Never Give Me A Marriage Law Challenge » A Harmony fic featuring a marriage law. One morning at breakfast the lives of a large chunk of Hogwarts students are changed forever. How will they cope? Will there be a happily ever after or will relationships fall apart? not canon, AU, no horcruxes, not so nice to Ron but seeking redemption for him. I apologize for a poor summary. Prologue offers more details about the story.Harry Potter, M, English, Romance & Humor, chapters: 14, words: 48k+, favs: 2k+, follows: 1k+, updated: Mar 5, 2015 published: Oct 5, 2014, [Hermione G., Harry P.]
Chapter 1: Prologue
The Author's Explanation, Motives, and the Law Itself
I have been asked to write marriage law fics many times. And it's always a pureblood/non-pureblood pairing. Hermione and a Weasley, Harry and Ginny. While I've certainly written Hermione/George fics I did that long before I boarded the Harmony ship. And while I've read a good chunk of marriage law fics (and even like a few), I must confess this- I find marriage law fics to be absurd at their core. Every single one I've read paints the Ministry of Magic, a bastion of incompetence and corruption in the books, as this suddenly knowledgeable organization which pairs people together with very happy results. And while everyone is annoyed by this law everyone is happy or becomes very happy with the matches given by the Ministry.
…I can't write that. I just can't. Now then, I have decided to go with this story. It's a Harmony fic. It's a marriage law fic. It's a fic in which Ron hopefully is redeemed as a character. I don't know if it will be a happily ever after. With an unfinished story I can't guarantee that there will be a happy ending. What I can promise is that it should be interesting and have character growth.
It's also worth pointing out that I believe this marriage law is rational given the parameters I'm giving the fic, which are listed below. I also wanted the law to be in a standalone chapter so that if readers need to go back to take a look at it you can :-)
The Time? Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts
Voldemort? Dead. At the end of Harry's fourth year Voldemort was finally banished for good.
Horcruxes? Don't exist. Harry was never one and Voldemort lived after that fateful Halloween by leeching magic from his followers through their Dark Marks. His death made them all squibs as they had pledged their magic to him.
Canon blood status? Mostly. I have one OC I'm putting into the story (not right away) but other than that character blood statuses are canon according to Harry Potter wiki. Many characters are listed as Pureblood or Half-Blood for blood status as it's unknown which of the two they are; I've then made the decision based on my vision for the story which category they fall into.
THE LAW:
By Decree of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius M. Fudge, the Marriage Law of 1675 has been re-enacted. The details are as follows-
*Each single pureblood between the ages of 15 and 65 must marry within the next three months from the date this law is enacted (28 October)
*These marriages are binding and may not be terminated.
* Purebloods can only be matched to other Purebloods.
*Both partners must agree to the marriage however if one month from the day this law is enacted someone is single they will be matched by the Ministry of Magic.
*The marriage must be consummated within five days or it will be declared invalid.
*Upon getting married all wizards and witches under the age of seventeen will be deemed to be of legal age.
*Wizards/Witches under the age of 20 will have until the age of 20 before it becomes mandatory that they have children. Wizards/Witches over the age of twenty must have a child within a year. If wizards/witches under 20 want children before they are twenty that is encouraged.
*Failure to abide by these rules will carry a 9 year sentence in Azkaban followed by the loss of the witch/wizard's magic. They will be a squib.
Signed,
Cornelius M. Fudge
Minister of Magic
Chapter 1
Harry, sitting next to Hermione and reading the Daily Prophet's Marriage Law Proclamation with her, looked up at her, "I'm so glad I'm a half-blood and you're a muggleborn," he said.
"That feeling is mutual Harry," Hermione said before gently kissing him on the lips, "You realize that Ron is going to blow up."
"He usually does," Harry sighed. "Telling him we were dating led to him not speaking to us. Reckon he's still going to do that?"
"I just don't understand his problem," Hermione said. "What does he want from us?"
"Maybe he wants you," Harry suggested. "You're beautiful, you're funny, you're smart, you're a great kisser…"
Hermione blushed, "Harry!"
"And when you blush you look adorable," he grinned.
"At least there's no more Voldemort issue although that's probably why this law was created," Hermione said. The previous year, their fourth year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had worked out that Mad-Eye Moody was an imposter. Snape and McGonagall had incapacitated their 'colleague' and then Dumbledore, Flitwick, and a large contingency of Aurors had taken the cup-portkey to Little Hangleton's graveyard. The creepy snake-baby that was Voldemort had been contained and sent through the veil of death, which served to permanently destroy him. This was verified when the Death Eaters fell clutching their arms. Their magic had vanished upon the death of their master since the dark marks had bound their magic to him which left the magical world without about 1/3 of the pureblood population since they were now all squibs.
Harry glanced around the Great Hall. There were a few upset people. Purebloods that were dating half-bloods or muggleborns seemed to be the most upset or their girlfriend/boyfriend was. He pitied anyone who was stuck with Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy had calmed after his father became a squib. Apparently seeing what happened to followers of the Dark Lord had served to drive home that his father had been subservient to the dark lord. Not that Harry and Draco were friends; but the hostility had cooled to a rivalry and Harry no longer had to worry about wands pointed at him behind his back. "Malfoy doesn't look happy about it," Harry said.
"Harry I don't think anyone will be happy about this law," Hermione said, "except those of us who are free of its influence."
He nodded and kissed her, "Very happy about that," he mumbled. Just as he was about to kiss her again he suddenly pulled back, "What about Sirius?"
Hermione thought about it, "That will be a problem. Maybe he could get an exception? All those years in Azkaban haven't really prepared him for marriage. He's still mentally recovering from his time there. We could talk to Professor Dumbledore about it." Harry nodded his agreement before resuming his breakfast.
When Ron entered the Great Hall he was late and thus forced to sit down opposite Harry and Hermione. He glared at them, "Oh just go away and shag why don't you? Civilized people are eating here."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron, "Harry and I are holding hands."
"Bloody perverts," he muttered.
Harry tossed him the paper, "There you go Ron. Enjoy getting married."
"Wha-" Ron's question was unanswered as Hermione and Harry stood and walked away. He looked down at the paper and read about the marriage law. He looked at his brothers who were whispering to each other, "What's this mean?"
"That we're off to find girls," Fred (or maybe it was George) answered before they got up and walked away. Ron looked at Neville who was shuffling off toward the Hufflepuff table. What was he up to?
Neville approached the shy redhead, "Um, uh, Susan?"
"Hi Neville," she smiled softly.
"Uh, well I read the law and I was thinking about it and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to…you know…maybe…willyoumarryme?"
"What?" Susan's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Will you marry me," Neville said slowly, enunciating each word carefully like Hermione had taught him to when he cast spells.
Susan blushed but nodded and Neville smiled before he looked to see Harry and Hermione watching them near the hall entrance. Harry gave him a thumbs up and Neville stood that much straighter. "So how do we tell the Ministry?" Susan asked.
"Oh, uh, I don't know," Neville frowned, "but I bet the professors might."
Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk and watched Harry and Hermione enter his office. Since the final defeat of Voldemort and the freeing of Sirius Black Harry was much happier. It was quite noticeable and he felt rather guilty that he had been culpable in Harry's unhappiness up until that summer. But with the defeat of Voldemort Harry could live with Sirius and he did, Hermione visiting frequently that summer thanks to a reusable portkey that Albus had created for her.
Since Harry's freedom from the Dursleys Albus had felt quite guilty about the young man's living circumstances growing up; making it up to the lad was important to the headmaster. "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, what can I do for you?"
"We saw the marriage law announcement and we're concerned about Sirius," Hermione said.
"He's not ready to date sir," Harry continued, "he's doing better, yes, but he's not ready to date or get married."
"I quite agree Mr. Potter," Albus said, "I presume you want me to use my influence to get Sirius to be exempt from this law?" Both teens nodded, "Very well then. I certainly think it the right thing to do. I shall take care of it. Have things improved with Mr. Ronald Weasley?"
