Chapter 5
“Nine am. Why did it bloody have to be nine in the fucking morning? It’s too bloody early.” Ron grumbled, for the millionth time in the short hour and fifty minutes they’d been awake, as Hermione stifled a yawn. It was almost time to start and Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron had all just arrived at the ministry building where the Marriage Law meeting was being held. Already people were milling around, talking to their respective friends and catching up as though their worlds weren’t going to implode in a few minutes. Ron and Ginny had informed her that the building next door was probably just as, if not more full than this one as everyone who was over 40 or who was already married were in that building for their own meeting. According to Ron, Mrs Weasley had been going back and forth between mumbling about Charlie and openly ranting about the meeting for the last several days.
The group walked to some open seats near the front, waving at different friends as they passed, stopping to say hi to Luna and again when they saw Seamus before finding seats near Neville in one of the middle aisles.
“Hey mate, how’s the apprenticeship going?” Harry asked as he gave Neville a clap on the back.
“It’s going really well actually! Professor Sp- I mean Pomona has been teaching me how to properly cultivate Devil’s Snare and our Aconite plants have really started to take off.” Neville enthused as Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other and shuddered at the mention of Devil’s Snare, recalling their encounter with it in first year.
“That’s great Neville, glad to hear it. Has it been fun, being there over the summer? What do ya’ think is going to happen when you’re through? Are you going into gardening or teaching or something?” Ron asked.
“I was thinking about going into teaching, actually. Professor Sp- I mean Pomona, sorry it’s still weird to me to call her that, is planning on retiring soon so she’s going to put in a good word for me with Headmistress McGonagall. If it all works out I’ll be-”
“Welcome Witches and Gentle Wizards to the Marriage Law information and pairing meeting. If everyone would please have a seat. Thank you. My name is Augusta Hurley and I will be speaking with you all today and announcing the pairings. Please note that all questions posed today are required to be asked in a cordial manner and all magic has been disabled in this room,” the occupants let out cries of indignation and already people had started to yell over each other now that they noticed the Wizengamot representatives in the room. “Silence! Please, silence! Now, you will raise your hand if you wish to pose a question. We have allotted a half-hour for questions after which time all enquiries must be brought to the appointed ministry representative for your age group. They are as follows; For ages 17 to 20, your representative is Minister Harrison Stumpwallow. For ages 21 to 25, your representative is Minister Lucille Gimbal. For ages 26 to 30, your ministry representative is Minister Mary Heathcote. Ages 31 to 35, your representative is Minister Glen Sodomier, and finally ages 36 to 40, Ministry representative Ursula Johnson-Piebolt. Please take note of this if you must, but it will also be provided to you with information about today’s meeting in a pamphlet we will owl out at the end of tomorrow. Now, then. Do we have any questions?” The room exploded back into chaos, with people jumping out of their seats (a few morons charging towards the protective barrier around the ministry representatives) and yelling.
“SILENCE!” A stern woman who kind of resembled a Japanese version of Professor McGonagall stood up. “There will be order today, we are not children. We are grown adults capable of having a decently rational discussion! I understand you are frustrated, we all are frustrated, but today is about answers. The more you shout and stampede about like wild animals, the fewer answers you will get. We will not extend our half-hour of questions just because you cannot control yourselves.” At this most of the room begrudgingly sat back down and quieted.
“Thank you Minister Johnson-Piebolt. Now, if you have a question please raise your hand. If you are called on you may stand and speak. Yes, you in the green?”
“Why are you doing this to us?” An angry Parvati called out. “Isn’t it bad enough we fought in a war, now you’re taking us back to the stone ages with this ridiculous law! And you’re giving us basically no choice but to obey! My parents left India to get away from backwards laws like this!” A garbled muttering swept the room once more before quickly lulling.
“Why are we doing this? Ms...?”
“Patil, Parvati Patil.”
“Ms Patil, I ask you to look around the room. All of you, go ahead and look at how many of you are here today.” Hermione turned her head both ways, shocked at just how empty the large room seemed. “Before this war started our population numbered nearly 20,000. We rivalled the muggles who lived around our society. Since the rise and fall of you-know-who, our numbers have been greatly diminished. Brave witches and wizards lost their lives in battles fought amongst our own people. Today we number merely 3,087. Nearly 17,000 people lost. Of the 3,087 of us left only 1,029 of you still have the possibility to conceive. And of those who may be able to have children, 514 are not yet of age. Only 484 of you are free citizens of our once-great society. Wizarding Britain is faced with a possible extinction if we do not drastically increase our numbers and quickly.”
