authorsnote: writers block on specific stories sux, but here we go!
do enjoy
songrecs: fortnight - taylor swift
The night before the Wizengmont session they sat curled up on the sofa of Grimmauld Place together, the living room was actually somewhere they wanted to sit now it was comfortable, a fire roaring in the hearth, the air clean and clear, the dust gone, the burgundy colours warming, there was still more to do, but it was a start.
"Thanks for redecorating" Harry said, for he was thankful, she was honouring the house, making it better, and Harry knew Sirius would love her for redecorating his pureblood family home in Gryffindor colours. "I really love it"
"There is some more to do" Hermione said with a smile, she lifted her tea to her lips, they had a mug each on the table and some biscuits, Kreacher seemed happy with her work as long as she left 'his kitchen be' as he'd said, and that seemed a fair compromise. "Some plants for in here and I need to unpack the stuff from my room upstairs, I never really unpacked it"
Harry nodded then, "Make sure you do, this is your home too" And it was, it was theirs.
"Well, more plants for in here, I'll unpack, and then the dining room next?" She asked, "I should have asked your preference" She said sheepishly but she smiled, "But I guessed it"
"And you know you guessed right" Harry joked, and her smile made him smile, it always did, "Throw out any of the old pureblood stuff, keep the nice magical artifacts, and I think you have better taste than me, so its up to you" He paused then, "And I'm happy to help obviously"
"Well, the Wizengmont session tomorrow finishes three, should we go to Diagon Alley after? Pick up some bits?" She asked, and Harry nodded, it sounded public but good, regardless of the reporters he wouldn't be locked in his own home.
Their home … and he realised with slightly pink cheeks Hermione was suggesting they shop for and then decorate their home, their marital home.
"So do we plan to live here … after?" Hermione asked, she sounded nervous, and Harry knew why. After meant marriage, and they both still had concerns on that front, differing concerns, some the same, but concerns.
Neither of them knew of course their concerns were about letting the other down or messing up their friendship, not the marriage bit itself. Neither of them realised just how little either seemed to mind the marriage bit.
"If you're happy to" Harry said with a crinkled brow, "I mean it is a nice house, good location" He shrugged then, "I guess I never really thought about anywhere else" He hadn't until now, and now he's worried Hermione won't want to live in Sirius' house, or that he's been too presumptuous. All silly things he wouldn't worry about, but now it feels different; hence the worries.
"I'm happy to" She said, and Harry was relieved to see she did seem it, a small smile on her face, "I mean, I want to stay in London, and this makes sense" She nodded then, as did Harry.
"Right" It feels a bit awkward, stilted, an ease they usually have is gone, but neither mentions it, neither wants to mention it and make things more awkward. "And you'll be at the Ministry?"
"Yes" Hermione said sipping her tea, her shoulders tenser than they ought to be.
"So tomorrow then?" Harry asked, clearing his throat and Hermione hated this, this layer of awkwardness, hated it and feared that this would be the future, their friendship feeding into this, destroyed because of what they knew was coming and then what would happen.
Marriage … and all it entailed.
"Sounds good" Was she repeating herself? She thought she was repeating herself, and cringed, sipped her too hot tea but swallowed it down, and tried not to cringe again.
"It's a date then" Harry said, and then he went red, at the implication date, one they'd never been on, never thought they would, and yet, would they even? They'd be married before he took her out for dinner, but they'd also been out for dinner plenty of times before, this was all so confusing.
"A date" She repeated, why was she repeating everything? Why was she not just doing anything else?
"Yes" Harry replied then.
Silence for a moment.
"Oh Harry" She said, unable to keep this up, she turned her head and practically fell into Harry's arms, which he'd anticipated and wrapped her up in them, and that finally felt normal.
"I know" Was all he said, and that was all he needed to say as he tucked her into his chest, and they just gripped one another, trying to remember who they were, and what they were to each other among all of this, they were still best friends, more even.
But more to them was in their connection, not what they'd become, not more as in married.
"What are we going to do?" She asked, it seemed like a good question, even though they didn't have a choice.
"I don't know" At least she could always depend on Harry to be truthful.
"But at least we have each other"
Truthful and always with the exact right thing to say.
They stayed like that for a while, tea going cold, wrapped up in one another, awkwardness giving away to just being together, in the comfort, she rarely felt so comforted outside of Harrys arms.
And so why couldn't she see what that meant?
As he steps into the Wizengmont, all he can think is that he is glad to be a Gryffindor.
It is intimidating, more so than most things. He is no politician, and secretly he thinks he might prefer another round with Voldemort than have to get up in front of everyone, people far more adept at him at this and give some sort of speech, or be some kind of Leader for them all?
He doesn't want this, but he does want a fairer society, he does want to make sure the Wizengmont can't overstep, and though non-Wizengmont officials aren't allowed in this meeting, he feels like he has Hermione by his side, urging him, urging him on; he may not want to be a politician, but he wants to be able to make things better, this is his way to do that.
