Muggle Summer
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no money being made, etc., etc.
A/N: A reminder on my contemporary timeline...this chapter takes place in the summer of 2006, rather than 199x, so Tony Blair is Prime Minister (and has been for more than half of Hermione's lifetime).
Chapter 44: 10 Downing Street
Tuesday, July 3, 11:30am
Buckingham Palace, London
Hermione startled when she heard a soft knock on the library's door. She tried to close the open window on her laptop display, but missed and clicked on the "minimize" button instead. She silently cursed as Harry entered the room before she could fix her mistake.
"Lunch is here," Harry announced, as he crossed the room with a neck nuzzle in mind.
Hermione tried to casually shut her laptop screen down before he could look over her shoulder at her display.
"Still working on your presentation?" Harry asked, as he gave her a hug from behind
She nodded and leaned her head back into the hug. "There's no such thing as perfect when you're presenting to the Prime Minister."
Harry chuckled into her ear. "But they already have the summary version of the brief you wrote for the Queen, right?" he asked. "They'll only need more in case your report wasn't comprehensive enough, and what are the odds of that?"
Hermione sighed. "Comprehensive would have meant giving them the latest edition of Hogwarts, A History...how could anyone expect us to brief muggles on Voldemort and the current state of the wizarding world in two-thousand words or less?"
Harry opened both hands in front of Hermione. Counting off, he asked, "How about 'Voldemort sucks and the Ministry of Magic isn't much better'?...that's only ten."
"Bah!" exclaimed Hermione. "No time for cute banter."
"Agreed," said Harry. He then impishly added, "Which makes me wonder why you are taking a "virtual tour" of 10 Downing Street on the internet."
Hermione blushed, and stammered a bit. "Well, I...guess I was just wondering what the inside looks like, and, erm..."
Harry smiled as he pulled Hermione up from her chair and led her by hand out to the dining room, where plates of food were waiting. "You could have just asked me," he noted, as he took a seat, "I was there a few times last week, after all."
"Well, you were busy in the bedroom practicing wandless magic," Hermione explained. "Didn't want to disturb you."
"It's alright," said Harry.
"What's alright?" Hermione asked, as she sat and started to tuck in. "My explanation, or 10 Downing Street?"
"Both," Harry quipped, with an intentional air of indifference. "The building's a lot smaller than Windsor or Buck, of course, but the upstairs flat was kind of cozy."
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "You didn't tell me you were inside the P.M.'s living quarters as well."
"You didn't ask, and I didn't think it was important," Harry explained. "Besides, I was only up there long enough to check all of the fireplaces for hidden floo connects."
"What's it like?"
Harry paused, and then said, "Erm, cozy, like I said." He then shook his head and asked, "You aren't a little starstruck at the idea meeting the P.M. at his place, are you?"
"No," Hermione quickly replied.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Well, maybe...a little," Hermione admitted.
Harry smiled. "I'm a bit surprised," he admitted. "I mean...you didn't get this wiggy when we met the Queen, or Royal Family, or visit Windsor, or Buckingham."
"Well, that's different," said Hermione. "I didn't have time to get nervous before meeting the Queen, or before arriving here at the Palace...somebody thought it best to keep the whole thing a surprise."
"I'll only take partial blame on that point," said Harry. "I was mostly clueless for most of that day as well." He then asked, "But why be nervous now? I mean, Tony's a nice guy, and he..."
"First-name basis, Harry?" Hermione asked in almost a shriek.
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "He kept wanting to call me Lord Gryffindor, so I had to strike a deal in order for him to call me Harry."
Hermione sighed deeply while her head shook back and forth in amazement.
Harry squinted a bit, as if trying to solve a puzzle. He had seen this look on Hermione's face before, but couldn't quite place it...Lockhart!
"School-girl crush on the Prime Minister?" he asked nonchalantly.
Hermione's cheeks flushed red. "No, of course not," she quickly replied.
Harry smiled, and used the conversational pause to finish off his bowl of soup. And to force Hermione's hand, because there was something behind that reply...
"Well, not any more, at least," she sheepishly admitted. "Half the girls in my primary school class had crushes on him...I mean, he was young, and handsome, and articulate..."
