You Raise Me Up

Hermione gives the Minister a nice earful!

Also: Action-y chappie!!
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“Minister! I have a bone to pick with you about anti-werewolf laws!”

Kingsley gave a deep chuckle, and shook his head. “You always did know how to get straight to the point, Hermione.”

Hermione’s chin tilted up slightly, and she grinned. “That’s what makes me so efficient!” she said, and Percy gave a weak smile.

“Look, Hermione…I’ve had quite a number of people congratulate me on the tightening of those laws. During the war the werewolves were crucial to You-Know-Who. Their strength and agility were unmatched. It took seven Aurors just to stun Greyback, and he still got away in the end…” Percy said softly, locking his eyes with Hermione’s. “They can’t be trusted.”

“What about the good ones, though?” she asked.

“There aren’t very many…”

“But what about the ones that exist, eh? What about Remus Lupin?” she asked. Kingsley paid a bit more attention to their conversation at the mention of the Order member’s name.

“He’s still alive?” the Auror asked gently.

“Yes. Bella and I just had lunch with him.” Hermione said, smiling. “He looks like crap.”

Kingsley actually stopped walking. “Bella? As in Bellatrix Lestrange? Hermione, are you daft? I knew she was with the Malfoys…but I had no idea she was pulling such a brilliant witch into her web of deception…” he said, giving Hermione a reprimanding stare.

“She’s good now, Kingsley. I promise. And it’s not Lestrange, anymore. She’s going by Black…at least until she marries Severus.” She said, adding the last bit as an afterthought. Percy laughed aloud, although it sounded rather mirthless.

“Merlin’s most baggy Y-fronts!” he said, and shook his head. “That old dungeon bat is going to get married before me?! What has it come to that I’m still quite single, and he’s off getting more nooky than I?” he asked, more to himself than his companions. Hermione snorted.

“Don’t make me have nightmares by mentioning it. Besides…you’re young yet, Percy.” She nudged gently.

“I know, and I’m getting quite a bit of heat for it. Youngest Minister ever put into Office… There are secretaries older than me!” he whined. Kingsley patted the sulking Minister on the shoulder.

“But they can’t straighten the English Ministry of Magic out in the matter of a few months. It’s taken years for some of the best to even attempt to do what you’ve managed thus far. You have been, are, and will be a great Minister. Women will come later. You should never underestimate the power of your own charms.” Kingsley said. Hermione snorted.

“You’re just saying that because you’re a huge hunk of man-meat that most women just want to dip in sauce and devour whole. You’re unofficial fan-made motto is: ‘I guess I can kiss heaven goodbye, because it’s got to be a sin to look this good!’” she said, unaware that her companions were fighting back laughter as she ranted. “Do you have any idea what it was like to be a girl in seventh-year Gryffindor? You were more than once the topic during a late-night raid of the kitchens. Always when the elves made chocolate cake, though. I could never see the connection…” she said naïvely. The two couldn’t hold it back anymore, and burst into deep barks of laughter.

“Hermione…do remember your company…” Percy teased. Hermione’s face flamed red when she realized what she had been saying, and in front of whom she had said it.

Hermione’s heated face turned downward, and she tried to ignore her chuckling comrades. A few moments later, her embarrassment turned to anger as they laughed.

“Why don’t you both just stuff it…” she said, not in the least bit convincing. Trying to change the subject, she quickly added: “So, Percy…any idea why they’re trying to off you?” she asked, her voice low. That shut the men up.

“Not really. There’s always people who want to make the Minister disappear. No man can please everyone. But most of this started happening after we arrested those members of the Forsaken. I started receiving letters, strange threats. It wasn’t until yesterday that anything was attempted. I was just walking back to my office and boom!, there he was. Had Auror Shacklebolt here not been coming to speak business with me, I fear I may have gotten off with far worse than a cut down my arm…” he said. Kingsley cleared his throat.

“Perhaps it is not good to speak of this in public?” he said softly. Hermione nodded.

“Sorry.” She said.

