Hello lovely readers and welcome.
I am a huge glutton for punishment so have decided that i would write a Marriage Law fic. Not that it think there isn't enough, because i am finding the supply of available stories on this topic unending, however, i am yet to see one that has explored this particular topic.
I was going to hold off on revealing the pairing and try and keep it a surprise, but you find out at the end of this chapter anyway, so why not.
I was interested to see what would happen to Hermione if she and Ron were together after the war, travelled to Australia then returned to find that the Ministry had implemented a Marriage Law for people in her age group. Then i wanted to NOT pair her with Ron, but make it extremely difficult for the family as a whole when they realised she was paired with one of his brothers.
I have tried to make her as close to her character as possible, particularly in the beginning, however, she is quickly growing, changing and morphing into someone completely different. Please expect non canon character representations, as the war changed every single person.
Enjoy and please review.
Next few chapters are written, waiting on feedback and editing in order to post.
As always, i do not own JK's stuff. She does. And always will.
~~OvO~~
Hermione sat at the kitchen table at the Burrow, sipping on her tea. She stared out the window watching two garden gnomes feign a sword fight, using flower stems.
Ordinarily, she would have found it highly amusing, however, Hermione Granger had not had the mindset to find much amusing since the war ended just over four months ago.
In the days that followed the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione, Harry, Ron and the Weasleys threw themselves into the efforts to assist with burying the dead and repairing the castle. The castle, being the sentient being that it was, was easily repaired. It conjured the fallen stones mostly by itself and was fully repaired within a matter of weeks. The funerals however began early.
Hermione recalled having sat beside Harry at the funeral of Remus and Tonks, as well as Tonk's father, one of the first to be held, as they farewelled the last of the Marauders. Little Teddy was just an infant with no idea what all the fuss was about. Andromeda Tonks held her grandson in her arms and sobbed as the caskets were lowered into the ground, a sign of finality and the marking of the beginning of a life that she hadn't anticipated on having to live.
The three 'heroes' as they were being called, made an appearance at most of the funerals that were held during that time and showed their faces at the bedsides of those who suffered at St Mungos. Just seeing them appearing to be well was enough to give people the courage to fight through whatever ailments they were
Fred's funeral was held last and all though everyone knew he would have wanted a celebration, rather than a mourning, the atmosphere was heavy with sorrow. George barely showed his face at the Burrow, instead, remaining in the attic of the flat above the shop that he was now solely responsible for, working on things that he told no one about. He attended his twin's funeral, sat in the front row with a blank look on his face. No one really saw George cry, which Hermione knew was a sign of something odd. She attempted to approach him after the wake, once the guests had shaken his hand and disapparated at the gate, however, George make no attempt to talk with anyone before heading to the gate and leaving, himself.
It was only a few short days after that that Hermione travelled across Australia with Ron in search for her parents. It ended up being a most arduous journey, with her parents having moved from the place she had set them up in. In the end, it had taken them two and a half months to track them down, reverse the spell and convince them it was for their own good. When it came time to return to England, however, Hermione's parents chose to stay in the southern New South Wales town they had come to call home.
Hermione wiped a tear from her eyes as she thought about the things she had seen and done over the last several years. She would be 19 in a few days and she felt like she had lived the life of someone in their 40s. She was exhausted beyond belief and was grateful for the opportunity to have no agenda. Nothing to accomplish, nobody to fight.
Hermione had settled into an easy relationship with Ron after the battle. She felt as though they had spent the longest time chasing each other around and around a tree and when they finally caught one another, it was like it was meant to be. Their first kiss was intense and passionate, and Hermione had hoped for more off that to come, however, Ron was so pre occupied with his grief, that the passion initially went by the wayside. The trip to Australia rekindled some of that passion, with the couple having awkwardly taken their relationship to the next level in a 5-star hotel room overlooking Sydney Harbour. It had been the perfect night and Ron was the perfect gentleman, however, it had been difficult to have an opportunity to repeat the event once they returned to the Burrow.
Hermione zoned out as the kitchen filled with people who were in search of breakfast. Hermione continued staring out at the gnomes, watching as they now were in search of artefacts to steal from the surroundings of the house. She watched as they dragged a gum boot into the garden, checking over their shoulder to see if anyone noticed. Hermione would have chuckled if she hadn't felt so blank.
It should have been funny. It was funny, it was highly amusing actually because she knew that Ginny would be looking for that gumboot that day and would curse and stomp around until she found it. Hermione forced herself to smile.
"Hey Mione, how'd you sleep?" came the voice of Ron, as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He sat beside her, straddling the bench seat of the long table, not taking his arms off her. She turned to face him, and her smile morphed into a genuine one; affection for the man who was now hers.
