New friends and Old
Rebellion cannot exist without a strange form of love
(Albert Camus)
It was another wedding. More importantly, it was their wedding. They had managed to escape from the clutches of their guests as they joined their friends in the middle of the beautiful maze. They could hear the laughing from their friends and as they walked further away from the enchanted tent, the sounds of their reception grew softer. Hermione held one end of her wedding dress up and Draco held her other hand, leading her down the lantern-lit path. Once they entered the maze, he expertly manoeuvred them through until they found their friends in the middle, seated under a gazebo dressed in delicate white and adorned with fairy lights. They had stolen another (several) bottles of Firewhisky, judging by the wonderful flush present on Daphne and Pansy's faces.
Draco and Hermione had opted for a small ceremony to be held on their new home, Malfoy Estate. It had been a simple beautiful ceremony, and Draco could no longer say he didn't believe in the institution of marriage. Not when he clutched the hand of the only woman he ever loved, feeling the cool kiss of her wedding band against his hand.
Before they could join their friends, Draco pulled Hermione back, concealing them in the darkness momentarily.
"Draco what – " Hermione asked but Draco stole her breath away as he kissed her. Hard.
She clutched at the crisp fabric of his dress shirt and his hand wove down her back, gently teasing the exposed skin of the almost backless dress. She was completely tempting in the white dress, almost back with a slit running quite high up the one leg. She had opted to leave her curls open and Draco thanked Merlin for that as he dug his fingers deep into her tresses. When his fingers reached the top of her slit, teasing the skin there, she knew she had to stop him before they ended up shagging in the bush, in the dark.
"There's still plenty of time for that Mr Malfoy," Hermione whispered against his lips.
Draco smiled but didn't' say anything, "What is it?" she asked him.
"I didn't think I'd ever be standing here," Draco admitted. "I told Pansy all those months ago that we don't get our happy ever after, but I was wrong." Hermione smiled but before she could say anything else Draco continued, "You're my happy ever after Mya and no matter what happens from this point on – if we actually succeed with Astoria's crazy plan or not; if we have a dozen children or if we adopt," he said and Hermione gave him a sad smile knowing that could very well be a possibility for them, "No matter what happens Mya, you have to know that today is one of the greatest days of my life because today I get to call you mine." He said touching his forehead to hers.
"I've always been yours, Draco," Hermione replied tears slipping down her cheeks. "No ancient law or spell could ever have changed that."
Draco wiped away her tears, placing a kiss on each cheek. "Thank you," he whispered.
"For marrying you?" Hermione questioned.
"No … well yes but mostly for never giving up on me," Draco told her. "None of this – what we're doing now would be possible without you. I could never have done this without you… any of you in fact," he said looking in the direction of their friends.
"You'll never be alone Draco. Not ever again." Hermione promised. "Your family is with you, always." She said. "Now, I think it's time we join said family before Theo and Pansy finish all the Firewhisky."
Draco chuckled and agreed, leading her back towards their friends.
"Ah! About time!" Theo rejoiced when he saw them approaching.
"Sorry, Narcissa got a little emotional again," Hermione said.
"Are you sure it was because Narcissa got emotional and not because Draco got a little handsy," Theo teased.
"What makes you think it was Draco and not me that got handsy?" Hermione shot back, smirking a little at his expression.
"I don't need details," Pansy whined. "Here," she said handing them a tumbler each, filled with the familiar amber liquid.
"To Draco and Hermione," Theo started raising his glass.
"May this be the start to a beautiful life together," Daphne continued.
"Because you two deserve nothing but happiness and I know you will find it in each other." Pansy continued. "After everything … Draco I'm glad you've found your happily ever after."
"Draco, Hermione is my sister and I am trusting her happiness to you. I know I can trust that you will keep her loved and happy, but don't forget that I am still the saviour and there are still some privileges attached to that." He hinted.
"Harry!" Hermine scolded
Harry merely chuckled as did Theo and Draco. "To Draco and Hermione," Harry said and they all raised their glasses toasting to the newly – married couple.
"Potter," Draco said putting his glass done, "I promise I'll take good care of Hermione," he said sincerely, "but don't forget that's my sister there," he said pointing to where Pansy stood beside Harry, "And your saviour title be damned if you ever hurt her," Draco promised.
"Draco!" Pansy chided.
"Duly noted," Harry said seriously.
The group fell into an easy conversation after that. Mentions of who had been matched with whom, upcoming weddings and of course Wizengamot gossip-filled their time.
"Draco's doing very well," Theo told them. "He's impressed a lot more of the council members these days. They especially loved his idea of remuneration to be given to those who wrongly suffered the title of traitor."
"Werewolves?" Pansy clarified. Theo nodded.
