The pursuit of happiness

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out, I hate to make excuses but if you leave in America and you are old enough to care about economy and the sort, than you know ours is shot to hell. Well, it hit home, my boyfriend got laid off and I've been having to pick up any and every shift I can, so it's making writing a bit difficult.

Please let me know what you think, this kind of has a mind of its own and I would love to hear from you.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy new year.
May Santa be better to you guys than he's gonna be to me... Enjoy.


And the Bomb ticks

“Minister, you’ve got company,” came the sweet voice of the main secretary.

“Thank you Lana, you may send her right in,” Kingsley replied.

“Yes sir,” moments later Rita Skeeter walked into the conference room.

“What’s going on here?” she inquired a bit wearily.

“I’ve got a job for you,” Kingsley laid it out, choosing to not beat around the bush.

“Look Minister, with all due respect, just because I haven’t been getting much work lately doesn’t mean I’m going to lower myself to prostitution,” she said in a huff.

“That’s not the kind of work I was referring to, I have a story for you and I need it to make front page news on this next edition,” he explained.

“Really?” she perked up a bit.

“Yes, do you accept?”

With a crazed grin, Rita nodded her agreement and pulled out her quick-quotes-quill, no one in their right mind would pass up such an opportunity.

@~~~


As consciousness kicked in, and Draco was slowly brought back from dream land, he realized that this had been his best night sleep yet. The warm body pressed tightly against his served as a reminder and a good one mind you, of the previous night. He wanted so badly to just fall back asleep and ignore the world for the rest of the day, better yet he wanted to ignore that pesky little owl that kept pecking at his window.

But it was not to be done; the prophet owl would not leave until it was paid. Slowly he untangled himself from Hermione; he paid the owl and watched as it flew away. He also had in mind to ignore the paper and crawl back in bed with his girl, yeah that definitely had a ring to it, but the headline caught his eyes.

A year to find love

‘What the hell,’ his girl would just have to wait just one minute. This was not something he could ignore, yeah it could be something stupid Rita Skeeter wrote but it didn’t feel that way. So he read.

A year to find love

Yes, folks have I got news for you. So take a sit, put your wands away and get ready for what you are about to read.

Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, has done the unthinkable. No, he hasn’t declared himself the new Dark Lord yet, Joking. He’s done worse, yes Wizarding folk he’s done much worse, he has passed a Marriage Law. Please, keep your wands away, it will do no good. The law has passed; the board of advisors already approved it. The law states as follow:

Marriage Law 143
Every single witch and wizard between the ages of 16 and 35 will be required to find and marry another wizard or witch. Witches and wizards will have one year to find a suitable candidate, as of the first of November of 1998 those who haven’t requested a marriage petition will then be magically matched with their best suitor. Those who fail to oblige will be exiled from the wizarding world permanently. Marriages can and will be dissolved in three year’s time if the couple fails to produce an heir, those couples will than be re-matched and remarried…

The paper fell from Draco’s hand, landing in a heap on the floor. ‘That was insane,’ they were being related to breading animals, being paired off and if they didn’t reproduce than they would pair them off with another. Fucking great, just fucking great, and just now when he thought maybe he could take control of his life. ‘Hermione’, he thought, ‘I could marry her’. She’d never agree to it but it was definitely a thought to keep in mind.

“Granger, wake up,” he shouted.

Her only response was a grunt.

“Granger, wake up,” he shouted again.

“Why you scream, it’s like you inside my head,” she mumbled a muffled response due to the pillow she had placed over her face to try and block his voice.

Taking a quick peak on his bedside table he found what he was looking for, “Here drink this,” he said handing her a vial of hangover potion. “Granger, get up now.”

She shot back the potion, nasty little bugger that was, memories of the previous night cleared up instantly. She wanted to hide from him, but that just wouldn’t do, she wanted this; wanted him, and hiding was not an option.

“Back to last names, are we?”

“Good morning Mia,” he greeted her properly with a smile that failed to reach his silver eyes, it made her shiver.