He'd had vague ideas about going into Quidditch after school had finished, so tired from the war he wasn't sure if he could be an Auror, but this law had changed things, it had changed everything.
He thought of Hermione then, the horrid awkwardness before they'd managed to dissipate it by comforting each other, but then more awkwardness as they'd parted to separate rooms for the night, knowing someday they wouldn't, or would they? They'd both been thinking that as they'd separated.
Come morning it had been easier, Hermione had quizzed him about the Wizengmont structure, the makeup and laws and he'd joked about how there wasn't an exam, she'd shoved him and it had felt like old times.
She'd seen him off in the morning, he'd promised to be back for their date, awkwardness had almost descended but he'd apparated away.
And now he was here, alone and some how incharge, and it was important.
He recognised that, recognised how vital his role was here. He couldn't coast like in school, these actions would have real consequences, and so as he stepped inside the chamber, dressed in the robes Hermione had picked up for him … everyone turned to look.
He'd been in this chamber of course, for the trial in his 5th year, it somehow looked scarier now.
There were 100 members of the Wizengmont, of those about 60 were Heads of old families, in fact Hermione had told him (in a rather annoyed voice), there was a law that at least half of the Wizengmont members had to be made up of 'inherited seats' or a session would be called to reduce the pool. 10 were Ministry Seats, the Heads of the most important departments and the Minister, the other 30 were 'elected seats' not through any democracy but through a yearly process of putting up Order of Merlin candidates to be determined by the existing Wizengmont.
Harry was inheriting his seat.
The Wizengmont had been suspended for years throughout the war, and now it had reformed, and was almost entirely new. The Heads of the old families were young now, the Heirs who'd inherited from dead Fathers or those in Azkaban. Even the Ministry Heads were almost entirely new, there was no Chief Warlock for that was for the members to decide, in truth the whole thing was in disarray.
The Ministers who had stepped in, or rather overstepped in during the Wizengmont suspension were not present, nor invited. They could put laws and budgets to the Wizengmont to be passed, they could not pass them. Hence the disarray.
Harry could see that, as he looked at everyone dressed in dark formal robes. He could see plenty of people he recognised, and many he didn't, but everyone fell silent as he walked in, but he was a Gryffindor, and so he just nodded and made his way to the semi-circle of seats, he'd never been on this side before, but the seats were in alphabetical order, those of the old families were written in gold, the Ministry seats silver and those elected bronze.
Harry found the Potter seat inscribed in gold.
Minutes passed as more people filed in, Kingsley stood up as the hour chimed nine, the doors sealed, and he stood in front of them rather in his seat.
"As there is no Chief Warlock are all members happy for me to oversee proceedings?" Kingsley asked, and Harry nodded, and yet … that was not how this worked apparently, not even for the most mundane positions.
It was a Ministry scribe who spoke next, "Votes for Aye for the Minister to oversee proceedings until a Chief Warlock is chosen?"
Over half the hands shot up, Harry's included.
"Votes for Nay?" Less hands.
"Motion passed" The scribe said, and a witch nodded, waved her wand, a huge piece of trailing parchment was facing them, taking notes, another appeared with the motion written on it, and Kinsley nodded then, and went to speak.
"I believe we summoned an emergency session today to discuss the Marriage Law, is everyone happy for this to be the agenda, postponing legislative and budget matters, including elective matters until the next session?"
Harry realised things were even more formal than Hermione had suggested.
Everything was read twice, formal voting rounds for anything, even minor. As it was agreed today would be about the marriage law, someone Harry didn't recognise protested that the elective matters should take precedence, that led to a squabble about electing a Chief Warlock, and that lasted fifteen minutes.
Kingsley didn't step in, and Harry realised this was the way of thing, he was glad everyone had a say, and everyone could speak but this seemed incredibly inefficient.
Another ten minutes of someone chiming in on how candidates for Chief Warlock were entitled a weeks notice to prepare speeches, and how elective individuals for the seats needed to be screened, another five on screening processes and Harry's head felt like it might explode.
They had Minsters threatening to try to re-pass oppressive laws, they had the Marriage Law ticking over their head and a world to rebuild and they were now arguing about the Chief Warlock candidates should be given 7 or 8 days to prepare?
What next? Who served the tea?
"Excuse me" Harry said, feeling a slight rise in his temper, and squashing it down, something he'd gotten far better at since he'd won the war, since the horcrux was gone, since he was no longer at constant threat of death, but still, even some men had their limits.
All heads turned to him.
"I think we need to focus on sorting out the Marriage Law now, then next time we can figure out the Wizengmont" He said
"The Wizengmont was meant to reform in two weeks, with the month between sessions that delays it further" Someone jumped in.
