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The Politician's Wife

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Hermione hates Draco in the springtime, Hermione hates Draco in the fall, Hermione hates Draco 247.



Words:65,887

225 pages, ebook

First published May 28, 2010

32 people are currently reading
1341 people want to read

About the author

pir8fancier

10 books12 followers
Pir8fancier is a writer of mysteries and fanfiction, with works in the fandom of due South, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sherlock (BBC), Star Trek: Reboot, Stargate Atlantis, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Wilby Wonderful.

She maintains a personal fanfiction site, pir8fancier's ship, which includes recommendations and a gallery of fanart created to illustrate her stories. It is still being updated as of May 2015.

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5 stars
329 (26%)
4 stars
465 (37%)
3 stars
322 (26%)
2 stars
87 (7%)
1 star
24 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
455 reviews158 followers
February 23, 2018
Derivative novels don't get any better than this. A well-written piece of work with a tight, fast-moving work-related plotline and well-developed characters--I can't say enough good things about this, which is probably why it's considered something of a "classic" in Harry Potter fanfiction. For something that was started before the author even knew how the HP series was going to end, this is saying something. Taking the disaster that was the Cursed Child, well, this novel is even more surprising and intuitive.

I read this in one day and even snuck off during a holiday gathering to surreptitiously to read this standing up in the bathroom. That is how engrossing the writing is, despite the first-person narrative (which isn't usually my cup of tea). If anyone were a Harry Potter fan and had doubts about Hermione and Ron ending up and being happy together, this would be a look at the gang at 41. Is the author biased in her view of the characters? Yes. Even though Ron is constantly defended, there's a sense that he and his mother are to blame. Harry Potter, however, is still the golden boy, and his magic is the most powerful in England. Hermione and Draco are both aiming for the position of the Minister and steadily working their way up to the top. What happens between two competitors and coworkers should...stay in the Ministry?

It's such a well-written and insightful piece of work on human emotions and the development of a romance. I remember back in the day when romance novels weren't hinged on a minimum of three very explicit sex scenes, and were comprised of conversations and the development of mutual understanding, respect, friendship, and eventually love. That seems to have gone out the window in the past decade. and this writer does a very credible job of developing a relationship that should never have developed -- a workplace romance that crops up despite mitigating factors.

I won't say that it's a comfortable reread, however, because it does deal with infidelity. The fact that neither of them does the dirty deed while married to other people is, to me, a moot point. The fact that Hermione doesn't even realize her own developing feelings and tries her best to stop any interactions after she realizes her own failings is, at best, only an excuse. The only quibble I have with any of the plot is the fact of Ron's infidelity as the breaking point of their marriage -- it seemed that in order for Hermione to come out smelling not so murky, someone had to be thrown to the wolves, and inevitably in fanfiction, it is always Ron.

Be that as it may, taking out all the names and magic and the Harry Potter universe, it is still an enlightening and very realistic view of marriage, of growing apart, of gradual rifts despite one's best efforts. I've seen several marriages straight out of college or high school collapse before its twentieth anniversary. It's not necessarily a byproduct of teenage marriages, but statistically, it's been shown that these (without a cultural or religious construct) have a lower chance of long-term success, simply because one is so young and still developing, mentally, sociologically (although, of course, this isn't every case). I think the author did a good job of showing this eventuality. What the author excelled even more was to show how one could be tempted to have an affair -- it starts so gradually, with constant compliments, good conversation, a "connection." Upon a second rereading, I did find such interactions to be crossing the line of what should be permissible in marriage, were she but more alert to the possibility.

It's not a comfortable reread. It could be read as a romance (and many people did at that). It's a well-written romance: in that he is absolutely sincere and he absolutely cares for her and is as in love as a selfish, opportunistic person can be, and is probably the person she should have ended up with in the beginning. As a cautionary tale of a marriage breakdown, well, it also works. It's less comfortable reading it like that, but I couldn't help but see red warning signs that signaled the end of her marriage before it happened.