"I slept well, thanks" she said in reply, a response that she had rehearsed daily, despite not having slept much at all.
"Rubbish Hermione. You tossed and turned all night" Ginny said from the bottom of the stairs.
Hermione looked from Ginny to Ron and suddenly found great interest in her teacup, choosing to stare into its depths than to face the impending conversation.
"You should just stay in my room, Mione" he said.
"With you and Harry? You've got to be kidding?" Ginny said.
"Well smart ass, Harry could stay in your room" Ron suggested.
"She'd never allow it" Ginny said with a shrug as she waved her wand at the bread, turning it quickly and effortlessly into toast.
"We're all of age now Gin, she has no choice" Ron said.
"She has no choice about what?" Molly asked, entering through the back door with a basket of eggs in her arms.
"Mum, I think it's about time you allow us to be the adults that we are and have our partners sleep in our rooms with us" Ron said, standing up now and puffing out his chest.
Molly Weasley just stood in the doorway in stunned silence. She said not one word, just glared at her youngest son and her only daughter.
"Or we could not and just continue with the arrangements as they are?" Ginny said, backhanding Ron in the stomach and going about the morning routine.
"Where's Harry this morning?" Hermione asked after Molly placed a serving of scrambled eggs on the table in front of them.
"More ministry stuff. He left pretty early" Ginny said.
"That Kingsley… He's a great Auror, but he's working Harry far too hard" Molly said.
"Well, at least he offered him a job" Ron said with a mouth full of food.
"Yeah as an auror. I don't think I like the idea of Harry going out catching dark wizards" Ginny said with her arms crossed.
"I'm just glad he's allowing us to return to Hogwarts to finish up our NEWTS" Hermione said.
"Yeah, still not excited about that" Ron said.
"I told you… if you don't want to go you don't have to do it just because I am" Hermione said.
"What would I do otherwise?" Ron asked.
"You could do anything" Hermione said.
"Were you or were you not offered a job alongside Harry?" Ginny asked. Pointing her fork in his direction.
"I've been fighting since I was eleven. I think I'm done" Ron said.
Just as the group was about to get up to get ready for the day, a large barn owl flew in through the kitchen window and landed on the table. Attached to its leg, was a bundle of letters, which Ginny untied quickly.
Ron handed a rasher of bacon over to the owl who hooted happily before flying off in the direction from whence it came.
"There's a letter for each of us, one for Harry and one for Percy too" Ginny said as she handed the letters to Ron and Hermione.
Hermione opened the letter that contained the ministry seal on the back and glanced over it, her eyes widening with shock as she read further down the page.
Dear Miss Hermione Granger,
As you are aware, the recent Wizarding War of the 90s claimed the lives of many wizards, witches and muggles alike. Not since the days f the plague has wizarding Britain seen such low population growth.
It is the ministry's fear that unless drastic action is taken to increase the population, wizarding numbers will continue to decline until the numbers are such that our species will cease to exist altogether.
It is with this information and great regret, that the ministry has decided to impose the Marriage Law.
Please see the included information pack for information relating to the particulars of this law.
Yours faithfully,
The Members of the Wizengamot
"What a load of rubbish" Hermione said out loud as soon as she was finished.
"They can't do this" Ginny said.
"Hang about, I'm not finished…" Ron said as his eyes read through the rest of the first page. "Wait… a marriage law? What does this mean?" Ron asked, looking to Hermione for answers as she read through the second page that outlined the specifics of the law.
"I can't believe this. I truly can't. It says that the ministry has consulted with the sorting hat to pair those who it deems as a good fit for population regeneration and we will find out via owl post who our matches are" she said, looking to Ginny and Ron.
"That cant be accurate, can it?" Molly asked from the kitchen, moving to where they sat and putting her hand out for the pieces of parchment in Ginny's hands. She read over it, twice each and clutched her hand to her chest.
"As if my family hasn't been through enough, my children will be forced to marry someone they may not even like?" Molly said, to no one in particular. "We shall see about that" She said, removing her apron and storming over to the floo with the parchment in her hands.
"We'll be right though, wont we? I mean, we're already together" Ron said, looking, as always, to Hermione for answers.
"I'm sure the ministry takes into consideration those who are already in relationships" Hermione said.
"I for one will not accept anyone other than Harry as my husband. I'll just revolt" Ginny said, tossing her hair back as she headed for the stairs.
"Ginny, you can't" Hermione said, looking over the stack of parchment in her hands once again.
"I'll just say no. They can't force me to marry someone I don't like" she said.
