Author's Note: Finally got the first few chapters up of my first story! So exciting :-) Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks!

"This is outrageous!" My brother exclaims as he throws down the Prophet at breakfast.

The picture of Umbridge smiling broadly and waving flashes up from the table as the jug of pumpkin juice topples over drenching the table. The paper blurs under the liquid, but the picture of Umbridge continues to wave and smile sickeningly. Ron looks only moments away from setting fire to it before Hermione speaks up.

"Of course it is," Hermione snaps. She snatches up a book from being ruined in the river of juice flowing down the table. Flicking her wand to clean up the mess, she says, "The ramifications of war is always a difficult struggle. Did you honestly believe that the world would go back to how it was before He returned?"

Ron looks away in frustrated and shrugs. Harry decides to respond for him. "Well, no we didn't think that. But a marriage law? You knew there would be a law forcing us to get married?"

Hermione shakes her head and clarifies, "Not specifically that, no. War has serious consequences which is why it shouldn't be taken lightly. I mean, the most terrible wizard of all time is gone, but there is still so much recovery needed from the damage he caused. We lost a lot of people, children were orphaned, the economic system is on the verge of collapsing, and we are all scarred in one way or another. This law is just the first of many."

"But marriage and what do they call it," Ron says reaching for the paper again before reading, "Oh, here, 'required procreation'. They are going to force us to shag once a week? I don't need the ministry getting involved in our bloody sex life."

His voice carries across the table and I can see a few of the professors giving a look in our direction, giving me the feeling they didn't quite hear what was said but that they definitely caught the word "sex". Along with Hermione, a few of the younger kids at the table go pink at Ron's proclamation.

"Ron," she hisses trying to look casual. I roll my eyes in disgust and push my food away. It is already awkward having your brother and best friend dating, but the thought of them...doing that...is enough to make me lose my appetite.

She gives him a stern look continues in a low voice, "I don't think the ministry has any right to be in our business either, but now, they are going to."

"Well, I guess this is the end," Ron grumbles. "Save the bloody world and this is how they reward us. This is the worst thing ever."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you stop that tone right now," Hermione reprimands causing him to turn the same shade of crimson as his tie. "We are lucky. Lucky to have each other. Lucky your sister and Harry are together. Lucky that none of us are in that wretched lottery. Not all of our friends have someone. I can't even imagine how they are going to deal with this."

"Our friends? Hermione, this law includes all of us! We aren't exempt from anything more than the lottery!" Everyone turns and stares at me. Blurting out my thoughts wasn't my intention, but now the rest of the table goes silent and I can see Harry blush. I realize that I sound selfish saying this out loud, but I don't really regret saying it. I love my friends, but I didn't survive the greatest war in wizarding history just to be enslaved by our own Ministry.

"Yes, our friends," Hermione says dropping her voice so only the four of us can hear. "Luna, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Hannah, and all the others that are single at this very moment. They have a single week to find someone. Some of them will pair off just to avoid the lottery, but that doesn't guarantee that they will find happiness or be able to remain friends once they add a child to the mix." Hermione gives a stern look to signal the end of the conversation as the boys move the topic to Quidditch.

She throws me a quick glance, but I just stare at my plate guiltily because we both know she is right. My brother and her realized after the war that life was too short to wait on love and immediately got engaged. Of course, Hermione wanted to come back to Hogwarts to finish her education, so they put the wedding plans on hold until then. Ron didn't want to come back to school, but when Harry and Hermione decided to return, it was only natural for him to come as well. That's the Golden Trio for you.

And then there is Harry and I. It broke my heart when he left the Burrow to search for the damned Horcruxes, but as the dutiful girlfriend, I was understanding. I know he had to do it for the greater good, but the selfish voice inside me was pained all those months as I returned to school and tried to survive the terror each day. The atmosphere of school helped keep my mind alert, but every morning I dreaded opening the Daily Prophet to a headline of "Potter Dead, Dark Lord Reigns." But the moment the battle ended and he took me in his arms, I thought, for just a moment, the world was going to be alright.

