authorsnote: I got very teary writing part of this ;-;
also, just to clarify we are a year post war, summer time, julyish, so everyone finished their final year at Hogwarts, and its now summer before adult job responsibilities!
do enjoy, review etc.
songrecs: sparks fly - taylor swift
They arrived at the employee entrance to the Ministry with a pop.
It was strange, arriving and entering legally. Harry had a Wizengmont badge he pulled from his pocket, the purple and gold ID card allowing him access pretty much anywhere (bar the Department of Mysteries and the archives only for the Minister of Magic and Department Heads), and both she (who had yet to pick which Ministry Department she'd be entering), and Ron (working with Fred and George, running the Hogsmeade franchise of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes), followed behind as he swiped them in.
It was quiet, it being a Saturday and all, even reception wasn't manned, in fact they only saw two or three people as they hurried through the lobby, it was even quieter than normal.
Hermione realised then, no doubt everyone was at home, fretting over their matches, waiting for their Ministry representative. In a way she was happy hers had gotten out of the way, though a bigger part of her was still seething after the conversation with Kingsley.
"Ron?" She asked then, something occurring to her, "When is the Ministry representative coming to see you and Lavender?"
"Oh, this afternoon" Ron replied, tempering his steps slightly so not to stride ahead on his long legs, "Lavender will be around at about three, the Ministry rep is coming at three thirty, and then Mum said she's gunna do a big meal tonight, try get everyone together" He paused then, "You two will be there right?"
Hermione bit down on her lip, and her shared glance with Harry told her they were both thinking the same thing: Would they be welcome?
Harry slipped his hand into hers quicky, gave it a squeeze as Ron approached the elevator, allowing them both just a second. Her eyes lifted and looked into his, doing that thing they did; talking without words.
No one could quite understand the connection she and Harry had forged after months on the run, alone, and then even when Ron returned, they had become close in a way that transcended anything like friendship or romance, and now it persisted. An understanding of each other, a love that made a courtship pale in comparison.
"We'll be there" Harry said after a beat, and Hermione nodded; she couldn't imagine not going to the Weasley's, after all, they were the only family she and Harry had left.
Harry of course had suffered loss after loss, and somehow remained standing, she was so proud of him it sometimes hurt. And now … now she was alone too, for family at least.
She'd gone to Australia, to track down her parents, bring them home, and yet when she'd arrived…
The green, leafy suburb of Northbridge, New South Wales was fancy, firmly middle class bordering on posh. Hermione had sent them here to protect them, and she had known this little slice of Australia was just up their street.
It was lovely as she walked through, the harsh sun a touch much for her as she pulled the brim of her hat down and followed the directions to her parents' new house.
They'd stayed in the place she'd arranged, using the money from selling their home and dental practice to see them safe, settled and well, and she'd confirmed they still lived there with the property deed magicked out of the New South Wales property office.
It was a nice house, three bedrooms, a good size, a big garden, and Hermione had come up on it, wand in hand, ready to see her parents again after almost a year and a half of waiting.
She'd always intended to come back for them, to find them again.
She had missed them so much it had hurt, ached in her soul. She had used an international portkey to arrive and had been near sick with anticipation as she'd filled out the forms at the Ministry, so desperate to get to them.
And yet, as she went up, and knocked on the door, her stomach squirming with butterflies, she was not prepared for what she found.
"Yes?" It was her Mother, pink cheeked and smiling, apron around her middle, flour on her hands, and her hair, so curly like hers pulled back but springing in all directions, she looked happy, and Hermione's heart swelled to see her.
"I…" She had begun, before a cry in the back of the house startled her, and then her Mother … her Mother turned away from her.
"One second" She said, turning back, and Hermione could have gasped, only managed to smother it at the last second, as her Father came into view, but not alone.
No, he came into view with a baby on his hip.
"Sorry" Her Mother said, taking the little baby, easily a year old into her arms, before turning back, still smiling.
