Hermione's Betrothal

Chapter 3: Part One

The next morning Hermione rises out of bed, a light shining through her Prefect bedroom window. Hermione is a bit excited that it is finally September 19th, her birthday for she is now 16 years old. Hermione waits for Lavender and then they both head towards the Great Hall and sit down to eat breakfast.

"So are you ready for your present Hermione?" Lavender asked inquisitively.

Sure Hermione replied. Lavender reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box. Hermione opened it and inside were two rings and as she put them on they magically shrunk to fit her finger.

"They are magic rings the other us actually meant for someone you intend to marry or love." said Lavender. All of a sudden owls started swooping in. Hermione normally doesn't pay much attention to them; she and her parents only talk once a month to check on her and her studies. Then one owl dropped a letter right next to her and flew off out the window; Hermione picked up the letter and examined it. It was from the Ministry of Magic by the seal on the letter. Hermione, curious as to what it was about, opened the letter and started to read it.

"Dear Miss Hermione Granger,

It is my duty as the head of the Department of Marriage Contracts to inform you that today on September 19th, 1995, on your sixteenth birthday the first stage of the betrothal contract signed by your parents has gone into effect. Please make note of all clauses in the enclosed document for any and all issues.

We wish you the best of luck on this first stage of your future relationship with your future husband...signed Miraphora Mina Head of the Department of Marriage Contracts."

Hermione, all confused, did not even bother to look at who her husband was in the letter. She went pale and her mind ran rampant with hundreds of questions. Lavender then took the letter noticing that Hermione looked like a ghost and read the letter and asked,

"Cripes Hermione, do you know who you're supposed to marry?''

Hermione shook her head and looked at the paper with lavender and saw future husband Harry James Potter, Hermione could not believe it she started to tell Lavender that it was impossible Hermione was adopted and never knew her real parents nor did she try to figure out who or what they were because she never really minded living with her muggle parents.

As soon as Ginny entered the Great Hall Hermione put the letter away and when Ginny arrived at the table she asked Hermione if she liked the gift oblivious to the fact Hermione was still a bit pale and Lavender unsettled. After breakfast Hermione headed straight toward her Head of House, Professor McGonagall's office and as soon as the professor saw Hermione she saw that she looked unsettled.

"What's wrong Miss Granger, don't you have classes starting soon?" Hermione gave her the papers she received and asked the professor if she knew anything or could find out how this letter came to be. After the professor read the papers a surprised reaction came over her face.

"Well Miss Granger I do not know what I could find out this is a betrothal contract and they are normally kept strictly confidential to the two families who signed them and the witnesses of the contract."

"Professor do I really have to marry Harry Potter?" Hermione asked distressingly.

"Well by reading the clauses the only way out of it now is if one of you dies before the date of expected marriage. Your real parents, whoever they were, could also stop it and Harry's but, since his are dead and yours unknown there is really no way out of it. I suppose before you were adopted you were a pureblood because betrothal contracts are high with purebloods. It seems as if it was signed a month before Harry's parents' death."