How wrong I was.

Harry was immediately whisked off by the Ministry. Kingsley took over the as Minister of Magic and the world learned the truth of what happened over the last several years. Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent the summer practically sleeping at the Ministry because of all the trial and inquisitions they had to testify at.

But Harry especially made it his mission to make sure that Professor Snape and the Malfoys stayed out of Azkaban, so he spent the most time away from the Burrow answering questions. Personally, I would have loved to beg him to send the whole lot of Malfoy's to prison, but I know I had no right to ask that of him.

Truthfully, I am glad he testified for Snape. When Harry told me about the pensieve he saw, I knew that his testimony was the right thing to do, even if Snape is cruel, snide and forgets his manners. While he was unconscious in the hospital wing, Harry visited him all the time. Sometimes I came with him, but it made me uneasy when he would thrash about in some nightmare. It was a relief when Harry told me he finally woke up.

And then of course came the press. Everyone wanted to know all about the boy I love. He was bombarded everywhere he went by people. People wanted his autograph, a picture, or even a handshake as they cried telling him how they believed in what he was doing. I'm really glad that the fame doesn't go to his head. If he wasn't at the Ministry, he was doing conferences or attending fundraisers to help with war efforts.

All I wanted was to spend my summer with him just picking up where we left off, but that just wasn't possible. So instead, my summer was dedicated to my mother. I think she took my brother's death the hardest. It broke my heart everyday to see her sitting at the kitchen table with a forgotten cup of tea just staring blankly out the window. It was almost as if she was listening for the familiar popping and crackling that use to come from their room for so many years. So I picked up the slack and began taking care of the house as best I could.

And now, here I am, sitting here looking at my breakfast trying to keep from crying. Harry and I know that we want to be together, but we have so much work to do on our relationship. How can I marry him when we have just barely begun to scratch the surface of what we could possibly be together. I wanted to come back to Hogwarts and shut the world out. I want to play Quidditch with Harry, laugh with Hermione over the rumors that fly through our common room, and sit by the lake every Saturday with Harry if only for the purpose of making up for lost time. But this law will not allow this to happen.

"It's going to be alright, Ginny," Hermione leans over and whispers to me. I look up and see her smiling as she continues, "I know you and Harry are rekindling your relationship, but there is no doubt in my mind that you both were meant to be together. Forever."

"I know," I say feeling childish, "It is just a shock. I am grateful that I do have Harry, but I just thought I had more time to- " I can't finish the statement. More time for what? To hesitate over my decision to be with him? Certainly not. To get to know him? Maybe. But I know what my selfish side says- I want more time to be independent and live my own life. That one single thought is miserable.

"I get it," Hermione agrees softly. "Like I said, this is only the beginning. But this law is too controversial. I think the world will realize how extreme it is and try to appeal it. I already plan on taking the next month to try to figure out a way to get this overturned. You are welcome to help if it makes you feel better." She gives me a reassuring smile.

That is the Hermione I know. She is only a year or so older, but sometimes she has the wisdom of Dumbledore. She is determined and confident and always know when to say the right thing. I wish I was more like her.

Suddenly, she looks at the boys and then at her watch exclaiming, "Look, I have to get to Arithmancy right now, but you and I can talk later in our room. We'll get through this. I promise." I give her a small smile. It is times like these when I remember why she is my best friend.

Knowing there is no way I am going to be able to stomach anything else, I gather my stuff and bid the boys goodbye. This is going to be a long day.

My Daily Prophet arrives as it always does- just as I sit down in my office to finish grading the second year's essays on poisons. That particular class is quite arrogant in their skills so I make sure to pay extra attention to their essays for the slightest flaws. It is quite tedious, so I force myself to ignore the paper until I either finish grading or used up my pot of red ink. I know the pot will be empty long before I am finished.

And then I glance over and see it.

The headline. And the picture of Dolores Umbridge.

I can feel the irritation rising, but I, of course remain calm. Pushing aside the essays, I snatch the paper up and start reading the article with intensity.

