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Theo nodded, agreeing with Hermione’s assessment. "We’re going to have to play this pretty smoothly to get Shacklebolt to agree to give us anything." |
"I’ve been thinking of a plan," Hermione said. |
She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, unfolded it, and spread it out on the table before her. A quick replication spell was performed, and they all had copies sitting out in front of them. |
Hermione had made a list of all the departments in the Ministry of Magic along with possible names written alongside the name of the department. |
"What do you think of my initial plans so far?" Hermione asked after she gave them a minute to look over the list. |
Theo looked up from the list. "I think I would prefer Magical Creatures over International Magical Cooperation." He looked over at Draco, whose name was beside Magical Creatures, and asked, "Are you fine with that?" |
"I’ll trade with you," Draco answered. He looked down at the list again. "As much as I hate to say this, Percy should be in International Magical Cooperation as well," Draco said with a long-suffering sigh at the thought of having to be around Percy Weasley on a daily basis. |
"Really?" Hermione asked. |
Draco shrugged. "He’s good with all of those international laws and schmoozing with all the diplomats that visit the Ministry. I don’t have the patience for them. I’ll limit my focus to International Trading. I think Shacklebolt would be more accepting of that." |
Hermione took out a pen and started making adjustments. |
"Blaise would probably worship the ground you walked on if you let him oversee Magical Sports," Theo said laughingly. |
Hermione huffed a little, still not happy with Blaise’s attitude when they told him about the cuff, but she wrote his name down next to Theo’s suggested department. |
"I imagine Potter will want Law Enforcement?" Draco queried, looking down at Harry’s name written next to that department. |
"Probably not, but he’s getting it anyway," Hermione said wryly. |
Daphne was looking down at the list. "I think Tracey and I would be fine with Marriage & Family," Daphne spoke up. |
Daphne, Tracey, Blaise, and Greg hadn’t been assigned spots on Hermione’s preliminary list. |
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. |
"Yeah, I think we can do a good job. We’re both familiar with the new laws," Daphne answered. "I don’t want to try to take it away from you. I know it’s your baby," Daphne hastened to reassure Hermione. |
"Actually it would be a relief," Hermione answered, surprising them all. She looked around the table at their mirrored looks of astonishment. "What?" she asked. |
"Well, lioness," Draco said, taking her hand. "I thought we’d have to talk you down about taking on the responsibilities of more than one department." |
"That’s why Daphne and I came over before the meeting," Theo added. |
"Well, it wouldn’t make sense if we took the work from Kingsley and just piled it on me," Hermione huffed in irritation. "Then it would look like I’m trying to take the Minister’s spot." |
"Yes, well we know that Hermione," Theo said teasingly. "We just worried that you may not know that." |
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "It’s almost nine," Hermione said, looking at her watch, "Is there anything else that we needed to discuss before we left?" |
Draco slid the paper across to her with the front page prominent. "How do you want to handle this?" he asked. |
Draco watched as Hermione’s eyes quickly scanned the articles on the front. Her nostrils flared in rising anger. Hermione then slapped the paper down on the table. |
"I am so sick and tired of this paper printing complete rubbish," Hermione vented. "I keep thinking they’re going to change and print properly sourced news, and then this happens." |
"You may have to...." Draco ventured. |
Hermione cut him off with a raised hand. "Do not say "Fire Lavender.’" |
"Okay," Draco said in resignation. He sat back in his chair and folded his hands across his middle. "I won’t say it, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not the best solution to our problem." |
"Maybe," Hermione conceded, but stopped Draco before he had a chance to think that she might actually change her mind on this, "but what kind of person does that make me if I fire someone who needs a job and the safety and acceptance that comes with it." |
"Smart," Draco shot back. "You’re thinking about the organization you started, and the best option to keep it afloat to help other women who need a safe place. The needs of the many sometimes have to outweigh the needs of the few." |
"Draco, you’re not changing my mind on this," Hermione said stubbornly. Draco could tell by her clenched jaw and narrow-eyed look that she was done listening to his suggestion. |
"Fine," Draco threw his hands up dramatically in defeat. |
Daphne and Theo wisely stayed out of their little spat. |
Theo pushed his chair back and stood up. "Well, let’s not keep the Minister waiting," he said, helping Daphne from her chair. |
Thankfully, the atrium was clear of press and crowds as the four made their way to their meeting with the Minister. They arrived at the Minister’s office right as the clock chimed the hour. Blaise and Tracey sat on a conjured loveseat looking bored. Percy paced in front of the door. Harry looked irritated as he leaned up against the wall watching Percy pace. Harry ignored Percy as Percy walked by Harry and asked, probably for the hundredth time what the meeting was about. Greg stood in a corner looking confused as to why he of all people was asked to be here. |
