She was early to the 8:00 meeting. So she sat alone and chewed her nails a bit. Ron and Harry had made it sound like a pile of death eaters were bidding on her. She was sure that was true, but the Zabinis had been neutral. The Selwyns had left the country in order to avoid the conflict. Why on earth were they bidding on her? To gain good press because of her connection to Harry Potter?
And yes she had testified for Draco Malfoy, alongside Harry and Ron. But his family was hardly the altruistic type. He wasn't bidding on her out of misplaced loyalty or gratefulness. He had some sort of unknown agenda as well. She felt like she'd been tossed into the middle of a chess game where the stakes were her life and she didn't know how any of the pieces moved.
Ron and Harry were also early and took seats on either side of her. They both leaned in so they could have a quick whispered conversation. "I heard what happened at breakfast."
"What exactly did you hear?" She whispered, wondering how things had been spun.
"Just that multiple suitors approached you aggressively the second you poked your head into public," Ron sneered. "And that you had to be rescued by Malfoy of all people. Why didn't you just hex them?"
"Ron, I can't just hex other students for talking to me. I'd get kicked out of school. And Malfoy didn't rescue me, he just showed up before I could figure out how to handle the situation and told them off for rudeness. It was hardly a white knight situation," she hissed back.
"Well, we need to figure out a better way to handle it than sodding Malfoy," Harry put in, equally scowly. "Let's do the power in numbers thing until you get a handle on it."
She wanted to argue back that she hardly needed bodyguards to protect her from false flirting from purebloods but McGonagall called for order so she got out her notebook and paid attention.
"Good Morning Students. I've called you here to discuss the new marriage law, formally known as The Armistice Act, recently signed into law. No doubt most of you have skimmed this law and know the basic clauses. If you have not, I strongly encourage you to do so, as this law directly affects each and every one of you. We are here to go over how those clauses are currently being implemented by this school and by the Ministry so that you can conduct yourselves accordingly. I can not offer legal advice and would strongly advise you to consult with a solicitor regarding your individual situation."
McGonagall went over the law quite thoroughly, not really giving her a scrap of information she didn't already know from her own research. 14 pages of disgusting drivel boiled down to five basic principles:
All single people of marrying legal age under 75 had to be in compliance and married to a suitable partner within 90 days.
The degree of pureblood in your direct family tree determined who you were eligible to partner with. Everyone had been assigned a Pureblood percentage score and that score determined who you could be paired with. Her score was a bewildering 6% pureblood...meaning that somewhere in her line was some connection to Wizarding heritage. How they knew this and how many generations were included in the calculation was not disclosed. The scores had to add up to at least a 90, so she could pair with an 84% or above. That left her far fewer options than someone with a higher score. Ronald had an 88% score...so he was eligible to pair with her, but the number of boys who scored that high were rare. There was a reprehensible bidding system in place for witches that had more than one suitor.
Marriages were to be legally binding, consummated, and partners were to cohabitate.
Birth control was strictly forbidden and at least one child was to be produced within five years. There would be ministry oversight to determine if the couple was giving due diligence to produce a child and to make sure none of the marriage sanctions were violated, specifically paternity of said child.
The penalties for non-compliance were harsh, up to and including snapping of wands, oblivion, and release to the muggle population.
The law was being marketed as a ceasefire. An old-fashioned Armistice. Her research had revealed precedent. The minister had not been lying when he had said that arranged marriages had been used for centuries to negotiate peace. Usually, it was just one marriage. A sacrifice made on each side as a sign of goodwill and trust. You didn't send your daughter off to marry the prince of a country you intended to bomb.
The sheer scope and magnitude of expecting everyone to marry someone from the opposing side, it was mind-boggling. Certainly nothing like this had ever been done and she had no idea how they had managed to negotiate the damn thing, get everyone to agree with it, and sign it into law in complete secrecy.
There were too many moving parts, too many variables to even begin to predict the long-term results of this insane legislation, and that was if the whole thing went according to plan, which she highly doubted.
The plan that the administration had constructed to comply with the law mostly centered on cohabitation, copulation with one's spouse, and trying to avoid abuses of power. There were some interesting solutions, including a way to report one's partner for abuses and sanctions to be placed on partners who were abusive.
Also, she now understood the construction going on behind the castle. Cottages were being erected to accommodate married couples. At least she'd have more room than her tiny cramped overflow space she found herself thinking rather uncharitably as she doodled on her paper. This meeting was a waste of time, she could have just sent the boys.
At least she had a good excuse to leave early. She had her meeting with the solicitor. At the appropriate time, she had a quick word with McGonagall about where she was going and headed on out to Hogsmeade, which was the closest floo network.
Malfoy was waiting for her next to the front gates. Leaned up against one of the stone pillars absently playing with a golden snitch. For a moment she was struck by what a boy thing it was to do, then he looked up at her with that glacial stare of his and she was reminded that he was nothing like other boys.
"You are supposed to be at the mandatory meeting." She said, foregoing any type of greeting. It wasn't like they were friends.
He gave her a look, as if she were thick, and she felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. She bit back the desire to clarify, staying stubbornly silent and refusing to allow him to communicate with solely snooty looks. He might get away with that dramatic posturing amongst his Slytherin cohorts but she would not be giving him the satisfaction. Something warmed in his gaze, almost amusement, and he pushed off the pillar to his full standing height, putting away the snitch.
"Did I miss anything vital?" He asked and Hermione bit her tongue in frustration. He had not actually. The abuse sanction policy would be distributed to every student and posted in each common room. He'd find out about the cottages through gossip faster than you could say Quidditch, and everything else that had been covered was already detailed out in the research he had given her. She wisely chose to change the subject to something worth discussing.
