Hi everyone. Here we are, chapter 21! And the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald trailer dropped last week, I hope you're all as excited as I am! I just want to say that I am also deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Stephen Hawking as he was a hero of mine and someone who I greatly admired. I'm also going to be starting a new fix soon, still with Draco and Hermione, so keep your eyes peeled in the next few days. As always, happy reading and comment below. Love as always, .Granger12

July was starting to be a really busy month for Draco and Hermione. The Magical Centre for Children was being opened tomorrow, Hermione felt like she had tried on nearly every wedding dress in London as well as preparing for the World Cup next week and Draco had found that since his speech at Hogwarts last month, his client list had slowly doubled in size. They had barely seen each other since their anniversary dinner with the exception of collaborating at work, they seemed to be taking it in turns arriving home late only to find the other already in a deep sleep. All that Draco and Hermione seemed capable of right now is work, wedding plans and sleep. Tonight however, was a rare occasion that they were both home before seven and even then it wasn't their choice, they both needed to prepare for tomorrow.

"Thanks for your help today." Draco said, lying on the floor still in his work clothes, playing with Lord Wiggles.

"I'm just glad it's all done." Hermione said, tucking herself into bed.

Hermione had spent the day reviewing security measures around the building with Harry. Draco had pointed out that they were the best people for the job due to the good job they did staying hidden when they were seventeen. Hermione had decided that the building would be placed under the Fidelius Charm, with Harry, Draco, Hermione, Minerva McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt all acting as Secret Keepers. Details about the Centre would be included in each child's Hogwarts letter, therefore allowing them access into the grounds. Not only was the Centre going to be equipped with support for children, but also support for muggle parents while their children were away at Hogwarts too.

"There's going to be a lot of people there tomorrow." Hermione stated.

"Yeah, should be a good turn out." Draco replied, using a sock to play tug of war with his dog. "Lots of journalists too so we should get some good coverage. Unfortunately Rita Skeeter is going to be there."

Rita Skeeter. If ever there was a woman Hermione never wished to see again it as that woman. She worked for a gossip column in the Daily Prophet and her unauthorised biographies about Harry, Snape and Dumbledore were all fiction with minimal truths. "If she prints anything negative, I'm exposing her." Hermione said simply.

"Exposing her?" Draco asked, his curiosity peaked.

"She's an unregistered Animagus, remember?" Hermione said.

That was right, how could he forget. He remembered talking to her in his hand throughout the TriWizard Tournament when it was at Hogwarts to spread rumours about Potter. "I'm sure it won't come to that." Draco said.

"Harry's bringing the Dursley's too." Hermione reminded him.

"It's great that he's bringing them along to help them adjust, but I don't want to make an example out of them just because they're Harry Potters relatives." Draco said, putting Lord Wiggles to bed. "They're already going to be written about because they are related to him, no point in adding to their stress. I just don't want to give Rita Skeeter an excuse to write something bad about our Centre."

"I can see your point." She said as he climbed off the floor and into bed. "Are you nervous at all?"

"A little but not really. You're making the speech." He yawned. "I feel like I haven't seen you in over a week."

"You haven't." Hermione said, rolling over to face him. "I think we've spent more time together in your office than at home."

Hermione looked at Draco and saw that he was already asleep, having only managed to take his shoes off and his mouth hanging open. Hermione reached behind her, grabbed her wand and magicked Draco's clothes off so he wouldn't ruin his suit. She was so proud of him and what he had created in the last few months, it really was a wonderful idea and she was surprised that nobody else had come up with it sooner. With one more wave of her wand, Hermione tuned the lights off and quickly fell asleep herself, excited for what tomorrow was going to be.

"Come here you little shit!"

Hermione had just finished getting dressed when she heard Draco curse from downstairs. She was wearing a pale blue wrap around dress that fell to her knees with a v-neckline and capped sleeves paired with white pumps and her hair was up in a high ponytail, something nice and summery on this beautiful sunny day. She walked downstairs to see Draco chasing the dog around the house, trying to get his socks back.

"Wiggles come here!" Draco said exasperatedly as the dog ran under the table.

"That's what you get for teaching him your socks are play things." She laughed as he reached under the table and finally retrieved his socks.

Draco put on his socks and shoes, standing up so Hermione could inspect his outfit. He decided to break away from wearing a suit today, instead, he had on beige trousers, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and the top two buttons undone and a navy waistcoat. Hermione had opted for a summery outfit today, so he thought he had better match her. He wore his new bracelet from Hermione and her Fathers watch on his left arm along with his black engagement ring.

