Magic and Misperceptions Chapter Five: The Ministry
By addisonj
Disclaimer: The following story is based on situations and characters owned by J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, and their publishers.
For my Beta, DeeMichelle
***
"Good morning, Miss Granger!"
"Good morning, Carl. How was your weekend?"
"Very good, and yours?"
"Good. Fine. Saw some friends."
"Did you read that Harry Potter is back?"
"Yes, I met him at the Puddlemere United event Friday."
"Good man. He saved us all!"
"Yes, Carl. And we're all grateful. See you later!"
"See you, Miss Granger! Ah, Mr. Perkins! Good morning!"
Hermione smiled. She enjoyed working at the Ministry of Magic. Her day always started with a conversation with Carl, who was happy to keep her informed about all the goings in and out. As soon as he realised that Hermione did not have all the connections most of the other Ministry employees had, he took the former Beauxbatons student under his wing and proceeded to let her know what's what. She appreciated that.
As the lift doors were about to close, her co-worker, Amos Diggory hopped on. "Good morning, Granger!"
"Good morning, Diggory. How was your weekend?" Hermione liked Diggory. He was a long time employee in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and was quite kind to her as well.
"Capital! The wife and I went to the new exhibit at the art museum. Some wonderful stuff there."
"That sounds interesting. Maybe I'll catch it this weekend."
"And how was your weekend, Hermione?"
"Nice. Met up with some friends. Had a quiet day yesterday. Went for a long walk in Hyde Park."
"Muggle London again, Granger? You like going there?"
"Yes, it's where I'm from. It's nice to be back after my years in France."
They exchanged more pleasantries as they made their way to their offices in the Magical Creatures department on the fourth floor. Once she was settled in her office, Hermione sat down at her desk and began to strategize how best to accomplish everything she needed to do that week.
Hermione was a bit upset when they had first told her that she would be working out of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Her goal was to give rights to magical creatures, not control them. But Shacklebolt convinced her that changes as big as she envisioned would take time, and would need to be done with the cooperation of the Magical Creatures department in particular.
Hermione liked her coworkers personally. Many were long time employees like Diggory who could measure their seniority in decades. There was very little change in the department. Nothing to rush, no changes to laws. Hermione was going to change that. She had hoped to be in the Department of International Magical Cooperation or the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures was like the dead letter office of the Ministry, and the Centaur Liaison office was the dead letter office within the dead letter office.
She was busy (of course) when the head of the department, Scamander, stopped by, with Shacklebolt right behind. It was rare that the Minister of Magic appeared in their department. He was almost always found in the more glamorous departments like Law Enforcement or International Magical Cooperation.
"Granger! Excellent! You're here! Shacklebolt is headed to the continent for a few days so I said we could present your proposal to him now. You're ready, aren't you?"
Hermione tried not to sputter her response. Her career may well ride on this proposal regarding how Britain could implement the types of civil rights laws for magical creatures found in France. She had been working on it for weeks. The meeting was scheduled for Friday and Scamander just decided she could present it now? Scamander himself was quite personable but very scatterbrained, rather like Luna. Since Scamander realised that Hermione was always well-prepared, he seemed to be overconfident in her abilities.
Shacklebolt looked at Hermione with a twinkle in his eye, no doubt understanding her temporary muteness.
"Uh, of course, Scamander! Let me put this presentation together and I'll be right there. We'll meet in the conference room?"
"Let's meet in the conference room next to my offices. I have another meeting following and that'd be easiest in case we go over time. See you there, Granger." Shacklebolt gave Hermione a knowing smile. She tried not to groan as she gathered her paperwork.
Her presentation started with the current situation for magical creatures in Britain, the Being division (house-elves, werewolves, goblins; she didn't want to approach beasts like centaurs yet) and compare it to laws throughout the world. She had a matrix about different rights they had in different countries: which ones paid house-elves, which ones allowed goblins to use wands, which ones allowed werewolves to work and provided accommodations, Wolfsbane, and other care for them during the full moon. The matrix itself was strong evidence that Britain was far behind the rest of the world in rights for these creatures.
