Chapter 1. The news
Hermione sat alone in her small apartment. She was reading a book with a small glass of white wine in her hand. She has worked hard over the last couple of years and made it into her job at the ministry for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. But she felt something was lacking in her life and she didn't know what. She was coming on twenty nine and while everyone else was happy with their husbands and wives and had kids, she had none of that. After a few more minutes she put her book down and tried to get some sleep. She lay there for quite a while but she couldn't fall asleep. In the end she decided to grab her book again and start reading and before she knew it the sun was up and time for her to get up and get ready to go out to work.
It wasn't long before Hermione had a shower and drank her coffee and was just about to apparate away when she heard a tapping at the window. She let the owl in and saw the Ministry stamp on it. She gave the owl an treat and it flew away. She looked at the letter for a minute wondering what they would be writing to her about when they could have just said told her whatever it is they needed to at work.
She opened the letter slowly and started reading.
Miss Hermione Granger
Due to the number of low birth rates of magical children over the last few years, mostly resulting in squibs, we are writing to inform you of the marriage law that will be passed to ensure the uprising of magical children in England. There will be another letter sent to you soon discusing the terms to this law and who your chosen partner will be to ensure the best results for magical children. The next letter will be sent out within a few days. You will need to comply to all arrangements made within this law. There will be consequences with refusal of this law.
We hope you have a nice day and you will hear from us soon.
Minister of Magic- Kingsley Shacklebolt
What are they thinking? How could they be doing this? Hermione scrunched up the letter and apparated straight away to the ministry and went straight for the lifts up to Kingsley's head office. The second she got up there she stormed to the door ignoring the receptionist telling her she can't go in there. Hermione barged through the door and flung the letter on the desk, looking ready to murder.
"What is this Kingsley? Why do this now? What is the whole point in this?" Hermione all but yelled.
"Please Hermione calm down. It is out of my hands. The commity voted on this and put it into action."
"So your saying you had no say in this what-so-ever?"
"That is what I am trying to say Hermione."
"Why take away people's free will in making them do this? It is unfair."
"I'm sorry Hermione but you know with some things they will make happen even if you don't want to do it."
Hermione closed her eyes for a few seconds to compose herself before opening her eyes and taking a deep breath before asking the few questions she did not want to know the answer to.
"What is the terms of this and what are the consequences if unfulfilled?"
Kingsley hesitated before answering, unsure how to say it as he was sure she would definitely not be happy with it.
"You would need to live with them within a month after being notified to get aquainted to the person before marriage. You would have to be married within the year of being notified of who you are partnered with and have a child within a year after marriage."
"You can't be serious Kingsley. I'm expected to move in straight away and marry and have a kid with them in a matter of two years?"
"Yes, unfortunately that is the case."
"What if I don't do any of that? What if I refuse?"
"Then you would be charged for refusing to comply with the giving instructions and if you still refuse after that it will be a year in Azkaban."
Hermione stiffened at that.
"What?" She said weakly. Kingsley sat there for a few minutes in silence to let her digest the information.
"How can they expect this of someone? How can they force someone to do this. We don't even have a choice." She said the last part quietly.
"I am sorry Hermione, but there is really nothing I can be."
"I can see that." She spat out and stormed for the door and headed to her office. She went straight in and slammed the door closed and sat at the desk and put her head in her hands. Why was this happening now? Of all times in her life? Then came a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me." Came the voice through the door.
She opened up the door and Harry walked in.
"I'm assuming you heard the news then?" He asked.
"Obviously." She said glaring. "Your lucky, already being married to Ginny. You already have kids, you don't have to go through all this."
"Come on Hermione, get up and lets go to lunch, take your mind off things."
She nodded and walked out of her office with harry and walked out onto the street and down to the cafe just down the road.
"What am I going to do Harry? What if I'm partnered with someone like Malfoy, that would just be horrible, having to live with him before even marrying him. It would be a nightmare."
"It will be fine, just threaten to hex him if he gets on your nerves. You know no one will mess with you with your hexes. Plus I could also send Ginny over. She's pregnant again and you know how nasty her hexes can get when she has hormones." He said cringing as if bringing up a bad memory.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think it would be that bad fate would have to be seriously screwed up if I got paired with Malfoy."
Harry sniggered and then they were silent for a while so they could eat their lunch. They walked back to the Ministry in silence and the rest of the day went smoothly for Hermione and she walked home feeling quite relieved and relaxed.
He woke up the next morning to an owl pecking on the window.
"What the hell, it's still early." He mumbled into his pillow before grabbing his wand and casting Tempus and saw it was only eight o'clock in the morning. He shakily got up and stumbled over to the window grabbing the letter and off the owl before going back to sit on his bed in his manor. He opened up his letter from the Ministry. Second one in two days to arrive and he wanted to know what it was about now.
As you now know there will be a marriage law coming into effect and you will be recieving your pairing in the next few days to a week by owl. There are a few conditions along with this law that you must comply with which are stated below.
1. One month after notification of your pairing you must live together under the same roof. This is so you will be getting to know each other if you don't already before the marriage takes place.
2. You must be married within a year of the notification of your pairing. We will be expecting to hear when the dte has arranged to be so we can be sure you are complying. Marriage is required within the year so there is no prolonged engagements that could go on for years. We want it done as quickly and swiftly as possible.
3. You must concieve a child within a year after marriage. Before the baby is born and after the baby is born there will be examinations done to check if the baby will be born a squib or not. We expect to hear about any pregnancies made during this time. Again a time limit is et into place to ensure couples do not put this off.
Any failure to achieve said conditions above will suffer in consequences. Failure to do so once will result in a fine of 50,000 galleons per person involved.
Failure to do so twice will result with time in Askaban prison for up to a year.
I will expect to hear from you within the month to hear that the conditions are being met and kept to.
Minister of Magic- Kingsley Shacklebolt
"Well I'll be damned. They are seriously going through with this." He said to himself, hoping he did not end up getting someone he hated.
