Author's note: It's been awhile since I've written anything (for this site at least) and this idea popped into my head a few days ago and I thought it'd be fun to give it a shot. I have another idea I'm working on and the other Dramione fic I posted I'm still going to write that as well. So I hope you enjoy this, it's meant to be a lot lighter than my other fic. :)
Currently being worked on
Tightrope
Chapter One:
The End All, Be All
Miss Granger,
Your presence is needed at the Ministry at noon on Friday, July the first.
Sincerely,
Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minster of Magic
Hermione turned the parchment over and over again to see if she missed anything, but that's all the missive said. Kingsley was never one to be vague about needing her to come to the Ministry, but seeing this truly perplexed her. Hermione surmised that this was something official and he would explain when she arrived tomorrow, but the letter still didn't sit right with her. She had never been on to be nervous about something when it came to going to a meeting with the Minister, but she couldn't put her finger on it whatever it was. She let out a sigh and set it on her kitchen table before continuing to tidy up her flat.
~-O-~
The next morning, Hermione checked over her outfit in the mirror. She made sure to dress business casual so she wouldn't be over or under dressed. She gave Crookshanks a pat on his ginger head before heading to the fireplace to Floo to the Ministry. Hermione had made dozens of trips to the Ministry before she started working there. Two years had passed since the war ended and it still amazed her to be called there for events and having meetings with people that were dying to meet her. Hermione had never let the fame of it all get to her head; she was still Hermione Granger, intelligent, rule-abiding Hermione Granger.
She flashed her badge at Kingsley's secretary before she knocked twice and opened the man's door. Hermione stopped short when she noticed that she wasn't alone. Harry and Ron were seated inside as well. Kingsley wasn't there yet and for that Hermione was grateful. Hermione recovered from her momentary shock and smiled at her two best friends. They seem to relax a bit when once they saw Hermione enter. She took the third and final seat in front of Kingsley's desk. She immediately turned and looked at her two mates.
"What's going on?" All three of them asked at the same time, breaking into a laugh at how in sync they were.
"I received a letter from Kingsley last night, but I had no idea that you two would be here, too. I was shocked when Harry arrived, but I didn't know you'd be here, too, Hermione," Ron said scratching the back of his neck.
Hermione knew that it was his nervous tick and felt instantly better that she wasn't the only one to feel that way. "I got a letter from him as well. It was awfully vague which is unlike him. Then you two are here as well, so it can't be that awful, can it?" She looked at them hopefully.
Ron gave her a shrug and Harry opened his mouth to answer her, but the door opened emitting the Minster of Magic in deep purple robes and his customary hat. The three occupants in his office gave him a smile before turning around to face his desk.
He made his way around the large room and sat down at his desk. He interlaced his hands and sat them on top of the desk and looked at the three of them seriously, but not unkindly.
"I'm glad the three of you could make it. I wanted to talk to all of you before I made the official announcement," he paused a moment letting the little bit of information settle in before he went on. "I'm starting a new program. I'm hoping it will rehabilitate some of the members of society and I think we have found a way to do just that." Hermione was practically bouncing in her chair in anticipation of this new program. Kingsley swept his dark eyes over the three of them before he steepled his long fingers and sighed. "I know that no one will like this, but I think this would get the point across. I want the children of Death Eaters and ex-Death Eaters that have a chance to see the culture that they have frowned upon since they could remember. I want to enact a marriage law."
The silence in the room was so loud. If the shocked looks on Harry, Hermione, and Ron's faces were anything to go by, then this whole law wouldn't go over well at all. Hermione recovered from her shock faster than the other two and leaned forward.
"So what you're saying you want people like Harry, Ron, and I to marry ex-Death Eater offspring so that they can be rehabilitated?"
"That is correct Miss Granger," Kingsley said without cracking a smile.
"Are you trying to take the piss out of us? I know it isn't April, but are you sure you aren't playing a late April's fool's joke on us?" Ron asked, his face pale and his blue eyes blinking more times than necessary.
"No Mister Weasley, this is not a joke. We're very serious about this. We've been discussing what to do to help these young people see that what they've been force fed since birth is wrong and we believe throwing them head first into another culture would help them immensely."
"No. I'm not doing it," Harry refused shaking his head.
"I'm sorry Mister Potter, but we've already decided. If you refuse you'll have to spend time in Azkaban."
"What? You're taking away our rights to be free to marry anyone we want! This is unjust, Kingsley and you know it. Why can't we just try to be friend with them or just make us live together for awhile? Marriage? That is going too far," Hermione said angrily.