"He told us we were disgusting and 'bloody perverts' for holding hands this morning," Harry sighed, "I don't know what his problem is sir."
Albus shook his head, "Young love can be rather baffling."
"Do you mean that he's in love with Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione paled at the thought.
"No. I think that Mr. Weasley is jealous of the closeness the two of you share; a closeness he can never have with you Mr. Potter. Perhaps he's in part jealous of Harry as well; you have wealth, fame, and you're quite popular with the ladies."
"But I'm only with Hermione and she's the only one for me," Harry frowned.
"Yes but Mr. Weasley perhaps thought that you might leave the path clear for him to be with Miss Granger."
"He wants something you don't have but want, Harry," Hermione explained. Dumbledore nodded.
Harry didn't understand, "He already has that. Siblings and parents that love and care for him."
"Yes but Ron's very materialistic. Remember how he blew up at me when I reported the Firebolt to Professor McGonagall? Anyone watching would have thought the broomstick was his, not yours. My friendship wasn't as valuable to Ron as your broomstick."
Harry sat, thinking about their words. Suddenly he spoke, "Do you think Ron was friends with me just because I'm the 'Boy-Who-Lived'?"
Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, hoping he could answer that question because she didn't want to. Dumbledore nodded his head, "It is entirely plausible, Mr. Potter."
A heavy sigh escaped Harry and Hermione pulled him into a hug, "I'm sorry Harry."
"Not your fault. I know you have never looked at me as anything other than Harry," he said, returning the hug.
"We are cancelling classes for the day given this law's passing," Dumbledore said, "I daresay you should spend some time together. I will be quite busy today with paperwork," he sighed. "I will inform you both when Sirius is exempt from the law."
"Thank you sir," Harry said, helping Hermione up and leaving the office.
"So glad Angelina is a pureblood," Fred said, "Unfortunately for you Katie and Alicia are half-bloods."
Before George could say anything Fred was off to find Angelina, "Thoughtful, brother of mine. Leave me stuck."
He was walking through the hall when he saw Padma Patil surrounded by boys and not looking particularly happy about it, "Hey, lay off!" George made his way through, "What a bunch of berks. Come on I'll escort you to someplace where you can breathe."
"Thank you," Padma said, "Being a pureblood female is not fun today."
"I'm just glad Ginny's only fourteen," George said.
"You're George right?" Padma asked. He nodded and she smiled, "Is your twin as thrilled about this law as mine?"
"Well Fred told me, and I quote, 'So glad Angelina is a pureblood' before he ran off and ditched me."
"Parvati and I never really talk; we're too different. But she's elated and enjoying all the attention all the pureblood boys are giving her."
"Not you though," George observed, "I'm not happy about this law either. I mean, Fred and Angelina have been together since our fourth year. I'm happy his relationship isn't destroyed by this law but at the same time I'm a little annoyed that I have to do this on my own."
Padma nodded in understanding. "So what are you looking for in a girl?"
"Well she has to be smart," George said. "Patient and understanding, kind, happy to laugh, and she needs to understand how it's different being a twin." Suddenly George looked at Padma, "How about you?"
"Kind, funny, appreciative of me and my opinions, not judgmental and obviously he must be stunningly sexy," Padma grinned.
George puffed his chest out, "Why Ms. Patil you have described me perfectly! Especially the stunningly sexy part."
"I don't know I think Fred might be sexier," she teased.
George gave her his best kicked puppy dog face as he said, "And here I was thinking I was special." He scooped her up, "You must suffer for this wound to my ego! To the lake!"
"No! George!"
He ran to the lake but didn't throw her in, "I'm pretty sure if I threw you in Hermione would kill me."
"Are you close to her?"
"She serves as the morality meter for our business. We were going to make love potions that we altered but she made it clear that was a dumb idea." George looked at Padma, "So what do you think? Should we try this whole marriage thing out?"
"Not much of a proposal there George."
"True but we don't really know each other very well, Padma. I know a bit about Parvati and no offense but I'm not a fan of her."
"I'm not either," Padma said. "Alright George. I'll marry you."
"Look at it this way," George said as they walked back up to the castle, "you could have ended up with someone worse."
"I'm not so sure about that," she said, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. George smirked. This could work.
Draco Malfoy took comfort in the fact that he and Pansy were already betrothed. She obviously did too. The pureblood boys were looking at every pureblood girl as though she was their last hope. Blaise had decided to pair up with Daphne. Goyle was talking to the girl the Ravenclaws called Loony Lovegood. Not unlike Granger, Lovegood had a fall birthday making her a year older or so than her other yearmates. There was a catch-22 to not being fifteen right now, he thought. While it bought you time it certainly didn't buy you many options. Girls like Luna Lovegood had more choices than someone like Ginny Weasley, whose birthday was in August just before the cutoff to go to Hogwarts.
Pansy put her paper to the side, "Draco let's go file for our marriage."
He stood and they made their way up to their head of house, Horace Slughorn. Snape's dark mark had rendered him a squib and he might have got out of going to Azkaban but he couldn't teach anymore.
Slughorn was annoying. You could see him drooling over Potter and more than once Draco had seen Granger's wand hand twitch, eager to hex the fame-hungry creep. He didn't blame her. Slughorn would be better named if his last name had leech in it. That was what he seemed to do. Leech onto anyone who was famous, knew someone who was, or who showed prowess and skill to try and earn their favor.
Luna Lovegood had not expected to have anyone ask her to marry them. She was, after all, 'Loony'. So when Gregory Goyle approached her and asked her to go for a walk with him she was surprised. He wasn't the gorilla he appeared, instead proving to be quiet and gentle. Even gentlemanly when he put his cloak over her shoulders when she shivered from the cold wind. When he asked why she was wearing two left shoes she confessed her housemates often stole her things and Greg became quite angry at this. "I'll deal with your bullies," he promised. After their walk he asked her to marry him and Luna accepted. Having a protector was a new experience but she quite liked it. And Greg had a sweet side.
Ron had to read the law three times to be sure that he'd read it properly. It wasn't like it would be hard to find a pureblood to marry. He looked around. There weren't all that many females left. He looked down the Gryffindor table, "Hey Lavender wanna marry me?"
"I'm a half-blood," Lavender said, "and not if you were the last man on Earth."
Ron frowned. Maybe this would be harder than he thought. How was he supposed to know who was a pureblood? Parvati was talking to Cormac McLaggen. Ron was better than Cormac, "Hey Parvati why be stuck with that slime when you could be with me?"
Parvati ignored Ron and he frowned as Cormac asked her to marry him and she accepted. Well Parvati was a bit of an airhead. Maybe she didn't see how slimy he was. He looked around the Great Hall. Alot of students had left, leaving very few remaining. There was no way he'd marry a Slytherin. Slimy bastards, the whole lot. Ravenclaws were too ruddy smart. He could barely stand Hermione Granger going on and on about classes and homework; he didn't want his wife to be like that or even worse. That left Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Ron wasn't sure who to ask though. He remembered Susan Bones was the niece of Amelia Bones. They were purebloods. And she was pretty quiet. Perfect for his mum to approve of. He looked around for Susan only to find her talking to Neville. No one could have wanted Neville over Ron. That was impossible. Neville was…Neville.
Ron strutted over to the Hufflepuff table brimming with confidence, "Hey there Bones. I'll just go tell the professors we're a couple now."
The Neville who went down to breakfast that morning would have wilted under Ron's presence. But this Neville had the support of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, his two heroes. He had the approval of Susan Bones, who accepted him as her future husband. And when he'd told his head of house about their engagement she'd given him an encouraging smile and said that his parents would have approved of his choice. This Neville was brimming with self-confidence and if there was one thing he'd learned from watching Hermione and Harry's relationship grow over the years it was their protectiveness of each other. "Back off Ron. Susan's my fiancée and we're getting married."
"Oh please no one wants you," Ron said before looking back at Susan. "Let's just go tell the professors then."
"I'm marrying Neville," Susan said, glaring at Ron who was oblivious to her.