"Order 847: Marriage Law- The Pinnacle of Dolores Umbridge". I scan the article. It is moments like this that I am glad I have a Detection Charm set in the corridors or else a student might see the look of utter shock and disgust on my face and the cursing flowing from my mouth.

It is a long article. Marriage required for all magical persons from the ages of seventeen to forty with required procreation a minimum of once a week. One child is required from all couples. Divorce may be obtained after the child turns eighteen. The single population will be submitted to random lottery. Couples married or already engaged are exempt from the lottery so long as they send in the proper paperwork within the week. Refusal to abide by any of these terms will result in confiscation of your wand and magical rights. Basically exile.

It is revolting.

Dolores Umbridge is a pain in the arse. Four years and a war later, and I still can't get the memory of that toad out of my mind. And now she is back about to start round two of making my life miserable.

But I am a war hero. She can't force this on me. The ministry can't force this on me. I mean, they can, but why should they?

It has been almost five months since that fateful day in the Shrieking Shack. To be more specific, today makes it four months, two weeks and three days that I should have died.

I am a man living on borrowed time.

There was a single vision I had. Instead of seeing the afterlife, it was a hospital room. My beautiful Lily was there. So was her damned husband. I couldn't see their faces, but I know without a doubt it was them. Her and Potter together forever and forever tormenting me. As I struggled to reach for her, she backs away with a look of fear as Potter steps in front, hiding her with his body.

Even in my own hallucinations, he gets in the way.

But somehow I escaped my visions and made it through, only to face the Wizengamot for my crimes. Minerva took it upon herself to gather witnesses and evidence. Miraculously, I wasn't given a life sentence in Azkaban or the Kiss.

I suspect the Chosen One's testimony had something to do with my exoneration.

Now, for the first time in over twenty years, I have no purpose. I still have my missive to protect Lily's child, but he no longer needs it. He is an adult, not a child. Whatever trouble he gets in from here on out is his fault and I am in no way obligated to interfere.

My two employers, Voldemort and Dumbledore, are gone from this world and the rest of the world either loathes me or regards me as a hero. Never have so many people tried to seek me out to either curse or congratulate me. In a single day, I found myself unable to leave my house without a glamour or potion to disguise me.

Minerva visited me at the beginning of August.

Somehow she had heard of all my unwanted attention (probably from the press continually commenting on my absence) and informed me that Slughorn was retiring yet again and the spot was mine if I accepted. Technically, I don't need to work, I received awards and gifts from admirers to last me a lifetime, but I couldn't stay in that wretched house any longer.

I don't consider myself a social creature, but Spinner's End is just Azkaban in a Suburb. Reluctantly, but gratefully I accepted.

Being back here teaching makes me feel like the last several years never happened. I teach, do my night patrols, brew potions for the infirmary, and do as the Headmistress asks. Although this isn't how I believed I'd be spending my newfound freedom, I must admit, it is comfortable.

Some days I even believe I won't eventually wake up from this dream, but I then I add another day to my mental calendar and remember that I should have been dead.

How did this happen? I've asked myself everyday how I spent years living so close to death and never quite achieving it. Then, when I was one breath away from dying, I still couldn't obtain it.

Probably my greatest failure, but I know that Death will come for me soon enough. However, now Death will have to find me without the assistance of a psychotic master, jealous Death Eater brethren, and a fucking snake waiting for me to let my guard down.

It's funny to think that I never really thought about growing old since I always knew I would die young.

If the Dark Lord didn't kill me, it was only a matter of time before one of my fellow Death Eater's discovered my betrayal and took my life to up their own status. I would have done the same thing at one time in my life.

But now, the war is over and the times have changed.

I am reformed.

I will get to grow old.

Well, I'll have to get married first and then be allowed to grow old.

Looking back at the paper, I feel myself smirk a little. It is true, I am no longer a Death Eater, but my connections are still there. My Slytherin nature will find a solution to this new situation and even find a way to work it to my advantage.

I know just the person to help me with this. He can't refuse me.

But now, it is time for class. I will have to visit him this afternoon.