The Last Hope
By: EloquentxFai
A/N: DH compliant in small places, yet AU for other reasons. We can wish.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. But the plot and unfamiliar characters, I am merely playing with the marvelous world JK Rowling created.
1. PROLOGUE
Hermione Jean Granger, Order of Merlin, First Class, sat on a bench outside of The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. Since the final war, the Alley had flourished back alive, and Ollivander had returned, a few new shops had opened in addition to those that had been there for centuries. She was currently sitting with the Daily Prophet open on the bench, the first headline a haunting ugliness staring up at her. She had been carrying it around since she had received it a few weeks ago.
She felt suddenly very trapped, even though she was a hero in the Wizarding World. The second muggleborn witch to receive an Order of Merlin. The Ministry of Magic had passed a marriage law, which meant that she was doomed to marry a wizard to carry on a bloodline, rather than finish her last year of schooling and then beginning a career.
It was within the first few days of that paper that she received many, many proposals. One from each living single Weasley family member. She had accepted each, beginning with Ron, but the Ministry had declined the match, stating that she was to marry someone with intelligence to rival her own, the same skills and interests as her...she was a little offended, as was Ron-but Ron had settled for asking Lavender Brown to marry him, and the Ministry had approved that marriage. George Weasley was marrying Angelina Johnson, Charlie and Bill were both married already, Percy had petitioned, and the Ministry had considered, but then he had married a different witch-out of love-and Ginny had petitioned for Harry-and they were to be wed.
It was nice to see them all pairing off, but deep down, she wanted to marry Ron, she had always wanted to marry him. However, the Ministry had decided that for her-a big red DECLINED stamped on the petition. The other petitioners were older wizards, around Dumbledore's age that had requested her hand, she was debating over whether or not to accept theirs because they could give her limitless money, and encourage her to finish her education-but at the same time, the law did state she would have to produce an heir.
Very exasperated, Hermione stuffed the paper back in her bag and went to Flourish and Blotts to look at the Wizarding Law Section, when she walked in she was greeted as a regular would be, and she made her way up the steps where she took the second row and walked to the back-standing on the steps when someone cleared their throat from behind her.
"Excuse me, are you Miss Hermione Jean Granger, Order of Merlin, First Class?" The voice was soft and feminine-Hermione turned her head and looked at the person. She was a witch with Red hair and light green eyes, Narrowing her chocolate eyes she surveyed her a moment before deciding to speak.
"Yes, I am Hermione Granger...and you are?"
"Pleased. My name isn't important, I bring to you a personal petition of Marriage from my employer-it's already been approved by the Ministry of Magic and it's an offer you simply can't refuse to accept." The witch reached in her own messenger bag and pulled out the scroll. Hermione felt very offended. The Ministry had approved it already? Most of the petitions she had received had been sent to her first, but this one, it had been through the Ministry. Hermione opened her mouth to ask a question.
"Excuse me," She began, placing the book that was in her left hand back on the shelf, "Why has this already been looked over by the Ministry?" She asked, "Most of these have to be looked over and negotiated first."
"He said you were brilliant." The red head muttered, "Listen, my boss is very proud and refuses to negotiate, and as I said, it's an offer you can't refuse. I can't tell you much more, so you'll have to just look it over and then if you decide to accept put a check in the box and the delivery owl with immediately deliver a package which will hold a port key, where I shall meet you and take you to meet my boss-and then you can decide whether or not you want to go further, but he requests the utmost privacy and disclosure." The witch stated, and then nodded. "I've been working for him since I was seventeen, trust me, if he holds you in high esteem, you're quite lucky. Just read over it and he'll expect your response within the week."
The witch turned on her heel and ran down the stairs and out the door. Staring at the scroll questionably she stuffed it in her bag and headed to the Ice Cream Parlor to get something cold. She then walked out into Muggle London and headed back to her parent's house. She had yet to return to Australia to fetch them, so she was living in the house by herself.
When she arrived back home, she tossed her keys aside on the small table by the entry and then closed the door, heading to the kitchen, she placed her bag on the counter and then stared at it while she drank some milk from a cup and debated on whether or not to open it.
As she was debating, she heard a knock on the door and went to answer it, looking out, she saw her red-headed friend Ginny Weasley, opening the door she smiled kindly. "GINNY!" She embraced the youngest Weasley and then moved aside so Ginny could enter the room.
