The Marriage Law

A Dramione Fanfiction

[This is my take on a Marriage Law story. Also note that this is my first fanfic. Dramione.]

Something Suspicious

In Hermione's mind a sense of relief began to invade her mind; it was the first of September. During the summer, Hermione and many other students who had been in her year received letters. The letters were an invite to return to Hogwarts to complete the year of education that many of their fellow students had missed.

As she walked through King's Cross Station Hermione was finally beginning to realize that though many things had changed, everything would be able to return to normal in a sense. As she reached the barrier for Platform 9 ¾ a smile began to stretch across her face and butterflies began to day throughout her stomach. Without further a due she took the last of the few steps that remained between her and the barrier.

Once in sight of the Platform she began to recognize the faces of the students who would be marked as 8th years and those who would be 7th years. A thought began to invade her mind of just how bad the war had been with the numbers of those who had survived being quite few. However, it was an understandable fact that with war came death.

She glided over to the luggage compartments and gave the train the operators her trunk. When suddenly through the commotion of students being reunited with their friends a small jolt caused many people to collapse on to the platform. "Hey, watch it!" Draco Malfoy screamed as he recognized that it was Hermione who had fallen onto him.

"I am sorry Malfoy, but I didn't intentionally fall on you!" Hermione retorted as she pushed off of the ground to once again stand.

Malfoy arose from the ground and busied himself with brushing the dirt from his tailored suit. "Next time watch yourself Granger, or I won't be lenient."

"Well isn't this a first? You haven't called any rude names yet. Maybe you have changed since the war," Hermione said dimly as she crossed her arms and just stared at the young man before her.

Draco had a coy smile beginning to streak across his face. "Granger, let's just say that I have had a middle of the year resolution, to be a little bit nicer to those I have destroyed in the past."

All of a sudden Hermione felt an arm snake its way around her waist. "What do you want Malfoy? Just leave Hermione alone," spoke a familiar voice.

Hermione turned to see it was Harry who spoke and Ron who had tried to protect her. "Harry, Ron, calm down. We were having a neutral conversation. So there was no reason to come to my protection."

"Well let's go then Hermione," Ron said dragging Hermione away from Malfoy. Harry quickly sneered at Malfoy and walked to catch up with his friends. As Hermione was being carried away from the situation she turned back to look at Malfoy just as he decided to look up and see her. A quick smile crossed his face before he left the luggage compartments to find a place to sit.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry found a seating compartment and claimed it for the long journey ahead.

Once at Hogwarts, all of the older students got into the carriages for the ride to the castle. It seemed that much had changed since the end of the war. The castle had been rebuilt with made new parts of the building having been established which caused quite a stir among the students. "Harry, what do you suppose is in that new wing of the building?" Ron asked seeming quite confused about the new look of the building.

"I don't know, I am just ready to see what is in store for us this year," Harry replied nonchalantly as he gazed up at the night sky.

The rest of the carriage ride went by without another word spoken by the trio. As the carriage reached the castle the full effect of the rebuilt castle seemed to make its appearance. However, the changes to the interior of the castle were by far the most significant. Floating glass orbs held flickering light which illuminated the Great Hall. The four long tables that used to hold the students of the individual houses were replaced with smaller circular tables that held around 8 students each. Each of the tables was draped in white linens with silver service neatly in place. The hall seemed to hold unity and togetherness at its highest.

As the students swarmed in, everyone was curious as to why things had changed so much. Once all of the older students had taken their seats, the school staff piled into the Great Hall. "Hermione, you must know what is going on. Why are things so different?" Ron asked worriedly.

Hermione just shook her head and in a low soft spoken tone replied, "For once Ron, I don't know."