Well, GK94 put this on their story alerts, so here it is! The next chapter!
I'll post the next one when I feel it's ready. I don't want to post everything I've got right away, I want to spread it out, but I wanted to get this thing started nicely.
So, yeah. Here's the next one.
...
"AHHHHHH!"
Harry sat up in bed as fast as if he'd suddenly been lit on fire, and threw aside his comforter. He fled his bedroom and ran down the hallways of 12 Grimmauld Place like a mad man as he raced towards the horrid screaming coming from the kitchen.
Hermione was standing in the centre of the kitchen, her hand out like she was holding her coffee mug, but said mug was in five pieces and several small shards on the floor. Hot coffee had oozed across the floor and was covering Hermione's bare feet, but she didn't even notice. Her hand was clutching at the morning's Daily Prophet, a horrified expression on her face. Her mouth was poised to scream again as she continued reading and her eyes became more and more distressed.
Harry decided he should first remove her from any sort of danger, and he pushed her out of the coffee, pointing his wand at her feet to cool them and clean them with a douse of water. She didn't even notice. She continued to read as she lay on her back on the table. She screamed again, and a few thundering footsteps came down the hallway. Everyone had still been asleep, as Hermione was the first person to awake every morning, even though she was the last to go to sleep every night.
Ron came out completely wrapped in his comforter, still obviously half asleep. His drunkenness had caused him to pass out at supper the night before. Ginny came out in nothing but a tank top and underwear. When she realised this, she grabbed a corner of Ron's comforter and covered herself. Next came Remus, who tripped and nearly slipped in the coffee and glass shards.
Mrs. Weasley came running then with a cast iron frying pan raised like a baseball bat, ready to kill whoever broke in, or at least fix them breakfast while they were interrogated. Finally came Sirius. He swaggered in wearing nothing but his boxers and several necklaces.
Hermione screamed again, and then burst into gasping sobs.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Mrs. Weasley asked finally, stepping around the coffee and glass that Kreacher was attempting to clean amongst all of the bodies crowding around Hermione.
Hermione, who was now covering her eyes with her arm, thrust the day's paper at Mrs. Weasley, who took it confusedly, and read the article with the least crinkles on it and the most around it, where Hermione had been tightly gripping.
As she read, her hand flew to her mouth and she dropped her pan. The loud clanging sound snapped Hermione out of what was going on in the horrible world she lived in and she sat up. She glanced at the coffee and her feet that she felt were burning horribly, and then at Harry. She offered the smallest of smiles. "Thank you, Harry," she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She took a deep breath and shook her head, then looked away from everyone, wiping tears from her eyes.
"You're welcome, but what the hell, Hermione?" Harry demanded. "What was that all about?"
She sighed as Mrs. Weasley made a choking sound and handed the paper to Remus, before picking up the pan and taking it to the stove to begin the only way she coped with anything-cooking. Last night she'd made them a five course meal because of Ron.
Remus was an even faster reader than Hermione. "A marriage act?" he said angrily. "The last time they proposed a marriage act was twenty years ago, and that was shot down in two days!"
"This one was passed unanimously in two days," Hermione groaned.
Remus shook his head and stepped forward to wrap an arm around Hermione as he continued reading the paper, trying to keep his arm away from her bandages. "We'll keep you safe, Hermione."
"Will someone bloody tell us what's going on?" Sirius demanded. "I didn't wake up for nothing! I'm going to a party tonight and-"
"You'll have to cancel," Remus interrupted. "Because we have a bit of a crisis. Everybody go and get dressed, and be down here by ten for breakfast, and I'll explain."
...
No one felt like eating Molly's cooking at the moment. They were too anxious for what Remus had to say. The only people able to eat, besides Remus, who wasn't as anxious, were Sirius and Ron, who could never turn down food. Ron soon complained of his headache, though, and climbed up to his bed. Several more people had showed up, including Tonks, Arthur, the twins, Bill and Fleur, Snape, who had a big burn on his arm, and Neville Longbottom, who had several marks on his face, where a strange, octopus-like creature had latched on and spent several hours.
Hermione sighed, thinking about the new law as she pushed her breakfast around on her plate. After the Battle of Hogwarts, only four weeks ago it was, the Death Eaters continued to push the war on, full force. Their only care was that Purebloods would reign over all other bloodlines. The only difference was now the Death Eaters were free of fear, as their leader was dead. Unless, of course, you count how terrified they were of their new leaders, the Lestranges, Lucius Malfoy, and Mulciber. Hermione knew they would only do something awful like this.
"Remus, will you cut to the chase?" Sirius said as he stabbed a mix of everything onto his fork and spooned it into his mouth. "I want to put my pants on but I need to wait until you finish this."
Remus rolled his eyes. "You could have put your pants on when I gave you the two hours to get dressed."
"Yeah, but I'd like to know what pair to wear today, and the only way I'll know is if this is a good day or a bad day or a REALLY bad day."
Remus sighed. "Go put your pants on, Sirius."
Sirius grumbled as he stood up and left to get a pair of pants.
