A/N: Hi! This is the first chapter of my very first (published) fic, so I hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns everything but the plot of this particular fic. I don't even know if the plot is mine because I read some other fics with a marriage law. But this is my twist on it.

A/N: Hi, guys! I am going through my story and editing it, so if there is an underlined A/N it means it has been revised. I just wanted to clear up a few things that have to do with the plotline:

a. Dumbledore never died. Draco never tried to kill him. Sixth year, Draco was just worried about his father, who was in Azkaban. He never became a Death Eater.

b. The final battle (Voldemort's defeat) happened over the summer before seventh year in at Hogwarts. Not too much damage was done to the building, though, but some minor repairs were made.

c. The people lost in Deathly Hallows are still alive with the exception of Fred. Also, Hermione's parents are dead. Lucius Malfoy died in the final battle, shortly after his release from Azkaban.

d. I just kind of forgot about Head Boy and Head Girl, so they don't really exist. So... sorry about that.

Hermione was so excited for her seventh year at Hogwarts. Voldemort had been killed by Harry that summer, much to everyone's happiness. She wouldn't have to worry about anything. Lots of people had been lost in the battle, though, and the wizarding population had decreased by a lot. Hermione wasn't worried, the Ministry would figure it out.

Hermione got on the Hogwarts Express and saw Harry and Ron in a compartment.

"Hi, guys!" she said cheerfully, entering the compartment and bending down to hug each one of them. It had only been a few weeks, but Hermione had spent them alone in her house. Voldemort had tried to get information out of Hermione's parents about Harry, and when they didn't know anything, had killed them. Hermione had spent the weeks alone crying in her house. She was over it now, or at least trying to forget. Ron and Harry didn't know.

"Hey, Hermione." Ron said happily. She took a seat next to him.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Ginny was running a bit late this morning. She was still stuffing things into her trunk in the car. I imagine she's looking for us right now." Ron said.

The trio chatted for a bit, and Ginny finally found them. "Hey, guys, I've been looking all over." she said breathlessly, taking a seat next to Harry and allowing him to wrap his arm around her.

The ride was a bit awkward for Ron and Hermione. The previous year, they had fancied each other a bit. They were both over it, but still, seeing Ginny and Harry so close while they sat so far apart was a bit weird, and Hermione was glad to get off the train, and into Hogwarts.

She was kind of sad it was her last year. It was the the first place she had made real friends. Yet, she was happy it would be a normal year. Voldemort wouldn't interfere, no one would. It would be perfect.

Everyone took their seats at the their House tables. The Sorting took place, and Hermione was happy to see some nice looking new Gryffindors join the table. Everyone enjoyed the feast, then Dumbledore dismissed all but the sixth and seventh years.

"You are probably wondering why I have kept you. This has not been released to the public yet, but the Ministry is enforcing a new law, due to the loss of population. This law concerns ages sixteen through thirty. This law is a marriage law, for the birth of a lot more children."

Protests burst out from everywhere. There were screams and cries and moans. Hermione sat in silence.

"Silence!" Dumbledore scolded. The Hall was quiet. "I have convinced the Ministry of two things. The marriages for students will be kept within their own schools. You won't be marrying anyone dramatically older than you. Second, you will fill out a form as to be matched with your perfect partner, instead of a random spouse. If you are currently in a serious relationship, you may add that to the form. Do not lie, it can be used against you. I'm afraid that's all I can do for you."

The loudness began again. Dumbledore didn't stop it, but he levitated the forms and quills, and gave them to the students. Hermione filled out her form very sadly. She didn't want to get married or have kids so young. She wanted a normal year.

The form started with her basic information. That was easy. Next, was a personality questionnaire. And finally, a question about what her ideal spouse would be. That was harder, but she filled the form out and handed it in. Dumbledore dismissed her, and she headed back up to the Gryffindor common room.

