AN:Here's the prologue, it's short but thats the way it needs to be, marriage law is mentioned but this is not a marriage law story, enjoy
Disclaimer: Any and all recognizable characters, situations, storylines etc.. are the property of J. K. Rowling. I am making absolutely no money from this and it is purely for fun
Hermione sat at the kitchen table of Grimmauld place with her head in her hands, as Ron and Harry read the letter.
"There is no way they can do this. I'll go to the Ministry. I'll get you out of this," Harry comforted her.
Ron sat next to her and pulled her into his embrace, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head as she sobbed into his shirt.
"It's going to be okay babe. We're the Golden Trio; that has to have some kind of weight behind it," he tried to comfort her.
"No it won't Ron, you read the letter. I was only given advanced warning before they announce it officially because we're the Golden Trio. I have to marry him and there is nothing I can do, unless I agree to have my wand snapped. I can't have my wand snapped. What did I fight for if they are just going to wipe my memories and snap my wand?" she sobbed.
Harry backed out of the kitchen and left them to their privacy. He grabbed his cloak from the hook by the front door and stepped out, turned on the spot and apparated to the Ministry.
Back in the kitchen Hermione sat up and moved out of Ron's embrace. She looked at the small diamond that adorned the ring finger on her left hand. She slowly slid it from her hand and placed it on the table between her and Ron, "I can't wear it any more Ron. I wish it could be different, but we both know there is no way out of it. I have to marry him."
…...
The Ministry
"Kingsley this is ridiculous; how can you possibly ask her to do it?!" Harry pounded his fist on the table in frustration.
"Harry, do you think I wanted this? The Wizengamot and members of other committees passed it. There is nothing I can do. She has to marry him or her wand will be snapped and her memory obliviated." Minister Shacklebolt replied with a heavy sigh.
"Kingsley, Hermione and Ron's wedding is in a month, you can't do this to them. After everything they did for the wizarding world, I can't let this happen to them!" Harry insisted.
"Harry, I fought and fought and fought on Hermione's behalf. I personally sent that letter without anyone else's knowledge; no one is supposed to know about it yet, but I felt we owed Hermione more than that. There is nothing more I can do," Kingsley ended the conversation.
He patted Harry on the shoulder as he walked out of his office, leaving Harry to brood.
…..
The Burrow
A few hours after receiving the letter Hermione, Harry and the entire Weasley family barring Charlie were sat around the kitchen table.
Mrs. Weasley was quietly sobbing at the stove as she waited for the kettle to boil and Mr. Weasley sat with Bill re-reading the letter, hoping to see a way for Hermione to get out of the law.
"There seems to be no way out of this Hermione. Kingsley shouldn't have even told you," Bill sighed.
"What if we got married straight away? Then she would be unavailable." Ron asked
hopefully.
Mr. Weasley shook his head, "Son, she has been entered into a magical contract. They would snap her wand. From what I know of the law, all single muggleborn witches and wizards are to marry purebloods with the excuse of diversifying the bloodlines. It is well known that pureblood's are bringing squibs into the world, if they can fall pregnant at all. But we all know this is just punishment for the death eaters…and they have obviously given Hermione this particular pairing because of who she is and the example it would set to the rest of the world."
"This is a load of bullshit!" Ron yelled.
"Ron stop, there is nothing to be done. I have to marry him, and I have to give him at least one child. There is nothing to be done." she repeated quietly.
…..
GrimmauldPlace
Three days after Hermione received the letter from Kingsley informing her of her fate, an official Ministry owl brought her a letter and information pamphlet on the new Marriage Law.
She sat at the kitchen table with her tea and toast, snuggled into the embrace of her warm and comforting dressing gown and read the information in front of her.
Dear Miss Granger
Due to a decline in magical birth rates and the increase in the birth of squibs in our world the Ministry of Magic have seen fit to introduce a Marriage Law.
Please see the pamphlet enclosed for all information pertaining to the law and its expectations. We strongly suggest contacting your betrothed sooner ratherthanlater. You are part of a magical contract, we would not suggest doing anything to break it.
As per the announcement of the Marriage Law this letter is to inform you that you are betrothed to-.
She looked away from the letter as her eyes skimmed over the first letters of his name, she pushed the toast away, seeing it in black and white on an official letter made her feel instantly sick.
She pulled the pamphlet over next and opened it up.
Marriage Law
The past tradition of pureblood families taking measures to remain pureblooded has resulted in too much inter-mixingofbloodlines and there has been a steady increase in the birth of squibs over the years.
To ensure that magic does not become a thing of the past with the eventual extinction of our kind, it has been proposed and passed that all singlemugglebornwitches and wizards marry into pureblood families. The hope is that the diversification of the bloodlines will bring about a new age of magic to our world.
We at the Ministry believe this to be the way forward, please read below for the rules and expectations:
Marriage within one month of receiving your letter
One child to be produced within two years of marriage.
If a healthy magical child is not conceived and birthed within the timeframe the couple will be brought into St.Mungo'sfor testing.
Anyone found to be using magical ormugglecontraceptives before the birth of a child will be taken toAzkaban
Anyone found not to be married within the timeframe will be taken toAzkaban
Anyone found to have committed any acts of infidelity before the birthofa child will be taken toAzkaban
If you feel that you cannot follow these rules, or do not wish to participate in ensuring the continuation of thewizardingworld, please submit a letter in writing to the Ministry, where your wand will be snapped and your memory wiped along with your betrothed.
We wish you the best of luck in your marriage
Hermione felt pure anger coarse through her body. How dare they lie like that? Ron was right; this was a load of bullshit; using the birth of squib children as an excuse to force innocent witches and wizards to marry purebloods.
It was obviously a pathetic Ministry tactic to stop another Voldemort type situation; as if being married to those bigots would give anyone a chance to stop that.
And the last rule was just ridiculous: 'anyone found to have committed any acts of infidelity before the birth of a child.." So it's okay to do it after? That just proved the ridiculousness of the law, it goes completely against the sanctity of marriage!
Of course she had no choice and that terrified her. How could she marry him? Would she survive it?
The thought of giving her body to him, it was enough to make anyone shudder. She and Ron had waited, Hermione wanted to give herself to her husband and no one else. Now her innocence would be taken by him….. But she couldn't give up magic, what did she fight for if she was just going to give it all up at the end?
Ron and Harry interrupted her musings. Harry took the pamphlet from her limp fingers and began to read as Ron took her hand and kissed it, "Hermione we will always be here, if he does anything to you, just come to us. We will deal with him.
Nothing will happen to you," he swore.
He may not be able to do anything about the law or the marriage but he could damn well make sure that she was safe.
Hermione nodded and blew out the breath she had been holding as she read the information sent to her.
….
One hour later, a knock at the door revealed Draco Malfoy and an engagement ring….
AN: So as I said marriage law is mentioned, but this is not a marriage law story, any reviews, ideas etc...