A/N: This is a story that I started a few days ago. I think it will turn out pretty cool. R&R
Disclaimer: Yes, in case you are wondering, I do own Harry Potter! J. K. Rowling stole it from me! I tried telling the police but they didn't believe me…………. Ha! I wish this were true. (I really am just a big fan of the Harry Potter series, not the author)
Chapter One- I Mean Our
"So we have decided then." The Minister glanced around the room wearily at the board. Everyone was nodding and everyone looked tired after the twenty hour debate. "Then we will send word and hope they cooperate. You are dismissed." The well dressed, yet somehow still tattered looking people got up and walked out of the room. Rufus Scrimgeour looked at his weary assistant and told her to go home and rest. She nodded and walked out, with files in hand.
Voldemort had been killed, and the light side had won, but the dark wizards would not stop. The meeting had been over peace and stopping the smaller fights that had been occurring. Over the past few weeks, there had been multiple murders and curses from the angry death eaters. Instead of putting them all in Azkaban, the Minister had come up with a plan: a plan that should solve the conflict and make peace with everyone. I hope.
An Order of the Phoenix meeting
"Calm down everyone! Calm down! Let me read it out loud!" I watched as Harry pushed his way to the window. The ministry owl sat on the ledge with a letter tied to its foot. Grabbing the letter and opening it quickly Harry read the letter aloud.
"To the Order of the Phoenix and our good friends,
As I had discussed with you, we will carry out the wedding plans. You must choose two women and one man (between the ages of 17 and 24) who were deeply involved with you (with their consent) and send me their names. They will be given a partner in marriage. Do not fear for their safety because they will be living in a monitored home and will be unable to perform magic until circumstances get better. Don't be hasty, but be quick in deciding. These arranged marriages will be carried out in two days.
Rufus Scrimgeour
Minister of Magic"
I gasped and many others joined me in the distressed state of being.
Everyone was silent and Harry placed the letter on a table. Looking at his friends he spoke, "Who will volunteer for this position." Everyone was silent once again. Then they all looked around and spoke at once. "QUIET! We have to do this! It is the only way we can finally call this war quits!" I couldn't take the idea of someone else doing it, so I walked up to Harry.
"I'll do it." I spoke meekly and many people patted me on the back to my dismay. Harry is easy to read and I knew he wanted to tell me no because he stammered.
Ginny stood up as well. "So will I." Harry wanted to protest to his ex-girlfriends statement but must have thought it would be better not to. Ginny joined me in a hug and Harry looked around desperately for a young male who fit the quota.
After a few minutes of awful silence, Ron stood up slowly. "I will." Harry gave his best friend an awkward hug and told him thanks.
A meeting at the Malfoy Manner
"What does it say!? Read it Draco!" Pansy Parkinson was running to his side as he shoved her hand off his shoulder.
Everyone came closer and listened as he read,
"To my fellow witches and wizards at the Malfoys,
We will be carrying out the wedding plans as we had discussed. You must elect two men and one woman (between the ages of 17 and 24) who will be joined with another in marriage in two days. Fear not for their safety because the houses they will be living in will be monitored. Choose soon or the Ministry will choose for you. Reply within the hour.
Rufus Scrimgeour
Minister of Magic"
Placing the letter on the marble table, he looked up at everyone. They were all silent and looking at the ground.
"We must choose now," Narcissa spoke up and everyone turned their attention to her, "There is only one girl here between the ages so she is already nominated," Pansy gasped as everyone looked at her. "And there are only a three boys high enough in ranking, since Crabbe was killed," Pansy's eyes teared up and Narcissa stepped slightly forward to offer a small amount of comfort, "Which of you boys will volunteer?"
Raising her eyebrows, like a true Malfoy, she glanced from Goyle, to Blaise, and to her son, Draco.
Blaise stepped into the opening and said, "I will."
Draco looked from Goyle to his mother. Merlin, why! He pleaded silently with all the higher powers that exist.
He stepped up as well, "So will I," he unknowingly mimicked Ron Weasly.
The three of them looked at each other in remorse.
"It has been decided then. I will send the Ministry a reply." The large group dispersed and made their way to the dining room for food. A tense quiet overtaking them as they thanked Merlin that their own children (and themselves in some cases) were not in the age range and available.