Everyone else in the common room wanted to know what was going on, but she just shook her head sadly when they asked. They didn't need to know just yet. Harry, Ron and Ginny entered the common room when Hermione was heading up the dorm stairs. They tried to catch her, but it was too late.

She was devastated by far. She was going to have to marry someone she didn't love, and have his kids! It was supposed to be a normal year.

"Define normal." she mumbled to herself.

Hermione fell asleep crying.

The next morning, she had a better attitude about it. I mean, everyone else was going through it, too, right? She needed to talk with Ginny.

"Gin?" Hermione asked, coming down from her dorm. Ginny was alone in the common room. Hermione knew for a fact Ginny loved getting up early and watching the sunrise. She saw Ginny by the window, wearing what seemed to be Harry's old Quidditch jersey that was much too large for her, and sipping tea, looking, indeed at the sunrise.

"Hermione." Ginny smiled, placing the tea on the table. "You okay?'

"I guess I overreacted." sighed Hermione, taking a seat next to Ginny.

"Don't worry about it, though. The Ministry going to find you a perfect match. It's not like it'll be anyone bad." Ginny assured her.

"You're right, I suppose. It's not like they'll throw me with just anyone. This person will be my soul mate." Hermione said. She just hoped Ginny was right.

She talked to Ron, and he was also a bit upset at the law. Harry was thrilled. He was planning to ask Ginny to marry him anyway, so he was happy that he got to do it sooner. Hermione reminded him that the Ministry might not put Harry with Ginny, but he didn't care what she said. He knew Ginny was the one for him, and had confidence that the Ministry could see it, too.

The days dragged on after that. They all waited a full week before Dumbledore told the sixth and seventh years to stay after dinner. They did so silently and eagerly.

"I have letters for all of you." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. "The Ministry has informed me of your pairings, and I have created special dormitories for the couples. You will be sharing a common room with three other couples, and then have dormitories to share with your soon to be spouse."

But no one cared. They just wanted their letters. Dumbledore sent them out. Ginny and Harry ripped open theirs together, squeezing each other's hand. They both grinned in relief to see each other's names. Ron opened his next, and blushed at Lavender's name. She did the same. Hermione, squeezing her eyes shut, slowly ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Unfolding it, she saw two words she never hoped to see on that piece of paper. Draco Malfoy.

She let out a small sob and let her head fall to the table. Ginny, concerned, carefully picked the letter from Hermione's hand, and read it, giving a small gasp. Harry took it from her, and his jaw dropped. Then Ron snatched it from him, saw the name and gulped. Hermione gave another small sob.

"They think I'm perfect with Malfoy?" she cried.

"You have nothing in common!" exclaimed Ginny, frustrated.

"I'm going to kill the Ministry." growled Ron.

"I'm going to kill Malfoy!" Hermione said unhappily. "I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life as the Malfoy heir producer, doing nothing at all while he'll just treat me like a mudblood!"

At the Slytherin table, things weren't much better.

"Granger?" Draco exclaimed, exasperated.

"Really?" asked Blaise.

"Yes." he moaned, letting his head fall to the table.

"Why on Earth would they do that?"

"I don't know!" Draco said helplessly. "I'm a wealthy pureblood, she's a mudblood who hangs out with scum. We have nothing in common."

"Nothing." agreed Blaise.

"Who'd you get?" Draco asked lamely.

Blaise opened his letter. "Parvati Patil. Gryffindor, isn't she?"

"Yes." Draco said. "Well, at least I'm not alone. We both got Gryffindors."

"Yeah, but mine doesn't hate my guts, like Granger hates yours."

"And me hers." he growled, staring over at a sobbing Hermione. "Look!" he said, showing Blaise. "She's crying! Am I that bad?"

"To her." Blaise sighed.

Draco groaned.

After everyone read their forms, Dumbledore called out dorm groups, "Room 1 will consist of Luna and Seamus, Padma and Justin, Hannah and Neville, Dean and Pansy. Room 2 will consist of Harry and Ginny, Lavender and Ron, Blaise and Parvati, Draco and Hermione." People gasped at the last couple. Hermione rushed away from the table, following McGonagall, who was showing them their rooms.

