DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. I am making absolutely no profit, except for the mental exercise. ;

01/01/01 – 1:30 AM – The Burrow

"Insufferable git!"

"Ginny, calm dow-"

"I most certainly will not calm down, Hermione Jean Granger! Who does he think he is, slighting you like that in front of all those people? It is not to be borne..."

Hermione sighed and thought to herself while Ginny kept rambling on and on about Severus Bloody Snape. Of course he was a git; everyone knew that. She tried not to take the little unintended insult personally, but it smarted all the same.

-FLASHBACK-

12/31/00 – 11:12 PM – Malfoy Manor (A New Years Eve party)

"Severus! Why are you not dancing?" a rather tipsy Lucius Malfoy slurred. "So many pretty ladies about, and you sit there like a..."

"I thank you, Lucius. You know I do not care for dancing, especially at assemblies such as these. Now that I think about it, you are dancing with the only handsome woman in the room."

Lucius grinned at Narcissa Malfoy from a distance and said, "Yes, my wife is quite the most beautiful woman in this room, and perhaps even in all the world, isn't she?"

"She smiles too much nowadays."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, man. We are all happy for our freedom, aren't we? I wouldn't be as fastidious as you are for anything in this world!"

Severus cocked one eyebrow, looked at his drunken friend, smirked slightly, and said nothing.

"Come, now. Let us find you a partner for the next dance, shall we? How about the eldest Miss Greengrass? She is of age now, and she's quite lovely, isn't sh-"

"Lucius, I beg of you, no. If you insist on playing this revolting little game with me, I ask only that you seek out a woman with half a brain!"

"Fine, fine, Mister I'm-oh-so-much-better-than-the-average-female. Narcissa and I will never get you married at this rate!"

Severus snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. This new, informal Lucius was taking a lot of getting used to - for everybody, especially those who knew him best in the dark times.

"How about that little Miss Granger? She is of age now, and subject to the Marriage Law only in a few weeks' time! She's quite a pretty little thing now that she's out and about in society without her little head stuck in a book, isn't she? And yet she remains incredibly intelligent and witty as ever, eh, Severus?"

"Well..."

"Oh, and that Weasel whelp is finally out of the way! Did you not hear? The poor dear caught ickle Ronnie and Lavender Brown in a, uh," he coughed, "quite heated embrace just the other day..."

"She is – tolerable, I suppose." Severus interrupted, desperate not to let his true feelings show. "But she is not quite handsome enough to tempt me. Lucius, I am in no humor to attend to young ladies who have been slighted by other men. Go back to your wife and enjoy her smiles, and for Merlin's sake man, give me some peace!"

Lucius chuckled, clapped his friend knowingly on the shoulder, and then ambled his way across the ballroom floor towards his beloved wife.

Unknown to both Lucius and Severus, Hermione Granger herself was right there the entire time, her back to them. Her face caught a pained grimace, and with half a laugh and half a sob, she looked around the room to find her best friend Ginny to tell her the whole story...

-/FLASHBACK-

Hermione sighed and put her face in her hands. First, Ron cheated on her with Lavender again, and now even Snape refused to have anything to do with her? Was she good enough for no one?

02/23/01 - 9:30 PM – The Burrow

"You sure, mate?" whined Ron. "She's hardly spoken to me since The, uh, Incident." he blushed.

"Absolutely. You two are meant to be together, just like me and Ginny, you know? People make mistakes all the time. I say go for it!" Harry exclaimed.

"Come on, Ronald. You and 'Mione are destined for each other! Everyone says so. She loves you! I know she'll forgive you when she knows how you really feel!" Ginny piped in.

Ron blanched. "I was going to, honest! Then that thing with Lavender happened and she just won't speak to me unless she absolutely must."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't even worry about it. The two of you have been through so much together already. The Marriage Law just gives you the perfect incentive for saving our 'Mione from being forced to marry somebody awful! And it saves you from that wretched Lavender Brown."

"HEY!" Ron bellowed, red in the face.

02/23/01 – 9:29 PM – Wizengamot Headquarters

"Minister Shacklebolt, after long deliberations, the Wizengamot has decided, due to the unexpected and unprecedented failure of the Marriage Act of 1999, that said Act shall hereby be repealed, and henceforth no witch or wizard, Muggle-born or Pureblood, shall be required by law to marry and bear children..."