Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Set at end of HBP. As the ministry falls further under Voldemorts control a new law is passed, forcing Hermione into a life she wasn't ready for. How will it affect the horcrux hunt and the fight against Voldemort?

Chapter 2

Ron woke up the next day with a feeling of rock in his stomach. After the conversation in the kitchen the other day, Ron had spent most of his day avoiding Hermione or anyone who wanted to discuss the fact that he was going to the ministry to get ready to set up a marriage to Hermione. It made him sick to his stomach. He was certain he cared about Hermione, maybe even loved her, but he was no way ready to get married to anyone.

Ron cleared his throat, trying to calm himself.

"Oh, good, you're awake." Harry said, his voice slightly annoyed.

Ron turned to look across his room the spare bed Harry was occupying. "Why are you in such a bloody bad mood? You're not the one going to sell your soul today…"

"Marrying Hermione because a law is making you is hardly selling your soul…" Harry said. "And I'm grumpy because I had to listen to you toss and turn all night…"

"I had nightmares…" Ron admitted.

"I heard, and they all ended with you saying I do…" Harry said.

Ron nodded. He had many nightmares the night before about marrying Hermione. It was not that she was a bad person, it just didn't seem right. He thought he owed her a proper date before marriage.

"You're that nervous, huh?" Harry asked after a moment.

"Wouldn't you be? I'm being asked to practically marry my sister…" Ron swallowed hard, though he knew deep down he did not think of Hermione as a sister at all. The dreams he had of her lately were anything but sisterly.

Harry stifled a laugh. "You don't honestly look at Hermione as a sister do you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron's ears went red.

"It means I know the two of you. She likes you…and you like her. Its obvious to everyone but you both…" Harry said.

"Obviously? Hardly. Either way, still doesn't mean I'm ready to bloody marry her…" Ron said, sitting up on his elbow.

"Didn't say it was…plus you know once they repeal this your marriage to her isn't going to matter. Its only for the time being…" Harry reminded him.

"I know, Harry. Its just…a lot to put on one person all at once…" Ron said.

Harry shrugged. "Once we take off to hunt horcruxes it will just be plain old you, me, and Hermione. It won't be like you are married."

Ron let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, he was excited to begin the horcrux hunt that he had been dreading since Harry had brought the mission up weeks ago. At least, while hunting horcruxes, they would just be three outlaws. Then it wouldn't matter if he and Hermione were following the stupid marriage law or not.

Hermione had not slept all night as she lay in a small bed across Ginny's tiny room. Her world had not stopped spinning since breakfast the day before. She would be marrying Ron, so that Voldemort and his followers would have a reason to attack her and the Weasley's. Hermione understood why it was set up this way; they were the closest thing Harry had to family, of course they would be the first under attack. However, Hermione was unsure about how she felt about this sort of attack. Being chased by dementors was one thing, but to be forced to marry Ron was completely something else. It was not that Hermione did not like Ron. After seeing him with Lavender earlier in the year, Hermione now understood she certainly had feelings for the redhead, but she was unsure about how he felt about her, and she certainly was not ready to engage in a marriage with him, let alone anyone else. It seemed awfully primitive on the part of the ministry, but then again, she considered Voldemort and his views primitive. If he had gotten into the ministry it would only make sense laws like this one would be created.

"Ready for your big day at the ministry? Ready to show them you are ready to marry Ron?" Ginny's voice broke Hermione's train of thought.

Hermione turned and raised an eyebrow at Ginny. "You are joking right?"

Ginny gave a big grin. She had spent most of the day before teasing Ron and Hermione about the new law, mostly because she knew they really did like each other and also because she knew the law was ridiculous. She just hoped it would actually get Ron and Hermione to admit their feelings for one another before she had to smack them both in the back of the head. "Come on now, you and Ron are perfect…"

"Hardly." Hermione snorted and yet blushed at the same time.

"Well, we will see." Ginny continued to tease.

"This is not funny, Gin." Hermione told her friend.

"Its kind of funny. Plus, now I get a sister!" Ginny reminded her.

"You are going to have Fleur in a few weeks…" Hermione reminded Ginny of Bill and Fleur's wedding.

"Well, a sister I will actually like…" Ginny corrected herself with a smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes and got out of bed. Whether she liked the idea of it or not, she and Ron had a busy day ahead of them. She just hoped getting all the paperwork in order didn't take too long at the ministry. Knowing Voldemort had probably penetrated the ministry already made Hermione feel uneasy about being there.

