"Neville, stop pacing or I'll have to arrest you" Harry Potter couldn't resist a grin.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Neville Longbottom sighed and leaned against the wall of the lobby. His glance fell back to the door to the Wizangemot meeting room. The votes were coming in, and while the magical calculators were working hard, every vote had to be double-checked.

"I wonder how many people there are in wizarding Britain- I'd ask her, but she's in there" at that the young teacher threw up his hands.

"You did read the polls, right? And the international response? " Ron tried to break it down for him.

"Yeah"

"And Harry and I gave her endorsements"

"yeah"

"And you remember how many people attended your wedding just because we're famous?"

"Yeah"

"And that every minute distracting us can get us reassigned, and we specifically asked for this job, and Harry and I know a wide variety of hexes if you don't shut up because you're making us nervous?"

Neville stopped pacing "Absolutely"

Fortunately for all of them, the doors opened. A tall old wizard with a turban hurriedly walked out, heading for the door to the press room.

"Excuse me sir? Have they finished voting?" Neville had to know.

"Oh I'm sorry" the wizard, "Yes, they have" and he stepped into the press room and quickly shut the door behind him.

Frustrated, Neville finally lost patience. With a few long strides he was at the door and swung it open.

"Hello?" he couldn't hide his anxiety in his voice.

His wife tackled him. He almost fell over, but steadied himself to hold her close.

"What happened, love? Did you win? Who won?" he steadied her shoulders long enough to see a beaming grin. He remembered that grin having massive front teeth many years before. It never stopped making him feel alive, never stopped giving him hope and comfort.

"I won the election. I'm the new minister of magic. " Hermione spoke extremely quickly, practically jumping up and down.

For a second, Neville's jaw dropped, his eyes wide, and he stood still. The silence was broken by the clamor outside. As if set off by the cheering, Neville picked up Hermione, stopping with just enough distance for his lips to reach hers. The familiar feeling of her fingers in his hair only made him more excited.

"THE COUNTING HAS ENDED! THE ELECTION IS OVER! HERMIONE GRANGER IS MINISTER OF MAGIC!" a witch's amplified voice boomed into the crowd outside.

"Oi, give us a turn" Ron interrupted the kiss. Neville just laughed, too happy to be annoyed as Ron and Harry closed in on Hermione from both sides and smothered her in an enthusiastic hug.

"I'm her husband!" Neville's protest came out as more laughter.

"Ms Granger? They're waiting on you to address the public" a ministry official interrupted her.

Hermione, still with a giddy smile, wrested herself from the grips of her friends and went up the stairs. Harry, Ron and Neville followed her.

The balcony already has the other magistrates, various members of the staff, and the assembled press, the last led by Luna Lovegood for the Quibbler.

"Can I have an interview, Minister Hermione?" Luna's clear voice cut through the clamor, getting both the title and address wrong but with all her trademark enthusiasm.

"Tomorrow, 3 pm. You'll be the first, Luna" Hermione managed to calm herself down.

"Your address, Miss Granger?" the official repeated.

"Of course. My apologies." She cleared her throat, cast Sonorus on herself, and turned to the assembled crowd.

"Witches and Wizard of Great Britain, I will assure you that my next speeches will not be so extemporaneous, and be far more professional. " General laughter.

Hermione continued. "Assuming your forgiveness, I am honored with this prestigious position, and your votes have been a touching show of the true principles that embody today's British wizards. I can't wait to begin working in a few weeks, working with all of you to make a better-"

"THIS IS A FRAUD! I DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION FOR IMPERIUSED MEMBERS OF THE WIZANGEMOT! HALF THE VOTES CAME FROM HOUSE ELVES!" a familiar voice interrupted her.

"-wizarding world. We cannot change the muggle world, nor can we change the international community-" Hermione continued, ignoring Draco Malfoy, who was pushing to the front.

"THE WIZANGEMOT'S CORRUPTION HAS REVEALED A DEEPER CONSPIRACY! THEY'RE ALL IN LEAGUE TO SUBVERT OUR PRINCIPLES AND DESTROY OUR SOCIETY!" Malfoy kept ranting.

Neville signed and turned to Harry. "Either you do it or I will"

"Oh for the love of Merlin" Ron grumbled before leaning over, finding Malfoy in the front ranks, and promptly Stunning him.

"Thank you"

Hermione ignored the whole thing: "But what we can do is create an exemplary society, one working hand in hand with the muggles, with the other wizarding communities, with the elves, and the giants, and the ghosts, and with all beings that are part of our world. The magical people of Britain have decided they want a better nation, a better society, one dedicated to the destruction of social barriers, the elevation of the disenfranchised parts of society, and one that is actively improving the world rather than serving the interest of the privileged few. The war has long been over, but the struggle has not yet finished.

I bear the scars of the war on my skin, in my mind, and in my soul, but not more than the rest of you. Never again, we have decided. We cannot go back; we cannot allow the return of the attitudes that created such terror, such death, such suffering. We've lost too much to go back. And the sacrifices will continue to be made to keep going forward, but I am willing to sacrifice to secure our peace, our future. . I will sacrifice my salary to pay for improvement projects. I will sacrifice my time to save yours. Social responsibility is not morbid, it is not a burden-it empowers, it enlivens, and I see a tide coming that will uplift all of us. I stand before you not just a woman, not just a witch, not just a muggleborn, but as a member of the greater community, and together can we make this world a better place. Thank you, for your support, for your trust, for everything."

The applause was deafening.

"Are those tears of joy?" Luna interrupted Neville's applause.

Neville didn't even notice we was crying. "I guess they are"

"You always believed in her" That wasn't a question.

"I still do" he said quietly.