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She was trapped. Hermione hadn't been happy about the idea of leaving the UK, but it was better than the alternative.
Hermione considered her next move as she looked down at the scarred wood of the table in the interrogation room she was locked in. The door opened and she looked up as a middle aged auror that she didn't know walked in.
"Miss Granger, you are free to leave" The auror removed her restraints with a flick of his wand.
"Well, that's not exactly true, is it?" Hermione replied wryly. She stood up and smoothed the wrinkles out of her white sundress.
"Fine then, you're free to go home"
She scoffed, but didn't reply as she walked out into the DMLE. The aurors moved quickly out of her way as she stalked out of the department. None of them dared to meet her gaze.
----
"Hermione!"
Hermione stopped and turned at the sound of her name.
"What do you want, Kingsley?" She glared at him and kept walking. He scrambled to keep up with her. "Here to imprison me for walking in the Ministry? Did you pass a new law so that the walking wombs aren't allowed in these hallowed halls anymore?"
"Of course not, you're being ridiculous, Hermione..."
Her rage soared. "It wasn't enough to mandate forced marriages and state-sanctioned rape? To refuse to allow single people to leave the wizarding world? Now, we're not even allowed out of the country anymore? How exactly am I being ridiculous to have a problem with that? To expect that you may have put other draconian laws in place"
"Single people are allowed to leave the country. You are not. They need you to participate. To lead the way. You know that." He shook his head, exhaustion and strain visible in his eyes. "And you know that I had very little to do with the laws that the Wizengamot passed. I'm going to have to marry too. At least I got them to agree to all those serious compatibility and matchmaking spells. Maybe it won't be so bad..."
"They are forcing consummation and have a deadline for conceiving. It's not okay, Kingsley" Hermione softened, just a little. She knew he was trying, but he didn't seem to understand what this law meant. The horror of the concept and the possibility of abuse for everyone subject to it.
"I know. But, I am out of options. Nothing has worked, not the arguments or the Prophet articles or the protests. Neither of us are getting out of this. None of us are getting out of it." He reached out and stopped her. "They are having a press conference to announce it tomorrow. We're required to be there. You don't have to speak or smile. But, you have to be on the stage. They are threatening to throw you in Azkaban for sedition if you aren't."
"Do I get away from my government-issued rapist if I am in Azkaban?"
Kingsley laughed darkly. "Probably not, they'll just keep you there until the ceremony and release you to him"
"Shit. I guess I will be there."
----
Hermione's nerves were jangling through her as the Chief Warlock rambled on about this historic day. She kept her face blank as s she felt the potion she took before the press conference began to work. She brought her hands together in front of her and pinched her left wrist as hard as she could. Nothing. Showtime.
"Chief Warlock, I have something to say" Hermione laughed a little to herself as the pompous little man reddened in anger at the interruption.
"What is that, young lady?" He sneered at her.
"May I?" Hermione didn't wait for an answer before she pushed him away from the podium with her hip.
"Thanks" He huffed, but made no moved to take back his spot.
" I just want to say that I have given a lot to the wizarding world. I sacrificed my childhood fighting for all people to be treated equally. I helped to defeat Voldemort to make our community safe for people like me"
"I sacrificed my body, my mental health, my education for that goal. I have given enough.
"Now the Wizengamot wants me to give my future. They are demanding that I sacrifice my hopes and dreams for my life. They want me to sacrifice my body and my safety. They want to take my choice and my preferences from me. They want my children.
I have given enough. But fine. You want my womb that bad? You can have it." Hermione took her wand out and slashed open her abdomen. The crowd gasped. She reached inside and grabbed her uterus and used her wand to free it. Blood poured out of her wound.
She threw it at the Chief Warlock's feet. He jumped back in horror.
"Enjoy it. It's the last piece of me you'll get." She turned to the crowd.
"There is no equality in a society where the government mandates the rape of its citizens. And, I will not participate in perpetuating it."
Hermione took out the small container of petrol that she had hidden in her pocket and poured it over herself. She lifted her wand and shouted,
"Incendio!"