Hannah sat back a bit as the plump woman came back with two cups of hot chocolate and a three-tiered tray of various chocolate petit fours. "Back down to do two more Obliviations. I guess a lot of people want to take up the Ministry's offer for free Memory Charms, even if they're from trainees like me, and it's been a few months since they last offered them. Apparently, I'm booked up until I start going out on actual missions."
Cho reached for her cup. "You must be pretty good at it then," she said as she breathed in the steam from the hot chocolate.
"I did well on the exam," Hannah said, and paused to lift her cup and sip a tiny bit of the hot chocolate. She relaxed a little just at the taste. "And I told you that I can't make a mistake. So I haven't yet. Ernie thinks they're going to try to force me to stay with the Obliviators at the end of the month if I keep it up, which I don't think I want to do, but I can't make a mistake, either. Like you said, there's so much at stake for the people we help."
"They can't force you to work somewhere you don't want to," Cho said. "That's ridiculous."
Reaching for a small cake that looked like it contained more chocolate than flour, Hannah frowned. "I know. But technically, they have seniority, and I can be reassigned. I'm not worried that my dad will make me, but the head of our department was the former Head Obliviator, and he's very concerned that we have a shortage of Obliviators since the war."
"Oh," Cho said quietly. "Well, if you're good at it..."
"Yeah," Hannah said, taking a bite of the cake and chewing slowly, thoughtfully. "Well, if it's what the Ministry really needs...I just...I miss the kids. I used to love going to work and now I find myself wishing I could sleep in."
Cho nodded. "You know, we should go visit the babies upstairs when we're done."
"Really?" Hannah said, her eyebrows lifting. "They let you do that?"
Grinning, Cho said, "They let me. I don't see why you can't come, too."
"I'd love to do that," Hannah said, giving her a relieved smile. "I think that's exactly what I need after today. I actually miss having to babysit Pippa all the time now that I'm not living there anymore. Just...don't tell Quinn. I don't want him to think I'm, um, baby crazy or anything."
"Yeah, that's probably for the best," Cho said, her smile fading ever so slightly. "I wouldn't want it getting back to his dad."
"I've been afraid of running into him all day," Hannah said, making a face. "I may not trust his mother, but his father is positively...well. Um. Are you not supposed to be visiting the babies?"