Disclaimer: I don't Own Harry Potter, if I did, I would not be writing this.
When Hermione Granger walked out of her front door, she found that the sky at war with itself. In front of her, the sky was a bright blue and clear, not a cloud. Behind her, the sky was ominous, with black, rolling clouds, encroaching on the brightness in front of her. She stood, looking at the sky for a minuet until she remembered why she had left her cozy home. She walked done the short path to her mail box and pulled out a muggle cell phone bill, a muggle power and water bill, a flyer for 10% of potion supplies, a letter from Ron Weasley, a letter from Harry Potter, a letter form the Ministry of Magic, and a letter that shocked her, a letter form Draco Malfoy. Here she was, Hermione Granger, 21 years old, receiving a letter from an old enemy. She turned around and headed back up the path to her front door, staring at the letters. She reached her door, and after letting herself back in, she headed towards to my living room and sat on my couch. She decided to put off the Malfoy letter until the last, if it was to be opened at all. She opened the ministry letter first;
Dear Miss Granger,
Due to the fact that the wizarding population in Europe are not reproducing at a sufficient rate to prevent the extinction of our race, the ministry has formed a new department, the Magical Marriage Department, and has made a new law, the Marriage Law, to ensure the continuation of our race. The new Marriage law states that every witch and wizard from the ages of 17-35 will be matched with another magical person of the same age range that we believe will have the least likely chance to produce a squib. This law excludes those that are already married or are to be married within the next 6 months. Our records do not show you as married or to be married, so we have matched you Draco Malfoy. You have 3 months to marry Mr Malfoy, and 6 months after to conceive a child, and another 2 years after the first child is born to conceive another child. You must also produce at least one boy and one girl within the marriage, no matter how many children you produce in getting to that point. Any person that does not comply with this new law will have their wand snapped and will be forced to live in the muggle world.
Thank you for your cooperation and I congratulate you on your upcoming marriage.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Hollyrood
Head of the Marriage Department
She gazed at the letter without really seeing it for a few minuets until coming back to the world. This must be why Malfoy had sent her a letter. It had been a few days since she checked her mail and the letter was a few days old. Still wanting to delay Malfoy's letter, She opened Ron's.
Hermione!
I just got the ministry letter about the marriage law; I was matched with Lavender Brown! She is really excited, me, not so much, I was kind of hoping that you and I would have been matched, at least we know each other. Who were you matched with? Harry hasn't sent me a letter saying to who he was matched with. I hope he was matched with Ginny; that would make my life easier. Reply back as soon as you get this!
Ron
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes the letter and folded it up, throwing it aside. She would reply to it, after she had read Harry's, and maybe Malfoy's. I grabbed Harry's letter a pealed it open.
Hermione,
How are you? I am well, just got the ministry letter about the new marriage law. Who did you get paired with, I hope not Ron, not a good match there. I see you ripping off his head within the first month! Anyway, I got matched with Ginny! We are both so happy, she asked me to say "hi" for her in this letter so, Ginny says "Hi!" I am waiting for a letter from Ron, and now you to tell me to whom you are matched with. Let me know as soon as possible!
Lot of love,
Harry
I smiled at his letter and reached for my quill, some parchment, and my ink well, and started to write. I was going to answer Harry's first.
Harry,
I am well, thanks for asking, there is a storm coming in here. I am so happy for you and Ginny! I'm glad you two will be happy now! I was not matched with Ronald, no, I was matched with Draco Malfoy! I know, it will be terrible, and I can live with out magic, but Malfoy will be forced to marry me, for he can not live with out magic! Ha! But I will just have to make do. I say "Hi" back to Ginny, and we should get together soon, with Ron and Lavender (Ron and lavender were matched together, in case you didn't know yet) and plan our weddings together, because you must be at mine and Ron and Ginny as well, you all must be a part of my wedding party, no matter what Malfoy says! Let me know when you are free and we shall organize a time when Ron, Lavender, Myself, Malfoy, and you two, will be able to get together!
Love,
Hermione!
I folded up the letter and sealed it, and started a pile of letters to be sent. I grabbed fresh sheet of parchment and wrote to Ron.
Ron,
I am well, thank you for asking… I was matched with Malfoy, but I will live. Anyway, I was thinking that Harry, Ginny, You, Lavender, Malfoy, and myself should get together one day to plan for our weddings. I need to have you, Harry, and Ginny as a part of my wedding party! You guys are my best friends, I don't care what Malfoy says! Any way, reply back when you can and we will work out a time when we can all meet.
