- CHAPTER ONE -

"august"

"You don't have to come with me?" Hermione said trying to seem as though it didn't matter to her either way.

Harry smiled, placing his hand on his friends shoulder. "I know, but I said I would I mean why not use this free time for something ey? I feel like I never see you anymore while I am away with the team, so this is just an excuse really."

"True." Hermione sighed with relief; she really didn't feel like dealing with this by herself.

It took the two of them a good ten minutes to make their way through Diagon Alley, parents were helping their children gather all their school supplies. It was that time of the year again, it made Hermione smile whimsically. She would much rather be with Ginny right then, helping her with the bookstore, it would no doubt be extremely busy, but she had to be sensible and get this over with.

They were now standing in front of the largest building on Diagon Alley; its marble still had its glossy shine not being more than a little over four years old. The clouded over sun peeked its head out and reflected off the buildings plaque blinding Hermione for a second before she could make out the engraved words. "M incorporated etc." Vague, Hermione thought to herself, but why be more elaborate when nearly everyone witch and wizard in Britain knew about M incorporated and how they were the one company to solely rebuild the damage done to the community by the second war.

Feeling Harry pull her along, Hermione took the first step into the building; they were met by a round receptionist desk with two young women sitting behind it. The lobby was symmetrical in nearly all aspects; all the furniture was mirroring each other on either side of the room. A deco couch, a side table with an expensive flower arrangement and fashion magazines stacked neatly.

Hermione focused on the click of her heels on the grey marble floor until a round faced girl stared up at her expectantly. Harry seeing her struggle stepped in. "Miss Granger, we have an appointment at two." He gave her a gorgeous smile making her blush. The receptionist flicked her wand and the appointment book turned to the right page. Her eyes widened before looking back to Harry. "Top floor Mr. Potter, sir."

"Thank you," he nodded, "Hermione?"

"Hmm?" she looked at him finally.

"Wanna go separately and see who gets there first?" He grinned.

Hermione laughed, "come on," and started towards the elevator on the left. Harry hesitated staring longingly at the elevator on the right but followed behind her. The doors shut in front of them and harry pushed the fifteenth floor button. Hermione shook her head; of course it was the top floor. It felt like forever and not long enough before they watched the doors open. They were welcomed by a long hallway and a pair or double doors on either side. Another young woman greeted them, she tall and slender, with black hair tumbling down her shoulders in waves. Her face was pleasant while she smiled sweetly at them.

"Miss Granger, oh and Mr. Potter what a surprise!" she exclaimed, waving for them to follow her. "I'm sorry but his just running a little bit late at the moment and apologies for the delay. He shan't be long. I'm Penny by the way, would you two like any drink while you wait?"

Harry shook his head taking a seat in front of the large oak desk.

"No thank you. Do you know how long he will be exactly?" Hermione asked.

"No sorry, but he sent word about half and hour ago, so it shouldn't be too long he doesn't like to keep people waiting." Penny smiled and left.

Hermione had a hard time believing that last bit but refrained from saying anything she was here to make this whole situation better, she hoped. It could quite possibly go the other way. She cringed at the thought. Sighing Hermione turned around and noticed the office in its entirety. The room itself was spacious and in good taste, she had expected nothing less. But it was off putting, it didn't make her feel uncomfortable which was what she had been expecting. Something that screamed money and male bravado but there was really none of that.

The wall to her left was completely made up of glass windows giving her a great view of the street below and much more of London. Hermione made her way over to Harry who was jiggling his foot. Hermione raised her eyebrows at this. "What are you nervous about?"

"Oh I hate waiting, makes me fidgety." Harry joked. Hermione knew better, he was just as apprehensive about this meeting as her. It didn't take long for Hermione to get too anxious to just sit there; jumping up from her seat she went and stood by the windows. She watched as far off storm clouds moved every so slowly closer. It reflected her mood, she thought.

She spent much of her time waiting looking at all the objects in the room. A couple of books caught her attention for brief moments before she moved onto something else. She was staring at a silver framed photograph of two men standing side by side with straight back looked posed for the camera. She knew who they were but at the same time they were strangers to her. Their long blond hair both tied up at the base of their necks was swaying in the soft breeze. It struck her how long it had been since she last saw the two men.

