Chapter 1

Emptiness

Hermione Granger was 24 years old. She had a boyfriend whom she really liked. She had a flat with her dream bedroom and she picked out all the furniture and colors so they looked most exquisite. So why did she have this feeling in her stomach that life could be better. Why did he have an aching in her chest that on some days was too strong to pass off as anything other than emptiness.

Hermione laied in bed with Ron's arm draped around her side. She looked at the weasleys freckled face and felt...nothing. She liked him a lot. She really really liked him, but that was all. Her life was perfect it was everything that she dreamed of as an 11-year-old girl, but she was not an 11-year-old girl anymore maybe she needed more than just a dream come true.

In fairy tales it was so easy. The prince would swoop the princess away and live happily ever after. They would live perfectly in their castle with their butlers servants and jesters and have beautiful children. Why can't life be like that? Her prince came she has her castle,but why is she so...empty.

Her thoughts were cut short by Ron awakening. He opened his eyes and said,"hey Hermione, wanna get me a cup 'o coffee."

She put on a fake smile and walked out of the room. Once in the kitchen she noticed her reflection in the stove.

She began to talk to herself and she said,"you have everything you ever wanted so why aren't you happy why isn't it good enough for you? You have they boy you liked since you were 11 you have everything so why are you so...miserable?"

"talking to yourself again 'Mione?" said a cheerful voice that she knew instantly.

She turned around and saw that she was correct with what she thought,"FRED!"
She cried out with a laughs nd hugged him a little too long to be considered a friendly hug.

" 'Mione!" he mimicked her.

"very funny I suppose your one of the jesters to my perfect life?" she thought

"pardon?"He asked her with concern and amusement on his face.

"oh did I say that... I didn't mean to say that out loud." she said with a faint blush

"is something wrong? Oh never mind where's Ronniekins? Mum wants all of us at the burrow... Now!" he added hurriedly.

She walked into the room and told Ron to get up to come to the burrow. They got dressed quickly and apparated to the burrow immediately.

"dears! Oh how good to see you! Oh Hermione you look great!" Mrs weasley exclaimed as she wrapped Ron and Hermione in a tight bear hug.

"thanks Mrs weasley! It's wonderful to see you too!" she said cheerfully

"well I am sorry to admit the reason you are all here is one of an unhappy note.." said Remus Lupin.

Hermione turned around to see all of the weasleys Sirius Harry and the rest of what's left of the order at the table all with a serious face plastered on them.

"oh what's wrong now?" Hermione sighed as her and Ron sat down at the table. She sat next to Fred and Ron sat on the other side next to Harry.

"well now that we are all here I have a very unfortunate announcement to make. This is hard for me to say." he paused to look at all the faces and then continued,"the deatheaters are growing stronger even though their leader is dead. We suspect they have a new leader, but we aren't sure and since they are still in control of the ministry they are making a new marriage law. Now Kingsley Arthur and I have managed to keep
The marriages of most of you within the order with people of the order, but it was difficult. The deatheaters don't want you to be happy. So the people who were knowingly in a relationship are not paired. We tried believe me we tried, but one can only do so much, this means Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna, And Percy. You all have different matches then you do now. I am truly sorry, but we could only do so much as I have said before...".

"just tell us who were stuck with already!" Ron said annoyed

"okay now, Harry , we wanted to make sure you had someone in the order and we tried to get you Ginny, but the. Deatheaters refused so . Harry you are to be married to Luna. Ginny you to Neville. Ron we unfortunately couldn't pair you with Hermione, but you will be paired with a Miss. Lavender Brown. Her father worms with Arthur very nice man. He is not a death eater and is very trustworthy. And Hermione we have managed to get you an order member. We couldn't risk losing you now could we? The brightest witch? Well you are with a mr. Fred Weasley."

The words Hester popped into her head and she thought,'oh so the fairy tale has a twist the evil bad guy comes in and Tares the prince and princess apart forcing the princess to wed the jester.'

She was snapped out of her thoughts as Remus continued,"George you are with a Miss. Katie Bell. Percy you are with a Miss. Angelina Johnson. Charlie you are with a Miss Susan Greengrass. Sirius you were paired with...Mya Anderson..." Remus paused to grin at Sirius who said,"you requested her on purpose!"

"well I requested everyone's. They just had no objection to yours. They didn't quite care."

" well how long is this marriage going to have to last? I mean it in the nicest way possible, I don't want to be with Luna forever. I'm in love with Ginny! And Luna loves Neville! And Neville loves her. Ginny loves me and Hermione and Ron love each other! You can't expect us to be married forever?" Harry said on the verge of yelling.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably when Harry said her name.

Ron saw her but thought it was a shudder of fear so he grabbed her hand in his causing Hermione to instinctively jerk away from him and scoot towards Fred.

Remus continued,"the law states if it has been a year and the couples are unhappy than an annulment shall be provided but the couple must show signs of trying to make the marriage work they will see a ministry official once a month who will judge if you are really trying. This law will be enforced in 3 days. There will be a binding spell cast upon everyone At midnight on the 3rd of march so no real marriage is required."

"so in 3 days if we like it or not we will all be married to whoever you just said?" Neville asked

"that's correct I suggest you all go home pack and stay with you new fiancée's place to get used to it or perhaps stay here at the burrow."

They all nodded and apparated home.

Once at their flat Ron and Hermione packed their stuff magically and Ron chose this opportunity to say," Hermione, I love you."

"and you know how I feel about you." she choked out

"no Hermione I tell you all the time how much I love you , but not once have you ever told me I love you it's always the same response now I need to know of you love me." he demanded forcefully but looked at her with fearful and pleading eyes.

"Ronald. My life is perfect well was Every thing I had ever wanted. I like you I really really like you a lot."

"but you don't love me..."

"not yet... Maybe after being away from you I will learn to miss you and realize I did love you."

"or you might fall for my brother and ditch me. I love you more than anything to the world Hermione and if you fall for my brother I might lose it promise me you wont."

"I promise you I will not fall in love with Fredric Weasley." she said confidently and then added in her head,' the princess never falls for the jester.'

He smiled at her and kissed her lightly. She hoped she would see fireworks and suddenly realize how much she loved him. But nothing just a dull cold kiss with the chapped lips of Ronald Weasley. They apparated to the burrow Ron with a sly smile on his face(he happened to see fireworks and birds flying during the kiss and thought Hermione felt it too) and Hermione slightly confused and depressed.