Ten Years After The War
Hermione sighed. She was stood in front of a large ornate mirror, looking closely at her reflection. She was wearing a beautiful emerald green ball gown with a stunning sweetheart neckline. The bodice held tightly to her body right down past her hips, following her hourglass figure perfectly. There was a slit that travelled up the skirt in the centre so that the dress flowed out as she walked. Hermione wore her hair in an elegant up do. Her make-up was perfect, immaculate. She sighed once more. "You look lovely, dear," Mrs Granger said from the doorway.
"Thank you mum," Hermione smiled sadly. "I wish I wasn't going."
"I know love," Mrs Granger smiled, "but they are expecting you."
"I know..." Hermione looked back towards her reflection. She was too skinny and her eyes were dark from a lack of sleep. "I don't want to see him."
"I know dear," Hermione's mother frowned. "Be brave child."
Hermione laughed bitterly, "Brave..."
"I mean, you see him every day at work dear," Mrs Granger told the twenty eight year old.
"It still hurts," Hermione sighed, "I hurt." She held her empty stomach as her eyes filled with unshed tears.
Mrs Granger merely nodded.
Ginny Potter checked in on both her sons. Albus Severus was fast asleep in his cot whilst his elder brother was sat up in his bed having a story read to him by his father. Harry looked up when Ginny walked into the room, "are you ready love?"
Ginny smiled at her husband, "I think so."
She leant over and kissed her son on his forehead, "goodnight James. Be good."
"Night mum," James smiled as he pulled his covers closer to himself.
Harry and Ginny made their way down the stairs and into the family room where their god son Teddy Lupin was sat watching television with the baby sitter.
"You'll be alright, won't you Kate?" Ginny asked.
"Of course Mrs Potter," Kate smiled.
"Teddy will need to go to bed in an hour. You'll be good, won't you Ted?" Harry added.
"Of course, Uncle Harry," Teddy smirked.
"Right. Well we won't be too late," Ginny smiled, "I don't really know how long I'll be able to stay on my feet." She rested a hand on her protruding stomach. She was wearing a flowing chiffon bottle green dress.
As Harry and Ginny made their way towards the entrance hall so that they could floo to the ball, Harry wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. "Did I tell you love, that you look absolutely beautiful tonight?"
"No dear," Ginny blushed, "you hadn't said a thing."
"Well that was certainly amiss of me. I do apologise. You look absolutely divine."
Hermione apparated away from her family's home in the Cotswolds. When she reappeared she was stood just outside the gates of Hogwarts. She looked up at her old school and smiled sadly. The castle held so many memories, some good, some bad, some god damn awful but memories all the same. "It's not going to change, no matter how long you stare at it, you know," she heard someone sneer behind her.
Hermione turned to find Malfoy standing close behind her, "what do you want?"
"Anyone would think you disliked me, Granger," he chuckled.
"I don't exactly like you," she replied with a smirk.
"Perhaps not, but you certainly don't hate me," Draco smirked back.
"No... Merely put up with you instead."
"But if you are honest, you enjoy working with me," Draco pressed. "Well Miss Granger, would you allow me to escort you inside?"
"Sure," Hermione almost smiled. Hermione couldn't believe how much things had changed in the last ten years. Here she was, twenty eight years old; single, on the arm of Draco Malfoy of all people. She had the perfect career. She was the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Head of the Wizengamot Administration Headquarters, in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Malfoy was one of the most senior Aurors in the Ministry and there were rumours that his name was amongst the nominations for Minister For Magic. Harry had already refused the job, choosing to remain in his current role as Head Auror.
"So Malfoy," Hermione walked beside him, "is it true?"
"Is what true?" Draco stopped and turned to look Hermione in the eye, suddenly very serious.
"Are you going to Minister For Magic?" Hermione asked.
"If it were true, I wouldn't be able to admit nor deny it," Draco chuckled, "at least not out here."
Hermione laughed, "I see..."
"Besides, Miss Granger, we all know you're only playing with me," Draco raised an eyebrow, "you're in the inner circle, Miss Granger. If anyone knows who is going to be the next Minister, it's you."
Hermione chuckled as Draco continued, "So really, I should be asking you."
The old house tables had been removed and in their place were smaller round tables. "Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, you are both to sit at the Minister's table," a house-elf told them.
"Thank you," Malfoy grinned at the elf.
As they walked towards their table, Hermione glanced at Malfoy, "being kind to the help, Draco?"
Draco smirked, "Bizarre isn't it?" He pulled her chair away from the table so that she could take her seat.
"Thank you, Draco," Hermione grinned.
"Ah Hermione, Draco," Harry smiled, "I was dreadfully scared that I'd be sat with a couple of pompous idiots but thank merlin, it'll just be the one – Malfoy..."
Draco chuckled gently, "pompous perhaps, an idiot however, I dare say not."
"Harry, you hurt his ego," Ginny said in a faux whisper, causing the friends to laugh. After a few quiet moments, Ginny frowned, "love, do you know who else is sitting at our table?"
Harry frowned, "well the Minister of course and Minerva, but other than that I really couldn't say."
"Not Ron though?" Ginny asked.
"I really couldn't say," Harry frowned.
Draco noticed his friend Theodore Nott making his way over towards them with his wife Luna. He stood to his feet as Harry did the same. They both kissed Luna on the cheek before shaking hands with Theo. "Alright mate?" Theo smiled at one of his closest friends.
"Not bad, yourself?" Draco replied.
"Pretty good," Theo grinned, "I heard a rumour..."
"What sort of rumour?" Harry asked as they all returned to their seats.
"That everyone sat at the top table was getting a promotion tonight," Theo grinned.
