Life as we know it...

Chapter 1: Life as they know it.

Everybody silently waited in the Gryffindor common room, at last they heard the portrait door swing open allowing the unsuspecting birthday girl to enter. She had spent the last four hours in the library wondering why nearly everyone seemed to have forgotten her birthday. As she stepped into the common room she gasped.

"Happy Birthday Hermione!" Echoed throughout Gryffindor Tower.

An overwhelming happiness filled her, she instantly beamed at her fellow Gryffindors. The first person to find her was her chizzled, handsome boyfriend.

"Happy birthday darling." He whispered into her ear as music started to boom.

Ron moved behind her, arms around her waist. His chin resting on her head, occasionally kissing her hair as people came to wish her a happy birthday. Ginny walked over to them with Harry following with firewhiskey. The party continued into the early hours of the morning, more alcohol was consumed than butterbeer even for the younger students. Usually Hermione would have had a heartattack about such things but tonight was her night to loosen up and have fun. As the Gryffindors and a few select Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs danced and drank little did they know that a meeting in the Headmistresses office would change life as they knew it forever.

Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk with her head in her hands.

"No. There must be another way." She cried. "They are just children!"

Kingsley Shacklebolt sighed defeatedly. "I wish there was McGonagall but Wizengamot has decided it's the only way to increase the magical population."

"Marrying them off and impregnating them is not the only way! Not in my school, Dumbledore never would have stood for this!" She shouted standing up infuriated.

The new minister sighed again, "I've tried to overpower them but I can't! The only thing I've managed to do is bump the age from seventeen to eighteen. Over fifty percent of the population has decreased because of that blasted war!" Minister Shacklebolt shouted pounding his fist on the table.

"Just give them a few more years to mature, to live the lives they deserve." McGonagall pleaded.

"I would if I could McGonagall, this new law will only be passed to those eighteen and older." Kingsley tried to comfort.

"So Potter, Weasley and Granger after all they've done. Longbottom, Miss. Weasley and Miss Lovegood keeping the light inside Hogwarts last year..."

McGonagall continued with other students who had gone to desperate measures like Dean Thomas going into hiding and Lavender Brown taking the bite of a werewolf. The minister seemed unaffected by her speech.

"Fine!" She eventually snapped. "However if you think they'll take this lightly or if you think I'll be the one to tell them, then you are sadly mistaken!"

As Hermione slowly woke up she realised she wasn't sure where she was. She felt an arm tighten around her waist. As memories of last night flooded back to her she gasped and bolted upwards realising her naked body and bare boyfriend next to her.

Ron stirred. "Hermione?" He asked groggily.

He supported himself on his elbow realising what she had realised seconds before.

"We didn't, did we?" Hermione asked.

"Yup." Ron answered with a grin plastered across his face.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked still in shock.

Ron looked around the room as if he were testing something. Suddenly a pile of neatly folded clothes appeared on the bed.

Ron nodded to himself smiling. "I think we've found the room of requirement."