Hermione,
Finally, biting the bullet, I pulled Malfoy's letter and pealed it open. I pulled out the letter and sighed as I started to read it.
Granger,
It is in no doubt that you have received your Ministry of Magic letter about the new marriage law that has been passed. In my letter, I was told that I need to provide an engagement ring, you will find it in the envelope, you must wear it, and it will magically grow or shrink to fit your finger. We must meet soon and… discuss this new development. I will send for you in the next week, a house elf will come and collect you.
Malfoy.
I frowned at the short letter and then looked in the envelope, inside, like Malfoy said, there was an engagement ring. It had a large square cut diamond, with two emeralds on either side and the band was ringed with smaller diamonds. I slipped it on my finger and felt it shrink a bit and then fit perfectly on my left ring finger. I looked at it for a second, and then tried to get it off, but it refused to come off. I cursed under my breath then started to write back to Malfoy.
Malfoy,
Thank you for the ring, it is now refusing to come off! Any way, yes we should meet to discuss, as you put it, this new development. But why send a house elf? Come collect me yourself! And, I want, no, NEED to meet with Harry, Ron, and Ginny to discuss wedding plans! They will be a part of my wedding, and I don't care what you say! Anyway, I will see you in the next week.
Hermione
I nodded in satisfaction as a folded up the letter and stuck it in an envelope, addressing it to Malfoy. I addressed the other letters too and whistled for my Great Horned owl, August. I tied Harry's and Ron's letters to her legs and gave her Malfoy's letter to hold in her beak.
"Take this one to Draco Malfoy," I showed her the envelope, "and these two to Ron and Harry" and I pointed at the two tied to her legs. She nipped my finger affectionately, took Malfoy's letter, and flew out my open window, straight into the bright part of the sky. I sighed and watched until she was nothing more but a tiny spec of black in the bright blue sky; I hoped that she would be able to out fly the on coming storm. I sighed again and turned around and decided to look over the bills.
After looking over the bills, I apperated to the Leaky Cauldron, walked out the back door and tapped the special brick that open the archway to Diagon Alley. I stepped into the street and the first thing I noticed was that every window had a display or poster about the new Marriage law. Information posters about the rules of the law, adds for discount wedding dresses, displays for engagement rings that were obscured by a crowd of witches at each one, comparing their own on their finger, or wishing for a different one. I walked straight down the alley towards Gringotts bank. I was going to exchange some gold for muggle money and go pay my bills. I walked straight past the throngs of people at each display or poster, keeping my head down. I did not want to be noticed. Everyone still speaks of the war and how I was a hero, part of the "Golden Trio," anybody and everybody would want to know who I was matched with, if I get to choose because I was a war hero, or if I was excluded. There would no doubt be a full page article for Ron, myself, and in Harry's case, a two page article, in the Daily Prophet. I kept my hands in my pockets, pulled the hood of my robes to cover my tell-tale hair, and walked quickly. I had managed to make all the way into Gringotts and was not caught. I walked up to a free goblin at the wizard to muggle money exchange, thankful that goblins couldn't really care less what was going on with the Marriage law. I got a relatively happy goblin, one who didn't sneer at all witches or wizards, who helped me with my exchange. I left with a smile and left. As I stepped out side, I had realized that I forgot to pull up my hood. I stepped into a blind group of reporters and cameras flashing and chattering away, asking questions that I could not understand through the sheer mass of it all. I raised my left hand to try and shield my eyes and face from the cameras. The reporters immediately saw the ring and started yelling at me, asking who gave it too me.
"I will give you all the details in an interview that I will set up with my fiancé and ONE reporter!" I yelled back and pushed my way through the throng of reporters. I dashed down the alley before anyone else could stop my and quickly apperated when I reached the Leaky Cauldron. I stepped into my house, clutching my chest and panting heavily. I grabbed a drink of water, and sat in my living room. August flew over and sat on my arm rest, dropping three new letters into my lap. I saw a letter from Ron, Harry, and again, Malfoy. As august flew up to her post for a drink and some food, I sighed and picked up Ron's and pulled it open and read.
Hermione,
HOW COULD THE MINISTRY MATCH YOU WITH MALFOY? YOU ARE A DECORATED WAR HERO WHO FAUGHT MALFOY IN THE WAR! WHY WOULD THEY MATCH YOU WITH HIM? HARRY AND I WILL WORK TO GET YOU SWITCHED! Maybe we could get them to trade Lavender for you! That would be great! But don't worry, Harry and I will fix this, trust us!
