A/N: I broke my rule. Don't post until you have ten chapters, at least. I just really wanted to know if people like it. Towards the end, it started going, for lack of better word, crappy. I still hope people like it and I would like to know if people do like it. The image I found on Google a couple moments ago. Did anybody know that JK Rowling, who owns these characters I have to say, was originally going to put Fred and Hermione together. I am not kidding. Just found out now. The same way she was going to kill Ron half-way through the series and that the only thing that kept Hagrid alive was the image of him bringing Harry to the castle. How much I tell all of you. Love me yet?
Disclaimer: As I said earlier, JK Rowling owns all the characters. Whoever created the first Marriage Law fic owns the law. I just adjusted words and played with the pairings of my choice.
Main pairing: Fred/Hermione
Warning: Hasn't been edited because there is no beta. Sorry for the spelling or grammatical errors. If anybody wishes to become my beta for this story, please PM me or say so in a chapter.
Chapter One: The News
Hermione POV
I was feeling lighter. Happier.
The war had been over for two years.
True, I was single but I was happy.
Harry and I were living together in a flat near to The Burrow. We weren't together. We just lived together. Harry too much of my brother to be anything else.
We were very close and Harry had come to me when he and Ginny had broken up because he thought of her being his little kid sister.
I had told Harry of the kiss between Ron and I in the chambers. It was, to say the least, awkward.
It had been something to distract each other from the war going on at the moment.
That meant that Harry and I were both single and very close. Neither I nor Harry missed the unsubtle hints that the Prophet printed.
Most of them with these headlines:
Potter and Granger living together. Are they finally an item?
Boy-Who-Lived found himself a girlfriend in side-kick?
Harrmione?
The last one, I found ridiculous. Had the vile Skeeter woman made a relationship name for Harry and I? Harrmione?
Harry gotten a kick out of that one.
"Alright, Mione. Get out. You've been hogging the bathroom for the last half hour." Harry's exasperated voice rang from outside the door. I put down the brush and tried sauntering out.
The second Harry's eyes saw my face, he began laughing.
"Is there something wrong, Harrykins?" I gritted my teeth, smiling menacingly at him.
Harry widened his eyes and bit his lip as he shook his head. Good. He had stopped laughing.
I began walking further.
"Hermione?" Harry called from behind me.
I turned around to see his green eyes dancing with mirth.
"Yes?"
"Have you tried make-up?"
"Perhaps I have. Why?"
"You shouldn't. You look like a muggle circus clown."
I took my wand out from my hair and shot a slight stinging hex. My hair fell down in messy waves when I'd removed the wand that was acting as a chopstick, making some hair get in my face.
I pulled my chestnut hair away from my cheek and saw the pasty blush stuck on a couple strands.
"Make-up simply doesn't agree with me." I said to myself after I saw Harry walk in the loo, his hand rubbing left shoulder.
Walking into the large kitchen, I took out many ingredients and began baking.
A horse patronus bothered me from my food.
I looked up and saw the silvery horse standing on the window sill.
It looked at me and began speaking in Ginny's voice.
"Hey, Hermione. This is urgent. I'm coming over and bringing many. Be ready in a few."
Then the horse faded and a loud smash was heard.
I dropped the spatula and whisk on the floor before rushing into the living room.
"I don't understand why you had to put anti-apparition charms in here." Ron complained, brushing soot off himself.
"Oh, Ronald." I sighed before cleaning him with a spell and giving him a quick hug.
Immediately after I pulled away, several more people collapsed on the floor.
"Oh, dear. I apologize, Hermione." Molly came and hugged me tightly before noticing my cooking apron. "Were you cooking, dear? May I help you?"
I hesitated.
"The muggle way, I promise." She promised and I nodded, transferring my blue checkered apron onto her. Molly smiled warmly and rushed into the kitchen where I could hear her continuing my job.
"Hello, George. Hello, Fred." I rolled my eyes as they winked at me simultaneously.
"We haven't seen you, Hermione, since-" George began
"last year. You have begun-" Fred continued.
"To look smashing." George finished and they winked again.
"Are you saying I've been ugly before?" I accused, the anger in my voice a fake.
"No." Fred and George said quickly, their eyes widening innocently, their blue eyes and red hair identical.
"My dearest brothers!" A loud voice rang and Ron, Fred, George and I turned around to see Charlie Weasley grinning stupidly at us.
"Is he drunk?" Ron asked me and I sighed.
"I don't know, Ron. Honestly hope not, for his sake. Molly will hex him if he is."
"I am not drunk, thank you very much." Charlie pouted, crossing his arms. "Unless you meant drunk with love. Then, yes."
"He isn't acting like himself, Fred." George whispered to his twin.
"Alright, Charlie. Give it up." Bill said firmly, walking out of the fireplace.
"Really, Bill? I could've fooled them a bit longer." Charlie grinned at his older brother.