Harry patted her arm. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Prat!"
Harry snorted, then noted, "Funny that you didn't seem all that giddy when we were introduced at Ascot."
"Probably a bit too nervous about riding in the Queen's landau, your show and the Dementors," Hermione explained. She then looked at her watch and stood, throwing her serviette on the table. "Not much time...my hair's still a mess, I need to change, and brush my teeth, and..."
Harry followed her into their bedroom's walk-in-closet for a look into the full-length mirror. He grabbed her from behind and looked over her shoulder as Hermione flattened the front of her skirt with her hands. "It's so much easier in the wizarding world when robes cover everything...are you sure that I look good in this outfit?" she asked
Harry smiled as he angled around her shoulder for a kiss.
"I'd rather that you were wearing only a smile and your Art Club badge."
Hermione shusshed him and pushed him away. He stumbled a bit and fell against the closet wall with a "thump."
"Quiet, Harry" Hermione admonished. "You'll wake up mum and dad next door."
Harry grinned and asked, "Who says that they're still sleeping?"
"Why do you say that?" Hermione replied. "Did they leave while I was in the library?"
"Erm, no," said Harry. "I'm quite sure that they're still in there."
"But I haven't heard them," Hermione noted.
As if on cue, they heard a mumbled comment and a short giggle coming through the wall that separated the two bedrooms.
Hermione's look of shock reflected well in the full-length mirror. "Did I just hear my mum giggle?" she whispered.
Harry snorted, and then said, "Guess I should been more thorough and cast a silencing spell on all of the guest bedroom's walls."
"You mean you heard more than...more than that?"
With arched eyebrows, Harry asked, "Do you really want me to answer that question?"
"Erm, no,..not really."
Harry nodded as he grabbed Hermione's hand and led her out of the master bedroom.
"You know, your mum and dad have been brilliant this past month. We're lucky to have them around."
"Yes, I know that, it's just that sometimes they seem to forget that we are around."
"Well old habits might be hard to break...it's not like you've been home much the past six years."
"Old habits?" Hermione said. "Too much information, I think."
"Speaking of too much information," Harry said, changing the subject, "are you still fretting about the magical secrecy laws?"
"Shouldn't I be?"
Harry shook his head. "Relax, Hermione, we've got things all lined up...you wrote the report for me, I gave the report to the Queen, and then she decided to give it to the Prime Minister. I was technically the only person that broke the secrecy laws, except that I didn't because that's my job as Queen's Wizard."
"You know, we never did get around to meeting with a wizard barrister to discuss all of this."
Harry nodded. "You're right, we haven't, and we probably should...have a meeting time in mind?"
"Sure," Hermione replied with a bit of sarcasm, "I'll just shoe-horn it in between meeting the Ministers, harvesting the basilisk, setting up the Summer Institute and horcrux hunting."
Harry smiled as he reached over and grabbed Hermione's hand. "Hey, I'm supposed to be the one overwhelmed with the enormity of my task, not you," he noted. "Buck up, Hermione...it certainly could be a lot worse."
"You think so?"
"I'm certain of it," Harry replied. "Without the Prince's help and everything since, I might still have been alone on Privet Drive with my Aunt and Uncle, with another month's time ahead before I could legally do magic."
Hermione smiled. "It does sound like a rather bleak alternative universe, doesn't it?"
Harry looked around the suite, gave Hermione's hand another squeeze, and said, "All in all, I'm becoming very fond of present circumstances." He then noted, "We still have the name of the barrister that Mr. Weasley recommended...maybe we can owl and see if he'd consider making housecalls?"
Hermione nodded as she returned the squeeze. "Sounds like a plan...so long as he doesn't come calling while my parents are..."
"Hey!" Harry interrupted, "were you just about to make smutty comment?"
Hermione smirked. "Maybe."
Harry smiled as he leaned back in his chair. "Amazing," he concluded. "This universe is getting better by the minute."
+++
Harry and Hermione only had a few minutes to talk with the Prince of Wales during the drive from the Palace to 10 Downing Street. The Prince was along as the Crown's representative, and to facilitate any discussion on the role of Queen's Wizard.