“How do you know? Why do we have to be married to accomplish that, and why can’t we do it on our own time?” A black-haired man said, standing with his arm still raised.
“Because you haven’t been.” The ministry worker replied slightly exasperated. "We have been watching the numbers, and since the fall of the Dark Lord and his followers four years ago only 48 children have been born. Several of them stillborn. The Wizengamot has been collecting research for several months now to determine the best course of action and our studies have shown that without these mandates, our population will no longer be sustainable in Great Britain by 2005. That means that following 2005 there is no hope to save our species, these will be our last generations here before we cease to exist. It’s a scary thought, isn’t it?” The crowd started to panic again, much quieter this time as people mumbled to themselves and their neighbors over this turn of events. “Yes, you sir.”
“How are we meant to afford all of this? I’m still going through University, I can barely afford rent! How am I meant to pay for a wedding or children for merlin’s sake?”
“The ministry has set aside money for this. All of you, whether you need the money or not, are being granted a ministry fund to be used in purchasing a house and caring for your children. Each account will hold 18,000 galleons for child-rearing purposes and upon request the amount to cover your housing. The 18,000 will be readded to each account if necessary for up to five years after which time the couple may put forth a request for a continuance. Similarly, all costs for the weddings will simply need to be requested and they will be made available to you. Several of the venues and catering companies in and around London have agreed to suspend their prices, with supplementation by the Ministry, until the end of the year. We realise many of you, especially the younger people in this room, are financially unsecure and we want to make sure that if there is a reason you must disobey the law or declare insolvency it is not because of this mandate.”
“What if my husband and I hate each other? What if the relationship is abusive to me or my future children, what then? We just suck it up until whenever we get out of this disaster of a law?” Hermione looked over at the voice to see a middle-aged woman speaking next to Pansy Parkinson (who Hermione was slightly happy to see with a red face and tear tracks on her cheeks, clinging to Malfoy and Zabini).
“We have put clauses into our law that will see that that doesn’t happen. If at any time you feel you or your children are threatened physically you may request an annulment or divorce. If we collect evidence to such then not only will your divorce be granted but the guilty party will be given jail time and required to stay away from the injured party at all times. That being said, without evidence, such as pictures, memories, or supported stories under Veritaserum, the accusing party found to be lying about abuse faces serious fines and penalties. This is not a loophole anyone may exploit. Without evidence, there will be no divorce until the final child leaves for school. We have added this clause recently at the recommendation of some of the members of the ministry who are being affected. At the age of eleven when your youngest child enters Hogwarts, you may request a divorce and be granted it if it is agreed upon by both parties. You will be required to remain in the same living space until the child is 17, but your marriage will no longer be forced. This is, as I said, effective only after your youngest child is old enough for school. You will all be required to have three children if you are able, so you will all be married at least that long. Yes, you sir!” A few more questions were asked before a clock struck nine-thirty four (the alarm chiming exactly half an hour after the start time of the meeting) and the Wizengamot shut down any further questions. “Now then, we will start the matchings. Each pair will be asked to sit together once their names are called, we have available seating to the side over here so once your names are both called calmly walk to the seating available to you until the end of today’s meeting. We will call out pairs by age of the male and in alphabetical order of the last name. Starting with our 34 to 40 group and moving down till we reach the youngest of you. As an example of how this process should work, Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt has offered to go first since he himself is only 40. Minister if you would please stand? **hmm hmm** Kingsley Arturus Shacklebolt paired with Britannia Mary Clarkson!” A woman a bit older than herself whom Hermione recognized from the Holyhead Harpies team stood up, a little shaky but otherwise pleasant, and made her way over to where Shacklebolt stood waiting. They shook hands tentatively before taking their new seats next to one another. “Good, very good. Now, before we continue I would like the following to stand; Alex Johnson, Trevor Kellen Lanigan, Marcus Jeffrey Flint, James Ryan Turner, and Kevin Joseph Smith. Since there is an uneven number of ladies