Broomsticks and Alibis

Chapter 16

“So what do you think?” Hermione said pulling her hands away from Draco’s eyes as they stood on the University grounds, near the lake. He opened his eyes to see a massive candy cane striped, circus tent. Outside the tent was a platform and a stage with silver and gold sparkled streamers and confetti raining down.

“That’s for the Minister’s speech. He made us erect he stage. He cant be bothered to stand on the ground with all the little people.

“You have little people here?” Draco asked.

“Figure of speech, I meant all of us war torn degenerates,” Hermione quipped. “It’s more impressive once you go inside, but I want it to be a surprise for later. So what do you think!” Hermione said excitedly.

“Yeah…It’s okay,” Draco said and Hermione socked him in the arm.

“Just okay?”

“I’m kidding. It’s wonderful. I’ve never been to a carnival before.”

“Well you will tonight! In fact you’re the announcer, or the ringmaster so to speak.” Draco gave her a surprised stare. “Didn’t you ever read the folder I gave you? It was all in there.” She could tell by Draco’s expression though, that he hadn’t read anything. “Honestly Draco, you used to be so prepared. I hope marriage isn’t the cause of your recent tendency of letting so many things slip by you these days,” Hermione said sarcastically.

“It’s all my wife’s fault. I’m too busy fantasizing about all the erotic and illegal things I’m going to do to my wife,” Draco glanced behind Hermione and looked at her arse.

“You get away from my bum!” Hermione jumped forward when Draco pinched her hard on the butt. She still didn’t know if he was kidding or not about buggering her in the bum, but she was sure she didn’t want to remind him of it, in order to find out.

“There’s Harry and Ginny! Let’s go say hello. I have something I want to run by Harry.” They made their way across the grounds to greet Harry and Ginny, who were hanging the events banner.

“Hey, Harry,Ginny!” Hermione threw her arms around the couple while Draco stood back.

“Oh, I’m so glad you are both here. You and Ginny have done a marvelous job.”

“Hermione, we sold out! All the tickets are gone! Looks like Harry may be getting that bigger office for him and his staff after all. And all the repairs and upgrades the school needs. Harry wanted to build two new dorm buildings outside the castle.

“Yes this should raise a lot of needed galleons for the University. Back to my office, though…I found somebody’s knickers on the floor under my desk. Know anything about that Malfoys?” Harry addressed both Draco and Hermione. Draco smirked while Hermione stood frozen,mortified. “Here ya go. Next time you should probably remember your knickers,” Harry winked and tossed Hermione’s knickers in the air. Draco caught them and shoved them in his pocket. Embarrassed, but with an agenda, Hermione whispered in Harry’s ear. He looked at her and then agreed to do what it was she asked.

“We better hurry to the Quidditch pitch, the game is about to start! I can’t believe I lost track of the time! See ya there “Mione,” Ginny said yanking Harry by the arm as Harry waved goodbye.

“What does she mean, see ya there? We aren’t playing quidditch.”

“Yes we are. I signed us up,” Draco said pulling Hermione towards the quidditch stadium.

“Draco, I don’t play quidditch.”

“What better time to learn!” He pulled her harder now and when Hermione protested yet again, he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. She finally relented, but told him that she would make them lose. Draco didn’t seem to care though.

They all put on their team colors, Draco and Hermione wearing green, while Harry and Ginny wore red. Draco called his broom and then got on it.

“Well come on. Get on!”

“Draco, I can’t fly. The only time I ever flew was with you, and we were occupied doing other things. Do you recall?”

“Look, you’ve watched quidditch enough. You know the rules of the game pretty much. I’ll fly and you score the goals with the quaffle. Easy as a warm glass of butterbeer.”

“When I drink butterbeer, I don’t have several other students on broomsticks trying to knock me on my arse, nor do I have wild bludgers careening through the air intent on smashing my head.” Draco rubbed the back of head at this and Hermione cringed, and apologized for bringing it up.

“Just do what I say, and it’ll be fun. You will see,” Draco said as if it was all so easy.

“If I’m passing the quaffle, then how will I hold on so I don’t fall?” Hermione said with her arms folded.

“I’ll hold onto you. Deal?” Hermione got onto the broom shaking her head. Draco took them up as they waited for the match to begin.

“Oh, and we aren’t going to be passing the quaffle. If you get it, hold onto it as long as you can and I’ll put us in front of the goal.” Hermione turned her head around to look at him.

“What? I don’t like to share. I’ll tell you if you should pass it. With all these big girls on broomsticks though I don’t think this game is going to get very rough.”

