Chapter 1

Draco's point of view

Whispers followed me as I walked along the platform that used to greet me. Now it was like a minefield, full of people that wanted me dead. I was an outsider now, I was looked down on instead of up to. I hated this, they couldn't know that everything I had done I had been forced to do. How could they know, if they didn't even care? I had no one left to care about me, my father was dead, my mother- my mother had left me. I was alone and Hogwarts was all I had left and it didn't even want me.

I climbed into one of the thestral carriages, I had been able to see them since I first came. I had watched my father kill a muggle. But many of the students around me were seeing them for the first time, their eyes widened in shock. They had never realised that the carriages had been pulled by an animal, they had always believed that actual magic was what caused them to move. I was slightly saddened at the loss of innocence the war had caused. I was glad to see that other Slytherins had returned- including Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott. We were all to be estranged together; at least I wasn't entirely alone.

As the castle drew nearer, my stomach erupted into a tangle of nerves. I had betrayed everyone here even the teachers, there was no telling whether we would be accepted back into the school. I didn't believe the letter from McGonagall that had spoken of forgiveness. There would be no forgiveness for what I had done- I had gotten Dumbledore and countless others killed. I couldn't believe that anyone would want to forgive me.

We headed into the Great Hall and were met with a wall of silence and hatred. Every eye was on us as we headed to the Slytherin table. Only a quarter of the house had returned, it did not surprise me that so few felt like they could come back. I had wanted to but now I saw my mistake- It was better to be hated behind your back and not know the extent of that hatred but to actually feel the hate was a whole new horrible experience. To act indifferent I looked around the hall, it was exactly how I remembered it. It was as if the war had never entered Hogwarts walls at all- oh how I wished that were true.

I sat down and waited for the rest of the students to filter into the hall. Suddenly, my eye caught on a head of bushy hair sat at the Gryffindor table. She was here, maybe I could make it up to her after all. Then I saw Ron Weasley and his arm slung casually around her shoulder, my hopes sunk to the bottom of my chest and I turned my attention to Professor McGonagall. She had approached the podium that Dumbledore used to stand at, her small face full of determination.

"We have lost a lot of brilliant souls, but we need to live on in their memory. I do not expect this year to be easy but we must move past and accept all that has happened. We need to move on together, united not divided. I do not want any bullying or exclusion of anyone in any house, if I hear anything of that nature those offending parties will be punished severely. We need to stand united to move forward. Now please, eat." With a grand swish of her hands food appeared and I shovelled the steaming food onto my plate. Whilst I ate I deliberated on what she said, she clearly didn't want any divide and of course everyone knew the divide would be everyone vs Slytherin. It was nice that she wanted everyone to forgive and forget but that was a bit too hopeful; people hated us before the war, I couldn't imagine what they were feeling now that we had killed their loved ones.

The meal finished uneventfully, a few people stared at us but not for long. The Slytherin table was unusually quiet and I tried to start conversations but they petered out very quickly- no one wanted to draw more attention to themselves. Before we were allowed to leave McGonagall got up for another announcement.

"Please can all 7th and 8th years stay behind for an announcement, the rest of you are free to return to your common rooms." After the lower years had left there was about 80 students left over- around 20 of those were 8th years (those who had returned). "Now you are all here for a very important reason. Please may I introduce you to Kingsley Shacklebolt the new Minister of Magic."

"Hello Students, I have a new important law to introduce to you today- due to the severe decrease in the wizarding population a marriage law has been introduced to boost our population so that we don't die out." He paused whilst shouts of opposition rang around the hall. Once they had quietened down he continued. "You will be paired with those who you are deemed most compatible with, if you are already in a relationship you will be permitted to stay together. You will be married to your partners tomorrow and then you will live together- you will be expected to be pregnant in a years time. Failure to do so could result in the removal of your wand and you'll no longer be able to have access to the wizarding world. I understand this is a lot to take in but it is for the good of the world and I know you will do what is right, now pairings. McGonagall if you'd please read out the pairings."

"Alright first pairing is Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley, second pairing is Ronald Weasley and Lavender Brown, Pansy Parkinson and Ernie Macmillan, Theodore Nott and Susan Bones , Hannah Abbot and Cormac McLaggen, Seamus Finnigan and Millicent Bulstrode, Dean Thomas and Astoria Greengrass, Neville Longbottom and Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Luna Lovegood," she rattled off a few more pairings and I lost interest until I heard my name- "Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger." I tried to conceal my happiness, this could be my chance to make up for all the terrible things I had done.

I found Hermione's face in the crowd- she was crying. I guess to her she saw a situation where she was being forced into marrying a Death Eater and a killer, not that I had actually directly killed someone. Then I suddenly realised, she was paired with me because her and Weasely hadn't been romantically involved, that made me happier again but I still couldn't deal with the heartbreak so clear on her distraught face. I vowed to myself that I would make this marriage work, and make Granger happy.

Hermione's point of view

I was to marry Draco Malfoy. I was to marry a Death Eater. A Death Eater who had let Hogwarts be taken over. A Death Eater who caused the death of the greatest man to have ever lived. How could they think we were compatible. He was an evil monster who deserved to be locked up in Azkaban with the rest of his kind. He had caused so much pain and suffering and I was being forced to marry him.

By this time tomorrow I was going to be married to him. By the end of a year I was expected to be pregnant with his child. The thought of him touching me made my skin crawl. His hands had probably killed people, innocent people. I tried to stay calm and be forgiving of Malfoy's evil deeds but my impending fate forced tears to work their way down my face. Ginny tried to console me but there was no use, she could not change my future. No one could. If I refused to marry Malfoy then I would no longer be able to be a witch, I would be forced away from everything and everyone I held dear. I couldn't lose magic it was all that I had left.

I was happy for her. I really was, after Harry had broken up with her to protect her they had both been distraught. Now they had the opportunity to be happy together even if it was a little bit rushed. I could see she was trying to conceal her smile for my sake but there was no mistaking the joy in her eyes. I was even happy for Ron, we had tried to be together but ultimately it hadn't worked- it was too much like kissing a brother. And now he also had the opportunity to be happy with Lavender. He had always loved her, I had seen the looks they gave each other, now that I was no longer with him and they were destined to be married they were sure to fall madly in love.

The smiles around me didn't cease as people found out their pairings. An odd few were unhappy but most were fine, a high percentage were already in relationships and now they got to have their love cemented. I felt a pair of eyes on me but I ignored them. Let people look and stare, I didn't care. I would marry Malfoy and give the world their much needed children if that meant that I could stay with my friends and keep my magic.

"Alright, I know this will take some getting used to. You have a night to get to know your new fiancé's and I suggest you use it. We have used compatibility tests to see who will be best suited so each of you have been paired up with your best possible match. Now here are the maps to your rooms, on it also is the password to those rooms you can change them if you wish. Now do not be alarmed when you enter your rooms and see only a double bed- due to the nature of the law you are encouraged to become close to one another as fast as possible to ensure the survival of the wizarding race. We do not expect you to be with child that fast but, it is to speed up a process that would normally take place over a few years. Please can you meet your other half and come collect your paperwork from me."

I hung around the back and waited for him to find me, he did and surprisingly fast too considering the huge crowd of people who were clamouring to find their fiancé's. He didn't say anything just gave me space to think, to acclimatise, I respected that. I took the map from McGonagall and then we both walked side by side to our new rooms. Together for the rest of our lives whether we liked it or not.

A/N: Hope you like, let me know what you think so far x.