*hg pov*

When we arrived at the burrow the twins and Ron were already there looking scared. When I walked in they all stared at me as Mrs Weasley handed me a black envelope from the ministry. I look at it blankly for a second realising this could define my future. Am i going to stay with ron or maby i will get fres i think blush at the thought.

*Mrs Weasley pov*

Bloody hell," Ron says shakily as Hermione finishes reading the letter out loud. She looks up to find the entire Weasley clan sitting at the large kitchen table in the Burrow, clearly shocked by the turn of events. Can't we ever just have peace and quiet for once? We only just defeated Voldemort.

With a sigh, she looks over to Harry. He has lost so much and now he has to deal with this? She observes him studying Ginny, worriedly, probably wondering what would happen if he didn't get paired with her.

She turns to find Ron looking at her, a curious expression on his face. He wants us to be together, I know he does. That should make me happy, right? I do love him. I really do. It would make me happy to be with him. And she truly believes that. Ron is all she has ever wanted. Fear overcomes Hermione as she wonders what will happen if she isn't placed with Ron.

I clear my throat suddenly, "Well, this is quite a shock, isn't it? But, no matter, no matter. We'll get through it. I think I'll go have a word with Kingsley tomorrow. Perhaps he'll change his mind," I state uncertainty

"Dear, he won't. Trust me, many ministry members have been against this but Kingsley won't budge," replies Mr Weasley.

"ARTHUR! Don't tell me you knew about this? How could you keep a secret like this from me?" He suddenly looks nervous and the kids take that as their cue to leave the room because things are getting awkward.

Fred and George, currently living at home because death eaters blew up their shop and apartment so they can't move back until it's renovated, flop down on the couches in the living room.

"Reckon you'll get placed with Angelina, George?" Fred asked.

"Dunno. Maybe. Who'd you think you'll get?"

"Dunno. As long as it's not Pansy Parkinson. A real piece of work, that one."

George grins. "But the real question is, who's the poor sod that's going to be stuck with Ginny?"

"HEY! Just because you're jealous of my good looks-" Ginny looks at them, annoyed.

They only grin more and lean closer.

"We're not jealous of you, Gin."

"Yeah, how could we be?"

"We just don't fancy the git who has to put up with your temper-"

"Right nasty, it is."

"Shut it! At least I'm good looking, unlike you two prats," she growls and the twins shrug.

"Well, I do reckon I'm the better looking one, George. Sorry, someone had to break it to you. Glad it wasn't me."

George just rolls his eyes. "Oi! We're identical, you idiot!"

They continue to argue about who's better looking and Hermione just smiles. The bond between those two has always amazed gin. Ron and Harry begin talking and she tunes in.

"I hope I get Ginny," Harry says worriedly, his face bleak.

"Better you than some other wanker, like Dean or Malfoy," shudders Ron.

"Don't even dare mention Malfoy as her husband I can't bear to think of anyone touching my ginny" Harry said

A week later

*hg pov*

"OI!" Ron runs up to them, breathless. "C'mon! The letters have just arrived. Mum's about to throw a fit."

The me and ginny sit up with a start and grab are stuff before running back with Ron to the Burrow. We arrive out of breath in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley, the twins, and Harry are already there, everyone varying between degrees of nervousness and downright denial about the situation.

"We're just waiting for Arthur. He's coming home from the ministry. I just floo'ed him the message."

Everyone sits down at the table, picking up their respective letters.

CRACK! Mr. Weasley arrives and walks into the room. "All right, now. No need to panic." His statement seems to apply more to himself as he is the only one who looks like he's about to faint.

"Reckon we should just open them all at the same time. Seems only fair," mutters George. Fred nods in agreement, as does everyone else.

"On the count of three, then. One, two... three," whispers Mr. Weasley.

The sound of tearing fills the room as people rip open their letters. Anf i reads my in entirety:

Ms. Hermione Jean Granger,

This letter is to inform you that you are subjected to comply with the new wizarding marriage law act, effective on September 1 of this year. This law requires that you date and marry the assigned individual within six months (March 1) and produce offspring within one year. If you fail to comply with this law, ministry officials will arrive to destroy your wand and you will be subjected to an investigatory hearing. For further information, please consult the enclosed full parameters of the law.