But not for Hermione.
"Beautiful baby" Hermione said without thinking, as her eyes welled with tears, though her parents were grinning from ear to ear.
"Thank you" Her Mother said, always so welcoming, as was her way, "The adoption was finalised last week, her name is Mione, a little unusual I know but it just came to me" She said with a shake of her head, and a smile as she bounced the baby, and Hermione's heart could of broke.
It did.
They had a baby now, a new baby, a life here, they seemed happy, in a big house, a nice car out front, flour on her Mothers nose, and a smile on her Father's lips. They'd made a new life, a new family, that didn't include her.
She couldn't take this from them, this joy, only to drag them back to Britain with a daughter who was barely present, and the ongoing problems of the world there. No.
She knew what she had to do.
"What can I help you with?" Her Mother asked, and Hermione wished more than anything to wave her wand, break the memory charms, bring them back to her. And yet, instead she just slipped it into her pocket, plastered a smile on her face, and made her decision.
"Sorry yes" She said, her eyes near bursting to let the tears loose, her hands shaking so hard she tucked them behind her back and dug her nails in hard enough to draw blood, "I'm looking for Jessica Harper?" She asked, a fake name, easy to pretend she'd got the wrong house, "She lives on this street, Hope's Lane?"
"Oh" Her Mother said with a shake of her head, still smiling, "Sorry dear, this is Hope's Street, Hope's Lane is about 10 minutes North" She said, "I can get you a map?"
"No, no" Hermione said, knowing if she stayed another minute, she'd either break down, undo the memory charm or both. No, it was time to leave. "Thank you though, I'll make my way there"
"No worries" She said, but then as Hermione went to turn, "Wait… do I know you?"
"I don't think so" Hermione forced herself to reply, the cuts on her hands deepening as she tried to keep it together, tried to keep losing her parents for a second time from breaking her.
"You just look so familiar" Jean Granger said, "Really familiar"
"I don't think we've met" Hermione insisted, knowing she'd sob a weeks worth of tears when she got home.
"What's your name?" She asked, and though Hermione knew it would be better to lie, she couldn't stand to.
"Hermione" She offered, let this be a moment her Mother would remember, let her remember the strange girl who showed up at her doorstep, with the same hair, accent and the longer version of her new daughters name, let her remember just a little bit of it, Hermione hoped, when she wouldn't remember anything else.
"How strange!" Jean said, "Must be fate to meet you today"
"Must be" Hermione said, and then with a nod she turned, walked away, even though it killed her to do so.
Let them remember this, she hoped, even if it could only be this.
So yes, Hermione was alone too, she remembered coming home, apparating, even with the toll it took on the body, collapsing in the living room at Grimmauld Place, tears streaming down her cheeks before she could stop them, and horrid, broken sobs coming from her mouth.
Harry had found her there, bundled her into his arm as she wept, tucked her face into the crook of his neck and wept for her parents, her family, for losing them, and for how much her heart had hurt to turn away.
"It's okay" Harry had mumbled into her ear, rocking her back and forth, tightening his arms around her as she sobbed, "It'll be okay"
Alone now, that was how she had felt, and mumbled into her best friends chest, the tears refusing to stop.
"No" Harry had replied, said the one thing that had made her feel a little better, "You're not alone, you have me"
She did, then and now, as they stepped into the elevator besides Ron, who began to chat about the dinner, about the plan to figure out how everyone was matched, figure out a plan going forward, his hand slipped into hers again, squeezed.
They'd go to the Weasley dinner, see how it panned out, but if worst came to worst, they still had and would always have each other.
Hermione didn't think they'd be alone, Ron would stand by them, Ginny would come around, Luna would say something crazy that made perfect sense, the twins would tease, and they'd still fit into the magical puzzle of everyone who'd bonded and clung onto one another after and during the war, and long before then. They'd have each other.
And she had Harry, and he her, and if it came down to just that, that was all she needed.
