A/N: This chapter is short and a quick introduction. It's my take on the infamous Marriage law story, but I hope you like what I think is a refreshing twist on it.
Chapter One:
"Well, this is just ridiculous!" Hermione muttered, as she read through the letter once again. She had been overseas for Merlin's sake! The Ministry was not seriously considering imposing sanctions on her simply because she had not attended a few measly balls. After all, didn't she attend enough of the boring affairs immediately after the war?
Ginny grabbed the paper out of her hand to get her best friend's attention. "They are not joking, Hermione. Word leaked out that you had not been attending any of the required monthly functions and there was a backlash that you were getting preferential treatment. The Ministry has to start having you attend these events to show that no one is above the law. Rita Skeeter was more than pleased to write up several articles on this subject alone."
She rolled her eyes at the mention of the reporter's name and lunged to retrieve her mail from the red headed thief. "But I was on Ministry business!"
Ginny's practiced Quidditch reflexes easily out-maneuvered the halfhearted attempt. "The general public doesn't really care about that. You of all people know that as the initial four year period comes to an end and some people are still finding themselves unattached, that they are becoming more and more agitated that they are being forced into marriage."
Hermione paced the floor in her London flat. "And they should be! Let people find love on their own schedule! The ministry should not be meddling!"
"I don't disagree. But…" Ginny paused. "If the great war heroine, Hermione Granger gets special compensation and does not need to adhere to the new law, then others are going to feel that they deserve to be exempt as well. They have to enforce the rule with you as well or else they are going to look like they have mud on their face."
Hermione sighed. If she did not love her family and friends so, she would have just up and left and moved to the America's to avoid all this hassle.
The Ministry had decreed almost four years ago that anyone that has not married by the age of twenty-four will need to attend "Courting" Balls every month until the find a suitable partner to marry. If they failed to declare finding a suitable partner before the single person turned age twenty-eight, then the Ministry would choose one for them, which they would marry within ninety days of the match being made.
The Ministry had given all impacted female and males of age twenty four and older, an initial four year period to find their partners. Although Hermione loathed to admit it, to the Ministry's credit, the program did have a measure of success, and in the past few years, the wizarding population has increased.
But it did not mean that Hermione agreed with it and turned her attention back to Ginny. "It's easy for you! You married Harry practically right out of Hogwarts! You are pregnant with your second. You two are practically the Ministry's poster children for successful procreation!"
"Poster what?"
Hermione waved off Ginny's bewildered look at her muggle reference. "Ugh… never mind. Ask Harry what it means."
"Maybe I will. So when do you need to attend, anyway?"
Hermione looked down at the letter, even though she had the date memorized. "See? That's the thing. It's tomorrow night."
Ginny smiled. "Well, we don't have a lot of time then, do we? Let's get you shopping. If you have to do this obnoxious thing, you might as well look good."