When Ron put his hand on Susan's arm Neville stood, "Leave her alone Ron!"
"She's my fiancée and I can do what I want," Ron argued.
Neville couldn't take it anymore. He punched Ron in the face, knocking the redhead onto his arse, "You stupid prick! No wonder you're not friends with Hermione and Harry anymore. They're probably sick of your stupidity!"
Ron was holding his nose, which was bleeding down his robes. McGonagall came over, "Mr. Longbottom what is the meaning of this?"
"Weasley wouldn't listen when Susan told him she was already engaged to Neville. He put his hands on her and said she was now his fiancée and he could do what he wanted," Hannah said. McGonagall's ire turned to Ron who was dragged unceremoniously off of the floor and up to the hospital wing by a furious McGonagall. All the way there she ranted about him losing his Hogsmeade privileges and needing to learn to respect women.
With their day free Harry and Hermione went for a walk in the upper floors of the castle, hoping to avoid the students eagerly seeking mates so that they wouldn't be stuck with whoever the Ministry matched them with. "Can you imagine having a timetable to get to know the person you're going to marry?" Harry asked.
"No," she answered. "That's a great deal of pressure. But then, I think I'd rather make a quick decision that was still mine than let the Ministry choose for me."
"Agreed," Harry said. "I thought with Voldemort gone this would be normal year."
"I don't think there's such a thing at Hogwarts, Harry. Or in the magical world. I don't think they have a normal that doesn't involve an element of danger or distress."
"That's depressing," Harry mumbled, sliding his arm around her waist, "They're going to have to have married quarters for a section of the school."
"Not everyone though. I mean, all told I think we have ten to twelve purebloods in Gryffindor over the course of the seven yeargroups. If the other houses, save Slytherin, are the same then it shouldn't be too bad."
Harry smiled. That was his Hermione. Always thinking. "So if you had to marry someone tomorrow who would it be?"
"You of course," she pulled him to her, "you might not think so Mr. Potter but you're quite the catch and I'm quite in love with you."
Harry beamed at his girlfriend before leaning in to kiss her, "I've always thought that you were the most perfect girl in the whole school to date; just never really believed I was worthy of you."
"Well occasionally you can be an idiot but we'll work on that," she teased before pulling him to her by his shirt to kiss him.
Sirius Black looked at the headline and shook his head. "Stupid law," he mumbled. Then it hit him that he was a pureblood. Just as he was about to panic he got a letter. He opened it to read that Dumbledore was already speaking to the ministry about his case and that he would not have this law hanging over his head. Sirius sighed in relief before a thought came to him about who must have prompted this letter, "Kreacher do you think Harry would kill me if I sent flowers to Hermione?"
"No but Miss Hermione might," the elf answered.
Sirius chuckled. Harry was much like James: reckless, guided by his temper, a strong disregard for the rules, and while he wasn't a bad student he put minimal effort forward in his studies. Those very things had kept Lily from James for six years of their Hogwarts career with James trying very hard the last two to woo her to no avail. Hermione wasn't like Lily; she wasn't afraid to take Harry on or physically force him to study. She was far more full of fire and drive than Lily; Sirius liked that. He'd thought Lily and James were a good pair, certainly; but Hermione and Harry were a great pair. They instilled confidence in each other with a touch or a smile. Whereas James was bursting with ego and bravado Harry was far quieter and withdrawn. Paired with Hermione's lack of self-confidence they should have been a quiet couple that disappeared into the shadows.
Instead they were confident and, to Sirius' mind, not unlike a married couple in some ways. The way they communicated, the way they touched one another. Little touches that weren't the awkward heavy petting so often accompanying teenage romance. When Sirius had first met Hermione Granger, he'd been impressed with her courage, her passion for Harry, how protective she was of him, and how quick she was with both her wand and her brain. Not even Lily could put two and two together like Hermione could.
Harry had a new confidence once the pair became a couple. And it was a confidence that was obvious. He carried himself taller, was more protective of Hermione, and he was much more intent on schoolwork. His grades had improved greatly according to McGonagall. Sirius took being a godfather seriously this time (pun not intended) and was doing his best to be a good guardian for Harry. He spent time with the Granger parents and he and Harry went to the Granger home for dinner or the Grangers visited Grimmauld Place to have dinner that summer before the school year had begun again. Taking out parchment and quill he wrote a letter to Dumbledore and then one to Harry and Hermione.
George and Padma were sitting in a room off the Great Hall with Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick who were filling out paperwork with them. The heads of houses were helping their students fill out the Ministry's wedding registration forms. "Do you two have any questions?"
Padma shook her head while George filled in his portion of the form. "When you're done you can give them to us and be on your way."
"Thank you for your help," Padma said. George nodded his head to her sentiments. The professors left and Padma sighed, "This is just ridiculous."
"Reckon I'm rather jealous of Harry and Hermione right now," George said. "They can be together and not worry about having to get married and do all these things."
"At least we'll have a few years before children are mandatory. I'm fifteen so that's five years before we have a child." George nodded in agreement.
Susan finished her letter to her parents before looking at Neville, "Do you think your grandmother will approve?"
"I think so. Though I'm a little nervous about getting married," he admitted.
"Me too Neville," Susan said quietly, "I've never had a boyfriend before and now I'll have a husband."
"I've never had a girlfriend either," he confessed, "but I'll try to be a good boyfriend and husband. I take all my cues from Harry and he's a good role model." Susan smiled. Neville did seem to admire Harry Potter but when she thought about how Harry treated Hermione she didn't think he could have a better role model.
Harry sat in a window, Hermione sitting between his legs with her back against his chest as they looked outside, "School is going to be so different now," she whispered.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I love you Hermione," he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, "and if that law was made to apply to us but not permit us to be together, I'd do anything to make it so that we could still be together."
"You have the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing to use as political power, Harry," Hermione said, turning her head to look at him, "but thank you for that my love. I would do anything to make it so we could be together too."
Harry smiled and kissed her cheek as they lapsed into comfortable silence watching uncomfortable students form into couples on the grounds.
Chapter 2
The next few days were markedly different at Hogwarts. People didn't sit at their house tables during meals like they used to. Even if the couples were in different houses they still sat together. Harry couldn't remember ever seeing that happen before. The Weasley twins who were always seen together were suddenly most often seen apart. Perhaps the most noticeable change was the anxiety that was evident throughout the castle amongst the purebloods. There was almost a sense of panic at times from them.
The half-bloods and muggleborns of the school were rather relaxed in the face of the panicked purebloods. And there were varying degrees of the panic or apprehension. Draco Malfoy was of the group that had almost seen the law coming not unlike Hermione had; whether they liked it or not they were at least prepared for it. Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson belonged to the group that were in love and mostly happy with the law (a very, very small group). Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones were of the group that felt forced and were simply trying to make the best out of things (a larger group but still not the majority). George Weasley and Padma Patil were of the group that were vocally opposed to the law and angry that their lives were being controlled by the Ministry but were just doing what they were told regardless of their anger (the largest group).
Ron Weasley wasn't part of any group. Mostly because he was struggling to find a pureblood to marry; all the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff girls were paired up and none of them saw how great he was much to his frustration. There weren't many pureblood Gryffindor or Hufflepuff females anyway, which had already left him with a small pool of potential wives. Hermione had once commented that there were more pureblood boys than girls. It seemed she was right.
Sirius was granted his pardon from the law's effects with the Ministry releasing a statement about how the man had suffered under his imprisonment in Azkaban. It was news that came along with wedding announcements. Hogwarts students would be getting married on the grounds with parents coming in via portkey. One week after the announcement of the law marriages began. First up were Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson and not long after that George and Padma were married. That first day three couples were married.
George sat on the one bed in their one bedroom in their new quarters. "Do you reckon we should get it over with now?"
"Might as well," Padma sighed.
"After this one time we won't have to again for some time," George offered. Padma just nodded in response. Ten minutes later Padma was in the bathroom cleaning herself up and George was apologizing for the pain he'd caused her and his speed.
