AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This was my submission for the 2012 DRAMIONE REMIX COUPLES FEST (dramione-remix . livejournal . com). Here was the prompt I worked from:

Original Couple/Prompt: Prime Minister David & Natalie from "Love Actually"

To Unseenlibrarian: Thank you once more for helping to beta this piece! I am so thankful to have you as a friend!

Thank you to the Dramione Couples Remix Mods for agreeing to run a 2nd Remix! This has been fun this time around, too!

DISCLAIMER:"Harry Potter" is the property of J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Arthur A. Levine Books (US), and Warner Bros. "Love Actually" is the property of Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Working Title Films, and DNA Films. This fanfic was written entirely for fun, not for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended.

TIMELINE: Post-war, Epilogue? What Epilogue? (2012)

CHARACTERS FEATURED (alphabetical order, last name): Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Blaise Zabini

SUMMARY:As Minister of Magic, Draco Malfoy has determined that he needs a trophy wife – someone of a solid reputation and a conservative balance - to give him respectability during his re-election campaign. Lucky for him, after a baker's dozen years of burning her candle at both ends, Hermione Granger has left her well-established job as the key aide to the Supreme Mugwump of the I.C.W. in Switzerland to settle for a nice, quiet job within the M.L.E. in Britain as a law librarian. With her stellar reputation, if Granger becomes his go-to girl, Draco can rally in enough votes to win. She, however, has her own agenda... starting with revamping the archaic gender-discriminatory laws in England!

EXTRA: I.C.W. = International Confederation of Wizards. M.L.E. = Magical Law Enforcement.

RATING/WARNINGS: PG-13/T (Mild profanity, Character bashing (Ron, Astoria)

**IMAGES for this fanfic can be found by going here (remove all spaces from the URL to make it load properly): http:/ / s905 . photobucket . com / albums / ac260 / RZZMG / One%20Obvious /

ONE OBVIOUS, TINY, LITTLE BABY HICCUP

BY RZZMG

February, 2012

Draco nursed his Firewhisky with an eye for caution. After all, it wouldn't do for the Minister of Magic to be caught sauced before noon on a Monday in his office, especially when he was getting absolutely no work done during that time. The negative press alone from such a scandal would give his despised political rival, that fat bastard, Rattlebag, even more fodder to use against at him.

Honestly, the last thing Draco needed to worry about right then was another dip in his popularity. The election for his post might not be until September, but at only seven and a half months out, he was down by thirteen points in the polls, according to Blaise. That didn't bode well for him keeping his job.

"So, I have an idea," his Vice-Minister stated, standing up and heading to the alcohol caddy to refill his glass.

Given their long, well-celebrated friendship together, Draco knew that any time Zabini started a sentence with those infamous words, eventually he would end up suffering a migraine headache. He also knew that the idea would be brilliant and save his arse, so for that reason, he dared to ask, "Oh?"

Blaise finished pouring a new topper of Firewhisky for himself, took a big gulp, and then turned to grin at him. "You can turn this dismal re-election campaign of yours right around by pandering to the Conservatives a bit and getting married to a proper witch."

A slight pounding began behind Draco's left eye as his blood pressure shot up ten notches. "Is that so?"

Zabini raised his glass to him in toast and declared in an imperious tone, "Yes, that is so." He took another big swig.

Pinching the bridge of his nose didn't seem to alleviate the growing pain between Draco's eyes. He was going to have to take one of those foul-tasting potions again. "Right, so you've been talking to my parents' portrait again, haven't you?"

It was so obvious that he didn't even need to look up to know Blaise was cheerfully nodding. "Of course. Lucius has been an invaluable resource at the game we play, and your mother knows you better than you know yourself."

Draco snorted. "I'm sure. My father could run circles around us both… if he had the legs to do it." He chuckled at his own twisted joke.

From behind him, on the far wall, he heard a polite but loud clearing of the throat. "Pardon us, but did we interrupt?"

Glancing over his shoulder at Lucius' moving picture, Draco raised his glass to the living homage of his dead father. Obviously, the man had come all the way over from his matching frame at Malfoy Manor and waited, silently, for just this moment to interject his two Knuts. "You always interrupt, Father. I'll forgive you one more time, though."

One golden eyebrow arched and his patriarch stared down his nose at him as only Lucius Malfoy could do. "Indeed." His gaze narrowed in on the glass in his son's hand. "Drinking to commemorate your impending engagement, I presume?"

He grimaced. "Not precisely…"

"I was just letting him in on the plan," Blaise interjected, walking over and slapping a friendly hand onto Draco's shoulder. "Our boy here doesn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea, though."

"Oh, but Draco," his meddling mother scolded, stepping into the portrait from the left, "you know you must marry and soon. You're not getting any younger, and the choicest of selections have already been taken. As it is, you're left with the dregs." She made a face. "Such as that Greengrass cow."

"Astoria's not that bad," Draco protested, but realized the lie even as it passed his lips. Yes, his on again-off again girlfriend for the past decade really was thatbad – maybe even worse. She was a flagrant cheater (hence the reason they were off-again so often), had less sense than the bovine she'd been compared to, and enjoyed spending vast amounts of his money on frivolous things with entirely too much glee for his tastes.

