Thank you for your reviews, here's the next chapter-
Once again, a big thank you to Ren for all her beta help!
By the time Hermione got to Ron and Katie's flat that night; she was well into a foul mood. She had hid in her office for over an hour until Malfoy left, and then Moira had made her mood worse by telling her that she had a date with him that night.
"Are you sure, Moira?" she asked. "I've known him for years, and he is not the nicest person."
"He seemed nice," Moira hedged, sceptically. "He said that you might tell me not to date him. Said you've fancied him since school. Is that true, Hermione? If it is, I'll cancel tonight."
Recalling the conversation gave Hermione a headache. Groaning with dread at the thought of the evening ahead, she grudgingly rang the doorbell.
"Hermione!" Katie answered the door, a huge smile on her face. "I'm so gad that you could make it. Please, come in!"
Hermione gave a weak smile in reply and walked into the foyer. After the war, Ron had done well for himself and now lived in a modest, but very nice flat in a good neighbourhood. Hermione was led into the sitting room where Harry, Ginny, and Ron were just finishing a conversation.
"Hi, Hermione!" Ginny said, struggling to stand with her seven-months-grown belly.
"Ginny, stay sitting! Honestly!" Harry stood and gave Hermione a hug. "Glad you ended up coming," he added quietly into Hermione's ear so that Ron wouldn't hear.
"I'm not staying long," she whispered back, as Katie went to get her a drink. "I have a horrible headache. Malfoy's dating another one of my secretaries."
"You know he only shags them because he knows it bothers you," Harry said. "If you'd ignore it, he'd stop."
"I've lost two secretaries, Harry. How can I ignore that?" Hermione said, her temples increasing their dull throb. "Never mind, let's just get through dinner."
Once they were seated, Katie began to discuss wedding plans which only worsened Hermione's headache. Massaging her temple as discretely as she could, she took a long sip of water and tried to pay attention.
"Of course, I told her the flowers must be pink to match the robes! And don't even get me started on the seating arrangement," Katie was saying. "I don't know where to put so many people; maybe you could help me, Ginny?"
"Sure," Ginny acquiesced, smiling through gritted teeth.
"The bridal party table alone, is a nightmare. Do you know who you're bringing yet, Hermione?" Katie asked.
"Oh, not yet," Hermione said absently.
"You are bringing someone, aren't you?"
"I'm sure I can dig up someone. Maybe Neville," Hermione told her.
"I don't know why you won't let me fix you up. I have loads of nice friends. Ernie Macmillan is single; maybe if I invite you both over – "
"Katie," Ron cut in, seeing the exasperated look on Hermione's face. "Hermione doesn't like it when we fix her up. Remember last year's fiasco?"
"Oh, yes," Katie said, her smile dimming slightly. "I remember now,"
"Anyway, it won't matter by then. The law will be in effect," Ron went on.
"Law, what law?" Hermione asked him, before switching her attention to Harry, when she noticed him shoot a glare towards Ron.
"It's just – I was going to tell you after dinner, Hermione," Harry said, as Ginny smacked her brother atop the head.
"Sorry, I thought you'd have told her by now," Ron grumbled, rubbing his, now sore, head.
"Told me what?" Hermione demanded, warily.
Harry sighed. "When I went to work today, I found out that they'd passed a law while I was gone. It'll be in the Prophet tomorrow, but I was going to tell you tonight, to prepare you."
"Prepare me?" Hermione echoed, stress entering into her normally even tone.
"Yes, it's called the Wizard Preservation Act," Harry said.
"I've heard about it at work. I'm not sure what it entails though; it's all been very clandestine."
"We lost a lot of wizards in the war, and the birth rates as well as the marriage rates have plunged since it ended," Harry said. "So the Wizard Preservation Act would help insure our survival through future generations."
"How?"
"They are arranging marriages for unmarried witches and wizards of child-bearing age," Harry told her. "The marriages are contracted to last a year and a day. After that period, the couple will decide whether to bond completely or to go their separate ways. The Ministry is hoping most couples will stay together and that the birth rate will rise, although having a child isn't part of the contract."
Hermione stared at him, open mouthed. "What? How will they be arranged?"
"The Sorting Hat, actually," Harry said. "It's been working on it for weeks, apparently."
"And if I refuse?" Hermione said.
"You have to abide by the law, Hermione," Katie said. "It won't be so bad. Just let the year pass and move on. It's not permanent, unless you want it be; it could even be a good thing for you," she added. "The Sorting Hat is usually right."
Hermione stared at all of them for a moment. "What about you two, then?" she asked Ron. "You're not married, yet."
"It doesn't apply if you were engaged before it became law," Ron told her.
"You all knew about this?" Hermione asked, as Harry and Ron looked guiltily away.
"I knew it was a possibility," Harry said. "I also knew how you'd react. It's a good law for us right now, Hermione. The year will pass in no time."
"What if I get someone horrible?" she asked.
"That won't happen. The Sorting Hat is arranging for compatibility," Harry told her.
"When?" Hermione asked him.
"It will be made public tomorrow; the letters will go out at the end of the week. Once you receive the letter, you have five days to get married."
"So you'll be married before me, Hermione; won't that be neat!" Katie smiled at her.
Hermione ignored her. "It won't be a real wedding, right?"
"Legally, yes, the binding will last a year and a day. Then you will meet with a Wizard Preservation Act Advisor to decide whether or not to make the marriage permanent. It will be in the contract that you negotiate how any money or property acquired during the year will be split. There has been an office set up to help with such things; they will be the ones sending the letters. The letter will tell you who you are to marry, and the date of your contract negotiations; probably within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after you receive the letter. Once the terms are agreed to and signed off on, then you'll have three days to marry. "
"Not much time for a proper wedding," Katie sniffed.
"You hold the proper wedding after the year is up," Harry told her.
"What if terms can't be agreed upon?" Hermione asked.
"Then the Ministry will give its own terms. It'd be in your best interest to negotiate fairly on your own, Hermione. You can't stall, if that's what you're thinking. Negotiations will conclude that day, regardless."
Hermione put down her fork. "I think I've lost my appetite," she said miserably.