to gentlemen in here today, you wizards have been left unmatched.” A collective gasp was heard around the room and a couple of the people who’d been called looked a lot happier at the announcement. “Because of this, you will be excused from the rest of the proceedings today. Please note that come next year’s pairings you will be required to fill out all of the forms again and come in with the next group of seventeen and eighteen-year-olds to be matched. Anyone not matched will need to do this every year until they are matched, this also goes for people whose spouses have died without having children if they are under 40. Thank you, gentlemen, you may leave now.” The room was silent as the guys left (decidedly less happy). “We will proceed with the 35 to 40 age group.” Hermione tuned out, uninterested in the proceedings. She let her mind wander on the possibilities of who she may be paired with, only stopping if she recognized a name being called. She had been doing this most days since the announcement, trying to guess who she may end up with but she recognized a few more people now that she could see faces. Ernie Macmillan was a possibility. She didn’t think it was at all probable he’d end up with her since they had such little in common but he may have changed since Hogwarts so she was leaving him in the running anyway. Then there was Terry Boot, she remembered they’d gotten into a heated debate once about whether or not Goblin’s actually enjoyed working at Gringotts or if they only did it because Wizard’s required it. He wasn’t much to look at but at least he was mildly intelligent so he was a maybe as well. Oliver Wood, Lee Jordan, and Miles Bletchley were more maybes. She didn’t think they had anything in common but they couldn’t exactly be ruled out either.
“Percival Ignatius Weasley,” Hermione turned her head to the speaker, intending on listening to the various Weasley members’ pairings. “Paired with Audrey Louise Schmidt.” Hermione could see a tall brunette witch stand. She looked familiar so she must have overlapped with them at Hogwarts at least a little bit. Hermione watched as Percy (straight-faced as ever) walked over to the woman giving him a pleasant smile.
“They went on a couple of dates last year. I heard she broke it off because he was too focused on work and didn’t pay enough attention to her.” Ginny leaned over and whispered. Audrey went for a hug while Percy went for a handshake, they stumbled a bit before shaking hands and sitting with the others already paired.
“Oliver Wood paired with Parvati Patil. Lucas Stuart Veron paired with...” She tuned out again. She knew that Jimmy Peakes and Euan Abercrombie were still present. She knew nothing about either of them except that they’d gone to school around the same time but they could be a possibility still. Wayne Hopkins hadn’t been very bright but he was cute, as was Adrian Pucey. Graham Pritchard, Ritchie Coote, and Cormac McLaggen were all definite no’s. She’d rather live as a clueless muggle than marry any of those perverts. McLaggen was sat three rows behind her to the left and she could feel his eyes as he stared at her (like he had been since the pairings began). “George Fabian Weasley,” Hermione tuned back in with hope. He and Angelina had been denied their wedding permit a few hours before the deadline closed and she was on the edge of her seat hoping that they’d end up together since Angie hadn’t been paired yet. She held her breath and squeezed Ron's hand. “Paired with Angelina Johnson.” The whole row let out a collective breath and smile as George and Angie embraced each other, crying with relief before they headed to the seats. “This concludes our 24 to 29-year-olds. Next up will be 17 to 23.” Hermione sat up straighter and started to try and even out her breathing as her heart started to race. “Terry Boot paired with Susan Bones. Ralph Henry Bowing paired with Lavender Claire Brown.” Hermione ticked off each pair as they passed, mentally deleting the men from her list and worrying her lip as they got to be fewer. “Gregory Giles Goyle paired with Millicent Lucinda Bulstrode.”
“No surprise there,” Ron whispered under his breath, causing Harry and Ginny to snort and Hermione to smile a bit. “Neville Longbottom paired with Luna Lovegood.” She turned to look at her friends. They smiled at each other and gave a quick hug as Neville walked and Luna practically skipped over to the seating. Hermione knew that they’d dated for a little while after the final battle but broke up when Luna decided to travel for the Quibbler and Neville went into an apprenticeship at Hogwarts. He had been dating Hannah Abbott (who’d been paired with Dennis Creevey) on and off for the last two years but he looked relieved, if not happy to be paired up with Luna. A disturbance in the Wizengamot stands brought her attention back to the front.
“Are you sure?”
“This can’t possibly-”
“Not-
“But that’s-”
“So wrong for each other,”
“They’ll kill each other within a day-” She could hear bits and pieces of their conversation before they returned to the podium. Minister Hurley looked sick as she picked up the pairing scroll again and cleared her throat.