As Narcissa sent the reply Draco stayed in the foyer of his home. His cousin walked up to him and patted him on the back. "I am just hoping that they voted Granger as one of those brides. At least she's hot." Draco sent him a glare and shook his head in disgust.
"Why would you not mind that? She's a mudblood!"
His cousin shrugged off the blood comment and spoke again, "A hot mudblood!" Draco turned his face away from Blaise, he felt sick at just the thought.
"I don't think that really matters now. We will find out in two days." The two men joined everyone else in the dining room.
The Weddings
"You look so beautiful!" Ginny was standing by me in the large mirror.
"So do you!" Apparently, my facial expressions gave my downcast feelings away because Ginny sighed and hugged me.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I felt a hot tear come down my cheek and I met the redheads stare.
"Nothing… It's just that…well maybe it's a muggle thing but every girl dreams about her wedding and who she will be marrying… This is nothing like I pictured." We embraced each other and Ginny reassured me that it would be alright. I am embarrassed to be carrying on like this but I can't stop, I'm so upset that I'll be marrying an ex-death eater (willingly no less, why on earth did I volunteer for this?!).
"We'll still have each other right?" Ginny's red hair was curly and half up. A piece of it fell over her eyes. She was so cute and I always have looked at her like my little sister.
I resist the urge no longer and brush the stray hair behind he pale, freckled ear, offering her a soft, sad smile, "Always," I answered quietly.
The music started to play. Crap! Oh Merlin! What is going to happen? Who am I marrying? As if someone read my mind, a flying parchment swan came up to me.
I hurriedly opened the swan (ripped right in half on accident, made it a right bit harder to read!)
"You will be wed to Draco Malfoy." Is all it says. So matter of fact, so callus. Your plans for the future just became a smoldering pile of ash, have a nice day.
"WHAT!?" I turned and saw that Ginny had also received a swan. Rushing over to my friend I grabbed her paper. "Can I trade you please!?"
Ginny looked at my now tearstained paper and said, "No, I don't think we can change who we are marrying," was what she said but I knew that she'd have traded if she could've.
Sighing and thinking, I am doing this for everyone else! I walked towards the door. The song was playing and a short man walked through the door that I was only a few inches away from.
"Come on ladies. It's time."
Ginny and I followed dutifully, Pansy joined our odd white clad group as after a moment and the set was complete. The three of us walked side by side behind the man, all looking down and making our way to the front where the grooms were standing.
Draco was staring at me. Checking behind my shoulder to see who he was looking at I sent him a sad look. The man at front put all of the 'couples' hands together (to our disgust) and smiled at us.
He spoke in a strong clear voice so everyone in the Ministry lobby (the spot chosen as neutral for our marriages) could clearly hear, "We are here to witness the joining of these six people in marriage. You are to be the strong hold of peace between your sides in this feud. You are to respect each other and learn to love. Take your rings now," The men drew out similar silver rings and the women pulled out ones like them, "Place them on their hand," Draco slid it up my finger, the cold metal brushing along my skin, never breaking eye contact, "By doing this now, you are bound together by the power of love, and cannot be separated."
I stared right back into Malfoy Jr.'s cold gray eyes and realized I had just sold my soul to the devil, all for the benefit of people who would never truly appreciate the sacrifice I was making for them, and would someday forget I'd even existed. One warm, salty tear escaped the corner of my eye.
"Men, kiss your brides. May this be the first of many," Once again, my ever-faithful-weak-eyes, let a tear slip out of their hold.
Draco looks from my eyes to my lips to my ring, then back to my eyes. He looks so afraid, almost as afraid as I feel I realize. Do I frighten him? Or is it our new status as a couple? I feel his strong hand on my chin. Normally, I would have pulled back out of repulsion, but I had to do this.
Draco's lips cover my own in a short, firm, kiss. As he pulls back, I see the same fear in his eyes accompanied by a new anger.
I watch as Blaise takes Ginny's hand and leads her down the aisle and farther away from me. Ron and Pansy follow them out in quick succession, with Draco leading me right behind them.
Once we reach the end of aisle made of the floo-fireplaces we encounter the Minister himself, and he's holding keys.
Delightful.
