A/N: This is my first Dramione story and since Lucissa is my favourite couple next to Draco and Hermione, they will play a big part.

The events of the Second Wizarding War differ from what happened in the books and how exactly will be revealed eventually.

English isn't my first language, so I apologise for any mistakes!

I'll update at least once a week, probably more than once.

Comments will make my day 😊

EDIT: I just received a guest review (which I deleted) saying that this account is fake and this story is copied from another page. That is not true! I've had this account since 2021, I just didn't really use it, since I'm mostly active on AO3. On AO3 I have an account under the same name (Eldyra), under which this story is posted as well. I'm a bit ahead there (as of writing this, 5 chapters are posted on AO3), I will post one chapter each day on ffn until both are on the same page. I'm sorry, if I caused confusion, but I assure you, this story is not plagiarised and this account is not fake.


Chapter 1

Hermione Granger took a deep breath as she stepped out of the Ministry fireplace, trying to forget about her annoyance with Ron for spending the whole time on the breakfast table whining that she was going over her notes for the presentation she was going to give today in front of the Wizengamot, the Minister, many members of the Old Families and other influential wizards and witches.

Months of hard work and everything depended on today. Today it would be decided whether her project would be deemed important enough to be continued with the support of the Ministry.

Frankly, it was quite annoying that this was even an issue in the first place. In Hermione's opinion, it was perfectly obvious to everyone with half a brain how important it was. It had initially taken her two hours of presenting facts on how much it mattered that the Wizarding World finally started considering to get involved in the greater picture, like pollution, climate change, mass extinction and so on to even make prople undertand what was going on. It seemed to her that no one had even considered the problem before. Still, while some seemed to understand that they could not ignore the topic forever, no decisions had been made, no budget had been granted, no further plans had been made. Nobody, not even Kingsley had mentioned it again.

Nobody but two people and to her endless surprise, those two people had been Lucius bloody Malfoy and his wife Narcissa. They had contacted her a few days after her speech and had promised help in the organisation and strong financial support once plans were in place. And they had kept their promises so far, especially Lucius helped her navigate the political world, in which Hermione was, five years after the War and four years of working for the Ministry, still inexperienced in comparison.

His help had been invaluable. Not only was he the sole funder of the project so far, he also helped her with pertitions and publications, to find arguments to convince people who where ... less reasonable. She remembered all too well how he had patiently, if a little patronizingly, explained to her how no one in the Ministry would care about "cute tigers" and "fascinating sea creatures" going extinct, they only saw themselves responsible for Magical Creatures, and even that barely. They needed to hear about the fragile eco system, about how the environmental problems would effect them eventually.

"But isn't that obvious?" Hermione had looked at him in exasperation after three hours of him taking apart the wording of her newest publication. "It took you two hours to understand the basics. And yet you and Lady Malfoy are the only ones who offered support."

"Miss Granger," Malfoy had drawled. His face gave nothing away, but his voice held the slightest hint of impatience. Maybe it was just in her head. Then again, probably not. "Have you still not understood that you are surrounded by fools? You have to explain everything as if you were talking to a toddler. This will never change, so better get used to it."

Hermione smiled slightly at the memory. Yes, who would have thought that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy of all people would be working closely together with her and that she wouldn't even hate it? Well, she did hate to admit that Lucius was one of the smartest men she had ever met and she had quickly learned that it was a huge mistake to underestimate Narcissa. This woman was as cunning as they came. And it was far from horrible to work with them once you knew how to take them.

The only thing she did hate about working with them was Ron's reaction, the initial one (anger and and an eventual tauntrum) as well as the following ones. He was constantly complaining about her working with Death Eaters and the Malfoys of all people, sometimes he wouldn't really talk to her for hours or days, especially when she reminded him that there were good reasons that they weren't in Azkaban with most of Voldemort's other followers.

After the War there had been trials, of course. It had turned out that the Malfoys had provided the Order with information on raids and Voldemort's plans in general. Apparently, they hadn't been as happy about his return as one would have thought. Furthermore, Narcissa had saved Harry's life, so he had testified for her and Hermione had testified for Lucius, who had saved her life. Mr Olivander and Luna had testified for Draco, as he had brought food and potions to the people imprisoned in the cellars of Malfoy Manor, the potions in particular had kept Olivander alive as he had gotten sick. That was confirmed by a healer who had treated the man after his escape. None of them had ended up in Azkaban as a result.

Lucius, however, was under probation. He was free to meddle in the Ministry, as long as his actions couldn't be considered anti-Muggle or anti-Muggleborn, but he was not allowed to perform magic of any kind for an undetermined amount of time and he was banned from travelling internationally, by whatever means. His wand and apparition license had been confiscated for the duration of the probation and he had a tracking spell on him, which would alert whoever was responsible, if he performed magic with a different wand or wandlessly. Once a year there was a debate as to whether the probation was to be continued. So far it had not been lifted.

Hermione understood and he probably deserved it, but she also knew that he was an incredibly powerful wizard and a proud man; having to ask his wife to perform a simple spell for him was not only inconvenient, but humiliating, and Hermione had noticed that he tried to avoid it, at least in public.

Right after their trials, no one had heard anything of the Malfoys for a while, until Lucius and Narcissa had just shown up in the Ministry and in the general public once more, acting as if nothing had happened, and that bold tactic had worked. Narcissa had organized countless charity events and they themselves had donated considerable amounts of money to help with the damage the War had caused for the economy and for the people.

And Lucius ... he didn't have to be able to do magic to meddle to his heart's content. Even Kingsley Shacklebold, who was now Minister of Magic, sometimes asked for his advice.