"Actually, the rules state that if you refuse, you'll be stripped of your magic and forced into obliviation and into the muggle world" Hermione said, fear in her eyes.
The three of them just looked at each other, hoping beyond hope that this won't be another thing in their lives that they must overcome.
~~OvO~~
Hermione and Ron walked hand in hand through the orchard later that morning, on their way to the nearby river.
"What are you thinking about Hermione? You've been quiet since breakfast" Ron said, running his thumb over her knuckles.
"This whole marriage thing. Really, its ridiculous" she said.
"I know. The wizarding population isn't going to just die out" he said.
"Well, I see their fear, I do, but they could have gone about it in a different way" she said.
"I think they're just scared" he suggested.
"Of what?" she asked. "What could they possibly be afraid of?" she asked.
"I have no idea" he said, shrugging his broad shoulders.
"I mean… there are so many other options. They could have required already married adults to have more children. Or they could have left out those under the age of 21, or they could have…" she rambled.
"We'll be ok Hermione. I promise. I would have asked you some time in the next couple of years anyway. Why wait? Why not just do it now?" he asked her.
"There are no loopholes Ron" she said, turning away from him to look at the river bank they were now standing beside. "They said that no engagements or marriages after todays date will be legally recognised" she said.
As she turned back around, she looked to Ron's face and saw sadness there. He held in his hand a round ring that it appeared he had made from a vine growing on a nearby tree.
"Hermione, I know that we're young and I know what the law says, but I love you. I have loved you since forever. If I don't do this and they don't match us, I will regret it forever. Please, Hermione Granger, will you do the honour of agreeing to marry me?" he asked her, having bent down on one knee.
"Ron, of course I would, I just… If we aren't matched, this is all for nothing" she said sadly, taking the ring from him and placing it on the ring finger on her left hand.
"At least we know how we feel about each other. I know I haven't been the best boyfriend to be around and we haven't, you know, since Australia and I was probably really bad at it, but I want to make it up to you" he said encasing her in his arms.
"None of that matters, not really" she said into his chest as he held her against himself.
"I want to take you out. Tonight. For dinner. A real date" he said, pulling away.
"I really think that would be nice" she said, smiling for what might be the first time in a long time.
~~0vO~~
Hermione left Ginny's room that night in an incredibly revealing dress that hugged her nicely in all the right places. It was one of Ginny's that she had stolen from Lavender last year at school, but Hermione didn't know that.
She met Ron at the bottom of the stairs, and the two of them were greeted with 'whoops' and whistles from the Weasleys who had gathered to discuss the issue at hand. As it turned out, Molly had marched right up to Kingsley's door and demanded answers, along with about one hundred other enraged parents. There was nothing he could do. It was out of his hands and in the hands of the Wizengamot.
The law included everyone who was of age, up until the age of 25. This meant that a person who was 17 could very well be matched with someone who was 25. Percy and George were not surprised to read their letters, as Percy had been at work in the ministry when the law was announced, and George couldn't find it within him to care about much at all anyway.
"At least I won't be alone" was all George said.
Hermione and Ron left the Burrow through the Floo and found themselves dusting their clothes off at the Leaky Cauldron. They greeted the intrigued guests of the pub quickly before heading out the muggle exit into the street outside.
"There is a place nearby that is good. Or so I heard" Ron said, patting the pocket of his muggle jacket to make sure he had his muggle money.
"We could have gone somewhere else" she said. "Maybe somewhere you'd be more comfortable?" she asked.
"Hermione, we're two of the three most famous people in the wizarding world and we're a couple who are staring down the barrel of a marriage law which may or may not break us up. I think a muggle outing is better" Ron said.
"You're right. Less hassle this way" she said, smiling at Ron's thoughtfulness.
They entered a restaurant after walking for about five minutes
"Mexican?" she asked.
"Yeah, I thought it would be nice. I haven't had Mexican before" Ron said.
"I'm excited to try it. Its been a long time" she said, approaching the counter.
"Do you have a booking?" asked the waitress.
"I do. Weasley, table for two?" he said.
"Right this way please" she said, walking the through the cosy restaurant to a small courtyard out the back.
"I'll bring you some water. Would you like something else to drink?" she asked.
"I'd like to see the cocktail menu, please" Hermione said, shrugging off her jacket in the late summer air.
"Me too" said Ron, placing his own jacket on the back of his chair.
"This is lovely Ron" Hermione said, taking in the atmosphere.
"I used the teletone at the post office in Ottery St Catchpole" Ron said, looking pleased with himself.
"The telephone? That's marvellous. This is lovely" she said.
The waitress returned with the cocktail menus and Hermione ordered a fruit tingle and Ron, not knowing what anything was, ordered the same.
