Heya, this was up on the site before, but I removed it as it really needed work. It still does, but I've done the best I can with something I wrote when I was 14. I've re uploaded it, because a lot of people liked it, but I've tried to replott it so it makes some sense, a lot of it is a bit jumbled, but I've given up with it, hope you all still like it

xoxo Jenni

What harm would a different colour do?

It was about twelve and it was a rather ordinary day, there were a few oddly shaped clouds in the sky and a few birds flew overhead, but in general it seemed a rather bland uninteresting day. Nothing whatsoever could mark this day out to be different from the last one hundred days. To some degree it looked like it was going to storm, perhaps this was reflecting on the news that was about to be uncovered in the weasley household..

Hermione walked into the dimly lit farmhouse kitchen of the Weasley's household. Many domestic pots and pans adorned the walls and a few frayed tapestries of famous wizards. For some reason it had never struck her, how much red was in the house, red walls, red furniture.

Suddenly behind the sofa came a noise. She looked over, half expecting her cat to be nibbling at the plump hand sewn cushions, or a buck-toothed squirrel, or whatever Luna was always raving about, to be making a nest out of one of the cushions.

"Surprise" The sofa, yelled as many people jumped from behind it, "Happy Birthday" they yelled. All her friends, Tonks, Professor Lupin and of course her parents were there.

It was a shame, Hermione thought, that her headmaster at her old school, Hogwarts wasn't alive to be here, to have seen her finally graduate. He had died in her 6th year of Hogwarts, and she knew that no headmaster could ever be as brilliant as he was. He was almost like the grandfather she never had, she thought. She was proud to have known a man such as Albus Dumbledore, he was a genius.

Tonks waved her wand and said a simple spell and at once a large wooden farmhouse table appeared with a huge 3 tier pink iced cake with 18 candles. She also noticed a few decorative banners that had appeared over the window.

Around it there was a huge pile of presents.

'Wow'.

She thought,

'nice to know I'm loved, I thought they had forgotten about me'.

Out loud she said simply

"thank you so much. Its lovely. Thank you. "

she had tears of happiness in her eyes.

They all sat down on one of the many comfortable sofas that adorned the Weasley house, typically red of course, It was almost as if they were afraid of the colour green,

'why can't they just put some green in',

she thought,

'what harm would a different colour do?'

They were all sitting there waiting for her to open her presents and cards. After a lot of thought she decided to open her cards first.

The first was a pale yellow envelope, with her name written in muggle silver gel pen , it must be from her parents she thought. She was right. 'To Our darling daughter on her 18th' read. Typical .she almost laughed 'darling' indeed.

She remembered all the times when she was a younger child, that her parents had threatened to throw her out in the holidays, saying that they didn't want her type living with them. That she was dirty, and strange, and something they were ashamed of. Almost like Harry's aunt and uncle. Her and Harry had a lot more in common than they both realised. But she always had to be the strong one of the group, the one who threw herself into education because there was nothing else for her to fill the void in her life.

She blinked back invisible tears. No use crying over them, she told herself.

Then continued to open her lavishly wrapped presents then she noticed a rather official looking letter addressed

' MS Granger, The Burrow, by urgent ministry of magic post'...

-----------------

She carefully opened it, afraid that it could be bad news. Well, she knew it must be bad news, that's all that could come out of the ministry of magic these days, Bad news and Prejudice.

It read;

Dear Ms Granger,

It has come to our attention that you have come of age, in both the Muggle and Magical worlds respectively. This means that you are eligible to participate in our scheme of arranged marriages that will benefit the magical world. Because of the war, there is a steep decline of pure magical blood. We must merge blood lines to correct this. Any pureblood wizard, can take up to three muggleborn wives (less desirable blood), and must have children by all wives. The children will be provided for, and under this scheme the Wizarding birth rate should be back to normal in ten years, which is when this marriage contract runs out.

A separation may be made if , more than two squibs are conceived or there is no pregnancy within 3 years of marriage, however contraceptive potion are now illegal (act 3 law 29) and result of using them, the user will be sent to Azkaban.

We regret to inform you that because of law 67 Section A, You are to be legally engaged in a arranged wedlock with a Pureblood Wizard who has petitioned for you.

Please find on the attached page, the name of the wizard who has petitioned for you , and a compatibility chart.

Your matrimony will be in precisely 2 weeks after 4 organised dates.

We would like to point out that this is not voluntary.

Yours Sincerely

Cornelius Fudge,

Minister for magic.

She carelessly grabbed the second sheet, shaking slightly, hoping that none of her worst fears would be true.

Sadly it was far worse than she thought.

The sheet read;

'Tom Marvalo Riddle'

Compatibility 89

Interests 72

Education 85

Physical 65

Overall compatibility :93

She screamed out loud, she couldn't help herself, she was shaking all over. She felt every positive energy drain out of her. She felt faint, angry and most of all worried. What was going to happen to her? would she be tortured? Raped? Murdered? She thought to herself, she showed the letter shakily to Tonks, who worked as an Auror at the Ministry who at once hugged her.

"It'll be ok, we will find a way around this, don't you worry about a thing." Tonks said, hugging the sobbing screaming Hermione.

Tonks then apperated to the ministry, Working there she was sure that she would find out what was going on. Strangely, outside there were at least 25 screaming and crying young girls, all talking about a marriage law. She went inside, using her staff password, only to find the place almost empty, which was odd to say in the least, there were signs on all the doors saying ''go home to your families''. Tonks made her way up to Cornelius Fudges office , which was on floor 5.

When she got there she noted that he was sitting alone, staring point blankly at the white wall by the door. He looked as if he had been punched in the face by several different people. He turned around when she coughed loudly. His eyes were glazed over, as if he had been crying.

"I guess you're here about one of the Muggle-Borns" He said matter of factly, in a strangled monotone voice, as if all the life had been sucked out of him.

Tonks breathed in. This was the moment she knew that Voldemort was controlling the ministry.