So sorry for the delay here- my job is constantly hectic and I haven't had time to write. Love you all and hope you're staying safe and healthy. Enjoy! Tomione is full steam ahead in romance and villainy next chapter :)
"Equinox gala? What does that even mean?" Hermione scoffed as she took another sip of wine.
"Exactly what you just said," Pansy drawled with an eye roll.
"What my delicate flower means to say is that wizards have long believed that there is great power in the spring equinox. In ancient times, harvests bloomed, animals bred, and the land thawed from a long winter following the spring equinox. Their continued survival allowed us to remain prosperous, so we celebrate renewal, cleansing and continued prosperity every March," Theo replied, voice as patient as always while smoothing things over for the hell spawn he was doomed to marry.
"And what? Everyone who isn't a muggleborn is invited?"
"Just about," Draco shrugged, receiving a sharp look from Luna.
"You're invited this year," Blaise said cheerily, tipping his own chardonnay-filled gas at Hermione.
"I don't know how that's supposed to make me feel better," Hermione muttered. "So… even the Weasleys are invited?"
"Yup," Pansy replied, popping her p in the way that irritated Hermione so, so very much.
"How embarrassing. How did I make it through seven years of school without realizing that none of my friends were telling me anything? I sat at Hogwarts with bloody Filch and Hagrid while everyone and their mother was partying like it's 100 BC!"
"Channel that anger," Luna soothed with a nod. "Just remember who left you out to dry. For the record, daddy and I've never been to one of these. We have our own celebrations with the creatures on our land."
Draco kissed the girl's wild blonde hair that looked so much like his own, "Not this year, though."
"No, I suppose not. Daddy's a little upset to miss out on the wrackspurts' mating ceremony, but Draco's giving him a pegasus, abraxan and ancient writings on manticores for my bride price. He'll get over it."
"Bride price?" Hermione whisper-shrieked, conscious of the fact that they were in a wine bar in Diagon Alley. "She's not a cow!"
"No, no she's not. She's much more expensive than a cow, more like an ancient sphinx or a pregnant unicorn," Draco mused.
"I quite like the pregnant unicorn comparison, though I'd only tolerate Hermione if that were true."
Hermione's face was bright red by the time the jaws of her friends dropped.
"What the bloody fuck, Granger?" Pansy shrieked, eyes gleaming with mirth. "You're a virgin?"
"Nope," Hermione replied, grabbing her purse and standing up.
"How?" Draco asked, looking like a gaping fish. "I haven't met anyone who's made it through fourth year without giving it up!"
Hermione stormed off, trusting that no one would follow her. She wanted to groan when she saw Lucius perched on a couch in the Floo foyer as she stepped through the fireplace.
"Hermione? Are you okay?" the man asked, standing up as if to help the gir while his hands fluttered uselessly in front of him. As if he could take away her mortification and anger.
"No," Hermione fumed, unable to reign in her furious temper. "Your son is a bloody git."
"That's… not wrong. Come sit, Dobby will bring tea," Lucius soothed, wrapping a brotherly arm around his sister. As brotherly as he could be. "Let me take your cloak."
Hermione had turned from anger to tears by the time she sat down and was pleased to see that Lucius wasn't panicked at the sight of a crying female.
"Let it out, there's a girl," Lucius crooned, stroking the girl's curls.
"I hate being so emotional," Hermione said after finally feeling cried out. Lucius made her a perfect cup of tea that she breathed in the steam from before taking a small sip.
"For what it's worth, I find it rather refreshing," Lucius replied. "Most women in our society are raised to be buttoned up and unemotional. Emotion is what drew me to Narcissa… she was a bundle of joy while her sisters were walking around like dark clouds were constantly over their heads."
Hermione scoffed, "I'm crying because I'm different! Every day presents another reminder as to why I don't fit in, and no one seems to mind rubbing it right in my face."
Lucius was quiet for a moment. "Your… uniqueness might save us all, Hermione. You're everything we've been waiting for."
"What does that even mean?"
"It's a tale as old as time…. the hardworking man who's worked his way up the chain to Minister of Magic with a doting, quiet wife who won't speak up on anything of importance. Nothing changes, people become complacent, they believe that our society is working well without any real upheaval. Muggleborns are pushed to the outskirts of societies for the incompetent, lazy sons of the Minister's cronies, and aren't deemed important enough to know our people's rituals and history. The status quo isn't working, Hermione. We don't need an obedient, ditzy wife on the arm of our next Minister. We need you."