Minister Shacklebolt stuck his head out of the office, sighed, and gestured for them to come inside the office with a perfunctory "Come on in." |
They filed quietly inside. Shacklebolt resumed his place behind his desk as he watched them get settled. Draco took Blaise or Tracey’s idea and conjured a cream, tufted, wingback settee for Hermione and himself. Hermione smirked at him as she took a seat on the conjured sofa. It was an ostentatious transfiguration for a meeting. |
Once they all got settled in their own conjured chairs or in the seating scattered around the room, Hermione addressed the Minister, "I trust you had a pleasant night?" |
Draco was unsure if the meeting would go in their favor if it started out on such informal grounds. He had to trust Hermione’s judgment on the matter though. |
Hermione’s informality was rewarded with a very slight smile from the Minister. If Draco hadn’t been looking, he would’ve missed it. |
"Excellent, Kings," Hermione said. She opened her black leather bottomless bag of tricks and pulled out her list. "Now," she started, all business, "I have a list of..." |
Several people in the room groaned loudly at Hermione’s mention of a list, including the Minister. Draco couldn’t help but smile to himself. Hermione’s methodical organizational skills were well known, as well as her ability to over-prepare for everything. |
"As I was saying," Hermione said sternly, looking around the room at everyone. "I have a list of the departments and the people I think would be best suited to assist you in overseeing the day-to-day operations of each department at the Ministry." |
She handed a list to Kingsley. He pulled out a pair of black plastic framed reading glasses and perched them on his nose. "What exactly do you see me doing?" Kingsley asked with a bit of suspicion. |
"Well, Kings," Hermione started in a conciliatory fashion, "I’m sure there’s a great deal for you to do. The Minister of Magic shouldn’t have to concern himself with the day-to-day operations. He has the bigger picture to consider." |
Draco thought for sure the Minister wouldn’t be fooled by Hermione’s flattery, but Draco was wrong. Shacklebolt was eating it up as Hermione continued to tell him how he was too important to be dealing with these small mundane matters. How he had trusted employees to deal with these issues. |
Finally, Shacklebolt was buttered up like a hot bun right out of the oven. "Alright. You make some good points, Hermione. We’ll try this out for a month, but I want daily meetings on what’s going on. I want to stay apprised of any situations." |
"How about a weekly meeting?" Hermione countered. |
"I don’t like that," Kingsley protested. "I can’t agree to so little contact." |
"If I may," Percy interjected. The Minister gestured at him in a "go ahead" motion. "How about a meeting on Monday morning to go over new business, projects, or any ongoing or long-term situations, then on Friday afternoon, another meeting to wrap up the week?" |
"Wonderful plan, Percy. We’ll do that," Kingsley exclaimed before Hermione could make a counteroffer. |
Percy, of course, beamed at the praise. |
"If that’s all," Kingsley started, "I have work to do before my next meeting. I’m sure Hermione has copies of your assigned departments for you all." |
Dismissed from the Minister’s office, they all gathered in the waiting area outside where Hermione gave them their assignments. |
Percy was both pleased and dismayed with his assignment. He looked overjoyed to be overseeing International Magical Cooperation. He wasn’t as delighted to find out that Draco would be his partner, despite Draco’s assurances that his interest would mostly lie with international trade. |
"I’ll be keeping an eye on you," Percy threatened. |
"Let me know if you’d like any investment tips. I’m sure your family could use some help with managing their investment portfolio," Draco snarked back. |
"Boys," Hermione chided reprovingly. |
Percy made a rude gesture at Draco, then wandered off down the hallway. |
"It seemed too easy," Hermione fretted. "I didn’t expect him to agree so quickly." |
"Considering how much you stroked his ego, I’m surprised Draco’s not seething in jealous fury right now," Harry retorted. "Oh, Minister," Harry started in a high falsetto and pretending to clutch a string of pearls at his neck, "you worked so hard to put the Ministry back to rights after the war. You got all those nasty Voldemort sympathizers out of the Ministry." |
Everyone started laughing at Harry’s impersonation of Hermione. Hermione grinned and swatted playfully at Harry. |
"Oh, Minister," Blaise took up the teasing, "you’re such a strong and wise wizard. We have ever so much to learn from you." |
"Oh, Minister," Theo started with a grin, "you’re going to be considered the best Minister of Magic we’ve ever had with all your efforts during the restoration." Theo started fanning himself. "Oh, I’m so overcome, Minister. You simply must sign my cleavage," and Theo theatrically opened his robe up, exposing the white dress shirt underneath. |
"Enough, enough," Hermione wheezed between gasps of laughter. |
They all laughed good-naturedly at Hermione, who took their teasing with good grace. |
"Don’t you all have departments to get acquainted with?" Hermione asked archly. |
