Chapter Four-

Draco had guessed right when he found his father waiting impatiently by the apparation point. Lucius waved the packet at him.

"Did you see this?"

Draco held up it's still-wrapped twin, "Granger explained the gist of it, but I haven't actually read it yet, why?"

Lucius' eyes were glowing, "Because it's bloody brilliant, that's why! I feel bad for pushing you to beat her all of the those years at school, because I see know there is no possible way you can match her intellect."

Draco rolled his eyes and replied dryly, "Thank you Father, I really needed the self-esteem boost."Lucius scoffed, "You know what I mean Draco. She has made the discovery of the century!"

Draco pulled off his dress robes and draped them over his arm. "Well, now I'm sure my news won't surpass the greatness of Granger's discovery, but I would like to tell you and Mother about it over tea, if you can keep your nose out of that study long enough."

His father waved absentmindedly at him as he opened the study once more, "Sure, sure. I'll get your mother, we'll be out on the veranda. Stay away from the parlor by the way, your mother is having it removed."

Draco didn't have to ask why. He knew that was the room where his aunt brutally tortured Granger. He also knew that his mother didn't want to take any chance of reminding her of that painful night, so she would simply have the room removed.

Draco stopped by his home office and set down the package. A house elf named Violet skipped in and whisked his robes away for cleaning. "Thank you," he called before she disappeared with them. She blushed and giggled a little before she was gone.

He quickly changed into a pair of jeans and an ivory sweater before heading out to the veranda. His father still had his nose in the study. His mother caught his gaze and rolled her eyes. She nudged her husband, "Lucius, put that away for a little bit. You'll have enough time to finish it before Hermione comes for dinner."

Draco kissed his mother on the cheek before sitting down, "Hello Mother."

She patted his hand. "So you have some news for us, Draco?"

Draco cleared his throat, his father had yet to put the study down. Narcissa finally whipped it out of Lucius' hands and sat on it before Lucius knew what was happening. "Hey! I wasn't finished with that!"

Narcissa tossed a napkin at him. "Tough, our son is trying to tell us something and he deserves your undivided attention. Now stop pouting and listen."

Lucius scowled, "If I didn't love you so much, I would take you over my knee right now, witch."

Draco shoved a tea sandwich into his mouth to keep from laughing at his father's face. His parent's both looked at him expectantly. He quickly swallowed the rest of the sandwich down with a swig of tea.

"I have some good news. I'm sure you already know Father, but my act was passed and signed today."

Narcissa clapped her hands together happily. "Oh Draco, that's wonderful! You've worked so hard on it! But I thought you weren't expecting to even give it to the Minister until today?"

"Well, I guess Granger heard about the act and proofread it herself and then passed it onto the Minister last week."

Narcissa sighed, "I wish you would call her Hermione, Draco. It's one thing to call Harry or that Weasley boy by their last names, but it's entirely a different thing to call a young lady by her last name."

"Yes Mother." He took another drink of tea. "There's more."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, "More?"

Draco laughed, "Not even your ministry contacts could have got you this information, Father."

Lucius allowed a chuckle. "I did hear about the act, but I didn't hear anything else."

Draco leaned forward, "The Minister has asked me to be the new delegate for England to the International Confederation of Wizards."

Lucius looked stunned for the first time in his life. Narcissa's eyes filled up with joy.

Finally Lucius spoke, "You must be the youngest delegate in the Confederation right now."

"I'm the youngest ever, actually. By three years, according to Kingsley. He said I would be an asset to the Ministry. I think he already knew what Hermione had discovered and wants a pureblood to stand by it, and show the world that the UK is changing it's view on blood status. Most of the countries still have horrendous laws that adhere to blood status, and who better to challenge those laws, then a pureblood."

Lucius nodded slowly, "That's right. They are going to listen to someone who has everything to gain from them but still wants them to change, than someone who has been mistreated by them.

Draco leaned back, "Exactly. I can't wait to get started. I felt like I was moving a mountain when my act passed, now I feel like I can move the whole world."

Lucius patted him on the back. "I'm proud of you son. I'm just glad that you are young enough to have seen the light and still have the spunk to do something about it. All anyone is ever going to see me as is a Death Eater, no matter what I do. You, you on the other hand can rise above that and have a great future. To think I wanted you to take the make, but nothing makes me happier than you standing up to me and not taking it."

Narcissa sniffled, "Oh Lucius, you are going to make me ruin my makeup and I don't have time to re-do it before dinner! I still have to go and make sure everything is going to plan."

Lucius kissed her on the cheek, "Even with running mascara, you would be the most beautiful woman in the world to me."

Narcissa's eyes filled again as she tenderly kissed him back."

Draco shoved three sandwiches into his mouth and looked over the rose garden. He prayed they wouldn't do this at dinner, or everyone would lose their appetite.

A/N: Big thank you to the lovely people who replied straight away to my last chapter. I was very worried that I was just blabbing off a bunch of nonsense, so you guys made me feel A LOT better about what I wrote. I'm sure there is a flame sitting out there somewhere, but you guys have made it so I won't even worry about it! Thanks so much, means a lot! Makes me warm and fuzzy J