Next was the part that needed Ministry cooperation: what to do with this information? She had several suggestions, one being a public relations blitz in all media to start public support for reforms. She was hoping to have some prominent people on board to lend support. Along with the publicity approach, she wanted to start pushing some laws through the Wizengamot. Start with small things like beefing up support services for werewolves or providing assistance to house-elves in abusive situations and relocation assistance. Once these little laws were in place, it would create a body of laws to build up to acceptance of magical beings in all walks of life. It was a very long-term project, would easily take years, but Hermione was working on the unspoken assumption that she was not planning to leave Britain again. And she knew she had to do it now, with a Minister of Magic like Shacklebolt who would provide total support for such radical change, and realising the mood of the country after the war was open to such change.
The presentation was going well. Shacklebolt would nod occasionally and give Hermione the understanding that he grasped her message and approved. He was about to say something when he noticed some activity outside the conference room door. With some flick of magic, he opened the door and called to the person outside.
"Harry! Just the person I wanted to see! You know Scamander. Have you met Hermione Granger? Our new Beauxbatons addition. She's going to shake up our magical creatures laws!"
Hermione opened and closed her mouth in nervousness. What was Harry Potter doing here? And why is Shacklebolt inviting him into our meeting? Isn't he an Auror? She didn't need an Auror, she needed someone in legislature!
Harry seemed equally surprised. He was early for his meeting with Shacklebolt, but he knew that the former Auror tended to be prompt, so he wanted to be just a couple minutes early. Shacklebolt was a busy man who rarely had one-on-one meetings with junior staff. She must be pretty important and he must have a lot of confidence in her, thought Harry. He ignored Hermione's stare and sat himself in a vacant seat near Shacklebolt.
"Miss Granger and I met at the Puddlemere gala on Friday. 'Ello," he nodded toward Hermione in greeting. "Hiya, Scamander. What's all this about?" As Harry settled in his chair, he stared at matrix of magical being laws throughout the world and the multiple pronged strategy for Britain. He let out a low whistle. "Well, now. Ambitious, are we?"
Hermione bristled. She didn't need Harry Potter as a fly in her ointment. She was on a roll; Shacklebolt agreed with her, and she was afraid that Potter would spoil it. But she was ready to defend her case.
"It's necessary. As you can see, Britain lags behind other countries in magical being rights. Now's the time to change that. Now's the time that purebloods have less say in the legislature. Now's the time, because after the war, people are more open to change; they realise the disastrous results of the type of discrimination that occurred before and during the war. That discrimination was Riddle. Now's the time to change.
"And I'll be the first to admit this is ambitious. That's why we need to build support from all areas of the Ministry and all areas of wizard society. From the public relations to legislature to law enforcement. It's a big effort. That's why we need support from key areas. And we'll start with some small wins. Instead of going right out and saying that werewolves should be treated like everyone else and have the same rights, we start with standardised support services that provide care and Wolfsbane during the full moon. Once that's accomplished, we say that werewolves are allowed the right to work and provide workplace flexibility so they can be out two to three days per month. Once that's accomplished, people will be more amenable to seeing and legislating that werewolves are equals. Same approach with house-elves and goblins." Hermione was on a roll. Her listeners were nodding, feeling her passion for the topic. She was surprised when Potter interrupted.
"You'll want to pay and clothe house-elves next?" Harry said.
Hermione strived to maintain her composure.
"House-elves should be given the choice. I know most want to work for free. I know they don't want clothes. They're happy to serve wizarding families. However, what if they're abused? They have no recourse at all. I'm not expecting a revolution here, just some basic rights. The right to have the choice: the choice to be paid, the choice to look for one's own employment. The choice to not be a slave."
Shacklebolt watched the two young people and smiled. They were both passionate in their beliefs and articulate in relaying them. He knew what he wanted to do next.