"Calm down, Hermione. I know that this isn't fair to you all and we have discussed other possibilities, but this seems like the only way to ensure the fact that this will work out. You'll be living together. Spending a lot more time together than you would if you were friends or just living together because what would stop them from just leaving and never coming back? Yes, they could try to do that when you're married, but that'd be abandonment and we can't have that. It'll only be for a few years unless stated otherwise. "
"A few years he says," Ron muttered.
"Ron, it won't be that bad."
"Yes, not that bad for you. We're your Ministry guinea pigs and you all sit back and watch as we throw our lives away. I can understand wanting to help them, but this is a step too far," Harry told him.
Hermione nodded her head in agreement.
Kingsley sighed. "I know this isn't going to go over well, but it's going to happen if you like it or not. I wanted to inform the three of you before I go public with this so that it wouldn't be such a shock."
"And you're willing to let it be such a shock to the others?" Hermione asked.
"I figured if the three of you knew now, then you could calm the rest of them down and stand beside the idea."
"You want to throw us under the Knight Bus? How considerate of you," Ron snarled.
"Mister Weasley, calm down please. I planned to announce this on Monday. I wanted to give you some time to think this over beforehand. So please do that and I will owl you and everyone else when to meet. You may go."
At the clear dismissal, the three of them stood up silently and made their way out of the Ministry without saying another word until they reached the Leaky Cauldron. Harry sat down in a booth followed by Ron and Hermione on the other side.
Hannah Abbot came over to them, a smile on her face and asked what they would like.
"I'll have a firewhiskey," Ron ordered morosely.
"Same," Harry said readily.
"Me too, thanks," Hermione said with a sigh.
Hannah gave Hermione a look of shock before she scurried away to grab their drinks. Ron and Harry didn't question Hermione's drink choice. They knew exactly how she felt. Hannah returned a moment later with their drinks and left once again.
Ron held out his tumbler. "To not having a choice when it comes to our lives," he said sarcastically.
Hermione held hers up. "To being the poster children of change without really trying."
Harry held his up as well. "To Azkaban prison, my new home."
They clinked their glasses and downed the amber liquid. Hermione coughed a bit, but she found the burn wasn't unpleasant. It definitely helped to make this whole situation seem like a nightmare than reality.
Hours later, Hermione crawled into bed warm, happier than she was earlier that day, and merely curious about who she would be stuck with for years. She only hoped that it wasn't the boy that made the years at Hogwarts hell for her.
~-O-~
Miss Granger,
Your presence is needed at ten in the morning on Monday, July the fourth in the Ministry Atrium.
Best wishes,
Kingsely Shacklebolt, Minster of Magic
The weekend passed in a blur. Hermione was distinctly reminded why she never drank anything stronger than butterbeer and that she rather be an anonymous face in the crowd instead of Hermione Granger, model Muggleborn of the Wizarding world.
She had spent the weekend researching a loophole out of this whole thing, but she came up empty handed. She had to applaud Kingsley for making sure to cover every angle, but it still made her angry that they could do this to them without their consent. The blanket clause she found that stated the Minister could make a law that would ensure the Wizarding world would continue on for many generations to come as long as no one would come to harm. At that point, Hermione had thrown her books to the ground and left the house not wanting to read anymore. This is what this law was doing to her, turning her back on the things she cherished most―books and research.
Hermione made sure that she was presentable enough, she almost didn't care what she looked like today of all days, but she supposed Kingsley and the rest of the Ministry was counting on her as well as Harry and Ron. "Pity that," she said out loud to her reflection. She put her hair into a bun before giving Crookshanks another pet on the head and heading to the Floo. Hermione inhaled a deep breath before she exhaled through her mouth. She grabbed the powder and called out her destination, swirling away from freedom in seconds.
The atrium wasn't as crowded as she believed it would have been. Hermione spotted Ron and Harry standing in a corner and she gladly walked over to them.
"I'm guessing Kingsley asked us here a bit earlier than everyone else," Hermione said as soon as she made it over to them.
Harry simply nodded.
"I feel like I'm going to hurl. You know, I rather go back to second year and puke slugs than be here right now," Ron admitted.
Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Oh, good, you're all here."
Hermione turned around and looked at Kingsley Shacklebolt as Harry and Ron peered over her shoulder.