"It's a lot easier to do without having Radford pouring pestilence in their ears," Draco said. "And as I've heard it, Theo's been doing rather remarkably as Chief Warlock," Draco added proud of his friend.
Daphne looked rather proud too, as she placed a delicate kiss on Theo's cheek.
"I can't believe Tori was right," Daphne said looking around at her friends. They all fell silent for a moment wishing the mastermind behind all their achievements were there with them.
"Anyone heard from her recently?" Pansy asked.
"She owled the day before yesterday, apologising because she won't be able to attend the wedding today," Hermione said sadly, "She mentioned that it's going to be a little harder for her now to write because her father is keeping a closer eye on her."
"Yeah, I imagine he would," Daphne mumbled worriedly.
Theo reached for her hand, rubbing soothing circles as he spoke, "She's strong Daph. Your father is nothing she can't handle."
"I know," Daphne replied. "But she shouldn't have too."
Theo chuckled, "She would hate it if she thought that you thought she needed a saviour."
Daphne laughed, "That's true I guess."
There was a rustling of leaves and they all grasped their wands, raising them as four figures came into the light. Hermione stood, staring rather shocked at them. Luna and Neville stepped aside and Hermione and Draco stepped closer to the other two figures.
"Ron, Ginny … Your brother said you weren't coming." Hermione said.
"We weren't going to," Ron admitted.
"What made you change your mind?" Hermione asked.
"Mum," Ginny answered when Ron said nothing. "She was going on about how it was all wrong and it wouldn't last, and you'd realise your mistake and I just couldn't take it anymore. Plus Ron, naturally waited till the last minute to tell her that he was no longer upset over the matches. So naturally, she thought he was still sulking over you and that her poor Ronnikins was still in denial."
"Oi!" Ron cried as they all laughed, "Well to be fair she was still getting over the heartbreak of you and Harry breaking up." Ron defended but Ginny waved him off.
"Wait… you're not upset?" Hermione asked of Ron.
"I'm not entirely pleased with your match Mione," Ron said, "But it's very obvious that you're happy, and that's all that matter."
"And all that stuff about Draco?" she questioned and Ron had the good sense to feel ashamed.
"I misjudged him," Ron admitted. "Word is he's been creating quite the ruckus at the Ministry."
"It's bloody fantastic!" Ginny grinned.
"You lot are clearly doing a lot of good," Ron started surprising nearly everyone under the gazebo. "And it would be a shame to have that ruined because I refused to grow up."
Hermione and Harry gaped at their best friend.
"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked.
"Believe it or not, I'm still Ron," Ron said laughing.
"Yeah, but without the emotional range of a teaspoon," Hermione said.
"I don' think I like it," Harry teased.
"Oi!" Ron scolded. "You've clearly been spending too much time around this lot."
"Ron…" Hermione began slowly unsure what to say. "How…. When…"
Ginny laughed, "Yeah that was pretty much my reaction."
"If I knew you were going to be this much trouble, I would have left you at home!" Ron said looking at his sister.
"And miss all the fun?' Ginny retorted smirking at him.
"I … I thought you hated me," Hermione mumbled.
Ron winced, "Gods Hermione, I never hated you." He told her. "I was just … angry. Everything was changing and we get thrown this new law and I thought well it won't be so bad cause I get to marry my best friend but then I find out you had this whole other life, and I felt like we were drifting away. I didn't want things to change anymore."
"Things are always going to change Ron," Hermione said softly. "Because life is always changing, and you can't throw a tantrum everytime it does."
"I know," he sighed.
"We'll always be friends Ron, nothing will ever change that," Hermione promised.
Ron smiled, "I know. I'm sorry I missed your wedding," he said a moment later.
"It's okay, you're here now," Hermione said and then reached forward and pulled Ron into a hug.
He hugged her back and then looked at Draco for a moment before holding his hand out. "I trust that you will take very good care of her," Ron said seriously.
Despite all his knowledge in concealing his expressions, Draco couldn't hide his surprised look as he grasped Ron's hand firmly.
"You have my word Weasley," Draco promised.
"Okay, this is too weird. We need more alcohol," Pansy said. "Here Weaslette," she said handing a tumbler into Ginny's hand.
"Luna! Leave the god damned fairies alone!" Ginny chided as accepted the glass from Pansy. "here," she said taking another glass from Pansy and handing it over to Luna. They all took their seats, Hermione beside her now husband. Ron's eyes threatened to pop out of his socket when he caught sight of Harry pulling Pansy into his lap.
"When did you two become so... friendly with each other?" Theo asked sceptically looking between Pansy and Ginny.
"Shouldn't we be?" Ginny asked.
"No…. well it's just that… I mean …" Theo flustered.