Hermione and Ron both sat silently over their uneaten breakfast. Though the rest of the Weasley's and Harry were busy getting their morning start, it seemed that neither Ron nor Hermione could stomach food; they were both so nervous about their meeting at the ministry.

"Ron, you really aren't going to eat?" Ginny raised an eyebrow at her brother, knowing that Ron was always hungry. She had never seen him skip a meal willingly.

Ron just shrugged, his voice sounding dry. "Not…really…" He cleared his throat, trying to shake his nerves.

"Well then, you two should be off…" Mr. Weasley motioned to Hermione and Ron.

"Really? So soon?" Hermione asked, a slight tone of panic in her voice.

"Your appointment is in an hour, but I am sure they will take you earlier if you arrive." Mr. Weasley said.

"Good luck…" Harry told Ron and Hermione as he watched them both stand, their faces white.

"Right…" Ron nodded slightly before leading Hermione out of the kitchen and then the Burrow.

"We should disapparate to London…" Hermione said once the pair was outside alone.

"Right…" Ron nodded, hesitant to take Hermione's outstretched hand.

"Oh really, Ronald…you are going to be married to me, holding my hand is the least of our problems." Hermione said, grabbing Ron's hand and disapparating them in a small alley in London before Ron could blink.

"Well that was quick…" Ron said to himself.

"We should walk the rest of the way…it will give us time to talk." Hermione said.

"Talk?" Ron raise an eyebrow, his voice an octane higher then he wanted it to be. "About what?"

"About how we are going to make it through this interview…" Hermione led them out of the alley. "It won't be easy…"

"Dad said we need them to believe we are committed to this…" Ron reminded her.

"I know. I was thinking about it. He is right; if we act like we are following the law they won't expect us to run off and help Harry…" Hermione said.

"No, they just expect us to sit tight until they can print another law out and lock us both up…or worse…" Ron said sarcastically.

"I don't think they expect us to know their true intentions behind this law either, Ron." Hermione said to him.

Ron shrugged and walked silently next to Hermione.

"Are you…okay with this?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence, her eyes still straight ahead.

"With what? Marrying you?" Ron asked as if Hermione had ten heads. He knew he liked her, maybe even loved her, but he was definitely not ready to marry her. He wasn't even ready to tell her how he felt.

Hermione blushed. "I mean, obviously, neither of us are ready for that. You've never even taken me on a proper date."

"You've never given me the chance…" Ron mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Excuse me?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron. She had thought she had heard him, but if she was right, it sounded as if he wanted to take her on a date.

"Nothing." Ron said, realizing where they were. "We are at the ministry. See you in there…" Ron quickly moved down the steps to the men's bathroom that was used as an entrance to the ministry, his ears burning red. He had almost let it slip that he would have wanted to take Hermione on a date; which he was certain he did. He had just never asked because he had a feeling she would turn him down. Now, it didn't seem like it would matter; he would be married to Hermione within a few weeks.

Harry, Mr. Weasley, and Remus walked around Mr. Weasley shed that was full of "muggle-artifacts, as Mr. Weasley liked to call them. All three of them seemed distant from one another, clearly their thoughts on what was about to happen to Ron and Hermione.

"This law is unbelievable…" Harry commented after a moment.

Mr. Weasley nodded silently, picking up a radio to examine it.

"I just hope Ron and Hermione are believable…otherwise…I don't even want to think…" Remus sighed.

"I don't think that will be the problem…" Mr. Weasley chuckled a bit.

Harry raised an eyebrow. It seemed Mr. Weasley could see the same thing that Harry and almost everyone in the world but Hermione and Ron had seen. It was so clear that Hermione and Ron liked each other.

"Even so…considering who they are…they are going to be inspected extra closely…" Remus said.

"If they do pass this…when do they have to get…you know…married?" Harry asked.

"The sooner the better. Don't want the ministry wandering around here while you are trying to get ready to leave…" Remus told Harry. He knew that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were going to embark on the horcrux mission soon. He hoped they would be all right.

"The sooner the better?" Harry raised an eyebrow. This was definitely going to be an interesting summer for him and his two best friends.