"There are two keys for each of you. One is to your new house and the other is to your car," I see Draco and Blaise slip each other confused looks, "You will have to obtain a muggle license before you can drive it, but since you cannot perform magic until we know you are both safe, you will be allowed to drive for a few weeks with just this," Passing out permits he looked over us all. Seeing how truly pitiful we look he adds a sigh for good measure and says, "I am sorry we had to come to this."
And he left us alone, I watched him until he disappeared from view half hoping he'd turn around and yell, "April Fools'!" but he didn't.
I make my way to the driver's side of our new car and I can see Draco wants to protest.
"Granger, I don't think you want to drive in that dress," I looked down to my overly huge dress, then back up at him and sat behind the wheel, "Wha-"
"You don't even know how to drive right?" Defeated he looked out the window and buckled his seatbelt.
"Turn onto I-24 here." The Tom-Tom gave me directions to my, I mean our, new house. It's the only thing that speaking, trust me. Turning the wheel to the right I decided to act childish (or more teenage-ish) and take my confusion and anger out by speeding. Pushing the pedal hard, the car sped up and Draco sat up straighter.
"Bloody hell! Are you trying to get us killed?" I couldn't find any words to say. My eyes were focused on the road and he grabbed a handle above his head. The speedometer reads 109. I see that I've broken my previous record and give a small smile while releasing most pressure on the accelerator pedal. Satisfied both with my record breaking and scaring Malfoy.
I turn the car onto I-24, and we enter a town.
After passing multiple houses and stores, the Tom-Tom says, "Turn right in 0.0 miles-Turn right," in it's tinny automated voice.
To the right was a small house made of brick with picturesque white shutters. We turn as directed and pull the car into the spacious garage.
Before I even put the car in park, Draco's unlocked the door and gotten out. I swear under my breath, which is my way of handling things, and turn the car off. I watch as the handsome young man storms toward the door. It took him about five minutes to figure out how to unlock the door and I laughed when he slammed it closed as if in punishment.
After staring at my newly decorated hand for several seconds, I open the car door and make way to my, I mean our, new house. The few belongings I do own were already delivered to the house, but I feel no urge to unpack them. All I really want to do is cry, or go to my actual home (even Grimmauld Place, anywhere but here!).
Draco was in our (I shudder at the thought) bedroom and I throw my purse on the counter. A tear is making its way down my cheek once again. Wiping it from my skin, I sit in front of the already lit fire place.
I wonder how Malfoy managed to light the fire without magic.
I contemplated the thought for a few moments and eventually found a switch on the wall that turned it on.
So much for boys scouts. I think humorlessly.
The clock on the wall begins to ring, one-two-three-four-five-six times. Staring at the device I start to cry again.
So much for the night of a lifetime, my only wedding night will most likely be one of name-calling and fighting.
I try to keep the crying to a minimum so Malfoy wouldn't hear and ridicule me later. Walking rather fast to the bathroom I open the door to the large tiled room. It was teal and white with beautiful brown accents on the sink and steam shower. As I looked in the mirror at the flustered face staring back at me, a sting of pain strikes my head. Living with muggles for most of my life I remembered that most people had their medication in a bathroom cabinet. After opening the mirror cabinet, I discover some Tylenol and pop it into my mouth. I swallow quickly and close the mirrored cabinet in my reflection I see I am no longer alone.
I get startled easily so I spin around quickly and Draco is looking at me with his worn grey eyes. "Why, Granger?" I tipped my head to the left slightly as in question, "Why did it have to be you?" That was like taking the pin out of a grenade.
"Don't start with me Malfoy! I'm sorry that you and your friends had to go and kill more people after the war was clearly decided! I'm sorry that I volunteered to waste my life on a marriage to my arch nemesis. Oh yeah! I'm sorry that it had to be me! -- And by the way, I'm not Granger anymore thanks to you." I cross my arms firmly across the white satin bodice of my dress, however after two-tenths of a second I fling up my left hand ring finger up.
"I can call you Granger if I want. You're still Granger to me and I don't look at you like my wife." Our eyes lock in a fierce glare.
"Well, start looking at me like that because that's what I am," I finish the argument by spinning on my left heel and heading out the door.
Once I reach the bedroom door, I lock it and jumped on the large bed. It's a beautiful bed that I would be sharing with Draco, but wouldn't really be if you thought about it. The rectangle bed was completely surrounded by two steps made of wood that matched the floor. Our house is magnificent but I doubt I'll enjoy much of my time in it.