"Do you think the purebloods even care if someone is gay?" Harry asked his girlfriend as they lay beneath the stars on top of the Astronomy tower on a blanket.
"Something you need to tell me Harry?" She asked teasingly.
Harry chuckled, "No love I'm most definitely attracted to you. But I was just thinking about it. Do you think they care?"
"No. These marriages are about babies and preserving blood purity. Personal choice is irrelevant to those goals."
"That's sad," Harry remarked.
"It is," Hermione acknowledged, "but then look how the purebloods have responded. Even the ones that hate the law vehemently are just plodding along doing as they're supposed to. If a law was passed that prevented you and I from being together we would both do everything to subvert the law and be together. We both know that." Harry nodded his agreement with her words and she continued, "But the purebloods are so used to doing as their told, by government and authority, that they can't even rebel. No wonder Voldemort and Grindelwald got so much power. The purebloods might not agree with their ways but they do little to stop them."
Draco Malfoy lay in his bed and he wondered what Potter would do in his position. Potter was quite happy with his relationship. Watching what happened to purebloods eager to serve, Draco never wanted to be like his father. His father would go along with this ruddy marriage law. Draco didn't want to. The law claimed to be unbreakable but Draco was certain he could break it. He just had to avail himself of the proper assistance. Draco Malfoy, unlike his mother and father, would be marrying for love and he needed the help of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter to do it.
"Well the law does seem infallible," Hermione said as she read a ministry copy of the law carefully.
Draco deflated but Harry knew Hermione well and offered the audible, "But?"
"But the law can't terminate already existing marriages," Hermione said, "and it's got an interesting flaw to exploit."
"What flaw? You just said it was infallible," Draco said, confused.
"Actually I said it seems infallible. They left a loophole. You see, in the muggle world laws require time before they come into effect once they're passed. And the wizarding world does too, but rather than three months to a year or more it's one month."
"Awfully small time window," Harry frowned.
"There's not exactly a higher body to protest the laws to Harry," Hermione reminded him.
Draco still didn't see how this helped him, "What does a small time window have to do with me?"
Hermione smiled, "Draco, you have roughly one month to get married to someone not a pureblood. The ministry can't punish you because the law can't come into effect until then."
"Are you sure?"
"The proclamation is just that, a proclamation. They have to announce it one month before it comes into effect. And if they could move faster than one month then notices pairing people up would have come out already. The law has to wait a month before it's actually law. A marriage is legal so long as the law at the time permits it."
"Before midnight of November 28th you have to get married," Harry said to Draco. "Do you have someone in mind?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Guess I shouldn't waste any time then huh?"
"You can't afford to waste time," Hermione nodded.
"Right," he said, his eyes moving as he thought up some form of a plan. "Thanks you two. I knew you'd be able to help me."
"You're welcome," Hermione said before she and Harry watched Draco run off, "5 galleons it's a muggleborn."
"No way it's a muggleborn. I'm going with a half-blood. He grew up a blood purist. To him that stuff matters." Hermione just smirked as they left the classroom. She'd be right. She was certain of it.
They went up to a window alcove on the seventh floor to just relax privately without the dirty glares Ron always sent them in the common room. They settled in their seat before Harry spoke, "Maybe we should tell Ron about your discovery."
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea Harry," Hermione said. "He's really angry at us right now and what if…" she fell silent and leaned into his embrace.
Harry picked up where he thought she left off, "What if he demands we break up and you marry him to earn forgiveness?" She just nodded. Harry sighed, "I would never do that Hermione. You're not a commodity. You're my very best friend and girlfriend and lover. Nothing could ever make me treat you like some people seem to regard women."
"Harry I know you wouldn't do that, that's my concern. An angry Ron is a bomb itching to go off and when he erupts all sorts of things come out of his mouth whether he means them or not." At her words Harry's mind drifted back to the moment in which they'd told him they were dating two weeks before the Yule Ball the previous year.
-Flashback-
"Hey Herms, you're a girl…"
"First of all, it's Hermione," Hermione glared at him, "and second of all I have a date already for the evening. That's ignoring the way you were just talking about all the 'good ones' being taken and then looked at me like I was the last girl on Earth."
"Oh come on you were just saying that because Neville's Neville."
"No I said I had a date because I have a date."
Harry spoke before Ron could put his foot in his mouth again, "I'm Hermione's date, Ron. I asked her as soon as McGonagall told me about the ball."
Ron's mouth opened and closed but no words came out as he stared at Harry, his ears burning that trademark Weasley temper red and his eyes darkening in anger. They didn't have long to wait for Mount Weasley to erupt, "How dare you Potter! She's supposed to be mine!" His ire turned to Hermione, "You filthy fame-whore! Just want a bloke who's famous don't you! First Krum and now Potter! You're both liars and cheats! I hate you both!"
His tirade ended only when Fred cast a silencing spell over him, "Sorry about that you two. None of us care. Figured you probably would be together sooner or later."
"Now for the record, when exactly did you two get together?" George asked.
"November 1st after my name came out of the cup," Harry said, "she said that since I kept being put into life or death situations it was best to tell me she loved me sooner rather than later."
"Why do you need to know that," Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at the twins.
"It's important for the pool," Fred said, "November 1st, Hermione declared her love first," they looked through a book, "Hey Flitwick won both! Lucky git."
"How big is this pool?" Hermione asked.
"400 galleons," George said, "well shoot. We were so close! We guessed Halloween and again that Hermione would make the first move."
Harry stared at the twins, "Why wouldn't I make the first move?"
"Because you grew up with the Dursleys," Ginny said, "I had a bet on it being Christmas and Hermione making the move."
"Did anyone bet that I would?"
"Snape, Skeeter, and Trelawney. Everyone else bet on Hermione, including Dumbledore and the rest of the staff," George said. Despite the blowup with Ron Hermione had a rather smug look on her face the rest of the evening while Harry mumbled about no one giving him enough credit.
-End Flashback-
Ron's temper tantrum had soured much of Gryffindor toward him for quite a bit after that. Hermione hadn't even said anything to Krum the previous year; even Skeeter confirmed that much. Krum had asked her out because she wasn't interested in him unlike everyone else. Hermione had politely informed him that she already had both a date and a boyfriend. Krum had backed off after that.
"Okay I see your point," Harry nodded. "I don't think there's much hope for us being friends with him again but why let him burn more bridges than necessary."
"Exactly," Hermione nodded.
"Makes sense," Harry agreed, running his hand over her arm, "Have I told you you look beautiful today?"
"Not yet," she conceded.
"Then allow me to make up for that," he said before leaning in to kiss her, "You're so beautiful Hermione," he whispered before their lips met.
Chapter 3
As November wore on there was noticeable awkwardness among most of those already married. Even Fred and Angelina had an awkwardness about them that was palpable and at times very tense. There was one change. Draco Malfoy had relaxed.
Before anyone knew it November 28th arrived. One month after the law had been enacted. And Draco Malfoy wasn't at breakfast. Neither was Victoria Craig, a muggleborn Hufflepuff their year. Harry begrudgingly offered up the 5 galleons to his girlfriend who kissed his cheek and whispered some ideas for her victory celebration that had him grinning.
Harry was the only one grinning. The mood was so tense within the Great Hall that even those who weren't purebloods weren't smiling. Those that weren't engaged or married yet eyed the ceiling warily. "So who's still single?"
"Not very many," Hermione admitted, "mostly it's boys. There just aren't enough pureblood girls for them to partner off with and those that are here…"
"Aren't the right age," Harry finished. "Still I'm pretty sure there are some pureblood girls that are available." Hermione just nodded. The girls available were the least popular and most of the boys thought of them as unattractive. "Wonder who Ron will end up with."
Asking Ron who he was going to marry had been an interesting conversation, according to George and Ginny.
-Flashback-
"Ron you have to ask someone to marry you. Otherwise the Ministry could force you together with someone."
"But why settle for a British girl when I could have some exotic bird?" Ron asked.
The twins glanced at one another, confused. Ginny asked, "What are you talking about Ron?"
