Disclaimer: She wants Harry Potter, Har-Harry potter.
Too bad not everyone gets what they want :)

Staring at the ground as she walked, Hermione made her way down the hallway of the moving train, on her way to the bathrooms. She had to get out of the compartment inhabiting two of her best friends who were recently throwing a fit about the new law that the Ministry of Magic had just put into act. The Marriage Mandate.

Hermione sighed as she opened the door to the girl's washroom. It was a very cramped room, like one on a plane – Hermione being a muggle-born knew all about planes – it had a toilet in the corner and about two feet away there was a sink and mirror. She shut the door behind her and leaned on the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror and thought about what happened when she and the others had found out about the Mandate.


"Guys, look at this." Harry Potter said, his eyebrows furrowed as he handed Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley his copy of the Daily Profit as the train steadily gained speed. Hermione grabbed it first and her honey brown eyes skimmed over the whole page, growing darker and more confused with ever line. Ron was growing impatient as he waited.

What is going on?" He demanded. Hermione huffed and tossed him the paper."That is a load of rubbish." She said, her voice implying her obvious annoyance. All of this was completely barbaric."Can they even do this?" Ron asked, his face slowly turning redder and redder. Hermione stared at the boy in amazement, before she quickly frowned/
"Yes." She muttered unhappily. Ron tossed the paper on the seat across from him, only to have it picked back up by Hermione. She quickly reread it over and over.

MINISTRY: NEW MARRIAGE MANDATE?

Minster of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt just put
a new Mandate out. After a long three days of
meetings with the Wizengamot, the Ministry
of Magic has decided that in order to show He-
Who- Must- Not- Be- Named and his followers
that we are not weak, they have ordered that all
wizards between the ages of 17 and 29 be subject
to marriage with someone of the same or close
to the same age as them. Students who are 16 but
will be turning 17 within six months will also be
added in.

Pure-bloods will be marrying outside of
their blood, which does include muggle-borns
and half-bloods. The choosing will be completely
random and the final decision will be made by
the Minster of Magic himself. All decisions are
final and cannot be taken back.

The 'candidates' will receive letters by
owl on 15 September. They are then to be ma-
rried no more than six months after receiving said
letter. 16 year olds will have to wait until they are
17 to marry. The wedding will be binding and
cannot be broken until the couple's fourth anniv-
ersary, at which time they can file for a separation.


"Hermione groaned and tossed the atrocious paper back in its proper place, on the floor. Harry and Ron began a heated conversation on what exactly they thought about this Mandate, causing a few other people to peek into their compartment and soon join in. Hermione decided she needed to think on her own, quietly slipped out of the compartment and began walking towards the bathroom.

Knocking on the door pulled Hermione out of her thoughts.
"One second." She yelled before fixing her hair in the mirror and robes and opening the door. As soon as she did though, she wished she hadn't. Pansy Parkinson stood there, her forehead etched with thought wrinkles as she waited. Upon seeing Hermione her face changed into an 'O' shape before quickly looking sad.
"Hey." She said quietly, shocking Hermione who was expecting a insult of some kind.
"Hey." She replied looking at the black haired girl before slipping out.
"Hermione?" She asked, her eyes cast downwards. Hermione turned towards her questioningly.
"Yeah?" She asked. Pansy looked up at her.
"I'm sorry for how I've treated you in the past." She told her. Hermione's eyes widened and she stared at the girl.
"What?" She asked out of shock. Pansy reiterated.
"Oh, um, it's alright." Hermione stuttered. Pansy nodded.
"Did you hear about the Mandate?" She asked suddenly. Hermione nodded.
"That's why I'm apologizing." She answered Hermione's unasked question. Hermione made a small 'O' with her lips.
"I know this must be so strange for you." She said. "I mean what with me being a Slytherin and all." Her voice growing more confidence as she spoke. Hermione nodded.
"Do you mind not really telling anyone about this?" She asked. Hermione nodded again.
"Of course not, no one would believe me anyway." She said with a chuckle. Pansy laughed.
"No, I guess not. So I'll see you at school then I suppose?" She asked. Hermione nodded again.
"Yeah, okay." She said smiling at the dark haired girl who instantly smiled back. Hermione quickly turned and walked back to her own compartment that was still semi-full with the new occupants, but was thankfully not full of yelling anymore.

"Hermione! Where were you?" Ron asked as he chewed on a licorice wand. The snack trolley obviously went by.
"The bathroom." She replied before sitting down next to Luna Lovegood.
"Oh." He said before going back to talking with Neville Longbottom and Harry.
"I still can't believe they're doing this." He said, glaring at the paper still on the ground.
"Me neither, mate." Harry said icily. He had been hoping to ask Ginny out, but it was obvious that wasn't going to work. Hermione sighed and turned towards Luna.
"I don't want to do this." She whispered. Luna nodded.
"Me neither, but I suppose it'll have to happen. The Ministry doesn't really give us any choices, do they?" She asked dreamily. Her shocking blue eyes staring into space. Hermione shook her head.
"No, I guess they don't." She sighed as the train sped on.