Disclaimer: Original plot and story. Credits for everything else to JK Rowling.

Chapter 1

"What??!" Hermione whispered. The look on her face was pure unadulterated shock. She couldn't believe what she heard. Was she dreaming? No, no. It's real.

"Wait, let me get this right. I am to get married to Malfoy? No, let me rephrase that. I will be forced, no matter what, to marry Malfoy?" she asked the unnamed minister officer. "Um... Draco Malfoy, that is. Not just any Malfoy," he told her. She shot him a glare. She then looked to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt, for confirmation. He nodded solemnly at her.

"Why? Why me?" Hermione wanted to scream that out loud, scream it till she turn deaf and blind. But she kept her cool, although with much effort.

"You would know Hermione. The muggleborn-pureblood or muggleborn-half-blood marriage would make our intentions clear to the Wizarding World. The Minstry's intention to take the blood issue seriously and prevent another Voldermort catastrophe," Kingsley replied. "And how you got paired with Malfoy, I have no idea. The best explanation I can give you is that couples are paired in random through a carefully structured and detailed process. And I can confirm this: there is no mistake in this matter," he explained to her.

She seemed to have understood when she said, "I understand. Can you please leave now? I need to... I need to think about this."

"Ok, the forms and further details will be owled to you and Mr. Malfoy. Have a nice day, Hermione," Kingsley bade her and left her to herself even though he knows she is taking this matter very hard indeed. He will just have to talk to Molly to help her through this.

When he left, she sat quietly and stared into nothingness. The only noise came from her breathing. That night, she cried herself to sleep. She cried for her freedom to love, for her friends who will have to put up with him, she cried for her family and she cried for herself.

"I don't have time for this. I am not interested in what the Minstry wants or what they like. Just get to the point will you?" Draco Malfoy cut across the minstry officer rudely and sarcastically.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. You will be marrying Ms. Hermione Granger," the ministry officer informed him.

He laughed. "You're kidding right? Who are you to tell me who I should marry and who I shouldn't?" Then, he said forcefully in his carefully controlled voice, "Leave. You're wasting my time. You know your way out, I'm sure. The door is just right there," He gestures to his oak-made wooden office door.

"No, Mr. Malfoy. This is not a joke," Kingsley replied softly. "This is the new law."

"Get the hell out of my office! I don't need to hear this crap. I would find better materials to kid the people if I were you," he sneered.

"Mr. Malfoy, you can deny it all you want but the marriage is still going to happen. More details about this will be owled to you," Kingsley told him calmly before leaving.

Fuck. What's wrong with the Ministry? Draco thought. Just then his phone rang. "Yes?" he asked Haley, his secretary. "Mr. Zabini is here to see you. Should I put him through?" she asked. "Yeah." With that, he slammed the receiver back to the phone.

"Drake, have you heard what the Ministry is trying to do? Or what they already did? The came up with some 'brilliant' marriage law. I mean, what the fuck man! I don't want to marry. I'm just not that type of guy. You know what I mean? And guess who my future wife is going to be?? That annoying Gryffindor slut, Brown. How could they pair me up with a Gryffindor? It just doen't make sense man! And I barely talked to her in Hogwarts! And right now, I'm living the time of my life with Giselle. Man, she damn good in bed and other places too! How can I give her up for Brown? Brown is no match for her. No match at all! Damn them, the Ministry. Thank God you pulled me away from working with them, I..."

"Mudblood is my fiancee," Draco skillfully slip it into Blaise long speech. He knows how Blaise can go on and on and on when he is on a roll.

"... stupid Ministry! And I cannot even curse them to hell and back. That wouldn't..." What ever Blaise wanted to say was lost in his mouth. "Say what??!!" he asked Draco. "You heard me," Draco simply told him.