The Ministry archive space was vast.
"Where do we start?" Ron asked, hushing his voice to a whisper as it became clear every word created an echo. He winced at the sound vibrating around the room but turned to Hermione for an answer, as he had been about to ask the same.
Where did they even begin to look?
The Ministry Archives were vast and accessible to anyone with a Ministry pass (employees or Wizengmont, Harry the latter, the former eventually when Auror training started in the Autumn). Hermione would have one soon too he knew, just depending on where she ended up (NEWT results came in about a week). Ron would not and had been vocal about why 'I'm done fighting, Mad both of you, you Harry for actually fighting and Hermione for the political fighting, have fun', Harry felt he might have a point).
Still, there were areas restricted to them, only for the Unspeakables or individuals up much higher than them, even those like him with a Wizengmont pass didn't have access everywhere, saviour of the Wizarding World or no.
He tried not to think too much about the Wizengmont and how he had a seat on it (unjustly he felt, why wasn't it done on merit? Politics held zero interest for him), but he remembered getting the letter.
'Harry this is huge!' Hermione had said, eyes wide, fingers itching, he handed her the letter after skimming it, watching her read it twice.
'You know I don't like politics' He said with a shake of his head, 'Or the Ministry'
'But this is a chance to make real change' Hermione gushed, squarking as Ron snorted snatching the letter from her hands.
'Or try to and watch the purebloods stop you' He said with a shake of his head, 'Dads bills always get thrown out by them'
'I'll help you' Hermione said, eager, and he couldn't help but grin at that, why she couldn't have a seat was stupid in his mind, he knew why of course but found it ridiculous. Who better than someone like Hermione to overturn the Wizarding World archaic laws?
'Promise?' He'd asked cheekily, and just laughed as she took the letter back off Ron.
"Right" He jolted out of his thoughts then, turning back to Hermione as she looked around.
"We'll split up" Hermione said, chewing on her bottom lip, as she often did when worried, they all had their tells. Ron's ears twitched, Hermione chewed on her lip and his hands shook and he ran them through his hair. All three of their tells were on show today.
"One of us to birth records, another to marriage records, and the third to the reports used for this law" She said, before turning to them both, eyebrows raised.
"I'll take births" Ron said, "I'll recognise the pureblood names"
"Marriages for me then" Harry said, and Hermione nodded, no doubt she wanted to get into the main work; the reports used for this law, that would be what she'd sink her teeth into.
"Right, we'll meet back here with the most relevant documents" Hermione said, pointing to a table in the corner, wide and vast with eight chairs and plenty of space, "Bring boxes of marriages and births from the past five to ten years"
No argument needed, they both nodded, and Harry took the first path that read, 'Marriages and Widows' – no divorce of course, as that didn't exist in the Wizarding world, a stark reminder that any marriage would be forever.
It didn't take him long to find the row, 'Marriages, 1990-Present', not quite ten years, but the four boxes seemed like more than enough, and so with a flick of his wand he levitated them and followed them along back to the table, where Ron already sat.
His lips twisted in concern as he noted only two boxes sat next to Ron, one only half full.
It was concerning, that this law might have a basis, not just rooted in the Ministry's ongoing desire to control everyone. What if they were on the verge of going extinct? What if this was real and the Ministry genuinely feared for the population? What if this was it?
His mind was buzzing with worry now, worries that clouded his thoughts as he sat himself in the middle of the table, Ron on the left side, leaving space for Hermione on the right. He reached for the first box but waited for Hermione to return, no doubt she'd want to wait until they were all together for them to start.
"What do you think of all this?" Ron asked then, voice still low so not to echo around the room, which he indicated to.
"I think if Hermione's onto something she's probably right" Harry said with a sigh, he hoped she wasn't, but as Ron nodded, Harry knew, it was more likely Hermione was right, and that was the biggest worry of all.
