CHAPTER 3

The next morning we were handed our schedules after our breakfast. The Slytherin's behavior was actually worth noticing. None of them dared pass a remark on the other houses; sure of the reaction they would receive.

The classes turned out to be exactly as I had thought. We were flooded with homework and the teachers kept reminding us of the revision that was required from the previous years. I was glad to realize that even after a year away from school; I had not forgotten my lessons. I was also glad that I had started studying as soon as I had bought the books or else I would have been neck deep in trouble. At least I didn't have to do Ron and Harry's part of studies. Me and Ginny managed pretty well. I was so busy studying that I had completely forgotten that the letters from the Ministry were due on the 5th.

So on Saturday, when an owl scooped down in front of me while I was having my breakfast and reading the next chapter for Charms, I was taken aback. Looking up, I realized all the senior students were receiving similar letters. Ginny had already opened hers and was reading it with a smile on her face.

She looked up at me and said "I have never felt this happy reading a letter before." She was beaming and I really felt glad for her. Luna drifted to us and stated that she had been paired with Neville. 'Perfect', I thought smiling. 'One would look for plants all around the world while the other would look for weird creatures in the same places'. Exactly at that moment Susan Bones came and announced that she was paired with Ron. At least he had found a sweet decent girl. Ginny got up and hugged her saying "Welcome to the family." All Susan could do was smile. They had only interacted during the DA classes during our 5th year and Ron was not exactly the best there. But he was special in his own way. She would soon realize that, of that I was sure.

Finally Ginny turned to look at me and asked "So, who did you get paired with?"

The question hit me like a bucket of ice water. I realized I was holding the letter but did not really feel like opening it now that the moment had come. I was panicking. My hands were shaking and my throat suddenly went dry.

Ginny sat down beside me and looked at me and asked, "Do you want me to open it?"

Did I want her to open it? No. Did I want to open it? NO!

I just did not want to open that letter now that was in my hands. I don't know, but stalling felt like the best option at the present moment. Ginny looked at me straight in the eyes.

"Hermione, you have to open it some time. Stalling will not help. Just open and get it over with. Maybe it won't be that bad."

She was right. I was behaving like an idiot. There had to be some decent guy out there. "You are right." I replied in a whisper, not able to manage my voice any higher. I ripped open the envelop and took out the letter and started reading it in a hurry.

Miss Hermione Granger

As per the previous letter, you are aware of the Marriage law. Not receiving any information from your behalf for your choice, your name was put into the selection process and after careful analysis of your personality; you have been paired with Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy.

You have until the end of this month for your wedding. You will be required to inform us about the date and the venue as a ministry official shall have to be present for the ceremony. All other details regarding the marriage will be explained on the particular day. We await your response.

With best wishes,

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement

I read the letter thrice before actually registering the name. This was impossible. This was a nightmare, some kind of a pathetic joke being played on me. I couldn't be paired with Malfoy, this was PREPOSTEROUS!

"Hermione?" I looked up at Ginny. "You have gone all white. Is everything okay?"

Okay? OKAY? No nothing was okay. I was paired with Draco Malfoy, how in the world anything could be okay? I just blankly stared at her. My mind still reciting the letter I had just read. She slowly pulled out the letter from my hands and read. By the time she reached the name, her expression had changed to one of horror mingled with disgust.

"This is not happening. There has to be a way out of this. You cannot marry him!"

I looked up at Ginny. She was right about one thing, there had to be a way out of this. There was no way in this world that I was marrying that obnoxious git, law or no law. I got the letter out of Ginny's hand and stood up.

"I am going to McGonagall. There has to be a way out." And with that I walked out of the great hall walking towards the Headmistress's office. If for once I had to use my name to get out of this, then I would do it. But this was so not happening. Telling the password I climbed the rotating stairway and knocked. Professor called from within to get in and I took a deep breath and entered. I had to keep calm. Being hysterical would not help.

Professor McGonagall was sitting on the other side of her desk bent over a few papers. She looked up at me. "Miss Granger. Is something wrong? You seem to be shaken."

I tried to keep my voice as steady as possible and answer her. "I got my letter Professor and I would like to talk about it."

"Yes of course. Please sit down."

I sat down and looked at her. "I cannot marry the person in question, Professor."

"Miss Granger, you know the law-"

"I don't care about the law."I cut her. I would never think of interrupting a professor, but desperate times call for desperate measures. "I am paired with Malfoy, Professor. You sure do understand why I am saying so. You know of our past. You know about him and his family. I was tortured by his lunatic aunt in his own home, in front of him a few months ago. How can anybody think I'll marry HIM?"

Professor McGonagall seemed really disturbed but when she spoke her voice was as calm and patient as ever. "Granger, I know what you are trying to say. But you of all people know the rules. The method that is used cannot be reversed. They have a magical binding on the said people. The law is too old and fool proof to try and find a way out. There is nothing that can be done."