The Prince handed each of them a two-page document and said, "Here's a brief work-up on meeting participants. Besides the P.M. there will be the Home Secretary Michael Duluth, Sir Walter Hibbing from MI-5 and Sir David Eveleth, who heads MI-6."
Harry looked down at the page, which had small head shots and brief biographies of the three men. "They're all card-carrying muggles, right?"
"Erm...as far as you know," the Prince replied. "Mind the Home Secretary...he's a bit mugglish, and a rather outspoken critic of the Royal Family."
"Really?"
The Prince nodded. "Hates the peerage in general...grew up in one of the rougher parts of Manchester, and rails against anything that smacks of privilege."
Harry nodded, then noted, "So he's the reason why you've suggested we avoid using our titles, and play down my financial resources?"
"Exactly," the Prince replied. "We need to give him every reason to listen to what you have to say."
Harry frowned. "And just what will we be discussing that would make it so vitally important that they listen to us?"
The Prince paused, before giving Harry a rather rueful grin. "Life, The Universe, and Everything."
This response didn't do much to ease the two teen-ager's nerves, despite its cheekiness.
Upon their arrival, the Palace's car drove through the opened wrought-iron gate that blocked off the small cul-de-sac. Tourists clamored to see who might be stepping through what the P.M.'s very own web site calls "the most famous door in the world." They weren't disappointed when the Prince of Wales exited the vehicle. A cheer rang out and camera shutters clicked as the Prince turned, took a few steps towards the crowd, and waved. He had hoped that this gesture might focus attention away from Harry and Hermione as they quietly stepped out and made straight for the building's entrance. These hopes were quickly dashed, however, as squeals of recognition rang out.
"It's the Queen's Wizard!"
"Oh, my he's so dashing in that suit!"
"And even more handsome, in person!"
Fleet Street photographers and television cameramen on permanent stake-out for these sorts of arrivals called out for Harry to stop long enough for a proper photograph. Harry rolled his eyes, but figured that it would be best to comply. He winked at Hermione as he grabbed her hand and spun around for a joint wave.
"There's that bird he was with at Ascot!"
"She's so lucky!"
"Oi, Mr. Wizard, leave her and marry me!" shouted one teen-aged girl, to the delight of the assembled crowd.
"Forget that," a male voice cried out. "Leave him and I'll show you some real magic, miss!"
The fake grin that Harry had plastered onto his face for the cameras turned real with that response. Luckily, the door opened and they were shown through the front entrance without hearing any more competition for Hermione's heart.
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione exclaimed as they settled themselves in the front entryway. "How much did you pay that bloke to say that, Harry?"
Harry snorted. "Pish-posh, Hermione," he replied in a singsong voice. "Your beauty provides every reason for equal-opportunity ogling." He then turned and addressed a rather bemused-looking Royal. "No disrespect intended, Your Highness."
"None taken, Harry," the Prince replied. "I can assure you that I am quite used to be upstaged when traveling in the company of a beautiful woman."
Hermione blushed at the comparison as they were shown through a pair of not-quite-as-famous white French doors and into the ground floor proper.
"Looks bigger than what I expected from the web site," she admitted.
Harry smiled as they were shown to small reception room adjacent to the P.M.'s office. Kingsley Shacklebolt was there, dressed in a three-piece muggle suit and openly flirting with a pretty aide who sat behind a desk.
"Looking good, Mr. Shacklebolt," Harry called out.
Kingsley reluctantly turned his attention away from the Minister's aide. "You look almost as snappy yourself, Harry…or are we Lord Gryffindor today?"
Harry grinned. "Just Harry, thanks."
Shacklebolt nodded as he shook Harry's hand, and greeted Hermione and the Prince. That the Prince responded by calling the Auror by name suggested that it wasn't the first time the two had met.
"Do try and stay out of trouble in there," Kingsley asked.
"Don't I always?" Harry replied a smile. "Oh, and Shack, let's not have any Weasley products extending underneath the doorway, right?"
"Of course, Harry," the Auror replied, with a shocked "who me?" expression on his face.