"Well it's pretty obvious. If I don't pick then the Ministry could set me up with a girl from France or Brazil or something. Those girls are wicked beautiful."
Ginny resisted the urge to smack her brother upside the head, "Ron the law only applies to Britain."
"It doesn't say that!"
"The Ministry of Magic only has domain over Britain, Ron," Fred said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"You're wrong. Don't know why you lot are sticking with British birds. We could get anyone!"
-End Flashback-
"How did he even come up with that?"
"Harry, misrepresenting the truth to suit his own needs isn't something Ron's new at doing. Remember after the Chamber of Secrets or Sirius at his bed with a knife trying to get to Scabbers?"
He nodded before glancing over at the confident and obviously eager Ron, "He's going to be really disappointed." Hermione just nodded.
The owls flew in and it was as if the Great Hall collectively held their breath in anticipation. Ron tore into his letter with a grin only for that grin to vanish once he read the letter.
Dear Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley
We have after much thought matched you to one Millicent Beatrice Bulstrode. The date of your nuptials is to be December 9th and we wish you many years of happiness in your marriage and of course many children.
Sincerely,
Idrew Rand Omly
Director of the Office of Marriage
Ron stared at the letter, not even moving when Ginny took it from him, "Millicent Bulstrode," she read, glancing across the hall to see Millicent reading her letter. Ginny looked back at her brother, "Congratulations then. When are you going to talk to your future wife?" Ron just stared where the letter had been in his hands moments before. Ginny gave it back and walked off, not sure whether to pity Ron or Millicent more.
Ron's engagement was quickly spread and Gryffindor was expecting a blowup from Ron but it didn't come. He seemed numb. "It could be shock," Hermione offered as they sat in the Charms classroom waiting for the class to begin.
"That's certainly an option," Harry nodded.
"Maybe he's so upset he's been rendered speechless," Dean said, watching the redhead sitting at his own table, still quiet.
"Or he forgot to eat," Lavender offered. The only thing more famous than Ron's temper was his appetite.
"I'm still going with shock," Hermione said, "Ron never forgets to eat." Harry chuckled. That was certainly true.
By the end of Charms class Ron still hadn't spoken so Harry decided to try to get his attention by kissing Hermione in the hall right in front of him. Ron just walked by. Now all of Gryffindor was concerned. If the couple simply held hands Ron lashed out at them. Dean went up to Professor McGonagall who decided to floo call St. Mungo's for a mind-healer.
Ron found himself alone in a room not long after that with a mind-healer, "Mr. Weasley my name is Jonathan Freud. I'm a mind-healer with St. Mungo's. Your classmates have indicated that you've not spoken in some time and are acting odd. Do you want to talk about it?"
The youngest Weasley boy remained silent. Freud frowned, "Mr. Weasley, Ron, I am not able to repeat anything said in this room. Your sister says that your current state was because of the letter you received this morning from the ministry about your match. Do you want to talk about that?"
There was an awkward silence in the room for five minutes before Ron suddenly spoke, his voice full of anger, "I hate Harry and Hermione. They both always get what I want."
Freud gazed at him, "And what do you mean by that Ron?"
"Harry's rich and famous and the bloody 'Boy-Who-Lived' and he could have any girl and he takes Hermione who I wanted. I hate her. She didn't even know she was magical until she was eleven and yet she's the best in our year; probably in the whole bloody school."
Freud gazed at the redhead, "Ron, let's try to break this down shall we? Why is Harry rich?"
"Cause the Potters are a rich family."
"You are in school with other people from wealthy families. Do you hate them too?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Cause they don't flaunt their wealth."
"How does Harry flaunt his wealth?"
"I've been to his vault with my family. I've seen it filled with gold. And he would always buy stuff and act like all his money isn't a big deal."
Freud cocked his head to the side. That didn't really make sense. Simply seeing someone's vault didn't mean they were flaunting their wealth. He didn't know Harry but by all accounts the lad was humble, generous, and kind. Something was off, "And how did Harry get all that gold?"
"From his parents."
The mind-healer threaded his fingers in his lap and asked, "Why did Harry get that gold?"
Ron struggled to work out that question before he realized what the healer was getting at, "Because his parents died."
"Harry's wealth is only because his parents are dead. Would you trade his wealth for your own family?"
"No," Ron answered immediately. He was certainly jealous of Harry but he'd seen how the Dursleys treated Harry. Trade his own family for wealth and that? Not a chance.
"Alright so that takes care of the wealth. How about the famous part? Why is Harry the 'Boy-Who-Lived'?"
"Because he survived You-Know-Who's attack," Ron said, looking at Freud like he was stupid.
"While his parents died to save him," Freud finished. "Would you want to trade positions for his fame?"
"No," Ron answered, frowning in thought.
"Can we agree that there are women who would want Mr. Potter's attentions simply because of the previous two reasons?" Ron nodded and Freud smiled, "Good, good. Now you claim to have wanted Miss Granger as a girlfriend but according to your teachers you often fight with her, belittle her, shame her, and you are responsible for her nearly getting killed in your first year when she was in a bathroom after you reacted poorly to her offered assistance."
"She's a bloody know-it-all! You can't take her side!"
"Well please tell me your side then, Ron," Freud said patiently.
Ron yelled, "She's just a muggleborn who always has to be right! Can't ever be wrong!"
"Give me an example of when she's been wrong then, please."
Ron frowned in thought. She'd been right that Snape hadn't gone after the stone. She'd been right about Crookshanks not eating Scabbers. She'd been right that Harry hadn't entered his name in the Goblet of Fire the previous year. She'd even been right that Sirius Black had sent Harry the Firebolt anonymously. There was the whole Lockhart thing but everyone believed his words. And Hermione had never asserted that the git was right about everything, just that he should be respected as a teacher. "I can't think of one," Ron finally said.
"Do you think it's unfair to say she can't ever be wrong when she's simply not ever been wrong?"
"Probably," Ron conceded.
"You indicated you wanted to be her boyfriend and you're jealous of Harry because he has what you want; do you think she could ever feel for you what she feels for Harry?"
Ron thought about all Hermione had done for Harry; she'd always been there to help him and supported him when no one else, including Ron, supported him. She was always more worried about Harry than Ron and Hermione's hugs for Harry were much different than her hugs for Ron's brothers or himself. She always smiled when Harry entered the room. And she and Harry could talk forever about loads of things. It hit Ron. Hermione really loved Harry. Deeply. "She really loves him," Ron whispered.
"Does he love her?"
Ron thought about how Harry smiled when he saw Hermione and how he reacted to her hugs versus how Harry reacted to hugs from Mrs. Weasley. Harry had always depended on Hermione for support and when Hermione had been injured by the basilisk Harry had been utterly lost. Ron had been saddened, yes, but Harry looked devastated and his way of coping was to do better in his classes and improve his writing so that he could take legible notes for Hermione, even asking for extra assignments from their professors for her. Ron had gone twice to see Hermione when she was in the hospital wing. Harry went every day. He stayed there until Pomfrey kicked him out. When Hermione had a bad day Harry was quick to cheer her up and he listened to her with interest. Ron could never listen to her ramble about some new spell she'd read about but Harry could. "Yeah he does," Ron finally said.
Freud watched Ron connect the dots, "Do you hate them?"
"I don't think so," Ron said slowly.
"Could you be jealous of their relationship?"
"I guess so," Ron conceded.
Satisfied with that Freud moved on, "Now you said you that they always have what you want. What do they have specifically?"
Ron's anger and jealousy flared back up, "Harry got on the quidditch team in our very first year! He didn't even know what quidditch was!"
Freud calmly asked, "Did he ask to be on the team?"
"Uh, no," Ron said, blinking.
He continued, "Have you ever tried out for the team?"
"No," Ron admitted.
Freud tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully, "So you could be on the team if you tried out, conceivably."
"I guess so," Ron conceded.
"What other things do they have that you want?"
"They're both prefects," Ron said.
"Did they work for that distinction?"
"I guess. We've broken lots of rules though."