Ron.
I looked at the letter and felt anger rising up in my throat. How could Ron think that I would need help fixing this? I really don't care who I was matched up, and I had a fairly good idea why I was matched with Malfoy. Because if I was able to put aside the bad things that happened in the war and was able to marry one of the enemy, who was pardoned because he was able to prove that he was forced into the position, then everyone else should be able too. I knew what was going on, I did not need to be protected, like Ron said, I was a decorated war hero! I could protect and help myself! I immediately wrote back to Ron, on the back of his letter.
Ronald,
DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND "FIX" THIS! IF I WANTED TO CHANGE WHO I WAS TO GET MARRIED TOO, THEN I WOULD DO IT MYSELF! I DON'T NEED YOU BUTTING IN! I KNOW WHY I WAS MATCHED WITH MALFOY AND IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT, IT'S NOT MY FAULT! I will be fine! You marry Lavender, and I will marry Draco.
Hermione
I folded it up and threw it across the couch, as far away from me a possible with it still being within grabbing distance. I picked up Harry's letter, hoping for a different reply to the news, I found two letters in the envelope. I pulled out the first one and found that it was from Ginny.
Hermione,
Don't worry about Ron, Harry and I are going to talk him down from going to the ministry. Thank you so much! I would love to be a part of your wedding, just as long as you promise that I will be your maid of honour, and you will be mine! Harry and Ronald can be the bride's maids! Ha! You should have seen Harry's face when I told him that. I didn't tell Ron yet, his head might explode if I did just now. Anyway, Harry and I are free whenever you are, as well as Ron and Lavender. You might want to wait a bit for Ron to calm down a bit before you bring Malfoy though. I can't wait to show you the ring that Harry gave me! I will show you when we meet! I need to see yours as well!
Lots of Love,
Ginny
I smiled at the letter and was glad for Ginny, she was probably able to convince Harry first not to do anything rash, and then they could work together on Ron. I picked up Harry's and read.
Hermione,
Like Ginny said, don't worry about Ron. The only thing about Malfoy is that if he ever hurts you in any way, shape, or form, tell me right away and we will sort him out! I trust you and that you are making the right choice. Good luck! See you soon.
Harry
I laughed at the letter and smiled again. I remembered there was one more letter to be read, and gingerly picked up the letter form Malfoy and peeled in open.
Gran- No, I should call you Hermione now, shouldn't I?
Hermione,
I know the ring won't come off, it's part of the magic. Just to make it easier on my ears, I will come and collect you myself, expect me on Wednesday, around 5:30 pm, then we can go and meet your friends in the Leaky Cauldron. I hope you know why they matched you and me for this marriage, I believe you are smart enough to figure that out. I trust we both can work together to make this work. I will let Potter, Weasel and she-weasel be a part of our wedding, as long as Blaise and Crabbe can be a part of it as well, but I see no problem with that, do you? Until Wednesday
Draco Malfoy
I actually smiled when I read Malfoy's letter, he was even going to call me Hermione! I knew I didn't need to reply to his letter, but I quickly wrote a note to him.
Malf-No! I must call you Draco.
Draco,
When you come to collect me, we will be going to the Leaky Cauldron, where they will provide us with a private parlour where we can talk with Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lavender. I will be telling Harry and Ginny to meet us there at 5:45 pm, and Ron and Lavender at 6:00 pm, that way we can have a calm talk with Harry and Ginny before the storm of Ron. See you Wednesday.
Hermione
I then added a P.S. to the letter I was going to send to Ron,
P.S. Draco and I will be meeting with You, Lavender, Harry, and Ginny, at the Leaky Cauldron, this Wednesday, at 6:00 pm. You better be there!
I then wrote a quick note to Harry and Ginny.
Harry and Ginny,
If it is alright with you, Draco and I will be glad to meet with you in the Leaky Cauldron on Wednesday at 5:45 pm, ask Tom to show you to my private parlour. I will be asking Ron and Lavender to show up at 6:00 pm, after you two, I will also take away his and Lavender's wands, I will have no cursing during this meeting.
Love too you both,
Hermione
August was snoozing on her post, so I would give her the letter when she woke up. I pulled a book and started to read.
There you are, Please Read and Review, my first Review will get a special mention in the next chapter. Thanks all!