A/N I do not own Harry Potter. That world belongs to the lovely JK Rowling! No Copy Right Infringement Intended. I did borrow an except from HPDH pg 637

Matters of the Heart

Prologue

"The natural flights of the human mind are not

from pleasure to pleasure, but

from hope to hope."

-Samuel Johnson

"No-no-no!" someone was shouting. "No! Fred! No!"

And Percy was shaking his brother, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and Fred's eyes starred without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

It was Hermione who realized at once that Fred wasn't dead. He was under two spells, Stunned, and the Full body bind. Her eyes could see his heartbeat through the vein in his neck. She began shoving the other Weasley's back. "Get back!" She commanded brandishing her wand.

The brothers backed away confused and utterly heartbroken. Hermione moved her wand in intricate ways and pointed her wand directly at Fred. "Ennervate!" A light shot out of Hermione's wand and seemed to enter Fred.

The twin blinked, once, twice, his face a mask of surprise and confusion. He slowly sat up looking at Hermione.

A strangled cry came from down the corridor and George hurdled himself at his brother. Hugging him with bone crushing strength. Slowly Ron and Percy joined in. The tears streaking their dirty faces now happy...

After Harry defeated Voldemort the rest of the Weasley's had been told what Hermione did for them. How she was able to keep a calm and collected view point. Saving Fred.

From then on Hermione was praised; a hero! No matter how many times she brushed it off. Mumbling that surely Madam Pomfrey of Professor McGonagall would have noticed as well. She wasn't one for hero worship.

It was October, 4 months, since the end of the war. Everything changed. The Ministry felt it had to act now.

The front page of the Daily Prophet.

Magical Marriage Act

Citizens of the Wizarding World. I implore you; we have all suffered

a great many losses. Our numbers are dwindling. The decline in

population is staggering. One we can unfortunately not

wait for nature to take it's course. Therefore by order

of the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebot we have

constructed the Magical Marriage Act.

We have spend countless hours and resources to come up

with an amicable solution. All witches and wizards

between the ages of 17-45 are to be married by January 1st

1998. Conceiving a child within 18 months.

Based on Arithimancy and extensive research your Ministry

will be assigning you a spouse. Based on geneology and the best

chance for healthy offspring.

Guidelines:

This marriage will be permanent as per wizarding law. We do not

believe in divorce. There are no exceptions to the rule. Every

person who meets the criteria will be forced to comply or else

suffer the consequences. Your memories erased and your wand snapped.

Sent to live as a muggle. With no knowledge of this world.

There is also the matter of the bedding ceremony. Select Ministry

Officials will be chosen to witness the consummation of the

marriage. Which will bind the two for life.

We your Ministry intend to repopulate to full strength. To ensure the

survival of our world. There may still be dark times ahead.

Though we should not let ourselves be extinguished.

Owls will be sent out throughout the week.

Helen Rudolph

Magical Department of Marriages