"Prefects are chosen based on their grades primarily. Miss Granger is a bright student so it's fair to say she's worked for her position, don't you think?" Ron nodded his head. "As for Mr. Potter, how are his grades? Does he often get in trouble?"
"Harry gets good grades," Ron conceded. "He doesn't get in too much trouble. Mostly trouble finds him; he doesn't go looking for it."
"Sounds like they both deserve the title of prefect. It comes with lots of responsibility. Do you think you could handle all the responsibility that comes with being a prefect? You have to help other students, look out for them. Could you handle that?"
Ron thought about watching Harry and Hermione deal with the first years and help them out. There was no way he'd want to do that. The first years were annoying. He shook his head no and Freud nodded. "Now how about we talk about that letter you received today?"
"It felt like a joke."
"The letter you received?"
"The law," Ron said. "It felt like a joke, like a lark. But my brothers are both married now and they're right miserable. Fred's even in love with his wife but they glare at each other all the time. George and his wife hardly even talk and barely know each other."
"Being forced into marriage can put much pressure on a relationship, even one that is loving. Being a teenager is about exploring yourself and the world, about playing house not setting one up."
"I don't wanna get married. Harry and Hermione are lucky. They don't have to get married so quickly. They can just enjoy being students and teenagers."
"You don't hate them Ron. You're jealous. You've been jealous of them for some time, it sounds like. Their relationship and now this law has only made you more jealous." Freud gazed at the boy in front of him, "Ron I think it's best if we meet weekly for you to learn how to overcome this fierce jealousy of those who do better than you and according to your siblings you often lash out at people with a fierce temper. I think that warrants some attention as well."
Millicent Bulstrode had mixed feelings about her sudden engagement to Ron Weasley. On the one hand he wasn't some creepy old man but on the other he was rather mean to her and other girls who weren't the most attractive. And he hated Slytherins, letting that be known often and loudly. His sense of loyalty was limited; he'd even turned on his only friends Potter and Granger last year. That was certainly concerning. "Hi Millicent," she heard. She turned to see Hermione Granger walking toward her.
"Hello," she responded.
"Ginny told me you and Ron were matched together. Do you need to talk about it?"
"With you?"
"I've never seen you be particularly friendly with anyone so I thought if you needed to vent or rant or whatever, I could be there for you."
Millicent was highly suspicious of people who wanted to get close to her; most of the time they turned on her. But Hermione Granger had often been at the end of jokes and so she felt more trusting of her than she usually would. "Thank you Granger."
Hermione smirked, "You can call me Hermione."
The two girls went for a walk and Millicent spoke first, "You're lucky."
"Not the first time I've heard that lately," Hermione said, smiling. "Why do you think I'm lucky?"
"You and Pot-Harry are in love. You aren't being forced apart or together. Your relationship doesn't have a schedule. You get to go at your own pace."
"There's plenty of people who feel that way toward us," Hermione nodded. "I can understand that jealousy. When we read about the law both Harry and I were glad to not have to deal with it ourselves."
"I never really thought I'd get married. I'm not pretty and I'm not incredibly smart…" Millicent began.
"Don't put yourself down Millicent," Hermione interjected, "You should believe in yourself more." Immediately Hermione could recall just how many times she'd said that to Neville over the years. Too many to count, really. The muggleborns and half-bloods of the school were adept at overcoming the bullying. Most of them had experienced it in some form or the other before Hogwarts. Purebloods were completely clueless though; they'd never experienced it before because they'd never had formal education before. Magicals just didn't see the point and since most women were stay-at-home moms it was expected they'd teach their children. There was very little socialization for purebloods. The children of their parents' friends were it, really. Them and any siblings they had.
Hermione looked at the pureblood girl. "Millicent do you know what those girls that have guys falling all over them have that you don't?"
"Good bodies and pretty faces?"
"Confidence," Hermione said. "They're confident about themselves and that's attractive to people."
"Are you saying Harry doesn't like your face and body?"
Hermione smiled. She was quite aware just how much Harry liked her body. "I'm saying Harry likes me for more than my body and face." The smile on Hermione's face would have amused Millicent were she not so envious of the girl who had a boyfriend who quite obviously loved her.
"Thanks for your offer, Hermione, but I think I'll deal with this on my own," Millicent said, walking off.
Hermione shook her head. It was hard to take advice from others. She knew that. But she'd hoped Millicent would at least open up to her. "You look annoyed," she heard from behind her. She turned to see Harry smiling, "What's up?"
"Millicent is jealous of us."
"Never have I had so many people eager to be me," Harry said.
"True," Hermione nodded. "Usually they just want your fame or to get close to you."
"Fortunately for me you're neither," he wrapped his arms around her waist, "I am sorry that your talk with Millicent didn't go too well. But I don't think we're the right people to help her. Right now, anyway."
"And who is?" She asked.
"Not a clue," Harry answered. "But to their eyes we're in paradise and they're all circling the gates of hell. I don't think they can look past that jealousy to see us. Not yet, at least."
"Very wise, Harry."
"Well you don't have to sound so surprised," he teased, earning him a playful shove as he smiled at her.
Chapter 4
Fred and Angelina's relationship had been cooling down ever since their wedding. For Ginny she saw little to look forward to. Fred and Angelina fought constantly and about the most inane and stupid things. George and Padma barely spoke and when he looked at her he looked guilty while Padma just looked miserable. The young redhead sighed as Fred and Angelina continued their fight as they entered the common room, "I'm not your mother Fred! Pick up after yourself!"
"Quit being such a nag!" Fred retorted.
"When you stop being such a slob I'll consider it!" Ginny sighed. These fights were becoming quite commonplace and she hated it. Their common room felt like a warzone and most people tended to avoid it now. They either went straight up to their dorms or, like Harry and Hermione, found their own spots around the school. Ginny picked up her books and slipped out of the common room. The library's silence had always creeped her out. Now she welcomed it.
With her head tilted back as Harry's lips moved over her throat in their spot near the lake Hermione had a different vantage point. One that revealed a certain blonde Slytherin returning to school along with another student, "Harry someone's back." Harry glanced up from her neck to see Draco returning onto the grounds along with Victoria Craig.
"See? You've helped at least one person regarding this law," he said before shifting to lie next to her, "I still haven't driven thought from your mind though."
"In order to do that we need privacy," Hermione whispered.
"I think we know an elf that can help," he grinned.
Harry and Hermione never made it down to dinner which was enough to make Ron's temper flare back to full strength. "Ruddy perverts shagging like rabbits," he muttered.
"Are you ever going to leave Harry and Hermione alone? They don't talk to you, they barely look at you, and all you do is go out of your way to bully them," Ginny said. "If you haven't noticed, Ron, you're all alone. No friends. You chased them off with your mouth and your temper. No one talks to you except us and that's because we're family; mum would hurt us if we completely ignored you." She shook her head, "Harry and Hermione aren't even down here and you're running your mouth off about them. Leave them alone Ron. You're supposed to be happy for your friends, not cruel and mean to them."
Ron just scowled as his sister finished her dinner and walked away. That conversation with the mind-healer Freud had him thinking ever since. Ginny's lecture just had him thinking more.
Hermione stretched and sighed in the bed before snuggling up with Harry, "This room is really amazing Harry."
"Yeah I like it," he agreed, kissing her jaw as he shifted to hold her better, "about that birth control potion you're on…"
"Yes?" She pulled her head back to look at him, "What about it?"
"I want to pay for it," he said. "I mean, we're both responsible for our encounters and since there's no potion for me to take to prevent pregnancy I want to at least pay for the one you take to contribute."
Hermione smiled and resumed her previous position, "If you want to Harry you can. I won't fight you on it."
"Thank you," he said. "We missed dinner. Want to go down to the kitchens?"
"Might be a good idea," Hermione agreed. They found their clothes and prepared to head down to the kitchens.
Their arrival at the kitchens had them meeting Victoria Craig and Draco Malfoy who were looking rather mussed. Victoria blushed and Draco averted his eyes. "We missed dinner too," Harry said. "Want to join us?"
