hi, this is a redo of a story i had started a couple of weeks ago. I didn't like the way i started that one, so i restarted it here. I hope you like it! Also, everything pretty much follows the books, except both fred and george are still alive, though it's not really going to make a difference in this story. Also, remus and tonks didn't die because i love their characters to much for them not to be involved in this story!

OH, and of course i don't own anything you recognize!

It's weird, how one thing can change your whole perspective on everything. How that one moment can change everything about your life, for better or for worse. I've had several of those moments. My most recent one is right now.

There are several things that can completely change your life. A death of a loved one, getting some strange illness, graduating school, getting your first job, the list can go on and on. Then there is getting married. Where you are forever bound to one man, the man who you're supposed to love with all your heart. With this man you start your life, you make love together, you have babies, you go through all the normal life experiences with them. Marriage is supposed to be a beautiful, loving, memorable thing.

And today, consequently my wedding day, is exactly opposite of that. Well, it will be memorable.

See, I'm marrying this gorgeous man, with silk blonde hair and piercing storm-grey eyes. He is really quite tall, at six feet two inches, and with broad, muscular shoulders that make you feel completely safe in when he hugs you. In fact, his whole body is pretty muscular, but not to the point that gets you scared that he's going to crush you. He has woman swooning at his feet, and if he wasn't marrying me there would be another dozen or so girls willing to replace me in an instant. And what's more, his family is extremely rich, one of the richest families in the wizarding society. By marrying him, I know that I'll never go without anything, but exactly the opposite. I'll probably have too many things in fact.

He sounds like the perfect catch, right? The prince charming every girl dreams about. So what's the problem? I don't love him. Actually, I'm quite certain I hate him.

He's a real arrogant jerk. I've hated him since I can remember- he's always picked on me and my best friends. He's selfish, condescending, big-headed, prejudiced, and every other awful thing you can think of. His family was even fighting on the opposite side of a war than I was- we have nothing in common. I'd never thought I would be marrying Draco Malfoy.

So why might I be marrying him, you ask? Well it's actually quite simple; I don't have a chance.

See, let me explain.

After the Battle of Hogwarts, after Harry had finally defeated Voldemort, all the death eaters were rounded up. There was a handful of old pureblood families, Malfoy's included, that were able to buy their way out of prison. They didn't face any punishments, nothing at all. Well anyways, as life continued on, things didn't seem to get any better. Sure, people were able to walk out of their houses without the worry that they would be killed simply because they were a half-blood or muggle-born, and there were no more random killings, but life seemed just as dreary as before. The prejudices against what blood you had rose even higher, but with a new spin. There were still the purebloods who thought they were better than everyone, but now there was everyone who wasn't a pureblood blaming the purebloods for the war, for the death of loved ones. It didn't matter if you were involved with the war or not, there was only one pureblood family that was safe from this hatred, the Weasleys. And that was only because they were friends with Harry.

And besides this hatred, there was the issue of the population size. There were gaps of people, from teenagers to adults to elders, that were all gone, as a forever remembrance of the war. Something like 40 percent of the wizard population was killed in the war.

So, how does this relate to my wedding exactly? Well the ministry got the bright idea that they could kill two birds with one stone. As a way to make the population increase, and a way to stop the prejudices, they enacted the Marriage Law. Basically, they thought that by pairing purebloods with muggleborns, they could eliminate any differences. Half-bloods would be paired with half-bloods. And to add to this, each couple had to produce at least two children in the three years following their marriage, and another child within the following year. Any wizard or witch who was between the ages of seventeen and twenty five would be matched up with a spouse by the ministry. And because I have all the luck in the world, I was matched with Malfoy.

Even with all the uproar this law passes, nobody was able to find a way around it.

Which brings me back to this moment. Taking another glance at myself in the mirror, I can't help but think that this would have been my dream wedding if it weren't for the man I was marrying. My dress was the prime example of this. With thin straps over my shoulders, the dress came to a small v-neck. Several layers of pure white fabric cascaded down my body, from where they gathered around my waist. A decorative flower pattern weaved around my waist, with hints of gold to match the colors of my wedding. I had a small, golden locket around my neck, something that my father had given my mother and that she had passed to me. My something old. I had small diamond studs in my ears, my something new. It had taken a while to get my something borrowed, but my white pumps on my feet were from Ginny. And an elegant bracelet that had small blue diamonds weaving around it was my something blue.

My hair had been twisted up into a bun, and it had a gentle while also a regal appearance at the same time. Soft curls were pulled down from it, which made a nice contrast to the dress. My make-up was done simply, with just a little beige eye shadow and a light pink lip gloss. My hands held a little bouquet of pink, beige, coral and gold flowers. Overall, I had to admit I looked amazing.