Ginny caught up to Hermione, and put a protective arm around her. "Don't you worry, Hermione, if he lays a finger on you, he'll regret it." Ginny winked. "But besides, it's after Voldemort's defeat, he can't be all that bad anymore. Just think of the bright side."

"What bright side?" Hermione grumbled.

McGonagall located their room. There was a big common room, then four doors that said, "The Zabini's", "The Weasley's", "The Potter's" and "The Malfoy's". Hermione ran to the one that said the Malfoy's, and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't move.

McGonagall said, "You can't open it without a password, which you need to set with your spouse. Your whole room must agreed on a password later, as well."

Hermione groaned. Draco wasn't at the room yet. Suddenly, he came strutting in with Blaise behind him. He walked over to the door with his last name on it, and tried to open it, not a word to Hermione.

"We need to set a password." Hermione informed him.

"May I suggest mudblood?"

"May I suggest ferret?" she asked angrily.

"Ferret it is!" said the door suddenly.

Hermione smirked a Slytherin-worthy smirk as the door swung open. She gracefully walked up the spiral staircase, Draco moping behind her. When they reached the room, Draco pushed Hermione out of the way and took the bed with the green and yellow design, without asking. She scrunched her nose and took the red and blue bed, on the other side of the room. The beds were twin-sized, and on either ends of the room. There was a bathroom that they would have to share, and giant desk for the two of them, as well.

Draco kindly entered the bathroom first. Hermione could hear the shower starting already. Annoyed, she headed down to the common room, where she found Parvati, Lavender and Ginny.

"Hi, girls." Hermione said weakly, taking a seat next to Ginny on the couch.

"Hi." they replied.

"How's it going?" asked Parvati.

"Uh, let's just say I think the Ministry's crazy." sighed Hermione. "We couldn't be more different."

"I agree." Parvati said. "Me? With Blaise Zabini? It's a joke."

"I'm really happy I'm with Harry, but I just have a feeling that if we didn't put each other's names down, we wouldn't be together." Ginny admitted.

"No, you and Harry belong together. And anyway, the Ministry messed up some of the pairings. But not you and Harry. Nor you and Ron." Hermione added, turning to Lavender.

"I guess." Lavender shrugged. "But we just broke up last year."

"I have a feeling that was a mistake." comforted Hermione.

"Did you girls see the booklet with all the information?" asked Parvati, holding one up.

"No." said Hermione, snatching it from her.

Hermione scanned it, and saw a few things she greatly disliked. "Engaged by December? Married by May? Pregnant by July?"

"What?" screeched Lavender, taking the booklet. "This is awful!"

"They're just using us!" whined Parvati.

"In less than a year, I have to be pregnant with the spoiled Malfoy heir!" complained Hermione.

The girls had a bit of a crying session, while Ginny looked at them funny.

Hermione sniffled. "I need to go take a shower. Maybe Malfoy's out by now."

She got up, said the password, and ran up the stairs, to see Malfoy in nothing but a towel.

"Malfoy, could you please not leave the bathroom until you're fully dressed?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Have a problem with my abs, Granger?" Draco asked, standing up straight. He was, in fact, very tall.

"Yes. They're annoying me greatly. Go finish getting dressed."

"Fine." he snorted. "Mudblood." he added under his breath.

She sat on her bed, pouting, until he came out in pants, yet, still no top.

Before she could protest, Draco said, "I sleep topless. Deal with it."

She tried to take deep breaths as she went into the bathroom. Draco had laid out a bunch of beauty products already. She laughed when she saw one that Lavender and Parvati used. While quickly taking a shower, she realized that her life had practically been thrown away. Her parents were dead, Voldemort was defeated (with no more work to do to destroy him), she had to marry Malfoy. It was all over, in her mind. Little did she know, it had really just begun.

A/N: If you like this or have any constructive criticism for me, please review!