NOTE TO READERS:
I wanted to get this out there before Friday … I hope people will have interest even after they read book 7.
I love Marriage Law fics, and always wanted to write one. Just FYI, I am only using the Marriage Law premise, not following the challenge. My dates and ages are based on Wikipedia's birthday information for both characters. I am also disregarding HBP.
I am going to be cheeky and ask that you might check out my other two stories in progress.
In addition, I am looking for a reader to preview chapters for this story
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Mid August of the Trio's 7th year:
Hermione was sitting on the padded bench by the stairs facing the library of Number 12 Grimmauld Place when the Order members began filing out of the kitchen greeting her as they passed.
"Hello, Hermione."
"Hermione."
"Hello."
"Hello, Hermione."
"Mrs. Snape," said a deep baritone.
'What is with him?' she thought. 'Married less than a year, and other than a few strange instances here and there, we never speak except in class, which is quite agreeable. Still, no matter where we are or what we're doing … he calls me Mrs. Snape.' Hermione cocked her head, her brow nit in consideration. 'Is he teasing … being cruel … is he trying to remind himself and me that we have been bound for life … or is it all three?'
8888888888888888888888888888
The June before her sixth year:
At the beginning of that summer, Hermione had been sitting next to her mother at her father's funeral. He had had a heart attack in his sleep, while her mother dreamt beside him.
A couple weeks after the funeral, her mother asked to speak to her.
"Hermione, let's sit down." Jane Granger spoke with nervous determination while patting the sofa cushion beside her.
"Ok." Hermione knew her mother, and knew this was going to be big.
"First, dear, I just want you to know how grateful I am for all your help and support these last couple weeks."
"Mum-"
"Let me finish. Your Dad had an excellent life insurance policy, and I have been able to pay off the house." Hermione made to break in, and Jane held up her hand. "Your last year at Hogwart's is paid in full. There is also enough money for you to go to university, and, if you want, to even have a big wedding one day."
Hermione smiled, beginning to get tears in her eyes as her mother fought to hold hers back. "I'm sorry, dear," Jane began to cry in earnest. "It's just that thinking about your father and him not being there at your wedding," she broke down.
"Mum, it's alright," Hermione scooted closer to her mother rubbing her back in circles.
Jane took a couple of cleansing breaths, pulled herself together, and continued her speech. "As I was saying, basically all our needs have been met. The fate of our dental practice was not as clear." Hermione frowned. "Oh, don't worry, dear, we are not going bankrupt. There was a separate policy for the practice and everything is free and clear, even the new equipment from last year. There is still a problem though, in order to be solvent on a monthly basis and keep our staff and all our clients, I would have to bring in another dentist." She looked at Hermione shaking her head back and forth, "I can't do it; I just can't. I hate loosing what we built, but I can't work with anyone else, at least not right now."
"Mum I understand. Dad would too, and I bet he'd be the same way … So, what are you going to do?"
"Well, that's the thing. You remember your dad's Aunt Lucy."
Hermione squinted, trying to remember, then like a light bulb, it flashed, "The Purple Lady?"
Jane laughed, "Yes, the Purple Lady."
Hermione had only met the Purple Lady once, but she was the stuff of legends in the Granger Family. From what Hermione could remember, she was actually rather pretty in spite of the slight lavender hue of her silver locks. Four things made Lucy Granger the most well-known member of the family. First, she always wore some shade of purple, managing to look rather stylishly eccentric rather than odd. Secondly, she always gave purple gifts, no matter what the object, which could be scary at bridal showers. Her mother, thankfully, had received a set of very Baroque, floral, purple china with real gold trim. In the context of a museum, they may have garnered much attention, but in the clean crisp modern house of the Grangers, they stuck out and were quite distasteful. To add insult to injury, food looked strange and less appetizing on them. Hermione had found this out when she was ten and said aunt came to visit. Hermione had eagerly taken a filet mignon that had looked succulent on the server, but disappointingly, it had taken on a dull gray hue when placed on the lavender plate.
The third distinction of Aunt Lucy was… she was as rich as Midas. No one knew her net worth, but guessing had become somewhat of a game at family gatherings.
Considering legend number three, number four was the strangest. Aunt Lucy was cheap; oh not cheap with people, except for greeting cards, she re-used them using pretty stickers to hide previous signatures; mostly though it showed with strange things. She would keep thin plastic containers from store-bought food and call it Tupperware, and she 'made things' with pantyhose. Hermione's dad had said it was because she lived through difficult times during World War II.
"Hello…" Jane waived her hand in front of Hermione's face.
"Oh, sorry Mum, just remembering what Aunt Lucy is like."
