well, this is unexpected

"It's ludicrous, Ginny. Pure insanity!"

Ginny Potter grimaced in commiseration. Hermione had been griping about the marriage law since they sat down to lunch. Not that she could blame her really. She'd be in the same predicament if she and Harry hadn't been married the year before. The only down side was that the ministry was asking all married couples to start trying for children now whether they were ready or not.

She slid some bread towards her best friend and was relieved when she tore off a piece and dipped it in the garlicy oil mixture. The woman really needed to eat something.

"I can't say I disagree with you. I mean, I do get what they're saying about the wizarding community needing to replenish its population but choosing for everyone? Seems a bit unnecessarily harsh if you ask me."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she chewed the bread. She knew she was being irritating but forty-eight hours hadn't been enough to quell her irritation.

"I mean, I'm not even dating anyone. I'm not ready for marriage." She paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "Well I guess I'm at the point in life where it's expected and had I been seeing someone I'd be ok with it but some random man chosen for me? What the hell will I do if I get a death eater?"

Ginny snorted as she sipped her water. "Highly unlikely since the only ones that aren't locked up were rehabilitated and that number is small." She chewed her lip for a moment before pressing on. "When do you find out?"

Her friend looked suddenly distraught. "Rumor is owls will be sent out this afternoon for those of us within the ministry. They started within to set an example or some rubbish."

"Then I suppose Harry and I can expect you for dinner to rant about your match?"

Hermione nodded her head with a rueful smile. "Likely, yes."

She took the nearest floo back to the Ministry and rushed through the lunch foot traffic to her desk, nearly bowling over a pair of Gringotts' goblins. Dennis Creevey attempted to flag her down for her signature on some unimportant document but she waved him off and asked her second, Terry Boot, to sign it.

As expected, the post was on the corner of her desk. She eyed it with trepidation as she shrugged out of her robes before resting them over the back of her chair. She smoothed her skirt before she took her seat and reached for the pieces of mail.

There were only a few. One from professor McGonagall reminding her of their meeting in two days. One from Ron which was quite a surprise. And lastly, one with a Ministry stamp across it.

She waffled for a moment but ultimately decided to read Ron's first. She imagined Harry had a similar one. He'd left six months after the end of the war and their short romance had fizzled out to work with his brother in Romania. He'd applied for a grant through her office two years ago to continue their work with the troubled Norwegian dragons and she'd been kind enough to grant it with her then boss' permission.

Besides that, he only wrote about once a month and the letters weren't particularly long. He enjoyed his work and rarely came home except for holidays and while they'd maintained a decent friendship, it wasn't what it once was. Not between her and him anyway. She actually didn't think Harry even kept a close relationship with him either which was surprising but she never commented on it. They had a silent agreement of sorts that when Ron was ready to be a part of everyone's lives again, he'd return and train in the auror department like he'd originally planned.

His letter was short and sweet. Bare bones details of his life and that he'd be returning for good before Christmas. That was a bit surprising but inevitable. Besides, he'd learn of the new marriage law himself soon enough no doubt.

She penned a short response back before glancing with nervous eyes back to the Ministry letter.

"Now or never," she muttered to herself.

She grabbed the letter and ripped the seal before pulling the stiff parchment out. With a hard swallow, she unfolded it and scanned the page.

Miss Hermione Granger,

Upon close inspection of your lifestyle, hopes, dreams, deepest desires…our offices have determined your match to be…

~o~O~o~

Harry Potter had just taken his seat behind his desk when the door burst open and an agitated Draco Malfoy stood in front of him, chest heaving and lips pressed into thin lines.

"Read it, Potter," he growled as he thrust the letter under his nose.

Harry almost laughed at the expression on his face but thought better of it. He must have gotten his match letter.

His green eyes scanned the page and he had to hide a grin behind his hand.

"Oh Merlin… She's not going to be very happy about this."

"You think?" Draco started pacing back and forth in front of his desk. "What am I going to do, Potter? She hates me."

Harry straightened his glasses with one hand and shook his head. "I don't think you have much choice but to marry…her."

He trailed off when once more his door burst open and there stood Hermione. He watched as she opened her mouth to speak but stopped short when she caught sight of Malfoy. Her eyes went wide and she started to back out but Harry stopped her with a hand held up.

"Nope, both of you sit. Might as well get this over with now so someone's here to help in case Hermione jinxes you, Malfoy."

He waved his wand towards his office door and locked it for good measure so neither could escape.

Draco swallowed hard as he watched her hesitantly approach one of the chairs across from Harry's desk. Words stuck in his throat as he watched her ease herself into it as she stared at his nameplate. He made eye contact with Harry who only lifted a single eyebrow in challenge before taking the seat next to her, careful not to lean too close.

Harry held his hands out in front of him, palms up. "Well? Who wants to go first?" Neither spoke up so he rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Alright then, if that's how it is. You've been matched together. Given your rather…tumultuous past…"

He paused when Hermione snorted derisively and turned her gaze away from them both to stare at a spot on the wall. "As I said, given your past, I realize this isn't going to be easy but obviously they matched you for some reason unknown to you. There's no way out of this."

Neither one made a move to speak so he decided on a new tactic. He stood from his desk and made for the door.

