Hermione sat on her old beat up looking rocking chair .She looked out her bedroom window into the bright summer's day below. She could hear her neighbours cutting their grass and children scream as they played. Hermione laughed at the thought of these innocent muggles who knew nothing about the world that she lived in, the world where her and her friends were all was fighting against the cruellest men she ever knew.

Last year had been the toughest for Hermione. She had helped Harry, Ron, and the order fight against Voldemort. But in the process she had lost the dearest people to her. Her mum and dad who had been attacked by death eaters as they charged through her house looking for Harry Ron and herself. Hermione had felt so guilty for what had happened to her mother and father last year, that when the war was over she could not talk to anybody. She had just shut down as if she had given up all hope.

Hermione was pulled quickly out of her thoughts by a loud thud from downstairs and her aunt screaming for her. She dashed down the stairs to see her aunt sitting under the table with a massive broom. Hermione looked around the room to see that an owl had landed on the kitchen cabinet. She went over to release the letter it held in its beak. The owl flew back out the window leaving Hermione with her letter and her aunt who was emerging from under the table.

Hermione new she was in trouble, this happened every time she got a letter. Her aunt was fuming and all she could hear her muttering under her breath was "why can't they just send letters the same way as normal people instead of those blasted birds".

Hermione had had to stay with her aunt because she had nowhere else to go. She was of course always welcome at the Weasley's, but she felt a little uneasy around them. It all started began when her and Ron broke up, it was a little messy. They had grown apart, she wanted to go and study, he wanted to play on a damn broom.

She had brought her only possession that could be saved from her home to her aunt's house. The only thing Hermione brought was her rocking chair, because it was so dear to her. It brought back so many happy memories of her mother who used to place Hermione on her knee when she was younger and sing her to sleep, but all that was gone now. All she had left of her parents was the memories they had shared.

Hermione looked down at the letter in her hand and turned it over. She found it was sealed with the Hogwarts crest, she automatically thought that this was her letter to tell her that she was chosen to be head girl. When she opened the letter she gasped as she read it. She had to read it about 3 times to make sure that she was seeing it right.

Dear Miss Granger

We are sorry to hear about your parent's death, but we have something very important to discuss with you. I, and the ministry have decided that, we are expecting the death eaters to come together again and try to finish off what the dark lord had started. So we wish for you to marry Draco Malfoy until we are certain that the death eaters are taken care of.

We do not wish to put you Harry and Ron in the same position as you were last year even though you defeated the dark lord. We cannot ask for that type of help again from such young wizards. It is far too dangerous. You have already done so much for the wizarding world. I know what you are thinking, why Draco out of all the wizards in the world? The reason I picked Draco was, because he has connections to death eaters.

It is very important that you and Draco make sure that you look and act like a married couple, or we could be in trouble. You must not even tell your closest friends or family. I will be in contact soon to discuss living arrangements and the marriage ceremony. One last thing Draco will be arriving at your aunt's house today so you may wish to tell her that he is your boyfriend until I arrive.

Headmistress McGonagall

Hermione was furious. How could she expect her to do this? She was only 17 years old she did not know whether to scream or cry. She stormed up to her room and flung herself on the bed. What was she going to do?

"Arghh" Hermione screamed into her pillow.

How could she marry HIM of all people why HIM. She hated Malfoy with a passion; he has caused her so much pain and grief over the years. She could not marry him. She would not marry him.

Then she decided that he might not even bother turning up. She had her fingers and toes crossed, but the she then heard her aunt's piercing voice echo up the stairs. She knew it was him by the tone in her voice she wiped away any tear tracks by casting a cleanup spell. Then headed down to attack her new husband to be.