Chapter One
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all the characters in this story.
Hermione Granger was a normal 24 year old, well if you counted being a witch normal, and being one of the most recognizable people in the Wizarding world. And let's not forget Harry Potters best friend and part of the golden trio. But being famous and on a first name biases with the minister of magic himself didn't mean she was immune to all the new laws the ministry of Magic was pushing forward. Several of which she had helped write herself and she was proud of. However the ministry was taking drastic measures when it came to the population of Wizarding Britain. Due to the war; and hundreds of years of pure blood inbreeding they felt it was time to take action. And that action came in the form of a marriage law.
First and foremost it was now illegal for a pure blood witch or wizard to marry another pure blood. After hundreds of years of inbreeding the rate of still born births among the Wizarding elites had become something of real concern. However troubling as this was it didn't mean the old pure blood family's took well to this new stipulation. Of course they could choose to leave the country, but not before the ministry would freeze all their assets. The Greengrass sisters had learned this the hard way when they thought leaving would solve their problems. Pure bloods could now only marry either a half-bloods or a muggleborn. As an extra incentive if they chose to marry a muggleborn, the ministry would give them a significant tax break. They were only required to be married for five years, but if the marriage exceeded five years they would receive further tax cuts. The ministry hoped this would entice the oldest of Wizarding family's. After all the only thing they loved more than their bloodlines was their money. Witch's and wizards were to be married by their 25th birthday or face a heavy taxation. Each marriage was to produce at least two off spring.
So at 24 years old, Hermione Granger was forced to find herself a husband. The obvious choice some would think would be Ron. However after a very short lived romance Hermione rather felt she would be better alone and heavily taxed than a life with Ronald Weasley. The thought of marriage was rather nauseating in her opinion and she often wondered if she was really marriage material. She had a big heart, there was no denying that, hello we are talking about the founder of SPEW. But she was ambitious, and she would be damned if anyone was going to get in her way. She wanted to make the Wizarding world a better place for everyone and that sometimes didn't leave much room for a personal life, let a lone a husband and two children.
She had had a few interested party's, Theodore Nott for instance had been trying to cozy up to her since the law was passed. And though he was a simi pleasant man, she didn't feel he could keep up with her mind. There was Blaise Zabini, who was very handsome, but who's play boy nature turned her off to the idea. She would be damned if her name was gonna be dragged through the gossip columns because her husband couldn't keep it in his pants. She had been there and done that, and she had no desire to be the talk of the ministry again. And then there was the man sitting in front of her, the last person she thought she would ever consider marrying. Their history was rocky and that was putting it far to mildly, there was the fact that his aunt had tortured her in his drawing room. And the most important fact, he was the most arrogant prat on the entire planet.
"Granger, look I am not any happier about this than you are. However you know deep down this would be a mutually beneficial arrangement." She glared at him across her desk. "I know for a fact that you are not making much head way on your weareolf legislation. I have the power and money that could push that bill through." She scoffed at this which earned her a smirk. "I know things have changed a lot since the war ended but don't be simple minded in thinking it doesn't still take money to make real change. Somethings will never change."
She didn't say anything for along while trying to absorb what he had just said, he was right she was having a hard time trying to convene the Wizengamot to push through a bill that would allow the wolfsbane potion to be more readily available and more affordable. And she wondered if she would ever be able to get them the same rights as every other witch in wizard. People were still afraid of what it would mean if we allowed them to coexist with the rest of our world. " so you are willing to marry me, and what exactly is in this whole thing for you Malfoy?" She asked trying not to look to disgusted. She couldn't deny that he was no longer the overly bigot he was as a boy. And if she was truly honest they did work well together the few times that had worked together on the abolishment of the outdated laws against muggleborn. But this didn't change their past and defiantly didn't change the fact they had fought on different sides.
"Granger if you think for a moment that I am still the racist prick I was as a kid I can assure you that I am not. I haven't been since that night."
She knew which night he was referring to, she put her hand up to stop him. She didn't like talking about that night, it still haunted her dreams "look I know that you aren't who you once were. But don't you think there is just to much history for this to work?"
"Look I know that I am not your first choice, and I myself feel a little put out about the fact once again I feel as if I have no choice in the course in which my life is taking. But I won't deny either that if I can't marry for love, I should at the very least find someone of good Pedigree,"
At this she snorted, "really Malfoy," she found it hard to believe Malfoy was able to put her and good pedigree in the same sentence.
"Look I am not stupid, I know how smart you truly are, I also know that not only do you have the theory but the power in which to put that theory to good use. Our children will be well rounded. I can see the way in which the Wizarding world is moving forward and I am in no way oppressed to it. I saw too much innocent blood be spilled to think I am any better than the next care. We all bleed the same. And well I know that you could care less about my money."
"Your money is important to you." It wasn't
a question and he didn't take it as such.
"Most woman they aren't after me because they find my attractive, or the fact the bad boy image appeals to them. They want my money and everything that it can afford them. I am not the shallow boy I once was. If I can't marry for love, because let's face it, who in our class has the time to find true love. I want someone I can share mutual respect with. I respect you Granger. I know you have worked hard since you got here,"
"You hate my friends,"she said starting to find she had no logical reasons to refuse.
"That will never change, but I am willing to try being in their general area without insulting them."