"You two sit there. I'm going to get some coffee. Maybe by the time I get back, you'll have said something to each other."

He slipped out the door and locked it behind himself.

Draco sat in stunned silence and after a moment finally ventured a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. In typical Granger fashion, she was in another black pencil skirt today, a simple purple blouse, and demure heels. It was the hair though that kept his attention. She'd long ago tamed the wild mane and instead of a frizzy bush, she had gentle curls and waves. The few times he encountered her in the ministry it was often pulled back but today she'd only pinned back one side out of her eyes, leaving curls at her shoulders.

He almost hated her for it. Despite the surprising turn over their matches, he knew he'd truly never have her.

He swallowed and decided to be a man about it. "Well…this was unexpected."

Slowly, she turned her head to face him but he couldn't quite read her expression as hard, chocolate eyes met grey stone.

"Unexpected? It's downright outrageous. What do you and I have in common besides the fact that we work in the same building? I'm surprised you haven't stormed off to Kingsley's office demanding a new match by now."

He sighed, mostly to himself. It wasn't like she knew him now. She only knew the selfish, bigoted prat he'd been at Hogwarts.

Ever since beginning work at the ministry five years ago, he'd avoided her because frankly he had no idea what to say to her. He made sure to avoid her amongst her friends once he realized she was avoiding him, too. He'd bullied her mercilessly for years growing up and he'd been present for her torture within his home. She had no reason to want to be around him.

Frankly, if he were to be honest, he was petrified of her.

"I'm not opposing the match for myself," he finally admitted.

He watched her head whip back towards him, a look of bewilderment marring her features. "What?"

"I'm not bothered that it's you," his eyes narrowed a bit irritably. "I am aware however that you'd likely rather marry a blast-ended skrewt than be shackled to me for the rest of your life."

Saying she was shocked would have been an understatement. He actually cared what she thought enough to draw that conclusion? And while she knew he didn't hold the same beliefs he once did about muggle-borns, as Harry had assured her numerous times, she was fairly certain he disliked her just for being her. He did call her a swotty little know-it-all rather frequently growing up.

Hermione shook her head. "Not necessarily the rest of my life. It we don't consummate," she nearly choked on the word, "the marriage within a year then they dissolve it and reassign us. We're allowed two chances at this."

What was that expression that crossed his face? Disdain? Hurt? No, definitely not hurt. He was Draco Malfoy after all.

"I remember reading that, yes," he replied, his tone colder now.

The door finally opened and Harry stood staring at them expectantly, coffee cup in hand. "Well?"

Hermione turned her eyes from him back to Draco. "I have to get back to work. We can discuss this later."

With that, she was out the door again nearly as quickly as she'd been through it.

Draco slumped in the chair as Harry retook his seat and ran his hands down his face.

"I take it that didn't go very well."

Draco tilted his head, an irritable look still marring his features. "I'm fairly certain she'll never not hate me. I'll be lucky if she doesn't hex me in my sleep."

Harry took a large gulp of coffee before setting the cup down with a grin. "She's not usually the vengeful sort. Note the word 'usually' though." He sat back in his chair and lifted his feet onto the corner of his desk. "Perhaps if you told her just how long you've been in love with her then that might melt the ice around her heart."

The air in the room changed suddenly and Draco sat up like he'd been struck by lightning.

"Don't joke about that, Potter," he snarled low. "She can't know. You and your Weasley wife are the only two that do and I'd very much like to keep it that way."

Harry looked unconcerned by his tone and sipped his coffee leisurely. "Even though you're about to be married to the very woman you're in love with?"

"Against her will," he reminded him with a sneer.

One corner of Harry's mouth tilted into a crooked smile. "Still, it's your opportunity to do something about it and we both know you never would otherwise."

His expression still hard, Draco deflated slightly. "I wouldn't even know where to start. She hates me for bullying her which I completely understand. Why wouldn't she? She had far more reason to hate me than any of the rest of you. I was horrible to her."

Harry's face suddenly turned a bit grim. "I'm going to owl Ginny. I think you're going to need help."

Draco rolled his eyes and stood to leave. He needed a distraction so a trip to the mailroom was in order. A menial task to occupy his mind for a moment.

News traveled fast in the Ministry. The mailroom was only two floors away but he was getting glares left and right from all the men he passed by. Looks of disdain and a few of disappointment from the women.

"Bloody Malfoy," one former Ravenclaw from his year muttered as he passed. "Why should he get Hermione Granger?"

"I don't think it will last," a woman whispered. "Hermione's too smart for him. They'll get dissolved after the year is up."

"He's awfully attractive though," another responded.

"Maybe but I've never known her to be the shallow sort."

"Why would they match those two," another guy mumbled to his friend. "I thought they hated each other at Hogwarts."

"He can't be immune to her looks though," the friend responded. "I mean she grew up well. Hell, I'd give my last galleon just to kiss that woman once. Those lips!"

"She's always been the quiet sort."

"You sure about that? Quiet but feisty. I've seen her tell off Weasley and Potter a number of times."

"True. Imagine what the sex would be like!"

Draco shook his head as he tried to ignore it all. Perhaps the wizarding community really was too small.