"You act as though I'm some vanquishing hero, Lucius. I have less than six months of Ministry work under my belt and I'm the assistant to the man that you think I'm going to marry. All of my classmates ignored me at school unless they needed help with essays and my professors pretended that I didn't exist. What makes you think everyone else will care about what I have to say?"
"I promise you that everyone who's ever doubted you or spoke ill of you will regret it," Lucius replied with an icy look in his light eyes.
"Why do you keep saying that?" Hermione asked, resting her head on Lucius, no, her brother's, shoulder.
"Because, my dear… it's true."
xxxxxxxxx
"Hermione," Tom greeted as he walked back in from the afternoon's Wizengamot session and spelled the door shut. "I have no idea what is happening, but Shacklebolt just asked if you could sit in on a meeting. I assume it's about the appropriations legislation that they'd kept hidden away.
Hermione's stomach dropped at the man's uncharacteristic display of uncertainty. "What should I do?"
Tom let out a small laugh at the girl's honest response, "You go to the meeting and report back immediately. It's up in the conference room on the Minister's floor."
"Who else will be there?"
"I don't know, sweetheart. They won't try and kill you on Ministry property, if that's what you're worried about. Take a drink of water, grab a quill and parchment and head upstairs."
The muggleborn took a shuddering breath. What did they want with her that they wouldn't allow Tom to sit in on? Why her?
She was shaken out of her thoughts by a strong hand grabbing her chin.
"Hermione… calm yourself. Spiraling doesn't get you anywhere you want to go." Tom ordered, his voice tinted with the steely tone that had her pressing her thighs together.
"You're right, but it doesn't help anything," Hermione muttered, pressing her face into Tom's chest.
The man pressed a kiss onto her newly-tamed curls. Narcissa Malfoy had done some veritable magic on his girl. She didn't need to look better, just… more presentable. Narcissa succeeded with the task.
"I'm always right," Tom murmured without a hint of humour in his voice, weaving a large hand into Hermione's curls. "You need to go. You're going to be just fine. Whatever it is, keep a cool head, siphon out whatever information you can get and then come back to me. Go now, Hermione."
"Yessir," Hermione said automatically, blushing when she realized what she said.
Tom only winked, running a long finger down her cheek before looking at her expectantly. Hermione gathered parchment, her favorite ink and a quill before heading upstairs.
Xxxxxxxxx
"Ah, Miss Granger," a smiling Fabian Prewett greeted. Hermione knew him from the few Weasley family gatherings she'd attended, not that he'd ever acknowledged her presence there.
"Mr. Prewett, nice to see you," Hermione smiled tightly. "It's Malfoy, now."
"So formal," the man teased, taking a step too close to her person. "Ron always did say you were by the books…"
Hermione only nodded, trying her best not to roll her eyes while thinking about the drivel her ex surely shared with his family over the years.
She stood in the corner of the room, extremely grateful when Minister Shacklebolt and his entourage walked in only moments later. Nothing was worse than an awkward silence.
"Ah, Miss Granger," Minister Shacklebolt greeted her in the exact same way as his colleague. The smile Hermione gave him was only slightly less stiff. Figured that no one would deem it necessary to greet her by her proper name.
The man waited for a moment before realizing Hermione wasn't going to reply.
"Let me introduce you to Mafalda Hopkirk, the head of the Improper Use of Magic; Fabian Prewett, Undersecretary for Magical Education; Head Auror James Potter; and of course you know Headmaster Albus Dumbledore."
"Pleasure to see you all," Hermione replied, trying not to curl her lip at the uppity woman who had embarrassed her months ago at the restaurant. Why was Dumbledore there?
"Miss Granger, glad to see you doing so well. Not that I ever had a doubt, one of the brightest Hogwarts has ever seen," Albus Dumbledore greeted, expression as blandly cheerful as always. Hermione loathed everything about the man.
"Thank you, sir," Hermione intoned, moving to sit down as Fabian Prewett pulled out a chair for her. She wasn't stupid, she noticed that none of their assistants or lower-level staffers were in the room. Just what did they have to share? Were they bringing her in on the budget?
The girl knew that the bill had been kept under wraps and that Tom was purposely kept out of discussions by Kingsley and his minions. Nothing was ever held well under wraps, but this bill? Not a peep.
Tom had been strung tight for the past few days and Hermione was surprised to see that he opened up ever-so-slightly to her in this time. She felt powerful knowing that the man was willing to share a little about his emotions with her for the first time, though she'd like the emotions to be a little less broody.
