours and Ron's stubbornness: patience and a strong will to just stay alive."

Harry sighed. He wasn't trying to throw Draco's entire marriage to the squid in the Black Lake, but it was challenging attempting to just fit into a new life. Not to mention he felt there were... expectations knowing the magic was affecting them, that Harry would just give in, wake up, and love him.

Running a hand through his hair, he decided to think about all of that later. Now was time to solve their mystery.

"My father said our portkey was ready in my office, are you ready for Azkaban?"

"Severus told me rather explicitly to be careful, but he seemed confident in your ability to protect me."

Harry finally gave a genuine laugh.

"You don't need protecting."

"I know," Hermione replied with a smile, obviously having told him this on purpose. "Did you have time to ask where your office is while you were revisiting your rivalry with Draco, or must we just go to the DMLE and guess?"

"I asked, second from the left corner with a window view."

She gave him an impressed smirk, and he led her off, having an optimistic view on the next while even if it was half an hour in Azkaban.

No one said anything out of sorts to Harry while they traveled through the DMLE, though he wasn't sure why they would. It was just with everything going on, he felt especially paranoid about being found out.

They arrived at his office with no issues, and found it quite like his old one. So maybe the only differences between himself and his other self were the notes... and his affinity for blondes.

Their port-key was ready for them at the designated traveling point in the ministry, allowing them to forgo the Minister's office, or so the interdepartmental note from James said.