Of course it was at this moment that one of them came striding into the room. Hermione placed the photo back on the desk and with Harry by her side got to her feet to greet the man.

"My apologies for the delay, I hope you didn't have to wait long." The blond man said while taking off his outer coat. It had small droplets of water on it, so it had started to rain. Hermione thought that highly appropriate. Harry put his hand out to shake and was greeted in kind, while Hermione only managed a small nod which was also reciprocated.

They all sat down and the room was filled with silence, everyone looking from one another. Harry coughed, Hermione shifted in her seat and the blond man rolled his eyes at the both of them. Though Hermione could have sworn she heard them move to the back of his skull he did it was so much vigor.

"So Miss Granger, how have you been? I don't think I have seen you about for, well at least six years." The blond asked breaking the silence.

"Seven actually," Hermione corrected, "I have been fine, simply working and such."

He smirked at this, which Hermione thought was odd but said nothing. "Yes, yes. I have been hearing quite a good word about your company. You built it from the ground up, yes?"

Hermione just nodded to his question revolving to leave it at that, but before she could stop it her mouth had a mind of its own. "Mr. Malfoy, you asked me to come here when as you can certainly be well aware I too am quite busy these days. What is it that you would like to discuss?"

Laying his hand on the desk out in front of him, Malfoy smirked at the women before him again. "Straight to the point Miss Granger, I can appreciate that."

"Stop, just stop with the niceties, what do you want?" Hermione snapped.

Malfoy nodded and continued. "I wish to discuss the up-coming union due to this infernal new law that the Ministry has passed."

Hermione raised an eyebrow intrigued as to what Lucius could possibly want to discuss and not demand from her. Though she did agree with him on the whole infernal part.

"Miss Granger, my I call you Hermione as we will soon be family shortly when you marry my son?" Lucius asked. "My only son." He added for good measure.

"Malfoy." Harry warned saying nothing else.

Lucius looked to the boy-wonder with the first sign of contempt showing on his face since he had walked in, but said nothing.

"Its fine I suppose. What I would like to know before we get into all your discussions is why you haven't tried to get the lottery rigged so that your son gets the most beneficial match," Hermione questioned.

"Trust me I did try but Arthur has put a tight rein on the Ministry since he was voted in, my money doesn't seem to hold as much weight as it used to." Lucius tried to look humble when he said this but it just looked as though someone was holding something disgusting under his nose. "In the end I believe the match could be fair worse, and I think it will surprise you to know that Draco thinks the same."

Now that was something that made Hermione doubt Lucius' words. "So you're saying that with all your connections and being titled the London Wizardry community savior you still couldn't pull and strings. I don't believe you." Hermione said trying to remain calm.

"What a fine compliment, but no I could do nothing to change the outcome. The lottery is controlled by some very heavy magic that I don't think even Albus himself could have broken in his time."

Hermione thought on this but reasoned it was best for another time and to hear the man out on what he wanted to discuss and why he had brought her here. It was hard for her overlook the fact that she was about to have an adult conversation with the man who had once thrown hexes and curses at her. But she supposed a lot had changed in seven years. The war had been won, people had chosen their sides, not everyone had made it out alive, the world they had all known had been destroyed and out of the rubble came the Malfoy's to put it all back together again. Yes, it had been an excellent business plan. The Malfoy's had bought all the property on Diagon Alley giving something for the shop owners to live on while their livelihoods were being restored. Then once that had all been repaired the previous owner would simply have to pay rent, none of their profits went to the Malfoy's, everybody now thought of them as saviors. That being said Hermione thought they had sneakily managed to buy the whole street and now owned the highest grossing shopping destination all of the wizardry world right underneath the noses of everyone. Hermione didn't begrudge herself for having trust issues when it came to the Malfoy's.

Lucius had sat quietly and watched as all these thoughts had gone on in Hermione's head, when he was sure she was back in the room he spoke again. "I want to discuss with you the terms of your marriage contract," Lucius held up his hand before she or Harry for that matter could interrupt. "It is a long standing tradition in all Malfoy unions, this is not a special case just because of the parties involved I assure you Narcissa went through the same thing."