“Draco! That’s not very nice.”

“Never said I was nice.” They looked around at their competition. There were two teams and couples on brooms hovering in the air. Oliver Wood was playing Keeper with his girlfriend Parvati Patil, while Blaise and Pansy Parkinson played Keeper on Hermione and Draco’s team. Harry and Ginny were playing Seeker and Ron and Katie Bell were one of the opposing Chaser teams in red. Madame Hooch had come over from the new Hogwarts to officiate the game. The stands were packed, with cheering students and their families. It was a good showing with all the seats in the stadium nearly filled to capacity.

“Draco, I don’t think I can do this. I’m so nervous,” Hermione said as Madame Hooch released the quaffle and the match began.

“Ron and Draco’s eyes locked onto each other and Draco swooped on his broom intent on getting the quaffle before Ron and Katie did. Hermione was holding on for dear life, her eyes wide and her hands shaking. Draco successfully put Hermione right in front of the quaffle, beating Ron to the ball. He yelled for Hermione to reach for it but she stalled, and in that moment, Ron knocked Katie in the head on accident, but found the quaffle,snatching it out of Hermione’s clutches.

“I’m sorry Draco. I told you I wasn’t any good at this.”

“Don’t say sorry. We’ll get it back. You may want to lean right. Now!” Hermione did as he said and leaned to the right. Draco had pulled up on Ron and Katie and had rammed their broom hard, punching Ron in the arm that held the quaffle. The ball was knocked loose and Ron and Katie went spiraling off course. Draco could have reached for the quaffle but he wanted Hermione to get it, so he waited patiently for her to grab it, spinning their broom at the last second to avoid Cho Chang, who had come out of retirement for this game only with the her pretty boyfriend, and was making a play for the quaffle themselves. Hermione got it and squealed in delight as Draco set a course for the goal posts, weaving in and out of the other chasers and beaters who were smacking bludgers at them. This time Draco moved out of the way of the bludgers and suddenly Hermione found herself staring down Oliver Wood, who was defending the goals with Parvati.

“Go on then, try and get it in,” Draco said from behind her. Hermione threw the ball as hard as she could, which wasn’t very hard, and Wood spun on his broom, doing one of his fancy moves and knocking the quaffle away. Draco saw it and shot up in the air catching it in his fingertips just as Ron and Katie smashed into them. He handed the quaffle to Hermione and then proceeded to get into a punching war with Ron who was throwing blow after blow at Draco. Draco flew away finally, darting back towards the goal and this time Wood wasn’t expecting them as Parvati was complainging about breaking a nail in his ear. Hermione threw the ball, but it wasn’t going to make it, so Draco sped up and Hermione tipped it through the goal posts. Half of the crowd cheered while the other taunted Wood. Wood laughed it off and told Hermione what a good job she had done.

“How did that feel Malfoy?” Draco asked her as he gave her a congratulatory peck on the cheek.

“Glorious!” Hermione was beaming and getting into the game after scoring that goal. “I never thought I would ever play quidditch! This is so much fun.”

“Do you want to quit? We can if you want to,” Draco asked.

“Are you joking? Hell no! This is too much fun.” Draco smiled and darted through the pack again.

Blaise and Pansy were shitfaced. They were making out on Blaise’s broom for the whole crowd to see. Millicent was sitting in the stands stroking her cat without a care in the world it seemed, but her father was glowering at his son-in-law making an arse of himself and tarnishing the family name. Blaise and Pansy had let three goals go by them, one of which was scored by Ron and Katie.

“That’s disgusting. There are children here!” Draco saw it too but didn’t comment. He just chased down Flint and a strange goth looking slytherin girl, whose father was supposedly a vampire, and asked him to aim the bludgers their way. Draco laughed when the bludger hit Blaise and Pansy’s broom sending them plummeting to the ground. They were so drunk though, they didn’t seem to notice as they writhed on the ground laughing and carrying on.

“Draco, I think I’m done now. Let’s go do something fun! I have a surprise for you in a while after the Mnister’s speech.” Draco landed the broom by the lake once again and they dismounted. Hermione’s fingers traced their way up his neck, finally locking her hands behind his neck. “Thank you for making me play. That was thrilling, making that goal and its thanks to you and your patience with me.”

“Are you kidding? I was thinking ‘Dear gods let her make it this time. She is weighing the broom down with her fat arse.’”

“Draco!” Hermione reached between his legs and grabbed his nuts in her hands through his pants.

“Kidding! You did really well and it was my pleasure. I loved being your partner.”

