"Welcome back everyone, to a brand new year at Hogwarts. I am so proud that so many of you have been able to return for another year of learning, especially to those of you who are repeating you seventh year." Professor McGonagall, now Headmistress of Hogwarts, stood confidently at the podium in the Great Hall. Hermione Granger looked around the room, it was exactly as it was before, but it didn't quite feel the same; but that didn't matter, she was back with her friends. She looked around at Seamus, Dean and Neville, and at her best friends Harry, Ron and Ginny. Even seeing the sight of Malfoy shaking of Pansy Parkinson as she attempted to coo over him made her smile, because it made her feel like she was finally home again.

After McGonagall had finished speaking, the room echoed with "ooohs" and "aaahs" as all different kinds of meats and potatoes and vegetables and sources and bread filled every table. Hermione laughed as she watched Ron manage to cram a pork pie and a chicken leg into his mouth all at once, normally she wouldn't have scorned him, but all she could do was laugh and smile, feeling more at home than ever.

It hadn't really worked out between Hermione and Ron. They hooked up a bit over the summer, and still have vague feelings for each other, but after a while of hooking up it started to feel a bit weird for the both of them, so they agreed to leave their relationship for the time being.

When the feast was over, McGonagall stood up and instructed everyone to go to their common rooms except all the seventh years and repeating sevenths years. When everyone had finally sauntered out, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic got up and walked towards the podium.

"Good evening. I am sure you are all wandering why Professor McGonagall has asked you all to stay behind today. As you are all away, due to the War we lost over half of our Wizard population. Due to this the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has passed a new law stating a new programme for this year's graduating students. Every one of you must be married to another person of your age and with a child on the way within the next two months." Boos and shouts echoed around the hall, "All your names have been placed in the Goblet of Fire and in a moment I shall retrieve two names at a time of the two people who will become a couple. Do not worry, the Goblet of Fire knows you all, and is pairing you with the person in the room who you are most compatible with."

"Harry, surely they can't do this! I came back to learn, not to become a mother! I'm not ready, I don't want to be pregnant with the child of someone who I probably don't love!"

"I know, I know Hermione! But there's nothing we can do! At least we will be paired with someone we are compatible with, so if you're worried about being put with some muggle-born hating Slytherin, you most definately won't be."

"I know but Harry, I'm not ready!"
"We've had worse at Hogwarts. You'll survive."

Kingsley walked up to the Goblet "Now, when you are called up, you must go outside the front entrance with your partner where a carriage will be ready to take you both to you're new village where each couple will have their own house. he village is just a few miles from Hogwarts and it is called the Phoenix Village."

Suddenly, the first two names shot out of the Goblet, and an agonizing silence filled the air as everyone held their breath.

"Neville Longbotom and Luna Lovegood." Hermione breathed a sigh of relief for her friends, as she watched them go up hand in hand, before being lead towards the Phoenix.

"See Hermione, what did I tell you, if the Goblet put them together, you will be fine."

The next two names shot out, "Astoria Greengrass and Theodore Nott."
Another couple, two Slytherins, perfect for each other. Hermione was starting to feel more relieved at how compatible the couples really were turning out to be.

"Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott."

"Ronald Weasley and Katie Bell."

Katie Bell. Thank god for Ron, at least he's with someone good. She watched Ron nervously as he walked up, taking Katie's hand with his own sweaty one, before they left to go to the village.

"Pansy Parkinson and Cormack McClaggan."

A Slytherin and a Gryffindor. However no one could deny that these two were both foul people and are perfect for each other, no matter what house there in. Hermione sniggered as she say relief rush through Malfoy's face when he realised he was not put with Pansy, and the geniuine happiness in his eyes as she left with another guy.

"Dean Thomas and Pavarti Patel"

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." It took Hermione a good few seconds to realise what had just happened, as it did for the rest of the room. Harry shoved a stunned Hermione forwards whispering, "It will be okay." while Blaise Zabini was yelling things like, "What the hell?" "Malfoy ain't going with that mudblood!" The Slytherins were in uproar.

"Silence!" yelled Kingsley, "The Goblet of Fire has spoken. Trust the decisions of the Goble;, I, for one, recommend that you do."