"Beel?" Fleur walked out behind her husband, little Victoire on her hip. Victoire had been born on the same day that the battle ended, making her over two years old. Fleur was also heavily pregnant with her second child.
Bill hurried back to the fireplace and took Victoire as Fleur rubbed her stomach, smiling proudly, and sat herself onto the comfortable couches.
Everyone else followed her example and sat down as well as Ginny, Seamus, Dean, Percy, Neville, Katie, Angelina and Alicia floo'd in at different times.
Luna floo'd in last, followed by Lavender Brown, Cho Chang and Susan Bones.
I bristled a bit at seeing Lavender but relaxed when I saw that she was different. She seemed better and nicer and less conceited.
"Cupcakes, dearies." Molly's voice rang as she walked in with three trays heaped with chocolate and caramel cupcakes.
Harry seemed to hear her and he rushed down the stairs the same moment Kingsley regally stepped out of the now-dirty fireplace.
"Hello, Kingsley." Everybody chorused. I walked over to Kingsley and picked Teddy out of his arms.
"Thank you for bringing him. How was babysitting?" I asked cheerfully, tickling Teddy under his chin as his hair turned yellow.
"It was fine. I bring news. Whether it is bad or good depends on the person."
I then noticed a two letters in Kingsley's hand.
"What is happening, Shacklebolt?" I growled, hugging my godson to me protectively.
"They have passed a new law, I'm afraid."
No one spoke.
"A law for what?" Susan asked, her voice coming from the back of the group.
"There is a new Marriage law. I am here to read it to you and tell you who your new fiancee's are."
There were a series of gasps and angry protests.
"SILENCE!" Harry called loudly, disrupting people screaming loudly.
"Thank you, Harry. The law is this: All witches and wizards over seventeen and under sixty are to be married before the next month is up. The pairs have been chosen by the Department of Magical Marriages. They can not be changed. By the time the year is out, the witch must either be with child or have given birth to a child with the father being the husband. There must be a minimum of three children within each marriage, and there must be at least one girl or one boy. If there isn't, the couple must try until they are granted with such. Divorces are not allowed and neither is adultery and so to prevent it from happening, there will be a marriage rune on the inner arm to discourage wishes of such. Witches and wizards that are already married with stay as they are. Because of the inconvenience this law might be, the Ministry of Magic will pay for everything relating to the wedding, a new place to live and a generous starting fund. That is all."
The silence in the room was deadly and made Kingsley squirm a little.
"The first pairing will be Ronald Bilius Weasley and Cho Li Chang." Kingsley announced. Ron's head snapped up and looked at his new fiancee, Cho, who was very surprised.
"Next is Ginny Molly Weasley who will be with Seamus Bobby Finnigan."
There were a couple comments mostly from Ginny's brothers saying that is was disgusting but Seamus marched to where Ginny was and offered his hand.
She looked confused but stood up and looked patiently at her fiancee.
He whispered something and her eyes light up as she grabbed his face and brought it down on hers.
After a couple moments, I cleared my throat. "Don't get me wrong, Ginny, Seamus, but I would like to finish the list."
They broke apart and Ginny smiled at me.
"George Fabian Weasley and Angelina Marianna Johnson."
Angelina looked at Fred and George.
"That's great now that I can tell you apart." Angelina admitted.
The twins and everybody else laughed. Barely anybody could tell them apart anyway before George had lost his ear. Now, they just had to learn to remember which was the one with the ear and which without.
"Percy Ignatius Weasley and Audrey Gianna Peverell."
Percy looked shocked while there was an uproar at her name. Harry looked particularly shocked.
I knew who she was. She worked at the daycare where I had left Teddy while I was at work.
"Percy? Would you like to meet her?" I asked politely, shifting Teddy's weight onto my hip.
Slowly, Percy nodded.
"Wait a moment." I held up a finger as I took out my muggle cellphone and punched her number in. Audrey picked up almost immediately.
"Hey, Hermione. Is it Teddy? What happened?" Her frantic voice said. I could hear her pacing in her room.
"Actually its to do with the marriage law. Have you heard?"
"I have. Going to be married to Percy Ignatius Weasley. Isn't he related to your friend, Ron something-or-other?"
"They're brothers. Would you like to meet him?"
Harry looked a bit surprised at my familiarity to what he thought was the last living Peverell with the name. He didn't know that Audrey had more brothers and sisters than the Ginny had brothers.
"Ron? No. I'm fine without that."
Ron looked a bit insulted.
"No, Audrey. Percy. Would you like to meet Percy?" I sighed.
"I'll be there in ten seconds." Audrey hurried her sentence and shut the phone.
Instantly, everyone crowded around the fireplace and waited for her arrival.
There was a soft crack and Audrey was standing in the opposite corner of the room.
I, having known she wasn't going to use the fireplace, walked toward her with ease. Everybody would have to push the one in front to move.
"How're you doing?" I spoke in hushed tones.
Her light brown eyes sparkled with amusement and mischievousness as she saw everyone, except for me, facing the fireplace and them crowded around.
