Hey guys! First of all I don't own Harry Potter and second this is my first fan fiction. I don't own a masters in English language but I have tried to keep my sentences grammatically correct and writing simple. So, pls kindly review.
Chapter-1
This was not my plan. Not at all. Hermione screamed in her mind as she stared at the front page of daily prophet. Previous two weeks had been tough. Tougher than she thought. The whole world around her felt like it had come to a halt. Nothing was changing, neither the Prophet headlines nor the people views. The views that had run in the body of their ancestors as blood and had been passed through generations, only to separate from them when they are dead. Every day Prophet would find some new face to criticize Ministry strategies and how she was misusing her position to destroy the world as they knew it.
After the war Ministry had decided to rebuild the wizarding London from ruins and pave way for changes through the crevices in the walls that protected the orthodox mentality of the people. Initially, it seemed like a success as wizards accepted the small reforms implemented by the Ministry. But two months back when Ministry proposed a law to give equal rights to all the citizens, ignoring their respective blood status, it raised hell in the society. Pure bloods were the first to revolt. With their powerful contacts and hidden sources they were able to get their hands on each and every detail about the law even before the law was properly discussed. That was how they got to know about Hermione's involvement. It was her proposal regarding equal rights for all citizens that had made Ministry to consider and convert it into a law.
Marching behind their newly found leader Theodore Nott, Pure bloods were using every ounce of their power to stop the implementation of the law. They were already successful in adding half-bloods and goblets to their side. Marches and rallies were regularly being reported in the papers and this had forced the ministry to drop the implementation of the law.
Merlin, is it so difficult to accept the change or the right question to be asked is it so difficult to bring about a change. Hermione thought. In the past two weeks the situation had become very difficult. She was a constant target of Theodore Nott in his speeches and interviews and it had become a threat for her livelihood.
Hermione crumbled the Prophet and threw it in the dustbin. It was becoming a daily ritual. She stood up from her kitchen stool and walked into her kitchen to brew herself another cup of coffee. It was going to be long day. Challenges had never scared Hermione but this time the challenge at hand was bothersome as it was not just affecting her life but also the lives of people she loved. She has to find a solution.
After finishing her regular breakfast of coffee Hermione quickly grabbed her cloak and belongings and apparated to Ministry.
She landed on floor no. 2- Department of Law Enforcement. Hermione quickly looked around to examine her hectic environment. Everything was normal. She told herself and made her way to a narrow corridor which ended on a set of heavy oak gates. She quickly entered the gates and moved straight towards to doors of her office, ignoring her environment, only to find Harry waiting for her with a copy of Prophet in his hands.
"You do realize Harry, you are not paid by the ministry to watch my office doors." Hermione grated as she approached the door and walked into her office.
"Hey, don't be harsh on me. "Harry complained and quickly followed her into her office. Hermione looked up at him from her desk. He was wearing a light blue color shirt with black trousers and his regular black auror robes. It had been three years since him and Ron had completed their auror training and had joined the department of law enforcement. Hermione took a different route and instead of becoming an auror, she joined the Wizengamot administrative services. She had always been interested in administration and though she didn't took part in the proceedings herself but knew ample amount of people in powerful positions to bring a change in the society in which she always believed- equality for all.
"I am not being harsh on you Harry, I am just trying to implicate that if you will keep standing outside my office door then the chances of you becoming a successful auror are very low." Hermione teased.
"My job is not more important than my family, Mione. Any plans on ending this suffering?" Harry sighed as threw the copy of Prophet on the desk in front of Hermione.
Hermione stretched back in her seat. She knew people who cared for her were worried and were looking for every possible solution to control the situation. She had been approached by Arthur Weasely, Ginny, and Ron and her superiors with all kind of suggestions that could help her. Now it was Harry's turn.
"I know, I know! I am in a big trouble but I will work something out." Hermione sighed.
