Learning To Love

Prologue:

In every person's life, there are times when they are forced to take part in something they do not want to do. In some cases it is something simple, such as work. Other times, it can be something more life changing. My parents were forced to get married and that changed their lives forever.

My parents were enemies in school and it was the result of a stupid ministry law that forced them together. They were both heroes in the war against Voldemort, and both were in serious relationships with other people before the war and the resulting law.

Voldemort was defeated at the end of their seventh year, and after losing so many in the war, the Ministry of Magic put the law into place a few years later, when they were twenty.

My parents' marriage started out very rocky and it took a lot of time for them to fall in love. Even now, twenty-five years later, they are still very much in love.

I was a big surprise, but my mother believes that I helped bring their marriage together.

My name is Nashira Malfoy, daughter of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, and this is their story...

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Chapter 1:

Hermione Granger awoke to the tapping of the Daily Prophet owl at her window. She glanced at the clock by her bed and realized it was almost 9:30. Stretching, she stood and opened her window, letting the owl in.

After paying the owl, she sat down on her bed to read through the paper. After reading the headline on the front page, she screamed loudly and began to cry.

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Twenty-five miles away, twenty year old Draco Malfoy was also sitting down to read the Daily Prophet. It was quiet in his house, now that he didn't need to worry about his father watching his every move. Lucius had died shortly before the Final Battle in one of his Death Eater raids, as had his mother, when she had been sent to Azkaban. After the death of Dumbledore at the end of his sixth year, Draco realized what he had gotten into and tried to back out. He fled his house and finally ended up in the care of the Order of the Phoenix. He was instrumental in the defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named, but nevertheless he still did not get along with the Golden Trio.

He opened the paper and growled at the headline he saw:

Ministry to Implement Marriage Law

Minister of Magic, Percival Weasley, enacts a law in which only marriages between a pureblood witch or wizard and a muggleborn or halfblood witch or wizard. Research has shown that the inbreeding of purebloods is causing a decrease in the Wizarding World's population. Nearly 4 in 5 babies born into families with two pureblood parents are squibs. This is up from only 2 in 5 squibs being born only 10 years ago. Added to this is the fact that many lives were lost in the war against He Who Must Be Named close to three years ago.

At the present, the Ministry of Magic will be pairing together the first couples, in hopes of using these couples as an example for the rest of the Wizarding community. In time, Minister Weasley hopes that the rest of the community will become more open to the idea and will help the process run smoother.

Draco lowered his paper, shaking his head at the stupidity of the Ministry. Figuring that the law couldn't possibly affect him so soon, he flipped through the rest of his paper while eating his breakfast.

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After reading the whole article, Hermione broke down into tears, knowing somehow that this would affect her; and soon, especially due to her relationship with Harry. She began to wonder if maybe it would be worth it to just snap her wand and leave. She loved her life in the Wizarding World, and she had an amazing job working at Flourish & Blott's. She had recently moved into her small flat in Hogsmeade and she loved being immersed in the world she had grown to love.

Since it was her day off of work, Hermione tried to spend the day keeping her mind off the new law and instead threw herself into decorating her new home. After many hours of being unsuccessful at this, she decided to write to Harry.

Dear Harry,
I'm sure by now that you've heard the news about the new marriage law. It's absolutely dreadful, isn't it? I just hope we can hold things off long enough, so that the law will be repealed, allowing us to marry still.
I understand that there is the population problem, but why only purebloods? Why wouldn't a marriage like ours produce the children necessary? I just hope that it won't affect us immediately and we can find a way around it. Be safe on your next Auror mission and I will see you when you get back.
Love you always,
Your Hermione

She called her owl, Midnight, to her. Midnight was a dark brown color, almost black and she was on the smaller side, for an owl. Midnight fluffed her feathers and held her leg out for Hermione, allowing her to attach the letter.

"Take this to Harry," she said, holding Midnight out the window.

She watched Midnight fly off and dropped onto her bed, hoping that nothing would interfere with her and Harry's plans. She soon fell asleep and did not wake up until many hours later, when an owl landed next to her.

The owl was an unfamiliar one that held a large envelope on its right leg. She slowly extracted the letter from its leg and offered him an owl treat. After taking the treat, it made its way back out the window and flew off.

She opened the letter, and after reading it, she began to cry, not believing its contents. This is how Ginny Weasley found her when she came to visit, sitting on her bed crying over this letter. Ginny took the letter from Hermione and read it.

Dear Miss Granger,
As you have probably heard by now, the Ministry of Magic is enacting a new Marriage Law. In order for others to see how well this law will work, the Ministry and I are choosing couples that will set an example for the Wizarding community.
Since you were the Hogwarts' Head Girl during the 1997-1998 school year, and you are a Muggleborn, we feel it is best that you marry the Head Boy from that year, Draco Malfoy, on August 1^st. As Hogwarts is large enough to accommodate for the large number of people that will be on hand for this wedding, it is requested of you that you arrive at Hogwarts on July 22^nd to begin preparations. A Ministry official will meet you at Platform 9 ¾ precisely at 11:00 that morning.
Sincerely,
Percival Weasley
Minister of Magic

Knowing exactly what was wrong, Ginny pulled Hermione into a hug and tried to comfort her.

"Oh, Hermione, my brother really is a big prat, isn't he? Maybe it won't be so bad though. Draco did end up on our side, and he seems better without his father's influence."

Through her tears Hermione replied, "But he still is Draco Malfoy, the boy who terrorized me from my first year due to my blood status. How is this supposed to be any different?"

"I don't know, Hermione. There is always the option of leaving; I'm sure Harry would go with you. That boy would follow you to the ends of the earth if need be."

"I can't ask Harry to do that. This is the only life that has ever treated him well. Besides I love my life here. I'll just have to go through with this. Maybe even this stupid law will be repealed and we can just get a divorce and move on with our lives." Hermione tried to put on a brave smile for her friend.

"Hermione, I don't know how to tell you this, but divorce is very uncommon and very much frowned down upon in our world."

At hearing these words, Hermione began to cry again, rocking herself back and forth. Ginny tried to calm her down, but eventually stood and went to make tea. Through the Floo she called Mrs. Weasley to come help, as she was like a second mother to Hermione.

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Meanwhile, at the Malfoy Manor, Draco was pacing around his bedroom, muttering to himself, as he had just gotten his letter from Minister Weasley.

"Granger! I have to marry Granger! I mean, I know she is beautiful, but she hates me. Besides, there is no way she will come into this marriage willingly. And what about Mandy?"

Draco sighed at this last thought. He had started dating Mandy Brocklehurst after they left Hogwarts and while he did like her very much, she wasn't the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He just hadn't found the way to break up with her yet.

'Well, here's a way,' he thought to himself.

Sighing, he sat down at his desk and began to draft letters to both Mandy and Hermione.

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