A Law Turned Friendship

Chapter 1

"An unfortunate turn of events has reached my old and tired ears, and I am deeply disappointed by the fact that the Ministry of Magic has decided to reinstate this type of maneuver. In Monday's edition of the Daily Prophet, there will be a particular announcement filling the front page; a new Marriage Law," Dumbledore announced grievously one Thursday evening toward the end of January, during dinner. A roar of disgruntled students voicing their concerns all at once swelled to fill the Great Hall. Dumbledore allowed a few moments of pandemonium before taking control of the hall once more. He lifted his wrinkled hands, indicating that he wished silence once more. After the noise had died down, he addressed the students again. "This law only applies to those students who are seventeen or are turning seventeen soon. It will require you to marry with in six months of a Ministry approved proposal. There are, of course, several conditions to follow. The basic principle that they are trying to push on everyone is this: No Pureblood is allowed to marry another Pureblood, and no Muggle-born is allowed to marry another Muggle-born, but Half-bloods are allowed to marry each other and anyone else they choose. The real purpose of this law is to stimulate non-squib reproduction after these war times. So within five years of marriage at least two children must be produced or else divorce may be induced. Now all the law and its stipulations will be in the paper in the Monday edition, front page, from what I've been told," he finished. "I strongly caution your choices for those that these stipulations apply to."

All of the students turned to their closest friends and began to discuss the law and the impact it would have on all their lives. Ginny Weasley, who was sitting next to Harry Potter, already sunk her claws in to his arm, letting the whole hall know that he was hers and that that wasn't going to change any time soon. Harry just looked at Hermione, who was sitting across from him at the Gryffindor table, and gave her a sheepish grin. When she looked at Ron Weasley, who was sitting next to her, hoping that he would make a similar gesture and 'stake his claim', but he wasn't even looking at her. When she followed his gaze, he was looking over at the Ravenclaw table, at Lisa Turpin. Hermione's face just dropped, and only three people noticed her face. She got up from the table and hurried from the Great Hall, so the rest of the students couldn't see the tears tracking down her face. A sad look made its way across Minerva McGonagall's face as she saw her favorite student left.

"That's girl's gonna have a heluva time," she commented to her husband.

"I know, my dear," Albus replied, patting her hand somberly. "But I have a feeling that some Gryffindor courage is about to rear its proud head."

Hermione half hoped that Ron would have followed her when she left, but she didn't hear footsteps following her. She wound her way through all the shortcuts she remembered to get her to the elusive Room of Requirement. Once inside, she found an oversized couch to sprawl out on, with a roaring fire for her to stare at. It wasn't five minutes after she curled into a ball, crying softly, that the door opened. A flicker of hope let her heart but was snuffed out when there was no red hair visible.

"Hermione?" a quiet voice questioned. Neville Longbottom. "You okay?"

"No, go away," she said hoarsely, her voice affected by the tears. The pillow she was speaking into also muffled her voice.

"I will not," he replied simply. "You left, and I'm worried about you. So please tell me what's wrong."

"No," she replied, burying her head further into the pillow. "I'm just so ashamed." Neville walked over to her and sat down on the couch next to her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I'm ashamed of Ron myself," Neville replied.

MINI FLASHBACK

Neville and Harry watched in utter disbelief as Ron didn't even pay attention when Hermione got up to leave, crying as she ran out of the Great Hall. He was still making eyes at Lisa. "Oi!" Harry called out to Ron, reaching across the table to hit him on the shoulder. "Your girlfriend's kinda upset."

"So," Ron shrugged, barely glancing at his best friend.

"You really are a smarmy git," Neville said, a disgusted look on his face. "You've got a great girlfriend. Yet here you are, making eyes at someone else. I'm ashamed to be in the same house with you." And on that final note, Neville got up and went after the bushy haired girl.

END MINI FLASHBACK

"If he's a Gryffindor then I don't wanna be, because he's giving us all a bad name," Neville said, leaning down closer to her.

"He didn't come after me," she sobbed, her body shaking.

"I know," he said, his hands rubbing circles on her lower back now.

"He kept looking at her."

"Hermione, she's got nothing on you," he reassured her. "Ron doesn't even deserve you; he's acting like a grade A wanker."

"I don't even know what to do."

"I'll make a deal with you," Neville said, urging her to sit up. "If that ponce doesn't propose to you in a week, I'll petition for you."

"What?" Hermione asked, sitting up and looking at him through teary eyes. She tried to clear the tears from her eyes and make herself semi-presentable.

"You heard me. Look, I know I might not be high on your list, and I won't be crushed if you say no, but I consider us friends. And this was the best way I can help my friend."

Hermione sat there for several moments in shocked silence before launching herself at Neville, giving him a big hug. She even let a small smile cross her blotchy, tear-stained face.

