Forever is in your eyes: Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, however I wouldn't mind Draco, or singing with Tom Felton…that would be awesome…I hear he's a very accomplished singer...

AN: Author note will be at the end

Last time:

Now, Hermione was still, as a lot of us would be at three in the morning, was still incredibly tired. However, a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her to just read the letter, as it was, she reminded herself, delivered by an owl in the middle of the night, and so therefore must be very important.

She couldn't have been more right. However tired Hermione felt before reading the letter vanished after reading what was written on the scroll of parchment, to be replaced by mild curiosity.

Hermione woke up dazed the next morning. Opening her eyes, she found herself

lying on her couch. As her mind worked to remember why she wasn't sleeping in her

bed a rolled up piece of parchment on the floor caught her eye, and the night before came trickling into her mind. Getting the letter so late, Hermione decided to sleep on the couch.

The letter was simple, true, but what shocked Hermione enough to stay awake at three in

the morning was because it was just that: really simple. She thought if the Minister of

Magic himself sent her a middle-of-the-night-owl, then it must be really important.

Right? Hermione being who she was, and having to know everything, pondered on it so long, she simply fell asleep on the couch, too tired to trudge back to her bed.

The letter read:

Dear Ms. Granger,

As Minister of Magic, I oblige you to accompany me to an important meeting at Noon

today, 23rd January 1998. The location is undisclosed, so please present yourself in my

office at 11:55 am on said date.

Regards,

Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister of Magic

There wasn't really anything to it; which was why Hermione was stumped. Instead of

letting the 'what if's' run rampant through her head repeatedly (but not stopped

altogether) Hermione decided to get dressed for work, as if it was just any other day.

After taking a hot shower and eating a small breakfast, she donned a respectable, navy

blue set of work robes. After magically drying her hair, she tied back half of it, while

letting the bottom half hang down over her shoulders. Her milky white skin needed just a

little foundation, with natural color lip-gloss. Finally, after brushing her teeth, slipping on

a pair of navy-blue stilettos and grabbing her briefcase, she flooed into the Atrium of the

Ministry of Magic. The peacock blue ceilinged room was just starting to fill with people,

coming to work.

After punching in, Hermione found herself in her routine of checking messages,

filling out reports, ECT. Before she knew it, the clock read a quarter-'til noon, and

Hermione made her way to the Minister's office. She'd checked with her receptionist,

and headed to the important meeting with the Minister. Upon checking with the

Minister's receptionist, Hermione found herself in a grand, circular room. At the right one side of the office, was a great mahogany desk in front of a grand window. On either side of the window, were great grey file cabinets that stood as tall as Hermione herself. Looking up, was the Minister of Magic, sitting as if waiting for her. The Minister was a tall man with wire-framed glasses and looked more like an old, stooping lion. He always carried a walking stick; this was of course, present in the office. He stood up when Hermione entered the office and said,

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Shall we?"

Hermione, rather nervous about the undisclosed meeting she was attending with the Minister, simply nodded and followed him over to the large fireplace on the other side of the room.

"We're meeting with the Malfoys today. Just yell 'Malfoy Manor'."

Standing in the center of his parlor was none other than Hermione Granger. She was dressed in Navy blue work robes, with matching stilettos. She didn't seem too much different from their Hogwarts days at first glance. On closer inspection, she seemed somehow a great deal different.His mouth was still slightly ajar when he heard his mother clear her throat elegantly, and the Minister say,

"Ah, Draco. Thank you for seeing me this morning. This is one of my associates, Hermione Granger. I believe you both were in the same year at Hogwarts?"

At this Draco shook off his initial shock, closed his mouth, and seated himself across from the Minister of Magic, next to his mother.

Regaining his composure, Draco asked,

"To what, Minister, do I owe this pleasant little get-together?"

"Well Draco, there have been some changes in the Ministry, as everyone in the Wizarding world knows. The downfall of the dark lord was a big turning point in History. There's so much confusion in the Wizarding world right now. Therefore, I proposed a new bill through the Wizengamot, which passed."

Draco thought this to be peculiar. Why would he care? The Minister was telling him this why?

"As you are probably wondering, I do have reason for explaining this new law to you. In fact, it also involves other witches and wizards your age. You see, there is almost pandemonium in the public eye about your family's loyalty to the Ministry; what with your father incarcerated for two life terms in Azkaban..."

"Yes Minister, I'm aware of such folly. I do not though, see how this has to do with me." Draco replied in an impatient tone.

"The new law would have the authority to place certain citizens to be bonded, for the good of the Wizarding Community. Therefore, I have come to you. You shall be our first example. You shall be bonded with a muggle-born witch, in the means of holy matrimony."

"What! You have to be joking Minister! I will not subject myself to such travesty!"

"Mr. Malfoy, you have recently been awarded freedom from prison on the whim of my generous consideration. I can send you to Azkaban, if I see fit. You shall comply with the Ministry's newest law, or you shall be under arrest. And as I'm sure you've figured out, you'd be sentenced with three counts of attempted murder, and refusal of act 713: W.W. Restoration. Do I make myself clear?"

With that, Draco just glared at the Minister.

"Good. Now, according to the act, you're to wed a muggle-born witch. With you being our first try at this new law, a fiancée has been selected. The final details of whether or not the future spouse will be selected for other participants of our new law has yet to be decided; however, in your case, one has been selected for you. Draco Malfoy, you shall marry Hermione Granger."

AN: Dun dun dun! So there's the main plot! I finally got the second chapter written! Yay me! Now, I know these first two chapters aren't very long, but they'll generally be longer now I've gotten the ball rolling. Also, I haven't updated frequently at all on this story because I've only gotten one review (which I am so appreciative of). However, I'd really appreciate more...so please, review!! I will offer this: the 50th reviewer will win a walk-on roll in my story. Uh-hu. Now review! Tell me what you like, what could be improved...but please, no flames! I'm trying to improve my writing skills, and I can't unless you guys help me out! Thanks SO much in advance! )