"We've noticed the good work that you've done over the past few months, especially with someone as… traditional, shall we say, as Tom." Kingsley began. Hermione had to bite her tongue to not correct the man on the casual way he addressed her boss… her lover? Focus, Hermione.
"Thank you."
"That's why we are hoping to seek your advice on a major tenet of the upcoming appropriations bill, both as a rising star in the Ministry and a muggleborn."
There it was. What were they up to?
Hermione nodded. Kingsley passed around sheets of parchment, though she was fully aware the others at the table knew exactly what was printed on the sheets.
Hermione was grateful for her eidetic memory as she scanned the parchment at warp speed.
"What… is this?" she asked slowly.
"Godric, you're fast," Kingsley smiled. The others looked up from their polite reading of the paper they'd surely already memorized. "Though it's more far-reaching than a normal appropriations package, we've decided to roll up our intended changes for both Hogwarts and incoming muggleborns into the bill. We would love your thoughts as a muggleborn, it'll help us know what to expect when we unveil the bill on Thursday."
Hermione swallowed down her panic, knowing that her performance weighed on more than just her. "If I may... this seems quite drastic, Minister. What is the impetus for… a muggleborn registry?"
The man nodded, his dark, bald head glinting in the lights of the conference room. "Headmaster Dumbledore and I have been aware for years of the struggles that our muggleborn students face. They come into this world 11 years after half-bloods and purebloods with little-to-no knowledge of our customs, etiquette and history. Our solution is the simplest and fairest… we institute a registry that has every muggleborn's name on it to ensure they are being looked after. Equalizing educational outcomes regardless of blood, if you will. Albus?"
Dumbledore looked at Hermione with a patronizing look she knew all too well from the countless meetings she'd had with adults who told her it just wouldn't work out.
"Dear, I know that your… upbringing wasn't the most ideal transition into the wizarding world. If we have backstops in place, we can prevent that happening from anyone else. Doesn't that sound agreeable?"
Hermione couldn't help but blush with shame at the way her former headmaster, who'd spent no time with her as a student outside of the few meetings he'd been forced to have after she was left by her parents, aired her dirty laundry out in front of the highest-ranking officials in her workplace.
"Without details, sir, I can't be sure of that. Your proposal is vague, and I know I won't be the only one with questions."
Mafalda Hopkirk cut in with a sigh, her jowls shaking at the movement. "The concept is simple… we establish a guardianship system so that wizarding families have custody over Hogwarts students, giving our government authority over all students during the school year as well as the power to pull students from potentially dangerous muggle households. There will also be a mandatory immersion experience during the winter and spring holidays at magical households for all muggleborn students, though they'll be able to return to their homes if deemed suitable over the summer hols. It's been a long time coming and will cut down my department's headaches when first years show off their wands to cousin Hilda and uncle Larry over Christmas hols."
Hermione was… shocked? Dismayed? Affronted? What the bloody hell was going on?
Head Auror Potter interjected with a smile Hermione knew he thought to be kind, though he only looked patronizing. What a common thread that was turning out to be among men in power. "Hermione, Harry's shared much of what you went through… a registry would ensure that no young boy or girl has to deal with family troubles again. The tenet also puts forward funds for the DMLE to oversee both scheduled and random home visits for muggleborn students as well as funds for indigent families. No one will have to struggle again… what a relief that would be for all of us."
"Who would have access to this registry? Would current students be grandfathered in?" Hermione asked, trying to channel Tom's shrewd questioning abilities and keep herself from tears.
"The registry would be publicly accessible so that families can have informed decisions on what students need to have magical immersion experiences over the holidays. Current students wouldn't be grandfathered in, they need to be brought into the magical world in the same way that first years do,," Shacklebolt replied.
"I find it odd that Lord Yaxley wasn't invited to this meeting as head of DMLE," Hermione said suddenly, noting that Shacklebolt gave her a friendly smile.
"We are all too aware of Lord Yaxley's potential to leak out our plan before Thursday's unveiling… Head Auror Potter is in charge of our auror corp and well-in-hand to provide the advisory opinion we need."
Hermione raised a brow before turning back to her questioning. "Will only students be added to this registry?"
"Not currently, no," Fabian Prewett replied for the first time. "Though that is a question we've been floating back and forth on, to tell you the truth. The same problems that muggleborn students have with their families can very well occur later in life. Nearly two-thirds of muggleborns marry muggles and over seventy percent are employed in the muggle world according to a study from three years ago. If we have up-to-date data on where their families live, we can keep tabs on any potential familial disputes or breaches of the Statute of Secrecy."