“Draco Lucius Malfoy paired with,” the speaker took in a large gulp of air and Hermione’s stomach began to turn as she noticed the eyes of the Ministry representatives on her. No. No, surely they wouldn’t- they couldn’t! “Hermione Jean Granger.”
Hermione felt the colour drain from her cheeks as she looked over to where the blonde git was glaring at her. She could feel Ginny and Harry shaking her and see the lips move on Ron and her other friends as they began shouting. But all she could hear was a loud ringing in her ears. How could they do this to me? She should feel anger and resentment. Should object to this nonsense. Scream, shout, stomp around like a two-year-old having a temper tantrum. Something! But she couldn’t. Time had slowed down and she couldn’t move or speak or do anything. “SILENCE!” Suddenly the world sped up, and she was back in the present where people were staring at her, her friends looked murderously at Malfoy and the Wizengamot, and Ron and some of the Slytherin’s had their wands drawn (obviously forgetting that their magic didn’t work in here).
“Please, surely there’s been some kind of mistake.” Hermione heard herself whisper desperately. The ministry worker wouldn’t have been able to hear her (hell, her friends probably couldn’t hear her with how softly she said it) but gave her a pitiful smile anyway.
“Please Ms Granger and Mr Malfoy, move to the seats.” She got up on legs that felt like jelly and made her way over with her head held high in false confidence. She held out her hand and dared him, with a look far bolder than she felt, to take it. He scowled murderously and clapped his hand into hers, squeezing tight enough to nearly break bone, as they shook hands once, twice, three times before letting go. They each clutched their respective hands as though they’d been burned. The two of them walked past the Slytherin’s as they headed for the seats and Hermione could see Pansy sobbing even harder as she held herself up on Blaise Zabini’s shirt. He looked sulky like he’d lost a bet or something. They sat down uncomfortably close to one another as the speaker resumed.
“This was a mistake. My father will correct it once we leave here. Don’t flatter yourself thinking you will ever be the next Lady Malfoy.” Malfoy whispered to her harshly. She felt her courage and anger finally return to her and turned to glare at him.
“As much as I would love to never see your pointy ferret face ever again, there is no getting out of this. All the galleons in the world couldn’t break us up and as much as I would love to watch your family go bankrupt trying, it will never happen. We’re stuck together. No matter how much we may hate it and each other.” She whispered back just as harshly. They glared at each other in frustration and rage.
“Harry James Potter,” the room got exponentially quieter if it was possible. Everyone waiting on pins and needles to see who the saviour of the wizarding world, the boy who lived twice, would end up with. “Paired with Astoria Orielle Célestine Greengrass.” The tawny-haired witch who was two years their junior and the younger sister of her one-time friend stood up with a grace that only nobility should possess. She smiled at Harry as he made his way over to her and shook his hand gently while he scratched the back of his neck nervously and offered her a small smile. The room broke out into quiet whispers and Hermione watched as they sat down and Astoria said the first ‘Hellos’. She looked back up and frowned when she noticed the room was starting to thin out. A handful of people were left (some like Seamus Finnigan, whose name should have already been called) and then at her two remaining friends. She dreaded how the rest of the meeting could very well go. “Oscar Leroy Ross paired with Eloise Midgen.” And just like that, the room was quiet once more. The selection pool got lower and lower and Hermione could see both Ginny and Ron starting to panic at the potential suitors left. “Ronald Bilius Weasley paired with...Oh sweet Morgana, not another one,” the lady said under her breath. “*Mmm Hmm* Ronald Bilius Weasley paired with Pansy Norabel Parkinson.”
