The Marriage Decree

Chapter 24: Yes, I like my wife!

Minister of Magic.

She's about to follow Draco and rip the letter into many pieces when a thought crosses her mind. The Ministry needs something of her and it just so happens that she needs something off the Ministry. The Minister to be exact. She needs access to The Ministerial Wizarding Register Department.

"Draco!" She calls his attention excitedly. "I have an idea." She turns to face him, holding her letter out to him.

She waits as he quickly scans the piece of parchment then glances up at her confused. "I don't understand."

"I've been receiving letters like this at least once a week since the end of the war. It stopped a few months ago but it looks like Kingsley has exactly given up hope that I'll give in." She explains. "We need access to The Ministerial Wizarding Register Department to look at those filing cabinets and we could also do with having a look through those banned books on marriage decrees." She smiles.

"You want to bribe the Minister." Draco quirks an eyebrow at her.

She rolls her eyes. "I wouldn't exactly call it bribing. It's just an arrangement that ensures we both get what we want. We should do it tomorrow."

"I wish you'd had this thought before I'd burnt my letter." He admits, going back to rummaging through his wardrobe.

"Would you have testified against Lestrange?" She asks curiously.

"If I got something I want in return, then yes." He answers as he pulls a blue shirt and pair of black trousers out of the wardrobe and heads back into the bathroom to change.

Hermione sits on the edge of their bed thinking. Is there anything else they need from the Ministry? Anything that can help them discover why the marriage decree was enforced in the first place. What they really needed was access to those banned books? She can't help but think that the first two volumes of 'Seventeenth Century Laws' hold something important. Maybe Narcissa hadn't had the chance to hide them and the Ministry had taken them. Draco could ask her about, although it would have to be before they go to the Ministry since it would be a waste of time searching through the books if they hadn't been taken.

Draco exits the bathroom, fully dressed, but hair still dripping wet. He sits in front of the dressing table mirror as he dries his hair with his wand and applies the make-up charm to the scar on his forehead.

"Draco, I was thinking about those books we took from your attic." She mentions, making eye contact with him through the mirror. "Do you think your mother would know more about the first two volumes of 'Seventeenth Century Laws'." She asks.

Draco pauses his wand as he frowns confusedly at her through the mirror. "I'm not sure she knows anything about them. She rarely goes into the attic. Most of the book in there were moved by order of Lucius." He answers going back to casting his make-up charms.

"Great!" She rolls her eyes sarcastically. "The only person who might know anything about the books is locked in Azkaban for the next fourteen years." She sighs.

"Fourteen years and four days." He tells her, earning him a raised eyebrow. "He was arrested on 4th May but wasn't sentenced until 12th June." He clarifies but going back to the topic of the books. "If the books were ever in the Manor, they would either be in the attic or the library. Since we found them in neither, it is safe to assume that the Ministry has taken them." He tells her.

"I suppose there's no harm in searching the books in the Ministry." She mutters as Draco finishes and they head downstairs where they both pull their shoes on.

Hermione leaves Athena a few owl pellets before they leave, locking the door behind them, and set off for 17B, hand in hand.

When they arrive at 17B, Draco knocks on the door and is slightly shocked when Richard opens the door with a forced smile.