"Why are you bidding on me? Don't give me that trying to save me drivel that Ron and Harry seem to have bought into either. I know you would take great pleasure in watching me taken down a peg or six." She put her fists on her hips and started up at him. Annoyed by his height and his perfect posture and his expensive clothes. Annoyed that his expression was annoyingly scrunched and his eyes were clear of the malice she had come to expect of him. "What's in it for you, Malfoy?"
Anger sparked in his gaze and she was glad of it. This politeness, no matter how cold, that he was directing at her was making her wary. She didn't know what his game was, only that she didn't want to play it. He took a step nearer to her and she was forced to crane her head back, refusing to be intimidated by his size. She gripped her wand in her pocket for comfort and gave him her worst glare.
His eyes flickered momentarily to her pocket and she wished she hadn't gone for her wand. Somehow it seemed like weakness. And that tinge of amusement from before was slipping back into his expression, though his voice was as cold and haughty as she had ever heard it when he answered her question.
"It's not a character flaw to have well thought out and nuanced reasons for every action," she could hear the unspoken slur on Gryffindors in his tone. "I have many reasons for bidding on you including the fact that you testified on my behalf in front of the Wizengamot. My family always pays its debts, Granger."
"I didn't testify for you because I wanted you to owe me Malfoy," she stamped her foot in frustration. "I did it because it was the right thing to do."
"You don't think protecting a classmate and war hero I've known for 7 years is the right thing to do?" He gave her a sardonic grin and ran one hand through his perfectly groomed hair. Another boy gesture she was not entirely comfortable seeing on him. "I think the truth is, that it makes you uncomfortable. You don't like to think that maybe, just maybe, I'm doing something just because it's what I should. You want to keep me and my family carefully assigned to the bad guy category so you can maintain your own moral superiority."
She sputtered angrily and tried to protest the ridiculousness of that statement. She had proven, after all, that she was not so narrow-minded when she had testified on his behalf despite his atrocious behavior over the years. She had acknowledged, in public and on record, that Malfoy's set of circumstances had left him few choices and had really forced him along the path of darkness. But he ignored her and spoke over her.
"Will it help you come to terms with reality if I give you another good reason? Something more selfishly motivated. Something more in line with the behavior you would expect from a bad evil Malfoy." He gave her his patented condescending sneer and rolled his eyes. "If there is anyone to be given a pass on this law it's you. Gryffindor's sweet golden girl. War Hero and beloved muggleborn Hermione Granger. You and your friends have never had to adhere to the same rules and standards as the rest of us. If you manage to squirrel out of this law, I intend to be fully latched onto your coattails to come along for the ride. Good enough reason for you?"
She gaped at him for a heartbeat, aware that his logic was sound and yet offended by his perception that she might get out of the law just because of who she was. In the dark corners of her mind she had thought the same thing. What did that say about her? Conversation with him had a different dynamic than she was used to. A cutting preciseness that she found both abrasive and exciting. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was drawing her breath a little too quickly, her emotions running a little too high.
She forced herself to take a calming deep breath, aware again of how nice he smelled. Remembered those scattered dreams of him touching her, found herself looking at his surprisingly full lips. She wanted to argue his points, defend herself, but there was nothing to be gained from it. What she wanted was information, so she twisted the subject, tried to set him off balance, went straight to the heart of the matter. "And if we don't get the law repealed? If we have to go through with it? What then?"
Her voice was a strangled whisper and she swallowed hard when he took a step closer and was once again in her space. She craned her neck back a little farther to maintain eye contact and wet her suddenly dry lips. This was so inappropriate. Wondering just what it would be like to be kissed by Draco Malfoy. But now that the idea had formed in her mind it didn't appear to have any interest in vacating. He smiled at her, a slow Cheshire grin that had every nerve in her body on edge. White even teeth, fresh minty breath. "Well, I guess, I will have wed the best muggleborn witch money can buy in all of Hogwarts."
Hermione took a step back from him, both emotionally and physically and assumed her most brisk prefect voice. "Don't be ridiculous Malfoy, you can't possibly be actually considering this. Surely, there are more suitable candidates for you in case this plan to repeal the law goes sideways."
He didn't dispute this fact, instead pulling out his pocket watch and reminding her of the time. She let out a soft curse and turned away from him to get on to her appointment, but to her dismay, he stretched his long legs to catch up and fell in beside her. "I don't need company."
He gave her a sidelong look out of one eye before replying. "This morning made me think you ought to have an escort, I can arrange for security for you during future outings if you would prefer."
She came to a halt and spun to face him, needing to set clear boundaries right away. "I'm not interested in security or an escort. Thank you for your concern but I will be just fine."
"Go ahead, be fine. I'm going to Almond Dippant's office, you can feel free to accompany me if you would like." Hermione seethed in frustration as she spun around and stalked down the walkway towards Hogsmeade with him easily keeping pace with her. She ignored him soundly, refusing to even look in his direction and chance seeing that coldly amused look from earlier. People turned and stared at them as they marched through the sparsely populated streets of Hogsmeade on their way to the inn and Hermione was so frustrated she wanted to shout at them to mind their own ruddy business. Being seen "out" with Draco Malfoy was not acceptable.
He reached out a long arm to pull the door of the inn open for her like he was a gentleman instead of an entitled swot and she forgot herself enough to give him a glare. He answered with an amused smile and she took the opportunity to rush ahead of him to be first at the floo. She grabbed a handful of dust, tossed it in the fireplace and stepped inside all before the door had swung shut behind him. The last thing she saw before she began to spin through the green flames was Draco Malfoy laughing at her.
Much Love to Kessymaniak who was kind enough to go through and Beta this Chapter. Big Thanks!
