Disclaimer: I'm only going to do this once, so best remember it. I do not own anything you recognize, as all characters and references belong to the magical world of J. K. Rowling. I am manipulating the characters for my own personal enjoyment.

That is all.

Prologue:

Hermione Granger woke with a start as she took in her surroundings through bleary eyes. A fiery mass of red was zooming around the room, looking out of place and brandishing a wooden stick at a raven haired boy, who looked equally distraught.

Hermione recognized that red hair. Recognized those popping green eyes. "Ginny? What's wrong?" Hermione said, watching as the boy backed out of the room.

Ginny turned and looked at Hermione, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Oh, you've finally woken up! I was beginning to wonder if you'd stopped breathing."

Hermione rubbed at her eyes and Ginny's features came into focus. "What time is it?" 'I usually wake up at half six,' she thought, obviously confused.

Ginny glanced at her watch, taking a little while to read the time, "'Round quarter to nine. We should really be going downstairs, Mum will have a fit if we miss the meeting!"

Hermione grudgingly pulled herself out of her comfortable and warm bed, to be greeted with the cold, wooden floor of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She threw on the first jumper she could find and dashed out the door, wary of Ginny's menacing gaze.

"Took long enough," Ginny said impatiently.

Hermione tentatively followed Ginny down the creaky staircase, not daring to ask about what had happened with Harry earlier. She spotted Crookshanks wandering lazily about on the steps. "Crookshanks, come on, kitty," Hermione cooed. Crookshanks simply stared and turned on his heel strutting away. Hermione seemed a little put out by this, but didn't let it get to her.

"Bloody, good for nothing cat," came the distinguishable voice of one Ronald Weasley. Hermione shot him a withering look, not having the time to ask questions since she was being ushered into the kitchen by Ginny. Ron soon followed suit, not wanted to be the last in the room.

The three sat down at the crowded table of Order members, while Mrs. Weasley was passing around a tray of toast and marmalade. Naturally, Ron took more than his and Hermione's share combined, but it didn't matter since no one seemed in a mood to be eating at the moment. 'How odd, the table is always buzzing,' thought Hermione, observing the large group of quiet people. She noticed that Dumbledore was missing. 'He must be busy,' she thought. 'If he's not here it can't be that important, can it?' She stole a glance at Harry, and he looked preoccupied fiddling his hands under the table and avoiding Ginny's glare. Hermione smirked inwardly at this, as Ginny can be quite scary when she loses her temper.

Kingsley Shackelbot, newly appointed Minister of Magic, stood up holding a passage from the Daily Prophet. "The Ministry has passed a new law, though I'm sure most of you know what it is," Kingsley said gravely as the Order members all nodded. All of them except for Hermione. 'What am I missing here? What do they know that I don't?' she thought with a wary look at the Prophet. Kingsley sighed and continued on with his speech "All witches and wizards over the age of eighteen and under the age of fifty are to be married within one month. The Ministry has decided that if someone has not found a suitable person to marry, they will be more than happy to assign one to them." He looked pointedly at Hermione, and all of the others soon turned to look at her too.

"What are you looking at me for? I'm not even eighteen yet! So what's this got to do with those looks you're giving me?" defended Hermione.

Professor McGonagall spoke up next, "Miss Granger, do you recall the use of a Time-Turner in your third year?" she asked.

"Yes, but what's that got-" she sputtered. "Oh," was all she could make out.

McGonagall looked down, but continued speaking, "I hoped you would catch on to that."

Ron looked at his professor pointedly, looking as though he'd been hit with a Confundus charm.

McGonagall seemed to catch his confused face and explained, "Miss Granger repeated her third year by going back in time. Legally she is eighteen and eligible for the Marriage Law, and Death Eaters are just waiting to send in their 'application' forms to use her brains for Lord Voldemort's advantage," she said sadly.

"Why can't she marry me?" Ron yelled, looking outraged.

Mr. Weasley sighed and spoke, "Ron, I'm afraid there's more that we haven't specified. A Muggleborn witch cannot marry a Pureblood-" There were several gasps and one outburst from Tonks, "That's ludicrous! Sexist and immoral! She's no less of a witch because she has Muggle parentage!"

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Hermione was sitting at the table, since she'd been so quiet. "What do we do?", Hermione spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

All of the heads snapped towards Hermione, surprised she was taking the news so well.

Kingsley looked at her, still clutching the paper, "Since you are still in school, your husband would have to be close to you and share sleeping chambers with you. If you didn't you'd spend 10 years in Azkaban as a punishment for not following the law, probably more since you're Muggleborn," he paused and started up again, "Remus Lupin will be back teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts and we have decided he will be your best choice."

Hermione looked simply unfazed at this, while Lupin and Ron looked quite glum.

Molly Weasley spoke next, "Hermione, dear, you're taking this very well!"

"Well, why not? We can just dissolve the marriage after the law has been revoked. No harm done."

Everyone except for Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione shifted uncomfortably.

"Hermione, do you know much about Wizarding Wedding ceremonies?" Lupin asked.

"No, actually, I'd just assumed they were like Muggle ones. I've never done much reading into it, but I've heard we're due to study it this term in Mug-" Hermione was cut off by Lupin mid-sentence.

"Wizard Marriage bonds are irreversible. You'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life, at least until one of us dies." Lupin put his head in his hands and thought, 'It'll ruin her life. Who would want an old, poor werewolf like me?'

And that was when Hermione Granger fainted.

A/N: This is my very first piece of FanFiction and I heard that it's right of passage to make a Marriage Law, and so that's what I did! I'd love a review, and constructive criticism. This chapter is short, but the next ones will steadily get longer since I'm still getting used to writing FanFiction. Thanks!