How Could They?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. That all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Dear Miss. Granger

To save the wizarding world, unfortunately we have had to enact Decree# 7283-62442. You will be matched and expected to marry within six months. A child will be expected within the year, the second two years from the birth of the first.

Your Match is Charlie Weasley.

Thank you

Ministry of Magic

Kingsley Shacklebolt

"Great I have to get married, at least it's Charlie and not Ron.' Hermione said to herself. 'I guess I need to go see if he has come back yet.' as she floo'd to the Burrow. She stopped as she heard Charlie ranting.

'Dad I have to get married, I have to leave my job, my home and my friends, to come here and get married!' Hermione flinched at his comment. 'I got lucky, I will have a smart, beautiful wife but how am I supposed to support her if I don't have a job or roof over our heads. I can't rip her away from a job she loves and worked so hard for and her only family she has left, I just can't ask her to leave this for life on the reserve. Keith said her would give her the healers job and if she wants, books so she can learn medical care of the dragons, but why would she want to move so far away from her life here. ARGH! Where am I going to find a job over here or at least a job I don't hate?'

'Well, son, things will work out for the best somehow.'

'Dad I will give up everything to have Miya but I'm going to hate having a 9 to 5 job at the ministry.' As he threw a bowl across the room, it hit the wall just in front of Hermione, she gasped as the crash.

'Oh Miya, I'm so sorry.' As Charlie rushed over to her, and check her for scratches.

'I'm fine, I guess you heard I'm your match?'

'Yea, I did. Did you hear my rant? I'm sorry if you did, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad for you.' he snarled.

'Well you two need to talk, good to see you Hermione.' As he got up and left the room.

'Merlins where do I start?' Charlie pulled Hermione to the sofa. 'I am happy, I matched to you. I figured I would get some hag and you would be matched to Ron. But I don't want to rip you away from…'

'I heard you rant on,' as she put her hand on his arm to calm him down. 'Did Keith really offer me a job?' Charlie nodded. 'And I get to learn to heal dragons?' he nodded again.

'Only if you want to? But I know you have a job at St Mungo's, why would you want to leave a perfectly good paying job for a life on the reserve?'

'Well my very smart, thoughtful and handsome husband lives there and I would love to learn how to help heal dragons. I do get to play with babies right?'

'Yes, you get to play with babies.' Charlie grinned. 'Really you want to move?'

'Well let's see I have either a very noisy house, don't get me wrong I love it here but…'

'Yea I know noisy, chaotic and very little privacy.'

'Yea, sometimes it's really hard to study. Or I have the dark and dank of Grimmauld Place. Then at work… well I can heal almost anywhere I want, there is always someone or something that need healing so… why not? You have a home and a job so… We can start a family there.' She huffed.

'You do realize we won't need to start a family as soon as they require if you get your Romanian citizenship?'

'Oh really? You wouldn't mind waiting?'

'No, I was hoping to get you all to myself for at least ten years before starting a family. I want to take you to exotic destinations, enjoy the beaches, the rainforest and the mountain sunsets. That is if you still want to marry me?'

'Oh, Charlie. Yes I will marry you.' as she hugged him. 'But won't the ministry have something to say about me leaving?'

'Well, we could always leave at the end of the month and what are they going to say? The golden girl has found love and wants to live with her husband?'

'Do we have to wait? I just don't want to hear… Ron is going to blow…'

'Yea, Ron is going to lose his shite. We can leave whenever you want. My cabin is small but cozy as the girls say,' Hermione's eyebrows shot up. 'Wait… the other wives, say it's a cozy place. I haven't dated in forever.'

'Are you sure? I'm not going to ruin some girl's fantasies?'

'Yours are the only ones I care about, love.' Charlie grinned. 'Well then I need to send Keith a note to get your papers and books ready for our arrival back. All of the wives will be happy.' He grinned at the thought.

~o~

'What? Why am I matched to Marietta Edgecombe? Why am I not matched to you Hermione?' Ron screamed. 'Who did you get?'

'Um, …' Hermione hesitated to speak.

'Me, she matched to me Ron.' Charlie spoke.

'You stole her from me, I got the sneak because you stole her.' his voice going up with every word.

'No Ron he didn't steal me, Remember you left me for Lavender when I wouldn't put out.' She smirked. 'I'm just wondering why you didn't get her anyways?'

'I can't believe you, I love you.' He growled.

'Ron, if you loved her you would have stayed faithful to her.' Molly screeched. 'So glad to keep you in the family Hermione.'

'But mum, I love her.' Ron whined.

'Well I guess you need to start paying your attentions on Mariette now.'