Just then the room door opened and the Prime Minister himself welcomed the Prince, Harry and Hermione into his office. He gave both the Prince and Harry a firm handshake, quietly welcoming Harry by first name. The Queen's Wizard wished he had better peripheral vision when the P.M. added an elbow grab to the handshake he gave Hermione.
Two members of the house staff followed behind the three in order to clear away the remnants of a working lunch. The P.M. waited for these staffers to clear out before introducing the two teens as "Agents Granger and Potter."
The MI-5 and MI-6 chiefs smiled in recognition; while neither had met Harry and Hermione face-to-face, their photographs had been included in the dossiers built in advance of their appointment as MI agents. Both men stood and gave warm handshakes. In contrast, the Home Secretary's tepid handshake seemed designed to minimize (to the greatest extent possible) the amount of skin contact.
"Thank you for joining us this afternoon," the Prime Minister said, as he walked behind his dest and took a seat.
"Erm, thank you for the invitation, Prime Minister," Harry replied. "If I might ask, would you mind if we magically secure the room?"
"You, secure the room?" asked the Home Secretary incredulously. "Where do you think you are, boy?"
"I suspect, Mr. Duluth," said the Prince, "that Agent Potter is talking about ensuring that the magical protections he set in place last week are still functioning."
"Yes, Your Highness," Harry quickly added, "although our scans will also detect mug-...erm...mundane eavesdropping devices."
"Oh, well…" the P.M. replied, "Mr. Shacklebolt swept the room an hour ago, but please, feel free."
"Thank you, Prime Minister," Hermione replied, as she and Harry removed both wands and mobiles from their pockets. "Would everyone please power down their mobiles, laptops and other electrical devices?" she asked.
There was only a little bit of grumbling as the shut down chimes of computers and mobiles sounded out. Once getting nods from everyone in the room, and ascertaining that nobody was wearing a pacemaker, Harry and Hermione cast a series of heavy-duty silencing spells on every wall, the ceiling and floor. They also checked the shrouding of the magical portrait, as well as the de-activated floo connection. After giving everyone the "all-clear" to power-up their various electronics, Harry and Hermione took a seat in front of the P.M.'s desk.
"That looked like a rather thorough sweep," the MI-5 Chief noted. "But was it completely necessary? It was my understanding that the protective walls..erm...wards?...yes, the protective wards you set up last week kept magic out."
Hermione nodded. "The anti-apparation wards are still in place, as are the magical sensor barriers and the block against floo travel put on the fireplace." She then added a caveat. "But that doesn't mean that a wizard couldn't have walked through the barriers, and then found a way inside the building so that they could eavesdrop."
The P.M. frowned. "Do you two have reason to doubt Mr. Shacklebolt's discretion?" he asked.
Harry shook his head. "I've known Auror Shacklebolt for a couple of years, now. Although he is a Ministry employee, he's also been invoved with the Order for some time, and I have no reason not to trust him."
The P.M. nodded, as the Home Secretary flipped through a stack of papers in front of him. "Order?" he finally asked with a scowl. "Are you talking about your so-called Order of Arthur, or that vigilante group mentioned in your briefing documents?"
It was Hermione's turn to frown as she replied, "He was a member of The Order of the Phoenix, Mr. Home Secretary, and I'd like to think of them more as an NGO than a vigilante group."
"Ah yes," the MI-6 Chief interrupted. "That brings up a question raised when I read your brief...which, by the way, was quite brilliant, Agent Granger...I'm glad to have you aboard."
"Don't get too territorial, there, Sir David," the MI-5 Chief chided. "She's just as much an MI-5 asset as yours."
As Hermione blushed at the compliment, Harry politely noted that correct chain-of-command for the briefing documents, saying that for their purposes Hermione was working for him.
"And that technicality is necessary to keep your noses clean with respect to magical secrecy laws?" the P.M. asked.
"Yes, Prime Minister."
"No need to worry," the MI-6 chief noted, "All of this is covered under the Official Secrets Act, and none of us are about to reveal your actions to the wizard police."
Harry nodded and gave the chief a grim smile. "Unfortunately, Sir David, good intentions aren't always good enough when you want to keep secrets from the wizarding world."
Both security chiefs frowned. "And why is that, Agent Potter?" the MI-5 Chief asked.
