Hermione meant to rise long before she actually did. Her brain continually nagged at her: You need to go inside for your best friend's birthday. You need to stop moping out here like a child. You need to be supportive, not the one who needs supporting. People are beginning to notice and you don't want them coming out here looking for you crying behind a bush. But her body felt like hardened cement, like she had become a statue of the garden, a Persephone frozen in time protecting the turnips and clover from trodding trespassers. She continued to hug her knees closely to her chest as the sun dipped behind the hills and began to cloak the countryside in a soft orange shadow. Stars were peeking from behind a veil of dark blue before she managed to make it to her feet, hearing the music from indoors start to dim and the laughter begin to become goodbyes. She opened the front door and was met with a sea of red hair clogging the entryway, hugging each other and giving quick kisses on the cheek. The bonus Weasleys, as Hermione called them, aunts, uncles, cousins, and relatives more distant than Hermione cared to know, were all saying their farewells and exiting the party. She shoved her way through the mass of people and managed to find her friends.
Ron was sitting in a chair at the table with Lavender perched cozily in his lap, her slender fingers walking themselves through his hair. Ron looked somewhat uncomfortable under her weight, but only shifted slightly here and there as she remained unruffled and oblivious to the scenes around her. Harry was draped over Sirius's shoulder, barely able to stand on his as Hagrid had an arm slung in his armpit. Sirius laughed and patted Harry on the head as Harry mumbled garbled speech in his ear, and Hagrid gently lifted him completely off of Sirius.
"Alrigh' Harry, I reckon it'll be time fer you ta head on ta bed!" Hagrid said as he tossed Harry over his shoulder and began towards the stairs.
"No, I don't reckon *hick* nothin' Hagrid! Let me *hick* stay with my friends!" Harry pounded on Hagrid's back weakly
"Yer friends had a won'erful time, but they're all leavin' now. Say goodbye Harry!"
"Goodbye Harry!" Harry called as he flopped his head down and let it loll back and forth as Hagrid took the stairs three at a time and disappeared into the upper levels. Sirius wiped a bit of Harry's drool from his cloak and sat down at the table opposite of Ron and Lavender. Mrs. Weasley began to rush around the front room, gathering glasses and used napkins, flicking her wand this way and that at objects all over the room that began to zoom into their rightful places. Her curls were beginning to undo themselves from her bun and were falling into her face. Teddy's hair had now turned a shade of baby blue as Ginny and Tonks played on the rug with some of Ron's old toy soldiers. They marched in circles, some of them missing limbs, shrieking about an enemy that wasn't there. Teddy giggled as Remus picked him up off the floor and headed into the kitchen where the others were beginning to gather. Arthur grabbed Molly's attention, pulling her away from a particularly stubborn dirty dish in the sink, and ushering her to the table where everyone now gathered. Hermioned approached the group gingerly.
"I'm sorry for missing the majority of the party," she said looking down at her white converse, now starting to yellow, caked in dirt and grass.
"Oh, it's no worry at all dear! We all need our space sometimes!" Mrs. Weasley cooed as she helped her to her seat at the table. She sat down across from Sirius as he gave her another small wink.
"Don't be sorry," Sirius said softly as he cupped his hands together and held them to his chin. He then gestured secretly to wiping the side of his mouth at Hermione. She brushed off a few sticky crumbs from her slice of rhubarb pie from earlier and attempted to hide a small blush appearing on her cheeks. Once everyone had sat down and shared an accidental moment of uncomfortable silence between them, Remus spoke up.
"Well let's not beat around the bush. We have a problem among us and it would do us well to figure it out as quickly as possible," Remus said, bouncing Teddy on his lap as he reached for a candle in the center of the table. Tonks grabbed Teddy's hand in hers and gave it a playful nibble as he giggled loudly. "The short of it is," he continued as he turned to Hermione, "Hermione, you must get married. And as I understand it, the sooner the better."
Hermione blinked a couple of times. She thought that she had fully processed this news already from her eternity sitting in the garden, but hearing it come from someone else's mouth made it new again. "Why the urgency?" She finally questioned. Remus nodded at Mr. Weasley, who was standing against the countertop with his arm folded, chewing on the inside of his cheek.
"Word around the ministry is," Arthur began, "this law was a compromise, and a very generous one considering the alternative that was proposed. Contrary to outward appearance, there are still quite a few unprejudiced witches and wizards at the ministry, but their voices are becoming weaker. They fought tooth and nail to get this marriage law passed, to make it appealing to Thicknesse and Umbridge. Believe it or not, this was their idea." Hermione could feel her mouth begin to separate as her jaw started to hang open. Sirius rubbed his face with his hands and Lavender finally stopped playing with Ron's hair and looked alert.
"Wh-what was the alternative?" Hermione stuttered softly. Arthur bit his bottom lip in unease.
Mr. Weasley exhaled quickly before saying "genocide." Hermione gasped, others in the room flinched and winced. Although, this news should not have come as a surprise to anyone. That was the outward objective all along up until they infiltrated the ministry and had to become 'political.' Of course the more liberal Ministry workers wouldn't allow blatant genocide, but who is to say that eventually it wouldn't come to that.