Blaise, suddenly remembering that he was given control of Magical Sports, bowed from the waist with his arms outstretched in dramatic worship. "I’m not worthy," he chanted over and over again and trying to kiss the hem of Hermione’s robes until Tracey elbowed him in the side. |
"Ginny is going to be so steamed that you didn’t recommend her for Magical Sports," Harry said, laughing at Blaise’s antics. |
"Well, these spots are for Wizengamot members," Hermione said. "If she can get Molly to hand over her seat to Ginny, then I’m sure Blaise would welcome help from a renowned Quidditch athlete." |
"Yes, yes, yes," Blaise chanted. He looked like the only thing keeping him from dancing around the group in joy was Tracey’s hold on his arm. |
"Have her suggest that the Prewett seat pass down matrilineally," Hermione suggested, not bothering to be coy about her wishes that Ginny take over her mother’s seat. |
Harry nodded thoughtfully at Hermione's suggestion. "That brings up another point. I noticed that Greg didn’t have an assignment." |
Hermione turned to Greg and said apologetically, "I’m sorry. I didn’t know where you wanted to be or if you wanted to help." |
Greg shrugged and looked down at his feet and shuffled from side to side. "It’s alright. I’m not really sure where I would fit into all this," Greg said. "I’m not very political." |
"Actually, I brought it up because I would like you to help me in Magical Law Enforcement, Greg," Harry said to Greg. |
Greg looked astonished at Harry’s request. "But..but, why?" he asked in confusion. |
"Well, you did a good job finding the Blakes. You asked for help to secure their safety. You thought of their needs before your own pride, which is more than I get from some of my Aurors," Harry told Greg matter-of-factly. |
Greg’s neck flushed a bright pink at Harry’s praise. He shuffled from foot to foot in embarrassment. "Alright, but if I get in the way, I won’t think badly of you if you send me packing." |
"No worries, mate," Harry said, going over to Greg and clapping a hand on his meaty shoulder. "I’ll have Artie kick you into shape if need be." |
"Who’s Artie?" Greg asked, looking apprehensive. |
"Come on," Harry said, "I’ll introduce you to the team." |
The two left with a wave. Draco never thought he’d see the day where Harry Potter thought Gregory Goyle would be an asset to his department. Outside of their close group of friends, Draco knew Greg was used to being treated like the big, dumb lummox he was in school. To say Greg struggled in school would be an understatement, and eventually, he was just too discouraged to bother trying to learn. It was true that his magic wasn’t strong, and even now Greg was more comfortable doing things the Muggle way, and usually more successful. |
"I think we should go get started looking at those applications to set up Divorce Court," Tracey said, looking over at Daphne. |
"Oh, please tell me that’s not what we’re calling it," Daphne groaned. |
"Isle of Repentance?" Tracey quipped. |
The two ladies kissed their husbands goodbye and made their way to the elevators and the ninth level, which was where the newly nicknamed "Isle of Repentance" was located. |
"Let me know if you need any help!" Hermione called after them and received a thumbs up in response. |
"Well, I’m going to go see if a certain Harpy wants to offer me her congratulations on my new appointment," Blaise said, still over the moon. If he kept it up, Ginny was just as likely to hex him as congratulate him. |
Blaise came over and gave Hermione a kiss on both cheeks. |
"Use that Slytherin mind of yours to get her to convince her mother to give the Prewett seat to her," Hermione suggested. |
"You mean like promise her a cushy job overseeing the Department of Magical Sports. I would never do such a thing," Blaise said with faux indignation. |
Draco supposed that he should go and meet his new department. Percy had already beat him there and was no doubt hoping to sabotage Draco’s influence with the International Trade Division. The thing that Percy likely didn’t realize was that the Malfoys were known for investing in lucrative ventures, both domestic and abroad. Rumors of Malfoy interest in a company were likely to drive the stock prices up for said company. The size and depth of their vaults was proof that Malfoys knew how to pick successful ventures. Draco’s input would be welcomed in the International Trade Division. It was probably the one department where he wouldn’t be treated with suspicion. |
Hermione stood on tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Draco looked questioningly at her. "I’m going to go get reacquainted with my department. I’ll see you for lunch?" |
"I’ll come get you at noon," he agreed. "Take it easy, please," Draco pleaded as she took off. |
Draco hadn’t actually worked a full day at the Ministry since before Weasley’s attack. By the time four o’clock rolled around, he was exhausted and ready to go get Rose from school and enjoy a quiet evening at home. |
Rose broke free from her teacher’s line as soon as she spotted them come through the Floo. She collided with their legs and squeezed them both so forcefully around the middle that both Draco and Hermione were almost knocked off their feet. Draco barely kept all three of them upright. |
"I missed you," Rose said almost accusingly as if she hadn’t seen them in weeks rather than a day. |
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