While the time slowly passes, I lookout of the bedroom window, Draco's sitting on the ground in the front yard. He seems sad but I don't think much of it, I'm sad too after all, and I take the opportunity to leave the room and start dinner.
As my burning eyes searched the stocked pantry, I let out a sigh of relief when I found mandarin oranges, all the ingredients for green bean casserole, and even some soda; I've developed a real craving for them after being in the wizarding world for so long and am very glad the ministry is being so considerate about this. I prepare the food and set the square table for myself and Draco; my new husband. When he said he didn't see me as his wife I became conscious the I'd don't even think I could see him as my friend, no less, my partner in life. Deciding to look past that small obstacle, I go outside and walk up to Malfoy.
I sit down on the grass next to him having changed out of my dress before leaving the comfort of my, I mean our, room for the kitchen. He doesn't acknowledge my presence, choosing instead to stare off at the horizon.
My hand pushes my curly hair behind my ears.
"Supper's ready when you are."
Draco slowly looked at me and then back at the sky. A moment of silence reigned and I decide to eat my dinner while it was still hot if he's going to be like this. Getting up and sighing, I turn back toward the house but suddenly feel a hand grab mine. I stop to see Draco still on the ground holding my right hand.
"What…" The strong hand pulls me down gently and he speaks quietly.
"Look there." My brown eyes follow his stare towards the darkest part of the sky. "D' you see it?"
Yes, I see it. There was a constellation that was barely visible at this time, of two hands in each others. The star figuration was not one I had ever seen before. I shot him a questioning glance before returning my eyes to the patch of sky.
"You can only see it when all the stars are barely there. It disappears after about four or five minutes." Soon enough, the picture faded and was lost in the now darker sky.
Draco stood up and started walking towards his, I mean our, house. My feet follow and I place the two plates on the table. After sitting down and eating the now mildly cold food, I notice Draco was not eating at all, but was watching me. He did not appear to be in disgust, but he didn't appear to be enthralled either. I sent him a questioning look and he smiled.
"I never would have thought someone like you could eat so much in so little time." I wipe my mouth on my napkin and set it down next to my plate.
"Why's that?" He gives me a look like I must be mental so I returned the look. After rolling his eyes he replied.
"Well you see, you're so… well little. And most girls like that are not big fans of food." He picked up his fork and stabbed three mandarin oranges. Once he placed them all in his mouth and chewed them, he looked back to me, his wife.
I blushed but then got over the not-exactly-a-compliment remark.
"Well I am not like most girls." I place my dishes in the sink and walk to my, I mean our, room. It's quarter after nine and I'm unnaturally tired. It has been such a long day and I simply can't wait for my head to hit the pillow.
The nicely made bed looked welcoming and I put my pajamas (a tank top and shorts) on. I checked to see if there was anything breakable in the bed (which was a strange habit ever since I jumped on and destroyed, my favorite piggy bank when I was seven), and then jumped into it. The large down blanket was warm, and the feather pillow was soft. As I placed my head gently on the pillow, I barely heard the bedroom door open.
Draco entered and saw I was already in bed. So much for a big wedding night.
He was already in his pajamas (an over-sized t-shirt and sweat pants) so he slowly lifted the covers. As he did so, I turned to look at him. I wanted to hate him for taking my love life and being my unloving husband.
Draco saw and smiled at her. After an awkward silence, Draco spoke up.
"You know Hermione, we are going to be married the rest of our lives." It sounded weird to him as he said it and it sounded weird to me.
"You called me Hermione," my brown eyes flick over to the man whom I normally look at in hate.
"Well, since we are together until we're dead, I thought I would get the name problem out of the way now. Besides, I think that we have to make the best of this." He had caught me by surprise. Apparently I showed my shock by dropping my jaw.
"I think you have gone mad. You are not the Draco Malfoy I know." He let a laugh escape his lips and I tipped my head at him.
"You're right actually. I don't want to be here as much as you… But most girls would love to be where you are right now." My eyes rolled in the back of my head and I sighed.
"Like I told you earlier; I am not like most girls." Rolling over I fell asleep.
A/N: So what did you think? Let me know! If you have any brilliant ideas for upcoming chapters click the little GO! Button and tell! Thanks!
My beta reader, quik-wit, rocks!