He tried not to let his mind to slip where it wanted to, to thinking of Hermione, to thinking of what this would mean for them, what this could do to their friendship, what this might mean for their love going forward. He didn't want to think about what would happen, what they'd do, not yet, not now when his head was in just a mess.
Harry tried to focus, to focus on the law as a whole, what it meant for the Wizarding population, not what it meant for him and Hermione.
As he didn't know where he stood on it, and that was mess enough.
"Right" He was jolted (thankfully) back to the present as Hermione appeared, wand holding three packed boxes aloft, blowing a piece of hair out of her face, siting herself down, and then turning to them both, making the same expression as she spied Ron's boxes as he had. "Let's just get started"
Harry nodded, perhaps diving into the first box a little too enthusiastically, but any distraction was welcome, to focus on the task at hand, and not to look over at Hermione, his best friend and the woman by the looks of it he'd be marrying.
Especially as he forced himself to turn to the file, 'Marriage of Jonathan Ogden and Charlotte Copseworth' his cheeks a little heated, his mind a scrambled mess.
One hour, two boxes, and things were looking grim.
She'd raced through the first box, full of nonsense prophecies and Seer predictions, had rolled her eyes at those reports taking valuable space. The Arithmancy equations had been a little better, but very vague. She needed cold, hard facts, data, and as she had flipped to the second box, that was just what she got.
And almost wished she hadn't.
It wasn't a full picture, no, Harry and Ron were leafing through that, and by their growing concerned expressions it didn't seem any better there, but the breakdown here, charts and figures, the base numbers of marriages, births, deaths, miscarriages, squibs, it all spoke to one thing;
The Ministry had not been lying.
For once the Ministry had cause for an absurd law, they had a reason to enact something so barbaric, if the data was true (and she wouldn't put it beyond the Ministry to doctor it, hence Harry and Ron's research), then they had been right to bring the law in, unless the Wizarding population of Britain was happy to die out.
It was the existence of their race, their world, none would see it gone, no matter what they had to do to save it.
Sacrifice, so many sacrifices, and if the data were true, they would be making another.
She glanced at Harry, her eyes flicking up to look at him; Harry, her best friend, and if this data was right, her husband for the good of Wizarding Britain. A squirming sensation filled her stomach, like caterpillars in her tummy, and she quickly turned back to the Arithmantic equation detailing the sharp rise in Squib births that would come with current populational dynamics; that didn't lie either.
"This is bad" She said, twenty minutes later, having read the second box of files twice through and even cracking to read back over the first, that's how dire this was, truly.
"Yeah" Ron spoke first, "Not enough births" He said, and Hermione nodded; the size of the boxes and scant amount of files told her that.
"Same here" Harry said with a shake of his head, "Not enough marriages, and too many pureblood ones" He said, and Hermione shook her head; inbreeding, another issue with wizards, and one rampant in Britain to her disdain.
"Births, there are too many Squibs as well" Ron said with a wrinkle of his nose, "Way too many"
"Why so few births" Hermione said, the data told her the dire truth, but not the reasoning; why did so few Wizarding couples have children? All of them got married, it was practically shameful not to, and yet she had seen on Harry's pile; union after union without children; why?
"Births are difficult on witches" Ron said, closing a file and picking up another, "Magic makes carrying kids hard, really hard, I remember with Mum, even Ginny, after so many was hard to carry she said" He said.
Hermione nodded, remembering a line in the report that witches wouldn't willingly pop out more than one child at a push, and now she knew why.
Side effects included being bed bound for 6+ months, random accidental magic as though back in childhood, triple the risks of birth complications and the risk to the Mother was high.
No one would do this willingly, putting themselves through hell, giving up their freedom so soon after the war, and so the Ministry had forced them.
But honestly looking at the data, had they had a choice?
"What about marriages?" She asked Harry.