Hermione could see him; Ron. He was sat next to Lavender Brown. She should have expected that. It had been more than two years since they ended things. He no longer needed to keep his relationship with the tart a secret. Hermione sighed. Draco frowned, noticing her expression before turning towards the object of her displeasure; Weasley. He grabbed her hand under the table, surprising her. She stared at him in shock until she heard the Minister's call for attention.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," the Minister For Magic began, "Today marks the 10th Anniversary of the end of the second wizarding war. This day, ten years ago, something truly amazing happened, a young boy, not yet eighteen, brought the darkest, cruellest wizard ever known to his downfall. For many, this day, marks celebration, but also for many, this day, marks sadness, loss, grief."
There was not a single noise in the entire Great Hall as they listened, "A young boy fought for life, for freedom, for our future, this future... he didn't fight alone. There were many who fought, some fell... Mostly, they were young, too young really, I remember this was one boy who fought in this hall. He was too young. His name was Colin, Colin Creevey. He refused to evacuate. He was too young to die, yet he died for life, for freedom, for our future, this future."
Hermione held Draco's hand tightly, "My time as Minister comes to a close tonight and I know that I am leaving this ministry, this community in very good hands. I will shortly be announcing who will be replacing me as Minister For Magic. However, first I wish to introduce you to some other people."
"There are not many people that are capable of running two departments within the Ministry. In fact I would hazard a guess, there may only be one person capable of managing that amount of work. Miss Granger, if you please join me."
Hermione got to her feet and joined the Minister at the podium. "Miss Granger is not only Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, but also the Departmental Head of the Wizengamot's Administrational Headquarters. This week, I have also asked Miss Granger, to take on the role of Advisor to the Minister For Magic. In many ways, she was already fulfilling that role unofficially."
There was a loud applause as Hermione stepped forward to give her speech, "Ten years ago today, I sat in this hall with many of you here, having witnessed something truly amazing; love. See, it was love that won that day. It was love that saved Harry's life as a baby, when his mother lovingly sacrificed herself for her son, it was love that took Harry on the journey of a life time, on the back of a dragon, to the brink of death, sacrificing himself for love, for us, for our future, and it was love that kept him alive. The love of another mother, who desperately wanted to know that her son was safe. There is a room in the Department of Mysteries, that always remains locked because the magic in that one room, is so potent, so powerful, that it is stronger than death, jealously, lust, greed, envy..."
"Love – the most powerful magic of all. I cannot promise that I am the best person for this job, but I do promise to always love the wizarding community, to love our traditions, to love our future. We have an amazing future and we have many people who we are indebted to because of what they sacrificed for that future. Please will you raise your glasses, to love, to future, to sacrifice."
All around the room glasses were being raised, as Hermione stepped away from the podium. "Thank you Miss Granger, for your wise words," the Minister nodded, "you really are the cleverest witch of your age."
There was a light rumble of laughter from the people around the room before the Minister continued, "Another person I wish to introduce you to has worked hard within the auror office ever since he left school at the end of the wizarding war. Theodore, join me please?"
Theodore Nott made his way towards the Minister, "Theodore Nott is one of the bravest aurors I've ever seen. He has brought in more death-eaters than most of the aurors combined."
Hermione noticed Ron snort at that. "His hard work has not been fruitless and now I am priviledged to offer him the position of Head Auror."
"Thank you Minister," Theo grinned as he shook the Minister For Magic's hand, "I was not raised to imagine this possibility. I was not raised to imagine this future. The future I saw during the war was dark and empty. My father demanded loyalty, he demanded that I join them. If the war had lasted another day, I fear I would have had no choice."
"The possibilities now seem endless. We have the chance to rebuild something that horribly tainted. I know there are those who still hold to the old ways, to the pureblood laws and traditions, but let me tell you, that the possibilities far out way their limitations. The auror office with the help of the Wizengamot and Miss Granger will be endeavouring to change those old tainted laws and remove those traditions so that what happened ten years ago today can never and will never happen again. Please raise your glasses to the possibilities that the next ten years hold for us all."
Hermione raised her glass, "to possibilities."
"And now, these memorials would never be quite right if we didn't hear from the Boy Who Lived himself. Harry, if you wouldn't mind." Harry made his way up to the podium, "I've asked Mr Potter to relinquish his position in the Auror Office as I feel it is time for a new challenge for our dear boy. As of tonight he is the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"Thank you Minister," Harry grinned, "To be honest, I hate these things. I always feel slightly awkward. I'm not quite as eloquent as Hermione, but I'll do my best. Growing up, I had no idea who I was and then suddenly I was thrust into this world of magic and excitement and danger, and all too soon I had a mission; a dark, scary mission."
"Suddenly I realised that everyone I met seemed to know more about me than I did. I could talk about the war and I could talk about those that we've lost, but tonight, ten years have passed and I don't want to dwell on pain any longer. Instead I wish to talk about you. Each one of us have an opportunity for greatness. Please, let us not squander those opportunities. Let us give a toast to our opportunities, may we always strive for greatness."
Lastly the Minister For Magic called Draco Malfoy to the podium. "I know you are all anxious to meet the new Minister For Magic; Mr Malfoy."
"Thank you Minister," Draco grinned, "At the end of the war, I would have never pictured this. I was a death-eater," Draco frowned, "I don't say it proudly, quite the opposite, but it taught me something. During the war, I witnessed many atrocities but there is one that even now haunts me. It taught me that no matter our history or our heritage our blood flows the same. Each of us dies if left to bleed. Our blood; it looks the same, it feels the same, it does the same job, I dare say it would taste the same."
"I saw blood flow," he glanced at Hermione sadly, "magical blood, muggle blood, it's all the same. Let us protect it, protect what is magical and what is not. I ask you to look to the future."
"To the future," Hermione said raising a glass like everyone else.