Pansy laughed, "No Red, what he wants to know is how we're so friendly when you used to date Potter and now –"
"You're going to marry Harry?" Ginny asked smirking slightly.
"Yeah…." Theo mumbled. "I don't get it."
Ginny laughed, "Harry did the right thing," she said. "We might have liked each other or perhaps even loved each other but that was a very long time ago."
"Then why did you two stay together?" Daphne asked.
"Mum," Ginny answered. "She's got this idea on how all her children should live." She told them seriously. "Of come of it Ron! You know I'm right!" Ginny said stopping her brother's objections. "If it weren't for this marriage law and ancient spell business you would have gone on thinking you actually loved Hermione and maybe you two would have gotten married but you would have been miserable. And you know why that it?" she asked. "Because it would have made mum happy to see the two of you together forever," she answered rolling her eyes. "It's why she's still so upset that Harry and I are no longer together."
"That's… not at all what I would have expected from your mum," Theo admitted. "She always seems so encouraging."
"She is," Ginny answered, "But it's usually encouraging us to what she thinks is going to make us happy and not actually what we want."
"Well I'll be damned, you're one of us," Theo said. "With the exception that your parents aren't actually monsters like ours of course," he amended quickly.
"Oh Merlin, let's not have another truth-telling tonight," Pansy pleaded. "I don't think we have enough alcohol."
"What is a truth-telling?" Neville asked.
"It's Mya's idea," Daphne. "We tell all the horrible truths about ourselves without judgement."
"Mya?" Ron and Ginny asked confused.
"Hermione," Daphne and Pansy answered.
"You still think there are such horrible truths about you?" Harry asked her quietly.
"You think you know all there is to know?" Pansy asked in reply.
"No," Harry chuckled, "I'm still learning." He admitted.
"So why exactly did you decide to go and pick a fight with the Ministry?" Neville asked.
"It wasn't actually my idea," Draco defended.
"It wasn't?" Ginny asked surprised. "Because its got Draco Malfoy written all over it."
"Yeah well we have another friend who had a crazy idea …. And here we are," Theo answered. It was still too dangerous for anyone to find out that it was Astoria's idea.
"It's working remarkably well," Ginny said. "Even dad was rather impressed with what you lot did with the Wizengamot."
"Yeah, Nott here is the youngest Chief Warlock in over a century. " Neville praised. "Well done mate." He said raising his glass to Theo.
"Thanks, Longbottom," Theo said.
"What's your end game?" Ginny asked eyeing them carefully.
"What makes you think there's an end game?" Draco asked.
"No one goes and picks a fight against the most powerful men in this country just because they feel like it," Ginny reasoned. "You're doing this for another reason."
"We just want justice done," Pansy said shrugging nonchalantly.
Ginny laughed, "Oh god, please tell me you were more convincing to the Wizengamot."
"it's true!" Pansy defended. "Well… it's mostly true," she amended.
"So there is a bigger plan here?" Ginny clarified. When no one said anything she grinned. "I want in."
"What? Why?" Theo questioned.
"You're changing things. You're actually making a difference. I would like, for once if we're consulted before decisions are made for us by people who don't even care about us!" Ginny explained.
"This is not a game Ginny," Ron said.
"Neither is my life!" Ginny replied sharply. She turned and looked back at them. "You know, for as long as I can remember my dad's worked at the Ministry. He's an honest, good man and he fought in two wars but still, he wasn't able to do much good. He was stuck pushing papers and chasing down exploding radios. I would hate to think that after everything we've survived that that would be our fate too. My brother died and every day my mother is faced with that reminder when she looks at George," she said, then stopped taking a deep breath. "You probably don't see it yet, but you're giving people hope as you change things."
"I think it's a little early for that," Draco commented.
"No, it's not." Ginny insisted, "You're changing things and making them better. You're showing people that there is a better way to do things and maybe if we had tried this earlier we wouldn't have had to suffer through a second war and lose all the people we love."
"Ginny …." Ron said slowly breaking the silence around them.
"Harry," Ginny said going on, "You got us through a war, being the saviour and almost dying –"
"He did die!" Pansy corrected.
"Right, sorry," Ginny said wincing slightly. "But my point is, Harry you got us through that and now you're going to get us through this," she said looking between Theo and Draco.
"You don't even know what we have planned… if we even have a plan," Draco argued.
"I highly doubt a man smart enough to marry the brightest witch of our age is stupid enough to take on the ministry without a plan," Ginny reasoned.
Draco smirked. "You're smarter than people give you credit for, Red."
Ginny smiled in response.
"We had received information about the marriage law," Draco explained shocking Ginny slightly. "And we were told of certain loopholes that we could use to our advantage to change the law so it wasn't so oppressive."
"Couldn't you just do away with the law instead?" Neville asked.