“Fucking hell!” Ron shouted as he stood and kicked over the chair in front of him. A gasp could be heard elsewhere in the room and she looked over to see that Pansy Parkinson was lying on the floor. Several people rushed over to see what was going on as Ron slouched over to the seats, irritated and angry and positively miserable. A few seconds later and a dazed-looking Parkinson sat up before looking around the room. Her eyes landed on the pouting face of Ronald Weasley and she broke out in loud sobs. The people who’d gone to check on the girl helped her to her new seat and she proceeded to cry harder as both she and Ron moved to the far edges of their chairs. There was a beat while people (other than the two freaking out) calmed down and the names continued. “Lucas Wheston paired with Amelia Jade Sacksly. Oliver Jordan Yanx paired with Georgia Drafeus. Blaise Guglielmo Zabini paired with Ginevra Molly Weasley.” Hermione looked on as her friend’s face fell into pain and confusion before she silently walked to the seating area to meet her newly intended. For his part, Zabini looked only mildly disinterested but he also had the tick in his jaw she recognized from school that signified he was angry and/or frustrated. Hermione looked to Harry in confusion but he only shrugged unsure of why the two would be so hostile toward one another. “That concludes our final age group. Those of you remaining have chosen to be publicly paired with your partners and we will now do so. Finnley Albert and Poe Johnathan Damascus paired with Juliette Smith and Ariel Travers. Kenneth Easton and Zachary Johnson paired with Ursula Jessica Henley and Nera Marie Ryans. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas,” Hermione smirked and looked down at Ron. He didn’t look at her (or even look up from the spot he was glaring at on the ground) and she looked forward again knowing that he owed her fifteen galleons. She had told him back in fifth year that Dean and Seamus were going to end up dating at some point and he’d told her there was no way either one of them was gay. They’d gotten into an argument before he suggested they just bet on it. It had taken eight years but she’d finally won the bet. “Paired with Katherine Bell and Lisa Turpin.” She looked on in shock as the quad made their way to their seats smiling at each other. She'd had no inkling that Katie may have been bi or gay or even pan and she turned her head toward Harry, mouthing ‘did you know'? He shook his head no and mouthed back something unintelligible. “Thank you all for your patience. Each of you will receive a packet of information within the coming days. This will include the date and time for your first mandatory fertility and wellness exam, the date selected for your weddings, date and time set up with a ministry worker who will grant you access to your provided vaults for purchasing a house, please make sure to have a place chosen before this date, and a list of honeymoon destinations you may choose from. We recommend meeting with your partner at least once before the first treatment meeting. The pamphlet will also have a reiteration of what has been said here today. Now, go home and cry. Scream, beg your deity or the sky for guidance. But know that this will not change. There is no getting out of these marriages. Once the names have been read any attempt to break off the pairing will be met with zero progress. If you do not show up to your required appointments we will send Aurors to collect you. If you do not show up at your wedding you will be tracked down and jailed until you decide to accept your fate. Not only that but if your partner refuses to try and persuade you they too will be imprisoned. So go and get your anger and frustration out, in a safe way, please! And try to be civil and cordial and dare I say it, even nice when you meet up with your new partner again. Thank you, everyone, you may now leave.” The Wizengamot members turned and left, not even waiting for the people whose lives they’d ruined to get out of their seats. Shouts and arguing could be heard around the room, chairs flew about as people threw what they could get their hands on (apparently not only magic had been disabled in the room as one of the chairs hit Dean and all it did was bounce softly to the ground. It didn’t even phase him.) Hermione turned to look at the impossibly straight-backed Draco Malfoy and held back the need to shudder.
“Well, when...when do you think would be best for us to meet up before this stupid appointment. I figured we could just meet up a little bit before the arranged time.” She was trying to be the bigger person. She had no doubt they’d get into plenty of fights in the coming days and weeks, so if they could just decide this one thing without arguing she could finally go home and break something that wouldn't land her in jail (like his face or the room).
“You do not get to tell me when we’ll meet.” He spoke to her through clenched teeth.
“Well then, why don’t you suggest a time and a place?” She threw back in his face, crossing her arms. He clenched his fists on his legs.
“I will owl you,” was all he said before he got up and walked away. Hermione could feel her face heating in unreleased anger and sorrow and blinked a few times to keep the tears at bay.
“Ok, I will see you on Wednesday then, unless the appointment is earlier. It was nice to meet you, Harry. I look forward to getting to know you.” She turned and saw her friend shake hands with his intended (still looking a little scared as he did) before he walked over to her.
“Hey Mione, are you ready to head home?” Her eyes welled up even more at the term, knowing she’d have to move in with Malfoy someday soon. Her chest heaved as she held in her sobs and Harry wrapped her in a hug before guiding her to an apparition point so they could disappear. The one good thing that had happened all day was that she’d held in her tears until she and Harry were alone. And then the flood gates opened and there was no stopping it.
～Edited 18th Apr, 2022