"But Professor, there surely is SOMETHING! I cannot marry him!"

"I understand Granger, but I am really sorry to say this is something I don't think even Professor Dumbledore would have been able to solve. There is no way out of it. If your names are paired, you are already magically bound to that person. There is no possible way to reverse it."

She was saying exactly the words I knew that I had read but I wanted to be told otherwise. I looked up at the picture of Dumbledore and saw him smiling at me from under his half mooned spectacles. Either there was a gleam in his eyes that I could not exactly understand or it was just the light playing a trick. Yet I had a strange feeling that he knew or saw something that I was missing. As I stared at his picture, I hoped that something turned out to be less dreadful than the news that this letter had brought me that I was clutching in my hand.

When I walked in through the portrait, I found Ginny sitting in one of the armchairs. I flopped into the next feeling drained. I had thought that this year would be good since I wouldn't have to help Harry to defeat a maniac wizard. But that was before I got the letter about the law. Now, I felt like slapping myself for expecting anything good.

"What did she say?" Ginny was looking at me with a worried expression. She knew what my answer would be, but I was sure she too was hoping to hear something different.

"Nothing that we didn't know already."

She sighed. I knew she was thinking about the same thing. If I had decided to marry Ron, this wouldn't have been happening. When I had decided against Ron, I had thought it to be a right decision. I wanted a challenge, adventure. At that point of time it seemed like a tempting thought.

Well, at least my wish was coming true. Marrying Malfoy was a challenge and an adventure that I could kick myself for wanting. I had never believed in fate; it was always hardcore facts but for once I would love to believe in it, because I could put the blame on my ill fate then.

"Ron must have got his letter with Susan's name. He would want to know what happened to you." Although Ginny was staring at the flames, her mind was definitely miles away from it.

"He'll freak out. Oh god! How do I tell my parents? They know there is only one Malfoy and that he practically made my life hell here." I said dropping my head into my hands. "How am I going to tell them about this?"

"You have to tell your parents, you can't keep this from them. Harry and I are getting married in two weeks. The entire family will be here. So, they will come to know of it as well, whether you tell them or not. Moreover Ron will also have to fix a date within this month. If he decides on a date prior to ours, then they'll be here sooner. And it's not something small that you'll be able to hide. Ron and Harry will want to be with you on… on the… day." She couldn't say that word.

"That's exactly what I'm scared off. Think about it, my best friend kills my 'to be husband'." No, even sarcasm wasn't helping much now. I couldn't take it anymore. "I am going to the library. I feel really restless sitting here." I said getting up. "Maybe I'll find something to help me."

I spent the rest of the day in the library, pouring over books, reading everything about the marriage law, everything that I had already read before. I didn't even go for lunch. I didn't feel like eating. Ginny came down to occasionally check on me and finally dragged me to dinner stating that it would never help me to starve because of Malfoy. After dinner she made sure that I did not go back to library. So I ended up sitting in our usual place in the common room. I tried studying for my classes on Monday, but considering that I had already done my work, I couldn't concentrate for long. Finally after sitting quietly beside me for so long, Ginny spoke up.

"You at least need to tell your parents Hermione. We can think about what to do about Ron and Harry, but your parents need to be told. They won't be able to attend, will they?"

"It's not about if they can, I don't want them to. I don't want them anywhere near the Malfoys. I don't think I'll be able to control myself if anyone of them said anything to my parents. I have to go through hell for a life time does not mean I drag them into it too. I don't want them too involved. The lesser they know the better." Sitting there, I had at least cleared that much up in my mind. I couldn't tell my parents much. They were better off as away from the Malfoys as possible. I know it would mean keeping them away from the wedding, but then again the wedding would only be a namesake.

"You know Ginny, I have been thinking about it. Will Malfoy actually agree to this too? I mean the pureblood Malfoys would definitely not want a muggleborn to taint their family name, not to mention expect a half blood heir." I said finally voicing something that I had been thinking about for the past hour.

"He doesn't have an option. But what surprises me is that he didn't inform the ministry about someone. I would have expected him to choose some pureblood idiot to marry."

"Exactly!" I replied turning in my chair to face her. "Why did they wait for the ministry to decide? Wouldn't they choose someone from a pureblood background. They don't even have any power inside the ministry now that they'll manage to play it according to their wants. Not that this process can be rigged in any manner that I know of. People would hardly associate with them. If Harry hadn't told the Wizengamot otherwise, all of them would be tucked in Azkaban for the rest of their lives. Oh, why did Harry let them go?" I turned to face the fire again, exasperated. And to think why I had seconded him.

"A lot of people have asked that. Right now, that question makes even more sense."

Slowly the common room cleared as students drifted off to bed. After some time Ginny pulled me up towards our dormitory. I silently followed, changed and climbed onto my bed. I don't remember when I drifted off to sleep, but I remember waking up screaming and sweating from dreaming about the dreadful Manor again.