"You look handsome." Hermione told him, collecting her clutch from the table. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be." Draco said, trying to calm his nerves.

They apparated to the site and were instantly in awe. Where a handsome but dark building once stood had been replaced with an equally impressive in size brand new French inspired Manor. It was three stories high and was white and looked inviting. The bottom floor was devoted to offices, the second floor bad a library and activity rooms and the top floor had been built as bedrooms to house kids who had no family. There was also a small area outside where they could experience handling a broomstick. As Hermione had pointed out that as a muggleborn, being presented with a broomstick and being told you can fly on it was a difficult hurdle to jump. The only thing that remained from before were the white peacocks that wandered through the grounds. It looked wonderful with big embossed letters over the door stating the name of the Centre. The interior was decorated in yellows, creams and reds with plenty of rooms for all sorts of activities.

"This looks wonderful!" Hermione said, looking all around.

"I can't believe we did it." Draco said in awe.

They got to work making the final preparations, such as placing white balloons around the entrance, placing a large covered easel next to where he would be speaking and a large red ribbon across the door, when they were joined by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall.

"Well isn't this a sight." McGonagall said, smiling as she surveyed the building.

"It really is astounding." Kingsley said proudly.

Draco stood back and admired his work. This building was going to be something new within the Wizarding community, something that was long overdue and a new connection between them and muggles.

"How many people are coming?" Hermione asked, joining them.

"Last I checked it was close to three hundred." McGonagall told them. "First Year letters have been delivered early, as well as some existing students being invited along, all members of Hogwarts staff shall be here too."

"Well, if all goes according to plan today, we're hoping to build an additional building over there." Draco informed them, pointing over to another empty bit of land. "Which we plan on using as a summer school if kids need that bit of extra help."

"Here they come." Hermione said, indicating to the people walking up the driveway towards them.

Draco and Hermione stood with Kingsley and McGonagall as they greeted people who walked up. They all shared the same expression of excitement and bewilderment, this was a new world they were discovering and Draco hoped that what he and Hermione were doing would benefit them in the long run. They greeted their former teachers with friendly smiles and their staff with handshakes, and a small laugh at the muggles seeing Hagrid for the first time. Their attention was grabbed by the sounds of James and Teddy running up to meet them.

"Well hello." Hermione said, giving each of them a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Uncle Harry thought we could be friends with Walter." Teddy told them. "But he's really weird."

"How is he weird?" Draco asked, crouching down to talk to the boys.

"He just is." James said like it was common knowledge. "He doesn't say anything."

"Well maybe he's scared." Draco suggested to them.

"Why?" Teddy asked him.

"Well this is all new to him." Draco explained, putting his arms around the two boys. "You two grew up knowing about magic, he didn't. So it's up to you to show him our world."

"Okay Uncle Draco." Teddy said.

They watched as Teddy and James ran back to Walter and began to talk to him and point at various things and people. Draco saw Harry approaching with people he could only guess to be his Aunt and Uncle. His Uncle was still a rather large man with a grey moustache and his Aunt was slim and well-dressed but looked stuck up. They both looked rather upset at having to be there and not surprising given their treatment of the last wizard in their family.

"Draco. Hermione." Harry greeted them once they approached. "This is my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. My cousin Dudley, his wife Beryl and their son Walter."

"Pleasure." Hermione said, forcing a smile.

It didn't escape their notice that as soon as Dudley saw Hagrid, his eyes grew wide and his hand made to cover his backside. It had been nearly 14 years and he still remembered the curly tail Hagrid gave him. The four wizards looked at each other and fringed, trying to supress a laugh.

"Well please feel free to look around." Draco said, motioning to the grounds behind him. "And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us or any of the staff."

Harry rolled his eyes and mouthed kill me as they walked away, his family grumbling about something. Draco smiled and looked around, there were so many people here, and he couldn't believe it. He took Hermione's hand and kissed the top of her head, none of this would be possible without her. Kingsley Shacklebolt shot fireworks out the end of his wand to gather the attention of everyone present.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Boys and girls." He said, addressing the crowd. "My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt, I am the Minister for Magic. It is my pleasure to be standing alongside Draco Malloy, founder of this fine institution, and Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, today. Now please let me introduce the brightest witch of her age, Hermione Granger."