"Your wife will be on it," Hermione said, looking at James Potter. She bit her tongue after, her mouth moving faster than her brain.
James Potter only shrugged. "It's for the greater good of our people. My Lily is happy to be an example of an upstanding citizen."
Hermione nodded. They were absolutely insane and drunk with power. "Those are all of my questions for now."
Dumbledore clapped his hands, "Wonderful, just wonderful. As we thought, this proposal is pretty airtight. Thank you for your valuable insight, Miss Granger."
Hermione nodded with a small smile, gathering her parchment. She'd written nothing but the date, having been in shock for the entire meeting.
"We'll also have to ask that you don't share what you heard today until the bill is dropped later this week. You understand, I'm sure," Kingsley smiled, the slightest hint of a threat in his expression as he took the parchment from in front of her.
"Of course, sir." Hermione replied, keeping her mind blank. She didn't trust anyone in the room.
"We'll be in touch about speaking at our unveiling of the legislation, Miss Granger. " Kingsley replied, holding an arm out for her to leave. She walked quickly, wanting nothing less than to share the lift with anyone in the meeting. She needed Tom.
She barely shut the door to their office before collapsing on the couch, grateful to see that Tom was in there alone and that he moved quickly towards her.
"Sweetheart," Tom said, almost automatically at the sight of a harried, scared-looking Hermione. He recoiled a bit as if surprised by his emotion for the girl, but quickly sat on the couch next to her with only a slight stiffness. "What's wrong?"
"Just… look. I can't," Hermione whimpered, staring into Tom's eyes in explicit permission.
It took him only a few minutes to pick out everything he needed to know, his face turning ice cold.
"Calm yourself, Hermione," Tom ordered, voice only slightly comforting. "This won't pass the Wizengamot."
"How?" Hermione hyperventilated, pressing her face into the man's shoulder in a way she'd allow herself to be mortified over later.
Tom couldn't deal with her overflow of emotion. "Don't question me. You can fall apart later, but we have two hours left in the work day. Pull yourself together, Hermione. I will protect you, nothing is going to happen."
"Okay," she said, taking gulping breaths. "I'm fine."
"Good girl," Tom praised calmly. "Now, you're going to owl Abraxas to set up a full meeting for tonight and then finish up next week's meeting schedule. You'll finish two glasses of water while you work."
Hermione nodded and stood up. Rules and directives had her feeling almost back to rights. How could Tom read her so well? She gave the man a weak, yet grateful smile when he dropped her reusable water bottle on her desk, the loud noise indicating it was free. Their pureblood friends were extremely confused by the large water dispenser in the corner of their office and had snickered through Hermione's explanation as to why they received a weekly water shipment to the muggle entrance of the Ministry. The curly-haired girl was happy to let them continue to drink their mystery wand water. She took a long sip of water and picked up her quill. She had work to do.
Xxxxxxxxx
"Just shut up and let him talk!" Pansy shrieked, silencing the questions that were echoing around the Malfoy Manor's main ballroom. Because they had multiple, like any esteemed manor, Draco had shared.
"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Tom said with an approving nod towards the woman. Theo visibly relaxed at the man's approval of his betrothed's less than polite tactics of quieting a room. "The next person to interrupt me will be removed by Greyback."
Hermione shifted closer to Abraxas at the threat, pointedly not making eye contact with the now laughing wolf. For all of her hopes of an equal society, she was no idiot. Fenrir Greyback was not one to trifle with.
"Today, we learned that the cornerstone of the Minister's appropriations bill is a muggleborn registry. The Ministry would assume guardianship of muggleborn students until they're 17, and their muggle parents would only be given visitation over the summer. Winter and spring hols would be spent on so-called magic immersion experiences."
The man stopped after that, knowing that an uproar would ensue. He wasn't wrong, and only Abraxas, who'd been brought in on what happened when a tearful, angry Hermione got home, was unmoved. The man grabbed Hermione's hand in his more-weathered one, and held it tightly. The only muggleborn present gave him a grateful smile.
"The entirety of the bill is set to be dropped on Thursday morning at the Minister's weekly quill and quote. By that time, you all will have marching orders on your role in rejecting the entire proposal. Any questions?"
"Uh, I have one," a visibly shook Rabastan Black-Lestrange asked, ignoring the glare from his husband next to him. "What the hell are they doing?"