"The purebloods intermarry too much" Harry said, "And so more stillborns, and Squibs they pack off to orphanages" He said, "And muggleborns are more likely to marry other muggleborns or muggles, which makes magical offspring less likely" Harry said, pointing to a report in the marriages box detailing that.
"So it really is as bad as they say?" Hermione asked, and she was only met with nods. Fuck.
"It'll be alright" Ron said though his tone told them he didn't really believe that, as evidently she and Harry had their heads in their hands, this was the reality.
The data didn't lie, the figures and reports told the truth, Wizarding Britain was in trouble, big trouble, and it would be up to their generation to save it.
When they arrived back at Grimmauld Place Ron said he needed to get back, mumbled something about giving them time to talk, ears red and then promised to see them for dinner within the hour.
And then it was just the two of them.
The two of them now knowing this was it, the data hadn't lied, neither had the reports, and though he knew Hermione put little stock in Diviniation, the prophecies hadn't either.
This wasn't some cooked up Ministry plan to control an unruly population after the war, this was a desperate attempt to stop their extinction, to preserve the Wizarding race of Britain, by all means necessary.
By all means … that was certainly what this was.
"You hungry?" He asked, for he didn't know what else to say. He hated feeling awkward as he did now - he and Hermione were never awkward, and yet he felt it, could see it on his best friend as well.
It was one thing to think this could happen, it was another to see it had to happen to ensure the future of their race.
It was the inevitability, it was the reality - this wasn't going away, they'd have to marry and have children, go from best friends to a couple, to a married couple. He knew his cheeks tinted pink as he thought of what married couples did, especially considering the 'having children part' was the reason for this law, marriage only a side effect. That was what they'd have to do, to be.
Him and Hermione.
And yet, he knew there wasn't anyone else he could think of that it would have been better with. Ginny and he hadn't worked, constantly fighting, and he found no interest in any other witch.
But with Hermione? He loved Hermione, perhaps not like that, but he did, with everything. She had been through his side through it all, enduring, always with him, always on his side before anyone else. She was his best friend, a piece of him - wasn't that enough?
For him it would be, he knew deep down it would; and yet for Hermione?
He didn't know, he didn't know how she felt, and that was the scariest part of all.
'Just ask her' His brain demanded; and yet he didn't want to hear the answer - she'd said before she felt relieved, but now as they stood opposite one another and Harry waited for Hermione to sit before he took the chair opposite, she looked dejected.
What he wouldn't give to wipe the worry from her face, and yet he had no idea how.
As she sat, he wanted to comfort her, to try and make her feel better, but he didn't know what to say. There was no fighting this, was there? There survival was at stake, no wonder the Ministry didn't anticipate much push back, as they'd said in one of their reports;
'The Wizarding population will understand the importance of continuing our race, and the consequences of refusal'.
They certainly did, hence the oppressive silence over the dining room, the heavy tension, this was it.
It was far too awkward to try and crack a joke, and as Hermione slumped into her seat he couldn't think of anything to say. Comfort had been fine when they'd thought there might be a way out, when weathering it together was only a possibility, but now? Now it was likely a fact? He felt tongue tied.
And yet he was a Gryffindor for a reason, brave (sometimes stupidly so), and so with a grit of his teeth he forced himself to speak.
"I know its not ideal" That was putting it mildly. He'd never been great at comfort, too awkward, but for Hermione he'd try, "But at least we're only stuck with each other"
He almost sighed at his own attempt; that was the best he could do? Clearly his manner in talking with girls had not improved since Hogwarts. He felt something odd at that, to put Hermione in the same category he had Cho and Ginny, she was the same now he supposed.
Though something more, Hermione had always been something more, to the world, to him, he just didn't know what that meant.
A little snort leaving her lips made him feel a little better, though as Hermione's gaze met his he could see she still looked sad.
"Look" Harry knew now if any was the time to be brave. Give me Voldemort any day, he thought, over having to navigate emotions and an upset Hermione. There were few things he'd move heaven and earth to fix, Hermione being sad was one of them.