"Harry! Hermione proposed having public faces-celebrities if you will-speak out in support of these proposals. Interested?"
Hermione died inside. She was certain she was about to be served a public humiliation from Mr. Potter, and possibly the end of her oh-so-short career at the Ministry.
Harry noted her slumped shoulders and smiled. He looked from Hermione to Scamander to Shacklebolt. Time seemed to stop, waiting for his response. He said the words slowly for maximum impact. "Of course."
Hermione exhaled, a traitor smile escaping her lips. "Good."
"Excellent!" Shacklebolt jumped up and clapped Harry on the back. "I'm out of time but you all can discuss this later. Hermione, you have the Ministry's full support. It's time we got out of the Middle Ages. What's next, ballpoint pens instead of quills?" He paused for the chuckles of his audience. "Good. Come along, Harry. I want to hear about Asia. Is Ron Weasley joining us? Hermione, Scamander, before you leave, make sure you get some time with Montgomery and Algonquin. I want them on board, too. I'll owl them requesting they give you their full cooperation. Right, away then." Kinglsey casually named the heads of the Departments of Law Enforcement and International Cooperation as he shooed Hermione and her boss to leave.
Hermione tried to stay professional and hide her grin, but inside she was doing a 'happy happy joy joy' dance. Everything she could have asked for was happening. She forced her smile to an average length as she exited with Scamander.
"Hermione! Well done! This is the most exciting thing to happen to us since a centaur almost used our liaison office!"
Inside, Shacklebolt decided to follow a hunch.
"Potter! Welcome back! Tell me, what do you think of Granger?"
Harry raised an eyebrow for a moment, not sure if the question referred to her professional or personal nature.
"If her proposal comes through, that would be brilliant! I wish she had been around for Remus and Dobby. She's definitely the champion of the underdog, isn't she?"
Kinglsey nodded. "We're lucky to have her. The French ministry didn't want to let her go. Brightest witch of her age, and she did it all in a second language!"
"Lucky for her magical commands are in Latin."
Kinglsey laughed. "Yes, but she really is amazing. She'll probably have my job in a few years."
Harry joined the laughter. "Shacklebolt, you can't go anywhere. You're the best Minister of Magic we've had in my lifetime."
"Thanks, but I wanted you to meet her. She'll need your support. She didn't go to Hogwarts; she doesn't have the connections the rest of us have."
"She seems incredibly capable, however."
"Yes, of course. But she already has an exceedingly ambitious agenda, as you noted. We don't need to put any more impediments in her way. Once we get to the legislature, the purebloods will likely revolt. We want to help stack the deck in her favour."
"You know you have my support, Shacklebolt."
Shacklebolt paused in contemplation. "Have you considered being on the Wizengamot, Harry?" When Harry blinked, Shacklebolt continued, "Potters have been members of the Wizengamot in the past. Why are you looking at me as if I told you to fight a dragon?"
"Shacklebolt, I've only just returned-"
"You've been gone too long, Harry. Well, think about it. I know this is your first day back. Welcome back! But once you're settled, I want you to consider what I've said. You have a plethora of open doors in front of you, Harry. You can take anything, do anything you wish."
But I can't raise the dead, Harry thought, and then banished that image from his brain. Here he was whining about the past when the Minister of Magic himself is nearly promising him the moon. He needed to snap out of it and get back on topic.
He looked at Shacklebolt and shook his hand. "Thanks, Shacklebolt. I'll keep this in mind. I appreciate it."
***
Later that day, as Hermione joined Lavender for lunch in the cafeteria, she told her flatmate the highlights of her morning.
"Shacklebolt himself said that? Lucky you! I don't think he knows my name!" Lavender said. The blonde was about to continue, but was distracted by a handsome, tall pale young man standing by the cashier, looking for a seat. "Hermione, do you know Draco Malfoy? He works in Magical Games and Sports. He was my year at Hogwarts. 'Ello, Draco! Over here!"