"Alright," Remus said. "Let's start. He should be back in a couple of minutes. As you heard me say, there's been a marriage law enacted. It states that every female muggle born seventeen to forty must marry a Pureblood wizard or they will be sentenced to Azkaban until the ministry can properly pair them with a Pureblooded wizard."
"They can't do that!" Harry exclaimed.
"They can and they have," Remus said softly.
"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked. "About Hermione?" He looked at his best friend. "I'm so sorry, Hermione...you know I'd marry you..."
"But you've got me!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Actually, I was going to say I'm half-blood...but yeah! I-Er-could never leave Ginny."
He chuckled nervously.
Hermione offered him a cheerless smile. "Thanks anyways, Harry."
"We'll keep you safe, Hermione," Remus said. "We're going to find someone to marry you within the order. Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but we can't let them get any information from you. You know every last bit of information about the Order."
"I understand," Hermione said.
"You know I'd marry you, Hermione," Neville said, a bit glumly.
Hermione smiled at him as well. "I know you would, but I don't expect you to leave Luna for me. I don't expect anyone to have to do anything or give up anything for me."
"I'm sure there's someone," Remus said, looking around. The twins shuffled around awkwardly. They had drunkenly married a set of French twins a few weeks back. The Fench twins were great people, but that left them unavailable to marry Hermione. They would have asked Charlie, but he was on a mission in Bulgaria. Snape was half-blood...
That left...
"What did I miss?" he said, walking into the kitchen in a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved black shirt with a vest.
"You're engagement to Hermione Granger," Remus replied, standing.
He choked, as did Hermione.
At the same time, they both slammed there hands on the table, Hermione shooting to her feet. "WHAT?"
...
"I'm sorry," Remus said as soon as the two had been calmed down and placed back in their seats. "I shouldn't have sprung that on you so quickly. I sometimes just speak my discoveries, and I had found that the only person free to marry Hermione is you, Sirius."
Sirius stammered a bit before exclaiming, "Well, what about Ron?"
"You mean my son Ron?" Mrs. Weasley deadpanned. "The son who placed a Perpetual Drunkenness Hex on himself, which we are currently searching for the spell to reverse?"
"That's the one!" Sirius exclaimed, pointing at Molly. "Why not him?"
"Because he's perpetually drunk, Sirius, are you daft?" Molly cried.
Sirius scratched the back of his head. He placed his hand on his hip as he thought, then he growled and clenched a fistful of his hair in his hands. He turned and made to leave.
"Oh, no, Sirius," Remus said. "You're not walking away from this. We need to discuss this."
Molly heard the cue in his words. "Er...Ginny, dear, will you please accompany me to the grocery store? We're running low on several things..."
Ginny and Neville caught on. "I'll carry the groceries for you, ma'am," Neville said, sliding from the countertop and following her out the door.
"We're not allowed to miss another day of work, or the shop will go under," Fred said.
"Bye, everyone," said George, and they left the room quickly as possible.
Tonks kissed Remus on the cheek. "Good luck, sweetheart."
Snape didn't even make up an excuse-he just left the room. Bill and Fleur slowly left, followed by Arthur.
"Can't I stay?" Harry asked.
Hermione smiled. "Of course you can, Harry."
Harry pulled up a chair at the table. Sirius reluctantly sat in front of Hermione.
"Sirius, I know this is going to be hard for you," Remus began. "Especially difficult when I tell you the second part of this law."
"What's the second part?" He asked nervously.
Remus laughed. "I haven't even warmed you up to this first part yet! Baby steps, Sirius."
Sirius groaned.
"Come on, Sirius," Harry implored him. "Hermione's my best friend. We can't get her sent to Azkaban, or married to someone we don't know."
Sirius couldn't look at his godson. "I know."
Hermione spoke up. "I don't want to be any trouble. I'll just go into hiding-!"
"Is that what you want?"
Hermione looked at Sirius, surprised. "If I-"
"Hermione Granger, is that what you want?" He demanded.
She stammered for a moment, before looking down into her lap. She shook her head.
"I didn't think so," he snapped. Then he made a growling sound in the back of his throat. "Now what's the second part?"
"Hermione will be killed if she can't produce a child within 6 months of marriage."
Everyone sitting at the table's jaws dropped.
"They can't-"
"They can, Harry," Remus said calmly, but firmly, "and they have. Now, I know the situation seems bleak-"
"You're damn right it does!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Look at me, Remus! Do I look ready to be a father? I party every night and pretend I'm Steven Tyler when I'm bored!"
"I understand, Sirius," Remus said, attempting to reason with him.
"Not to mention I'm 17 years older than her!"
Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius believed that he had aged backwards during his time in the veil. Of course, there was no way of telling him he hadn't, so no one ever contradicted him. For all they knew, Sirius was now a 34 year old man.
"Sirius-"
"Remus, I need to talk to you alone," Sirius said.
Remus nodded and leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear, "Convince Hermione this is right, but don't force her."
Harry nodded and stood. "Come on, Hermione, let's go to my room. I never showed you my new broom!"
Hermione looked pretty confused, but she followed after Harry. Of course, he had her wrist in his fist, so she had no choice.