Ron and Hermione were ushered into a small room on the floor of Magical Law Enforcement. They were told to wait there until someone was ready to see them, and they both took seats across from a large chair behind a big wooden desk. Awkward silence filled between the two of them, Hermione avoiding eye contact with Ron who was sweating a decent amount.

Hermione flicked her eyes over to Ron ever once in a while, though she did not turn her head. "Well…hopefully we can get through this…we need to be convincing…"

"Yeah. You said that earlier…" Ron reminded her.

"Right." Hermione nodded.

Before another word could be said, the door behind them open and a large man with an angry face and blonde hair, which was pulled back off his face. He grunted past Ron and Hermione and sat in the chair across from the pair.

"I'm Yaxley…" The man spoke without looking up at Ron and Hermione. Rather, his eyes were focused on the file in front of him.

Hermione glanced over the desk to see that Yaxley was looking at a file with her name on it. There was also one with Ron's name on it underneath her file.

Yaxley glanced up to see Hermione looking and quickly closed the file, causing Hermione to look up at him, her cheeks reddening.

"Well then…let's begin. I assume you know why you two are here?" Yaxley asked.

"Uh…yes sir…" Ron nodded, his voice cracking.

Hermione also nodded. "To discuss the new…marriage law…"

Ron was surprised to hear the nerves in Hermione's voice.

"Correct. As you have been informed the two of you have been placed together…Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger…" Yaxley looked between Ron and Hermione as he said their names. "Under this new law, the Ministry has seen fit to place purebloods with muggleborns to…well…broaden our bloodlines…"

Hermione and Ron both kept a straight face. They knew this was a lie; that the Ministry was under the hands of Voldemort and the only reason the law had been put into place was to make sure both Hermione and Ron could be disposed of at the right time.

"And so, we have asked you two here to, first, make sure you are ready for this commitment, and secondly, to discuss the means of this law…" Yaxley looked between Ron and Hermione.

"Yeah, right…well, lets say we aren't ready…" Ron said, but stopped when he felt Hermione's shoe dig into his own.

Yaxley looked very hard at Ron. "I guess, there really is no question if you are, Mr. Weasley. The Ministry has decided that you two are fit and so…let us go onto the rest of the law. As you should be aware, your marriage should take place as soon as possible…" Yaxley handed Hermione and Ron a copy of the law. "Please take a moment to look it over…We have chosen a date for you…"

Hermione and Ron both scanned the paper, though Ron hardly understood most of the legal writing. After what seemed like a long moment, Hermione cleared her throat.

"Question, Miss Granger?"Yaxley said, his voice hard.

"Uh…yes…" Hermione's voice was high. "I…am reading this over…the part of continuing the bloodlines…"

"Right." Yaxley nodded. "That must be an issue we push quickly…"

"Well…given our age…" Hermione's face was growing red.

Suddenly, Ron understood why Hermione seemed so nervous. He quickly scanned the law to the part Hermione was speaking about and read it silently to himself. The mixing of blood shall be immediate, at the Ministry will have close and regular visits with the chosen couple until such bloodlines are mixed.

Ron glanced up quickly. He had an idea he knew what that meant, and he was sure not ready for that.

"Your ages are not seen as an issue by the Ministry. You have been chosen to marry which means children would be the next logical step. The Ministry has seen you as both mature enough and smart enough to handle this…" Yaxley said.

"Well, shouldn't that be a decision made by us? Shouldn't we be allowed to chose when we are going to become parents or not?" Hermione asked, sounding almost annoyed.

"Are you questioning the Ministry, Miss Granger?" Yaxley asked.

Hermione took a deep breath, realizing that was not something she wanted to do given the circumstances. "Uh…no of course not."

Yaxley gave one nod. "Well, then you understand, you will be married as soon as possible as by the date given by the Ministry, and then you will have regular visits both announced and unannounced until a child is conceived…"

"Bloody hell…" Ron felt his stomach hit the floor and rolled his eyes. He would rather be a fugitive then do what Yaxley was saying he had to do. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of Hermione in a sexual way. In fact, he had quite a lot recently. Still, like he had been thinking since the beginning of this big mess, he wasn't even sure how Hermione felt about him. Now he was expected to marry her and sleep with her? Everything seemed to be happening way to fast and he had already learned the hard way, courtesy of Lavender Brown, how important sex was to girls.

Hermione snapped her head at Ron, glaring. Clearly, she was offended by his eye roll.

