Written for the History of Muggles Assignment (Write about a rivalry), the Princess Day Event (Luna - My Little Pony - Write about jealousy) and the Pair a Character Challenge (Percy/Pansy).

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Percy doesn't know how he ended up in this situation. Everything he had planned, everything he had done, should have led him to a lifetime of being a respectable member of polite society, not… this.

It was he who was supposed to become the youngest Minister of Magic. Percy had been Prefect, Head Boy, the rising star of the Ministry and then…

And then, Voldemort had lost and his family had been proven right, and he had gone from being a future leader to a nobody. Hermione Granger, utterly bossy and an annoying disturbance to his general life, had gotten the position of head of Magical Law Enforcement, on her way to becoming the youngest Minister of Magic.

Instead of working his dream career, he had been placed in charge of helping former Death Eaters and those associated with them to 're-adjust to society,' a term that meant the opposite: nobody wanted them back.

Except for the desperate people, except those who had fallen too far, except those who needed the help of people so ruthless and passionate. Except for those like him.

Percy Weasley dragged his eyes back to the girl in front of him. Pansy Parkinson was lounging in his chair with an easy grace that didn't fit the bland theme of his tiny ministry office.

"Weasley?" she prompted, her dark eyes boring into his wickedly. "I assume you have a reason for dragging me into the Ministry before sunrise?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yes, Ms. Parkinson. I wouldn't want to waste your time."

"Good." Her tone was silky smooth, a reminder of her elegant upbringing. "Now, start talking."

"You do realize that as the supervisor to your rejoining of polite society, I'm the one who can tell you what to do?" Percy couldn't resist asking.

Pansy let out an unconcerned snort and Percy couldn't help but glare at the fact that even that sounded sophisticated.

"Sure, Weasley, whatever you say. But you clearly need my help, darling, and I tend to get useless when I get bored."

Percy took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't want this job. Before the war, I was going somewhere. Now, Granger has it all and I want her out of the running."

"And why should I help you in yours and Granger's little rivalry?" Pansy shifted, crossing one leg over another boredly. "I'm re-adjusting, dear, not taking down war heroines."

"Because you hate Granger and more importantly," Percy leaned in until Pansy's only focus was his face. "If you help me, I will reward you. A wife of a Weasley and a wife of a minister would have far better opportunities than a Parkinson."

It only took a second for the words to register and she grinned, a naughty and cruel twist of her lips. It was more of an answer than anything she could have said.

"Let us rule the world then," she said, sticking her hand out. He leaned down to kiss it, a feeling of something wild fluttering in his chest.

Together, he knew they would conquer.