'I will not marry her. She is a sneak…'

'Ron, she apologized, she told me the whole story Umbitch gave her Veritaserum. She didn't want to tell. I have worked with her and she is a sweet girl.'

'No she still told on us.' he growled.

'Ginny who did you get.' Molly asked trying to distract Ron.

'I got… Oliver Wood?' she said as she looked around the room. 'But Harry?' she whined.

'Well I got Pansy Parkinson.' Harry whispered.

'Are you ok with that?' Hermione whispered into his ear, he nodded.

'We have been talking the past few weeks.' Harry whispered back and smiled, as the foo lit up and spat Pansy and Oliver out.

'Why are you here?' Ginny snarled to Pansy.

'Well if you have to ask you are dumber than I thought.' Pansy snarled. 'Hey Harry can we talk?'

'Hi, I'm here to see you.' Oliver spoke to the room.

'Fine, I guess you're not so bad.' as she looked at Oliver.

'Ginny! He is a perfect match, he handsome, likes quidditch what more could you ask for? You could have gotten Crabbe or Goyle.' Hermione said.

'I'm done listening to them let's go talk.' Charlie stood up to leave. 'Harry if you two want the pond we will take the big tree?' Harry nodded and ushered Pansy out of the house.

~o~

'Well how are we going to do this?' Hermione asked.

'Well we could tell them we are going to go pack my stuff up and while we are there we get everything in order. Take your stuff over, get a new wand, papers filed… and a new bank account.'

'Oh yea, I forgot about that. Would the goblins report that I closed my account to the Ministry? Do you think Bill could do that for us?'

'Yea, he can. Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to rip you from your only family you have left.'

'Oh and miss all of that…' as she pointed to the house.

'Hey, you guys, can we join you?' Harry asked.

'Sure, what's up?' Charlie spoke.

'Well, I'm not ready for this… I wanted to wait to have kids so… we are trying to figure things out and just wondering if we have forgotten anything.' Pansy added.

'I'm not sure I want to live at Grimmauld Place, I know Pansy can redecorate but…'

'Yea the memories?' Hermione whispered, getting a nod from Harry. Hermione tilted her head at Charlie, he nodded.

'Can I get a wizards oath from you two?' they both nodded. 'We are moving to Romania, his job is there, his home is there and they offered me a job so… and if we go there we can wait to have children.'

'Oh Hermione you are so lucky.' Pansy gushed.

'Well, I could talk to my boss and see if he has an opening?' Charlie asked.

'Pansy you can start your clothing line, might be just basic stuff but it would be something.' Hermione added.

'Can you sew?' getting a nod. 'Can you sew dragon hide?' Charlie asked.

'Well I guess so will just need a super sharp needle, Why?'

'We need new gear made, protective vest and pants, so if you want you can be our custom outfitter.' Charlie smiled. 'Do you know how hard it is to find someone that can sew? My handy work is pants.' He grinned again.

'And we can wait too? Before having kids?' Pansy asked.

'Well if you get Romanian papers.' Charlie smiled.

'Oh Hermione, we can stay together? You're my sister and I don't want to lose you.' Harry leaned over to hug her.

'Yea, you were the one I would miss the most.' as a tear fell down her cheek.

'Well, then I think we need to go pack my stuff up and get things rolling. Are you sure you two want to go with us? We might not be able to come back if we don't follow the marriage law to a t?' Harry and Pansy had their heads together talking.

'Yea, we want to go too, if it's all right?' Harry smiled.

'When can you be ready to leave? It will just be for a few days, just getting all of the necessities done.' getting a quizzical look from Pansy.

'Well we will need new wands, so they can't track us.' getting a nod from Harry. 'New bank accounts, I don't want the ministry to freeze mine when they find out we left, just in case.'

'Oh yea, that would be bad. How do we do that?' Pansy asked.

'Bill should be able to do it quietly enough.' Charlie smiled.

'Well, I can leave tomorrow. How about you Pans?'

'I have nothing holding me here so yea tomorrow works for me too.'

'Well then you two need to go start packing. We will go and get started packing Hermione's stuff up.'

'Well what do we need furniture wise?' Harry asked.

'Well I still have all of my parents stuff in boxes, more than enough to furnish a home, if you want it?'

'Thank Mione that would be great I don't want to take too much from Grimmauld Place. Remus will still be living there with Teddy.'

'So basically our clothes?' Pansy asked.

'Well your books and sewing machines…'

'Well obviously if I'm going to open my own shop.' Pansy grinned.

'I'm going to tell mom and dad what we are doing so they don't worry about us but the rest I'm just putting a "they are ok charm on them." So we can live in peace?'