The handsome man nodded in Lavender's direction, then, meeting Hermione's eye, his smile widened. "Hello," he said huskily, giving Hermione his pale, graceful hand. "Draco Malfoy. And you are?"
"Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you."
His elegant head tipped to one side. "Vous êtes Française?"
"Non. No, my mother is. I just came from Beauxbatons and the French Ministry."
"Ah. Lovely accent."
"Thank you."
As Draco was feasting on Hermione with his eyes, Harry entered the café, saw the back of Hermione's head, smiled, but then his eyes met Draco's and he grew cold.
"Malfoy," Harry said as he passed them.
"Potter," Draco responded.
"Hi, Harry! Care to join us?" Lavender asked, ignoring the scorn between the two men.
"No, I'll be elsewhere. See you, Lavender, Hermione." Harry nodded at the girls and glared at Draco.
"Well!" said Lavender as Harry passed. "He doesn't care for you, does he? I knew you were enemies at school, but still?"
Draco smiled and shook his head. "How well do you know Harry?" He looked at Hermione with soulful eyes.
"Not very well," she admitted. Draco gave a sad look.
"I tried. I know in the past I've been the worst. I was horrible to Harry and his friends. My father was a Death Eater. I was told to kill Dumbledore. I admit it. But I reformed. Potter can't-he can't seem to get past that."
Lavender patted Draco's arm. "You poor thing! Everyone deserves a second chance!"
Draco nodded sadly. "That's what I hoped. Now with my father gone and my mother in exile, we're trying to make amends. We've donated thousands to the rebuilding and restitution charities. I don't know what else to do." Draco hung his head and Lavender patted his back.
"Poor thing!" she said in the same voice a mother uses to comfort a hurt child.
Hermione looked at the situation with a more critical eye. Why was this perfect stranger telling her so much? Something just seemed amiss.
Draco noticed Hermione's lack of attention. He sat up, and smoothed his hair back to its earlier near perfection. Time for another tactic. "So, you met Potter?"
"Yes. Last weekend," Hermione answered curtly.
"He was dreadful to Hermione! Totally snubbed her!" Lavender added eagerly. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Any idea why?"
"None. I'd never met him. I don't think I have any sort of reputation preceding me. I'm absolutely clueless why he'd react that way."
"Hmm." Draco seemed to consider the situation and came to a conclusion. "Have dinner with me!"
"What?"
"Have dinner with me. Tonight. We'll sort out this Potter business together!"
Lavender looked thrilled while Hermione was surprised. It was also so unexpected...
"Uh, well …"
"Of course she can! You have nothing planned, do you?" Lavender answered for her temporarily mute friend.
"Well, no …"
"Draco, I'll have her ready after work. Or are you going somewhere fancy? Does she need to change?"
"No, casual is fine. You're fine the way you are, Hermione," Draco said, his eyes glancing over her form.
Hermione flushed. "Well, very well then. It's been decided for me. I tend to work late, however."
"I'll meet you in the lobby at 7pm. We'll Floo from there."
"Sounds good. Thanks."
They continued their lunch and Hermione listened to the Hogwartians catch up on the gossip about their classmates. Draco tried to engage her in conversation to tell some of her life story, but she deftly moved the conversation back to topics he and Lavender shared.
Hermione took the opportunity to look at the comely man. He was certainly handsome, and seemed to know it. He had fine, pale blonde hair, pale skin and startling grey eyes. Very fine bone structure. He could easily be a model, with that face and body. He also had a bad boy vibe about him, no matter how much he tried to play the victim, and oozed sex appeal. She seriously doubted he was totally without fault.
Hermione suddenly noticed those steel grey eyes smiling back at her. She blinked and flushed, embarrassed to have been caught in the act of staring.
"Tonight?" Draco asked in a terribly sexy tone.
"Dinner," Hermione replied with a finality. "Only dinner. Someplace casual."
"As you wish," Draco responded with a smirk. Hermione wondered if Draco knew he was quoting her favourite Muggle film, The Princess Bride.