Hermione was not surprised by this but it still took her aback a little. "No lawyers then?"

"I didn't think it necessary, this can all be sorted reasonably and without harm to anyone, I promise."

Harry snorted. "The promise of a Malfoy means nothing to us, how is this to work before Hermione agrees to anything first?"

Lucius's shoulders tensed a little, Hermione thought she was crazy for thinking this but she was having reason to believe that Lucius actually preferred talking to just her and no to Harry which surprised her to no end, it actually made her smile slightly but only for a second.

"Fair enough," the blond conceded. "How this works is as the head of the Malfoy household I will lay my terms, as the bride you can then relay yours any that contradict will be comprised on. After we have settled the terms will be sent off to the groom, my son, and he will agree," Lucius paused for second, "or disagree to the terms and set is his own. We will each have six terms as to not make them become outright ridiculous. The contract is then signed in blood, magic and ink so ensure there is no way for one of the two of you to break the contract."

Hermione nodded her consent to what he had just said and gestured for him to continue. Lucius took this will a nod of his head and pulled at a piece of paper and passed it over to Hermione. The paper was a the highest quality as she felt it under her fingertips, at the top was the Malfoy seal and below the outlines of the Marriage Law set out by the Ministry as magic. Hermione read these a dozen times over when it had been released to the public in the Daily prophet six months prior, but for good measures sake she read them again.

NEW MARRIAGE LAW, ACT 67483

The Ministry has found it upon them to help restore the harmony within the Wizardry Community and abolish the class system which has grown ever strong since the ending of the second war preventing our society to progress to a new state of equilibrium. This being stated the Ministry of Magic has introduced a new Marriage Law which will divide all barriers between the class differences rendering them moot. All unmarried witches and wizards between the age of seventeen and seventy will have their names placed in a lottery which will be drawn ten times over the coming year and a half. These matches are indisputable and will not be up to discussion, this is a must needed solution to our societies growing problems. Below are the guidelines to which these marriages must be followed.

1. All pairings must be married within 2 weeks of their names being pulled from the lottery with the respected partner.

2. Once married all couples must conceive a child within a year to help the diminished wizardry populations since the ending of the second war. If this is not achieved medical assistance will be granted until a child is conceived.

3. If a child can not be conceived due to the fault of one of the party, their marriage will be dissolved and the blamed party will be then paired with another who is similarly inflected. The party that is still able to produce child will be paired with another partner to whom this can be achieved with.

4. All assets from both parties will be merged at the confirmation of a child being conceived.

5. Divorces are only to be sanctioned by certain Ministry officials, if you wish to contact someone about your reasons for your marriage to be dissolved please contact Percy Weasley.

6. Infidelity caused by any married party will result in five years in Azkaban.

7. Upon marriage all parties included must live together in an agreed upon location and share a martial bed for the duration of their marriage.

8. The marriage must be consummated with twenty-four hours of the weddings conclusion.

9. So ensure that all parties are up keeping to the terms set out in the above all parties must endeavor to produce a child every two weeks.

10. Rings for all Act 67483 marriages will be provided by the Ministry. These rings are charmed to remain on the wearer's finger until the dissolution's of the marriage. The rings are charmed to be aware of infidelity, whether or not the marriage has been consummated and indicate when they must endeavor to produce a child every two weeks.

* There is all an emotional bond placed between the two matching rings as this is the own magical means to get the desired results from the above mentioned.

Hermione gave a weary sigh, this was her life now. She hadn't believed that Arthur would allow this Act to pass but when she went to talk to him about it, Hermione soon discovered he had been behind the whole thing. It had destroyed apart of her heart when she had discovered this. Arthur Weasley was not the same man she had known as a child, no the war had changed him and she didn't know how to help. All she could do now was pray that one of his one remaining children could get through to him before he made anymore acts to abolish the class system.

Hermione finally looked up at Lucius while placing the paper back on the table. "What are your terms?"

Coming up: The contract. Hermione gets Draco's terms and they set a date.