"Hey, Hermione? I thought she said ten seconds." Ron called, never looking away from the fireplace.
I was about to answer but Audrey put a finger to her lips and I nodded.
"I did." She said normally, a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. I bit my lip and Teddy's hair went through a flurry of colors.
"Arse. You. Audwey. Hewe." Teddy said in short snippets. Everybody turned around when they heard the swearword pass Teddy's lips.
In a low and pure, truthful menacing voice, I growled. "Ronald Bilius Weasley."
He turned pale when he saw my expression.
"Mama?" Teddy whispered.
"Oh, baby, i'm sorry. It's alright." I dropped the malice burning holes in Ron's soul as I began to comfort my godson. "Hold on, did you call me 'mama'?"
"Who are you?" Percy said, making me shake my head and watch Percy.
He was watching her with much interest while all the boys were dumbstruck.
"Alright, back off." I said loudly.
"Turn it down, will you?" I hissed to Audrey.
"It's on the minimum!" She whispered back. She told me she intensely disliked the Veela powers she got from her full-blooded Veela mother and the name she got from her father.
"Ooh! Bonjour." Fleur called loudly, pushing her way through the cluster of men to greet Audrey.
"Bonjour, Fleur. Agreable pour vous rencontrer, je suis Audrey. Percy fiance."
"I love you already, Audrey. She can speak French!" Fleur wrapped Audrey into a side hug.
Audrey smiled and as Fleur walked back to Bill, Percy walked up to Audrey.
"So you're going to be my wife?"
"I suppose so. Nice to meet you, Percy."
Percy beamed at her.
"Lucky man. He gets her." Dean grumbled and I shot him a glare.
Percy was very lucky, though. Audrey was nice, funny and honest. If she was a man, I would've married her myself.
Audrey shook Percy's hand and her long, dark hair fell to cover her blushing face.
"Now we have seen who Percy will marry, can we continue the list?" Ron asked, already sitting on the couch with Cho by his side.
"Thank you, Mister Weasley. After Mister Weasley and Miss Perverell, is Lavender Sophia Brown with Draco Lucius Malfoy."
Someone tumbled out of the fireplace, soot covering the person's robes.
Lavender already knew who it was as she ran to help the person up and dust their robes off.
"So I'm marrying you, I suppose." The person sighed. Draco.
"I guess so." Lavender whispered, her eyes downcast.
"Well, it's better than Pansy. At least you don't whine around and you look like you could be a distinguished wife of a Malofy. Good that you're a pure-blood." Draco said, eying Lavender up and down.
"Can you stop eye-raping her? It's disturbing, Draco." Susan said.
Draco flung an arm around Lavender and smirked.
"Bothered, Bones? We're together and I really like her."
"You do?"
"I think so."
"Marcus Brian Flint-"
"No offense, Minister, but we don't really care about him."
"And Susan Amelia Maya Bones."
"Oh." came Susan's soft reply.
"He's better when you meet him."
"Enough! We will let Mr Shacklebolt finish the list without interruptions so we get this over with." Molly shrieked and Teddy began giggling at me covering my ears.
"Neville Frank Longbottom and Hannah Fiona Abbott."
Kingsley let his gaze sweep across the room to see if anybody would interrupt but nobody did.
"Katie Jessica Bell and Oliver Harrison Wood."
There was a goofy smile on Katie's face.
"Alicia Natalie Spinnett and Blaise Kenneth Zabini."
Draco snorted at Alicia turning red.
"Pansy Peyton Parkinson and Dean John Thomas."
Dean looked happy. Harry had pointed out that Pansy didn't resemble a bulldog anymore and that she was looking 'hot', as he had put it.
"Charles Arthur Weasley and Emily Andrea White."
Charlie widened his eyes. "She works with me in Romania."
"Aw. Charlie! You're aren't getting married to a dragon!" George and Fred said sweetly, pinching their second-oldest brother by the cheek.
"Quiet." Molly said menacingly.
"Harry James Potter and Luna Lyra Lovegood."
Luna and Harry smiled at each other shyly.
"And for the last pairing…" Kingsley trailed off, staring at the paper.
"Yes. What is it?" I urged him to say it.
Harry strode forward and took the paper.
I saw his green eyes skimming the page and stop on a spot.
"Huh." Is all he said before handing the paper back and a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Huh? Huh is all you say? How about: Hermione Jean Granger with someone and Fred Gideon Weasley with someone." I raged, setting Teddy on the floor as I marched over to Harry and demanded, my hands on my hips.
Harry smiled pleasantly at me and nodded slowly.
The angry expression fell off my face. "Really? Are you sure?"
"It's what it said."
"So it's official."
"What is?" Everyone shouted at us.
"And the last pairing is Fred Gideon Weasley and Hermione Jean Granger." Kingsley announced to everyone.
Somehow, him saying it made it all more official.
"I think…I think i'll just…"
And almost like a blindfold was put over my eyes, I passed out.