"Some wizards can read minds, Sir Walter," Harry explained, "and there is a effective magical truth serum called veritaserum."
"Mind readers?" the Home Secretary asked with alarm. "Should we be worrying that you are reading our minds right now?" he asked. Then, not quite under his breath, he muttered, "Not that we'd be able to trust that you'd tell us the truth."
Harry took in a sharp breath, and Hermione thought it prudent to reach over and grab hold of his hand while he silently counted to ten.
"Sir," Hermione replied, "You needn't worry that either of us are traipsing through your mind right now. Legimency is a difficult art to master. I can't do it, and even if I could there are ethical issues involved with invading someone else's mind without permission."
The Home Secretary nodded, then turned his gaze towards Harry. "Do you have the ability?"
Harry nodded. "I have been studying the technique for the past month. As Hermione indicated, it is a difficult subject, and so far the best I can do is read some hidden emotions and the occasional surface thought."
The Home Secretary sat back in his chair and asked, "For what purposes are you attempting to become a mind reader?"
Harry replied coolly, "So that the mental defenses of Hermione and my colleagues can be tested and improved upon."
The MI-6 chief asked what type of mental defenses existed, and whether it would be possible for non-magical people to learn them. Harry and Hermione then spent a few minutes describing mediation as a useful technique for anyone, with the caveat that it would be hard for a muggle to completely occlude his or her mind from even a moderately competent legimens. The Home Secretary then tried to steer the conversation back towards his concerns.
"In the section describing the different political and military groupings within your world, this Order of the Phoenix was identified as having an 'unknown status'...why can't you tell us what this group is doing at present time?"
Hermione paused for a moment, then turned to Harry and offered him the chance to respond. He replied, "Neither Hermione or I were part of that organization. They have likely gone to ground, as their organization was probably compromised by the same spy that murdered Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Yes," said the Home Secretary, rather cooly, "There was mention of more than one case of divided loyalties in the briefing document." He then stared directly at Harry and said, "It gave me pause to wonder exactly where your loyalties lie."
Harry's brow furrowed. He once again silently counted to ten as static electricity seemed to build within the room. Finally, he said, "With all due respect, sir, I take my sworn fealty to Her Royal Majesty quite seriously."
"It is one thing to say you are loyal to the Queen, young man..." the Home Secretary countered.
"On that point you are wrong, sir," Harry coolly exclaimed. "When it comes to a sworn oath, a wizard's word is everything."
The Prime Minister tried to wrestle back control of the meeting. "I believe that any questions of where Agent Potter's loyalties lie were put to rest at Ascot," he concluded. "Wonderful job there, by the way," he noted as an aside to Harry. "Most spectacular battle that I never saw."
"That's my point exactly," the Home Secretary said, "We don't know that he was fighting against anything real...it could have been a complete fabrication."
"That's quite enough, Duluth," the P.M. said firmly. "I'll tolerate no more of this tripe from you."
"It's not tripe, it's the truth, and if you're too blinded by whiz-bangs and Royals to see it, then Lord God help us all." He then stood and announced, "I, for one, have heard all I need to hear."
As the Home Secretary reached down to retrieve his briefcase the P.M. turned towards the Prince and pointedly asked, "Your Highness, given present circumstances have you an opinion on how Her Royal Majesty might view my use of royal prerogative?"
The Prince smiled. "In this situation, I am quite confident that your powers of patronage would not be challenged by the Queen."
"Very well, then," the P.M. replied. He then turned back towards the Home Secretary and said, "Duluth, I can no longer afford your narrow-mindedness within my Cabinet. Consider yourself sacked."
The Home Secretary's face turned a brilliant shade of red (Harry couldn't decide if it was due to anger, embarrassment, or the fact that the man was holding his breath). As he stormed out the office door, Harry could see the edges of the Prime Minister's lips curl up slightly.
There was nothing "slight" about the grins on the faces of the two intelligence chiefs.
"Splendid play, old man," the MI-6 chief told the P.M.
"Well done indeed, Prime Minister," the MI-5 chief added.