Tom tried to smile at one of his most faithful and only failed slightly. He was trying to look warm, okay? That's why he needed a woman like Hermione. To soften his edges and get the people rallying behind him on his side in trust more than fear.
"The Minister made it clear that they believe this to be the answer to any and every problem our world has had with muggleborns since their acceptance to Hogwarts. We, of course, know that not to be the case. Every person of magical inheritance plays a critical role to our economy and continued procreation… over-policing will do nothing besides drive a wedge between our people."
"Better you drive the wedge now, my Lord!" Bellatrix Lestrange called out, receiving crows of approval. Hermione was surprised that there were around 30 people called to this meeting, the 'inner circle,' Abraxas had called them. The muggleborn also had a mild conniption over the fact that so many strangers would be privy to information only she knew. What if Tom's plan backfired and she was edged out from the Ministry for being a snitch? Did she even want to be a part of a Ministry that wanted to put her on a registry like some wayward specimen?
"I'm not certain that such a direct approach is to be advised, Bella, but we will speak out against this bill. More than that, we'll ensure every single wizard and witch under Shacklebolt's rule knows the plot that the minister and his allies want to invoke. Wizengamot members and Ministry employees, follow me. Narcissa was kind enough to serve dessert, you'll all wait here and enjoy her hospitality until I've given you your orders. Severus, follow me."
The potions master got up to follow Tom, his black robes whipping behind him in a way that had Hermione shuddering like a first year.
"He's still got it," Pansy sighed, drawing an incredulous look from Hermione and nothing other than an eyerolle from Theo, Draco and Blaise.
"Snape?" Hermione whisper-yelled, not wanting anyone to overhear her. She was keenly aware of the curious looks she was receiving just by accounts of her being present.
"Don't be daft, Hermione. The voice? The hands? The hair? The anger? He's a freak in the sheets, I think even Theo would take him to bed one night."
The usually aloof man shrugged. "She's not wrong. I've got a bit of attraction, a bit of curiosity. I'd do him."
"What's wrong with you all?"
"We're enlightened to the finer side of pleasure, dear. You'll be like us one day," Blaise promised with a wink.
Hermione was stopped from replying by a hand on her shoulder.
"Little Miss Malfoy, we finally meet," a grinning Rabastan Lestrange drawled, his exhausted-looking husband behind him.
"Hello," Hermione greeted with a nod, wishing that Abraxas hadn't left with Tom and Professor Snape. "It's nice to meet you."
Rabastan let out a small laugh, "So polite. You're on your way to being an exquisite first lady."
Hermione looked up, "Excuse me?"
"You'll have to excuse him, actually," Regulus interjected with an apologetic look on his attractive face. The man was gorgeous, his coal black hair cropped unlike the unruly waves of his brother. While Sirius was striking and unique, Regulus was more of a classic beauty that had you peeking at him out of the corner of your eye. Rabastan was similarly attractive, much more so than his average-looking older brother. His cerulean eyes and golden brown hair were a complement to his husband's looks, and Hermione couldn't help but find them an extremely good looking duo.
"No worries, sir," Hermione replied, shaking her head.
"None of that formality, dear. I'm Regulus and this fool is my husband, Rabastan. We're pleased to meet the only woman who has managed to melt the ice cold shell of Abraxas."
Hermione laughed lightly and shook her head, unable to imagine the softest man she knew as ice cold.
"It's true!" Rabastan piped up, leaning over to whisper to the group of teenagers. "He'll tell you I'm lying, but Yaxley pissed himself one night when we were caught stealing firewhisky from the Malfoy cellar over school hols."
Draco snorted, immediately straightening himself up and pretending he didn't make the undignified noise. "He's not wrong, Hermione. Grandfather isn't known for his sunshiny disposition."
"Well," Hermione shrugged. "Papa's been nothing but loving since I met him… maybe he isn't the problem in this equation."
Regulus smiled, taking Hermione's breath away. He was almost as attractive as Tom.
"I like you, dear. You'll have to come over for dinner and bring your elf. My Kreacher is her father, he's been anxious to meet you."
Hermione's eyes lit up, "Oh! How lovely! Stella hasn't told me about her father... I'd love to meet him. Just send me an owl and we'll be there."
"Yes ma'am," Regulus replied, bowing and dragging Rabastan away as he muttered about house elf loving dolts.
"So… that's my family," Draco muttered.
"Aren't you all family somehow?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Theo and I are only fourth cousins," Pansy replied with a smile.