"I have a feeling if we weren't, you'd throw us in Azkaban," Harry said amiably. Ron and Hermione had to stifle their snickers.
Kingsley gave him a look, but continued on anyway. "Everyone else will be here in a half an hour. So don't wander off," he said before leaving them standing in their corner.
"Today is going to be pleasant, I have a feeling," Ron said sourly.
Others started entering the atrium soon after, Hermione waved to those she liked, like Luna, Ginny, and the Patil twins. Then the people she hoped she would never have to associate with again started appearing on the other end of the Floo. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott didn't spare her a glance, but she noticed the white blonde locks of the person she never wanted to see again and she instantly felt wary.
Draco Malfoy was looking around the atrium with the cold mask of indifference that Hermione knew well enough until he spotted her. His grey eyes flickered with anger and his lip twisted into something akin of disgust. Hermione turned away from him before he decided to retch right then and there. She still disliked Draco Malfoy regardless of what his mother did to save the Wizarding world, but to see that he hadn't changed at all wasn't a shock. He was still Draco Malfoy and she was still Hermione Granger. They were still enemies.
As the atrium seemed to fill, Kingsley stood behind a podium by the fountain. He magnified his voice so all those scattered around the vast room could hear.
"Good morning to you all," he started. "I have a special announcement to those who I have invited to this gathering today. A new program has been in the making for the children of ex-Death Eaters." There were a few murmurs in the crowd, but Kingsley waited until they grew quiet again. "A marriage law will be enacted. One of the participates from the program will be paired up with someone who fought on the Light side. The marriage will last until those in the program have fully submerged themselves into a life that they can appreciate those who are not Pureblooded. Any questions?"
The crowd broke into a cacophony of voices.
"What about our rights?"
"You can't do this!"
"I refuse! I refuse!"
"This is complete bullshit!"
"You can shove this law up your arse!"
The frenzy of sound only made Hermione's head hurt worse. She clenched her jaw and took out her own wand.
"Sonorus!" Hermione casted. "Quiet!" She yelled.
Everyone around her continued to scream at Kingsley.
"Shut the hell up!" That caught everyone's attention. All eyes turned and looked at her. Her eyes darted around and surveyed them all. She had no idea what possessed her to do this, but she couldn't back down now. She lifted her chin and the determined look that everyone associated with her was set upon her face.
"Listen to me, all of you! I know this law is rather unfair, I know. I even researched to see if there is a way out of it and there isn't… much to my chagrin. So seeing as this is something that we have to do, might as well accept it. It's going to be hard, more than hard, but we have to do it. We don't have to like it, but we have to do this. Just listen to what Minister Shacklebolt has to say, all right? Quietus." Her voice went back to normal and she now felt the blush that threatened to overtake her whole body finally warm her cheeks.
Everyone turned back to Kingsley. "Thank you, Miss Granger. As I was saying, this is to benefit the Wizarding world and as Miss Granger pointed out, you don't have a choice. This marriage will last as long as it takes for you to change your mindset, or you can stay married if you find it to be what you want." Murmurs of protest went around the crowd, but it didn't put Kingsely off.
"Owls will go out in a few days as to how this will all happen, but as for now, I will tell you who we have paired off." He cleared his throat and produced a roll of parchment.
"Harry Potter shall be paired with Pansy Parkinson. Ronald Weasley will be paired off with Daphne Greengrass. Hermione Granger will be paired off with Draco Malfoy..."
Hermione stopped listening once Kingsley said that name. She blinked several times like the sun was shining directly in her eyes. Her heart plummeted into her stomach and she wanted to retch right where she stood. What was happening? The ringing in her ears was loud and all she could do was stand there. She came back to reality when she felt Harry shaking her arm. She blinked up at him a few times before the ringing stopped and she could properly breathe again.
"Hermione, are you okay?"
She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She shook her head slowly. Harry pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry," she heard him say over and over again. All she could do was nod her head. She wanted to cry, she wanted to punch something, she wanted to hex the Minister of Magic.
Kingsley concluded the reading of the parchment and everyone seemed to be leaving in a hurry or a daze. Hermione lifted her head from Harry's shoulder. She looked at him and then Ron. "I'm sorry for you both."
"Pansy's going to be hard to deal with, but you have Malfoy."
Ron nodded in agreement. "The Greengrass girl is a bit prissy, but nothing compared to him."
Right. She got stuck with one of the biggest prats the Wizarding world has ever come to know. Hermione had always been one for a challenge, but this was going a bit too fair.