"Okay," Draco nodded.
Once they were seated and eating Hermione asked, "So where did you two go that had you not attending breakfast?"
"Gretna Green," Victoria answered. "The wizarding side."
"Mission accomplished," Draco smiled at Victoria, "I married for love, not for business or out of fear."
"Cheers to that," Harry said, raising his glass in salute to the pair, "congratulations on your marriage."
"Thanks," Draco said, "and thank you both for explaining that loophole."
"You're welcome Draco," Hermione said. "So how long have you two been a couple?"
"Not as long as you two," Victoria answered. "But a few months. Enough to know I didn't want him taken from me."
"I'm lucky," Draco said, gazing at the brunette sitting next to him.
"Yes you are," Hermione said before resuming her dinner.
Pansy Parkinson had been granted a quick letter from Draco about what he was going to do. The previous evening she'd found a pureblood Slytherin to pair up with. Just because Draco was weird enough to stray from his own kind didn't mean she was. A pureblood man was always going to be her choice. Marcus Flint wasn't her type, per se, but he'd been single and he was doing well for himself outside of Hogwarts. If only because his father was a squib and Marcus had inherited the family fortune.
Padma sighed as she relaxed into the bath. It felt quite good. Her marriage to George had been quick because so many people at Hogwarts had to get married. He wasn't a bad man; but Padma had very different plans for her fifth year at Hogwarts. She was a prefect and she wanted to shoulder that responsibility proudly. Boys had never factored into her plan; a plan that was the opposite of her twin Parvati. Parvati was all about boys and fashion. She was the 'girly girl' of the two and Padma wasn't ashamed of that. The previous year she'd scoffed when Hermione Granger had begun dating Harry Potter. Boys were a distraction and while Hermione certainly didn't falter in her place as highest ranking student Padma was certain at some point it would happen. For Padma all that mattered was her intellect and her eventual career. She did not want to become some sort of brood mare.
A knock on the door had her dipping lower in the tub to hide her body. "Sorry but I really need to use the bathroom," George said, entering and intentionally not looking at the tub or his nude wife.
"Go ahead," she said, grabbing her wand and casting a privacy spell on the tub to prevent her having to see or hear anything she didn't want to.
George finished quickly and washed up, "Sorry about that. Couldn't hold it any longer."
"It's fine," Padma said, not really looking at him. If she had she'd have seen George staring at a fixture on the wall. "I intend to study for an exam tomorrow night so if you could keep it down then that would be nice."
"Yeah sure," George said, walking to the door. "Enjoy your bath."
"Thank you," she watched him leave and sighed once she was alone again. This wasn't the life she'd expected. Or wanted, for that matter.
Fred Weasley rubbed his face. Before he and Angelina got married they were in love and it was all passion and lust. But she was incredibly different than he expected. For starters, Angelina was obsessive about everything being in order. He knew he was a slob. His mum had always picked up after all her children so learning to be clean had never really happened for him. He'd actually been pretty excited for the marriage. His mum wouldn't be able to say a word about him and Angelina being together before marriage.
But Fred had learned quickly that living with someone was not the same as just being their lover. And he was definitely not a fan of it. They fought all the time. He was often banished to the couch or the floor, thus preventing him from enjoying what he thought of as marriage's only perk. Not to mention Angelina pushing him to do something different with his life than start a joke shop. She wanted him to have a 'respectable' career. For Fred it was like talking to his mother. He wasn't a fan. "FRED!" The redhead sighed. He didn't know what he was in trouble about this time but it probably meant another night on the sofa.
"So then we stayed in a hotel overnight and Draco got to watch Match of the Day."
"What'd you think?" Harry asked Draco.
"Alot less dangerous than Quidditch," Draco said. "And interesting. Muggles are pretty clever creating that television thing."
"Why I do believe that Draco Malfoy is a changed man," Hermione teased.
"Stranger things have happened," Harry smirked. "Though at present I can't think of anything." Draco's response was to stick his tongue out at Harry.
Hermione turned the conversation back to something serious, "I don't think your marriage will go down well with certain people in power."
"No but I'll fight," Draco said, "I'm not going to just take this stupidity. And I mean it."
Victoria smiled at him and squeezed his arm, "Good to hear." Harry looked at Hermione and smiled. Finally, a pureblood that wouldn't just do what they were told. It felt like there'd never be one.
"We'll help," Harry said. "If you need it."
"We've tried to help others but they're rather…jealous of us," Hermione said.
"I can see that," Draco nodded, "and thanks."
The two couples did not part ways that evening. Hermione and Harry decided to show them the Room of Requirement. "This place is amazing," Victoria said, looking around the room, "it looks like the game room my parents have."
"If you can imagine it the room can create it," Harry said. "Incredibly useful."
"So this is where you two disappear to," Draco smirked. "What's it turn into for you?"
"Bedroom, bathroom, a study with a big couch," Harry shrugged, "whatever we want at the time."
Hermione just grinned and Draco chuckled. He rather liked these two the more he got to know them. Hermione looked at the games around the room, "Let's play boys vs girls," she said. Harry and Draco looked at each other and agreed. They missed the devilish grins on the two girls' faces as they moved to the billiards table.
A few hours later Draco and Harry were pouting. They'd been thoroughly beaten by the two girls in billiards, ping pong, and darts. "Next time we need a muggleborn girl on either team," Harry said.
"Agreed," Draco nodded. "I think they intentionally did that to us."
"I think we bruised their egos," Victoria said to Hermione.
"Boys can be fragile like that," Hermione grinned. "Harry shouldn't have been surprised. He knows how competitive I am."
The next morning at breakfast the Daily Prophet arrived with the headline that Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune and son of prominent purebloods, had married a Muggleborn. Harry and Hermione were sitting at the Hufflepuff table with Draco and Victoria so they were quite aware of the stares directed at Draco and Victoria. "This feels about like how it did our first year when my name was read out for the sorting," Harry observed.
"And how it felt when I ran into the Great Hall second year after waking up from the petrification and hugged you," Hermione said.
"And how it felt fourth year when we were alone dancing on the dance floor during the Ball," Harry added.
Draco had other things on his mind, "Think someone will try to arrest me?"
"Is your marriage consummated?" Victoria frowned at the question from Hermione but Draco nodded that they had. "Then you're okay. The magical world views the marriage as unbreakable post-consummation."
"Is there some sort of magic that comes out of shagging?" Harry asked, half-amused.
"No but they look at it as the completion of the contract between the couple who got married. If you never consummate, the marriage can be broken or the parties can get divorced."
"Hence them decreeing that you have to consummate within 5 days or else," Victoria said, eyes wide in understanding. Hermione nodded.
"Do you think this law will come back to bite them?"
"Yes," Hermione said, "they just don't know how yet. Draco how many squibs come from pureblood families?"
"I've never heard of a squib who wasn't from a pureblood family," he said, frowning before he realized her point. "The more they push for pureblood-pureblood marriages the more squibs they'll create."
Harry nodded, "And the magicals that exist will have worse and worse inbred problems. It's not just how many people became squibs after Voldemort's defeat. It's how many families are gone. The Lestranges are gone. The families with girls only have girls by and large. And as Hermione pointed out there are more boys than girls for the purebloods."
"With the exception of the Weasleys most pureblood families only have one or two kids," Hermione added, "probably because of the number of genetic problems they have with all the in-breeding over the centuries. It's likely harder to become pregnant for them, making families like the Weasleys freak occurrences."
Victoria tilted her head in thought, "So the law will hurt the purebloods. But what about Draco? Can they arrest him?"
"They could but they couldn't hold him or convict him," Hermione argued.
"And as the sole Malfoy heir thanks to a squib father, I doubt they would," Harry added. "They're going to want Draco's money."
"They won't be getting it," Draco muttered. Victoria relaxed with the knowledge that Draco wouldn't be in trouble because of her. Despite how much of a git he'd been the first four years she'd known him, he had a side that she'd seen and fallen in love with. Losing him wasn't a good thought.