"Well, everything seems to be in order…so…here you go…please owl us once the wedding is complete with these filled out..." Yaxley handed Hermione a small packet of papers and shuffled them out the door.

Hermione and Ron walked silently next to one another until they were well out of the Ministry.

"Well, that was…interesting…" Ron said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Interesting?" Hermione snapped, stopping short in the street. "Did you not hear what they said we had to do?"

"Yeah, I did…" Ron chuckled a bit, more out of nerves then anything else.

"How is that funny?" Hermione was beside herself. She had certainly thought of losing her virginity to Ron, but not in a forced situation. This was all too much.

"I mean, Hermione…we are heading off with Harry in a few weeks…they ministry wouldn't even know if we…you know…did anything or didn't…" Ron reminded her.

"You don't know that…they have spells to detect lying you know…" Hermione's mind was racing.

"Hermione…really…relax…" Ron said to her.

"How could you be relaxed about being forced to lose…well…you know…" Hermione blushed, unable to believe she was even having this conversation with Ron. It was almost embarrassing.

Ron ducked his head and remained silently, his feet shuffling a little quicker.

Hermione's brows furrowed at Ron's behavior and she hurried to keep up with him. "Honestly, Ronald, you don't need to be embarrassed…"

"Embarrassed? Embarrassed about what?" Ron asked.

Hermione misread Ron completely. "I mean, it's very normal for boys your age to not have found the…well…right girl…for that sort of thing. I mean, Harry certainly hasn't and knowing most of the boys in Gryffindor, I would say you are certainly not alone…"

"Hermione, what are you babbling about?" Ron was confused.

"About…" Hermione lowered her voice. "About still being a…a virgin…its not a big deal, Ron…and given the circumstances it hardly should register as something to be worried about…"

Ron laughed a little at Hermione's comment.

"What?" Hermione was confused and slightly offended by his laugh. "Its not, Ron. I mean…I still am…you have nothing to be embarrassed about…"

"I'm not a virgin, Hermione." Ron told her, almost defensively, though still laughing a bit.

Hermione stopped walking, confusion all over her face. "You're…you're not?"

"No." Ron shook his head.

Hermione felt as if she had been punched in the stomach as the realization of what Ron was saying hit her. He had been intimate with someone, and she knew, in the pit of her stomach, who it was. It made her sick to think about, because she knew deep down she did like Ron a lot. "You…and Lavender…"

"One time…" Ron said quickly, for some reason unknown to him.

Hermione just nodded, looking straight ahead and starting to walk quicker.

Ron was slightly confused by Hermione's behavior and quickly moved to catch up with Hermione. "But it was…nothing great."

"I don't need any details, Ronald…let's just get home." Hermione snapped quickly.

Ron stopped walking for a moment, completely dumbfounded.

Yaxley moved nervously through the halls of the Ministry of Magic, to the secure room in the back, near the Department of Mysteries. He had news to pass onto the Dark Lord, which he hoped the Dark Lord would be pleased with. As he approached the door at the end of the hall, a tired looking Lucius Malfoy stepped out.

"Has the Dark Lord summoned you?" Lucius asked.

"More then he has summoned from you." Yaxley shot back with a smirk. He loathed Malfoy and loved knowing that Malfoy was no longer one of the Dark Lord's favorite followers.

Lucius snarled his lips and was about to say something else when the door behind him opened.

"Come now, Lucius. No need to keep the Dark Lord waiting…" Severus Snape appeared through the door, his voice emotionless and drawn out, as always.

Lucius gave a small nod to Snape and stepped aside, allowing Xaley to move into the room with Snape following him, shutting the door and Lucius out. Voldemort sat in a large chair across the room, petting Nagini.

"Yaxley…good news, I presume?" Voldemort seemed to hiss.

"Potter's friends have shown up…agreed to the new law. They will not be able to help him fight you, my Lord." Yaxley gave a small bow.

"Excellent. And the other mudbloods? And Blood traitors…they are all complying?" Voldemort asked.

"Some are fleeing…but we will find them and punish them." Yaxley said with certainty in his voice.

"Very well…all the more dead the better…soon those who are not following me shall be condemned to this law…as well as the punishments that will come from it. I cannot tolerate mudbloods or blood traitors in a world in which I rule…" Voldemort said as he gave Nagini another stoke on her head.