He called her Mia, it sounded so cute coming from him, ‘wonder if Ginny told him to call me that,’ but that was a thought for later. “Good morning, what has you so sour this early in the morning? Or are you just not a morning person?”

“I’m usually a morning person, but today’s prophet tasted like sour pumpkin juice,” he sneered.

“Well, there’s a perfect explanation for that, papers are for reading not tasting,” yeah that did it, and it pleased her a great deal to be the one to bring a real smile to his beautiful face.

“Read the paper, I bet you won’t be making jokes than,” he bent down and grabbed the paper for her. She sat up clutching the sheets to her naked chest, took the paper from him and started to read for herself what had made him so sour.

“WHAT???? They wouldn’t dare,” she shrieked.

“They dared,” was his short response.

“But a year is not nearly enough time, I can’t be matched to some dunderhead buffoon, I can’t leave the wizarding world, this is just not right and Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore and the lot of them should’ve been against it but no they went and approved it and n-” she was rambling, working herself into a panic attack until Draco kissed her mouth shut. Effective and felt good.

“What did you do that for?” she asked once he pulled away from her.

“We could marry,” he suggested, choosing to ignore her little question.

“What? Why? How?” she was dumbfounded.

“You want me, I want you, we have to,” he answered simply.

“You can’t base marriage on physical attraction alone, I mean I like you and wanted to get your attention and really I hadn’t given it much thought to the ‘after I got your attention’ part of the plan, but marriage,” she spoke in one single breath.

“Thanks, but I’m not sure if I should be flattered or offended,” he chuckled softly, his anger dissipating a bit.

“Maybe we should go down to breakfast and see how everyone else is coping,” she suggested choosing to ignore his comment.

“Yes, but perhaps you should go see to the couple that, as I recall, took over your bed last night.”

“Ginny,” she got to her feet blushing at her nakedness. She only had on a pair of panties and nothing else.

“You know something,” his tone serious, “I’m still waiting for the moment when you turn around and hex me silly,” he whispered into her ear from behind her.

“Now, why would I do that?” she sighed, leaning back onto his chest.

“Because I am me and you are you,” he answered while wrapping his arms around her waist.

“If that’s your reason than I guess I could say the same thing for you, I’m in your room, practically naked and waiting for a nasty remark to come towards me.”

“In order to make nasty remarks I need to have something to remark on, and I simply can’t find anything wrong with you,” he spoke as he kissed her neck softly.

“There are lots wrong with me,” she practically whined.

“Let me prove you wrong,” taking her hand in his and tugging her towards the bed.

“Now is not really a good time.”

“Now is as good as any,” he smirked at her.

“And I will hold you to that but it’s past eight and we really should get down to breakfast and see what everyone else is saying about this,” he growled in frustration, all he really wanted to do was keep her on his bed and worship her body until the need for food strikes or to attend classes whichever came first.

“Down boy, I’ll go check on Ginny and change, I’ll see you later, okay?” she gave him a little peck on the lips and walked out of his room, throwing on his shirt as she went.

She didn’t want to leave him, hell she wanted to let him do whatever was on that wicked mind of his, but there would be time for that later. Now she needed to go see what Ginny was up to, and get down to the great hall for some much needed information.

Making it to her room in few quick steps she knocked four times before getting an answer.

“Gin, are you guys decent? I need to change and we need to get down to the Great Hall,” as she spoke she could hear them rustling around the room.

“One minute Mia,” and as promised the door swung open revealing a very thoroughly shagged Ginny.

“I see your night went better than mine,” Hermione giggled.

“At least I still have my own clothes,” and both girls giggled.

“Due to your good mood I take it that you have yet to see the daily prophet,” Hermione’s tone changing completely.

“No, we’ve been otherwise preoccupied,” Blaise smiled, coming to stand behind Ginny.

“Draco has the paper, go read it. I’ll tell Ginny while we change,” Hermione said shooing Blaise out of her room.

“So you and Draco…” Ginny left the words hanging as she waited for Hermione to finish the sentence.