But well-written either way? Definitely, unquestionably so, and the added bonus of amusing, fun dialogue. Best of all? There's no smut for the sake of it. You can find the whole content here, available for download as mobi right into your kindle.
Profile Image for Dani.
280 reviews67 followers
May 7, 2019
This is why I love fanfiction.
This.

Of course there is an incredible amount of crap out there, but sometimes you come across these real gems - and somehow those can be tenfold more powerful than the original fiction.

I don't quite know how.
When a talented author takes on an already-existing story universe - the quirks, the rules, the images full of received meaning - and utilizes all of it in a creative, subversive, meaningful and relevant way, there seems to be a potentiation effect on the emotional charge of the original text.
And this transformative end-result right here, it just blew my mind.

The writing, the pacing, the dialogue, the characterization - all of it is skillful, smart, witty, nuanced, beautifully fitted with detail, poignant, brutal and tender.

The HP universe is brilliantly utilized. None of the theatrics of the youthful savior fantasy - all the spectacular magical elements have become plain parts of middle-aged mundane drudgery. And isn't that an apt metaphor.

On top it is a story about the pain of delayed self-realization and redemption, themes that in general just do it for me.

And then, in the end and best of all, a conclusion that is both immensely cathartic and still mournful.

One of my all-time-favorites.
Profile Image for Precious ✨.
670 reviews108 followers
January 1, 2023
✨Phenomenal ✨ - the podcast/audible as well. (This coming from someone who normally detests audio)

“Expecting a challenge--some tired but emphatic refusal to take Muggle medicine--I braced myself for the inevitable argument. He turned his head to my hand resting on his shoulder, kissed a knuckle, and went back to sleep.”

description
Profile Image for Maky_v.
138 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2022
This fic is about why romione could never work in the end and about a funny and witty blonde.
Profile Image for BG.
509 reviews145 followers
November 18, 2022

He kissed me on the forehead and then despite his previous admission, he wrapped me in an embrace, his breath hot against my ear.
"I love you. I know you don't believe me, but I do. And aside from the fact you are beautiful and smart and articulate and sexy, most importantly, you're the only person I know who has the guts and determination to stop me from becoming my father."
Profile Image for Olivia.
64 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2023
Ugh. Where do I begin? This story was not my cup of tea at all and my biggest complaint is how Draco was portrayed. This is NOT Draco. He's constantly babbling, very OOC, and there's really no reasonable explanation for why he falls for Hermione. Suddenly he's just aggressively courting her 24/7. He's way too chatty to be my Draco.

Another thing that irked me was that the story just feels rushed. The storyline doesn't feel credible and the way everything just 'works out' doesn't seem very likely.

A third thing that bothered me was the writing. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I had to re-read many passages several times to understand what was going on. The dialogues also lacked authenticity and many times felt forced and rushed.

The only part of this story that I actually kind of liked was the depiction of Ron and Hermione's marriage and how it's falling apart. That part did make sense and is pretty much how I envision that Ron and Hermione would be if they were still together in their 40's.
Profile Image for Paris V.T. (on hiatus).
315 reviews89 followers
October 16, 2022
First dramione written in first person from the perspective of Hermione. Its a breath of fresh air since all characters are in their forties or fifties( I don’t remember). Its a well written fanfic and the backstory as well as characters are well developed.

Initially I found Draco’s incessant chatter really annoying especially when it concerned another minor character which we don’t really care about. And he would go on and on, reading his dialogues irked me as much as it irked Hermione. If that’s the author’s intention that we feel what Hermione is feeling at every interaction with Draco and he wouldn’t shut his trap. Then the author really did succeed! As the chatter turned to banters when they formed a work relationship through a mutually beneficial project, it was so much more tolerable and fun! I find myself enjoying the latter half more.
Profile Image for Manon.
356 reviews15 followers
May 21, 2024
How to summon this fic in three easy steps:

1. Politically ambitious but morally constrained Hermione in a limp Weasley marriage

2. Chain-smoking, antique-collecting, greying Draco that doesn’t know when to keep his pointy little mouth shut

3. An emotional affair in which French food is consumed and tennis is played at a worrying rate

They are both married to other people and this is one of my favourite Dracos of all time. Sue me.
Profile Image for Ilona Haku.
412 reviews48 followers
January 19, 2019
A story about choices that might not be the right ones and which are accompanied by regrets following indifference that you cant track down to the starting point, and about choices that arent morally correct but are necessary for saving yourself