"Mione, I always had faith in you. In fact, I might be not alive today if you had been not on my side and I still believe that you can handle any difficult situation but you have to admit this whole law thing has gone completely out of your hands. So, please listen to those who care for you and let us help you." Harry said.
"I know Harry, you, Ginny, Ron, and Weasely's are concerned for me but I cannot put you guys in danger. Somewhere inside my head even I know that things will turn terrible if I don't find the solution to this problem and also if I will fight this battle alone, I will lose. But the stakes are too high and this not just about mere livelihood but if things turn ugly it can cost our lives as well and I am not ready to pay that price." Hermione said.
"But we are your friends, Hermione. That's what friends are for." Harry argued.
"Ok fine, but you have to promise me Harry that you guys will back out if things turn ugly." Hermione said.
"But Hermione…."Harry said.
"Promise me Harry." Hermione said cutting Harry off. Harry knew that Hermione will not agree to take help if he will not make that stupid promise though inside his head he had already decided that he will help Hermione even if things took an ugly turn. He simply nodded in her direction to give her assurance.
Hermione sank into her chair and sighed with relief. She knew she needed help but never wanted to drag her friends into this difficult situation. Considering the heat at the moment she knew situations will get out of hand but with Harry's assurance at least her friends would be safe. She looked up at Harry to find him staring at her.
"What? "She asked.
"Nothing. So, have you made any plans yet? "Harry asked.
"Not yet. It has become very difficult to focus since the Prophet started publishing those stupid articles. I don't understand, don't they have anything else to cover. How could somebody spend eight pages every day in criticizing the same person and the ministry?" She asked.
"Well, you know once Rita Skeeter is after anything she will not take rest until she has obtained that thing. Remember the story she did on us in our fourth year at Hogwarts. "Harry said.
Hermione was hit by a stream of memories that brought a smile on her face. Yes, she remembered how Rita Skeeter had tried to spread the rumor that she was hitting on Harry. It amused her how the Prophet's leading journalist stories hadn't changed over time and how she has made a career out of it.
"I do, but she achieved nothing from it. Soon people realized that there was no such thing." Hermione said.
"I know Mione and I am sure even this time the rumors will prove to be a lie too." Harry assured her.
He turned the pages of the Prophet on the table and stopped at a page for Hermione to see.
"I think you would be happy to know that Prophet has found new subject to write about." Harry said.
Hermione gaze followed the fingertips of Harry which were resting on the page which read in bold letters "Billionaire Bachelor Returns". Below the headlines was the image of slender man with a pale complexion and sharp features. Only a fool would not be able to recognize the man in the picture. Good looks, smug face, arrogance reflecting from every part of their body, it has to be a Malfoy.
"He is back." Hermione said while trying to read the whole article that Prophet had dedicated to Draco Malfoy.
"As the Head of the International Magical office of Law Department." Harry said.
Hermione's eyes scooted up from the paper in the direction of Harry as soon as she heard the lines. Her lips parted slightly in shock. DRACO MALFOY- HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL MAGICAL OFFICE OF LAW DEPARTMENT. It was all she could think of. What had happened? How did he end up at this position? How it will change the things in the ministry?
"Last time I heard of him, he was in France involved in some law conference and now he is the head of the department. I believe Malfoy name never gets old to use as a source." Hermione grumbled.
"That was five years back, Mione. A lot has changed since that. No one knows what Malfoy did in these five years. No one has heard of him. All people know is he is back as the head. But I did heard some ministers speak of him remarkably that how good he is at work and influential he has become in the society." Harry said.
Hermione felt a rush of hate run through her veins. Draco Malfoy, as the world knew him, was the only heir of the omnipotent Malfoy family and judging by her past experiences with Malfoy, he was a strong hater of Muggle borns and Half-bloods. This whole situation was turning out to be great opportunity for pure bloods to either overthrow the ministry or to force it to banish all the muggle borns and Half-bloods from the Wizarding London.
