Hermione Granger had been shopping in Diagon Alley when news of an impending marriage law broke. It had to be a rumour she thought, surely the government wouldn't implement something as barbaric and outdated as forced marriage.
Forgetting about her shopping she apparated directly to the Ministry, if there was a Marriage Law, she needed the Minister to confirm it. She stormed through the Atrium and entered the magical lift ignoring everyone who tried to speak to her.
"Is he in," she snapped at Kingsley's receptionist, the young blonde which nodded frightened of the war heroine. Hermione nodded in thank and walked passed the witch, choosing not to knock she stormed into the Ministers office slamming the oak door into the wall with a bang.
"I'm assuming you've heard about the marriage law then, " Kingsley sighed tiredly.
"So it's true, you are allowing the Wizengamot to pass this law; it's inhumane, it's barbaric," she fumed.
"Hermione our society is facing extinction; we've had three wizarding wars in the past century and we need to boost the population or we won't survive, " he told her.
"There has to be another way, you can't force people to marry strangers, force women to become nothing more than broodmare's, " she told him enraged.
"Couples can appeal to be paired together or can marry before the law comes into effect, " he told her.
"As minister you can officiate any wedding can you not," she asked nervously.
"I can, " he replied.
"I need you to officiate my union before this law happens, " she told him pulling a necklace out from underneath the blouse she was wearing. Hanging from the silver chance was a platinum engagement ring with one large diamond surrounded by rubies and emeralds.
"I wasn't aware you were in a relationship Hermione," he commented.
"I'm a private person, everything I do is analysed by the press, questioned by the public. I'm not ashamed of my relationship; my parents, the Weasley's and Harry know about it. I just don't want it plastered across the tabloid's," she told him.
"We are announcing the law officially tomorrow morning and it will be coming into effect forty-eight hours later. If you want me to officiate your union it will have to do it now," he told her.
"Very well," she spoke pulling her vine wood wand out of her purple handbag. "Expecting Patronum" she whispered watching as her playful otter patrons formed. "Come to the Ministers office," she told the otter, the patrons nodded at her and scampered out of the room leaving a trail of white light in its wake.
They sat together in silence within his office for ten minutes before a hurried knock sounded on the other side of the door.
"You may come in," Kingsley spoke in ha deep soothing voice. The person behind the door opened it; he was dressed in a smart grey tailored suit with a white shirt and aqua tie, on his feet were well polished black dragonhide shoes.
"Minister I received a Patronus to come here," Draco Malfoy drawled running his hand through his blonde hair lazily.
"Draco," Hermione smiled rising to her feet and hugging the man.
"Hermione is everything alright," he asked her, tucking a lose curl behind her ear.
"We need to get married now, there's a Marriage Law," she told him worriedly.
"I'd heard rumours, but I didn't want to believe it," he replied, squeezing her hand in comfort.
"I don't want to risk been paired with someone else, Kingsley said he will officiate it now if that's alright with you," she whispered to him.
"Granger I've told you for months that I'd marry you anywhere, at any time, I love you, I don't care about the venue, the decorations, the guests, all I care about is that I get to spend the rest of my life with you my love," he told her just as quietly.
"So we're doing this, getting married now," she asked, Draco nodded leaning down to kiss her tenderly, "We're doing this," he replied resting his forehead against hers, Hermione beamed up at him.
"Minister we are ready, when you are," Draco spoke rising his eyes to look at Kingsley who nodded.
"Would you like any witnesses," he asked them quietly.
"No, this is just for us, we can still hold the ceremony that we were planning at a later date for our friends and family," Hermione replied.
"Just one more thing before we get married love," Draco said waving his Hawthorne wand over his fiancé and then over a piece of scrap paper that sat on Kingsley's desk. The blouse and Jeans Hermione was wearing transformed into a simple white wedding dress and the piece of paper transformed into her favourite flower, hydrangea in the exact shade of blue as his aqua tie.
"We're ready," Hermione told Kingsley.
"Very well, hold each other's hands," the minster told them raising his wand.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Jean Granger, we are gathered here in this office to officiate your union to one another. Have you both come here willingly," he asked.
"We have," they spoke together, and a silver strand wrapped around their joined arms.
Draco Lucius Malfoy do you take Hermione Jean Granger to be your lawfully and magically bound wife," Kingsley asked.
"I do," Draco responded confidently. The Minister flicked his wand and a second silver strand wrapped around their conjoined hands.
"Do you Hermione Jane Granger take Draco Lucius Malfoy to be your lawfully and Magically bound husband," he asked.
"I do," she told him just as confidently, as a third silver strand came out of Kingsley's wand to entwine itself around their hands.
"I bind you now with magic for all eternity, you will love one another, be faithful to one another and stand by one another in times of happiness and times of sadness. Together you will stand as husband and wife in this life and the ever after for all of time, so mote it be," he told them waving his wand in a complicated pattern over their joined hands. A golden strand came out of his wand next, wrapping itself tightly around their conjoined hands, after a moment the strand exploded into a thousand twinkling stars, that hovered for a moment above their heads. The silver strands he had cast earlier wove together in a simple braid before splitting and wrapping around both of their right index fingers, solidifying into solid platinum wedding bands as the twinkling stars faded out of existence.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss your bride Mr Malfoy," the officiant told Draco who wrapped both of his arms around her lifting her from the ground as he kissed her lovingly.
"I love you Granger," he told her.
"Malfoy," Hermione murmured against his lips.
"Yes," he asked.
"It's Malfoy now Draco not Granger," she told him between kisses.
"You'll always be my Granger, Hermione Malfoy," he whispered huskily.
"Yours," she agreed supressing a moan.
"Perhaps Mr and Mrs Malfoy you'd like to go home," Kingsley's voice interrupted. Draco lowered her back to the ground and Hermione blushed at the reminder that they weren't alone.
"Of course, Minister," she replied.
"Congratulations," he offered as Draco dragged her out of his office, the pair laughing happily as they ran through the Ministry ignoring the flashing cameras and pointing wix who stared shocked at the sight of the newly married Malfoy's. In that moment all the couple cared about was one another and the love they shared. They'd take this night for themselves but come tomorrow Hermione would be at the Ministry opposing the new law after all everyone deserved to find their true love just as she had.