CHAPTER ONE

INEVITABILITY

'Marriage and Procreation Initiative passes! Unilateral party agreement!"

''Designation Registration Act to take effect immediately!' 'Alpha, Omega, Beta: Who really benefits from MPI?' 'Heat Suppressants Banned!' 'Omega Discrimination Act stricken! Omega workforce no more!'

To Ms. Hermione Granger,

We are writing to inform you that as of 5 July 2005 the Marriage and Procreation Initiative passed into effect. In conjunction with the Designation Registration Act of 2004, statute O5846.97, all registered omegas over the age of 19 years are now subject to all laws previously accepted and passed by the Wizengamot…

...as a registered female omega, unmatured, you are required to remain abstinent from all forms of contraception and suppressants, as of 1 July 2005…

Contraceptive aides have been banned until further notice…

All unmatured omegas must submit with a registered male alpha, matured, in order to complete the Maiden Heat required to reach full maturity…

...additions to the Initiative and other relative laws now require female omegas to bind with a minimum of one alpha, maximum of two alphas, while male omegas are required to bind with only one female alpha. There are options and compatibility assessments in which you can apply for in order to match with alphas best suited to your omega biology. You are also able to choose out of the provided list of eligibles.

Your appointment for mandatory heat inducement is scheduled for Monday 12 July 2005 at 7 p.m. If you do not have an alpha in which to complete your Maiden Heat, one will be provided to you upon request…

Attached is the list of required necessities you will need to bring with you for your stay.

On behalf of the Ministry of Magic,

Cecilia Brookwood

Omega Designation Registration Specialist

"Fuck!"

Hermione threw the stack of Daily Prophets across her quaint little kitchen, narrowly missing Theo's head by a fraction of an inch as he stumbled out from his bedroom, and startling a very hungover Draco, who had been laying precariously over the side of the sofa since passing out on it in the early hours of the morning. Crookshanks had made himself scarce the second she had finished frying up her usual Saturday morning breakfast and sat down to read through her mail and the newspapers that had accumulated on the counter throughout the week. Theo's cat, Blondie, had ran for it when Hermione had started reading the first headline. Theo had apparently been roused somewhere between the Tuesday and Thursday papers and the Ministry letter requiring her to submit for heat inducement.

Heat inducement.

"Do I even want to know what has you screaming at eight in the morning?" mumbled Theo, yawning as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I can barely function after last night."

Draco slumped in from the sitting room, half asleep and still a bit drunk from the night before, plopping indignantly into one of the chairs at the breakfast table and focusing on the open Ministry packet, "It's too bloody early…"

Heat inducement.

After years of clinging to her autonomy, refusing to let go of her agency, and the Ministry was ripping it away from her, like it was no big deal. No suppressants. No contraception. Tying with two alphas, and no real choice in the matter. The only choice she was being given was who she could choose out of a list of eligible alphas that the Ministry had compiled. Or she could wait until she was petitioned for, and the Ministry would decide the possibilities for her to interview out of a smaller group, but she was less than appeased with that, either.

She was starting to feel dizzy just thinking about it. There were reasons why she was nearing 30 and not yet settled down. There were also reasons why she avoided relationships with alphas, or relationships, in general. She had a challenging career that she actually enjoyed more than fighting the Wizengamot over every initiative and law regarding magical beings, only to have every single one of them denied. She had a place of her own, and even though she shared it with Theo, it was still partly her place. She also had a life; circles of friends, muggle and magical alike, with nights out and one night stands, hobbies, and the time, here and there, to do personal research, or just catch up on good fiction. She wanted to live her twenties, possibly her early thirties, before even considering settling down with a decent alpha, having children, and all that came with it.

Dear God, she really needed a drink.

Digging through the cupboards, Hermione pulled out an old, dusty bottle of brandy, given to her as a present from her father for quitting the Ministry and taking a liaison and loan referral position. In his eyes, banking was a far more respectable career than pushing menial laws for the social improvement of magical and sentient beings for less than ideal pay. She uncorked it and drank straight from the bottle, taking the seat across from Draco, while Theo still tinkered away to make his hangover cup of coffee, overwhelmed with peppermint fudge and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice.

Theo was far too obsessed with muggle java trends.

"What the bloody hell is this?" asked Draco, holding up the pile of parchment and staring at Hermione, aghast. "You're an omega that has never experienced Maiden Heat? Do you know how dangerous that is, Granger?"

Snarling, Hermione snatched the papers out of his hand, "I know, Draco, that's why I've been on heavy suppressants since fifth year when I presented."

"That can't be right," interjected Theo, taking a seat with his cup of steaming coffee. "You've gone through quite a few heats with me, Mione."

"Pseudo-heats," she confessed, eyes darkening in anger as she read over the list of eligible alphas. They had even been grouped by blood-class, which Hermione found extremely distasteful. Her eyes lingered on a few names with consideration. "Your hormones affect my hormones, and I experience sympathetic heats, which helps you when you're peaking."

"And you presented in fifth year?" asked Theo, caffeine starting to kick in. "That's...a long time to suppress biology, Hermione. Your Maiden Heat is going to be exponentially worse due to that and the types of suppressants you've been taking."

"What kind of suppressants?" asked Draco, narrowing his gaze on Hermione, who was studiously reading over the paperwork with burning cheeks. "And who has been brewing them?"