The beginning was 3-3.5*, then it progressed to 3.9* and the ending was definitely worth 4*. I actually liked the post-beginning part to the pre-ending part quite a lot besides the wedding chapter, but the ending might be my most favourite and definitely the one with the greatest impact because it puts a lot of hella good questions with second-thought nature, which resonates within me

When I started to read this fanfiction, I was worried that it wouldnt be the right reading for me, as I missed some more detailed introduction to the story and as the atmosphere was quite heavy and storytelling was going from raw realism to more cutting and merciless naturalism vibes. Among the first images that the story introduced to me were especially strongly vivid image of Draco with his silver hair and burning cigarette, and tired-to-bones and thin Hermione, then there were offensive names, cold or dirty rooms.

I liked how Malfoy was written as a character who knows his strong and weak points and his mistakes or issues, and also who knows how to read and understand others. It was thanks to his machiavelistic tendencies that he knew the latest gossip and news about everyone, but it was clear that he was more than capable to put the dots together from information fragments and reach the right conclusions. Not only he was perceptive, he was also very familiar with psychology of people and could foresee what people would do, what could set them off, which was necessary for his plans to work out. Damn it, I cant explain it well. There was his emotional perception but also great intelligence that enabled him to manipulate people. Yet I didnt feel too bothered or disappointed with how the story presented his gameplans, may be because I didnt find that his plans would be harmful to others.
I also liked how he talked - answering his own questions with exeggerated answers, this made me think that the author of this story must be also very smart in order to write it down as witty, playful and highly entertaining dialogue. I found this portrayal of Malfoy new, but very beliavable and actually probably quite close to real events that would follow.

I must say that the first scene, where I felt their first emotional bonding, was the one where Malfoy gifted Hermione the Monet painting. Quite funny that it is the scene that follows the wedding talk which didnt sit so well with me. I also liked how this scene showed that Malfoy knew/remembered how Hermione liked her tea, enjoyed art and he just knew her really well.
I dont know but Draco dindnt wait with telling Hermione that he finds her attractive, and he was showering her with compliments that I didnt find fake. I liked his comments about her a lot and although they had sexual vibes from time to time, they never crossed the line.
Both of them were stucked in unhappy marriage, yet Hermione seemed like the one who wasnt prone to do anything about it, and here was Draco appreciating Pansy´s loyality, but knowing she wasnt the right choice for him, and then he was somehow coming to Hermione´s life trying to accomplish his ambitions while also trying to help Hermione. He was kind in his own way to her, he took her to restaurant, he took her to art galeries, he discussed books with her, they were people who had a lot of in common. And although Draco had his own agenda, he made her feel appreciated and gave her a lot of joy. At least I really felt that his love and real feelings came accross.

I know that the story addresses infidelity in the first place, but with how it was written, one couldnt help and understand why Hermione fell in love with Draco. Although I must say that after I read one review, I thought that this story would make it more clear how such things happened and address the issues more in detail. I thought that I would get some kind of psychological lesson or something like that.
I know that to cheat on someone is wrong, but as I progressed in reading the story, I kept asking myself what actually the definition of infidelity is, because I usually hear it only in sexual context. Like where was the breaking point? Where was the starting point where Hermione´s behaviour was cheating (if the sex was out of question)?
There were a lot of things that I thought about especially when I read the ending part of the story.

Looking back, it seems like my marriage was a combination of relief that we survived and camaraderie forged by tribulation, with some decent sex holding it all together. Those years now seem fuzzy to me. Like how I want them to be, rather than how they had been. Maybe they had been real. In the beginning. Maybe then we did have those days when we listened to each other. When I wasn't Ron's glorified babysitter and he wasn't my best friend with benefits. Maybe if we'd had children it would have been different. They would have been the emotional superglue binding us together, and we could have successfully ignored the fact that we had nothing to say to each other by talking about our children and our grandchildren.