"Remus, you know me," Sirius said once they had left, dropping into his chair. "I don't know if I'll be able to control myself. I might hurt her-in every way a person can. I might blow off the handle and leave her. And more importantly-I don't think I'll be able to have a kid. You know...I don't know if I'll be responsible enough."
"I know, Sirius," Remus said softly. "But you've got half a year to prepare yourself. Unfortunately, if Hermione's not married within the next two weeks, she'll be taken to Azkaban."
Sirius shivered. He knew what that was like. He wondered how Hermione would be able to take that.
He sighed. "And I'm the only option?"
"If we want to marry her within the order, then yes, you're her only option besides hiding her."
Sirius nodded. "I'll marry her, then."
Remus grinned. "You'll make a good husband, mate."
Sirius winced. "Remus, please. It's too soon to be using such language."
...
Meanwhile
...
"Yes, Harry, it's a very nice broom."
"Sirius bought it for me."
"I know."
"Sirius really does care about you."
Hermione paused in running her fingers along the sleek body of the broom. She sighed. "Harry, he's 21 years older than me."
"17," Harry corrected.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "See, that's even worse. He's convinced himself that he's younger than he actually is. But really, when I was born, he was graduating from Hogwarts."
"So what?"
Hermione sighed. "You're right, that's not a good enough excuse."
"There isn't one, Hermione," Harry exclaimed.
"Oi! Shut up over there, cancha see I'm sleepin here...?"
"Go to sleep, Ronald," Hermione called.
"Not so loud..."
The forever drunk boy collapsed into snores again.
"There's one," Hermione said, motioning to Ron. "How will Ron feel when we break this obnoxious curse and he finds I married someone else?"
"He'll understand," Harry said quietly.
Hermione sighed and was about to protest again, when a knock came at the door.
"Hermione?" Sirius called through the door. "Will you please talk to me?"
Hermione looked at the door, and then desperately back at Harry. Harry gestured towards the door, signalling that he wished Hermione would go talk to his godfather.
Hermione dejectedly opened the door, staring at her feet, not looking at Sirius. He touched her chin lightly and tried to make her look at him. He smiled at her kindly. "I was thinking red and white flowers in gold vases. What do you think?"
Hermione tried to smile. She really did. But forcing her face muscles to do something so unnecessary for the moment caused her tear ducts and her hearts to crack, and she threw herself at Sirius, sobbing hard.
Sirius wasn't quite sure what to do. He stood with his arms out, looking at the sobbing girl latched onto his waist, sobbing into his lower chest. He looked at Harry for help.
Harry grinned and made motions like he was supposed to engulf Hermione with his arms.
So he did. He held Hermione close as she cried herself out.
"So I take it you don't want that?" Sirius asked her.
She shook her head. She pulled away, not looking at Sirius. "No, white and red is fine," she mumbled, trying to push past him. "I'm sorry. It was too much stress for one morning. I think I'm just going to go lie down."
Sirius nodded and allowed her to pass.
As soon as they heard the door shut, Sirius looked at Harry, horrified.
Harry laughed. "Have you never hugged a girl before?"
"Never a crying girl!" Sirius exclaimed. "I normally leave before I have to deal with that."
Harry suddenly became serious. "You can't do that to Hermione, alright, Sirius?"
Sirius nodded. "I know."
"Be gentle with her, and don't-please-don't hurt her."
"This is why I didn't want to do this!" Sirius exclaimed, slamming his fist against the door frame.
Ron threw himself tipsily out of his bed. "That's it!" He slurred. "You wanna fight? Come on! Be a man!"
"Sit down, Ron," Harry sighed, grinning. "Sirius knows he needs to man up and marry Hermione."
"'Ermione? Where is she anyways? 'ERMIONE!"
"Shut up, Ron," Harry said, pushing Ron back onto the bed.
Ron struggled, trying to sit up, but he passed out before he could.
Sirius shook his head. "I'll be back before supper," Sirius said. He returned to his room, where he grabbed his jacket and his wand, his wallet and his keys, and cruised off on his bike.
...
"Come on, Hermione, it won't be that bad," Ginny said as she tried to comfort her best friend. She patted her back. Hermione was laying on her stomach, arms tucked tightly around around a pillow. "Sirius is beyond sexy. And he'll make sure you have a kid on time."
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, eyes wide and surprised Ginny would say such a thing.
Ginny laughed. "Seriously, though, Hermione. He'll try his hardest to keep you safe, from the Ministry, from Death Eaters."
"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about being safe from HIM."
Ginny sighed. "Hermione, what other choice have you got?"
Hermione didn't answer.
Ginny stood. "Well, when you decide to take things seriously, come downstairs. I found a bunch of wedding dress catalogs."
Hermione groaned and dropped her face into her pillow. She should have known Ginny would force her into a big wedding. It was inevitable. And she also knew, deep inside of her, that she had to marry Sirius. So she gave in.
She picked out a wedding dress, and the wedding was planned.
Two more strange things to add to her list this week. She'd cried on Sirius Black: her fiancé.