"Congratulations?" Hermione replied.
"That's something to be celebrated!" Blaise informed. "Thankfully, contributing to generations of inbreeding is not on my list of concerns."
Snape walked back into the room, face drawn, before anyone else could reply.
"Wizengamot members and ministry employees, follow me," Snape ordered as though he was back at Hogwarts, trusting they were walking behind him as he turned and walked back out. There was a sudden hush over the room as a majority of the crowd got up. Hermione accepted Draco's proffered arm and was silent as she, Theo and her pseudo-nephew walked out of the room.
"Thank you, Severus," Tom said, an amused smile on his face as the dour man led the group into the sitting room that now felt too small. "You can go now."
"My Lord," Snape muttered with a nod before leaving in a swirl of black fabric.
"Hermione," Tom said with an unreadable expression on his face, waiting until she looked up at him before patting the loveseat he was sat in. She blushed slightly, keeping her eyes forward as she moved to sit next to the man. No one missed the way that their lord's hand moved to rest on her violet acromantula silk robe covered thigh. Eyes around the room opened wide at the public display of affection that had only been whispered about, while Abraxas' narrowed. Smartly, he kept his mouth shut from where he sat at his left side.
Tom squeezed Hermione's thigh before he started speaking, drawing a small smile from the woman next to him. He hoped she'd still be smiling at him once the week was over.
xxxxxxxxx
Despite knowing what was going to happen, her reaction was as authentically emotional and fear-filled as Tom ordered it to be. As she stood hunched over with her hands wrapped around her stomach, the loud flash of the camera the only sound other than her sobbing that echoed in the silent Wizengamot chamber. She couldn't help but wonder how Tom knew. How did he always know?
Earlier that day
"You're going to do fine, my dear," Tom soothed, voice softer than Hermione had ever heard. Hermione responded to the kiss he pressed to her forehead by unashamedly wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek to his sternum. It only took a moment for him to hug her back, his large body giving her comfort in a moment where she needed it.
"I know, I'm just scared," Hermione murmured. "Everyone who doesn't hate me is going to think I'm weak."
Tom let out a short laugh, "No, no. Quite the opposite, Hermione… you're going to bring everyone to your side. What's greater a cause than a damsel in distress?"
"That makes me look weak, Tom!"
"You didn't answer my question… a young, beautiful damsel that's been cornered into distress by big, bad men much more powerful than her is a cause everyone can get behind. You'll be beloved."
"I guess we'll see soon."
"Right you are, Hermione. I believe in you… now bring everyone else to our side."
Hermione looked up into Tom's eyes, giving him a determined smile as she grabbed her speech and walked out of the room. She had a speech to bungle.
"There there… that's enough, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said tightly, clearly not realizing that the girl's performance had only just begun.
"Let the girl speak!" Rita Skeeter shouted from the press bullpen.
"Clearly, Miss Granger is too shaken up… I can finish up her prepared remarks," the headmaster replied loudly as he went to grab the parchment held tightly in Hermione's hand.
Hook, line, sinker.
The hunched-over girl waited until she felt the older man reach to yank the parchment sheets from her hand before she let out a gasp. Her reaction was authentic, however, as he not-so-gently took her wand-turned-microphone from her hand in a brazen move that shocked even Hermione. The stumble she took backwards wasn't faked, and an angry cry arose from the crowd of press and Wizengamot members as the slight woman fell onto the cold ground none-too-gently. It escaped no one's notice that it took a long moment for Minister Shacklebolt to help the fallen girl off the ground.
"This is out of line!" Rodolphus Lestrange roared from where he sat in his family's long-held seat. "Parading a young lady out here to support your asinine plans and silencing her when it goes belly up?"
When Tom had asked if anyone was feeling theatrical days before, Hermione had no idea that Rodolphus was so well-suited for the task. The replies from the fellow members of the Wizengamot and press made it clear that Tom had done right choosing Rodolphus as his leading crusader.
"Lord Lestrange, silence!" Dumbledore replied as though he were at the castle he actually held dominion over. "If you'll only listen as Undersecretary Prewett explains the finer points of the plan, you'll be informed before tomorrow's vote."
"I'm not listening to anything you have to say," Abraxas replied, voice loud even without a charm as he made his way down the steps into the center of the chamber. "We're leaving."