Your assigned spouse:

Mr. Frederick Weasley

All questions may be directed to Head of the Marital Law Committee, Mr. Fidelius Green.

Sincerely,

Kinglsey Shacklebolt

Minster of Magic.

I hear gasps all around the table and it becomes absolute chaos as everyone finishes their letters. Ginny launches herself at Harry and they begin snogging immediately. George is grinning like an absolute idiot. Ron looks furious and Fred... Fred is staring at me with an un-readable expression on his face. We lock eyes and only Ron's voice draws them us out of it.

"OI! That's my sister you're snogging! Knock it off!"

"Nose out, Ron. He's my fiance now. I'd say he has a right." Mrs. Weasley squeals at the news, enveloping Harry and Ginny in a giant hug and starts in a tirade about how she always knew that they would end up together.

"Now, now. Let's just calm down, everyone. How about we go around and see who everyone got," Mrs. Weasley manages to choke out between her tears of joy at Harry becoming an official part of the family.

"George?"

"Angelina," he says, grinning. Fred claps him on the back, stunned but happy for his twin that George got his current girlfriend.

"Ron?"

"Parvarti Patil." Everyone gasps and heads swivel around to study my reaction. Ron looks at her too, quite upset.

"Who'd you get, Mione?"

"I-I... well, please don't be upset, Ron, but..."

"Me," states Fred loudly. Everyone turns to look at him and Mrs. Weasley gets up with a gasp, blubbering again about how i will be a part of the family too and enveloping her in a hug.

Ron's face, meanwhile, has turned quite red. "You? Bloody hell! This is ridiculous! They assign my own git of a brother to marry my girlfriend! Rubbish!"

"Language, Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley reprimands him, but he ignores her as he stomps from the room.

The air is tense around them and people quietly start leaving the table. First, Harry and Ginny leave (probably to go somewhere and snog), then Mr. Weasley, and finally, George, after having a silent conversation with his twin, gets up.

Mrs. Weasley remains there, unwilling to leave, and Fred slowly gets up as he walks to my chair, where my eyes are downcast, refusing to meet anyone else's.

"Take a walk with me, Hermione?"

I look up to find that same in-definable expression on his face. "O-okay."

They walk to the lake in silence, only speaking once they arrive.

"So. Me and you, huh? Who'd have guessed it?" His attempt at joking, however, doesn't make me laugh.

I sit down, drawing her knees up to my chest and staring at the lake.

"Hermione? You okay?"

"N-no. I'm so sorry this happened, Fred. I mean, Ron hates both of us now and you get stuck with your brother's girlfriend. Not to mention I'm two years younger. Oh! This is such a mess!"

"Hey, hey now," he says softly as he gently grasps my chin and forces me to look at him in the face. "First of all, my brother's a prat and I never knew what you saw in him. And it doesn't bother me that you're two years younger, Hermione. I'd rather have you than someone I don't know."

"Were you dating anyone?"

"No," he says sadly and then, to his absolute surprise i burst out in tears.

"I'm so s-s-sick of this! We just finished the war and n-now we have to deal with t-this... It's not fair!" He pauses for a moment, unsure what to do before he puts his arms around her and tugs her into his lap. I stiffen before registering the comfort of his arms and his hard chest. I lean against him and cry, enjoying the feeling of safety I get from being in his arms.

He just softly holds me and rocks back and forth whispering, "Shh. It'll be okay. Hush now."

After a few minutes, I pulls back and jump off of him, blushing. "I'm so sorry, Fred! I didn't mean to do that!"

"It's okay. I reckon it's been awhile since you've had a good cry on a nice set of shoulders, anyway," he winks.

I blush more and then straightens up resolutely. "Well. There's nothing we can do about it now. We'll have to date for three months then we will can get married but we will have to be careful about Ron I don't want to upset him"

"Of course," but his eyes look slightly sad.

"Until then, however, I think you'll make a great prank partner. Wanna help me prank him?"

A look of horror comes over my face. "Fred Weasley! What are you planning?"

He just grins evilly as the walk back to the Burrow. "Just a little something to get back at him for calling me a git. That's all."

I just shake my head and smile at him.

These next three months could be interesting

ANY IMPUT ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE CHAPTERS WOULD BE APPRECIATED