"We both said it right, better us than anyone else?" He said and at Hermione's nod he felt encouraged and kept going, "We know why this has to happen, and we both know us being married is better than being stuck with others, we'll make it work"
"But…" Hermione began, but he cut her off, for once knowing it wouldn't result in fury, he couldn't let her spiral like she wanted to, he wanted to, and he couldn't let himself either.
"No buts" He said with a firm shake of his head, "We'll make it work"
"We will?" At that, even the hint of hope in Hermione's voice he reached over and took her hand.
"We will"
He had to believe it, and in a way, buried deep, he did.
Another hour had passed, she had curled up on the sofa, closed her eyes and tried to (and failed to) nap, and Harry had sat opposite, opening a book he had on Quidditch, but she could tell not really reading it.
Both of them needed some time to process, to be quiet and think but neither wanted to leave the other. The silence was comfortable, if tinged a bit awkward, and she hated that, but it was better than being alone.
Part of her wanted to fall asleep, to give way to dreams and not think but the other part of her mind continued to race.
'What if we drive each other mad?'
'The compatibility spells might have put us with others, what if we don't fit?'
'What if the Ministry try and make us do their bidding?'
'What if Harry comes to hate me?'
'What if we aren't happy?'
'What if this drives Ron and Ginny away?'
A thousand questions soaring through her mind, many she knew were stupid, and Harry's reassurances had helped some, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking them, mind spiralling, she wished sometimes her mind wasn't quite so sharp and she could live in ignorance; this was one of those times.
And yet she couldn't, she had found some reassurance when Harry had assured her it would be okay, they were better with each other and would fight it anyway but now? Knowing the Ministries meddling might have paired them when they shouldn't have been? Questioning now whether they could fight it with what they knew?
Would they fight it? Should they?
She didn't know, did she resign herself to this fate? Regardless of who it was she was being stripped of her rights, shouldn't she protest? Fight it? She felt she had to, but she'd seen the data now, could she, knowing they were doing it for the right reasons?
Her entire mind was screaming between that and of thinking of Harry. Part of her was tempted to take a Dreamless Sleep Potion.
"Shall we?" She was jolted as Harry stood over her now, waiting, hands in pockets, glasses smudged as always.
Harry, her best friend, better him yes, but was she sure he felt the same way?
She hated it, hated that once she could have just asked, but now? How could she badger him with questions about this, normally she'd do so without a thought, but now? She cursed the Marriage Law for making her act differently with her best friend, cursed it to the high heavens … or hells.
"What?" She asked, sitting up, shaking her head, she felt as though she'd just come up from being submerged in water.
"Time to go to the Weasleys?" Harry said, waiting.
She glanced up at the clock then that seemed to be sagging and sighed, it had been an hour already? Clearly her thoughts had taken her away.
She was annoyed though, as usually after a period of intense thought she'd at least have some answers.
Now she had none. None at all.
"Okay" She said and stood, biting down on her lip, this awkwardness… it made her want to cry.
With an oof she was pulled into Harry's arms then, unexpected, and yet just as she needed, melting into him a little. She almost let the tears fall but feared if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to get them to stop.
"We'll be okay" He promised again, and she nodded, a promise from Harry meant the world, she didn't doubt him for a second.
She just wished she didn't doubt herself so much.
soooo thoughts?
our poor bbys ;-;
to clarify jobs wise (pending NEWTS ofc):
- Harry is going into Autumn Auror training (2ish months away), and will be part of the newly formed Wizengmont (first session soon).
- Hermione is awaiting NEWT results and will look to join the Ministry.
- Ron has gone into business with Fred and George, a 3rd partner to help with the vastly expanding empire.
- Ginny, Holyhead Harpies ofc, tryouts were last month.
more will be revealed about jobs, practical's etc but just wanted to make that clear!
do lemme know watcha thought, next we have the Weasley dinner!
speak soon