They quickly ordered their meals and continued with their conversation.
Their meals arrived and they eagerly enjoyed their Mexican feast. It would become one of their favourites which they promised to return to soon. The conversation was never stunted and flowed naturally. They tried to avoid the topic of the marriage law at all costs to ensure their night remained positive. Hermione wouldn't admit it, but she was terrified of being paired with someone else.
When they finished, Ron paid, and they left with full stomachs.
"I don't think I could eat another thing" Hermione said, rubbing her stomach.
"That's a shame because there is an ice cream place just around the corner" he said.
"How… How did you know all this?" she asked.
"I do my research" he said with a smile.
"Which brother?" she asked.
"Charlie" he answered, looking at his shoes. Hermione stopped walking, bringing him to a halt with her as they were holding hands.
"Well, I must be sure to thank him" she said, standing on her toes to kiss him. It was supposed to be a chaste peck on the lips, however, somehow it managed to turn into something more.
The night, the restaurant, Ron's thoughtfulness… Hermione was so enthralled by the night, she found herself wanting something more.
"Ron… Can we go somewhere?" she asked.
"I thought we were. Do you want to get ice cream?" he asked.
"I was thinking maybe we go to my parents house?" she asked.
"Oh…" he said, feeling nervous.
"I can apparate us straight in, I had Kinglsey alter the wards when we went to check on it, remember?" she said.
"If that's what you want?" he asked.
"Ron, there is nothing I want more right now" she said.
~~OvO~~
Hermione woke the next morning in the bed which she had enlarged using her magic the night before, at her bed at her parents' house. She was wrapped in Ron's arms with a sheet covering their naked bodies.
Her fingers moved to her swollen lips as she recalled the night before. It had been purely magical, from beginning to end.
While it hadn't been intense and full of passion like she had often read about in her romance novels, it was sweet love making filled with kissing and unending utterings of love and affection.
She carefully extracted herself from Ron's arms and found a t shirt and shorts in her cupboard before making her way to the kitchen. There wasn't much in the way of food, so she transfigured her clothes to something more acceptable before apparating to the alley beside a nearby café.
15 minutes later, Hermione returned to her childhood home to find a confused and scared looking Ron wandering the living room with his wand gripped in his hand.
"I thought something bad happened' he said, pulling her to him in an embrace.
"I just went to get breakfast. I thought you'd be hungry" she said as she stood on toes to kiss him.
"You're perfect" he said.
She handed him a coffee cup before taking out some bacon and egg rolls and hash browns from a bag and placing them on the table in the dining room.
"This is great. Where'd you get it?" he asked.
"Just a café in London" she said.
"Well I love it" he said, as he picked up his roll to take a bite. "By the way Hermione, happy birthday" he said.
~~OvO~~
Hermione's 19th birthday was a raging success. After breakfast Ron had taken her to her bedroom and repeated the events that occurred in her bed the night before, before they had a shower and returned to the Burrow.
Molly had put on a beautiful lunch after thoroughly admonishing the couple for staying out all night. The afternoon was spent by the lake with Ron Ginny and Harry while the night consisted of a roast and stories shared around a bonfire with all the Weasleys.
"I'm sorry your parents couldn't be here" Ron said as they toasted marshmallows by the fire.
"I think… My family are the people who are here, now" she said, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.
"You're right, we're your family. We always have been" Molly said as she looked on from her place beside her husband. The atmosphere, while enjoyable, was dampened by the knowledge that in the morning, their worlds would change forever.
"I'm not ready to be a mother" Hermione said into the fire.
"Me neither" Ginny greed.
"I wanted to travel, to work, build a career" Hermione said, tears in her eyes.
"Come now you pair. I had Bill when I was 20 and I wouldn't change a thing" Molly said.
"Yeah mum, but times have changed" Ginny said. "Women want to be just as successful as men can be and tying them to a house at the age of 17 can be disastrous" she added.
"Who's to say we can't travel with rugrats?" Ron asked.
"It would just be much harder" Hermione said.
"I can be a stay at home dad" Harry said with a wicked grin.
"Sure thing, I'll pop out the babies and you can look after them. Sounds like a plan to me" Ginny said, leaning towards Harry and kissing him on the lips.
"It's all well and good for you four, you're the golden trio, plus one, there's no way you won't get matched with each other. What about George and me? Who are we going to end up with?" Percy asked.
"Whoever it is, I'm certain she'll be amazing" Hermione said.
"Well, your father and I are off to bed. Don't forget all of you, I want you at the table at 7am sharp to open your letters together" Molly said, as she left the fire side with her husband and made their way into the house.