Hermione stood forward, acknowledging the polite round of applause. "Thank you Minister. My name is Hermione Granger and when I was your age, I too discovered that I was a witch." Hermione said, smiling at the crowd. "My parents were dentists, magic was only something we had read about in stories. When we found out that magic was real and that I was a witch, they were shocked but incredibly supportive of who I now was. As I learnt more at Hogwarts the more they struggled to fully understand what my world truly meant to me. However, they did raise me to embrace the witch I was and to always try my best. This Centre that my partner, Draco Malfoy, has created is a safe haven for families of magical children. When it is time to go and buy your first school supplies, a daunting task to everyone, come and see us and we will provide assistance. When your children come home and talk about all the new things they learnt and you're feeling unsure, come and see us. On the first of September when it is time to head through Platform Nine and Three Quarters, we will be there to guide you."

Hermione and Draco walked over to the large easel, stood on either side and unveiled a large moving portrait of Albus Dumbledore who waved to the crowd and smiled at Draco and Hermione.

"This is Albus Dumbledore. He was my teacher, my mentor and my friend." Hermione said, looking at the painting which smiled back at her. "He once told a friend that 'Understanding is the first step to acceptance.' We hope that all parents and guardians will all visit this building as often as you like, with or without your children, so you can help guide them with their education at Hogwarts."

Everyone clapped as Hermione waved her wand and slashed the ribbon, formally opening the building. Hermione looked around at all the excited little faces and felt immense pride at what was taking place, it seemed that the wizarding world would further embrace the muggle world. Deep down, Hermione hoped that this collaboration would reduce any chance of another child being rejected and heading down a dark and dangerous road. Hermione and Draco smiled at people as they made their way over to the Potters and Dursleys'.

"So tell me." Beryl said, addressing Draco. "What was your motivation for building this Centre?"

"There's magical education for children, but often the parents do not receive any support. I thought that needed changing." Draco explained to the group.

"In 1926 a young man in New York bottled-up his magical abilities. He was born into our world but at some point he was taken into the care of a muggle woman who physically and emotionally abused him into supressing his magic." Hermione explained to the woman. "The repression of his magic festered and turned into something dark. Something happened and he lost control, destroying half of the city. We are learning from our mistakes and ensuring that they don't happen again."

"And you think we need the help of your lot?" Harry's Uncle grunted, ignoring what Hermione had just old them.

"Not too sure if you're aware, but 'our lot' were at war seven years ago." Draco said calmly to Harry's Uncle. "At the centre of it was another wizard who received no care and no guidance outside of school and he was tormented for being different in the muggle world. We can't let any child fall through the cracks again. We fought too hard and lost too many for the peace we have today. This Centre is designed to inform muggles of our world, so their children aren't branded as freaks."

Draco could see that he had struck a nerve with the older man. He knew all about his mistreatment of Harry, and although he wasn't making a spectacle of the man, Draco was letting him know that he knew everything. Draco honestly thought it was lucky that nothing serious had happened to Harry's magical abilities whilst under their care.

"And do you have non-magical parents?" Petunia asked, glossing over the awkwardness.

"Uhhh no. I'm actually from one of twenty eight pureblood families who have no non-magical blood in its history." Draco told them.

"And you fought alongside Harry?" Dudley asked.

"If it's all the same, I'd rather not discuss this in front of the kids." Draco said curtly, nodding to the four small boys at their feet.

"Well doesn't this look cozy?" A voice they all dreaded to hear said behind them.

They turned around and saw Rita Skeeter standing there with a Cheshire cat grin on her face and her Quick Quotes Quill poised to take notes. Harry, Draco, Ginny and Hermione turned and stood in a line between the horrible woman and the muggles in an attempt to shield the children.

"What do you want?" Draco asked, not breaking eye contact with her.

"What my readers want. The story." Rita said, pointing to Draco and Hermione. "Is it true that you stole Miss Grainger away from Mr Weasley on their wedding day?"

"No."

"Is it true that you are planning to secretly release all War prisoners from Azkaban?"

"No."

"What are your thoughts about the wizard community's suspicions that it has been alleged this is all a cover so you can recruit young witches and wizards into re-establishing the Dark Lord's beliefs?" She asked slyly, waiting for Draco to explode.

"Get out!" Harry growled. "Leave or I'll arrest you for making a false allegations."

