In the Light of Day

Hermione presents her plan for a new Ministry initiative. Written for the prompt "city on a hill".

"Malfoy? Why the hell would you want that wanker to be part of anything, let alone this?" Ron's eyes practically glowed with righteous fury.

I closed my eyes briefly. "Ron, I know-"

"He's rotten, Hermione. Always has been, always will be." His mouth thinned with telltale disgust. "You should know that from what happened at Hogwarts."

I felt a migraine beginning behind my left eye. This was an old argument. What was new was that we were having it in front of anyone besides Harry. The rest of the Committee for Public Relations looked on with keen interest.

I fought down the flush that was creeping over my cheeks. You want stubbornness, sweetheart? I've got it in spades. "Two words, Ronald: Child soldier."

Ron crossed his arms. "A lot of us were that. Doesn't excuse anything."

"Oh, doesn't it? So none of us ever did things we were ashamed of because we had to? Or because it was too hard just then to do otherwise? In, oh, forests, perhaps?"

Ron's face turned white. The committee members glanced inquisitively from one to another. Not all the details of our little Golden Trio's time on the run were public knowledge.

I inhaled slowly before speaking. "The things that happened then are in the past. What matters is what happens after. What happens now. And now, I say we need to have a united front to the public. We are, by default, the eponymous 'city upon the hill' that everyone will look to. That's why we have this committee in the first place."

Ron swallowed, unwilling to admit he didn't catch my quote reference. "But Malfoy? Why him?"

I steepled my fingers. "As you've noted, he's a representative from the other side, so that's got unity covered. And he's marvelously adept at living under intense scrutiny. If this whole Ministry is going to be in the public eye, he can help us navigate."

Several committee members were nodding thoughtfully.

Ron's jaw was clenched, but he wasn't protesting at least. "How do you know he won't just turn up his ferret-y little nose at our offer?"

How professional, love. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead took another slow breath. "We don't. But if he's as adept as I think he is, he'd be a fool to turn down our offer to rehabilitate the Malfoy name." I caught Ron's troubled gaze. "Or are we too afraid to even ask?"

Ron tapped his fingers against the table, then shook his head. "Fine."

"Good then. I move we present Mr. Draco Malfoy with our offer of being an Under-Secretary for Public Relations. Any opposed?"

Ron said nothing, and the rest of the committee were quiet as mice.

"Excellent. I'll speak to him this afternoon."