"I hope we can be that happy when we're done with all of this and our children are grown" Ginny said to Harry.
"I can only promise that I'll do my best" Harry said.
"And that's all I can ask" Ginny said, reaching up to pull Harry in for a long snogging session.
"That's just about as much of that as I can tolerate. Happy birthday Hermione" George said before getting up and walking into the house.
"You staying the night?" Ron asked as Hermione said, "Thank you".
"Might as well" George shrugged, entering through the back door.
Hermione went to bed shortly after, having had a big night the previous night and wanting to have a clear mind for the following day.
~~OvO~~
The group of teenagers woke on the morning of the 20th of September, not quite ready to discover who the ministry had chosen as their spouse.
This date would mark the beginning of 18 months where they must all marry and fall pregnant.
Ginny sat at the table in her dressing gown beside an anxious looking Harry when Hermione arrived at breakfast. Soon after the entire Weasley family was present. No one felt much like eating, but Molly insisted on making pancakes for them all.
Hermione and Ron sat beside Harry and Ginny and Percy and George sat on the other side of the table. Molly took a seat beside Percy and Arthur couldn't bring himself to sit.
"Whatever happens…" Harry said, as they noticed a large owl flying towards the burrow.
"We'll be ok" Ginny said. "We have to be ok" she added as the owl flew in through the window and delivered the letters to the table.
Arthur took them and handed them to each person. Once they all had their enveloped in hand, there was silence across the table.
"All together then?" Ron asked.
"Together" Harry said.
The sound of parchment being ripped open was all that could be heard inside the Burrow. Molly looked on as her children removed the piece of parchment from the envelopes and glanced down the page.
Harry and Ginny both smiled in relief as the found each other's names on their letters.
Percy sighed as he saw the name of his ex-girlfriend Penelope Clearwater on his parchment.
Before anyone could do anything, Ron slammed his down on the table, having opened his first and glanced over at Hermione's, then stormed out the door.
As Hermione saw the name listed in front of her, she looked up from her place at the table and across from where she was sitting and make eye contact with her future husband, George Weasley.
Harry, concerned, picked up Ron's letter and saw a name he hadn't expected – Lavender Brown.
"I thought she was dead?" Ginny asked.
"She almost was" Harry said, distracted. "Hermione, who did you get?" he asked.
Without saying a word, she handed Harry the paper, tears trickling down her face.
The whole room was silent as they all looked amongst each other.
"That's just fucking rude" Ginny said, seeing that her best friend was matched with the wrong brother.
"Ginny" Molly admonished.
Hermione sat in stunned silence, staring at the knots in the table in front of her, only vaguely aware that her fiancé, now ex fiancé, she supposed, had stormed out and she was set to marry his brother.
She got up without a word and left the house to find Ron.
She didn't have to walk far, as she knew he often retreated to the same place when he was angry or upset.
"Ron" she began, but words evaded her. She was speechless. There was nothing she could say or do in this moment to make things feel ok, so she sat beside him and held him as they both cried in each other's arms.
After what could have been maybe an hour or perhaps 5 minutes, Harry came and found the couple.
"Its wrong. It isn't right. They made a mistake" he said, standing in front of them.
"What can we do? The information packet told us that they would be taking no questions regarding this" Hermione said.
"Are we, or are we not the golden trio?" Harry asked.
Hermione simply rolled her eyes.
"Isn't it about time we asked for something? Demanded answers, required some favouritism?" he asked, becoming angry now. "You two belong together, if they can't see that… if the stupid bloody hat can't see that then the whole process is wrong" Harry said, turning to head for the gate of the Burrow.
"I don't see it doing much good" Hermione said.
"At least we can try. I can't see my life without you Hermione. Lavender? I mean, I don't even know where to begin. She's still in St Mungos as far as I was aware" Ron said.
Hermione didn't speak, instead, focusing on an ant which appeared to be carrying a crumb that was far too big for it to be considered an acceptable task. Something deep down inside of her told her that there would be no changing it. There would be nothing that could be done to allow her to be with Ron.
"Well, look at it this way, regardless of what happens, I'll be a Weasley" she said, with tears falling from her eyes.
Ron simply looked at her, stood up and left the place where they had been sitting. Hermione knew Ron, she knew what he was like. This would be his breaking point. If they couldn't be together after everything they went through, after years of fighting their feelings and between Viktor Krum and Lavender and Cormack McLaggen, then were they ever truly meant to be? Could the hat really sort them? Afterall, it hadn't sat upon their heads since they were 11 years old, how would it know them now? Hermione had so many questions. So much to uncover. She simply, for the first time in her life, had no idea where to begin.