Hermione was slowly but surely packing her trunk for her last year at Hogwarts. The trio managed to kill Voldemort. The wizarding world had finally been safe now. But the loss was huge. They'd lost Dumbledore, Tonks, Remus, Fred, Sirius... It was horrible. But at least they didn't have to live through the war.
Hermione finally packed all her stuff when she heard a loud crack downstairs. She stiffened and grabbed her wand. Someone just floo'd into her house, all right. Thank Merlin her parents weren't at home. She slowly approached the door and headed to the stairs. When she stepped closer to them, she saw a familliar blonde looking around her living room.
„Malfoy?" She gasped when she saw his face. Yeah, Draco freakin' Malfoy. The boy who had caused her so much pain, the boy who was at one point supporting the man who wanted to kill her best friend. Why was he in her house? What does he want?
Hermione cleared her throat, and spoke in a calm tone.
„What do you want?" She said, raising an eyebrow.
„Just wanted to let you know we're Slytherin and Gryffindor Head Boy and Girl. And apparently McGonagall wants the houses to – er – unite or something. So the Slytherin Head Boy and Gryffindor Head Girl are in the same dormitory. Pansy is with Potter, yeah," Draco smirked, „poor Potter, he hasn't got an idea what's he getting into. But yeah, just thought I'd let you know. Don't want you to be fainting on your first day there, do we?" He laughed, the smirk still on his lips.
„Okay, let me get this straight," said Hermione, „I – Hermione Granger – will be sharing a dormitory with you – Draco Malfoy – for a whole year?" Draco nodded and Hermione gave a desperate sigh.
„Listen, Granger, I still hate you. We'll just have to act..." He rolled his eyes. „Friendly."
„The feeling's mutual, then, Malfoy," she spat, „I'd rather be stuck with Parkinson." She scoffed. In fact, she'd rather be with Harry. Why did McGonagall do this? She knew very well how Draco and Hermione got along.
„Good," said Draco.
„Good," replied Hermione
„Fine."
„Fine! Now leave. The train's leaving at 11 o' clock, it's 10 right now. I should be getting ready right now. You might as well come with me, we'll probably be in the same department, if I'm not mistaken."
„I suppose so. But I'll much rather floo there. You can apparate to King's Cross or something. I most certainly don't want to be seen with a mudblood." Draco smirked once again, stepped into the fireplace and disappeared with a loud crack and a mist of green flames.
„Good GOD. What a complete arse," Hermione stomped upstairs to her room, grabbed her trunk and Crookshanks with the other, making sure he was safe and sound in her arms, and then in a blink of an eye, she disappeared.

After a nauseous ride she finally got to King's Cross. Marching over to platform 9 and 3 quarters, she noticed curious looks were following her. She rolled her eyes and ran through the brick wall. When she opened her eyes, she saw the well known Hogwarts Express. There was a lot of steam of course, but the chattering and the clatter of the crowd was what Hermione missed the most. Soon she'd see Harry, and – that idiot. Just when Hermione thought things were going splendidly, Ronald Bilius Weasley broke up with her. Because of reasons „unknown" to Hermione. What did Ron think, who was she? She was, after all, the brightest witch of her age. He had broken up with her because of Brown, he did. After all her luggage was safely placed in the train, she marched over to the first entrance into the train. She walked to the department where all the Head Boys and Girls were and she found Harry quite quickly, sitting by himself, with a look of misery etched upon his face. She sat down in the seat opposite of him.
„Harry? What's got your wand in a knot?"
„I'm paired up with Parkinson," he said, but Hermione thought she couldn't possibly be that bad. „How am I supposed to marry a Slytherin?" Harry muttered sadly, making Hermione gasp.
„What the hell do you mean by marry? Harry?"
„Oh, you don't know?" He sighed, „here, read this." He said in the same sad and miserable tone and passed her a copy of the Daily Prophet.

A NEW BEGINNING

Since the Second Wizarding War, the number of wizards in England has become critically low. Our Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, has passed a new law called the Marriage Law. Every wizard or witch aged 16 or older must marry and have a child or more in a certain time period. Every wizard or witch older than 17 will recieve a note with their future spouse's name written on it. As for Hogwarts, most of the Gryffindors will be paired with Slytherins. As we all know, the two houses are known for a fight going on ever since the school was established, and Mr. Shacklebolt thinks that this will decrease the hatred between Slytherin and Gryffindor students.