"No, unfortunately, we didn't possess that kind of power at the time," Draco answered.
"Not to mention, the population situation is an actual crisis. We're very near going extinct," Pansy added.
"Because of the ancient laws, we were able to sit on the council and have a say in the laws they passed," Draco explained.
"So it was you lot behind this upcoming retrial of the werewolves, giants and centaurs?" Ron asked. The trio nodded.
"And what hand did you have in Radford and Greengrass leaving the council?" Neville asked sceptically.
"Oh they didn't leave," Theo said gleefully. "They were voted off."
"And you got Theo voted in?" Ginny questioned.
"We merely nominated him for the positions. The council actually had to want him as Chief for that to happen," Pansy explained. "Of course it did help that we had been working on gaining allies for a while."
"You had no intention of letting Radford stay on as Chief warlock when you first walked into that chamber did you?" Ginny questioned.
"Nope," Pansy admitted.
"You realise you three managed to take down the government, establish a new order and achieve inter-species cooperation without so much as lifting your wands?" Ginny asked.
"We don't like to think of it as taking down the government," Pansy said smirking.
"Oh apologies, in what polite way should I rephrase that?" Ginny asked sarcastically.
"We're reorganising it,' Daphne replied with a grin, thinking of her sister.
"Unfortunate for those who fall out as you reshuffle the cards then," Neville commented.
"They had their chance. This is ours." Theo said.
"How far are you going to take this?" Ginny asked narrowing her eyes.
"Right to the top," Pansy said.
"But what's higher than the Wizengamot?" Neville asked.
"The Minister of Magic," Ron answered looking between all of them. He had been listening intently, marking each move as they spoke. He could recognise a play when he saw one. He was, after all, a master chess player.
"You're going after the Minister of magic?" Ginny asked shocked.
"Not him personally!" Daphne objected quickly.
"Just his job" Theo supplied nonchalantly.
"Oh is that all?" Ginny asked wryly.
"Can you honestly tell me you don't believe someone else can do it better?" Hermione questioned.
"Kingsley is doing the best he can, Hermione," Ron defended.
"I know! I'm not saying he isn't." Hermione acknowledged. "But the problem with Kingsley is that he's far too polite for this job. Not to mention he has to keep in good graces with a lot of people to ensure there is still funding for the damned ministry."
"So what, we find a richer, meaner candidate for the job?" Ron questioned.
"Yes," they all answered.
"Think about it Weasley,"Nott said leaning forward, "Our new candidate would have enough money that he or she wouldn't need to worry about stepping on toes should they feel the need to make a law – say stipulating that all half inter-species – bred children are well taken care of not only by the state but by both parents involved."
"And they wouldn't have to worry about a certain rich old bastard's funding disappearing - because his secret that he's been neglecting his illegitimate werewolf son is now out - into the department of education because his ill-gotten money won't be needed," Pansy added smiling gleefully.
"Nor would we have to ignore all those whose choices were being taken away," Theo said looking at Ginny, "Simply because it's in the name of tradition."
"You're going to undo everything your ancestors built," Neville said slightly in awe.
"We're creating our own traditions," Theo said.
"Your own legacy," Luna said smiling.
"Yeah…" Theo agreed though he had never quite thought of it like that.
"So you're telling me, you actually found a 'candidate' that is not only willing to comply with this crazy plan but is also rich enough to through millions of galleons at the Ministry's problem simply because they're what…. Being a good samaritan?" Ginny questioned disbelievingly.
"Yes." They all answered.
"You know when I said I wanted in, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind," Ginny admitted. "What makes you think it will work?" she asked a moment later.
"Because it is working," Pansy said. "We've achieved more in these past few months in the name of justice than our ancestors and the order could ever dream of doing in their lifetime."
Ginny bit her lip, in cold realisation that Pansy was right.
"Wait, " Ron said, "Who's this magical candidate that is not only stupid enough to try and take the Minister's job but also crazy enough to try and fund the entire fucking ministry?" he asked.
They all looked at each other smirking before they turned and looked at Draco.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Ron mumbled taking a big swing of his firewhisky.
"And you're actually going to do this?" Neville pressed, "Try and become Minister of Magic?"
"We're not trying for anything here Longbottom," Pansy said. "This is happening," Pansy promised. "Draco's agreed to fund the more important departments and necessary causes but we," Pansy said pointing to Theo, Daphnee and herself, "have agreed to fund the other department or any cause that needs it without the worry of trying to hide our benefactors' indiscretions coming to light."
"Merlin's ball!" Ginny gasped. "Just how rich are you, Malfoy?" she asked.
Draco laughed, "Rich enough," he merely said.
"So tell me Red," Draco asked leaning forward, "You still want in?"
AN: Hi dears!
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Immortal Dragon Empress
