The Experimental Arranged Marriage

Chapter One – The Hypothesis

Fred had just closed up the shop – he always did it, where George would open every morning – and dragged himself upstairs, when he was accosted by his twin.

"Where've you been? What took you so long?"

"Give me a break, Forge; a load of kids came in right after you left," he replied grumpily.

"Anyway, I have news: I've just been talking to the girls, and-"

"No." Fred cut him off. He'd just broken up with Angelina, after almost two years together, and he wasn't in the mood to be especially social with her at present.

"But wait to hear what I have to say!" George tried. "It's really good, and doesn't just involve them."

Fred sighed, already dreading what was coming.

"Go on, then," he said.

"Nah, bro – I'll have to show you..." George's evil grin was there in full force as he dragged his twin into the green fireplace.

"What the-?" Was all Fred could say when he saw the kitchen of the Burrow.

It looked like a face-off between two countries, not a girl-fight. Yet that was what it was: Fleur and Hermione were standing three feet apart and screaming at each other in French. Fred was taken aback – who knew the know-it-all was good at languages too? He should've guessed, though – this was Hermione Granger.

Looking for someone to update him and his brother, George tapped Katie on the shoulder.

"What's happened since I left to get Fred?" He asked.

"Nothing much, just more accusations and disbelieving reactions. I think Fleur might have brought up the Yule Ball, too," she replied. "I can't quite catch it all, though, and they haven't stopped to breathe again, yet."

As she spoke, all voices silenced, and Fleur and Hermione were stepping back, both outraged. Angelina, listening to a translation spell by her ear, was shaking her head in disgust. Fred was reluctant to talk to her, but when she caught sight of him, she beckoned him over.

"Fred?" She'd never really been able to tell the difference – one of many factors in the break-up.

"Yep," he replied with a forced smile.

"OK, here's the situation," she began, "Fleur came into the kitchen while us girls were having a gossip – as we do." Fred nodded at her to continue. "And we were goading Hermione 'cause she's known for doing any dare that's legal, right?" Fred grunted, a signal to go on. Lina had never quite got the idea of summarising. "So we're joking around about what we'll all be doing in ten years, and someone – I think it was Nora – brought up kids. Fleur said she wasn't having children, and Hermione – though we all did the same, just quieter – gasped loudly and asked why not. You with me?"

"Yep, still here."

"Ok, so Fleur, who never really got on with Hermione – thinks she's too outspoken – mutters something in French. Hermione catches it, thinks for a second, and says something back in French. Before we know it they're screaming at each other. We didn't even think of a translation charm 'til one of them brought up Bill's name."

Fred just stood there as he tried to take it all in. He supposed that it was bound to happen sooner or later, though he wouldn't have guessed that Hermione, of all people, would get so het up about not wanting children.

Girls, he thought, shaking his head. There's no understanding them.

After dinner, everyone staying at the Burrow, and not getting married or planning the wedding congregated in Harry's room – which had been the twins'. They were talking quietly, discussing various topics, until Charlie apparated in, directly on top of Fred. The latter was grateful that, if nothing else, his brother was a good deal shorter than he was – his mouth was free for him to yell,

"Gerroff! Move it, you fat bugger!"

Surprisingly, Charlie didn't return an insult but rolled off Fred and sat, morose, on the floor. Knowing better than to get in the way, Fred hung back as the girls fussed over him, to Ron's disgust.

"How can he stand it?" He asked, indignant.

"Maybe he actually likes girls, idiot," said George. Ron went red and started to protest his sexuality when Charlie finally spoke.

"Why did we ever come out of the dark ages?" Of course, Hermione had to know what he was talking about.

"What do you mean? What was better hundreds of years ago than now?" She asked, confused.

"The weather?" Supplied Fred. She just gave him a look that said, now is not the time to be facetious. She'd probably be surprised that Fred even knew that word, he mused. His thinking was cut off by Charlie's reply of,

"Back then, you had arranged marriages." Fred could tell that Hermione was dying to correct him, so he sent her a look just like hers. Surprisingly, she sat back, admitting defeat. Fred, however, didn't have time to think about it as his older brother continued, "Everything was chosen for you, and decidedby someone else. Much easier than trying to hash it in today's world. Just think, you'd never have nasty break-ups or broken engagements, 'cause your significant other would have been chosen by your parents; you'd have to marry them, and that was the end of it."

Silence greeted the end of his musings, as everyone in the room realised the aadvantages of having your marriage partner chosen for you. Strangely, though Fred was starting to get used to it, Hermione was the first to add her support for the idea.

"Yeah, and you'd be able to blame your parents or guardians if anything went wrong, and you'd know that they were chosen for you either for political gain or because you were well-suited. There would be a good reason for it."

She sounded very angry at that last bit, thought Fred. Does it have something to do with the fight earlier? Judging by the expressions on Katie's, Lina's, Nora's and Ginny's faces, it did.

"You know what?" Said Katie, "We should test that."

Fred's wasn't the only blank face.

"I mean," she continued, "We should arrange a relationship within the group, alongside Bill and Fleur's marriage; test Charlie's claim."

They sat and thought about it. George seemed to come to a conclusion first, as he was the next to speak.

"I'm with Katie. How about we put everyone volunteering into a draw and pick out two names?"

Fred needed to intervene on this one.

"No, that defeats the object of choosing people for a reason," he said, stealing a glance at Hermione, who seemed put out that Fred had got there first. "We should get someone not involved to pair two of us up, stating why."

"That you in then, Fred?" Asked Ron.

"Yep, baby brother, I'm ready for a challenge!"

"Wait," said Hermione, whose logical side had just kicked in. "If we're testing Charlie's claim, we have to make it an actual marriage, not just a relationship. It would have to be legal."

Fred noted Lina's reluctance, and was about to suggest a signed agreement or a contract when Nora put in her two penn'orth.

"So we should draw up a contract or agreement now, and then ask for volunteers, before taking the names to someone independent for selection." Making sense like that, Fred could hardly believe that she was George's girlfriend.

"So who is 'someone independent'?" Asked Ginny. "Does it mean someone who's not eligible?"

"I suppose so," said Nora. "Everybody? We'll need a name, once we've drawn this up."

Fred smirked. He had ideas for this already.

"What first?" He enquired. "The length of the marriage or the person responsible for matchmaking?"