'That sounds perfect.' Harry added. 'Well then we need to go pack.' Harry got up and helped Pansy up.

'So see you on Wednesday? Will that work for you two?' Charlie asked all.

~o~

'I will not marry her.' They heard Ron yell as they walked back up to the house.

'But Ronald, if you don't you will go to Azkaban or live as a muggle.' His mother pleaded.

'I'm not marring her.' he repeated.

'Fine, go to the ministry and tell them.' Mariette yelled at him as they entered the room. "I might just get luck and get Gregory Goyle.'

'Ron, just give her a chance, she apologized for what Umbridge did to her, she didn't do it willingly, stop being a prat.' Harry yelled at him. 'If I can forgive her so can you.'

'But Hermione…' Ron whined.

'Has been matched to Charlie, you have to let go. Let go of your crush and let go of your grudges mate or you will regret it.' Harry whispered into his ear.

'I don't want to get married to her.' He whined again.

'Fine, I'm going to the ministry and giving my memories.' As Mariette turned and left.

~o~

An owl flew in an hour later.

Mr. Ronald Weasley

You have been unmatched from Mariette Edgecombe. You will be remanded to Azkaban due to your failure to accept your match. If you can find a suitable match by Friday noon, we would consider it.

Thank you,

Marriage Acquisition Department.

'Ronald Weasley look what have you done.' Molly screeched.

'I didn't do it, Mariette did it.' Ronald whined.

'No you did it. All you had to do was accept it.' Molly screeched again. 'So who will want you now?'

~o~

'Well are you ready?' Pansy asked Hermione.

'Yea, I am.' Hermione smiled. 'How about you?'

'Yea, let's get this done and get out of here.' a knock at the door.

'Are you ready ladies?' as Arthur entered. He escorted them to their waiting fiancées. Vows exchanged as the sun set, first dances done and food and drinks consumed.

'Well everybody our portkey for the honeymoon is ready, so love you all and good bye.' Charlie announced to the crowd.

~o~

'Welcome home.' as Charlie carried Hermione over the threshold of the cabin.

'I thought you said it was small?' as she looked around the spacious rooms.

'Well it was.' as he gave her the tour. 'It looks like they came in and dropped a few expansion charms. Here is the new and improved library, it looks like they added all of your new study books,' as he pointed to some shelves. 'A desk and a window bench for your study time.' He grinned at his friends' thoughtfulness.

'Wow, they really went all out.' She smiled hoping they would become good friends.

'Well, it's not every day I bring a bride home with me. Well it's been a long day and you are probably tired?'

'Not on your life Weasley you will be bedding your wife first.' She said as she drug him to the bed room. 'Wow, this is beautiful.' As she surveyed the room vases of flowers covered almost every flat surface. A bucket of chilled Champaign and two glasses lay on the bed.

'Oi, look in here.' Candles and flowers surrounded a tub full of bubbles. 'The girls wanted to make sure you got the full treatment, her grinned. 'So where do you want to start? Bed? Tub?'

'Well how about here.' as she started to remove his clothes.

'Um, yea that would be a good place to start.'

~o~

'Welcome to the family Hermione.' Keith said as he entered the room.

'Please call me Miya. Glad to be here.'

'Well then, we are a small magical village, with a butcher, a small grocery, if there is anything special you want just ask and Nettie she will get it ordered for you. When you're ready there is a spot for you at the clinic and in your down time you can study the dragon care books. Any time you want to just be down here, helping with the babies you can. If there is an emergence they know to come down here to get you, while most of your patients are the keepers you will have the occasional kid with a busted knee and if you have any extra time or inclination, Charlie said you are the smartest witch of our time,' Hermione blushed. 'There might be a few students that would pay for some extra tutoring, that is if you want to. Your healer needs tend to be mainly them getting stupid,' as he pointed to the men out in the dragon enclosure next to the office. We are very relaxed around here, so don't think you need to stay in the clinic all day waiting for something to happen.' They talked for a little bit longer. 'Well I better wrap this up, I think I'm about to get strung up for keeping you in here so long the wives have set up a welcome lunch.'

~o~

'Well how was your first day?'

'Nice, the clinic is well equipped for almost any emergency, the nursery with all of the babies.' She hugged an imaginary baby. 'I met a few of the children, they are so sweet. You know I think I will really love it here.'

'Really, I was wondering if you would be happy and to be able to call this home.'

'Oh, Charlie, I can start my education with the dragon care, I have the clinic and tutoring. Everything I could ask for. I have this gorgeous place to call home and best of all I have you.' as she crossed the room and kissed him.