Nightmares (HP) (Drarry)

seventeen: Hogwart Hooligans & their legal debacles

Hermione wants to call them "Dumbledore's Army," but Harry wants her to shut the fuck up

Hermione had previously been trying to contact the Ministry in hopes of opening a case against one Dolores Umbridge. But Hermione is not a rich Pureblood and is still a child, so all attempts proved faulty. The Ministry writes back. It is odd. It is passive aggressive. It is a fuck you disguised as a thank you.

They say that there is no grounding for her case so no trial will be forthcoming. If she had a lawyer, it might be a different case but...

She has no luck.

Hermione paces in the common room that evening after, red in the face and angry beyond comprehension, and says that this is the tell tale sign of a corrupt government. That if a government can just choose not to file your case because it goes against the government then there's a blatant power imbalance.

"If I was able to raise awareness," spits Hermione, "then it'd look bad on the Ministry if they didn't let my case go through. The Ministry is somewhat functional because the people believe it's fully functional. Without people supporting it, it would need only a small push to collapse completely. That's why public opinion matters so much."

She huffs slumps down on the common room couch beside Harry and mutters, "I wouldn't be having this problem if I was Mr. Malfoy."

Except now they want to get Mr. Malfoy involved.

It seemed so obvious when Hermione said that aloud-- even when not considering it a possibility-- and it made perfect sense, did it not? Harry himself had money, could gather connections at the snap of his fingers, but he didn't have what Lucius Malfoy had: all aforementioned and good public favour. Harry was still being shunned as that "attention seeker we all know and love" for saying the Dark Lord had returned, but Lucius didn't have that problem.

So Harry approaches Draco and asks him to join their little group in getting Lucius'father to go against Umbridge. And to no one's surprise, he agrees.

"May even demons rejoice with her fall," Draco had said, followed by a softer, "And it's not just because of her I'm willing to help. We are friends, aren't we, Harry?"

Harry had not previously considered them that-- they had a truce, and not much else... but, just maybe, that was the denial talking. So Harry had smiled and said, "Yeah. I guess we are."

And so their little group of three was formed. If told a year ago that he, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy would all be on better than shitty terms, Harry would've laughed and sent you off to St. Mungo's.

They enchanted coins to send messages to one another to update each other on ideas, plans & ploys-- it was much quicker communication than owls and more convenient than tracking each other down.

Hermione seemed to have a plan in mind-- as always, that perfectionist mind of hers-- and Harry, in the meantime, was enjoying Draco's company.

Harry suggests one evening, jokingly, that they need a name. They're not the Golden Trio, that added addition of silver made that impossible, so what are they? Draco offers the Hogwart Hooligans, which was an odd choice. Whatever they were, all Harry knew was that they were not Dumbledore's Army. (Not anymore.)