After Draco left, Lavender was nearly beside herself chatting (much too loudly for Hermione) about their visitor. "Draco Malfoy! He's so handsome! He was on the wrong side during the war but he's reformed now. Lucky you! He only dates the prettiest girls."
"Well now I'm certain we're not on a date then," Hermione replied icily. She wanted to stop Lavender before she made fools of both of them. "I gotta run. I've got loads to do before tonight."
As they were putting their trays away, someone jostled Hermione's shoulder. "Sorry!" she said sharply, then looked up into some familiar green eyes. "Potter."
"Granger," Harry responded equally curtly. "Sorry. Rather a rush in here."
"How did your meeting go with Shacklebolt?"
"Well. You may be seeing more of me," Harry said with a smirk.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," he mocked her tone. "You'll find out soon enough. Good day, Granger."
"And to you, Potter."
Hermione was fuming. What was it about him that just set her off? It's like he knew each of her buttons and how to push them to cause a reaction in her. Unfortunately, it worked.
***
Dinner with Draco was fun. The man just oozed sex. If he ever left the employment of the Ministry, he could easily begin again as a gigolo. He knew just what to do to make a witch feel special. From the light pressure on the small of her back when he led her to the casual yet comfortable restaurant, to the faint, lingering touches whenever their skin touched, to his way of looking deep into her eyes, how he would make a witch feel like she was the centre of his world. He's good, thought Hermione. He could write a guide on how to pick up witches, no, not just witches, any heterosexual female or gay male.
Hermione enjoyed it. She was well aware of her own attractiveness (or lack thereof) and could avoid falling easily under Draco's spell. Dating Viktor Krum and the ensuing public outcry that their Quidditch hero would date such an ordinary looking girl kept Hermione's ego sharply in check. She knew that her personality was a great part of any attractiveness quotient for her. Strangers would not pick her up in a bar, not until they evidenced Hermione's personality and wit, then she could see her attractiveness rise in their estimation. But not until then. So, when this incredibly handsome and charming young wizard who barely knew her asked her on a date and then proceeded to charm her into telling her life story, she knew something was up.
It was an enjoyable evening, however. They had a lovely simple dinner of hearty stew and good rustic bread at a small café not too far, but not too crowded so they could have a small table with privacy. He laughed at her jokes about her first years at Beauxbatons and learning the French way of everything. It was not until pudding did he begin to tell her things.
He started innocuous enough. Casually mentioning he was surprised that someone like Harry Potter could be curt with her. Him, he could understand. He was well aware, because as a reformed Death Eater he expected some discrimination, even from the Saviour of the Wizarding World. But Hermione, whatever could be amiss? She admitted she had no idea why Potter publicly snubbed her that Friday.
"It was all so peculiar. I just said my name and held out my hand and he slighted me. Then again when Ron Weasley suggested we dance he danced with Padma instead. I have no idea why he'd be so rude. He seemed so angry, too."
Draco appeared to be considering her words carefully, looking for clues. "He knew nothing about you prior to the meeting?"
"No, I really doubt it. I mean, unless he's really good friends with Luna, or Parvati or Lavender. They're my closest Hogwarts friends, my housemates. Unless Shacklebolt said something, but I seriously doubt it, and I'm fairly confident that it would have been complementary. I haven't made any enemies, except maybe Harry."
"How about someone who's jealous of you? I know you're the stronger sex, but I've also noticed that girls can sabotage each other if there's a man involved."
Hermione laughed. "Gods, no! I've been living the life of a nun since I arrived!" She noticed Draco arch his eyebrows on that bit of information. "No, I know what you're talking about, but I've been pretty cloistered. No scandals in France either, unless dating Viktor Krum is an issue, that's my only claim to fame and ended a while ago. Quite old news."
"How about, no, it can't be. I wouldn't believe it. Yet, possibly …"
"For God's sake, just tell me so I can say 'no, that's ridiculous' and we can move on to the next idea."
"Maybe, I sincerely doubt it, but maybe Harry was upset because you're Muggle-born."