“Honest?”

“Yes. Now, what’s this surprise?”

“After the game! Where did that patience go?”

“I just don’t like waiting for surprises.”

They sat down next to the lake and before long Draco’s fingers were roaming Hermione’s body. The sky had become dark and the moon was low, casting a serendipitous aura around the two young lovers.

“The stars are so pretty tonight. It’s such a perfect night. Still…I can’t help thinking how Lavender and the other girls families are feeling right now. We need that blasted polyjuice potion to be done already.”

“Let’s forget about the case for tonight. I want to buy you one of those,” Draco said gazing up at the twinkling night sky.

“You want to buy me what?” Hermione asked rolling over and nestling her head into his neck and kissing his chin lightly as he wrapped his arms around in a comforting bear hug.

“That star right there,” Draco pointed.

“The bright one, just there?”

“No. That star is too bight. Everyone appreciates that one. I meant the star next to it, with the blue aura around it. It’s dimmer the flashy bright star, but when you stare at it,it twinkles like diamonds. Reminds me of you.”

“Draco Malfoy! I never knew you had it in you,” Hermione said rolling over on top of him as they lay in the grass by the lake.

“What do you mean? Careful what you say here, or I may have to spank you, very hard.”

“You wouldn’t! Never mind, I know you would,” Hermione laughed. “I just never knew you could be so romantic.”

“I am the king of romance. I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You’re right. The ropes and cuffs you seduced me with were quite romantic.”

“You liked it. Bet none of your other boyfriends would have it in them.”

“I am sure you are right on that account,” Hermione kissed him passionately, Draco’s hands caressing her face and hair.

“I love you,” Hermione whispered.

“Mmm, love you too now shush woman. I am trying to have my way with you.”

“Mmm. Of course we can’t do that right now. It’s time for us to change into our costumes.”

“What!?No. No way.”

It seemed that Hermione was the one to have her way that night as Draco reluctantly put on the ridiculous costume Hermione handed to him.

“You are master of ceremonies, you have to wear it Draco. Come on, it looks hot on you.”

“Well maybe so, but its not to the credit of this bloody suit. I look like that guy in that game you made me play when I was recovering.”

“You do not look like the Monopoly guy,” Hermione had introduced Draco to the game of Monopoly, a muggle game, during his recovery. He kicked her arse and seemed to really enjoy the game, which wasn’t surprising considering his families financial status. Draco had bought up all the most expensive properties and then built hotels on all of them. When Hermione ran out of money and found herself unable to pay rent, he started allowing her to pay with her clothes instead, until those were gone too. “Well maybe you do, just a little. I don’t look any better though! I look like a tramp.”

“Least its red. I like that look on you for one night.”

Draco was wearing a black top hat with white ruffled shirt and bowtie, a black pair of trousers and a bright red jacket in tails. He made mock puking noises when he had tried it on. Hermione was wearing a strapless, sequined bodysuit, her legs entirely exposed but covered with red fishnet stockings. In her hair she had a matching red feather, her hair piled up on her head and a pair of leather stilettos. Ginny would be wearing much the same outfit, but in black, and Harry was also wearing tails, though his outfit was not quite as flashy as Draco’s. Draco whined that Harry got to the wear black suit with top hat.

The quidditch game had ended, and judging by Ginny and Harry’s loud catcalls, they had won. Hermione made a pouty face when she learned that their team lost.

“Ginny caught the snitch that ended the game. We won!” Harry said. Hermione wished them congrats while Draco continued to moan about the hideous suit. Soon Harry and Ginny were dressed as they all hit the buffet table and had some refreshments.

The Minister was tapping on a microphone making sure it worked before his big speech. The crowds had congregated by the stage, talking amongst themselves, laughing and enjoying the festivities. Everyone just wanted to explore the large tent and have fun at the carnival, but the Minister would have nothing of it, until his reelection speech had been made. With the election only a month away, he was eager to speak before his constituents. Hermione was enjoying a refreshing glass of sparkling white wine that Draco had given her, when a woman she knew from the Ministry tapped her on the shoulder.

“Travesty isn’t it? I thought about hexing him, but then my situation would be even worse. Like it or not, this is what we have to look forward to.”

“What are you talking about?” Hermione said to the acquaintance.

“The Minister fired me today. Said because I am married that I should stay home and raise a family. He fired all of the women who were married. The ones who aren’t married and working at the Ministry have been encouraged to date more and find a husband. Soon enough it will be nothing but dick working there.”

