"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Get down here, the letters just arrived!" Mrs. Weasly was calling us from upstairs were Harry, Ron and I had been hiding, hoping that the letters wouldn't come if we wished hard enough. I guess not. We trooped down the stairs, going to face our fate. We all new this day was coming, we just had hoped not so soon. The Ministry had barely given us a month since the final battle. They had announced their intentions but nobody really thought they would follow through with this crazy marriage law!
As we walked into the kitchen it was clear we weren't the only ones dreading these letters. Ginny, Fred, and George all had the same look on their faces. They were clutching letters stamped with the Ministry seal on them, Mr. Weasly handed us ours as we walked in. I sighed, and said "Well there's no point in dragging it out any longer, how about we all open them on three?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, one, two three!" I break the seal on the letter and unfold it….
Dear Ms. Hermione Granger,
Due to the recent civil war the wizarding community just faced it is necessary for us to replenish our population. We have instated a marriage law, using a number of complex spells we have found matches for everyone 17 and older. The marriages must be official by the end of the month and consummated regularly. At least one child must be provided by each couple by the second anniversary of the couple's wedding. We apologize in advance for any complications this may make. Enclosed is your match.
Sincerely,
Susan Bones
I take a deep breath and flip to the next page to see my match.
Ms. Hermione Granger, matched to Mr. George Weasly
I gasp as I read this sentence. I start to sway on my feet, and the edges of my vision are starting to blur. I push that feeling aside and say "Who did the rest of you lot get?" Harry looks up beaming, "Ginny!" I nod numbly¸ that's no surprise. The blur on the edge of my vision starts to move in. Ron looks up and says "Luna Lovegood" I nod again, the blur moving ever closer even though I try to shake the feeling off. Fred says "Angelia" George looks at me, I nod, he says "Hermione" At the same time my vision blacks out.
-o00o-
"I'm really not at all surprised, for the past year she has been on the run! Then not even a month and a half ago she was involved in the largest wizarding civil war in history. I have been waiting for this to happen." I hear Mrs. Weasly's voice; I can't see anything but I can tell from the warmth around me I must be in a bed. I can hear whispering but not quite make out what is being said. I think to myself, "Okay Hermione, it's time to get up." I slowly peel open my eyes to see everyone gathered in the room me and Ginny share. Harry is the first one to notice that I have woken up. He says "Guys, she up", and suddenly everyone is around the bed taking at once. "Are you okay? How do you feel? Do you need anything?" I glance around me overwhelmed, all I want is for everyone to stop talking! Mrs. Weasly saves me from needing to say anything, "Okay, okay, everyone out, you can ask all your questions later, this girl just needs some rest and relaxation." I nod silently and people slowly start to file out, but before they can all go I call out "George, would you mind staying?" He looks at me and nods, closing the door behind everyone. He crosses the room and sits on the side of my bed.
We sit there for a moment longer before George speaks up, "So Mione, what kind of cake do you want?" I laugh at his valiant attempt to ease the tension. "How about strawberry" I say, George smiles at me. He says "Glad to see you aren't too upset about this whole marriage law." I shake my head, "I am kind of upset they couldn't give us more time. There are plenty of people who would have gotten engaged sooner had they known. I'm glad I didn't get paired with someone like Malfoy, I'm glad they put us together. I just feel bad knowing you won't ever be able to fall in love with someone, you're stuck with me." George looked at me like I was a blast-ended-skrewt, "What are you talking about Mione? I'm not upset that I won't get to fall in love, and being paired with you isn't a bad thing, you are a beautiful witch, I'm sure we will be able to work things out." I just stare at him in awe, "Did you just call me beautiful? Me? The bushy haired, know-it-all, prefect, bookworm? You don't need to say that just to make me feel better George." George's jaw drops, "You think I was just trying to make you feel better?" I nod; I had known all my life I wasn't all that attractive. I just try to look on the bright side; intelligence is attractive too, right? George just shakes his head, muttering under his breath "Unbelievable" He opens his mouth to say something else when Mrs. Weasly calls us down to dinner.