"Now obviously, forced arrangements are not ideal, but I would prefer our Hermione married and alive rather than otherwise," Arthur ended. It seemed the air in the room was then sucked out completely by a vacuum. Of course she would rather be alive, but what would staying alive look like to her now? Complete misery? Would Azkaban be a better fate than this? She wasn't like other young women who fantasized about their weddings and had every detail down to her toenails set in stone, but she at least figured she would eventually be marrying for love and happiness rather than survival. She let out a loud huff, allowing her problem-solving side a turn to the table.
"So what's to happen next? Am I allowed to pick my husband? Or negotiate? Lavender, your older brother is unattached, correct? Or what about Ernie MacMillan? I could tolerate him alright I suppose."
"I am afraid that isn't how it is going to work. You see, those in power at the ministry still want to make this as painful and humiliating as possible for muggleborns." Hermione raised her eyebrows as the others sat forward in their chairs. Arthur began to stumble over his words as he attempted to explain the procedure. "Y-You see, there is going to be an open forum, a-and a sort of war of bidding, if you will. And each winner will receive a dowry."
"A dowry?" Hermione said a little louder than she might have meant. "Wow, way to make it sound classy. That's the consolation that the pure-bloods are being given?"
"Not exactly. The consolation gifts have already been issued to the eligible. Your dowry will be deposited upon delivery of the, well, of the bride, in your case."
"How much was the consolation? Ron?" Hermione turned to Ron, as he was, at the moment, unmarried. Ron became tongue-tied.
"Uh," he began quite sloppily, "I'm not sure, as I never received one." Hermione looked puzzled. Was it because he was considered a blood-traitor? Before she could even question, Lavender held up a sweaty hand in the air and squealed.
"AH! Finally we don't have to keep it a secret anymore! Won-Won and I were MARRIED last week!" Groans erupted from all around the table, and Hermione saw Mrs. Weasley's face go red. "It was magical! We decided one evening, after just having rekindled our love, that the thought of losing each other after the battle was just too painful to bear!" Hermione felt her stomach drop. After she and Ron had decided that they were better off as friends shortly after the school year, she never imagined she would find herself envious of his lover. She pursed her lips and turned to Sirius.
"Sirius? How much was the consolation?" Sirius looked surprised. Hermione blinked as she awaited his answer.
"Um, I don't feel that I am at liberty to say."
"Dammit, Sirius, if I am to be auctioned off to the highest bidder like a fat swine at a bloody fair then I deserve to know how much I'm going for! How much was the consolation?" Everyone was silent as their eyes were fixed on Hermione.
"Twenty-five thousand!" Sirius said calmly.
"Galleons?!" Ron exclaimed as he stood and Lavender fell off of his lap. Sirius nodded as he continued to look Hermione in the eyes.
"And my dowry?" Sirius raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Hermione's gaze was unwavering and a little bit terrifying, but Sirius didn't falter beneath it.
"The dowries are not disclosed until bidding time. So nobody except those actively bidding will have knowledge of this. However, I do know that dowries are much more lucrative for some than others." Mr. Weasley's tone suggested that he had heard that Hermione's was one of the highest.
"And why is that?" Hermione questioned.
"Come now, Hermione," Sirius said. "Clearly, you'd make an exceptional wife, but-"
"But what? Choose your next words carefully, Sirius," Hermione raised her voice as her cheeks flushed with rage.
"Arthur, can you help?" Sirius said as he gestured to Mr. Weasley, lost for words and not sure how to argue with Hermione on this sensitive subject.
"Hermione, you are a brilliant witch, absolutely brilliant. You are a fierce friend, a kind spirit, and a devoted fighter. Everything we cherish in you. However, most pure-blood bachelors, especially ones who are familiar with your alliances and reputation, would be wary to bid on you. Don't forget, they are being forced into this as well, and their reservations are quite similar to yours. Obviously, yours are more dire, but a riskier match calls for a higher dowry. And you, my dear, are one of the riskiest."
"In the best sense," Sirius added with a tiny smirk. Hermione threw her arms in the air in defeat and plopped down in her chair again, her heart rate beginning to come down to normal levels after nearly tearing Sirius's head off.
"Well," she huffed, "Do I have time to mourn my self-coupling before I'm forever tethered to some uptight pure-blood? Merlin, I just hope it's not Draco."
Arthur let out a small laugh as Ron groaned slightly. "The Malfoy boy wouldn't dare. His father, I am sure, has made it clear that you will never step foot in his home again, even as family."
"My dowry isn't attractive enough for the Malfoy's? That's surprising considering Lucius has all but flushed his family's wealth and dignity down the toilet."
"And whatever dignity they have left is all they are clinging to. Your dowry may make Draco think twice but that dynasty would crumble if you crossed their threshold. I wouldn't worry about them, Hermione. I am sure that a respectable pure-blood, such as Ernie MacMillan or Cormac McLaggen, will be the one to have your hand," Sirius said. His tone was so calm and grounded, that Hermione had felt as though she had never been upset this entire conversation. Sirius was right. This entire ordeal would end up fine. She knew a numerous amount of decent pure-blood wizards who would be more than worthy of being tolerated, and the unsavory ones would tremble at the thought of having to make her their wife.
"So when am I to be auctioned off?" Hermione asked. Mr. Weasley took a large gulp.
"Tomorrow evening."