Hermione was livid. She looked at Draco and asked him what he thought about it. The look on her face scared Draco.

“Hey, I didn’t do it! Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I speak for all men but I think that’s absurd. It’s not surprising though. After Shacklebolt stepped down to pursue other interests, the whole Ministry went to shite. I think he’s a poof too. Must have something against women.,” Draco said and the two ladies faces eased.

“And something against war veterans and youth in general. I’ll bet he fired all the young women first.”
“We have to do something about this Draco!” Hermione chugged her wine down and then they all looked up to see Harry Potter at the microphone. The crowd quieted as Harry began to speak.

“Is everyone having a good time tonight?” The crowd cheered. “Welcome to A Night of Quidditch at the Big Top. I trust all enjoyed the game.” The crowd once again, either cheered or jeered, depending upon which team they were rooting for to win. “A special thanks to Hermione Granger Malfoy and Ginny Weasley for putting this whole thing together. I also want to thank out Master of Ceremonies Mr. Draco Malfoy. If you all could come stand with me on the stage.” Draco escorted Hermione to the stage and they were joined by a bubbly and peppy Ginny. “I have a brief announcement to make and then I will turn the floor over to our esteemed Minister of Magic.” Harry looked at the sour face of the Minister and he could tell the Minister was not happy about waiting for his turn at the microphone. “It’s come to my attention that with all this hoopla surrounding the mixed marriage of Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Malfoy that the Daily Prophet’s story about the event, may not be one hundred percent accurate.” The crowd ooohed and ahhhed. “Yeah I know. Big surprise right?” Harry turned to Hermione and Draco and laughed while Draco stood with his arm around Hermione. “There was another couple, over thirty years ago that were from Slytherin House and Gryffindor House. They were believed to be dead, something they had to lie to the Wizarding world about, in order to spare their lives,as Voldemort’s hate continued to reign.” Someone shouted, “not anymore thanks to you Potter,” from the crowd and Harry quieted them down, being the humble host.

“Can I have Matilda and Ernest up on the stage? I have received many complaints from the students here at DPU about the Professor of Mixed Marriages. Apparently he’s been teaching students that women should be subservient to their men? Also saying that young war veterans that cannot marry and check their behavior at the door in his class, should all receive a sentence to Azkaban. Scary words during a time when the Wizarding community is trying to pull together and move on from the blood wars and the senseless murders that we all were forced to live with. I wonder where he got those ideas?” Harry glanced at the Minister and the Minister shot him a dirty look. “But getting back to my original announcement. It would be my honor to offer the esteemed positions of Professor’s of Mixed House Marriages class to Ernest and Matilda. If you could please join in honoring them and I will hope that they accept my offer. If anyone can teach us a thing or two about how to have a successful mixed house marriage it’s these two! I would also like to congratulate them on their big news that they have been reunited with their long lost son. My congratulations to you both.” Harry began to clap as Draco squeezed Hermione tightly against him, their faces smiling as the crowd clapped wildly for Ernest and Matilda.

Matilda looked like she was going to faint as she heard Harry’s offer. Both Ernest and Matilda accepted their applause graciously and then shook hands with Harry Potter, accepting the job.

“So that’s what the whispers to Potter were. Here I was thinking it was about my surprise,” Draco whispered in Hermione’s ear before kissing her softly on the cheek. “Not bad Granger. You got the press off our backs too. Good job, yet again.”

“Malfoy. You called me Granger. I’m Malfoy,” Hermione said leaning into Draco and wrapping an arm around his waist.

“My mistake,Malfoy.”

When the applause died down the Minister finally stepped up to the microphone. He spoke of the need to get back to the foundations of the Wizarding society. He spoke of women acting like proper young ladies. He then even used Hermione and Draco as a bad example, although he never revealed their names. He mentioned that he had caught two of his Ministry employees doing something vile and despicable on their desk. He described the disgusting scene of finding a female employee having risky sex on her desk amidst a mess of important Ministry documents. Draco was getting pissed listening to the dinosaur of a politician. It wasn’t until the Minister shook his hand and welcomed Draco to the sole prosecutor position and then fired Hermione on the spot, that Draco finally had had enough. The crowd was booing the Minister and his face was once again turning purple as he now shouted at the crowd that jeered him. Finally, Harry took the mic from him, as he attempted to calm the crowd down. Hermione was crying at being fired for no other reason then she was a woman, while her husband was given the job that she so desperately loved. That is when Draco stepped up the mic. He hadn’t planned this, it just happened and their lives would never be the same again.