"Oh you are too good to be true," she mumbled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tiny body, holding her close to him, reveling in the feeling.

"No, you are too good to be true to not give up without a fight," Neville said sincerely.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

An entire week flew by, and every morning at breakfast there were swarms of owls; all delivering proposals and advice from apprehensive parents. Friday morning had come far faster than Hermione hoped and in the end she had six proposals: Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Terry Boot, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom. Three of which just wanted to make her life a living hell, one was a pervert, her 'boyfriend', and her good friend. She wanted to meet with everyone so she could tell them all together about her decision. So she got six pieces of parchment and wrote the same message on each one, she wrote a time and place for all of them to meet her for the final decision.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After getting permission from Professor McGonagall to use her classroom after dinner, Hermione skipped dinner and went down to visit her other favorite professor: Severus Snape. He had survived the war, mainly in part due to Hermione's quick action. She remembered that he was down in the Shrieking Shack after Harry killed Voldemort, and went back for him, shoving a beazor down his throat until she could make a better antidote. From some slim chance he had come back from the brink of death and been eternally grateful toward the brown haired witch ever since. They had been thick as thieves over the summer, working together on an internship. She applied to be his apprentice, since she could brew all the NEWT potions in her sleep. She actually took her potions NEWT over the summer, so that she wouldn't be his student, but she saw him nearly every day after her classes to work on some research. He and Hermione had become rather close, especially since her parents had died during the summer, and he became more like a father figure to her; someone she could always go to for advice.

"Severus, I need your help," she said as she entered his private office. She looked rather distressed so he could tell that something was up. Her hair was frazzled and she was speaking rather quickly.

"Come over, sit down, and have a cup of tea," he prompted, flicking his wand to pull the seat out for her. "Then tell me what's going on."

Severus made them a cup of tea and while they sipped at it, she spilled her idea. "I want to let these guys know, in a finite way, that I am choosing the right one."

"So you're thinking…" he said, leading her to come up with something on her own. This was how they worked through problems over the summer. He would guide her through some of his earlier discoveries to let her have a feel for it before they started through the new stuff.

"Wards?" she guessed. "Something to bar the people I don't want to come in."

"And that's why you're my apprentice," he said smugly. "Always has ideas, and asks for help when she needs it."

"So you'll help me construct them?" she asked hopefully, her brown eyes holding hope.

"If you give me the parameters that you want," he agreed. He got out a parchment and spread it out on the desk.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed, running to his side of the desk and hugging him fiercely. He returned the hug and chuckled at her child-like enthusiasm.

"When do you need my help?"

"Um, after McGonagall's last class," she said, pulling back from the hug. "So around five."

"I believe I can meet you there around five o'clock," he replied. "Now tell me about the wards and then go on to your classes and think about how you want the wards to be configured." She sat there for a good twenty minutes going through each of the proposals and how she wanted them to go out

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It took them nearly forty five minutes for the wards to be constructed, mainly because Severus was teaching Hermione how to do them on her own, and got to do the final ward all by herself. With a final note that got her to deconstruct them when she was done, he left her to her choice, with a kiss to her forehead and a promise to support what ever she chooses. Another fifteen minutes for her to collect her thoughts before she walked to the entrance of the classroom for the boys to meet her there.

Once all the boys were in front of her, she began her speech. "I have made a decision about who I am going to marry, but this system of elimination that you all are about to go through, it is just to make it clear to you all that I choose the one that I want to choose. There are three levels of wards, and to make it to me, you must pass some qualifications. So if you would all try to walk through the doorway and reach me at the first row of desks."

Draco, being as cocky as ever tried to get through the door, but it just looked like he pressed his face up against a sheet of glass; the door didn't let him through. Crabbe and Goyle attempted as well, but got the same results. Terry, Ron, and Neville were all allowed through the door and met her in front of the first row of desks.

"Now you need to make it to the last row of desks," she said, backing up further, prompting the guys to come after her. Ron walked through just fine, but Terry bounced off this invisible wall. Neville got a good chuckle out of it once he was through the ward. So it was only Ron and Neville left. "Okay, the last part is to make it to the desk, and this is the person I choose to accept their proposal."

Ron stepped forward, a big smile on his face, but was quickly replaced by a frown when he was stuck in place by the ward. He kept attempting to move forward, but the more stuck he seemed to be getting. Once he tried to back up, he was perfectly fine once more. He looked at Neville with a murderous look. But being Neville, he took it in stride and walked slowly through to where Hermione was standing at the large mahogany desk. Ron looked even more furious and his face turned the bright 'Weasley' red that it was so prone to doing.

"Why the hell didn't you pick me?" he asked.

"Because you're a prat," Neville answered.

"Am not," he replied sullenly. "She doesn't even like you."

"I like him a right sight better than you right now," she said hotly. "At least he hasn't cheated on me."