Hermione mumbled the answer, trying to look enthused about the second list of eligible alphas, as she avoided all eye contact. She took another two gulps of brandy, eyes watering as it burned down her throat, and finally started to feel that minute buzzing in her limbs that preceded tipsy-ness. She would probably ask Theo if he had any pot -

"Here," said Theo, offering her a joint out of his robe pocket, as he read through his own Ministerial packet with a sickened expression. She knew he hadn't been wanting to settle down so soon, either. They were both too enamored with the freedom their lives had to hand it over to some dominating alpha. And he was gay to boot. How could the Ministry not take sexuality into consideration, as well? "Take it, Mione. I got more from Jimmy last night. We'll be good for the week."

Hermione sighed, "God bless Jimmy."

Draco was glaring at her then, not even interested by the lit joint perched delicately between two fingers. He was determined to get answer out of her, and he refused to let anything derail the conversation. Hermione had gotten used to Draco being around, so much so that the determination in his face was nothing new. They had grown to be quite close friends, and she could actually say she enjoyed his company and companionship when no one was around. There had been a few nights, when they were both two sheets to the wind and had passed out together on the sofa, or her bed, after making out from the bar to the flat. So far, Draco was the only alpha to ever get close enough to make a pass.

They had established an acquaintance after the trials, following the final battle between Harry and Voldemort. When Theo moved in, she had been aware that she would be seeing a lot more of the fair-haired wizard, which actually turned out well. She even went to New Year's Eve balls at his parents house, at first as a way for Lucius and Narcissa to apologize to her for the atrocities she suffered under their roof, and, now, simply because they had gotten to know her over the years. Despite the fact that she had saved them from life sentences in Azkaban, they recognized her as a genuinely nice person, and had marveled at how easily she forgave them, considering the nastiness between their family and herself for so many years.

"Granger," warned Draco, crossing his arms. "You can't avoid the question."

With a choked exhale of smoke, Hermione finally relented, "I pay Snape triple for his own version of suppressants and contraceptives. He's the only person I trust, and he's discreet. Plus, his potions are bloody effective, with less side effects."

Draco seemed to ease a bit, but still looked worried, perhaps nervous. He shared a look with Theo, something she noticed immediately, despite the heavy calm settling over her, and the third of brandy she had drank in mere minutes. It was as if they knew something she didn't, but it couldn't be about Snape, or his potions. The man may be less of an arsehole now than he had been before the war, but he was sexy as hell, and his products were of the best quality. It had surprised everyone when he had finally come out of hiding, looking younger than he had in years, and still a snarky piece of work.

After a few years, he had seemed to soften a bit around the edges, but he was still sharp, still witty, and still incredibly brilliant. His products were worth the money she paid for them, and she didn't care if it meant every so often the food budget got stretched incredibly thin. It also didn't help that the exchange rate for wizarding currency to muggle was ridiculously laughable. Galleons were literally pure gold, and yet a single coin transferred over to be less than 5 pounds sterling. Again, ridiculously laughable.

"What about your appointment at the Ministry, Granger?" asked Draco, helping himself to pot of coffee. "You're going to need an experienced alpha, and the only one I know of that could restrain himself from marking you would be…"

"Snape, I know," sighed Hermione, frustrated. "Maybe I should just choose now. My heat will be covered, and the marking can take place then. That allows me a few weeks before a binding ritual, and that should be enough time to train my replacement at Gringotts."

"I can't even begin to fathom how I'm going to choose," grumbled Theo, shoving his papers over to Hermione. "I only know the Slytherin girls, and a few Ravenclaws, but… They're not my type."

Hermione offered him a sympathizing, knowing look, none of them needing to clarify the statement. They all knew what he meant. She did skim his list, offering him a few names that she knew were open-minded, while he read over her options, as well. "Susan Bones, she's still getting over Neville, but she'd never breathe a word about it. Katie Bell is really nice, and she can keep her mouth shut...Oh, Sophie DeLacour would be the best option. She goes both ways, and she's kind, a lot of fun with a few glasses of elderberry wine in her. She would be definitely be discreet and agreeable to an open binding."

"Sophie DeLacour it is then," sighed Theo, flipping through the pages of Hermione's eligible choices, scoffing. "Merlin, Mione. There's barely three alphas on this list that I can see you tolerating for longer than a week."

She groaned, "Really, only one."

"Who?" asked Draco, very much interested.

Theo replied with his choices, "Longbottom, Charlie Weasley, and you, mate."

"You're right about tolerating, but the only alpha I've ever gotten along with has been Draco," she answered, arching an eyebrow at Theo. "Maybe, possibly...Snape."

"Snape? Seriously? Are you mad?" exclaimed Draco, choking on his coffee. "He's been looking for a loophole since the initiative was first brought to the public! Besides, you're both too stubborn, and he refuses to compromise. You'd kill each other before the week is out."

"Well, I can owl him to see, at any rate," said Hermione, almost determined, and slightly curious as to what Snape's response would be to an unmatured omega requesting him to mate with during her first heat. She would be sending owls to Charlie and Neville, as well, to be fair, but the look in Draco's gray eyes was intensifying. "What about you, Draco? Should I owl you a written proposition, as well?"

He considered her for a second, eyes glittering, "Why waste the parchment? I'm sitting right here. Want to take me for a test spin, as well?"

"A test spin?" asked Hermione, a little confused by that statement, and then jumping on the latter end of his reply. "Wait… Test spin. Oh, that is brilliant. It could definitely work."

"I was joking, Granger," Draco cut in, exasperated, but she was already hurrying to her bedroom to start on the letters.

She stopped for a second when Theo poised a very pointed question to the alpha wizard, "Were you?"

"Oh, shut it, Theo," snapped Draco, his voice carry through the living room.

Hermione didn't hear the rest of the conversation, as she was already settling in at her desk and thinking over the best way to approach each individual wizard...