A/N I Own Nothing
Ao3 – Once_Upon_A_Potter
February 1st, 2005
"…As I step down from being Minister for Magic," Kingsley was saying to the Wizengamot, "I would like to nominate Hermione Granger-Weasley, to take the position in my stead."
There was a moment of silence as the members of the Wizengamot murmured to each other. It wasn't exactly common for a minister stepping down to nominate another person for the position, but it wasn't unheard of either.
The problem here, would be that to even be put in the running, a witch or wizard had to have at least three nominations, from any of the three factions of the Wizengamot, though, the ideal situation would be being backed by at least one light, at least one dark, and at least one neutral family.
Hermione already knew there was no way for her to be backed by families from all three factions, but maybe she could get a couple light and maybe even a neutral?
"Would anyone like to second Minister Shacklebolt's nomination?" Susan Bones, taking after her Aunt as the current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement asked.
Harry stood then, "I would like to second the nomination of Hermione Granger-Weasley." He said simply.
"Would you like to explain your nomination, Lord Potter?", Susan asked, as per custom when finding a new minister via voting. Explanation weren't required, but they sure helped a nomination be legitimized, "Just a few words on your decision?"
"Have you met Hermione?" Harry joked, bringing chuckles from those who knew her. "I think we would be in good hands with her as our Minister." He explained, "And, there's the fact that when she wants to get something, she gets it done."
"Thank you, Lord Potter." Susan told him with a smile, as he sat back. "Anybody else?"
There was a long moment of silence, wherein Hermione felt her heart slowly sinking, she still needed two nominations, and as the silence stretched the chances of another speaking up shrunk.
"Alright, well-" Susan started, just to be cut off.
"As the second Heiress to Greengrass, I'd like to third this nomination." Astoria said confidently, as she stood from her seat next to her mother, her sister being next to their father.
"Explanation Heiress Greengrass?" Susan asked, nearly beaming, had she not been in a position of power, she would have been the one speaking up.
"I think," Astoria started, as she looked around the room, "despite what some of you may think, a muggleborn leader is exactly what we need at the moment. It's time to leave the past behind and welcome a new outlook."
"Thank you, heiress Greengrass." Susan said, giving the younger girl a single nod.
Astoria didn't sit, instead, she stared down the dark faction.
This went on for what felt like a lifetime to Hermione, but in reality it couldn't have been more than a few seconds. Just one more. She needed just one more.
"I'll fourth the nomination, as Heir and head of family Malfoy." Draco Malfoy finally said, standing up. Astoria gave a satisfied nod and took her seat. He looked to Astoria, "My reason being my betrothed, I will stand by her decision and trust her judgement." He told the room, then added, though he looked pained to do so, "And, even I have to admit, Granger is a rather powerful witch."
"Thank you, Heir Malfoy." Susan told him, nodding.
"I'd like to nominate Lord Lucius Malfoy." Lord Crabbe said, standing, "He learned of how the Ministry should be run through his friendship with Minister Fudge."
"I cannot let you nominate Lucius Malfoy, Lord Crabbe." Susan told him seriously, "He is in Azkaban for a reason."
"He was framed." Lord Crabbe claimed.
"He was not framed for a single thing, I am sure you remember." Susan said evenly, "Or shall I list his crimes for you as I did the day he was incarcerated?"
"Lucious was under the imp-" Lord Crabbe continued.
"Moving on!" Susan announced, "Sit down, Lord Crabbe. Or I will have you removed from this session."
Cowed, the man did as he was told.
"As Lord Goyle, I would like to nominate Blaise Zabani." Gregory Goyle said standing.
"Explanation?" Susan asked, when the man didn't continue.
He shook his head, sitting back down.
"Alright," Susan told him, "Would anybody like to second Lord Goyle's nomination?"
February 6th, 2005
"How's everything going with the ministry, Hermione?" Audrey asked, cutting Molly Rose's chicken into small bite sized pieces.
"Great, actually!" Hermione responded. "It's between just me and Zabini."
February 10th, 2005
"Lord Zabini, we're going to start with you." Susan said, looking to the young lord. "In a short statement, tell us why we should have you as minister."
Lord Zabini stood, "Thank you, Madame Bones." He told her, she nodded back. "If you bring me on as Minister, I would like to bring a focus to the old ways. Such as house elves. Many are starting to see the employment of house elves as enslavement, when in truth house elves need our magic to survive."
There was muttering around the room, Zabini glanced to Susan, she gestured for him to move on.
"The old traditions were done for a reason," Zabini continued. "I would like to focus on the education and practicing of these ways. Something from the old ways, that has been lost to time is the roles we as a people play, every man, woman, and child had their place. I believe that applies to blood status as well. Every pureblood, half-blood, and muggleborn have their place."
Whispering sounded around the room. The wizarding world had just gotten out of a war based around this very topic.
Zabini was silent for a moment.
"Is that the end of your statement?" Susan asked.
Zabini nodded.
"And with that statement from Lord Zabini, we'll have Missus Hermione Granger-Weasley give her statement." Susan continued, gesturing to Hermione.