Pause.
"You've got to be kidding. How could he even tell that I'm not a pureblood?
Draco reached across the table and pulled a strand of Hermione's chestnut hair.
"Bushy hair?"
"Purebloods are taught to notice such things. I should know. I'm sorry to admit, but that's how I was raised. I was one of the worst."
"But didn't part of Potter saving the Wizarding World involve fighting the forces that wanted to eradicate Muggles and Muggle-born?"
"Yes, but that role was kind of thrust on him, wasn't it? I heard he was nearly Sorted into Slytherin. Maybe he has latent pureblood type tendencies …"
"But he's a half-blood himself, isn't he?"
"But that's it. Those Muggles who raised him were dire. Simply horrible horrible people. Maybe he has a concealed resentment of all Muggles after suffering at their hands for nearly half his life."
Hermione paused. It might make sense. She had read that he was beaten and bullied by Muggles until Hogwarts. So he gets thrust into the role of Voldemort's slayer, but really he has hidden sympathies? Crazy, but it would explain his bizarre reaction to meeting her.
She then remembered how he didn't defend her presentation to Shacklebolt that morning. He didn't say he supported her, and even joked about house-elves getting clothes. Maybe he thinks magical beings need to stay in their place?
She shook her head. "Crazy. It's a crazy idea."
"Can you think of any other one?" Draco was holding her hand at this point and leaning towards her. His lips were close enough for her to kiss …
Snap out of it!
Hermione moved back into her chair, sitting upright, and dabbed her napkin to her lips. "Well, this gives me something to think about."
Draco knew when he pressed too far. He also leaned back, his movements reflecting hers. "You've got a bit of something right here." He moved his finger to a nonexistent spot on her bottom lip.
"Where?"
"Right here, I'll just …" He moved his thumb across her bottom lip. She shivered, all talk about Harry being a Muggle hater forgotten.
"Oh. Uh, all gone?"
His grey eyes seemed darker. "Yes."
They planned to meet Saturday night for dinner as well.
***
"I'm not sure how I feel about Draco Malfoy, Hermione. I know he's changed, I know he turned witness against his father and the other Death Eaters. But still … something just doesn't sit right."
Hermione and Luna were lying on the sofa in their home. Luna prepared a comfortable meal and Hermione had just tidied up the dishes with a few flicks of her wand.
"Luna, you're just upset that I can't go out with you and Ron Saturday. We can meet Sunday instead; it's not that big a deal. And I'm not going to run off with Draco or anything! We're just going out this one time."
Luna frowned. "Something doesn't seem right."
"Luna, I'm having fun. I'm keeping my eyes wide open with Draco. Something about him seems fishy. Not fishy like a Rambling Echofish, but fishy as in fishy."
"Yes, I understand. How about we do something on Sunday then?
"Sunday's dinner at the Burrow with Ron's family. Hey! Why don't you come? Ginny and Harry will be there! And Bill and Fleur."
"Fleur! I forgot she married a Weasley. Would love to see her. She was two years ahead of me at Beauxbatons. She was our champion. She was always kind to me."
"It's decided then. Molly-that's Mrs Weasley, Ron's mom, Mrs Weasley, not Fleur Weasley or George's wife or Percy's wife, Mrs Weasley-Molly makes a wonderful meal. You'll see Fleur again and meet some more people. They'll love you."
The friends sat in companionable silence, Luna wondering for a moment if Hermione could be so wrong about people, then chasing that thought away with the image of a handsome Quidditch-strong man with red hair and freckles.
***
A/N: Next chapter: Sunday at the Burrow.
Please read and review!!
BTW, I found a wonderful modern Pride & Prejudice fanfic over at fanfiction.net called "Sometimes we can't make it on our own" by dontstealmyvitaminies. Elizabeth is in a popular rock band and Darcy is an enigmatic musician. I haven't had a chance to finish it, but really enjoyed it so far. Recommended.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4534118/1/Sometimes_you_cant_make_it_on_your_own