Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters because J.K. Rowling beat me to it. Damn.
(A/N: Thanks for the reviews. They help to pinpoint some of my mistakes.)
Chapter Two
I have to what?
The silence was the most unpleasant thing I ever had to go through. It was such an eerie calm that I knew it was unwelcome by the avoiding of our eyes. My heart was pounding a mile a minute I feared that they could hear it. I raised my head to be met with three sets of eyes staring into mines.
"This was unexpected." I began. Feeling myself so unprepared for this discussion, but I had to remind myself I was Hermione Granger and I could handle anything that came my way.
"Bloody hell, it was unexpected." Ron whispered bitterly.
"Ron mind your language." I warned. He glared at me and turned his head.
"Hermione I think Ron has ever reason to be upset. This is his future they're talking about and besides that there's the matter of him having to marry a stranger." Ginny joined the conversation.
"You have to marry a stranger?" Harry asked all of a sudden almost falling off his chair.
"No. I know this person. But it doesn't change the fact that I'm being forced into it against my will." Ron answered Harry.
"Who is it Ron?" Ginny asked.
"Oh that's was why I came here. Mum and Dad want you back at the burrow Ginny. As for Hermione and Harry I think we need to chat a bit." Ron announced as if just remembering his errand.
"Is there a reason for this?" Ginny asked making no effort to move from her spot.
"Not allowed to say." Ron replied. Ginny with her long fiery red hair stood up only to glare at her brother.
"You're such a prat sometimes." She spat out angrily at him before storming off.
"At least I do it without spitting on people." Ron yelled after her. "Nasty temper that girlfriend of your has. Didn't even say good bye to you, mate." He said turning to Harry who just shrugged at his words.
"Just as long as I'm not the one she's mad at." Harry teased. I laughed then.
"So whose this girl you're being forced to marry?" I questioned now that Ron seemed to calm down a bit.
"Remember Lavender Brown?" He answered. Harry and I gasp at that reply.
"Seriously?" We asked at the same time. He just nodded. Lavender Brown had gone to Hogwarts with us and up until now we never wondered what she had been up to. Now she was going to be married to one of my best friends. I felt some resentment towards her already even though she hadn't done anything wrong. It was just now she was going to be a part of one of the warmest families I ever known. She was going to be there as an actual member. Where I would be just the friend of the youngest son who had great adventures in their youth, I envy that she was going to be the one they will soon adore.
"This is just about the worse thing that's ever happened to me." Ron sighed heavily.
"There still a lot more worse things out there, mate." Harry corrected which earned him a scorning look from Ron.
"Do you not remember what happen in the sixth year? We were kind of seeing each other." Ron groaned. "This is hell."
"I bet she's probably not taking it well either." I pointed out.
"Oh here I was hoping that she would, seeing as our relationship was so pathetic I don't even remember much of it." Ron said sarcastically.
"Oh okay we get it Ron. Just relax and let's see what we can do." Harry started.
"There's nothing we can bloody hell do." Ron replied coldly. "Dad said the law is the law. They're going around marry witches and wizards of one by one. The thing is this way everyone is tied down to a pureblood or a muggle born or what not so that there's an equal balance between the magic population. Even so once married off the couple create a bond that will give them protection against anything threatening that might affect the wizarding world once again. So I don't really know the whole deal on what brought this on but if your sixteen to twenty five years old you better be getting married or you lose your wand and your powers completely."
"Ron does that mean…I will have someone as well?" I asked not really wanting a respond. He looked at me with sad eyes at first then he spoke.
"You're part of the wizarding community aren't you?" It had never truly hit me until that moment as I looked into those ocean blue eyes of his. The freckles that seemed to line across his pale face making him look very sweet.
"I never thought that…" I stopped trying to remember what it was I was trying to comprehend. The fact that I was a witch, where I had just turned eighteen and this law was in effect. Turning to Harry who seemed preoccupied with something else, I placed my face into my hands.
"How did your brothers take the news?" I asked trying to regain my thoughts.
"Well…Charlie was a man about it. Fred I can't say the same thing seeing as he was all ready to pop the question to Angelina. If I were you I stay clear of his path for a few days, weeks maybe and well George's not a happy camper either. I guess he likes his independences but he didn't destroy the house like Fred." Ron answered me.
"He didn't?" I gasp covering my mouth.
"Oh you should have see him and Mum in the kitchen. It was like hell… only worse." Ron frowned as he explained how Fred gotten so upset that he flipped the table with his bare hands and started breaking off the legs, then some how he started yelling and breaking everything in sight. And he placed the kitchen curtains on fire along with their couches and chairs. He was not acting at all like the prankster he was. Of course Hermione you'd act like a manic too if you couldn't marry the one person that you loved. I scowled myself.
"Ron who's he marrying do you know?" I asked.
"Nope." He shook his head. "He was so furious I figured maybe that wasn't the best time to ask him who this mystery girl was. I mean you get a letter telling you who your perfect mate is anyways." I nodded agreeing with him.
"Harry old boy, why aren't you worried about this arrangement?" Ron asked.
"I guess it hasn't hit me yet." Harry grinned sheepishly at Ron.
"Well let's get on with it then. It's going to take you awhile to catch up to were me and Hermione are." Ron encourage teasingly. That was the first time today that I saw him smile since we heard the news.
"I bet whoever marries you, mate they be so happy they combust." Ron joked.
"I don't want anyone else. I want to marry Ginny." Harry declared.
"I want to be the best quidditch player in the world." Ron laughed patting Harry on the back. "Since that's not happening anytime soon I guess we can just wish."
"Well at least I'm not marrying Fred." Harry said laughing along with us. "I feel sorry for the girl whose walking into that lion's den." For whatever reason it was my heart missed a beat.