"She's not that great either," Narcissa pointed out. "Even that Parkinson girl had more sense in her head. Why don't you marry her?"

"Sorry, Mrs. M, but Pansy's spoken for," Blaise explained. "She married that Krum fellow two years ago. They're so happy in love it's enough to make a fellow want to vomit."

Draco wisely said nothing, knowing how sensitive his best friend was to mentions of the loss of the only woman he'd ever loved. Yeah, he had only himself to blame – the 'Italian Stallion' had a need to sample everything on two legs to the point where it was almost an addiction – but that didn't mean he needed such a fact rubbed in.

"Oh, well, that's too bad," his mother stated, not having any knowledge of that nasty rumour, since she'd been dead going on four years now. "Still, Draco, you may have missed out on the cream of the crop by waiting so long, but there must be one or two witches about worth your notice. If one of them can enhance your political reputation, you should definitely pursue."

"I agree with your mother," Lucius chimed in. "You must find a match worthy of the Malfoy inheritance, and whose reputation is untarnished by public scandal. Glamour charms, comportment coaches, and fashion consultants can improve any negative physical issues, such as poor features, bad posture, and wardrobe disasters, so try not to get too bogged down with how unpleasing she may appear to the eye at first glance, my son. The most important detail you need to focus on is that she mustbe intelligent and wise - a necessary combination. Otherwise, she can't be taught proper social conduct and manners and each time she opens her mouth, you'll look the fool."

Draco sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't be enough for you if she were simply a generous person with a good heart who cares for me?"

His father quirked the same eyebrow as before, looking at him as if he'd made a joke in poor taste. His mother mirrored the expression.

"No, of course not," he drolly replied, rolling his eyes.

Hard pressed to come up with a suitable selection from the women he knew, Draco felt as if this might be the one Zabini scheme that was doomed to failure.

If only the man could provide him with a good alternative to Astoria! If not, he'd have to saddle himself with the dull female – a prospect he was not looking forward to, since the woman lacked compassion, wasn't his intellectual match, had overly-expensive tastes, and wasn't that good in bed, honestly. In a nutshell, he was loath to even consider her for the position of 'wife,' because Malfoys didn't divorce. Unlike his father, he did not intend to cheat on the woman he married, either.

Yet, the idea of being chained to Tori for the rest of his life made him fairly queasy.

He'd do it if he had to, though. If there was no other choice…

At thirty-one years of age he had finally come to understand his father's lust for power. From his current seat, he could literally change the world on his whim, both Muggle and wizarding alike. One word, one handshake and he made policy that had legal ramifications for thousands – and not just human, but Goblin, House-elf, Centaur, et cetera.

But first he had to convince the voters that he deserved The Chair. His behaviour during the war was still regularly called into question by the press; he was the incumbent only because his predecessor, who had been his running mate, had died in a freak Splinching accident after being in office for only a year. Added to this was the fact that, since becoming Minister, his policies hadn't set well with the more staunchly conservative purebloods who continued to espouse antiquated values. All in all, Draco was facing a steep uphill battle to remain in power.

Thankfully, appointing Blaise as his Vice-Minister had gone a long way to keep Draco popular with the younger crowd, as the man's charisma was off the charts. The man knew just what to say and do to win over the under-forty vote. He'd also helped smooth over many of the disagreements that Draco had had over the last several years with visiting dignitaries, having learned a lesson or two in diplomacy from his web-spinning, black-hearted mother.

Still, he knew Blaise was right; their efforts thus far had not been enough to cajole enough of the voters to their ticket. Draco needed to do something big – something that would show he was grounded enough for the older generations to trust, and yet still romantic enough for the younger generations to coo over. Marriage to the right woman, done in the right way, could appease both groups. It might be just enough to tip the scales in his favour.

Still, Draco refused to go quietly into that dark night.

"I've got a better idea: why don't youmarry?" he asked, pointing at his best friend. "We can showboat your whirlwind romance and fast nuptials through all the gossip rags, and I can be the staid, loyal best man who shines at your side."

Blaise openly balked. "Me, marry? Blasphemy! Go rinse your mouth out!" He sauntered over and sat in the chair across from Draco, lounging back like the slacker he was. "Besides, last I checked it wasn't me named 'Most Eligible Bachelor' by Witch Weekly. It's you the ladies all sigh over. You're the respectable one in this relationship."

Draco turned to his mother and father, giving them a mocking smile. "I love that word, 'relationship.' Covers all manner of sins, doesn't it?" He sighed. "Do I really have to do this?"

His father and mother both nodded. "Yes, you do," they said at the same time.

He turned to Zabini. He was nodding as well.

"Yes, you do," he concurred.

Draco let out a resigned, deep breath and stared down at his empty glass. "I'm going to need a lot more alcohol."

His best friend leaned forward in his chair and slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, mate. I'll find you a woman worth your salt."

Somehow, Draco doubted any woman who still remained single would fit the bill.

TO BE CONTINUED…

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Please review!

This is only Chapter 1 of a multi-part story here. The story was presented as finished with a cliffie during the festival, but I'm going to finish it here for you all. I will also put it up a chapter every 4-5 days to give you time to read and review each chapter.