Rita Skeeter

Hermione gawped at the paper in front of her for a few minutes.
„They 'ought to be joking," she said calmly, „it has to be a joke. They can't just force us to marry someone, can they?" She muttered and gave a desperate sigh when Harry nodded.
„'M afraid they can. It's the Ministry. They can do everything, and we haven't got a vote in it."
„But – what about professor McGonagall? She had to have a say in this!"
„She did – but no one wanted to hear anything, everyone said that we had to repopulate. I honestly don't see what's wrong with just marrying who you want and having kids with the person you love," Harry sighed, „I'd rather go through the Second Wizarding War again. I don't want to marry Parkinson," he whined.
„Oh, please. She can't be that bad. You'll be able to protect yourself if she tries to curse you, so you've nothing to be worried about. The thing that's troubling me is – you got paired with Parkinson, and you're Head Boy and Girl. What if I get paired with Malfoy?" Hermione gasped and Harry became even more miserable than he already was. Hermione sighed and didn't say anything. She knew this had to be hard on him. Draco was his arch-nemesis, and it would be horrible if he had to see him with his best friend on a daily basis. Besides, Hermione would have to kiss the greasy git. And later have kids with him – how was this acceptable? Hermione heaved a sigh and pulled her Gryffindor robe over her clothes and Harry did the same. The train was slowing down and soon they'd be at Hogwarts – only this would be the worst year yet.

Harry and Hermione left the train last, since they had to make sure no one was left. When they finally got out they heard Pansy's shrieks and yells.

„I DON'T WANT TO MARRY POTTER! HE'S AWFUL!" The pug-faced girl moaned to Draco who just rolled his eyes.
„Oi, Parkinson! I'm not half as bad as you think," Harry yelled over at her, making Pansy scrunch her nose and march off.

They were already in the carriage when it became dark. After 15 minutes they were in front of the castle. Harry and Hermione strode proudly to the Gryffindor table, with the gleaming Head Boy and Girl badges fixed on their robes.
„Oi, Harry! Harry!" Called Seamus. „D'you know who you're paired up with?"
„Yeah. Parkinson," said Harry, and almost instantly gasps were heard all over the table.
„I got Zabini," muttered Ginny who was sitting opposite of Hermione. When Harry heard this, he clenched his fist and slammed it hard on the table, making Ginny and Hermione jump.

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall had stood up and started her speech.
„Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, I'll get straight to the point. All of the students aged 16 and above MUST marry. No exceptions. I understand it is hard, and I have tried everything and anything to stop this law, but Shacklebolt can not be reasoned. I am very sorry, children. But all of those who have not recieved their notes will recieve them tommorrow or tonight. As most of you know, the wedding is to be held this month and you must concieve a child in a timespan of five weeks. Now, on to the feast," McGonagall ended her speech and clapped her hands, and piles of food appeared on the golden plates in front of the staff and students.
Hermione wasn't hungry at all. She only ate a bit of chicken. But she felt sick to the stomach – what was wrong with the ministry? How can they just force 16-year-olds to marry and have sex? When the food disappeared, Hermione marched off angrily to the 7th floor and into the Head Boy and Girl dormitory. It was shaped like the Gryffindor common room, with squashy armchairs, but it had both Slytherin and Gryffindor colours and mascots. Hermione walked upstairs to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Her hair wasn't as frizzy as it was before so it was much easier to wash it. It was now smooth and fell down her back in soft ringlets.
She wrapped a towel around herself, and, forgetting she wasn't home anymore, walked downstairs half naked. She regretted it instantly. Draco was sitting on the sofa, glaring at her almost-exposed breasts.
„Woah, Granger. Nice boobs," he said and smirked, as Hermione ran upstairs again.
„Bloody hell! He saw me... Greasy git," she muttered and dressed up. With a simple drying spell she dried her hair and collapsed onto her bed, falling asleep quite quickly.

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