Bathwater

For the Greater Good

When Ginny Weasley moved like a tsunami tide, the rest of the world parted and fled before they were caught in her chaos. That was how students found themselves jumping onto the nearest benches inside the Great Hall, some looking away from the famous, furious red of her hair and color beneath pale cheeks, while others braved to see where she was headed. 

"Breathe, Ginny," Hermione said just before placing a spoon of mashed potatoes in her mouth, her eyes lingering on the thick book sprawled next to her dinner plate. When she was done reading her sentence, she looked up to find Ginny heaving at her side, Harry just a few steps behind her, hands in his pockets, and a look in his emerald eyes that reminded Hermione of all the scolding expressions she had given them over the years.

"You're absolutely mad," Ginny said through her teeth, "and a hypocrite. You told me not to rebel against the Ministry, and yet you just challenged them and McGonagall."

"Of course I'm hypocrite," replied Hermione as she took another scoop of potatoes into her mouth. When she swallowed it down, she then added, "I've got paired up with Draco Malfoy. Had either of you been paired with him, I'd be helping you challenge the entire world to get out of it."

Harry nodded, conceding to her explanation, but Ginny flung her elbow back, hitting him on the chest.  "I'm not saying it wasn't absolutely wonderful watching you stand up for yourself, but you gave up your wand. You understand what that means, don't you?"

Hermione pushed her dinner plate aside, turning to Harry and Ginny with her massive book in her hands now. "Of course I know what that means, but do you know what a betrothal in the Wizarding world consists of?"

"Servitude?"

"Pureblood inbreeding?"

"Besides that," huffed Hermione, offering the book up to them. "I checked this out from the library. It's all on vows involving family and marriage contracts."

Harry groaned when he ended up holding the book. He frowned at Ginny's smirk and Hermione rolling her eyes at him. "Surely not all of this can still be in practice, right? This thing looks ancient."

"The Wizarding world is ancient," Ginny told him, crossing her arms. "Not a lot changes when it comes to government. Wizards are set in their ways—which explains why we had an entire war to fight blood supremacy. This movement was backed by people in power even weeks before the final battle, you seriously think they've given their other laws much room for change? No way."

"Exactly," Hermione echoed in agreement, reaching over to tap the corner of the book she wanted her friends to see. "Betrothals cannot be broken by either participating individual. It is only broken through legal consent by those who drew up the contract—in usual circumstances, it would be the fathers of the pair, but in my case it would be the Wizengamot."

"And they won't concede," Harry grumbled, his eyes scanning the yellowing page. 

"As if it's not horrible enough that someone else has a say in whom I marry, but during the ceremony between the betrothed, an unbreakable, binding enchantment is cast upon the couple. This isn't like the muggle world, Harry; there is no annulment or divorce. When they marry you off here, they intend for you to stay together forever."

"'Til death do you part, then?"

Hermione nodded at him. "And if it comes down to it, I will not hesitate to sacrifice Malfoy."

Ginny sighed loudly, yanking the book from Harry's hands and shutting it close. Both the latter and Hermione eyed her for a second, both wondering if she was going to use it to hit Hermione on the head with it, but instead Ginny held it close to her chest.