Ron looked at the headline. Draco Malfoy married a Muggleborn? He glanced at the Hufflepuff table to see him sitting with Harry and Hermione. Ron was quick to figure out that Hermione had somehow found a loophole to get Malfoy out of the law. He frowned. Couldn't she have found him the same loophole? He felt his temper rising. Then he paused as a thought came to him. He couldn't get a pureblood to be his fiancée without the ministry pairing him up with someone. He didn't see what Malfoy had that was so appealing but Draco was popular with girls. Almost as popular as Harry, really. Maybe it was the whole 'bad boy' thing. Girls were utter mysteries to him.
He glanced at the Slytherin table to see Millicent sitting alone. He still hadn't talked to her about their engagement. He wasn't too pleased about who he was stuck with. While she wasn't so smart he was afraid of her intellect or how obnoxious she could be, he was certainly hoping his bride-to-be would be sexy and funny. Millicent was a wallflower and unattractive.
Why were all the pretty ones taken? It just wasn't fair. Potter had Granger, Malfoy had Craig, and he was left with Millicent Bulstrode. Ugh.
As predicted by Harry and Hermione, Draco wasn't arrested. He was, if anything, ignored. Dumbledore thought the whole thing was comical but quite smart on the part of the two couples who had managed to outsmart the Ministry of Magic. He was impressed with Miss Granger's intellect and by the sneakiness of the new Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.
The one student Albus Dumbledore most worried about was Ronald Weasley. The lad required a mind healer and according to what the man could tell him the session was good but more were necessary. If it helped a student Dumbledore saw no problem with it. Students forgot that they had people to help them. He glanced at the clock. Time for another three marriages.
Despite all of Dumbledore's efforts, the law had passed. For some reason that he would never understand, the ICW was accepting of marriage laws. They saw potential pureblood babies. Dumbledore saw broken lives and depressed students. He'd used plenty of favors to get Sirius out of the law. Helping others was never going to happen after that. Dumbledore wasn't sure if he was more angry or sad about how things were going.
For the old headmaster, he took pride in Draco Malfoy's subversion of the law and his marriage. He took great pleasure in seeing Harry and Hermione so happy and free. The reasoning behind limiting the scope of the law, according to the Ministry of Magic, was that half-bloods and muggleborns had far too much free will. Dumbledore thought it had more to do with their experience with a more democratic society. Students like Hermione and Harry, raised in the muggle world, were well aware of what democracy looked like versus oligarchy. Purebloods were not taught about the machinations of government while muggle schools taught such things freely and made sure their students understood it.
Being a half-blood himself Dumbledore saw the differences between the two worlds. Unlike Harry, he was more rooted in the magical. But he could certainly see the appeal of the muggle. He was very much worried that muggle-raised students would flee to the muggle world rapidly, leaving the purebloods to wizarding Britain. The oligarchy would like it but they would be destroyed within a generation, Dumbledore was certain. Keeping bloodlines 'pure' was destroying their society. Unfortunately those in power seemed content to steer their community on the path to destruction, blinded by their own prejudices.
One week after their first meeting Ron sat in a classroom with Freud for the second time. "How are you feeling Ron?"
"Irritated," he said.
"About what?"
"I'm ruddy engaged to the troll of Slytherin," Ron said, his face scrunching in distaste.
That was a can of worms the mind healer did not want to open up at present. "Any more lashing out at Mr. Potter or Miss Granger?"
"My sister reckons that I'm bullying them."
Freud looked at the young man, "And what do you think about that?"
"I can see how she could say that. Harry and Hermione stay pretty far from me. Never really look at me. They were my best friends until Harry said he'd asked Hermione to the Yule Ball."
For Freud, Ron's relationship with and subsequent hatred of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were important to work through. Ron's former best friends were the only friends the boy had ever had yet he'd thrown them aside so easily when they'd offered him happy news and an honest explanation. From brief conversations with Ron's two brothers and his sister Freud had gathered that his own siblings weren't particularly fond of Ron either. That just put Potter and Granger into a higher status of importance. The three had been very good friends and Ron had destroyed that and subsequently begun waging a one-man war on the couple even as they simply ignored him. That seemed to feed Ron's anger. "Why don't you tell me about how you became friends with them?"
Ron frowned before nodding. "Well it all happened Halloween our first year-"
-Flashback-
Harry grabbed his friend's shirt and pulled him away from the crowd, "Come on Ron we have to find Hermione!"
"What do I care if she's troll bait?" Ron scoffed.
Unfortunately for Ron, Harry had been wallowing in guilt all day that he hadn't stood up for the brunette girl. He liked her. She'd fixed his glasses on the train and helped him with his Potions homework. And he was angry both at himself and at Ron, who didn't seem to even care. "You're the reason she's in danger in the first place! We're finding her and warning her and that's that."
Ron shrugged off Harry's arm and walked away toward the other Gryffindors, leaving Harry to run off on his own to find Hermione Granger.
-Pause Flashback-
"Why didn't you go with Harry? Her life was in danger and it was your fault."
"So what if she was troll bait? Only girls can spend a whole bloody day in the ruddy bathroom anyway. And besides if she wasn't such an obnoxious know-it-all…"
"She was trying to help you in class, right? Assist you in learning how to properly cast a spell?"
Ron frowned in thought. "Yeah I guess so," he reluctantly admitted.
"Okay so now we know that Miss Granger was not doing anything wrong for trying to help a classmate succeed. What happened next?"
-Resume Flashback-
Ron went back to the Gryffindor dorm and didn't say a word where Harry had gone off to. Harry, meanwhile, ran through the corridor to find Hermione cornered by a giant troll in a girls' bathroom. Not knowing much magic and wanting to help her he did the only thing he could think of. He leaped on the troll's back to distract him, "Hermione! Think of something!"
The panicked girl looked at the troll's club as it rose to try and hit her rescuer, "Wingardium Leviosa!" With precision made all the more impressive by the troll who was moving to try and get the human on its back Hermione's spell lifted Harry (technically his clothes but since he was wearing them, him too) up and off of the troll just as the troll's club hit his head where Harry had been.
The troll knocked itself out and Hermione lowered Harry to the ground, where he moved to her, "Are you okay?"
"You came to rescue me," she said, looking at him in wonder.
"I'm really sorry I didn't stand up for you. I've been bullied all my life and I know what it's like. I should have helped you."
Hermione hugged him and Harry, unaccustomed to the physical contact, stiffened. At least, he did until he realized how good it felt to be hugged by her. "Thank you," she whispered. "You saved my life."
"You saved mine when you did that spell. But I thought it couldn't lift humans?"
"It's not supposed to but it can lift the clothes you're wearing and after that it really depends on the caster's power and skill. Emotions are a big part of magic too," she said.
"Well I'm definitely impressed," he smiled, putting his arms around her as he gazed at the troll on the ground, "we should get out of here in case it wakes up."
Hermione nodded and they climbed over it, Harry helping her, and exited the bathroom to see McGonagall approaching with Flitwick and Hagrid in tow, "Just what are you two doing down here?"
Harry told the story about how Ron had treated Hermione and how she'd run off. And about how Harry felt guilty for not standing up for her and come to find her only to see the troll had got there first. After checkups with Madame Pomfrey and the rewarding of points to the pair, and deductions and detentions for Ron, they'd finally gone to bed.
-End Flashback-
"Ron, you didn't go to save her and you didn't even tell anyone where Harry had gone off to; how did you become friends with Hermione then?"
Ron looked at Freud in wonder, "Well after that she started hanging around us. Reckoned she liked me."
Freud was baffled by the denial the boy was in. And any logic, real or otherwise, he was using. "And is that the story you tell people about how you became friends? Or do you tell another?"
Ron blushed, "Well…I do tend to say that I used the wingy spell to knock out the troll with its own club."
"But you weren't there," Freud said.
"Well if no one knows that who's it hurt?" Freud rubbed his brow. This was a more difficult case than he'd thought. He had his work cut out for him.