"Of course, Lord Malfoy," Minister Shacklebolt replied quietly, looking nervously towards his deputy minister for the first time. Tom sat in the front row, his steely, victorious glare causing a shiver to roll down the other man's spine. What had they done?
xxxxxxxxx
"You should've seen her," a smug Abraxas bragged as he took a sip of gin. "My girl… she was perfect."
Theo sighed, "I can't believe we weren't able to watch."
"Daddy said the Prophet is putting out an emergency issue tonight," Luna offered with bright eyes. "I'm sure it'll be here any moment."
"I wonder what image they'll choose…" Abraxas mused, causing Hermione to shudder.
"I don't even want to know," the girl muttered to her pseudo-father's right, running a hand through her frazzled curls.
Hermione knew that Tom wasn't going to be there for dinner, the man having cited the maneuvering he had to do in the wake of the afternoon's fallout. But honestly? She missed him and wished they'd had at least a moment together after papa shepherded her out of the chamber. Was Tom proud of her? Silly as it was… she ached for his praise.
"Well, we'll know momentarily," Draco replied in a sing-song voice as an elf walked into the room with a large stack of papers. How many copies did one manor really need? She'd once tried to explain global warming to the group to their incredulous laughter and confusion. Hopefully wizards had an escape plan for when the world started to burn.
Pansy let out a cackle after grabbing a paper from an overwhelmed elf. "This is bloody brilliant!"
Abraxas, in a way that was nowhere near befitting of his station, pushed himself from the table and walked quickly to grab a paper. "Yes! This shot… this is the photograph we needed."
"Oh my, how awful," Narcissa breathed, pressing a hand over her heart and leaning into Lucius' side once the elf brought them the paper. "Hermione, my dear… let's get you upstairs and into the bath. I'm sure you're exhausted."
Theo and Blaise hid snickers at the photo playing on a loop, knowing just how abhorrent the photo looked to Narcissa and every other woman with a sliver of a heart in the wizarding world.
Hermione nodded obediently, "I am quite tired…"
"Don't worry about us," Luna said kindly as Hermione looked up with guilty eyes. The muggleborn was shocked to realize she had a friend who knew her well enough to stop her trains of thought before they started. "We'll see you tomorrow."
The muggleborn nodded at her friend, taking her word as the truth. "Thank you… I'll see you tomorrow night."
"And I'll see you bright and early, girl," Pansy replied with a smirk. "You're not looking anything less than perfect tomorrow morning.
Hermione groaned.
"Come give papa a hug then go upstairs," Abraxas cooed, standing up and pulling Hermione into his arms. Lucius and Draco shared a look and rolled their eyes at the man's softness in the face of his favorite relative.
"Love you, papa," Hermione said warmly, loving the warm way her father figure hugged her.
"I love you more," Abraxas replied quietly, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "Have your elf call me if you need me."
"I will," she replied quietly, heart warming at the man's care for her.
Narcissa, lovely, bossy woman that she was, clucked her tongue and wrapped one thin arm around Hermione. "Time to go, love."
"Yes, ma'am," Hermione replied, the eyes of everyone following the pair until the door shut.
"Your task?" Lucius asked lightly, eyes still trained on the forever-cycling scene of Albus Dumbledore, glorified leader of the light, towering over the meek, crying girl before yanking her wand and papers from her hands with such strength that she stumbled and fell. Nothing that graced the front page of the Prophet had ever been so perfect, not even his wedding announcement to his beloved wife.
"We head to the bars and stir shit up," Pansy smiled. "Anyone who doesn't already know that Hermione is an angel that deserves the world on a goblin-made silver platter will know by the time they head home."
"Do it well," Abraxas commanded.
"Yes, grandfather," Draco replied, taking Luna's hand and leading the group out of the room.
Now alone in the dining room, Lucius turned to look at his father. "Now what?"
Abraxas smiled. "We make a few visits of our own and see who is heading into a Riddle Administration on good footing."
Lucius nodded and stood up. "Veiled threats and liquor… Sounds like my kind of evening."
xxxxxxxxx
Hermione was cursing whatever fool decided to announce the bill on a Thursday instead of a Friday. She had been holed up in her office since she'd walked into work. Thank Merlin that Abraxas Flooed to the Ministry with her, as she wasn't sure she would've been able to make her way upstairs. The press had hounded her the moment she stepped in, and it looked like even the international press had come to seek quotes on a potential muggleborn registry. Nothing to stoke fear and intrigue in the masses like an extremist political stunt.