The P.M. nodded gravely. "I'm sorry that you had to see that," he said to Harry and Hermione. "He was a right pain even before he was briefed in on the wizarding world, and it's only gotten worse since then. Coming face-to-face with a witch and wizard obviously sent him over the edge."
Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, sir, for causing such a mess for you."
The Prime Minister smiled. "No worries, Harry...he'll go sulking back to Parliament and whine behind my back during the Labor conferences, but he was already doing that."
"At least he can't go to the papers," the Prince noted.
The MI-6 chief nodded in agreement. "Not without violating the Official Secrets Act, and even then he runs the risk of looking the fool for taking a principled stand against the Queen's Wizard and magic use."
"Almost worth using one of those memory charms on him," the MI-5 chief noted.
"Almost, but not nearly close enough," the P.M. concluded. "That was, after all, one of the chief complaints to be lodged during my meeting with the Minister of Magic."
The MI-5 chief nodded, and then tapped his knuckles down on his copy of Hermione's briefing document. "So based on this report, do you think it's time to convene a War Cabinet, Prime Minister?"
The P.M. thought for a moment. "Not right now, Sir Walter," he replied. "That would mean bringing in the opposition leader, and briefing in a few others on the wizarding world. I'm leaning towards a crisis committee...at least until we've cleared up some issues with the Ministry of Magic." His eyes then narrowed a bit, and he said, "We'll have to reschedule that meeting, however...I suddenly have a Home Secretary to replace." He then rang up his Chief of Staff and instructed him to have a press release worked up, and to set up an emergency Cabinet meeting for later that day.
After ending the call, the P.M. turned his attentions back to his guests. "I am afraid that we no longer have time to fully address our meeting agenda, other than to say that the report was top-notch."
"Thank you, Prime Minister," Hermione replied with a blush.
"I have to say, though, that I was a bit disappointed that you didn't make any recommendations on how the Ministry of Magic could be changed for the better...for example, whether we should work to have Scrimgeour sacked."
Harry nodded. "The Queen didn't give us that particular charge, and neither Hermione nor I thought it to be our place to offer unsolicited advice to Her Royal Majesty and her government."
The P.M. nodded. "Well, then, perhaps I'll have to tweak your charges," the Prime Minister replied. He then turned towards the intelligence chiefs and added, "Unless either of two have any objections."
The heads of MI-5 and MI-6 shook their heads. "You are obviously in their chain of command, Prime Minister," the MI-6 chief explained.
The P.M.'s eyes lit up. "I am, aren't I," he replied.
The Prince cleared his throat. "Her Royal Highness might take issue should you lay claim to too much of Her Royal Wizard's time."
The P.M. nodded. "What if I arranged to have Agent Granger reassigned to my office?"
Hermione let out an audible "eep!" as the Prince smiled. "Her Royal Highness is quite fond of Dame Hermione, but has no formal claim on her time. That said, I think that the question should be posed to Agent Granger and the Queen's Wizard."
The MI-5 chief concurred. "Their primary assignment as MI-5 3/4 agents is to continue what they were doing to battle Voldemort and protect the Realm and its citizenry."
The P.M. nodded. He then asked, "Agent Granger, I have need of a Senior Advisor for all issues involving magic and the wizarding world. I also am keenly interested in how other muggle governments interact with their magical communities, and would like to appoint a Special Envoy to the greater wizarding world. Would you be interested in either or both of these posts, so long as they didn't interfere with your primary mission?"
Hermione sat gobsmacked, doing the fish-out-of-water thing with her lips, before replying. "I'm honored that you'd consider me, but I'm not sure that I'm the best candidate, and not sure about how we could work the secrecy laws, for that matter."
"Don't be so modest, Agent Granger," the P.M. replied. "Can you think of any other person in the realm that knows the muggle and wizarding worlds as well as you do?"
"I'm sure that there's somebody older that does..."
"And would you imagine that this hypothetical person would hold top-secret security clearances, a close working and personal relationship with the Queen's Wizard, and the resources available to you as a member of the Order of Arthur?"
Hermione snorted at the rhetorical question. "No, I imagine not." She then asked Harry what he thought.