Putting on a very 'now young lady watch how you treat your elders' face Jane said, "Well, in spite of what everyone says, Lucy Granger is a fine, intelligent woman, and she has invited me to stay with her on her estate in Tuscany, indefinitely."
Hermione looked at her, weighing what her mother had said, "So you'll sell the business?"
"What made you jump back there?"
"Oh, I'm sorry Mum. It sounds lovely and good for you. I'm just trying to grasp the details."
"That's sweet," Jane said cupping Hermione's cheek and chin. "To answer your question, yes, I am selling the business to Dr. Jahagirdar. He is a former classmate of Dad's who needs to relocate to London for family reasons. I am keeping the house, though."
Hermione looked at her gratefully, "Wow Mum, this is a lot to take in, but that's par for the course these last weeks. I have to say it's rather exciting." Catching herself quickly she said, "Oh, I'm sorry Mum, I didn't mean-"
Pulling her daughter's head down to her shoulder, Jane said, "It's ok Sweetie, I know what you meant."
They sat in that state until the sun went down, and the room became dark.
88888888888888888888888
Late September of her sixth year:
"Head Master, this is without a doubt the most disgusting proposal … I could be her father … I can not do my other duties and baby-sit."
"Excuse me!"
"No one is talking to you Miss Granger," Snape condescended.
"Exactly. You're talking about me and not very flatteringly either." She pushed on, not allowing for interruption. "Head Master, I also believe this is disgusting." She spit this last statement out, giving a sideways glance to Snape, "And although he surely could NEVER be my father, he is most definitely old enough."
With a hand-covered cough, Dumbledore stifled a chuckle at this last statement, eyes twinkling all the while. Hermione looked at Snape as if to say "Won that round, you greasy git."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and spoke, "I agree with both of you regarding the age difference at this time, but when you consider a wizards longevity, the issue is of less importance. Dumbledore continued, "In other words, Severus, you are a young ma-"
"But sir, she will always be 21 years younger!"
"Well, that isn't quite true. Remember what I said in the beginning; Miss Granger enters each school year one year older than most, and as we have discussed, she also used the time turner. Consequently, she is seventeen and three-fourths.
"Excuse me, I stand corrected, she's 20 years younger." Snape said with a sarcastically deferential tone. Then after a moment he added, "As if all these objections were not enough Albus, one of the most significant has to be that wizarding marriages are for life."
This was news to Hermione. "I refuse." She said flatly. "I want to go to university." Hermione turned to leave. "Good day, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape. I have to do my revisions."
Hermione heard Dumbledore's voice from behind as her hand reached for the knob, "Other Death Eaters will petition for you Miss Granger make no mistake, and you will have to accept the "until death do you part" conditions, but the marriage will be over quickly … because you will be dead, … or worse, wish you were."
Snape had moved to the windows and was looking out over the grounds, as was his habit when the old man had cornered him.
No one spoke or moved from their position. .
Then Dumbledore broke the silence, saying, "They are just asking for the marriages and then a pregnancy by your third anniversary."
"Just," Snape snorted under his breath.
Dumbledore continued ignoring the editorial, "I believe we will be victorious before then, at that point we will do all we can to overturn these contracts in spite of wizarding traditions."
After a moment, they both turned and walked silently to stand in front of the Head Master.
8888888888888888888
The Present:
The double pocket doors of the library opening and people departing roused Hermione from her reverie.
They all seemed preoccupied and began to apparate one by one. When the hall had cleared, Professor Dumbledore stood alone in the doorway. "Mrs. Snape, may we speak with you?"
Hermione panicked; the Head Master rarely called her 'Mrs. Snape' unless it had something directly to do with the marriage. She sputtered, "Yes, Sir."
When she walked in, Snape was sitting in a chair staring at the fire. Seeing him this way frightened Hermione.
"Mrs. Snape … Hermione," said Dumbledore kindly, "I'll get to this quickly. Apparently, yours is not the only marriage not consummated. There have been very few pregnancies announced, therefore the Ministry now wants to put pressure on these unions to speed up the offspring production. They want you to have a child in your arms by your second anniversary."
Hermione stood there stock straight. . She felt a heavy compression begin on her chest and face, she couldn't breath. She panicked; she needed air. She ran to the hall, and apparated.
Hermione arrived on the rocky shore of the sea; the wind swept over her slowly entering her nostrils and calming her with its waves. She couldn't even think about what was just said to her. She needed calm, she needed security … she needed her mother.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Possibly interesting tidbit …
I checked, Tupperware is used by name in the UK. Unfortunately, they had to close the in-home party approach there and now distribute their products through other companies.
No, I have never sold Tupperware.