"I am merely asking for his opinion on public opinions Potter." Rita said, turning her attention to him.

"Well the Minister of Magic is right over there." Hermione said casually, pointing to Kingsley who was talking to a small group of Muggles. "We'll see his opinion on this… and Unregistered Animagus'. Don't think we forgot."

Rita Skeeter knew Hermione well enough to know that she wasn't joking. With one final huff, the cantankerous woman stormed off towards the exit where she dispparated. Draco knew that as soon as he was done here he was going to have to draft an injunction to stop whatever hate she was going to write. Harry nudged his arm and nodded at his hand, Draco hadn't realised that he had been gripping his wand.

"What was all that about?" Harry's Aunt Petunia asked, interested in the gossip.

"'Just a reporter that's been on our backs since we were fourteen." Harry said.

"Are you a Policeman?" a little voice said. Everybody looked down at little Walter who had spoken for the first time the whole day.

"Yeah I guess I am. A Wizard Policeman." Harry said, crouching down to talk to the boy. "If you study really hard at Hogwarts, then maybe you can be one too. I think Grandad Vernon would like that."

Draco was waiting in his office for Hermione to come so they could leave, tonight they were off to the Burrow for the combined celebration of Albus' first birthday and Harry's birthday. It had ben two days since the Centre's launch and everything seemed to be running smoothly. He had just finished packing up his desk when she burst into his office, brandishing the Daily Prophet.

"Have you seen this?" she asked excitedly, throwing down the Daily Prophet.

Draco had been too busy over the last two day to read the paper. He picked it up and saw a photograph of him, Hermione, McGonagall and Shacklebolt was splashed on the front page with the headline 'A new dawn in the Malfoy Age'

Two days ago, on the grounds of what used to be Malfoy Manor, former residence of Lord Voldemort, stood a sight that would have half many people in disbelief. Draco Malfoy stood proudly on the front steps of the Charles and Jean Centre for Magical Children, a concept he created in aid of muggleborn children and their families to bridge the gap between their old world and the new one they had been thrust into.

It is hard, for some, to picture Draco Malfoy as anything but a supporter of the Dark. However, through perseverance, he had earned himself a glorious reputation as a lawyer, often punishing wizards he once associated with. A true mark of his redemption is his closeness to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who spend the better part of their Hogwarts education fighting many of Mr Malfoy's associates. We all watched as he stood proudly while his fiancée, Hermione Granger, made an impassioned speech about her parents (who passed away when she was seventeen) and their acceptance of the magical world, but also their struggle to understand. As a Pureblood, Mr Malfoy never had to face the struggle of adjusting to magic, but has now become his mission to see that no child be excluded from our world.

Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger were overheard being questioned by a muggle family as to why there was a need for such an institution and their answers were nothing short of brilliant. Everyone now knows the story of Tom Riddle, how he was punished for being different as a child. However, people have long forgotten about Credence Barebone, a wizard adopted by a muggle who tortured him over his magical abilities, turning him into an Obscurus (for more information, please read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). These stories serve as a reminder that both sides can be cruel to one another, and how it is our responsibility to never let history repeat itself.

This Centre is something that the wizarding world should have implemented a long time ago. We understand how crucial it is to maintain a healthy relationship with muggle, so where better to start than in the homes of the future generation of wizards. Not only does the centre provide a pre-Hogwarts introduction to magic for the children, but there is also a support network for parents who need that little more guidance, a support network that is available even when students have commenced their education.

I for one, would like to wish Mr Malfoy every success in his new venture, and encourage every wizard and witch who is able to assist this movement in any way you can. The darkness that has long been cast over the Malfoy name has been broken by the light of a new day that is sure to usher in a new perception on the old family.

Draco couldn't believe what he was reading, it was a great article. He had somewhat avoided the papers, just in case anything negative had been printed or if Rita Skeeter had followed through with her threat of a defamatory article." Who wrote this?" he asked, flossing over it once more.

"Daphne Greengrass." Hermione told him. Well that wasn't a name she was expecting. "I went down to see her." She continued to tell him. "She told me that she asked to write the story. Apparently its her way of atoning for what her sister did."

Draco felt a wave of gratitude for his old school friend. She didn't have to write about the muggle centre or write nice things about him, considering he was a contributing factor to her parents arrest. Perhaps she was right, the dawn was indeed rising on a new age in the Malfoy family and with Hermione at his side, it was sure to be glorious.