“You and Blaise took over my room, so Draco took me to his bed and we did absolutely nothing but sleep, but this topic can wait. You won’t believe what was on the front page of the prophet.”

“A new Dark Lord is on the rising?” Ginny asked hoping to anything that that was not the case.

“No, worse. A new Dark Lord I can deal with, but the new law that passed today is something I can not. A marriage law,” Hermione picked trough her clothes as she waited for the reaction that was only seconds away.

“WHAT?” and Ginny didn’t disappoint.

“A marriage law.”

“I know what you said, but really, that can’t be happening. Finally we are free of that bastard’s reign of fear only to be thrown into marriages that we’ve no say in,” Ginny was angry.

“Well, we have a say, so to speak. The law states that we have a year to find love, than if we don’t they’ll match us, and what is worse is that if we don’t conceive in a certain amount of time they’ll dissolve our marriage and pair us off with someone else,” Hermione explained.

“What are we? Breading mares?” Ginny was visibly upset.

“That’s how we are being treated,” Hermione sighed.

“Let’s look at it this way Hermione, at least they are giving us a chance to choose for ourselves when they could just owl us names and said we had to marry said wizard,” Ginny tried making the situation seem a bit lighter.


“Okay, I guess you have a point there. Draco said the same thing. I don’t know Gin, I’m just not ready for marriage,” Hermione sighed in defeat.

“You can say that again, after breakfast we should make a list,” Ginny suggested.

“Yeah, mine will consist of ‘No’s and ‘Hell No’s. How about yours?” Hermione chuckled.

“Be serious Hermione, unless of course, you wanna wait for the ministry to match you to some mentally, physically and magically challenged wizard.”

“List it is then.”

Once they entered the Great Hall, it was clear that almost everybody had read the news; apprehension was the reigning emotion in all the sixth years and up including some of the professors. The hushed whispers made the Great Hall sound like an over grown bee hive.

They joined Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table, the fact that their faces held the same apprehension as everyone else told the girls that they too had already read or heard of the news.

“Hey,” Hermione greeted, somehow ‘good morning’ didn’t seem quite fitting.

Both Harry and Ron nodded in acknowledgement; it seemed that they had made peace. They had bigger things in mind to worry about Harry’s little temper tantrum, their friendship had been through so much and this hopefully had been a minor setback.

“Did Dumbledore say anything yet?” Hermione asked.

“No,” Harry answered.

“But he seems to be waiting for something,” Ron added.

“Why? What makes you say that Ron?” Ginny asked.

“Because he keeps looking at his pocket watch and out towards the windows,” both girls tuned to watch the Headmaster, as if to prove Ron right Dumbledore pulled out his pocket watch looked at it then his eyes wondered over to the high windows.

“That just makes me uneasy,” Hermione said to no one in particular, she let her eyes wonder over to the slytherin table, somehow just meeting his eyes left her more at ease.

“You and everyone else, I just wish that whatever he’s waiting for would come already,” Harry sighed, as if on cue a flock of owl entered the Great Hall.

“Isn’t it a bit too late foe mail?” Ginny questioned.

The owls circled overhead searching for their target. Seconds later they were gone, leaving behind official Ministry parchments. Just as Hermione was about to open her parchment Dumbledore’s voice stopped her.

As soon as the owls left Dumbledore rose to his feet and made to speak, this would’ve normally earned him the attention deserved, but today was anything but normal.

“Can I have your attention please,” he called, that did it, “Now before you open those, I will like ask everyone who didn’t receive one to please take your leave,” he paused and watched as the kids filled out.

“Now, in those parchments you will find a little more information on the new law, if you have any questions or concerns you may schedule and appointment with your head of house, you may go,” he finished by turning and exiting the Great Hall.

*Crickets*

Students and Professors alike stared agape at the retreating back of Albus Dumbledore. The students broke out into frenzy.

Professor Snape, surprising everyone into silence, addressed the students, “There is no point in fighting it, the law is here to stay and much to your dislike it could be much worse. I’m sure all of you have a whole lot of questions but you won’t get any answers right, as the Headmaster said you may make appointments with your own Heads of House, starting tomorrow,” he too left.