Is that how people do it?


This line strucked me hard. People tell us all the time that we should get married, women should find a kind husband, and that you should have kids before reaching 30 (in modern time) and usually that is it. Like that is all the talk that we hear about marriage and it is so fucked up that I cant belive how my my life is slowly falling appart when I see how society works. Not only like being a kind person would be absolutely sufficient and be guarantee for married life till death. Here comes what isnt said enough, that you should something in common or at least be willing to find ways how to spend time doing something together which wouldnt be slowly killing you. I am sorry that I am so emotional, but lately my private life is hard. And again, Hermione and Ron didnt talk about their problems, therefore they hit the dead point with no return.
I really dont understand the concept of marriage much. You are promissing to spend your whole life with someone else, it is very beneficial for emotional security and for raising kids, for preparing arrangement for care in illness. But it isnt mentioned enough that people change - if you marry someone in early twenties, will you be able to keep in marriage after you are in your thierties, when you are a different person? Will you be ready for taking care of your partner when he becomes old and ill? After you enter 50, you slowly start losing your identity, making any decision is harder for you, health problems accumulate rapidly. And your life might change to scenario when you have to take care of 50+person who is mentally closer to 5-year child, but who is stronger than that child, who has power to make official decision, but who isnt able to decide which pants to put on or to conclude that one shouldnt drive a car after drinking beer. Here I am sseing my mom become a babysitter for my father who you cant reason with, no matter what you say, your arguments arent valid or true, because he is the only one with the right opinion. And to be honest, this scares me.

Sometimes when I can't sleep, I lie in bed trying to pinpoint where Ron and I went wrong. I never have an answer. Draco puts it down to the war and leaves it at that. I don't think it's that simple, but maybe I can't face the fact that it's that simple. Failure is not something I do well with. I'm no longer angry, just terribly sad. I don't believe that it was my fault, just as I don't believe it was his fault: we failed each other. But I hate to think that we were doomed even before we said, "I do."

P.S. I loved the scene when Hermione took care of sick Draco.
Profile Image for Amna.
669 reviews47 followers
January 25, 2025
Read solely because it’s apparently one of senlinyu’s favourites and while I was like sure it would be soooo not my cup of tea I surprisingly liked it...somewhat. Really love how things worked out for Hermione at the end, and her realising politics is not where she’s going to be fulfilled and of course the dramione was chock full of banter and Draco was hilarious and such a witty rambler. But still overall, not near favourite level.
Profile Image for Johanna.
107 reviews1 follower
November 27, 2024
Short and fun - turned my brain off and simply enjoyed the book
Profile Image for Eny.
25 reviews2 followers
July 10, 2020
As far as fanfiction goes, you can find an absolute masterpiece or utter crap. I believe this falls somewhere in the middle, closer to the good side.
I liked the plot, the characterization, the fast pace and the building of the romance. Far from many other stories, this took the time to build an authentic connection instead of rushing everything and make everything sexual, so i appreciate that.
But the main reason i am writing this review is because this deals with sensible matters and presents questions to important universal themes: marriage and infidelity.
Although this in no way intended to profess knowing the true, but rather questions the nature of a relationship, it does makes you think and reevaluate your view on some rather important stuff, things that instead of going with the flow that society recites, you should stop and analyze. This without getting philosophical at all.
Among all, i found some moments really sad and depressing. Meanwhile, some sort of realism fell into place. The main complaints fans have to a particular pairing comes here in a way i can actually see happening.
Still, some stuff i didn't like. I hate first person narrated stories, this is one of them, but fortunately i could get past that flaw. I struggled a lot to get into this story at the beginning. Even when it clearly tried not to make anyone guilty, one inevitably ended dirtier and i consider that could have been handled far better.
I initially gave this 3 stars, but it stayed with me for a while and make me reflect and actually feel stuff. So ends in 4.
Profile Image for Aubrie.
9 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2024
This fic really shows how Ron & Hermione could never be end game. They are in their 40s, in a marriage that had been falling apart for a while and was held together by the past and the fact that it was comfortable more than anything else. I don’t love the infidelity and blurry lines of it all and trying to pinpoint when the line was crossed BUT I loved watching Draco & Hermiones friendship grew and evolved into love. I will read a thousand stories about these two falling in love because they make sense in a way Ron & Hermione never did or ever will.