“I don’t know who elected this pompous prick to office. It certainly wasn’t me. I want to talk to all the women out here tonight who lost their jobs today. Raise your hand if you were fired from the Ministry today?” A third of the crowd raised their hands. Draco waved for them to lower their hands before speaking again.

“My wife Mrs. Hermione Malfoy,” he motioned to Hermione,” was just fired as head Prosecutor from the Ministry. This is a woman, who helped bring down Voldemort. It’s people, like Miss Granger Malfoy, that we all owe our very existence to. If she and people like her, had not faced down our foes, then who knows where we would be right now. Dead? Working for Voldemort? In my case that would be true. This fat fucking fatcat has no right to fire my wife from a job she excelled at. A job she cared about, a job she deserved and a job she worked hard to get. He gave it to me. Yes, he gave me her job for the only reason that I have a penis. This is what this Minister of ours wants to do to our society. He locked all of the war veterans away in this University as if they are something to be ashamed of. These are people that fought, right here, on these very grounds, at this very school, to defeat the Dark Lord. These people are your brothers,” Ginny lowered her head at hearing this,reflecting on Fred.. “Your sisters, your mother and fathers, your neighbors. Do you really want to reelect a man who would treat them as common criminals? We should honor them, not force them away so nobody has to look at them. Are they hurt? Yes! All of us were. I was branded against my will and then told that if I didn’t do Voldemort’s bidding then he would kill my entire family. Every one of you listening to me right now have your own similar story. “Draco looked around and people were nodding and agreeing with him. Some were shouting and cheering him on. Hermione looked at him when he turned and gulped and she smiled and waved him on. He turned back to the microphone and that’s when it happened.

“Let’s not let this out of touch, arsehole, run the highest office in the land. Let’s elect somebody that understands the plights of the war veterans. Someone that can help them get their lives back, give them the tools they need to strive and to survive. We need change!” Draco looked around at everyone’s hands in the air as they cheered wildly. Mother and fathers, grandparents and children. Students and Professor’s all clapped and cheered him on. Someone at the front of the crowd yelled out.

“You should be the one! You lead us.You run for Minister!” Draco wave his hand, signaling no, a preposterous thought,and started to back away from the mic, when Harry Potter stepped up to the mic, yanking it away from the purple puffy Minister who was attempting to take the mic back.

“I second that! What do you all say? Draco Malfoy, next Minister of Magic?” Harry said and the crowd cheered. Draco stood there in shock. He was just defending Hermione. He never intended this to happen. Hermione had tears of joy streaming down her face as she applauded her husband. She held his hand and spoke.

“That was the best speech I’ve ever heard! They love you. I love you.”

“They must all be drunk,” Draco said waving to the crowd that was chanting his name in unison now.

“They aren’t drunk Malfoy. That was really good! You are a natural at this. I think you would be a great Minister,” Hermione threw her arms his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. The Minister of Magic waddled over to Draco and Hermione now. He grabbed Draco and spun him around.

“You have until noon tomorrow, to solve the murder case. I will see you at noon in court.”

Hermione was shocked. They needed more time. There was no way they were going to solve the case by then and have enough time to go over the case. She needed time to prepare Draco for prosecuting the killer. Hell, they hadn’t even caught he killer yet!

“We need more time. Even if we had the killer, there is no way Draco could prepare the case in that short of time. You have to give us more time!”

“You are out of time!” The Minister yelled, wagging his pudgy purple finger in their faces. “No murderer, then Draco Malfoy will be found guilty and sentenced to life in Azkaban! Teach you to steal my limelight! I made you famous, the both of you! You owe me!”

“Fuck off, you oversized baboon,” Draco said leading Hermione away from his attack.

“Draco what are we going to do? We don’t have a killer and he was serious about locking you away.”

“I don’t know. We will figure out something.” Draco said it, but in his heart he knew there just wasn’t enough time. He was going to fry for the murders if they didn’t catch the killer in the next few hours.

“That Carnival is now in full swing! Have a wonderful time and please donate whatever you can spare.” Harry finally said over the mic as crowds of people hurried into the tent.

“We can do it. Together we can do it,” Harry said with Ginny on his arm. “We will find the killer. I don’t know how we will, but we will! You are going to be our next Minister if it’s the last thing I do. Great speech by the way,” Harry said shaking hands with Draco as Rita Skeeter’s quill scrawled a mile a minute on a floating piece of parchment. Draco shaking hands with Potter would be front page news.

Review!?

Getting down to it. Next chapter will be a great chapter! Lots planned. Two more chapters to go! Tell me what you think?