“Are you coming back to my rooms Ginny?” Hermione asked.

“If you don’t mind,” Ginny answered.

“Of course I don’t mind, plus we have a list to make.”

“Leave it to Hermione to map out everything,” Ron smiled.

Noting no nastiness in his comment, Hermione smiled back.

“There is nothing to map out Hermione, it’s an easy fix, I’ll marry Ginny and Ron will marry Hermione. That way we’ll stay together,” Harry shrugged as if it was the only clear solution.

“Harry, that’s not gonna happen mate,” Ron sighed, a sad tone in his voice.

“Why not? We must stay together,” Harry was getting angry now.

“Because it’s not Harry, I don’t want to marry you,” Ginny smiled guiltily at him.

“You have no choice, no one else wants to be with you anyway,” his words were like a slap in the face and Ginny reacted as if.

“Harry,” Ron hissed, “you’ve just got back on my good graces are you asking to be on my black list permanently.”

“Don’t be stupid Ron, we belong together just like you and Hermione,” Harry growled.

“No Harry, you are the one being stupid, my sister will marry whoever she wants that will put up with our family, and me and Hermione were never meant to be. We gave it a shot and it failed, we’ve moved on to something better, maybe you should do the same,” Ron stood,” Oh, and I hear loony is still single,” and with that he left the table.

“Is that how you feel Hermione?” he asked her.

“Yes… sort of. Ron, kind of nailed it, I’ve a year to decide this but Ron’s not even an option.”

“I’ll make you guys see the way, you’ve just got other people clouding your minds,” he looked almost sympathetic.

“Harry don’t this, just let it go already,” Ginny pleaded.

“LET IT GO ALREADY. You want me to just let our friendship go,” and the anger was back.

“What are you talking about Harry?” Hermione was dumbfounded.

“I’m not letting anyone break us up, not even the Minister himself.”

“You’re the one breaking us up, Harry, just you,” Ginny sighed.

“Come on Gin, let’s go,” Hermione took Ginny’s hand pulled her away from Harry.

“I didn’t know Ron had it in him,” Hermione said.

“I know, I lived with him all my life and I was surprised, he sounded so mature that I didn’t even recognize him for a second.”

“Fortunately, some of us do grow up,” Hermione shook her head as the statement left her lips. And Ginny knew just what she was talking.

“He’s gone mental,” Ginny said.

“I’m afraid you are right, it’s like now that Voldemort is gone, he has made marrying you his soul purpose,” Hermione told her friend.

“You’re telling me,” Ginny visibly shivered.

“Who’s gone mental Red?” Blaise asked, pushing up off the wall he was leaning against.

“Harry,” both girls answered.

“I could’ve told you that Mia,” Draco chuckled as he mimicked his friend’s previous move.

“Draco,” she greeted. He leaned in and pressed his lips softly to her cheek.

“’Mia’ though not mine, it suits you,” Blaise grinned.

She returned his smile, Draco held her hand as they walked back to the heads dorm, and Blaise draped his arm around Ginny’s shoulder and walked along.

“So, Blaise?”

“Yes Granger?”

“You sleep on my bed, with out my permission I might add, I think you can call me by my first name,” she said in mock reprimand.

“Yes Hermione.”

“Like my bed?” she grinned.

“Your bed, floor, wall, vanity, I liked it all,” he winked as he squeezed Ginny's shoulder.

Hermione stuck out her tongue at him, “I need a new room,” she whined making the group laugh at her. They chatted happily all the way, for the moment the law was forgotten.

“They will pay,” Harry hissed from the shadows as he followed the four teens.

“I wonder what mum is saying about this law; after all, of all her children the only one married is bill.”

“You guys should just have one big red wedding,” Draco chuckled.

Ginny studied him for awhile, after a couple of seconds she decided that there was no malice in his voice, she joked too.

“Only if we can have it at your manor,” she said.

“Nah Red, Malfoy manor isn’t that big,” and they laughed some more.