"We don't run in the same circles,"
"I could learn to run in different circles,"
"I am a workaholic, and I am stubborn. And a know it all,"
"I know," he said with a smirk.
She didn't say anything. Just stared at him as if he had three heads. He had thought this through, really and truly thought this through. She wasn't convinced that he really knew what he was getting himself into. She wasn't really sure she was really considering it, but she knew she needed to talk to someone else about this, because he was sounding way to logical.
"Can you give a few days,"
...
"Gin, I just don't know what to do." Hermione waled to her friend while they set on her couch. The tea cup in front of her long forgotten.
"This is Draco Malfoy we are talking about." Her friend said.
"I mean it's not as if I have a lot of prospects. I mean the list of available men is pretty short. Most of our classmates have already married. And my 25th birthday will be here sooner than I would like,"
"You still have nine months before your birthday," Ginny tried to reason.
"That doesn't change the amount of available men. I can't pretend that he isn't right, the ministry has changed, but not as much as we would all like to believe. I have had more push back than I would like to admit."
"He is preying on your weakness, he is still the same git he has always been."
"Gin, I am under no illusion other wise. I know who he is,"
"He is a playboy, isn't that why you ruled out Zabini?"
"Look, if I do this that will be one of my stipulation. I just can't deny the points he made." She looked away from her friend. She could feel the judgement rolling off her. Which was not what she needed in this moment.
"Your really going to do this aren't you? You are going to marry that egotistical ass," Ginny said, it wasn't a question but Hermione answered anyways.
"I haven't decided yet,"
...
It had been three days since her conversation with Ginny and four since Malfoy had shown up in her office demanding to speak to her. Truth was she had decided to take him up on his offer, but she wasn't ready to admit it yet. She knew everything Ginny had said was true. He was preying on her weakness, he was being smart and calculating. He was being very slytherin. She knew that he had much more to gain in this than her. Even if he never admitted it. He had become successful, but it hadn't always been that way when he started in the Ministry. He had to prove himself changed and worth the second chance he so desperately need.
There was still people who thought he should have landed himself in prison. But he hadn't, and he had spent every day since the trails trying to prove himself. Marrying one of the wars hero's though, he might just find himself of top of the Wizarding food chain again. She shook her head at this, stop. You are over thinking this. Overthinking her subconscious nearly screamed at her. 'This is Draco Malfoy, and this is marriage we are talking about,' there was knock on the door.
Haley her assistant poked her head from behind the door. She smiled slightly "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy is here to see you again." Hermione only nodded before she was gone and Malfoy strode in a moment later. He didn't say anything as he closed the door behind him and made is way the guest chair.
"Thank you for coming back," Hermione said politely.
"Thank you for considering my offer." He said with a slight smile, not a smirk.
"Yes, well it was rather a lot to think about, I mean you and I. It's complicated," She said a little breathless. Get yourself together she chided herself.
"I think that is putting rather nicely don't you," He asked this time he did smirk.
"Yes, well... I have given it great deal of thought and I have decided to accept your offer. I must admit that in today climate I could do much worse than the likes of you."
"I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult." He said laughing.
"Look everything you said was very true. I don't have anything to loose. But I do have some conditions."
"I see, and what might those be."
"For starters, I know the reputation you have gotten yourself in the last few years when it comes to women. I know we aren't marrying for love, but that doesn't change the fact I don't want my name attached to scandals in the gossip columns."
She thought she saw a look of anger cross through his eyes but it was gone at once if it had been there at all. "I am a lot of things Granger, but a cheater isn't one of them."
"I don't mean to upset you, I really don't. I just this isn't conventional."
"I respect you," He half smiled to himself "Merlin if our elven year old selves could see us now. My point is, I respect you. I know you have worked hard for everything you have accomplished since the war. Nothing was handed to you, I also know you wouldn't have had it any other way. You deserve someone who is going to be loyal,"
"Thank you," She said with a smile. If only Ron had had this same mind set, maybe she wouldn't even be on this situation.
"Now, I think we should discuss living arrangements. I am under no delusions, I know us living in my family home is out of the question. And in the sprit of starting fresh I was thinking we could purchase a home together. One we both approve of."
"That sounds lovely," she said readjusting herself in her chair. "Do you have anywhere in particular in mind.
"A few places. I figured maybe we could have dinner later on this week. Give you sometime to maybe think of a few places yourself, and we could discuss it further.
"Ok," she said softly. Her mind was running away with her. Who was this man? Did she even truly know? Sure she knew that he wasn't the same person. That was evident, but how in the hell had he changed so much that she never even noticed. It wasn't as if they had never interacted since leaving school and starting at the Ministry. They had worked on several laws together before he moved to the private sector of the law. How could she have missed this.
"How about I have my assistant get in contact with yours and they can set up a good even for us to get together?"
"That would be great." She said letting a small smile play on her lips.
He stood then and headed to the door "Till then," and without another word he was gone.
When the door closed behind him she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She had just agreed to Marry Draco Malfoy. He was right, if only their eleven yeah old selves could seem them now. Some where at the back of her mind she had the is nagging feeling, and should could put her finger on what it meant. She tired pushing it aside, but it lingered just out of reach. Shaking her head she pulled the open file on her desk closer to her, Lupin's law. She sighed as she started going over the proposal's, she was going to get this law passed if it was the last thing she did.
Authors note: hey guys thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you guys liked it.
