A/N: Dont own it, 'cept the plot. You know the drill. Reviews would be lovely 3
Hermione slammed the newspaper onto the kitchen table and fumed. "Marriage Law Enacted" was the heading on the Prophet. "Just bloody great, what the hell am I going to do?" She muttered, rinsing her plate and coffee cup. Hermione was the last of her friends to be married now. Ron and Lavender were still on their honeymoon, being married just two weeks prior, and Ginny and Harry had been married the month after she graduated from Hogwarts. She took a look in the mirror by her front door and sighed. She hadn't had a boyfriend for two years now. Outlooks didn't look good. The craziest things going through her mind, some involving running from Britain to be a muggle on a remote island so she didn't have to go through with this. Shaking her head, she grabbed her purse and apparated to St. Mungo's, where she worked as a healer.
Draco had come down the stairs, seeing his date the night before out the door, when his mother called from the sitting room. "Draco dear, I need to speak with you." Lovely. She was going to give him hell for bringing a different girl home for the third time that week. It wasn't his fault the girls all fawned over him at the muggle clubs. He strolled in to where his mother was calling him from and sat down on one of the leather armchairs across from her.
"You called?" Draco asked, as she stirred her tea.
"Yes dear, I needed to tell you that they've enacted the marriage law. You'll need to find yourself a wife." She said putting the Daily Prophet on the coffee table with the heading facing him. He sat in utter shock, jaw dropped, staring at the newsprint. "Draco sweetie, close your mouth, it's unbecoming to stare like that."
"No, they couldn't have. This is impossible." He stammered. His mother smirked.
"Yes, they could've. And it's very possible, as they are enforcing it." She took a sip of her tea and selected one of the scones that the house elves had set out.
"But… I don't want to get married this is ridiculous! An outrage! Father, you can get me out of this!" He said looking to his father who had just stepped into the room where his family sat and kissed his wife on the forehead.
The family had been reunited after the war when they had defected from the Death Eaters and joined the Order of the Phoenix, playing an integral part of the defeat of Voldemort. They were all simply happy to have each other back rather than be separated in hiding again.
"No Draco, no amount of money or connections can get you out of this. And I wouldn't try either, it's time you settled down and started a family rather than bring home random girls every night for a bit of fun." His father said, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"But… But… I DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED." Draco bellowed throwing the newspaper into the fire. His mother looked scandalized, his father stopped what he was doing. Narcissa calmly put down her cup and saucer and glared at her only child.
"Draco Artorius Malfoy you will get married as the law states to a half blood or muggle born and that is final. Happy searching." She said with finality. He knew not to argue with her. She used his middle name and that look she gave him was enough to put the fear of Merlin into him.
"Fine. I will. Have a lovely day mother, father." Draco said through gritted teeth. He got up from his chair and stormed out of the sitting room, slamming the door on the way out.
"Hopefully he finds someone that can put up with that temper." Narcissa muttered taking a bite of her scone.
"Oh you mean the one that's quite like yours?" Lucious commented picking a scone for himself.
"My temper? Your temper Mr. Malfoy, and you know it." She said sipping her tea. Lucious laughed and kissed his wife's forehead. He knew better but didn't push it……
Draco paced his room fuming. He had to get married. There were no two ways around it. No money could buy his way out of this, no connections, nothing. "This is going to be a disaster." Draco groaned throwing himself onto his bed. He wondered who was already taken, who was left and what could possibly be done if there were no girls he liked. What if Marietta Edgecombe was the only one left? She still had the word "sneak" across her face in pimples! "That better not be inherited by our kids if I do end up with her." Draco muttered getting up again to pace. But who had hexed her with that? He thought back to 5th year. Granger. She did it, and he laughed about it for days inwardly admitting that that was a great piece of magic she used on the paper. What had become of her? The last he remembered seeing of her was back in 7th year. The dark lord finally defeated, the houses had a huge party in Gryffindor tower for graduation. She looked stunning he had to admit. She had finally learned to tame that hair regularly rather than for special occasion, she had a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that accentuated her curves nicely. Hermione had also smartened up and dumped Weasley a few months before that. Surely she would have found someone by now? He also heard from his parents that she was at Ron and Lavender's wedding two weeks prior. They were going to go and speak with her until she disapparated quickly; because of an emergency she had to attend to at St. Mungo's. Quickly erasing all thoughts of Hermione from his head, he got dressed in his tailored shirt and pants and left to go down to Diagon Alley. If he was going to start his search for a wife, he might as well start there, he mused darkly.
Finally off of work, Hermione went to Gringotts and then for a stroll down Diagon Alley. She loved the busy streets and overhearing witches and wizards talk about the latest in potion making, etc. It was something she always liked to do ever since she learned that she was a witch. Caught up in the sights and sounds she felt herself collide with a hard body. Muttering her apologies, she looked up and found two amused grey eyes looking down at her.
"Granger, fancy seeing you around. You should really watch where you're going." Draco said with a hint of annoyance as he dusted off his sleeve.
"Lovely to see you as well Malfoy. Perhaps you shouldn't just stand around in the middle of a busy street." Hermione shot back, putting her wallet and other belongings back into her purse. Draco then did something she didn't expect. He held out a hand to her to help her back up. She looked at it for a second in shock.
"Are you going to take my hand to help you up or are you going to just stare at it?" Draco said impatiently. Hermione stuck out her chin and got up herself. "Fine, didn't want you touching it anyways." He then muttered. Hermione glared at him and started to walk away.
"Oi, Granger, where are you going?" Draco asked grabbing her arm.
"Home Malfoy, I'm hungry and I need to get these parcels home." She sighed, looking up at him again.
"Let me take you out to dinner, my treat, we can get these packages home for you." Draco had said it before he realized what he was doing. Was he asking Granger of all people to dinner? Hermione looked at him with that look of shock on her face again. "Well?"
"Well I think that's a nice offer Malfoy, if this isn't one of your stupid jokes." She shot back, dusting off her knees.
"Granger, this isn't Hogwarts." Draco replied simply. Hermione was curious. Part of her wanted to see if he had changed, the other part reminded her of the jerk he'd been the entire time they had been at Hogwarts, even after his family had defected from Voldemort.
"Fine, I'll go to dinner with you." Hermione grumbled, uttering a spell that would take her parcels to her apartment.
"Lovely! I know a nice little place in muggle London I can take you to." Draco assured her, taking her arm, still wondering to himself if he knew exactly what he was doing. This was Granger. This was the girl that punched him in 3rd year. She was also a muggleborn, and during their school years, he wouldn't let her forget that. But her eyes, the colour of chestnut, they drew him in and he just had to ask.
Hermione was surprised at the manners he was using with her. This was nothing that she was used to before, even with her previous boyfriends. They were nice guys, but for some reason, they didn't have his charm. She couldn't believe she was saying that, but it was true. He was quite the charmer and good looking, too. They walked quickly and quietly out of the alley, through the Leaky Cauldron and out into muggle London.
"Somewhere where we won't have the prying eyes of the prophet." Draco murmured so only Hermione could hear. She grinned.
"My thoughts exactly." He took her by the hand and lead her to the Underground.