Legilimens [Dramione]

Welcome-back gift

Her heart was pounding with adrenalin as she walked briskly down the corridor leading to her office. Several heads turned towards her and a buzz rose all around. She didn't bother using her powers, and her energy, to find out what they were talking about.

She had been missing for days, and after all that had happened she knew total chaos must now reign in her department. The idea of how far behind she might be with her work, however, didn't frighten her. On the contrary, the urge to get back into the game and get busy in a completely new way, with this new weapon, boiled in her veins. She couldn't wait to respond to the disloyal moves of those who tried to thwart her with their own game.

She wasn't the one who had decided to play it this way, but since she was into the game, she might as well try to win.

The first face that appeared in front of her, thankfully, was Dean's. There was genuine surprise, and relief, in his thoughts. However, a moment later, the pleasant feelings were replaced by anguish. Only a brief peek inside his head revealed that the situation was worse than she had imagined. And there was something... something he really didn't want her to find out. And of course it was about-

"Cameron," gasped Dean as the woman appeared beside them, the sound of her heels muffled by the carpet laid out in the long entrance hallway of their floor.

The woman didn't even give him a glance, staring only at Hermione.

"Welcome back," she told her, with the most fake smile Hermione had ever seen.

"Thank you Cameron," she replied just as falsely, extending a hand towards her under the bewildered gaze of the former Gryffindor. "I can't wait to get back to work."

Hermione didn't need to peer into her mind to understand her desire to roll her eyes. She concentrated, however, on digging discreetly into her thoughts so that she could understand what had happened that was so serious to terrify Dean to such an extent. From a quick glance into the woman's mind, she discovered that they had been discussing her, in the same room of the ministry where far more serious and important matters used to be discussed. She had to know more... She tried to focus on her memories, without seeming constipated or giving it away.

"Well, get back to work then," Cameron said, squaring her down with a raised eyebrow and pointing to her office door.

"Actually, I'd like to talk to you, can I ask you to give me a second of your time?"

The woman looked around, then tightened her lips and nodded, following Hermione into her office.

Oddly enough, the desk looked exactly as she had left it, but Hermione wasn't as naïve to believe no one had gone through her things while she was away.

"Please, have a seat," she said, as she thought about how to distract Cameron long enough to rummage through her memories undisturbed.

She searched inside her bag, going through the paperwork and drafts she had brought with her on her last day at work, convinced it would be of some use. She went back to her old proposal, the one about werewolves. Cameron knew it well, or at least she should have, since she had sent it back and forth several times.

"I would like your opinion about it.  I've been working on it over the last few days and I've changed several things."

The surprise on the woman's face was evident as she grabbed the crumpled parchment from Hermione's hands. "I'll take it to the council."

"Oh no please, it's just a draft" she smiled "I'd just like your opinion before I rewrite it. At least read the table of contents."

Unable to politely evade that request, she quickly darted her eyes over the ink on the parchment.