"Thank you, Madame Bones." Hermione smiled, receiving a gentle smile back. "I'd like to start off with apologizing to purebloods and half-bloods, I had no idea how some of the things I said and did could and would be perceived. I apologize from the bottom of my heart, I apologize. I think I can speak for myself and my fellow muggleborns when I that."
Hermione paused, looking around the room, feeling the eyes on her.
"That brings me to the first thing I would like to speak of today, the integration of muggleborns into the Wizarding World of Britain. If I'm made minister, I would ensure that all muggleborn have the knowledge needed as to not unintentionally insult everyone they come across in the wizarding world. We truly do the best we can with the knowledge we have, muggleborns and muggle raised need to be taught about the old traditions and history of the Wizarding World of Britain before they can become a citizen when they turn seventeen."
Hermione went silent as muttering rose around the room.
"Is that the end of your statement?" Susan asked gently.
Hermione shook her head, taking a deep breath in. "As for house elves, I do agree with Lord Zabini, as a child, I was blinded by the only experiences I had with house elves and their… owners Lucius Malfoy and Bartemius Crouch Senior. Those house elves were horribly mistreated, by the people they trusted to lend them their magic and keep them alive. As minister, I would want to ensure the safety of house elves, they're trusting you to care for them… You should be adopting them into your family, or hiring them, not buying them like an object, or dare I say it, a slave. I would want to have regular check-ins with the families house elves work for."
She's quiet a moment before starting again, "As for heir and heiresses, underage heirs and heiresses, that is. They would be treated as the children they are." She said simply. "Overall, my goal would be to make the Wizarding World of Britain a safer and more peaceful place for everybody in it." She finished.
February 14th, 2005
"Is this place always this busy on Valentines?" Ginny asked quietly, looking at the full dining room they had.
Astoria shrugged, "I haven't been here long enough to compare." She told Ginny, "Though it is for a lot of Holidays that we're open for."
February 23rd, 2005
"Snuffles, stop barking." Ginny said, as she rushed to answer the door. She had been in the bathroom with a sick four-year-old when the doorbell had rung.
She opened the door to see their middle-aged next-door neighbor that had just moved in a couple of weeks prior.
"Uh, can I help you?" Ginny asked her the door barely opened a crack, as she tried to keep a still barking Snuffles in.
"I noticed that you have a dog." The woman stated.
"What of it?" Ginny asked, not at all in the mood to talk to a woman she didn't even know.
"I just wanted to ask you to leave him inside." The woman told Ginny. "You see, our dog just went into heat and, well, we don't exactly need puppies right now."
Ginny blanked at her, "We have a girl."
"Oh! Well, that's a relief, still if you could keep her in, we also have a boy and wouldn't want him to impregnate your dog."
"She's a puppy." Ginny stated, dumbfounded, she shook her head. "And if you don't want to worry about that, why don't you go get him neutered?"
"Why can't you just keep her in?" The woman countered.
"We have a fenced in backyard, I doubt it'll be a problem, but if it is, we'll deal with it." Ginny stated, starting to close the door, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I don't have time for this."
"Our Roger," The woman started.
"Oh, so I get to know your dogs name, but not yours?" Ginny asked sarcastically.
"It's Jennifer. Anderson." The woman commented, not noticing the face Ginny made. "Anyway, our Roger likes to jump fences, putting her in your backyard won't help much, I'm afraid." Jennifer. Anderson continued.
Every single one of Ginny's motherly instincts flared. Her children, James and Teddy played out there regularly, "You keep that dog out of my yard, or I swear to Mer- to God, I will not hesitate to end the damn thing." She loved animals, she really did, but she loved her children more, and would not be having a strange dog in her backyard, her fenced in backyard, with her children.
"Well, I'll b-"
"Now, if you'll excuse me," Ginny continued, "I have a puking four-year-old, and a seven-year-old," almost seven, but technicalities, right? "who's a ticking time bomb."
February 27th, 2005
"You should go home and get some rest." Molly told Hermione, when she caught her daughter-in-law yawning for the umpteenth time that afternoon.
"I'm fine." Hermione told her, "I just haven't been sleeping the best."
"You do have a big day coming up tomorrow." Molly commented.
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, she doesn't really need to be reminded." Ron said, "She's been a bundle of nerves the past several days."
February 28th, 2005
"And here we have the results of our voting in." Susan announced to the Wizengamot, and those listening over the radio at home. Lee Jordan was there, broadcasting to Potter Watch, as even witches and wizards that were not part of the Wizengamot had voted for this.
"The votes were counted by myself," Susan continued, "Augusta Longbottom, Hannah Abbott, Michael Corner, and Theodore Nott." She stated.
"Out of over four thousand votes, all from those either age seventeen or older, or emancipated…" Susan opened an envelope, pulling out two sheets of paper. "Two thousand three-hundred and thirteen were for Blaise Zabini."
Susan paused, reading the second paper.
Hermione reached over, grabbing Ron's hand in an almost crushing grip, her head bowed.
Susan continued, "And for Hermione Granger-Weasley, we have two thousand three-hundred and twenty-five."
Hermione's head snapped up.
"With a lead of twelve votes," Susan started, "Hermione Granger-Weasley has won this election, and will take the position of Minister for Magic."