I cried through the divorce chapter and Hermione reflecting on her marriage with Ron. It hit -a little- too close to home in a way that was painful and validating and healing. 😭

“Looking back, it seems like my marriage was a combination of relief that we survived and camaraderie forged by tribulation, with some decent sex holding it all together. Those years now seem fuzzy to me. Like how I want them to be, rather than how they had been. Maybe they had been real. In the beginning. Maybe then we did have those days when we listened to each other. When I wasn't Ron's glorified babysitter and he wasn't my best friend with benefits. Maybe if we'd had children it would have been different. They would have been the emotional superglue binding us together, and we could have successfully ignored the fact that we had nothing to say to each other by talking about our children and our grandchildren.

Is that how people do it?”

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for moonydew.
932 reviews23 followers
September 1, 2021
5 stars…
THIS! This sorry perfectly encapsulates why I don’t think Hermione could possibly be end game with Ron! They are boring and Ron would no doubt pick Harry when push comes to shove. Hermione would always choose Ron even when he doesn’t choose her and they would be miserable. Miserable! Draco is intellectual, witty, and would challenge Hermione when I don’t truly think any other character in all of the series could. She is good through and through and she needs someone that is more slytherin and just as smart to equal her out. She can’t be with a big goof ball who would NEVER understand her.

Plus I’m a Draco Stan.

2/5 on spice. 1/5 on tears. Draco as MM would be hilarious and accurate.
Profile Image for Kel Pham.
3 reviews
February 25, 2022
I love the story, though I’m not a fan of the kind of the relationship in the story, it still made me think about human relationship and especially middle-aged adult.
Besides, some of the writing caused me hard to follow, since English is not my first language, I put it down few times but the story was really good and i kept picking it up. The author still did a great job in building the characteristics of each character and their thoughts. The Politician’s Wife is not an excellent fiction (to me), but overall, it’s still worth reading!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
195 reviews
November 13, 2023
If you want the joy that the HP characters can bring to your life then you should not read this fic. It was literally in the description and Grace and I assumed it wasn’t the running theme - it’s 23 years after the war and everyone is unhappy.

I despise unfaithfulness. And I got no joy from any character or pairing in this fic.
Profile Image for Shaina.
35 reviews
March 2, 2025
It was fine, I’d say 2.5 stars. Not unreadable but reading this after the absolute masterpieces of DMATMOOBIL and The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy I was bored and unenthusiastic about picking it up.
Profile Image for Nahomy.
159 reviews16 followers
October 7, 2024
Me encantó la historia pero siento que sacaron a Draco demasiaaaado de su personaje original.
Profile Image for Alexis Kidd.
17 reviews
March 10, 2025
3.5- I definitely wanted this to be longer! but I still enjoyed it
42 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2025
Grateful for a shorter read. It was cute, but didn't really buy their personalities fully.
Profile Image for Jewell.
166 reviews4 followers
August 16, 2025
Yes, yes, yes. Draco was so Hugh Grant in BJD coded in this (minus all of Hugh’s bad traits in that movie). This one was all plot and little spice but I was so here for it.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
384 reviews3 followers
October 21, 2023
Decent but I think I’d have enjoyed it more if it was its own thing. It didn’t need to be a Dramione piece. Or be set in a magical world. It all felt very upper crust LA midlife politics.
Profile Image for Jamie Bulling.
106 reviews14 followers
June 25, 2025
Cute and light read! I’m more and more convinced that Ron and Hermione should’ve never ended up together.
Profile Image for Emelina.
110 reviews
February 10, 2024
I was thoroughly entertained. Their relationship dynamic was a little irritating, but I absolutely delighted in the writing style. (Also PSA Kassie do not add to your TBR - you won’t like it!)
Profile Image for Molly Blue.
254 reviews18 followers
July 27, 2022
If you desperately need a pick me up, this is it.
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