"I thought the reputation of Malfoy's went down after the war. How come he regained that much amount of influence in such a short span of time?" Hermione inquired. Draco Malfoy was a threat and she needed to know everything about him.
"Well that is a question on many people minds but for the time being we just have to make sure that he doesn't cause us any problem. Take some rest Mione and then we can plan something to end this problem." Harry stood and reached for the door knob.
"And I completely forgot to mention that ministry is throwing a party tomorrow to welcome back Malfoy. They want us to be there to put a good word in the papers. It will be a great opportunity for us to know what Malfoy's take on this situation is." Harry said as he stood by the gate.
"I think we all know what his take is going to be." Hermione scoffed.
"I know but all we need to know is how much influential he is to turn this whole thing in the favor of pure bloods. Let's not forget he is one of them and he can make situation worse for us. So, just be there." Harry turned and left the room.
Hermione shifted in her chair. Harry was right. Malfoy's position was like adding a feather in the cap for Theodore Nott and his pure bloods friends. He was not just some rich heir for them now but a strong political figure who was not just a head of the department but also someone who must be having the connections outside London. Malfoy and Nott had been good friends since their childhood and Nott would not waste any time in adding him to his campaign.
Hermione stared out of her window. This is really going to be a long fight and adding up of new characters is only going to make it tough. She wondered whether the fight has reached its peak or has just started. Was there any more trouble to come? Why did it felt like she was standing in a dark room with nowhere to go? As if she was trapped. It felt cold and silent, dead drop silent, like a storm was approaching.
Draco stood outside the large gates of Malfoy manor. It had been five years since he had left his home to work in the ministry. Manor stood tall in front of him surrounded by elaborate gardens and a fountain that stood in the middle of the drive way. It still looked handsome even after losing its pride. The pride that the Malfoy family once had and was lost after the war after ending up on the losing side. And so it lost its master, his father.Sent to Azkaban after the war to suffer for the rest of his life for his felony, he had become insane and ended his own life three years back. Nobody thought he was capable of doing that, not even his own family but in the end he surprised the whole world. A sudden gust of cold wind hit his body. It was time, time to change everything. Time to regain everything he and his family had lost.
The front doors swayed inwards as he crossed the drive way and knocked on the Manor's front door. A small elf answered the door. Dressed in small, ragged clothes, the elf smiled as soon she recognized the person standing in front of her.
"It's good to see you Poppy. Is mother home?" Draco asked as he stepped inside the door.
"It's good to see you to Master Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy is in the drawing room waiting for your arrival. I will send Toddy to fetch your luggage while you and mistress talk I will bring you tea." The elf turned and left to find her fellow companion.
Draco crossed the hallway to enter the drawing room. He could still hear the whispers of the pale face that were mounted on various portrait that lined the hallway. Some welcomed him, some said it is a mistake to return while some just simply stared.
He entered the drawing room to find her mother sitting on the couch situated in front of the fire place. The room was dark only illuminated by light coming from the glowing fire place. Narcissa turned in his direction and stood up to greet his son with open arms. Draco embraced his mother. It had been five long years since he had felt her or heard her voice.
"I am so proud of you." Narcissa whispered as a drop of tear escaped her watery eyes. Her son was back. Her only family. She patted him on the as they both settled down on the couch.
"I know and I just want to tell you I am not going anywhere now. So you don't have to worry now." He took her hands in his own and stroked them gently.
"I know, I just want to tell you how proud I am of you for becoming the head of the department and also sorry, for you have to work there Draco. We had lost so much during and after the war that even though we were still financially strong but we had no reputation to uphold which made choose to opt for the job. You went there to bring back our and our family's prestige back. So that we can get Lucius back." Narcissa wept.
"I know mother but I am alright and don't worry even though we could not get father back, I will still restore our family honor. It is the right time to change mother since the wizarding London has changed a lot lately and to benefit ourselves from it" Draco smirked as he stared in the fire pulling his mother in a tight hug.
It was his moment. He knew it. Why? Because he had worked day and night for it.