I only wanted one brides maid, Ginny, and she stood before me in a simple blush pink dress, which surprisingly looked great against her red hair. She was turned towards me, with a mixture of emotions swirling on her face. I could see the pity in her eyes, the awe there, and the look that told me to stay strong. When her cue came, she gave me one quick hug and murmured "You look gorgeous, he doesn't deserve you" into my ear before she disappeared down the stairs. I looked up at my father, and I almost smiled back at him. I couldn't bear to tell my parents I wasn't marrying out of love, and had done my best to convince them I loved Malfoy. They had met him once, and only for a few minutes. They had believed my act. And now, my father stood next to me with a soft smile that was filled with so much love I almost couldn't bear it. Both of my parents had accepted my marriage, their only concern being that I was only seventeen, and wasn't finished with school. But I had told them I didn't want to wait to finish the school year, that we had been through so much and loved each other so greatly that we didn't want to wait. And because it was august, with only a week before we would be returning to school for our final year, my parents had agreed.

With the actual wedding, I didn't have much planning. Mrs. Malfoy had pretty much taken over, only asking my input every once in a while. I don't her I wanted a wedding outside, I picked my wedding colors, and I had every say on my dress, but that was all I did for this wedding. She decided that it would take place at the Malfoy Manor, in their garden. I would walk down the stairs that led outside, which was actually a huge staircase that made it feel almost cliché. But I couldn't argue, the wedding was beautiful.

All to soon, I heard the traditional wedding march and it was my cue to head out. My father gently took my arm, and we begin to slowly descend the stairs.

Way too many eyes looked up at me. I saw lots of familiar ones, like most of the order, and all my school friends, and of course all of Malfoy's friends on his side, as well as all his families death eater friends who had also evaded prison. I avoided looking at Malfoy, I felt like it would make it all the more true. Instead, I glanced over at Ron and Harry. They both had looks of amazement on their faces, probably because they've seen me in a dress all of one time. But under that, they had looks of resent- they still hadn't gotten over the fact that I was marrying Malfoy.

Malfoy had one grooms men, Blaise. I was actually surprised by his choice, I never knew they were close friends. I finally looked at what Malfoy was wearing, still not looking at my face. He was wearing a black tuxedo with some gold flower in his left upper pocket, or whatever that's called.

And finally, I looked up at his face. No emotion. There was nothing, just his piercing storm-grey eyes sizing me up. Not the knock-you-over smile Harry had on when he was about to marry Ginny. Not the friendly smile Ron had on when he married Luna. Everyone besides me it felt like was matched with somebody they were already friends with, or already dating. I had to marry the one person I despised the most.

Finally, my father and I made it up to the altar, and my father's rough hands passed my small hand to that of Malfoy's. A move so traditional, and so emotionless on Malfoy's part.

This was it.

I passed my flower bouquet to Ginny, and Malfoy symbolically took my other hand up. We both stood facing each other, but with neither of us actually looking at each other. Finally the preacher looked to Malfoy.

"Draco Lucious Malfoy, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

I looked up at his stone face, as he said in a dead tone, "I do."

And finally, the moment I would seal my fate came.

"Hermione Jean Granger, do you take this man to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

I could feel every eye on me, waiting for the two words that would forever change my life. I found it ironic that they were actually asking me this, as if I had a choice in this matter. This was the moment that would change my life forever, and I can't do anything about it. "I do."

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Slowly, but fast altogether, Malfoy and I leaned in to each other. As I looked up at his eyes, their was still no emotion there, but they just hung there with a guarded look, before his lips finally found mine.

You hear about those mind blowing kisses, where people see fireworks going off in their heads. You hear about those first kisses, where the hated become the loved. I almost expected that. The ones where you realize the person you hate is actually an amazing person, where that little inkling of love sprouts. But I didn't get it.

All I felt were his warm lips presses against mine for that brief instant, and then it was over, and I was no longer in contact with him.

"I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!" the preacher exclaimed, and a polite wave of clapping waved over the audience. I did see my mother crying out of joy, I don't know how she could still think I loved him after that pitiful performance. And then I saw Mrs. Weasley, the woman I had come to know as my second mother, crying as well. But she wasn't crying out of joy, she was crying out of anger, of pitiness, of sorrow for me. And that's when I broke.

I'm sure my mother saw the silent tears running down my cheeks as tears of happiness, but I knew everyone else would see them for their real meaning. I felt myself hugging my family and friends, solemnly accepting their quiet congratulations. I knew Malfoy was doing the same, but I didn't really care.

I still felt Malfoy's hand clasping my hand as we made our way down the aisle, and to the place where the reception was. After a few minutes everyone was also gathered there, and an announcer could be heard introducing us to our first song as a married couple. The crowd made a whole in the room, right around the dance floor, as Malfoy led me to the center of it. I didn't even care enough to hear what the song was, but I just let Malfoy lead me threw the dance. I could feel his eyes on my face the entire song, but I refused to look at him.

And that's much how our reception went. I would only vaguely pay attention to what was going on around me, I just wanted the night to end. And soon enough, it did.

Unlike muggle weddings, where the bride and groom make their way through a sea of rice to get to the car, we just said goodbye before apparating to our destination, a small cottage on a private island they Malfoys owned. And that's when I remembered part of the law, the part about what would happen tonight. I almost fainted right then, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction on that. Instead, I followed my new husband into our bedroom.

thank you for reading i hope you liked it! sorry to leave you on a cliff hanger there... please review and tell me what you think!