Harry gave her a bright smile, and said, "I think it's a brilliant idea." He then turned to the P.M. and asked, "As a Senior Advisor and Special Envoy, would she have a desk here at 10 Downing Street?"
As Hermione gasped and swatted Harry on the arm for his presumption, the P.M. smiled. "We're a bit cramped for space, but I think that I might be able to pull a few strings."
He then stood up from his desk, causing everyone else to do the same. He then asked, "Agent Granger, have you had a proper tour of the building yet?"
"Erm, no Prime Minister, not that I..."
The P.M. walked around the desk and grabbed Hermione lightly by the elbow as he gestured towards the door. "No, no, I think a bit of a look about would be appropriate...you and I can scout out suitable desk space for my newest Senior Advisor."
"Erm..um...whatever you say, Prime Minister,"
The P.M. turned to Harry and the Prince. "Would you two like to join us? I'll have at least a few minutes before all Hell breaks loose with the Home Secretary situation."
Harry smiled as the Prince gave him a hand gesture indicating that it was his decision to make.
"No, that's quite alright, Prime Minister," Harry replied. He then turned to Hermione. "Why don't you go along and just pop back to the Palace when you're done? I'll go and get an owl off to that barrister."
Hermione smiled brilliantly. She wanted to give him a proper snog, but decided in present company to limit her affections to a gentle hand squeeze. "Okay, Harry, just call if you need me."
And with that, the meeting concluded. The Prince asked the P.M. if they might linger in his office long enough to sample his collection of single malts. The P.M. readily agreed, then escorted Hermione out for her tour and introductions to his staff. Once the door closed, the Prince walked over to a sideboard and poured out four glasses of scotch. As he distributed them he said, "Well, that went better than expected." He then raised his glass and offered a toast.
"Gentlemen, to Dame Hermione's bright future within these walls, and to the former Home Secretary's less-than-luminous future outside of them."
"Hear, Hear," the MI-6 chief said, as they each sipped from their tumblers. Harry thought about tossing his glass into the fireplace, but thought better of it.
+++
In bed that night, Hermione finally remembered to ask what was discussed whilst she was on her tour.
"Well," Harry said with a smile, "we shared a toast to your potential posting, and then Sir Walter asked Sir David whether he thought they had just lost a future MI-5 3/4 Chief to the Prime Minister's Staff."
"No, he didn't!"
"He most certainly did."
"So what did Sir David say?"
Harry's smile grew. "He said it was more likely that they lost a future Prime Minister, rather than a P.M.'s staffer."
"No, he didn't!"
"Really he did...and then the Prince asked whether he was thinking muggle Prime Minister, or Minister of Magic."
Hermione pulled the top sheet over her head in embarrassment. "Oh, Merlin!"
"Yeah, and they asked me what I thought."
"Oh, Harry," she cried out, still covered, "Don't tell me you went along with that nonsense."
"Okay, I won't tell you then," Harry replied brightly.
After a moment's silence, Hermione pulled the sheet down in frustration. "So tell me what you said."
Harry pulled Hermione into a comforting embrace. "I told them that I'd be proud of you whatever your career path was, and that it wouldn't matter to me if you were one or the other or both, so long as it didn't require you to leave behind what I thought was an even more important posting."
"What?" Hermione asked with surprise. "What are you on about, Harry?...what position would be more important that Prime Minister or Minister of Magic?"
Harry grinned
"Lady Gryffindor."
Hermione gave Harry a look of shock. "Please don't tell me that they asked you that same question, or that you gave them that same answer."
"Okay, I won't tell you that they asked me that very same question, or that I gave them that very same answer."
Hermione tried (and almost succeeded) to push Harry off of the bed. "Oh, you prat...tell me!"
"Why Hermione?" Harry asked innocently, "Would you have been embarrassed if I really did say that?"
She was about to answer when she remembered being in a very similar situation.
"Why Harry, are you back on your Slytherin passive-aggressive path of finding out the answer to a question that you don't dare ask outright?"
Harry smiled as he crawled back towards Hermione. "Maybe," he said, as he ran a hand up her leg.
Hermione swatted Harry's hand away before stating her opinion on Harry's tactics.
"Gillyweed, Mr. Potter…gillyweed."
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