HI ALL! So this is my first Fanfic on this sight. Though I have been reading Fanfictions on here for EVER! Please be gentle. Also, the main reason for my writing this story is to become a Beta. It helps me unwind and stay fresh with my own writing. My non-Harry Potter writing. I hope you enjoy. Who am I talking to? No one is gonna read this.

Hermione exits the floo and straightens her hair as she enters the Ministry. She wipes her sensible blue button-down shirt-dress of the soot from the fire place and straightens the pretty leather belt around the center. "My new shoes!" she gasps to herself as she bends down to wipe away the smudges of her recent travel from her patent leather Mary-Janes. It's not as if she put a large amount of effort into her appearance, but it's not everyday you meet your future husband. As she walked across the floor, her shoes clicking on the glass, she scans the letter in her hand again.

Ministry of Magic

Division of Re-population and Marriage Affairs

Dear Miss Granger,

As you know the magical world is desperate to restore our population to it's former glory of many powerful witches and wizards for our future due to the tragic loss of the war 4 years ago. As you have yet to find a husband on your own and are of eligible age you must report to the Ministry on May 1st at 1pm sharp where you will find a suitable husband. You have 1 week after your first meeting to plan and prepare for your wedding and married life together. Within the first 2 years of marriage we expect a pregnancy. If you do not make this meeting we will assume you have no interest in following the laws of the wizard world and will break your wand and ban you from our dwindling numbers. Thank you so much for your help and care in keeping the world of wizardry running and populated.

Sincerely,

Delvinia Horace

Secretary of the Division of Re-Population and Marriage Affairs

Ministry of Magic

"Disgusting!" Hermione almost cried out loud. But she was in the Ministry now and had the proper sense to keep it in her head. Her face however showed her feelings quite perfectly. "As if I'm a head of cattle to be sold off to the highest bidder! I am an independent, strong and intelligent woman!" She half crushed the letter in her hand and made her way to the elevator and called out her destination. The elevator jerked backwards and forwards side to side up and down. People got off and on as she waited. "Maybe because it's the newest part of the ministry its the furthest away?" she thought to herself. "Good! The longer I can hold this off the better."

The elevator opened into a large white, too-bright room with one desk and one door on the opposite wall behind the desk. The lone witch clerking the desk couldn't even be bothered to look up when Hermione click-clacked her way up to the desk.

"Ahem!" Hermione made a noise as if clearing her throat.

The woman without looking up asked "Name?"

"This head of cattle's name is Hermione Granger, cow extraordinaire," she said with disdain and exasperation. At least she got the bitch to look up with her comment.

"Yes, Hermione Granger with a 1 o'clock appointment." She stopped and stared as if she had just remembered something. "Wait, are you 'the' Hermione Granger?"

"What does it matter?!" Hermione spat out. Her patience was really wearing thin. This whole thing was ridiculous to begin with.

"Quite right," the clerk said while shuffling parchment on her desk, "You will exit this door behind me which will scan you and your wand and record that you were here for your appointment. Behind that door there are 12 other doors. Here at the Ministry we don't want to take away all of your choices," Hermione snorted aloud at that, "and so you will get to choose a door. Behind each door is a suitable wizard, one of whom you shall marry."

"Can I see into the doors?" Hermione asked.

As if that would make all the difference, she scoffed inwardly.

"Where's the fun in that?" the clerk beamed. "We like to leave it up to fate!" Hermione scowled at her smile. This was no place or time for smiles! This was some serious shit! She was being forced into a marriage and now the ministry had turned it into some kind of muggle dating game.

"You're an idiot and you should be ecstatic that I haven't hexed your tits off." Hermione said it in such a deadpan way the witch thought she was kidding and she laughed.

"Seriously, I have seen so many couples come out of that room so excited for their new future. Fate had picked them the perfect partner." She explained but Hermione had stopped listening lost in thought.

"Is it just random men behind doors in there?!" She burst out. The thought had come to her and she felt the need to express it out loud.

"Oh no! Goodness! We pick 12 wizards who are suited specifically to you." She explained further, "and with who you are and knowing so much about you, we had men volunteering for you."

"Well lets get on with it then!" Hermione said irritated.

"Just walk through the door so we can record you were here and pick yourself a man!" She said too cheerful.

With a sigh Hermione walked around the desk to the door. She turned the handle and opened the door. As she walked through she felt the magic go over and through her. It gave her chills. She walked forward a few feet more and heard the door close behind her. She turned to look and realized this was it. This was the end. No more independent Hermione. No more going out when she wanted. No more clipping her toe nails in the living room. No more Hanging out with her friends drinking in her flat. OH MY GOD! What about her research! How was she to spend hours never-ending doing her research projects and pouring over volumes of books pertaining to that research. She was NOT gonna cook and clean for some man instead of work on her projects. What if he wanted to her to quit her job? Oh my God this was the worst day ever.

She shook her head to rid herself of the doomed thoughts and starting sizing up the doors in front of her. She used her wand to cast a spell to see who was behind. The spell went toward the first door and bounced off as if hitting a bubble and dissipated. She tried it again. Now she tried all the doors, but alas, the same. She kept send her spell out over and over not caring about which door she was aiming. "Okay, girl, definition of insanity; let's move on shall we." She started walking in front of the doors touching them as she walked. She got to door nine and stopped. Did her hand just tingle? She kept walking until she got to door twelve. feeling in despair she leaned her against the wall and looked down the aisle of doors holding unwitting "steers". she started back up the way she came and paused again at door nine. Okay, her hand definitely tingled this time. She reached for the handle, compelled. As she touched the handle the tingle grew stronger. She had to find out who was behind that door! She turned the handle and pulled it open.

"YOU!" Her and the person behind the door said in unison.

"NO!" They said in unison again.

Hermione staggered backwards and almost tripped over herself. "There's been some kind of a mistake! I can't marry you!"

Professor Severus Snape walked out of the door sneering his best sneer saved for special occasions of ridiculousness. "And what, Miss Granger, makes you think I want to marry you."