The girl had warded the door so that anyone who wanted to come in had to knock. It was now past two in the afternoon and Hermione had been visited by every single person in the wizarding world except for Tom. Where on Godric's green earth was he? She was the one who managed his schedule; she knew he had three meetings and hadn't received no-show notices from any of them. Why was he ignoring her?
A sudden knock on the door had her groaning and pushing the curls that Pansy had perfectly coiffed at the crack of dawn behind her right ear.
"Come in," Hermione called as kindly as she could, flicking a hand towards the door.
"Hi…" a sheepish looking Harry Potter said as he peeked around the door like a child looking down the stairs after Santa came.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, genuinely shocked at the sight of the ex-auror trainee. "Come in."
"Of course," he replied, shutting the door behind himself and sitting down on the couch. He hunched over on himself, looking uncharacteristically uncertain of himself.
Hermione just looked down at her papers, unwilling to speak first for once. She could tell Harry was surprised. Good.
"I figured it'd be easier to see you here than owl you, Mione. I read the Prophet and just… wanted to see you."
She remained quiet, hiding her grimace at the dreaded nickname.
"Are you okay, Mione?"
"Just fine, Harry."
He exhaled, a moue on his lips. "I'm trying to make amends, Mione. Can you just give me a chance? Please?"
She felt her defenses fall at the familiar helplessness of her former friend.
"Oh, Harry. I've given you so many chances."
"I've realized that," he replied with a wry smile. "I've realized a few things over the past few months. Wish the wakeup call weren't losing my job, but… I'll be okay."
"Quite. How have you been?" she asked, morbid curiosity over what he'd been up to overwhelming her desire to be cold.
"I'm good," Harry replied. "Traveled a bit, starting to clerk for my grandfather actually. Dad reckons I can take the seat and he'll keep working for DMLE."
That was news to her. She swallowed her retort, knowing there was no place for a Head Auror James Potter in Tom's administration.
"That's wonderful, Harry. Perhaps you can get tea with Draco or Theo and get some tips."
Harry snorted before realizing Hermione wasn't kidding.
"Er, sure. I'll send Malfoy an owl. Might be nice to have a friend here whose department I wasn't fired from."
Hermione smiled despite herself, unable to succumb to Harry's pathetic charm. "Sounds like a plan. I'm happy for you, Harry."
Before he could reply, Tom swept in with an exhilarated expression on his face that dropped into a blank mask at the sight of a Potter.
"Riddle," Harry nodded, receiving a sigh from Hermione.
"Deputy Minister Riddle," Hermione corrected with a look. "This is Harry Potter. He's just informed me that he'll be clerking for Lord Potter."
"Ah, yes, another Potter. Congratulations on your new position," Tom nodded before walking into his office and shutting the door.
"He seems… decent."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "You're the one who called him by his last name like he's a quidditch rival, Harry. Learn some respect before starting your work, it'll be good for you."
"I'll try… hopefully I can count on you to whip me into shape."
"Perhaps," Hermione replied, a slightly soft look on her face that even the normally obtuse Harry didn't miss.
"Thank you." he nodded gratefully, standing up and waving awkwardly before walking out.
Tom opened the door a mere moment later.
"Eavesdropping?" Hermione asked, amused.
"Can't eavesdrop in my own office, my darling," Tom replied, pulling a surprised Hermione up into his arms.
"Tom?"
The man in question pressed kisses down Hermione's neck, drawing a whimper from the inexperienced girl.
"Everywhere I go, your name is on people's lips. Greengrass, Bulstrode, Smith, Finch-Fletchley, Slughorn… they can't get enough of you."
Hermione let out a breathy sigh as Tom lifted her onto her desk and stepped authoritatively between her parted thighs.
"You were perfect, so perfect for me."
"Tom," Hermione moaned as he gripped her, thumbs pulling the fabric of her fashionable dress tight against the V of her hips. He pushed them down slightly, his fingers closer to her intimate parts than anyone's had ever been.
"Stunning," Tom crooned, bending down to kiss her lips in a way he only had a few times before.
"Not here," Hermione stuttered out, wiggling away from his hands and crumpling parchment as she moved across her desk. She hoped the ink was dry and not staining her bum.
"Of course," a frustratingly unaffected Tom replied with a nod. He dropped his hands to his side, not even attempting to fix his unruffled robes. Perfect, as always. "Tonight, dinner at my home. We'll celebrate all that is to come."
"Okay," Hermione replied, a shy smile on her face as the man winked in an uncharacteristically coy move.
Tonight, she thought in alarm as she sat down and got back to work. Loath to even think the phrase… she needed Pansy.