"Can't we just meet sooner?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, hoping it was that simple.
Of course it wasn't.
But when they had passed a motion to meet in two weeks instead of a month for the next session ("But reverting then to monthly or we'll need to pass another motion" Someone had added), they had agreed (With another motion), to focus on the Marriage Law today.
"Register then" Kingsley said, and Harry could have groaned, but he didn't, he only listened actually, as they went around in alphabetical last name order, naming their name and presence. It was tedious and Harry just knew came from the self importance (everyone had to hold their wand aloft as they did so for goodness sake), but it was useful to know who he would be working with.
He recognised a lot of names from school; Malfoy, Nott, Zabini, from Slytherin, Roger Abbott, Azriel Yaxley, Jasmine Rosier who had all agreed to back him to do this session. He recognised a Parkinson last name, Macmillan, Burke, Bulstrode, but not who they were. Recognised non-Sacred 28 surnames; his own, a Greengrass man, a Brown. He wasn't sure how non-Sacred 28 members had the historical seats or why notable Sacred-28 members such as the Weasleys were missing, but that was a (likely boring) history lesson for another day.
There were plenty of names he didn't recognise, particularly in the elected group. He noted they ran much older than the Heirs that inherited the family seats. He didn't recognise any of the Heads of Ministry departments, as he knew soberly almost all had died in the war.
He did note the chamber ran very male, over 80% he'd guess, and younger now, he imagined before it most certainly hadn't been.
As pompous as he found it he held his own wand aloft, said his name, and then as everyone else rattled through, sat down, and finally they began.
And were done fairly quickly, the introductions and squabbling over convention had taken over twice as long as what they'd come to discuss.
"I think we can all agree" How Harry had started speaking on this he wasn't sure, all he'd known was after Zabini had sat down, everyone had turned to him.
"That this law is needed" He said, for he'd seen the data, he couldn't dispute it, they all had, he'd seen in his copy of the Morning Prophet, the Ministry had published the numbers, "But what isn't needed are the additional laws the Ministers tried to include"
No one spoke, they all listened rapt to him, a leader indeed.
"We don't need anyone poking or prodding us, noting when we are … intimate" He stumbled but quickly carried on in stride, "We don't need policing, we can agree we may need timelines and people could if they wish accept medical help, but people shouldn't be required" He said with a nod.
He went to stop, but felt the urge to say something more.
"We fought a war to keep our rights, to stop a madman keeping us under his boot and making us all subjects to his whims" He couldn't see himself, the passion with which he spoke, how even those who'd fought on the wrong side were inspired (if ashamed), how he truly seemed like a leader, how he spoke so well, and full of motivation for a better world, one they'd all create, and they all believed it as he spoke.
"We fought this war to be free, these laws don't seem free to me. We all can agree we need to do something, but we don't need to strip our own rights as well" He said fiercely, his wand clutched in hand spat sparks, no one spoke, but many were nodding, "There is a middle ground, we can take that, save the population, but live free whilst doing so"
No one cheered as he finished, no one clapped, that wasn't done here, but not one person disagreed as they voted on refusing the invasive laws.
Instead they agreed all individuals would need to be married within one month, a short timespan, but the argument was without mandatory fertility treatments or record keeping that … getting started on conception was vital to be as soon as possible.
Marriage within one month, four children per person minimum, the Ministry to cover all disruption to work, whether it be for making the babies or having them, including a generous package to pay for peoples weddings. Agreement on the married couple needing to live together and co-parent.
Check up's pre-marriage would be mandatory, and once per year on fertility for everyone, no more, no less. Any fertility enhancing drugs would be at the individuals choice, it was agreed they would look at the statistics and situation monthly at their Wizengmont session to monitor the population, not at an individual level but collective.
Protection spells were put in place for abuse, and a scheme for anyone who needed to come forward to disclose abuse and be moved partners.
The discussion and passing of these sections took hours, and yet at the end they had a law that yes was a mandatory Marriage Law, but was as fair as it could possibly be whilst needing to expand the population.
Everything was passed, the next session scheduled, and the doors opened.
And everyone stopped Harry to clap him on the shoulder, simply nod at him or talk to him as he went to leave.
And when he left, he ignored the press, headed for the Floo, and back to Hermione.
Who he would marry, he'd just passed the law to make it so.
And he could admit, head aching and exhausted, as he came home to her reading on the sofa, though she jumped up the second he arrived … he could admit that he was glad he'd still be marrying her, and that the law allowed it so.
He didn't say any of that as he came through the Floo though, he just took her in his arms, and as she wrapped hers around him, he knew without a doubt he wouldn't want things to be any different, awkwardness, worries and all, this was where he was meant to be. Here, with Hermione. Here with his soon-to-be wife.
poor awkward bbys - next time we have a date!
also politics, which will get less vague, and much more scheme-y!
fav/follow, and see you soon(er)