"I haven't cheated on you," Ron argued. Neville looked at him in sheer amusement.

"So you're telling me that I didn't catch you with Lavender, Tracey, Lisa, Susan, and Hannah? In the same broom cupboard?" Neville asked.

"Oh, well," Ron murmured, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He even had the gall to look up at Hermione and try to give her a smile.

"And that's why I picked Neville," she replied. "He hasn't lied to me, and he wouldn't treat me like you have." She turned to the table and signed the Ministry proposal that Neville had provided. With the final flourish with her quill, the parchment disappeared with a small poof

Ron looked at the two of them and huffed out of the room and let them be alone together. Hermione turned to look at Neville and gave him a big hug. "Thank you so much for petitioning for me."

"I wouldn't have had this any other way," he replied. "But are you sure you don't want Terry? I mean he couldn't keep his eyes off your arse."

"Oh," she giggled, hitting him playfully on the chest.

"But I'll let you in on a little secret," he murmured as he leaned down close to her ear. "I couldn't either." He gave her bottom a slight pat.

"When did you get so bold?" she asked, leaning back to look at him.

"Lets just say that you bring it out in me," he replied.

"I thought you were still with Luna to be honest," she admitted, leaning back onto his chest.

"Well, we were, but we've been growing apart for a while now," he said, picking her up and putting her down on the desk before hopping up next to her. "And when Dumbledore said that no Purebloods can marry each other, we knew things were over for good."

"That's right," Hermione said in realization. "Sometimes I forget that she's a pureblood."

"Yeah, we both started to fancy other people to be honest," he shrugged.

"Oh really? Who?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Well I believe Luna started to fancy Dean, but I think you could guess who I started to fancy."

"Lisa?" she asked innocently.

"Haha, funny," Neville panned. "You're hysterical Hermione."

"I thought it was funny," she giggled. He reached over and grabbed her hand. "So we have about 6 months before the wedding."

"Well, we could get married a week after graduation. That would be like five and a half months," Neville suggested.

"That would be smart," she agreed. "Also boast it as a graduation – you finally passed your NEWTs – celebration."

"We need to tell my Gran," Neville said suddenly. That was the only family member they really had left between them. His parents died when Bellatrix died – as if their condition was connected to her life. Hermione's parents had died in a car crash.

"Oh," Hermione said. "I guess we could go ask Professor McGonagall and see if she would let us go tonight."

"Okay," Neville said, helping her off the desk. They walked hand in hand down the corridors until they were outside Professor Dumbledore's office. Hermione presumed their transfiguration professor would be there as well.

"Lemon drops."

The gargoyle stood aside and they made their way up to the Headmaster's office. And as she suspected, Professor McGonagall was sitting on the couch with her husband. "Ah, Mister Longbottom, Miss Granger, I assume congratulations are in order," Professor Dumbledore greeted, that familiar twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah," Neville said. "I still can't believe she picked me."

"I didn't have any doubts," Albus said simply. "Now what brings you two up here?"

"I'd like to tell my Gran the good news in person," Neville explained.

"Why don't you two stay the weekend?" Minerva suggested. "Just pack a bag and floo from the Common Room. Just floo back Sunday night or Monday morning for classes."

"What do you think?" Neville turned and asked Hermione.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble for your Gran, then I'm fine with it," she said, quite uneasy about meeting Mrs. Longbottom after all she had heard about her over the years.

"Thank you so much Professors," Neville said gratefully before he left the office with Hermione. They hurried back to the Common room and agreed to meet down there in ten minutes. She just packed sleep clothes, her uniform if they came back Monday morning, three outfits, and her toiletries. Once she was packed, she realized that they had Herbology and Transfiguration homework for the weekend, and they may as well work on it while they were there. All of her materials were stowed away in her special beaded bag and she headed down the stairs. Neville was already down there, a small duffle bag over his shoulder. He had changed into jeans and a nice polo shirt, sans robes, so Hermione removed her robes and stuffed them into her bag, leaving her in jeans and a nice sweater.

"Here, give me your bag," she prompted. He gave it to her, a confused look on his face. She squeezed his bag into hers. "It had an undetectable extension charm on it since we were on the run last year."

"Oh," he said, as what she said made sense. "Well, I floo'd Gran to let her know our plans, and she's been rather agreeable. She's just got to tidy up the spare room for you to stay in."

"That sounds wonderful," she said, giving him a smile. "I sure hope she likes me."

Neville walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him in a hug. "Don't worry. She may have been tough on me growing up, but she'll warm to you right away," he reassured her. "Let's go." He held out a hand and pulled her into the green colored fire. "Longbottom Cottage!"

A/N: I hope you have enjoyed this story. Please review and let me know what you think. This story won't be incredibly long, only four chapters, but I have enjoyed writing this after not writing for so long.

-Dana