For all intents and purposes, they were back to being the influential family they had always been. Sure, people were sometimes still talking behind their backs, Ron was by far not the only one still calling them Death Eaters, and now and then there was an unfavourable article in the Prophet, but they seemed to stand above that.

"Are you helping me because it may be good for your public image?" Hermione had asked one day, a few weeks into them working together.

No hesitation, no sugar-coating. "Partly." Lucius' voice had been calm and matter-of-factly. "However, your reasoning was perfectly sound and in accord with my own research, which I performed before I contacted you to offer my support."

She had stared at him. "You ... did your own research?

"Did you think I would put so much money and effort into anything at all, just because you gave a convincing speech?" When she hadn't replied, he had continued. "The Malfoys have come to Britain with William I in 1066. Since then, we have continuously been one of the most influential Wizarding families in this country. And this will be the case for another thousand years. However, it is not possible, if the planet itself becomes inhabitable for human life. So no, it is not just because of publicity."

The only one who didn't show up in the Ministry, or anywhere else in public, to Hermione's knowledge, was Draco. Narcissa had told her that he was in France. After finishing his education in Beauxbatons, he had had started an apprenticeship with a famous potions master in Paris. He often visited his parents during weekends or holidays and after completion of the apprenticeship, he would move back to England.

"I think he needed some time away ... from the Manor, the British public, the press ... He stayed with one of Lucius' aunts and uncles. After a while, he started visiting us regularely, so it's not like we do not see him. We are still looking forward to him coming home permanently."

Hermione looked around herself as she walked through the Entrance Hall and frowned slightly. Why was everyone staring at her? It was the same in the lift, in the hallways on the way to the hall where most attendants would be assembled by now. She spotted Lucius and Narcissa deep in conversation, smiled slightly and walked towards them. They looked up and seemed ... mildly surprised to see her.

That was definitely the most most obvious emotion she had ever seen on their faces, which was reason enough to skip her usual polite greeting and blurt out "Why in the world is everyone staring at me? Why do you look so surprised to see me? We agreed to meet here only yesterday." That had been after Lucius' last briefing on what she could and couldn't say, what would keep and what would lose attention, the importance of body language and so on. They had parted at 6 pm, she had been exhausted.

There was a very short silence, then Narcissa, in an uncharacteristicly tentative voice, said, "Miss Granger, good morning ... I admit that we half expected you not to come. Not after that article in the Prophet. It would have been understandable, of course."

"She didn't read it." Hermione glanced from Narcissa to Lucius. His expression was once more, as per usual, completely neutral, but his grey eyes bore into hers. His voice was perfectly steady. "Come."

With the air of a man who was used to giving commands that would be followed - Merlin and Morgana, he was so annoying sometimes - he went further down the hallway and opened a door leading to an empty conference room. He held the door open and stepped in after Narcissa and Hermione.

As soon as the door was closed, Hermione couldn't hold back anymore. "I went through my notes again this morning and didn't take the time to read the paper." Ron, of course, had been far too busy complaining to even look at the Prophet. Not that he had any interest on the best of days. "What was so interesting?" She couldn't help feeling slightly anxious, although she did her very best to hide it. What could possibly have been in the paper that would have caused everyone to stare at her like she had grown a second head? What caused Lord and Lady Malfoy to hesitate now? Those were the two people who had come back to the Ministry after being on trial for following a murderous psychopath and had immediately acted like they owned the place. Hermione had almost been half convinced that nothing could unsettle them.

Finally, Lucius spoke. "I am going to make it quick." Narcissa next to him rolled her eyes. What kind of parallel universe was this? "Miss Granger, I am sorry to say that there were photos of your boyfriend kissing another woman ... rather passionately. In front of a hotel, from which they had just come out. Probably for obvious reasons."

That last part earned him a glare from Narcissa, which Hermione barely saw.

Her head was swimming, her legs started to shake and automatically she sat down on the next best chair.

Ron had cheated on her! He had betrayed her, again. She shouldn't have come together with him in the first place, not after what he had done at Malfoy Manor. Not after what he and Harry had done. She shouldn't have forgiven them. She was such an idiot. And worse, everyone knew. Everyone.

She felt herself breathing rapidly. Shame, disappointment, anger, sadness all at once threatened to break through the numbness that was still keeping her from breaking into tears, from screaming. How could he do that? How could she have been so stupid?

Suddenly there were two hands over hers, long and elegant fingers wrapped around her own and squeezed gently. She looked up and saw Narcissa Malfoy kneeling before her chair. "Breathe, Miss Granger. He is not worth it. Take a few deep breaths. Yes, just like that."

She hadn't felt like that, like she couldn't breathe, since the months following the War. She tried to focus on Narcissa's voice and touch and finally took a few deep breaths, blinking back tears.

"Miss Granger." Narcissa was still holding her hands, but now it was Lucius speaking and she looked up at him. "You are here now. Do not give him the power of ruining this chance for you. You have worked hard for this and those who are against your ambitions will count on you not showing up."

Disbelievingly, she shook her head. "But how can I do this now? How can I go in there? They all know. And I had no idea." She took a shaky breath that sounded more like a sob.

"With your head held high. You did nothing wrong. Your hopefully former boyfriend is at fault and should be ashamed to show himself in public, not you. We actually did what they accused us of and we still walked in here like it didn't face us. You can do it, too. There is still time to fall apart in private. Or rip his head off, if that is preferable. In that case, let me know, there are always ways to get rid of a body." A shaky laugh escaped her. "But now," Lucius continued, looking at her intently. "Now you go in there, act like nothing whatsoever had happened, and convince them all of the importance of your cause."

She held his gaze for a moment. And then she nodded.

~tbc~