"Hermione! How have you been?" Ginny asked, looking concerned into Hermione's eyes. "Mum's in a tiff about the Ministry turning down all the applications the family has sent to you-we suppose they're trying to send you away from us..." She looked at her black boots and then smiled ever so slightly. "So, how goes the search?" Ginny asked, while they walked to the living room, where Ginny took a seat on the couch and folded her hands in her lap. Hermione sighed.
"Well, it's funny you should ask that, Gin, I was in Flourish and Blotts and there was a witch who handed me a petition that had already been approved by the Ministry of Magic. She told me that it was an offer I couldn't refuse and her 'boss' requested the most privacy possible so it was approved before. I didn't get a chance to tell her the only approved ones I have are from elder wizards who did the same exact thing. Where I can't negotiate the contract. I haven't opened it-"
"Maybe you should, Hermione." Ginny interrupted. "You honestly think into these things a little too much, you know that?" She asked her friend, "Where's the contract? I'll open it and read it to you." Ginny asked, and smiled at her friend. "If you're too scared to read it."
"I'm not scared-I'm just-"
"Hesitant. Come on, Mione, where's your Gryffindor courage?" Ginny winked.
"I ate it...after kissing your brother." She laughed lightly and Ginny shook her head. "Alright," Hermione stood up and went to the kitchen, when she returned, she was holding the scroll in her hand. Handing it over to Ginny, she sat in the chair as Ginny broke the Ministry seal.
"Alright, it reads:
Dear Miss Hermione Jean Granger,
I am a wizard who is eighteen years your senior, and I have been sent your profile as part of this insipid marriage law, which i hope will be repealed as soon as everything becomes official. However, be that as it may, I have the knowledge that the Ministry is looking for in a mate for you. I have the ability to withhold a conversation with a witch of one as knowledgeable as you. I will let you complete your schooling, I will pay for it, I will take you in. I will do my best to love you, though it may be hard, seeing as how this marriage is one of convenience. I am a half-blood petitioning for you, a muggleborn witch, for my mother's family name. The child (because it's part of the terms, not because I purely want you because you're age and beauty) will carry on that name. However, I cannot reveal my identity to you unless you write your name on the dotted line and check the box. I promise you could read any book in my extensive library, and upon the duties fulfilled for the Ministry in this law you would be free to go, and I would let you have my manor and I would also let you keep the manor. I merely want an heir, and an individual whom I can hold an intelligent conversation with during the time. It would be a most devastating waste if you did not complete your schooling.
Sincerely, Mr. X
Wow, Hermione, he seems to know you, already." Ginny stated, finished reading, and placed the scroll on the table. "What are you going to do?"
"Did he use insipid?" Hermione asked, laughing lightly. "How very Professor Snape-ish." She shook her head. For the first time since the Shrieking Shack, she had thought of Severus Snape. It wasn't the first time, though, but it was the first time she had ever mentioned it to Ginny, who looked at Hermione with a look of pity. "Don't say a word..." Hermione shook her head.
It was in confidence Hermione had told Ginny of her formulating crush on the Potions Master. At first, it had been his intelligence, his knowledge of Potion Brewing and the Art of creating spells. Then, it was something more, something physical. But she had never expressed it to him, knowing he was far out of her league. Then, then, the shrieking shack. It was horrible watching him die, but when they returned to retrieve the body-it was gone. Someone had snatched it. She still felt guilty to this day. They should've taken him back, but the blood-it was everywhere.
"He's gone, Mione, it's not like it's him, you saw him die. Harry saw him die. Ron even saw him die, he's dead."
Hermione sighed and then looked at the scroll, "Maybe you're right...maybe it's time I accept that. The one person I Could see as a mentor and he's not around. It's horrible-he was never free from any Master-you know?" Hermione asked, sighing. And they sat there staring at the parchment as Hermione debated on whether or not she should sign it.
Taking out a quill, she decided that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, this Mr. X character, and in the box she checked it, and on the dotted line, she signed her name.
Hermione Jean Granger.
Across the country, in Nottinghamshire, an owl left the owlery of a beautiful estate-carrying a small package which would take her to the home that she would live in after she met her suitor.
Her suitor sat in the office, with his fingers steepled and watched as the owl flew away.
"Meredith!" He shouted, the red haired witch from Flourish and Blotts came running in the room. "Meet her at the front gate-" His voice was raspy and he spun around to look at the witch, a smile on his face. Pretty soon, the quiet he had lived in for the past two months would shatter.