“It’s quite all-” Kingsley began, but was interrupted by something thudding into the brick of the building beside him, only a few inches from his face. He turned his head, and saw what appeared to be an arrow, made of bright blue magic, quivering in the wall.

The towering Auror raised his wand to cast a Shielding Spell, but when his wrist flicked back another arrow zipped through the air, and pinned his wand arm to the brick wall. In his shock and pain he dropped his wand.

Upon seeing the large Auror injured, the crowd around them went wild. It was then that the magical blue arrows began to fall steadily. Percy drew Hermione close to keep her from being trampled. People screamed as the arrows struck them. A few fell with fatal injuries.

“Hermione, Minister! Call the Aurors! Use your w-” Shacklebolt tried to warn them, but an arrow to the throat silenced him forever.

Hermione backed against a wall, and drew her wand. She couldn’t figure out which way the arrows were coming, so she had no idea where to cast a Shielding Spell. She thrust her wand into the air, and sent up the red distress signal that would call the Aurors. As she lowered her wand, one of the arrows struck just beside her head, pinning her to the wall by her hair. She shrieked in terror, and automatically shielded her pregnant belly with her arms. Percy looked up, and saw two of the arrows heading right for her. He shielded her body with his, and she felt two mighty jolts from him as the arrows pierced the back of his shoulder. A slow burning in her own right shoulder let her know that one of the arrows had gone right through both of them, and now they were pinned to the wall together. The other arrow had pinned Percy’s other shoulder to the wall.

“Minister! You’re the target!” Hermione moaned, trying to ignore the terrible pain in her shoulder.

“Terrific!” he said, and gave a strangled sob when he tried to pull away from the wall.

“They’re trying to kill you! They’ve hit you, and you’re a sitting duck! Go limp! Let them think they’ve got you!” she cried into his ear. He was stiff for a moment, but then went limp against her. He bit back another cry as his body weight pulled at the arrows. His arms slumped against his sides, no longer holding on to Hermione, and his legs seemed to wilt beneath him. To the unsuspecting eye, he looked quite dead. The only one who knew he wasn’t was Hermione, and that was only because his face was pressed against her neck, and she could feel his breath.

Sure enough, the arrows stopped thudding into the building and the people around them. They heard a strange cheer high above them, and then the ‘pop’s of Aurors and Mediwizards arriving on the scene. Percy staid limp against her as the Aurors pursued the snipers. A few flashes of color around them alerted them that there was still dueling going on.

A few Aurors fell, but in return they were able to catch all but a few of the wizards who had fired the arrows.

~~

It seemed like hours (when in truth it was but a few minutes) before any medical official got anywhere near them. Hermione’s shoulder was throbbing, and she was sure Percy’s were as well. A few short words ever so often let her know that Percy was both alive and conscious, which was a good thing.

They heard the sharp intake of breath behind them, and somebody curse.

“Damn. That’s the worse one yet. Looks like he was protecting someone. Any ideas who it…oh shite…that’s…” and Percy felt fingers on his neck, checking his pulse. “Great bearded Merlin, he’s alive!” the Healer cried. Hermione heard boots clunk against the sidewalk, and felt hands pulling at Percy, who in turn gave gargled protests. The Healers had to lift the two off of the arrows, which hurt like a burning bitch. She felt very sorry for Percy, who had to be plucked off of two arrows.

One of the healers held a small vial near her lips. “Drink this, dearie, and then we’ll get you to St Mungos to heal you up nicely.” He said gently. She drank the sweet liquid, and immediately felt calm, and quite mercifully numb. She felt sleepy…oh so sleepy. Her vision slid out of focus, and darkness crept along her line of sight, until it swallowed her completely.

The last thing she heard was Percy screeching a curse at the poor Mediwizard that moved him wrong. She gave a completely sleepy laugh.

“Prat…”
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Oh my...the carnage...the destruction....rest assured that I have everything under control.

It is nearing completion, and I am enjoying every moment of keeping you all entertained. It is very wonderful indeed to hear your feedback, and I look forward to more!

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A/N: I have corrected my mistake. It was ST MUNGOS, not Azkaban...I was just extremely tired...