Hermione shut the door, and leaned against it. She was home again from another exhausting day at work. She closed her eyes for a moment and just breathed in and out before standing up straight and walking into the kitchen. As she stepped over to the fridge to pull out food for dinner, she pressed the blinking button on her answering machine. It beeped, then Harry's voice began to speak.
"Hermione, it's Harry," he had recorded. "I know you didn't want to hear from us, not after what happened to you and Ron. But you need to get to the Burrow now. Please come. You know I wouldn't ask you if this wasn't important. At six o'clock, you can come over. If you aren't here by six thirty, I'm Flooing to your house and taking you by force. See you then."
Hermione looked at the clock. It was five thirty. She knew that Harry wouldn't try and kidnap her if it wasn't important. Guess that it was McDonalds for dinner again. Hermione took out her wand, sent a Patronus to Harry to tell him of her plans, then got back in the car.
"I'm here!" Hermione called out. She heard people running to the long, winding staircase in the Burrow, the old house she had come to know as her home. Harry's head popped into view first, followed by Molly, Ginny, and George. Molly immediately came running down the stairs and engulfed Hermione in a large hug.
"Good morning, dear. You look a bit hungry, do you want some food?" Molly asked. Hermione shook her head, but Molly continued, "None of that, here, I'll go get you tea. And maybe some chips, do you want chips?" Without waiting for an answer, she bustled off to get Hermione some food. Hermione sighed, and as she did, she noticed her best friend leaning against the wall. She walked over and gave him a huge hug. Harry pulled away for a minute and put a hand through his hair.
"We really need to talk to you. Everyone's upstairs. Molly will bring the tea up, but this is a conversation we need to have now," Harry told her. Hermione looked into his eyes. She could see the urgency in them, so she nodded. He took her hand and led her up to Ron's bedroom on the top floor.
Hermione walked into the room, then gasped internally, surprised at how many people were crammed into the tiny bedroom. Ron, his girlfriend Lavender, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Arthur, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna, and Ginny were all squished together in the tight space, leaving two chairs for herself and Harry. She sank down in one of them, noting her friends' solemn faces and wondering what was about to happen.
They sat in silence for a minute, then Kingsley cleared his throat. "Hermione, I have some bad news. Unfortunately, before Pius Thicknesse was killed, he was given the instructions by Voldemort to decree a new law. This law only effects Muggleborns between the ages of 17 and 30. At the time the law was passed, you were 17 years of age." She nodded. "Well, this law states that you must marry a man of the Ministry's choosing- a pureblood man. If you do not, your wand must be snapped, you will be Obliviated, and you must return to the Muggle world."
Hermione thought for a second. Everyone was staring at her anxiously, which means that they all knew about it beforehand. To Hermione, that made sense; no one else was effected by the law. It was just her.
She cleared her throat, then replied, "Who am I paired with?"
Kingsley smiled, though not in happiness. "The Ministry, in order to make it seem like there was a choice, gives you three potential pureblood partners. You have to pick out of the three."
Hermione groaned. "Typical Ministry. Trying to make like their decision was your idea."
Kinsley continued, "Keep in mind that this list was made before the war was ended, and your choices have not changed." Hermione nodded as Kingsley pulled out a piece of parchment. He read, "Your choices, as decreed by the Ministry, are Sirius Orion Black, Draco Axabras Malfoy, and Bartemius Oswald Crouch, Jr." He breathed out quickly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. But this is the choice you have to make."